December 1st
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet...
¤ The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way for the Lord. Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low. The crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth, and then all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
¤ A Star shall come out of Jacob... a Scepter shall rise out of Israel. ¤ Yes, after you, Nebuchadnezzar, shall rise another kingdom inferior to yours, then still another... which shall rule over all the earth. And a fourth kingdom shall arise, as strong as iron, and because iron is strong and can break up or shatter everything in its path, that kingdom will break and crush all of the others... But that kingdom shall become divided... Like iron mixed with clay it will be partly strong and partly fragile. Its peoples will not adhere to one another... And in the days of these particular kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. It will put an end to all other kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
¤ In those days John the baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way for the Lord. Make His paths straight"... ¤ He will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord... ¤ And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.
¤ Surely the kingdom of God has come upon you! ¤ To you, it has been given to understand the hidden truths concerning the kingdom of God, but to outsiders, everything remains in parables. ¤ My kingdom is not of this world. ¤ The kingdom of God does not come with observation... You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or, 'It's over there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. ¤ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, they cannot see the kingdom of God... Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, they cannot enter the kingdom of God. ¤ Walk worthy then of God who calls you into His own kingdom. ¤ For He has rescued us out from under the authority of the kingdom of darkness, and He has brought us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood; the forgiveness of sins.
Malachi 4:5 Luke 3:4-6 Numbers 24:17 Daniel 2:39-44 Matthew 3:1-3 Luke 1:17 Matthew 11:14 Matthew 12:28
Mark 4:11 John 18:36 Luke 17:20, 21 John 3:3, 5 1st Thessalonians 2:12 Colossians 1:13,14
December 2nd
Why are you more afraid of men than of Me?
Why have you lied and don't even remember Me or think about Me? Is it because I have not corrected you that you have no fear of Me? Now I will expose your so-called good deeds that you consider so righteous. None of them will benefit or save you. Let's see if your idols can do anything for you when you cry to them for help. I tell you, the wind will carry them all away, just a mere breath of wind... But whoever trusts in Me will possess the land and inherit My holy mountain.— It will be said , "Rebuild! Prepare the way! Clear away the rocks and stones from your heart that you might return from your captivity." The High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, say this; "I live in that high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts. For I will not fight against you forever." ¤ The Deliverer will come from Zion, and He will turn My people from ungodliness, and I will keep My promise with them, and take away their sins.
¤ Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd... "Listen carefully, all of you... Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved among you by miracles, wonders and signs which God did through Him in your presence, as you very well know... Now He sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at Gods' right hand. And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today... So let it clearly be known by everyone that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!"
Peters' words convicted them to the heart, and they said to him and the other apostles, "Men and brothers, what shall we do now?"
Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and your children, and to all those in the future, as many as the Lord our God will call... Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!"
Those who gladly received Peters' word were baptized. About three thousand in all were added to the number of disciples. They continued steadfastly in learning the teachings of the apostles, and joined in their fellowship, sharing in the Lords' Supper and in prayer... Every day the Lord increased the number of those who were finding salvation.
Isaiah 57:11-16 Romans 11:26,27 Acts 2:14, 22, 33, 36-42 & 47
December 3rd
"Look! There's some water! What prevents me from being baptized?"
¤ When they believed Philip, as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Simon himself also believed, and when he was baptized he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. ¤ Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized.
¤ Ananias said to Paul, "The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will and to see the Just One, to hear words from His own lips. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now, what are you waiting for? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
¤ Paul asked the men, "What baptism did you receive?" "We were baptized by John", they replied. Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, that they should believe on Christ Jesus." When these men heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¤ One of those listening was a woman named Lydia. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she invited Paul and his companions into her home. She said, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay."
¤ Philip said to the Ethiopian treasurer, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And the man answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." He then gave orders for the carriage to stop. Then both Philip and the Ethiopian went down into the nearby water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away suddenly and the Ethiopian saw him no more. He then continued on his own journey with a heart full of joy.
¤ And Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and preach this good news to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned." ¤ Baptism does not remove your natural desire to sin, but it is the means of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ¤ We were buried with Him through baptism into His death... If we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection.
Acts 8:36, 8:12,13, 18:8, 22:14-16, 19:3-5, 16:14,15 & 8:37-39 Mark 16:15,16
1st Peter 3:21 Romans 6:4,5
December 4th
Oh God, you are my God...
I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for You, my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land, where there is no water. ¤ Before the dawn comes and the shadows flee away, I will go to the mountain... ¤ I will shout praises from the mountain top!
¤ Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live... I will lift up my hands in Your name. ¤ My soul waits silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not be shaken. In God is my salvation and my glory, the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in Him. Trust in Him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us.
¤ Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me. For You are the God of my salvation. On You I wait all the day. ¤ For You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body. You knit me together in my mothers' womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is indeed marvelous—and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious to me are Your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable. I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand. And when I wake up in the morning, You are still with me!
