DECEMBER 1 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS By Don Lough, Jr. President & CEO, Word of Life Fellowship
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. As a young child, I could hardly wait for that magical moment when we turned on the Christmas tree lights for the first time each season. Lighting the tree meant that the season could officially begin! Lights represent a significant part of the first Christmas story. The shepherds were surprised by the light of the glory of the Lord and the message of good news in Luke 2:9. The Magi were guided to Bethlehem by a light in the east according to Matthew 2:2. Simeon held young Jesus in his arms and recognized Him as salvation’s light to the entire world (Luke 2:32). Seven hundred years before Christ’s birth, Isaiah pointed to the arrival of the promised Light that would impact those living in darkness (Isaiah 9:2). The light theme continued during Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry. He declared in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” This declaration means God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, as the perfect and pure Light. As this Light, Jesus completely and flawlessly revealed God to mankind, putting a bright spotlight on man’s sinfulness and their desperate need for a Savior. Do not miss that Jesus’ declaration is followed by a gracious invitation: “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus came as the original and ultimate Christmas Light to free you from the domain of darkness and sin. He died on the cross to pay the price for your sin, and He conquered the grave three days later. When Jesus did this, He made the only way for you to have a personal relationship with God and experience eternal life in Heaven. Every twinkling Christmas light you see during this season is a reminder that Jesus came to deliver you from the darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).
DECEMBER 2 UNWRAPPING CHRISTMAS By Todd Adams Senior Pastor, Faith Baptist Church
...the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:16)
One of the best parts about Christmas is the unwrapping of the presents we are given. During this time of anticipation, I’ve learned that the wrapping is not always an accurate indication of the gift. I remember one year, our oldest son gave me a gift he had wrapped by himself and had purchased with his own money. The way it was wrapped was not much to look at, but the gift he gave to me was precious.
What do we see as we start to unwrap Christmas?
First, Christmas reminds us that we don’t have to live life by the labels people give us. As we read through Jesus’ lineage in Matthew chapter one, something strange happens. Names appear, names we do not associate with the Christmas story. These are the kind of family members most of us might wish were not in our family tree, names that most writers would leave out. Not so with Matthew. He mentioned many in Jesus’ lineage who had a rough and shameful past (even Matthew himself had a tainted history as a tax collector). In the same way, Jesus sees what we can be instead of what we used to be. Christmas also tells all mankind that Jesus came for sinners like us; we have the problem, and God has the answer. People have often called Christmas the greatest gift exchange—eternal death for eternal life. The Christmas story is about forgiveness in a world where people only felt condemnation. Lastly, accepting God’s gift of love changes our story. When we unwrap Christmas, what we discover is that the baby in the manger is the man on the cross who rises from the grave. He is the Savior of the world and the King who will return. We can’t change our lineage, but we can change our legacy by receiving the greatest gift and faithfully following our Savior.
DECEMBER 3 THE AGONY OF WAITING By Christine Wyrtzen Writer, Teacher, Recording Artist, Broadcaster, Daughters of Promise
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. (Psalm 13:1-2, 5) The theme of waiting saturates the whole redemption story. God waited a long time to send a Savior after the fall of Adam and Eve. Did they look for Jesus after they were banished from the garden? If they understood the prophetic words God spoke over them, they did. They had known the love of the Father in the garden, and though the consequences of their sin were staggering, I’ve no doubt they knew God would come to save. ‘How long, O Lord?’ was the cry of the ages. Injustice, suffering, and the havoc created by an enemy who relished destruction appeared to have the last word as God’s people waited for their Messiah. They endured the scourges of many enemies and faced captivity in Babylon. They saw the destruction of their beautiful temple, waited four hundred more years through an interminable period of silence, and then bent under the weight of Roman rule before Jesus finally came. Never could they guess their answer was a sleeping baby in an animal’s cradle. Today, we are in a new waiting period. Emmanuel came once, stayed a while, but promised He would come again. Though we saw the mystery unveiled in part at Bethlehem, mankind—and the earth he has destroyed—has not yet been restored to his original condition. Why is God, again, waiting so long to rescue? How can He restrain Himself from coming when evil is rampant upon the earth? The nature of waiting is to have unanswered questions. The challenge of waiting is to find the spiritual grit to make proclamations of faith while we scan the horizon for His appearing. In every way you are watching for His salvation this Christmastime, do not let your trust in God be shaken. Rest in the mystery of His timetable. Grieve, but not without faith. Expect, but without a sense of entitlement. Question, but not with a fist. History will always reveal that love prevailed in the waiting.
