I know the years seem to be increasingly wild and unpredictably distressing in unparalleled ways. There is good news, though: Jesus is the One who sits on the throne, and He said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:5).
Every day we are one day closer to that reality so we can cry Hallelujah! Until that time, we can lean on Him for He said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
You do not need to worry, Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:22-26)
Then He reminded us, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He told us ahead of time, not so we would worry or dread how the next year will be worse than the previous one, but so we would have peace in Him.
Isn’t today the best day to start a whole new year with a whole new life and born-again attitude? Happy New Year in Christ!
As we close out this devotional series for Advent “From the Jews, For the World” we look at a marvelous mystery: that Jesus would leave behind all of heaven with the riches and relationship He knew before the “Word became flesh”, and that He would choose to make His dwelling among us for three decades so that He might live for us and die for us.
We are blessed in every way because this gift would be from the Jews through their faithful stewardship of God’s promises. But by fulfilling the Law entrusted to the Jews in His person, Jesus would destroy the barrier that the Law represented—that kept Gentiles out of the salvation story—and now both Jews and non-Jews would be able to share in something that had previously been for the Jews alone. For the world!
During the days of the stewardship of the Law, “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool.
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:11-23)
Christmas means so much more! Now, there is hope of eternal life because of what Jesus did, from the miracle of His birth as a tiny baby to the miracle of the empty tomb. We eagerly anticipate the eternal rejoicing at Jesus’ return. Merry Christmas!
The world is in turmoil on this Christmas Eve, but there is hope. For the Christian there is hope…from the Jews for the world.
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith– of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire– may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. (1 Peter 1:6-13)
Angels marvel at the mystery. We are the beneficiaries of something the angels never had access to—salvation in Jesus Christ who was a baby over Whom they sang at His birth. The apostle John writes, “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:11-12)
Angels still sing because it is marvelous that the entire point of His birth at Christmas would be for His atoning death on Good Friday. Worthy is the Lamb!
Questions for further thought:
Why didn’t Jesus’ death save angels?
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly … if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.” (2 Peter 2:4-9)
Why do the good angels sing? What did Jesus do that makes them sing?
Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, for bringing Your peace upon those whom Your favor rests! We worship You! Thank You for rescuing us from the time of judgment. We praise You for setting aside all that was Yours in heaven to become the Word made flesh and making Your dwelling with us. We know that in the end, every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that You are Lord to the glory of God the Father. May the words of our testimony resonate with those who are yet to be the full Gentile or remnant Jewish number so that they will believe before it is too late. We love You, Jesus. Amen.
It’s ironic how people who are steadfast in their unbelief project themselves onto Jesus and want to see Jesus as some sort of socialist hippie who is tolerant of every kind of evil and loves sinners so much that He gives their sin a pass.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
They take the meek Jesus of the manger and the good shepherd who carries lambs like Little Bo Peep to mean that He’s powerless. Like Jesus is so wimpy that brazen sinners can do what they want with no consequences. They’re so shameless, they brag that it’s like taking candy from a baby.
But don’t let the “every year Christmas baby in the manger” allow you to fool yourself. He hasn’t been a baby in 2000 years.
Had Jesus come as the victorious conquering war-time king at His first coming, NO ONE would be found righteous. The slaughter of the unrighteous would have been staggering and cataclysmic … and UNIVERSAL. Much more like the flood … with NO ark.
The world is falling apart; it’s in turmoil, and the signs of the end are everywhere. Jesus said,
“Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:29-39)
So Jesus entered this world as an unassuming baby. He won’t be a baby when He returns.
Questions for further thought:
What might be some reasons Jesus came as a baby and did not just materialize as a full-grown mystery man with no heritage like Melchizedek (Hebrews 7)?
If Jesus had no lineage, how could He possibly be the Messiah or could salvation be “from the Jews?”
Why was it important that Jesus was born just as we are and had every opportunity to sin, but did not, even to adult life? How does that open the door for salvation for the world?
Prayer: Father God, the wisdom of Your plan for the salvation of Your people is mysterious and wonderful! Thank You for including Gentiles and Jews, bringing us both together under the banner of Christ Jesus. Your ways are marvelous to behold and at this season, we rejoice in the birth of our Lord Jesus. We pray for His return and thank You that the Way of salvation was opened before Your wrath against sin would be executed. Thank You, Jesus, for taking my sin upon Yourself and paying what I could never pay. In humility, I surrender my ways to Yours and ask that You would use me to communicate Your salvation before Your return as the victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I worship You and offer You praise. Glory to God in the Highest! Amen.
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnationand involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas!remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.
Had the situation been “For the Jew for they alone are the Chosen Few” there would be reason to question… “Why them?” God, we could argue, would have His own reasons for how He does things, but from a human point of view, it makes for a lot of sadness at something none of us could control.
However, Jesus only said “Salvation is FROM the Jews,” not Salvation is only FOR the Jews.
.
According to Romans, there’s been a break in the action, an interlude, a split screen during which we see the Jews on hold and the Gentiles experiencing the grace that takes us from being strangers and foreigners and makes us family with our Jewish brethren. Due to their partial hardening, opportunity knocks for the Gentile world.
