DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 12.25.20

GodGave Himself �For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shouldnot perish, but have everlasting life.� (John3:16) It is singularly appropriate that we look at this greatest of all verses on Christmas Day, for it records the greatest of all gifts. The theme of giving is very prominent in the Bible, with such words as �give,� �gift,� �gave,� etc., occurring more than 2,100times. The first is Genesis 1:16-17 when God created the sun, moon, and stars �to give light upon the earth,� and the last is Revelation 22:12 when Christ will return with His rewards to �give every man according as his work shall be.� �He...gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,� as well as �life, and breath, and all things� (Acts14:17; 17:25). But the greatest gift, clearly, was when God gave Himself for a lost and undeserving world. It was the greatest gift because it met the greatest need, revealed the greatest love, and had the greatest scope and purpose of any gift that could ever be conceivedin the heart of an omniscient Creator. That was not the end of His giving, of course. �He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?� (Romans8:32). �Trust...in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy� (1Timothy 6:17). This great gift of God is abundantly sufficient to provide salvation and everlasting life for the whole world. But a gift only becomes a gift when it is accepted, and the greatest of all tragedies is that this greatest of all gifts has been spurned and evenridiculed, or�worst of all�simply ignored by multitudes who need it so much. When they brazenly refuse God�s free gift of everlasting life, they can only perish in everlasting death. God did all He could do when He gave His Son; for when He gave His Son, Hegave Himself. HMM The Essence of Christianity - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means �God is with us.� �Matthew 1:23 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-essence-of-christianity/- Listen Joseph was heartbroken. He thought Mary had betrayed him. In those days, betrothals were different from modern-day engagements. A betrothal was almost like being married. And betrothed couples were treated as though they were husbandand wife. So when Mary revealed to Joseph that she supernaturally had the Messiah in her womb, Joseph didn�t know what to do. He didn�t buy it. He loved her, but he didn�t want togo ahead with the marriage. The Bible tells us that Joseph was a righteous man. He wanted to do the right thing, but he basically had only two options: (1) publicly tell everyone, which meant thatMary could have been executed, or (2) put Mary away privately and terminate their relationship. Joseph chose the second option, but God had different plans. Matthew�s gospel tells us, �As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. �Joseph,son of David,� the angel said, �do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins�� (Matthew 1:20�21 NLT). In other words, the child in Mary�s womb was the very Messiah. Matthew continues, �All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord�s message through his prophet: �Look! The virginwill conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means �God is with us��� (verses 22�23 NLT). This is really the essence of Christianity: God is with us. The Christian faith teaches that God is with us, living inside of us, helping us to be the people He has calledto be. Christianity says that we are never alone again. Wonderful God - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. �Psalm 77:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/wonderful-god/- Listen Bertrand Russell claimed that the fear of boredom causes at least half the sins of mankind. We�ve never been more advanced technologically. We�re constantly flooded withnew developments, trends, and discoveries in science and technology. Yet amazingly, we still get bored. For instance, you might get the latest and greatest gadget and be thrilled with it. But after a couple of weeks (or maybe even less),you become bored with it. Or a new model hits the market that suddenly makes your version outdated. We need to realize this world doesn�t have what we�re searching for. God created us to know Him. The Bible says of Jesus, the Messiah, �And His name will be called Wonderful� (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV). In contrast to the passing things of this world, Jesus is wonderful. There�s nothing this world has to offer that will satisfy our desire for wonder, our desire to knowmore than what we�re experiencing. In fact, a lot of our technology can dull our senses to the extent that we fail to enjoy how wonderful life is. The psalmist David wrote, �When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers�the moon and the stars you set in place�what are mere mortals that you should thinkabout them, human beings that you should care for them?