Christmas and Advent Themed Daily Devotions for 2021
316Judith
Posts: 11,675 Member
Throughout this month we will look at Devotions that are themed on both Advent and Christmas, most importantly of all the Devotions will focus on our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will return later with a devotion for today...📖
I will return later with a devotion for today...📖
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An Advent Prayer to Our Prince of Peace - Advent Devotional - December 1, 2021
by Lisa Appelo
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him -- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:1-2 [NIV]
This passage talks about stumps and shoots. We have several big oak trees in our yard and when one of them started endangering the house, we had it cut all the way down to a stump. A few months later? New green shoots with glossy green leaves began growing right out of that stump. born-is-the-king
That’s the picture that the prophet Isaiah uses.
Seven hundred years before Jesus was ever born, Isaiah prophesied that a Messiah would come from the root of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David, an ancestor of both Mary and Joseph. While nearly all of King David’s royal line would be wiped out, God promised a Messiah would come from the stump of Jesse.
Out of what looked like a dead royal line -- when a pagan, Roman government rather than a Hebrew king ruled over Israel -- God brought about that new shoot: the Messiah – Jesus.
Jesus, didn’t rule like King David with an earthly palace or majestic throne or royal robes conquering enemy nations through a mighty army. Instead, Jesus came in poverty and humility, to reveal a heavenly kingdom and to conquer the curse of sin through his own death.
Advent Prayer:
O Father, we praise you that before the foundation of the world You chose Jesus, our Messiah, to come to earth and show us the Way to the heavenly kingdom and to be the Way to the heavenly kingdom. We thank you for making room for us who are redeemed in Your heavenly Kingdom.
Jesus, we worship you as King of Kings and Lord of lords. You are my King. You have rule over my heart and my life, my thoughts and time and goals. I bow to You only and give you full and free reign over my life. Help me not to grip anything so tightly that I am unwilling to release it to You. You are a just King; our Prince of Peace. Help me to desire Your kingdom above that of my own making and bow to Your will above my own.
Holy Spirit, lead me in the ways of the heavenly kingdom. Teach me wisdom from above and guide me in truth. Help me to have eyes that see and ears that hear all that God has for me. Help me to know the Lord, to fully understand His might, to fear turning away from Him and to know His grace.
We love you Lord. With all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind and all of our strength we love you. We lavish you with our worship. We come to adore You today. Amen.
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!1 -
The Real Reason for Christmas - Advent Devotional - December 2, 2021
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
- Philippians 2:8
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Do you plan on taking the time this Christmas to tell your children or friends about the purpose of Christmas? If so, what will you tell them?
Although we usually meditate on the birth of Jesus at this time of the year, His purpose in coming to earth was not to give us the sweet picture of a baby in a Bethlehem manger. That little baby was born to die for you and for me and thus pay for the forgiveness of our sins. He was born to die on the Cross that we might be reconciled to God.
For this reason, I always told our sons when they were young, "Don't just think of a baby in a manger at Christmastime. Christmas is about much more than that. It is about God coming to earth in human flesh so He could die on the Cross to pay for your salvation and destroy all the works of the devil in your lives! That is what Christmas is all about!"
People rarely think of the Cross at Christmastime because it is the time set aside to celebrate Jesus' birth. But in Philippians 2, Paul connects the two thoughts. As Paul writes about God becoming a man, he goes on to express the ultimate reason God chose to take this amazing action. Paul says in verse 8, "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Because today is Christmas Eve, I want to use this Sparkling Gem to discuss the real reason for Christmas, which is contained in the truths found in this verse.
Philippians 2:8 says that Jesus was "…found in fashion as a man…." That word "fashion" is the Greek word schema. This is extremely important, for this was precisely the same word that was used in ancient times to depict a king who exchanged his kingly garments for a brief period of time for the clothing of a beggar.
