Christmas Devotional by Gary Barrett

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Pastor and Author, John MacArthur writes,  "Here's a side to the Christmas story that isn't often told: those soft little hands, fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb, were made so that nails might be driven through them. Those baby feet, pink and unable to walk, would one day walk up a dusty hill to be nailed to a cross. That sweet infant's head with sparking eyes and eager mouth was formed so that someday men might force a crown of thorns onto it. That tender body, warm and soft, wrapped in swaddling clothes, would one day be ripped open by a spear. [GOD WITH US, MacArthur p. 116]

BIBLE VERSE

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He GAVE His ONE AND ONLY SON, that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have eternal life."

THREE QUESTIONS

When I go to churches, where I am invited to preach, I sometimes ask people three questions:

 

1. "How many of you here in church today want to go to heaven?"

Of course, everyone in the room smiles big, raises their hands and signs, "Yes, I want to go to heaven!"

 

2. Then I ask another question; "How many of you want to die?"  

The immediate response is silence. People look at each other and wonder, "What kind of a question is that?"  After a few moments of thinking about the question, people begin to answer and say, "No, of course I don't want to die!"

 

3. Finally, I ask, "How can we go to heaven unless we die first?"

Think about it--before we can go to heaven--FIRST, we have to die.  There is no avoiding it (unless Jesus returns first). Hebrews 9:27b (KJV) says, "...it is appointed for men to die once..." Thankfully we have no idea when our appointment with death will be.  Have you ever thought about how you will die or when you will die?  Most of us don't ever think about that; because naturally, it isn't something we like to think about.   I surely would not want to know the day I will die, nor would I want to know how I am going to die.  I think most of us would not want to know.

Jesus knew the very day He would die, and He knew He would die a horrific, painful and humiliating death because this was God's plan: "...GOD GAVE JESUS, HIS ONLY SON..." John 3:16.

Jesus came to die for the sins of the world (you and me). As Jesus hung on the cross He cried out, "It is finished."  It is accomplished.  Salvation has come to completion.  Jesus came to die on the cross so that life may be given to us.  This was His Gift to us, this Gift would set us free and give us life for eternity.

Jesus did all of this because He loved us, and He proved it with His own life, "God showed how much he loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.  This is real love--not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:9-10). Thank God for His wonderful, amazing Gift--Jesus!

SONG

"Lord I Lift Your Name on High"

By: Donnie McClurkin

 

Lord I lift Your Name on High,

Lord I love to sing Your praises,

I'm so glad You're in my life,

I'm so glad You came to save us.

 

You came from Heaven to Earth,

To show The Way,

From the Earth to The Cross,

My debt You paid,

From The Cross to the grave,

From the grave to the sky,

Lord I lift Your Name on High!

 

Lord I lift Your Name on High,

Lord I love to sing Your praises,

I'm so glad You're in my life,

I'm so glad You came to save us.

 

You came from Heaven to Earth,

To show The Way,

From the Earth to The Cross,

My debt You paid,

From The Cross to the grave,

From the grave to the sky,

Lord I lift Your Name on High!

 

PRAYER

Dear God: Thank You for The First Christmas. Thank You, Jesus, for leaving heaven, being born in a manger, living on earth, and dying in my place. Amazing, amazing love! Help me to live a life pleasing to You, lifting up Your Name--in everything I say and do. I want other people to see You in me. Jesus, help me to lift Your Name Higher and Higher as I serve You! AMEN.