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 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
• Romans 10:12
• Galatians 3:28

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.

A Prayer for True Joy This Christmas..Ashley Moore

 A Prayer for True Joy This Christmas

By Ashley Moore

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” - Psalm 16:11, ESV

Christmas is a special time that believers and nonbelievers alike enjoy! We take our children to look at lights and decorations. We bake traditional family recipes and gather around tables with people we love. We buy thoughtful gifts to give to our friends and family. We put forth a lot of effort to experience joy during this season; we give December an extra line in the budget, take advantage of our PTO, and fill our calendars with events.

I thoroughly enjoy these special celebrations and look forward to them each year. And it is good for us to take pleasure in these common graces as they are a gift from our Heavenly Father (James 1:17). But did you know joy isn’t  reserved only for the holiday season? The source of lasting and satisfying joy is always available. And here’s the good news, it is easily found! This joy doesn't require hoop jumping, budget-blowing, or running on fumes.

David wrote in Psalm 16 that God’s presence is where he found the fullness of joy. For the nonbeliever, the fleeting pleasures of this world are a grace that will pass away, ultimately leaving them dissatisfied and searching for more. Only when they come to know the God who made every good thing will they be satisfied and their joy becomes full. 

As for believers, we enjoy these good gifts from God, knowing that they are a shadow of the glory that is to come. The path that God made known to the Psalmist and to us is the reason we truly celebrate this Christmas season. God sent His Son Jesus, who knew no sin, to become sin for us so that we could be made right with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus, also known as the Word of God, became flesh and made His dwelling among us (John 1:14). And when Jesus’ time came He died the death we deserved, and the veil that separated sinners from a Holy God was torn (Matthew 27:51). 

Do you know what this means for us? The presence of God used to only be accessible via a high priest who, according to the Old Testament law, had to enter the Holy of Holies once a year to make a sacrifice for sins on behalf of the people. If you weren’t a priest, you couldn’t even go near it (Hebrews 9:7). Before Jesus, we were excluded from the presence of God and, therefore, unable to experience joy because of our sins. But not anymore! 

Jesus took the place of the High Priest, making an offering on our behalf, once and for all (Hebrews 10:14). And while we wait for His return, He has given us a helper in the Holy Spirit. This is good, good news. And great joy! Dear believer, this Christmas season, we celebrate the birth of the Savior. We celebrate Immanuel, God with us. His Spirit is inside of you. His presence dwells with His people. And in His presence is fullness of joy. 

So as you seek out ways to celebrate and enjoy this season. Remember that true joy, lasting joy, comes from the presence of God. Take a moment to acknowledge He is with us, and we will be with Him forever because of this miraculous birth. This is our source of true joy this Christmas. 

Let’s pray:

Dear Lord,
Thank you that in your presence, we experience joy to the max! Thank you for making that available to us through the birth of your Son, Jesus! His birth is the reason we seek out experiences that bring us joy during this season, even if it's only temporary joy! I pray we use this Christmas season to prompt us to acknowledge and engage with our true source of joy–your presence. Thank you for making lasting joy available to us. Thank you for every good gift! Lord let us spend time abiding in your presence, and, Lord, let us be evidence to unbelievers that you are their only hope for true, lasting joy! Let it be undeniable that we have been with you, and thank you for being with us! In Jesus’ name, amen.