"WONDERFUL COUNSELOR" 

Advent Devotional 5 - Week 3 
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called -- Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I'm sure you are wondering why I would write about Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace first and leave the name and attribute of "Wonderful Counselor" until now. Why not write about them in the order that Isaiah prophesied? The answer is simply this: the latter three names and attributes expressed by God, through Isaiah, depict the absolute holiness and supernatural might of God -- incredibly encouraging, but difficult for this finite mind to relate.

• Almighty God -- bolsters my faith and I find great comfort in seeing His might at work around me. But I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around that kind of "other worldly" power. I just cannot fully understand the kind of power that both creates and redeems; condemns and loves; destroys and brings healing -- all on a supernatural level (Psalm 104:1-9).
• Everlasting Father -- embeds a powerful faith impression on the human heart. It gives me courage to face the future, by faith, as a soul who has been redeemed. And yet, once again, this eternal God is truly unfathomable by this finite human mind. (Psalm 90:1-3).
• Prince of Peace -- brings a presence of powerful peace to our hearts personally as we authentically follow Him and listen to the leading of His Holy Spirit (John 14:26-28). There is no gift so great as that. And one day that peace will permeate all that is. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess in heaven and on earth that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). But again, at least one half of this peace equation is unimaginable to the human heart. A heart that sees the pain and hate of the world around us and resonates with the old Henry Longfellow Christmas hymn, "There is no peace on earth, I said! For hate is strong and mocks the song of 'peace on earth, goodwill to men.'"

So how does the Wonderful Counselor differ from these other attributes? The Wonderful Counselor takes the unfathomable of God and puts it in my hands. The Wonderful Counselor helps me relate. He makes Almighty God a daily companion and compass for my life. He brings the Everlasting Father into relational view. And He plants the Prince of Peace deep in the fiber of my very being. And how does He do all of this? Through His Living Word. According to John 1:1-5 and verse 14, Jesus is the Living Word and He speaks His peace to our hearts as we follow His word. His Word is His supernatural counsel to us and is tangible and relevant for everyday growth and encouragement. So when God became incarnate, it wasn't just for a short 33 years on earth. His Living Word is His wonderful daily counsel and His Holy Spirit is our encourager and guide as we consistently read His Living Word. He is still incarnate through His Word. His Word and prayer hold the keys to the passage way connecting with the Wonderful Counselor.

"For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12-13  NIV)."

The core meaning of the word "encourage" has to do with the heart (the central depths of man's affections). The word literally means to impart courage, inspiration, and resolution. So the literal embodiment of the Wonderful Counselor is His Holy Word, the Bible. And it is through that Word He brings Almighty supernatural confidence for living and Everlasting, Fatherly wisdom for each day. Now add prayer, in Jesus' name to the mix, and you have a powerful connection to the Prince of Peace that isn't just a future promise, but a daily gift of encouragement and His presence as we walk with Him.

No longer is there anything that mocks the song of Peace on Earth. Instead...
        "Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
          The wrong shall fail, the right prevail with peace on earth, good will to men.'"
                    - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"PRINCE OF PEACE" 

Advent Devotional 4 - Week 2 
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called -- Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I made a decision a while back that since I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and since I have a rugged beast of an 4x4 (my Ebay special), I was going to take advantage of exploring some of the unpaved roads of the forests nearby. I was not meant to just stay on the paved roads of life. Not much excitement and challenge there!

Not long ago I was up in Pisgah Forest, doing some of this random exploration, and came upon some waterfalls that I didn't even know existed. It had just been raining heavily in the county and the falls were absolutely busting at the seams with roaring water cascading over the rocks and down the mountain creek. I was mesmerized by the sound of the powerful rushing water. I parked the "Beast" up the road a ways and walked back to were I could see down into the gorge and hear the thunderous roar of the water pounding the rocks and pushing at the sides of the creek bed. I wanted to walk down the steep incline to the water's edge, but knew that as swift as the water was flowing, the volume of water smashing against the sides of the creek bed and as treacherous as the waterfall itself was, I did not have the gear to make that a safe descent. Sometimes age and the experience of past nasty falls vote in favor of wisdom.

