One truth shared: There are blessings to believing in a Triune God.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians 13:14

Why Do I Believe in a Triune God?

Can I ask you a personal question? How are you doing in your relationship?

What relationship? Good question. It could be the relationship between you and your parent(s). Or, with your boyfriend or girlfriend. How about the relationship with your boss? Your coworkers? Your friends? Is it genuine? Or do you smile through clenched teeth? Is there a relationship in danger right now?

Relationships seldom die because they suddenly have no life left in them. They wither slowly because there’s not enough love or commitment.

Can I ask you one more personal question? How’s your relationship with God? Ever experience a moment of shakiness in faith? Maybe you forgot God’s love and forgiveness. Maybe it feels like an up-and-down experience. One moment, one Sunday… you feel very close to God. The next moment, next Sunday, next month… you feel a million miles away from God.

Here are words that keep you close to him: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” In his triune name, God is reminding you of some very important things for your relationship with him:

• The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ – “Grace” is God’s loving and forgiving attitude toward you. His name is “Lord” because he purchased and won you on the cross and now you belong to him. His name is “Jesus”, the name by which everyone called him here on earth when he came to save us with his grace. His name is “Christ” to indicate his role as your Savior. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” continues to hug you even when you are or feel unhuggable!
• The love of God – Love is the key ingredient in any relationship. But our love sometimes shifts depending upon the wind. On the arrow of a weather vane on top a barn were these words; “God is Love.” Whichever way the wind blows, God is still love! His love for you never changes but follows you wherever you go!
• The fellowship of the Holy Spirit – One time, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:28,29). Did you catch that? To believe in Jesus is the work of God! It doesn’t depend on how you feel or how you think he feels about you. The magnet that moves your heart from spiritual blindness to sight, from being spiritually dead to alive, from being an enemy of God to a lover of God… is the Holy Spirit. He creates a fellowship, a union, between you and God.

One more time: How are you doing in your relationship? “Grace, love, and fellowship… to you.” Because of the unified work of the Triune God, your relationship with him—is good!

Prayer: Lord God, accept my praise for revealing yourself to me as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons and one God. Hold me fast in my faith, so that your name is with me now and forever. Amen.

One truth shared: Heaven celebrates when we reflect God’s glory on earth.

I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
John 17:4,5

Glory on Earth

It can be fun to daydream about all the things we can do in heaven. But did you know that there is one amazing thing we can do now that we cannot do in heaven?

Before we get to that one thing, we need to remember how good this world used to be. In the beginning it was better than good. It was, as God said, “very good.”

The Garden of Eden was created to be a thing of perfect beauty and perfect efficiency. And that was just a nest to get things started. God created an entire world for us to discover and inhabit. Relationships were perfect. Work was a joy. God was there. Everything was very good.

Then darkness came.

A temptation led to doubt, and doubt led to sin. The world was darkened by the constant fear of death and all the many ways it causes suffering throughout life. Relationships were broken. Work became painful. We became distant from God, and nothing about that was good.

We will always long for the joy of heaven because we were created with eternity in our mind and a longing for God in our heart.

But Jesus brought something very good to a world that was darkened by sin. He brought glory to God on earth.

His selfless sacrifice for our sins was a remarkable demonstration of divine grace unlike anything this world had ever seen. Not even the beauty of Eden could compete with the way his light shone through the darkness.

And that brings us to the one amazing thing you can do now that you can’t do in heaven. You can shine in the darkness. When you reflect the love of Jesus to others, you bring hope in a way that makes heaven rejoice.

It’s okay to long for heaven. But don’t miss the opportunity you have right now to let your light shine in a dark place. You never know when God might use your light to bring hope to others.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, there will be days when I long for the joys of heaven. But until you bring me there, help me to see the joy of shining your light in a dark place. Shine through me this week. Amen.

One truth shared: You will never be more loved than you are right now.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6

Never More Loved Than Now

True story: A young man once asked a spiritual leader how to get to heaven. After a moment of thought, the leader told this young man that the way to get to heaven was to keep the Ten Commandments. All of them.

