Month: December 2019

SCRIPTURE
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ.”Luke 2:11

MESSAGE

The world is filled with the sounds of Christmas. You can hear festive songs, bells and laughter. And if you listen with your soul, you will hear the angels singing, the joy of anticipation and the sacrificed sound of holy silence. You will hear the whisper of the eternal word that became flesh in Jesus Christ.

Christmas is a continuous season of the soul, and Bethlehem lives forever in your heart. Through God’s grace, the eyes and ears of your heart will be opened and you will hear the joyful sounds of celebration because of the word that came to live among us.
PRAYER
“Savior and Friend of sinners, thank You for this season of the soul when we can listen to the soundless Word that became flesh”. Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from GRACE FOR EACH MOMENT.

Scripture
“Do not be afraid. “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.- Luke 2:10
Message

The world has eliminated Christ from the festivities of Christmas to make room for worldly pleasures. As Christians we need to rectify this travesty.

Christmas must not be allowed to degenerate into cheap tinsel, shining lights and superficial emotions. We must look beneath the trappings and uncover the core of Christmas, letting the Light of the world shine in our lives.

Christians have more reason to celebrate Christmas than others do. The true glory of Christmas is to be found in our hearts – not in the malls or at parties. Let the world see in us the true spirit of Christmas so that they too can come and worship the King.

Prayer
“Holy Spirit of God, this Christmas guide me past the external trappings to the true inner  joy that can only be found in Christ”. Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from GRACE FOR EACH MOMENT.

Scripture
“You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden”. Matthew 5:14 (NLT)

Message
No one loves Christmas more than my dad. My parents had a way of making it magical every year, and a huge part of that experience was the decorating. There was only one kind of Christmas tree to buy: the biggest one we could find. And there was only one place to put our humongous Christmas tree: in front of the biggest window in our home.

My dad decorated with the neighbors and passerby in mind, and his joy came from seeing others enjoying his work. I have many memories of going outside, in the dark and cold, to make sure that our tree looked as good from the road as it did from the living room. There could never be too many ornaments or too many lights. In fact, if the house couldn’t be see from a mile away, it just wasn’t lit up enough.

When Jesus teaches that we, as His followers, are to be the light of the world, I picture our house all lit up on Christmas Eve. The light of our faith is not for our benefit only. There are too many people living in darkness for us to selfishly hide our light. In fact, Jesus says that a town built on a hill cannot be hidden. We can’t help but illuminate the paths of those around us.

The light of our faith should be as evident from the road as it is from our living room. We are to be the  light of the world. Let’s shine Jesus every day of the year!

Prayer
“Lord, it was never Your intention that I hoard Your light for myself, Help me to step out of my comfort zone and seek to brighten some of the darkness around me.” Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from FAITH GATEWAY.

Scripture
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it”.  Isaiah 30:15
Message

As we withdraw from the confusion of daily life over Christmas time and spend more time in nature, we once again connect with God. Slow down and enjoy the things that we let slip in the everyday rush of the rest of the year: long conversations with family members; the beauty of creation; the delight in a child’s eyes; playing with pets; and most of all, digging deep into the Word of God.

Look up into the branches of tall trees, and remember that they grow slowly. Allow God to bring His refreshing strength into your life again, and accept His gifts of peace and joy.

Prayer
“Creator God, thank You for restoring Your peace and joy to me in times of quietness and rest”. Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from GRACE FOR EACH MOMENT.

Scripture
“Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of Gold and of incense and myrrh”. Matthew 2:11

Message

The Magi understood the true meaning behind Christmas – to give. At Christmas, God gave His best, His most valuable treasure – His Son. And the Child of Bethlehem also gave  – He gave Himself in His death on the cross.

Learn the secret of giving from giving. Forget what you did for others and remember what others have done for you. Rather than expecting things fro others, ask what you an do for them. Look around you to see where you  can sow seeds of joy and kindness and love.

If you are willing to do these things, then you will have brought your offering of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Lord. And you will experience the true joy of Christmas.

Prayer
“Generous Lord, this Christmas season I once again offer my life to You to do as You please”. Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from GRACE FOR EACH MOMENT.

Scripture
“She gave birth to her firstborn, a Son, She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn”.  Luke 2:7

Message
Every Christmas we become children at heart again. For a short time we leave our mundane lives and wander down the paths of rich imagination, of wonder and delightful joy, while we freely rejoice in the infinite love of God. Even the staunchest realist finds his heart stirred when he hears the aged-old story of God’s love.

As we experience the mystery of Christmas both tangibly and intangibly, we are touched by the wonder of God’s love – and our dreams of peace and joy are rekindled.

Prayer
“I thank You, Lord Jesus, that I can enjoy the festivities surrounding Christmas with childlike glee and so enter into Your Kingdom as a little child”. Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from GRACE FOR EACH MOMENT.

Scripture
“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd”. Matthew 9:36

Message
Compassion is one of the outstanding characteristics of the unique personality of Jesus Christ. The attitude that He revealed when talking to people not only stimulated their minds, but captured the hearts as well. They felt His love for them and responded by loving Him in return.

Because the immortal Christ is still alive , His compassion for humankind is just as real and true today as it was when He walked the dusty roads of Palestine. If you don’t know where to turn for strength and inspiration , then remember the compassion of Jesus Christ. He is with you in all your distress and encourages you through the power of His love.

Prayer
“Savior, may Your love and compassion inspire and strengthen me today”. Amen.
STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from GRACE FOR EACH MOMENT.

Scripture
“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God”. Revelation 21:3

Message
Fear casts a very dark shadow over the future. But when you find refuge in the living Christ, you realize that regardless of how ominous things might appear, everything is still under God’s control. The Lord Good Almighty still reigns and has not abandoned His creation.

To believe that God is working out His divine plan, in spite of man’s sinfulness, enables you to maintain a well-balanced and calm attitude.

So, you can either look to the future without God and feel depressed and fearful, or you can believe in God’s plan of redemption for mankind and approach the future with trust and confidence.

Prayer
“Eternal God, I believe that You are in control of this world. Therefore I can face the future with confidence and hope in Your salvation “. Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from GRACE FOR EACH MOMENT.