Jesus Christ

December 12th – Luke 1:14

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Luke 1:14

In ancient times, reputation was everything. And those without the blessing of children meant God’s favor had turned away from them. Zacharias had always wanted a child, but his wife Elizabeth was barren. Many assumed it was a punishment from God. But not so. For when Elizabeth was 60 years old, an angel of the Lord came to Zacharias and told him not only was his wife going to get pregnant, but it would be a boy! I’m sure there were plenty who scoffed at the thought. But when God makes a promise, we know He will always deliver! God blessed Zacharias with his son John whose great work would be to prepare the hearts of the people to receive the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ. The world can laugh and mock the promises of God. But we as Christians can rejoice. For we know each and every one will come true!

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December 10th – Luke 1:45

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Luke 1:45

When I think of Mary, a young girl of 12 or 13, I’m always blown away by her faith and obedience. The angel Gabriel came to her saying she would soon become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. And without blinking an eye, she believed and obeyed. Because of her faithful actions, Mary received God’s great blessing of being the one to bring His precious Son into the world. We too will have times when God calls us to do something great. And our response is everything. Because our heavenly Father wants to bless us as greatly as He did Mary. And all we have to do is have the same faith as a young girl, believing and obeying. As followers of Christ, like Mary, we too are favored by God. So with the heart of Mary, be brave, faithful, and open to His calling. Because if we are, watch how God, through us, will do awesome and amazing things! Things greater than we could ever imagine.

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December 9th – Mark 10:25

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Mark 10:25

When some hear the parable of the rich man, they wonder why Jesus told him to give away all of his money. It wasn’t because Jesus demands us to live in poverty. But rather, the Lord was testing the heart of this man. And in doing so, revealed what the man wasn’t willing to sacrifice to follow Jesus. Some Biblical scholars believe there was an actual gate in Damascus called “The Eye Of The Needle” At night, when the city’s main gates closed, the only way to enter was through a small side gate. This small gate was narrow and only tall enough to let a person walk through. For a camel to enter, the cargo it carried had to be unloaded, and the camel had to crawl through on its knees. What a perfect analogy of the Christian life. For to truly follow Jesus and pass through the gates of heaven, we need to unload our earthly treasures and enter into His presence on our knees. Humbly submitting all to the Lord who gave all for us.

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November 30 – 1 John 5:11

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1 John 5:11

I am thankful that the evidence of the gospel is all around me

Evangelist Ray Comfort wrote, “Atheists who keep asking for evidence of God’s existence are like a fish in the ocean wanting evidence of water.” When witnesses testify in court they swear to to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. But unfortunately we know that people and their promises can’t always be trusted. That’s not the case with God. We can trust that He is always true, honest, and faithful to keep His word. Throughout the Old Testament we read the glorious testimony of God promising a Messiah who would come to save the world. And that promise came true with the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And the evidence to back it up? God Himself, Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. All testify that Christ is the One and only Son of God. And those who reject this testimony are in fact calling God a liar.

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November 29th – 1 John 3:1

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1 John 3:1 

I am thankful to call God my Father 

Jesus came to be our perfect substitute. Taking our place, He paid our sin debt allowing us to be redeemed to the Father. Because of His sacrifice we are not only forgiven of our sins, freed from the burden of the Law, we are also adopted as sons and daughters into God’s heavenly family forever. Imagine that! No longer called slaves, but heirs to the kingdom through the blood of Christ. But it gets even better. In one of my favorite verses Paul says, “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying ‘Abba! Father!” (Gal. 4:6) Abba is an Aramaic term which closely translated means Daddy. What a privilege to be able to call God, Daddy! As sinners on our own we can never be worthy of being in His family.  But because of Jesus not only does God accept us, He calls us His own. And in this gift giving season, God’s gift of adoption is one I am forever thankful for.

