Morning Scripture Reading - Deuteronomy 34:9

Deuteronomy 34:9 New King James Version (NKJV)

9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Evening Scripture Reading - Isaiah 12:2

Isaiah 12:2 New King James Version (NKJV)

2 Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’ ”

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 63:3-5

Psalm 63:3-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with [a]marrow and [b]fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 63:5 Lit. fat
2. Psalm 63:5 Abundance

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 23:6-8

Proverbs 23:6-8 New King James Version (NKJV)

6 Do not eat the bread of a[a] miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 23:6 Lit. one who has an evil eye

Morning Scripture Reading - Isaiah 26:7-9

Isaiah 26:7-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

7 The way of the just is uprightness;
O Most Upright,
You [a]weigh the path of the just.
8 Yes, in the way of Your judgments,
O Lord, we have waited for You;
The desire of our soul is for Your name
And for the remembrance of You.
9 With my soul I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 26:7 Or make level

Evening Scripture Reading - 1 Peter 1:3-9

1 Peter 1:3-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

A Heavenly Inheritance

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance [a]incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been [b]grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not [c]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Peter 1:4 imperishable
2. 1 Peter 1:6 distressed
3. 1 Peter 1:8 M known

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 63:1-2

Psalm 63:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV)

Joy in the Fellowship of God

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

663 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.

Good News and Great Joy to All People

Luke 2:10-12 New Living Translation (NLT)

10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 23:4-5

Proverbs 23:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

4 Do not overwork to be rich;
Because of your own understanding, cease!
5 [a]Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 23:5 Lit. Will you cause your eyes to fly upon it and it is not?

Morning Scripture Reading - 1 Chronicles 16:31-36

1 Chronicles 16:31-36 New King James Version (NKJV)

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.
33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the Lord,
For He is coming to judge the earth.

34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
35 And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation;
Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.”

36 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!

And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

For a Child is Born to Us

Isaiah 9:6-7 New Living Translation (NLT)

6 For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

Footnotes:

1. 9:6 Or Wonderful, Counselor.

Christmas Eve Message - Light

Of all the accounts, the Gospel of John, in my opinion, perfectly crystalizes the meaning of Jesus’ birth. When you read the first chapter of his Gospel, you realize that the birth of Jesus is more than the story of a series of events. It is a beautiful story of how, in the words of an old hymn, “a Savior came from glory” to live among us and provide an example of how we should live. In time, that very small child will also take the sins of the world upon his body and be our sacrifice on a cross. A very simple birth is more than the events. It is a story of love and salvation for all those who accept that gift given by Father God so many years ago.

John describes, in that first chapter, the birth of Jesus in just a few simple sentences by writing, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

There is no mention of angels or shepherds. We don’t see the three wise men or hear of the stable or manger. There is no mention of Jesus’ parents or anything that we commonly associate with the Christmas holiday. John tells us the Word became human and lived among us and how he was filled with love, an unfailing and undeserved love. He gave us a glimpse into the glory of the Father.

We also see John the Baptist proclaiming that “someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me”. John’s voice booms out of the wilderness and tells us to “clear the way for the Lord’s coming.”

John’s simple view of Jesus’ birth gives us the reasons for his birth in an easy-to-understand message. There are no additional stories or other events. His narrative focuses only on one thing -  the Word and its existence and why it became flesh.

John writes, “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

When you think about when we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate it in the winter. It is the season where the days are shortest and the nights are longer. It is cold and dark. We often burn yule logs during this period to give light and warmth to the household. The same holds true for the birth of Jesus.

Jesus’ life gave us the light that pushes out the darkness and, as John points out, the darkness can never extinguish it. It is a light that radiates out into the world of darkness and gives hope, love, peace and joy to all. It is so important for us to always remember those words, because the Word gave each of us those precious gifts.

As you look around, you see the world filled with hatred, violence and mob rule. People seem like they are no longer interested in the light. Many are turning away from their beliefs and seeking “truth” and “light” elsewhere. Many feel that Christianity is a child’s fairy tale and just needs to put aside in favor of other ideas. As they put aside Christianity, their enlightenment soon turns into confusion and, ultimately, disappointment. Belief in something has metamorphosed into believing in nothing at all. Hearts are hardened and darkness fills their empty lives.

The light is always there for all especially for those who are engulfed in that darkness. There is no way for “the light” to be extinguished. It burns bright for each of us. But, it is up to us to seek it out and accept what it gives.

In chapter three of John’s Gospel, Jesus, while speaking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, says, “And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

Later in the Gospel of John, Jesus, in chapter eight, says, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

I have read many stories of mine accidents and men being trapped underground. After being in the dark with just flashlights or even candles, all of those who survived told of how the light from a rescue team lifted their spirits and gave them hope and joy. Just like with the trapped miners, there is always hope. They all hope and pray for the rescue. When you are trapped in darkness, the light always gives you hope, love, joy and peace.

As you celebrate the birth of our Savior, Christ Jesus, I ask that you think about the simple reason why he came into the world. He is the light of the world and gives us hope, joy, peace and love by shining ever so brightly in this world of darkness. Don’t be misled by the false lights that may appear. They will only give you false hope and lead to disappointment. Take the lesson of John’s simple message and apply it daily. When you do that, you will definitely walk in the light and be able to stand firm in His grace.  

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Evening Scripture Reading - John 7:37-39

John 7:37-39 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those [a]believing in Him would receive; for the [b]Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Footnotes:

1. John 7:39 NU who believed
2. John 7:39 NU omits Holy

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 62:11-12

Psalm 62:11-12 New King James Version (NKJV)

11 God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God.
12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
For You [a]render to each one according to his work.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 62:12 reward

Fourth Week of Advent - Scripture Reading

1 John 4:9-10 New Living Translation (NLT)

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 23:1-3

Proverbs 23:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)

Listen to Your Father

223 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
2 And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food.

Morning Scripture Reading - Ezekiel 34:15-16

Ezekiel 34:15-16 New King James Version (NKJV)

15 I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. 16 “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”

Evening Scripture Reading - Ephesians 4:32

Ephesians 4:32 New King James Version (NKJV)

32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 62:9-10

Psalm 62:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

9 Surely men of low degree are [a]a vapor,
Men of high degree are a lie;
If they are weighed on the scales,
They are altogether lighter than vapor.
10 Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery;
If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 62:9 vanity