Vulnerable God
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, The story of My first two years speaks of vulnerability. I was born to a young woman far from home and without friends and family with her, other than her future husband. My daddy was not My biological father and was not married to My mother when I was born. There was no housing available for Joseph and My mother in Bethlehem, so I was born in a place where animals were kept and fed. No doctor ushered me into the world. Initially, only shepherds celebrated My birth — there were no family members to support Joseph and My mother. Even after Joseph had secured a house where we could stay, Herod found out from the magi that I, Israel’s King, had been born in the little town of Bethlehem. Herod’s fury turned to a rage of slaughtering young boys to try to kill Me, so the angel had to warn Joseph to take My mother and Me to safety in far-away Egypt. Heaven wept as Herod’s rage toward Me destroyed little boys in and near Bethlehem — a dark reminder every time My story is told that this was Herod’s and hell’s intention for Me. Yes, when the Father sent Me to earth, I became as vulnerable to mortality as you are. Why? Because you had to know that there was nothing We — Father, Son, and Spirit — wouldn’t do to rescue you from hell’s grip. God entered human flesh, fully human and fully God; your theologians call it incarnation. Some may say it is crazy for the immortal to become mortal flesh. I prefer to call it crazy love to prevent hell’s intention. John, my beloved disciple, wrote this, but then he had heard Me say it. I hope you will never forget it: For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction. (John 3:16-17) Verses to Live Humble vulnerability — that’s the story of My of birth! Mary’s fiancée Joseph, from Nazareth in Galilee, had to participate in the census in the same way everyone else did. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. Mary, who was now late in her pregnancy that the messenger Gabriel had predicted, accompanied Joseph. While in Bethlehem, she went into labor and gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid Him in a feeding trough because the inn had no room for them. (Luke 2:4-7) Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in the province of Judea, at the time when King Herod reigned. Not long after Jesus was born, magi, wise men or seers from the East, made their way from the East to Jerusalem. These wise men made inquiries. Wise Men: Where is this newborn, Who is the King of the Jews? When we were far away in the East we saw His star, and we have followed its glisten and gleam all this way to worship Him. (Matthew 2:1-2) The wise men left Herod’s chambers and went on their way. The star they had first seen in the East reappeared — a miracle that, of course, overjoyed and enraptured the wise men. The star led them to the house where Jesus lay; and as soon as the wise men arrived, they saw Him with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. They unpacked their satchels and gave Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And then, just as Joseph did a few months before, the wise men had a dream warning them not to go back to Herod. The wise men heeded the dream. Ignoring Herod’s instructions [to return to him to tell him where the baby Jesus was], they returned to their homes in the East by a different route. After the wise men left, a messenger of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Messenger of the Lord (to Joseph): Get up, take the child and His mother, and head to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you it is safe to leave. For Herod understands that Jesus threatens him and all he stands for. He is planning to search for the child and kill Him. But you will be safe in Egypt. So Joseph got up in the middle of the night; he bundled up Mary and Jesus, and they left for Egypt. After a few months had passed, Herod realized he’d been tricked. The wise men were not coming back. Herod, of course, was furious. He simply ordered that all boys who lived in or near Bethlehem and were two years of age and younger be killed. He knew the baby King was this age because of what the wise men told him. This sad event had long been foretold by the prophet Jeremiah: A voice will be heard in Ramah, weeping and wailing and mourning out loud all day and night. The voice is Rachel’s, weeping for her children, her children who have been killed; she weeps, and she will not be comforted. (Matthew 2:9-18) Response in Prayer Holy God, Father and Son and Spirit, thank You for Your plan, Your vulnerability, Your incarnation. Most of all, thank You for Your love for us — for me. While there are times I struggle with knowing why things happen in my life and the lives of those I love, remembering Your “crazy love” that led You to become flesh and blood helps me believe that Your work in my life will lead me to Your grace and blessing. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A
The Light Now Shines!
