DAILY READINGS: Nehemiah 1:1-2; Daniel 11:21-45; Revelation 7:1-17
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 1 John 5:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:21
When it comes to our salvation, we can never lose it because He keeps us, safely in His hand (John 10:28-30). When it comes to the enjoyment of our salvation we have two general rules—keep out, and keep in. Keep yourselves from idols. How? Don’t even mention their names (Ps. 16:4). Keep yourselves in the love of God. How? Think about it, learn about it, talk about it, sing about it, walk in it, live it, enjoy it, and share it. —Rex Trogdon
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure, the saints’ and angels’ song. —F. M. Lehman
“And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
Christmas, for the world, has so much to do with receiving; but Christmas, for the Christian, has everything to do with giving. “When they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts unto Him,” the Scripture records. “What am I giving for Christmas this year,” should be the first question on our hearts, not, “What am I getting?”
The frankincense brought by the wise men from the East was an act of worship, an acknowledgement of His deity. Frankincense in ancient times was offered on altars in worship to the gods. The fact that these men had brought incense to the Babe indicates that, in their minds, He was the divine One.
Incense in the Old Testament was intricately involved with the offerings of the altar. The holy incense of the Tabernacle, which was not permitted for private use, was concocted by the perfumer and reserved for the sole purpose of worship (Ex. 30:37). Anyone who dared to use it for themselves was cut off from the people.
Likewise, in Leviticus, it was written that if anyone offered a grain offering to the Lord “…[he shall] put frankincense thereon” (Lev. 2:1). Had these wise men from the East unwittingly laid frankincense upon the sacrifice? Mary and Joseph, who were familiar with the Old Testament offerings, may have faintly understood these things.
Indeed, the infant would ultimately give Himself for us, “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour” (Eph. 5:2). That incense would be burned at the cross and would ascend into the throne room of God, bringing pleasure to His nostrils. Like Noah’s altar of old, after the Flood, God would smell a soothing aroma arising from the cross, causing Him to say in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake…” (Gen. 8:21). The ultimate fulfillment of Noah’s offering found its counterpart at the cross. Let us send up offerings of
incense this Christmas through the praises of our lips to the One who came down to die.
The cross was cruel and bleak and dark
Beneath that flood of rage,
But Thy dear cross became our Ark
And brought us through unscathed.
We were like Cain, lost fugitives,
Young rebel Absaloms.
Thou gave Thy soul that we might live
In New Jerusalem.
Jesus, Thy great vast love sublime
Swells our poor paltry hearts.
In all Thy ways Thy beauty shines.
How good, how kind Thou art
“If you want to seriously meditate on the great truths of what really happened just over 2000 years ago, and how it shook both heaven and earth, forever, you will not be disappointed with any page of this fresh and rich devotional book written by a man I have come to respect very much.
Shane Johnson has provided us with two meditations for each day of December, predominantly with a focus on the Incarnation – God becoming a man, in real though sinless human flesh – to help us not only understand the plan of God, but to motivate us to worship and serve Him. The last few days in the book shift the focus away from the “Christmas” theme, as Shane points to a new year of putting this renewal of adoration into practice, by first addressing what we really believe.” – From the Introduction by Peter Bolton
DAILY READINGS: Ezra 10:1-44; Daniel 11:1-20; Revelation 6:1-17
I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Ex. 15:26 They waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly…And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul…and the plague broke in upon them. Psalm 106:13-15, 29
These verses remind us that our health is in the Lord’s hands. There are times when ill health is given to glorify God. Then His grace is sufficient. But let us examine our heart to see if God is allowing sickness to turn us back to Himself or to teach us something new about Himself. —D. Pickup
See if there be some wicked way in me: Cleanse me from ev’ry sin, and set me free. —Edwin Orr
DAILY READINGS: Ezra 9:1-15; Daniel 10:1-21; Revelation 5:1-14
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13
Sir Winston Churchill, it is reported, said, “I am an old man. I have lived a long time. I have never seen days like these, I am tired of it all. I see no hope for the future. Our problems are beyond us.” Distraught
men see no hope for this world. The believer in the same world looks to the blessed hope and rejoicing exclaims, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20). —Arnot P. McIntee
How bright that blessed hope! Jesus will come! Let us our hearts lift up, Jesus will come! Morning so bright and clear, mansions of God appear, Sin shall not enter there, Jesus will come! —Author Unknown
DAILY READINGS: Ezra 8:1-36; Daniel 9:1-27; Revelation 4:1-11
Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Matthew 4:1-2
When the forty days of testing were coming to a close and our Lord was hungry and exhausted, Satan came for a final strike. Satan knows when and how to attack us. He is a fearsome enemy. How did our Lord respond to these attacks? He stood firm on the Scriptures and constantly said, “It is written” (v. 4, 7, 10). If we rest on the Word, we will resist the Devil. —G. Frear