The Apostle Paul calls it a mystery. The Jews had been given the Law and the covenants, but through Jesus’ fulfilling the Law, God’s covenant extends the family of Abraham to include those who were formerly outside the Law.
Romans 11: 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.”
“From the Jews. For the world!” Do you see the beauty and love in this? Had the Gospel of salvation been for Jews only, the world would never have known mercy. Were God to replace the Chosen People with the Church, the historic people of God—the Jews—would not know mercy. Instead, we’re all on equal ground in need of the mercy and forgiveness of God. We’re all standing at the same door when Opportunity Knocks, and each man, woman, or child –irrespective of ethnicity–can open the door and receive Him.
Questions for further thought:
What ought to be the response of Gentiles to the Jewish people who have been temporarily spiritually blinded?
Is it right for anyone to resent God’s authority to show mercy where and when He will?
“What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. (Romans 9:14-16)
How does attempting to still follow the Law to earn righteousness depend on human effort? How does accepting that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law set us free to depend on the finished work He did?
If you have the perfect path to eternal life, why would you seek your own path? Where are you when Opportunity Knocks?
Prayer: Father God, we thank You for Your mercy and that You have made Your mercy available to Jews and Gentiles alike. To Arabs. To Asians. To Africans. To Hispanics. To Caucasians. Thank You that among the community of the saved, there will be praise for Jesus and rejoicing by every tribe, language, and nation. Thank You, Lord, for looking at our hearts. Amen.
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnationand involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas!remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.
I don’t know when this replacement nonsense began, but the Church has not replaced the Jews as God’s Chosen People. The Jews have been on hold, according to Romans, for one reason: so that the full Gentile number can enter.
“And if [the Chosen People] do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:23-29)
Irrevocable. (Isaiah 59:20-21) Once the full number of Gentiles is achieved through God’s grace and His Gospel, the Chosen People who accept this Gospel by faith, will repent and be grafted back in. God is not done with them yet.
Questions for further thought:
Has Jerusalem yet been made an immovable rock?
Zechariah 12:1 A prophecy: The word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares: 2 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.
4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the LORD. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.’
6 “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. 7 “The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.
8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.”
Have the nations that attack Jerusalem been destroyed yet?
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives.”
Why will God deliver the “house of David” and the clan of Judah before the “inhabitants of Jerusalem?”
Zechariah 13:1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 2 “On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the LORD Almighty.”
What idols are currently in the land?
Prayer: Father God, those of us praying for the peace of Jerusalem know that this peace will be only at Your final fulfilling of prophecy– when sin and impurity are cleansed by that fountain of the blood of Christ. We lift the Jewish people up to You and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem (whether Jew, Gentile, or Arab) and long for the day when Lord Jesus returns. Until that time, we ask Your hand of protection upon Your people in the Church now, and those who are among our Jewish brethren in the family of man who are yet to repent and believe but belong to You in accordance with Your Word. Open their eyes, heal their blindness as only You can. We praise You that You’re not done with any of us until You say that You are. Strengthen us for the coming hour. In Christ’s Name we pray. Amen.
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnationand involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas!remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.
Have you noticed the young people, the unchurched of a young generation, falling in line with the “Free Palestine” crowd and their antisemitism? They flood social media with their thoughts, acting like experts. Their inexperience and ignorance of history keep them from realizing the gravity of what they’re doing. It’s beyond sad.
“You do not represent Palestine as much as we do. Never forget this one point: There is no such thing as a Palestinian people, there is no Palestinian entity, there is only Syria. You are an integral part of the Syrian people, Palestine is an integral part of Syria. Therefore it is we, the Syrian authorities, who are the true representatives of the Palestinian people. [Addressing the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization Yasser Arafat]”
It’s impressive watching the social media machine of dividers. They’re powerful and effective. People picking away at the “Judeo-Christian” bond of everything from America’s system of justice to our understanding of civilized behavior to the world order brought under a common belief in the Ten Commandments and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The dividers are out there promoting a “sharia” system of justice that would happily turn on the most ignorant dividers once they’ve been fully exploited as useful idiots. What would the sharia-lovers do to useful idiots? Throw them from buildings. Burn them alive. Dress them in clothing once viewed as oppression. The young people mindlessly clamor “Give us more!” … until the horrible day when they realize they’ve been deceived and surrendered to what they don’t believe.
Another op-ed writer for ABC in 2019 pokes away claiming that “Anti-Judaism was, in a way, central to Christian self-understanding.” (That’s a lie.) Writing that Jews are “God killers” and the whole purpose of joining Christians and Jews originally was to exclude Muslims “For just as the term can be used as a way of including and binding people together, it can just as easily be used to exclude those who are deemed not to subscribe to Western values. In the later part of the twentieth century, this was applied particularly to Muslims ― despite the fact that Judaism, Christianity and Islam all share a common religious heritage and that all three religions have Middle Eastern origins. But more recently, this exclusionary use has also been arrayed against those associated with multiculturalism, “political correctness” and cosmopolitanism.”
