ISAIAH 9:6

"...His name shall be called WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE." As I cross off each hour, day and week in my planner, I 'm constantly aware of my need to embrace God and all that He has given me to go into each day of this hector yet joyous season! This verse in Isaiah is exactly what I needed to read today to set my heart and feet in the right direction. So lets look at each name of God and see how we can incorporate Him into our comings days.... WONDERFUL...Jesus was a wonder to behold as he entered into our world. His name is Wonderful because He IS wonderful. We so often say that one thing or another is just "wonderful". But truly Jesus is the most and precious wonder there is. So as you go about your day...bring your focus upon the true wonder of this world....Jesus and His birth. COUNSELOR...Wordnetweb with Princeton says that the definition for counselor is...someone that gives direction or advice as to a decision or course of action. Verse by Verse Commentary with Dr. Grant C. Richison tells us that Jesus reveals the mind of God. He counsels us from God's perspection and He gives us God's perspective. So as I go into the day wondering what to buy for my loved ones, what activities should I be apart of and where can I and my family serve this season...I can ask my "personal counselor"....Jesus Christ to guide and direct me and I can know that whatever and wherever He tells me to go...it will not be the wrong decision. What a peace that brings to my weary heart, mind and body. It helps me to keep things simple and I can focus on the important things and not get lost in the hustle and bustle of choices. MIGHTY GOD...Jesus is the fullness of who God is. His character is God's charactor, His strength is God's strength and His love comes from his Heavenly Father and it is one in the same. EVERLASTING FATHER...The Father of eternity, forever and ever...amen! PRINCE OF PEACE...This is where we come to understand that peace will be apart of and characterize Jesus's reign on earth. You and I have this peace within us...and the reason we struggle so hard with walking in that peace is because we truly do not understand what and who that peace is. Take time this day to ask God to bring you the understanding of Jesus's peace and then to help you walk in that peace daily. Only Jesus can give us that "peace that passes all understanding" . I love the way the New Living Translation puts it...Philippians 4:7 " And then you will experience God's peace, which extends anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." We can be confident in the knowledge that God manages His world well, and because we are His children....if we let Him....He thru His son Jesus Christ will manage our days well too. Days that can be peaceful and full of joy in who Christ is and in knowing why He came to our world. Our days can be directed by our Wonderful Counselor...we can be strengthened by our Mighty God and we can relish in the fact that we have eternity with our Heavenly Father thru His son Jesus....and we can have that type of peace that transcends our understanding and bypasses our burdens and weariness. I will be take the names of Jesus into this week with me...and asking the Holy Spirit to help me rest in them and in my Saviour. MERRY CHRISTMAS!