Rod Bergen 2018 Christmas Message

Dec 17, 2018

 

More than 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming Messiah:

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

In his Gospel, Matthew writes that the prophecy of Immanuel was fulfilled in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ:

Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.

The Gospel is eternal. This good news wasn’t an alternative plan in response to humankind’s sin. Jesus was designated by God the Father before the beginning of time to be our Redeemer.

Jesus left his glory in heaven, and was born as a human being so He could pay the penalty of sin in our place. Jesus died so every individual can have the free gift of eternal life.

Yet the vast majority of people in Canada and around the world have not opened this gift because they don’t even know it’s been given to them.

So what can we do to help people know Jesus and experience His power to change the world?

We are called to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.

Throughout history, genuine moves of God have always been ignited by united, persistent, and kingdom-centred prayer.

What is important is not the number of people praying but the nature of the prayer.

Would you join me in what Tim Keller calls frontline prayer?

Prayer that is focused on:

  1. Requesting grace to confess our sins and to humble ourselves before God.
  2. Compassion and zeal for the flourishing of the church and the reaching of the lost.
  3. A yearning to know God, to see His face, and to glimpse His glory.

Think of the Moravians, who began a 24/7/365 prayer meeting that continued non-stop for over a hundred years, and it sent out more than 300 missionaries around the world from a tiny village in Germany.

My hope is that we will begin a prayer movement for this generation that will impact Canada and the world with the message of God’s Power to Change.

As you commemorate the birth of our Messiah with family and friends, remember that God is still with us…

…and he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we can ask or even imagine…

May you and your family experience God’s richest blessing during this Christmas season.

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About the Author

Power to Change

Power to Change

At Power to Change, we're wholeheartedly committed to telling people about Jesus. It is His example that we follow, and His exhortation that spurs us on. "Go and make disciples of all nations."