DECEMBER 4 A SUPERIOR REVELATOR By Paul Weaver Ph.D., Associate Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary, Bible and Theology Matters Podcast Host Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son… (Hebrews 1:1-2)
On Christmas, our favorite time of the year, we celebrate the Incarnation. God became man!
In times past, God revealed Himself through prophets, and He did so many times over many years. But these prophets were merely men, and they were only communicators of revelation. A superior revelator with a superior revelation was yet to come!
Jesus Christ is that superior revelator. He is a superior revelator because:
1. He is eternal—He has always existed. 2. He is one with God the Father—He is not just a mediator of revelation, but the source of revelation. 3. The revelation He provides is direct—He spoke not merely as a communicator of revelation, but the revelation. Jesus Christ came as a superior revelator and informed humanity that God wants us to be reconciled to Him! He informed us we can have peace with God the Father through God the Son. Jesus lived a perfect life, He died as our substitute, and He rose again, conquering sin and death. And so, when we place our faith in Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross, we can be reconciled to God and live eternally with Him. God wants to be known and has gone to great lengths to be known, including and especially in the Incarnation! This Christmas season, may we strive to be as passionate about making Him known as He is passionate about being made known!
DECEMBER 5 AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME By David Payne Pastor, Flemings Chapel Baptist Church
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)
In these days of online ordering, it is not unusual to click on your purchase and for it to arrive at your door the next day. Some companies even specialize in same-day delivery: a logistical marvel. Years ago, generations grew up with a Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog on their lap, eagerly hoping the item they longed for would be wrapped and under the tree in time for Christmas. All the way back in Genesis 3:15, God promised a Redeemer. But for centuries, the world languished in sin. Through Moses, God instituted the law which allowed the faithful to have their penalty for sin postponed for another year through the blood of a sacrificial animal on the Day of Atonement. At last, when Jesus was born to a virgin in Bethlehem, God’s promise of the Redeemer was finally realized. Wrapped with bands of cloth and laid in a manger, Jesus came to deliver those who would believe in Him from their weight of sin and the burden of the law. Jesus came, Matthew 5:17 reminds us, not to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill every requirement so that our debt of sin could be paid in full and not merely postponed. What had been anticipated for thousands of years was realized when Jesus was made flesh. Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, came to be our sin-bearing substitute on the cross. Through faith in His death and our Savior’s victory over the grave, we are freed from sin’s penalty. Therefore, we are adopted as God’s own dear children and are given eternal life. That is grace. It is the best gift anyone can receive any time of year!
DECEMBER 6 WHAT’S YOUR LINE? By Karen Smith Dean of Women New York, Word of Life Bible Institute
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)
The Gospel of Matthew begins the story of Jesus’ life with His genealogy. Genealogies are scattered throughout the Bible, and we tend to overlook them as just a list of names that are really hard to say. But why are these lists there, and why are they significant? There are many reasons, but here are a few. First, the Matthew genealogy connects the Old Testament with the New Testament. You might have heard many of the names before because their stories are in the Old Testament. The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews, so they would have been very familiar with these stories from their history. Matthew draws the connection between who was before and Who has come—Jesus. Second, this is Jesus’ genealogy. (That in itself should make us take notice!) Matthew sets the stage for Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. It traces His full, legal right to succeed David on the throne through Joseph, His earthly father. It points clearly to Jesus as the promised Messiah. Third, these are real people. (How amazing to be listed in the Bible, but especially in Jesus’ lineage!) This is a list of men and women who struggled, sinned, failed, and were sometimes faithful. Yet God chose to place them in the human lineage of His perfect, holy Son. If we were crafting a genealogy for the perfect Son of God, we would list many noble, mighty, wise, blameless, and faithful followers of God. But not God. This is a genealogy of the outcast, the overlooked, the disobedient, the sinner. He delights in using the forgotten, the failures, and the fallen for His glory. So, no matter what your lineage, genealogy, or heritage, your family line can’t keep you from being part of God’s family through Jesus Christ, our Savior. In spite of where you came from or what you have done, God can use your story to point to Jesus the Messiah. That is redemption. That is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. Praise be to the One who came to redeem us all!
