What do I want for Christmas today?
I want my family and friends to always be safe in the LORD, and to trust the LORD, and to never fear what mankind or one man or woman can do to them.
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
No matter what experience I may have today; no matter how exciting, terrible, or painful it may be; I want my greatest experience be that of experiencing Jesus in closer walk with Him.
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, ‘Arise, and be not afraid.’ And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.” Matthew 17:7-8 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want my faith to grow in Christ Jesus, and to bring forth fruit for His honor and glory, to always keep my eyes on Him and not on the perilous waves of life’s sea around me.
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” Matthew 14:31-32 (NKJV)
“But fear not thou, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, O Jacob My servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.” Jeremiah 46:27-28 (KJV)
Fear was the thing that led the left behinds to their disobedience to God, His prophet, and their going to Egypt for “Safety”. Fear moves people to do terrible things. No matter what age of this world fear is a motivator of evil.
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want to walk with GOD, because when I walk with Him, I am never afraid.
For clarification – To walk with GOD is to be in total agreement with Him,
“Can two walk together, except they agree.” (Amos 3:3)
“…Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before Him; ‘If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent Me of the evil that I have done unto you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.” Jeremiah 42:9-12 (KJV)
The people who were the poor of the land, left by Nebuchadnezzar, were afraid, yet were being less than honest about their prayer requests. It seems they had already determined they were going to go to Egypt.
What do I want for Christmas today?
When I have my thoughts, and they do not coincide with God’s thoughts, I want to agree with God, and do His Word, and go His way; because He knows what is best for me.
Jesus is the only Savior of the world. He makes that plain. Hear Him…
“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” John 6:29
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)
To deny that there are things which would make us fearful is a frivolous way of dealing with life. To continually live with crippling fear is, well, crippling, and hinders us from accomplishing great things.
To deny the truth of evil, and decay is in fact deceit, self deceit, and a lie.
What do I want for Christmas?
As a born again, blood bought child of the King; I want to live knowing that God is always with me; that I will not be afraid in this wicked world; that I will be strengthened in the Lord, daily, knowing that He will help me in every trial, trouble, and situation of my life, my home, family, Church, Nation and the world; and that He upholds me with His righteous right hand.
What do I want for Christmas?
I want always when I have a feeling of fear to go to my Lord and Savior and find rest and peace in Him; and to no longer fear, anything but Him.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” Psalm 56:3 (KJV)
“In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” Psalm 56:11“But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.” [Jesus Christ] John 6:20
What do I want for Christmas?
In times of doubt, fear, discouragement, stress, I want to trust the LORD with all my heart, not leaning on my own understanding.
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14 (KJV)
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to always recognize that the LORD He is God, and rules over the whole world; and I want every person, president, king and nation – even the United Nations to know the LORD is God and that He reigns.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” Psalm 9:17-20 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want children, and youth who are students in public, private, and home schools to realize the greatest thing to know and learn is about God, His Word – the Holy Bible, and to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7 (KJV)
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4
What do I want for Christmas?
I want my family, friends, neighbors, readers of this blog, people around the world to be free of crippling, hindering fear, and I want you to know that is only possible through the faith of Jesus Christ Son of the Living God, God the Living Son.
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 (KJV)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want the people, the families of victims in the bombing in Brussels, Belgium to be comforted, strengthened, and to be drawn near to the Lord Jesus Christ through these horrible events.
Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3-5 (KJV)
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28
What do I want for Christmas?
Since the last Sunday of March is the annual day of celebrating Easter or Resurrection Day; I want every Christian, and all people to realize that we celebrate His resurrection every Sunday, every Lord’s Day, and that it has been said, “Easter is the exclamation point to ‘Merry Christmas'”.
“Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed.”
“But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”” Matthew 28:5-7 (NKJV)
There are not too many promises in life that any of us can be truly assured of. We buy insurance for our cars, our homes, our health; even our lives so that our families can have a means of living better in the event of our deaths. Even with those insurances there can really be no true assurances from the tragedies of life. There is assurance only when God gives a promise, through the word He speaks. One instance…
“Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee. But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in Me, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 39:15-18 (KJV)
The prophet Jeremiah had been thrown into a miry pit, and practically left to die by the king Zedekiah; at the word of some of the nobility, priests and prophets of the land; because they wanted Jeremiah dead, gone, accusing him of treason (chapter 38).