Note from Jesus Dear Believer, Somewhere along the way, My light shown into your heart and changed you. More than just the light from the bright star that guided the magi from the East to find Me, My light brings life for all humankind who choose to find it. I promised this in My earthly ministry: I am the light that shines through the cosmos; if you walk with Me, you will thrive in the nourishing light that gives life and will not know darkness. (John 8:12) The apostle Paul put it this way: God Who spoke light into existence, saying, “Let light shine from the darkness,” is the very One Who sets our hearts ablaze to shed light on the knowledge of God’s glory revealed in the face of Jesus, the Anointed One. (2 Corinthians 4:6) So I want your heart to be “ablaze” because you have found Me, the “light of life,” and have chosen to walk with Me in that light. My light shines in the darkness, and nothing can extinguish it (John 1:4-9). So as you wonder and marvel at the light of My Father’s glory with the angels filling the sky for the shepherds watching their flocks (Luke 2:8-9) and as you imagine the long journey of the magi to Bethlehem following the star (Matthew 2:1-2), never forget that My light still shines for you to find your way to come home to Me. Verses to Live Matthew wrote about My bringing light from the very beginnings of My ministry. Then the devil left Jesus [following His temptations]. And heavenly messengers came and ministered to Him. It was not long until powerful people put John [the Baptist] in prison. When Jesus learned this, He went back to Galilee. He moved from Nazareth to Capernaum, a town by the sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. He did this to fulfill one of the prophecies of Isaiah: In the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the road to the sea along the Jordan in Galilee, the land of the outsiders — In these places, the people who had been living in darkness saw a great light. The light of life will overtake those who dwelt in the shadowy darkness of death. From that time on, preaching was part of Jesus’ work. (Matthew 4:11-17) I was not shy in declaring that I AM the true light that brings life to the world! I told my disciples: While it is daytime, we must do the works of the One Who sent Me. But when the sun sets and night falls, this work is impossible. Whenever I am in the world, I am the Light of the world. (John 9:4-5) One of the most beautiful ways this has been expressed was in a little letter the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy. God has already saved us and called us to this holy calling — not because of any good works we may have done, but because of His own intention and because eons and eons ago (before time itself existed), He gave us this grace in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King. And now, the time has come! That grace was revealed when our Savior, Jesus the Anointed, appeared; and through His resurrection He has wiped out death and brought to light life and immortality by way of this good news. (2 Timothy 1:9-10) Your job is to let this light shine through you into the world so that others can find their way to the Father. And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house. You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it. (Matthew 5:14-16) Response in Prayer Father, may the light of Your grace in Jesus shine through my heart and into the lives of those around me. May my life be like the star the magi saw and followed to Jesus, in Whose name I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
‘The Lord Is Near’
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, If you listened carefully to My servants, the prophets found in your Old Testament, you heard strong hints and amazing promises of grace in their words as they gave voice to My words. One of those glimpses of My birth comes through the words of Isaiah as he spoke for Me: For the highest God above, Who is and always will be, the only One Who is holy has this to say: Eternal One: I live in the high and holy place, yet I am with the low, the weak, and the humble. I renew their vitality and revive their strength. (Isaiah 57:15) Isaiah knew that I AM “holy, holy, holy”! But he also spoke about My desire to be with those who feel forgotten and powerless and who are genuinely humble. In fact, I promised through him to be with those kinds of people to “renew their vitality and revive their strength.” So, My coming to live among you shouldn’t surprise you — the prophets promised My coming for years. The people I chose to include in My coming should have been anticipated — think about the Godly character and the genuine compassion of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, Simeon, and Anna. The people I came to serve and those who followed Me from the very first shouldn’t surprise you — disregarded shepherds, stargazers from the East, and ordinary people like the tax collectors, sinners, soldiers, fishermen, and women of all ages who were left out by contemporary religion. Change is what I promised through the prophets. I came to you, to your world, to people