Day 7 of Untangling Christmas

Hope Has a Name...Jesus

• He is Immanuel...The God Who is With Us
• He is our Wonderful Counselor
• He is our Mighty God
• He is our Everlasting Father

Today we see that the name of Hope is also...The Prince of Peace.

More than a Hallmark Greeting, these names help us connect with the truth of the nature and character of a God whom we can not see or touch. These names help us identify the lies in our minds and in our lives that tell us that God is other than these things.

What area in your life today is in need of more PEACE?
Have you had a marital spat, a friendship disagreement, a run in with your teen, a frustrating battle with your child? Maybe you are worried about the bills to be paid, the taxes that are due.
How about feeling blue and depressed, many people do this time of year.

Jesus, the center of the Christmas story, wants to be the center of our lives in every way.

He came that we might have life in him and through him...because of Him.

Take that area that is lacking peace and sit down and ask God to take it from you.
Ask him to be a wonderful counselor to you regarding that practical piece today. Then thank him for being a Mighty God, able to heal, deliver, and change even the toughest of situations.

Yes, HOPE has a name, Jesus.
HOPE....Having Optimisim Produces Encouragement
Are we to be optimistic, just to be optimistic?
No, we are to be optimistic because of who God is.

• We can be optimistic, or have faith, in the TRUTH found in Scripture.
• We can be optimistic because the Christmas Story has real-life promise.
• We can be optimistic because we are not left to fend for ourselves.
• We can be optimistic because of the gift of Christmas, bigger than Santa, more fulfilling than any gift you could receive, this gift of Christmas offers inner peace and hope.

When we look for the good, take heart and hope, live in optimistic faith, we are encouraged.
Jesus was sent as a God who would be with us, in us and for us.

Optimistic Response? To live now for Him.

Think on these things, and have courage for your area that needs his presence and peace.

Christmas Prayer
Lord in the hustle and bustle give me peace. In the expectations that are mounting, change my heart. In the things to be done, give me strength. In the moments of these holiday days, make me holy.