So I sat down with camera in hand and began to reflect on the awesome power of God. Funny, it was a place of solitude, but it certainly wasn't a place of "quiet" solitude. And yet my mind settled in for some moments of deep reflection. I thought about that night, in "the fullness of time" that God chose to come down to this earth in the form of a human baby -- solely for our benefit -- for our salvation. I thought of how He came as the "Prince of Peace." 

Peace! Now there's a strange thing to be thinking about staring into a gorge at a raging waterfall! And yet, the more I listened to the roar of that waterfall, the more I sensed the POWER of peace ... the NOISE of peace ... the AWESOMENESS of His peace.

We often have such a misconception of true peace -- or what it takes to know peace. Perhaps part of that misconception comes as a result of our traditional thinking of that night in Bethlehem. You know, that night that the true Prince of Peace came into this world. We sing about it being a "silent night" and a "holy night." It was definitely a holy night, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that it was silent. In fact, in 1818 when Father Joseph Mohr wrote that infamous carol of Christmas, he wrote it in response to a faulty organ at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria. The songs planned for that Christmas Eve in 1818 were all scrubbed, thanks to that organ inconveniently going on the fritz! Hence, "Silent Night, Holy Night" was born.

However, that night in Bethlehem a couple of thousand years ago was probably anything but silent. No, I wasn't there, so I don't know for sure. However, I do know that the town of Bethlehem was swelling with thousands more people than usual, since Caesar's census was in full swing. That also meant thousands more animals (transportation and food) who would have been noisily annoyed by each other's presence, no doubt. Then there were certainly families coming together who hadn't seen each other for years, throwing feasts and parties, as the Hebrew customs and traditions would have dictated. And there were the angels, which led to the sounds of excited shepherds clambering about the angels as they searched for the babe in a manger and, of course, their sheep bleating as they went..... WOW! How could there be silence?

What about a mother on the verge of giving birth? Silence? I think not! And then there was a father who is scurrying around the stable, noisily urging grumpy animals to move as he frantically tried to find whatever was available to make his lady as comfortable as possible for the miracle that was about to occur. Silence? No way! And yet, before the night was through, there was to be a supernatural sense of peace, even in that frenetic scene of an un-silent night. And did the Babe come into this world without making a sound? Think about it. He IS the Lion of Judah!

Yes, it is good to find a place of quiet solitude often -- away from the noise and bustle of daily responsibilities and "the grind." A place where reflection and prayer come much easier is a good discipline to practice. But never forget, Jesus didn't come to this world to only provide peace when you are away from the noise. He came into a noisy world that was yelling, cursing and pushing all the wrong vehicles of man-made and man-governed peace. Yes, even into this noisy world came the Lion of Judah. And when He roared, "TETELESTAI," 

"It is finished!" 

"Paid in full!"

There came a peace that passes all understanding. And it's that peace that is with you wherever you are as a Jesus-follower. From the noisy, busy world of survival, to the place of solitude and reflection. Be aware of the presence of the Lion of Judah wherever your day takes you. Just as the powerful roar of the falls brought me to reflect on the power of His peace, you too may find that hearing His awesomeness roar is even more peaceful for you today than hearing nothing at all.

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").    - Matthew 1:23

"EVERLASTING  FATHER" 


Advent Devotional 3 - Week 2 
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called -- Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

For the world, Christmas has become a commercialized frenzy of crazed shopping. If we’re not camped out over night to get the best deals, we’re practically trampling each other for a shot at purchasing what’s left of the “perfect” shoes, toys or electronics. Many have forgotten what Christmas is truly about… God becoming man so that He might redeem us from the consequences of our own sin.

For the true believer, Christmas is a time of celebrating the birth of the Lord God into our world, bringing His perfect plan of salvation. Isaiah 9:6 is a prophecy that is fulfilled in Jesus who was born so that he might die. However, that’s not the end of the story. Not even close! It was Jesus who was born in a manger so that he might win the greatest victory in history on a cross. It was also Jesus who rose again to live for all of eternity as Savior and Lord. In the birth of Christ is our redemption, our blessing and our cleansing. In His resurrection is all of our hope.

“God with us” is the greatest reality of all time and will remain that way for all of eternity because He is the Everlasting Father!

Spend a few moments checking out these passages of Scripture that remind us of just how powerful this truth of everlasting paternity really is:

John 10:30,  “I and the Father are one.”

John 14:7,  “If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”

John 14:9,  “Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Heb. 1:3,  “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…”

Rev. 1:18,  “...and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”


Discover your joy in the EVERLASTING FATHER!

