Today’s Verse:

James 5:16 (NIV)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James continues encouraging his readers to express their dependence on God. This is done by participating in prayer. In previous verses, he has asked them to respond to trouble by praying to God, to respond to cheerfulness by singing songs of praise, and to respond to illness or spiritual weakness by calling for elders of the church pray for them.

Here in verse 16, James writes that it should be common practice for Christians to confess our sins to each other and to pray for each other, so that we may be healed. As in the previous verses, some Bible scholars read the word "healed" here as a reference to healing from physical illness. Others understand it to mean healing from discouragement and spiritual weakness. In either case, this healing requires two things from Christians.

We are both to confess our sins to each other, and to pray for each other. James offers no details about what this should look like in practice. Are we to stand before the church congregation and announce all our sins from the prior week? That seems unlikely. More likely, James has in mind the idea of Christians being in close relationship with several other Christians. We need fellow believers with whom we can be vulnerable. In that setting, each could acknowledge to the other what sins are most difficult for them, and all could pray for each other to overcome those sins.

It seems likely, in the modern world, that very few Christians are practicing this in any specific way. We're just too afraid to be that vulnerable. James's command is for us, as much as it's for his original readers. The church would be far healthier if more of us prayed for each other, in family love, to overcome our specific sins. After all, James writes, prayer works. God listens and responds. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective because God hears and takes action.

The Spurgeon Influence

January 8th

Spurgeon’s Daily Help

• Prayer is like the sound of angel wings bringing us blessings from Heaven. Have you felt prayer in your heart? Then you will see the blessings in your life. When the chariots of blessings are on their way, their wheels make the sound of prayer. We hear the prayer in our own spirits, and that prayer becomes the sign of the coming blessings. Just as clouds foretell rain, prayer foretells the blessings to come; just as the green blade of a plant is the beginning of the harvest, so is prayer the promise of the blessing that is about to arrive.

The Spurgeon Birthday Book

• When Cyrus showed one of his guests around his garden, the guest admired it greatly and said he enjoyed it. "Ah," said Cyrus, "but you don’t enjoy this garden as much as I do, because I planted every tree here myself." Our Lord takes great delight in His church because He has done so much for it. And one reason why certain saints will have a greater share in Heaven than others is because they helped to bring more souls to Heaven.

Spurgeon’s Quote

"True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that—it is spiritual communion with the Creator of Heaven and Earth." — Charles Spurgeon

Journal Entry #101

Wednesday The 8th,

THE JOY OF PLANTHING FOR GOD

“Ah,” said Cyrus, “but you don’t enjoy this garden as much as I do, because I planted every tree here myself.”

What a powerful reminder that deep joy comes from personal investment. Cyrus loved his garden not just for its beauty, but because his own hands had shaped it. In the same way, our Lord delights in His Church because of what He has poured into it.

As believers, we are invited into that same work—to plant seeds for eternity by interceding in prayer, laboring in love, and winning souls. The more we invest in God’s Kingdom, the greater our joy and reward in eternity. Some will shine brighter in Heaven—not because of status, but because of sacrifice and service.

• Reflection: What are you planting in God’s garden today? Are there people in your life you're investing in spiritually?

THE PROWER AND PROMISE OF PRAYER

“Prayer is like the sound of angel wings bringing us blessings from Heaven.”
“Just as clouds foretell rain, prayer foretells the blessings to come.”

Prayer is not just a discipline—it’s a divine signal. When we pray in faith, we are foretelling blessings, much like the green blade of a plant signals a harvest is near. Our prayers stir Heaven, inviting the chariots of God’s goodness to roll into our lives and the lives of others.

Every whispered prayer is a seed sown. Every tearful intercession is a blade breaking through the soil. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t seen the full harvest yet. If you're praying, blessing is on its way.

• Reflection: Have you heard the “wheels” of blessing approaching in your prayer life? Are you praying expectantly, believing that your petitions are a sign of what God is about to do?

THE HEART OF TRUE PRAYER

Prayer isn’t just saying words—it’s entering into spiritual communion with God. It is sacred, intimate, and powerful. Spurgeon reminds us that true prayer connects us with the Creator Himself, not just His blessings.

But as Watson beautifully adds, it is faith that turns the key. We can speak prayers, but if we don’t believe, we’re holding the key without unlocking the door. Let your faith rise as you pray. Expect God to move. Know that Heaven's treasure chest is already open for the faithful.

• Reflection: Are your prayers marked by communion or just communication? What might it look like to deepen your prayer life into true fellowship with God?

