My Prayer for Christmas (Eve 2021)

The Christmas songs have been playing–the classics to the contemporaries.

I love Christmas!

I love the season of Advent, looking back to the First coming and at the same time to the Second.

But my prayer is for the wonder of Christmas to lead to transform lives, which bring glory to King Jesus.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ 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 2:8-20 NIV

The shepherds found the Christ Child with his parents lying in a manger. 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.

My prayer this Christmas is for transformed lives because of the wonder of Christmas.

Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Chris Tomlin: Emmanuel God with Us

“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, ‘God is with us.’” –Matthew 1:23, NRSV

The greatest news!

Tasha Layton – Look What You’ve Done

This is the impact of the gospel in a life.

Enjoy!

Defined in and by Christ

The opinions of others can derail us.

They can cripple us.

They can enslave us.

It’s also so hard to shake ourselves of the opinions of others.

Why? I would have to say it’s the flesh longing for and seeking approval.

It’s a weird thing.

Hard to explain.

But that is where I land.

The good news, however, is this:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” -2 Corinthian 5:17 CSB

This is gospel.

This is what set us free from the damaging effects of others opinions.

It’s possible to all who believe and act in Jesus name.

Amen.