Ending with Grace

December 31

Daily Bible Reading: Malachi 1 - 4

Verse of the Day: Malachi 4:6 – “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

What a difference we find at the close of the Old Testament, and of the New Testament. 

The Old Testament closes with the pronouncement of a curse, while the New Testament ends with the grace of Jesus. As we end this past year tonight, consider – are you entering the New Year looking back on a life that was filled with regrets? Are you entering the New Year seeking to find and hold on to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ? As we pass from this old year into the new, may we seek to follow the Lord and be used by Him in His plan. Take time tonight to prepare for a new start, with a clean heart, in a right relationship with the One who gave all, that we might gain all.

Prayer: Lord, we bow humbly before you today, cleanse us, ready us, and use us in the New Year. Amen.

The Coming Kingdom

December 30

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 13 – 14

Verse of the Day: Zechariah 14:9 – “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.”

As we are approaching the beginning of a New Year, we need to pause today and consider our reading. It is a reference to the coming Kingdom of our Lord and Savior. God will be the King over all the Earth. 

As this year is coming to a close, spend some time considering where you were victorious in Christ this past year, and where you were defeated. How did you serve your Lord, and how did you betray Him. How did you display God before those in your circle of the world, and how did you deny Him before this circle. Then, ask His forgiveness, and seek His Spirit to direct and guide you this coming year.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I have failed You and I have lived for You. Forgive my failings and help me have more success in living for You. Amen.

Selling out Jesus

December 29

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 10 – 12

Verse of the Day: Zechariah 11:12 – “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.”

This Old Testament prophet carries a number of prophecies that describe the Messiah – Jesus. In today’s reading, we come across the verse that predicts that Judas would sell Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver (read Matthew 27:9). In just a couple of verses later we see the continuation of what took place when Judas’ money was used to buy the Potter’s field.

The price of selling out Jesus. Sometimes today we are guilty of selling our Jesus. We are quick to accept a momentary, temporal item in return for betraying our Savior. Ponder today over anything that you have allowed to replace Jesus as the center of your life. And then, return Jesus to the rightful place in your life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I come before You now, confessing that I have “sold You out” for things that are not eternal. Thank You for forgiving me today. Amen. 

Fickle People

December 28

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 7 – 9

Verse of the Day: Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

From our reading today, we see a passage of Scripture that is applied to Jesus in the New Testament. It is on the day of what we term His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. This takes place on the Sunday before His crucifixion. On this day (we call it Palm Sunday), the crowds rejoiced and shouted their acceptance of Him. Just days later these same folks shouted – “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

We need to be careful in our walk that we do not do as they did. On Sunday proclaim Him Lord, and later deny who He is.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are a fickle group of people. We worship You and then deny You. We shout your praises one minute and grumble about our circumstances the next. Help us to daily worship You – every day! Amen.

Not by Might or Strength

December 27

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 4 – 6

Verse of the Day: Zechariah 4:6 – “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Often we venture into the day and our tasks being confident on how well we can handle things ourselves. Then we hit the obstacle that challenges our thought processes, and our advancement.

We need to start every day recognizing that we can accomplish exactly what God wants us to – through the power of the Holy Spirit. Whatever God has designed for us to accomplish can be accomplished by His Spirit.

Today, as you set out into the world, remember these words – “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Prayer: Lord of Hosts, we come before you today seeking to accomplish Your plan for us. Make it happen, not by our strength, but by Your Spirit. Amen.

Change of Garments

December 26

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 1 – 3

Verse of the Day: Zechariah 3:3 – 4 – “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”

The name of Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers.” Israel would be blessed because Yahweh remembers the covenant that He made with them. It is a highly Messianic book. The Messiah is displayed in both of His advents – the Servant and the King, as Man and God.

The Priest, Joshua, is being prepared to serve in the Temple that was being rebuilt. But, in his own power, he was not clean. The Lord would remove his sin stains, and clothe him with purity. A picture of what Christ has done for us.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for the exchange of our filthy rags for Christ’s glory. Amen.

Immanuel

December 25

Daily Bible Reading: Haggai 1 – 2

Verse of the Day: Haggai 2:9 – “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Merry Christmas. God promises through Haggai that there will come a future time when God will give peace. As we look around the world today, even in the midst of our celebrating, many are suffering turmoil and distress.

We celebrate the birth of Jesus on this day, not really knowing what day was His birthday, even in the midst of suffering and distress. Why celebrate? Because as Isaiah wrote about, the “Prince of Peace,” He did come. Matthew calling upon Isaiah’s prophecy reminds us that “Immanuel” – God with us – came. With us through the heartaches, the grief, the loneliness, the bad days and the good. Always here, always with us, always near and living in us.

Prayer: Father, as we celebrate this glorious day, let us focus on Immanuel, the Prince of Peace, our Redeemer. Jesus. Amen.

Sing, Shout, and Praise Him

December 24

Daily Bible Reading: Zephaniah 1 – 3

Verse of the Day: Zephaniah 3:14 – “Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.”

