I am a proud mommy glowing with such remarkable love for my young boys this Christmas season! Both boys had Christmas performances with their classes last week and I couldn’t be prouder as I watched them embrace the true reason for this season.

My youngest son Bryce just performed in his Cowboy Christmas celebration with his Kindergarten class. He worked so hard for 2 weeks learning the Bible verses in Luke 2:11-14.

11Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! 12And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”

That’s a lot of words for a 6 year- old…but he did it!

As I helped Bryce prepare to recite these verses, the latter part of Luke 2:11 really stood out to me…

He is Christ the Lord!

As I pondered this verse I began to think…

But Is He? Is He Christ the Lord in your life?

This short yet powerful verse has such a great message for us this Christmas season!

He

He…this baby wrapped in swaddling cloths… this promised deliverer of the Jewish nation…this Messiah that was prophesied about for many, many years… …He is born.

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, the Prince of Peace . . . Isaiah 9:6-7KJV

He…this Wonderful…Counselor…Mighty God…Everlasting Father…Prince of Peace…is born.

Is He? Is He Christ the Lord in your life? Is He Wonderful…Counselor…Mighty God…Everlasting Father…Prince of Peace in your life?

Each of these descriptions gives us a different aspect of the work that He…Jesus…wants to do in our lives.

His name is Wonderful…

This word comes from the root word “wonder,” which means “a sense of awe.” Jesus wants to bring a sense of awe and wonder to our lives. We no longer have to look to the “things” this world offers to bring fulfillment…because Jesus Christ makes life wonderful.

His name is Counselor….

Jesus wants to give us His personal counsel and direction. He is our guide in our times of need.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 NIV

We no longer have to feel confused or lost in our lives because with Christ as our Counselor we can know that God will reveal His will to us.

His name is Mighty God…

This means that Jesus is omnipotent…He has unlimited power for us as we encounter the demands of life.

Living our life as a Christian is not easy. In fact…it is impossible to be a Christian apart from the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus our Mighty God is there for us to give us the strength to do what He wants us to do.

His name is Everlasting Father…

Because Christ came to die on the cross and pay for our sins and rise again from the dead…we have an Everlasting Father, One who will be with us forever. He will never forget about us. He will always be there to guide and help us through life.

His name is the Prince of Peace…

Because Jesus is the ruler of peace…the prince of Peace…we can experience inner peace in the midst of even the greatest of storms. Because we trust the Prince of Peace in our lives…we can have an inner assurance that He is in control and will bring to pass the very best in…and for…our lives.

There is power in He.

Is

Is…He is…not was…and not will be.

He is alive and He is now…He is in your present situation…He is in your present struggle…He is in your present sorrow.

So is He? Have you invited Him to be in every aspect of your life right at this moment regardless of what you are facing?

Is means “to be; to live” (A form of the present tense)

Jesus was born…not to be in just a part of our life…but to live and be in every aspect of our life. He isn’t just a piece of the pie…He is the filling inside that fills every piece of the pie!

He is the way…the truth…and the life.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. John 14:6 NIV

There is present power in Is.

Christ

Christ…He is Christ.

Christ comes from the Greek word Christos…meaning “anointed one” or “chosen one.” This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach…or “Messiah.”

“Jesus” is the Lord’s human name given to Mary by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:31) and Christ is His title… signifying Jesus was sent from God to be a King and Deliverer (Daniel 9:25; Isaiah 32:1).

Jesus Christ means “Jesus the Messiah” or “Jesus the Anointed One.”

To be anointed is literally to have sacred anointing oil poured on one’s head because God has chosen the person for a special task. The oil was a sign of sovereign power or priesthood. Priests and kings were anointed…and occasionally prophets. Kings were anointed during their coronation rather than receiving a crown. Even though prophets and priests were anointed…the phrase “anointed one” was most often used to refer to a king.

He is Christ…He is King…He is the Messiah…He is the Anointed One!

And is He Christ? Is Jesus the Christ…the King…of your life? Have you given Him power and reign over and in every area of your life?

FYI: Side note of how the word “Christmas” originated.

The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning “Christ’s mass”. It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes maesse…a phrase first recorded in 1038. “Cristes” is from Greek christos and “maesse” is from Latin missa.

And check this out…pretty cool!

In early Greek versions of the New Testament…the letter Χ (chi)…is the first letter of Christ. Since the mid-16th century Χ…or the similar Roman letter X…has been used as an abbreviation for Christ. Hence, Xmas is often used as an abbreviation for Christmas.

