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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