Written By TWFT
Saturday, December 23
“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” Lk 1:31 NIV
We have sung the words of this Christmas carol since infancy. But those words actually do not come from Scripture. “Silent Night” was a poem written by an Austrian priest in 1816. The words conjure up a serene picture with the happy couple watching their newborn baby. It’s not likely, however, that there was silence. After an exhausting journey on a donkey, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary didn’t check into the master suite of the Bethlehem Grand Hotel. They begged the use of an animal shelter, complete with the clatter and scents of barnyard animals—anything but silent! Ask any mother about giving birth. Even with the help of modern pain-reducing medicines and sterilized environments, the bravest woman rarely remains silent while giving birth. For Mary, Joseph, and Jesus—this was hardly a silent night! “O Holy night”: Of all the nights in history, this was the most Holy. God set in motion His eternal plan to come to earth as the Redeemer of lost people. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them” (2Co 5:19 NKJV). Jesus came to take on Himself the sins of doomed humanity, so “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (v. 21 NKJV). It doesn’t get any holier than that! “All is calm, all is bright”: On that holiest of nights, our spiritual and moral darkness was forever dispelled by Jesus, the Light of the World. And our fears as lost sinners were replaced by the peace and joyful assurance that we are His eternally forgiven people.
Saturday, December 23
“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” Lk 1:31 NIV
We have sung the words of this Christmas carol since infancy. But those words actually do not come from Scripture. “Silent Night” was a poem written by an Austrian priest in 1816. The words conjure up a serene picture with the happy couple watching their newborn baby. It’s not likely, however, that there was silence. After an exhausting journey on a donkey, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary didn’t check into the master suite of the Bethlehem Grand Hotel. They begged the use of an animal shelter, complete with the clatter and scents of barnyard animals—anything but silent! Ask any mother about giving birth. Even with the help of modern pain-reducing medicines and sterilized environments, the bravest woman rarely remains silent while giving birth. For Mary, Joseph, and Jesus—this was hardly a silent night! “O Holy night”: Of all the nights in history, this was the most Holy. God set in motion His eternal plan to come to earth as the Redeemer of lost people. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them” (2Co 5:19 NKJV). Jesus came to take on Himself the sins of doomed humanity, so “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (v. 21 NKJV). It doesn’t get any holier than that! “All is calm, all is bright”: On that holiest of nights, our spiritual and moral darkness was forever dispelled by Jesus, the Light of the World. And our fears as lost sinners were replaced by the peace and joyful assurance that we are His eternally forgiven people.
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January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
March
HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE?DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (1)DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (2)KNOW WHEN TO LET GOPUT AWAY THE MEASURING STICKCONNECT, COMMIT, COMMUNICATEUSE YOUR IMAGINATIONCONSULT GOD ON YOUR DAILY TO-DO LISTBEARING SPIRITUAL FRUITHOW GOD SEES YOUBORN TO BELIEVE (1)BORN TO BELIEVE (2)ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULPUT GOD BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE FOE"FORGIVE THEM" AND DELETE ITBE TRUE TO THE SCRIPTURESTHE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (1)THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (2)IF YOU'RE A LEADER, READ THISPRAYER AND YOUR RASLEARN TO SAY NOYOU CAN LEARN TO LOVEALWAYS AGREE WITH GOD'S WORD
April
BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (1)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (2)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (3)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (4)REJOICE - DAY FORTY-ONE IS COMINGPASTOR, KEEP YOUR SWORD SHARPDON'T BURN OUT (1)DON'T BURN OUT (2)THE WAITING STRATEGYRESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (1)RESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (2)HELP FOR CAREGIVERS
May
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR MOTHERKNOWING THE SEASON YOU'RE INFAITH IS NOT FAITH UNTIL IT IS ACTED UPONHAVE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVEFREE FROM JEALOUSYDON'T LOVE YOUR PASSION FOR GODGET ALONE WITH GOD (1)GET ALONE WITH GOD (2)GET ALONE WITH GOD (3)WHO ARE YOU DEPENDING ON?THE SECRET TO SUCCESSHOW TO STAY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT GODDEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (1)DEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (2)COMPASSION BEGINS WITH THE WORD "NOTICE"WHEN GOD ASKS YOU TO GIVEARE YOU IN A STRESS MESS?WHEN YOU FEEL BLAH