December 23 – Close In Fellowship

“…what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3 (NASB)

These words from the Apostle John's first letter are good for us to read this season as we are thinking these days the coming of Jesus as a newborn baby in Bethlehem. This is speaking of the Christmas event we celebrate each December. Tomorrow is the eve of Christmas which we often consider the night of Jesus’ birth in a stable. It was a night of marvelous fulfillment of the promised redeemer. In the verse before (1 John 1:2), The Apostle John wrote that the life was manifested and they had seen it – they were eyewitnesses. God had revealed His life through His Son Jesus and you and I have received new life by believing in Jesus as our Savior. We also read in our verse that this life is a fellowship with God the Father and with Jesus the Son. We are in a close relationship, a fellowship, in which God shares His blessings with us. And that is all because of Jesus. God’s gift of faith enables our acceptance of Him. We trust that you, friend, will experience this Christmas the blessings of this fellowship that has been promised to all who believe.

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December 13 – Grace and Truth

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NASB)

The signs of Christmas are all around us. Drive through Christmas themed parks, popular movies, even the commercials and advertisements which push the common Christmas message which began two months ago. We've seen the lights for some time and are now hearing the music of Christmas carols and seasonal holiday songs.  The true meaning of this celebration is found in today's verse from the first chapter of the Gospel of John. It tells us what those who saw Jesus when He was here on earth understood of the event that we celebrate at Christmas.  As a disciple who knew and walked with Jesus, John says that they got to see His glory. John was not with the shepherds near Bethlehem who saw God's glory the night Jesus was born. The glory Peter, James and John saw when Jesus was transfigured and his glory was manifest, and the glory other disciples saw was in His person because He was God in human form. This Christmas season, remember the promise of grace and truth and that Jesus is with us today we we can see His glory in the things He does for us because He lives in us.  

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December 26 – Continuing the Reason

“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”  Luke 2:20 (NIV)

We have considered during these days many of the verses, from the Gospel of Luke, that tell the story of the night Jesus was born.  Much of what is recorded in Luke is of the shepherds who had such a special part in the Christmas story.  They heard the news of the birth of Jesus.  They heard the angelic host sing praises and the promise of peace.  They went immediately to see the new-born child and they spread the word to the people they met.  Then they went back to take care of their sheep.  You and I can come to the end of our Christmas celebration this year in the same way the shepherds did.  We can glorify and praise God for all we have been reminded of and are learning.   If we have accepted Jesus as Savior because we have believed in Him, we have experienced the joy of His presence in our lives.  We know some of the promises given to us and we learn more as we read and study the Bible.  The reason Jesus came has been made true in our lives.  As we return to ordinary duties, let us continue glorifying and praising God for all the things we have received from Him and for what we know is true.  

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Please take a moment to share with friends.

December 25 – Indescribable Giving

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”   2 Corinthians 9:15 (NASB)

While Christmas is a time to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it is also a time of giving gifts as an example of the love of God.  It should also be a time of giving thanks for gifts received.   All of us who have believed in Jesus as our Savior will agree that the greatest Gift ever given was when God gave His Son to be our Savior.  In the Gospel of John (3:16) we read that is was because God loved the world so much, He gave us His only begotten Son.   He had one purpose in giving this Gift and it was so that we would come to believe in Him and not perish but have eternal life.  This Gift given to the world that night in Bethlehem, more than 2000 years ago, was given so that you and I and all who believe would be able to receive the ultimate Gift of eternal life with Him.  So we give thanks today on this day, set aside as a special day to remember the indescribable Gift God has given us.  This is the core message of Christmas and it is the promise that should stir all our hearts and minds to thank God.   

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Please pass on this message of the Gift and share with friends.

December 7 – When He Appeared

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”  Titus 3:4-5a  (NIV) 

We are thinking about and beginning to see pictures these days which depict the events which occurred at the time that Jesus was born.  There were the angles who appeared to announce his birth to the shepherds who responded and sought out to find the baby Jesus in the manger, or feed trough.  We also see the wise men from the countries to the east who traveled a long way to find Jesus and to bring him gifts.   Our verse teaches us what was behind all the beautiful things about the Christmas story.  Titus a co-worker of the Apostle Paul received a letter from his teacher which lets us know God had a purpose.  When Jesus appeared as a baby and was wrapped up and put in the manger, it was God acting out of His kindness and love. He had planned it for us and it was by his this that we are saved.   We have not received salvation because we have been good enough or done enough.  We are saved because of His mercy.  He came, He died, and He rose again, and we have new life because once, in Bethlehem, in a manger, at the right time and place, He appeared as a baby.  Let's be thankful. 