I don’t think your pastor would ever give you that answer. Any Christian out there knows that the way to heaven is only Jesus. That makes it all the more surprising that the spiritual leader mentioned above was none other than Jesus himself.

But the answer Jesus gave this young man was exactly right.

Just as darkness cannot coexist with light, so sinful people cannot coexist with a holy God. You must be perfect, and perfection is spelled out in the commandments. That’s the only way to be with God.

What everyone eventually comes to realize is that there’s a problem. The perfection required of us is not something we can attain.

The young man mentioned above went away sad because he did not think there was a way for him to be with God. He was right. Nothing we do can atone for the darkness of our sin and make us fit for life with God.

So Jesus became the way for us. He consumed the darkness of your sin when he died on the cross, and he clothed you in his righteousness when he came back to life. The way to God is still to be perfect, but Jesus became the way by providing his perfection for you.

There will be days when you feel unlovable. Something you said, did, or thought will leave you with a guilty feeling, and you won’t feel worthy of God’s love.

The good news is that the way to God’s love was never through what you do. Because of Jesus, you can tell yourself every moment of every day: “I will never be more loved than I am right now.”

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for establishing a relationship with me that is not dependent on how good I am. Help me live in the joy of your grace every day. Amen.

One truth shared: The Scriptures provides direction for life.

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Luke 24:25-27

The Secret to Seeing Jesus

Three days after Jesus was crucified, two of his followers left Jerusalem and walked seven miles to a town called Emmaus. They traveled with a deep sadness because they thought Jesus was gone forever. Everything hurt.

Have you ever felt a sadness like that? Maybe someone you loved was suddenly taken from you. Perhaps you were betrayed by someone, and it felt like part of your heart was ripped away. Maybe you have been so angry over an injustice that it came out as sadness.

There can be times in your life when you feel a sadness that makes everything hurt. But even in those times, Jesus walks alongside you.

We know this because Jesus walked alongside the two disciples who were walking to Emmaus. The funny part is that they did not know he was standing next to them. Rather than popping the confetti and giving them a hug, Jesus did something unexpected.

He pointed them to the Scriptures.

He showed them from the Scriptures how the Messiah’s suffering and death were all part of a greater plan to redeem a world that was lost in sin.

Jesus walks alongside you in your sadness, though you will not always see him. He points you to the Scriptures that show how suffering and death are the result of mankind’s sinfulness. Yet from the very beginning, Scripture shows how God’s plan was not to eradicate sin by condemning sinners. His plan was to walk alongside sinners and have his Son take their place.

When you find yourself wandering through life because you’re not sure what God is doing, take note of who is by your side. Let God’s Word speak direction into your life, and you will see the bigger picture of God’s loving plan for you.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe you are with me in the times I need you the most. Help me to see you clearly through the Scriptures that teach me about you. Amen.

One truth shared: The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of your faith.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”
Matthew 28:5,6

Proof of God With Us

Imagine that a seemingly ordinary person walks up to you and claims to be God. They say things that only God has the right to say. There is something magnetic about the way they act—you are drawn to them, but at the same time you are skeptical of their claims. As well you should be.

What would they have to do to prove that they are who they claim to be? What kind of miracle would it take? What feat of power would settle your doubt?

There are lots of tricks that mankind has figured out over the years. What we can do today with our science and technology would seem like miracles to people who lived 200 years ago.

But there is one thing that science and technology will never figure out: a way to get around death.

Death is something we are constantly at war with. Thanks to God’s gift of medicine, we can win a lot of battles against sickness and prolong our lives. But we cannot win the war against death. Death wins every time.

So if God were to show up as a person on earth to help us, it would be a very short-lived solution if his priority was to cure illnesses, establish justice, or address poverty.

What is amazing is that while Jesus did those very things, they were just a prequel to a greater battle that he would face. He battled death just like every other human. But unlike any other human, he won.

His victory establishes a new hope for you and all mankind. We still have the daily problems of life that go along with living in a sinful world, but we do not have the eternal problem of death to deal with.

At his resurrection, Jesus proved he really is “God With Us.” Even more, his resurrection was the beginning of hope for the entire world.

