Advent/Christmas Daily Devotions for November- December 2023

316Judith

The Origin of Christmas - Advent Devotional - November 27

EDITOR'S NOTE: Advent officially runs from
December 3 - December 24 in 2023

Crosswalk will proudly present one Christmas-themed devotional per day. Check back every day for a new devotional reflection about what the Incarnation - the coming near of our Savior - means for us still today. And Merry Christmas!

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. -- Luke 2:11

When Pope Julius I declared December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353, who would have ever thought that it would become what it is today?

And when Professor Charles Follen lit candles on the first Christmas tree in American in 1832, who would have ever thought that decorations would become as glamorous as they are today?

Even before these two events that shaped what Christmas means today for most, there was a bright, special star that lit the dark night thousands of years ago letting the world know that Jesus the King was born.

Usually, we don't celebrate historical figures as children, but in the case of Christ, it is appropriate.

When Christ was born, shepherds came to honor Him, wise men from the East brought Him gifts, and the earth rejoiced at His birth.

These people who came to worship Him had no idea what Christ would accomplish as an adult. But they were right in traveling to worship the King because His birth was the most remarkable event in human history.

Wise men and women today worship not only the Child of Bethlehem, but the Christ of Calvary.

As we approach the holiday season again, we are faced with yet another opportunity to pause in the midst of all the excitement, decorations, and commercialization, to consider again the origin of Christmas--the One whose birth we celebrate.

Let's not forget the true meaning of why we celebrate during this time of year. Celebrate the baby Jesus and trust Him as Savior today.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: 

Thank God for sending His Son that glorious night to be born of a virgin, live a perfect life, die on the cross for your sins, and rise from the dead three days later to give you eternal life through Him.

Devotion by Senior Living

Healthyme7410

Thank-you Judith for providing these devotionals. It is good to get our hearts ready spiritually as Christmas approaches. This holiday has become more about gifts to each other and decorations that many have forgotten the true gift of love given to the world.

LosinSusin

I agree, Linda. This will be a special and thoughtful thread for me, too. Thank you, Judith.

PS - about simplifying Christmas decorations. This is perfect for our caravan Christmas!

316Judith

What Every Couple Can Learn from Mary and Joseph This Christmas - Advent Devotional - December 28

By Heather Riggleman
While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:20-21

I could feel my blood pressure rising as Chris and I argued once again where we would spend Christmas. Chris, an only child, felt it was best spent with his parents while I, the second oldest among six siblings, wanted to see my family.

We were both tired of negations because neither one of us was willing to relent.

Chris’ parents had moved to Nebraska and we could see them anytime we wanted. Plus we spent nearly every holiday with them. It was a blessing to have them close by but all my family lived in Wyoming.

Because of our busy lives, not to mention the eight hours that separated us, we hadn’t been to Newcastle in years. I was desperate to see my siblings and their families.

When life changes, when circumstances aren’t as we expected, when we are navigating new territory, we need hope.

Can you imagine for a moment how the Christmas story might have been written if Mary and Joseph lacked the capacity to adjust to things beyond their circumstances? Where was hope in the middle of their scandalous story?

To begin with, Joseph had to adjust to the fact his fiancé was already pregnant. According to the law, he could have had her stoned instead he planned to save face and quietly divorce her. We can read between the lines of today’s passage the devastation, betrayal, and dashed hopes Joseph felt as he was trying to figure a way out.

But God sent an angel to tell Joseph that Mary was with child conceived by the Holy Spirit and that this child would save their people. So instead of sending Mary away, he married her.

While the first year of marriage is always difficult. Mary and Joseph faced a unique set of challenges. On top of dealing with no ordinary pregnancy filled with disgrace and gossip, trying to establish their home, run a business, and learn how to live together as a couple, they were forced to close up shop.

They had to travel to Bethlehem because the Roman government was conducting a census in order to raise taxes. Every man had to travel back to their birthplace. Just what they needed!

Early one morning, Mary and Joseph left their home for Bethlehem. Mary was eight months pregnant and rode on the back of a little donkey. Joseph had a short tether wrapped tightly around his arm to lead the little burro and prevent it from dislodging Mary. They stopped along the road, slept on the hard ground and had to make due with less than ideal circumstances.

Finally, when they arrived within sight of the city, Mary stopped. She probably said something like, “Husband, I cannot ride one more moment. I’m going to sit here while you go into the city of Bethlehem and book us a room at the Holiday Day Inn. Be sure to tell room service to bring up more clean sheets, towels, and boiled water for when the baby comes.”

Mary was a long way from home, emotionally drained, worn-out, and at the end of her rope. Especially when Joseph returned to tell Mary, “Wife, the Holiday Inn was sold out, so I checked every hotel—even the Country Inn.

Finally, I convinced one of the managers of their valet service to let us crash in their manger. I paid him the last of our cash for fresh straw and privacy. We’ll be the only ones there besides all of the livestock.”

That night, heaven bent down and kissed the earth as the Son of God was born.

Can you imagine how the Christmas story might have been written if Mary and Joseph didn’t have the capacity to hope or the ability to compromise beyond their circumstances?

Father Richard Rohr says, “Hope is the patient and trustful willingness to live without closure, without resolution, and still be content and even happy because our Satisfaction is now at another level, and our Source is beyond ourselves.”

