Holy Dwelling :: By Lisa Heaton

Published on: by RR10 Category:General Articles

The holidays are here, more aptly, the holy days, that time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Set aside the arguments of when, specifically, the Christ child was born, and most believers will agree that December is a time when even those who don’t know Jesus as Savior are more willing to consider His birth. That’s a miracle in itself. There’s something special about this month in the hearts and minds of most, but what I’ve noticed over the years is how the trappings of the act of Christmas tend to overshadow the birth that Christmas observes. I’m as guilty of that as anyone.

We, as rapture watchers, need something true and excellent and lovely and pure to fix our eyes upon, something besides the evil of the WEF, the UN, the WHO, the IMF, the …, well, you get it. Can we take a break from the darkness rising and watch for that Christmas star signifying the coming King? I think our rapture-waiting hearts need it, to get caught up in the exquisite glory of God with us, Immanuel.

This year, my question is: How can we dwell in the holiness of Christ-mas rather than being trapped by all its trappings?

Don’t get me wrong; I love the trappings of Christmas, the decorations and music and movies. I like buying presents for my kids and grandkids and even the explosion of festive confetti left in the wake of them tearing into those gifts. I don’t want to give all that up, but I do want to find a way this year for my mind to remember the reason for the season above all the clamor of family and food and fun. Each year, I start off strong with determination to keep Jesus as the Main Attraction, then good distractions like traveling to see family and hosting a big Christmas breakfast engulf my mind and cloud my vision. Before I even realize it’s happening, the enemy has me entangled in the holidays rather than me being caught up in the holy days.

A recent spiritual battle, what I can only describe as an unholy war against my mind, has served as a warning and reminder as I enter the Christmas season. What should be upcoming days of holy dwelling with and on Jesus can easily become holly jolly holidays if I’m not on my guard. The enemy would love nothing more. I hope you take that as a warning as well. We should never assume he takes a holiday off from his distractions and deceptions, so we must expect his advances and prepare for them by intentionally dwelling on holiness.

With that in mind, for an upcoming season of lights and festivities and busyness, my admonition for myself and for you is to take care that we don’t lower our defenses. Lights limit vision. Festivities frazzle minds. Busyness burdens hearts. Any and all can weaken our spirits. Rather than becoming trapped by the trappings, this is a time for “dwelling on these things”:

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

While this verse is more general in its implications, meaning for us to dwell on things that are true and honorable and right, etc., the Lord showed me a practical Christmas application. Jesus is the truth. He is honorable and right and pure and lovely…. To focus on Jesus is holy dwelling. It’s a safe place with walls of protection that will guard our hearts and minds from the onslaught of lies and temptations by the enemy. Even good distractions, such as family and food and fun, can clutter our minds and overshadow the Main Attraction. The world tells us to direct our eyes toward Santa and stockings and snow. But the Word assures us that peace is present for those whose minds are stayed (Isaiah 26:3) on the One who once came as that holy babe in a manger.

Lights and festivities and busyness can be a part of the celebration of the joyous birth of the Savior. I don’t mind any or all of those when they’re outshined by the Star of the season. Now’s the time to set aside “trib watch” and simply Jesus watch, to dwell on the One who is true and excellent and lovely….

Truth came in excellence as a lowly and lovely baby, pure and honorable and of good repute, the only One who can make mankind right with the Father, the only One worthy of praise. Join me in dwelling on these things and this person, Jesus, the reason for the season.

I hope to see you all in the sky before the New Year. If not, I’ll connect with you here on Rapture Ready.

Christmas blessings to you and yours from me and mine,

Lisa

**To further consider holy dwelling, you’re welcome to check out the questions our Gathering group used to discuss the article. Holy Dwelling Questions

If you would like to read Lisa’s previous Rapture Ready articles, you can find them here: Lisa’s Rapture Ready Articles/Series.

Join a group of rapture watchers from across the U.S. who meet weekly on Zoom to discuss last days topics in a small group format. More info here: Daybreak Gathering.

Other Free Resources:
Daybreak, Last Days of Light – Free ebook download

***

About Daybreak with Lisa:

Daybreak is a way of life, one of exposing the rising darkness and telling of the soon-coming Light. We only have so many daybreaks remaining before that final sunset when we, as believers, are caught up in the air to meet Jesus.

As an author, Lisa Heaton is a storyteller with a heart for truth. Her greatest desire in her fiction and nonfiction work is to challenge the reader to discover the truth of who Jesus is and who they are to Him. Now, here as we wait for the any-minute arrival of Jesus for His church in the rapture, Lisa’s latest mission is to warn the lost and wake the found and to help others discover their unique voice to share the truth of our times. More at DaybreakWithLisa.com. Contact Lisa at Lisa@LisaHeatonBooks.com.

 

Changing the Prophetic Family Legacy :: By Bill Wilson

Published on: by RR10 Category:Bill Wilson, General Articles

The holiday season is a time when we think about family and getting together to share the blessings of being around our loved ones. It is a time that is celebrated beginning with Thanksgiving—thanking the Lord for our many blessings because He is with us always—and extending through Christmas, where we honor the birth of Christ who brought us eternal salvation (even though he likely wasn’t born in December). But so many around the world are unable to celebrate these good tidings with family members because they are estranged or feuding, which makes the season very sad.

The Bible gives us a very good example of how to handle even the deepest division within our families.

Genesis 32-33 recalls the story of Jacob and Esau reconciling their relationship after 22 years. It begins with Jacob being extremely distraught by news that Esau was coming with a company of 400 men. Jacob prayed to the Lord in Genesis 32:11,

“Deliver me, I pray of you, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.”

Now Jacob, being wise, sent Esau hundreds of goats and sheep as well as camels, cattle, and donkeys. Jacob hoped Esau would “accept” him. Essentially, Jacob went before the Lord in prayer and then began humbling himself before Esau. He even restored much of the inheritance he wrestled away from Esau in deceiving their father Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing of the firstborn. The night before Esau came, Jacob, still distressed, was alone.

Genesis 32:23-30 tells us Jacob wrestled with a “man” until daybreak. Jacob wouldn’t let go until he received a blessing, as the “man” was God. We know this because the “man” told Jacob,

“Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel.”

And Genesis 32:30 says,

“Jacob called the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

Esau and his band of 400 came that morning. Jacob “bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother.” Esau ran to Jacob, embraced him, kissed him, and they wept.

Jacob had wrestled with God and would not let go until he received an answer. Jacob’s humility before Esau led to reconciliation.

In Genesis 33:10, Jacob says,

“I have seen your [Esau’s] face, as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.”

Even with their reconciliation, we see that this family feud continues between Arabs and Jews because of the choices people make.

We control our choices. We can choose to continue in distrust and animosity, which becomes a bitter root. Or we can choose to humble ourselves before the Lord and put away the pride at the center of division. We can focus on the good rather than the negative, irrespective of what others choose.

What choice can we make that will change the legacy of our family, mend our hearts, and please our Father which is in heaven? Through the example of Jacob wrestling with God, receiving blessing, and choosing humility before his estranged brother, we, too, can find the blessing of reconciliation. If the other person chooses to remain estranged, we are blessed by our choice in humility before God.

Posted in The Daily Jot