Author: Beth Morrison

Five-minute read.

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 

Luke 1:67-69 

God showered goodness upon us when Christ entered the world. Zechariah’s prophesy of the Messiah to come points people toward the Savior. At the time, people thought Jesus would redeem them from the political oppression they experienced. As Christ’s ministry unfolded, it became clear the redemption Jesus offered had much more eternal applications. The Messiah started a revolution with His revelation, sinners in need of salvation, Jesus fulfills our most dire need. 

Watching “Shrinking” the show revolves around a father and daughter in the aftermath of losing the heart of their family, mom, killed by a drunk driver. A recent episode united the driver with the daughter, and as it unfolded, she forgave him because “That’s what mom would do.”  The mixture of emotions that washed over the driver’s face reminded me of how I felt when I understood Jesus’ grace and mercy for the first time.   

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound 
That saved a wretch like me! 
I once was lost, but now am found; 
Was blind, but now I see. 

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, 
And grace my fears relieved; 
How precious did that grace appear 
The hour I first believed. 

Amazing Grace by John Newton 

John Newton, captain of slave ships turned pastor and slavery abolitionist, captures the essence of salvation in his song, Amazing Grace. Once wretches, the truth of Christ’s salvation gives us sight. For any new believer, when that moment of understanding dawns; they receive new life, relieving them of their past and giving them hope for the future, the horn of salvation. 

Used in the Old Testament as a metaphor for power, “horn” means great strength. Jesus gives us the power of salvation; we can choose to live differently through Him. When John Newton received a new life through Christ, everything changed. Giving up his ship, Newton picked up his cross and lived differently, no longer for himself but for Jesus. 

Ultimately, submitting our lives to Christ changes our course, causing us to make different decisions and live for the applause of nail-scarred hands. In Jesus, we find the strength of redemption. Tap into the Lord’s power, humble yourself before the cross, and receive forgiveness. Then stand up, renewed and redeemed, and fight the good fight for the Savior.   

If we choose to accept it, our mission contains only five words: love God and love others. Fulfill the Great Commandment, and you will fulfill God’s calling. In His strength, with His power, one person at a time, you will start a revolution of love. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us the Messiah and the strength of salvation we find in Him. Please help us to live well for Christ, leaving our old ways behind and discovering a new way to live. Let us become known for the divine love we share through Jesus. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. 

Matthew 1:22-25 

Often, we forget about Joseph when retelling the story of Christ’s birth. A man of great faith, when Mary became pregnant, it caused quite the dilemma for Jesus’ earthly father. Betrothal in Jewish custom meant engagement. Promised to Joseph in marriage, Mary must keep herself pure for him until the marriage ceremony. However, when she became pregnant, it equaled adultery, punishable by death. Joseph planned to quietly divorce his betrothed until the angel appeared with the divine message. The moral dilemma Mary’s future husband faced tested his character.

Joseph chose to believe.

When the carpenter woke from his dream, he obeyed God’s command. Packing up his young bride, Joseph led her to Bethlehem for her to give birth. I wonder what they talked about on the trip? Did they talk at all? Did the heavenly hosts’ visits diffuse the couple’s tension or build it? Traveling 65 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the trip took four or five days by foot. Ninety-six hours of the silent treatment would get old fast. Hopefully, the couple spent that time marveling at the Lord’s work.

Receiving a calling from the Lord takes faith to complete. Like the Nazarene couple traveling to Bethlehem, we fulfill the call one step at a time. First, like Joseph, we must choose to believe and then trust as we put one foot in front of the other. During the trip, God wants us to love one another, encouraging and uplifting our travel companions, not tearing them down. When Ron and I make a trip together, it goes much better when we work together. Mary and Joesph’s journey to Bethlehem required a decision to follow God, even though they didn’t completely understand the mission.

