In the Eyes of a Shepherd

Marry Christmas! Luke 2:10-12 says, "Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.'"

All was quiet. The night was silent. And suddenly, without warning, out of nowhere, "an angel of the Lord" (Luke 2:9) appeared! But that is not all. God's glory lit up the sky! What a sight it was. The shepherd's rose to their feet, startled by the sight. Fear began to overwhelm them. They did not understand what this was all about. And then the angel spoke.

Now they understood. God had fulfilled His promise. The Savior had come. They hurried off into the night to meet the Lord and it was not long before they found Him.

It was just as the angel had said. There He was before their very eyes, the Savior, Christ the Lord. They knelt before Him for a time in wonder and awe, and in worship. After all, He was their Lord and Savior.

When they returned to the hillside and to the sheep, they praised God all along the way. They gave Him the glory and they let everyone they met know about Jesus.

The gospel was made known that night. It was as the angel had told them: tonight in Bethlehem a baby was born, "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (v. 11). The Christ, the Messiah, the Savior had come! It was as God had promised long ago.

They knew the Scriptures. They were all sinners in need of a Savior. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). He was born in order to die for you.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1). "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

Do you believe God raised Jesus from the dead? Have you confessed Jesus as Lord? If not, you can pray right now and receive the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Amen.

Righteous Desires of Your Heart

"Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would… fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness" (2 Thess. 1:11b). The NASB says, "and fulfill every desire for goodness." Paul continues by asking God to fulfill every right and noble desire of your heart. But notice, it is the good and righteous and noble desires that God is to fulfill in your life, not the selfish, self-centered ones.

In Philippians 4:8 Paul wrote, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." And he added in verse 9, "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." When you desire in your heart the things of God which are pure and right and noble, God will give you those desires. That is Paul's prayer for you.

"Fulfill" (2 Thess. 1:11b) could also be translated "complete" or "accomplish." "Good pleasure" (v. 11b) or "desire" (NASB) could be translated "purpose" or "choice." Paul asked God to fulfill or complete His purpose in them by giving them what they longed for—His goodness. Such a prayer is consistent with God's will. In answer to this prayer, God will give you what is good and what is good for you.

In Psalm 37:4 David wrote, "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." When you delight in the Lord, you desire what He desires. Then God will grant your requests. When you make God's agenda your agenda, then you will receive God's goodness because that is the desire of your heart.

Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7). The key is abiding. If you abide in Christ, if you live your life by faith in Christ, if you delight yourself in Christ and desire what He desires, then you will receive the desires of your heart. May God fulfill the righteous desires of your heart. Amen.

Worthy to be Called Christian

In Second Thessalonians 1:11, Paul begins, "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would." Constant, endless prayer for the growing maturity of these believers. That is what Paul always prayed for. You will note as we continue through verse 11 that this opening phrase carries throughout.

Paul continues, "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling" (v. 11a). This request covers everything that is included in Christian character. Paul's prayer here is that you might honor the name of Christ.

"Our God" (v. 11a) refers to a loving, caring Father who is intimately involved with us. "Count you worthy" (v. 11a) can also be translated "make you worthy." Either translation is appropriate because God will make worthy all whom He counts as worthy.

Here, as throughout the New Testament epistles, "calling" (v. 11a) refers to the irresistible call to salvation. It does not refer to the general call to salvation that goes out from the evangelist asking all to believe, but to the specific act of God in which He redeems all who believe. Paul has just spoken of that Day, the Day of the Rapture, when all who believe in Jesus would be made completely like Him as He gathers them to be with Him forever. He is now asking God to make you worthy of that calling. He is asking God to make you worthy to be called Christian.

In First Thessalonians 1:12, Paul prayed that the believers in Thessalonica would "walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls [them] into His own kingdom and glory" (NASB). As Christians we bear the name of Christ. As you become more like Christ you become more deserving, more worthy, to bear His name.

Apparently this was an item of major importance for the Thessalonian believers to understand. While in Second Thessalonians 1:5 Paul spoke of how the suffering they were enduring proved that they "may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God," chapter three points out that some of them were not living up to their calling in Christ. In Second Thessalonians 3:6, Paul wrote, "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us" (NASB, 1995). And in verse 11 he adds, "For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies" (NASB, 1995). Some it seems were leading lives that were disobedient to the Word and to Christ. They are unworthy to be called Christian.

Don't let that be said of you! Follow Christ with all your heart and live by His Word. Let Christ richly indwell you and guide you, and God will make you worthy to be called Christian. "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2:6, NASB). Amen.