¤ Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But there is forgiveness with You, that we might learn to respect You. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits. I have put my hope in His word. I long for the Lord, more than sentries long for the dawn.
¤ Oh, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord. You who serve as night watchmen in the house of the Lord, lift up your hands in holiness and bless the Lord. May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you...
¤ Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain... "I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people, for the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation." ¤ You, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ... You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who were once not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Psalm 63:1 Song of Solomon 4:6 Isaiah 42:11 Psalm 63:3,4, 62:5-8, 25:4,5, 139:13-18, 130:3-6, 134:1-3
Exodus 19:3-6 1st Peter 2:5, 9, 10
December 5th
The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God...
¤ No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now God has given us His Spirit, not the worlds' spirit, so that we may understand the wonderful things that He has freely given to us. When we teach you about this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, explaining spiritual truths to spiritual people. But people who aren't Christians don't accept these truths from Gods' Spirit, for they are foolishness to them. Nor can they understand them, because the things of God are spiritually discerned. ¤ The carnal attitude is always opposed to God. It never did follow Gods' laws, and it never will. That is why those under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
¤ Can I discern between good and bad? Can you taste what I eat or drink? ¤ In Nineveh, that great city, there are more than one hundred twenty thousand people who cannot discern between their right hand and their left. ¤ We know that the law itself is concerned with the spiritual. It is I who am carnal, sold into slavery with sin as my master. My own behavior baffles me. I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate... I know that I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't. When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway... It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
¤ When it is evening, you say, "It will be fair weather tonight, for the sky is red." When it is morning, you say, "It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening." Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the obvious signs of the times.
¤ There is much to say to you about Jesus, our High Priest, but it is not easy to explain to you since you seem so slow to grasp spiritual truth. You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot yet eat solid food. A Christian who is living only on milk is unskilled in the word of God, like a baby. Solid foods are only for the mature, that is, those who by training and practice have exercised their senses to discern both good and evil. ¤ Put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not struggling against any physical enemy, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen realm, against the spiritual powers of this dark age who rule the world, and against hosts of wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
1st Corinthians 3:19, 2:11-14 Romans 8:7,8 2nd Samuel 19:35 Jonah 4:11 Romans 7:14,15,18,19 & 21
Matthew 16:2,3 Hebrews 5:10-14 Ephesians 6:11,12
December 6th
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...
¤ My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store My commands in your heart, for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth desert you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation... Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and flee from evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality. Honor the Lord with all your possessions, and with all the firstfruits of your prosperity. Then He will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine... My child, do not rebel against the discipline of the Lord, nor be angry with His correction. For whom the Lord loves, He corrects, as does a wise father with the child in whom he delights.
¤ The Lord by wisdom founded the earth. By understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain... My child, do not lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang onto them, for they will satisfy your soul and bring you both honor and respect.
¤ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
¤ To learn, you must love discipline. It is stupid to hate correction. The way of a fool is right only in his own eyes. But he who heeds My counsel is wise. ¤ A wise child heeds their fathers' instruction, but a scoffer refuses to listen.
¤ Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Let another person praise you and not your own mouth... a stranger, and not your own lips. Remember that wounds from a friend are full of hope, but many kisses from an enemy are deceitful. My child, be wise, and make My heart glad... Then I will be able to answer him who accuses you.
Proverbs 1:7, 3:1-12, 3:19-22, 9:10-12, 12:1, 15, 13:1, 27:1, 2, 6 & 11
December 7th
Does He not see all my ways, and count all my steps?
¤ "My thoughts are completely different than yours," says the Lord. "And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."
¤ The Lord says, "Do not harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. For there your ancestors tried My patience; they courted My wrath though they had seen My many miracles. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and I said, 'They are a people who always go astray in their hearts. They do not know My ways.' So, in My anger I made a vow: 'They will never enter My place of rest.' " ¤ Yet, the people of Israel keep saying, "The way of the Lord is unfair"... "Oh, My people, it is not My ways which are unfair, but your ways. Therefore I will judge each of you, according to your actions," says the Sovereign Lord. "Turn from your sins! Don't let them destroy you! Put all of your rebellion behind you, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die? I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies. Therefore turn, and live!"
¤ Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Who stretched the measuring line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Have you commanded the morning since your days began? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place? Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion? Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that an abundance of water may cover you? Who has put wisdom in the mind? Who has given understanding to the heart?
¤ Then Job answered the Lord and said... "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You... I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance. ¤ Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be His counselor? And who could ever give Him so much that He would have to pay it back? For everything comes from Him; everything exits by His power and is intended for His glory. ¤ Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. ¤ Never trust in yourself.