DECEMBER 7 UNDER SEALED ORDERS
By Ray Pritchard President, Keep Believing Ministries
No; he shall be called John. (Luke 1:60)
The name given to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s child surprised their friends. No one in their family was named John. Everyone assumed this miracle baby would take his father’s name. In our day, we would say Zechariah Senior and Zechariah Junior. His name would be John, which means, “The Lord has been gracious.” It was a fitting name because God had indeed been gracious to this elderly couple. But it meant more than that. God was about to pour out His grace on the world in the birth of His Son. And their son—this baby named John—would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. He was set apart for God before his birth. Everything about his career would say, “This man stands apart. He’s not like the rest of us.” Many years later, he would preach and call the nation to repentance. He would have upon him the “spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17).
Faith stands on God’s Word even when others don’t understand. In this case, the neighbors meant well, but their advice would lead in the wrong direction.
Elizabeth affirmed God’s choice. Zechariah wrote it on a tablet. Suddenly, he could speak again.
Fear came on everyone who heard him speak, for they knew God had taken his voice away and had suddenly given it back. No wonder they asked, “What then will this child be?” Even the neighbors could see God’s hand was on his life.
When we dare to trust God, others may not understand. Venturing in faith means traveling under sealed orders, obeying now and understanding later.
Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see You. Open my ears to hear You. Open my heart to follow wherever You lead. Amen.
DECEMBER 8 FEAR NOT, PART 1 By Britney Sewall Resident Professor, Word of Life Bible Institute
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. (Luke 2:10)
As I was reading the Christmas story to my three-year-old, he noticed a picture of the stable animals surrounding Jesus in the manger. He worriedly asked, “Mom, are those cows going to eat baby Jesus?” I assured him that they weren’t, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he was missing the whole point of Christmas. Later, however, as he was playing with figurines from a nativity scene, he held up the angel and simply said, “Fear not!”
Fear not.
For many, Christmas is a season of celebration, love, and excitement. Yet for others, it is a season overshadowed by grief, loneliness, and anxiety.
Fear not.
The angel declared that Jesus’ entrance to earth was good news—the source of great joy that is available to you and me. The manger is significant, but so is the angel’s message. Whatever emotions this season may bring, fear not. Just as the glory of the Lord shone around the angel to extinguish the darkness that night, Jesus Himself is able to extinguish the darkness in our own lives. John 1:4-5 reminds us: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This is the whole point of Christmas.
Fear not.
I hope one day my toddler will remember the significance and humility the manger represents. For now, I’m holding on to what he does remember: Fear not.
DECEMBER 9 FEAR NOT, PART 2 By Richard Andrews Vice President of Florida Ministries, Word of Life Fellowship
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. (Luke 2:10-11)
Let’s spend a minute or two talking about the words, “fear not.” Those two words show up often in the Christmas story.
Zacharias was told, “Don’t be afraid.”
Mary was told, “Don’t be afraid.”
Joseph was told, “Don’t be afraid” in Matthew 1.
And the shepherds were told, “Fear not.”
The reminder from the Christmas story to all of us is that God is still in control. We might not understand what He’s doing; we might not choose to do things the way He’s doing them. But if you are in Christ Jesus, the Christmas message to you is, “fear not.” God is completely for you and for me. “What then shall we say to these things? If [since] God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
He will conquer all fears and foes…
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35, 37–39).
Child of God, regardless of how long the trials or crises in your life may last, God loves you, and He’s intimately concerned about every aspect of your life. Fear not!
