“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” (Rom. 12:10)

Don’t become distracted

It’s easy to get caught up in holiday preparations and distracted from the reason for the season, which is, of course, Jesus. There’s an example of this happening in Scripture. Two sisters, Mary and Martha, had Jesus and His disciples visit their home. One of the sisters, Mary, was focused only on Jesus and sat at His feet as He spoke. And the other sister, Martha, was distracted by the meal preparation and became irritated that Mary wasn’t helping her. Martha then complained about it to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me” (Luke 10:40). He said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). 

Martha wasn’t doing anything wrong, actually. She was just working to get food preparation done. But the better thing, as Jesus pointed out, was to focus on Him. If she had done that, she wouldn’t have been stressed out. Similarly, learning to focus on what is most important during the holiday season, and prioritizing your time, accordingly, will remove much stress.

The most important things

Make it your goal to put Jesus first during the Christmas season (see Matthew 6:33 for another wonderful promise). And use the Christmas season as an opportunity to focus genuinely on loving and honoring each other (see the verse at top). You will enjoy the season so much more!

“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary.” (Isa. 40:28 GNT)

As we enter the Christmas season with all the decorating, gift-giving, family gatherings, and social pressures, many become weary and stressed. The good news is that there is an answer.  

The answer

Spend time with God who never grows tired or weary. He is the one who gives strength and increases power when you need it.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isa. 40:29-31 NIV)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”   (Matt. 11:28-29)

Simon and Garfunkel had a huge hit in the 1960’s with their song, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The song obviously struck a responsive chord with the masses. And after all these years, it still remains one of the most popular songs in history. Why is that so? The answer is found in the lyrics, which are about feeling weary and experiencing personal pain—and with a hopeful answer given of a friend being “like a bridge over troubled waters, I will lay me down.”

Everybody needs someone like that!

The good news is that we do have someone like that, it’s Jesus! He literally laid down His life for us!

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) 

Therefore

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16).

“We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Rom. 8:28 NLT)

“Everything’s going to be okay!”

I’ve heard the above statement many times over the years when something bad happened to me. I’ve experienced floods, earthquakes, car wrecks, house fires, financial losses, and even the sudden death of loved ones. It’s not unusual for troubling things to happen. In fact, Jesus warned about it. He said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT)

It may look impossible

When trouble happens, recovery often appears unachievable at first. You’re usually in some form of unbelief or even shock; you cannot think clearly. And it is certainly comforting to be told that everything is going to be okay. And, truthfully, it’s usually true. Most problems, no matter how big, eventually get resolved.

When I was a little boy, I lived near the Van Duzen River in Alton, California. One winter, it rained hard for days, the river overflowed, and water flooded through the doors of our house. It happened so fast that we hardly had time to think. Daddy grabbed both me and my brother and rushed us out the front door through the debris-filled water that was already up to our knees and rising fast. He tightly held onto us to prevent us from washing away. We barely were able to make it to a hill nearby to safety. From there we were able to see everything we had being washed away.

 I distinctly remember that I was able to feel safe because I knew Daddy loved me and I knew he would always work to keep me safe. He was my Daddy!

Therefore

The passage at top promises us that God will cause everything to turn out okay for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. So, when trouble comes along, don’t be fearful, remember that He’s going to make it turn out okay!

“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.” (Rom. 8:29 NLT)

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10 ESV)

“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” (Gen. 8:22 NLT)

In the early days of the 1960’s, when John Kennedy was the US President and Nikita Khrushchev was Premier of the Soviet Union, Khrushchev sent ships loaded with weapons of mass destruction towards Cuba. This was a major threat to the security of the USA. Kennedy demanded that Khrushchev turn the ships around or there would be war!

This was very scary!

We were at the point of nuclear war, and everyone was holding their breath in fearful anticipation.

The end of the book!

At that moment, a reporter stuck a microphone into the face of evangelist Billy Graham and said to him, “What do you think is going to happen? Are you fearful of nuclear war?” Without a moment of hesitation, he replied, “I don’t know what is about to happen, but this I know; I read the last page in the Bible, and it says, ‘We win!’”

Billy Graham was not alarmed by the world events unfolding around him because he fully trusted in the Word of God, which governed his opinions, emotions, and reactions. That is a great and safe attitude to have in the world we live in! The daily promise at the top says, “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” This is very reassuring and is a great foundation to stand on; you can find rest in that! And, of course, read and believe the last page of the Bible! He is coming soon! 

Therefore, amen and amen!

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.” (Rev. 22:20-21)

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Num. 23:19 NIV)

As a child, I was in and out of the welfare system, and I lived in multiple home situations where I discovered early on that people weren’t trustworthy. This caused me much emotional pain and anxiety and affected my self-image negatively. But I eventually received Christ, and that changed everything for me! He is someone who is faithful 100 percent of the time! His Word will never fail!

The Certainty of God’s Promise

“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.” (Heb. 6:13-18 NIV)

Therefore

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7 NIV)

“in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,” (Titus 1:2 NIV)

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

Light is an interesting thing

Light is not like darkness because darkness does not exist (it’s the absence of light). Darkness cannot extinguish light, but light can extinguish darkness. You can reflect light, like the moon does, or carry it in your hand and shine it onto things, as with a lamp or flashlight.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Therefore

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Eph. 5:8)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

ON THE FIRST DAY: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” (Gen. 1:3-4 NIV)

ON THE FOURTH DAY: “God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.” (Gen. 1:16-19 NIV).

A conundrum for man but not for God!  

God created light before He created the sun and the moon. Is it possible to have light for three days without the sun?There are those who read the order of creation and they say, “Hey, this has got to be a big mistake and proves the Bible has errors! The Bible says God created light on day one, but He didn’t create the sun and the moon until day four, and that can’t be right! You cannot have daylight without the light source, the sun!”

God made and controls light

The order of creation may be a stumbling block for some, but it is not a problem for God. The temporary light source—whatever it was—by God’s design and purpose served to function as light and heat for the earth for three days. Here, God demonstrated that He created and controlled light.

“I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.” (Isa. 42:16)

Examples of God controlling light

During the ninth plague, God added light to the inside of the Israelite’s homes, while it was totally dark outside.

“So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.” (Exo. 10:22-23 NIV)

And there will come a day when we will all be in heaven and all light will come from God’s glory.

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” (Rev. 21:23 NIV)

Short and Powerful Promises

I’m currently listing some of my favorite clearly stated promises in the Bible. Commit them to memory, meditate on them, and apply them to your particular situation or need.

You can be confident of this!

“He did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” (2 Cor. 1:10 NLT)