Hope is the essence that allows us to bend beyond our circumstances.
Hope has the ability to breathe air into crushed hearts allowing them to expand and beat again.

Hope creates room in our hearts for something more beyond ourselves.
Hope gives us fresh eyes in the midst of our struggles.

Later that evening, Chris came downstairs to check on me. Exhaustion had put me to sleep when he woke me. “I know what we can do, instead of traveling in between houses, let’s have Christmas here this year.”

This idea, this compromise was completely out of the box and unexpected but I couldn’t have imagined a better idea. I was bursting at the seams with excitement and so thankful for Chris choosing to find a way to make it work.

Like Mary and Joseph, every couple on earth must learn to develop this capacity to hope if they are to enjoy a happy marriage.

Real-life is filled with unexpected turns and unforeseen problems. There was doubt, trust issues, complications, and instability. But with help from God, Mary and Joseph were determined to make it work.

It was their destiny to raise the Son of God.

Together. Their love story is a marriage lesson to us all.

Devotion by Crosswalks Married Couples Ministry!

316Judith

Christmas Depression and Christmas Cookies - Advent Devotional - Nov. 29, 2023

Devotion by Wendy Speake

Today’s Truth

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I love holiday traditions. Each year my family dresses up and goes out together to a special Christmas concert in the days leading up to December 25th. Whether it’s at our local church or the theatre downtown, we get dolled up for Jesus.

Okay, let’s be honest: my husband and children do it for me. And every year I hope and pray for one really good family picture of us together, with the boys wearing argyle sweater vests, and their hair combed back.

Not a dozen pictures, mind you, just one special keepsake of a treasure where we all look happy. Happy is the goal.

I struggle with happy sometimes—especially around the holidays. Which feels ridiculous because we’re all singing, “Tis the season to be jolly…” But all the falalalala-ing in the world can’t hide the fact I struggle with depression each December.

There are plenty of reasons and I can’t list them all, but I’m going to list and few because I know I’m not the only one.

I’m not a psychotherapist here to explain them all, just a sister in the Holly-Jolly trenches, humbling sharing what I go through, and pointing you to the One who knows it all.

Here are a few of the pressures that press in on me at Christmastime.

- Super high expectations. Expectations of what our tree will look like (and how fun it will be to decorate it), how lovely our porch and centerpiece will be this year, not to mention those family pictures, can cause ridiculous amounts of stress. Trips to take the kids to see Santa end in tears (theirs and ours) while everyone on Instagram and Facebook looks like it truly is “the most wonderful time of the year

- Family stress. Family pressure over where we’re going to be Christmas morning, and therefore where we aren’t going to be, can steal our focus and rob our joy as well. Whose turn is it to host; which in-laws will we be with; and how long will we stay before we leave for the next stop on the Christmas train? When what we really want is to be home with our stockings and eggnog, watching Elf by ourselves. The guilt compounds the sadness. It’s Christmas after all.

- Unrealized desire to feel close to God. The pressure to focus on “the reason for the season” amidst all the hustle and bustle, can make us feel terrible too. Feelings of failure when we only read the first three chapters from our advent devotional is the straw that often breaks the camel’s back. Speaking of camels, I’m reminded now that I never even got my nativity set out of storage and onto the mantel this year.

- The sugar. While many of my most favorite traditions are packed with sugar (then dusted with powdered sugar), the truth of the matter is that sugar doesn’t help me when I’m hurting.

Sugar doesn’t make me sweet when I’m sad.

Sure, it lifts my Christmas Spirits for a Merry-Moment, but before I know it I’m crashing down again. It is simply what sugar does.

At Christmastime especially, with all the special treats, we can feel like we’re riding a teeter-totter on a merry-go-round. We want to be happy, but we’re dizzy and tired. We want to get off, but we can’t. We need another piece of peppermint bark with our white chocolate mocha to bring us back up again.

While sugar seems like the most unspiritual of all the bullet points above, the reality is that God is the only thing, the only One, we should run to when we’re in pain — at Christmastime or anytime.

We need to stop reaching for the next sugar high and start reaching for the Most High.

We must learn to run to the Great Comforter rather than comfort foods.

Perhaps, in your sadness you run to the mall for another session of retail therapy. But that’s not the therapist you need either. In one of the most familiar Christmas passages, Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be called a “Wonderful Counselor”.

If you are desperate for “comfort and joy” this Christmas, let me encourage you to limit your sugar intake. While it seems like a very unspiritual first step, physiologically it might be just what you need to spiritually run to The Most High rather than the next sugar high.

Sugar’s help is temporary (and really no help at all.) But the Most High is eternal and can lift you up in your present struggles into His forever arms.

When you’re tempted to run to sugar this Christmas, run to the satisfying sweetness of our Savior. He’s a Wonderful Counselor. When you’re tempted to put your hope in a leftover cookie and the quick dopamine release that will make you feel good for a while… put your hope instead in God.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, Thank you for being my Wonderful Counselor and the Prince who is my peace and brings me peace. I don’t need retail therapy, I need you. And I don’t need to self-medicate with sugar to relieve my pain either. I need Your great comfort. Thank you for coming to earth as my Savior. Teach me to know this Christmas that Your saving isn’t just intended to get me to Heaven. Your saving is available today, and this whole holiday season, each time that I struggle.

