12/01/01 Matthew 12:20
He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until he brings full justice with his final victory.
The ground at the cross is level. Jesus paid for my sin. My relationship with the Father is based on the work Jesus did not the work that I do.
12/02/01 Matthew 12:21
And his name will be the hope of all the world.”
Every single person can be saved. Their salvation potential is based on the work that Jesus did. Christ paid for the sin of each one of us. He loves us as if there were no other. If you are praying for a lost person don’t stop. There is hope in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
12/03/01 Acts 2:26
No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
I can face my failures and survive my victories in Christ. My future hope is in Jesus. He is Lord and savior of my life. He loves me.
12/04/01 Acts 23:6
Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were all my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”
I must never forget the simple basic fact that I have no hope for the future but Jesus Christ. He is my creator, sustainer and savior. He is Lord.
12/05/01 Acts 24:15
I have hope in God, just as these men do, that he will raise both the righteous and the ungodly.
I will never understand the plans that the Lord has. God’s ways are not my ways. Jesus saved me from my sin and that is the one thing that I know for sure. I am at peace with God. Christ has birthed me into the Lord’s family.
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12/06/01 Romans 15:4
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises.
There are more than 7,000 promises in the Word of God. They were written to me to equip me to live my life. Jesus is Lord. He will provide for me.
12/07/01 Romans 15:13
So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
God is at work in my life. He is seeking my best good. He is not persecuting me. He knows me and has a plan for my life. His plan works for me. He wants me to walk with Him so that I will survive.
12/08/01 Mt. 5:9
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
I have discovered something important about peace. If discord and chaos creep in I need to stop and get before the Lord. Lack of peace in my heart means that I have walked away from the Lord. The presence of Jesus creates peace.
12/09/01 Luke 24:36
And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. He said, “Peace be with you.”
Jesus always brings peace. He is the Lord of all things. The universe is in subjection to Him. If I want peace in my life I simply need to get close to Jesus.
12/10/01 John 16:33
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Jesus tells me I am in good hands. He has overcome every evil trial and trouble that I will ever face. He is able to stand with me and make me more than a conqueror. Jesus equips me for life. He has outfitted me for eternity.
12/11/01 Acts 10:36
I’m sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel – that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
I am not at war with God. Jesus paid the price for my peace. Whatever else is going on in my life, I am at peace with God.
12/12/01 Romans 8:6
If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.
Holy Spirit control of my life does not happen by default. Satan is at work seeking to destroy me. I claim God’s promises and the presence of the Holy Spirit through Jesus. Lord Jesus take control of my life right now.
12/13/01 Romans 12:18
Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
Life degenerates into chaos if I am not careful. Walking with the Lord Jesus and letting Him have control of my life is my duty. I spend time with Him by reading His Word. I get to know Him by thinking about Him and letting Him have control of my heart.
12/14/01 Romans 15:33
And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.
I pray for you. It is not a passive activity. I am genuinely concerned about your growth, your family, your work and your usability. The Lord Jesus Christ wants to use you. You may be the only Christian that a non-believer knows. They will know you by your love. Peace be with you.
12/15/02 Matthew 2:10
When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
Balaam said a star was coming. The wise men saw it. Others could have too but they weren’t looking for it. I want to make sure that I don’t miss anything in my relationship with Jesus. I am looking for him everyday.
12/16/01 Matthew 28:8
The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to find the disciples to give them the angel’s message.
When trouble strikes I have often felt helpless. I didn’t know what to do. Jesus reminds me that when I experience powerlessness His grace and power are most effective. In my weakness He is strong.
12/17/01 Luke 2:17
Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
This statement blesses me. It reminds me that I am included. God wants me to do His ministry. Jesus has accepted me as an agent of His grace. Jesus is Lord and I belong to Him.
12/18/01 Luke 24:52
They worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.
Praise God for sending Jesus. He connects with me. He communicates His love. He shows me His concern. He has experienced my pain. The Savior is alive and provides for me. I have seen the Lord. He died for me and the power of God raised Him from the grave.
12/19/01 Luke 2:34
Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, “This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others.
What joy Jesus brings to my life. Without Him I would lead a dismal existence. He gives me encouragement when I am down. When I fail He shares His success with me. In Christ I am whole.
12/20/01 Luke 15:10
In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
The Lord knows my name. He is intimately aware of everything that is going on in my life. Nothing I do escapes His attention. He is there every time I need Him. I am important to Him.
12/21/01 Luke 19:6
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
Every time I go to Jesus I am blessed. My heart bubbles over with joy. I have a friend that is closer than a brother. He knows all about me and still loves me. Jesus is the reason I have joy.
12/22/01 Luke 24:41-45
Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched. Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.” Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures.
I spend time with Jesus everyday. I ask Him to guide me. He gives me direction for my daily life. As I study His Word He shows me how to make it effective in my life. Every time I respond in obedience Jesus draws me closer.
12/23/01 Luke 2:4-6
And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancé, who was obviously pregnant by this time. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.
Joseph and Mary were ordinary people with extraordinary faith. They were used of God because they believed what God said. If I believe the Lord I will do what He says.
12/24/01 Luke 2:7
She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
The Son of God came for me. He willingly accepted poverty and difficulty. His life conquered sin. His death and resurrection destroyed the hold of sin on me. He saved me from my past, empowered me now and equipped me for eternity. I am free.
12/25/01 Luke 2:9-11
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!
I do not have to be afraid anymore. Jesus is alive. He forgives me. He cares for me. I have a relationship with the Father. Christ is King.
12/26/01 Luke 2:12-14
And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.
God loves me. He cares about what I am doing and where I am going. He knows all about me. He hurts with me when I hurt. The Lord favors me. I am His child and He is my Father.
12/27/01 Luke 2:15-16
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.
I want to see Jesus. His Word tells me that will happen one day. Right now I see Him by faith but one day I will stand before Him and see Him face to face. The Lord Jesus cares for me.
12/28/01 Luke 2:17
Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
When you come to Jesus you immediately want to tell everyone what has happened. When you are saved the joy of the Lord wells up and the story must be told. Jesus saved me. He is in my heart. I am a child of God.
12/29/01 Luke 2:18
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,
I must confess that the first time I heard about Jesus I was overwhelmed. I was ready to claim my relationship with Him. The most amazing thing though is that when I asked Him into my heart I was astonished. He saved me. Wow.
12/30/01 Luke 2:20
The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
When I came to Jesus my life changed. Things were exactly as He said. I was no longer alone. I didn’t have to make things work. Christ in me enabled me to live my life. He outfits me to survive and flourish. Jesus is Lord.
12/31/01 Luke 4:1-2
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit to go out into the wilderness, where the Devil tempted him for forty days. He ate nothing all that time and was very hungry.
Satan is real. He is alive and well on planet earth. He knows where I am and how to turn me upside down. But the power of the Holy Spirit is available to empower me. In Jesus I am able to stand in the hour of temptation. And when I have resisted Satan he will flee from me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
