December 11th
The Gift On the Tree:
Philippians 2: 8-11…and being found in human form He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
I can still recall the excitement of the Christmas season as a little boy. All the familiar music and movies accompanied with that crisp winter air and the smell of wood smoke from the fireplace and freshly baked cookies in the kitchen. And don’t get me started on how excited I was for those presents under the tree!! All these things mingled together… and ever so gently….. served to hide what the season was really about.
As a grown man I have had to put away childish things. As a father and husband, and especially as a believer, the facade of emotional excitement has given way to Truth. The real gift above all gifts has been exposed as a man… the God-man who was willingly nailed and cursed to die on a tree… as opposed to those shiny gifts neatly wrapped under the tree.
This Christmas season, endeavor with me, if you will, to look past the warm and cozy memories of yesteryear and instead take a moment to remember that ugly twisted curse of a tree that tightly gripped the savior of the world. A willing sacrifice for you and for me. It is because He willingly poured out his lifeblood on that cursed tree that we can now enjoy true joy and the peace that passes all human understanding.
Thank you Jesus!
Sean Smith
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Dec. 12
Room V-Room
Luke 2:1-7
I always wanted a motorcycle. My dad had a Yamaha 650 when I was a kid, and on occasion, I was able to ride with him round town. I just loved the feeling of the air passing by and even the excitement of being a little scared of what may happen since there wasn’t a protective covering around me as we hurled down the roads.
When I was gifted my first motorcycle, we had three kids at the time. Our garage was stuffed full of hunting gear, bicycles, boxes, lawn equipment, and all the other things that accumulate when you have a five-member family. HOWEVER, there needed to be room for the motorcycle. Some things had to be rearranged at the least; and some things would even have to go to make room for the motorcycle.
Maybe some of you have been in a similar situation. You have to make room and all the discussion of what would be moved or gotten rid of seem to be one sided based on whose possessions were being displaced temporarily or permanently.
One side is passionate about retaining a much as possible even though they realize there must be room for the new addition. The other side is eager to totally empty the space so there is plenty of room and there will be no crowding issues to cause damage or impede the room needed to accommodate the new addition.
Two approaches to the same situation. Maybe in the tense discussions, one side may even float the idea that the new acquisition isn’t worth all the hassle and the whole idea should just be let go. Things were fine before, and look at all the fighting this has caused.
Luke 2:7b “… because there was no place for them in the inn.” A simple statement, but the priorities of an inn keeper, a street, a town, and a region are exposed. As for the inn keeper, at least he found a spot for them. Sure, it was a place for keeping animals and it wasn’t nearly adequate for a first-time mother giving birth to her son. But at least he found something. Doesn’t that count?
How important in Jesus to you? The King of the world left Heaven, took on flesh, and wants to have a place in your life.
How valuable is He to you?
How much room will you make?
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December 13th
A Christmas Journey
Finding God is a journey. The shepherds said, “When the angels left them and went to heaven, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke.2:15
The wise men took note of the star in the East, (Matthew 2:2) and started out on a journey. It was a long trek but a rewarding one.
People of faith have always taken a journey of faith. Abraham left his home land in search of a city. Enoch walked with God and found eternity. Noah hammered for years by faith and took a trip in a boat. Joseph asked that his bones be moved. Joshua and the children of Israel marched around the walls of Jericho to an earth shaking experience.
How far will you go to find the Christ of Christmas?
Look at the rewards that come with searching for Jesus. Luke 2:20 says the shepherds returned “praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen.” The wise men brought their gifts and worshiped the Christ, then returned to their home land another way.
There is a journey involved, but the rewards are great!
There was intensity in those Bible seekers, “Let us go, so they hurried off.” When you have the drive, a searching spirit, you will find the Lord. “Seek, and you shall find” Mt. 7:7. This Christmas put your heart into action and see what kind of journey you will take to find the Lord.
How far is it to the manger of the Christ child named Jesus? As near as your next breath! God has come near to us in Jesus to give us a new direction for our life.
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Dec. 14
Psalms 46:10 says “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
While everything around us seems to be rushing us in every direction we need to stop and be still so we can hear and see what great things God has for us. As Christians, it is our responsibility to tell others what God has done for us and what he can do for them.
Remember during the holidays it’s not about what we buy for others, but the gift that God has given us. Let’s allow God to help us not get in a hurry but to “be still” and exalt him daily.
Turtle
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Dec. 15
There are phrases that we use this time of year to direct our focus where it should be. “Jesus is the reason for the season” gains quite a bit of traction with each Christmas season as we try to prevent the craziness of November and December from changing our focus…and that phrase is absolutely true! But if you’re like me, you convince yourself that “it’s just a short season” and then we’ll “get back to normal.”
Unfortunately, getting back to normal can take its toll on our own lives and the relationships we care so deeply about. We allow so many unnecessary things to clutter our days and distract us from the people who need a relational investment from us.
Is participating in this holiday activity really how I want to spend my time? There are parties, events, plays and other Christmas-type activities that could literally consume every day of our lives from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day.
Are most parties fun? Yes.
Are all events necessary? No.
While you and I may want to be involved in every fun thing, is it the best use of our time? We need to consider limiting our outings and events so that we can give our best to those we love the most.
How do I keep my vital relationships a priority in the midst of holiday attention stealers? We don’t have to spend hours each day investing in those closest to us. Some days we can spend a little amount of time and that is fantastic! We’ll be surprised at just how much return there is on such a contribution.
For the most part, the relationships in your life may be in a healthy place. But some may have those lingering, negative feelings about that person you still need to forgive…or that person whose actions cause you to roll your eyes and exhale a long sigh because you wonder if they’ll ever change. If forgiveness is in order, tell me, what is it that keeps you from offering it to another? And if it’s not forgiveness, would you be willing to pray for what it is that makes you so annoyed by certain individuals? Chances are that it has nothing to do with them but more to do with you.
Stings a bit, doesn’t it? If so, I get it. But we must allow the Holy Spirit to take the bitter places in our hearts in every area of our lives so that we can live life to the fullest. And not just in November and December but for the entire year!
Romans 12:9-18
Matthew 5:23-24
Adam Collins
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