Quote from Forum Archives on December 19, 2005, 10:53 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Mon, 19 Dec 2005: The Week of Christ's Birth
Dear friends,

The story that tells of Christ is timeless. This week from Weekly
Verses by Phil Ware, we can read prophesy concerning the birth of
Jesus and several accounts of the events leading up to the actual
birth of God's Son, who was born through the virgin Mary.

Only God would choose these events. Read them and marvel at His
birth.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

_____________________________________________________________

Weekly Verses December 19, 2005

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Monday
[Zechariah prophesied concerning John,] "You, my child, will be called
a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to
prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of
our God."

--Luke 1:76-78
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Where does salvation come from? Does it come from our sense that
something is desperately wrong and we need to change and make it
better? Does it come from casting things in a more positive light so
we don't become discouraged and quit? Does it come from a lucky break?
Does it come because we are scrupulously righteous and deserve it come
our way? Does it come from rigorously obeying everything in the law?
No! Salvation and forgiveness come from one source, "the tender mercy
of our God."

MY PRAYER...
I confess, Father, that at times I've tried to earn my salvation. At
other times, I have taken it for granted and trampled on your mercy
and grace. Today, Father, I want to live for you: not to be saved or
gain salvation, but to please you and reflect your character and
nature. Your mercy and grace have redeemed many people from the
worthless way of living that I see so many others trapped in. Thank
you for your salvation, but please help me to live in a way that shows
the joy of that salvation in all I say, think, and do. Through Jesus I
pray. Amen.

Tuesday
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be
taken of the entire Roman world. So Joseph went up from the town of
Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because
he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register
with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a
child.

--Luke 2:1 and 4-5
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Isn't it amazing how many inconveniences in our lives the Lord uses to
accomplish his will in us? Can you think of a worse time to have to go
on a cross-country trip with their modes of travel than Joseph and
Mary faced? Yet God turned it into the moment in which the angels
found their tune and Satan met his match.

MY PRAYER...
Father, I thank you that behind history, and especially behind the
part of history where I live, your hand is always working for my
redemption and your glory. Give me faith to ride out the difficult
times, knowing that you will use those difficulties to be the
incubator of your next great work in me. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

Wednesday
While [Joseph and Mary] were [in Bethlehem], the time came for the
baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She
wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no
room for them in the inn.

--Luke 2:6-7
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
I've always been amazed at how God chose to place his Son into our
world. He could have done it any way he wanted. But he chose this way
-- to enter the world in difficult times under difficult circumstances
as a helpless infant who must be cared for by parents who were
vulnerable to so many frailties. Yet in spite of the challenges that
lay ahead and the bewildering mystery that confronted them: Joseph and
Mary, along with everyone around them, were caught up in the great joy
this new child gave.

MY PRAYER...
Give me a heart of faith, O God, so that I might always see your
sovereignty and grace being poured out on me in special ways. I am
thrilled that you, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe,
chose to enter my world as a child. Thank you for trusting your
wonderful salvation to human flesh so we could know that you deemed us
worthy of entering our world to make us right for yours. Through
Jesus. Amen
.
Thursday
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping
watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to
them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were
terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you
good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the
town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

--Luke 2:8-11
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Shepherds and the glory of the Lord in the same sentence. Shepherds
enjoyed a great heritage in Israel with Abraham, Moses, and David as
notable shepherds and God being identified through Psalm 23 as a great
shepherd. But by this time in Israelite history, they were not highly
regarded. They smelled like sheep. They spent their time with
sheep. They were not really clean and religious enough to be
considered spiritual. So when God chose to announce the birth of Jesus
to shepherds with his contingent of angels he makes his point clear:
Everyone is loved by God, everyone has access to God, and everyone is
desired by God.

MY PRAYER...
Holy and Almighty God, I confess to you that sometimes the outward
appearance and reputation of a person colors the way I treat them. But
today, I'm convicted of how much you want everyone to know about your
grace in Jesus. Give me a heart to love all people and a passion to
share your grace with them. Through Jesus I pray this. Amen.

Friday
[An angel of the Lord said,] "Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you:
You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace to men on whom his favor rests."

--Luke 2:11-14
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
The sign to the shepherds was a baby in a feeding trough. Pretty
potent sign isn't it! The Almighty Creator of the universe sleeping
where the sheep and goats have eaten their grain and hay. That God
would love us so much as to reduce himself to such an inauspicious
beginning reminds us why the angels praise him so. He is glorious and
yet he chose not to hide or protect that glory, but instead he shared
it so we could find it, too!

MY PRAYER...
God of the manger and Ruler of the constellations, I join my heart and
my voice with the angels in praise to your glorious and holy
name. Your sacrifice is so profound I am awe-struck. You could have
chosen any sign to show Jesus to the shepherds, but you chose the
manger. Thank you for revealing yourself in such a common place so I
could find your sign and come home to you. Through Jesus with all my
love. Amen.

Saturday
[The shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby
[Jesus], who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they
spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
and all who heard it were amazed... But Mary treasured up all these
things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and
seen, which were just as they had been told.

--Luke 2:16-20
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
The shepherds reaction to baby Jesus is exactly what our reaction will
be when we see the returning Jesus: we will glorify and praise God for
all the things we see and hear and will find that they are just as God
has promised them to us. Since God kept his word in the first coming
of Jesus, we can be assured that he will do it with the Second Coming
of Jesus!

MY PRAYER...
Faithful and all powerful Lord, thank you for being trustworthy and
true. Help me to be faithful to you in what I do and say and think
during this stressful yet marvelous time. May I never lose faith in
the coming of Jesus and may my faith in him ever shape my life to be
more pleasing to you. Amen.

Sunday
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government
will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

--Isaiah 9:6
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
While Jesus is God's Son and Mary's son, he is also our Son. He is the
child given to the world so you and I can become God's child. What
greater gift can we have than Jesus, and through Jesus, God as our
Father.

MY PRAYER...
On a day so glorious, when the world pauses and acknowledges your gift
of Jesus, all I can think to say is simply "Thank you!" Amen.

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Heartlight Daily devotional and prayer are written by Phil Ware of
HEARTLIGHT Magazine, on the web at: www.heartlight.org

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www.crosswalk.com/audiohelp/termsofuse.asp
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The NIV Daily Verse is provided by
www.zondervan.com

--
Brian Masinick
mailto:masinick@yahoo.com