Bible League: Living His Word "Praise God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please Him."— Luke 2:14 ERV The Christmas story is an amazing testimony of the love God has for you. Not in just the gift of eternal life through His son Jesus Christ, but also for the peace that surpasses all understanding that comes with your perfect gift from heaven. And yet, on its surface the story of Christmas is crazy, an absurdity. To think such a story is true—a virgin birth, a baby as a savior, angels and heavenly hosts worshipping a child... It makes no sense to reasonable minds, which is exactly why the story of Christmas is so perfect. The Lord God almighty, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, stepped out of heaven, leaving His royal position to take on all of humanity's weaknesses, failures, and sin. Jesus became a commoner, born of a virgin, casting doubt on any claims to royalty; and born in poverty, alienating Himself from powers that would also block Him from taking His rightful place on the throne. Then God chose imperfect human messengers to spread the Good News of God's perfect gift of love and salvation. He could have chosen angels to do His bidding; but rather, God began the pronouncement of the Savior by using smelly shepherds from the fields to spread the news which would be carried to every generation. It stinks of absurdity. Who would concoct such a crazy plan? The people will mock such a story. "What will God come up with next? Crucifying His gift?" The absurd reality of the Christmas story is what makes it so perfect. "What manner of child shall this be?" A perfect child, a perfect man. So perfect that it confounds the wise and gives blessing and understanding to the humble, even the commoner folks. And what manner of love God has bestowed on us that we should be called sons of God (John 1:12)! So what manner of person ought you to be? In your relationships, conversations? What manner of godliness do you show as a partaker of this absurd but gloriously true story? Beloved of God, know and acknowledge that God has written you into His Christmas story. It may be crazy and absurd in the natural sense, but it is perfect in the eternal sense. Turn to Jesus if you haven't already. Turn to the perfect one. Call on Him. Accept Him and His invitation to love and salvation, and then go live for Him and Him alone. Merry Christmas! By Pastor David Massie, Bible League International staff, California U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDaniel 1, 2 Daniel 1 -- Ashpenaz Takes Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to Babylon; They Refuse the King's Portion NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Daniel 2 -- Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar's Unspoken Dream NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 John 2 1 John 2 -- Christ 's Comfort; Keep His Commandments; Do Not Love the World; Beware of Antichrists NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.Insight God called the universe into existence out of nothing; he declared that it was to be, and it was. Our faith is in the God who created the entire universe by his word. God's word has awesome power. Challenge When he speaks, do you listen and respond? How can you better prepare yourself to respond to God's word? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 24:8 The Lord mighty in battle.Well may our God be glorious in the eyes of his people, seeing that he has wrought such wonders for them, in them, and by them. For them, the Lord Jesus upon Calvary routed every foe, breaking all the weapons of the enemy in pieces by his finished work of satisfactory obedience; by his triumphant resurrection and ascension he completely overturned the hopes of hell, leading captivity captive, making a show of our enemies openly, triumphing over them by his cross. Every arrow of guilt which Satan might have shot at us is broken, for who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Vain are the sharp swords of infernal malice, and the perpetual battles of the serpent's seed, for in the midst of the church the lame take the prey, and the feeblest warriors are crowned. The saved may well adore their Lord for his conquests in them, since the arrows of their natural hatred are snapped, and the weapons of their rebellion broken. What victories has grace won in our evil hearts! How glorious is Jesus when the will is subdued, and sin dethroned! As for our remaining corruptions, they shall sustain an equally sure defeat, and every temptation, and doubt, and fear, shall be utterly destroyed. In the Salem of our peaceful hearts, the name of Jesus is great beyond compare: he has won our love, and he shall wear it. Even thus securely may we look for victories by us. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. We shall cast down the powers of darkness which are in the world, by our faith, and zeal, and holiness; we shall win sinners to Jesus, we shall overturn false systems, we shall convert nations, for God is with us, and none shall stand before us. This evening let the Christian warrior chant the war song, and prepare for to-morrow's fight. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. Daily Light on the Daily Path Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.Exodus 30:18-21 "You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. • "Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; • when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the LORD. • "So they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they will not die; and it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations." 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. Job 19:26,27 "Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; • Whom I myself shall behold, And whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me! Revelation 21:27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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