In three days from today it will be Christmas Eve.

For those two or three of you who read A Time for Grace and Truth regularly…you know that the third day away from Christmas Eve is now actually almost done before I ever even got to post this devotional.

Personal issues…precious people who needed my time and attention—during the wee hours of this morning…and throughout this whole day…and well into this night—had to be my first priority. So, thank you for your patience.

I pray that we will all let God speak to each of our hearts so that we will realize how very precious we are to our LORD…and how very deep and intimate is His love for us and how very constant and powerful is His presence with us. There is nothing…no circumstance, no situation, no experience…nothing…that can ever separate us from the love of our God.

It was out of God’s unlimited, unfailing, outrageous love for us that Jesus was born to us…to die for us…to give us eternal life with Him.

Christmas is not just about a precious little baby boy born in barn and laid in a manger with a star shining brightly and an angel choir giving a magnificent sound and light show to some bewildered shepherds.

Christmas is really about the fullness of who Jesus is: our amazing, inexplicable God…our Messiah…our Savior…our LORD…who loves us beyond our comprehension—and promises to us, who are God’s children by faith in Jesus, that we can never be separated from His love!

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

So, let’s all Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

In four days from today it will be Christmas Eve.

So many things may be consuming our time, our thoughts, our energy in these last few days before Christmas. Many of the things that may be consuming us are probably connected with whatever we still have to do to get ready for Christmas. Yet, many of the other things that may be consuming us probably have absolutely nothing to do with Christmas.

Our LORD’s great love and His great faithfulness—and all that He has given to us through the birth, life, death and resurrection of His Holy Son Jesus Christ—assures us that in Him we are never consumed by anything that comes at us in this life…nor by our own guilt when we accept His compassionate forgiveness and salvation!

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,

for His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness!

Lamentations 3:22-23

So, let’s all Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

In five days from today it will be Christmas Eve.

Wow…yep, many of us may still have lots of things to do to prepare our homes for Christmas. (I still have pretty much everything to do…at least what I am going to do!)

How are you doing on preparing your heart? Really????

This would probably be a good time for each of us to take just a few extra minutes—right now—to take a deep breath as we count down to Christmas…and let ourselves calm down right in the midst of our still-have-to-do-lists…and calm down right in the midst of some personal sadness…or some personality struggle with those with whom we’ll be spending Christmas…and intentionally and actively consider Jesus…consider His love…consider His joy…consider His peace…consider His hope…consider His sacrifice…consider His utter humility…consider His total victory over sin and death!

The LORD our God gave His Son to us out of His incomparable, incomprehensible LOVE. Jesus came as a baby born to us…to die for us…to obliterate the power of sin and death over us…to give us eternal life with Him!!!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

So, let’s all Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

In six days from today it will be Christmas Eve.

So many Christmas lights are shining in windows, on houses, on trees, in luminaries, in store fronts and on lamp posts…and, oh! in so many other creative places—from earrings and belt buckles, to necklaces and sweaters and sneakers. The lights of the season decorate our surroundings…they are beautiful and bright, and they bring an unnatural sparkle to the shorter and darker days of winter. I love looking at these Christmas lights; they make me smile and want to walk…skip…and dance around a little bit in their glow.

These Christmas lights will be eventually taken down and put away until next season. They add temporary sparkle to our lives. But that’s all they can do…that’s the fullness of their purpose.

Not so with our Messiah Jesus Christ! He has come to bring His True Light to all peoples of this world. Messiah Jesus is the Eternal Light of God’s love and He has come to illuminate the gift of salvation and forgiveness that is offered to all of us whose lives are shortened and darkened by the reality of sin and our eventual death.

The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of the shadow of death

a light has dawned!

Isaiah 9:2

___________

Jesus spoke again to the people and said,

“I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

Our Holy God—our Messiah Jesus is our light…our hope…our very life! When we receive His True Light of Salvation, darkness flees and death loses its grip on our lives. We will walk…skip…and dance as His people as we are kept in the presence of His True Light…for all eternity!