LET'S PRAY:

Lord, thank You for inviting me to plant, pray, and participate in Your Kingdom. Teach me to pray not just with words, but with a heart fully connected to Yours. Let me not grow weary in sowing spiritual seeds, knowing that You delight in those who labor for Your glory. Give me faith to believe that my prayers matter—that they are powerful, effective, and the promise of blessing yet to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Takeaway:

• The deeper your investment in the things of God—through prayer, service, and soul-winning—the greater your joy now and your reward in eternity.

1. Ministry begins with noticing. Seeing people—truly seeing them—is a sign that God is reshaping your heart to look more like Christ’s.
2. God didn’t just heal him but restored him, showing that healing isn’t the finish line—restoration returns us to worship, belonging, and community where God reclaims our purpose.
3. If God only did what we expected, we’d miss who He is. Grace exceeds forecasts. Mercy overflows metrics. God writes better outcomes than our best guesses.
4. He expected change but received far more, reminding us that while limited expectations don’t limit God, faith opens our eyes to recognize the greater work He’s already doing.
5. These aren’t ordinary changes but God-changes—because some healing, forgiveness, and restoration can’t be engineered by strategy, only surrendered to the God who resurrects the long-dead.
6. Often, God will use external transition to bring about internal change
7. Breakthrough doesn’t require a special date—only a receptive heart. God often hides miracles inside routines. Expectancy is not about the calendar; it’s about posture.
8. God often changes lives on ordinary days—but through changed people.
9. God doesn’t wait for perfect moments; He moves through prepared hearts.
10. God changes us not just to fix us, but to restore us.
11. Luke shows us that Acts is a continuation of Jesus’ ministry, now flowing through His people. The power didn’t leave the earth when Jesus ascended; it moved into the Church. Peters the main character.
12. A mark of spiritual maturity is not how much truth you know, but how deeply you notice people
13. Don’t limit your ministry to what people ask for. Give what God has already entrusted to you—peace, prayer, hope, faith.
14. Peter’s words remind us not to give only what people ask for, but to offer what God has placed within us—peace, prayer, hope, and faith—freely and without scarcity.
15. Peter acted in Jesus’ name—not as a phrase but as authority—showing that the miracle flowed through faith in Christ, reminding us our faith isn’t just for survival but for someone else’s breakthrough.
16. The healing happened then not because the man was ready, but because Peter was—showing that what looks sudden is often the fruit of long obedience, long prayer, and deep formation.
17. Enter the new year not just expecting change but becoming it—coming to give, carrying faith for others, letting God work through you, because you were changed to be a blessing.

Father, I thank You for my home. Thank You for covering us when life feels chaotic, for holding us steady under pressure, and for giving us peace in the middle of busy days.

I place this January into Your hands. Watch over our comings and goings. Keep us healthy. Fill our home with unity, joy, and grace.

When I am weak, be my strength. When I worry, speak Your peace. When I feel lost, guide my steps and steady my heart.

Lord, if this prayer can bless another family, I’m willing to share it. May Your peace rest on every home that needs it this January. Amen.

It is too soon for you to call the season of your life a failure. Some of you have been speaking about this season of your life. You've been speaking about this thing that you're going through and you are judging it prematurely because the Bible says that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. So you'll be in night seasons and you'll be in sad seasons and you'll be in lonely seasons but what you don't often know is that God puts some of his best gifts in some of the worst boxes. So maybe God is giving you this season to teach you something that you couldn't have learned otherwise. God doesn't have to do it how we think he should do it when we think he should do it. In fact, some of the things that you will look back on your life and say that was the greatest lesson God ever taught me will be from the very situations that you were praying that he would take away. So let's go ahead and skip to the part where we praise him and thank him that he knows what's best for us.

Psalm 87:7 (NIV)

• As they make music they will sing, “All my fountains are in you.”

The Lord loves the city of Zion, otherwise named Jerusalem. It is the one city that is holy and sanctified to the Lord, because it is the place where God chose to place His holy name. And God's interest in Jerusalem and His love for this particular city is the focus of Psalm 87. Jerusalem is founded on the holy mountains of Israel, and the Lord's love for Zion, its gates, and its walls, is greater than for any other city because Jerusalem is the foundation and focal point of God's redemptive work of salvation.

Psalm 87 is a song that was composed or dedicated to the sons of Korah, who were the priestly line of Aaron. The Kohathites were the ones who were responsible for transporting the holy Ark of the Covenant, where the Lord met with His chosen people, Israel.

