Cornerstone

Sunday – December 29

Advent Reading: Psalm 118:18-24

Whether we think about it or not everything we do has a foundation of some kind. We are probably most familiar with homes and apartments, business buildings, stadiums and arenas, churches, etc. If these are not begun on a firm foundation, then disaster will eventually be the result. But the same is true of other areas, such as countries and governments, families, belief systems, careers, and any kind of plan or project. When I was ready to graduate from college, I realized that several of my plans had been built on flimsy foundations. I had to go back to the drawing board and draw up new plans. This time I relied on prayer and intuition from God, and the result has been a lasting career (Teaching), a lasting marriage (54 years and counting), an intact family, a sure hope in my eternal security, many friends far and near, and reasonable health. All of these became possible once I laid a good foundation in Christ. He is a firm, tested, precious, and safe foundation provided by the true God above (Isaiah 28:16). If I ever lose sight of where my hope lies, and try to take control that is not mine to take – then will cracks appear in our foundation, and I will not like the crumbling that will occur. Most of Israel never did truly accept God’s gift to them, but we are assured that eventually they will.

Remember the story of the two houses in Luke 6:48-49 and Matthew 7:24-27 – the wise and foolish builders? The one built on a firm foundation but the other did not. The outcome was predictable and it is still a good lesson for all of us, especially the young people. On the first Christmas Day, God came to earth in the form of Jesus to show us a more perfect cornerstone. Let’s honor Him by serving Him carefully and sincerely and leading others to do the same.

Want to know a good foundation for your life in Christ and a good future? It is found in Sunday school instruction and regular attendance at morning worship, insofar as you are able. You are never too young or too old to be part of those wonderful opportunities for growth. In your prayer times, ask God how you can best secure your foundation.

 

Prophet

Saturday – December 28

Advent Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Yet another “face” of Jesus appears  in this Scripture portion. Now He is identified as a Prophet. It even declares that this Prophet was mighty in deed and word. It goes even further and declares that this is so “before God and the people.” Taken all together this is quite a statement about the man known as Jesus.

The Jewish people have had a long history with prophets sent by God. There were even a few who called themselves “prophets” but were in fact false prophets. That is, they did not speak for God but for either their own ends or for pay spoke out to lift others up instead of a holy God. False prophets and prophets for hire were used by unscrupulous leaders or other power-hungry people. Several New Testament writers speak out about false prophets to warn the Jesus followers. Matthew does in chapters  7 & 24; Luke refers to them in chapter 6;  and Mark in chapter 13; Peter mentions them in 2 Peter 2; while John speaks out in 1 John 4.

However, our emphasis in this devotional, solely concerns Jesus Who was seen as a Prophet and, of course, as the Son of God He should know what a prophet is to be like. The people were apparently quick to pick up on His connection with the Almighty One and His fame spread among them.  Whenever He spoke it had the ring of truth in it. But it wasn’t just about the things He said and the truth of them but also His actions spoke just as powerfully. People were healed of various afflictions just about all over the land.  The lame and halt – walked. The blind – saw. The deaf – heard. The paralytic – leaped for joy. Bleeding – stopped. All through what we call the Gospels we read of the mighty acts of Jesus and hear of His powerful words to the multitudes. As is the case today, some didn’t know what to make of Him. Some questioned His actions in spite of the good that was done. There were those who said he did these things in the power of Beelzebub.

Moses declared in your Advent Reading from Deuteronomy for today that all the mighty acts done in the name of God Almighty would themselves speak of what God has done. This would be true even though some among them would say they had gotten all this by the might of their own arm. Moses wrote down in this chapter all the mighty things God did for them as witnesses against them. Did any of them cause the manna to come? Did any of them keep their clothes from wearing out during their wandering in the wilderness for forty years? These and many other truths did Moses write in this last book of what the Jews even then knew as The Pentateuch.