DECEMBER 10 PEACE AT CHRISTMASTIME By Paul Barreca General Director, Fellowship International Mission
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! (Luke 2:14)
On Christmas Eve, 1865, a prominent Philadelphia clergyman stood overlooking the fields of Bethlehem, hoping the scene would bring peace back to his troubled heart. Pastor Phillips Brooks was discouraged and broken after leading Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia during the Civil War. The grief of President Lincoln’s assassination five days after the war ended was the final blow for Brooks. Weary from years of grieving and loss, he traveled to the Holy Land, hoping to find peace. On Christmas Eve, he borrowed a horse and traveled to Bethlehem, arriving as dusk settled over the fields where shepherds were tending their sheep. Peace overwhelmed him as he recalled the words of Luke 2:14, “on earth peace…” The Bethlehem experience changed the young pastor. He returned home renewed and prepared to minister to others once again. Although deeply touched, he could never fully express what happened to him that night in Bethlehem. Three years later, just before Christmas, he began to recall the feeling of peace that swept over him that night on a Judean hillside. The words for a Christmas Eve song for his congregation flowed from his pen:
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
The words of this carol are as true and needed today as they were when they were written. Let the peace that Christ brings flood your heart as you celebrate His birth!
DECEMBER 11 HOPES AND FEARS By Jesse Johnson Pastor, Immanuel Bible Church
Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation. (Luke 2:29-30)
Inside the human heart, there is a powerful connection between hope and fear. As expectancy increases, so does fear. The more we put our hope in something, the more we fear its possible failure. The two are inextricably connected, and they osculate in unison. Children understand this connection, particularly at Christmastime. If there is a certain present a child wants, then there is also a particular fear his/her parents won’t get it right. That childlike connection between hope and fear grows and matures right into adulthood. The more important a promotion is at work, the more intensely the fear is felt. When a mother who has longed for years to have a child finally hears she is expecting, she needs to stand guard against the fear that something may go wrong. This relationship between fear and hope is revealed in Advent. Ever since Adam and Eve salted the earth with their sin, God sowed hope in the human heart with the promise of the Savior. As sin increased in the world, the promise of the Savior was amplified. In keeping with human nature, fear grew as hope increased. “What if the Messiah is not what we expected? What if He doesn’t come in time? What if He fails to deliver God’s people?” God delivered His promise when Mary delivered her child. The skeptics would have certainly scoffed; after all, a baby is no match for the Roman Empire, and a nursing child cannot vanquish sin. Yet, those with faith looked upon the baby and declared with Simeon, “I can depart in peace, for now my eyes have seen your salvation” (see Luke 2:29-30). Jesus met every faithful doubt with His wonderful power, which in turn caused hope to increase all the more.
Thus, it is a true Christmas expression that “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.”
DECEMBER 12 PEACE THROUGH HIS SUFFERING By Brian Baker Vice President, New York Word of Life Bible Institute and Camps
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
“Peace” is a word that is often used at Christmastime, and rightfully so. The angels declared it in Luke 2:14. We all love peace, but we rarely appreciate it until we don’t have it anymore. We take an uninterrupted night’s sleep for granted until we are blessed with an infant who wakes up crying in the middle of the night. What a young mother would not do for a peaceful night’s sleep. In Isaiah 53, the prophet Isaiah is writing some 700 years before Jesus would come to earth as a baby. His prophecy is about the coming Messiah and how His own people would one day reject Him. The declaration in verse five is that the Messiah (Jesus) would bring peace and healing, but at what cost? You see, everyone loves peace—but it must be remembered, in most cases, a sacrifice is made to make that peace possible. The same is certainly true when it comes to peace with God. We celebrate Christmas because God the Father was willing to send His only Son to earth and God the Son was willing to be obedient to the plans of the Father. Peace with God came at a great cost. Jesus suffered and died on the cross so anyone who puts their faith in Him will have a relationship with the Father. Spiritual healing comes through the pain He endured. Victory in Christ comes because He did not stay dead but rose from the grave, victorious over sin and death.
Have you put your trust in Jesus? He is ready to welcome you to the family.