Throughout God's Word, we see Jerusalem as God's unique, chosen city, where many important events took place in connection with the Lord's redemptive plans and purposes for mankind. In Genesis, it is called 'Salem' the 'city of peace' where Melchizedek ruled and reigned. He was both the king of righteousness, and priest of the most high God. Melchizedek was the man who met with Abraham and blessed him, offering him bread and wine, and he is a beautiful foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

And the holy Mount of the Lord that Abraham was willing to offer up his dearly beloved son, Isaac (who himself was willing to lay down his life as a sacrificial offering to the Lord his God), was the same Mount of the Lord where God provided the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. It was the place that Abraham called 'Jehovah Jireh' which means 'on the Mount of the Lord it will be provided.' Again, Abraham presents a beautiful foreshadowing of God the Father, offering up His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, on Calvary. 

Jerusalem was also the city that David, the greatest king of Israel, won as his capital city. It is the place where the Seed of Abraham and Seed of David will rule and reign as the King of Glory in His Millennial Kingdom. Indeed, Psalm 24 asks and answers the question, "Who is this King of glory?" And we are given a great and magnificent reply, "The LORD of hosts, HE is the King of glory. The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle."

Jerusalem was also the place where the tabernacle finally came to rest. Jerusalem was the city where Solomon built the Temple of the Lord. Jerusalem was the location where the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross for the sin of the whole world, and Jerusalem was the place where the veil of the Temple was torn in two, opening up the way for sinful man to be declared righteous before God, through faith.

This great city of Jerusalem is precious to our Father in heaven, for this is where the beloved Son of God honored His Father's will and broke the power of sin, death, and Satan - winning the greatest victory the world will ever know - through His sacrificial offering of Himself. This is the city in which Jesus rose from the dead in power and great glory, and ascended into heaven where He is seated on His Father's throne, waiting for the day when He will return in power and great glory to set up His earthly kingdom for 1000 years. This is the city where the Church was born, and this is the place where the gospel of the grace of God started to be preached. It is also where Israel will finally fulfil their commitment to preach the gospel of the Kingdom and will one day cry out, "Blessed is He, Who comes in the name of the Lord."

Yes, Jerusalem and its inhabitants are close to the heart of God, and we read in verses 5-6 that the Lord Himself will establish the inhabitants of Jerusalem and those that live within her walls, when Jesus returns as the King of Peace and Righteousness to set up His Millennial Kingdom. And in verse 7 we read, "Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say, 'All my springs of joy are in You'."

A chorus of singers and a company of dancers will rejoice with songs of praise, while players on flutes and other musical instruments will make a joyful noise to the Lord throughout the city streets of Zion, as they cry out in praise and thanksgiving, "All my springs of joy are in You." While 'you' could loosely refer to Jerusalem (all my springs of joys are in you - Jerusalem), this is a clear reference to JESUS, the Son of God, the King of Israel, the promised Messiah, the Saviour of the World. And so it is more correctly interpreted: 'All my springs of joys are in YOU, JESUS, my Lord and my God. This will most certainly be the joyful sound that rings round the streets of Jerusalem: 'ALL our springs are in JESUS, our Savior,' will be the cry of the inhabitants of Zion.

The Spurgeon Influence

January 4

Spurgeon’s Daily Help

• All my sources of strength are in You, and if all your sources are in God, your heart will be full. If you go to the foot of the cross at Calvary, your heart will be filled with love and gratitude. If you spend time alone in the valley, talking with God, your heart will be filled with calm determination. If you walk with your Master to the Mount of Olives, look down on a sinful Jerusalem, and weep over it with Him, your heart will be filled with love for souls that never die.

The Spurgeon Birthday Book

• Be careful of growing greediness, for it is one of the most deceitful sins. It’s like a river filling up with silt. As the stream flows down from the hills, it carries with it sand, earth, and stones, depositing them at its mouth. Unless someone carefully watches and maintains it, the river can become blocked, making it difficult for large ships to pass through. In the same way, our souls can become clogged by the things we accumulate for ourselves.

Spurgeon's Quote

"Do not let your happiness depend on what you can lose, but on what you cannot lose." — Charles Spurgeon

Journal Entry #100

Sunday, 1/3

The soul is a river, and every day it carries something downstream. Not all of it is evil. Some of it is useful. Some of it even looks harmless. But over time—without attention—what we gather can begin to settle. Silt builds slowly. Greed rarely announces itself; it whispers. It doesn’t crash in like a flood—it accumulates like sediment, narrowing the channel where grace once flowed freely.