What truths and mighty acts have been done by God in Jesus’ name in your life? My wife and I are considering writing a joint biography of our spiritual journey. Every once in a while we remember the ways God has led each of us and also together as a couple. I think if we all think back, on our lives as believers we can all see those moments when it was definitely God Who led the way. Take time today to reflect on your spiritual journey, and if with your spouse or family, just how He intersected in your lives to lead you in the way He wanted you to go. May God richly bless you as you think on these things!

Horn of Salvation

Friday – December 27

Advent Reading: Psalm 87:1-7

In today’s devotional we start with (in Psalm 87) how grateful God’s people are that He has forgiven their sinfulness. Now they are pleading with Him to turn their hearts toward Him so that His anger may totally cease and they may be revived. They realize that a great sin requires a great salvation – a restoration to right standing with Him. They are seeking mercy that will lead to joy! Have you ever been in such a situation? Perhaps you have gotten in big trouble as a child, or maybe really messed up with a good friend or a sweetheart. You may have been disciplined and forgiven but all was still not well, and you craved a return to the days of good will and unity. What you needed was a BIG Salvation, a powerful one, and a full one – kind of like all the “bad” had never happened. Well, time may have provided such a thing for you and for God’s people, but you both were looking for a quicker fix.

I don’t know how your situation turned out but Luke 1:69 tells of how God, in the fullness of time, did raise up a permanent, powerful, satisfying, and plentiful salvation for all, in the form of His Son Jesus. Because He came, we can be free forever. He brought with Him the mercy and justice and restoration that everyone needed, and gave us complete access to God for all our needs. He gave us a cornucopia (horn) of goodness and blessing for all, and coupled it with His own power and honor and faithfulness. This is what came down at Christmas time, and we are forever blessed for it! He didn’t have to do it, but He did, because of His great love and compassion.

About 35 years ago I found myself in a very sad situation which, by myself, I could not resolve. I tried for many years to do it “on my own” and that only resulted in a hidden root of bitterness that refused to be dug up. I re-visited the struggle regularly and each time I was forced to leave it with the Lord and go on. One day, several years ago, out of the blue (it seems) I was given a glimpse into the situation that I had never seen before! It was definitely a “horn of salvation” for me from God because within days – I was completely freed from the hurt, pain and bitterness – it was my deliverance and only He was powerful enough to have done that! This is what Jesus did for all of us on that first Christmas – a powerful and plentiful salvation and rescue from all that enslaved us. It needs to be told on the mountain, over the hills, and everywhere – will you do that? He’s done so much for us!

What Name Would You Give?

Thursday – December 26

Advent Reading: Philippians 2:9-11

IN CONCLUSION . . . Not really because I don’t think anyone can write, or even think, in a conclusive manner about all that Jesus is! Song writers, poets, theologians, pastors, ordinary people . . . could all write/list various names that stand for who Jesus is for them AND those names could change from day to day – even several times a day!

Who is Jesus for you today? One songwriter even called Him – Happy Day!; “Oh happy day that fixed my choice . . . .”  Okay, maybe that is a bit of a stretch! But I can understand that as being a name for Jesus. Isn’t He the epitome of a HAPPY DAY!? The writer does make it quite clear that Jesus is his Happy Day! Another wrote that to him Jesus was “Everything!” He said, “He’s everything to me!” Just peruse our hymnal, or any hymnal, and you will find many names given that describe Jesus for the various songwriters.

Why? It is because the name, or names, you could call Him by – nicknames, if you will – because What and Who Jesus is to/for you is different at any given moment in time. One of the more contemporary worship songs calls Jesus, “Amazing Grace!” It actually states it as, “He is Amazing Grace. . . .” In actuality Jesus is referred to in several terms or names in that particular worship song.

So . . . I ask again, Who is Jesus for you at this moment? And, who knows Who He will be for you in the next moment? Does His name, your description of Who He is change in your thoughts? Does it bring to mind a new and different picture of Jesus? Does thinking in those terms in any way degrade or debase Jesus for you or for others?