Choosing to believe, Joseph wanted God’s will over his own. Despite the scandalous circumstances surrounding his fiancée’s pregnancy, Joseph’s quiet faith and obedience moved history forward and helped bring salvation to the world. The last mention of Joseph happens during the Feast of Passover when they made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem (Luke 2:41). Again, we see Jesus’ earthly father put spiritual welfare above all else, taking the family to the temple to participate in the feast. Matthew tells us Joseph had three other sons and at least two daughters with Mary (Matthew 13:55-56), but then disappears from scripture, not present at Jesus’s crucifixion. A man of faith, Joseph lived his life obedient to the Lord, putting aside his desires to fulfill God’s purpose.

Living for Jesus takes sacrifice. We must put aside our desires daily, pick up our cross, and follow the Savior. Like Joseph, we may not understand, but we can obey and trust, knowing all things work for the good of those who believe and love the Lord.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for Joseph’s faith and obedience in the Christmas story. Please help us remember we all have a role to play in history. What seems insignificant to us can have significant consequences. Let us complete our divine tasks well as we seek You.

IJNIP. Amen

Five-minute read.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 

Matthew 1:18-21 

Have you ever wondered about the virgin birth? Raised in a Christian home, I never questioned it. Both Matthew and Luke affirm the “virginal conception” and God’s extraordinary role in the birth of Jesus. Writing this devotional, I had a new revelation about Christ’s birth:  His virginal birth affirms His preexistence. 

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 

John 8:58 

My mind can’t comprehend how everything works: Jesus’s preexistence, immaculate conception, resurrection. I don’t have all the answers. Faith means believing what you can’t see. The Lord doesn’t expect us to understand everything but to trust Him, even when we don’t fully comprehend. Having followed Jesus my entire life, He gives me plenty of reasons to trust, even when my flesh wants to doubt. God makes a way when I can’t see one; he always has and always will. Just like the miraculous birth of His Son, the divine made flesh so we could understand our need for a Savior. 

“Birth” means “genealogy” and marks the beginning of the Messiah’s earthly life. Love creates life; Jesus’s entrance into the world exemplified the Lord’s love for us. Living a sinless life, the Savior gave us an example to follow. Through close connection with His heavenly Father, Christ revolutionized the world by revealing His truth. We can find life in abundance in Him, no matter our situations. 

Mary and Joseph had visits from the Lord’s angels, who helped them understand and prepare for their roles in Jesus’s life. Both had fears and anxieties, but God reassured the couple and encouraged them on the journey. When our Creator asks us to do something we don’t understand, He will equip us for the journey, just as He did the young couple. We don’t have to understand to obey. Often, the revelation doesn’t come until after the obedience. ⁠
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God walked with them at every step of their journey. Following the Lord’s direction and riding on a donkey to arrive at an inn without room for them doesn’t sound like a luxurious trip. Mary had little comfort in the late stages of pregnancy, but the Lord gave her the strength to complete the journey and fulfill her destiny.

God doesn’t promise us a rose garden, but He does promise us strength for the journey and a reward in heaven. A common saying around our church always makes me smile: 

“The first hundred years are a struggle, but the rest is all glory.” 

Stop expecting an easy life; you will never find that among God’s promises. Jesus tells us that we will have trouble in this life, but take heart; He overcame the world. With Christ, you can face the mountain, defeating the challenge. And one day, you will receive your reward in heaven, spending eternity in His glory. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the miraculous birth of Jesus, who brought salvation to the earth. As we celebrate His arrival, give us new revelation into our Savior’s life and ministry. Draw our hearts closer to Him this Christmas season. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 

Luke 2:15-20 

Mary treasured and pondered the events unfolding around them in her heart. As the shepherds came, praising and glorifying God after their encounter with the heavenly hosts, and all who heard their tale wondered in amazement, Mary meditated on the meaning of it all. One can only imagine the feelings she processed as she held the Savior in her arms, knowing He had a divine mission. 

