The turmoil this world has gone through these past two years has been overwhelming. It has caused many to feel hopeless, sad, and troubled. I knew this was not the message God had for us, especially during Christmas. The more I prayed, the more the Holy Spirit began to fill my thoughts with hope, joy, and peace, the very words that describe what it means when we have the ultimate gift of life, the Prince of Peace, living in our hearts.
Perhaps it would help if I summarized a bit about the life and times of this King we call our Lord and Savior? Think about this for a few minutes. He was born in an obscure village, with no electricity or computers, running water or supermarkets. He worked in a simple carpenters shop until he was thirty before leaving home to become an itinerant preacher. He never held an office, never had a wife or child, or for that matter a girlfriend. He never owned a house or went to college. Two thousand years have passed, and today He is still the central figure of humanity. And he did all the above without any ‘likes’ on his Facebook page.
If we lined up all the armies that ever marched and all the ships that have ever sailed, all the governments that ever ruled, and all the kings that ever reigned none would have affected the life of mankind as much as that one solitary life.
* He walked into time, and from that moment forward, He quietly divided it into before and after—B.C. and A.D.
* He walked into the realm of thought and altered our concept of God, life, and our ultimate destiny.
* He walked into our moral requirements and redefined what is good and evil according to whether we live agreeable to His Spirit or not.
* He walked into our separation from God and, by the cross, restored our brokenness, bringing us back to a right relationship with the Father.
* He walked into the chaos of human relationships and projected a Kingdom theology that brings harmony to all relationships.
* He walked into our moral weakness and the rule of sin over our lives and imparted a moral and spiritual mastery, which gave His followers a mastery of life destined to change the world.
Jesus did this quietly, unobtrusively, and effortlessly. Humanity got in touch with Him, absorbed His secret, and found themselves doing things they couldn’t do, thinking thoughts they couldn’t think, and loving people they couldn’t love. They were a surprise to themselves and others. In thirty years, one generation, 120 people, and their immediate spiritual descendants introduced more fundamental changes in human living, individual and collectively, than was introduced in any era in any part of the world before or since. And those changes have embodied the ruling ideas of real civilization ever since. And we are privileged to read about it in the “Acts of the Apostles.”
The above facts about Jesus are certainly eye-opening, just as the names that have been used within the Bible to describe his attributes can be just as mind-boggling. As you read the following list of the characteristics that make up the Godhead of Jesus, I want you to take a few moments and let the meaning of each name permeate your heart and mind.
He is; Almighty God, Wonderful Counselor, Lamb of God, Messiah, Anointed One, Light of the World, Bread of Life, Alpha and Omega, Chief Cornerstone, Son of God, Savior, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Prince of Peace. These are but a few of the 256 names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ. Why so many? Perhaps it is because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could fully express.
Christmas should always remind us that Emmanuel, “God with us,” means that when He came to this earth, He brought with Him all the attributes that describe His Father in heaven. Each day with Jesus is like opening a gift. Three of His principal gifts are peace, hope, and love. As His Kingdom increases, His gifts also increase in intensity and radiate out from our hearts to the hearts of others.
As we enter this particular time of year, I am reminded of the wonder of it all. And as I reflect on His names, I find Him saying to me these words, “What will you bring to me, and what will you give to me?” It brought to my memory a song that I have been rejoicing and worshiping with written by Jen Johnson. The lyrics and melody are so beautiful that I want to share some of the words with you.
What can I Give to You, My Beautiful King?
“What can I do for you? What can I bring to you? What kind of song would you like me to sing? See there’s a dance for you. Pour out my love to you, what can I give to you beautiful King. Cause I can’t thank you enough, Cause I can’t thank you enough.” “I hear you say, “You don’t have to do a thing. Simply be with me, Let those things go, cause they can wait another minute. Wait this moment is too sweet. Please stay here with me a little longer, please stay with me a little longer. Cause I’m in love with you I’m so in love with you. Jesus so in love with you.”
Can you hear it? He is continually wooing us, His bride into a much deeper and fuller relationship, back to that place where He was our everything, our first love. We know how the enemy enjoys bringing the opposite to keep us ineffective for God’s kingdom. He brings distress, fear, anxiety, restlessness, dread, and all manner of evil things to ultimately destroy us. When I allow these negative things to influence me, I found I am giving them power over my life. I have come to realize that I must take time to be with Him and ask Him to pour out this special gift from the Holy Spirit, the gift of peace.
John 16:33 is one of my favorite verses describing the Peace that He brings. “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace and confidence. In the world, you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted!] For I have overcome the world.” I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.
Yes, Our beautiful King came to earth and gave Himself as a ransom for our sins that we may have free access back into the heart of the Father’s and into His arms of love, chosen and dearly loved. No longer are we called orphans because He sent His Holy Spirit to continually fill us with His love, His anointing, His peace, and every good gift from heaven itself. Yes, this is the best news of all! May His peace fill every area of our home and hearts during this season.
Much love in Him always.
Kingdom Life Ministry 