like you just as I promised — as a baby in the womb of a woman, delivered into a family, and facing all the dangers and vulnerabilities of infancy. I came as God in human flesh — the Lord Who came near. In fact, still to this day, I AM Immanuel — the Lord God, Who is with you. So as you remember My birth, also remember that I AM still near. If you are truly My disciple, I live in you through the gift of the Holy Spirit that I have sent to you. With your very breath as a reminder of My presence, remember that your Lord is still near! Verses to Live Yes, I came in human flesh and lived among you — the glory of God in the flesh of humanity. My beloved disciple John put it this way: The Voice [Jesus] took on flesh and became human and chose to live alongside us. We have seen Him, enveloped in undeniable splendor — the one true Son of the Father — evidenced in the perfect balance of grace and truth. John the Baptist testified about Him and shouted, “This is the one I’ve been telling you is coming. He is much greater than I am because He existed long before me.” Through this man we all receive gifts of grace beyond our imagination. You see, Moses gave us rules to live by, but Jesus the Anointed offered us gifts of grace and truth. God, unseen until now, is revealed in the Voice, God’s only Son, straight from the Father’s heart. (John 1:14-18) Matthew, the tax collector who was one of My apostles, reminded you of Who I AM by quoting the prophet Isaiah: Years and years ago, Isaiah, a prophet of Israel, foretold the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus: A virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and His name will be Immanuel (which is a Hebrew name that means “God with us.” (Matthew 1:22-23) Even after I had been crucified, resurrected, and ascended back to the Father, the apostle Paul assured you of this: The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5 NIV) Response in Prayer Righteous Father, thank You for not being God Who is distant, but my Father Who is holy yet chose to come near in Jesus as one of us! Thank You for being near… always near… even within me through the Holy Spirit. As I think today of the profound grace of Your coming in Jesus, I ask that Your Spirit help me recognize Your presence in my life every day and not just at Christmas. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Sing Choirs of Angels
Note from Jesus Dear Follower, Don’t you hate it when people try to make religion into something that’s always somber, serious, and joyless? Yes, I came for serious reasons and paid a horrible price to redeem you. And please never ever forget why I paid that price! I want you to come home to the Father with Me and to share in the great celebration at My coming and the great wedding feast that will follow. You may think you have seen huge celebrations of joy, but wait till you experience all of heaven’s joy when you come home to share in heaven’s glory! So when I was born into your world, the angels — God’s messengers and heaven’s grand choir — burst into songs of great joy because they knew my entrance into your world would guarantee that you could enter into Our world — triumphant over the sin and death that have held your tiny little blue planet in bondage since that fateful day of rebellion in the Garden. So, as you remember My birth, join with the angels and celebrate with joy! Anticipate the greater victories that lie ahead. Yes, when I was born, the cross was ahead of Me just as soon as I was placed into that feed trough wrapped in a blanket — literally strips of cloth. But remember, as hard as the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross would be for Me, I ultimately set aside My time of anguish to focus on the joy set before Me (Hebrews 12:2). I could look forward to the time when My earthly journey would be finished, and I could begin to prepare to bring you home to the great wedding celebration of heaven (John 14:1-4; Revelation 19:6-10). So sing! Shout! Rejoice! Join the angels in celebration. As my half-brother James so powerfully put it: Are any in your community suffering? They should pray. Are any celebrating? They should sing praises to God. (James 5:13) Don’t let sorrow seize this day. Today is a day to join the angels in celebration. I’ve come down to your home to bring you back to My home. My birth was the first step toward making your Father’s great celebration of joy with you come true! Verses to Live Some things are just so hard to wait to receive — like little children waiting for Christmas to come. Notice how the fear of the shepherds turns into great anticipation and then they rush to see Me in the feeding trough. I hope you can live with that sense of expectation, too! Nearby, in the fields outside of Bethlehem, a group of shepherds were guarding their flocks from predators in the darkness of night. Suddenly a messenger of the Lord stood in front of them, and the darkness was replaced by a glorious light — the shining light of God’s glory. They were terrified! Messenger: Don’t be afraid! Listen! I bring good news, news of great joy, news that will affect all people everywhere. Today, in