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For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Our culture has a tendency to focus on baby Jesus laying in a manger, Santa, and gift-giving. We decorate our homes and send cards with various sentiments about peace and joy to the world! Then when Christmas passes, people don’t want to talk about Jesus anymore! However, Christmas is just the beginning of God’s redemptive love story. For unto us a child was born, but that child became an adult with the purpose of saving the world! The baby Jesus came to unfold God’s plan of salvation for humanity and to bring God’s kingdom and the joy and peace we so readily talk about.

Prior to the coming of Christ, His birth was prophesied hundreds of years earlier by various prophets. While many kingdoms and empires rose and toppled down, God had a different answer for government and human needs. The above scripture tells us about the attributes that the Messiah was going to have that were going to be answers for people’s yearnings. Let’s remind ourselves of these attributes that made Jesus our Lord and Savior! 

Government will be upon His shoulder

God placed every form government upon Jesus’ shoulder. Jesus is the foundation of every good government. The basis of God’s truth and righteousness creates a stable and strong foundation for self-government, family government, church government, and civil government. Jesus showed the highest form of government with His unwavering leadership, His reverence for God, His sinless life, His truthful and compassionate ministry, and His sacrificial death! If we all look to Jesus as our example of governance, our homes and our society will change dramatically. Where do you seek answers for good government? Are you self-governing? Do you govern your thoughts, emotions, words, and actions? 

Wonderful

Jesus is Wonderful, and He is marvelous! He continued to do signs and wonders that made people hungry and thirsty for more of God and His kingdom. He also astonished the religious people with His answers. His compassion for people was deep and His passion for God was unshakable and unwavering. Are you at awe of your God? Have His wonders touched your life?

Counselor

Jesus is our Counselor. He is the one who gives us wisdom for every situation and dilemma. King Solomon was known for his wisdom because God had blessed him with great measure of wisdom. We cannot solve our problems without the wisdom of God. The further away people are from God, the more they look to human reasoning and half-baked ideas to solve humanity’s issues. The solutions may temporarily work but ultimately they have major consequences. Jesus is the best counselor who gives us insight, comfort, conviction, and instruction for every situation in life. God is in the business of helping His children, and He does not leave them as orphans in this world. Is He your counselor? Who do you go to first, when you are in need of counsel?

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,  and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” Matthew 2:13-15

When the wise men found Jesus and his parents, they worshipped him for being the King of the Jews. However, things changed shortly after their departure. Since they did not return to Herod, Herod decided it was best to kill all the baby boys under the age of two to eliminate the possibility of someone claiming to be the king of the Jews.

Joseph had a dream that he should take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape the massacre of children. Mary and Joseph could not just settle down and enjoy their married lives. They had to learn to live by God’s voice and walk the journey of faith with Him! 

Moving in those days would have been uncommon since most people lived and worked where they grew up. People did not move for fun, for college education, or for a better job opportunity. They moved either because of a necessity or because God had told them to move. Mary and Joseph had to leave their natural families behind and go to a foreign country. They did not know how long their trip was going to last. They only knew that they had to obey God and protect Jesus!

God’s promises require our stewardship of listening to His instructions every step of the way and protecting that which He has already given us. God does the growing and nurturing, and we do our part in seeing God’s promises fulfilled!

Mary and Joseph remained very flexible and did not ask the Lord any questions. They only followed His instructions. Those steps that God was giving them must have been difficult and inconvenient, but they did not complain. Interestingly, God was fulfilling His purpose every step of the way and was bringing to pass the prophesies spoken about the Messiah in the Old Testament. Even though Jesus was already born, Mary and Joseph had a long way to go on their journey of faith to see the fulfillment of God’s purpose in Jesus’ life!

How are you protecting the seed of God’s promise? Is the promise in the danger of being eliminated by the enemy or by the naysayers? Is God asking you to move or change something in your circumstances? Are you reluctant to move out of your comfort zone? Are you asking lots of questions and arguing with God rather than just stepping into the unknown? Are you willing to remain flexible with God?

Carve out sometime during this season of the year and spend time alone with God. Put aside your opinions of how you want your life to look like and allow Him to show you the path and direct your steps!

And Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.” Luke 1:46-55

When Mary received the word of the Lord and became pregnant with God’s son, she humbly praised God! She was thankful that God had chosen her, and she rejoiced in God’s salvation. While visiting Elizabeth her cousin, Mary prophetically began to speak about the fact that future generations were going to be blessed with the birth of her son. She remembered the Lord’s faithfulness towards Israel and that He was bringing into fruition what the Lord had spoken to Abraham long ago.

This was the beginning of Mary’s journey in her pregnancy, and God gave her a word to proclaim to herself, to Elizabeth, and to those around her about God’s plan for humanity. Mary’s expectations were focused on God’s purpose and promise.

Mary did not focus on herself and how God’s plan would benefit her. She did not create any ungodly expectations about what that could mean for her finances, her status in life, or her role as Jesus’ mother on the earth. She did not try to figure out what would Jesus have to do to be considered the Savior of the world and her responsibility as His mother. She saw herself as a conduit for God’s purpose coming to earth. The scripture does not tell us that Mary and Joseph had to train or raise Jesus differently from their other children. They just simply believed God and lived life as a faithful Jewish couple, and God took care of preparing Jesus for His awesome task!

It is important for all of us to write down what God has spoken to us and to focus on God’s plan through the promise. The promise that God speaks to us will not only bring about a blessing into our lives, but it will also be a vehicle to bless others. The Lord does not expect us to interject our plan or ingenuity, neither does He want us to get stressed about how it will work out. He only expects our surrender to the process. That shift of mindset can bring about a huge relief from the stress and anxiety of helping God or feeling like we have to make something happen.

When things are not in our control, they can produce anxiety in our lives. Are you stressed about something that you feel you have no control over? Have you heard the Lord about it? If you have a direction from God, write it down, surrender yourself to God’s process, and fight with the word that the Lord has spoken to you until you find rest for your soul. If the Lord has not given you specific direction, continue to ask, seek, and knock. It could be that God desires to reveal Himself to you in a new way. God’s revelation brings clarity and dissolves anxiety. Let’s bind the spirit of anxiety in the name of Jesus and live in a position of praise and thankfulness today.

In the last two devotionals, I shared about Queen Jezebel’s selfishness and Queen Esther’s selflessness. It’s interesting that both Jezebel and Esther called for a fast before they moved into action. Jezebel was getting ready to accuse an innocent of man of wrongdoing, so she can eliminate him. On the other hand, Esther asked people to fast, so she can have the courage to save others’ lives!

A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly;
Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. Proverbs 6: 12-15

Selfishness is the seed that brings about the fruit of wickedness. When a person allows their selfish desires to take control of their lives, they would do anything to reach their goals. God considers it wickedness when someone plots evil schemes by falsely accusing and pointing their fingers at others. He declares that calamity awaits those who live their lives doing evil.  Queen Jezebel continued doing what she wanted to do until such a time when God chose to destroy her. Jezebel’s selfishness gave her a temporary satisfaction, but at the end her wicked plans brought sudden destruction. Interestingly, her own eunuchs threw her out the window! A selfish person doesn’t have loyal friends because their relationships are based on what benefits them.

How can we avoid selfishness? We need to respect others’ choices.  Slow down, be patient, and surrender our desires to God! 

So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Esther 8:15-17

Queen Esther risked her life to ensure her people were saved from calamity. God orders the steps of a righteous person, and He showed Esther how to handle this tricky and difficult situation. There was also unexpected good consequences that came out of her selflessness. Mordecai, her cousin, was deservedly honored for saving the King’s life from a plot against him. In addition, the wicked Haman ended up being surprised with a sudden calamity. That day became a holiday, the Feast of Purim, commemorating a day of joy and celebration for God’s people being saved from calamity.

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. Proverbs 11:10

A righteous person lives a life that is selfless. Selflessness brings joy and gladness to those who are blessed with our acts of kindness and courage. The stories of Queen Jezebel and Queen Esther are a vivid contrast of a selfish life versus a selfless life.  Those choices are also available to each one of us. Just because we are believers, it does not make us selfless automatically. We have to live directed by the Holy Spirit and not give any room for our selfish desires. 

Would those around you consider you a selfish or a selfless person? Pray and ask the Lord to give you opportunities to be selfless. Give of yourself without an expectation of return and allow others to be blessed with your sacrifice and time. 

In the last devotional, I shared about Jezebel’s selfishness and the fact that she was willing to go to great lengths to accomplish her wicked schemes. She did not shy away from accusing, bullying, and destroying those who were obstacles to her whims. She was a selfish woman with an insatiable desire to be in control!

In this devotional, I will share about Esther who was humble and selfless and was willing to risk her life to save her people! 

And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:  “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” Esther 4:13-16

Esther had humble beginnings. She was raised by her cousin Mordecai because Esther had  lost her parents at a young age. The scripture does not indicate that she grew up in wealth or status, but this young lady grew up as a woman of character and honor. She knew how to listen to the advice of those in authority over her. 

Esther found favor with King Ahasuerus, and he picked her to be the new Queen of Persia. Esther was kind and respectful to others, and she had the favor of those around her including the eunuch who served her. Becoming a queen didn’t make Esther heady. Her humility and love for Mordecai allowed her to remain alert and sensitive to the dangers lurking around her. When Mordecai alarmed her of the impending doom by Haman, she knew that it was time for action! She could not allow calamity to come upon her beloved Mordecai and her countrymen.

Do you have trusted people who are not afraid to tell you the truth about you and your situation? 

Esther knew that her life was in danger along with the other Jews, but she took the risk to go before the King even though it was against the law. When the King saw her, he extended his scepter to her and offered her half of his kingdom! If Esther had any selfish ambition or vain conceit, this offer could have derailed her from her original plan. She could have enjoyed and relished in all that the King offered her, but she was willing to give it all up for the sake of safety and security of her people. Esther was not swayed by the King’s offer,  and she continued with the strategy that God had given her.

Does wealth and status sway you to be quiet or passive? Are there areas in your life that you have been favored? Are you willing to risk your favor to advocate for others?

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

We live in a culture that makes it all about self; it’s all about our dreams, activities, career, accomplishments, and entertainment. The social media exasperates the problem even more by giving a platform for its expression. The truth is that the issue of self is nothing new, and it began with Adam and Eve trying to taking care of their perceived needs apart from God.

In the next couple of devotionals, I will share about two women who lived their lives very differently. One was selfish and the other selfless, and they both saw the fruit of their lives. They both reaped what they sowed!

And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. She wrote in the letters, saying,

Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die. 1Kings 21:8-10

Jezebel was born a princess as the daughter of Ethbaal the king of Sidonians. Then she married King Ahab and became the queen of Israel. Jezebel may had never heard “no” from anyone, and she always got what she wanted. She was used to being demanding and getting her way.

The above scripture shows an example of Jezebel’s behavior in dealing with others. She did not hold back from bullying, intimidating, accusing, or annihilating those who got in her way. She surrounded herself with gods and prophets who would tell her what she wanted to hear, which kept her in her own delusion of being right and powerful!

Most of us have been around a form of Jezebel in our lives. They may look sweet and nice as long as they get their way, but as soon as they are not getting their way or someone steps on their toes, a vicious side of them is exposed!  They gravitate to positions of power because they need Ahabs to support them in their activities. They create their unholy alliance where Jezebel has Ahab’s back and Ahab protects Jezebel’s back, and in the process, they both get what they want.

The problem is that, at some point in life, someone will have the audacity to say “no” to the queen. That’s one of the dangers of people claiming that they have been rejected. Not every rejection is a true rejection. Some people are just so used to getting their way that they can’t accept anyone’s refusal of their desires or demands. Instead of accepting a “no” as an answer, they can falsely accuse others of wrongdoing and try to assasinate their character.  That type of behavior is demonic, and it empowers selfishness as a stronghold in people’s lives. How we handle those situations is the key indicator if we are allowing the self to continue to be in control or we allow God to grow us.

Jezebel thought she had the power to oppress a poor man, accuse him of wrongdoing, and then order him to get assassinated. Her selfishness caused Naboth to lose everything he had including his life. Jezebel got her way but only temporarily! God cursed this woman and she was killed by her own eunuchs and thrown down from the window (2Kings 9:32-33).

Selfishness is insatiable. When we open the door to it, nothing can satisfy for any length of time. When self is on the throne, there is no contentment. We may indulge in buying beautiful clothes, but in a few weeks, we want what somebody else is wearing. We may go on nice vacations, but as soon as we return, we begin to think that I have nothing going on in my life. People may be kind and generous with us, but the first person who does not respond to us the way we like, we begin to think that the world is against me! Self is the main culprit in living a carnal life. It is always at work trying to get its way in one way or another.

What truly distinguishes a follower of Christ from the rest of the world is their selflessness. Regardless of how much money, time, or resources we have, we may sacrifice many things, but self does not give up its reign and control very easily. As a matter of fact, people use time, money, and resources to control their environments.

Are you selfish? Maybe ask your spouse, children, or those close to you. Can you hear “no” without pouting? Do you say “no” to your own desires and cravings? Is it possible that you are an Ahab and that you protect a Jezebel in your life by giving him/her everything they want!? If we listen to the voice of the world, it will tell us that it is good to be selfish. However,  selfishness is a detriment to our spirit man, and if we desire to grow deeper in God, we must pay close attention to this issue.

I will share in the next devotional about a selfless person.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me. Psalm 138:7

Definition of Revive (according to Strong’s dictionary): to have life, remain alive, to sustain life, to live (prosperously), be quickened from sickness, from discouragement, from faintness, and from death.

David had been in danger from many fronts in his life.  Psalm 138 is a tale of man who had lived through various difficulties and knew that God was his deliverer. Sometimes he had enemies like Saul and Absalom chasing him, and, at other times, it was his own emotions that would drag him to a place of despondency. In either case, he needed the Lord to save him and revive him.

The above scripture is a reminder of Psalm 23.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

Although David’s life was in danger frequently, God was with him. The Lord sustained him and gave him courage in the valley of shadow of death. If you have ever watched your shadow, you’ve noticed that depending on the angle of the sun, your shadow can look a lot taller than you. Shadows are not the real thing, but they can portray themselves to be real and intimidating. Instead of letting the shadows of life to loom over us, our Emmanuel wants to be with us and give us the courage to not be afraid of those shadows. 

If David had focused on his enemies, he would have been overwhelmed with his problems. Instead he looked to the Lord for his daily protection and for His hand to deliver him from every plot of the enemy. Our shepherd stays near His sheep. He comforts, leads, and guides us in the direction we need to go. What do you need from Him today?

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalm 138:8

David was confident that God would take care of everything that concerned him. In the younger years, one of David’s concerns was knowing how to respect Saul yet avoiding to get killed by him! He knew that it would have been impossible to live in such a conflict in his own strength and that he had to rely on God’s mercy to bring it to pass.

What are your difficult and impossible situations? Do you believe that God is at work in your circumstances even when you are not supervising the project!? Do you trust him that someday the answer will become clear? The Bible is full of Biblical characters that despite the difficulties and impossibilities, God perfected that which concerned them.

How does God perfect that which concerns us? We may not know how God will perfect or accomplish what concerns us, but we know that He is the author and the perfecter of our faith (Hebrew 12:2). The above scripture (Psalm 138:8) makes me think of how little children get upset over a toy or not getting their way. However, when the child is only a year or five years older, the toy or the issue doesn’t matter to them anymore. Similarly, as we continue to grow in Him, someday some of which concerned us won’t even look as important as it does right now. In the process, we have been perfected and the Lord has taken care of concerns differently than what we originally imagined! 

It was David’s hope and expectation that someday the kings of the earth will recognize the Lord and will give him praise and honor that is due his name. In our age, while there are still earthly kingdoms in existence, people are more influenced and ruled by various gurus and celebrities of the day than any king! These individuals have become the little kings who millions of people follow on twitter  and want to hear about everything they have to say. 

There are academic elites who think they have figured out the solutions to ills of society. We also have scientific elites who are the arbiters of spirituality by deciding whether there is a Creator or not. Then we have celebrities from music, film, and sports industries who are worshipped for their fame and have become spiritual gurus telling people how to find meaning in life! At the present time, all these individuals are impressed with their own opinions, but someday they will be looking to God for help and praising Him!

It is sad and sobering that the recent fires in California illustrates the limited abilities and knowledge that man has to avert and stop these catastrophes. No guru in science, technology, government, entertainment, or any other industry could have predicted, averted, or contained these fires before they caused so much damage! These situations should humble every person regardless of their wealth, position, or education and bring them humbly to their knees in their acknowledgment of their Lord and savior. Everyone someday will recognize their limited power and will become aware of their need for God!