Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 7:13-14, Psalms 16:7, Psalms 32:8, Isaiah 28:29

Your Wonderful Counselor 

The prophet Isaiah proclaimed some truths about Jesus—nearly 700 years before His birth. You’ll find these announcements throughout the book of Isaiah, and we’ll spend the next few days considering these revelations about our Savior. Beginning here: 

Jesus is your Wonderful Counselor.

This isn’t just some fancy title or positive affirmation. It’s a real, life-changing promise about who Jesus is—proclaimed by God Himself.

Jesus isn’t just semi-accurate as an advisor, either. He’s wondrous at it. 

The God of the universe, the Savior of your soul, is personally invested in guiding your steps with wise and wonder-filled counsel. 

Before we dive into what this means for us, let’s consider the original audience who first received this message. Isaiah delivered God’s message to His people during a turbulent time. The wealthy oppressed the poor. Religious leaders exploited others for selfish gain. Kingdoms were at war, and God’s chosen people regularly disobeyed Him. As author and professor Sue Edwards puts it, “Into this crumbling society, God sent Isaiah to wake the people and call them back to a relationship with Him and a lifestyle that reflected genuine faith.” 

They desperately needed a Wonderful Counselor.
Just as we do. 

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor.” 

Isaiah’s listeners wouldn’t have been familiar with this promise. Yet, as modern-day believers, we can grow so accustomed to it that we lose our sense of wonder. Take a moment to reflect on it again, as if you’re hearing about the promise of Jesus for the first time: 

In a broken society,
to a people caught in cycles of sin,
God gave His Son,
sending word centuries before the miraculous birth
that Jesus would come—
not just for them,
but also for us.
Our Wonderful Counselor. 

In their turbulent time, these ancient people welcomed the promise of Jesus. Maybe you also read this message today in a turbulent time. 

The holidays often highlight our need for a Wonderful Counselor. Christmas is my favorite season, yet it brings a blend of both joyous celebrations and painful memories. 

• The winter I miscarried. 
• The last Christmas with my mom. 
• Complicated family dynamics. 
• Awkward conversations I hope never to repeat. 

Perhaps you, too, approach this season with a mixture of emotions and experiences. You, like me, need wisdom, guidance, and someone who truly understands. Jesus, your Wonderful Counselor, offers exactly that. Receive Him. 

Not sure how? Start here:

Wonder

Let yourself marvel. The Creator of everything—ancient galaxies, deepest oceans, and highest mountains—offers to be your guide. 

Wait

Don’t rush ahead, hoping for God’s blessing after the fact. Sometimes, we want His approval more than we want His direction. Slow down and truly seek His guidance. 

Walk

When He shows you the way, act on it. Receive Jesus as your Wonderful Counselor by applying His wisdom in your life. 

Tomorrow, we’ll explore how His powerful, limitless nature can transform your right-now reality.

Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 40:28-31, Colossians 1:15-17, Colossians 1:9-11, Luke 2:16-19

Your Mighty God

This Christmas message comes wrapped in a confusing package: 

Mighty God, lying as a baby in His mother’s lap. 

The Creator of the universe, the One whose power upholds every atom and galaxy, chose to enter the world as a fragile newborn. 

Martin Luther marveled at this very truth in a Christmas sermon in the 1500s, saying, “He whom the world could not enclose, behold, lies in Mary’s lap! He is the Mighty God who forever rules and reigns…Look upon this babe, let the sight of him refresh you. Behold how God invites you in many ways. He places before you a Babe with whom you may take refuge.” 

Picture this Christmas moment: a tiny baby swaddled and lying in a humble feeding trough, or nestled in the arms of His young mother. 

Mighty God wrapped in humble strips of cloth. Mighty God enclosed in such a tiny package. Only One so mighty could do such a thing. 

Since childhood, I’ve loved the song Mary, Did You Know. I’d imagine Mary holding baby Jesus, trying to grasp the divine purpose that lay ahead for this tiny child. The song wonders if she knew what His ministry would hold, and I think the answer is yes—she did know, in part. The angel had told her, and the people of Israel had been waiting for generations. But even with all that advanced knowledge, there were still mysteries she pondered and treasured in her heart. 

You and I stand today with glimpses of who Jesus is. We have the full story in Scripture, the Old and New Testaments, revealing His identity as both Savior and King. We, too, have mysteries to ponder and treasure and maybe even fresh understanding to gain as we marvel at Jesus today. 

Even as a baby, Jesus was not just sent by Mighty God. He is and was Mighty God. 

Sometimes, without realizing it, we can think of Jesus as smaller than He is. We might think of Mighty God as a title meant solely for God the Father, not really for the Son. In doing this, we downplay Jesus’ identity. Attempting to make Him feel more approachable, we can imagine Him as less than almighty. 

But God made Himself approachable without giving up His might. He didn’t just make it possible for you to come to Him; He came to you. 

Jesus is Mighty God. His power isn’t distant or past; He’s real and present in your life today. When you see Him this way, you realize He’s not only close and caring but fully able to handle whatever you’re facing. 

He’s the Creator

Everything around you, everything you see, and even the things you can’t see—all of it was made through Him. Every atom, every star, and every galaxy exists because of His power. 

He’s the Sustainer

He holds everything together. Even when your world feels like it’s falling apart, remember who keeps it all in place. 

He’s the Victor

Death couldn’t hold Him. He didn’t just survive it—He conquered it for everyone, offering you a victory that no one else could. 

Your Mighty God isn’t just loving enough to care about what you’re going through—He’s powerful enough to do something in it, through it, and about it.

So, think about the situations in your life where you need His strength. Picture the God who holds everything together, right there beside you, watching over you, participating in your circumstances with you. 