A friend sent me the testimony of a mother that touched my heart.ⁱⁱⁱ  In it, the woman shared the story of her son’s birth. Alone, jobless, and pregnant, she contemplated having an abortion, even making the appointment. Three days before her scheduled procedure, she begged the Lord for guidance, not knowing what to do. When she went to work, a friend she hadn’t seen in years shared that God placed her on his heart, causing him to pray for her. And in that moment, Angela received a message from God:

“Angela, if I’ve put you on his heart, someone that hasn’t seen you in years, someone that doesn’t see you every day, I haven’t forgotten about you. I still see you. I still know what’s going on. I’m working…It was as if God was saying, “Angela, when Moses stood at the Red Sea, he had no idea how he would get across. All he had, his only option was Me. Angela this is your Red Sea, your only option right now is Me. If you just let Me work, let Me do something. I’ll get you and this baby across.” 

As Angela received this message and began to trust God, doors began to open. When Angela told her mom and sister, she discovered they already knew. At the same time, Angela cried out to God for help; the Holy Spirit prompted her mother to pray for her and the baby. The Lord parted the Red Sea and made a way for a young woman, unmarried, not knowing what to do but doing it for her. 

Just like God did for Mary when she became pregnant by divine intervention, when Joseph wanted to leave her, the Lord sent an angel with a message. When the inn had no room, God sheltered them. When the Savior entered the world, the Lord created a way for us to find our way home.

Treasure and ponder what God did, does, and will do for you. Ask Him for fresh eyes this holiday season to see how He has parted the Red Sea and made a way for you, whatever your circumstances. Let the Lord do His work in your life. Let Him get you across the Red Sea and give you the victory He has for you. Experience the joy of salvation and the miracle of life as you let the Lord do His work in you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for parting the Red Sea for Mary and making a way for her to give birth to the Savior. Please help us turn to You in all things, trusting You for guidance when we don’t know what to do. Give us the faith to take the first step into the sea, knowing You will part the waters and carry us to the other side. 

IJNIP. Amen 

iii https://www.facebook.com/61551105053348/videos/555025137271163/?mibextid=KsPBc6&rdid=fXVBFjYpH5qS6PTa

Five-minute read.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

Luke 2:8-14 

Shepherds represent the common person, ordinary people who joyfully received the Gospel and became leaders to others. Luke doesn’t tell us what time of year this took place, but when the angel appeared to them, he started his message with “Fear not.” Repeatedly throughout the scriptures, God tells us not to fear, trusting Him to deliver us from whatever troubles come upon us. 

When the Lord calls us to do something, it can feel intimidating. Often, we receive nudges from the Holy Spirit that go against the cultural norm. When salmon reproduce, they swim upstream to lay their eggs against the current. When I’m following the Lord, I often feel like a salmon battling the oncoming current. The world around me frequently disagrees with my stance, but I must decide: do I care more about what people or the Creator think? Once I make that decision, the rest falls in place. 

Following the angel’s directions led the shepherds to Jesus. Surrounded by a host from heaven, the men began their trek to meet the Savior, wrapped in swaddling in a manger. The heavenly host’s bold proclamation of the Gospel indicates the fulfillment of prophecies about the coming Messiah. “Suddenly” (vs.13), life changed for the shepherds. God often works the same way in our lives; something suddenly changes our course forever. 

Allowing the Lord to order our steps and take us on life’s journey that culminates with Him calling us to our home, will take us places we never imagined. Events will unfold that you could never manipulate. Conversations will occur that you could never imagine. Life change will take place one day at a time as God draws you deeper into your relationship with Him.  The more we learn to rely on the Savior, the more our faith will become more profound. Eventually, we learn that God’s way truly does have our best interest at heart and will help us live life to the fullest. 

Follow the Savior today. Allow Him to order your steps and direct your paths. Live life to the fullest as you submit your ways to the King of Kings, swaddled in a manger, waiting for you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue Your image bearers. Please give us sensitive spirits to Your prompting, allowing You to order our steps. As we continue to seek Jesus, let Him mold us for our purpose, living life for You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

Luke 2:1-7

Luke records the miraculous birth of Jesus in seven verses, 126 words detailing the Savior’s entrance into the world. After the long narrative in chapter one, the doctor keeps things brief as he writes about the event that changed the world and our calendar. BC stands for Before Christ, and AD stands for Anno Domini, Latin for 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, counting the years since Jesus’ birth. Somehow, I feel like the birth of the Savior should take more words to describe. Praise God for Jesus and His humble entrance into the world. 

