25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas – #1

25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas:

Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More

Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia

 

For the next 25 days we will journey to the manger by way of prophetic promises declared in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the coming of Jesus the Messiah. This is not an exhaustive list of prophecies but each has been chosen for your personal reflection. May each set of readings refresh and restore your soul.

Promise #1 – the Messiah will be the seed of a woman (Genesis 3:15 and Gal. 4:4). Genesis 3 is known as the “first flicker of the gospel” – the protevangelium. Read this passage in context to discover the prophetic word spoken directly to the serpent…the proclamation that the seed of a woman will eventually come to do battle with the serpent, the enemy of our souls. That seed is the Messiah Jesus, the One in Whom we wait, watch, and wonder once more. His Incarnation is the long-awaited miracle that the prophets foretold long ago.  As you embrace this Advent season and anticipate Christmas, what “battle in your soul” do you pray that Jesus will reign over victoriously and set you free from this “battle of the flesh” once and for all?

Throughout this Advent and Christmas season, may you and yours…Behold the fulfilled promises of Almighty God ~ Believe the Gospel proclamation of Good News in the incarnate Jesus ~ Belong to those who anticipate the coming Messiah with joyful celebration ~ Become a faithful disciple who waits, watches, and wonders with Spirit-filled anticipation once more!

 

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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

Steve is a graduate of Northwestern College (IA) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div. and D.Min.). His prior ministry includes serving on the pastoral staff at Grace Chapel (Lexington, MA) and as president of Vision New England. Since July 1, 2003 Steve has served as founder and president of Leadership Transformations, director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building, and adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Ministry department at Gordon-Conwell. He is the author of sixteen books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective),  Baker bestseller Becoming a Healthy Church, and Crafting a Rule of Life (IVP). He lives in the Boston area with his wife Ruth and is the proud father of two grown children, Rebekah and Nathan, daughter in-love Ashley, and papa to his beloved granddaughter, Brenna Lynn and twin grandsons, Aiden Joseph and Carson Stephen. “My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.”

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

“Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.“