Jennifer Hahn - Prayers and Promises for Christmas: Biblical Encouragement for the Holiday Season

2012 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 978-1-61626-855-8

eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-62029-100-9
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-62029-101-6

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All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683 www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

Gods promises have richly blessed Christians through the ages. They have offered solutions to problems, strength during trials, and inspiration for the Christian life.

In the pages that follow, we provide prayersspecifically for the Christmas seasonbased on many of scriptures promises. Whether you are struggling with busyness or contentment, wish to celebrate the traditions or goodwill of the season, or need to draw close to God the Fathers loving heart, take hold of the truths in scripture and offer a heartfelt prayer.

These starter prayers may be helpful for family devotions or small-group Bible studies. But most of all we hope they will draw you closer to God and inspire your own prayers. As you pray, feel free to add your personal needs, those of your family and friends, or the concerns of your small group or congregation.

Pray, and experience the truth of Gods promise to Jeremiah: Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not (Jeremiah 33:3).

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
I SAIAH 7:14

Father God, You made a promise through the prophet Isaiaha promise You fulfilled seven hundred years later with the birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Only You could make a virgin conceive a child. Only You could offer salvation through that child. Only You would step into Your creation as a human beingImmanuel means God with usand experience the life we live on this earth.

I thank You, Father, for the promise of a childthe virgins Son who would later die on the cross for my sins.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name J ESUS.
L UKE 1:31

Father, You had promised in Isaiahs time that You would send a son, a child to be born to a virgin. And centuries later, to a young Jewish virgin named Mary, You sent an angel with this promise: Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name J ESUS .

Lord, Your word is true, no matter how many years may pass. Your promises can always be relied on. Your predictions always come true.

Thank You, Father, for the baby boy You conceived in Marys wombthe Son named Jesus who would save His people from their sins.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
I SAIAH 9:6

Lord, I love the names of Jesus in this verse:

Wonderful makes me think of all the things I enjoy most.

Counsellor tells me that the Christmas child is wise, compassionate, and full of good advice.

Knowing that Jesus is The mighty God gives me confidence to face any challengeand knowing that He is The everlasting Father reminds me of His love and concern for me as His child.

And when I see the title Prince of Peace, I think of the difference Jesus can make in the worldin individual hearts and among nationsif we only allow Him to work in our lives. Thank You, Father, for this Son Youve given!

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
I SAIAH 11:1

Father God, this Wonderful, Counsellormighty Godeverlasting FatherPrince of Peace You sent to earth has been with You for all eternity. But He became human through a very specific family, the line of Israels King David.

You had promised Davidthe youngest son of a man named Jessethat his kingdom would be an everlasting one. With Jesus birth, You brought forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, a branch out of Jesses roots. And You began the fulfillment of yet another promise.

You tell us where Jesus came from to encourage us with where were going.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.
1 J OHN 4:2

Lord, Youre always thinking of my needs: You give me confidence in my faith when I believe in the birth of Jesus Christ.

There are always doubters, Father, and some of them say that Jesus wasnt truly humanthat He was just a spirit, some kind of illusion. And if He wasnt truly human, He couldnt possibly affect our human condition.

But Jesus did come in the fleshborn outside a real Bethlehem inn, raised in the real town of Nazareth, ministering as an adult from the real village of Capernaumand dying on a very real cross outside Jerusalem.

May I never forget, Father, that Jesus is real.

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.
H EBREWS 2:14

Father, why would You send Your own Son to live among sinful people, ultimately dying a cruel death on the cross?

This verse answers our questions: You allowed Jesus to die to break the power of the devil. Satan thought hed defeated You, but Jesus Resurrection proved that He was not in any way bound by death. And with the eternal life Jesus offers, neither are we!

Thank You, Lord, for sending Jesus to earth. Born in humble circumstances in the tiny, insignificant village of Bethlehem, Jesus lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death, and purchased my salvation with His blood. I need never fear death. Jesus has defeated it!

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the L ORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the L ORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the L ORD thy God