Daily Devo's

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December 2 (read Ezra 7 and 8)
The Significance of God’s Word: The Doctrine of the Bible
“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)

Have you ever considered how God has drawn you to this Bible study? Every week, you can open God’s Word to study and apply what you learn in powerful and practical ways. God gave us His Word, revealing Himself and everything He knows that we need to know. We seldom adequately marvel at this profound privilege. Through God’s Word, we understand something of God’s nature,
character, and sovereign plan for human history. We learn how sin sabotaged humanity and how God sacrificed His Son to redeem what sin had stolen. The Bible teaches us that history is moving on the course God has designed toward a final victory He will accomplish. And if that were not enough, God gives His Spirit to live within believers, illuminating their minds to understand and believe His truth. The Bible is truly a treasure book, given by God to us.

Unlike any other book we can hold, the Bible contains divine revelation that God’s Spirit delivered through more than 40 human authors (Inspiration of Scripture:
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-22). Because the Bible reveals God-generated truth, it is fully trustworthy and without error in its original documents (Scripture’s Trustworthiness: Numbers 23:19; Proverbs 30:5; John 17:17). The Bible stands on eternal truth, which cannot change (Unchanging Truth: Psalm 119; Isaiah 55:10-11; 1 Peter 1:23-25). By the Spirit’s power, Scripture pierces the human heart, unmasking our sinfulness and need for God (God’s Word Pierces: Hebrews 4:12). More than a record of facts, the Bible contains life-giving truth and trustworthy promises (Certain Promises: 2 Corinthians 1:20, 7:1; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:4) that offer hope and stability to God’s people.

Without eyes fixed on the Bible as our standard, we are left to make sense of life based on the wavering whims of our time-bound, earth-oriented understanding. If we do not look to our Creator to define what is true and yield to His authority, we rely only on human assets, which prove limited and wanting. If we view the Bible as a dusty book that only applies to weak and culturally irrelevant people, we will fail to know God as He truly is. Ignoring or rejecting the Bible means missing life’s treasure of eternal truth and facing forever without hope.

In His Word, God gave us a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Guiding Light: Psalm 119:105). The Holy Spirit takes biblical truths and unlocks our minds to understand what human wisdom alone cannot grasp. God’s Word fresh food for our hungry souls, speaking to our greatest needs and satisfying our deepest longings. The Bible reflects God’s infinite nature—a lifetime of study cannot exhaust the riches within God’s beautiful Word. Knowing God’s Word helps us recognize Satan’s lies and this world’s errors (God’s Word Protects: Psalm 119:104; 118). God’s Word speaks with simultaneous simplicity, clarity, and depth that we can teach to infants but also ponder until our last breath. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word abides forever (God’s Word Abides Forever: Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:24-25).

What does God’s Word mean to you?

Father God, You have blessed us immeasurably by giving us Your Word. Thank you. We know that every word of Yours is pure, and that it offers us unchanging truth that does not return to us void, but rather provides a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. Your Word protects us from falsehood and the promises in Your Word are certain. Thank you Lord. Please help us to recognize the importance of Your Word. Give us the discipline to spend time and effort to know Your Word deeply and teach it to others. Help us to deepen our knowledge of Your Word in a world of competing loyalties. We love you and praise you, in Jesus precious name. AMEN!

Bible Study Fellowship, Notes on Lesson 11

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December 4
The Game Plan

For three improbable afternoons at the recent British Open golf tournament, Tom Watson continually stood near or atop the leader board, smelling victory at an event he had won five times before, but not in more than twenty-five years. With each succeeding round and clubhouse interview, the spectacle became harder and harder to believe. Yet strangely, for the 59-year-old Watson, easy to explain.

He was on a “game plan,” he repeatedly said, a secret code of attack he never revealed, except to say it existed and that he was on course with it. It was a game plan that took him to the 72nd hole and an eight-foot putt for par, inches away from an ageless wonder of a championship.

Game plans work. And though a slight bobble in execution at any point along the way can mean the difference between first and second, the fact remains that a good game plan can take you far—farther than you may have ever dreamed possible.

That’s why the apostle Paul could say it’s “not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). Yes, missed putts can still prove costly. Missed opportunities can still nag at us. But what we lack in perfection is more than made up for as we “press on” with a set purpose. Life with a game plan is always superior to life without it.

