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The Measure of Christmas (John 3:16-17)

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The Measure of Christmas (John 3:16-17)
December 23, 2019
Categories: Devotional
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READ: John 3:16-17

John 3:16-17 (KJV)
16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

KEY THOUGHT:

Some common questions you might hear shortly after the Christmas season is, “What did you get for Christmas?”, “How did you do this Christmas?”, or “Did you get what you wished for?” All of these questions seem to imply that the most important metric of Christmas is “getting” or receiving gifts. While wishing for something, hoping to receive, and the act of receiving are all part of the Christmas experience, these are not the true measures of Christmas. The measure of Christmas is giving.

Christmas would not be possible without a gift being given first by God who gave His one and only Son to save the world from sin. Consider the measure of God’s gift…

  • It was unconditional – God gave because He loved, not based on any requirements. His priority was on giving to those He loved.
  • It was undeserved – God gave through grace, not because of our merit. We were undeserving of Jesus, yet God gave Him to us!
  • It was unlimited – God gave to the world once and for all. The gift of His Son is an everlasting gift that can still be received today.

In contrast, we put conditions on giving. Sometimes we give only to those who we receive from. We try to give based on merit or goodness, withholding gifts from those who are naughty and being generous to those who are nice because we believe that they deserve it.Finally, we put limits on our giving. Those limits may be based on budget (which is sensible and practical), but sometimes we limit giving because we’re simply stingy and don’t want to give.

At Christmas, our giving should model God’s giving, especially when we give back to God. An appropriate response to God’s gift at Christmas is to give back to Him through ministry. That can be done…

  • By giving Him your life to use as He wills
  • By giving of your resources (money, time, talents) for the purpose of reaching others with the gospel
  • By giving generously and unselfishly with a joyful heart

How do you measure Christmas? Is your Christmas measured by giving or receiving? Does it reflect how God gave to you? God doesn’t need your gift, but your gift is a measure of your priorities and of your love for Him.

Celebrate this Christmas by giving as God measures giving… good measure, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).

CONSIDER:

  1. What makes giving at Christmas special to you?
  2. How do you feel when someone gives you a gift unexpectedly?
  3. What are some ways you can give to God this year?

APPLICATION:

Measure your Christmas by how you give this year.

 