Job 31:4 Isaiah 55:8,9 Psalm 95:8-11 Ezekiel 18:29-32 Job 38:4 - 7, 12, 17, 19, 31, 34, & 36
Job 42:1, 5 & 6 Romans 12:33-36 Psalm 37:7 Jeremiah 9:23
December 8th
If you had one hundred sheep, and one of them strayed away and was lost in the wilderness, would you not leave the ninety-nine others and go search for the lost one until you found it?
A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die." So the father agreed to divide his livelihood between the two sons. Not many days after, the younger son packed all of his belongings and journeyed to a distant land. There he lost all his possessions through wasteful living. When he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. He joined himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, for no one there would give him anything.
When he finally came to his senses, he said, "How many of my fathers' servants have bread enough to spare, and I perish here with hunger?— I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.' " So he arose and departed from that land and journeyed toward his fathers' estate.
As he drew near, yet still a great way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with great compassion, his father ran to this son and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son." But his father said to the servants who shared his joy and had followed him to meet his son, "Bring out the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring quickly also the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry. For this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and now is found!" And everyone began to be merry.
¤ All we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way. ¤ I say to you, there is likewise exceeding joy in the very presence of the angels of God over one sinner who so repents.
Luke 15:4 & 11-24 Isaiah 53:6 Luke 15:10
December 9th
Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength...
They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.
¤ Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in all His glorious power. He will rule with awesome strength. See, He brings His reward with Him as He comes. He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the parent sheep with their young. ¤ "I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep... And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, those also I must feed, and they will hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, and one Shepherd."
¤ Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? ¤ Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble. My eyes waste away with grief. Yes, my soul and my body ! For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. I am despised among my enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and I am repulsive to my acquaintances. Those who see me outside flee from me. I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind... But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord. I say, "You are my God." My times are in Your hands...
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who honor You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You, in the presence of the eyes of the world. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues. Blessed is the Lord, for He has shown me His unfailing love. He has shown me marvelous kindness when the strength of my spirit was attacked. In sudden fear I cried out, "I have been cut off from the Lord." But You heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.
Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, but He harshly punishes all who are arrogant. So, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all of you who hope in the Lord. ¤ May the Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, God, under whose wings you have come for refuge. ¤ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements, and His ways past finding out!
Isaiah 40:31 Isaiah 40: 10, 11 John 10:11, 16 Psalm 77:9 Psalm 31:9-12, 14, 15, & 19-24
Ruth 2:12 Romans 11:33
December 10th
Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
¤ I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like anyone else, will live again. Whoever lives their lives in Me and believes in Me shall never die.
¤ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet Him ahead of those who are still in their graves. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and remain with Him forever. So, comfort and encourage one another with these words.
I really don't need to write to you about how and when this will all happen, for you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, "All is well; everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman's birth pains begin when her child is about to be born. There will be no escape. But, you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober. Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk. But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. He died for us so that we can live with Him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of His return. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
¤ I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as a little child, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ¤ The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 6:68, 69 11:25, 26 1st Thessalonians 4:15 thru 5:11 Matthew 18:3, 4 Romans 6:23
December 11th
Enter by the narrow gate, because wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in that way. Yet, narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it...
Not all people who sound religious are really Godly. They may refer to Me as 'Lord', but they still won't enter the kingdom of heaven. The decisive issue is whether or not they obey My Father in heaven. ¤ Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth? ¤ I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you through the grace of Christ, to a different teaching, which is really not altogether another teaching, but a perversion of the truth that's been taught. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ. Let me tell you this... If we, or even an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
¤ The kingdom of God does not come in a way foreseen by men. You cannot say, "See here!" or "See there!" For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. ¤ These things we speak, not in words which mans' wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he even know them, because they are spiritually discerned. We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can't understand at all. How could they? For, "Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give Him counsel?" But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
¤ Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' ¤ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ¤ Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Matthew 7:13, 14, 21 Galatians 3:1 Galatians 1:6-9 Luke 17:20, 21 1st Corinthians 2:13-16
Matthew 7:21-23 John 3:5, 6 Mark 16:15, 16
December 12th
I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A star shall come out of Jacob.
¤ The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the rulers' staff from his descendants, until Shiloh comes, the One whom all nations will obey. ¤ The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and of Judah. This will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to My covenant, so I turned My back on them, says the Lord. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be My people. And they will not need to tell their neighbors, nor will they need to tell their family, saying, 'You should know the Lord.' For all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their wrongdoings, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.
¤ But you, O Bethlehem Epharatah, you are only a small village in Judah. Yet, out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose origins are from the distant past, even from everlasting. The people of Israel shall be abandoned to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor has given birth. Then at last His fellow countrymen will return from exile into their own land. And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord, His God. And they shall live, for He shall be great. To the ends of the earth, this One shall be the source of our peace. ¤ Now it shall come to pass in those days that the mountain of the Lords' house shall be established on top of the mountains. It shall be exalted above the hills, and all peoples shall flow into it. Many nations will come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
¤ The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, the God of my strength in whom I trust. He is my shield and the strength of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge.