DECEMBER 13 WHY DO WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS? By John Nelson Executive Assistant to the President, Word of Life Fellowship
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners… (1 Timothy 1:15)
Christmas is a favorite time of the year for many. Why do we celebrate Christmas? In very simple terms, this verse explains the rationale for one of the oldest holidays. Without Jesus, there is no reason for Christmas. He is the focal point and the reason for the season as evidenced by His name, a name synonymous with this ancient celebration. Christ Jesus came leaving the splendor of heaven and was born in a humble stable. He came because of His love for every person who has lived and who will ever live. He came out of a perfect place to an imperfect world. Jesus Christ, the only one who has ever lived a sinless life, came to save people like you and me- people who desperately need to be rescued from our sin- to bring us salvation and to give us new life. He died a cruel death to pay the penalty for our sin, but He didn’t stay in the grave. On the third day after He died, He arose and conquered sin and death. The songwriter said it this way:
Born to die, that man might live, came to earth new life to give. *
What does this mean for you and me? Every person who places their trust in Jesus Christ experiences the new life that Christ came to give. It is a life of joy, of peace and fulfillment that cannot be explained—it must be experienced. Jesus said, “I came that they [you] may have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
*“Ring the Bells” by Harry Bollback
DECEMBER 14 TIMELESS TREASURES By Shean Phillips Lead Pastor, Vienna Baptist Church
Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. (Micah 7:18)
An unlikely sight, grandmother and grandson dancing in the dining room to music from her past. A partially warped Perry Como record spinning and “Silver Bells” filling the pine-scented air. There were homemade noodles “rising” on every surface. What a treat that grandma would stop all the busyness of preparing and take the time to dance with me. This is truly one of my dearest Christmas memories. Have you ever thought about those timeless treasures you’ve had during the holidays with a loved one, perhaps someone who left all too soon? The smell of the air, the sound of the laugh, the things that brought the deepest joy—these memories are some of the most important things we can cherish. You know, someone else is ready to be the little kid in the story with you. It can be easy to get so caught up in feelings of nostalgia and even loss this Christmas that we forget to laugh and smell and even dance with the joyful folks we still have, or to seek out others who don’t have anyone. There are more wonderful memories to make for you and for them. As the above passage says, we have a God who takes great delight in steadfast, or long-enduring, love. And God has both barrels of that love pointed directly at you. Not by your own work or worth, but because God loves to love, you are His timeless treasure. God loves you more than you love your best memories. What a great time to exalt Him now that, “It’s Christmastime in the city.”
DECEMBER 15 FINDING THE LOST SHEEP By Chip Nightingale Director of Advancement, Word of Life Fellowship
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke15:7)
One of my favorite times of celebration is that day when a family brings their child to church for the very first time. As I put that child within my arms and bring them to the front of the congregation, a glow of pride and joy comes over those parents as we take time to celebrate this amazing blessing from God. The best part is the celebration from the congregation when we thank God for the gift of this child. This reminds me of a story that Jesus shares in Luke 15:3-7 about the lost sheep. He says, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” The picture we see is God, our Father, coming after us. When He finds us—the day we become a new creation when we give our lives to Him—He lifts us up in celebration of our new life. But it doesn’t stop there. He says, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” The celebration in heaven is not just with the amount of people who could sit in your sanctuary; it’s a celebration of joy with a multitude of angels. The heavens are rejoicing. The world gives us so many ideas of the things we should celebrate, but what do you think is important to God? This year, as I go into this holiday season, I am being reminded that we live in a world full of lost sheep. I need to be willing to leave the ninety-nine who know the Lord and search out the one who is lost.
Pray and ask the Lord to open your hearts to who that one might be. Then prepare your heart to be willing to drop everything else to go and find them.
DECEMBER 16 THE PERFECT GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS By Chris Gnanakan D. Min., Ph.D., D.D., Director of Leadership Development at Christar, Professor of Theology & Global Studies at Liberty University
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given… (Isaiah 9:6)
I struggle getting gifts for family and loved ones, especially at Christmastime. My predicament is threefold. First, they may already have what I’m planning to get them. Second, they may not care to value or use it. Third, given they really need it, I worry if I have the means to pay for that gift! Have you faced a similar dilemma? The issue is whether a gift can be “afforded” and then “received” with appreciation. The Bible has much to say about gift-giving and Christmas. God knew our problem of sin and our need for forgiveness and fellowship, so He promised to give us an appropriate gift. Jesus came that first Christmas as God’s gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23). Christmas is further proof that God is loving and giving, faithful and forgiving. God knew our greatest need, so He gave us the perfect gift in the person of Jesus. We usually take people for granted, yet interpersonal relationships are the most valuable gifts one can cherish. What gift can we possibly give our Creator and Redeemer that is appropriate and that He would desire? If the best gifts are always relational, not just transactional, then the perfect gift you can give anyone is yourself. This was demonstrated in the Incarnation when God gave Himself to us in the person of Jesus. Those who gratefully receive this incomparable gift find it “inexpressible,” meaning that there is no language to express its true worth (2 Corinthians 9:15)! In response to God’s gift of life through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice; such a gift is “good and acceptable and perfect” to God (Romans 12:1-2). Have you personally received the best gift ever given? Have you given God the perfect gift of yourself? Let me leave you with two thoughts this season: People who do not have the gift of Christmas in their heart will never find the perfect gift under a tree or elsewhere. For those who do have Christ in their hearts, Christmastime or anytime is the perfect time to share with others the best gift of all—Jesus. God's salvation is a gift that keeps on giving!