In Jesus’ Saving Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 

Do you struggle with depression at Christmas? Perhaps you feel convicted about your sugar addiction, that goes through the roof each this time of year. The application is the same for you too. Let’s run to God rather than to that leftover piece of pecan pie this afternoon. Limit your sugar intake, so that you might experience the satisfying sweetness of the Savior we celebrate at Christmastime!

316Judith

The Thrill of Hope: November 30, 2023
by Shawn McEvoy

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

"A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for
yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." ~~

O Holy Night Does Christmas thrill you?

Children get excited at the coming of the season,
and often we might feel a bit of a charge through
experiencing their amazement, but the chores we-go through to provide that for them are often the very things that rob us from knowing the wonder for ourselves. Plan the party, trim the tree, max out the MasterCard, wrap, ship, take a trip. And that's assuming we aren't one of the multitudes who find themselves with a case of the Holiday Blues.

So if Christ's coming into this world offers hope, and hope, as the song says, provides a thrill, how do we locate that experience amid the distraction and disillusionment of December?

Well that's the cool thing about Hope. Just as total darkness can't hold back the light of a tiny flame, so does even the smallest increment of Hope provide joy and purpose.

Here are a few scriptures I've been mulling over on the subject:

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).
Notice the parallel between "things hoped for" and "things not seen." Talk about a paradox; try applying "assurance" to something your five senses can't detect. It's a challenge. The plus side is that hope, through Christ, is available to you no matter what you see, hear, or feel. It's above your circumstances.

We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance [brings about]proven character; and proven character [brings about] hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:3-5).

Do you ever hear people say, "I don't want to get my hopes up" because they're afraid of being disappointed? What would you make of Paul's claim that "hope does not disappoint"? Might the disconnect have something to do with what we're hoping for or expecting? Max Lucado thinks so:

"Hope is not what you'd expect; it is what you would never dream. It is a wild, improbable tale with a pinch-me-I'm-dreaming ending…

Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction."[1]

"Love… hopes all things…but now abide faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:7,13).

Ever wonder why faith, hope, and love are the greatest virtues, and apparently in that order?

Maybe hope isn't actually something we do, but something we receive, like grace. If it's true that "without faith it is impossible for us to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6), perhaps it's conversely true that without Hope it would be impossible for Him to please us.

The same verse says that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Is hope that reward?

is what He gives to us, then we have the dynamic of a relationship. With that in place, we can love. So love is built on hope, which is built on faith.

For hope to exist, unfortunately it looks like there has to be hopelessness first. A perfect world wouldn't have any need of hope.

Deliverance arrives undeservedly and perhaps unexpectedly, just as in the unlikely way God came to earth to provide a once-and-for-all substitute for the sins of all men on the first Christmas.

That's why things can look bleak, but that's where hope lives.

The good news is: you simply can't hope big enough, which goes back to the idea of our minds and senses being inadequate to judge God's design and methods, and hope being more a function of God's involvement than our desires.

I readily acknowledge I could not have conceived of the plan of salvation or the virgin birth. I couldn't have imagined the plan for the walls of Jericho to crumble, for hungry lions to turn into Daniel's pet kittens, or the Red Sea to part and offer up dry land.

So neither do I know how my problems will be solved, or what miracles I'll be blessed to see this Christmas.

Isaiah 9:6-7 concerns the hope of the prophecy being fulfilled that brought us a "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace." The last sentence of verse seven says it's "the zeal of the Lord" that will accomplish this. God is excited! He's zealous (enthusiastic, passionate, obsessive even) to bring us this hope!

Romans 15:13 is my Christmas prayer: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Why is there hope? Because Jesus was born. O
holy night. What a thrill. God is at work.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

What does hope out of despair look like? There
are lots of examples in any Christian's life, but in terms of contemporary cinema, I know of no
better example than the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Go back and watch those movies again over the holidays, keeping an eye out for allusions to hope
and hopelessness.

316Judith

Do You See Him? Friday December 1, 2023

IT'S CHRISTMAS NIGHT. THE HOUSE IS QUIET. Even the crackle is gone from the fireplace.

The last of the carolers appeared on the ten o'clock news.

The last of the apple pie was eaten by my brother-in-law.

And the last of the Christmas albums have been stored away having dutifully performed their annual rendition of chestnuts, white Christmases, and red-nosed reindeers.

It's Christmas night.

The midnight hour has chimed and I should be asleep, but I'm awake. I'm kept awake by one stunning thought. The world was different this week. It was temporarily transformed.

The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be.

We forgot our compulsion with winning, wooing, and warring.

We put away our ladders and ledgers, we hung up our stopwatches and weapons.

We stepped off our race tracks and roller coasters and looked outward toward the star of Bethlehem.

It's the season to be jolly because, more than at any other time, we think of him. More than in any other season, his name is on our lips.

And the result?

For a few precious hours, he is beheld. Christ the Lord.

Those who pass the year without seeing him, suddenly see him.

People who have been accustomed to using his name in vain, pause to use it in praise.

Eyes, now free of the blinders of self, marvel at his majesty.

All of a sudden he's everywhere.

In the grin of the policeman as he drives the paddy wagon full of presents to the orphanage.

In the twinkle in the eyes of the Taiwanese waiter as he tells of his upcoming Christmas trip to see his children.

In the emotion of the father who is too thankful to finish the dinner table prayer.

He's in the tears of the mother as she welcomes home her son from overseas.

He's in the heart of the man who spent Christmas morning on skid row giving away cold baloney sandwiches and warm wishes.

