Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.”Yet you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.”
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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The True Shepherd: Discernment, Deception, and Deep Joy at Christmas
Jesus Himself warned that deception often comes dressed in familiarity and appeal. (Mark 7:9) During Christmas, when distractions are plentiful and expectations are high, believers are called to look beyond surface joy and seek the source of true joy.
By recognizing the presence of false promises masked in allure, as depicted in Matthew 7:15, Christians are called during Christmas to seek the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who alone brings salvation and authentic, lasting joy.
Conclusion: Choosing the Shepherd Who Leads to Life
Now that we are coming to the end of this message, Christmas places a question before each of us: Whose voice are we following? Throughout the world we can find many shepherds voices that promise joy, peace, and fulfillment, but cannot lead us to life. They will appear safe and appealing, but they will leave your soul wandering and unsatisfied.
Jesus, on the other hand, stands apart. Christ does not call us with empty words or temporary comfort. He calls us by name. (Jeremiah 1:5)He leads us with truth. He protects us with His sacrifice. The child born in Bethlehem is the Shepherd who walks before His flock, who knows our burdens, and who laid down His life so we could be restored to God. (Romans 5:8)
This Christmas, when choosing the Shepherd who leads to life means slowing down enough to listen for His voice. We need to reject the distractions that draw our hearts away, and fully trusting Him as our source of true joy. When we surrender ourselves and follow Jesus, we are not merely celebrating a season, we are embracing a Savior. Through Him, we will find not only hope for today, but life that is abundant now and eternal forever.
May we leave this season not led by false promises, but guided by the good news and the Good Shepherd, whose love never fails and whose path always leads to life.
With Christmas, we are invited to take a deep breath and slow down, listen carefully, and choose wisely. Knowing not every promise brings life. All of the noise from every voice speaks truth. But the voice of Jesus still calls gently, faithfully, and clearly.
Matthew 11:28 — “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
John 14:6 — “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Jesus does not offer temporary happiness, He offers eternal salvation.
He does not disguise Himself, He reveals the Father.
He does not abandon His flock, He gives His life for it.
This Christmas, may we discern the false distractions and embrace Jesus Christ, the true Shepherd, who alone brings authentic transformation and lasting joy. 🎄✝️
Reflection Questions
Looking Back to Move Forward:
Over the course of this series, what truth about Jesus as Shepherd has most challenged or encouraged you? How has your understanding of authentic joy and discernment grown?
From Awareness to Action:
Throughout this series, we have identified false promises and true hope. What is one specific change God is prompting you to make as a result of what you’ve learned?
Whose Voice Shapes Your Direction:
When you consider the decisions you are making right now, whose voice has the greatest influence culture, fear, comfort, or Christ? What would it look like to more fully surrender your direction to the Good Shepherd?
Living the Message Beyond the Season:
This series concludes during Christmas, but following Jesus continues every day. How can you intentionally practice discernment and dependence on the Shepherd after this season ends?
A Shepherd-Led Life:
If someone were to look at your life six months from now, what evidence would you hope they see that you are being led by the Good Shepherd rather than driven by false promises?
Final Altar Call / Invitation: Choosing the Shepherd
As we close this series, the invitation before us is simple, but deeply personal:
Whose voice will you follow?
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
There are some of us that have realized through this series that we’ve been listening to voices that promised comfort but only deliver confusion. Voices that offered control but ultimately lead to anxiety. Voices that look safe but are slowly pulling our hearts away from Christ.
Today, Jesus stands before us not as a distant figure in a manger, but as the living Good Shepherd; calling, inviting, and leading.
If you need to:
Return to Jesus after drifting
Surrender control and trust Him again
Lay down false hopes and receive true life
Or follow the Shepherd for the very first time
This is your moment. Not out of pressure, but out of love.
Jesus has never asked for perfection, do have it all together, He is asking for your heart.
If you’re ready to choose the Shepherd who leads to life, respond in faith, right where you are, as a declaration that you are choosing His voice above all others. CLICK HERE…..
Always, remember this: You are not wandering sheep, you are known, loved, and led.
May the Lord bless you with discernment to recognize truth
Courage to reject false promises
Give you peace that comes from walking closely with the Good Shepherd.
May the voice of Jesus be louder than the noise of the world
His joy deeper than your circumstances
His presence be your greatest treasure this Christmas and beyond.
