As we celebrate Christmas, let us reflect on all Christ has given us. Apart from Christ, we would be destined for a hopeless existence. His gifts to us are limitless…His love, peace, joy, faith, and the never-ending list of heavenly treasures are the greatest blessings of life.
I can imagine the perfect Christmas gift for us to give Christ would be to continually allow His Spirit to produce abundant fruit in each one of our hearts. In the coming year, let’s pray without ceasing and give Christ every part of our lives.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the gift of Christ. Thank You for sending Your son to save the world from darkness and to give us eternal life. Thank You for all that You give us and thank You for enabling us to live with an abundance of hope, joy, peace, and love. Let us live a life led by Your Holy Spirit and take hold of every gift You have given us through Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate our amazing Savior and share Christ’s love with the hurting people in the world. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.
Many years ago during one of the hardest seasons of my life, I learned the most about abundant living. While battling hardships and trials, I sought the Lord for the answers to my problems, and He diligently answered me. He led me to a Scripture in the Bible that jumped off the pages when I read it.
In these verses, I found the answer to what my heart longed to know. The word ‘circumcise’ is derived from a Latin word meaning, to cut. In the midst of excruciating trials, it felt like my heart was being circumcised. God was cutting away the idols in my heart that were hindering me from fully loving Him and fully living life. The process was painful, but ultimately it led me to the abundance my soul was longing for.
Everyone wants to live abundantly. The Bible says that Jesus came to give us life, and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10). Yet, how many people truly tap into the abundant life that Christ offers? Could it be the way we view our lives or what we equate happiness with?
For a season in my youthful years, I was seeking abundance in the wrong places, which led to disappointment. In God’s infinite grace, He took me through a season of testing, so that I would come forth as pure gold (Job 23:10). Through the stretching and tests, He led me to the true source of abundance.
The things in my past, that were the hardest to endure, are what led me to the abundant life in Christ—a life of genuine joy and peace—that is not determined by things or circumstances. Through the hardships, God gave me a new heart—a heart that rejoices because of His love.
Are you in the midst of being pulled and stretched? Do you feel as though life is caving in around you?
To be rebuilt, a house needs to be torn down first. It can be an excruciating process. Do not lose heart. God is building a beautiful spiritual house out of your life. He uses every loss and every struggle to bring good in the lives of those who love Him and live according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Nothing He allows in our lives is in vain. He uses it all.
For a child of God, it is pure joy to face trials because we know that no matter what is happening, Jesus is walking along beside us and carrying us through all of life’s hard situations.
Christ wants for us to love Him with all of our hearts, so that we can truly live abundantly and bask in His great love. In loving Jesus Christ more than anything or anyone, we can’t be shaken. When our lives are built upon Christ, we can’t lose our foundation and nothing or nobody can steal our joy.
Countless people in the world have been duped into believing that abundant living is found in wealth and material riches. The true abundant life is found in knowing Christ deeply. Jesus is everything—when we know this, then we know that any other good thing we have in life is only the icing on the cake.
May you enjoy Jesus this Christmas season and find hope through Him in the weariness of life.
Lord, I thank You for the abundance of joy and peace that You give to us in all seasons of life. Help us to continually look to You as our only source. Let us keep our eyes fixed upon You and enjoy You every day. Let us be content in all circumstances and know You are all we really need to live abundantly. We pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.
As we celebrate Christ’s birth this Christmas season, let us all remember why He was born. Christ came to give new life.
His love is a gift that breaks into the dark places of the soul and brings forth light. He strengthens us when we’re weak. He fills us with love when we’re loveless. He soothes our sorrows when we’re mourning. He heals the heart when it’s broken. He gives us joy in all circumstances and gives us the desires of our hearts as we find our delight in Him. He fills us with an inexpressible peacefulness that transcends all understanding. He restores the broken things and makes beauty out of our mistakes.
He is the redeemer of every painful trial we’ll ever face.
God brought forth Christ the Messiah for all people, so that we could live eternally in hope and peace no matter how dark it becomes in the world. His light overcomes all darkness and His love is never-ending. Without a doubt, the love of Christ is the best and most indescribable gift we’ll ever receive.
Nothing else can satisfy our longings. Only Jesus Christ is able to meet our deepest needs and it’s in Him alone we find true contentment.
May we keep Christ the focus of our holiday festivities and treasure the true meaning of Christmas.
Beloved Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, kindness, and mercy. Help us to keep our priorities straight in the midst of busy days. Let us be keenly aware of Your love and light this Christmas season. Let us rejoice over the gifts You have given us through a loving relationship with You. We pray in Your name. Amen.