How wonderful that the Holy Spirit would inspire the apostle Paul to use this exact word! When Jesus came to earth, it really was a moment when God Almighty shed His glorious appearance and exchanged it for the clothing of human flesh. Although man is wonderfully made, his earthly frame is temporal dust and cannot be compared to the eternal and glorious appearance of God.
However, for the sake of our redemption, God laid aside all of His radiant glory, took upon Himself human flesh, and was manifested in the very likeness of a human being.
This is the true story of a King who traded His kingly garments and took upon Himself the clothing of a servant. But the story doesn't stop there. Jesus - our King who exchanged His royal robes for the clothing of flesh - loved us so much that He "…humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross"!
The word "humbled" is the Greek word tapeinao, and it means to be humble, to be lowly, and to be willing to stoop to any measure that is needed. This describes the attitude God had when He took upon Himself human flesh. Think of how much humility would be required for God to shed His glory and lower Himself to become like a member of His creation. Consider the greatness of God's love that drove Him to divest Himself of all His splendor and become like a man. This is amazing to me, particularly when I think of how often the flesh recoils at the thought of being humble or preferring someone else above itself. Yet Jesus humbled Himself "…and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
The word "obedient" tells me that this was not a pleasurable experience that Jesus looked forward to in anticipation. To humble Himself to this extent required Jesus' deliberate obedience.
As preexistent God, Jesus came to earth for this purpose. But as man dressed in flesh, He despised the thought of the Cross (Hebrews 12:2) and could only endure its shame because He knew of the results that would follow. For Jesus to be obedient as a man, He had to choose to obey the eternal plan of God.
The word "obedient" that is used to describe Jesus is the Greek word hupakouo, from the word hupo, which means under, and the word akouo, which means I hear. When these two words are compounded together, they picture someone who is hupo - under someone else's authority, and akouo - listening to what that superior is speaking to him. After listening and taking these instructions to heart, this person then carries out the orders of his superior.
Thus, the word hupakouo tells us that obedient people are 1) under authority, 2) listening to what their superior is saying, and 3) carrying out the orders that have been given to them. This is what the word "obedient" means in this verse, and this is what obedience means for you and me.
You see, even Jesus had to come to this place of obedience. Although He knew that He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, that didn't mean His flesh was excited about dying as the Lamb of God on the Cross. According to this verse in Philippians 2:8, Jesus had to humble Himself and become "obedient" in order to follow God's plan. He wasn't looking forward to the experience of death on a Cross; He made a choice to humble Himself and to go to any measure in order to accomplish the Father's plan.
Part of the Father's plan was for Jesus to humble Himself "…unto death, even the death of the cross." The word "unto" is from the Greek word mechri, which is a Greek word that really means to such an extent. The Greek word mechri is sufficient in itself to dramatize the point, but the verse goes on to say that Jesus humbled Himself unto death, "…even the death of the cross." The word "even" is the Greek word de, which emphatically means EVEN! The Greek carries this idea: "Can you imagine it! Jesus humbled Himself to such a lowly position and became so obedient that He even stooped low enough to die the miserable death of a Cross!"
I heartily recommend that you take the time today to read the April 24 Sparkling Gem order to refresh your memory on the full process of crucifixion. It was genuinely the worst death a person could ever endure. For Jesus to humble Himself to the point of death, EVEN the death of the Cross, demonstrates how much He was willing to humble Himself to redeem you and me.
Just think of it - Almighty God, clothed in radiant glory from eternity past, came to this earth formed as a human being in the womb of a human mother for one purpose: so that He could one day die a miserable death on a Cross to purchase our salvation! All of this required humility on a level far beyond anything we could ever comprehend or anything that has ever been requested of any of us. Yet this was the reason Jesus came; therefore, He chose to be obedient to the very end, humbling Himself to the point of dying a humiliating death on a Cross and thereby purchasing our eternal salvation.