Christmas Eve. We excitedly make all of our last minute preparations for the big day of Celebration tomorrow. Stockings hung – check. Presents wrapped – check. Tree decorated – check. All in order – check. I will not be able to sleep with all this excitement.

The verse today speaks of major excitement. It is referring to the day that the Redeemer will regather, redeem, and restore fully all those who are His. He will be in the midst of His own, and they can’t help but sing, shout, and praise Him.

Zephaniah starts his book with idolatry, wrath, and judgment – but closes it with worship, rejoicing, and blessing.

Prayer: Father, as we prepare to celebrate and remember Your Son tomorrow, help us focus on that which is most important – He is here with us now. Amen.

The Greatest Gift

December 23

Daily Bible Reading: Habakkuk 1 – 3

Verse of the Day: Habakkuk 2:4 – “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

The latter part of this verse is shared again in three places in the New Testament. We find it in Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38. Four times this phrase is repeated in the Bible. I would say that God is wanting us to notice it.

We can see from this passage that there are those who have been declared righteous before God. They have this declaration made by receiving the free gift of God, salvation made possible by the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. In two days we will be giving and receiving gifts – Christmas gifts. As we do, let us not forget the greatest giver of the greatest gift – God. As you unwrap each present, pause and thank God for the Gift He has provided – eternal life through His Son, Jesus.

Prayer: Gracious Giver of Life, thank You for making this available to me. I thank You that I have received this life. Amen.

Known by God

December 22

Daily Bible Reading: Nahum 1 – 3

Verse of the Day: Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”

As I read this verse, I first saw the promise of God’s goodness. Then I saw the promise of His protection through trouble. But what really caught my attention is the last phrase – “he knoweth them that trust in him.”

God – the creator of this vast universe. God the omnipotent, omniscience, omnipresent Being. God – outside of time and space, bigger than His creation, superior over all things. God, this vat infinite Being knows me. Me, a small speck on this big, blue ball hurtling through space in this vast universe. Me, someone who is not known by many of the billions of people on this planet. Me, important only in my own mind. But, because I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior, God knows me – and everything about me. Trust Him today – He knows you.

Prayer: God, what a glorious thought as we approach Christmas – You know me, and love me. Thank You. Amen.

Let out the Light

December 21

Daily Bible Reading: Micah 6 – 7

Verse of the Day: Micah 6:8 – “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

We are entering the Winter Solstice. Where I live the daylight hours are shorter than the night ones. As we approach Christmas Day, we are reminded that the darkness of night seems so large compared to the light around us in life. Yet, Jesus came into the world to bring Light – Life – and Loving mercy. When the Light appears, darkness cannot exist anymore.

Could it be that the reason the world around us seems so dark and dreary is that we have not been the reflectors of the Light that we should be? Consider whether you are just in ALL of your dealings. Think about how much mercy you really show to those around you. Moreover, can you honestly say that you walk in humility with God? Today, be the Light-reflector that God has called us to be.

Prayer: Father, let Your light shine through me to light up my darkened world. Amen.

Bethlehem: Birthplace of the Son

December 20

Daily Bible Reading: Micah 4 – 5

Verse of the Day: Micah 5:2 – “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

Micah chapters 4 and 5 written over 700 years before the birth of Christ gives us a clear prophecy pointing to Jesus as the Messiah. With over 300 (some say over 400) prophecies in the Old Testament on the Messiah, it boggles the mind with the odds against any one person fulfilling them. The probability that Jesus of Nazareth could have fulfilled even eight such prophecies would be only 1 in 1017. That is 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000. That would be as if a blindfolded man was able to pick out on his first attempt a marked coin in a pile 2 feet high covering the state of Texas. Yet, He fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies.

Prayer: Jesus as we come to celebrate your birth, let us come without doubts that You are truly the Holy Son of God. Amen.

Exposed!

December 19

Daily Bible Reading: Micah 1 - 3

Verse of the Day: Micah 1:2 – “Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.”

The book of Micah can be divided into three sections – the first of which exposes the sins of the people of Judah. In the passage we read today, Micah calls the whole earth to witness God’s judgment upon Judah. He lists the causes of God’s upcoming judgment – the people were devising plans that were immoral and grossly unfair. They were greedy wanting what others had, and did not mind using cruel methods of extracting what they wanted. 

Because of this, God was forewarning Judah of His upcoming judgment on them. The judgment would encompass all the people (leaders and followers alike). Yet, as we will see in the next devotions, God will restore, and teach them what is required to live mercy.

Prayer: God, we come today, examining our hearts for these condemnations. Purify us, O Lord. Amen.

Salvation = Jesus

December 18

Daily Bible Reading: Jonah 1 - 4

Verse of the Day: Jonah 2:9 – “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.”