Prayer: Dear Savior, let the certainty of your resurrection be the foundation for my faith and hope in you. Amen.

One truth shared: Jesus gives you real life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”
John 11:25

Life

Have you ever wondered how people would remember you if you were gone? Kind of a morbid thought to be sure, but also something that seems to affect the way many people think and act. Athletes will put off retirement, perhaps longer than they should, in the hopes that they might be able to finish off their career with just one more championship. Presidents and other public figures build massive libraries to display their accomplishments long after they have left office. Even for people for whom death is statistically unlikely to occur in the near future, the impressions made on other people and what others think of you when you aren’t around remain influential factors in life! For many, and perhaps for Christians too, it’s tempting to find meaning and purpose in life based on what others think of us and how they remember us when we are gone.

Today’s scripture reading gives us a different perspective on all of that. The scene is this: Jesus’ good friend Lazarus died, and Jesus is comforting Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha. The focus of the conversation has nothing to do with how people will remember Lazarus now that he is gone. Instead, Martha expresses her Christian faith that she will see her brother again in heaven but remains understandably devastated by his untimely death. Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die!” Death is sad and hard to deal with, but Jesus dealt with death in a way like no one else could—he overcame it! Because death comes from sin, and because Jesus paid the price for all sin on the cross, death could not hold him! And death cannot hold Jesus’ followers either. He went on to raise his friend Lazarus from the dead, and he will do the same for you and your loved ones.

That reality grants a new perspective to God’s children. Instead of worrying about what others think of us and how they might remember us if we aren’t there and using such measures as a source of meaning and purpose in life, remember what Jesus’ resurrection promises you! No matter what others may or may not think, Jesus values you so highly that he was willing to lay down his life for you! And then he took it up again, so that you too might live again after you die. You don’t need to worry about how others will remember you, because you’ll live again, and you’ll be in heaven where the last concern possible on your mind is some hollow earthly monument that points back to a few human achievements. Your legacy and reputation aren’t based on the value other people place on you—it’s based on the price your Savior paid for you. Your legacy is this: child of God. Beyond that, nothing else matters!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, you valued me so much that you were willing to give up your own life! Thank you for your sacrifice and all you’ve done for me. Teach me look at my life as you do and help me use it to serve you in any way I can. Teach me to prioritize my relationship with you above all others. Amen.

One truth shared: The Living Water brings hope.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5

Hope

“God has a plan.” “Everything always works out for good.” “Jesus is with you.” “Don’t be sad, you’ll see her again in heaven.” Bible based truths such as these are the kinds of things Christians share with each other in times of hardship… and rightly so. God says all these things in the Bible. But if you or someone you love has ever gone through a hard time, saying those things doesn’t always make you feel better! Words don’t make the hard things go away! So how can promises of things to come bring hope right now?

Some have described this kind of hopeless feeling as “thirst.” Not the physical thirst for water, but a spiritual thirst for life the way God designed it to be. This spiritual thirst is a thirst to be rid of the sinfulness and frustrations and disappointments of a broken world. One might call it a thirst for heaven. In the Bible, God promises that such thirst is satisfied in Jesus—what he does, and what he promises. This good news does satisfy spiritual thirst and does provide hope, even now as we continue to live among the effects of sin.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul puts it like this: “hope does not disappoint us.” Why not? He continues, “You see, at just the right time… while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Our hope for the future based on God’s promises is not a vague wish for good things to come. Biblical hope anticipates the results of something that is an accomplished fact! In other words, Jesus already took on human flesh and inserted himself in the real history of the world at just the right time, to fulfill prophecy, to live as God required, to die for our sins, to rise from the dead. That’s not the future—it’s the past. It happened! It’s an accomplished fact, and it can’t be undone! That means all the blessings connected to it also are done and can’t be undone! There’s no “unforgiving” of sins. There’s no undoing heaven, or of any of the other results of Jesus work! That’s why biblical promises are not just words or some nice sayings. Even though they don’t always remove the outward hardship right now, they serve as a rock-solid guarantee of what’s to come based on what already happened and can’t be changed: Jesus’ work for you.

