Integrity- People of God

This is the Advent season, a time many churches prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. The Advent wreath is circular, symbolizing the eternity of God. Traditionally it has four candles one for each week which represents the light of Christ. There is one larger candle in the middle of the wreath which represents a Christ candle.

In the four Sundays before Christmas one candle is lit each Sunday to symbolize the coming of Christ. The first Sunday’s candle symbolizes the expectation of His coming. The second candle symbolizes the Hope we have in Christ. The third candle represents the Joy we can now have because we are reconciled back into the family of God. The fourth candle symbolizes for the purity we have in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 9:6 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. KJV

God made a promise to man that He would send a savior and He would be all we need. God saw us as a people who walked in darkness and dwelled in the land of the shadow of death but He did not leave us in that state. God sent a great Light, His Son and increased our joy. God sent His Son born as a child in the most humble state. Jesus, though He was a King, was born not in a mansion or palace but in a stable with the animals. He had a very humble beginning.

As we celebrate this Advent season let us not forget that Jesus is our example to live in humility. Though we are royalty and children of the Most High King, we are to live and walk humbly before God. In Jesus, God has shown us what is required of us as mortal men. We are to do good, act justly, and just do the right thing. We are to love mercy that is being kind to others. We are to walk humbly with our God which is staying humble even when others attack us. Never are we closer to God than when we walk in humility. Never are we more like Satan than when we are lifted up in pride.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

In Jesus we find all we need to live peaceably on the earth. When the world around us gets in such a state of hate and bitterness we are not without hope. We can trust in Jesus and He is in authority over all governments. Jesus will give us counsel that is beyond human reasoning. Jesus is the Almighty God. He is above all other kings, lords, governors and politicians. God rules and reigns forever. He will direct our path.

God is an Everlasting Father; He is not a man, one that comes and goes and may be there today and gone tomorrow. He is the Father that loved us before we were conceived and provided for us before the foundation of the world. God is the Father that will be there from the moment we open our eyes upon this earth and until we close them and enter into eternity.

God has not only provided for our natural needs such as food, clothing and shelter but He has provided for our spirit and soul. God has provided us with everlasting life for all eternity. God has given us such peace and joy that the world cannot understand.

1 John 1:2-4        The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴ We write this to make our joy complete.

Fellowship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is our joy made complete. When we focus on our relationship and fellowship with God, it magnifies God so big that it dwarfs all other problems and concerns. When we make much of Jesus and magnify God greater and bigger than all our problems, we will have such a peace and joy because we know how the story ends. We all have a life and it hands us challenges and struggles. The only question for us is, how will we respond to what is thrown at us? Will we let life and our circumstances define us or will we let the Word of God speak truth into our situation? When we know the end of the story, that we are victorious and more than a conqueror, we can make it through the hard and difficult times.

1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.