Questions for further thought:
Why would these people want to create division? Just Judeo. Just Christian. Divide and conquer.
Who or what conquers?
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all trace a heritage back to Abraham, but it’s NOT a common religious heritage. Does Islam revere the Torah as authoritative Scripture? Nope. Do they worship the God of Abraham, AND Isaac, AND Jacob? Nope. Who did God say the Covenant is fulfilled through? (Genesis 17:19)
Is this blurring of the truth likely intentional to dupe the unchurched person raised to be culturally “Christian” and uneducated person ethnically Jewish, or is it just ignorance? Is the outcome of deception different based upon the deceiver’s sincerity or blindness?
Is the tide turning now that we see a rise of a faithless worldview or a sharia one that makes our common Judeo-Christian history in the God of the Hebrew Testament and the hyphen “gimmick” more understandable?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to see that You fulfilled the Law to perfection! You never declared it false, only fulfilled. Help us to understand the differences which unite our hearts with our Jewish brethren who look to Scripture’s fulfillment. Guard us against division and discouragement. Keep our eyes looking for Your return and may we be found faithful when You do. Amen.
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnationand involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas!remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.
One new humanity for the world…but it’s not what the world thinks.
Forging a one-world peace without an entirely new type of people is a losing effort. That’s why Jesus wants us “born-again”.
Look at how Jesus makes one new humanity for eternal life and lasting peace. It’s a purchase agreement. One new humanity out of all the parts of the old because with His blood, He “purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9).
Diversity isn’t its strength. Salvation in Christ alone is its strength. As the old song goes, “There’s power in the blood.”
Questions for further thought:
Read this passage and see how mankind had no role except to be willing recipients. It’s all by God’s grace.
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)–12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
What was that wall of hostility?
Jews did not mix with Gentiles for purity reasons. How did the Law keep the Jews separate until the Messiah came?
Once the Messiah clearly came “from the Jews” did the wall need to be destroyed so salvation could be “for the world?”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for tearing down the wall of hostility in the spiritual realm. You have already fulfilled the Law and are in the process of lifting the world of faithful ones apart from the world of unbelief. We thank You that Your work of salvation is already done and, in Your grace, You’ve given this world time to repent and believe. Your Kingdom is near. Your Day is at hand. Your people look for Your return and pray Your mercy upon us as we preach the Good News of Your birth, life, death, and resurrection so the full number is ready–and that the full number would be from every nation, tribe, and tongue which is further evidence of Your love and mercy! We love You, Lord, for Who You are, and for what You’ve done for us. Amen.
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnationand involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas!remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.
The one thing a manmade messiah (or antichrist) can NEVER give is the ONE THING that JESUS CAME to give: LIFE EVERLASTING.
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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:16-21)
Would you want to live forever in a state of sin? How does that differ from hell’s everlasting punishment?
Could a manmade messiah deal with his own sin problem? What about other people’s sin problems?
Why does dealing with the sin problem matter when it comes to mortality?
How was Jesus able to deal with our sin problems? Hebrews 9:27-28
Prayer: Father, in Hebrews 2:1-15 you warn us to pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away…to ponder the question “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him?” We praise You for our Lord Jesus, “who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.” Father, remind us that our salvation was bought with a price—the most infinite cost of the life of our Lord Jesus. We praise You that “both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call [us] brothers and sisters.” And since “the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death– that is, the devil– and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” No manmade messiah can bring this eternal life. Lord, help us to communicate Your Gospel of peace during this time celebrating Your first Advent. Amen.
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnationand involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas!remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly… But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6,8)
Jesus couldn’t have died in His 30’s if He’d never been born.
If there had ever been a case in which it could be argued, “My body, my choice,” Mary was it. I’m glad she chose life.
Questions for further thought:
Think about all the reasons women use under the umbrella of “My body, my choice” to justify ending a pregnancy. Not the right time. Not ready. Can’t afford a baby. I wouldn’t want to bring a baby into this world. The man I’m with doesn’t want to have children.
Why is it even more remarkable that Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38)?
How did God’s Word to Mary reflect mostly traditional Messianic expectations? “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31-33)
How did God’s Word to Joseph display a different understanding? “An angel of the Lord appeared to [Joseph] in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:19-21)
Is saving people from their sins part of the traditional Jewish Messianic expectation? Would righteous and observant Joseph have known this? How was God’s plan larger than the traditional expectation?
Both Joseph and Mary would have seen His birth as being “From the Jews” and for the Jews. How did the Word given to Joseph expand that as being of “For the world?” Were Jews alone sinners or worse sinners?
Prayer: Father God, we praise You that, in Your wisdom, You brought Jesus in the world at the perfect time and that the descendants of Abraham would be like sand on the seashore or stars in the sky. Thank You that You are bringing those from every “tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10). Thank You for Mary and Joseph doing their part “From the Jews” so that Your followers today can do our part as “For the World.” Make us fruitful in our generation. Remind us the harvest is still plentiful. For Your glory. Amen.
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnationand involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas!remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.