And he's in the solemn silence of the crowd of shopping mall shoppers as the elementary school chorus sings "Away in a Manger."
Emmanuel. He is with us. God came near. It's Christmas night.

In a few hours the cleanup will begin—lights will come down, trees will be thrown out. Size 36 will be exchanged for size 40, eggnog will be on sale for half price. Soon life will be normal again. December's generosity will become January's payments and the magic will begin to fade.

But for the moment, the magic is still in the air.

Maybe that's why I'm still awake. I want to savor the spirit just a bit more. I want to pray that those who beheld him today will look for him next August.

And I can't help but linger on one fanciful thought: If he can do so much with such timid prayers lamely offered in December, how much more could he do if we thought of him every day?

Devotion by Max Lucado

316Judith

The Real Reason for Christmas - Advent Devotional - Dec. 2

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

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 moving closer to Christmas 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!

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 

1. 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? 

2. 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? 

3. 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?

Devotional by Sparkling Gems by Rick Renner

316Judith

An Advent Prayer for Hope - Your Daily Prayer - December 3 By Emma Danzey

Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Advent is a time of year celebrated in the preparation for Jesus’ birth. It is the last 4 Sundays which lead to December 25th. As a four-part series, we will pray through the meaning of each candle as we prepare our own hearts for Christmas.

Justin Holcomb shares that “The most common Advent candle tradition, however, involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas.

Each candle represents something different, although traditions vary. The four candles traditionally represent hope, faith, joy, and peace.”

Today as we pray through the first candle, hope, may we be reminded of the fulfilled promise of Jesus as the Messiah long awaited by the people of God.

Let's Pray:

Our Great Messiah, Thank You for being the fulfillment of the promise of eternal life to come. Thank You that You came down to this earth to die for our sins. Jesus, please help us to reflect on Your faithfulness through and through. You give hope to this dark world and You show us how to live with eternal perspective. Help us today and this week not to live with worldly eyes, but to see through Spiritual eyes and know that You are over all and working everything out according to Your purposes.

God, You humbled Yourself to come here and live the life that I could not life. Thank You for standing in my place and taking away my sins. Help me not to go a day without being thankful for that.

Lord, I confess areas in my life where I feel hopeless or doubtful for You to work. Would You please remind me that just as You have worked in the past, throughout the Bible, that You are still working today. Remind me that the hope that comes from You does not disappoint. Help me feel confident to trust in the One who never fails.

Lord, You say in Romans 5:5 “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” You have given us as believers the gift of Your Spirit in us. Hoping in You will not disappoint us. Thank You for your overflowing love.

As we look at the world around us, everything is falling apart. Sin is rampant, lives are broken, people are confused, and the enemy appears to be winning in so many ways, remind us how You have already won the battle and that Your name and Your word prevail and are living and active. Please change hearts, redirect lives, and heal what has been broken. Where there is distrust and doubts, replace them with faith and hope.

As we all come into this season of Christmas with different experiences and various kinds of years, would You meet us where we are? Would you please show us Your glory and draw near to us as we draw near to You?

We pray over those in our lives who need extra hope right now. Give us the words to say and prayers to pray over them and with them so that they would know the freedom and the joy that they can have in You. Whether it be grief, loneliness, anxiety, depression, illness, etc. We ask for discernment how to be love them and point them to Your hope this Christmas season.

God we pray that we are passing on this joyous hope to the next generation. You say in Psalm 145:4, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”

Help us to declare this hope that we have because of what You have done Jesus. If we are ever tempted to hold it back, move in us to act and to share this hope that we have. You say in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be ready to give an answer for the hope that we have, may we not neglect telling those younger than us and encouraging them in faith. Amen.

316Judith

A Prayer for the Overwhelmed Mom at Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 4

By Alicia Searl

“The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” Exodus 33:14

Christmastime is a beautiful and holy time of year, causing us to pause and reflect on God’s rich love for us, soaking in all its wonders, but for the overwhelmed mom, going into this season can cause a surge of panic. As excitement and anticipation grow, so do the anxiety, frantic nerves, and seasonal stress.

The daunting task of trying to please everyone around her while making memories for her precious family has officially begun, and she’s already tired. Her intentions may mean well and generally stem from a pure heart, but in due time, all this striving and giving, tirelessly aiming to satisfy family and friends, eventually leads to a place that exudes a dim glow that’s a little lackluster. 

Moms have always been rather good at stuffing down their own happiness in order to bring out the best in others. This need to create magical memories only intensifies as Christmas draws near. They pledge to themselves (pretty much every year) that this Christmas will be different.

This Christmas will be more about… fill in the blank. This trail of thought is brought on by the detour she took looking back on Christmases past.  

Yet, as time goes on and the to-do list grows longer, the once deemed “holy and jolly mom” slowly gets replaced with the pale green starkness of the Grinch. Joy and peace manage to become consumed by the shuffle of events and endless demands, and the excitement quickly fizzles out with unmet expectations.

Before too long, the busy patterns of this season will have a weary momma’s heart gently whispering, “Where are you, Christmas?” Maybe you are that overwhelmed mom in need of hope. Well, let me remind you that our Savior is near! If we truly want this Christmas to be different, we must make room in our schedule to become overwhelmed by His Presence (Exodus 33:14).