Because of the census, Joseph took his family to Bethlehem to fulfill his civic duty. However, God had a divine purpose in the trip, fulfilling the prophecy about the birth of Jesus. Surrounded by animals, Mary gave birth to God’s Son. A few years ago, I joined a women’s group mainly comprised of young moms. Since I’ve never given birth, I found their tales of childbirth educational. Women have myriads of ways to give birth now, whether at home, with a midwife, in a hospital, or c-section versus natural; they plan how their child will enter the world. Mary didn’t have that luxury, nor did she have the aid of modern medicine. 

Childbirth often took the life of the mother in years gone by. Before modern conveniences, many women died while delivering new life to the world. Mary’s experience in an unsanitized environment with no one to help but her carpenter husband, who probably knew little about childbirth, doesn’t sound appealing.

But the Almighty had a plan and provided everything the young mother needed.   

“The ordinary became extraordinary,” my husband said. 

Reading a commentary, the author (unknown to me) pointed out to my husband that we wouldn’t have recognized the extraordinary things He did if Jesus had not come into the world in an ordinary way. The more Ron meditated on that thought, the more extraordinary it became to him. No one would have thought Him extraordinary if Jesus’s birth came through royal means. But because He entered the world in the lowest of circumstances, people recognized the divine differences Jesus lived. 

We take for granted the luxuries Joesph’s family didn’t have. Mary traveled on the back of a donkey, not in a comfortable car. Jesus didn’t have a maternity ward to care for Him after His birth. Mary didn’t get an epidural when the pain overwhelmed her. Clean sheets didn’t wrap around the Savior’s body, God only knows where the swaddling came from and its condition. If you’ve ever toured a barn, you know the smell of hay and the amount of dust that comes with it. And with 126 words, Luke describes it all. But if we place ourselves in the moment and imagine the circumstances, we realize the immenseness of the miracle. 

“…𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯.” 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 2:7

Make room for Jesus this holiday season. Let the ordinary become extraordinary as you follow the Savior.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the miraculous birth of Jesus and for Luke’s recording of the extraordinary event. As we move through our day, help us understand the magnitude of what happened that day long ago. Give us insight into the birth of the Savior we never saw before. Help us make room for Him in our hearts and souls as we tune our thoughts toward Him. 

IJNIP. Amen  

Five-minute read.

And Mary said, 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. 
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, 
and holy is his name. 
And his mercy is for those who fear him 
from generation to generation. 
He has shown strength with his arm; 
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones 
and exalted those of humble estate; 
he has filled the hungry with good things, 
and the rich he has sent away empty. 
He has helped his servant Israel, 
in remembrance of his mercy, 
as he spoke to our fathers, 
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” 

And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home. 

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 

Luke 1:46-58 

Mary’s song, called the Magnificat, praises God for choosing her to give birth to Jesus, highlights the Lord’s attributes (power, holiness, and mercy), exemplifies His sovereignty, and recalls the mercy He showed Israel. Jesus’s birth mother knew the Old Testament scripture, well versed in its writing, revealing her devout connection to the heavenly Father. Historians place Mary’s age around 13-14 years old when she carried the Savior within her womb. Young by today’s standards, typical for the culture of her day as people had much shorter life spans than now.

After praising the Lord, Mary indirectly acknowledges herself as a sinner in need of a Savior and her dependence on God. Elizabeth’s joy overflowed as she listened to Mary’s song. A young girl and an older woman, both pregnant with babies who would change the world. Can you imagine their awe and wonder as life grew inside them, both knowing divine intervention caused their pregnancies?

