“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain …”

— Revelation 21:4

When did you last think about how incredible Heaven will be? Often we take Heaven for granted. In fact, our culture—even our cartoons—trivialize it, and we buy into the watered-down images. But Heaven will be a truly glorious place. What a great promise we have in knowing we’ll spend eternity there.

Can you imagine a place where every house is a mansion or a palace? Every step a triumph? Every covering of the head a coronation? Every year a jubilee? Every month an enchantment? Every week a transport of delight? Every hour a paradise? Every moment an ecstasy? That is what Heaven will be like. Who can imagine it, and who can understand what God has prepared?

In Heaven, there shall be no entropy, where everything breaks down. For indeed, the Curse will have been lifted, and sin will be gone forever. We’ll have perfect bodies that shall never age nor grow sick, never weary nor grow weak, and never need sleep. We will know no grief or loss. We’ll experience the full love of others. We’ll all gather in fellowship; no one will feel rejected or snubbed.

Above all, we’ll see our Savior face to face. We will know Him, love Him, and enjoy full fellowship with Him. Our relationship with Him will go beyond anything we could ever imagine here on earth.

As you walk through your day, especially when circumstances get you down, turn your thoughts toward Heaven. Let the hope of Heaven buoy you up this day.

“The reward for serving the Lord might not be much in
this life, but the retirement benefits are out of this world!”
Anonymous

“… For the Gentiles shall seek Him …”

— Isaiah 11:10

Through the ages Israelites as well as people of other nations have waited for the promised Messiah. Many Gentiles had heard of the Messiah from the Jews in captivity. In Babylon, in Persia, in every place the Jews were taken, the message spread of the long-expected one, the Savior to come.

The wise men who followed the star of Bethlehem had heard the news in this way. Who exactly were these men? Contrary to some accounts, they probably were not kings. Most likely they were ancient scientists, perhaps astrologers or philosophers from Persia or Babylonia. These men traveled a great distance to find the Christ. They had received some sign of His birth, some clue, some message from that strange and singular occurrence in the sky. Why would these men set out on such a hard and hazardous journey? Why would they travel so far to find a new king?

I think the answer these men would give us is the very epitome of wisdom: Truly wise men will ever seek after Christ.

Did the wise men find what they sought? Yes, indeed. They not only found a way to God, they found the Way. They not only found some truth, they found the truth. They not only found life, they found the life. And they fell down and worshiped Him.

This beautiful saga has enshrined itself in the hearts of humankind as a permanent part of the Christmas story. The wise men were the very first of a vast host of Gentiles who would seek and find the Messiah. Most of us are like that … Gentiles privileged enough to come and worship at His cradle. Enjoy that privilege today; come and worship our Lord the Messiah.

“They followed what little light they had, and it brought
them at last into the presence of the living, incarnate God.”

“… the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

— Romans 6:23

Well, have you opened yours yet? I’m talking about your Christmas gift from God. It’s what people have always wanted. For centuries people have searched for the fountain of youth, wondering if something somewhere can stop aging and give life anew. The search for immortality—has this been your quest?

Once we open God’s Christmas gift, our search is over. What is this incredible gift that satisfies our deepest longings? Eternal life. God gives it to us as a Christmas gift, totally free because it’s priceless. If it weren’t a gift, who could buy it? How could anyone pay for a hundred billion eons of centuries in Paradise—in a new body that never aches—in a new world without sorrow, weeping, or death? Nobody could pay even one billionth of one percent of the value of this gift.

If you had received all the presents you ever dreamed of and even a thousandfold more, but you lay in your bed with your hands cold and your heart stopped, then it doesn’t matter what’s under the Christmas tree. But God’s gift is eternal life. It can’t be snatched away by death. But, of course, you have to open your gift, which you can do by trusting in Jesus for your salvation.

And unlike many gifts we buy for those we love, God’s Christmas gift has been paid for already. Despite the incredible expense of the gift, He hasn’t charged it—Jesus paid the full price once and for all. Upon that cross of agony, Christ endured in body and soul the wrath of God, which is the wages of sin. Christ paid the price, not with silver or gold or precious stones, but with His own blood.

If you have already opened your Christmas gift from God, then point someone else to the gift this Christmas. Someone near you might not know the true joy of Christmas, unwrapping material gifts while the most beautiful gift in all of Heaven and earth lies unopened. God loves us so much that He gave us His Son. That’s why we give gifts to each other. That’s why we celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

“God’s gifts put men’s best dreams to shame.”
Elizabeth Browning

“I bring you good tidings of great joy …”

— Luke 2:10

Imagine yourself in the shepherds’ sandals. You’re minding your own business, tending to the evening duties all shepherds attend to, when an angel shows up and the glory of God shines all around you. You not only behold such a magnificent sight, but you also hear the angel proclaim, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.”

That angel was the first preacher of the Gospel—glad tidings, wonderful news, the glorious message of great hope and joy for all people.