This Christmas, search for ways to slip away to be removed from all the “stuff” so you can be refueled by God’s unfailing love. Carve out time to dig into His Word, stroll in His beautiful creation, sit beneath the tree and soak in its glorious glow. Let those small and precious moments that you met with Jesus prompt you to rejoice and give Him thanks and praise for all that He has done in your life (Isaiah 12:4-5).

I would like to invite you to pause and pray with me today. Let’s seek Jesus this season and let Him speak softly to your weary heart. When we stop searching for the perfect Christmas, we are met with a perfect Savior. Rest in Him today, and let His presence be the promising present of joy for your overwhelmed soul (Romans 15:13).

Let’s pray:

Lord Jesus, You are the true reason for this season, and I am blessed by the gift of salvation You brought to this fallen world in order to save us, to save me. This time of year, I long to create special memories for my family, but it is so easy to get overwhelmed by the pressure and demands of this season. O God, create in me a heart that wants to be overwhelmed by Your precious presence and etch that within the hearts of my children.

Create boundaries in my life that allow me to be filled by Your love so I can freely share Your abundant love with others.

Lord, forgive me where I fail You. The moments I have allowed joy to be stolen from me this season due to the calendar I so quickly fill up with unnecessary events. Show me areas in which I can simplify my schedule and make extra room to be still and quiet (Psalm 46:10).  
When those events do come, and we try to bond as a family, I invite You to be the main part of our gathering. Lean in a little closer when I am met with unrealistic or unmet expectations. Speak to my heart and lead and guide me back to Who You are.

Jesus, I am so thankful for Your sweet and precious birth story. I long to be overwhelmed in Your presence this season and all year long. With love and adoration. Amen.

316Judith

Hail the Incarnate Deity -
Advent Devotional -Dec. 6, 2023

On that still winter's night, something was up...
something extraordinary... something supernatural.

The shepherds raced to the City of David and found their Savior, just as the angel had said... swaddled and lying in a feeding trough.

This was the Promised One, the Messiah! God had finally come to dwell with His people, but in such an unexpected way.

Just who was this holy Child the shepherds gazed upon? Make no mistake: He was incarnate deity.

The newborn Jesus existed in eternity past as God the Son. He was coequal, coeternal, and coexistent with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

However, Jesus relinquished the privileges and the pleasures of His existence in heaven when He took upon Himself the limitations of humanity (Philippians 2:6-7).

In emptying Himself, Jesus voluntarily set aside the prerogatives and prerequisites of life as He had known it, an existence He had enjoyed; He released His right to that kind of life, saying to the Father, "I will go."

Go where? To Bethlehem. He took "the form of a bond-servant, and [was] made in the likeness of men."

Allow yourself to picture what the shepherds saw.

There He is, the baby. Do you see His ten fingers and ten toes? His button nose? Can you hear the cries? There's humanity. In this holy infant is the beginning of an earthly life. Look deep into His eyes and see the beginning of life itself.

Later, this divine man, completely unique in His nature and in the perfect life that He lived, "humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Isn't that amazing? Of all ways to die, He died on a cross
—the most humiliating and painful kind of death.

God the Son lowered Himself. He took on the flesh of an infant. He died a humiliating death. As a result, God the Father "highly exalted Him."

One day, all will bow in worship of the risen Lord, "to the glory of God the Father."

It's all about His glory. What a plan. What an execution. What a perfect, awesome wrapping!

The God-man. Jesus is undiminished deity and true humanity, two distinct natures in one person, forever. That's the baby in the manger!

See Isaiah 7:14 and Philippians 2:5-11.

The baby in the manger is undiminished deity and true humanity, two distinct natures in one person, forever.

Devotion by Chuck Swindoll

316Judith

O Christmas Tree Advent Devotional December 8, 2023 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.

316Judith

Do You Believe in Christmas Miracles? - Advent Devotional - Dec. 10, 2023

By Lynette Kittle

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). — Matthew 1:23

Have you noticed how many Christmas movies focus on receiving a Christmas miracle?

Although many center on Santa Claus making things happen, still Christmas is portrayed as a time for long-awaited hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.

Rightly so, too, because Christmas is all about miracles!

It’s a celebration of the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus, God come to earth in human form, to live among mankind and save people from their sins. What could be more miraculous than that?

So how do you approach Christmas? Are you hoping for God to do the impossible in your life? Do you believe what Jesus said, that all things are possible with God? (Mark 10:27)

If you aren’t expecting God to do the impossible at Christmas or any other time of the year, perhaps it’s because of past disappointments, of times where you had great hope and anticipation but didn’t see your prayers answered?

If so, ask God to renew your expectancy in Him, to revive your faith despite your disappointments. Choose to base what you believe about God on what Scripture says about Him, rather on past discouraging experiences.

If former letdowns are holding you back from having faith in God, James 1:6 encourages you to believe with all your heart and not doubt God because doubt inhibits the impossible.

Scripture explains what happened when Jesus visited His hometown and the residents doubted Him. Their disbelief effected what they were able to receive from Jesus. As Matthew 13:58 explains, “And He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”

If you’re lacking faith in believing God is able to do the impossible, ask Him to increase your faith. Hebrews 11:1 explains, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Consider how everything you see created was once impossible without God. As John 1:3 explains, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”

As Jeremiah 32:17 describes, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You.”

Colossians 1:16 further describes, “For in Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

At Christmas and all year long, choose to believe that nothing is too difficult for God to bring about in your life by stepping out in faith and asking Him to transform your impossibilities into possibilities.