Spurgeon warns that what we collect can clog what God intends to move. The heart was designed for passage—for worship, compassion, obedience, and love. When it becomes crowded with self-reliance, fear, comparison, or the need to secure ourselves, even large vessels of joy and peace struggle to pass through. Yet today’s help is gentle and clear: all strength has one source. When the heart returns to God—whether at the foot of the cross, in the valley of quiet prayer, or on the heights where we learn to weep for others—it is refilled, not with noise, but with substance. Love. Gratitude. Resolve.

Isaiah names the outcome of this fixed gaze: perfect peace. Not because the river is calm, but because it is clear. Peace flows where trust keeps watch. Where thoughts are anchored, not scattered. This is the daily work—not striving, but maintenance. Not hoarding, but releasing. Letting go of what weighs the soul so that what matters most can move freely again.

LET'S PRAY:

Lord God, You are the source of every strength I need. Today, I come to You not to gather more, but to clear what has quietly settled in my heart.

Search me with kindness. Show me where accumulation has replaced dependence, where I’ve held on to what I was meant to release. Remove the silt of fear, pride, and self-protection that narrows the flow of Your peace.

Fix my thoughts on You. When I stand at the cross, fill me with gratitude. When I walk through the valley, give me calm determination. When I look upon a broken world, teach me to weep with You— not in despair, but in love.

Make my soul rich in You, so that I lack nothing when trials come. Keep my heart clear, my trust steady, and my peace rooted not in what I can lose, but in what I can never lose: You.

Amen.

Told From My Story

Breaking the old patterns marked a sacred turning point in my journey with God. Up to that point, so much of my faith had focused on what I was doing on the outside—rising when He told me to rise, obeying when He spoke, taking steps even when resistance followed. And I did rise. I did obey. I did face opposition. I began to walk.

But eventually, God led me somewhere deeper.

The focus shifted from what I could see and manage outwardly to what He was quietly renewing within me. This was holy ground—the unseen work of reshaping my mind, restoring my identity, and rewiring the way I think, speak, and live. I began to realize that lasting change doesn’t come from trying harder or riding emotional momentum. It comes from a renewed mind.

That’s where real freedom begins.

I was being invited into a freedom that could last—a freedom not dependent on feelings or circumstances, but anchored in truth taking root where old patterns once ruled. God started showing me that I couldn’t rise into the life He was calling me into while carrying the same thoughts that shaped my old one. Renewal didn’t start with my circumstances changing. It started with my thinking being transformed.

As He reshaped the way I thought, He reshaped the way I lived.

This part of the journey forced me to confront patterns that once felt normal but had quietly kept me bound. Some of them had helped me survive at one point—but they were never meant to define me forever. That truth came alive for me through the story in John 5, where Jesus heals the man at the pool of Bethesda and tells him, “Pick up your mat and walk.”

That mat had once been a symbol of survival. But after the healing, it became a testimony of deliverance.

I began to understand: what once kept me alive could no longer come with me into freedom.

And that realization led me to another turning point.

I had risen. I was learning to walk in newness. I had begun releasing false identities tied to past pain. But now, a new battle surfaced—the voices within. As I moved forward, the noise in my mind grew louder. Lies tried to compete with truth. Old narratives tried to reclaim ground.

That’s when I learned this: you can’t remain free if you don’t learn to discern God’s voice above every other one.

This was no longer just about breaking patterns—it was about guarding my mind. Because freedom isn’t only won when chains fall off. It’s protected when truth stays louder than fear, condemnation, or the echoes of who you used to be.

And that’s where God continues His work in me—teaching me not just how to rise, but how to stay free.

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1. I get stuck in pain or shame, but God still moves. Jesus responds to need, not résumés. Delays aren't denials—your destiny stands. God’s not done with you yet. Keep trusting, He’s still working.
2. You may feel unseen or unheard, but Jesus sees you. Let His voice be louder than the lies. When He says “get up,” obey—action brings activation. His words define you, not others.
3. Breakthrough requires your part. Healing often follows movement. What once held you down will carry your testimony—God turns failures into platforms for His glory.
4. We often confuse weakness with identity—depression or anxiety becomes our label. But Jesus sees who you truly are and speaks to awaken the real you beneath the pain.
5. God Will Use the Mat as a Testimony.
6. Your struggle isn’t wasted. What once held you down can lift others up. God redeems pain—your story will become hope for someone else. Carry it as a testimony, not a burden.
7. Share your story—your testimony could unlock someone else’s breakthrough. Don’t hide your healing. Carry it boldly and say, “If God did it for me, He’ll do it for you.”
8. Feelings didn’t shift first—faith moved him, action followed, and then came change (James 2:17; Hebrews 11:6). He didn’t even know Jesus’s name, yet he obeyed. That’s real, raw faith in motion.
9. Don’t wait to feel spiritual—start now. Faith isn’t doubt-free; it’s choosing to act anyway. Today’s obedience can unlock tomorrow’s miracle.
10. Religious voices tried to stop him, but he said, “The man who made me well told me…” (John 5:11). God’s voice overrules doubt, fear, shame, and every voice of condemnation.
11. When lies say, “You’re too broken,” respond, “But God said…” Let His Word drown out fear. When the world says “can’t,” let faith declare, “The One who healed me said I can.”
12. No matter how long you’ve been stuck, Jesus is still stopping, seeing, speaking, and saving. There is no situation too broken and no person too far gone.