So, let’s all Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

In seven days from today it will be Christmas Eve. We are just one week away from Christmas Eve…a season that seemed to begin as early as July with certain stores offering “Christmas in July Sales”…and even before Halloween, other stores were ramping up for the Christmas hoop-la and marketing mayhem. YUCK!

Don’t get me wrong…I love Christmas decorations and Christmas music…and Christmas specials in theaters and on TV…I love the sparkle and the bells and the cookies…and the sense of anticipation and celebration in the air.

But! I don’t want to let the display of pretty lights, glitz, glamor, music and magic diminish the truth of the birth and purpose of Jesus’ life…or dim the True Light of Jesus Christ who came to dwell among us so that we may dwell with our God in heaven for all eternity. No, I don’t want the truth of Christmas to be lessened or put aside by Santa and Sleighbells…by Hannukak or Kwanzaa…or anything else in any way. Not in my heart…and not in the heart of any person living on this earth.

Because we all need Jesus.

The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:9, 14

“I am the way and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

So, let’s all Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

In eight days from today it will be Christmas Eve. I pray that you and I are each letting ourselves Count Down…Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…more and more and more…as we move toward Christmas. Yes, we can acknowledge that we have much yet to do—much we want to do and much we need to do. Yet! We are letting Jesus—the King of kings and Lord of lords—be our focus and the ruler of our heads, hearts, hurried schedules…our actions and our attitudes!

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient even to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Take time today to give thanks to our God who interrupts our lives through the giving of His own life—first in a manger…and then on a cross for us. Take time to give thanks to our God who knows exactly what we need and…WHO…will bring our hearts and lives the greatest love, joy, peace and freedom now and for all eternity: our Savior, Redeemer, Rescuer and Lover of our Souls–our Lord Jesus Christ!

So, as you and I are continuing in our gift-giving and celebration preparations and plans, let’s slow down enough to reflect on God’s truest love gift of Jesus Christ so that we may…

Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

In nine days from today it will be Christmas Eve.

Take a breath…right in the midst of the running around and thinking about and buying and mailing gifts and writing out cards and planning special gatherings. Calm down…and take a breath.

Take a deep breath…and recognize that the deep breath you just took is a gift from the Living Sovereign God of all Creation.

Today…our life right now…is a precious gift that we have each been given. Today…Jesus wants us to know Him and trust Him…and consider His love for us.

Consider Jesus…consider His love…and let that perfect love of Jesus calm you from stressing about having to make everything perfect for the perfect Christmas.

Consider Jesus…consider His love and let that perfect love of Jesus lift you from any sadness, disappointment, frustration or loneliness you may be feeling because your heart just doesn’t feel all the stuff the Christmas songs sing about.

Consider Jesus…consider His love, the love from the One who is “Immanuel…God with us” –Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23.

Consider Jesus…consider His love, the love from the One who is our Mighty Savior…the promised Messiah, born in Bethlehem, where the angel of the Lord announced that  in “the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” –Luke 2:11

Consider Jesus…consider His love, the love from the One who is absolutely sovereign and almighty and outrageously intimate and tender with us:

The LORD your God is with you

he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Let’s Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

In ten days from today it will be Christmas Eve. If that just sent a little (or a big) sense of panic through you about all you still have to get done—sending out cards, buying, wrapping, mailing gifts, planning (and grocery shopping) for special meals and extra guests—then, join me in seeking God’s heart for this season of remembering the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s count down…and calm down…and consider Jesus—He is the Holy One who came to intervene in and interrupt our lives so we would know His love…so we would know His salvation…so we would know His peace. So shhhhhhhhhh…

Consider Jesus…and let the panic of our rushing around to meet the cultural (crazed) expectations for what Christmas should be like—just stop. Let Jesus, the Prince of Peace—the Eternal One rule our hearts, heads, spirits, time, energy, efforts and wallets. Amen!