the city of David, a Liberator has been born for you! He is the promised Anointed One, the Supreme Authority! You will know you have found Him when you see a baby, wrapped in a blanket, lying in a feeding trough. At that moment, the first heavenly messenger was joined by thousands of other messengers — a vast heavenly choir. They praised God. Heavenly Choir: To the highest heights of the universe, glory to God! And on earth, peace among all people who bring pleasure to God! As soon as the heavenly messengers disappeared into heaven, the shepherds were buzzing with conversation. Shepherds: Let’s rush down to Bethlehem right now! Let’s see what’s happening! Let’s experience what the Lord has told us about. (Luke 2:8-15) Response in Prayer O magnificent God, Who defies my limited human imagination to praise, please enter into my heart and fill it with the incredible joy and praise like that of the angels who filled the sky for the shepherds on the night of Your Son’s birth into our world. I pray and seek this joy in the name and on the promises of Jesus. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
No Room!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Have you really made room in your heart for Me? I’m not talking about thinking about Me during the Christmas season. I’m asking if you have given your heart to Me so that I can speak truth into your uncertainty, peace into your worry, hope into your discouragement, and joy into your sadness. To be My disciple means that you follow Me — you do what I’ve commanded, you follow My example, and you place Me above all other claims on your heart. So, have you made room in your heart for Me? You see, I’m sure if folks had known Who I was before I was born that there would have been many people in Bethlehem who would have made room for My little family and Me. However, most were busy with guests in town for the census or working to make a little coin off the out-of-town folks who were crowding their streets. I came to town in the womb of a simple young Jewish woman, and no one noticed — at least not till the angels alerted the shepherds, and they began to tell their story. So there was no room for these two simple God-fearing people expecting their first child. There was no room for Me! Today, however, I am asking if there is room in your heart for Me? I do not want a quick visit to fill your December with a touch of Christmas. I want to take up permanent residency so My character and compassion can permeate your heart. I want your heart to be My home until I can bring you home to the Father and you can be at home with Us. I’m here. I’m near. So, have you made room for Me? Verses to Live Notice how simply Luke tells the story of My birth. Notice the sad state of affairs at the end! Around the time of Elizabeth’s amazing pregnancy and John’s birth, the emperor in Rome, Caesar Augustus, required everyone in the Roman Empire to participate in a massive census— the first census since Quirinius had become governor of Syria. Each person had to go to his or her ancestral city to be counted. Mary’s fiancée Joseph, from Nazareth in Galilee, had to participate in the census in the same way everyone else did. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. Mary, who was now late in her pregnancy that the messenger Gabriel had predicted, accompanied Joseph. While in Bethlehem, she went into labor and gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid Him in a feeding trough because the inn had no room for them. (Luke 2:1-7) More than there not being room in the inn for Me, most folks did not have room in their hearts for Me. But for those who did… ah, focus on the following truth the apostle John states, for it applies for you, too! He [Jesus] entered our world, a world He made; yet the world did not recognize Him. Even though He came to His own people, they refused to listen and receive Him. But for all who did receive and trust in Him, He gave them the right to be reborn as children of God; He bestowed this birthright not by human power or initiative but by God’s will. (John 1:10-13) I’m knocking at the door of your heart. Have you made room for Me — not just at Christmas, but for always? Notice the promise that I made when you do make room for Me. Now pay attention; I am standing at the door and knocking. If any of you hear My voice and open the door, then I will come in to visit with you and to share a meal at your table, and you will be with Me. (Revelation 3:20) Response in Prayer O Father, I regret the many times I have let the busy-ness of my life and the burdens of my heart and the distractions of my selfishness crowd Jesus out of my heart. I intentionally open my heart, and I invite You into every part of my heart, Lord Jesus. I don’t want You to be a temporary Christmas decoration in my life, but I want You to have Your way with my will, and I want Your life to be seen through what I do and say. I pray this to the Father, through the intercession of the Spirit, and in the mighty name of Jesus, the Son, and my Savior. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Savior of the World
