An Old Testament Christmas

In case you haven't noticed, the Christmas Season is in full swing. We started our Advent Series this past week, the radio is playing holiday music, stores are fully decorated, and homes all around are decked out with Christmas lights.

Here on the blog, I am going to follow the cultural flow and launching a short series about Christmas. But we will be untraditional and will dip into the Old Testament, looking at a passage written about 600 years before the birth of Jesus.

For the next four weeks, we are going to look at Isaiah 9:6 and the four titles that Isaiah gave to the coming-Messiah. And my hope is that by taking a brief moment each Thursday to look at a different title for Jesus will help you to worship more fully this Christmas season.

Here is Isaiah 9:6 with the titles for Jesus in bold:

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Title #1 - The Counselor

Let's look at that first title - Wonderful Counselor. What does a counselor do? Here is how the Oxford Dictionary defines the word:

counselor |ˈkouns(ə)lər| - n. a person trained to give guidance on personal, social, or psychological problems

Succinctly, a counselor gives guidance. When you aren't sure what to do or where to go, a counselor shares wisdom that will help you make the right decision.

During His time on Earth, Jesus dropped amazing truth bombs on humankind:

• He helped humans see God more clearly.
• He taught us how to relate to each other better.
• But ultimately, He showed us that the way to the Father is through Him.

Jesus was and is by far the best counselor you could ever have. And His counsel continues through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

This Christmas, will you let Jesus be your Wonderful Counselor?

Will you...

• let Him guide you as to what you should give to The New Campaign and our Global Impact Gift?
• let Him give you wisdom as to what to give to others?
• let Him direct your words and actions toward others?
• allow Him to guide you to worship Him fully this Christmas season?

Don't keep Jesus just an innocent baby in a manger. Let Him also be your Wonderful Counselor this Christmas and through 2017 & beyond.

(By the way, if you haven't fully made Jesus the center of your life and truly your Wonderful Counselor, make this Christmas the best ever by becoming a follower of Jesus. If you have any questions about following Him, don't hesitate to [bspam mail="[email protected]"]email me[/bspam].)