Silence: Take a moment to get still and ask God to center your heart on him.
Scripture: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Devotional: One of the biggest struggles in my life and arguably one of my greatest weaknesses is over promising and under delivering. I don’t mean to do it. Seriously…I don’t. I’m *usually* well intentioned, but I tend to overestimate my abilities, underestimate how much time something will take and commit to way to much.
Next thing I know I’m drowning in my commitments and unable to fulfill everything I said I would do. It’s something I’ve been working hard on, but feel like I’ll be working on it for the rest of my life.
You want to know something beautiful about God? He never over promises or under delivers. Never. He is always true to things he says he’s going to do because he is unchanging.
In Isaiah, God promised a child who would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. He promised that with his arrival there would be peace on earth and that his kingdom would be established forevermore. All of this has come true in the power and person of Jesus.
God fulfills all the prophecies and promises he makes to his people. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Joshua 21:45, “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.”
This Christmas day I would love for you to reflect on other promises that God makes over your life that he will fulfill.
You will never be separated from His love. Many times in my life I’ve thought to myself, “God will find out I’m a fraud and he will eventually take his love away from me”. That could not be further from the truth. In Christ, we will never, ever be separated from the love of God. No matter what you have done or what’s been done to you, God will never take his love off you. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).
He will always be with you. Other times I have wondered if God was present or if he had left me during the hard times. Again, this could not be further from the truth. God is always present; therefore, we don’t have to be discouraged or afraid. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”(Deut. 31:8).
He will finish the work he started in you. In counseling I have heard many people tell me, “It just feels like I’m never going to get over this sin or struggle in my life.” Yet, God promises that he’s going to finish the work of sanctification, making you look more like Jesus, at some point. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil. 1:6). God promises that one day, even though it might be on the day we meet Jesus face to face, he will finish the good work he started.
He will come again and make all things new. Lastly, God promises to come back again and make everything sad come untrue. The Scriptures say, “4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Rev. 21:4-5)
This Christmas let us worship God who fulfills every prophecy and promise he makes. Not one word of any of his promises will fail to come true, all will come to pass. We can be as certain of this truth as we are of a baby in a manager who we call Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
Question: Which of these four truths do you have the hardest time believing? Why?
Action: Memorize the scripture of the promise from God you have the hardest time believing. Ask God to give you the confidence in Him that he will fulfill that promise.
Prayer: Father, thank you that you never over promise or under deliver. You fulfill all your promises. Nothing will separate me from your love, you will always be with me, you will finish the work you started in me and you will come again to make all things new. Help my heart have 100% certainty that you will fulfill your promises because you always have, you always do and you always will. Amen.