� (Psalm 8:3�4 NLT). As I contemplate this wonderful God and the sacrifice He made for us, it gives me a sense of awe, wonder, bewilderment, and yes, worship. The fact that God would love usin spite of our shortcomings and sinfulness should cause us to bow in worship. When you know this wonderful God, He will satisfy the deepest needs of your life. Do you know Him in that way? Godwith Us And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.� (Genesis4:1) Here is Eve’s testimony concerning the first child born to the human race. To understand it, we need to recall God’s first promise: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; [He] shall bruise thy head, and thou shaltbruise his heel” (Genesis3:15). These words, addressed to Satan, promised that the woman’s “seed” would destroy Satan. Thus, that seed would have to be a man, but the only one capable of destroying Satan is God Himself. Eve mistakenly thought that Cain would fulfill this promise,and when he was born, she testified: “I have gotten a man—even the LORD” (literal rendering). Over three millennia later, essentially the same promise was renewed to the “house of David,” when the Lord said: “Behold, [the] virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah7:13-14). The definite article reflects the primeval promise that the divine/human Savior, when He comes, would be born uniquely as the woman’s seed, not of the father’s seed like all other men. His very name, Immanuel, means “God with us” (Matthew1:23). He is “the Word...made flesh” (John1:14). While questions have been raised about the precise meaning of almah (Hebrew word translated “virgin”), there is no question in the New Testament: “Behold, [the] virgin [Greek parthenos, meaning virgin and nothing else] shall be with child” (Matthew1:23). “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman” (Galatians4:4). “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews2:14). HMM Learning Obedience through Suffering Hebrews5:7-8 Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to suffer so much when He came to earth as a man? One might expect that the Son of the living God would live a comfortable life and die a peaceful death. After all, wouldn't His blood have paid for our sins whether it wasshed painlessly or torturously? But Jesus took on human flesh and came to earth not just to die for our transgressions but also—with the exception of sin—to identify with us in every area of our lives. And that includes suffering (Heb.2:17-18). How would a Savior who had no experience with pain help us when we hurt? Also, when it's difficult for us to obey the Lord, we need the help of One who learned obedience from the things He suffered. Unlike us, Jesus didn't move from being rebellious to becoming obedient. Rather, He learned by personal experience the pathway we have to walk when God calls us to do something difficult or painful. In His humanity, Christ struggled with the assignment that lay before Him: death on the cross. Even though the Father heard His cries, the plan was not changed, and Jesus walked through all of it in complete submission, just as He had done with every divine "assignment" throughout His earthly life. The only reason you and I have salvation is because Jesus always did what pleased His Father—had He rebelled in that one area, all hope for lost humanity would be cancelled. If His obedience in suffering resulted in such a great benefit, just imagine what is in store for us when we dowhat God wants. MindControl “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in thevanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians4:17-18) A question that troubles many Christians is why most highly educated leaders in science and other fields—even theologians—seem to find it so difficult to believe the Bible and the gospel of Christ. The answer is in the words of our text: They are “alienatedfrom the life of God” because of self-induced ignorance. It is not that they can’t understand, but that they won’t understand! They “walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened...because of the blindness of their heart.” They don’twant to believe in their hearts, therefore they seek an excuse not to believe in their minds. They are “men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2Timothy 3:8). The sad truth is that Satan himself controls their minds. They may be ever so intelligent in secular matters, but the gospel, with all its comprehensive and beautiful simplicity, remains hidden to them. “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not” (2Corinthians 4:3-4). Is there a remedy? Yes. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivityevery thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Corinthians 10:4-5). In this verse, the word “thought” is the same as “mind.” The weapons of truth, of prayer, of love, and of the Spirit can capture even such minds as these! HMM ChristmasMemories Luke2:1-20 The first Christmas I remember was when I was three years old. My aunts and uncles came to visit, and when they opened the trunk of the car, I discovered that it was full of presents—and all of them were for me! I’m sure you, too, can recall memories from pastChristmases, whether good or bad. There’s just something about that day that sticks in our minds. You can be sure that all of the people who experienced the first Christmas never forgot it. Joseph remembered the weight of responsibility on his shoulders as he cared for Mary during their journey and searched for a place where she could give birth. And wecan imagine that the shepherds often replayed in their minds the scene of glorious angels and the sight of the newborn Messiah. But Scripture mentions only one who “treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart” (v. 19). Mary had carried this babyin her womb for nine months, but now she saw what no one else had ever seen—the face of God! What was it like to see deity displayed in the body of a newborn baby? Though we can never see what Mary saw, we can each remember when we first recognized our Savior—the moment we realized He died for us. This Christmas, take time to remember when you first met Jesus. What was going on in your life? How did you feel after accepting His offer of forgiveness? How has your life changed since that day? Now imagine what it will be like when you finally see Him faceto face in heaven. Keeping Christ in Christmas by Sarah Phillips "'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight...' " Mark 1:3 Here in America, Christmas is almost over. We only have a few more days before the radio stations switch to their normal mix and abrubtly stop playing the same five Christmas carols over and over again.How do you feel about this year's preparations? Do you feel ready? Do you feel stressed? Do you wish it was easier to focus on the reason for the season? For me, this year held a lot of firsts - firsts that forced me to reflect on how I celebrate Christmas and why. I got married this November, so melding family holiday traditions was the first project wetackled as a married couple. It's been a pretty fun process, but also a learning experience. Here's lesson #1: You can be the same religion and still experience that religion very differently! Although we haven't decided exactly how we'll celebrate Christmas every year from here on out, a friend shared an article with us that outlined the traditional German Christmas centered on Christkind ("Christ child"). We are definitely considering implementing some of these ideas in the future because it seems to combine the joyful festivities with the sacredness of the season so well.Here are the basics: In this tradition, it is not Santa Claus who brings gifts but the Christkind himself. Now, many families who celebrate Christkind still have a version of jolly, ol' St. Nick, but he arrives on his official feast day, December 6th, bearing gifts more modest than our American Santa Claus. The miraculous Christmas day arrival of Christkind requires a slow build-up throughout the month of December. Advent is observed carefully; Christmas decorations can wait. Family members take turns lighting the Advent candles as the entire family sings O Come, O Come Emmanuel every evening before dinner. Children also focus on developing virtue to prepare their hearts for the coming of Christkind. Throughout December, every time a child acts virtuously, he or she can place a piece of straw into the humble, empty manger. Inthis way, children can tangibly participate in "making the paths straight" for Christ's arrival. When Christmas finally comes, the family participates in prayer and the youngest child places a replica of baby Jesus into the manger filled with loving acts performed by the children. Then the parents reveal the stunning glitter of Christmas decorations and gifts left by the Christkind. The celebration of Christkind's arrival continues through January 6th- the day marked to commemorate the arrival of the Magi. Doesn't this sound peaceful? Doesn't this sound focused? Doesn't this sound appropriately paced? I certainly wish we had more than 24 hours to celebrate Christmas here in the U.S.! And I can practicallyhear the hushed Advent prayers leading up to the glorious unveiling of Christkind's arrival. Sometimes It Takes Two Christmas Trees by Laura MacCorkle He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. - Phil. 1:6, NIV If you wanted to put up your Christmas tree one more time again this year, raise your hand. I didn’t think so. And I didn’t want to put up my trusty, artificial Christmas tree again this year either, but I had to. You see, when I put up my first tree right after Thanksgiving, I knew that the riggingI had done to make sure the top half of the tree stayed in place was on its last leg and that I would need to break down and purchase a new tree next year. But then something funny happened on the way to December 25. A couple of days later, the top half just fell off. As in, completely toppled over and onto my living room floor. For a second, I thought aboutjust abandoning having a Christmas tree at all this year. I was frustrated and had already put in so much effort. Why go through this whole rigmarole again in the very same week? But