Pray this prayer: Lord, I know I can do better than just taking a hit-and-miss approach to life. I need a game plan. I need YOUR game plan. Help me to see it in your Word, and put it into practice every day.

Coach Joe Gibbs, Two Minute Drill

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December 5
Trouble Falling Asleep (read Esther 6:1-11)
That night, the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.
Esther 6:1

Like many people, I occasionally have trouble falling asleep. When that happens, I often start counting backwards in Chinese from a thousand, hoping to fall asleep before reaching yi (“one”). That usually works, but if it doesn’t, I eventually get up and rummage through the fridge for something to eat.

King Xerxes of Persia had insomnia one night, so he called to his servants to read to him from the record of his reign. The king discovered that Mordecai, an exiled Jew living under his rule, had saved the king’s life without being rewarded. So the king ordered that Mordecai be honored throughout his kingdom. As we read more of this story, we discover that the king’s sleepless night plays a key role in the deliverance of the Jews from being annihilated (Esther 2:19-8:14).

Here we can see God working behind the scenes to protect his people. Evil forces were arrayed against the Jews, but God used his captive, humble servants to touch the king’s heart and turn destruction away from his people. God uses Xerxes, Mordecai, and Esther to keep his promises “for such a time as this” (4:14).

Even in our moments of sleeplessness we can be assured that God is always working to keep his promises. We can always be assured of his love and care.

In our times of sleeplessness, Lord, help us to turn to you, trusting and resting in your sure and unfailing love. Amen.

Kurt Selles

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December 6
He Will Come Again (read Luke 21:25-28)
At that time, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory
Luke 21:27

The Christmas season looks back to the time when the Son of God first came to live among us and to bring us salvation. But this season has a forward-looking aspect as well. Christ has come, and Christ is coming again. As we turn the page on our Christmas celebrations, we can also be filled with anticipation for Jesus’ return.

Jesus spoke to his disciples about the anguish and uncertainty of human existence in this world. Natural disasters, wars, political unrest, personal disappointments, sins we have committed, and wrongs we’ve suffered from others—all these things are a part of the “anguish and perplexity” we face in everyday life here on earth. But Jesus has promised that he will return—as the Lord of all creation. And on that day our redemption will be complete.

Though we celebrate Christmas as a season of promise, new life, peace, and hope, in reality our lives here on earth are full of troubles and doubts.

But Jesus the Savior has come into this world, and we have the promise that he will come again. “Lift up your heads,” he says to us, in effect. Christ offers hope and confidence to all who look to him, giving assurance of a future, full life that will never fade (see Revelation 21-22). May that hope be yours today.

Lord Jesus, you came as a baby to bring the glory of God near to us. By the power of your Spirit, help us look forward to the day when you will come again to live with us forever. In your name we pray. Amen.

Joel Vande Werken

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December 7
The Indescribable Gift (Read Romans 5:15 and 2 Corinthians 9:15)

This Christmas, every gift you receive will pale in comparison to the ultimate gift—salvation in Christ Jesus. This gift from God to the world, revealed in human history at the birth of Jesus Christ, is truly incomprehensible.

I’ve read through the Bible every year for decades, but I still find myself speechless when it comes to trying to describe how wonderful salvation truly is. How can I do justice to the reality that a sinner like me can be forgiven? “[A]s far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). This promise, the message the angels declared to poor shepherds (see [Luke 2:10-11], is enough to make me shout.

Christ Jesus came to earth to remove our filthy rags of self-righteousness, shame, and guilt. In their place, He clothes us in His perfect righteousness. And, as if that weren’t enough, He made it possible for all who believe in Him to be adopted into the family of God—enjoying all the privileges of being His sons and daughters.

Most startling of all, this great gift is granted not to God’s friends but to His enemies (see Romans 5:8). This Christmas and every day, may we exclaim with the apostle Paul, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Lord, what a wondrous love You displayed on that cross. Though I deserve Your wrath, You called me out of darkness and shower me with grace upon grace. May I live a life that honors You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Michael A. Youssef

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December 8
Suitable for All Ages

You may not think you know much about God, or the Bible, or the best way to explain the finer points of Christian doctrine. But if you still have children at home, you can be pretty sure they don’t know as much as you do. And they could learn a lot more than you think if you’d just start the conversation.