When the present is hard, cling to the good news of the past: a Savior who intervened in history! That fact guarantees that in the big picture, the future is bright!

This is your hope!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, you inserted yourself into human history to be our Savior. Thank you for leaving your heavenly throne to satisfy our deepest needs! Use the realities of what you accomplished to bring us hope, even in the darkest of times! Comfort and strengthen us with the certainty of a bright future to come! Amen.

One truth shared: Jesus is the champion you need.

Then the devil left him.
Matthew 4:11a

Champion

Isn’t it a nice feeling when you know you’ve got someone who will fight for you? It might be a sibling or parent who you know will always defend you no matter what happens. It might be a friend who stands up for you, or a teammate who’s always got your back. It might be a pastor or teacher who always has a minute to talk to you or share a few kind words of encouragement when you need it.

In this week’s Bible reading, God reminds us that we have an even greater champion than any of these in our Savior Jesus. Unlike even the most faithful of friends, Jesus will never move away or graduate. Unlike a parent or sibling or pastor, he will never get sick or die. No matter what happens, he’s always ready to fight for you! Even better, when Jesus fights for you he’s able to give so much more than any other champion. When you make mistakes, Jesus provides more than advice and support—his life and death on your behalf means that he has undone the eternal consequences you deserve by defeating your greatest enemies—sin and the devil.

That’s what is happening in today’s scripture reading. It’s Jesus against the devil. An epic conflict, a battle to the eternal death out in the desert. Jesus is humanly hungry, thirsty, tired, and worn down as the battle rages for 40 days and 40 nights. The devil deploys every trick in the book, but it all comes to nothing. Gospel writer Matthew closes with these simple but beautiful words: “Then the devil left him.” He gives up. He can’t win. Satan slinks away with his tail between his legs, unable to corrupt the Son of God in any way.

Remember that victory on the days when it feels like you’re at war and all alone and facing odds you can’t possibly overcome. You’re not alone—Jesus has your back. He provides the strength you need. He promises to work the events of your life for your eternal good. And, he promises that all these battles are temporary, because the war has already been won. The devil has been defeated, you’re forgiven, and heaven awaits!

Prayer: Jesus our Savior, you are our champion. You fought the devil for us, and you won. Give us the perspective to live in the light of that victory, confident that you won it for us. On the days when we feel overwhelmed or isolated, comfort us with reminders of your constant presence and protection. Amen.

One truth shared: Jesus exposes the monster of sin in us that he might kill it and transform us.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”
Matthew 5:21-24; 27-30

Kill the Monsters

Everyone has a sinful nature. There is a deep-seated monster that lives inside us. It’s like incurable cancer in a human body. Our spiritual genetics are so flawed, we won’t survive. It’s why every human being in the world dies. Sin is a monster that kills us.

In Jesus’ sermon on the mount, he shines a bright spotlight on the monster. People thought that as long as they did not murder, then they were obeying the Fifth Commandment. As long as they didn’t commit adultery, they were keeping the Sixth Commandment. Jesus explained that sin isn’t just doing the outward act of murder. Like cancer cells, sin is already there inside us. It might begin with a feeling of anger or a lustful desire that decides to look. If our hearts were pure, we wouldn’t have those feelings or desires.

We like to think, “C’mon, God, don’t take things so seriously. I’m not perfect, but hey, I haven’t killed or committed adultery.” Today, Jesus makes this clear: if you are easily angered and impulsively blurt out ugly names and curses at others, you will pay with literal hellfire.

Wow. Sin is not a little oopsie because I’m having a bad day. It’s a monster that will kill me.

How serious are you about getting rid of sin in your life? Next week ushers in the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Jesus is readying himself for the serious task of facing hellfire and death on the cross. He did not come to earth to relax God’s holy standards. He came to obey them, even the least one we think we can fudge a bit. He kept them completely. If you’ve ever put together a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, maybe you’ve felt the frustration of a few missing pieces … So close! God demanded a righteousness no one could perfectly match. We have holes all over. Until Jesus came and completed it perfectly.

The missing piece of the puzzle is Jesus.

