1
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,480
Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to

2
00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,720
Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is how to

3
00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,159
Speaker 1: Worship through the wonder of Christ's Births. We'll return with

4
00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:36,160
Speaker 1: a devotional after a brief message from our sponsors, How

5
00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,280
Speaker 1: to Worship through the Wonder of Christ's Birth written and

6
00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,720
Speaker 1: read by Whitney Hoppler. For to us, a child is born,

7
00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,959
Speaker 1: to us, a son is given, and the government will

8
00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,519
Speaker 1: be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful

9
00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:56,840
Speaker 1: counselor Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace Isaiah nin

10
00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:03,720
Speaker 1: n IV. Imagine getting a gift so incredible, so mind blowing,

11
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,399
Speaker 1: that you're overwhelmed, maybe a gasp, maybe a cry, or

12
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,160
Speaker 1: maybe you just sit there speechless. The people who learned

13
00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,920
Speaker 1: about Jesus Christ's birth on the First Christmas must have

14
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,320
Speaker 1: felt overwhelmed like that after learning that God had given

15
00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,600
Speaker 1: the world the ultimate gift of a savior. Hundreds of

16
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:29,080
Speaker 1: years before the First Christmas. The prophet Isaiah described that gift,

17
00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,640
Speaker 1: including all inspiring titles for Jesus that point to his

18
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:39,080
Speaker 1: future work in the world. Wonderful counselor Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

19
00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:43,000
Speaker 1: and Prince of peace. Isaiah nine six invites you to

20
00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:47,160
Speaker 1: worship through the wonder of Christ's birth. The first part

21
00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,640
Speaker 1: of the verse to Us A Child is Born, to Us,

22
00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,360
Speaker 1: A Son is Given, focuses on the humanity of Jesus.

23
00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,680
Speaker 1: He was a real baby, born to a real mother,

24
00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,920
Speaker 1: experiencing real life. This part may be the easiest for

25
00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:06,040
Speaker 1: you to connect with because it's personal and comforting. The

26
00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,560
Speaker 1: titles that follow challenge you to move beyond seeing Jesus

27
00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,200
Speaker 1: just as a baby in a manger, but as the

28
00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:17,000
Speaker 1: powerful son of God who saves and transforms you. Those

29
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,400
Speaker 1: titles show you how you can worship Christ at every

30
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:25,720
Speaker 1: single area of your life. Wonderful counselor when you need

31
00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,240
Speaker 1: God's guidance for your decisions, you can ask Jesus and

32
00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,880
Speaker 1: get the help you need. He isn't just a good advisor,

33
00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:37,240
Speaker 1: He's a wonderful one. Christ can give you wisdom that

34
00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,959
Speaker 1: cuts through the confusion of life in this spallen world

35
00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,519
Speaker 1: and shows you the best path forward by walking with

36
00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,760
Speaker 1: you as your personal guide. So worship Him by bringing

37
00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,720
Speaker 1: your hardiest decisions and deepest confusion to him with the

38
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:56,280
Speaker 1: trust that he will help you move forward. Well, Mighty God.

39
00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:01,640
Speaker 1: This title removes all doubt about Christ's divinity. Jesus is

40
00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,080
Speaker 1: much more than just a powerful messenger or a great teacher.

41
00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,919
Speaker 1: He is God himself who came to earth to personally

42
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,160
Speaker 1: save humanity. Christ is mighty, He has unlimited power. That

43
00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,560
Speaker 1: he is is for good, loving purposes to redeem one

44
00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,680
Speaker 1: has been broken by sin in the world. When you

45
00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:26,079
Speaker 1: feel powerless or overwhelmed by a challenge, worship Jesus by

46
00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,279
Speaker 1: relying on his mighty strength to help you overcome that challenge.

47
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:36,120
Speaker 1: Everlasting Father. This title speaks to how Christ protects you

48
00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,119
Speaker 1: and provides for you like a good father does. While

49
00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,680
Speaker 1: Jesus is God's son, he is also fully God because

50
00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,480
Speaker 1: he has perfect unity with God the Father and God

51
00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:51,640
Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit. Jesus is part of the heavenly Father,

52
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,960
Speaker 1: who cares so well for you every day of your life,

53
00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,480
Speaker 1: so when you feel lonely or vulnerable, you can worship

54
00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:03,840
Speaker 1: him by resting in his eternal, unchanging care. Prince of Peace.

55
00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,960
Speaker 1: Peace is not just the absence of conflict. It's a

56
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,360
Speaker 1: spiritual wholeness that puts everyone in everything in creation and

57
00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:17,680
Speaker 1: harmony with the Creator, which is what Christ does. Jesus,

58
00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,280
Speaker 1: the Prince of Peace, gives you alternate peace with God

59
00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,400
Speaker 1: through His sacrifice for your sins. In this fallen world

60
00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,560
Speaker 1: that's full of stress. You can worship Christ by accepting

61
00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,440
Speaker 1: the peace he offers, which is strong enough to help

62
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:36,280
Speaker 1: you overcome any challenges you face. Jesus is so much

63
00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:40,120
Speaker 1: more than just a baby born in Bethlehem. When you

64
00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:44,839
Speaker 1: worship Christ as he's described in Isaiah ninety six, you

65
00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,600
Speaker 1: can't help but be filled with overwhelming feelings of awe.

66
00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,359
Speaker 1: Those feelings will inspire you to discover the wonder of

67
00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,799
Speaker 1: God's work in your life every day. True Christmas worship

68
00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,200
Speaker 1: is something you can practice every day of the year

69
00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,479
Speaker 1: by seeking wisdom from the counselor finding strength in the

70
00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,200
Speaker 1: Mighty God, resting in the Everlasting Father, and trusting the

71
00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,839
Speaker 1: Prince of Peace to help you be calm and confident.

72
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,320
Speaker 1: Look at all Christ really is and celebrate with wonder

73
00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,520
Speaker 1: intersecting faith in life. As you consider how to worship

74
00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,120
Speaker 1: through the wonder of Christ's birth, reflect on these questions.

75
00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:30,200
Speaker 1: Which of Christ's titles wonder for counselor Mighty God, Everlasting

76
00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,479
Speaker 1: Father or Prince of Peace do you personally need to

77
00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:38,120
Speaker 1: focus on most this week? And why? What major decisions

78
00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,719
Speaker 1: are you facing right now? And how can you trust

79
00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,840
Speaker 1: Jesus to be your wonderful counselor for how to move forward? Well,

80
00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,280
Speaker 1: the child is born that Isaiah nine to six mentions

81
00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,040
Speaker 1: is also the Mighty God it mentions, How does that

82
00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:56,080
Speaker 1: change the way you approach prayer? What worries can you

83
00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,200
Speaker 1: hand over to the Everlasting Father with trust that he

84
00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,279
Speaker 1: will meet your needs in those situations? Who can you

85
00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,039
Speaker 1: forgive this week to worship Christ as the Prince of

86
00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,360
Speaker 1: peace by forgiving others as He has forgiven you?

87
00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:19,440
Speaker 2: Further reading Matthew one twenty three, John fourteen six, Philippians

88
00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:28,800
Speaker 2: four seven, Colossians one fifteen through seventeen, Hebrews thirteen eight.

89
00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,280
Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and

90
00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,200
Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please

91
00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,640
Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in

92
00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,080
Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you

93
00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:49,280
Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts,

94
00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:59,479
Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com