Christmas Devotionals

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Evangeline Gilbert
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1 Christmas Devotionals December 1 From: Pastor Dennis Miller Is. 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan Is. 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:1-2 When I read this passage, I am reminded that God doesn't want us to live in gloom and darkness. His plan is joy and light! But it also shows me that God has always intended for the Gentiles to be a part of his plan. We weren't an afterthought -- what joy! December 2 From: Monte Lightner 28 The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. Luke 1:28-30 When I read this passage, I m reminded that God uses those with whom he finds favor. There are many times that I am greeted by situations or opportunities where my initial response is doubt, fear or even panic. I need to remember that not only does God not give us more than we can bear, this passage tells me that these times are blessings from God, allowing us to show our faith in him and, especially, that God is with us in those times. December 3 From: Sam Ward 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a] because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 In the time Jesus was born, it was a father s responsibility to name his son. In Matthew 1:21, God the Father tells Joseph not only to take Mary as his wife, but to be a father to the baby Jesus. That name, Jesus, means the LORD saves. This verse is yet another reminder that

2 the LORD provides for his children. God provided an earthly father for his son and he named his son Jesus, because he will save us from our sins. December 4 From: Keith Schall And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:8-9 It is interesting that the angel appeared to shepherds who were relatively unimportant in the social structure of that day. But the important thing was that as insignificant as they might have been to men, they were critically important to God, as he announced the birth of His son and our Savior through them. God's heart has a special connection to the least among us. God also proves he can use any of us when we are honestly employed and our desire is to give Him the glory. "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31) December 5 From: Erin Stringer 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 We can all attest to the impact of travel on the body--physical and mental exhaustion that distracts us from being our best self when we arrive at our destination. Yet these men, even after having traveled hundreds and hundreds of miles, arrive at the house and "bowed down and worshipped him." They were fully present, giving of themselves and their gifts to worship our Lord. May it be our prayer this Christmas season to move beyond our circumstances, to set aside our distractions, in order to fully focus on celebrating our Lord and Savior. December 6 From: Brian Emerick Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

3 Ahaz, one of the worst Kings of Judah, refused God s help after having several victorious battles, and was distraught over several neighboring Kings plotting to destroy his Kingdom. To me, Isaiah s prophesy of a child born from a virgin named Immanuel, meaning God with us, is a sign that God is capable of the impossible, He is and will be with us and we should have faith and confidence to meet whatever challenges we face with His help. December 7 From: Craig Mickey 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. Luke 1:31 As I read this passage, the name Jesus jumps out me. I am reminded that the name Jesus means The LORD Saves. I am so thankful that Jesus came to save us from our sins. In the business of this holiday season, I encourage you to thank God for sending us His Son. The one who came to save the world. December 8 From: Daun Spurgeon 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel [a] (which means God with us ). Matthew 1:22-23 This verse confirms to me that the Lord always fulfills His promises, in His perfect timing. If I surrender my life to God, I can know Him personally and be ready and willing to be part of His plan. All with the comfort that God will always be with me, never leaving me. December 9 From: Anna Edgar 10 But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10 Believing in this good news allows us to have a deep and continual source of joy within us. That allows us to find peace and contentment in the midst of what could bring fear and unrest. He chose to offer us salvation so that we might know this internal change and then become messengers of this joy to others. We have good news to proclaim to all people, just as the angel did long ago.

4 December 10 From: Brad Robrock 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 Picture the Olympic Games' cauldron of fire, a dark torch extends into the blaze and is immediately illuminated. A single torchbearer carries his piece of light through shadowed alleys and to the farthest corners of the earth bringing hope and joy to all who experience it. In the same way, our Father has given us a great gift- Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. It is our honor, our responsibility to carry His Light in us to the dark and broken places. It is only through Him that we can shine through the darkness and only by Him that we will be free. December 11 From: Dan Friend But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Micah 5:2 It strikes me that God would select such a tiny village to call forth His Messiah who has always been. The prophet Micah is led to write both names for the village (both the founder of the site and the mother - see 1 Chronicles 2:50 and 4:4) in case it might be missed - it was so small. Not worthy to be a ruler or valued clan of Judah - yet worthy to become the birthplace of the King Eternal. God values what man overlooks! December 12 From: Vic Piper He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end. Luke 1:32-33 Amidst this joyous season, rejoice in the fact that the events in this passage, communicated to Mary by the angel Gabriel, have indeed come to pass! Our Lord Jesus, the promised Messiah, was born as a baby. He led a sinless life and demonstrated, through many signs, wonders and miracles, that He indeed is God. He was crucified, died, and rose from the dead. He then