So as you celebrate Christmas, be sure to remember the real purpose of Christmas. It isn't just a time to reflect on the baby boy who was born in Bethlehem so long ago. That baby was God manifest in the flesh. He was born to die for you and for me. Jesus was so willing to do whatever was required in order to redeem us from Satan and sin that He humbled Himself even unto death on a Cross! That is what Christmas is all about!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, I thank You for coming to earth so You could redeem me. When I think of the extent to which You were willing to go in order to save me, it makes me want to shout, to celebrate, and to cry with thankfulness. You love me so much, and I am so grateful for that love. Without You, I would still be lost and in sin. But because of everything You have done for me, today I am free; my life is blessed; Jesus is my Lord; Heaven is my home; and Satan has no right to control me. I will be eternally thankful to You for everything You did to save me! I pray this in Jesus' name!
MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I confess that Jesus Christ loves me! He demonstrated His love to me by leaving behind Heaven's glory and taking upon Himself human flesh. And He did it for one purpose: so that one day He could go to the Cross and die for me and thus reconcile me unto God. There is no need for me to ever feel unloved or unwanted, because Jesus went the ultimate distance to prove that He loves me!
I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
When you compare Jesus' ultimate act of obedience to God with your own willingness to obey God in every area of your life, are you satisfied with your level of obedience to Him? Or do you find yourself falling far short of what He requires?
What can you do on this Christmas Eve to more fully "let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5)?
Are there specific ways you can show humility toward others or prefer someone else above yourself?
Now that you've read today's Sparkling Gem, what will change in the way you talk to your children or your friends about the real purpose of Christmas?0 -
Turning Christmas Chaos into Christmas Joy - Advent Devotional - December 5, 2021
By Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told (Luke 2:16-20, NIV).
Friend to Friend
According to the American Institute of Stress, more than 110 million Americans take medication for stress-related causes each week. During the holiday season, another one million people battle what experts refer to as the holiday blues.
I am very familiar with depression and the pain it holds and must constantly battle to stay out of that pit.
To deal with depression, we must first come to a place of total surrender to God and His plan of healing, even if we cannot see or understand that plan. The bottom line of God’s heart toward His children is always restoration and healing.
While I am not a big fan of television, I do enjoy watching home improvement shows. On a recent program, an interior decorator and homeowner were discussing a list of changes that needed to be made in order to update the home.
“First, we have to do something about those windows,” the decorator announced. I was surprised that she listed this task first – until I saw the house.
The existing glass was not only an ugly shade of gold, but it was thick and chunky as well. The windows let in no light and made it virtually impossible to see in or out. The result was a dark isolated home. The distressed homeowner protested, “But I like my privacy. And if I thought anyone could see in, I would feel totally exposed.” When it comes to dealing with depression, many people feel the same way.
We construct walls over which no one can climb because the cost of friendship is too high. We fill the windows of our soul with emotional excuses in order to avoid dealing with pain. The result is darkness, loneliness, and missed opportunities for restoration. We don’t want to understand depression or find the treasures of that darkness; we simply want to be rid of it.
Many people try to understand and deal with depression on a surface level – refusing to face painful experiences, difficult relationships, and the broken places where darkness lives. We look for the nearest exit, hoping to bypass transparency because the price is just too high to pay.
Emotional integrity is an essential step to dealing with depression. We must be real before we can be right. Until we are willing to risk being transparent, we can neither understand nor effectively deal with depression during the holidays or any other time of the year.
The holidays seem to tug at the masks we carefully hold in place and push the emotional buttons we desperately try to hide. The arrival of certain family members can resurrect painful issues that have never really been resolved.
Financial pressure opens up like a sinkhole, waiting to steal our joy and destroy our peace.
Schedules demand every ounce of energy, and false expectations leave us empty and hollow.
The dark slimy pit waits for us to fall in.
We can choose to make this Christmas different.
Choose to give God praise. Choose to focus on the victories and joys you have experienced during the year, and then find ways to share that victory and joy with others.
