Every Morning Is Like Christmas with God.. Craig Denison Ministries

 

Every Morning Is Like Christmas with God

Craig Denison Ministries

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:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Devotional:

As a child, Christmas morning was always the highlight of my year. I could hardly sleep the night before as I waited for the chance to open up the gifts my wonderful parents had purchased for me. It still makes me smile to remember the unbridled joy I felt at the sound of my alarm in the morning, feeling the expectation of what was to come.

James 1:17 tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” And Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Every morning with God can be like Christmas morning. From the moment our eyes open we have an opportunity to know a love that surpasses any gift we’ve been given. From the time our feet hit the ground we can experience perfect, pleasing plans the Lord has laid before us.

Every moment in our day is a chance to receive more and more grace and more and more love. Every encounter with a person is a chance to see God move and work through us and through them. Every task given us is a chance to experience the anointing and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Even in trial and tribulations we are given an opportunity to experience a heavenly, eternal peace that transcends our circumstances. Even in pain and loss we are given a chance to experience the loving, compassionate heart of our Father that gets low with us and meets us where we are.

If we will allow it, God will turn every moment into a chance to experience the fullness of his love. If we will set our eyes on Jesus in faith and let him into every part of our hearts and days, we will live lives filled with the amazing gifts of a God with limitless resources.

May this Christmas season be a reminder that every day of the year is good with God. May the gifts we receive be a reminder that every good thing, both at Christmas and throughout our year, comes from the hands of our loving heavenly Father. And may we wake up each day in joyful expectation to experience the steadfast love of our ever-present Creator.

Take time in guided prayer to meditate on God’s heart to give you good gifts and find rest in his life-giving presence.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the heart of God to give you good and perfect gifts.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

2. Spend some time opening your heart to receive the presence of God. Hand over to him anything that’s weighing you down that you might experience merciful peace.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

3. Ask God for a revelation of the good gifts he has in store for you. Ask him to help you keep your focus on him today that you might have eyes to see all the ways he is blessing you.

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

May God grant you an eternal perspective today to see things as he does. May you have vision to see your circumstances and relationships in light of God’s continued grace. May your heart grow increasingly soft today as you see God’s abundant provision over you. And may the result of it all be unceasing prayers of thanksgiving that delight the heart of your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: Psalm 30

The Beauty in Forgiveness.. Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 The Beauty in Forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-22)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

Matthew 18:21-22 (ESV) Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Forgiveness can be a tricky thing. After all, we’re commanded to do so as believers. While we understand the ‘forgive” part, we’re not gifted this side of eternity with the “forget” capability. And that can make the forgiving part a lot harder.

The disciples weren’t quite sure how it all worked, either—hence Peter’s discussion with Jesus in Matthew 18. They were still thinking in terms of the law. According to Amos 1:3-13, God forgave His people three times before exacting punishment. In Peter’s day, this was a popular passage that the Rabbis taught from on the subject. Peter possibly assumed that by suggesting seven times—more than double the assumed appropriate amount—he would get brownie points with Jesus for being extra gracious. But Jesus had an answer that blew them all away. “Seventy times seven.”

As Christians today, we know Jesus didn’t literally mean 490 times, though there can be days with our children and spouses that we feel like surely, we’ve met that quota by now! This instruction from the Lord doesn’t mean that at 491 times, we can hold a grudge and be free and clear of the command to forgive. He was implying endless times. Endless grace—like God gives to us.

Now, when it comes to forgiving the same offense, or similar offenses, from the same person in our lives, this command from Jesus doesn’t mean to become a doormat or accept abuse or inappropriate behavior. It’s also important to note that Peter is asking about “my brother”. He didn’t mean his biological sibling, but rather, was referring to a fellow believer—family, spouses, friends, church members, etc. A brother seeking forgiveness from another brother (believer) implies repentance. There’s a difference between someone toxically, repeatedly treating someone poorly, and someone messing up, seeking forgiveness, and having a repentant heart that truly aims to not repeat the offense (even if they do fail again).

Peter was still focused on the law when he asked this question of Jesus, and Jesus was focused on grace when He answered. At the end of the day, when we withhold forgiveness from a brother in Christ, we’re essentially saying that the work of Jesus on the cross wasn’t sufficient for this offense. Yikes! That’s obviously not the heart posture we’re supposed to have as believers, or should even want to have. If the person seeking our forgiveness is a true believer, then their sin was already covered on the cross through Jesus’s sacrifice and blood. Who are we to withhold forgiveness if Jesus offered it freely?

If the person seeking forgiveness isn’t a believer, we’re still instructed to forgive. The penalty for that sin does fall not on us to dole out (Romans 12:19) but will be dealt with eventually one way or another by our righteous Judge—God Himself. There is also the hope that one day that unbeliever will be a believer, and your forgiveness could be a seed planted that helps point them to the life-changing grace of the Gospel.

An Advent Prayer for Peace..Emma Danzey

 An Advent Prayer for Peace

By Emma Danzey

John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

This time of year can feel hectic and overwhelming. There are a million to-do lists happening at once, family schedules to be worked out, travel plans to be solidified, and more. It can be easy to fall into the temptation to be anxious, stressed, or fearful. However, as we focus on the fourth candle of Advent today, may we remember the wonderful gift of peace that Jesus has brought to us.

Let's pray:

Prince of Peace,
We call upon You today to acknowledge that the only true way for us to have lasting, external peace is only through You. You say in John 16:33 that we will have trials and hard times, but You have overcome the world so we can take heart. You have justified us by faith so we can have peace with God. Thank You for coming down to earth in a manger and dying on the cross for our sins. This was no small thing. This was an act of great love, and we praise You for it. We are grateful that You have freed us from the powers of darkness and the slavery of fear.