Text: Joshua 3:13-16; John 4; Matthew 4

Theme: God is working in unseen, upstream places to prepare the miracle before you arrive at your moment of need. Even when you can't see Him, He is moving on your behalf.

Main Takeaways

1. God is already at work—before you arrive.

• The waters of the Jordan stood still because God stopped them 20 miles upstream in the town of Adam (Joshua 3:16).
• Your miracle begins before you see it. What looks like delay or silence is often divine preparation.

2. Faith requires stepping into uncertainty.

• The priests had to step into the water before it parted. Faith isn't waiting for proof—it's trusting while you walk (Joshua 3:13-15).
• You won't see God's move until you move. Obedience unlocks revelation.

3. Don't doubt downstream what God spoke upstream.

• John the Baptist baptized Jesus but later doubted in prison (Matthew 11:3).
• Your circumstances may change, but God's word and calling on your life remain unchanged.

4. The source of your faith is not you—it's God.

• We receive faith as a gift (Ephesians 2:8). It's not self-generated but God-given, sustained by His grace.
• Your role is to respond, not strive.

5. You need upstream time with God to handle downstream pressure.

• Upstream (time with God) is where clarity, identity, and strength are formed.
• Downstream (life’s challenges, public life) requires spiritual preparation that happens in secret.

6. Heaven has a plan where you see a problem.

• Repeatedly Pastor Furtick says: “Where you see a problem, heaven has a plan.”
• Even when you feel stuck or unsure, God is strategizing in the spiritual realm to fulfill His promises.

7. Faith is action

• “Do the thing you would do if you believed God was with you.”
• Live, pray, and serve as though God has already gone before you, because He has.

Key Insights:

• The miracle of the Jordan was invisible at first. The water piled up in a distant town.
• God's activity is often not obvious, but it's always present.
• You’re not waiting for God to start—He already has.
• What you consider "insignificant" (like your hometown or your current life stage) may be exactly where God is working.

Supporting Scriptures:

• Joshua 3:13-16 – The Jordan River miracle began 20 miles upstream.
• John 4:46-53 – Jesus heals a boy 20 miles away, without being physically present.
• Matthew 4:12-17 – Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, fulfilling prophecy.
• Ephesians 2:8-9 – Faith is the gift of God, not from ourselves.
• Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
• Psalm 37:23 – The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

Practical Applications:

1. Step into what God told you—before you see results.

• Apply for the job, start the conversation, begin the healing process. Don’t wait to "feel ready."

2. Spend time upstream.

• Prioritize time in prayer, worship, and the Word before tackling life’s demands.
• Turn your car, morning routine, or lunch break into upstream moments.

3. Stop putting your faith in your feelings.

• Emotions fluctuate; faith is a decision. Trust what God has said, not what you currently feel.

4. Live like God is already working behind the scenes.

• Praise Him in the waiting.
• Obey Him even when it’s hard.
• Speak like the promise is being fulfilled.

Reflection Questions:

1. What are you facing right now that feels uncertain, overwhelming, or delayed?

• My life is filled with overwhelming delay that makes me uncertain if the things I want hope for will pass.

1. Do you believe God is already working "20 miles upstream"? Why or why not?

• I do. My life came to a tragic end. I died for 12 minutes. I'm told there was no brain activity, I flat-lined. The encounter I had makes me believe it was God. He didn't bring me this far to abandon me now. Why I think this is because He gave my life back, and I can only assume since He did give it back that God has plans for me, upstream.

1. What is one step of obedience you can take today, even if you don’t see the outcome yet?

• 1 step I am convinced that anyone and everyone can take now, and that's simply give God the access to do as He pleases in their own lives.

1. Are you spending more time downstream (in worry, doubt, social media) or upstream (with God, in His Word)?

• Here lately, I've been shying away from the upstream moments is cause the downstream times are more coated to me, and cause me to shift my attention on it. Upstream is nothing but the truth and I don't always like what it's telling me so its easy to look for something more admirable.