This time next week we will be celebrating Christmas. Excitement and joy for most will be at a fever pitch. And the remembrance of the fact that God left the eternal now to step into our finite day to day will pass many right by. Although we do not know the day, we know the fact that God became man and lived with us.

Jesus – a name that literally means Jehovah is salvation was born to Mary in Bethlehem. Because we are in a broken world, with a brokenness of relation with God, it was necessary for God to become the means of salvation for man. As we count down the days, why not count the ways that Jesus is your salvation.

Prayer: Gracious Father, thank You that Your Son stepped into our world and made it possible to be with You. Amen.

Promise and Provision

December 17

Daily Bible Reading: Obadiah

Verse of the Day: Obadiah 1:21 – “And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's.”

This is the shortest book in the Old Testament – only 21 verse in length. Written in 840 BC, it carries one of the strongest messages of judgment upon a nation. The nation of Edom. Yet, the last verse is a blessed reminder to Israel that they will find restoration in their land. The prophet is reminding the people of the faithfulness of God to keep His promises, and that His justice will ultimately prevail.

This short book, in this Christmas season gives us an encouraging reminder that God will ultimately prevail. If you are facing discouragement, disappointment, or dilemma be assured that God is just and will provide the ultimate release from these struggles.

Prayer: Most Holy and gracious God, thank you for this promise and provision for the struggles that are faced, even in this time of celebration. Amen.

Famine of the Word

December 16

Daily Bible Reading: Amos 7 - 9

Verse of the Day: Amos 8:11 – “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord”

In the midst of his five visions of judgment coming upon the northern kingdom of Israel, Amos makes this declaration from God that the kingdom would suffer not only physical depravation, but a spiritual depravation also. They would suffer a lack of true words from God. There would false prophets, but a true voice would be lacking. It was because they had heard His warnings and rejected them.

Today, are we facing the same fearful message from God? In the Christmas season, is God a central focus – or do we seek to satisfy our physical needs only.

Prayer: Eternal and glorious God, we are facing the celebration of your Son’s entrance into our world. Help us keep our focus on You and Him. May we center our thoughts on Your Word – living and written. Amen.

Seek good...

December 15

Daily Bible Reading: Amos 4 - 6

Verse of the Day: Amos 5:14 – “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.”

In this section of Amos, God is pleading with Israel to return to Him. He tells them to seek good to live. He is not speaking of doing good deeds to get into heaven. As Jesus said in Matthew 19:17, “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God….”

If we want eternal life in Christ, we must seek Him and receive Him into our lives. During this advent season, there could be no better gift to receive than forgiveness through Christ. Repent and ask Him into your life today.

Prayer: God, my life is broken, I know it is because of my sin. I believe Christ came to live, die, and rise again to rescue me from my sin. Forgive me as I turn from my selfish ways and put my trust in You. I take Jesus as my Lord today and will follow Him. Amen.

Walking together

December 14

Daily Bible Reading: Amos 1 - 3

Verse of the Day: Amos 3:3 – “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

Amos, a sheepbreeder from Tekoa, was used by God to write this small book of warning about the judgment of sin that was coming. Some speculate that he was also a fig-picker. Not exactly one that we would think of having a grand education, wealth, or status. Yet, He was chosen and used by God.

God here asks a question. Can two people go in the same direction if they are not in agreement? He says in this that for a person to be in harmony with Him, we must be in agreement with Him.

This Christmas season, take time to connect with Him, make Him the center of your thoughts, your plans, and your festivities.

Prayer: Lord, today help me make my choices, my thoughts, my life in agreement with you. May we walk together in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Decisions of Multitudes

December 13

Daily Bible Reading: Joel 1 - 3

Verse of the Day: Joel 3:14 – “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”

As I look around at the shoppers hurrying to find just the perfect gift for that special person in this Christmas season, this verse in our reading today brings me back to a somber thought. I wonder how many of these people have made the right decision for their future. Are they ready to meet Jesus – not the baby in the manger, but the righteous Judge of all the earth?

This causes me to be convicted about my witness to those I am around. Do I seek to share the good news? Do I really care about their decision? What can I do to make a difference in their decision?

Prayer: God, today as I ponder over those who are around me, give me insight and confidence to share Jesus – the reason for the season today. May I go boldly in His name, Amen.

NO FEAR

December 12

Daily Bible Reading: Hosea 12 - 14

Verse of the Day: Hosea 13:14a – “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction…”

We find the basis for Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 15 that Christ defeated death and the grave. Hosea records God’s promise that when we respond to His plea for us to return, God will restore us from our rebellion. A believer does not need fear death. A sweet saint I knew would always say, “Don’t worry about me, I know where I am going.” In the midst of her draining disease, she held a confidence in the One who promised her life in the fullness. She knew that if she did not see healing in this life, she would see full restoration when she stood before Him one day.

Do you have that same confidence? That assurance that God has conquered death, Hell, and the grave?

Prayer: Victorious God, thank you for your assurances today of your victory over that which we fear the most – death. Amen.