The promise is given to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, because he showed kindness to the prophet; and that probably because he believed the word of God through the prophet. He cared for the prophet. He went to the king to ask the king to give aid to him (38:7-13); and he gives it; raising him out of the pit, cleaning him up, and feeding him.
The word of God to Ebedmelech was that the city would be destroyed, but your life will be given you. You shall not perish by the sword, because you have placed your trust in Me.
Will you believe the word of God today, concerning the plight of mankind without God’s love, forgiveness and grace? Mankind is doomed to eternal torment without, and apart from the cross of Jesus Christ. Believe in Him, His death, burial and resurrection and you will be saved from the events to come. That is God’s word for you today.
“When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days; then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” Jeremiah 37:16-17 (KJV)
This king did not like the word of God. That is very similar to kings and presidents of our day; and the people of the UN. If God has said something the world leaders are set to try and thwart the plan of God. Not going to happen; no matter how hard the perverts try.
The second Psalm states it very clearly…
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us.” Psalm 2:1-3
King Zedekiah was interested, he was curious, but he was a rebel against the word of the LORD. He was fearful of what stood outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem; and that was the Babylonian army. He had previously been warned. He rebelled against God.
Yet again, he asked for counsel from the LORD. Yet again, he rejects it. You can reject God, and His word. You can even refuse to believe it to be true. It is still going to come about just as He has said. It is still true.
The king was going to be a captive of Babylon. He would witness something that would be the most horrendous thing he would remember seeing with his eyes; and that would be the last thing he beheld (Jeremiah 39:1-7).
There is a word from the LORD for you today.
Jesus said,
“…Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
Turn to Jesus Christ who has died for your sins, your rebellion against the Most High God. In turning to Jesus you turn against you life of sin and rebellion. Turn and believe.
“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1 (KJV)
The one who is guilty of a crime is constantly looking over their shoulders to check, and see if anyone is pursuing them. That is the wicked. Wickedness goes further, though, than just a guilty conscience. The wicked are haters of God, good, and godliness.
As I read this this morning I asked myself two questions: First, Do the unrighteous always flee in fear? The second: Are the righteous always the bold ones? The answer to those questions is both “NO!”
Let us look at another thought of the “Wicked”. The wicked are not just lawbreakers, they are God-haters. They hate God, His law, His Word, His righteousness, and anyone who is connected to Him. Many of the wicked will say, “I don’t believe in God. How can I hate something I don’t believe in?” See what I mean. The whole creation cries out for the God of the Universe, and you deny He exist; because you hate Him. You hate Him even when the evidence says He is true.
Normally, the wicked flee when no man pursues. Everyday the wicked flee because God is in pursuit of you. Normally, the righteous – the God fearer, the one’s who love God, His Word, His commandments, His law are bold as a lion.
It seems to me sometimes that the wicked are much more bold than the righteous in today’s world. Why would that be? Who are the “Righteous”? Those who have been declared righteous or Just by God Himself (Romans 1:7; 5:1). Of course there are none who are righteous of their own merit, their own goodness, “No not one” (Romans 3:10-11). Righteousness comes through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Why does it seem that the wicked are bold, and the righteous are fleeing? It is because the righteous are not living righteous lives; we are not believing what God’s Word says, we are not believing God, thus we live with fear. We fear offending others, rather than fear offending God.
O LORD God give your people a righteous, healthy fear of YOU; that we might show forth Your righteousness in a lost, dark, and condemned world.
“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33 (KJV)
From verse 20 or Proverbs 1 through verse 33 Wisdom is personified, and is speaking to the reader. We can learn much by listening to the words of Wisdom.
When God’s wisdom is rejected, knowledge is rejected (v. 22), thus all kinds of foolish endeavors are awakened in the wicked minds of men.
When God’s wisdom is rejected, the call of wisdom is rejected, and so wise counsel is also rejected leading to the laughter of wisdom at the vain endeavors of the wicked minds, and the calamity to which that foolishness leads (vv. 23-26).
