Great Things
Words from Jesus
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“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”—Psalm 126:31
I have done great things for you, so let Me fill you with Joy. Take ample time to ponder all I have done for you. Rejoice in My goodness and My greatness as you remember My marvelous deeds. Rest in My intimate Presence; relax in My everlasting arms. I long to fill you with Joy, but you must collaborate with Me in this process.
Do not be like a spoiled child on Christmas Day—hastily tearing open all the presents and then saying, “Is that all?” Every single day is a precious gift from Me! Search for Me within the boundaries of this day, and you will surely find Me.
I am present not only in pleasant things but also in unwanted circumstances. My Joy is sufficient for all situations, and I adjust it according to your need. When things are going your way, My gladness intensifies your delight. When you encounter hard things, I give you a deep, bold Joy that clings to Me for help. Receiving My Joy requires not only time but also courage.2
Why I came to earth
When I came down on Christmas Day, it wasn’t to host a celebration or to start one of the top shopping days of the year. What could I have possibly wanted, already having the world at My fingertips? What I wanted was you—your eternal redemption and salvation—and coming to earth was the only way for Me to achieve that. It wasn’t easy, but knowing that your eternal future was at stake made it worth it all.
I love seeing you live, and how you learn and grow through everything you experience in life. I love being there for you when you’re down and sharing in all your day-to-day activities. I love seeing you enjoy the nature and beauty I have created to make this world a lovely place for you. I love it when I’m in your thoughts.
It brings Me joy when the time of My birthday arrives each year and the world starts to remember Me—and it brings Me even greater joy when I am remembered all throughout the year.
The gift of a thankful heart
What can you give Me this Christmas? A thankful heart is one gift that I love to receive anytime. You make Me happy when you are appreciative of My blessings, great and small. Think of specific things that make you glad, and thank Me for them. And when something happens that makes you feel happy or loved, thank Me for that.
It is even more beautiful when you find things to thank Me for in spite of difficult or unhappy circumstances. It’s easy to be thankful when everything is going well, but when you can remain thankful in the midst of adversity, it shows even greater love and trust that I will work things out for you. That’s special, and I give you special blessings in return.
So thank Me in happy times and in sad times, in laughter and in tears, in health and in sickness, in success and in failure, in times of abundance and in times of lack. Thank Me because you know that everything is in My hands, and My presence is with you no matter what you face, working all things together for your good.
Newborn love
Have you experienced holding your own newborn baby in your arms? Touching his silky cheek? Listening to his helpless cries? And cradling your baby in your arms as you soothed him to sleep?
Once you take your little child into your arms, wrap him with love and care, look into his eyes, and realize that this little one means the world to you, then you have an idea of the love that I have for you.
I gaze upon your face and I love you with an everlasting love. I want you to be part of My kingdom forever. I want to care for you and be with you through every single thing you experience in life. I will protect you and keep you no matter what difficulty, trouble, or trial you face. It gives Me great joy to shower My love and goodness upon you and fill your life with blessings.
The next time you hold a child in your arms and you feel his soft, warm breath on your cheek, think about the love I have for you.
Christmas thots
Christmas celebrates God’s “good will to men,” but I also wish for it to be a time of man’s “good will to men.” Take a moment to ask Me what I would like you to do for someone else, and remember My Father’s good will by sharing some of your own.
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The angels who sang praises on the night I was born still do so today. Their voices are drowned out some by the noise and busyness of life, but if you take the time to listen carefully, you’ll hear them. Join them in singing and praising My Father.
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Make this Christmas count in the hearts and lives of others—it’s not just a special time, but a special opportunity!
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I came as a baby, and became a child, a teenager, and a man, so I could relate to everyone, and so that you could relate to Me.
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If you don’t know what to give “the person who has everything” at Christmas, then give them Me. Give them a Bible, or a verse, or forgiveness, or mercy.—Anything that will remind them of God’s love.
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Don’t simply enjoy Christmas cheer, but joy unspeakable and full of glory, as you count your many blessings.
Published on Anchor December 2019. Read by John Laurence. Music from the Christmas Moments album. Used by permission.
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