Healthyme7410

I do believe in miracles for other people but sometimes I doubt miracles happening in my life. I'm not sure why that happens. I am believing in a miracle in both Judith's and Marilyn's lives. God made our bodies and knows how to heal them. We will wait in expectation to see how he works in their lives as well as our lives.

316Judith

Has the Grinch Stolen Your Christmas? - Advent Devotional - Dec. 11, 2023

And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” 
Luke 2:10-11

Without a doubt, Christmas is to be a time of GREAT JOY.  On that first Christmas night, the angel announced to the shepherds “good news of a great joy.”  The Savior has come!!  WOW!!  

Those shepherds were so excited.  That announcement changed their lives forever.  They were filled with joy and wonder and praise.

At Christmas time, are you filled with joy and wonder and praise?  Or has the devil, the original Grinch, the thief who comes only to steal and kill and destroy, stolen those things from you?  If so, there is still time to get it back!

Think about the angel’s announcement, “There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  What does that really mean for you and me? 

1.  The Savior has come to save you from a dark past.  So many people are suffering with intense guilt over bad things they have done in the past.  The devil beats them to death with shame and guilt.  But be beaten no longer!  All the terrible, horrible things you have done are no match for the Savior’s blood that He shed for you on the cross.  The moment you confess those sins to God and repent of them, you are forgiven!!  Remember what the Savior said to Peter, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy” (Acts 10:15).

2.  The Savior has come to save you from an empty present.  Many people are surviving and not really living.  Jesus came at Christmas not to fill your empty stocking, but to fill your empty life!  He has a purpose and a plan for you.  Come to Him.  Surrender to Him.  Let Him lead you.  He wants to bring you joy and peace, regardless of your circumstances.  He wants to use your life to make a difference in others, a difference that will last for all eternity.  It makes life worth living to know that everyday is an exciting adventure with the Lord, an opportunity to touch another person with the love and joy of Jesus.

3.  The Savior has come to save you from a hopeless future.  Everyone without God is without hope.  No one comes to the Father without the Savior, Jesus Christ.  But now He has come, and we can really know Him personally, and we can be assured of His presence and provision while we live … and His heaven when we die.  Paul said, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).  WOW!  What a future is in store for the child of God!

My friend, do not let the devil steal from you and your Christmas time any longer!  The Savior has come, and He has come for you!  Receive the good news and rejoice in the truth!

Advent Devotion by Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From “His Heart Ministries”

316Judith

5 Ways God's Christmas Gift Keeps on Giving - Advent Devotional - December 14, 2023

“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

Growing up the first Scripture verse I remember memorizing is John 3:16.

I loved hearing it and repeating it to myself and all who would listen to me recite it.

It not only tells of the very first Christmas present ever given, the gift of Jesus, but also assures me of God’s love, where Jesus came from, and God’s purpose in sending Him.

Considering God’s priceless present to the world, the holiday season is an opportune time to share with family, friends, and those around us, 5 ways God’s Christmas gift keeps on giving:

1. The Gift of Love
Love does not exist outside of God. He is the only source of love because God is love (1 John 4:16). 1 John 4:19 states how God first loved each one of us. Before any of us were able to choose to love Him, He loved us.
John 3:16 assures us that in the history of the world, not one person ever, has been unloved by God.

2. The Gift of Purity
Titus 3:4-5 describes how, “the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared” for the washing away of sin. As 1 John 4:10 states, “He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

No matter what sin has been committed, God is willing to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Through God’s Christmas gift, sin is washed away.

3. The Gift of Salvation
Matthew 1:21 tells the story of an angel coming to Joseph stating, “She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

Salvation is good and pleases God “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4).

As Romans 10:13 asserts, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

4. The Gift of Living in Love
God’s gift enables us to love one another. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 states through God’s example of loving us, we are taught how to love each other. God urges us in His word to,“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10).

We can know and rely on the love God has for us, and when we live in love, we are living in God and God in us (1 John 4:16).

5. The Gift of Life
God’s gift brings new life, causing old things to pass away (2 Corinthians 5:17). Colossians 1:27 tells us of “the glorious riches of this mystery,” which is Christ living within us.

God’s gift of life comes with eternal benefits as promised in 1 John 2:25, “And this is what He promised us—eternal life.”

His glorious Christmas gift to the world has eternal benefits to all who receive Jesus as written in 1 John 5:11, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”

Devotion by Lynette Kittle

316Judith

A Prayer to Stay Focused on Christ at Christmas - Advent Devotional - December 16, 2023

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.

Devotion By Meg Bucher

316Judith

This Christmas, Receive the Best Gift Ever Given, December 16, 2023

“By entering through faith into what God has
always wanted to do for us — set us right with him, make us fit for him — we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus” (Romans 5:1 The Message).

God knew before you were born that you would be reading this in this moment. He planned to get your attention for just a few seconds so he could say this to you:

“I’ve seen every hurt in your life, and I’ve never stopped loving you. You matter to me. I love you more than you will ever know. I made you to love you, and I’ve been waiting for you to love me back.”

If you gave me a Christmas gift and I never opened it, you would be disappointed. And it would be a worthless gift, because I don’t receive the benefit of a gift I never opened.

Jesus Christ is God’s Christmas gift to you.

