Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"What we celebrate at Christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, but the incarnation of God Himself."

R. C. Sproul (1939-2017)

Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.

1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

2 John‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬) I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist.

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Matthew 1:21 (NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“There were many who saw the babe, but did not see the salvation.”

Unknown author

Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

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1 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

Apostle Paul 

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Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“The birth of Christ is the central event in the history of the earth – the very thing the whole story has been about.” 

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

British writer, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian.

John‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So the Word (Jesus) 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.

Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

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Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭32‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

There was the little boy who approached Santa in a department store with a long list of requests. He wanted a bicycle and a sled, a chemical set, a cowboy suit, a set of trains, a baseball glove and roller skates.
"That's a pretty long list," Santa said sternly. "I'll have to check
in my book and see if you were a good boy."
"No, no," the youngster said quickly. "Never Mind checking. I'll just take the roller skates."

Unknown Author 

Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭32‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I (Jesus) have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.

1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

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Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts, the gift of God to man - His unspeakable gift of His Son, and the gift of man to God - when we present our bodies a living sacrifice."

Vance Havner (1901-1986)

Revivalist and author

John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

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Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

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Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

It was in December of 1903, that after many attempts, the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground and into the air at Kitty Hawk. Thrilled over the accomplishment, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” 

Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.” 

He totally missed the big news-for the first time in human history, man had flown! 

SOURCE: Daily Bread, December 23, 1991.

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.

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Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"This is the third occasion on which Joseph is given guidance by an angel appearing to him in a dream. How responsive Joseph was to the Lord...Joseph was not only willing to obey, he did so without hesitation."

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016)

Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 

That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

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Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭57‬-‭60‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) You are my portion, Lord; I have promised to obey your words. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

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Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)...

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"We go from Malachi to Matthew in one page of our scriptures, but that one piece of paper that separates the Old Testament from the New Testament represents 400 years of history - 400 years where there wasn't a prophet, 400 years where God's voice wasn't heard. And that silence was broken with the cry of a baby on Christmas night.” 

Pastor Louie Giglio

Passion City Church, Atlanta GA

Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) "Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.“

400 SILENT YEARS BETWEEN MALACHI AND MATTHEW

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Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.'"

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John‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Only the God-man could be an adequate Savior; for He must be human in order to be able to suffer and die, and He must be God to make that death effective as a payment for sin."

Charles Caldwell Ryrie (1925-2016)

Ryrie Study Bible: NASB, 1995

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.

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Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

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Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"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 ‭(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.” 

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” 

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” 

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” 

After this interview the wise men went their way. And 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. 

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

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2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"What this verse is teaching is that God has given us a spirit of self-control or self-mastery. We are to use discretion and not to act rashly, hastily, or foolishly. No matter how adverse our circumstances, we should maintain balanced judgment and act soberly."

William MacDonald (1917-2007)

Believer's Bible Commentary

2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

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Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

A CREED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.

I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do great things.

I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.

I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing I asked for—but everything I had hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among men, most richly blessed."

Attributed to a battle weary Confederate soldier near the end of Civil War (1861-1865).

Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

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Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“When we rely on organization, we get what organization can do. When we rely upon education, we get what education can do. When we rely on eloquence, we get what eloquence can do. But when we rely on the Holy Spirit, we get what God can do."

Amzi Clarence Dickson (1854-1925)

Baptist pastor, Bible expositor, and evangelist

Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭4‬-‭5 ‭(NLT‬‬) Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

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1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"...Ordinary folks, living good, honest, hardworking, ordinary lives, have a habit of winning the respect of those who know them. For God’s people, winning respect is a much higher goal than getting to the top!"

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016)

The 365 Day Devotional Commentary

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NLT) Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭12‬, ‭15‬, ‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world...It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you...Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.”

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