¤ However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands. ¤ For no greater foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¤ Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¤ So now, you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints of Gods' family. We are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. We are being carefully joined together as a holy temple in the Lord, a dwelling place where God lives in the Spirit.
Numbers 24:17 Genesis 49:10 Hebrews 8:8-12 Micah 5:2-5 Micah 4:1, 2 2nd Samuel 22:2, 3
Acts 7:48 1st Corinthians 3:11, 16 Ephesians 2:19-21
December 13th
Believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father...
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking anyone who will worship Him in that way. For God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. ¤ And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and do not obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking steadily into Gods' perfect law—the law that makes you free—and if you do what it says and don't forget what you've heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
¤ What's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith won't save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well"—but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So, you see, it isn't enough to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by acts of kindness is no faith at all—it is dead and useless.
¤ "A certain man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. By chance a priest came along, but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A church worker later walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also turned back and passed by on the other side. Then a despised Samaritan, a so-called 'sinner' came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. He then put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins (equivalent to 2 days wages) and told him to take care of the man. 'If his bill runs higher than that,' he said, 'I'll pay the difference the next time I am here.' — Now, which of the three men mentioned would you say acted in faith toward God for the man who was attacked?" Jesus asked.
The people replied, "The one who showed him mercy." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same."
¤ O people, the Lord has already told you what is good, and what He requires; To do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 4:21, 23, 24 James 1:22-25, & 2:14-17 Luke 10:30-37 Micah 6:8
December 14th
Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord...
Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They outnumber the hairs of my head. Therefore, my heart fails me. ¤ I am troubled. I am bowed down greatly. I go mourning all the day long. A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart. You know what I long for, Lord. You hear my every sigh... I am on the verge of collapse and my sorrow is continually before me. But I confess my sins; I am in deep anguish for what I have done... Do not abandon me, Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior. ¤ Turn to me and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and in deep distress.
¤ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. ¤ Don't be anxious about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. ¤ Who are you, a mere human being, to criticize God? Should the thing that was created say to the One who made it, "Why have You made me like this?" ¤ Shall we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? ¤ Have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, His children? He said, "My child, do not be angry when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines to correct those He loves, and He punishes to bring into subjection those whom He accepts as His children."
...So, take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet, so that your injured limbs will not be dislocated, but rather strengthened and healed. ¤ We have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven; Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to Him and never stop trusting Him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us in our times of need.
¤ He will not crush those who are weak, nor quench the smallest hope, until He brings forth justice with His final victory. In His name will be the hope of all the world.
Psalm 40:11, 12 Psalm 38:6-9, 17, 18, 21, 22 Psalm 25:16 Joshua 1:9 Philippians 4:6 Romans 9:20
Job 2:10 Hebrews 12:5, 6, 12 Hebrews 4:14-16 Matthew 12:20, 21
December 15th
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...
He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that He didn't make. Life itself was in Him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. ¤ Jesus spoke to the people saying, "I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. ¤ All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by the One who sent Me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. But while I am still here in the world, I am the light of the world. ¤ My light will shine out for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, for fear that the darkness will overtake you. He who walks in the darkness cannot see, and does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become the children of light."
But, despite all the miraculous signs He had done, most of the people did not believe in Him. This is the fulfillment of what Isaiah the prophet had foretold; "Lord, who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed His saving power?" But the people could not believe, for as Isaiah also said; "The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to Me and let Me heal them"...
Yet, among the Jewish rulers, many believed in Him, but would not admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, trusts not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. When therefore you see Me, you are seeing the One who sent Me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that whoever believes Me will no longer remain in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. Yet, whomever rejects Me, and does not accept My words, will be judged in the last day by the truth which I have spoken. I do not speak on My own authority. The Father who sent Me gave Me His instructions as to what I should say. And I know that His instructions lead to eternal life, so I say whatever He has instructed Me to say!"
¤ In the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River— In Galilee where so many Gentiles live— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. For those who live in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has dawned.
John 1:1-5 John 8:12 John 9:4, 5 John 12:35-40, 42-50 Matthew 4:15,16
December 16th
The great day of the Lord is near... It is near and hastens quickly...
It is a day when strong men will cry bitterly. It is a day when the Lords' anger will be poured out. It is a day of terrible distress and anguish, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, of clouds, blackness, trumpet calls and battle cries. Down go the walled cities and the strongest battlements!