“Now may the God of peace… equip you with everything good for doing His will… through Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep.” (Hebrews 13:20–21)
Go in peace. Follow the Shepherd. Live in joy.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for meeting us throughout this series. Thank You for Your Word that warns us, guides us, and ultimately leads us to Jesus, the one and only true Shepherd of our souls. Lord, I confess that there have been times when I have chased voices that were loud instead of true, familiar instead of faithful. Forgive me for placing my hope in temporary things rather than in You. Jesus, I choose You again today. I choose Your voice over the noise, Your truth over deception and Your life over false promises. As I leave this series and move forward from Christmas, help me to live as person who is led. Led by Your Spirit, shaped by Your Word, and anchored in Your love. Guard my heart, sharpen my discernment, Restore my joy, and help me point others to the Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. In Jesus Name Amen.
Getting to Know Him
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Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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3. The Good Shepherd: The Source of True Joy and Transformation
Have you ever noticed that Christmas is a season filled with voices calling for our attention. When we read the Bible we see that it calls God’s people to discernment, you know good judgment, especially in moments when the heart is tender and the world is loud. Jesus Himself warned that deception often comes dressed in familiarity and appeal. (Mark 7:9) During Christmas, when distractions are plentiful and expectations are high, believers are called to look beyond surface joy and seek the source of true joy.
The Good Shepherd: Is the Source of True Joy and Transformation, is a Christ-centered message that invites believers to move beyond surface-level happiness, and encounter the deep, lasting joy found only in Jesus. Rooted in John 10:11, this teaching presents Christ not merely as a guide, but as the faithful Shepherd who knows His sheep, calls them by name, and willingly lays down His life for them.
In a world that’s filled with competing voices and deceptive promises. This message highlights the contrast between false shepherds who take and the true Shepherd who gives. It reveals how Jesus offers more than temporary comfort. He provides protection, restoration, and spiritual transformation. Through His sacrificial love, we are led out of fear, confusion, and emptiness into peace, purpose, and security.
Centered especially within the Christmas narrative, The Good Shepherd reminds His followers that the child in the manger is the Savior who would one day carry the cross. True joy is not found through circumstances, possessions, or perfection, but in belonging to Christ and living under His care. The Christmas message encourages a deeper trust in Jesus, a clearer recognition of His voice, and a transformed life marked by authentic joy that endures beyond the season.
Jesus does not merely warn against false shepherds—He reveals Himself as the true and faithful one.
John 10:11 — “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
A. The Good Shepherd gives His life, not empty promises
The world is filled with voices that make bold promises, promises of happiness, security, success, and fulfillment. (1 John 4:1) When you really look or listen to them many of these promises are hollow. They’ll demand much and deliver little. There is a big difference, Jesus presents Himself as the Good Shepherd, not one who merely speaks comforting words, delerving “snake oil”. Jesus is the One who demonstrates love through sacrifice.
When Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11), He shows us the heart of God. Unlike hired hands who flee when danger comes, the Good Shepherd remains to protect. Like a shepherd, He does not abandon His flock when the cost is high. Instead, He stepped forward, placing Himself between the sheep and the threat. His love and care is not conditional, temporary, or self-serving, it is covenantal and eternal.
False shepherds and false hopes promise safety without sacrifice and blessing without obedience. (Matthew 24:24) They talk smoothly and offer quick comfort but cannot save you in moments of true danger. Jesus, however, does not offer an illusion or convenience. He offers Himself. We can see that from the manger to the cross, His life is a testimony of surrender. Christmas is a reminder for us that the Shepherd entered the world knowing the price that He would pay, and followed through and He paid it willingly.
Because the Good Shepherd gives His life, believers can trust His voice. (Romans 5:8-10) His promises were proven by His wounds. His love is not theoretical; it was fully demonstrated. When we follow Him, we are not chasing empty words, but responding to a Savior who has already given everything. This is the difference between empty promises and eternal truth and it is the foundation of authentic joy and lasting hope.
False shepherds protect themselves. The Good Shepherd sacrifices Himself.
Ezekiel 34:2–3 condemns leaders who feed themselves instead of the flock.
Psalm 23:1–3 declares, “The Lord is my shepherd… he restores my soul.”
At Christmas, we remember that the infant in the manger is the Shepherd who would one day carry a cross. His love is not symbolic—it is costly.
John 10:14–15 — “I know my sheep and my sheep know me… and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
Hebrews 13:20 — “Our Lord Jesus… the great Shepherd of the sheep.”
Recognizing Christ as our Shepherd changes how we live:
True joy flows not from circumstances, but from belonging.