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, The Father loves you so much that He sent Me to your world to show you His love. The goal of God’s love is your salvation — salvation FROM sin and death, as well as salvation FOR a life of blessing, purpose, and meaning. I know it’s hard to believe that a little child in a manger could be the Savior of the world. But that is Who I AM. I was born into a Jewish family, with Jewish ancestry, and in fulfillment of Jewish hopes and dreams. I came to bring God’s blessings to God’s chosen people, the Jews. But, I also came for you, whether you are Jewish or not. God’s love is for all the people of the world, no matter their race, culture, language, or ethnicity. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this was said about Me right before My birth: He is the light Who reveals Your [God’s] message to the other nations, and He is the shining glory of Your covenant people, Israel. (Luke 2:32) So when you think of Me in the manger and celebrate my coming, remember that I AM not only the Savior of the world but I also came to be your personal Savior, too! Verses to Live The Father didn’t just say He loves you; He showed it, by sending Me to be your Savior! For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction. (John 3:16-17) I am your Savior, the sinless sacrifice Who is your Defender and Advocate in heaven. But remember, as important as you are to Me, I made this sacrifice for others also, even those who don’t know me. So please let them in on My story of grace! You are my little children, so I am writing these things to help you avoid sin. If, however, any believer does sin, we have a high-powered defense lawyer — Jesus the Anointed, the righteous — arguing on our behalf before the Father. It was through His sacrificial death that our sins were atoned. But He did not stop there — He died for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2) My love is not complete until it comes alive in you and is shared with others. We have experienced and we have entrusted our lives to the love of God in us. God is love. Anyone who lives faithfully in love also lives faithfully in God, and God lives in him. (1 John 4:16) When others hear you tell My story and are invited to get to know Me, they can discover that I AM their Savior, too! Meanwhile, because one woman shared with her neighbors how Jesus exposed her past and present, the village of Sychar was transformed — many Samaritans heard and believed. The Samaritans approached Jesus and repeatedly invited Him to stay with them, so He lingered there for two days on their account. With the words that came from His mouth, there were many more believing Samaritans. They began their faith journey because of the testimony of the woman beside the well; but when they heard for themselves, they were convinced the One they were hearing was and is God’s Anointed, the Liberating King, sent to rescue the entire world. (John 4:39-42) Response in Prayer Lord God, Your greatness and majesty are beyond my comprehension. Having held a small child, having felt that child’s fingers curl around my own, and having that child snuggle close to me make Your coming to us in baby Jesus real… personal… accessible. Thank You for loving us — loving me — so much that You came so near that we could touch You, hold You, and know You as our Savior as well as the Savior of the world. In Jesus’ name, I thank you! Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Alone!
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, As you prepare to celebrate My birth, I want you to notice something about My mother and Joseph: They were alone in Bethlehem! Joseph’s family should have been there because they were from Bethlehem! But they are nowhere to be found in the story of My birth. My mother was also a descendant of David. She should have had her family with her to support her at the end of this hard journey and at the end of her pregnancy! You hear nothing of grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, or nephews and nieces at My birth. Outside of Elizabeth and Zechariah early in My mother’s pregnancy, you hear nothing of the family being there for Joseph and My mother. In a culture where family was extremely important, the families of these two precious people were not with them. Ah, that should tell you something about My birth — about the gossip and innuendo that swirled around My mother’s pregnancy, gossip, and innuendo about My not being Joseph’s child. Joseph and My mother believed the seemingly impossible. They trusted the angel, the holy messenger of God, sent to explain the impossible to each of them. But no one could really understand how they turned up to be pregnant before they were married. Mary and Joseph being alone is testimony that the Miracle in Mary’s womb was not an easy miracle to accept… not even in her own family and by her own kinfolks. Joseph’s risk to believe had not landed him any congratulations from his family. So these two who are so precious to Me were alone… alone in their faith… alone in their journey… alone in the pregnancy… and alone when My mother gave birth to Me, her Son and