Dear beloved: Many are troubled with despair and depression at this time of year, whether it be due to loss of loved ones due to death, sickness, or divorce, or maybe due to fractured relationships that have brought pain and suffering into a person's life. Or for some it may come from more natural causes such as pain from cancer, arthritis, or other health issues that lead to despair and discouragement, and even the decreasing sunlight and long nights may be a contributing factor. Beloved, if you are one of those who dreads the Christmas season and cannot find the joy that it appears others have, know that God in His benevolent wisdom has given you an antidote for the feelings that envelope you at this time. That antidote is the Holy Spirit, freely poured out on all believers as a free gift to those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Jesus told the disciples in John 14:16 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.v17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. v18 I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." And so Jesus told His disciples that He would leave them with a Helper, the paracletos in Greek, which means helper, counselor, or advocate. Jesus went on to explain that this Helper would know the truth in all things, and would freely reveal the truth to us if we just asked for it, and that the world would not be able to receive the Helper because it does not know Him or Jesus Christ. So we have the opportunity to also receive the Helper, the Holy Spirit of God, if we simply get our hearts right with God and ask Father God for a part of Himself to come abide with us.
Jesus made it clear that the world would not be able to give this Helper, and Paul makes the same point in 1 Corinthians 2:14 but a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. Jesus also says in John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." Beloved, look to the Lord Jesus and to the Holy Spirit if you are troubled and fearful this season of the year. The world and all its darkness and hopelessness will never be able to comfort or counsel us, will never be able to take the trouble and fear out of our hearts. Trust the Lord, He has promised us the antidote for trouble and fear, the gift of His Holy Spirit. May God bless you this day as you move forward in the Kindgom. in Christ, Jim
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