When God’s wisdom is rejected, fear comes as desolation with destruction; there is a call to wisdom, but she does not hear. Why will she not hear? Because they have hated knowledge, and “did not choose the fear of the LORD” (vv. 27-32).
Those who have chosen knowledge (ie. godly wisdom and knowledge learned from God’s Spirit, His Word, and believing Him) will be safe. They will also be quiet from fear. With all that is going on in today’s world; the wisdom of God being rejected; O child of God can you not see that the judgment of God is about to fall on this wicked world.
Reject the foolish wisdom of the world, and choose what God says. Choose His wisdom, His Word, His way. Choose to follow the One who died on the cross for your sins; and live for Him.
“But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:5-6 (KJV)
David is noted as being the author of this Psalm. In the beginning of it he has questioned “How long will You forget me, O LORD?”, and “How long will You hide Your face from me?” He has felt as though the LORD has neglected him, and is not listening to his pleas.
He has felt that his enemy is being exalted over him, and he is the one suffering for it. Does it ever seem that way for you? I must admit I have had my moments of despair, doubt, and fear.
Notice though how David ends this prayer song. “I have trusted in Thy mercy, my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.” How quickly things can change when you find yourself before the face of God; and all the questions seem to fade away.
When you get before the face of God the questions no longer matter. Have you ever heard someone say; or maybe you have said it yourself: “When I get to heaven I have a lot of questions I want to ask God?” I have thought that in years past, but I have learned also that when I get to see God face to face all the questions that I have thought I would ask will not even matter then. I believe that because when I have asked them here, and received the peace and comfort of God; the questions no longer mattered. They certainly will not matter then.
Why does David place His trust in the LORD? “…Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” When we see God, His grace, His work in us where else is there to place our trust? Nowhere else; and No other One. He is our mercy and our salvation.
You will not begin to see His wondrous bounty, mercy, grace; until you come to Him through His Son Jesus who bled and died on the cross, was buried and bodily arose from the grave. Trust Jesus Christ and His finished work; then witness the greatness and power and bounty of God as one of His own.
“And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.” 2 Chronicles 20:29-30 (KJV)
Jehoshaphat was noted as a man who did right in the sight of the LORD (v. 32). He was facing a large contingent of united armies against Judah, and he sought the LORD, believed Him and was delivered.
For the Christian of today the enemy is sin and the devil. The reason there is little or no fear of God in our land is due to the unconfessed, lack of repentance of the Christian; and tolerance of evil deeds and men.
MY PRAYER:
Father send down Your Spirit in power, glory, and honor to Your name upon all who are Your people. Send down fire from heaven.
Put the fear of God back in Your people; then there will be a fear of God in the hearts of the enemy – all who are evil, all who exalt themselves against You, Your Spirit and Your Word.
Bless the Lord. Amen.
“Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” 2 Samuel 9:6-8 (KJV)
The son of Jonathan; David’s best and dearest friend; comes before David the king at his direction, and bows before him in fear and out of humility.
The king’s first word, after speaking his name is, “Fear not…”. Mephibosheth is crippled from a childhood accident while being carried by an adult (2 Samuel 4:4), fell and left him crippled. He sees himself as unworthy of the king’s attention; a dead dog.
In this moment is seen the mercy and grace of God. David knew of these. He himself was a recipient of both. He displays them both. In the name of Jonathan he gives all the lands back to Mephibosheth which had belonged to Saul.
O, the grace and mercy of God shown to us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus the Son of God. In His name, for His name’s sake we are made “joint heirs with Him” (Romans 8:17).
“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the LORD, and His statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.” Deuteronomy 10:12-14 (KJV)
You, nor myself can meet these requirements. We have no heart for God, except by God’s grace He give it to us.
This is one of the reasons we so need grace. When we by grace receive the gift of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then we have a heart to fear the LORD, to walk in His ways, and love Him. Without a changed heart through the work of Jesus Christ there is no hope of loving God.
If you have no heart for these things, then, it is due to the fact of you walking in darkness of sin, not in the light of Christ. Call on Him now; believe Him, trust Him with your heart, your mind, your soul, and your strength.
Here are a couple of verses that come to my mind as I read the above text:
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8
Follow the link of Psalm 24 for a few more thoughts.
“Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.” Deuteronomy 2:24-25 (KJV)
It is not for the children of God; it is not for Christians to walk in fear. We are to walk in God, and to fear Him. To walk in fear is not walking in love (1 John 4:18).
You will note in the above verses that God does instill fear in people who do not know God, or love His people.
As a Christian I do not want or need people to fear me; I do want them to fear God; but most of all to come into a personal relationship with Him. The people of the world whose habitation is of this world will not understand God, His holiness, righteousness, or His love and grace until they by the grace of God are led to Him, receive Him and believe Him.
Of the above verses we can think of Jericho. We are told that they had shut up the city as the children of Israel were preparing to cross the Jordan River; for fear of Israel, and their GOD (Joshua 5:1; 6:1). They had heard of all that God had done for Israel in the wilderness and the drying up of the Jordan River for them to cross.
For you Christian we have the word of Jesus Christ which He told the disciples as He sent them out,
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:19-20
In the Proverbs it is written,
“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7
Remember this, When the Christian walks in the fear of God she/he needs to fear nothing else.
“Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in His commandments.” Psalm 112:1 (KJV)
Happiness from the world in which we live is fleeting. We can laugh and be “happy” one minute, then, sadly defeated, depressed, and discouraged the next. Where we were “happy” for an hour or two; we are the other for days and weeks on end.
Let me give you three things that lead to true happiness;
Let your life be a life filled with the Spirit of the LORD, and you will be Blessed – happy; truly joyous. The only way to be able to live this is through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God, and God the Son.
“Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.” Psalm 64:1 (KJV)
We have here another of David’s prayers. David was a unique man and king. He often called on God in prayer, and it was a normal thing for Him, because he had a heart for God. Of David C. H. Spurgeon has written,
It is our duty to note how constantly David turns to prayer; it is his battleaxe and weapon of war he uses it under every pressure, whether of inward sin or outward wrath, foreign invasion or domestic rebellion. We shall act wisely if we make prayer to God our first and best trusted resource in every hour of need.
from THE TREASURY OF DAVID
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he has written,
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…” Ephesians 6:17-18 (KJV)
We note that for the Christian, in particular the Spirit filled Christian the Word of God is an weapon of offense, and I believe defense as well; and then there is the matter of prayer. It is a weapon as well. When we are in touch with God, and He is in communication with us then He is the Champion of our battles.
To conclude this study I will include some of the words from Matthew Henry:
He earnestly begs of God to preserve him (Psa_64:1, Psa_64:2): Hear my voice, O God! in my prayer; that is, grant me the thing I pray for, and this is it, Lord, preserve my life from fear of the enemy, that is, fro the enemy that I am in fear of. He makes request for his life, which is, in a particular manner, dear to him, because he knows it is designed to be very serviceable to God and his generation. When his life is struck at it cannot be thought he should altogether hold his peace, Est_7:2, Est_7:4. And, if he plead his fear of the enemy, it is no disparagement to his courage; his father Jacob, that prince with God, did so before him. Gen_32:11, Deliver me from the hand of Esau, for I fear him. Preserve my life from fear, not only from the thing itself which I fear, but from the disquieting fear of it; this is, in effect, the preservation of the life, for fear has torment, particularly the fear of death, by reason of which some are all their life-time subject to bondage.
from Matthew Henry Commentary
Let us, however, not just use prayer for our help; but also for praising Him who alone is worthy of our worship, praise, honor and glory. That is Christ Jesus.
“And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.” Exodus 20:18-21 (KJV)
This follows the event of receiving the Ten Commandments. The people have witnessed the seemingly stormy, troubling, loud, odorous, and fearful scene, and are very much afraid to approach the Lord GOD. However, this was an unwarranted, undesired fear. God is an awe-inspiring God.
The lives, and words of the people following this event show that their fear was not what was a godly fear; but a “Sorry I am here” fear which kept them from God, rather than drawing near to Him.
Moses, drew near to God. The “Darkness” mentioned shows us that God is unapproachable, except we come to Him His way. Moses approached God and “drew near unto the thick darkness where God was”.
Moses tells the people “Fear not” yet there is a fear of God that keeps us from sinning against Him. When we come to Him through His Son Jesus He accepts us, and welcomes us into His blessed and holy presence. That is when we do not fear.
The Fire and Hammer 