Month: December 2024

Since the children have flesh and blood, Jesus too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Hebrews 2:14,15

Perspective at the End of the Year

Daily Devotion – December 31, 2024

Devotion based on Hebrews 2:14,15


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Often, at the end of the year, we remember those who died in the previous 364 days. We reflect on their lives and their impact on our lives.

Are you afraid of dying in the upcoming year? The Bible says you don’t have to fear what happens when your soul leaves your body. Jesus died. His soul left his body, and then he came back from the dead to tell us what will happen when we die.

Before Jesus took on a body and soul at Christmas, he could not die. But he purposefully became a human being so he could die. As a perfect human being, he did not deserve to die. But by dying anyway, he broke the power of the devil to accuse God of unfairness by allowing us to go to heaven even though we have sinned. Jesus died to pay the ultimate penalty for our sins.

Now, we have the promise that everyone who believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life. What a beautiful thing to look forward to in the new year and into eternity!

Prayer:
Lord, as I finish this year, dry my tears of sorrow, and grant me confidence in the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, through Jesus. Amen.

After three days [Jesus’ parents] found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Luke 2:46,47

Make Good Use of Free Time

Daily Devotion – December 30, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 2:46,47


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If you have free time between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, make good use of it. Enjoy the company of family and friends, pursue your favorite pastime, and relax.

Above all else, take some time to read the Bible. If you already do that daily, take some extra time. If you do not do that daily, start today. You can begin with the gospel of Luke.

It isn’t long in the Gospel of Luke before you see Jesus as a twelve-year-old. He had some free time since his parents inadvertently left him behind when they set out for home after celebrating a holiday. In that free time, Jesus found teachers of the Bible. He listened to them and asked them questions.

You might think that Jesus was a great example of doing that. But he was more than that. Because he always did the right thing, he earned the right to be your Savior. When he finished his life, he had never sinned but took the punishment for sin and declared that it counted for you. Through faith, you have his perfect life credited to your account. It’s your ticket to heaven.

Because Jesus took care of things for you, you can rest between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Enjoy reading all about him on any day of the year!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, lead me to see you clearly in every word of the Bible. Amen.

His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
Luke 2:51

Treasure the Story of Salvation

Daily Devotion – December 29, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 2:51


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“I’ll google it.”

“Just a minute, let me look that up on Wikipedia.”

“Siri, what is the weather forecast for tomorrow?”

So much information is at our fingertips! We can learn a multitude of new facts every day. But how much of this is worth treasuring?

Luke tells us that Mary treasured events that unfolded in the life of Jesus. First, she treasured the shepherds’ visit to the manger as they made known what the angels had told them. Now, twelve years later, she treasures the words and actions of her growing son.

Mary and Joseph, with twelve-year-old Jesus, had been in Jerusalem for the Passover. When Mary and Joseph set out to return to Nazareth, they thought Jesus was somewhere in the group. But after traveling for a day, he was nowhere to be found. After three days, they found him at the temple, listening to the religious teachers and asking them questions. Jesus explains his actions by answering his parents, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). Jesus was busy carrying out the work his heavenly Father had sent him to do.

We can become so familiar with these events that we pass over them quickly, failing to treasure them in our hearts. These are so much more than random facts on the Internet. Here is the true story of your salvation. Cherish it as a treasure of unlimited value and beauty. Ponder it as a treasure that can never be fully explored. Guard it as a treasure worth holding on to at all costs.

What a treasure to cherish, ponder, and guard!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me treasure in my heart all that you have done for me. Amen.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace.
Micah 5:4,5

Jesus is Our Peace

Daily Devotion – December 28, 2024

Devotion based on Micah 5:4,5


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Peace is the absence of trouble, tension, disaster, and surprise. Peace is the presence of safety, security, contentment, and relief. When you experience peace, you’d like things to stay just as they are. You hope that nothing changes.

Unfortunately, earthly peace will always change. Earthly peace is always short-lived. Happy relationships bring peace, but can you guarantee that even for one fleeting year, your solid relationship will never once face discord? Christmas presents bring a little peace, but the same gadgets that cause a hearty “Thanks!” are soon broken or forgotten. And how many people ever get everything on their Christmas lists? And even if they did, would they have lasting peace?

For lasting Christmas peace, we look away from earthly things and look to the Good Shepherd, Jesus. His peace is not only for a time or isolated to one area. Jesus’ peace cannot be overruled. In power and compassion, his greatness reaches everywhere, all the time, penetrating into our hearts and lives.

Take note especially of this sentence of God’s Word: “And he will be their peace.” Jesus himself is our peace. It’s not just that he knows where to find peace or shows us the way to peace—he is our peace! In Jesus, we stand confidently under God’s favor. In Jesus, we live with the comfort of God’s abiding presence and almighty power. We know exactly what our eternal future will be. Jesus alone provides eternal safety, security, contentment, and relief. Our peace will never change because Jesus is our peace!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, prevent me from looking to earthly avenues of peace and thinking they will last. Instead, lead me to trust in you, so that I might find true peace that lasts. Then help me to enjoy all the other blessings on earth you provide in a way that honors you. Amen.

“He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Luke 1:53-55

Lord, I’m Hungry!

Daily Devotion – December 27, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 1:53-55


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I have some friends who, financially, are not doing well. Recently, their phones were shut off, their car was repossessed, and very soon they might lose their home. Many in our friend group have reached out to help—purchasing groceries, giving rides, and helping pay some of their bills. But they are hurting. It’s difficult to see them go through all of this but I can’t even begin to imagine how scared they feel.

You may never have been in such dire financial straits, but you know what it is like to be in want. What is it that you’re hurting for that you can’t seem to find? Maybe you’ve been looking for a spouse, someone to spend and share your life with. Maybe you have been longing for God to give you direction and guidance about the next steps in life you should take. Perhaps you’re physically aching and there is nothing you would love more than for God to heal that pain and restore you like you were when you were young. Maybe there is that guilt for decisions you made in the past and you are hungering for God to forgive you. Maybe you find yourself crying out to God for help.

Whenever a baby is hungry, they fuss and scream and their mother knows what those cries mean and is ready to step in and soothe them. But what made this baby born of Mary so different was that he came to tend to humanity’s cries and fill us with such good things. Jesus brings us peace with God, forgiveness for our sins, and the promise of life with God in eternity!

Whatever is causing you to cry out, take those concerns to the Lord. I pray that he brings peace to your heart. But realize that God already has taken care of our greatest need—the need for forgiveness—by sending us his Son, our Savior!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for filling my heart with the assurance of peace and forgiveness. May those gifts settle my heart as I labor through my temporary struggles. Amen.

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
Luke 1:50-52

Lord, Lift Us Up!

Daily Devotion – December 26, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 1:50-52


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A lot of people love the holidays. Houses shine at night with sparkling Christmas lights. Carols are blasting on radios. Families come together for presents, food, and laughs. It can be a wonderful time that we love and cherish.

However, I know some people who can’t stand this time of year. This time of year, brings out all sorts of problems. Some feel stress from business projects that must be completed before the new year. Others worry about purchasing just the right gift for their loved ones and feel empty when the present falls flat. There are still other people who don’t like the holidays because they remind them of the loved ones they have lost or don’t feel like they have anyone in their life who loves them.

I don’t know where you fall. Maybe you’re on one side or the other. Maybe you have a mix of emotions. But today’s Bible reading reminds us of a wonderful thing that the babe born in Bethlehem does for all of us this Christmas: he lifts us up!

Your heart might be heavy with emotions, and getting through these days might seem like an impossible task. But take care. God delivered on the promise of sending your Savior into this world to pick you up and carry you through those times of stress and strain. When you look into that manger this Christmas, see the Savior who loved you so much that he shouldered your guilt, shame, and sin and carried it with him to a cross so that darkness would be gone forever. Jesus still comes to us through his Word and lifts us up to get us through those dark times.

I pray this Christmas that you don’t get caught up with all the things that cause your heart to ache and that the news of the forgiveness of your Savior lifts you up and brings you peace.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, crush those thoughts of loneliness and stress and lift me up with your Word. Amen.

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Exodus 34:5,6

The Greatest Gift of All

Daily Devotion – December 25, 2024

Devotion based on Exodus 34:5,6


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So, did you get anything good for Christmas? What was there for you under the tree? I’m guessing that you can remember a Christmas present you received in the past that stands out in your memories more than others—that toy that you had been begging your parents for, that handcrafted project your child assembled just for you made with popsicle sticks, glue, and love; that dream destination vacation your spouse surprised you with that caught you off-guard. Whenever we think of those gifts, it warms our hearts.

Regardless of what presents you received this Christmas or those you treasure from the past, we celebrate the greatest gift of all—the birth of Jesus. He is God’s greatest gift to you! The birth of Jesus signifies to us that God Almighty became a man to bring to earth the mercy, love, and forgiveness of heaven!

Long before Jesus was born, God came before Moses, and that frightened him. After all, God is perfect, and Moses was anything but. Moses had his flaws and failures, just like you and me. When God came before Moses, Moses readily recognized that he didn’t deserve to be there with God because of his imperfections. Sinful man can’t stand before a holy God.