Yet some of us have gone Christmas after Christmas and never opened the best gift of all:

God’s gift of salvation. Why even celebrate Christmas if you’re not going to open the biggest gift?

It doesn’t make sense to leave unwrapped the gift of your past forgiven, a purpose for living, and a home in Heaven.

God has made a way for you this Christmas to be right with him, and all you have to do is receive his gift of salvation.

Below is a prayer I prayed years ago when I stepped across the line and accepted Jesus. It’s a simple prayer. If these words express the desire in your heart, then prayer them.

“Dear God, I’m scared, but I want to get to know you. I don’t understand it all, but I thank you that you love me. I thank you that you were with me even when I didn’t recognize it. I thank you that you are for me, that you didn’t send Jesus to condemn me but to save me.

“Today I want to receive the Christmas gift of your Son. I ask you to save me from my past, my regrets, my mistakes, my sins, my habits, my hurts, and my hang-ups. Save me from myself.

“I ask you to save me for your purpose. I want to know why you put me on this planet. And I want to fulfill what you made me to do. I want to learn to love you and trust you and have a relationship with you.

“I need peace with you, God, and I need you to put your peace in my heart. I need you to take
away the stress and fill me with your love. Help me be a peacemaker and help others find peace
with you and each other. In your name I pray.
Amen.”

Devotion by Rick Warren

316Judith

HOW TO FIND HOPE ON A LONG SILENT NIGHT Advent Devotional December 18, 2023

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.” Luke 2:8-9a (NLT)

I sit alone near the window at the end of a long December day, my weary frame wrapped in a wordless sigh and a plush red blanket. The wintry woods beyond the glass are as quiet as my children who sleep down the hall.

Moonbeams mingle with the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree, and starlight waltzes with the shadows on the floor.

I take a deep breath and seek solace in the silence. But my heart refuses to rest in the hallowed hush.

For years, when my wee ones filled the nights with wails, I dreamed of a quiet like this.

But what I didn’t know then — when my midnight hours thrummed to the rhythm of sniffling sighs and colicky cries — is that children aren’t the only ones who can fill the night with clamor.

Sometimes the quiet quakes noisy, too.

Doubts drowned out by the drone of the day can resurrect with a ruckus in the lull of night. Fear can run wild when our feet finally slow. And worry can howl reckless in the hush.

It’s in the quiet where we often come face-to-face with our questions:

Do I really believe that God is good?

Does He truly see my needs and hear my prayers?

Do I trust Him enough to obey when it doesn’t make sense?

Will His promises hold firm even if my hope falls short?

It’s in the quiet where we learn to fight for faith.

So, I shift my eyes from that twinkling tree to the Bible on my lap. And I read aloud from those treasured pages.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:8-12, NLT).

God’s Word dangles in the air like the velvet stockings hanging hopeful on my mantle. I close my eyes and try to listen to the truth of Scripture rather than the squall of my own soul.

I imagine the Hope of Heaven landing on the dust of earth … the squeals of fright and the blaze of light. The angel’s declaration and the shepherds’ consternation.

And I ask Jesus to show me something new in this familiar account of the very first Christmas.
Then all at once, I see it through a haze of grateful tears:

The message the angels proclaimed on that Bethlehem hillside long ago didn’t just change the course of one bygone silent night.

The good news of great joy changed the course of every silent night to come. Because we don’t have a God who merely pierces our darkness. We have a Savior who lingers beside us on our long silent nights (Isaiah 9:2-7).

The prophets foretold it (Isaiah 7:14). The angel repeated it. And His name confirms it (Matthew 1:23). God is with us.

And in His presence, we can find everything we need when the quiet quakes noisy.

Dear Jesus, thank You for sticking with me whether I’m full of hope or full of fear. I’m glad my doubts don’t diminish Your love and my qualms don’t offend Your faithfulness. Teach me how to rest in Your presence when my heart is unsettled. I want to trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Luke 1:78-79, “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break
upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness

and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to
the path of peace.” (NLT)

Matthew 1:23, “‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name
Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” (ESV)

Devotion by Alicia Bruxvoort

316Judith

The Essential Message of Christmas
Advent Devotion December 21, 2023

“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?

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Christmas Proves Your Value Advent Devotional December 23, 2023

“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.

Devotion by Rick Warren

316Judith

NEVER THE SAME AGAIN, Advent Devotion, December 26, 2023

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 have (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!

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Schreve,

From His Heart Ministries

316Judith

Untangling Christmas Lights Advent Devotion, December 27, 2023

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12 NIV

The frustration was audible before I stepped into the garage, and the delay evident by the lack of Christmas lights adorning the roofline.

“These were expensive LED lights,” he exclaimed in frustration, “I just bought them last year and they are supposed to last ten years!”

The epic struggle to adorn the house in twinkling lights for the holidays isn’t tragic, but it can be frustrating.

When we don’t get what we paid for, worked hard to accomplish, or get done in the time we allowed, our patience is tested!

Far beyond the topic of exterior illumination for Christmastime are the struggles and heartaches that this season tends to drag to the surface.

In our homes, communities, and countries lie the scars and struggles of this harsh earthly life we are all wading through.

As Christians and believers in Christ, we carry a flicker of light through all of the frustration and darkness.

A hope that carries us through grief and hardship, especially when magnified by the holiday season.