Hallelujah, Christ the Conqueror, Every day we’re one with Him, Walking in Him constantly, Living Christ our victory.—Author Unknown
DAILY READINGS: Ezra 7:1-28; Daniel 8:1-27; Revelation 3:7-22
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Matthew 9:37-38
Is there still a need for missionaries? Consider that in 1970 the world’s population was 3.5 billion people. Today there are over 7 billion. Since 1970 have the number of missionaries doubled? There has never been a greater need for those to take up the gospel and reach the lost as there is today. Let us afresh lift up our eyes and look on the fields; for they are ready to harvest. —Sid Halsband
We have heard the Macedonian call today, Send the light! Send the light! And a golden offering at the cross we lay, Send the light! Send the light! —Charles H. Gabriel
DAILY READINGS: Ezra 6:1-22; Daniel 7:1-28; Revelation 2:18-3:6
His visage was so marred more than any man. Isaiah 52:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire. Revelation 1:14
Here we have two distinct visions of Christ. The prophet saw him marred and disfigured, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. His tormentors wrote “Jesus of Nazareth” over His cross, because they didn’t recognize who He was. But we do! And one day soon we’ll see Him as John did, in His glory and majesty, Jesus Christ the righteous. What a wonder, that He who is as John saw Him, became as Isaiah saw Him, to deliver us from sin and bring us into eternal fellowship with Him. —Carl Knott
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son, Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won. —Edmond L. Budry
DAILY READINGS: Ezra 5:1-17; Daniel 6:1-28; Revelation 2:1-17
Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. Psalm 119:155
A Bible stolen from a Hastings church was returned after 42 years by a German with a guilty conscience. The thief had not got around to reading it! The church treasurer said he did not think the book was worth much. He said, “They used to bring it out at meal times and read it to the children but these days of course, we don’t do that sort of thing.” Which of these was the worst? The one who never read it? The one who placed no value upon it? Or the one who stopped reading it to his children? —Dan Coulson
Cling to the Bible! Surely its value no mortal can measure: Seek for its blessing, O soul, while you can! —M. J. Smith
Bethlehem was not His beginning. The Eternal Son had no beginning. “In the beginning was the Word” is a truth that precedes Genesis 1:1, though written long after (John 1:1). Isaiah wrote “unto us a child is born” to mark His entrance into time as the humble babe of Bethlehem, but the balance of this verse is “unto us a Son is given,” which indicates that He was ever the Eternal Son. He was indeed born but He was never created.
Hebrews chapter 1 celebrates the truth that the Son always was. To the Son He says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,” and “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thine hands” (Heb. 1:8,10). The Son always was, always is, and always will be. As long as there has been a Father, there has been a Son.
That the Son of God would be a Child, now that was something new. Just think of it: the Eternal Son assumes the rags of our humanity for a time, becoming weaker and lower than the angels He created, in order to clothe us with His own immortality in His own righteousness. Hallelujah! Praise be to the Eternal Son! He had not given this kind of aid to angels, but He did give aid to the seed of Abraham (Heb. 2:17). He did not become an angel in order to die for angels. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9).
To us that Son was given. To us that child was born. Which of the angels can say, “He died for me?” “Redemption,”
“forgiveness,” and “propitiation” are words angels do not understand. To be an ambassador of God is a privilege an
archangel might envy. Let us fully rejoice in the gift of the Son this Christmas season.
Mighty Eternal Son
You breached space-time, entered a womb,
then buried Your steel into our flesh,
to suit Yourself in our costume.
Tissued, weakly Son of Man
You ambushed death inside a tomb.
Dead, You budded with new life
waiting there until You bloomed.
“If you want to seriously meditate on the great truths of what really happened just over 2000 years ago, and how it shook both heaven and earth, forever, you will not be disappointed with any page of this fresh and rich devotional book written by a man I have come to respect very much.
Shane Johnson has provided us with two meditations for each day of December, predominantly with a focus on the Incarnation – God becoming a man, in real though sinless human flesh – to help us not only understand the plan of God, but to motivate us to worship and serve Him. The last few days in the book shift the focus away from the “Christmas” theme, as Shane points to a new year of putting this renewal of adoration into practice, by first addressing what we really believe.” – From the Introduction by Peter Bolton
What if Jesus’ words were never intended to fit into your existing lifestyle? What if they were meant to change everything? What if Jesus never wanted merely part of your life? What if He wants everything?
Instead of offering easy answers, these pages ask difficult questions, leading the reader on a journey with life-altering implications.
If Jesus meant what He said, how might His words affect our relationships, investments, speech, perspectives, discipleship, spiritual disciplines, and every other aspect of life? What if the only balanced Christian life is all-out surrender to Jesus Christ?
What If Jesus Meant What He Said?