Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬-‭31‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Happy Blessed New Year...

“I love the big fresh starts, the clean slates like birthdays and new years, but I also really like the idea that we can get up every morning and start over.”

Kristin Armstrong 

Professional road bicycle racer and three-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2012, 2016)

Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬-‭31‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Image: CC (unsplash.com)

Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ ‭(NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Happy Blessed New Year...

“Let us thank God for life and the blessings He’s put before us. High among them are our families, our freedom, and the opportunities of a new year.”

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)

40th US President 

Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ ‭(NLT) For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

‬‬

Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭26‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.

Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Image: CC (unsplash.com)

Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Happy Blessed New Year...

"Our hope is not in the new year, but in The One who makes all things new."

Unknown

Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

‭‭

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭33‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.

Image: CC (unsplash.com)

Psalms‬ ‭90‬:‭2‬, ‭4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Happy Blessed New Year...

"...God’s eternity means that he has a different kind of existence, an existence without the passage of time, a kind of existence that is difficult for us even to imagine. The fact that God created time reminds us of his lordship over it and our obligation to use it for his glory."

Wayne Gruden

Systematic Theology, second edition (1994, 2020)

Job‬ ‭36‬:‭26‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.

Psalms‬ ‭90‬:‭2‬, ‭4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God...For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.

2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

Revelation‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) "I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

‭‭

Image: CC (pixexid.com)

Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭33‬ ‭(NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

“What about putting Christ back into Christmas? It is simply not necessary. Christ has never left Christmas.” 

R.C. Sproul (1939-2017)

Reformed Pastor and Theologian

Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭33‬ ‭(NLT) In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

‭‭

Image: CC (pixexid.com)

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

"Observe...The nature and quality of the message which the angel brought; it was a message of joy, a message of great joy, a message of great joy unto all people."

William Burkitt (1650-1703)

Bible expositor and vicar in Dedham, Essex, England

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!“

‭‭

Image: Creative Commons 

Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭46‬-‭50‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

"Whenever we consider those to whom the good news came, we must recite a list punctuated by the words ‘poor’ and ‘humble.’ Martin Luther remarked, ‘He might have gone to Jerusalem and picked out Caiaphas’s daughter, who was fair, rich, clad in gold embroidered raiment and attended by a [gathering] of maids in waiting. But God preferred a lowly maid from a mean town.’ And if the Incarnation happened today, it would be the same. The Lord would not be born in Jerusalem or Rome or Geneva or Canterbury, but on the ordinary streets of some nameless town.”

R. Kent Hughes

Luke, Vol. 1 - That You May Know The Truth

Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭46‬-‭50‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.”

Image: CC (pixexid.com)

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

"That there was no room in the inn was symbolic of what was to happen to Jesus. The only place where there was room for him was on a cross. He sought an entry to the over-crowded hearts of men; he could not find it; and still his search--and his rejection--go on."

William Barclay (1907-1978)

"Barclay's Daily Bible Study"

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

‭‭

John‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

‭‭

Image: CC (unsplash.com)

Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

"Their (The Wise Men) experience is a good lesson in finding the will of God: (1) they followed the light God gave them; (2) they confirmed their steps by the Word of God; and (3) they obeyed God without question and He led them each step of the way. Note that they went home by 'another way.'"

Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019)

Pastor, teacher and author 

Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬) Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 

So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’"

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Image: CC (pixexid.com)

Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1-2, 9‬-‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

“Look for yourself and you will find loneliness and despair. But look for Christ and you will find Him and everything else.” 

C.S. Lewis (1898-1863)

British writer, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian

Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1-2, 9‬-‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

...the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

Apostle John

Image: CC (unsplash.com)

Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

“The real message of Christmas is not the gifts that we give to each other. Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of us. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving.”

Greg Laurie

Harvest Christian Fellowship 

Riverside, California 

Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

‭‭

Image: CC (pixexid.com)

Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

“Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it ‘white.”

Bing Crosby (1903-1977)

Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

‭‭

Image: CC (pixexid.com)

John 1:14 (NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

“Whatever you may believe about it, the birth of Jesus was so important that it split history into two parts. Everything that has ever happened on this planet falls into a category of before Christ or after Christ.” 

Philip Yancey

John‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) 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.

‭‭

Image: Creative Commons

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Merry Christmas...

“The angels heralded the birth of the Savior, John the Baptist heralded the coming of the Savior, and we herald the gospel of the Savior.”

Katy Kauffman

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

‭‭

Image: CC (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Shepherds_and_the_Angel.jpg)