DECEMBER 17 THE WAY DOWN IS THE WAY UP By James Jeffery D.D., Discipleship Pastor, Chapel Pointe Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:5-7) One of my memories of vacation trips with our children included a tour of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. The Gateway Arch dominates the Mississippi River waterfront and the cityscape at 630 feet tall. The ride in a tram to the viewing area at the top of the arch takes only four minutes. But to get to the tram, you need to walk down 46 stairs. In other words, the way up is first the way down. The Incarnation of Christ and His mission of redemption took Him on downward steps of humility that led to His ultimate exaltation in glory (see Philippians 2:5-11). In that way, He is an example of how humble servanthood entrusts to a faithful God our future approval, “well done, good and faithful servant” (see Philippians 2:1-5). Christ was in very nature God, yet He did not cling to His rights or the glory He enjoyed in heaven. Continuing to possess all the attributes of God, He gave up the privileges and recognition He deserved as God. He became a servant and wrapped Himself in humanity. In His humanity, He humbled Himself in obedience to God to the point of death. He died on a criminal’s cross for our sins though He had no sin. His Incarnation was for our redemption. God the Father then exalted Christ in His resurrection, His ascension, His enthronement in heaven, and His coming kingdom. The name of Jesus is above every name. Every knee will bow before Him in submission. Every tongue will declare His glory and lordship. Let us worship Him and follow His example in humility and servanthood.
DECEMBER 18 THE PERFECTIONS OF CHRISTMAS By Kathy Collard Miller Christian Author and Speaker
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
I grew up in a poor family, and my mother saved in a specific bank account all year long so we could have gifts under the Christmas tree. More than any other time in the year, except maybe my birthday, I felt loved. My mom’s efforts to save money for gifts for three children seemed to indicate love and security. I didn’t realize as I grew up that my mom’s efforts actually contributed to an unhealthy perspective about God—that He required my efforts so He could love me. I had a mental image of a scale of justice which kept track of my good deeds on one side and my bad deeds on the other. I hoped there would be more good deeds than bad on my scale when I died so I could be approved by God to enter heaven. On October 1, 1967, when I was eighteen years old, I heard for the first time that I could never earn my way into heaven—God had provided through His efforts, His work. On that beautiful morning at a little church in Norwalk, California, a pastor explained to me that entrance into heaven came not from piling good deeds on a particular side of my spiritual scale, but from depending upon Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for my sins on the cross of Calvary. Such beautiful news! I prayed to receive Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Two months later, on my first Christmas after becoming saved, I enjoyed celebrating Jesus’ birth with a new heart and a new understanding. Jesus didn’t come to earth to examine my life and require perfection, but He was born as the only human being who would perform perfectly. Only then would He be the perfect substitute for the sins of the world. I again recognized I could never achieve total purity. Rather, God saw me as perfect because I depended upon Jesus’ death and resurrection for my spiritual standing before a holy God (Hebrews 10:14). I’m grateful for my mother’s faithful efforts to provide gifts for us as children. But I’m more grateful that my spiritual gifts and my standing as God’s child doesn’t require me to become perfect. Jesus’ perfect life from the moment of His birth guarantees He is the perfect substitute for me.
