For a child is born to us, a son is given to us… And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor… Isaiah 9:6 (NLT) One of the most popular Christmas Scriptures to read is Isaiah 9:6-7, a prophecy that uses a list of names to describe Jesus. Over the next few days, I want to take a closer look at each of these names and show you just how incredible the gift of Jesus really is. The first name is “Wonderful Counselor.” When you gave your life to Christ, He became your advisor! And the guidance He gives you is anything but ordinary. The word wonderful is rooted in wonder. Jesus counsels you with such extraordinary advice that people will be in awe of the wise decisions you make. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) …

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV) We hear a lot about politics on the news these days, but did you know government is actually a part of the Christmas story? It’s true. Isaiah 9:6-7 holds a stunning prophecy about who Jesus would be as the Messiah—and it starts by saying, “the government will be upon His shoulder.” The Expanded Bible translates the word government as “rule, dominion.” What does this mean for us as believers? You may be Canadian, American or Chinese—but if you’ve given your life to Jesus Christ, you are first and foremost a part of the Kingdom of God. This kingdom transcends the country you call home or …

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. Colossians 2:8 (NLT) Your world view determines everything you do. This filter through which you interpret life determines what you’re like in the morning, how you treat your family, how you look at the world, and how you walk out your time here. It determines how you live your life. Some world views clash. We’ve been cultured to be tolerant, but there are times when your world view will be in strong opposition to someone else’s world view. Paul, in Colossians 2:8, warned us not to be deceived by philosophies that depend on human tradition and the …

Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:17 (NLT) What is your source of truth? We can pick up beliefs from many sources, but the only true source is God’s Word. Imagine that you strapped on a pair of blue-tinted sunglasses when you were a very small child, and you’ve never taken them off since. The world, as you see it, is tinted blue, and you assume everyone sees things the same way. One day you overhear someone talking about the pure white snow that fell the night before. They go into great detail about the brightness of it; how it glistens and sparkles in the sunlight. Puzzled, you wonder what they’re talking about. To you, white doesn’t …

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 (NLT) Do you often feel unworthy to approach God? If you’ve given your life to Christ, you have the nature of God inside you. This empowers you to make great choices, but you’re not perfect. Like the rest of us, you sometimes make wrong choices. When you do, you need to know that your relationship with God is secure. The reason your relationship with God is secure despite your mess-ups is because Jesus has secured it. You didn’t earn this relationship, so you can’t un-earn it. Jesus fulfilled every requirement, and accepting …