¤ I want to remind you that, in the last days, there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing which they desire. And this will be their argument: "Jesus promised to come back, did He? Then where is He? Why, as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was created." — They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of His command, and that He brought the earth up from the water and surrounded it with water. Then He used the water to destroy the world with a mighty flood. And God has also commanded that the present heavens and earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgement, when all ungodly people shall be destroyed... The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it shall be laid bare. Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! You should look forward then to that day and hurry it along—the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. Nevertheless, we, according to Gods' promise, are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth, a dwelling place of all that is right.
¤ Yes, the end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given gifts to each of you. Manage them well so that Gods' grace can flow through you. Can you speak well? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the ability to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God has given you. In that way, God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and sovereignty forever.
¤ But, concerning the times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night... Therefore, encourage one another and strengthen one another, just as you are doing... Do not quench the Spirit.
Zephaniah 1:14-16 2nd Peter 3:3-7 & 10-13 1st Peter 4:7-11 1st Thessalonians 5:1, 2, 11, 19
December 17th
Look among the nations and watch— be utterly astounded! For I am doing something in your own day, something you would not believe even if someone told you about it.
¤ For this is what the Lord, God says; "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among the scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and in all the inhabited places of the country... I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down in peace. I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick— but I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement."
¤ And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven and said, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Immediately the Spirit sent Him out into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts, but the angels ministered to Him. Now, after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent, and believe the gospel."
¤ Then Peter said to them, "Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." ¤ So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit through Christ Jesus has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent His own Son in a human body like ours, except ours are sinful. God destroyed sins' power to rule over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the sacrificial requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature, but instead follow the Spirit... For to allow your sinful nature to control your actions is death. But if you allow the Spirit of God to control your actions, there is life and peace.
¤ He has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the kingdom of His dear Son. Our freedom has been purchased through His blood, and we have the forgiveness of our sins.
Habakkuk 1:5 Ezekiel 34:11-13, 15, 16 Mark 1:9-15 Acts 2:38, 39 Romans 8:1-4, 6 Colossians 1:13, 14
December 18th
Through the Lords' mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning...
Great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my inheritance, therefore, I will hope in Him! The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to those who seek Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good, when you are young, to submit to the yoke of His discipline, to sit alone in silence beneath the Lords' demands, to lie face down in the dust; then at last there is hope for you... For the Lord does not cast off forever. Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion according to the greatness of His unfailing love. For He does not, from His heart, enjoy seeing people afflicted or filled with grief.
¤ Nineveh was an exceedingly great city; a three day journey in extent. And Jonah entered the city on the first days' walk. Then he cried out and said, "In forty days, Nineveh shall be overthrown!" The people of Nineveh believed God's message, and from the greatest to the least, they decided to go without food and wear sackcloth to show their sorrow. When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in sackcloth and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: "No one, not even the animals, may eat or drink anything at all. Everyone is required to wear sackcloth and pray earnestly to God. Everyone must turn from their evil ways and stop all of their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will have pity on us and hold back His fierce anger from destroying us!" — When God saw that the great city had determined to put a stop to their evil ways, He had mercy on them and did not carry out the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them.
¤ The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts the burdens of those bent beneath their loads. The Lord loves the righteous, and watches over the strangers. He relieves the orphans and widows, but He frustrates the way of the wicked. ¤ The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all of His creation. All of Your works honor You, O Lord, and Your saints will bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power... Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, Your Lordship endures throughout all generations.
Lamentations 3:22-29, 31-33 Jonah 3:3-10 Psalm 146:8, 9 Psalm 145:8-11, 13
December 19th
Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, strangers or poor people. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his family.
¤ Now it came to pass that king Abimeleck, with Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore, swear to me in His name that you will not deal falsely with me, my children, or my grandchildren. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country in which you are living." Abraham replied, "I will swear."
¤ One day king David began wondering if anyone in Sauls' family was still alive, for he had promised Jonathan that he would show kindness to them. He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Sauls' servants... The king asked him, "Is anyone still alive from Saul's family? If so, I want to show God's kindness to them in any way I can." Ziba replied, "Yes, one of Jonathans' sons is still alive, but he is crippled." So David sent for him... His name was Mephibosheth. He was Jonathans' son and Sauls' grandson. When he came to David, he bowed down low in great fear and said, "I am your servant." But David said, "Don't be afraid. I've asked you to come so I can be kind to you because of my vow to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the land that once belonged to your Grandfather, Saul, and you may live here with me at this palace!"
Mephilbosheth fell to the ground before the king. "Should the king show such kindness to a dead dog like me?" he exclaimed. Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said, "I have given your masters' grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You, your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him, and you are to bring in the harvest that there will be food for his family, but Mephibosheth will live here at the palace with me." Ziba, who had fifteen sons and twenty servants replied, "Yes, my lord; I will do all that you have commanded." And from that time on, Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, ate regularly at the kings' table as though he were one of Davids' own sons. All who dwelt in Zibas' household became servants to Mephilbosheth and his family.
¤ Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. You must make allowance for each others' faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others as well... And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Zechariah 7:9,10 Genesis 21:22-24 2nd Samuel 9:1-13 Colossians 3:12, 13, 17
December 20th
Behold the proud; they trust in themselves, but the just shall live by his faith.
¤ All who believe in Gods' Son have everlasting life. Those who don't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them. ¤ I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." ¤ Do not throw away this confidence, which has great reward. Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do Gods' will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.
¤ It was by faith that Noah built and ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before. By his faith he condemned the rest of the world and was made right in Gods' sight. It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave his home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went out without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God had promised him, he lived there by faith, for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent... Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. It was by faith that Sarah, together with Abraham, was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. She judged Him faithful who had promised. And so, a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children—a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore, there was no way to count them.
¤ What is faith? It is the confident assurance of what we hope for, and the certainty of what we cannot see. God gave His approval to people in those days of old because of their faith. By faith we also understand that the entire universe was formed at Gods' command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. ¤ Dear brothers and sisters, whenever various trials come your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your patience is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. ¤ Remember, that we walk by faith and not by sight.
Habakkuk 2:4 John 3:36 Romans 1:16, 17 Hebrews 10:35, 36 Hebrews 11:7-12 Hebrews 11:1-3
James 1:3, 4 2nd Corinthians 5:7
December 21st
Even the wilderness shall rejoice in those days...
The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy. The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmels' pastures and the plain of Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God. With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those who are afraid, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you." And when He comes He will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a dear, and those who cannot speak will shout and sing. Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the desert. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass, reeds and rushes will flourish where the desert jackals live. A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
¤ "Behold, I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple. The Messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming," says the Lord Almighty. But who can endure the day of His coming? Who will be able to stand and face Him when He appears? For He is like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches the dirtiest garments. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver, watching closely as the dross is burned away. He will purify the priests and refine them as gold and silver, that they may offer right sacrifices to the Lord. ¤ For He does not delight in traditional sacrifices. He does not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and repentant heart—These, O God, You will not despise.
¤ For thus says the Lord; "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you ever build Me a temple as good as that? Could you build a dwelling place for Me? For those things My hand has already made, and through Me they all exist.— But this I will consider; one who is humble and of a repentant heart, who trembles at My word." ¤ For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; "I dwell in that high and holy place, with him who has a repentant and humble spirit. For I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts." ¤ It is time then to seek the Lord, until He comes and rains righteousness upon you.
Isaiah 35:1-8 Malachi 3:1-3 Psalm 51:16, 17 Isaiah 66:1, 2 Isaiah 57:15 Hosea 10:12
December 22nd
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias...
His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous in Gods' eyes, careful to obey all of the Lords' commandments and regulations. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. One day Zacharias was serving God in the temple, for his priestly order was on duty that week, according to their custom. As also was their custom, Zacharias was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and burn incense on the alter of the Lord's' presence. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. Zacharias was inside the sanctuary, by himself, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense alter. When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name, John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mothers' womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before them in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife also is well advanced in years."
And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and to bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you shall be mute and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which shall be fulfilled in their own time."
And while the people waited for Zacharias, they wondered why he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them and inform them, but remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days, his wife, Elizabeth conceived, and went into seclusion for five months, saying, "The Lord has dealt kindly with me, in the days when He looked upon me, to take away my disgrace among the people, for having no children." Now, in the sixth month of Eliazabeth's pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin who was betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the family of King David. The virgin's name was Mary...
Luke 1:5-27
December 23rd
The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God...
You will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name, Jesus. 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, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. Of His kingdom there shall be no end."
Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be? I am a virgin, having not known any man."
And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One who is to be born to you will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son, in her old age, and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said, "I am the Lords' servant, and I am willing to accept whatever He wants. Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Now a few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zacharias lived. There she entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Marys' greeting, Elizabeths' child leaped within her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She then gave a cry of gladness and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me! When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would fulfill those things of which you were told."
Mary responded, "Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For He, the Mighty One, is holy, and He has done great things for me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who who fear Him. His mighty arm does tremendous things... And now He has helped His servant Israel. He has not forgotten His promise to be merciful... For He promised our ancestors— Abraham and his children— to be merciful to them forever."
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
Luke 1:28-56
December 24th
Now, Elizabeths' full time came for her child to be delivered, and she brought forth a son...
When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. When the baby was just eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name the child Zacharias, after his father, but Elizabeth said, "No, his name shall be called John." "What?" they exclaimed. "There is no one in your family by that name." So they then asked the babys' father, communicating to him by making signs and gestures. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyones' surprise he wrote, "His name is John." Instantly Zacharias opened his mouth and his tongue was loosed, and he began speaking, praising God!
