the star of obedience
"If you would hearken to My commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea." —Isaiah 48:18
Christmas, like life, is a matter of obedience. If we obey the Lord's commands, we will become prosperous, vindicated, blessed, and assured this Christmas (Is 48:18-19). However, we are often like rebellious, disobedient children who want to give orders rather than take them (Mt 11:16-17). We must repent of this self-willed, disobedient attitude or we will deprive ourselves of Christmas and even of Christ.
At the first Christmas, the Lord gave His commands to Mary and Joseph through the angel Gabriel and the government (Lk 2:1). He commanded wise men and rulers through a star and the Bible (Mt 2:2-6). He commanded shepherds through a choir of angels (Lk 2:10). The few who obeyed were at the first Christmas. However, a world of innkeepers had no room in their disobedient hearts even for the Messiah (Lk 2:7).
It is the same today. The real Christmas, the personal encounter with Christ awaits those who believe in the Lord enough to obey Him. Only those who follow the star of obedience will make their way to the manger and find the Christ Child.
Prayer: Lord, if I don't die to self, I'll miss out on Christmas again and I'll never love You. I repent.
Promise: "I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go." —Is 48:17
Praise: Robert always spends much more time preparing spiritually for Christmas than he does materially.
Reference: (For help in obeying God, read the Bible daily. For encouragement, order any or all of these audio or video tapes: Ignorance of Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ, AV 82-1, V-82, How to Pray the Bible on audio AV 82-3 or on video V-82, How to Read the Bible on audio AV 46-3 or on video V-46, Principles of Bible Interpretation, audio AV 79-1, video V-79.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 13, 2006
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