your Savior. My birth should be a powerful reminder to you about your own journey of faith. No matter how hard your life’s journey, even just a little faith ensures that you are never alone. When I was born, God filled Joseph’s and My mother’s loneliness with joy. The Father made sure they knew He noticed. Heaven’s angels sang! Forgotten shepherds heard, journeyed, witnessed, and were amazed! Magi, wise men from the East, made a pilgrimage over a great distance and at great danger to declare something very important. I, the One Who takes away the sins of the world, the King of the Jews, the Savior, Immanuel, the Son of God, was born just as God said and placed where the heavens proclaimed I would be found. For those with faith, no matter how small, the heavens shine with the message of your Father: “You are never alone!” Verses to Live The words in today’s verses are so simple, yet so rich. Joseph and My mother were so alone, yet were soon to be reminded that faith, even through the loneliest of journeys, ultimately leads to your sharing in heaven’s glory! Around the time of Elizabeth’s amazing pregnancy and John’s birth, the emperor in Rome, Caesar Augustus, required everyone in the Roman Empire to participate in a massive census — the first census since Quirinius had become governor of Syria. Each person had to go to his or her ancestral city to be counted. Mary’s fiancée Joseph, from Nazareth in Galilee, had to participate in the census in the same way everyone else did. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. Mary, who was now late in her pregnancy that the messenger Gabriel had predicted, accompanied Joseph. While in Bethlehem, she went into labor and gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid Him in a feeding trough because the inn had no room for them. Nearby, in the fields outside of Bethlehem, a group of shepherds were guarding their flocks from predators in the darkness of night. Suddenly a messenger of the Lord stood in front of them, and the darkness was replaced by a glorious light — the shining light of God’s glory. They were terrified! Messenger: Don’t be afraid! Listen! I bring good news, news of great joy, news that will affect all people everywhere. Today, in the city of David, a Liberator has been born for you! He is the promised Anointed One, the Supreme Authority! You will know you have found Him when you see a baby, wrapped in a blanket, lying in a feeding trough. At that moment, the first heavenly messenger was joined by thousands of other messengers — a vast heavenly choir. They praised God. Heavenly Choir: To the highest heights of the universe, glory to God! And on earth, peace among all people who bring pleasure to God! As soon as the heavenly messengers disappeared into heaven, the shepherds were buzzing with conversation. Shepherds: Let’s rush down to Bethlehem right now! Let’s see what’s happening! Let’s experience what the Lord has told us about! So they ran into town, and eventually they found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the feeding trough. After they saw the baby, they spread the story of what they had experienced and what had been said to them about this child. Everyone who heard their story couldn’t stop thinking about its meaning. Mary, too, pondered all of these events, treasuring each memory in her heart. The shepherds returned to their flocks, praising God for all they had seen and heard, and they glorified God for the way the experience had unfolded just as the heavenly messenger had predicted. (Luke 2:1-20) Dear child, please remember God’s promise first spoken to Joshua and shared hundreds of years later with struggling believers just like you: “I will never leave you; I will always be by your side.” Because of this promise, we may boldly say, the Lord is my help — I won’t be afraid of anything. How can anyone harm me? (Hebrews 13:5-6) Response in Prayer Almighty God, there are times when I
Today’s Verse – 1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. —1 Corinthians 12:27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What part of the Body are you? What’s your function? What’s your purpose? How are you blessing others in the Body of Christ? Who is someone in Jesus’ Body who serves others but also needs your encouragement and praise? Who are people who feel neglected and lonely in Jesus’ Body who need your love shown to them? Remember, the human body looks after its parts and members because each is vital to properly functioning. The same is true with Jesus’ Body. That means you are essential to your congregation. It also means you are crucial for Jesus’ church to function as the LORD’s bodily presence in our broken world that desperately needs his love! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father, thank you for making me a part of something so precious, so incredible, as the bodily presence of the LORD Jesus. Please help every person in our church family find their gifts and use them to touch others with your grace, build up Jesus’ Body, and bring you glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Big Gifts in Small Beginnings