Wonder and respect fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way." ...John grew up and became strong in spirit. He lived out in the desert wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. ¤ His clothing was woven from camel's hair and he wore a leather belt. His food consisted of locusts and wild honey.
¤ And it came to pass in those days of Marys' pregnancy that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to the city of his birth. A man named Joseph, the betrothed of Mary, also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of his ancestor David, called Bethlehem, to be registered. While he and Mary were within Bethlehem, the time came for her baby to be born...
Now there were in the same area of the country, shepherds, living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Suddenly, and angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them, "Do not be afraid, for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you; You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying; "Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth, peace and goodwill toward men!" And so it was, when the angel and his host had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
Luke 1:57-66, 80 Mark 1:6 Luke 2:1-6, & 2:8-15
December 25th
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn...
And the shepherds came and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. When they saw Him, they made known what had happened in the fields and what the angel had said to them concerning this Child. And all of those who heard marveled at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things within her heart and thought about them often. Then the shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angel had told them, and because they had actually seen the Child, just as the angel had said they would.
¤ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews. For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was deeply disturbed, as was all of Jerusalem with him. He directly called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law.
"Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?" he asked them. "In Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote: 'O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not least among the rulers of Judah, for a Ruler shall come from you Who will shepherd My people Israel.' " Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star. He then told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the Child. When you find Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
When the wise men heard the king, they departed, and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came and stood over where the young Child was staying. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy! And when they had come into the house where the Child then was, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when it was time for them to leave, they left for their own country by another way, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
After the wise men had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. And the angel said, "Get up and flee to Egypt with this Child and His mother, and stay there until I bring you word. For Herod will seek the young Child, to destroy Him." That very night, Joseph left for Egypt with the Child and Mary.
Luke 2:7, & 2:16-20 Matthew 2:1-14
December 26th
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry...
And he sent forth soldiers and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and the surrounding districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Herods' brutal rage in action fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah; "A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah— lamentation, weeping, and great mourning. Rachael weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Childs' life are dead." Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came to the land of Israel. But when Joseph heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "Out of Egypt I have called My Son", and, "He shall be called a Nazarene." ¤ And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.
And when He was twelve years old, Jesus and His parents went up to the Passover festival in Jerusalem. After the celebration was over, Mary and Joseph started back home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. They did not miss Him at first, because they assumed that He was with friends among the other travelers. But when He didn't show up that evening, they started to look for Him among their relatives and friends. When they could not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for Him there.
Three days later they finally discovered Him. He was in the temple, sitting in the midst of the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" His mother said to Him. "Why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for You everywhere." And He said to them, "But why did you need to search? Did you not know that I must be about My Fathers' business?" But they did not understand what He meant. Then He went down with them to Nazareth, and was obedient to them, and His mother stored all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and men.
Matthew 2:15-23 Luke 2:40-52
December 27th
Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare the way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness; "Prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight."
¤ Now this is the testimony of John, when priests and temple assistants came from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny, "I am not the Christ." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"
He said, "I am 'the voice of one crying in the wilderness; Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said." Now those who came were sent by the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" John answered them, saying, "I baptize in water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." This incident took place at Bethany, a desert village east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know Him, but I have been baptizing in water in order to point Him out to Israel. I saw the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove from heaven and resting upon Him. I did not know He was the One, but when God sent me to baptize with water, He told me, 'When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone, He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' ¤ I saw this happen to Jesus when I baptized Him, so I testify that He is the Son of God."
¤ Jesus said, "The truth is, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit gives birth to spirit. So do not be surprised at My statement that you must be born again. The wind blows where it likes, and you can hear the sound of it, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it goes. In this way also is a person who is born of the Spirit." ¤ The unspiritual person simply cannot accept the matters which the Spirit deals with—they just don't make sense to him, for, after all, you must be spiritual to see spiritual things. The spiritual person, on the other hand, has an insight into the meaning of everything, though his/her insight may baffle the person of the world. This is because the spiritually minded have a share in Gods' wisdom. ¤ For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Mark 1:2,3 John 1:19-34, Luke 3:21, 22 John 3:3-8 1st Corinthians 2:14-16 Romans 8:6
December 28th
Jesus came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the ancient parcel of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph...
Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, being wearied from His long journey, sat down beside the well. It was about noontime. Soon, a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please, give me a drink." He was alone at that time, for His disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews had no dealings with Samaritans). Jesus answered and said to her, "If you only knew the gift God has for you, and who I am, you would ask Me and I would give you living water." "But Sir," she replied, "You don't have a rope or a bucket, and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank from it himself, as did his sons and all of his livestock?" Jesus replied, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I give them will never thirst. The water that I can give will become a fountain within you that will spring up into everlasting life."
"Please, Sir," the woman said, "give me this water, that I may not thirst again nor come here to draw water." Jesus replied, "Go, call your husband and bring him here." "I do not have a husband," the woman answered. Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands, and the one with whom you now live is not your husband. In this you have spoken truly." Then the woman said to Him, "I believe that You are a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here, at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?"
Jesus then said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You Samaritans know so little about the One you worship, while we Jews know all about Him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But nevertheless the time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking anyone who will worship Him in that way. You see, God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
Then the woman said, "I know the Messiah will come—the One who is called Christ. When He comes, He will explain everything to us." Jesus then replied to her, "I, who speak to you, am He." ...The woman left her waterpot beside the well and went back to her village and told everyone, "Come and see a Man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?" And so the people went out from the village and came to Him.
John 4:5-26, 28-30
December 29th
The Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked Him, "Why don't Your disciples follow our traditions? They are eating without washing their hands!"
Jesus answered and said to them, "Isaiah prophesied well of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship is useless, for they replace Gods' commands with their own man-made teachings.' For you ignore Gods' specific laws and substitute your own traditions—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do... Hear Me, everyone, and try to understand. There is nothing that enters a person from outside which can defile them. It is the things that come out of you, the things that you say and do that defile you."
When He entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him what He meant by the statements He had made. He then asked them, "Do you not understand either? Can't you see that what you eat won't defile you? Food does not come in contact with your heart, but only passes through the stomach and is then eliminated... It is the thought-life that defiles you. For from within, out of a persons' heart, come evil thoughts; sexual immorality, murder, theft, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All of these evil things come from within. They are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."
¤ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Clean yourselves up, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be anguish for the wrong things you have said and done. Let there be tears and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence upon Him. It is then that He will lift you up and give you hope.
¤ Show me Your ways, O Lord. Point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me into Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation. All day long I put my hope in You. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your compassion, which You have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. According to Your mercy remember me, for the sake of Your kindness, O Lord... For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. ¤ Innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not even able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart fails me. Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me... You are my helper and my Savior. Do not delay, O my God.
Mark 7:5-8, & 14-23 James 4:7-10 Psalm 25:4-7, 11 Psalm 40:12, 13, 17
December 30th
Lord, how often shall someone sin against me, and I forgive them? Up to seven times?
"Not up to seven times," Jesus replied, "but, seventy times seven! For the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king, who decided to bring his accounts up to date with the servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He could not pay, so the king ordered that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. But the man fell down before the king and begged him, 'Oh, sir, be patient with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the king was moved with compassion for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
But when the man left the king, he went out to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will pay you all.' But his creditor wouldn't wait, and went and threw the man in prison until the debt could be paid in full. When some of the other servants saw this, they became very upset, and they went to the king and told him what had happened.
Then the king called in the man whom he had forgiven and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the king was angry, and sent the man to be tortured until he should pay all of his original debt. Understand then that My heavenly Father will also do likewise unto you, if each of you, from your heart, does not forgive your neighbor of their debts or of their wrongfulness against you."
¤ Those who close their ears to the cries of the poor, will themselves be ignored in their own time of need.
¤ Whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. But whenever you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins as well. ¤ So whatever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that has set you free. For there will be no mercy if you have not been merciful to others. But if you have been merciful, then Gods' mercy toward you will win out over His judgement against you.
Matthew 18:21-35 Proverbs 21:13 Mark 11:24, 25 James 2:12, 13
December 31st
Jesus spoke these words, lifting up His eyes to heaven...
"I have revealed Your name to the men You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from You. I have passed on to them the words You gave Me, and they have kept them and know that I came from You, and they have believed that You have sent Me. My prayer is not for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they are Yours. And all of Mine are Yours and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them! Now, I am departing the world. I am leaving them behind and coming to You. Holy Father, keep them and care for them—all of those You have given Me—so that they will be united as one, just as We are...
I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, and that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one just as We are One; I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as much as You have loved Me. Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me in heaven, so that they can see My glory—the glory of Your love which You gave Me before the very foundation of the world."
¤ Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam. But all who are related to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to the resurrection; Christ was raised first, then when He appears again, all of His people will be raised. After that the end will come, when He delivers the kingdom back to God, the Father... What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. These perishable bodies of ours are not able to live forever. But let me tell you a hidden truth which God has revealed; Not all of us will die, but we will be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds and our Lord appears in the heavens, the Christians who have died will be raised with incorruptible bodies and will be given immortality. And then we, who are still alive and remain, will also be changed, putting on this same incorruption and immortality...
Then, we will all be caught up together in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we remain with Him forever. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. ¤ And if anyone wanders from the truth, and someone turns them back, let them know that anyone who turns a sinner from the error of their ways, will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
John 17:1, 6-11, 20-24 1st Corinthians 15:22-24, 50-53... 1st Thessalonians 4:15-18 James 5:19
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