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12/28/2016

WHO NEEDS A SAVIOR?

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Read Luke 2:11-12.
 
I remember being devastated one year when mom and
dad took down our Christmas tree early. They said it
had gotten too dry, but I never saw any danger. Years
later our youth group had a Christmas tree bonfire. In
seconds the tree exploded into flames, lighting up the
entire field. We all were forced to step back from the
intense heat. In that moment I realized just what great
a danger we had been in, and how mom and dad had
saved us.
 
If the shepherds were anything like most people, they
felt no danger sitting out in the fields that Christmas
night. Then in an instant the angel appeared, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them. In that horrifying
moment they saw the darkness of their sinful lives in
the holy light of God, and they were gripped with the
terror of His wrath.
 
Each of us will experience that moment someday --
either at our death or at Christ's return. We will be
immersed in the bright light of God's glory, as we
stand before Him for judgment. God will not weigh out
your good deeds versus your bad deeds, or compare
you to other people. Instead, He will look deep into
your thoughts, desires and attitudes. If you committed
one sin, one single wrongdoing at any time during your
life, you will stand condemned.
 
But that is why Jesus came as our Savior. He took
every sin to the cross; there He suffered God's fiery
wrath in our place. When we trust Jesus as our Savior,
all our sins are taken away, and when He returns we
will be able to stand spotless before His judgment seat.
 
THE PRAYER:
 
Lord Jesus, thank You for taking my place and suffering
for my sins. Guide me to show others why they need
Your salvation too. Amen.
 
(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

14:26 Posted in Blog, RELIGION | Permalink | Comments (0)

12/27/2016

FEAR TURNED INTO JOY

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring
you good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10).
 
The days before Christmas were anxious times of worry
for me. What if I ended up with a stocking full of coal?
And of course there was always the dreaded children's
Christmas program! But the days after Christmas were
simply glorious: playing with our Christmas toys,
listening to Christmas music, eating Christmas cookies.
Life was good!
 
When the shepherds first saw the brightness of the
angel, and the surpassing brightness of God's own glory,
they were gripped with fear. But as the angel announced
the birth of God's Son, their great fear gave way to
greater joy. Life was good!
 
Life was really good for our first parents Adam and Eve.
God created them perfect and good. They knew God
loved them, and they knew they could depend on Him to
faithfully provide all their needs. Fear didn't enter the
picture until they disobeyed His command and ate the
forbidden fruit. At that moment, their perfect knowledge
of God was replaced with fear and dread of His wrath and
punishment.
 
We still live under that fear too. It's a fear that comes
from not knowing God perfectly or trusting Him completely.
When times are bad or when troubles come upon us, we
find it difficult to fully lean on Him. But that's why Jesus
came, to take our guilt upon Himself and pay the penalty
for our sins in His suffering and death on the cross. With
all sins removed and death completely conquered by
Jesus' death and resurrection, there is nothing left to fear.
Life is good indeed!
 
THE PRAYER:
 
Heavenly Father, we rejoice that You sent Your Son to
remove our fear by taking upon Himself the punishment
we deserve. Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts
forever. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
 
(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

01:17 Posted in Blog, RELIGION | Permalink | Comments (0)

12/26/2016

SHEER TERROR

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with
fear (Luke 2:9).
 
One Christmas memory always makes me shudder. I'm
sitting in a classroom dressed in costume and drenched
in sweat. It's not that the costume is too heavy or the
room too hot, I'm sweating because the children's
Christmas program starts in five minutes, and I'm so
nervous I can't remember a single word of my part!
 
Sheer terror! It's amazing how many times Luke mentions
that terror as he describes the first Christmas. First, there
was Zechariah in the temple, then Mary; now it's the
shepherds' turn. They are sitting quietly watching their
sheep on a dark night, when bright light suddenly
surrounds them. An angel stands before them shining in
glorious splendor. But that's not the source of the brightest
light. God's own glory is shining all around them. Their
reaction isn't unusual for a sinner in the presence of a holy
spirit creature, let alone the brightness of God's own glory.
Luke wrote in the original Greek, "they feared with great fear."
 
Actually, that was the same light the Son of God had been
radiating in heaven, before this world was created. But He
concealed that glory when He became human and came to
our dark world to save us from death and hell by His life,
death and resurrection. Because of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice
we will be able to stand before Him without fear, when He
returns to judge the world. Then throughout eternity we will
 bask in the glorious light of God's presence forever.
 
THE PRAYER:
 
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gracious presence
among us. Cleanse us from our sins through Jesus our
Savior, that we may live in Your glorious presence forever
when He comes again. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
 
(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

13:22 Posted in Blog, RELIGION | Permalink | Comments (0)