This week, identify your sinful impulses. Don’t let them stay hidden. Listen to Jesus’ words and shine a bright light on them. Repent of them. Remember your need for Jesus who killed the monster! Now fight the impulse to hurt people, especially people who hurt you first. Fight impure thoughts. Imitate Jesus and live a life of love.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your commandments that help expose the monster of sin within us. Forgive us for the times we sin against you. Send your Holy Spirit to give us the strength to resist temptations and to live a life that is pleasing to you. We do all of this to give you praise and glory. Amen.

One truth shared: When you are weaker or disadvantaged, God has you right where he wants you.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:11,12

Christians are Crazy

When a person looks up the definition of a crazy person, a picture of an ironman triathlete might appear. An ironman triathlon is a race consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 122-mile bike ride, and 26.22-mile run. A definition of crazy is not acting in a sensible or logical way due to an abnormal state of mind. Swimming, biking, and running an ironman triathlon does not sound sensible or logical. Why would anyone put their body through that much pain and suffering? The only plausible explanation can be that the person must be crazy. Except, they aren’t crazy. They have normal functioning minds. So why do they act irrationally and run an ironman? For the same reason Christians endure persecution. They are focused on the reward. Whether the reward is prize money for winning or the sense of accomplishment of finishing the race, rewards motivate people to do crazy things.

Jesus calls on Christians to act crazy, not crazy in the sense of out of control and erratic, but in an irrational and unsensible way, at least according to the world. When people insult you, you are blessed. When people persecute you and say awful things about you because of Jesus, that is a good thing. Jesus wants you to rejoice and be glad when people treat you horribly. That seems irrational and unsensible. That seems crazy.

Not to Jesus. He knows what the reward is, heaven. You go through persecution or hardships for Jesus. That means you have faith in Jesus which means you are going to heaven. That doesn’t make you crazy. That makes you blessed.

So, defend your faith even when someone says you’re being naive or dumb. Stand up for the one who is being picked on even if you have to stand up to your friends. Be the one in the group who says that movie is not appropriate to watch. According to the world, only a crazy person would act like that. According to Jesus, that is how blessed people act.

Prayer: Lord God, you have given us heaven as our reward. Keep our faith in you strong. Give us courage and strength to suffer persecution and hardships because of our faith. Give us peace and joy in all situations remembering how awesome heaven is going to be. Amen.

One truth shared: When we see Jesus for who he is and what he’s done for us, we realize he’s actually the God we want.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29

The God We Need, Not the God We Want

There are times God doesn’t do what we want him to do.

Our family member doesn’t get better, just worse. Our parents keep fighting and don’t reconcile. We don’t attract that certain boy or girl we desperately want.

We want God to make us healthy, wealthy, and popular. We want God to bring us happiness and prosperity. And, for us, that usually means we want more fun, less pain, more money, less worry, more ease, less difficulties.

Many of the Jews around Jesus’ day were the same. They wanted the Messiah to be a political and military hero who would defeat the Romans and make Israel a political superpower.

The Jews were overly impressed with Jesus’ miracles because they viewed him as more of a genie than a Savior. To them, he was someone who would give them material things and a healthy body, which they thought were the keys to their happiness.

John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God in our verse. Why? Because he wanted people to know Jesus had appeared and he’s the God we need, not necessarily the God we want.

A lamb doesn’t seem like the appropriate animal to represent the Messiah. Why not a dragon or a T-Rex? But a lamb is what we need. Lambs were used as a sacrificial animal by the Jews—a substitute which sacrificed its life for their sins. But the problem is that those animal sacrifices didn’t actually do anything except point ahead to the true Lamb of God.

Jesus is the God you and I need.

He didn’t turn away from our messiness and sin. He got right into the thick of it. He didn’t come to give us a list of rules to follow. He came to follow every rule in our place. He didn’t come to simply show us how to live. He came to die—to die as a substitute in our place.

He’s what we needed. And deep down, we know it. We know we can’t make it through life on our own. We see the sin in our lives. We see how little control we have in life. And we know we need to be rescued.

That’s just what he did.

