Advent Day 28- Christmas Eve Saturday

Luke 2:1-20
1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.


MERRY CHRISTMAS

Advent Day 27- December 23, 2011 Friday

John 1:14-18
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

-God is perfectly revealed in the life of Jesus.

-God is like Jesus. Don't say Jesus is like God, although that is true. Many people can be like God in certain areas. People can be like God when they are loving, truthful, kind, etc. But God is not like any person except Jesus.

-God is like Jesus. God has always been like Jesus. There has never been a time when God was not like Jesus. We have not always known this, but now we do.


Merry Christmas

Advent Day 26- December 22, 2011 Thursday

John 1:10-13
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Merry Christmas Children of God

Advent Day 25- December 21, 2011 Wednesday

John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 24- December 20, 2011 Tuesday

Matthew 2:19-23
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”21 So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. 22 But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. 23 So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

-God became a baby. He was helpless. He had to be protected bu parents. That's a big part of the Christmas message.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 23-December 19, 2011 Monday

Matthew 2:13-18
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A cry was heard in Ramah—weeping and great mourning.Rachel weeps for her children,refusing to be comforted,for they are dead.

-We need a Savior because we live in a world with too many Herods.

-Name a time when you knew God had protected you from one of your Herods.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 22- December 18, 2011 Sunday

Matthew 2:1-12
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” 3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 21- December 17, 2011 Saturday

Matthew 1:18-25 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel,which means ‘God is with us.’”24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

-Joesph was a good man. He thought he was done wrong by Mary, he thought was publicly disgraced. As bad as he was hurt, he still the did the right thing.

-Oh that we would always do what's right no matter the circumstances.

Merry Chrisrmas

Advent Day 20- December 16, 2011 Friday

Matthew 1:1-16
1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David[a] and of Abraham:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.[b]
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asa.[c]
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.[d]
Jehoram was the father[e] of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh was the father of Amon.[f]
Amon was the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin[g] and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).
12 After the Babylonian exile:
Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Akim.
Akim was the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

-The Family tree of Jesus has liars in it.
-The Family tree of Jesus has someone who sold someone into slavery in it.
-The Family tree of Jesus has a prostitute in it.
-The Family tree of Jesus has a murderer in it.
-The Family tree of Jesus has many who worshiped idols in it.

-Jesus came to save sinners, like his family, and me, and you.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 19- December 15, 2011 Thursday

Matthew 7:24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

-Life has storms, Stressmas can reveal them.

-Listening to Jesus is the solution to storms, Christmas can handle them.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 18-December 14, 2011 Wednesday

Matthew 7:21-23 Message Version- Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'

-Putting up Christmas lights, Christmas trees, even going to church on Christmas, does not get in you good with God.

-Although working for God should be done, it must be done from the right starting point. The starting point is knowing God through his son Jesus. Wanting our life to be like his. Well how does that come about? Well you see Advent Day 1-17 as a good foundation.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 17- December 13, 2011 Tuesday

Matthew 7:15-20 15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

-Many people will bring a real tree in their home to celebrate Christmas. Depending on how long you have had it up, my guess is needles are being lost at a rapid rate. The tree looks beautiful with the lights and the ornaments, but truth is it is no longer a good tree. It will never produce any life, ever again.

-I look a people's actions more than what they say. Many people can talk a real good game, but I want to make sure their words are not beyond their actions. No one is perfect and I don't expect them to be. But no one should speak words that their actions do not backup. I can't hear you talking, you're actions are too loud.

-Jesus lived what he spoke. He empowers us to do the same.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 16- December 12, 2011 Monday

Matthew 7:13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

-Wow, the narrow gate that leads into God's kingdom comes right after the "Golden Rule." Maybe the "Narrow Gate" and the "Golden Rule" are connected. I think so.

-Advent- Jesus came to show us how to enter the kingdom of God by living out the "Golden Rule."

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 15- December 11, 2011 Sunday

Matthew 7:12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

-Do all the rules apply to you. Well, if we get the "Golden Rule" right, many of the other rules would take care of themselves.

-If we get the "Golden Rule" correct we will have a rewarding Advent season

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 14- December 10, 2011 Saturday

Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

-Christmas and giving gifts go hand in hand.

-A good parent would not give a stone to their child instead of bread or a snake when they would ask for a fish to eat. Fish and bread were both parts of a child's daily meal during Jesus' time.

-Jesus is telling us if ask God and keep on asking he will supply our daily needs. He is better than a good parent, he is our Father. And His Son, Jesus, came during this advent season to show us we can ask our Father.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 13- December 9, 2011 Friday

Matthew 7:1-6
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

-Christmas, Tis the season to see family, friends, coworkers, neighbors that you don't see that often.

-Christmas, Tis the season to notice specks in those same people's eyes.

-Jesus came so we can live like him during Christmas. Jesus did not come to judge. And believe me he could have, because we have Christmas trees in our eyes compared with him.

-So let me keep my pearls of wisdom if I know another person doesn't want my wisdom. Someone in my life will want my opinions, advice, thoughts, or experienced wisdom. And there are those that I will receive wisdom from as well.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 12- December 8, 2011 Thursday

Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

-Many people celebrate Stressmus. We worry during this time of the year. Joy is robbed by busyness, shopping, cooking, family, and friends.

-Jesus came to help us stop that. So Jesus, help us not worry about tomorrow, we will be focused on this day.

Advent Day 11- December 7, 2011 Wednesday

Matthew 6:19-24 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. 22 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! 24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Merry Christmas

Advent Day 10- December 6, 2011 Tuesday

Matthew 6:9-13
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

-I love the Lord's Prayer. I pray it everyday, many days several times a day.

-Your kingdom "come". Advent means, coming. We pray everyday for God's kingdom to come here.

-So this Christmas, along with all that goes with it, presents, food, family, friends, parties. Let's make sure we pray God's kingdom would influence them all.

Advent Day 9- December 9, 2011 Monday

-Advent means "coming"

-Let's look back at Jesus' sermon on the Mount to know how we should live, empowered by his Holy Spirit, until Jesus comes again.

-What is God like? God is like Jesus. Well what is Jesus like? Jesus is like his sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 6:1-4
“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

-We celebrate the Advent, the coming of Jesus, by giving gifts. Why not give an anonymous gift this year to someone in need.

Merry Christmas