This Christmas, may we discern the false distractions and embrace Jesus Christ, the true Shepherd, who alone brings authentic transformation and lasting joy. 🎄✝️
Reflection Questions
Evaluating Fruit:
Jesus says we recognize false voices by their fruit (Matthew 7:16). What “fruit” do you see in your life right now—peace, joy, patience—or stress, anxiety, and comparison? What might that reveal about what is shaping your heart?
Following vs. Familiarity:
It is possible to know about Jesus without truly following Him. In what ways are you actively following the Shepherd, and where might you be settling for familiarity instead of obedience?
Shepherding Influences:
Who or what has the greatest influence over your thoughts, priorities, and decisions during the Christmas season? How can you intentionally place Christ at the center of those influences?
Trust in the Valley:
Psalm 23 reminds us that the Shepherd walks with us through dark valleys. How does trusting Jesus as your Shepherd change how you face uncertainty, grief, or unmet expectations this Christmas?
Carrying Christmas Forward:
Christmas celebrates Christ coming into the world. What would it look like for you to carry the presence and priorities of Jesus into the new year, rather than leaving Him behind with the season?
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our true Shepherd. In a season filled with many voices and promises, help me to discern what is true and lasting. Guard my heart from deception that looks appealing but leads me away from You.
Jesus, I confess that at times I will seek joy in temporary things. Draw me back to You the One who laid down His life for the sheep. Teach me to recognize Your voice, to follow You with trust, and to rest in Your care.
This Christmas, take away the distractions and refocus my heart on Your presence. Fill me with the deep, abiding joy that comes from knowing that I am loved, redeemed, and led by You. May my life reflect the peace, hope, and transformation that only You can bring.
I choose You, Lord the one true Shepherd, the Savior born in a manger, and the King who reigns forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Getting to Know Him
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Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
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For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
Do you want eternal life? Do you want to enter heaven through the only guide that can help you navigate your way there? To enter His home, get to know Him better, and make Him your Lord and Savior CLICK HERE…..
The True Shepherd: Discernment, Deception, and Deep Joy at Christmas
Introduction: Seeking True Joy in a Season of Many Voices
Have you ever noticed that Christmas is a season filled with voices calling for our attention. There are some that call us to celebrate. Others that call us to consume. There are some that whisper promises of happiness if only we do more, buy more, or create something perfect. When we look at Scripture we notice that it reminds us that not every voice that sounds comforting speaks truth.
When we read the Bible we see that it calls God’s people to discernment, you know good judgment, especially in moments when the heart is tender and the world is loud. Jesus Himself warned that deception often comes dressed in familiarity and appeal. (Mark 7:9) During Christmas, when distractions are plentiful and expectations are high, believers are called to look beyond surface joy and seek the source of true joy.
By recognizing the presence of false promises masked in allure, as depicted in Matthew 7:15, Christians are called during Christmas to seek the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who alone brings salvation and authentic, lasting joy.
2. The Christmas Story Confronts False Hope with True Salvation
Christmas stands as a powerful contradiction to the world’s definition of hope. On the other hand, false hope promises comfort without cost, fulfillment without surrender, and joy without truth. Alternatively the birth of Jesus reveals a hope that is humble, redemptive, and eternal.
God did not come to the world through wealth, status, or spectacle. Rather, He chose a manger, a small forgotten town, and a young couple with little earthly security. That alone confronts the illusion that significance is found in outward success.
With culture, both ancient and modern, that tries to find salvation in power, prosperity, or performance. Christmas should redirect our hearts to a Savior who came in weakness but carried divine authority. The angels never announced a new system, product, or philosophy; instead they proclaimed the arrival of a Savior (Luke 2:11). The good news exposes false hope by revealing that what humanity needs most. Hope has nothing to do with improvement, but in contrast it was through redemption.
False hope tells us we can save ourselves if we try harder or accumulate more. Ben Franklin’s old say “God helps those who helps themselves” is an example. Christmas declares the opposite: salvation is a gift, freely given by God through Christ. Jesus’ birth fulfilled God’s promises, proving that true hope rests not in temporary solutions but through God’s faithfulness. Emmanuel, God with us, means that God stepped into human brokenness to restore what was taken from us and lost.
Finally, Christmas confronts every counterfeit promise, every lie, and every distraction with the truth that lasting joy flows from reconciliation with God. With Jesus, hope is no longer fragile or fleeting. It is living, secure, and anchored in the reality that God has come near so He can save His people.
The birth of Jesus stands in direct opposition to the world’s counterfeit, fake, and simulated promises. God did not choose to send His Son into wealth, comfort, or applause. He sent Him into humility, obscurity, and sacrifice.
Luke 2:7 — “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
A. Christ-centered Christmas restores our understanding of joy
When choosing to have a Christ-centered Christmas you’ll redefine joy by anchoring it not in circumstances, traditions, or material abundance, but in the unchanging truth of who Jesus is and why He came. You can see that biblical joy is not the fleeting happiness the world advertises that is dependent on perfect moments, full calendars, or perfectly ideal outcomes. Alternatively, it is a deep, steady assurance that is rooted in God’s presence and promises.
When we place Christ at the center, we will see that joy entered the world quietly and humbly. Jesus was born not into comfort, but into surrender; not into applause, but into obedience. This should remind us that true joy is not found in having everything go right, but in realizing that God has come near. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Joy flows from Emmanuel, which means God with us.
A Christ-centered Christmas will restore joy by shifting our focus from consumption to celebration, from performance to worship. The angels did not announce a product or an event, but a Savior: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). This joy is been mad accessible to all, regardless of status, success, or season of life. You need to know it is grounded in salvation, not circumstances.
Finally, when we center Christmas around Christ it reminds us that joy is sustained, not seasonal. The baby that came to us in the manger is the Shepherd who walks with us not only in December the entire year. We will see He will carrying us through hardship, restoring our souls, and leading us in peace (Psalm 23:1–3). If we keep Jesus as our focus, the Christmas joy does not fade when decorations come down. It deepens, becoming a way of life rooted in hope, redemption, and eternal truth.
The world often says joy needs to be manufactured. Scripture says joy is received.
Luke 2:10–11 — “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today… a Savior has been born to you.”
Isaiah 9:6 — “For to us a child is born… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Jesus did not come to improve your circumstances; He came to redeem hearts. In a culture that increasingly commercializes Christmas, believers are reminded that joy is not found in what we exchange, but in whom we worship.
John 1:14— “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
Romans 15:13 — “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.”
When you keep Christ central, Christmas becomes more than a tradition, it becomes transformation.
This Christmas, may we discern the false distractions and embrace Jesus Christ, the true Shepherd, who alone brings authentic transformation and lasting joy. 🎄✝️
Reflection Questions
Discernment at Christmas: In what ways do you notice “false promises” or distractions competing for your attention during the Christmas season? How do these compare with the peace and joy Christ offers?
Recognizing the Shepherd’s Voice: Jesus says His sheep know His voice (John 10:27). What practices help you recognize and respond to the voice of the true Shepherd in your daily life?
Sheep’s Clothing: Matthew 7:15 warns that deception can look harmless or even spiritual. Are there beliefs, habits, or expectations you’ve accepted that may be shaping your joy more than Christ?
Source of Joy: When Christmas is over and the decorations are gone, where does your joy tend to rest? How can you more intentionally anchor your joy in Jesus rather than circumstances?
Living Transformed: If Jesus truly is your Shepherd, what is one area of your life where He may be calling you to deeper trust, obedience, or surrender this season?
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our true Shepherd. In a season filled with many voices and promises, help me to discern what is true and lasting. Guard my heart from deception that looks appealing but leads me away from You.
Jesus, I confess that at times I will seek joy in temporary things. Draw me back to You the One who laid down His life for the sheep. Teach me to recognize Your voice, to follow You with trust, and to rest in Your care.
This Christmas, take away the distractions and refocus my heart on Your presence. Fill me with the deep, abiding joy that comes from knowing that I am loved, redeemed, and led by You. May my life reflect the peace, hope, and transformation that only You can bring.
I choose You, Lord the one true Shepherd, the Savior born in a manger, and the King who reigns forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Getting to Know Him
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Dear Heavenly Father, be my guide and protect me from these things that surround me that I do not understand or that influence me in ways that are not from You. Lord I want to be and act as close to You as You’ve always wanted Your children to be. Lord give the strength to stand against the evil in this world, the distractions and influences. Help me to not fear and worry about these issues that continue to affect everything around us. Thank you Lord for Your protection, direction, and love. In Jesus Name Amen
Getting to Know Him
Do you want eternal life? Do you want to enter heaven through the only guide that can help you navigate your way there? To enter His home, get to know Him better, and make Him your Lord and Savior CLICK HERE…..
Drink of Jesus 
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