The names shown in the devotionals written for this year are not a total list of all His names. There are many more, even in Scripture, that are alluded to. The Thompson Chain Reference Bible lists at least 104 names given to Christ throughout Scripture. Each one is descriptive of Who He is. Names given to Him could conceivably be as numerous as the number of people who could speak of Him.

I think that by now you have caught the drift of what I am trying to say. Jesus is described by how you refer to Him and the name or title you call Him by.  That becomes, at that moment, your name for Him. I do not believe this is ever meant in any derogatory way but as honest expressions of Who He is for you at that moment. May you be blessed by all your descriptive names for Him because of what He has done for you in your life! Keep thinking about Jesus and keep calling on Him!

Thank you for using these devotionals. As a bonus, this year, please read on for more daily devotionals leading to this coming Sunday!

Your writing team,

Rowland and Marj Benedict.

 

Jesus

Christmas Day

Advent Reading: Luke 2:21-35

We have been discussing all the names given to God/Jesus and how we see each one lived out in Jesus’ dealings with us. Today, we arrive at the name “above all names” – Jesus. There is no other name that exudes such peace, such power, such comfort! Matthew 1:21 says that it literally means that He will save His people from their sins – I guess that really is the starting and ending point for us all – without His sacrifice for our sins, we have no future, no promise, no hope! So here is where we begin and end. But, in between, this wonderful name encompasses all that speaks to us on earth: He is compassion, deliverance, instruction, authority, care-giving, healing, prophet and priest. He is the ultimate Best Friend, the mother, the father, the counselor, the stabilizer – the hope in this fallen world! Once you have been touched by Him, there is no other way you can say His name, except in awe and wonder, praise and thanksgiving, in joy and in reverence!

You know, I love the names that we have given to our children. When I think about them, I am always filled with joy and pride – such special names! And yet, nothing stirs the redeemed like the name of our Savior – our Jesus. Just to speak it gives me an instant feeling of connection with God the Father, and with all those who have gone on before us. At Easter time when we remember how He suffered for our deliverance – the pain can be unbearable. But the hope and joy always returns because He has triumphed over it all, and so have we!

This Christmas, let’s pay special attention to that beautiful name and all of its meanings (Isaiah 9:6 is a good beginning spot). We have been praying that each name covered in this 2019 devotional series has been a source of comfort and inspiration to you. Perhaps a gift of this booklet might help someone else in the year to come – if you feel led to share in that way. We are, of all people, most blessed!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Prince of Peace

Tuesday – December 24

Advent Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7

Oh, I do love peace! I love the peace that comes with a gentle, soothing voice. I love the peace that is evident when all is well and there is unity in the gathering. I love the peace inside of me when His Holy Spirit assures me that I am forgiven and always loved by God. The peace of a beautiful sunset and a still, quiet morning are gifts to me. A clean and orderly room speaks peace to me, as does a room full of children happily playing. I guess that I define peace as a feeling of well-being, an absence of war within and without. The knowledge that Someone benevolent is in charge, and the presence of light in a dark world gives a sense of peace. The only person who can fully impart real peace is the God we serve, and His Son, Jesus – the world is in chaos without Him, and that is partly why He had to come to be with us.

It is true that our world will never know true and lasting peace until Jesus comes back again and establishes His Kingdom forever. But until then, the fact that He is the Prince of Peace can give us a place to turn when conflicts arise and help is needed. Holiday gatherings often produce a tension that threatens our peace – I know that from my experience growing up in a large family. But I also learned from those times how a soft answer turns away wrath, and that a quiet, whispered prayer is really effective! I am so glad that one of the ways that Jesus evidences Himself to me is in the provision of peace – it makes all the difference in my life, as He knew it would!

