Christmas Season [4]

Merry Christmas everyone!

A year later I find last year's post comforting and challenging. There is comfort in the reality that the Christmas Season is truly a game-changer (e.g., the beginning of the downfall of Satan's kingdom). Yet there is also challenge because the implications of the Christmas Season call for a response. Quite often the response(s) it calls for are challenging.

So, as this year winds down and another is about to begin, let me ask you a serious question. Are you more in love with Jesus today then you were a year ago? Got an answer? Good. Now let me ask another question. What is your evidence?

Hopefully you can answer the initial question with a "Yes," and then give a few examples to substantiate your answer.

Ready for another question or two? How would people around you know that you are more in love with Jesus today than a year ago? What would their response be if someone asked, "Hey 'Steve,' you are good friends with 'Bill,' right? Is he more in love with Jesus today then he was a year ago at this time?" What would his answer be? What would be his evidence?

If you are like me, there are some things that come to your mind which can cast doubt on an initial "Yes" answer. If this is the case for you, please do not dismiss the doubtful thoughts. In light of the Christmas Season, please do the following...
A) Pray about the doubts. Is there validity to them? If so, there is no need to try and hide or deny them. This will certainly not be beneficial for anyone in the long run.
B) View these areas, if valid, as room for growth in your walk with God.
C) Confess these areas to God and seek help from others (i.e., confession both to God and community along with accountability).
D) Leverage this "most wonderful time of the year" (i.e., the Christmas Season) to your advantage and seek to bring about change (i.e., sanctification) in these areas.

The Christ Event (Jesus' Birth, Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension) was a death blow to the kingdom of Satan. He is now bound, and while this does not eradicate him, Satan has been limited. For example, his ultimate weapon of death now has an ironic (for him) twist. Every time a follower of Jesus dies, no matter how the death comes about, they go to be in the presence of God. What a beautiful victory! A victory that no doubt enrages the father of lies (Jn8:44), accuser of the brothers (Rev12:10), and deceiver of the whole world (Rev12:9).

However, my focus is not on Satan in this post. No, my focus is on you (and me). In light of the Christmas Season, what godly changes are in store for you this year?

For some, step "c" above would be a huge step. Quite often confession and accountability are not done well in Christian circles. Yet do not let this deter you. Rather, be a catalyst to bring healthy confession and accountability into your community. Furthermore, do not view changes in light of the Christmas Season as daunting...view them as exciting.

The most free, safe, secure, at peace, and full of joy we will ever be is in the middle of the Father's will for our lives. Yet do not make the mistake of defining "free" and the remaining descriptors above in the way the world views them. Remember, there is a ruler of "this world" - and he is not Jesus (cf. 2Cor4:4). Yet because of the Christmas Season, his days are limited.

Rather than suggest a list of godly changes for this coming year in light of the Christmas Season, I will suggest one - for everyone. This change is necessary if you are going to have long-term growth in your walk with God. This past week I was given a great reminder while reading Knowing God the Father Through the Old Testament by Christopher J.H. Wright. He basically said revivals for the people of God in the Old Testament revolved around the written word of God. His examples were the reforms under Josiah (cf. 2Kgs22-23) and Ezra (cf. Neh8).

I think you can see the connection for us between the word of God for Israel (the written word) and the Word of God for us, the fulfilled Israel, in the person of Jesus. Interestingly, Jesus also had a high view of the written word of God.

In light of that, read the Bible this coming year. You may be surprised with the changes it will help to bring about in you. There are many reading plans to take a person through the entire Bible in a year. You can choose from a chronological approach, one that gets you through the OT once and NT three times, and many others. I am going to follow a thematic approach this year.

Oh yes, and in light of the Christmas Season, do not delay this godly change another moment. Start reading in your Bible today...putting it off until the "new year" is not wise. Why put off growing closer to God?

Also, if and when you miss a day, do not get down on yourself. Simply pick it up the next day. Remember, God is a God of grace...He certainly does not want you "down on yourself" for missing a day in His word. He would much rather have that pain of missing propel you to not missing another day instead of it leading to a prolonged period away from His word.  

Oh yeah, last thing. I will encourage you to add a simple prayer in light of the Christmas Season for 2013; "God, give me a growing desire for Your word - to read and heed it." You will need strength that is not your own to read and apply God's word. The enemy, though defeated, is still strong and can deceive you. Yet the Spirit that lives within us is more powerful than him. Praise God for that.

In light of the Christmas Season, may you have a blessed new year in the eyes of the Lord!!!