Note from Jesus Dear Child of God, In the aftermath of your big Christmas celebrations, don’t forget the words of My servant Zechariah, “Do not despise these small beginnings…” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT). In a time of rebuilding in Jerusalem after seven decades of captivity in Babylon, some of the people of Israel were not ready to accept the small new beginning that they were able to accomplish. But the Father has often begun great new things with small beginnings. My birth was one of them! There are many reasons to rejoice in My birth, even though the accommodations were crude, the story is simple, and I was small. Don’t despise these small beginnings. The greatness of God came to you in a tiny bundle of human flesh and was placed in a feeding trough — I was that tiny bundle, Jesus your Savior and Lord. The Father is trying to tell you something important. You can see His message in My small beginnings in the overlooked hamlet of Bethlehem, placed in a feeding trough, surrounded by only shepherds and a couple of young and powerless parents. But if you look and listen to the edges of My story, you can see heaven’s glorious new beginnings with the angels, God’s heavenly messengers, filling the sky with heaven’s glory. You can see the magi, easterners, coming from far away at great risk to worship Me. You see an angel warn Joseph to get Me to safety in Egypt. With Matthew’s reminder, you see that My small beginnings were all to fulfill God’s plan given through the prophets centuries earlier. The Father has always used those who knew they were not up to the task ahead based on their own limited resources, power, insight, political clout, speaking ability, or circumstances. This way, the Lord‘s power is seen every day, and common folks are caught up in glory. Yes, your God — Father, Son, and Spirit — reminds you that many of Our biggest gifts to you come in small beginnings. So like the young boy who brought Me five loaves and two fish when everyone else was skeptical, why don’t you bring Me what you have and let’s see what I can make of you. I have great plans for you, so let’s start with small beginnings and rejoice in seeing the big gifts that are to come! Verses to Live Paul said it well to the Corinthians: But celebrate this: God selected the world’s foolish to bring shame upon those who think they are wise; likewise, He selected the world’s weak to bring disgrace upon those who think they are strong. (1 Corinthians 1:27) Grace means more than salvation FROM sin: it also means salvation FOR something important. Let’s begin where you are now with grace, and let Me lead you to the Father’s plan for you! Paul explained this kind of grace this way: For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing. For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10) Let’s rejoice in what lies ahead! Compose a new song, and sing it to the Eternal because of the unbelievable things He has done; He has won the victory with the skill of His right hand and strength of His holy arm. The Eternal has made it clear that He saves, and He has shown the nations that He does what is right. He has been true to His promises; fresh in His mind is His unfailing love for all of Israel. Even the ends of the earth have witnessed how our God saves. Raise your voices; make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth. Let your joy explode into song and praise; make music to the Eternal with the harp; sing a beautiful melody with the harp and chorus. With trumpets and horns, fill the air with joyful sounds to the King, the Eternal. (Psalm 98:1-6) Response in Prayer Almighty God, thank You for taking small things and making them big, weak things and making them strong, and forgotten things and making them special. I know You have plans for me, so I offer myself to You, to be used for Your purposes and for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I offer myself to You. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today’s Verse – John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. —John 12:26 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We can’t out-serve, out-love, or out-give Jesus. He longs to bless us. He longs to pour out heaven’s riches and grace upon us. Even more incredibly, he longs to honor us as his friends and younger brothers and sisters in God’s family. When our lives are over, God the Father, LORD of the entire universe, will honor all who have served his Son and blessed others in Jesus’ name! Jesus promised that the Father would bring us home to Himself, who will honor us! Unbelievable? No! It’s just another example of God’s incredible grace given to us in Jesus. And Jesus promised us: Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. My Prayer… Loving Father and Holy God, please help me follow the will of Jesus, obey his teachings, and serve others as he did when he was on earth. Father, I know I cannot earn your grace, but I want to follow Jesus. I want to serve others in his name. I want to help them find your grace in Jesus, too. So, I pray this in his name to honor you. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.