DECEMBER 19 THE UNUSED GIFT
By Kenn Kington Christian Comedian
Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
While I was cleaning out my junk drawer the other day, I came across a gift card to a local restaurant that I really like. It had somehow navigated its way into the back of the drawer under other items similarly dropped into the “save it for later” compartment. Upon further inspection, I found it had my name on it! The gift card was a thoughtful gift from one of my kids desiring to give me something I would like. To my shame, it had been in the junk drawer for over two years waiting to fulfill its intended purpose. I had invited my daughter to go with me to this simple breakfast place and use the card for a daddy/daughter date. The sad reality is that I should have enjoyed it, and her company, long before the rediscovery of the gift. Too often, I find myself hearing or reading a great truth or much-needed principle from a sermon or from a reading of Scripture in my quiet time. Somehow, those nuggets of truth, those gifts of God’s Holy Spirit, get dropped into my mental junk drawer. Given in love, valuable beyond compare, opened and received with joyous need… and yet, unused. I’ve learned an amazing lesson from both the reality of having children and God’s Word itself. My kids open a gift and immediately want to go play with it, use it, or put it on! Oftentimes, they seek to enjoy it before even opening the rest of their gifts. This is the heart of a child! I cannot ignore the thought that, just maybe, God desires us to take the gifts of His truth to heart in much the same way. “Lord, what can I do with this RIGHT NOW?” In Matthew 18:3, Jesus proclaimed, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” I cannot help but think that God delights to give great gifts to all who seek Him, and that even greater joy is found in seeing us use those truths and gifts lavishly, immediately, and fully.
DECEMBER 20 THE BIBLE: MY ULTIMATE FAVORITE By Daniel Anderson President, Appalachian Bible College
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10)
What makes a favorite? A variety of answers come to mind. It might be a favorite food—I love my wife’s meatloaf. It might be a favorite color—I like blue. It might be a favorite place—I travel all the time, but there’s no place like home! There are lots of other favorites we might identify. But what should be our ultimate favorite? While there might be differing answers to this question, there is one answer provided in Psalm 19:10 which I believe captures the title “favorite.” Note what the psalmist David identifies as qualified to be our favorite:
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
God’s Word should be our favorite! Using familiar comparisons, David declares the Bible is his favorite beyond any material wealth (“gold”). In fact, it is his favorite beyond any measure of wealth (“much fine gold”). He completes his testimony of his favorite by boldly stating that God’s Word surpasses any morsel of wealth (“sweeter also than honey”). Stop and reflect on your idea of a favorite. We can certainly enjoy many areas of life which can be described as “a favorite,” but none should compare or compete with our ultimate favorite, the Bible.
Take some extra time today to demonstrate the Bible is your favorite by reading, memorizing, or meditating upon the precious Word of God. Now that’s a favorite!
DECEMBER 21 PEACE AT THE PERFECT TIME By Kyle Gray Florida Youth Camp Director, Word of Life Camps
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
You know that moment in, a story where all seems lost? The hero is finished, the prize is unachieved, and the enemy has won. Maybe like me, you might get a pit in your stomach. Your mind races through scenarios where, hopefully, someone unexpectedly steps in and it all works out. But you wonder, will it?
Maybe moments like that have happened in your life as well—days where you think all is lost.
Many of us look at the state the world is in and feel that something is missing. People and leaders that should be standing up for us do not. Systems that ought to work for common man seem not to. Even for us, regular people, we ourselves can so easily look out for self and even look to self for answers. Enter Jesus, offering a completely different way of doing and looking at life. Jesus stepped into the hurt of this life to offer hope. Jesus came not only to be the answer for the world, but for each of us. He came to bring salvation to all. Jesus was announced to the world as the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The one we could look to for hope in this broken world. And while one day, He will make all things right, He can also give you hope today. Right now.
Jesus came to be the Perfect: Counselor for the Hurting God to the Helpless Father to the Fatherless Peace to the Weary
Would you look to Him today for hope and help? Would you invite Him into whatever is going on in life? No matter how it all looks, He can bring hope.
DECEMBER 22 JOY IN THE WAITING By Dwight Peterson Pastor of Spiritual Formation, The Capital Church
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. (James 1:2)
One of the most significant parts of Christmas is waiting. It seems the longer the wait, the more powerful the joy. Christmas is so exciting, as we wait for what we anticipate is under the tree. James wrote about this concept, not related to Christmas but to the events of our lives. The question is, why would that waiting produce joy? And what does that have to do with Christmas? First, James tells us to have joy because of what is being produced while we wait. He tells us that while we wait, perseverance is being produced. According to what Paul wrote in Romans 5:3-5, perseverance is the building block on which character is built. Who wouldn't respond with joy knowing you are developing the character quality you need to become more like Jesus? Becoming like Jesus is the goal of our salvation, which is why a baby was born in a manger. We can rejoice with great joy during trials not because of what will one day happen, but because we know it will happen WHILE we are waiting. While we wait, we are gaining that which will enable us to achieve our ultimate goal, to become more like Jesus. This Christmas, there is joy in the waiting because of what the birth of a baby allows us to one day have. But there is also a joy because of what the birth of a baby will enable us to have WHILE we wait. There is joy amid my waiting because God is making me more like Jesus!