Yes, let’s count down to Christmas…and stop all of our rushing and panicky pressure that we let take over our thinking and doing far too easily. Instead, let’s count the eternal blessings we have been given from the Almighty Sovereign Lord of all Creation who let nothing stop Him from showing us His passionate, intervening, transforming love for us—not the humility of being born as a helpless human baby…and not the shame of being killed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins for the renewal and redemption of our souls!! Amen!!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

———– 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy set before him endured the cross,

scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men,

so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:2-3 

Let’s Count Down…and Calm Down…and Consider Jesus…in this season and in every season of our lives!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,

which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world,

rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2:8

Jesus.  See to it that you know Jesus!

We, each and every one of us, need to see to it that we know Jesus Christ. Really know Jesus…so that we will not be taken captive by anything less than freeing, life-giving love, grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to see to it that we know Jesus as the Eternal Word of God…as the Word made flesh…as God with us—Immanuel—who came as a man to live among us and to die for our sins. We need to see to it that we know Jesus…and His truth that only God in His Holy nature could give His life to take away the ugly destruction of sin in our nature which called for our death sentence. We need to see to it that we know…and believe…that Jesus died for our sins…that Jesus conquered death…that Jesus gives us His promise of eternal life with Him!

And when we see to it that we know…and believe…and continually grow and live in the knowledge of the love, grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ—then nothing of falsehood, hollow teaching, deceptive philosophy and human traditions can take us captive. Because the Lord Jesus Christ has already captured us with His love!

See to it that you know Jesus!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

Psalm 37:1-2

Sometimes it seems that the evil within us humans is overtaking what is good and true and right. Evil—whether subtle or visciously blatant that comes through our words and ways…or through the words and ways of others towards us—destroys relationships, destroys trust, destroys peace. Fret and and worry can overtake us. 

Sometimes it seems that those who do wrong—who lie, manipulate, bully, cheat and push their ways on others—are the ones who are getting the good stuff in life like the greater share of the wealth, the better job, the special recognition. When wrongdoers seem to “get ahead” of those who are honest and work hard, our hope in justice and fairplay is diminished. We want what others have…and jealousy rises. We start to wonder if it makes any difference whether we do things according to God’s righteous ways or not. Envy can overtake us.

And yet, God’s Word tells us not to fret… and not to be envious. But this is not the “Hakuna Matata”—”No worries”…just “Chill out, Man” kind of directive. God’s Word tells to not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong because God is in control—even when, according to our experiences or feelings, everything seems out of control…and the bad guys are winning—God can be trusted.

It is in trusting God that we can have peace—instead of fret and fear—when we have to deal with evil words and actions from other people. It is in trusting that God knows us and loves us passionately and perfectly…it is in trusting that God “has our backs”…and our fronts…and our sides…and our present and our future…in His loving care for His righteous, good purpose in our lives. It is in trusting God that… If God is for us, who can be against us?–Romans 8:31…we have been given a peace that transcends understanding–Philippians 4:7

It is in trusting God that in Jesus Christ we have been given everything we truly need, for now and all eternity—so that there is no need to be envious of anyone or anything. It is in trusting God…that we have been lavished with love–1 John3:1…we have received forgiveness for every sin and are completely free of accusation–Colossians 1:22…we have been given eternal life–John 3:16…we have received every blessing in the spiritual realms–Ephesians 1:3…we have been given, through God’s divine power, everything we need for life and godliness–2 Peter 1:3.

Think about who we are in Jesus Christ and what we have been given and what we have been promised…and trust God! There is no need to fret or be envious of evil men and wrongdoers. Instead, we need to recognize the truth of their ultimate and eternal end…and have the grace to pray that they, too, will come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord…before it is too late…before they wither and die away.

Do not fret…do not be jealous—instead be wise, peaceful, full of confidence, full of contentment—and offer the love, grace and truth of Jesus Christ to all.

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane