This year's Advent devotionals are from A Celebration of Advent: A 25-Day Devotional
by New Spring Church of Anderson, SC
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“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21
Soon after Joseph chose to divorce Mary quietly, 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.’”
What’s easy is not always right. And what’s right is not always easy. Obeying God will sometimes make us look crazy. Remember God’s words from Isaiah 55:8-9, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
When we ask God to show us the way, He does. Sometimes, He affirms what we’re already thinking. But other times, as He did with Joseph, God leads us to a faith-filled option we never knew was possible.
REFLECT: Read Matthew 1:18-25
How do you process difficult decisions?
What decisions are you facing that require greater faith?
Take some time to pray and ask God what He would have you do.
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Prayer:
Father,
We are so grateful that Your ways are higher than ours and that Your thoughts are higher than ours. Thank You for always being the Way that is right and true. Help us to always hear Your voice so we may follow in Your footsteps, no matter what it looks like to the world. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Showing posts with label Way Maker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Way Maker. Show all posts
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Friends' Favorites - In God's Way
“As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”
Acts 11:15-17 NLT
Two chapters prior to this passage, we read, Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. Saul of Tarsus asked for and received letters requesting cooperation to arrest any followers of the Way he found in Damascus.
Saul of Tarsus was both a descendant of Abraham and a Roman citizen. His education of the law was under the tutelage of Rabbi Gamaliel who was a leader in the Jewish Sanhedrin. He had all kinds of "bragging rights". Saul was also a Pharisee - he knew the law and that was the zeal that drove him to persecute Christians. They weren't following God the same way he had been taught, so he was on his way to arrest and bring back to Jerusalem - in chains - anyone who followed the way of Jesus. The story of Saul's Damascus Road conversion adventure to becoming the apostle Paul is a favorite of many (Acts 9:1-22).
However, as Peter points out in our text for today, how often do we judge another simply because they don't do something the same as we do? They don't do it our way... but then, are we sure our way is God's way?
I wonder how often I have been IN God's way instead of following His way...
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us, O God, when we get in Your way rather than follow in Your way. Open our eyes, Lord, to clearly see You and follow You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Acts 11:15-17 NLT
Two chapters prior to this passage, we read, Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. Saul of Tarsus asked for and received letters requesting cooperation to arrest any followers of the Way he found in Damascus.
Saul of Tarsus was both a descendant of Abraham and a Roman citizen. His education of the law was under the tutelage of Rabbi Gamaliel who was a leader in the Jewish Sanhedrin. He had all kinds of "bragging rights". Saul was also a Pharisee - he knew the law and that was the zeal that drove him to persecute Christians. They weren't following God the same way he had been taught, so he was on his way to arrest and bring back to Jerusalem - in chains - anyone who followed the way of Jesus. The story of Saul's Damascus Road conversion adventure to becoming the apostle Paul is a favorite of many (Acts 9:1-22).
However, as Peter points out in our text for today, how often do we judge another simply because they don't do something the same as we do? They don't do it our way... but then, are we sure our way is God's way?
I wonder how often I have been IN God's way instead of following His way...
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us, O God, when we get in Your way rather than follow in Your way. Open our eyes, Lord, to clearly see You and follow You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Friday, March 4, 2016
* Absolutely Thrilling
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.
Psalm 92:1-4 New Living Translation
When was the last time you can say you were thrilled with what the Lord has done for you; as in - you FELT the thrill? Has it been awhile? If so, why? Have you forgotten?
In the big scheme of things, if we compare ourselves to the God of the whole universe, how important are we? And then to think, our lives and everything about us is of GREAT importance to the Creator. There's no guess work in that - no supposition.
God is the Great I AM. He breathed life into a dustball and created mankind. It's that God who sent His Son - Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, Lord of all and over all, our Deliverer, our Healer, and our Righteousness - to die for us; to create a way for us to be in relationship with Him. He makes a way when most can't even hope for it. How? Through His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ IS the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Scripture defines Him as Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Holy One of the Highest, Emmanuel. He is our Advocate, our Righteous Judge. He is all-powerful, omnipotent, omniscient. He's King above all other kings. Royalty to the extreme and He desires relationship with you. Aren't you absolutely thrilled about that?
Honey, if that don't light your fire, your wood's wet.
Prayer:
Father,
There is no thrill like the thrill when we come to the understanding of Your love for us. Open our understanding to all You would have us see and know. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
When was the last time you can say you were thrilled with what the Lord has done for you; as in - you FELT the thrill? Has it been awhile? If so, why? Have you forgotten?
In the big scheme of things, if we compare ourselves to the God of the whole universe, how important are we? And then to think, our lives and everything about us is of GREAT importance to the Creator. There's no guess work in that - no supposition.
God is the Great I AM. He breathed life into a dustball and created mankind. It's that God who sent His Son - Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, Lord of all and over all, our Deliverer, our Healer, and our Righteousness - to die for us; to create a way for us to be in relationship with Him. He makes a way when most can't even hope for it. How? Through His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ IS the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Scripture defines Him as Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Holy One of the Highest, Emmanuel. He is our Advocate, our Righteous Judge. He is all-powerful, omnipotent, omniscient. He's King above all other kings. Royalty to the extreme and He desires relationship with you. Aren't you absolutely thrilled about that?
Honey, if that don't light your fire, your wood's wet.
Prayer:
Father,
There is no thrill like the thrill when we come to the understanding of Your love for us. Open our understanding to all You would have us see and know. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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