A wish for your Christmas 2019:

P atience

E xtra Kindness

A soft answer

C hrist in control

E veryone welcome

 

Immanuel

Monday – December 23

Advent Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14

There’s been no small amount of baby names being discussed around here lately.   We’ve looked at lists of meanings of names, considered relative’s names, asked others to suggest names; But when all was said and done, the final choice belonged to the new mom and dad, as it should be. It’s kind of a fun, important thing that expectant parents enjoy doing. Not so for Mary and Joseph, though! Way back before Jesus was born, before Mary had a chance to consider names – yes, way before – God had chosen the name “Immanuel” (see Isaiah 7:14) meaning, “God with us”, and even detailed His virgin birth. Did Mary balk at not getting to choose her first baby’s name! We aren’t really told that but, of course we kind of wonder. But Jesus’ birth was not a run-of-the-mill birth, anyway. He was sent to earth from Heaven for a specific purpose, part of which was to show us God’s will for us, and to show us how much He loves us. By sending His actual Son, He was sending part of Himself. His birth parents were hand-picked by God in an even more specific way than happens today. But, in a larger sense, He was sent to all of us, for our own special needs and to bring light into our lives.

Because Jesus is “God with us”, we are able to personally know God’s will for our lives and our world. We can access His power and strength for our daily life. We can have personal conversations with Him and help others to do the same. We can work for justice and love in the midst of a world that is not hearing His voice. The fact is that God came down and now lives in me and walks with me which gives me purpose and a reason to live, not only at Christmas but all year long.

How do we show this ”face” of Jesus to others? We come alongside them to share their joys and their sorrows and to show them a better way. How each one of us does that will be different and unique, but it will be special as you pray and ask God to teach you. Don’t discount the value of just a small word of encouragement or appreciation to those who fill your world . . .  I don’t know of anyone who would not smile at that.

Alpha & Omega

Sunday Sermon – December 22

At the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, September 15-17, 1787, James Madison penned these words: “Whilst the last members were signing [the Constitution], Dr. [Benjamin] Franklin, looking towards the president’s chair, at the back of which a rising sun happened to be painted, observed to a few members near him, that painters had found it difficult to distinguish, in their art, a rising from a setting sun. ‘I have,’ said he, often and often, in the course of the session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that behind the president, without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting; but now, at length, I have the happiness to know that it is a rising, and not a setting sun.’” The Founding Fathers had accomplished what they had set out to do. With full pains of labor, they had given birth and were seeing the rise of a new nation.

I find the thought of that painting a fascinating one. If you saw the painting of a sunrise, would you know it was a sunrise and not a sunset? Benjamin Franklin struggled with it, too. Is it the beginning or the end of the day? For Franklin, the painting reflected his concerns over the great task set before them. When he was fearful, that painting represented the end; when he was hopeful, that painting represented the beginning. In the end, he decided it was a happy beginning.

During this season of Advent, we’ve been looking at a few of the names the Bible gives to Jesus. Each day you’ve had a different name to read about and discover what God wants to tell you about himself through it. Names mean something. This morning we‘re taking up the name Alpha and Omega, given to Jesus at several points in Revelation.

Revelation 1:8 says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” This verse uses a way of the old Rabbis for describing the completeness of something. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, so they mean “beginning and end.” In this case, they represent the whole of time. It’s akin to saying Jesus was there in the beginning, he’s here now, and he’ll be there in the end. Or, to put it simply, Jesus has always existed.

A similar thought is found in Isaiah 44:6-8 where it says, “⁶ This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. ⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come—yes, let them foretell what will come. ⁸ Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” The first and the last; the Alpha and the Omega.

So let me connect this name, the Alpha and Omega, to what it is saying for us this Christmas. It means “hope.” It means it doesn’t matter whether the sun is rising or setting because Jesus is there at the beginning, the middle and the end. He is the Alpha and Omega.

During the second world war November 1942, as Hitler’s Luftwaffe had invaded English skies, Britain was feeling the dread of his enlarging shadow. The country was asking the question “How long can they endure the unrelenting darkness of their situation?” Prime Minister Winston Churchill needed to answer that question. What could he say to give the people hope and courage? On November 10th, he addressed a worried audience at the Lord Mayor’s Day Luncheon. Slowly and in his own particular style, he spoke these immortal words:

“Now is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” This is the state of humanity. Now is not the beginning but it also not the end. We can see neither but we have hope because Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, was, is and is to come. He’s been there, he’s here, and he will be there at the end.