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December 23 – Close In Fellowship

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3 (NIV)

These words from the Apostle John's first letter are good for us to read this season as we are thinking these days of the Christmas event, the coming of Jesus as a newborn baby in Bethlehem. In the verse before, John had written that the life was manifested and they had seen it. God had revealed His life through His Son Jesus and you and I have receive new life by believing in Jesus as our Savior. We also read in our verse that this life is a fellowship with God the Father and with Jesus. This fellowship is a close relationship in which God shares His blessings with us. And that is all a result of the coming of Jesus and our acceptance of Him. We trust that you, friend, will experience this Christmas the blessings of this fellowship that has been promised to all who believe.

December 13 – Grace and Truth

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NASB)

The signs of Christmas coming are all around us. We've seen the lights for some time and are now hearing the music of Christmas carols and seasonal holiday songs.  The true meaning of this celebration is found in today's verse from the first chapter of the Gospel of John. It tells us what those who saw Jesus when He was here on earth understood of the event that we celebrate at Christmas.  As a disciple who knew and walked with Jesus, John says that they got to see His glory. John was not with the shepherds near Bethlehem who saw God's glory the night Jesus was born. The glory John and the other disciples saw was in His person because He was God in human form. This Christmas season, remember the promise that Jesus is with us today and we can see His glory each day because He lives in us.  

December 27

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” Psalm 107:21 (NIV)

For some people Christmas came and went and it is over. But if we know the real meaning of the coming of Jesus, we will keep on benefiting from that event every day as long as we live and on into eternity. If you are a child of God you have been stirred these days to thank God for sending His Son to be your Savior. You will not mind being reminded of His great unfailing love. And you will want to continue thanking Him for loving you and doing wonderful things for you. So let us listen to the psalmist and give thanks to the Lord today. 

December 25 - Christmas Day

“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 (NIV)

The good news of the birth of Jesus was for everybody. The following verse, which we read yesterday, explains that the baby would be a Savoir – a very special Savior for He was Christ the Lord. And this Savior was not just for a small group of shepherds. He had come to be a Savior available to everybody – for all the people. The news from heaven was about a great joy available to everybody. We should never forget this. And what is it that brings us joy at Christmas? We should enjoy having time with friends and loved ones. We should enjoy the gifts. But the really greater joy comes from knowing our Savior. So enjoy the eternal life he gives and the assurance of His presence with us. And, if you do not know the Savior, you can right now – believe and receive the gift from God and you will have great joy and eternal life.

December 24 - Beginning of Hanukkah

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NIV)

On the very night that Jesus was born the angel came to tell the shepherds about the event. God chose the shepherds to be the first to hear personally. He said “a Savior has been born to you.” The shepherds needed a Savior and they could personally benefit from His birth. Believing the words of the angels, the shepherds went to find the newborn baby. After seeing and marveling at the event, they returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, exactly as it was told them. I would like to suggest that each of us can apply that message to ourselves personally. Jesus was born for you and for me, to be our Savior. Each of us needed a Savior and He came for you and for me. What a great difference this has made in our lives. Let us listen to the angel’s message – “He is Christ the Lord.”

*Chanukah is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods.

December 23

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

There is a lot of thinking these days about gifts for Christians. People are getting ready to give gifts – shopping and wrapping. And they are also thinking about receiving gifts. Christmas is a gift time and we must not forget that God started it by giving His Son. When Christmas gifts are opened there are many expressions of reactions. We could say that those receiving the gifts eagerly describe them with words like, “What a beautiful sweater!” or “What a wonderful gift!” We can try to describe the gift that God gave, but our verse reminds us that His gift is indescribable. No words can fully describe how great is this gift of His love. So, what do we do? We just thank Him with our whole hearts.

December 20

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 (NIV)

As Christmas Day is approaching, among all that we see and hear, we hear singing of Christian carols that are very appropriate. They remind us of the singing of the angels for a group of shepherds outside of Bethlehem just after the birth of Jesus. The angels knew some of the significance of the coming of Jesus. They may not have understood all – how Jesus was to bring us into God’s family – but they knew it was God doing it. And they knew He was worthy of their praise. There are so many things about Christmas that attract our attention. Let us not let them detract us from the true meaning and from our need to give God the glory!

