The Pattern for Servanthood..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Pattern for Servanthood

Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 20:25-28

In the world's thinking, great men are the ones with authority, prominence, and power. Though Jesus Christ had all that, He gave it up to become a servant (Isa. 42:1).

Jesus gave Himself completely to fulfill the Father's plan of redemption, even though the beneficiaries—namely, each of us—were undeserving. God is holy and righteous, and He cannot be in the presence of sin. Therefore, He must separate Himself from those who are stained by wrongdoing. That includes all of humanity (Rom. 3:23).

Everybody is born captive to the desires of the flesh (Rom. 6:16-18). When someone claims to be living on his "own terms," he is actually serving whatever his human nature craves. The penalty for that false sense of liberty is death (Rom. 6:23).

Jesus' ultimate act of service was to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). The word describes the price paid to set a slave free—Christ voluntarily purchased our liberation. There was only one way our holy God could remove our guilt yet remain true to His own law: Someone sinless had to pay our sin debt for us.

Jesus' sacrifice spared us the penalty we deserve. Instead, we receive the gift of grace and have been declared no longer guilty. Moreover, we are elevated from slaves to sons and daughters of the Almighty!

Jesus served the Father's purpose faithfully. He gave up His righteousness to carry the weight of all our wickedness—and endured a crushing separation from His Father. To meet our needs, the Savior held nothing of Himself back, and thereby set a powerful example of servanthood for us follow.

Carrying the Presence of Christ..... Craig Denison

 

Carrying the Presence of Christ

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

The Christmas season is a powerful and unique time of year to remember that Jesus came to make a way for us to be near God. In his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus built a bridge between us and God allowing us to have continual, unhindered communion with our Creator. But God can’t force us into nearness with him. Even as believers filled with the Holy Spirit, we can choose to live as if God is still far off. So this Christmas season, may we choose to open our hearts to the living God that we might experience fullness of joy in his loving presence.

Scripture:

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17

Devotional:

We have the privilege as Jesus’ disciples of carrying his presence with us into the world. God in his love has chosen to use us as agents of awakening. He’s commissioned us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). And in 1 John 4:15-17 we gain an insight into the way in which God would have us make disciples:

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

“As he is so also are we in this world.” What a powerful statement! God’s plan for the world is to form and fashion us into those who reflect his goodness to others. The hope of the world rests in Jesus’ mercy and grace as proclaimed through our lives. And the only way in which we carry Jesus with us into the world is by abiding in God and allowing him to abide in us.

Do you know that you can abide in God? And not just in spending time alone with him! 1 John 4 teaches us that when we abide in love, when we love others, we are abiding in him. You see, abiding in God requires us to be where he is. It requires us to yield to his leadership and heart that we might join him throughout our day where he is already at work. Sometimes abiding requires time spent in solitude, the word, and worship. Other times abiding requires action.

Where is God at work in your midst today? Who is he pursuing and how can you join him? Who is he drawing to himself and how can you help him? If you want to be with God today, join him in seeing his kingdom of love advance. If you want to abide in the presence of Jesus, decide to live like him, empowered by his Spirit. You don’t have to live perfectly. You don’t have to be anything other than who you are. God in his power and grace has created you for a specific purpose to reveal a specific aspect of his heart to the world. Simply choose to let him in to all you are and do today that your day might be filled with his life-giving presence. Choose to carry his wisdom, love, and grace into relationship with others that in your communication, emotions, and actions you would proclaim his character.

Take time in guided prayer to find rest and purpose in the presence of Christ.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s command to abide in him. Allow Scripture to fill you with desire to center your life around the presence of God.

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” 1 John 4:15-17

2. Ask God for a revelation of his nearness. Take time to rest in his presence that you might be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

3. Ask God for specific ways in which you can love others today. Pay attention as he puts people or circumstances on your heart. Pay attention to how he would have you engage others today. Ask him for his grace and power to love others well today.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

In 1 John 2:6 John writes, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” What good are words or desires if we don’t put action to them? What does all our talk mean if we never do something about it? The kingdom of God is one that doesn’t separate faith and works. James writes, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Choose today to put action to what’s in your heart. Don’t hold back your love for others. Don’t refrain from encouraging and loving other people, even if it’s abnormal behavior for you. Step into situations and bring the presence and will of Christ. May your day be marked by the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit to love others as Jesus did.