God moved in my life recently, ordering my steps and guiding me on a journey that helped me serve a friend. As I looked back on the event, awe and wonder filled my soul as the overwhelming presence of the Lord in my life filled me. Nothing I could have done could have orchestrated the moment that culminated after weeks of preparation. My faith grew more profound as I connected the dots of God’s guidance. Submitting my life becomes easier as I trust the Lord’s intimate involvement in my life, allowing Him to order my steps because I don’t doubt He has a better plan for me than anything I could ever imagine.

Nothing I’ve experienced compares to Mary. I can’t even imagine how she felt carrying the Savior in her belly, knowing the Lord chose her for the divine task. For nine months, He grew in her womb. How could she not overflow with praise for the Father? At the top of the list of miraculous births, Mary had an unfathomable experience we can only imagine.

Mary’s awe of the “Mighty One” reflects the Lord’s character. Humbling herself before God, Mary realizes her role in history’s storyline. Day by day, as Jesus grew in her belly, the young girl experienced God in a way no one else ever will. We can only imagine the mixture of emotions Mary felt as she fulfilled her God-given role. And we get to experience salvation through her Son. Jesus’s miraculous birth gives us access to miraculous living as we place our faith and trust in Him.

Prayer: 

Lord, we come to You in awe and wonder at the miracle of Jesus’s conception and birth. Praise God for Mary’s faith and obedience as she fulfilled her divine destiny. Please help us live fully in Christ today, experiencing His wonders as we allow You to order our steps.

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, 
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, 
the Spirit of counsel and might, 
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 

And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. 
He shall not judge by what his eyes see, 
or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 

but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, 
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; 
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, 
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, 
and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, 
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, 
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; 
and a little child shall lead them. 
The cow and the bear shall graze; 
 their young shall lie down together; 
 and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, 
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. 
They shall not hurt or destroy 
in all my holy mountain; 
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord 
 as the waters cover the sea. 

In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. 

Isaiah 11:1-10

Jesus, King of Kings and sovereign Lord came with a purpose that Isaiah prophesized 700 years before the Messiah’s birth. God’s Spirit upon Him, Christ came with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Jesus knew His mission and connected to His heavenly Father, He respected God’s authority. Three-in-one, they work together. 

Marriage exemplifies the Trinity: God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, three in one. When I married Ron, committing my life to him before the Lord, we became a cord of three strands. 

“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Ecclesiastes 4:12 

Single for 41 years, learning to submit to Ron takes work. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he tells wives they must submit to their husbands as they submit to the Lord. And He tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). To do those things, we must know and follow Jesus. But I can testify that submitting becomes much easier if Ron loves me like Christ loved the church.   

How do we follow Jesus? We acknowledge that our way doesn’t work and seek and find His will for our lives. As we learn how Christ responded to the world around Him, we do what He did. With God at the center of our marriage, Ron and I strive to put Him first and then actively do what the Lord’s word tells us. 

For instance, when I dish out dinner, giving Ron the more significant portion helps me remember to put his needs above mine. Thinking about how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet helps me metaphorically wash Ron’s. Without Christ at the center of our marriage, I wouldn’t know how to submit to Ron, and my husband wouldn’t know how to love me. We must constantly seek God’s will before our own and strive to do what pleases the Lord, not our fleshly desires. 

The Trinity becomes a reality in marriage when we strive to become one with Jesus and each other. Each part influences the others and works together to form one. Difficult to understand, the more we give our lives to Christ, the more He helps us become one with Him and the Father. 

Isaiah predicted Jesus’ birth centuries before it happened. The Messiah came, united with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, bringing salvation to the world. As we celebrate the Lord’s birth in the days ahead, ask God for a deeper understanding of the Trinity and how it applies to your life. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the prophet, Isaiah and his words that predicted the birth of Jesus. Thank You for the Messiah, who fulfilled all the prophecies about Him. Please help us better understand the Trinity as we seek You.   

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” 

John 1:19-34 

Telling our testimony gives a personal account of how Jesus changes lives. John tells his story, which points people to the coming Savior. We should have our testimony ready to share at any moment. Jesus used parables to share His teachings because they helped people understand the lessons. When we tell the story of our lives, we help people understand the life change that occurs when we admit our need for a Savior because of our sinful ways—and we all have sinful ways. 