something in me wouldn’t give up. I WILL have a Christmas tree, I thought. And I’ll find a way and the time to get a replacement tree bought and decorated this week! So I regrouped, purchased another tree and started all over again. Now, what I don’t enjoy about putting up my tree is the unfurling of all of the branches that have been smashed up in the tree’s box. Andthen even more unenjoyable than that is when I have to wrap the lights around the tree. The fake needles and branches scratch up my hands as I’m pushing lights into all of the nooks and crannies.It stings my skin, but I do it so that there’s a beautiful glowy backdrop for all of my ornaments. Once I get past all of that, then I actually do enjoy putting up my Christmas tree. First, I put the tree skirt in its place. Next, I lace around the sparkly garland. And then, since I have multiples of many ornaments (glass icicles, dangling bells, painted balls, etc.), I strategicallyplace them first so that not all of one type of ornament is having its own holiday gathering on one branch of the tree. After I’ve done all of that, then I can place the one-of-a-kind ornaments here and there, pop the tree topper on the treetop and Christmasis good to go. So then, there was great rejoicing when the Christmas tree was completed (and no, that’s not a Bible verse). I just love looking at this beautiful creation. And to see it sparkle and glow... well, it makes for something glorious in my home. Originof the Races “These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these werethe nations divided in the earth after the flood.” (Genesis10:32) This is the concluding verse of the tenth chapter of Genesis, known as “The Table of Nations.” It tells us that all the original nations of the world were formed from the descendants of Noah. The basis of this worldwide division was their dispersion at Babel(Genesis11:9), “every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations” (Genesis10:5; see also 10:20 and 10:31). Lest anyone think this list of original nations is simply folklore, he should remember that William F. Albright, probably the greatest archaeologist of the 20th century, called it “an astonishingly accurate document.” Manyethnologists still speak of Japhetic, Hamitic, and Semitic peoples and languages. But what about the origin of races? One searches the Bible in vain for this information, for neither the word nor the concept of “race” appears in the Bible at all! There is no such thing as a race—except the human race! Skin color and other supposed racial characteristics are mere recombinations of innate genetic factors, originally created in Adam and Eve to permitdevelopment of different family characteristics as the human race was commanded to multiply and fill the earth (Genesis1:28; 9:1). “Race” is strictly an evolutionary concept used by Darwin, Huxley, Haeckel, and the other 19th-century evolutionists to rationalize their white racism. But from the beginning it was not so! “God that made the world and all things therein;... hath made of oneblood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts17:24, 26). “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?” (Malachi2:10). HMM Tell Everybody! by Anna Kuta So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thingthat has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds (Luke2:15-18). Every December my church puts on an event called Bethlehem Walk, an interactive living nativity of sorts that takes people through a recreation of first-century Bethlehem and then through scenes of thebirth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Thousands of people from the community and even all over the state come each year to hear about the real meaning of Christmas. I’ve been a cast member almost every year, but this year for the first time I played the part of a guide, who leads groups of people through the city and from one drama scene to the next. If I thought it would get monotonous saying the same lines, hearing the same story and seeing the same things acted out on repeat for 20 hours in one weekend, I could not have been further from the truth.One of my favorite parts was seeing the reactions of people in my groups to each of the scenes, especially the kids. After the group watches the angels appear to the shepherds in the field and tell them of Jesus’ birth, we hurry with the shepherds to the stable to see it for ourselves. After we learn that this baby reallyis the Messiah, the guide is supposed to tell the group, “Come, let us go tell others what we have seen!” (From there, the group stumbles upon the three kings and points the way to them.) One night, however, I had a group of kids who were as enthralled withthe whole story as anyone I’d ever seen. When we got to the manger, they crowded in close, eyes wide, like they’d never seen anything like it. They watched with awe as Mary sang “Silent Night” and rocked the baby Jesus in her arms. And just when she finishedand I opened my mouth to speak my lines, I was upstaged – one little boy in the front jumped up and