Friday, December 23, 2022

Friday, December 23, 2022
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Jesus’ disciples assumed that He was there to conquer the Romans and establish a new kingdom. But Christ had bigger plans. God didn’t send His Son into the world to conquer the Romans, but to conquer death. Not to establish a kingdom here on earth, but a kingdom in Heaven. Soon, death would be defeated, sin would be conquered, and the veil between God and His children would be torn in two. When that baby was born in a manger two thousand years ago, humanity’s story changed forever, because now it wasn’t about us and what we could do to save ourselves… it was about Him, and the debt that He would pay in our place.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Thursday, December 22, 2022
Luke 2:10-11
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

What an experience it must have been to be one of those shepherds in the field the night Jesus was born. They must have been just as astonished as they were frightened when the sky exploded into a host of angels, singing glory to God. The heavenly messengers shared the joyful news that a Savior had been born in the city of David, and the shepherds immediately went to go find Him. This Christmas season, I hope that you too have the opportunity to share the good news with someone; the news that God has sent us His Son, and that because of His grace we all can all find salvation through faith in Him.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Luke 2:7
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Prince of Peace wasn’t born in a palace. Instead, he was born in a stable, because there was nowhere else for His parents to go. Christ’s beginnings were humble, showing us once again how God uses ordinary circumstances to accomplish extraordinary things. The Son of God could have been born as anyone, but He chose to be born as a nobody and live with nobodies. Putting aside all the royalty and honor He was due, He became flesh and dwelt among us as our servant, our shepherd, and our Savior.

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Luke 1:30-31
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”

The coming of Christ began long ago with God’s promise to fix the broken world; but for Mary, it began with a message from the angel Gabriel. As if meeting an angel wasn’t astonishing enough, Gabriel then told her that, by the power of God’s spirit, she would have a son named Jesus. He would be called Son of the Most High and His kingdom would never end. Like anyone would have been, Mary was probably confused and a little scared… but she had faith and followed the will of the Lord. By trusting in God and becoming His servant, Mary took on one of the most important duties in human history: carrying and raising the Son of God!

Monday, December 19, 2022

Monday, December 19, 2022
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Christ has been a part of God’s plan to save the world since the beginning. In Genesis, God tells the serpent that the descendant of Eve will crush his head, and that the serpent would bruise His heel. Thousands of years later the prophet Isaiah, guided by God’s spirit, told of a coming Messiah who would be born from a virgin. Sure enough, on a starry night in Bethlehem, that Savior took His first breaths in a manger, with angels in the heavens singing for joy. While Jesus’ coming was a surprise to some, His coming had been foretold for centuries. He was the spotless lamb who would save the world by becoming the sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

Friday, December 16, 2022

Friday, December 16, 2022
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Seasons change; God never changes. The hot summer sun slowly loses its warmth, but the Lord’s love never grows cold. Leaves change color and fall from the trees, but the glory of God never fades. Winter comes with a flurry of snow, and for a time we forget about the green grass underneath. But the Lord never forgets one of His children, though they are as numerous as blades of grass. Around the world seasons shift, storms come and go, and nature is seldom one way for long. But God has always been, and always will be the great I AM. He is your Father, your Savior, and your Helper all in one, and nothing will ever change that.