The joy of Christmas is the joy of reconciliation. If you’re like the rest of us, you know the sadness and pain of being at odds with someone—especially with someone you love—because an argument or harsh, cruel words have divided you. When those times come, you can feel a cold, thick wall separating you from your spouse, child, friend, or relative. You believe you’ll never experience joy again until the moment you reconcile. And when you finally knit your hearts together again and your tears of sorrow have turned into laughter and hugs, you can feel joyful once more.

How much more do we feel that joy when we’ve reconciled with God.

Our sin and rebellion have built a wall between us and God. Ever since that fateful day in Eden, humankind and God have been estranged. But Jesus was born to break down that wall by atoning for our sins. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we can be reconciled with God. At last we can rest in His arms and receive the robe of righteousness and the ring of kinship. Now the joy bells start ringing in our hearts, and a song bursts forth from our lips—a song of praise unto Jesus Christ, who has made it all possible, who has joined the hand of the sinner with the hand of the Father.

What a joy is that reconciliation. Today, join with me in celebrating the wellspring of joy that comes from a heart reconciled with God.

“Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies.”
Charles Wesley

“… Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

— Isaiah 7:14

Do you sometimes face what may seem like impossible obstacles? Perhaps you’re facing one even now. In these times, take heart because God can do the impossible. He did the impossible in the life of one of His humble servants, Mary, the mother of our Lord, the most famous woman in the world.

The promise of Isaiah 7:14 had been made long ago. All Jews knew about it. In all the godly homes, mothers would tell their daughters about that promise, and a thrill would go through the young girls’ hearts. It seemed an inspired dream that had blossomed only to fade with each passing century.

Mary knew the Scriptures; she had hidden God’s Word in her heart. And when the time came and the angel of the Lord spoke to her, she recognized the words of the prophet Isaiah. She, Mary, would give birth to the Son of the Most High, who would rule over the house of Jacob. Mary heard and believed. She placed her will and her dreams of a life with Joseph under God’s will, under the awesome fulfillment of the prophesies of the Messiah.

The mystery of Mary is a paradox adored by some, ignored by others. What is the truth about this one chosen by God, who in her own life experienced the paradox of God’s blessing? To be chosen by God involved not only a crown of joy, but also a cross of sorrow. She knew the wonder, the tremendous joy of bringing the Messiah into the world, but she also knew the heartbreak as she stood before the cross at Golgotha.

At the beginning and at the end of Jesus’ life, we find that the light shone brightly upon Mary, and we see her at her greatest moments. We see that, truly, she was blessed among women. We should all aspire to be like Mary, who answered God with humility and resigned herself joyfully to His will no matter the cost. As you consider impossible obstacles in your life, follow Mary’s example, trusting your life to God and submitting your will to His.

“Next to her son, Mary is the most
touching figure in the narrative.”
Will Durant

“… behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”

— Luke 2:10

When I was a boy, a radio network news announcer named Gabriel Heater began his program every night with the same words: “There’s good news tonight.” I have always remembered those words. I don’t remember what good news he shared, but don’t those words themselves communicate a sense of hope?

I can’t think of any news commentator today who would have the nerve to begin his or her program that way. Watching the news the other day, I saw one disaster after another in unremitting repetition. It seems we rarely have good news anymore.

But thank God that we as Christians celebrate the greatest news the world has ever heard. God predicted this good news when He said that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). He promised this good news to the patriarchs, “And in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 28:14).

And at long last, God fulfilled His promise. He came to earth. From His palace of crystal and gold, God rose from His golden throne and stepped into the world, born as a baby. What a wondrous day that was. And the angel declared the good news.

To appreciate the significance of this good news, we need to go back to the Garden of Eden when Satan first conquered the human will and brought humankind into bondage to himself. Through that devilish deceit, sin entered the world, and it has blighted the earth ever since. Sin extinguished God’s light in the human soul.

The Devil still tells us lies. He tells us that Christianity is some sort of wet blanket thrown over what the world offers. But the fun of the world is fleeting and passing at best. In contrast, Christ gives an everlasting joy that wells up within the hearts of believers. Christianity is not only good news, it’s the greatest news the world will ever hear.

Today, thank God for the good news we celebrate at this time of year, and share it with those around you who need to hear it.

“It [the gospel] can and will correct everything needing correction.”
William Gladstone

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

— Colossians 1:15-16

One day, a little boy was drawing a picture. When his Sunday school teacher asked him what he was drawing, he replied that he was making a picture of God. The Sunday school teacher objected, “But, Billy, nobody knows what God looks like.” “They will now!” he confidently replied.

Like Billy’s Sunday school teacher, we may believe that we won’t know what God looks like until we get to Heaven. But if we want to know what God is like, we can just look at Jesus for, as the Scripture says, “He is the visible image of the invisible God.” No one has seen God, but those who have seen Jesus have seen the Father.

Just about everything that Scripture says about the Father, it also says about the Son. Note the following verses that draw the parallels between them (in each set, the first passage refers to the Father, and the second passage refers to the Son):

“I am the First, and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6).
“I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead” (Revelation 1:17-18).

“Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).
“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

“For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6).
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

“The King of kings, and the Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15).
“King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:16).

Many other passages draw similar parallels. At Christmastime, we can dwell on this truth: God the Almighty Himself became one of us. Offer a praise to God today for coming to earth in human form so that we might live with Him in Heaven for eternity.

“Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.”
Charles Wesley

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”

— Galatians 4:4

Have you ever noticed that God has perfect timing? Sometimes we have to look back to discover how God worked things out for us, but when we do, we can always find His hand moving just at the right time.

Just as God uses perfect timing in our lives, He carefully planned the timing of Christ’s birth. According to Scripture, Jesus came “in the fullness of time.” We can see that, before Christ came, the entire history of humankind had been a preparation for His Advent. God even used pagans to prepare the world for Christ. For example, when Jesus came, the whole civilized world spoke one language. Why? When Alexander the Great conquered the world, he conquered it linguistically as well as physically. The world was unified by the koine Greek language, and the apostles wrote the New Testament and preached the Gospel in this language.

As well, the entire world had come under the one government of Rome—a single citizenship— prior to Christ’s coming. Paul and the early Christians could thus travel the length and breadth of the Roman Empire, from North Africa to South Brittany, from Palestine to Spain, to share the Gospel. This would never have been physically possible if the Romans had not constructed their roads, an incredible accomplishment for that period. Not until the latter part of the nineteenth century did modern civilization equal that achievement.

So with a single language, a single citizenship, and roads connecting every part of the empire, the physical world was prepared for the coming of Christ, and Caesar Augustus could order a census of the entire Roman world. And so Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem where, as prophesied, the virgin would give birth to the Messiah in the city of David.

As you wait for Christmas this season, and as you wait for God to work in your life, remember God’s perfect timing in sending His Son. Thank Him for His wisdom and His ability to perfectly order the events of your life, including the most important event: Christ’s coming.

“When the Christian religion first appeared upon earth,
Providence, by whom the world was doubtless prepared for
its coming, had gathered a large portion of the human race,
like an immense flock, under the scepter of the Caesars.”
Alexis De Tocqueville

“… the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.”

— Matthew 2:9-10

Have you ever gazed at the stars in the sky and wondered what Christ’s star—the star of Bethlehem—looked like? What a magnificent star it must have been for the wise men to pack up and take off after it. They left everything to follow that star.

Many people have speculated about the exact physical nature of that star, but in the end, all speculations are merely guesses. But we do know that this star heralded Christ’s coming, and as it did so, it communicated His nature to us.

The star of Bethlehem was a star of love that pointed to the incarnate yet divine love of Jesus Christ, God’s perfect love that had come to earth in human form.

The star of Bethlehem was a star of hope that led the wise men to the fulfillment of their expectations, the success of their expedition. Nothing in this world is more fundamental for success in life than hope, and this star pointed to our only source for true hope: Jesus Christ.

The star of Bethlehem was a star of joy. “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” All true joy comes from Him. From deep within the well of our souls, Christ’s joy bubbles up and overflows. Those who know Jesus the best rejoice the most.

The star of Bethlehem was also a star of witness. It witnessed about the one true King and Messiah Who came to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles.

But most of all, the star of Bethlehem was a star of guidance. The star guided the wise men through the desert and across great distances. It guided them to the Lord Jesus Christ. We also are guided by our Star—God’s Word, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. As pilgrims through this barren land, God’s Word guides us to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Today thank God for the love, hope, joy, witness, and guidance we gained when Jesus Christ was born under that star. May the light of His star guide you this day and every day until together we bow down and worship Jesus with the wise men in Heaven.

“Wise men still seek Him.”
Christian Bumper Sticker

“… and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

— Matthew 1:23

Christmas weaves its own magic spell with twinkling lights and silver bells, wonderful music and special memories. And as we let nostalgia flood us with warm feelings, we find ourselves hoping for a perfect Christmas. We long in our hearts for something to make everything right in our world. I believe that at this time of year, whether people recognize it or not, everyone longs for God.

Some have said that next to the Bible, we should know best the hymnal. The Scriptures contain doctrine and ethics. Our hymns, which have been called “three minute sermons,” consist of great truths set to music. This is certainly true concerning most Christmas hymns and carols. Some of the most beautiful music in the world belongs to the Christmas season, and these songs clearly communicate the message of Christ’s coming and of His redemptive work.

Consider the ancient hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” This hymn begins with the shortest lyric in the history of songwriting: one letter—“O”. Not even “Oh,” it was simply “O”. The Latin Church of the eighth century called this syllable the antiphon, and they sang it as the deep-seated plea of the human heart after God. The Bible tells us, “As the hart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after Thee, O God.” This is the personal longing communicated in “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Just as the godly Jews waited for the Messiah to come, so now the Church waits and longs for Him to come again. As you sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” this Christmas season, thank God that Christ will return to make everything perfect and whole again.

“It has been said by scholars that the second coming of
Christ is mentioned no less than 1,200 times in the Old
Testament and 300 times in the New Testament.”
Francis W. Dixon