Life-Giving Words

12 Days of Christmas: Day Twelve

"The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."  John 6:63


When God created the world, He spoke everything into existence. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. He spoke us into being. The words of God hold power. There are various places in the Old Testament where God speaks directly to people, and His words are recorded for us to read. In the New Testament, we have the words of Jesus. One of the names given to Jesus is Emmanuel, meaning "God with us", and He still is. Through His Spirit and His words.

I've been reading the words of Jesus on a daily basis for a long time, and they still speak to me in new and fresh ways. Some of the thoughts I've shared during these 12 Days of Christmas are ones revealed to me years ago, and others came fresh as I was writing. How often do you read the words of Jesus? Have you ever made a point of doing so, or do you only "listen" occasionally when they happen to come up?

Perhaps while following my blog this month, you have been encouraged and challenged by my insights into the words of Christ. Perhaps Jesus came out of the manger a bit. Jesus said, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."  On the printed page, His words speak truth to our souls. Truth that brings life. It changes us. But only when we read and "hear" them, as if Jesus is speaking them directly to our hearts to teach and inspire us to a better way of life.

I pray you will make reading the words of Jesus a daily habit in the new year. "Keep Christ in Christmas" is a popular holiday slogan. I hope you have done that, and I hope you keep Christ in your year.

Start today with the words Jesus speaks in John 1:38. "What do you want?"  What is your answer to His question? Make it personal. Make it real. Make it life-changing. That's what His words are meant to do.

The Gift of Prayer

12 Days of Christmas: Day Eleven

"If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."  John 15:7


They say one of the best gifts you can give someone is the gift of prayer, and I believe that's true. Prayer is an intangible gift with tangible results. Prayer can change people's lives. I've seen prayer bring healing, restoration, and amazing blessings. God listens to His people and responds. He is a personal God. He is interested in the details of our lives.

But sometimes the solutions to our problems are not simple ones. Sometimes the changes take time, or we may not know what to pray for. The good news is we don't have to know all the details to pray for someone, so don't let that stop you. Just pray (for yourself and others) and see how God answers. He always does what is best--even if we ask for something else. We can trust Him on that.

Jesus talks about prayer in John 15. He is instructing His disciples to stay close to Him, even though He knew He wasn't going to be around much longer. Jesus was their teacher and friend--a real live person they could see and touch, but soon He was going to Heaven, where they could no longer see Him, but He would still be with them. His Spirit would dwell in them and draw them into an intimate day-by-day faith where He wanted them to abide. "Abide in me, and I in you." (John 15:4)

Another word for abide is live. So you could say the verse this way: "[Live] in me, and I [will live] in you." He goes on to say, "If you [live] in me and my words [live] in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7)

Those are some strong words. I encourage you to write them somewhere and think about them in the coming days. How do you think believing these words of promise and living by them could change your life in the coming year? One of the ways they have affected me is my prayers are more in-line with what God wants, and it causes me to truly know His Heart.

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. [Live] in my love." John 15:9

Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A Gift For The World

12 Days of Christmas: Day Ten

"Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."  John 20:21

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God gave a gift to the world. We sing songs like Joy To The World, Silent Night, and O Come All Ye Faithful to celebrate and remember the Christ-child and the mercy He brought to humankind. He provided a way for peace. He offered forgiveness and proclaimed God's love.

Jesus came to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. He died and was raised to life, proving He had authority over sin and death; Death will not be the end for us either. There is hope. Through Him we overcome a destructive fate.

But that's not all Jesus did. He didn't just come to die. He came to teach. He came to live a different way. He gave up His right as God's Son to judge and condemn. Instead, He chose to love and forgive and give humankind the ability to do the same for one another.

After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples and said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you...Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." (John 20:21-23)

Just as He came to demonstrate the Father's love, Jesus sent His followers (the first Christians) to do the same: to forgive sins and live a different way--this way of grace and humility and being a gift to humankind; He sent them to love, forgive, and offer peace.

He does the same with His followers today. We have His words of life to live by, and He gives us the power to live differently and be a gift to the world. Are you living as God's gift to the world? To your family? To your friends? To your community? To those with different values and beliefs? To those who worship or serve differently than you? Are you gracious, compassionate, humble, gentle? Are you at peace? Are you living like Jesus did? Do you talk like Him and act like Him? Do you know Him well enough to know what that looks like?

We like to keep Jesus in the manger, but He didn't stay in the manger. He came to be human, and He led an extraordinary life. You can do the same. You too can be a gift for the world.

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last...The Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. This is my command: Love each other." 

John 15:16-17