And when we see Jesus for who he truly is, we realize he’s actually the God we want. He gives us the deep joy and happiness we’ve been searching for.

That’s Someone we have no problem telling others about.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for being the God I truly need. Thank you for becoming involved in the messiness of my sin and my life and being my substitute. You give me the deep joy and happiness I’ve been searching for. Please place others in my life who need to hear about you. Amen.

One truth shared: Just as Jesus came out of Egypt, so too he will bring us out of the Egypt of our sins.

So [Joseph] got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew 2:14,15

The Way Out

Egypt is a place, but it’s not just a place. Maybe I should explain what I’m getting at. Egypt is the place, or location, where the Old Testament Israelites were enslaved by Pharoah. Egypt is the place where Joseph took his family, including Jesus, when King Herod wanted Jesus dead. It is a place. I don’t want to lose that fact. And God brought his Son back out of that place, just like he brought the Israelites out of Egypt between walls of water. Egypt really is a place, and God really did bring his Son out of there.

But it’s not just a place, a location. Egypt was a place of slavery. Just like there are things that enslave you. Maybe an addiction that has its grip on you. That video you can’t turn away from. That thought you can’t escape. That sin which has its hold on you. And it does have a hold on you like Pharaoh had on the Israelites. A chain on their necks and a whip at their backs. In that sense, Egypt is more than just a place.

And Jesus came out of that place. His Father brought him out of Egypt when it was safe for him to come. That’s a thing that happened in Jesus’ life. But it is not just a thing that happened in Jesus’ life; it is the thing that Jesus came to do in your life. He came to bring you out of your Egypt. He has come to redeem you and to set you free from Egypt and from the death grip of Pharoah. He has come to bring you out, to give you exodus, not just from sin now, but for all eternity.

Jesus is your way out of Egypt. Just as he came out of Egypt, so he will bring you out.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you came out of Egypt just like God said you would. I am looking to you now to bring me out of Egypt. Set me free from the sin that makes me its slave. Set me free that I might live for you. Bring me out, Jesus. Amen.

One truth shared: God works through difficult circumstances as part of his greater plan and helps us see our role in his plans.

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”
Matthew 1:18-25‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Part of the Plan

Alyssa was crushed. She had failed her first driving test. What would everyone think when they found out? The thought of having to do it all over again made her panic level rise inside. In Alyssa’s mind, the sky was falling.

Joseph was crushed. He and Mary were pledged to be married, Suddenly, Joseph got the worst news of his life: Mary was pregnant, and he was not the father. In that moment in his head, the sky was falling.

When dealing with disappointment, it’s hard to know how to respond. For Alyssa, failing the driving test threw a huge wrench into her plans. For Joseph, it looked like a big mess filled with major hurt and broken relationships.

How did God respond to the mess? God sent an angel to visit Joseph. The angel assured Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was the work of God and that the baby to be born was the long-promised Savior from sin—Immanuel—God with us! The angel told Joseph to not be afraid, but to take Mary home to be his wife. He and Mary were part of an incredible bigger plan that Joseph never could have imagined. All of a sudden, it all made sense.

What amazing grace! What unfailing love! God used what looked like a mess of a situation as part of something bigger and better. God also used a sinful human being, Joseph, and showed him his important role in that plan.

God‘s plans are still happening. Just like God worked through Joseph and that difficult situation, God continues to work through sinful human beings like you and through your difficult situations.

How do you respond to difficult situations? Do you get angry and upset? It’s understandable, But next time, ask yourself this: how might God be working something better through your momentary pain or failure? How might God be calling you to trust him and to be a part of his plans?

Whatever you might be experiencing, remember that Immanuel is with you. He forgives you when you struggle to trust him and his plans. And like he did for Joseph, God will give you strength and faith to see his loving hand at work and to play your part.

Prayer: Merciful Savior, we praise you for looking on us with compassion when we doubt. Forgive us when we doubt your Word, and assure us of your grace and unfailing love. Amen.