And so, that we might be able to approach God without fear and trembling, God sent his Son into this world to live the life of perfection that we never could so that he could shed his blood to cover us with the holiness of heaven. Because of Jesus, when God looks at you, he doesn’t see your sin. No, instead, he sees the perfection of his Son!

Whatever gifts you were given this Christmas, they pale in comparison to the gift of the Savior! We have a God who is compassionate and faithful! We have a God who is patient, abounding in love, and faithful to keep his promises! Merry Christmas!

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending me the greatest gift of all this Christmas—my Savior! Amen.

She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:7

Come and Meet the King!

Daily Devotion – December 24, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 2:7


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I have never met the President of the United States. I am guessing that you haven’t either. I have seen one of them in person. In fact, I was less than fifty feet from him! But I didn’t shake his hand or have any personal interaction with him. The President doesn’t know me. I don’t have his phone number. I don’t have any sort of access to him, and most likely I never will. He is guarded by the Secret Service. He meets with foreign dignitaries and ambassadors. He has an important job to do as Commander-in-Chief. And on top of that, he has friends and family of his own.

But Jesus is different. Jesus, the King of Creation, is not separated from mankind. He makes himself accessible to us. He comes to us through his Word and doesn’t just give us a gratuitous handshake. No! He touches our hearts. He knows your name. He knows all your worries, fears, and the problems that keep you awake at night. And amazingly, Jesus is never too busy meeting with “important” people. He is always there for you and me. We are his family.

You would think that someone as important as Jesus, as important as the King of Creation, would have been born in a city of prominence and have the finest accommodations for his birth. But Jesus is a different kind of king. He humbled himself and had a manger for his bed because his whole purpose for being born was to serve you and me. He took on flesh and gave up his life so that you and I could be his own.

As cool as it would be if we had the President’s phone number and could call him up for help with any problem, we have something better—Jesus, the King of all Creation!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for humbly serving and coming into my life. Strengthen me through your Word as I meet you every time I read it. May I walk with you every day until we meet face to face in heaven. Amen.

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.”
Luke 1:46-49

Great Expectations

Daily Devotion – December 23, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 1:46-49


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When I was younger, I played a lot of sports—football, basketball, baseball—you name it. And I remember dreaming that one day I would be able to make it to the pros: Throwing the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl! Hitting the buzzer beater in the Finals! Knocking the bottom of the ninth home run out of the park to win the World Series! Wouldn’t that be sweet?! Unfortunately for me, some people have done those things, but I never did.

I have had the opportunity to coach at the elementary school and high school level. And I have heard from some of my players the same kind of hopes and dreams that I had when I was their age. Over the years, I also heard from some of their parents that they had hopes their child would eventually make it to the pros. But none of them ever did.

Some parents have great expectations for their children. But sometimes, those expectations are greater than what is realistic.

Mary had high hopes for the child she was carrying but her expectations exceeded anything you or I or anyone else could ever do: She expected her child to save the world from death. That seems like a lot of pressure to put on a kid who hasn’t even taken his first steps yet, doesn’t it?

So, why did Mary have this hope? Because she knew that her child was unlike any other. Her Son was and is the Son of God who masked himself in flesh to do the impossible—to live the life of perfection we never could, to crawl out of his cradle and climb onto the cross, to defeat death, and rise so that you and I could live forever. And, thanks be to God, that’s exactly what he did!

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for sending me a Savior who could do what I never could. Amen.

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.”
Luke 1:46-49

Praise Where Praise Is Due

Daily Devotion – December 22, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 1:46-49


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“She picked me because she knows I’m the best!” says the little girl to her classmates after being selected by the teacher for a particular task. As much as we recoil at the scene, it strikes uncomfortably close to home for us. We all want to believe that we’re the best and the brightest. And there is a part of us that wants others to think we are the best and brightest, too. Those of us who are Christians are even tempted to think that we are Christians because God thinks we’re better than others around us.

If anyone in the history of this world might have had a right to think she was something special, it was Jesus’ mother, Mary. She was chosen, after all, to give birth to the Savior of the world. So, you might have expected Mary to stick her nose in the air and say, “He picked me because he knows I’m the best!” But she didn’t. In her great song of praise, Mary says the opposite. God chose her not because she was better than everyone else but because “…of the humble state of his servant.” Mary knew she didn’t deserve this great honor any more than any of her fellow sinful human beings deserved it. Rather than pointing out her own greatness, Mary pointed out God’s greatness. She sang, “The Mighty One has done great things for me.”

May we, like Mary, resist the temptation to think too highly of ourselves. Let us instead direct our praise to the Mighty One who has done great things for us.

Prayer:
All glory to you, O Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. You have been mindful of my humble state. Yet you have done great things for me. Amen.