“ALMIGHTY GOD”

 Advent Devotional 2 – Week 1
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be His shoulders. And He 
will be called -- Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

In 2014 Brenda and I will celebrate our 33rd anniversary as a married couple. Of all the fond memories of our honeymoon trip, all those years ago, there is one that is not so great. The afternoon we left our beach honeymoon to head back home, we were both so sunburned that we were literally feeling ill. I saw on the map what appeared to be a shorter way home through the mountains. Shorter? Not so much!!! About three hours in to this fiasco we were both so sick we were ready to just pull over and crash for a few hours on the side of the road. The problem: a “side of the road” was nonexistent on those mountain roads.

Suddenly, rounding a bend, we came upon a small motel that looked like it would probably register about a 0.25-star on a motel rating list. We took it! We were so sick we didn’t unload suitcases or even change clothes. Literally afraid of what we’d find if we pulled back the bedding, we slept fully clothed and even left our shoes on – just incase we found ourselves living out a psycho-horror flick at Bates Motel or something. Only the next morning when Brenda went into the restroom and shrieked loudly did we know the full extent of our failed motel choice. Those poor, scared cockroaches scattered everywhere!

In almost 33 years of marriage, I have managed to pull off some unforgettably dumb things. This was one of those experiences, however, that we will never be able to forget, no matter how hard we may try!!! And for some reason, it’s still my fault. Hmmm...

Wasn’t it the God of the universe who came to earth and spent His first night in far less than 1-star accommodations? Wasn’t it a stable and a feeding trough?

• What a welcome to the Creator of all that is, or ever will be. 
• What a welcome to the One whose awesome holiness cannot and will not co-exist with sin! 
• What a welcome to the One whose might destroyed the world of sin with a great FLOOD! 
• What a welcome to the One whose passionate desire was to come to this world and become the sacrifice that would overcome the sin of the world instead of destroying the world again! 

In John 16:33 Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah was right – HE is the Almighty God who overcame the world with love and HIS presence.

Oh, He has given us plenty of presents and blessings over the years too. But it’s His presence (Immanuel, God with us), even at this very moment, that makes all the difference for us as His children. It turns out, the greatest displays of His might are His grace and His mercy. Both were a result of His mighty presence.

 Bask in the presence of His grace! Spend time with Him in His Living Word.


 Suggested Reading:    Exodus 15;   Psalm 104;   John 3;   Hebrews 1

“WRONG TURN?”

Advent Devotional 1 – Week 1

Matthew 1:18-24 
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about:  His mother Mary was pledged to be 
married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the 
Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to 
expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”   
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).  When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 

Ya gotta love Joseph! He’s such a realistic character. He brings a powerful sense of humanity to the whole Christmas account. Joseph teaches us to obey without regard to personal cost. He finds out his fiancée is pregnant but not by him. He’s a good guy, so instead of taking her to Dr. Phil or exposing her on the Jerry Springer show, he decides to quietly leave her. He chose to respond in a protective, godly way. “An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20 NIV).

So Joseph goes ahead with the marriage. Can you imagine for a moment the potential embarrassing situation Joseph is walking into? She’s pregnant but not by you? How long have you been married? How old is Jesus? I imagine Joseph’s friends and other critics trying to talk him out of it. You’re going to raise someone else’s baby? She’s disgraced you? If she’s been unfaithful already, how do you know she won’t be again? She says she became pregnant by God? Yeah…that’s a likely story! But Joseph is undeterred by the cost to his reputation. God has told him what to do, so he does it.

Do you suppose, even after all his determination, when it came down to it and they hit the tough road to Bethlehem with Mary on a donkey – did he question whether he was on the right road? Was he really following God’s GPS in all this? Were his nay-saying friends and critics right? Had he taken a wrong turn?

There is a very simple, but fundamental difference between Joseph and any potential critics. You see, it’s hard to make a right turn if you are on the wrong road!  Joseph was on the right road and he was plugged in to God’s GPS. He had put himself and his life in a position to really hear from God.

Be sure and put yourself in a position to be able to hear from God today and every day. Pray, listen, read His Word. Then like Joseph, you’ll have confidence that you are on the right road and taking the right turns – all the while strong enough to do that without regard to personal cost. The payoff is out of this world!