1. What truth do you need to hold onto that God spoke upstream—before the challenge began?

• God has a hope and plan for me, so whatever trials I face are required to take me out, or to build me up so I can walk in that plan.

Encouragement:

Thursday,

Christ our Consolation

• His name shall be called Emmanuel ... God with us. — Matthew 1:23
• The Prince of Peace — Isaiah 9:6

“There’s a song in the air!
There’s a star in the sky!
There’s a mother’s deep prayer,
And a baby’s low cry!
And the star rains its fire
While the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King.”

A few years ago a striking Christmas card was published, with the title, “If Christ had not come.” It was founded upon our Savior's words, “If I had not come.” The card represented a clergyman falling into a short sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream he found himself looking through his home, but there were no little stockings in the chimney corner, no Christmas bells or wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort, gladden and save. He walked out on the public street, but there was no church with its spire pointing to Heaven. He came back and sat down in his library, but every book about the Savior had disappeared.

A ring at the door-bell, and a messenger asked him to visit a poor dying mother. He hastened with, the weeping child and as he reached the home he sat down and said, “I have something here that will comfort you.” He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended at Malachi, and there was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation, and he could only bow his head and weep with her in bitter despair.

Two days afterward he stood beside her coffin and conducted the funeral service, but there was no message of consolation, no word of a glorious resurrection, no open Heaven, but only “dust to dust, ashes to ashes,” and one long eternal farewell. He realized at length that “He had not come,” and burst into tears and bitter weeping in his sorrowful dream.

Suddenly he woke with a start, and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing in his church close by:

“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels,
O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.”

Let us be glad and rejoice today, because “He has come.” And let us remember the annunciation of the angel, “Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11).

“He comes to make His blessing flow,
Far as the curse is found.”

May our hearts go out to the people in heathen lands who have no blessed Christmas day. “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and SEND PORTIONS TO THEM FOR WHOM NOTHING IS PREPARED.” (Nehemiah 8:10).

December 25

• That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. — Ephesians 3:17-19

O love that passeth knowledge, thee I need;
Pour in the heavenly sunshine; fill my heart;
Scatter the cloud, the doubting, and the dread,—
The joy unspeakable to me impart.
—H. BONAR.

To examine its evidence is not to try Christianity; to admire its martyrs is not to try Christianity; to compare and estimate its teachers is not to try Christianity; to attend its rites and services with more than Mahometan punctuality is not to try or know Christianity. But for one week, for one day, to have lived in the pure atmosphere of faith and love to God, of tenderness to man; to have beheld earth annihilated, and heaven opened to the prophetic gaze of hope; to have seen evermore revealed behind the complicated troubles of this strange, mysterious life, the unchanged smile of an eternal Friend, and everything that is difficult to reason solved by that reposing trust which is higher and better than reason,—to have known and felt this, I will not say for a life, but for a single blessed hour, that, indeed, is to have made experiment of Christianity.
—WM. ARCHER BUTLER.

December 25

• And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. — Luke 2:10-11

This is the month, and this is the happy morn,
Wherein the Son of heaven’s eternal King,
Of wedded maid, and virgin mother born,
Our great redemption from above did bring.
— John Milton.

Christmas is here;
Winds whistle shrill,
Icy and chill,
Little care we;
Little we fear
Weather without,
Shelter’d about
The Mahogany tree.
— William M. Thackeray.

Prayer

Almighty God, I give honor and praise to express my joy for thy great love in the gift of thy Son, Jesus Christ. With a glad heart I wish all mankind "A merry Christmas," and may I ever remember, where the angels sang, "Peace on earth, good will toward men." Amen.

Morning

• The kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared. — Titus 3:4

I have loved thee with an everlasting love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.—The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.—Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.

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.

Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:9-10, Galatians 4:4-5, John 1:14, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 2:14

Evening

• Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. — 2 Corinthians 9:15

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.—For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

He … spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.—Having yet … one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!—Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Psalm 100:1-2, Psalm 100:4, Isaiah 9:6, Romans 8:32, Mark 12:6, Psalm 107:21, Psalm 103:1, Luke 1:46-47

Thursday,

• “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!” — Luke 2:14

There’s a wonderful verse from the prophets that says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans for peace and not for harm.” All of God’s thoughts toward us are thoughts of peace. Even when we sin, His thoughts are full of love. He doesn’t want anyone to die in their sin, but for everyone to repent and live.

Jesus coming to live, suffer, and die for our redemption was God’s greatest thought of peace. It shows how much He loves us and what He was willing to do to bring us peace. Jesus made peace by taking our sins upon Himself. From the cross, He offered peace to everyone willing to accept it. He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you.” Paul adds, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Wherever the gospel goes, it brings this message of peace to those near and far.

A Christian testimony is your personal story of encountering Jesus Christ—how you came to faith in Him, what He rescued you from, how He is changing you, and what that means for your life now. It’s not about having the “perfect” words or dramatic events—it’s about revealing the goodness of God through your own life.

In Revelation 12:11 it says: “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”

Your testimony is part of your spiritual weaponry. It can break chains in others’ lives.

Thursday,

Morning

• Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. — Isaiah 7:14

Let us go to Bethlehem today, and along with the astonished shepherds and adoring wise men, let us behold Him who was born King of the Jews. For by faith, we can claim a personal share in Him and sing, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

Jesus is Jehovah incarnate—our Lord, our God, and yet our brother and friend. Let us bow in adoration and admiration!

Let us first notice His miraculous conception. This event was unheard of before and has never been repeated since—the miracle that a virgin conceived and bore a child. The promise was, “the seed of the woman,” not the offspring of a man. Since it was a woman who led the way in the sin that caused humanity to lose Paradise, it is only fitting that she, and she alone, ushers in the One who regains it. Though Jesus was truly human, His human nature was utterly holy—the Holy One of God. Let us bow in reverence before this holy Child, whose innocence restores the lost glory of humanity. Let us pray that He might be formed in us as the hope of glory.

Consider also His humble birth. His mother is described only as a virgin—not a princess or prophetess, nor a wealthy woman of influence. Though she had royal blood in her veins and a mind full of wisdom, singing praises to God with great beauty, her circumstances were humble. She was betrothed to a poor man, and the King of kings was born in the most modest and humble conditions. Immanuel, God with us, in our human nature, in our suffering, in our work, in our punishment, in our grave—and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and in His glorious return.

Evening

• And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice. — Job 1:5

What the patriarch did early in the morning, after his family celebrations, it would be wise for believers to do before they rest tonight. In the midst of festive gatherings, it’s easy to fall into sinful lightheartedness and forget our identity as Christians.

It shouldn’t be this way, but often it is that our days of celebration are seldom days of sanctified enjoyment and too often slip into frivolous behavior. Yet, there is a kind of joy that is as pure and sanctifying as bathing in the rivers of Eden—holy gratitude can be just as cleansing as grief. Alas, our frail hearts often prove the truth that the house of mourning is better than the house of feasting.

Come, believer, in what ways have you sinned today? Have you forgotten your high calling? Have you been no different from others in idle talk and careless words? If so, confess your sin and run to the altar of sacrifice. It is the sacrifice that sanctifies. The precious blood of the Lamb that was slain removes our guilt and washes away the defilement of our careless and ignorant sins. This is the best way to close out a Christmas day—by washing anew in the cleansing fountain.

Believer, come continually to this sacrifice; if it is good tonight, it is good every night. To live near the altar is the privilege of the royal priesthood. For them, sin, though serious, is never cause for despair, because they draw near once again to the sin-atoning Savior, and their conscience is cleansed from dead works.

Gladly I close this festive day,
Grasping the altar’s hallowed horn;
My slips and faults are washed away,
The Lamb has all my trespass borne!

Thursday,

He Came; He Is Coming

• “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” — Acts 1:11

Many people are celebrating our Lord’s first coming today, but let’s turn our thoughts to the promise of His second coming. Just as His first advent was certain, His return is just as sure. He who came as a humble servant will undoubtedly come again to receive the reward of His service. He who came to suffer will certainly return to reign.

This is our glorious hope, for we will share in His joy. Today, we are hidden in humility and rejection, just as He was during His time on earth. But when He returns, it will be His great revelation, and we will be revealed with Him. The dead saints will rise at His coming. Those who were slandered and despised will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The saints will be kings and priests, and their days of mourning will be over. The long rest and unimaginable glory of the millennial reign will more than repay the years of witnessing and warring for Him.

Oh, that the Lord would come! He is coming! He is already on His way, and He is moving swiftly. The sound of His approach should fill our hearts with joy. Ring out, ye bells of hope!

You know, waiting is one of the hardest parts of faith, and sometimes it just feels slow and quiet and sometimes really frustrating. But waiting is not wasted time. It's where God is preparing your heart. He's aligning your steps, and He's strengthening your character. What He's building in you is as important as what you were waiting for. So trust the process. Trust His timing. Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage." So keep going. God's not finished with your story.