One truth shared: God worked through incredibly unlikely beginnings to bring us Jesus. He is our one, true king and champion.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
Isaiah‬ ‭11:1-10‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

True Champion

We all love a good champion story. You know the one, where a person or team rises from the ashes and overcomes incredible odds to achieve a glorious victory. Rudy, Remember the Titans, and The Blindside are just a few of the many movies that tell a champion’s story.

Why do we like those stories? Well, they seem to lift us up to a better place. They give us something to feel good about in the midst of life’s problems. In a way, we almost feel like we share in their victory.

In today’s Bible verses, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells another champion’s story—the story of a mighty ruler, a victorious king from humble beginnings. This king would come from a line of kings that had been all but cut off—from a family tree that had been cut down without a trunk, branches, leaves, or fruit, and only its stump left in the ground. The miracle of Christmas is that from a dead stump in a dead, decaying world comes a live twig—a small, living shoot—in the form of a real person. God raised up a new king—a champion.

Isaiah tells us that this king, despite his humble beginnings, would be like none the world had ever seen.

• He would reign with perfect power, authority, wisdom, understanding, and justice.
• He would always do what was right, and most importantly for you and me, he would make us right with God.
• He would conquer every obstacle that this world and the devil could throw at him.
• He would overcome the most incredible odds to live perfectly in our place, lay down his life, and win for us forgiveness and eternal life with God.
• He would bring forth a kingdom where there would be nothing but peace and comfort everywhere.

Who is this king? Who is this champion? He’s Jesus! Movie characters like Rudy, the Titans, and Michael Oher (from The Blindside) may help us feel better temporarily, but Jesus is the only champion that can fulfill all our eternal needs and give us the lasting joy, hope, and peace we long for. Why? Because his victory truly is our victory.

This Advent and Christmas let’s celebrate the king and champion foretold by Isaiah the prophet. Our one true champion—Jesus.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the true champion we need. We marvel at your humble beginnings and celebrate your glorious victory over sin and death. Thank you that your victory is our victory. Amen.

One truth shared: We eagerly wait for Jesus’ final day of deliverance.

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Luke 12:35-40

A Day of Deliverance Which God’s People Eagerly Await

Layla: Where r u??!!
Chase: I’ll be there soon.
Layla: What is soon??!!
Chase: Be patient!
Layla: I AM PATIENT. Lol . . . But 4 real . . . how long?
Chase: Just be ready for me.
Layla: Prom will be over by the time you get here! Are you actually coming?
Chase: Yes.
Layla: Really??
Chase: Really. Soon.
Layla: SMH. This is taking too long!

Layla was so excited for Chase to pick her up for prom, but 30 minutes late felt like an eternity. All kinds of questions rolled through her mind. “Is he really coming? Does he really love me? Will I even make it to my senior prom?”

But before Layla could finish her next burst of messages, she saw headlights coming around the corner. Then she heard blasting music coming down the street. It came closer and closer. Sure enough! It was Chase! But actually, Chase wasn’t really late. Chase had this planned all along. He had planned to have Layla wait a bit so that she could truly appreciate the surprise of his grand entrance—he arrived in a Mercedes party bus for her and all their friends! They were going to ride in style to the greatest celebration ever!

Ever feel like Layla? Not about your HOCO or prom date. About Jesus. Do you ever hear Jesus speak in the Scriptures about the Last Day and how he’s coming back for us soon, but then wonder, “Soon? What’s soon? It’s been forever! Are you really coming back?”

It’s tough to be patient and wait for Jesus’ return in glory on judgment day. There are so many things that we suffer through that we just want to be with him in heaven so badly! At the same time, there are many distractions that take our focus off the blessed hope of heaven.

Listen carefully to Jesus’ words today though. He reminds us to keep watch and to be ready because he will come when we least expect it. It could be at any moment—even before you finish this devotion! But also note that the wait will be worth it. Our Master will return in grand style and take us to the greatest celebration of all time. What prom could compare to the joyous celebration of the wedding banquet of heaven? What hope! What peace! What joy! It’s all ours in Jesus . . . so come quickly, Lord Jesus, come!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us wisdom to wait with careful patience and preparation. Come claim your final victory and take us home! Amen.