Granted, trying to instruct our children in the ways and teachings of God is not easy for a lot of us. It can be awkward. It’s not usually a popular alternative to the video game they were playing or the friend they were texting. We fear the risk of being boring, or bumping up against a question we don’t know the answer to.

But you’d be surprised how inherently powerful the Bible is, all by itself. The consistent practice of reading the Scripture aloud with everyone together in one room will leave marks and memories on your children that will travel well as they grow. You’d even be surprised by the thoughts God gives you as you read—things you can share on the spot about your experiences with life, no other textbooks required.

Even with all our qualms and excuses, the Bible challenges us not to hide His Word from our children. “Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands” (Psalm 78:7). Even if you’re a little fuzzy on this stuff, you’ve got to love a promise like that.

Lord, I don’t really even know where to begin in teaching my children about you and your Word. But I will be faithful to try. Help to realize that this is my responsibility.*

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December 9
What Does “Merry” Mean? (read Luke 1:47-49)
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me- holy is his name.
Luke 1:47-49

Merry is festively joyous! It’s a cheerful disposition; laughing happily. Merry is the uninhibited joy released by God’s grace, and freedom flowing out of His forgiveness. It’s the boisterous laughter seeping past exhaustion, and the confetti of cares launched free in celebration of the Light of life.

Queen Elizabeth II was said to prefer “Happy Christmas” at a time when “merry” meant intoxicated.The Queen was onto something …Christmas exudes intoxicating happiness. The verses of the famed “Magnificat” hymn in the Gospel of Luke capture Mary overflowing with heartfelt praise and awe of God.

Mary’s miraculous virgin birth was not the first or last life the Father’s hand has miraculously moved. God’s response to our sinful tendency was to forge a path to forgive us. God loves us for who we are …not who we search to be. His compassionate love was expressed through Christ’s choice to endure humanity, all-knowing “Merry Christmas" would eventually become an intolerable offense to some. Jesus was born to restore our standing with His Father.

Now that the danger of touching the hot stove has passed as my kids grow older, I can begin to back down the maternal scream for safety in exchange for a listening ear and an understanding heart. One un-offended by my daughters’ struggle to find themselves in this world; which recognizes their plight and looks for moments to remind them Whose they are.

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 (John 3:16).

Everlasting life for trusting Jesus with ours. That’s a birthday worth celebrating in merry jubilee.

Christmas is akin to swishing down a fresh powdery slope on a wooden sled, blinded by stinging snow as we speed past our comfort zones! Without the opportunity to have the relationship with God that Christmas grants us, we’d be doomed to watch the sled zip by, never quick enough or smart enough or agile enough to catch it. Jesus holds the sled while we hop on, and then joins in as we scream with glee all the way down the sometimes terrifying hill of life.

Merry Christmas!

It’s intoxicating …Jesus being born to save the world.

It’s merry …God and His love for us.

It’s endearing and inspiring to be forgiven beyond what we deserve.

The opportunity we have to journey through life in closeness with our Creator is pure joy.

Be merry! Shout with joy! Laugh happily! Embrace who YOU are …right now! Have FUN in this life, with your Savior by your side.

Meg Butcher, Crosswalk

[fishnpreacher]

Love it!!

[DBStoots]

December 10
The Peace of God

The peace God brings to you is the peace God want to bring though you. Advent reminds us that peace is not accidental. God steps towards us. Into our world. Into our pain.

When Scripture speaks of peace, it’s not just the absence of conflict. The Hebrew word is shalom. It describes wholeness, restoration, completeness. Shalom is not passive. It is the active work of God making the world right again. And when Jesus arrived, God’s peace took on skin and walked among us.

But here’s the surprising part. God’s peace is never meant to stop with you. It’s meant to move through you.

People often talk about “keeping the peace.” Jesus calls us to make peace. That’s harder. Peacemaking requires courage.

It means stepping towards difficulty, not away from it. It means refusing revenge. It means choosing mercy. It means seeing people just the way God sees people. Image-bearers. Not enemies. Not obstacles.

God restores us so we can participate in the restoration of others. Advent peace is sacrificial. It costs us our pride, our hurry, our need to win all the time.

Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Not the peace-wishers. Not the peace-lovers.

Peacemakers.

The peace of God is a gift. but it’s also an assignment. What God places within you. He want to express through you. The peace God brings to you is the peace God want to bring through you.