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How to Live Without WorryMarch 15, 2020DAY 1: Why Worry? (Read Matthew 6:25-34) Matthew 6:25-34 (KJV) 25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27   Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. This week’s devotion is quite simple: Know what you believe, know it’s the truth, know Who it’s from, and trust in Him! Even when the going gets rough and the truly unexpected and unimaginable happens, trust in what you know is true! The apostle Paul put it this way: “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). Sometimes it seems that the whole world around you might be going crazy and you’re not sure what the next hour will bring, much less what tomorrow will be like. While it’s hard to not get anxious and to worry about the situation, recall what Jesus said in Matthew 6:34: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”. Certainly, we live in days of where the evil is sufficient. Yet, we can still live worry free with a peace that comes only from knowing Jesus Christ and understanding that He has this all covered. Over the next week, look at the following principles to help you live worry free in these troubled times: Have faith Exercise trust Practice prayer Be prepared Live in the reality of today’s blessings Be thankful Day 2: Have faith. (Romans 8:28-39) That means believe what God has promised, especially through His Son, Jesus Christ. If you read Matthew 6:25-34, you can’t help but sense God’s provision and protection for you. Add to that what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28-39… Phrases like: all things work together for good; nothing can separate us from the love of God, and in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us. Read it, remember it, and believe it. Romans 8:28-39 (KJV) 28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Day 3: Exercise trust. (Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 6:33-34) Believing is one thing. Living by what you believe is a whole different matter. Take what God promises and apply it to your daily living. Allow God to show Himself through your faithful obedience. As the writer of Hebrews says: Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) 6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Exercising your trust in God means that you act on your faith. If you believe that He is in control, then you will give Him whatever it is that worries you. He will take care of it. Matthew 6:33-34 (KJV) 33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Day 4: Practice prayer. (Philippians 4:4-7) In Philippians 4, the apostle Paul provides the perfect formula for peace in troubled times: Philippians 4:4-7 (KJV) 4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The key here is prayer… Not worrying or being anxious, but through prayer in every situation, turn it over to God and let Him supply what you need – peace! Day 5: Be prepared. (Philippians 4:8-9) You can also see from the same passage in Philippians mentioned above, that there are steps you can take to prepare your though life for whatever may come. When you think the right thoughts, its a lot easier to flee anxiety and worry. But not only prepare your thought life… Also, be prepared by doing what’s right. Know that when you’re obedient to God’s will, He will honor your obedience with His peace and a right relationship with Him. Philippians 4:8-9 (KJV) 8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Day 6: Live in the reality of today’s blessings. (James 4:13-15) Even today I heard this phrase as the world was turning upside down: “in everything there’s a silver lining.” Look for the blessings in the midst of hardship. Life’s too short to worry about what could be. Take advantage of what God gives you here and now. The book of James puts it this way: James 4:13-15 (KJV) 13  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. When you live in the reality of today’s blessings, you won’t have time to worry about tomorrow. Day 7: Be thankful. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24) No matter how bad things may seem, there’s always something to be thankful for. Look at what the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” He follows that up in verses 23 and 24 with these words: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 (KJV) 16  Rejoice evermore. 17  Pray without ceasing. 18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19  Quench not the Spirit. 20  Despise not prophesyings. 21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24  Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. You can be thankful because “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” you can go to God and seek His perfect peace to survive yet another day in these troubled waters called life. Living a worry free life starts with knowing not what the future holds but by knowing WHO (That WHO is God, not the World Health Organization) holds your future. You can know that by trusting in God’s promise of salvation through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. If you haven’t done that already, then receive the gift by calling on Him for salvation. Then and only then will your worries begin to cease. In conclusion, consider the following reasons to be thankful even when circumstances aren’t what you’d like them to be… 1 Corinthians 15:57 (KJV) 57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV) 14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 2 Corinthians 9:15 (KJV) 15   Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. [...] Read more...
The Meaning of Christmas #2 (Luke 2:11-14; Romans 16:25-27; 1 Timothy 3:16)
The Meaning of Christmas #2 (Luke 2:11-14; Romans 16:25-27; 1 Timothy 3:16)December 20, 2019READ: Luke 2:11-14, Romans 16:25-27, and 1 Timothy 3:16 KEY THOUGHT: What kind of answer would you get if you asked the average person, “What’s Christmas all about?” I suppose for some, the answer would be based on the cultural message sent out by media, marketing, and mass promotion. Sadly, the answers would mostly miss the mark. We’ve done such a great job of blending the secular with the sacred that we seldom separate the two enough to give Christmas its true identity. With that in mind, there’s so much of the season that Christmas is not about… It’s not about… Santa Claus, St. Nick or an elf named Buddy… Rudolph, a red nose, or a reindeer running over someone’s grandmother… Snowmen, magical hats and scarves, or ugly sweaters… Snowflakes that glisten, warm apple strudel, or any other favorite thing, Carols with or without jingling bells, even if they’re silver… Dickory dock, hanging a sock, or climbing down the chimney at 12 o’clock… Packages wrapped in pretty paper, pretty ribbons, and bows… Cookies, puddings, punches, or candy kisses… Friends, family, fancy dinner parties or memorable moments spent roasting chestnuts (or boiling peanuts) by the fire… Snow (real or otherwise), even if it paints a picture like one by Currier and Ives… Mangers, cattle, sheep, or even their shepherds on a midnight clear… Gold, frankincense, myrrh, or gift cards… Or those who bring them… Stars in the night sky, silent or not… Trees and lights, glitter and sparkle, or tinsel and garland… Poinsettias, holly, ivy, evergreens, or even mistletoe… Dot com (Amazon or any other), Black Friday, cyber Monday, or any of the twelve-plus days of Christmas… So many other things that give opportunity to distract us from the Truth about Christmas… While most of these things are part of the Christmas season experience, these things are not what Christmas is truly all about… It’s important to note that none of those things listed are wrong or bad, but each of them must be kept in perspective so that they don’t overshadow what true meaning of Christmas. Keeping Christ first at Christmas requires us to recognize that Christmas is a birthday celebration and a reminder… It’s also much more than that. So, what’s Christmas really about? It’s about: A plan from the beginning of time. (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1; Genesis 3:15) Prophecies fulfilled in the person of Christ as God with us (Matthew 1:20-23; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, 53:1-12) Grace to God’s fallen creation (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Romans 8:34) Sacrifice by God’s only Son on a cruel cross devised by man (Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:13-14; 1 Peter 2:21-25) Salvation by the blood of God’s unblemished lamb (1 Peter 1:19-21) Life everlasting given by grace and received by faith (Ephesians 2:1-10) The gospel of salvation spread, taught, and realized around the world (Matthew 28:18-20) The power of God given to man through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) An eternal kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28-29) A Mediator, a Savior, a Redeemer, a King all in one name – Jesus , God with us (Matthew 1:20-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Philippians 2:9-11) When you carefully consider Christmas, you’ll find the true meaning of Christmas, and why God sent His Son as a Gift… It’s as much about the cross as it is about the manger. CONSIDER: How much of your Christmas celebration is focused on Christ as compared to all of the other “trappings” of Christmas? How do some of the traditions of Christmas distract both believers and unbelievers from the true meaning of Christmas? What can you do to help promote the truth of Christmas and help others see its real meaning? APPLICATION: Let the truth of Christmas add real meaning to the holiday season!   [...] Read more...
A Lesson of Grace (Titus 2:11-12)
A Lesson of Grace (Titus 2:11-12)November 18, 2019READ: Titus 2:11-12 KEY THOUGHT: The lyrics of the classic hymn, “Amazing Grace,” describe the role that the grace of God has in the Christian’s life: Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found T’was blind but now I see T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear And Grace, my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed Grace is the means to salvation – “for the grace of God that bringeth salvation…” (Titus 2:11). It is also the means by which those saved by grace learn Christ. Grace teaches us that we should live an honest, self-controlled (or Spirit-controlled life) that demonstrates Christ-like behavior to the world. We all need to learn a lesson of grace. It’s a lesson that teaches: God demonstrated His love to us by grace when He sent Jesus Christ to die for us. Without grace we would have no hope of salvation. Without grace we would be blind to the truth. Without grace we would be lost and dying in our sin. With grace we have the righteousness of Christ. With grace we have confidence and security in Christ. With grace we have the Holy Spirit to help guide us to a life that honors and glorifies God. With grace, we are led to a heavenly home that we don’t deserve. When we learn the lesson of God’s grace, we believe and trust in God’s provision to open our eyes to the truth, bring us into His family, and give us the gift of new life that we don’t deserve. CONSIDER: How does the grace of God appear to all? How has the grace of God impacted your life? What does grace teach you about God’s unmerited favor toward you? APPLICATION: Trust God to help you have a testimony of the high standard of Christ!   [...] Read more...
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