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His Birth In Us A Christmas Message
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55: 8-11
When the Eternal Word takes on human flesh, it prospers in the things to which God sends it, and accomplishes that which he purposes — in ways that are higher than our ways.
For example, if we were preparing for God to visit this world in visible form — let's say we were put on the "committee" to prepare for his arrival to this planet — surely we would plan it as a reception for a king.
We would build him a palace.
We’d invite the nations' top leaders to come and welcome God Incarnate to this earth.
There would be special clearance for television crews, reporters, while the world’s best-known saints would be given seats of honor for the occasion.
If in some way the whole world were convinced that God is about to come, wouldn’t there be a scramble! The preparations would make the Olympic games look primitive. Church dignitaries would not be far behind the politicians falling over themselves, rolling out the red carpet.
No wonder it’s so hard for us to grasp what happened in Bethlehem!
Because, when God chooses to enter the human race, he comes in a way directly opposite of anything we could imagine.
He comes, not as a celebrity, but as a baby — a baby born in a cow barn.
This baby grows up and remains poor all his life — meek, utterly simple. No king ever invites this man to his palace. No government ever sends ambassadors to pay their respects.
He heals the sick, casts out demons, feeds the hungry, raises the dead, speaks words such as no human mouth has ever spoken.
The demons know who he is, the wind and the waves obey him, but no human being has any conception of who this man is, none, except those who are poor in spirit.
No man, no woman feels the power of the mighty Word-become-flesh, except those who are willing to do what he did — become babes.
For unless you turn and become as children you will in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven.
In order to enter the kingdom of heaven we have to find the door, Jesus, and we can only find that door when we become poor in spirit, child-like, receptive, teachable.
For your thoughts are not my thoughts, neither are your ways my ways says the Lord.
For us to be able to absorb those high thoughts of God, to truly enter into the ways of the Holy One, we have to do what the Incarnate Word did — we have to go down. We have to humble ourselves — empty ourselves of our presumed glory, and become babes.
Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." John 14:22-23
If we humble ourselves, love him, trust him enough to keep his Word, this child who was born in Bethlehem will be born in us, and everything that Jesus is at this moment before the Father in glory…everything he is before the angels in heaven…everything he is before the demons…he becomes in us.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
When we humble ourselves, and love him, trusting him enough to keep his Word, this baby is born in us — and the government of our lives is on his shoulders, and his name in us becomes Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
He becomes, in us, the Wonderful Counsellor:
If a man (or woman) loves me he will keep my word, my father will love him (her), and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23b
He makes his home with us, as the Wonderful Counsellor – counsels us with the counsel of heaven, guides us with wisdom that is not our own, leads us in ways that are higher than our ways, in thoughts that are higher than our thoughts.
Perhaps I'm inclined to do something foolish — to spend money on something I don’t need, when my children are going hungry. Or I'm tempted to do something that gratifies my vanity. Of course, the Wonderful Counsellor in me, checks me — warns me.
But I go right ahead and do this foolish thing.
Soon the Wonderful Counsellor within me brings me under conviction. I find no peace until I repent and come back to him.
Once again I become child-like, teachable.
In this way I am guided by the indwelling Christ into ways that are not my own.
Before long his Word coming from my mouth does not return empty but accomplishes that which he purposes and prospers into things in which he sends it.
When this child is born in us, he lives in us as a Mighty God.
Mighty God:
If a man/woman loves me, they will keep my word, and my father will love them and we will come and make our home there.
He makes his home in us as the Mighty God, so that the might, the power, and the strength that is in him, perfects itself in our weakness.
I am no longer driven by my fear of men, or by anxiety about tomorrow, worry about what is going to happen next.
In a way that is beyond my comprehension, I am given love, power, and a sound mind. For the Mighty God lives in me!
For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love and power and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7
As the Mighty God begins to move in us live in us, and direct us, the chains of Satan are broken, the gates of death yield to our advance. The Word of God in our mouth does not return to us void, but accomplishes that which he purposes and prospers in the things in which he sends it.
When this child is born in us, the Everlasting Father lives in the temple of our bodies…
Everlasting Father:
If a man loves me he will keep my words and my father will love him/her and we will come and make our home with him.
He makes his home in us as the Everlasting Father. When the Lord dwells in us, the Father dwells in us.
Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come…
We’re not only asking for the kingdom at the end of the age, we’re also asking for the kingdom of God to come and dwell in us now.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
When the Everlasting Father is given freedom to move in us: when we yield to his direction, the lost sheep are brought home, the sick are healed, the discouraged are lifted up, by means of the healing that flows through us.
His Word, from our mouth, does not return to us void, but accomplishes that which he purposes and fulfills and prospers in the things in which he sends it.
When this child is born in us, he lives in us as the Prince of Peace.
Prince of Peace in us:
If a man loves me he will keep my word, my father will love him and we will come and make our home in her... in him.
He makes his home in us as the Prince of Peace. He says "Peace, be still!" to that storm raging inside our hearts, and there is calm. Through us, he begins to spread peace to others.
From within us he rebukes Satan, commands him to leave. Satan the divider of the brethren, the accuser of the brethren — is driven from the assembly, and there is peace.
His word, going forth from our mouth, does not return empty, but accomplishes that which he purposes and prospers in the things in which he sends it.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways says the lord. But as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts, and my ways higher than your ways.
Yes, to enter into those high ways of the Living God, we have to go down — we have to empty ourselves of ourselves.
We have to descend to a place lower than we have ever been. We have to humble ourselves, and become children before God.
If we love him, trust him enough to act on the light he gives us even as we read these words, he will be born in us afresh. He will live in us as the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And of the increase of his government and peace in us there will be no end.
Would we be open to receiving a Christmas present from God?
Open your heart — he will give you the best gift of all — he will give you himself.
And he will live in you as the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
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