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November 28th – 1 Timothy 1:15

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1 Timothy 1:15

I am thankful that God loves a sinner like me 

When it came to Christians, Paul was public enemy number one. No one persecuted God’s people more fanatically than him. Yet even though Paul was intent on destroying God’s church, when he accepted Jesus as his Savior, he received God’s forgiveness and unmerited grace. And so Paul says to all of us, “Look at me. If God is willing to save someone as wretched as myself, He’s willing to save all of those who believe in Him.” Could there be a more amazing truth? No matter who we are or what we’ve done, God wants us!  He wants to be our Father and cover us with His loving grace. We live in a world that fiercely opposes God’s truth. Even so that shouldn’t deter us from sharing the gospel, never giving up, and always fighting the good fight. For God’s Word is true, and “to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim 1:17)

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November 27th – 2 Corinthians 4:13

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2 Corinthians 4:13

I am thankful for a heart bursting to share the Good News of Jesus Christ 

In Matthew 12:33 Jesus says, “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” No matter how hard we may try to hide, whatever is truly in our hearts is revealed by the words we speak. Paul’s heart was filled with such faith in the Lord he declared, “If I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.” (1 Cor. 9:16) That’s the kind of faith I want to have. The kind that makes me want to burst if I don’t share the Good News of Christ and all of the wonderful things God has done for me. To tell of the endless ways He has healed, comforted, strengthened, and loved a sinner like me. We all have a testimony to give and we should be ready to share our faith and the reason for it. The Bible says one day we will all give an account for the words we speak. (Matt. 12:36) And as for me, the account I want to give is this. “I believed, so I spoke.”

 

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November 26th – Galatians 1:8

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Galatians 1:8

I am thankful for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ

The adding and taking away from God’s Word is pretty serious business. So serious Paul doesn’t just tell us to stay away from those who teach a distorted gospel, he calls for a curse upon them. As fallen people with fallen hearts, we cannot fathom such a pure, perfect, and unconditional love as is God’s love. A love whose height knows no limits, and whose depth knows no end. And most wonderful of all a love not earned, but offered freely to everyone who receives Jesus as their Savior. That’s why in our human frailty people twist and turn the gospel to fit their narrative. But the true Good News is this. Once we were dead in sin, separated from our Father in heaven. But through the grace of God and the blood of His only begotten Son, we can be reconciled back to our Father in heaven forever.  Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation. This is unmerited grace. This is unmerited love. And this is the one and only true gospel!

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November 22nd – Romans 5:8

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Romans 5:8 

I’m thankful that even though I’m a sinner, Jesus died for me

Romans is my absolute favorite book in the Bible, and chapter 5 is one of the reasons why. To me it sums up the message of the gospel beautifully. Once we were helpless, dead in spirit, and enemies of God. But through the grace and mercy of the Lord, not only can we have peace with our Heavenly Father, we can rejoice in hope. Hope that one day we will spend eternity with Him. Once we lived in darkness, eternally separated by sin from God. But because of His great love, God refused to leave us in that hopeless condition. So He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to provide reconciliation. Now, because of Christ’s death on the Cross, we are declared innocent and righteous before God. And through the blood of the Lamb, we become adopted sons and daughters in God’s family and heirs to His wonderful promises. And all of this is only possible through the amazing love God has for each and every one of us!

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November 20th – Romans 4:8

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Romans 4:8 

I’m thankful the Lord never holds my sin against me

Oswald Chambers once said, “Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ.” There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t sin against God everyday. And not a person alive who doesn’t need forgiveness everyday. Lucky for us, we serve a God whose grace and mercy are boundless. One who promises that if we confess and repent of our transgressions, not only does He forgive them, He forgets them! For as Ps. 103:12 tells us, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” What does that mean? Did you know if you travel north, eventually you’ll end up going south. But if you travel east, never will you meet west. That’s how awesome our God is. Even though we deserve nothing, He gave us everything. Through His precious Son, Jesus Christ, God provided a way for our sins to be forgiven, and for us to be declared righteous!

November 20th – Romans 4:8 Read More »