December 19

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:46 (NIV)

The lights at Christmas can remind us of the great light which the shepherds of Bethlehem saw and the star which the wise men followed. But more important is the fact that Jesus came as a Light for a darkened world. He, Himself, later explained this. As your Savior He has brought light into your life. It may be, however that we can go through dark hours at times. How should a believer deal with such experiences? The answer is in the words Jesus spoke about Himself in our verse today. He said that no one who believes in Him should stay in darkness. That is how to deal with a dark moment – just believe, trust in Him and the light will come. 

December 18

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

When Jesus was here He sometimes made statements to reveal His purpose for coming. One such statement was made in connection with His teaching about Himself as the Good Shepherd. As the Good Shepherd Jesus laid down His life for us His sheep. That is how you and I can have life – eternal life. If you have trusted in Him as your Savior, you do have this eternal life. But did you notice that He added some more words? He said He came that we might have life to the full – full of all the joy and peace that He can give. So when you think of the Babe in Bethlehem, remember we can have life full of blessing because He came.

December 17

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV)

Behind all the interesting stories of the coming of Jesus as a babe in Bethlehem is a very important truth. It was all a part of God’s plan to reach out to us in our need. That baby born in Bethlehem was the Son of God taking human form to set us free from the fear of death. Now we can think of the death of our bodies as opening the gate for us in a glorious future – an unending future. And this is true because Jesus lived as a human being and died as a human being and he was raised in his transformed body to a new life. And this process was set in motion by the virgin birth of Jesus!

December 15

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 (NIV)

There are many things miraculous about the birth of Jesus and one of them is the way His name was chosen. When a child is expected parents give some thought as to what they will name that baby. Not so with Jesus. We remember that the angel Gabriel first instructed Mary what the baby should be called, and then when an angel came to Joseph, he gave the same instructions. His name means a lot to us. In the Old Testament the name Joshua in the Hebrew language meant that God is the one who saves. In the New Testament the Greek form of the same is Jesus with the same meaning. And what it means for us is that He saves us from the power of sin. We can rejoice in this!

December 14

“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20 (NIV)

These were the shepherds to whom the angel had come with the good news of the birth of a Savior. They had gone in to Bethlehem and had found the baby in the manger. What they had seen inspired them to praise God and to glorify Him. Shouldn’t that be our reaction, too? Have not we met the Savior? Has not He shown Himself to us – the faithful One meeting our needs? Has not all we have heard about Him become true in our lives? Let us remember what He has done for us and then do as the shepherds did – glorify and praise Our God.

December 13

“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” Psalm 147:1 (NIV)

Christmas is a time for singing. It has always been that since the night Jesus was born. We remember how the chorus of angels praised God in the hearing of the shepherds. What had just happened there in Bethlehem was such a marvelous thing that even the angels from heaven couldn’t keep back their praises. We, too, can hear songs of praise to God so often these days, and it is appropriate to turn to the songs in the Bible to remind us to sing praises to our God. Let me encourage you to express your praise to Him for His wonderful gift to us. Think of what a difference the coming of Jesus has made in your life and join with the angels in your praise.

December 12

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.” Zephaniah 3:17a (NIV) 

One aspect of Christmas we should never forget is that when Jesus came to earth He was the Son of God. This is emphasized in the name that we hear at Christmas time – the name Immanuel.  We remember that the name means “God with us.” This is the title the prophet Zephaniah wanted to emphasize. Jesus came as a baby in Bethlehem. This baby was God in human form. Jesus is with us today, too, and we can rest in the assurance. No matter what is going on around us today we can be assured that He is with us. Let us recognize His presence and experience the joy of it by faith. 

December 11

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1 (NIV)

We want to be sure that what is happening around us in preparation for Christmas reminds us of what God did for us in sending His Son to earth. Christmas can be a spiritual experience in spite of all the hustle and bustle around us. The shepherds tending their sheep near the town of Bethlehem saw a great light. It was the glory of the Lord shining around them. The light and the glory which Jesus came to bring was not only for the shepherds. It is for you and me too. If you have believed in Jesus as your Savior, the light has come to you. And you should be enjoying the glory of the Lord in your life today. When you see lights this Christmas, let them remind you of this.