Look around today and let this awareness of Him refresh you. Wonder, wait for Him, and walk with Him. Every single thing you see is held together by Jesus’ mighty power—that same power is available to strengthen you right where you are. 

And get ready for tomorrow, when we’ll explore something that might change everything you thought you knew about Him.

Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 6:13, Isaiah 11:1, Revelation 22:16, Revelation 22:13

Your Everlasting Father

Many of us are familiar with the idea of God as Father. But does thinking of Jesus as Everlasting Father make you pause? If so, you’re not alone. Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus revealed a profound truth—He is your Everlasting Father.

This may seem surprising or even confusing at first. It was for me. 

How can Jesus, the Son, also be the Father? Let’s watch as God unravels that mystery through Scripture. 

First, our God is three-in-one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Calling Jesus “Everlasting Father” isn’t about mixing up the persons of the Trinity. 

It’s about something even more mind-bending: the eternal, timeless nature of Jesus.

Jesus didn’t suddenly appear in Bethlehem as a cosmic backup plan to save the world. 

He wasn’t just a hero who showed up one day. He always was. He’s everlasting. 

To help the people understand our timeless Savior, Isaiah used the image of a tree. He described their coming King as both the root and fruit of a sprouting tree stump. 

Think about it: 

1. A tree grows roots first, and then branches and fruit. 
2. When a tree is cut down to a stump, if the roots remain, a new branch can sometimes sprout again. 

When Isaiah wrote this prophecy, Israel had experienced severe judgment because of their ongoing disobedience to God. The once-thriving royal line of David was a shadow of its former glory, like a tree cut down to a stump. 

But in Isaiah’s message, God promised that a new branch would sprout from that stump—a future King from David’s family to save the people. This King is Jesus, the shoot who entered our world to fulfill God’s plan of redemption. But because He is everlasting, Jesus is also the root from which all life springs. 

Jesus was always the plan. 

Before you were born, He knew you would need rescue. He knew you’d need someone to step into darkness and brokenness and bring real hope. Jesus is both the source and solution—the one who holds all of time and eternity in His hands. As Everlasting Father, He’s not distant or detached; He’s personal, present, and unchanging. 

He is the beginning and the end, the one who loves you with a love that doesn’t fade. Every promise He’s made, every hope He’s given, will be fulfilled in Him—your source, your guide, and the one who’s always with you. 

He’s the Root

Jesus isn’t merely the end product of a family tree. He’s the source—the one who started it all. 

He’s the Shoot

He chose to enter our world as a human, sprouting up as the Savior He Himself promised us. 

He’s Absolute

Jesus is unchanging, complete, and forever. No beginning, no end. Always was, always is, always will be. 

Wonder. Let yourself be amazed by our eternal Jesus: the ancient root and miraculous shoot of hope in your life. Wait for His voice and guidance. The one who exists beyond time stepped into your human story as your rescue. He remains there with you, each moment of every day. Walk with Him. 

Our God is unmatched, and the incredible peace He offers? That’s a gift we’ll unwrap tomorrow and receive in a new way.

Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 26:3-4, Isaiah 53:5, Philippians 4:6-7

Your Prince of Peace

Have you ever wished for just one day of total peace—no worries, no stress, no interruptions? Life can be full of unexpected twists, but Jesus offers us something greater than a moment of calm. He doesn’t just bring peace. He is peace.

The Prince of Peace came to reign in your heart and life, bringing a calm that doesn’t fade away. 

Isaiah paints a picture of the peace Jesus offers—a peace that doesn’t tremble in the face of uncertainty. It’s unshakable, even when everything around you feels unstable. 

But here’s the truth: Jesus chose the path of suffering to bring you this peace. 

I’ll be honest—for years, this realization actually messed with my peace. 

• I couldn’t grasp that Christ would pay such a high price for me when I still struggled with sin. 
• I felt confident I wasn’t doing enough to prove I deserved His sacrifice. 
• In times of heartache, I’d feel embarrassed to know that Jesus is the Prince of Peace but not know how to experience the peace He offers. 
• I saw God as an Almighty accountant, keeping a balance sheet of my failures. 

But that’s not who God is. That’s not the peace He offers. His sacrifice isn’t something you could ever earn or deserve. Instead of disappointment, God’s heart overflows with compassion, understanding your weaknesses, and offering peace freely. He’s not keeping score of your failures—He’s waiting with open arms to bring you closer and generously give what you need. 

He comes close. Wonder at Him.

Peace isn’t something sent to you from a distance. Peace is Someone, and His name is Jesus. He comes close and will step right into your struggles and pain if you invite Him in. 

He secures peace. Wait for it.

One meaning of the title “Prince of Peace” is “the one who removes all peace-disturbing factors and secures the peace.” Whether He removes the struggles or steps right into the middle of them, His peace is not temporary. It’s not a ceasefire that fades when things get tough. Jesus Himself is the difference-maker, offering peace that endures even when everything else around you crumbles. 

He perseveres forever. Walk in what He offers you. 

This peace isn’t fragile, fleeting, or dependent on your circumstances. It’s grounded in the one who reigns victorious over everything. Our Prince of Peace endures, and the peace He offers literally outranks and surpasses human understanding. 

Even more, our Prince of Peace reigns victorious. He’s not fragile, disappearing at the first sign of trouble. His peace is the kind that settles deep within you, with quiet confidence and trust, no matter what you face. 

So, friend, what disturbs your peace today? 

Maybe it’s that relationship that feels more like a struggle than a source of joy.
Or that constant worry that keeps you up at night.
Or just the rush of daily life that makes it hard to breathe. 

Imagine Jesus stepping into the very place where you feel overwhelmed, saying, “I am your peace.”

He comes as Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace—all at the same time. 

He’s not waiting on a distant throne. He’s right there with you.