In ancient Biblical times, Jewish tradition lit up the city of Jerusalem during festivals. Light signified positivity, and most importantly, Isaiah spoke of the Messiah that would be a light for all the nations.

As the pillar of light led the Israelites through the desert at night, so Jesus leads us through the darkness of this world.

And when we follow Him, as today's verse states, we have the “light of life.” Following Christ leads others to Him, because the change in us beams out noticeably.

“Light” is intentionally capitalized in this verse, because it refers to Jesus, one person in our triune God.

The Greek word is “phos,” meaning light. It can be used literally and metaphorically in this context.

God is the source of all light. Genesis 1:3 reads, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light is one of the seven “I am” statements Jesus made.

At the time He made this statement, large menorahs illuminated the temple in remembrance of the fire that led the Israelites through the desert at night.

The light also signified the coming Messiah, and “after seven days of dramatic illumination in the temple,” states the Moody Bible Commentary, “Jesus declared, ‘I am the Light of the world.’”

Christ, the reason for the season, permeates the presence of Christmas lights. Like the rest of the hustle and bustle of the season, the lights are meant to remind us to celebrate, not replace the reason we celebrate.

Keep finding silver linings and holding on to Him for the hope we need to walk on through the dark and heavy pressing of this world.

The joy Jesus died to give us isn’t a fleeting happiness that denies the hardships of this world.

Christmas, and all of the twinkling lights, reminds us of our reason to celebrate despite of it.

Our joy as believers cannot be stolen, though we mourn and grieve, endure pain and strife. Joy is a product of the greatest expression of love there has ever been: Jesus.

Jesus is the light of the world. There with the Father when light, and each one of us, was created. His love and care for us is unexplainable, but it is palpable.

Though we trust in an unseen God, we feel His presence and care. He is close to the brokenhearted, and blesses us beyond all we can dream of or imagine.

Those who follow Him witness the way He connects the dots of our everyday lives like untangling a hopeless strand of old Christmas lights.

Living in the light reminds us there will be a day when we no longer need to hold onto the light for dear life, but will embrace Him in it for eternity.

Twinkle on, Christmas lights. But even when you’re unplugged for the season, we will hold your brightness in our hearts.

Devotion by By Meg Bucher

316Judith

A Christmas Prayer for the Merry... and Not so Merry Advent Devotion, December 29, 2023

"But the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!'" Luke 2:10-11 (NLT)
Father God,

We thank You and praise You today for the miracle of Your Son's birth. Thank You for bringing great JOY to the whole world!

Thank You for giving us the assurance that because You came to us in the form of a human, we who believe in Jesus can know with absolute certainty that we'll spend eternity with You.

We thank You, Lord, for the many reasons we have been given a merry Christmas. And we rejoice for each blessing. New life. New love. A home. A job. New opportunities. Second chances.

And more.

We know, Lord, that You bring the sun and the moon and set the stars in motion. You tell the ocean where to stop and the snow when to start.

And we thank You for the mighty gift of Your creation.

Thank You, Father, for spiritual leaders and faith-filled friends who keep encouraging us when we are close to giving up.

And although we have many reasons to rejoice today, Lord, we also know December 25th can be not-so-merry for a whole host of reasons.

We pray for those who are experiencing loss this Christmas: relational, financial, spiritual and physical.

We pray for those who are coping with loving a prodigal and our friends and family members whose hearts are far from You.

We pray for those dealing with unemployment and addictions and chronic sickness ... and unending pain and frustrations of all kinds.

Thank You, Lord, that You are The Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace, even in the midst of our not-so-merry circumstances.

Finally, Lord, we ask You to grant us peace.

Peace in our homes, peace in our churches, and peace in our hearts, when the world all around us spins out-of-control.

Help us to stay focused on You, this Christmastime and always.

Thank You for loving the whole world enough to send the greatest gift, Your Son, so that we might truly have a very merry Christmas.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

John 3:16, "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (NLT)

Luke 2:10, "But the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.'" (NLT)

1 John 5:13, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (NIV)

Psalm 95:1-2, "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." (NIV)

Job 38:8-11, "Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness? For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. I said, 'This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!'" (NLT)

Psalms 72:12-14, "He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him." (NLT)

Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (NIV)

1 Thessalonians 5:23, "Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless
until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again." (NLT)

Devotions by Proverbs 31 Ministries

316Judith

Living for Christ the Rest of the Year - Advent Devotional - December 31

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
Luke 1:46-55

It's always a little sad, isn't it? Christmas is over, and soon decorations will come down and be put away in boxes for the next 11 months. It's like we experience this feel-good high that crashes to the ground.

Unfortunately, that's the way many live the spiritual life, just waiting for the next big event so they can get their feel-good fix. But Mary's first Christmas was anything but feel-good.
Mary sang and praised God for the same reasons that we ought to be singing every day of the year: She sang because of her salvation.

Mary knew the challenges that were on the horizon and was getting ready to face some severe scrutiny for turning up pregnant and unwed! And never mind the anguish she was going to cause her family, who would be forced to disown her or face the same rejection.

True praise isn't grounded in your circumstances. So as you unwind from Christmas, don't just settle back into business as usual. Take something special from this Christmas like a better appreciation of who Christ is and what he did. Because while you may celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th, you should experience the life of Christ every day as he lives through you.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SHOULDN'T BE BASED ON FEEL-GOOD EVENTS BUT ON YOUR DAILY RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

Advent Devotion by Crosswalk