shouted, “It’s Jesus! We gotta tell everybody!” Sure, we all crack a smile, but the little boy had it absolutely right. Tell everybody! The shepherds did just that after the angels pointed them to baby Jesus – they made it “widely known,” according to Luke 2:17. How could they keep quiet, having seen what they had seen? How can I keep quiet, having been redeemed by Christ? If you, like me, ever feel unqualified or unworthy to share the Gospel, remember the shepherds. They were the most unlikely messengers of the Messiah’s birth – rough, poor, dirty; outcasts of society. Godcould have sent the angels to proclaim the news to anyone, but he chose the shepherds. He used them as the first-ever preachers of the Gospel. KeepAlive Thy Work “O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, inthe midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2) Habakkuk had long been grieved by the apostasy and injustice in Judah. A sensitive man who trusted God completely, he could not understand why God allowed such rampant sin to go unpunished. Knowing God must have a reason for His actions, he asked in faith thequestion “Why?” (1:3). In love God honors Habakkuk’s sincere question, but the answer caused him even greater concern: “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not their’s” (v. 6). God intended to use the vicious Babylonians to punish His chosen people (vv. 5-11). This prompted the prophet’s second question, “How?” How could God use such an evil people to punish the Jews (1:12–2:1)? God patiently explained that Israel’s sins merited captivity, and furthermore that Babylon’s sins would eventually be punished also. Once Habakkuk knew God’s plan, he did not dispute it. Rather, his concern turned to his people—soon to be in captivity. He was afraid they would lose all knowledge of God in a heathen culture, and he prayed, “O LORD, revive thy work” (3:2, literally “keep alivethy work”). This concern was answered by a majestic appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ (vv. 3-15), through which Habakkuk understood that God would indeed judge His enemies (v. 12) and deliver His people (v. 13). Habakkuk’s final response? Total submission to God’s sovereign control over all things. He claims that in spite of these overwhelming problems (3:18), “yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” JDM The Perfect Heart by Meghan Kleppinger "But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature,because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart'." 1samuel 16:7, NAS "I have made a very important decision," I announced to fellow editors, Sarah and Shawn, shortly after arriving at work. Piqued curiosity gave way to undivided attention, so with a stage set, I continued. "I have decided to marry A) an Englishman, or B) an American willing to live in England, or C) an American willing to put on an English accent for the duration of our marriage." My co-workers responded exactly the way I hoped they would… and the way I needed them to so I could write this devotional! It was meant to be a somewhat humorous declaration because everyone knows I'm ananglophile. Yes, more than one visit to the country turned me into a lover of nearly anything British including, but not limited to, the actual country, literature, movies, chocolate (Cadbury chocolate is the best ever), and of course the smooth accent. I did get a laugh or two in response, and, in reference to my seemingly juvenile and superficial decision I was asked jokingly, "So, when will you be turning eighteen?" Poor Shawn, he walked right into my trap. "How," I asked, "is this any more superficial than someone saying, 'I won't date anyone shorter than 5'9', or with brown eyes, or younger?'" He agreed and mentionedthe human habit to create wish lists. We do that, don't we? We create lists, have ideals, and look for what we think would be the perfect candidate - whether it be for a marriage, a friendship, or a position for a job that needs to be filled. Once upon a time, back in college, I created my "perfectguy" list. I found him, too. He lined up with everything on my list down to the occupation he was entering. Not only was he a Christian and genuinely nice guy, he was what I had dreamed about - the right hair color,height, and age too! He wanted to find the right girl, get married, and settle down… I'm telling you, he was great. You won't believe this, but I broke up with him! This wonderfully perfect young man, who literally made the list, bored me to tears. The lesson God taught me was two-fold. First, He taught me that I had no idea of what I really wanted or needed, but more importantly,He showed me that the perfect person for me is more important than finding a seemingly perfect person. When the prophet Samuel hiked up to visit Jesse and his sons, I'll bet he had an idea of what God's choice for Saul's replacement should look like. He probably got excited thinking about the tall, strong,mature and wise leader who would rule Israel. Samuel saw Jesse's son Eliab and thought "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him" (1Sam. 