Christmas is about hope. The name Ebenezer Scrooge is synonymous with Christmas ever since Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is a man incapable of joy. He is rich, but lives alone in squalor. He takes pleasure in nothing and is indifferent to human suffering. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts who take him on a journey of insight into his own character. They show him his sin. The ghost of Christmas future is the most shocking vision of them all. In a desolate graveyard, the spirit’s bony finger points Scrooge toward a headstone. Scrooge is commanded to wipe the snow off and read the name carved on it. The name is his own. Weeping and shaking, Scrooge pleads with this spirit: “Are these the shadows of things that will be… or are they the shadows of things that may be only? Why would you show me this if I was past all hope? Tell me that I may sponge out the writing on this stone.” Can the past be removed? Humanly speaking, it’s impossible. This is the human predicament. We are chained to our pasts, to things done and undone that cannot be changed. “What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.” Ecclesiastes 1:15, NIV. The misdeeds of the past are like chains. Our sin is carved in stone- or so it seems. Scrooge awakens from his vision and discovers he is not dead. He still has time, the end may change. At the end we see that Ebenezer Scrooge had joy. Nobody knew how to celebrate Christmas like Ebenezer Scrooge.

With Scrooge we see hope. We see the ability to make his name mean something else. While Scrooge is still a name that means a person bereft of joy at a time when joy should abound, the name Ebenezer actually means “stone of help.” It shows up 1 Samuel 7:12 where, upon God moving on Israel’s behalf to defeat the Philistines, Samuel sets up a stone at Mizpah as a memorial. The verse says, “¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”” The Ebeneezer is lifted up as a reminder of the hope we have in God’s faithfulness. Ebeneezer Scrooge, then, grows into his name by the end of the book. He is helped by God to see the errors of his past that he may see joy in the future.

In this morning’s devotional, my dad writes about the names Stacy and I are giving our soon-to-be-born son. The names we have chosen have special meaning for us. Matthew means “gift of God,” which is exactly what he is. He is a long-awaited miracle and answer to prayer. His middle name is Brian, the name of my best friend who died of cancer a few years ago. In the devotional my dad writes, “The names chosen are descriptive of something they hope will have an impact on how this little one will grow up. Will he grow into his name?” I love this thought and it’s absolutely true here. Matthew could do far worse than to grow up like Brian because Brian loved Jesus. He was all about Jesus and my hope for Matthew is that he will come to know Jesus early and walk with Him all his days. My hope is that Matthew will share the hope of God like Brian did. I hope he will indeed grow into his name. But more than that, I hope he will grow in the name of Jesus.

Christmas is a time of hope. Advent looks forward to the next coming of Christ by reminding us of the hope he brought when he came the first time as that little baby lying in manger. All of Israel looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. He was to be their hope, but so few recognized him when he came. But he did come and that same hope is now passed along to us.

1 Peter 1:3-12 says, “³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

“¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹ trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”

Without Jesus, what kind of hope is offered? Gilbert Beeken said, “Many see only a hopeless end, but the Christian rejoices in an endless hope.” Jesus can do what he came to do –  and he can do it completely. That little baby came to die for your sins and redeem your soul for Heaven. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He was, He is and He is to come. He is your Living Hope.

Alpha & Omega

Sunday Devotional – December 22

Advent Reading: Isaiah 44:6-8

What a name for the Lord Jesus Christ – The Alpha and Omega! Most of us know that Alpha refers to the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega refers to the last letter of that same alphabet thus speaking of “the first and the last”, or, “the beginning and the end.” The text scripture makes this very clear.  The Advent Reading makes reference to the Lord’s Redeemer as “I am the First and I am the Last; . . . .” which encompasses everything from the beginning to the end. I suppose we could put this as “I am everything.” This also covers all of time as is evidenced by the rest of the Advent Reading from Isaiah. Chapter 44, verses 6 through 8.

