Dear Friends,
Greeting in Christ!
This Christmas, I am thankful that Jesus is still with us, alive and well in our hearts in the Person of the Holy Spirit — a promise God made long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem:
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Acts 2:16-17
Jesus reiterated this promise before He went to the cross and again after He rose again. Of course, God kept this promise, the same as He kept his promise to send his Son (Job 19:25; Isa 13:12; Mic 5:2 just to name a few).
You will not find Christmas celebrated in Acts or any of the Epistles, yet the first coming of Christ is a theme that runs all through the Old Testament, beginning in Genesis 3:15.
For thousands of years they waited for God to keep his promise, and God always keeps his promises — promises like these:
God promises to protect us:
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Psalm 34:7
For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isaiah 41:13
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Isaiah 43:2
God promises to give us peace:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3
God promises to supply our needs:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
God promises to guide us:
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Psalms 32:8
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
James 1:5
God promises to empower us:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
God promises us a good future:
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalms 37:4
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end [one translation says a future and a hope].
Jeremiah 29:11
God promises to help fight our battles:
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 54:17
The best promise of all is that we are saved through faith in Christ:
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalms 103:12
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:13
He promises that He is coming back:
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
Acts 1:10-12
Yes, just as God kept his promise to send his Son the first time, He will surely keep his promise to send Him back again:
Isaiah 7:14 (1st Coming)
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 (2nd Coming)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Father, thank You for your exceeding great and precious promises, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
In closing, as I finish my European tour of highlights from Paul’s missionary trips, I wish you Merry Christmas from Madrid. I am looking forward to the rest of Acts as I continue to process what I have learned. I like to think that Paul made it to Spain (Rom 15:24, 28). Even if he didn’t make it in person, he made it here in spirit, as I’ve met evangelical Christians here who follow his teachings.
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus Performed in Madrid
