Our God is an Awesome God-Advent 18, 2025

In an age of mockers, people arrogantly believe that God won’t do it, God never did it, and God doesn’t even exist.  That somehow only we are real.  (Big mistake!)

Part of what makes our God a God of Wonders is that He has every right as our Creator to condemn us to Hell for such arrogant behavior…and yet His very nature as Love looked upon our helpless state as sinners and lavished grace upon us…why?  Because we’re deserving?  No, only because He looks upon mankind, made in His Image, and He sees this Image of God powerfully present in every one of us—even in the mockers—and He grieves over His perfect Image broken beyond human repair by sin. 

“He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken– that is, created things– so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:26-29)

He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.  He destroyed the earth once with a flood sparing only a remnant.  Don’t believe for one second that He lacks either the power or the Love to do what is right to both the believer upon Jesus Christ … and what is holy to unrepentant mockers.

Principle: Mocking God is a really bad idea.

Aim: To be prepared for His return in power and justice.

At Christmas, a prayer: Lord Jesus, as we prepare to celebrate Your birth because God so loved the world, keep us mindful of Your return in power, justice, and wrath.  May we never mistake Your humility and grace as a full pardon upon all people regardless of worship in repentance or not.  Keep our eyes upon You even as we try to reach those with whom You are being patient.  We know there will come a day when Your patience comes to an end and Your judgment will be final. Guard those we love and those we know. Help us to witness to Your awesome goodness and eternal love so they might also know Your salvation.  Thank You for being born on Christmas Day and for Your plan to rescue Your people.  In Your mighty Name, Amen.

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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 search feature to the right and are as follows:  

• “Visitation Principles” was the theme of last Advent’s devotional series. It delved into reasons Jesus came as outlined in the Book of Hebrews. They are archived beginning December 1, 2024.
• “From the Jews for the World” was an important devotional exploration of how Jesus’ Jewish heritage was necessary for the salvation of Gentiles, too. It is archived beginning December 3, 2023.
• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• 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 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• 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 Incarnation and 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 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• 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.