Jesus, You tell us in Isaiah 26:3 that You will keep those whose minds are on You in perfect peace. Would you renew our minds today? Where there is chaos or worry, would you replace that with rest and peace? Take away our fears and our uncertainties. Help us to truly trust in You. Give us a newfound appreciation for the ability to live out this fruit of the Spirit. We know that when we accept You, we have Your Spirit, and we have Your peace. Help us to choose to live by Your Spirit and not by our flesh. Help us to be guarded by Your peace in our minds and our hearts.

We confess that we have not trusted You as we should. Please forgive us for trying to be in control, not resting in Your sovereignty, and going our own ways. You are gracious and so kind to walk alongside us even in our weakness. Help us never to believe that we are unable to change or live in Your peace. You are still the same God You have always been, You have never changed, You raise Yourself from the dead, and with You, all things are possible.

Lord, help us not only to have your peace but to share it with others. You say that peacemakers are blessed. (Matthew 5:9) Would You enable us by the power of Your Spirit to make peace with others? May our lives and the ways that we share truth in love and the choices we make reflect Your heart. Help us to be obedient to You. Give us Your strength to not just keep the peace or people please, but truly be peacemakers in healthy and godly ways. You desire us to live peaceably with each other in the family of God. Give us great wisdom on how to be obedient to You in this, even when it is not easy.

Jesus, help us to pursue Your peace and turn from evil. In a world of great hate and division, help us to love well and to live out the truth of Your gospel. Give us ways to be peaceful and kind even in challenging situations and when we face cultural conflict. May we represent You in amazing ways with the help of Your Holy Spirit.

This Christmas season, help us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything and know Your peace that is beyond our understanding. Remind us of the peace that came to earth through our Savior, Jesus. We praise You for this new covenant of peace and restoration. Help us to remember that we no longer have to be afraid because You have defeated death and the grave. You have given us the guarantee of eternal life. We praise you Jesus. Amen.

The Cross for the Jews and the Greeks..Emma Danzey

 The Cross for the Jews and the Greeks

By Emma Danzey

Luke 23:26 says, “And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus."

Have you ever heard of the man who carried Jesus' cross? Here in Luke 23, tucked away in verse 26 is the mention of a man who could easily get lost in the text; however, when we look at the significance of this moment, we will find ourselves in awe of what God is trying to tell us. This moment is also told in Matthew 27:32 and Mark 15:21. If just looking at these three passages, we miss that at the start, Jesus Himself was carrying His own cross. John 19:16-17 says, “So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified. They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, carrying His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called, Golgotha.”

So who is Simon of Cyrene, and why is this such an important encounter?

“And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene as he was coming in from the country,”
Could you imagine being a foreigner in a different country and being pulled from a crowd to carry a cross for a brutal execution? What we know of Cyrene is that it is in Shahhat, near modern-day Libya, Africa. It was one of the most major of the five Greek cities. If you were to map Cyrene to Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified, it would be around 1124 miles away. So Simon of Cyrene was a long way from home. We do not know why; we do not know his story. We just know that this is where he was from and that he has two sons mentioned, Alexander and Rufus.

The Jews decided to pick on a foreigner and place the burden of the cross on his shoulders to carry. It can be assumed that Jesus was very worn out from being beaten and mocked to where He was not moving fast enough, and the people became impatient, so they pulled in Simon or that maybe there was some genuine pity on Christ in his struggle. Whatever the reason, Simon, a Greek (Gentile), was carrying the cross of Jesus.

“And placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus." 
Can you imagine carrying the cross behind the man who was about to save the world? Think about how Simon must have felt or what thoughts were going through his mind. He was pulled into this mess of a scene of a crowd crucifying an innocent man. He was forced to carry a heavy cross up to Golgotha. He was probably thinking, “Why me?” We do not have any other context provided other than this, so we wonder did he talk with Jesus, had he heard of Him before, did he know that Jesus claimed to be God?

As I read this passage, I had a sweet realization, not only are we too called to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus (Luke 14:27), but suddenly this encounter seemed very intentional to me. As we ponder Romans 10:12, which says, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” I became amazed thinking about how Jesus, a Jew, first carried the cross and then Simon, a Greek (Or Gentile) carried the cross. It is as if Christ was visually representing that His sacrifice was not only for the Jewish people but for the Greeks, all nations, and anyone who calls on His name to be saved.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
How does knowing that Jesus came for all people encourage you in your life today? Who does it inspire you to pray for and/or share your faith with? In what area is Christ asking you to pick up your cross and follow Him?

Further Reading:

• Luke 14:27

THE CHRISTMAS TREE..Jim Burns and Doug Fields

 THE

CHRISTMAS TREE

By Jim Burns and Doug Fields

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child. (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend. (John 15:15)

I am united with the Lord. (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price. (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)


I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth. (Matt. 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:27)


I am free forever from condemnation. ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant. (Phil. 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me. (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God. (2 Cor. 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 2:18)


I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 2:6)


I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Rom. 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God. (2 Cor. 1:21- 22)

I am assured all things work together for good. (Rom. 8: 28)


I have been chosen & appointed to bear fruit. (John 15:16)


I belong to God


And that is who He says I am. How about you?

“The LORD bless you and keep you;


the LORD make His face shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn His face toward you


and give you peace…