Extended Reading: 1 John 4

Christmas Prayers and Scriptures

 Christmas Prayers and Scriptures

This Christmas Eve,  let us celebrate our Lord and Savior by sharing a few prayers and Scripture verses. We believe that the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to purchase our salvation is the best gift we have received. So as you are celebrating this Christmas holiday and the spirit of giving, remember that Jesus, in His love, gave so much just for you.

1. Deuteronomy 18:15 (ESV)
2. “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen…”

Prayer:
Abba, we thank You that Jesus is our Prophet and High Priest. We thank You that Jesus, who has come out of the lineage of Abraham, was the One to proclaim the Good News. Father, we thank You that there has never been and will never be a prophet greater than Jesus. And we thank You that Your Word is true and completes everything that it is sent out to do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

2. Psalm 118:22 (ESV)
3. “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Prayer:
Jesus, we thank You that even though You would be rejected by many, You still obeyed the will of the Father. We thank You that You are the chief cornerstone of our faith, hope and life, and that lives have forever been changed because of You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

3. Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV)
4. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”

Prayer:
Father, we thank You for the prophecies that foretold the coming of our Savior, Jesus. We thank You that He is a Wonderful Counselor, that He is the mighty King of Judah, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. God, we thank You that Your Kingdom is held up by justice and righteousness and that it reigns forever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

4. Isaiah 53:4-5 (ESV)
5. “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” 

Prayer:
Jesus, we acknowledge what You have done for us on the cross. We thank You for carrying our grief and sorrows. Thank You for being pierced for our sins and crushed for our offense against the Father. Jesus, we praise You for the peace we now have and the healing that came from the wounding of Your body. We aren’t worthy of the finished work You did, but we receive it through Your mercy toward us. We are forever grateful for what You did for us 2,000 years ago. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

5. Isaiah 61:1 (ESV)
6. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound …” 

Prayer:
Jesus, we thank You that You fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah. During Your three years of ministry, You shared the Good News with those who were poor; You set the captives free, and You drew near to the brokenhearted. Before knowing You, we were all bound and captive to our sin, but thank You that Your life and obedience to the Father’s good and perfect will has set us free forever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

6. Luke 1:31-33 (ESV)
7. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 

Prayer:
Father, we thank You for the virgin birth of Jesus. We thank You that because of Jesus’ birth we have access to a personal relationship with You and a true and assured hope. Jesus’ birth changed everything for us. We acknowledge that Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

7. John 3:14-15 (ESV)
8. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” 

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Jesus on our behalf to die a death we deserved for our sin. There is no worse death than death on a cross. We thank You that the cross and Christ’s blood were enough to purchase our salvation. Jesus did a finished work once and for all on the cross. And Father, we thank You that we now have access to eternal life with You because of what Jesus did for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

May the love of Christ be with you and your family this Christmas!

When God Interrupts Your Plans..... by Lynette Kittle

 When God Interrupts Your Plans

by Lynette Kittle

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.”— Matthew 1:18

Have you ever had God interrupt your plans? Not just small ones but big ones, like whom you’ll marry, where you’ll live, work, or go to school?

Maybe at the time, you recognized it was God’s hand in your life, intervening and changing your situation? Or possibly when it was taking place, you didn’t have a clue.

Mary the mother of Jesus was living a quiet life engaged to Joseph, when God interrupted her plans by sending the angel Gabriel to deliver a message to her (Luke 1:26-27).

“The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28)

It seemed like such a wonderful kind of message, yet Luke 1:29 describes her reaction, “Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.”

Mary was deeply concerned, “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end’” (Luke 1:30-33).

Sill Mary asked how this could be since she was a virgin, to which, “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:36).

His words removed her doubt and revealed her heart as she answered, “’I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her” (Luke 1:38).

How does your heart respond when God interrupts your plans with a life-shaking event?

At first, like Mary, do you also feel greatly troubled? As she questioned God at how these things could possibly occur in her life, do you question Him, too? Do you, as Mary did, need reassurance of His presence in the midst of it?