16:6b). That is when the Lord shared with Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." God was looking for the right heart, not the right body. He chose a young shepherd boy named David. I love the song, "Shepherd Boy." One of the verses in the song that refers to this event goes, Well it wasn't the oldest It wasn't the strongest Chosen on that day And yet the giants fell And nations trembled When they stood in his way A Necessary but Challenging Lesson Psalms 27:14 Believers must learn to wait upon Him. Have you ever wondered why the psalmist coupled the admonition to wait upon God with encouragement to be strong and courageous? The reason is that sometimes delaying is the hardest thing to do. Modern culture is in such a hurry. Gotta have it now! Gotta do it now! Can't wait! We've been primed to stay in a permanent state of readiness. It takes courage to be still when the world is rushing past. Everything in us hollers, "Go!" while God whispers, "Wait." But people are quick toact, because they are afraid of missing out on something. Believers who buy into that attitude make a move and then hope God will bless them. God leaves nothing to chance. He does not place a decision before us with the hope that we'll make the right choice. That would be irresponsible and out of character. The Father is more than willing to show His children what to do, because He is personallyinterested in their welfare. But until the Lord makes clear what is the way forward, we've got to pause and wait. Waiting upon God is not passive. It is not lazy. It is not an excuse to be careless. In fact, the opposite is true. Science—Trueand False “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good forfood; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis2:9) It is significant that the first reference to “science” in the Bible is in connection with the tree of the “science” of good and evil. The English word “science” comes from the Latin scientia, meaning “knowledge.” In both Old and New Testaments, “science” and “knowledge” translate the same Greek and Hebrew words respectively. Science—properly speaking—is what we know, not naturalistic speculation (as in evolutionary “science”). Adam and Eve knew a great deal about God and His creation, and all of it was “very good” (Genesis1:31); they did not need to have a knowledge of evil, and God warned them against it (2:17). But they partook of the evil tree anyway, and therewith evil knowledge entered the hearts and minds of mankind. Throughout the long ages since, true science has been of great good in the world and false science has wrought great harm. The apostle Paulhas warned us against it: “Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1Timothy 6:20). In the context of the times, Paul was specifically warning against the evolutionary pantheism of the gnostic philosophers. In contrast, the final climactic reference in the Bible to knowledge is Peter’s exhortation to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2Peter 3:18). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs1:7), and in Jesus Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians2:3). Therefore, let us resolve to eschew the knowledge of evil and grow in the knowledge of Christ! HMM A Permanent Resident - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. �Revelation 3:20 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-permanent-resident/- Listen Have you ever been locked out of your own house and had to knock on the door to get in? This is the picture we see in Revelation 3, where Jesus said, �Look! I stand at thedoor and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends� (verse 20 NLT). In its original context, Jesus was addressing these words to the church of Laodicea. This church had lost their relationship with Him and replaced it with cold legalismand religion. So Jesus was saying, �I want relationship.� In the first century, they didn�t have fast-food restaurants like we have today. A meal, especially dinner, was something that took time. It was the main event of the day.They would sit at a table that was very low to the ground, and instead of sitting in chairs, they�d recline on pillows. A meal was a time of sharing, a time of talking, a time of discussing the events of the day. It was a very important time of intimacy andcloseness. For example, when you have close friends over, do you sit in the living room? Probably not. It�s more likely that you go to the kitchen, because there�s something relaxedabout a kitchen. It�s a great place to hang out. So Jesus was saying, �This is what I desire with you. I want fellowship. I want friendship. I want closeness.� And He�s saying the same to us. At Christmas we sing, �O come, O come, Emmanuel,� but are we prepared for all that includes? Do we want Christmas all year long or just one day of the year? Do we just wantthe Lord home for the holidays, or are we ready to invite Him in, not just as a guest but as a permanent resident in our lives? VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM