12/29 Lamentations 3:1-30
1 I am the one who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod of the LORD’s anger. 2 He has brought me into deep darkness, shutting out all light. 3 He has turned against me. Day and night his hand is heavy upon me. 4 He has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones. 5 He has attacked me and surrounded me with anguish and distress. 6 He has buried me in a dark place, like a person long dead. 7 He has walled me in, and I cannot escape. He has bound me in heavy chains. 8 And though I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayers. 9 He has blocked my path with a high stone wall. He has twisted the road before me with many detours. 10 He hid like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me. 11 He dragged me off the path and tore me with his claws, leaving me helpless and desolate. 12 He bent his bow and aimed it squarely at me. 13 He shot his arrows deep into my heart. 14 My own people laugh at me. All day long they sing their mocking songs. 15 He has filled me with bitterness. He has given me a cup of deep sorrow to drink. 16 He has made me grind my teeth on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. 17 Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. 18 I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!” 19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. 20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. 21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: 22 The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” 25 The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. 26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. 27 And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of his discipline. 28 Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD’s demands. 29 Let them lie face down in the dust; then at last there is hope for them. 30 Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them. Let them accept the insults of their enemies.
HOPE
Hope in the Lord for He will never fail you. Hope in the Lord even when the physical world says you are being foolish. Hope in the Lord for He will never forget us or turn us away.

12/28 Psalm 98:1-9
1 A psalm. Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness. 2 The LORD has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation! 3 He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The whole earth has seen the salvation of our God. 4 Shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! 5 Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, 6 with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King! 7 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in. 8 Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy 9 before the LORD. For the LORD is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.
VICTORY
Jesus has come. He is alive now and able to save us from our sin. He offers us the gift of life and light in Himself. Praise the Lord for the Babe of Bethlehem now seated at His right hand intervening for us His children. We are cleansed by His blood and living in victory.

12/27 Hebrews 1:1-12
1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. 3 The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. 4 This shows that God’s Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is far greater than their names. 5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. ” And again God said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.” 6 And then, when he presented his honored Son to the world, God said, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” 7 God calls his angels “messengers swift as the wind, and servants made of flaming fire.” 8 But to his Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal power is expressed in righteousness. 9 You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” 10 And, “Lord, in the beginning you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 Even they will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. 12 You will roll them up like an old coat. They will fade away like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will never grow old.”
FOREVER
Jesus brings us into the family of God forever. He is Lord and Savior and the only way to the father. In Him we have life and light for living. Jesus is Lord.

12/25 Isaiah 9:2-7 (Christmas Week 1)
2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light — a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow. 3 Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvesttime. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder. 4 For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them, just as he did when he destroyed the army of Midian with Gideon’s little band. 5 In that day of peace, battle gear will no longer be issued. Never again will uniforms be bloodstained by war. All such equipment will be burned. 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!
JESUS
JESUS is Lord. Claim His gift of life. Ask Him to come into your life. Rejoice today for we can know the Lord. Great is the Lord and worthy of all of our devotion and praise and honor. Praise the Lord.

12/26 Luke 2:1-20
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 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. 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc’e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 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. 8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God: 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. ” 15 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.” 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 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.
JESUS CHRIST
God came to visit us. His form, Jesus Christ was the exact representation of God. He is Lord. Jesus Christ the Savior of mankind.

12/24 2 Peter 3:8-15
8 But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! 12 You should look forward to that day and hurry it along — the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God. 15 And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved. This is just as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him –
TURN
Turn to Jesus. Now is the time. This is the place. Ask the Lord to save you. Ask Him to come into your heart and forgive you of your sin. Jesus is Lord.

12/23 Matthew 25:1-30
1 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish took no oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all lay down and slept. 6 At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and welcome him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ 12 But he called back, ‘I don’t know you!’ 13 “So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or hour of my return. 14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, and one bag of gold to the last — dividing it in proportion to their abilities — and then left on his trip. 16 The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. 17 The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money for safekeeping. 19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of gold said, ‘Sir, you gave me five bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.’ 21 The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 22 “Next came the servant who had received the two bags of gold, with the report, ‘Sir, you gave me two bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.’ 23 The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 24 “Then the servant with the one bag of gold came and said, ‘Sir, I know you are a hard man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth and here it is.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You think I’m a hard man, do you, harvesting crops I didn’t plant and gathering crops I didn’t cultivate? 27 Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. 28 Take the money from this servant and give it to the one with the ten bags of gold. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
WAY
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Without Jesus we cannot find our way to the Lord. In Jesus we have God’s everything! Come Lord Jesus.

12/22 Luke 1:39-55
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! 45 You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” 46 Mary responded, “Oh, how I praise the Lord. 47 How I rejoice in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. 49 For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! 52 He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. 55 For he promised our ancestors — Abraham and his children — to be merciful to them forever.”
JESUS
Christ is our salvation. He is exactly what mankind needs to enter the family of God. Jesus is the only way to the Father.

12/21 Hebrews 10:1-10
1 The old system in the law of Moses was only a shadow of the things to come, not the reality of the good things Christ has done for us. The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3 But just the opposite happened. Those yearly sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why Christ, when he came into the world, said, “You did not want animal sacrifices and grain offerings. But you have given me a body so that I may obey you. 6 No, you were not pleased with animals burned on the altar or with other offerings for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God — just as it is written about me in the Scriptures.'” 8 Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or grain offerings or animals burned on the altar or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he added, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second. 10 And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
CLEANSED
The blood of Christ cleanses us-we are cleansed by His blood. He gives us His righteousness. Without Christ there is no relationship. In Jesus we are given the holiness we need in our relationship with God the Father.

12/20 Psalm 80:11-19
We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea, our limbs east to the Euphrates River. 12 But now, why have you broken down our walls so that all who pass may steal our fruit? 13 The boar from the forest devours us, and the wild animals feed on us. 14 Come back, we beg you, O God Almighty. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Watch over and care for this vine 15 that you yourself have planted, this son you have raised for yourself. 16 For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies. May they perish at the sight of your frown. 17 Strengthen the man you love, the son of your choice. 18 Then we will never forsake you again. Revive us so we can call on your name once more. 19 Turn us again to yourself, O LORD God Almighty. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.
REVIVE
Revive us Lord so that we may not perish. Revive us Lord so that we can face the day. Revive us Lord so that we might know your presence and fellowship with you.