If so, God reassures you in Isaiah 41:13, “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

If your plans have been disrupted, instead of turning to fear, choose to trust God, believing He will help you.

A Revealed Savior..... by Katherine Britton

 A Revealed Savior

by Katherine Britton

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13

I wish I could ask the Magi what it was like after they returned to their homeland. After watching the skies for years, journeying for weeks, and seeing Jesus with their own eyes, how did they return to the life they once knew? Did they ever hear about the rest of Jesus's life? Did they realize the Jew who was killed on the tree was the same child to whom they offered gifts befitting a king? Did they understand that his birth was a precursor to a far greater event? 

We don't know much with certainty about these men. They brought three gifts—gold, incense, and myrrh—but there may have been dozens of Magi who went on that journey. These wise men were certainly Gentiles, probably from Persia. They acted as something close to astrologer-priests in their homeland, we think, marking the movements of the heavens to find out its impact on man. Judging by their gifts and their titles, their status and wealth came close to royalty. 

Now consider what we definitely know about them: these Magi considered it worth their time, efforts, riches, and worship to come worship at a Bethlehem house. 

"When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." - Matthew 2:10-11

These pagans searched for the Messiah as no one else did. Their adventure is an extraordinary tale of God's grace mixed with man's hunger, as they followed the star God set up in the heavens with single-minded devotion. They were on a search for God, who had given them the signs to find him. I think these men, who knew so much less than I do about the Messiah, sought him harder than I ever have.

Consider Matthew Henry's commentary on what transpired:

"They might have said, ‘If such a prince be born, we shall hear of him shortly in our own country, and it will be time enough then to pay our homage to him.' But so impatient were they to be better acquainted with him, that they took a long journey on purpose to enquire after him. Note, Those who truly desire to know Christ, and find him, will not regard pains or perils in seeking after him."

Personally, I don't think the Magi were ever the same after their encounter in the Bethlehem house. They invested themselves to finding the King of the Jews, and he revealed himself to them. I think all other stars must have paled in comparison.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Like the psalmist sings, the "heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalms 8) to each one of us. Those signs are God calling us to seek him with our whole heart, so he can reveal himself to us more and more. This Christmas season, I want to follow the Magi's example. I want to find the mystery of the Gospel so incredible that I pursue it with all my heart, and all my strength, and all my soul. I pray this mystery captivates your heart this Christmas!

Further Reading: 

Matthew 2

A Prayer of Thanks and Praise for the Greatest Gift of All: Jesus..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer of Thanks and Praise for the Greatest Gift of All: Jesus

By Debbie McDaniel

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

In this season of giving gifts, and the hustle and bustle the holidays often bring, it can be all too easy to overlook the greatest gift of all. The very One who brought Christmas to us. The One who lights our world and brings hope to our days.

Jesus.

Sometimes we just need to stop everything, and remember again, how thankful we are for our Savior.

For He is everything to us.

When we're troubled and hurting, when we feel lonely or afraid, He is our Wonderful Counselor.

When we need to see a miracle in life, when we need someone to fight for us, He is our Mighty God.

When we forget who we belong to, when we need to be reminded that we're greatly loved and cared for, He is our Everlasting Father who loves to give good gifts to His children.

When we feel anxious and worried, when we need a reminder that our future is secure no matter what swirls around us, He is our Prince of Peace.

His very presence in our lives gives us such great reason to celebrate.

If you have big needs today, be assured, He is a big God. Nothing is too difficult for Him to handle. And He cares about all that concerns you. Maybe you’ve experienced deep loss this year, or you feel all alone this season, and fear or despair have gripped your heart…you can bring it to Jesus. All of it, the brokenness, the questions, and the pain.

Amidst the chaos and busyness of the season, we can find true rest in Him alone.

Immanuel...God with us.

So much reason to celebrate.

Thank you Jesus!

Dear God,

Help us to focus on the greatest gift of all this season, and the whole year through. Thank you for sending your one and only Son, that we might be saved through Him. We praise you for your faithfulness and power. We thank you for your love and peace. Forgive us for letting other things get in the way of remembering what’s most important this Christmas. We ask for your joy and strength to fill us afresh, may we shine the light of your presence everywhere we go. We need you and we love you Lord.

In the powerful Name of Jesus,

Amen.

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