Ian Simkins

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December 12
Watch for God’s Word to be Fulfilled (read Matthew 1:22-25)
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)
Matthew 1:23

Joseph is sometimes an overlooked character in the Christmas story. He never speaks in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth. Instead, he considers the events of his life carefully in order to try to do his best to obey God.

The circumstances of Mary’s pregnancy brought a 700-year-old prophecy from Isaiah to the gospel writer’s mind: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son . . .” (see Isaiah 7:14). At a time of national crisis in Isaiah’s day, God had pointed his people to the birth of a child that would show God was present with them, despite the troubles they were facing. With a reminder of that assurance, Joseph gained the courage to keep his pledge with Mary.

In the coming of Jesus, God calls our attention to the larger story of his work in the world, a story that assures us of his presence with us. Our human weakness and sin keep us from obeying God and experiencing his presence. But God’s power breaks into our broken lives to rescue us from sin and inspire us to faithful living. God has transformed our stories by becoming a part of them himself.

Perhaps Joseph’s greatest strength was his quiet willingness to watch for God’s word to be fulfilled. This Christmas, may we also see the fulfillment of God’s promise to us as we consider the birth of his Son.

Thank you, Lord God, for being with us. As we focus on Jesus’ birth, may we see your word fulfilled in our lives, bringing salvation and peace to our troubled souls. Amen.

Joel Vande Werken

[Sublime]

I used to attend a church here in town. Went every Sunday for years, then I stopped going. Part of the reason was , that even though the pastor was very good and biblically based, the congregation seemed “susceptible” to some things that were being taught at the moment. For example, he did a multi-week study on spiritual welfare. Lo and behold several partitioners all the sudden started talking about evil spirits thwarting their daily lives. Hmmmm. Or people I saw there every Sunday. Something would happen in their lives and it would totally knock them for a loop. I would think, hello, have you not been paying attention to the grace , security and comfort that our savior Jesus Christ offers?. Why is this bump in the road rocking your world?

Fast forward , the pastor retires and his son-in-law and daughter take his place. That is a whole other issue I have , but we’ll discuss that another day. Back to the topic. Before the pastor retired , he was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease. Long story short , he received a transplant about a month ago and has been having a rough go of it in ICU. His daughter will get on his FB page and give daily updates on his situation which is great, but she always has to go to something about “the enemy is keeping this infection going, or the enemy is messing with my dad’s vocal chords in an effort to silence him, or my dad was talking jibberish last night and seeing things, it must be the evil one impacting his thinking. Can we just stop it already? What about the fact that the Bible says our bodies will fail us? What about the fact that Jesus destroyed the enemy once and for all on the cross? What about the fact that your dad is in his 70s , just had a major transplant and is on pain meds? I had to stop reading her posts as much, I just couldn’t take it. Yes, I believe there are evil spirits. No, I don’t believe they are the cause of all bad things or trials we go through. We live in a fallen world.

Thoughts?

Stuart

[fishnpreacher]

Thoughts? I have more questions than answers and I have extensively studied spiritual warfare, Angels and demons, and a lot of what you just listed. I doubt that I or anyone else can sufficiently answer your questions and concerns.
First, Spiritual Warfare is real. It is not us a fad or something you see and hear about in foreign countries or believed by the weak minded. I have personally witnessed spiritual things that quite honestly made the hair on my neck stand up.
As far as people blaming evil spirits for the bad things that happen to them, I don’t believe Scripture backs that up and I have problems with that as well. We all face challenges on a daily basis. Some people call them attacks, I call it life. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” While we are alive and in this life, we will have troubles and problems. Jesus did not say where the troubles would come from, only that we would have them. But, and this is important, there are demonic forces at work in the world today. The Apostle Paul called his “thorn in the flesh” a messenger of Satan. (2 Cor. 12:7) And Paul prayed for God to take away this thorn, but God refused and said “my grace is sufficient for you.”
When bad things happen, human nature seeks someone or something to blame. We can blame circumstances, evil spirits, even the weather. But the truth is, the majority of the time we don’t know the origin of our troubles.
We can rest on this: Jesus has overcome the world and Satan. He said so himself. When He died on the cross, Satan, death, hell, and the grave were defeated. But we still battle. Read Ephesians 6:10 and following verses. Jesus defeated death, but we still have death in the world. Jesus defeated the grave, the grave could not keep Him down. But the graveyards are still full of bodies. Hell can’t stop Jesus, or His followers, Christians.
But until we die or Jesus comes back to take His people out of this fallen world, we live for Him daily. It is not easy. Just because we have accepted Jesus as Lord does not promise an easy life, just the opposite. But we have the promises of Jesus, and on that I will close. God bless you all!!