Using these three simple steps, Before, How, and Since, I’ll share a recent testimony in my life: 

Before: Dealing with a neighborhood issue, I felt righteous anger, a grief over sin that arises when we witness an offense against God or His Word.ⁱ  My anger consumed me. I scheduled an emergency visit with my Christian therapist because I knew I needed help weeding through all the intense emotions I felt. 

How: During the therapy appointment, my therapist challenged me about my righteous anger, having me look at the other person’s perspective and recognize that I’m not a judge and jury. I place myself in God’s role when I condemn someone.

Expressing righteous anger should be a last resort, though, not a first. Even though, yes, Jesus flipped tables, he spent a great deal of his ministry turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-40).ⁱⁱ 

Since: I developed a new perspective on righteous anger, something I have struggled with my entire life. First, I realized I defined righteous anger incorrectly. Nothing this person did went against God or His word. They offended me, not God. Secondly, when I get on my “high horse,” I can stay there a long time. However, Jesus wouldn’t respond like I did, and I’m not Jesus. God will do the judging; He expects me to do the loving. To react like Jesus, I must connect to Him and submit my will to His, praying for my “enemy” and allowing the Lord to change my heart and attitude to align with His. God’s teaching me to turn the other cheek and become more like Jesus. 

God loves us in our mess but doesn’t leave us there. Telling our testimony and striving to become more like Jesus points people to the Savior and helps them discover what we have found in Christ. Share your story, tell people what Jesus has, and continues to do for you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us an example of how to tell our testimony through John. Please help us develop our story and how it connects with Jesus and the results of having a relationship with Him. Give us opportunities to share our testimony with others and introduce them to the Savior.   

IJNIP. Amen 

i, ii https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-does-the-bible-mean-by-righteous-anger.html

Five-minute read.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” 

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. 

Luke 1:76-80 

Zechariah sings a song to the Lord, praising Him for salvation through Jesus and for his son, John’s role in the coming events. As a prophet of the Most High, John has a pivotal role in announcing Christ’s birth. Zechariah links John to Elijah, referring to Luke 1:17: and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers. What an amazing calling, announcing the arrival of the Savior, sent to redeem humanity from their sinful ways. 

John preaches a message of repentance, which requires recognition of and turning away from sin. Recently, someone asked me how I would respond to the question, “If someone was considering committing a sin and asked God for forgiveness for it before they committed the deed, would it still count?” 

“It doesn’t work that way. God does forgive our sins, but once we know something’s a sin, we’re not to do it. God does love us in our messes, but He doesn’t leave us there. Once we’re convicted something’s a sin, we’re not to do it anymore.”  My response seemed to satisfy the questioner, but I’ve continued thinking about it. 

Repentance requires a behavior change. Once we recognize sinful actions and ask the Lord for forgiveness, He expects us to stop doing it. God doesn’t give forgiveness for pre-meditated sin; it defeats the purpose of repentance. True turning away from sin starts with the realization that whatever the deed, it doesn’t align with God’s will or word. John made people aware of their need for salvation, and we learn of ours through scripture. The prophet grew up in the wilderness, becoming strong in spirit, meaning God grew his moral character to fulfill the mission. 

Preparing our hearts for Jesus means acknowledging our sinful nature. When we repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness, He does forgive. Only God truly knows the intentions of our hearts. We can’t see the inner workings of someone’s soul, but the Lord does. And He knows whether we come to Him with sincere regret. Others will know when they see the change in our lives as we leave the sinful behavior behind and strive to become more like the Savior, loving unconditionally, leading with grace and mercy, and honoring the Father in all we do. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for making us aware of our sinful nature and giving us a way out of it. Please search our hearts and illuminate any areas we haven’t given to You yet. Let us repent of our sinful ways and become more like Jesus as we seek and follow Him. In all things, let us honor and glorify You. 

IJNIP. Amen