Christmas can be a true celebration of fresh starts and new beginnings if we choose to focus on a tiny baby born in a manger, come to save us and give us true life. The darkness can be destroyed if we choose to face and deal with whatever it holds.
Right now, choose an attitude of joy by focusing your mind on the things of heaven – not earth, and by fixing your heart on Jesus Christ. Your Christmas chaos will turn into Christmas joy!
Let’s Pray
Father, I want this holiday season to be filled with light instead of darkness. Please help me discard my emotional masks and be real before You as well as my family and friends. Father, help me make this holiday season an offering of praise to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Read Luke 2:1-16. Answer the following questions after reading the Christmas story.
What was the attitude of Mary and Joseph as they traveled to Bethlehem?
How did the shepherds react to the news of Jesus’ birth? What did they do?
How would you describe the emotions and thoughts of Mary?
How can your choice to “ponder” the miracles of Jesus’ birth change your perspective of the holidays?
Write a letter of commitment to Jesus, asking Him to empower the choices you have made. Make a plan or a list of “dos” and “don’ts” that will help you experience the best holiday season of your life. Include your family in making this plan, and make the commitment to hold each other accountable.0 -
A Prayer to Put Jesus First This Christmas Season - Advent Devotional - December 8, 2021
By Debbie McDaniel
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7
No room for them. No vacancy. No place. Words that still seem to hang close, even today.
In a world that seeks to crowd Jesus out, where busyness abounds, and hearts are stirred to focus on other things, it can be hard sometimes to choose to keep Him first. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the whole hurried dash of the holidays, and to give our attention to what seems more urgent. Our focus gets blurred; and the most important gets pushed aside.
It takes an active and daily choice to put Christ first, especially in a culture that says you’re too busy to focus there. Or that life is too full. And there’s no more room.
May God help us to choose wisely, what voices we listen to, and where we give our attention today.
He is the One who brings true meaning to Christmas.
He is the One who brings real peace in this all-too-often hectic season.
He is the only One worthy of our time and attention as we slow down the maddening rush around our lives.
We can know all of this in our heads, but may He help us to really believe it in our hearts...and choose to live it out this season.
Renewed.
Refreshed.
Making room for Him, first.
Dear God,
Help us to keep our focus first on Christ this season. Please forgive us for giving too much time and attention on other things. Help us to reflect again, on what Christmas is really all about. Thank you that you came to give new life, peace, hope, and joy.
Thank you that your power is made perfect in our weakness. Help us to remember that the gift of Christ, Immanuel, is our greatest treasure, not just at Christmas, but for the whole year through.
Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit.
Direct our hearts and minds towards you. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. For you never leave us. Thank you for your daily powerful Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers.
Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, and we are safe in your care. We choose to press in close to you today…and keep you first in our hearts and lives. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.1 -
O Christmas Tree - Advent Devotional - December 2021
By Skip Heitzig
I read somewhere that in a recent Christmas season Americans used 28 million rolls of wrapping paper and 17 million packages of tags and bows, sent out 372 million greeting cards, and set up 35 million Christmas trees.
Some of our Christmas traditions are just that, traditions. Jesus was probably not born on December 25, for example. And the Christmas tree is based on the celebration of the reincarnation of Nimrod. The ancient Babylonians burned a “Yule” log (the Chaldean word for infant) in the fireplace, and the next day a symbolic evergreen tree was placed inside the house.
This pagan ritual is hinted at in the Bible, in Jeremiah 10:1-4. But before you get worried, I want you to know that if you come to my church, you’ll find a very large Christmas tree in the foyer! And you know what? Most people born in this country don’t know the origins of these things, and we aren’t worshiping Babylonian gods and goddesses. It’s not about that. (And it’s good to remember that Martin Luther was the first guy to put a Christmas tree inside the home.)
At the same time, what are we to do with some of these traditions? Let’s look at what Jesus did when He was faced with a festival that had a lot of tradition, some of which may have been true and some not.
In John chapter 10, He was in the temple for the Feast of Dedication, also known as the Festival of Lights, or Hanukkah. You won’t find it in the Bible anywhere; it dates from the period between Old and New Testaments. But Jesus was celebrating Hanukkah, and He used the Festival of Lights to shine the light on who He really is (John 10:22-30).
And I suggest that’s what we do with Christmas. You can say, “Bah, humbug!” You can get “Santa Claustrophobic.” You can run from it. Or you can use it to shine the light on who Jesus really is.
People are singing the words we preach in evangelical churches every week: Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see! Hail, incarnate deity! Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Hark, the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king!”
At least some of them don’t know what they’re singing, but that’s where we come in. We can redeem it by reminding them. Does it matter when He came? No, it matters THAT He came. Since the celebration is already ongoing, I say let’s use it to remind them of Him.0 -
Contagious Joy - Advent Devotional December 11, 2021
By In Touch Ministries
Scripture Reading for Today: 1 John 1:1-4
Jesus calls us to be His “witnesses.”
When some Christians hear this word, they worry that they need exceptional skill or charisma in order to share the good news with others.
Yet to witness is not to merely speak of the “plan of salvation” to someone.
The word literally means to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception; to testify; bear witness to; give or afford evidence of.
When John wrote that he was sharing what he had experienced first-hand, he was saying, “I am full of joy because of the experience of knowing Jesus, and I want to invite you to share in that joy!”
When you’re in love with someone, you are excited about the relationship and time spent together.
Likewise, when you’re in love with Jesus, you can’t keep to yourself the joy that comes from knowing Him—it just spills over, bearing witness and strengthening other believers.
In fact, as you give testimony of who God is and how He’s working in your life, it makes no difference whether you speak quietly or with great exuberance: in their spirit, Christians will pick up on the deep, genuine gladness in your heart that goes beyond natural happiness.
And people who don’t yet know the Lord will find themselves hungering for the relationship you have. In that way, they will be drawn to His Spirit in you.
Witnessing is not a matter of eloquence or talent. It’s an overflow of the personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is conforming you to His image.
As you allow the Holy Spirit to increasingly express His life and power through you, contagious joy will be “fruit” of His indwelling presence.1 -
The Man Who Tried to Stop Christmas - Advent Devotional - December 12, 2021
By Greg Laurie, Harvest Ministries
Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. (Matthew 2:7 NLT)
King Herod was the man who tried to stop Christmas. With all his wealth and power, he came to complete ruin. Historical writings tell us that in the final year of his life, his body was infected with disease.
Ironically, Herod pretended to be a worshipper. He said to the wise men, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” (Matthew 2:8). Yet Herod was a false worshipper. There are people like him today. They say they believe in God, but they live a life that contradicts what the Scriptures teach.
Herod wanted to be the king of his own life, but he really was a slave. He ended up being not the King of the Jews but the king of fools. Herod ended up on the ash heap of history like dictators before and after him, reminding us that those who live wicked lives eventually will reap what they sow. Adolf Hitler went into his bunker and shot himself as his nation crumbled around him. Saddam Hussein was found hiding in a hole and was eventually executed by his own people. Muammar Gaddafi was hunted down by his own people, beaten, and shot to death.
All those who blaspheme God, fight with God, or try to stop the work of God eventually will fail. Yet God’s Word ultimately will prevail. Philippians 2:9–10 says, “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
One day, everyone—every man, every woman, every believer, and every nonbeliever—will bow before Jesus Christ1 -
One Thing God Wants You to Remember at Christmas - Advent Devotional - December 14, 2021
By Sharon Jaynes
Today’s Truth
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV).
Friend to Friend
With Christmas, it’s easy to get so busy with the cooking, decorating and shopping that we forget why we’re doing all this in the first place. Sometimes, the very people we love get lost in the hustle and bustle of packed schedules, holiday parties, and Christmas musicals.
Several years ago I wrote a Christmas version of 1 Corinthians 13 to help me keep my focus on what Paul deemed most important of all… love.
As part of our family tradition, I pull it out and post it somewhere in our home as a reminder of what’s really important during the holiday season. And since you are now part of the family, I’m pulling it out for you.
1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style
©By Sharon Jaynes
If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of your way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, on that starry night in Bethlehem. I am still amazed at Your great love for me. May I never lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, but celebrate Jesus’ birth with joy! Help me to give as You gave—with love. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
What are some ways that you can make sure to love your family well this holiday season?
Are there any activities that you need to eliminate from your busy schedule in order to alleviate over commitment? If so, what are they?1 -
A Prayer to Stay Focused on Christ at Christmas - Advent Devotional - December 16, 2021
By Meg Bucher
The modern rush to reach the next big door-buster has stolen our ability to relax through Thanksgiving dinner. There’s no deal greater than Jesus’ birth, and we don’t have to wait in line for it.
“And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” 1 John 2:28
Christmas gives us the opportunity to reflect upon the plight of the last year of life. John encourages us to stay focused on what’s important, the long journey of our earthly lives to be more like Christ. We can aim right at that goal, because He was born to earth as an example of what to shoot for. Christmas is an encouraging reminder to stay focused on the reason for the season. The simple joys connect us to the One who once walked where we trod.
Take Action
“ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” - Romans 12:10
When my children were growing up, one of their favorite stories was about a llama that lost sight of the season, and melted down to the gourd in a tantrum of lost holiday priorities. Sometimes, we have to schedule-out our selfishness, and get busy loving other people. Compassion towards others extends His love to them.
Be Quiet
Time in God’s Word is especially important amidst the commercialism of the season. He promises to reveal new layers of the same Christmas story that we can apply to this season of our lives. When we offer Him our first minutes, we being to see Him throughout the day.
Re-program
The surrounding soundtrack of our lives can take a toll on our hearts, especially if we spend most of our time drenched in secular media. Christmas is a great time to reboot our thoughts by adjusting the message we are tune into. The Word weaved into Christmas carols has the power to move our hearts into the correct place.
Say “No”
Before squeezing other event onto a calendar square, we can pause to pray for discernment on whether an additional event or commitment is necessary. “Thank you for thinking of me!” we can reply in the meantime, “I’ll get back to you.” This Christmas, let’s put the magnitude and majesty of the King of Kings at the center of our holiday planner.
Father, Praise You for Christmas! Thank You for Jesus, born to earth to live among us and pay the ultimate price for our sin. Along the way, He lived a life that we can look to as an example of how to navigate human life on earth. Belief in Him reaches beyond this life, and unto heaven. This Christmas, we ask your forgiveness for getting caught up in the hustle of commercialism, and ask that You re-focus our hearts to Christ. Help us to experience His presence and revel in His closeness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.0 -
Grow in the Light of God’s Word - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - December 21, 2021
By Rick Warren
"I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." John 8:12 (NLT)
As a vegetable gardener, I can tell you that the more hours of light you have, the bigger your crops will grow. For more than 30 years, I’ve used a special light bulb for gardening called a grow light. It emits a certain kind of light that causes plants and trees to grow. You use it in areas where there isn't enough light for plants to survive. I planted young redwood trees on the shady side of my house and used the grow lights on them until they got tall enough to get sunlight on their own. Today those trees are about 40 feet tall.
Light is the key to life. Every plant grows by photosynthesis, which is dependent upon light. Humans depend on light to see and for our body’s systems to function normally. No light, no power. No light, no growth. You can't live without light.
What’s true of light in the physical realm is also true in the spiritual realm. On your dark days, when the sun is hidden and you can't see the light, you need the light of Jesus to change you for the better.
There are two ways that you change: when you see the light and when you feel the heat. One of those ways is far less painful than the other. If you would just change when you see the light, then you wouldn't have to change when you feel the heat.
Do you want to know what your grow light is? It’s God’s Word. Studying God’s Word will help you grow in your knowledge of God and love for him.
Ephesians 1:16-17 says, "I pray for you constantly, asking God to . . . give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow" (NLT). When you know God’s Word, his light will flood your heart. Then you’ll understand the wonderful future God has promised you.
In the Bible, light and life go hand in hand: "You are the giver of life. Your light lets us enjoy life" (Psalm 36:9 NCV).
Life is meant to be enjoyed, not merely endured, not just at Christmas but all year long. The key is to live in God's light.
That's why Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life" (John 8:12 NLT).0 -
Christmas Proves Your Value - Advent Devotional - December 23, 2021
By Rick Warren
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)
Some people believe it’s insulting to say someone is spiritually “lost.” But it’s not. It’s actually a great compliment to be called spiritually lost.
There’s a difference between losing something and misplacing something. If you misplace something, it means it wasn’t important to you. But if you lose it, it’s valuable enough for you to try to find it. You misplace a bobby pin; you lose your glasses.
People are only lost because they’re worth finding. Think of it this way: The value of a masterpiece doesn’t go down when it’s lost; it goes up.
When you aren’t connected to God, you’re lost in many ways. You lose your direction, God’s protection, your potential, your happiness, and your future home in heaven—just to name a few. But there’s one thing you don’t lose: your value.
You’re so valuable that, on the very first Christmas, God paid the price of his Son to find you. The most famous verse in the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).
You matter so much to God that he underwent a rescue mission to find you. He came to Earth as a little baby so that one day he could die on a wooden cross for your sin.
The Christmas story reveals your value. God loved you enough that, when you were lost, God sent his very best—Jesus—to get you back.
Never forget: You matter to God.0 -
The Essential Message of Christmas - Advent Devotional - December 21, 2021
Greg Laurie
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name ‘Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ ” —Matthew 1:23
At this time of the year, we say, “Merry Christmas.” I prefer that to “Happy Holidays,” but I don’t get confrontational about it. Instead, I want to be gracious. After all, Christmas isn’t always a happy time for everyone. For someone who has lost their job, this is not the most wonderful time of the year, because so much emphasis is placed on a merry Christmas being a materialistic one.
There are also those who have lost loved ones. I am one of those people, and things that once made me happy at this time of year now make me sad. Those things that once brought happiness are now things that bring sadness, because they evoke memories of times we spent together. Therefore, Christmas becomes a difficult time for some.
There are many who are in need of encouragement at this time of year. They don’t need a Christmas present; they need His Christmas presence. They need to be reminded of what this season is all about. It is not about things. It is not about presents.
These things have their place, but we need to remember the essential message of Christmas, which is Immanuel—God is with us.
And for the hurting person, the lonely person, the sorrowing person, this is the time of year to bring the gift of encouragement to them and say, “The message of Christmas is: God will be with you. God will help you. God will strengthen you.”
So look for opportunities to share the love of God during this season, because it is a time when we seem to be more open to engaging in conversation with others.
Now is a great opportunity for you to bring encouragement to someone who is struggling.
Who needs your encouragement today?0 -
A Christmas Prayer of Praise to the Son - Advent Devotional - December 25, 2021
“And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.” 1 John 5:20 (NLT)
On this Christmas Day, we praise You, Jesus, as the Son of God.
Before the creation of the world, You were set apart by the Father for a unique mission.
You are our Messiah, the One sent to save us.
As Immanuel, God with us, the One through whom all things were created, You chose to lie in a manger and die on a cross for us.
You willingly laid aside your majesty to come down into our world.
By believing in You, we have the gift of eternal life.
How amazing is Your power and glory! May we always hold You in awe as the Son of God.
We praise You, Jesus, as the Son of David.
Your birth was foretold by many prophets who never saw You with their eyes, but received truth about You through the Holy Spirit.
The Father preserved Your birthright generation after generation. He fulfilled His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give them countless descendants who would follow You.
You are the Lion of Judah, a King forever in the line of David.
Though You did not establish an earthly rule as many hoped, You transcended those hopes with a universal kingdom to last for all time
You are the fulfillment of countless prophecies, prayers and dreams. May we always honor You as the Son of David.
We praise You, Jesus, as the Son of Man.
The Son of Joseph, a humble carpenter from Nazareth who chose the path not traveled and proved himself faithful. The Son of Mary, a young virgin of steadfast faith who felt You turn in her womb and watched You suffer on a cross. The Son who impressed teachers of the law and amazed His parents even as a child.
The Son who understands our weaknesses and faced all the tests we face yet never sinned.
The Son destined to cause many to fall and many to rise, opposed without cause yet glorified above all.
As the Son of Man, now You are seated at God’s right hand, offering prayers for us day and night as the Great High Priest.
You are the stairway between heaven and earth, the only way we have access to the Father.
You are coming back on the clouds of heaven to give us eternal life. May we always revere You as the Son of Man.
This Christmas Day, may our thoughts be fixed on You, Jesus. May we believe in You as the only true God, the Lord over our lives.
May we trust You with all our hurts and hopes.
May we walk in fellowship with You, knowing you perfectly understand us. May we rejoice in your birth and resurrection, looking forward to the day when we will see You face to face. In Your Name we pray, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Matthew 25:31 "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.” (NLT)
Luke 1:32 "He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.” (NLT)1 -
Never the Same Again - Advent Devotional - December 26, 2021
And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way. Matthew 2:12
When I was 17 years old, I heard the true message of Christmas. It finally made sense to me, and God showed me that I needed His Son - not just to know facts about Him in my head, but to really know Him personally in my heart. You see, Jesus was born in Bethlehem so that you and I could be born again.
On a Monday night in January of 1980, I got down on my knees and asked Jesus to save me. I gave all I knew of me to all I knew of Him. And do you know what? He saved me. He forgave all my sins and came to live in my heart... and my life has never been the same since.
A CHANGE OF COURSE
The wise men from the east traveled a great distance (as much as 1000 miles) to worship Jesus, the new born King of the Jews. They brought expensive gifts and fell down in worship before the Christ child. When they went home, they did not go back through Jerusalem for fear of Herod. They returned "by another way." They changed course. Did you catch the spiritual significance of that phrase?
It is impossible to truly meet Jesus and not go "another way." It is impossible to receive the King of Glory into your life and not be changed as a result. Many times people will struggle with and agonize over the issue of assurance. They will ask themselves, "Am I really a Christian?" The acid test to know if you are truly His is this: have you been changed? Has something happened inside of you, calling you to go in a new direction?
It is inconceivable to think that the Almighty, Most Holy God of the Universe would come to live inside of a person and that person not know it... and that person not be changed.
My life changed greatly after I received Christ. My friends and family noticed a difference in the way I acted and reacted. Although far from perfect, there was a change, a noticeable change. I had gone "by another way." I had a desire for God that I never had before... and I had a sorrow in sin that I never had before. As Adrian Rogers used to say, "The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is this: A non-Christian leaps into sin and he loves it. A Christian lapses into sin and he loathes it." That has been true of me from the day I surrendered my life to Jesus.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you really met Jesus? Has there been a genuine change? Is your life going His way now... or are you still going your way?
Christmas is a great time to rejoice... and to reflect: what change of course does He want to make in you? What adjustments are needed so that you can be all He wants you to be in your family... in your career... in your priorities?
I hope you had a great Christmas. May the King of the universe truly be King in you as you do like those wise men and bow your life before Him!0