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December 13
The Prince of Peace
To us a child is born…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:6

During the week of Christmas 1914, as World War I raged in Europe, guns and artillery at several points along the western front fell silent. It has been reported that roughly 100,000 British and German troops participated in informal ceasefires, especially on Christmas Day. As German soldiers lighted candles and sang Christmas hymns, the British responded by singing carols of their own. Mass fraternization in no man’s land followed, and some groups exchanged Christmas presents while others played impromptu games of soccer.

Tragically, hostilities resumed shortly after these holiday cele­brations. The fighting con­tinued for four more years, killing and maiming millions.

Against the background of ­humanity’s wars, our biblical passage for today comes across as both striking and hopeful. Looking forward to the coming of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah calls him the Prince of Peace. When Jesus came to live among us, he broke down the walls of hatred that separate us from God and from each other. His death on the cross was the ultimate payment for peace.

And this is not some kind of brief truce. The finished work of Christ guarantees the permanence of God’s blessing: “there will be no end” to the peace he brings. Do you know the Lord’s eternal peace?

Lord and God, fill our hearts and lives with the assurance of your eternal peace. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sergei Sosedkin

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December 14
Just at the Right Time (read Galatians 4:4-7)
When the set time had fully come, God sent His son…
Galatians 4:4

Christmas can seem like a magical time for children. In our family we have several traditions that our children look forward to at this time of year. Especially when they were younger, it seemed to them like an awfully long time to wait for Christmas after putting up decorations in early December—particularly when presents under the tree caught their attention!

For many long years, God’s people waited in hope for a Savior to come. God had given the people his law, filled with rules and guidelines about how to live as his people. But the law was not enough to bring the people closer to the Lord, and they longed for a deeper relationship. God also promised that he would raise up a leader from his people who would “do what is just and right” (see Jeremiah 23:5-6). And they learned that God would fill their hearts and minds with his will so that they could live more closely with him (see Jeremiah 31:33).

It must have seemed like forever to wait for God to keep those promises. But the Bible tells us that this happened at just the right time. God sent his own Son, Jesus, into the world to fulfill the law so that all who would believe could be saved from sin and freed by his Spirit to live with him, sharing his love and grace with others.

This Christmas, look for ways in which God’s Spirit is changing you because of Jesus’ birth.

Holy God, sometimes it seems hard to wait for you. But your timing is always right, and your promises are always rich! Help us wait faithfully for you, and make us your people in Christ. Amen.

Joel Vande Werken

[VinnyL]

One of you guys try explaining this to me. If you’re not a true believer in Jesus you’re going to Hell. Then how are the Jewish people the “chosen ones”?
They don’t believe in Jesus🤷🏻‍♂️.

[DBStoots]

The Jews are God’s “chosen” people. This term appears throughout Scripture–Deuteronomy 7:6 says “For you are a holy people to [Yahweh] your God; Yahweh your God has chosen you to be a people for His own treasured possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” God’s selection of Israel comes from His covenant with Abraham, in which He promised to make Abraham a great nation and to bless all families of the earth (read about this in Genesis 12). However, God put some conditions in place for the Jews: “’So now then, if you will indeed listen to My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19). The Israelites had to listen to God and keep His covenant. But, they didn’t listen; they didn’t keep His covenant, and so God expanded His grace to the Gentiles: “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” (John 15:6).

The nation of Israel rejected their Messiah, but God used Abraham and his descendants as a conduit to bring the gospel to all people. God built a nation from one man. In the beginning, God created one manand commanded him to be fruitful and multiply. Adam wasn’t a Jew, and neither was Abraham when God called him and struck His covenant with him.

Because of Adam’s sin, however, God’s redemptive plan extended through the Jews to the Messiah, Jesus — the sinless Second Adam. God is the covenanter. He could have chosen anyone, but He chose Abraham according to His merit and not Abraham’s.

The “remnant” refers to a faithful group of Jews who will come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Only by placing faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ can anyone receive God’s forgiveness and spend eternity with Him.

[VinnyL]

deep!