DECEMBER 23 HE’S COMING AGAIN By Sharon Jaynes Author, Women’s Ministries Speaker
And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. (Revelation 21:5a)
A few days after Christmas, most of us begin taking down Christmas decorations and packing them away—until next year, when we do it all over again. This year, as you pack away those tinseled treasures, think about this: The babe who was born in a manger, who lived a perfect sinless life, who died on the cross and rose again so that you and I can have eternal life—He is coming again! Only next time, He will not come as a babe in a manger but as a reigning King. John saw Jesus as He will appear when He returns, dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters (see Revelation 1:12-16).
He has promised He will come again to reign in Zion forever. When that day occurs, we will have eternal “peace on earth.” John wrote about that glorious day:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5) I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait. We don’t know when Jesus will return, but we do know it is sooner than it was yesterday. Until then, we will continue to celebrate His first coming at Christmas, anticipating His second coming in the final days.
DECEMBER 24 THE FEELING OF ANTICIPATION By Drew Burtis Dean of Students New York, Word of Life Bible Institute
For my eyes have seen your salvation. (Luke 2:30)
Do you remember what it was like as a kid on Christmas Eve night? Not wanting to go to sleep, laying wide awake in your bed, all the gifts you wished for racing through your mind, constantly checking the clock waiting for morning to come? Oh, you still experience that? It’s okay, I do, too. Christmas brings this feeling of anticipation and excitement unlike any other holiday or birthday, especially for those of us who are followers of Jesus. However, we were not the first to feel this. In Luke 2, we read of a man named Simeon. Scripture tells us he was a righteous and devout man with the Holy Spirit upon him. You see, Simeon was promised he would not see death until he laid eyes on Christ. He was waiting at the temple one day, when Joseph and Mary brought their baby to present Him before the Lord. And every year, I read this verse and feel the satisfaction of the anticipation Simeon must have felt. “For my eyes have seen your salvation.” What raw, unfiltered, beautiful words. The Messiah, the Promised One, the Savior of the world, came near. Simeon, who waited patiently in anticipation for so long, was satisfied at the sight of Christ. So, why is Christmas my favorite time of year? Because God came near. He wrapped Himself in flesh to be with us, Emmanuel. The greatest gift ever given, the satisfaction for our anticipation. And Christmas reminds me that He will come again. And so, we who are in Christ, wait in anticipation for His return. Thank you, Jesus, for coming as a baby so long ago, and thank you for promising to come again for us. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
DECEMBER 25 NOT THE WAY WE WOULD CHOOSE By Don Lough, Jr. President and CEO, Word of Life Fellowship For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:11-12) If you received an assignment to conduct a rescue mission to save the world, how exactly would you do it? Your first move might be to recruit a superhero, seasoned leaders, or even a legion of elite soldiers. I would certainly want the best equipment and technology money could buy.
What about sending a newborn baby lying in a feeding trough in a cave behind an inn at Bethlehem? As crazy as it sounds, this is exactly what God did.
The world needed rescue; God sent a baby. He sent His only Son, Jesus, on a rescue mission down to earth as a helpless infant. The songwriter* says, “This is such a strange way to save the world.” *This strange way is the surprise and wonder of Christmas. None of us would ever dream of this rescue plan. But God reminds us in Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” His way is always the best and only way. God’s rescue plan entailed sending His perfect and sinless Son to die on a Roman cross. Jesus died to save you from the penalty of your sin, and He rose again from the grave. When He did this, He made the only way for you to enter a personal relationship with God and to get to heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). What a day to celebrate God’s surprising rescue plan! We know that God’s way—His plan to send His Son as the Savior of the world—was the perfect way. It opened the door for us to experience a relationship with Him and to receive the promise of eternal life in heaven.
*“A Strange Way to Save the World” by Mark Harris, Dave Clark, and Don Koch
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