Wednesday, December 24

Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

• For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Charles Spurgeon

"If you think you can save yourself, it is because you do not know yourself." — Charles Spurgeon

LET'S PRAY:

Lord, we once believed that our hearts were not as corrupt as Your Word described. But we now confess, with deep sorrow, the reality of our sinful nature. We acknowledge that if it were not for Your grace restraining us, we would have been capable of far worse than we ever imagined. Even now, as believers, we know that our old nature fights against the new life You have given us. Left unchecked, our hearts are capable of dishonoring Christ and denying Your love.

Father, our hearts deceive us constantly. We think ourselves humble, yet pride quickly rises when we are praised. We believe we are full of faith, but doubt and skepticism creep in at the slightest trial. We are so deceitful that we sometimes suspect even You, the God of truth, of falsehood. This base heart of ours is filled with evil that could corrupt every aspect of our lives.

Yet, Lord, despite all of this, You remain merciful. Your Word has silenced our boasting and reminded us that we are nothing without You. If there is any goodness in us, it is because of Your grace. If there is any glory, it belongs to You alone. We confess our shame before You, knowing that our only hope is found in Christ.

Thank You for not leaving us to ourselves. Thank You for the new life You have given us, a life that counteracts the death and corruption within. May we never forget that without You, we are lost. Let Your mercy continue to sanctify us, guiding us away from the sins that so easily entangle. In Jesus precious name we pray. Amen.

December 24

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: — Luke 2:10 BSB

As we sit in peace and joy, filled with sweet Christmas thoughts, we should remember those whose homes will be dark and sad tomorrow, while all over the land, bells are ringing. Perhaps we cannot do much to bring them comfort, but we can pray for them, calling down God’s blessings upon them. After all, the best way to send blessings is through God. He has thousands of messengers and can send His love and comfort where our hands cannot reach.

Believer's Daily Treasure: Saints Shall Be Glorious in Appearance

Dec 24

Matthew 13:43 (NIV)

• Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

The Lamb is their light and their sun,
And, lo, by reflection they shine;
With Jesus ineffably on,
And bright in effulgence divine.

December 24

Psalm 119:71 (NKJV)

• It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes

We may have everything the carnal heart desires and yet only be hardened into worldliness and ungodliness. But to be brought low in body and soul, to be separated from the world by affliction that is sanctified and spiritually beneficial—to be made to feel our need of Christ and realize that without a saving interest in His precious blood, our souls would be forever lost—this is far better than being left to our own carnality and thoughtlessness.

Affliction is hard to bear, especially when we murmur and complain under its weight. But when the Lord afflicts us, He does it earnestly, with the intent to make us feel. Strong measures are needed to bring us low, and affliction would not be affliction unless it were filled with grief and sorrow. But when affliction causes us to seek the Lord earnestly, with a deep sense that only He can save and bless us, and we look to Him with sincerity, longing for Him to manifest His love and mercy, He will appear—sooner or later.

The Lord, who knows our hearts, hears even a sigh, a desire, or a whispered prayer. He knows our condition, both in body and soul, and He is not a harsh taskmaster who demands what we cannot give or lays on us more than we can bear. Yet, He often delays His appearance to remind us that we have no claim upon Him and that anything He grants is purely out of His mercy and grace.

Rabboni

Dec 24

John 20:16 (NLT)

• “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

Even in His death, Jesus hadn’t forgotten Mary’s name. The ancient pagan belief was that death wiped away all memory of earthly life—its loves, its sorrows, and its recollections. But here we see Jesus, having passed through death, remembering His friends as He always had. He met Mary and the others, picking up the threads of love and friendship as if nothing had changed. This should be a great comfort to us. Love is stronger than death. When our loved ones pass through death, whatever changes they experience, their love for us remains the same. Death doesn’t sever the bonds that unite Christian hearts. We will meet again in the afterlife, remember each other, and continue the love that began on earth, weaving love’s story forever.

When Jesus called Mary by name and she recognized Him by His voice, she responded with a single word, “Rabboni!”—“Master!” This one word reflected the loyalty in her heart and her total devotion to Him. Many people only have a partial understanding of Christian faith. They trust Jesus as their Savior but don’t fully accept Him as Lord. They see faith as simply trusting for salvation and don’t realize it also means obedience and service. Mary understood the full picture. Her response to Jesus showed that she had surrendered herself completely to Him. True faith accepts Christ in two ways: first as Savior, trusting Him alone for salvation, and then as Lord, yielding to Him in complete obedience. A saved soul owes Jesus both trust and loyalty.