Celebrating Christmas - A Reminder of Fulfilled Promises!

When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate a promise kept. For those who understand this truth, Christmas is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and a faith-builder for the future. For those who cannot embrace the promise of Christ’s coming, Christmas can be a frustration. Perhaps the reason many have difficulty celebrating the holiday, who wish to avoid it and even dread it is because they cannot believe in a promise fulfilled. There have been too many broken promises and disappointments; too many promises forgotten by the promise-makers. So how can they truly believe in a Promise-Maker who actually remembers and keeps every promise made to them???

In the Old Testament, a “promise” meant a word or matter spoken of. The spoken word was an arrangement, decree, or command. The spoken word meant something. It wasn’t just filling space. No written contracts were needed in the beginning. A word spoken was a promise made. No one – not the first man or women or the devil himself - considered that God’s Word in Genesis 1:26-28 would not be fulfilled. Until the devil introduced doubt in Genesis 3, there was absolute confidence in the Word of God. But even the doubt could not change the promise or weaken the Word!

In the New Testament, a promise meant an announcement of information/fact, a pledge, and was a Divine assurance of good. It was to engage to do something or to assert something respecting yourself. It was given with no “plan B” or hesitation. Whether the promise was received depended on those who heard the Word. The Promise-Maker was forever bound to keep His promise.

EVERY Word of God is a promise made. Every scripture is a God-breathed promise of what was, what is, and what will be. Every Name of God is a promise of who He was, is and always will be.

God is not like the promise-makers who failed us in this life. He CANNOT forget…

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will never forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the plams of My hands; hyour walls are continually before Me.”
(Isaiah 49:15-16)

He CANNOT lie…

“Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.”
(Hebrews 6:17-18)

CANNOT change…

“For I am the Lord, I do not change…” (Malachi 3:6)

Today God wants to restore our faith in His Name, in His Word, in His Promise. He wants us to lay hold of Him. He wants us to obtain everything pledged to us; everything Christ came to announce to us; everything He died and resurrected to assure us of. It is not about obtaining a thing, it’s about obtaining HIM…(not a healing, but Jehovah Rapha our Healer; not a car but Jehovah Jireh our Provider)…

ADVENT WREATH: A Reminder of Promise

Candle One: Promises Made (Prophesy Candle)
Isaiah 9:6-7; 11:1-5; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 1:22-23 – The Savior is Coming; Jesus is the Promised One

Thoughts: What are some promises God has given you or your family? Remember and pray for fulfillment. Are you still waiting with expectation?

Candle Two: Receiving the Promise (Mary Candle)
Luke 1:26-56 (Emphasize verse 45) –Mary BELIEVED and then RECEIVED the Promise.

Thoughts: Discuss with God and/or family any doubts you are struggling with concerning His promises. Search out scriptures to verify the promise. Pray and encourage yourself or one another.

Candle Three: Celebration of Promise Fulfilled (Angel Candle)
Luke 2:1-7 & 13-14 – The angels celebrated the fulfillment of promise – so should we!

Thoughts: Celebrate promises given by God! Recount His Name and praise Him! The Promise Maker IS faithful and is in the process of framing/forming every invisible promise until it is seen!

Candle Four: Sharing the Promise (Shepherd Candle)
Luke 2:8-20 – The shepherds shared the good news of the Promise fulfilled!

Thoughts: Write a few cards to others in need of encouragement sharing the hope of Christ and the promise of His Word. For fun, go Christmas caroling and visit others to encourage faith in the Promise Maker! End the time by lighting the candle and reading the scripture.

Candle Five: The Promise is Here (Christ Candle)
Matthew 1:21; 2:1-12; Luke 2:26-32; Isaiah 53:4-5

Thoughts: Recount your salvation and remember the wonderful things He has already done for you! Receive what He has already fulfilled and given to you in Isaiah 53, the SALVATION (wholeness, healing, deliverance, and preservation) of your spirit, soul, and body. Bless one another with salvation!

*Please share your Christmas traditions with us in the comment portion!