There is power in Christ!

Lord

Lord…He is Christ the Lord.

In the New Testament…Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ. Jesus is referred to as Lord 747 times in the New Testament and “Savior” only 24 times!

So where do you think the emphasis is? Jesus as your Savior…or Jesus as your Lord?

Although we rarely use this term Lord in our daily lives…we are all quite familiar with another word…Boss!

And that is basically what Lord means…one possessing authority, power, and control. It means master…the one who calls the shots…the one in charge…the one who makes the decisions.

Jesus is Christ the Lord.

Well is He Christ the Lord? Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Is He in control? Is He in the driver’s seat and you riding shotgun?

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 NIV

We aren’t given the option of receiving Him as Savior and not as Lord. If Jesus isn’t Lord of all…He isn’t Lord at all!

And this implies that we submit every area of our life to Him.

I am not saying this is easy by any means…but it is a process and God will strengthen you as you take steps in this direction.

1.Lordship begins in the heart.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord… 1 Peter 3:15

2.Lordship requires obedience.

Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46

3.Lordship is a continuous walk.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him. Colossians 2:6

There is power in the Lord!

What a packed full powerful message for us today that He is Christ the Lord!

Do you believe that?

This Christmas …declare and believe that He is Christ the Lord! And watch your life with Jesus change as you embrace each aspect of this powerful verse!

I wish all my Sweeter Than Honey Blog subscribers a very Merry Christmas! I truly appreciate your support!

Reflection Points:

1. Do you understand the powerful message of Luke 2:11 that He is Christ the Lord?
2. Is He Christ the Lord? Is He Wonderful…Counselor…Mighty God…Everlasting Father…Prince of Peace in your life?
3. Have you invited Him to be in every aspect of your life right at this moment regardless of what you are facing?
4. Is Jesus the Christ…the King…of your life? Have you given Him power and reign over and in every area of your life?
5. Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Is He in control? Is He in the driver’s seat and you riding shotgun?

Action Points:

Review above the detailed description of each word in the verse Luke 2:11 to understand and grasp the power He is Christ the Lord can have in your life today…and every day!

 

Wow! Time flies by with the busyness of life!

I am just now finally sitting down to write this blog devotion after an 8-week unintentional hiatus.

Life became quite busy for me these past couple months with women’s bibles studies…women’s event planning…my boys’ fall school activities…and weekend flag football games with my family.

All good things of course…but nonetheless busy!

And so after experiencing this busy season these past couple months…I am now faced with another very busy season. I am sure we all are!

We have officially entered the Christmas Season…one of the busiest times of year!

A busy season of adorning Christmas trees…decorating homes …drinking pumpkin spice lattes in front of a warm fire…making gingerbread houses…attending holiday parties…volunteering and helping those less fortunate and…of course…shopping for Christmas gifts.

All good things of course (Well…for some of us…maybe not so much the gift shopping with the long lines and lack of parking lot spaces)!

My 8 weeks of busy “good” things were a great reminder of the importance of priorities and a great time of reflection upon what my heart truly desired…

Delighting myself in the Lord.

Busyness…even “good” busyness…will do that to you. It can take your focus off delighting in God…and place your focus on delighting in good. And my heart reminded me how much I missed just delighting myself in the Lord.

The dictionary defines the word “delight” as “a high degree of gratification, extreme satisfaction, joy; to take great pleasure in.”

In what do you delight this Christmas season? In what do you find extreme satisfaction and joy and great pleasure in this season?

Maybe it’s all the above…adorning your Christmas tree…decorating your home …drinking pumpkin spice lattes in front of a warm fire…making gingerbread houses…attending holiday parties… volunteering and helping those less fortunate…and shopping for Christmas gifts.

And how about in life? What do you delight in in your life?

Maybe it’s a relationship…your family…job…wealth…status…material possessions.

And even though some of the things we delight in are actually “good” things…

Are you delighting only in good…or are you delighting in God?

These objects or people of delight…even these “good” things…may bring you a high degree of gratification and pleasure…but do they ultimately bring you true satisfaction?

If our delight is in people…things…or even good…disappointment is inevitable and life’s purpose is missed because nothing…NOTHING…on this earth is guaranteed…nothing on this earth will last forever…and nothing on this earth will truly satisfy.

We were created with a void…a void that can only be filled and satisfied by Jesus.

The Bible says in Psalm 37:4…

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 ESV

I have seen this verse many times misunderstood as some believe that it means if you delight in the Lord…then He will give you whatever you desire (a discussion matter for another blog devotion)

This concept of “delight” is quite interesting so I actually want to dig deeper into the context of the first aspect of this verse for us to grasp a greater understanding.

What does it mean to Delight yourself in the Lord?

The word “delight” comes from the Hebrew root word anog and is translated as “being soft and delicate.” It carries the idea of being pliable or sensitive.

And so in this particular text… Delight yourself in the Lord means to be dependent upon God and to derive one’s pleasure from him. According to the root…it is to treat God with delicacy…to be soft before Him.

In other words…we may interpret this as the act of presenting ourselves with great humility and open heartedness so that we never cause Him offense.

Hmmm…

Have you ever thought of delight in this way?

This Hebrew root translation certainly provides a unique perspective in our understanding of delighting ourselves in the Lord and brings some specific implications as well.

Check out the following commentaries…

The word rendered “delight” means properly to live delicately and effeminately; then, to be tender or delicate; then, to live a life of ease or pleasure; then, to find delight or pleasure in anything. The meaning here is, that we should seek our happiness in God – in his being, his perfections, his friendship, his love. Barne’s Notes

To delight in God is as much a privilege as a duty. He has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body, and the humours of the fancy, but the desires of the renewed, sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and serve God. Matthew Henry Commentary

Here is the secret of tranquility in freedom from eager, earthly desires-’Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ The great reason why life is troubled and restless lies not without, but within. It is not our changing circumstances, but our unregulated desires, that rob us of peace. We are feverish, not because of the external temperature, but because of the state of our own blood. McLaren’s Expositions

In keeping this perspective…what exactly does Delight yourself in the Lord imply?

1.It implies that we greatly humble ourselves before Him. Delighting yourself in the Lord begins with humility. Humility gives the Lord the respect He deserves and allows us to “be soft before Him.” It also takes our focus off ourself.

No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NLT

For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NLT

2. It implies that we give Him great honor and glory. Delighting yourself in the Lord is respecting His sovereignty and omniscience. This requires us to give Him…and His interests…supreme reverence. We are to delight ourselves in promoting His glory and honor and find our supreme happiness and satisfaction in this.

Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings; honor the LORD for his glory and strength. Honor the LORD for the glory of his name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. Psalm 29:1-2 NLT

3. It implies that we submit our will to His will. Delighting yourself in the Lord is putting His will…His interests…His desires above our own. When we are humble before Him and give Him great honor and glory…it is easier for us to submit our will to His will.

Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV

I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8 NIV

We should have the same attitude that Jesus demonstrated to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus said, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

4. It implies that we please Him through our obedience. Delighting yourself in the Lord is pleasing Him by our obedience.

It is one thing to obey and another thing to delight in obedience. Our intent should be to devote ourselves entirely to pleasing Him. Our purpose in all things…at all times…in all places…and forever is to live holy and pleasing to Him.

How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Psalm 112:1 NLT

I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. Psalm 119:16 ESV

5. It implies that we have complete trust and confidence in Him. Delighting yourself in the Lord is experiencing complete satisfaction through our trust in Him and having complete confidence in His character, providences, and His Word.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT 

As we enter and celebrate this Christmas season…we can so easily get caught up delighting in the “good” and lose our focus in actually delighting in God.

The busyness of Christmas and the busyness of life can distract us from delighting in the very thing…the ONLY THING…that will fully satisfy our hearts…our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Delight yourself in the Lord!!!

Reflection Points:

1. In what do you delight this Christmas season? What do you delight in in your life?
2. Do these people and/or things bring you true satisfaction?
3. And even though some of the things we delight in are actually good things…Are you delighting only in good…or are you delighting in God?
4. According to the Hebrew root meaning for delight…have you ever thought of delight as treating God with delicacy…and being soft before Him?
5. What does Delight yourself in the Lord imply?

Action Points:

1. Our objects or people of delight…even “good” things…may bring us a high degree of gratification and pleasure…but they will not bring us true satisfaction. NOTHING…on this earth is guaranteed…nothing on this earth will last forever…and nothing on this earth will truly satisfy because…We were created with a void…a void that can only be filled by Jesus.
2. This Hebrew root translation certainly provides a unique perspective in our understanding of delighting ourselves in the Lord and brings some specific implications as well. Refer to the points and scriptures above to understand what Delight yourself in the Lord implies.