I am very aware that I could never make a statement like that about myself.  I had a definite beginning and will have a definite ending but it doesn’t extend to include a before and after as does Jesus. He is eternally present. Because I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and have accepted His finished work on the Cross I do have a forever future in Heaven along with Jesus and other believers but I am definitely more limited in scope as I came into being at conception and was not eternally present then.

However, think about this “face”, or description, of Jesus for a bit. How do you ”see” Him from this perspective? What is His makeup, what is His being?  The indication is that not only is He the Beginning but also the Ending and everything in between. Present at the beginning of time and present at the ending of time. My life is, or can be, seen from the perspective of units of time that can be limited in scope but Jesus as Alpha and Omega is not limited in any way, except as He limits Himself. We must remember that He is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit – in every way. The point is that Jesus is eternally defined, unlike us. Descriptions that define who we are do not apply to the Alpha and Omega. In biblical times and for many centuries later names were considered as much more important  than for today. Our youngest son and his wife, whom you know as Pastor Dan and Stacy, are expecting a little one to arrive sometime around the end of January and first part of February in 2020. They have already chosen his first and middle names. Those names mean something to them but will not likely make an impingement on others unless they take the time to look them up or have spoken with His parents about why those names were chosen. Now the last name is a given in most cases to identify him with a particular family. The names chosen are descriptive of something they hope will have an impact on how this little one will grow up. Will he grow into his name?  We know that “Jesus” carries with it the meaning of “Savior” and that is part of the description of who He is. He is also “Alpha and Omega”, thus giving us even more information about His character and being. It speaks not only of eternity but of completeness and, I believe, even hints at wisdom. All of these are certainly parts of who Jesus is for us.

How do you feel about Jesus when you think of Him as “The Alpha and Omega”?

 

King of the Jews

Saturday – December 21

Advent Reading: Matthew 2:1-2

This is a very familiar part of the Christmas Story presented in Matthew’s Gospel. It is a line found in almost all biblically-based Christmas programs I remember as a child. Of course, it was always given by someone representing the Magi who came seeking Jesus after seeing and following His star. Sometimes it was acted out and the narrator gave the words. “King of the Jews” – don’t you think this is an intriguing title? They came all the way from what we would call the Far East based on a star they saw which impelled them on this journey. Was this inspired by God? They had no background in Jewish history of Scriptures. God Himself must have inspired them to travel based on something strange they witnessed. What an amazing God! What an amazing journey of faith! The word goes on to say that when they found Him they worshiped Him. Something surely impacted them spiritually.

Those Magi reasoned the star must herald at least the coming of a king. Why else would something so earth-shattering have happened to them? Thus, their question to King Herod who surely, they thought, would know of the birth of one who would one day become King of the Jews! After all, wasn’t Herod the king of the Jews right then? But Herod didn’t know and had to call on some help. His idea, of course, was to put an end to this before it became truth in fact. At that time the Magi had no idea what they had set in motion. “King of the Jews” became a title of great significance. Herod feared it but the masses would have made this child who grew to manhood to actually be King of the Jews. Jesus actually had to escape from those who would have declared Him to be their King of promise!

But this “King of the Jews” was destined to become the King over all Creation! He was not to become a political leader over an earthly kingdom but rather King of all God’s People in a spiritual Kingdom. What is the “face” we can put on this Name given to our Jesus? What is its impact for us? Is Jesus a King? Yes, as John the Revelator informs us in Revelation 19:16, “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (NKJV) So, there will come a time when He will be declared King over all!

I guess the real question is, “Is He your King?” If you have believed and received Jesus as your Savior, He will also one day be your King. Actually, you can claim Him as that right now, especially if you have yielded yourself body and soul into His control. Is this “FACE” of Jesus real for you right now? I trust and pray that it really is the case. Why not recognize Him as King of your life and being this Christmas and for the rest of this life into eternity? May He richly bless and keep you in His Kingdom!