5 ascended to the Father, sat down at the Father s right hand, and has been given all power and authority over all things. As Mary was comforted by the Good News of what was soon to come, may you be comforted as you reflect on the Good News who has come. Rejoice and reflect this season on the fact that He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the Son of the Most High. His kingdom IS established and will never end. He is making all things new. (Rev. 21:1-8) December 13 From: Chris Kuntz And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Luke 1:46-47 I love Mary s faith in God and how she chooses to respond to the news of having a child out of wedlock. Sharing this news with Joseph or others isn t going to go well for Mary, but she rejoices in her soul that God has chosen her to be part of His master plan to bring Jesus into the world as salvation and Messiah. Like Mary, let s glorify God and rejoice that we get to share Jesus Christ the Messiah with others this Advent season. December 14 From: Nate Williams Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12 This message is spoken to the shepherds, right after they are told that it is good news of great joy that will be for all the people. They were terrified: the appearance of the angel spectacular. So, what strikes me most is the character of the sign God gives and the angels speak to the shepherds. When I think of a sign from God, I tend to look for and think of something like the angel s appearance, something spectacular, grand, powerful and obvious. I think of Moses s burning bush; God answering Elijah on Mount Carmel with fire that consumes his wet sacrifice; the handwriting on the wall at Belshazzar s banquet; the majesty and splendor of creation itself. But here, God the omnipotent, mighty God who spoke the universe into being gives a sign that is neither grand nor powerful, at least not in human terms. I m not sure that the sign is obvious either, even though it was probably not every day that shepherds found babies wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. But the sign underscores that Christ s birth is the advent of a new covenant with us. A Savior was born to us, not a conquering king (though that comes later). The meekness and simplicity of the sign reminds us now of what Paul stated later:

6 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians, 2: 5-7). Thank you, Lord, for the humility and love shown to us by the simple, meek, and yet powerful circumstance of your birth. As I seek your face and listen for your voice, help me to remember that your voice, your message and your signs are often small, quiet, and beautiful. December 15 From: Kevin Mattison Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. Luke 2:14 Glory, peace, favor are the promises the angels declare in the midst of ordinary shepherds in the backwoods of Israel. The lowest of professions is met with the highest of praises Glory to God in the highest heaven and the highest of promises on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. I am reminded in this short verse of God s plan not for us to just have eternal life, but to for life to the fullest here and now. Peace on earth, his favor, now. May you find that he favors you and that in that favor there is peace, now, on earth, and in the life to come. Amen. December 16 From: Tim Yanes 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. Isaiah 9:6 I am reminded that God thought of everything. He new that we needed a savior and that we would need to be led by His great authority. He would send us his Son. I am also reminded of the roles that Jesus would take.."the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." December 17 From: Bob Bruce

7 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18 The birth of Jesus was different from any other Jewish boy s birth. It begins with a miracle. Jesus was born of an earthly mother without the need of an earthly father. The miracle of his birth points to his deity. He was God - born in human flesh. December 18 From: LeRoy Long So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. Luke 2:4 In this scripture Joseph and Mary are registering for the census decree to be taken at the request of the Roman world. Joseph is once again witnessing his faithfulness and obedience as an example for us. We too must be obedient and accountable adhering to the laws of our land. December 19 From: Kim Fish 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:16-18 During this Christmas season it is easy to be busy and focused on getting all the tasks in front of us accomplished. The shepherds in these verses HURRIED toward the Christ Child, which means they left behind some less important demands and responsibilities. And after they saw Him, they shared all they had been told with others. What do we need to do and let go of, in order to hurry into the presence of Jesus? What will we tell others about the Hope of the World, the Messiah? December 20 From: Chant Thompson 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

8 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:6-7 As I reflect on these words I ask, do I truly show reverence to the God of the universe, the Lord of my life?" I need to come before the Lord with a thankful heart and a spirit of true awe. How incredible it is that the Lord God wants to have a relationship with each one of us! December 21 From: Shandra Hathaway 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin s name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27 Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. They had a clear idea where things were heading in there future life until God intervened in the most astonishing and creative way. This is a reminder that our field of vision is so limited that we can only see as far as the first bend in the road ahead. To trust in what God calls us to do and to obey His direction often does not make sense to our eyes. Nevertheless, when God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God s promises and do you yield to his grace? December 22 From: Brian Kramer But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20 How many times has God spoken to us through Scripture, prayer, a well-placed word of wisdom, a circumstance, or even a dream at just the right time? Probably more times than we ll ever know. Everything else in our life seems to be pointing us in one direction, then God. His kingdom is still born into the world through our obedient response to his timely intervention, calming our fears and convincing us of his Spirit s activity in and through our lives. December 23 From: Michelle Blocher

9 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7 Waiting for the arrival of a baby is a time of anticipation and excitement. Mary did not plan to have her baby, the Messiah, in a stable. Yet Jesus came into this world like any other baby, helpless and needing to be clothed, a manger as His bed. Through this humble birth, the Son of God came to serve and to save mankind what a gift! December 24 From: Jason Holliday 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel [a] (which means God with us ). Matthew 1:22-23 How incredible, that the words of Isaiah, hundreds of years prior would come true, exactly as he stated. Equally astonishing is that God could cause a virgin to conceive and give birth to a child. However, what should absolutely blow us away is the fact that the God of the universe Himself would come to earth to be with us (Immanuel). Christmas is the celebration of relationship, a relationship between you and God, made possible through His Son, Jesus! December 25 From: Pastor Denny 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. Luke 2:30-32 As we learned yesterday in the Christmas Eve service, it is so nice to remember the true PURPOSE of Christmas the Lord s salvation of His people. This passage is also such a nice reminder of the inclusiveness of this salvation for the Jews AND the Gentiles from the very beginning. As you celebrate your Christmas day, be thankful for your relationship with Christ and inclusive in your relationship towards others!

Journey to Bethlehem Labyrinth

Journey to Bethlehem Labyrinth This shows positions for 25 stops for Dec 1 st to 25 th. For starting on Advent Sunday, follow the table below. If starting on Advent Sunday, adjust the number of stops to