Shepherds | Dec 6

"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” - Luke 2:8

Shepherds in the fields. These were unremarkable men—working in the fields, in close proximity to the one of the most miraculous events in all of history, and they had absolutely no idea. 

The shepherds in the Christmas story are such a fun part of how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. It is impossible to imagine the birth of Jesus without the shepherds. They are so ordinary—literally doing their jobs like any other day. Why in the world did God look out over the region of Galilee, Bethlehem, and all of Israel and settle on a group of shepherds, of all people?

God’s love for these men must have been pretty extraordinary. 

I just imagine the affection God had for them as He looked down and saw their faces as the angels filled the sky above them. We are so familiar with the shepherds’ part in the Christmas story, but you have to remember that they had no idea what was about to happen in their fields on this ordinary night with their sheep grazing nearby.

The shepherds’ faith stands out against the backdrop of all the people we read about in the story of Christmas. They were the only ones who, upon receiving the unexpected and startling news of the birth of Jesus, did not respond with further questions or clarification. They heard the news, and, as we will see in the coming days, they made haste to see what the angels had told them!

We have no idea the glorious things God has prepared for us as we go about our routines and day-to-day lives. May we live our lives in such a way that we are quick to believe and follow Him. And may we respond to Him as the shepherds did: with joy and faith!

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If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can pick up a copy of the book at our Sunday Services during the month of December or purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.

Joseph | Dec 5

“And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” -Matthew 1:19

What a sympathetic character we find in Joseph. Joseph found himself in the middle of a situation in his life that he could never had anticipated. His beautiful bride-to-be was with child. Joseph’s betrothal to Mary must have been the joy of his life, simply because of what we know about her. Think of how happy Joseph must have been to have found a wife with such a beautiful heart and humble spirit. 

And now, everything had changed.

Joseph’s character is summed up in the verses above in one word: just. It would not have been fitting with Joseph’s character to publicly shame Mary, even if he did not understand what was happening. His desire to love and protect her despite how the situation appeared is a beautiful picture of a man whose life was marked by a humble and just character. 

The Bible doesn’t make clear whether Mary told Joseph the whole story of who Jesus was and how she had found herself to be pregnant. But it does appear as though he did not fully understand God’s plan at this point because Joseph’s response was to quietly divorce Mary. 

Joseph’s character reflected a desire to love his new wife the best way he knew how. Whether this was the right decision for Joseph or not, God still chose Joseph as the man who would ultimately play a very important part in the life of His Son. He was a just man, one who honored both God and his new wife in his compassion and tenderness toward her even in such an impossible situation.

God has never chosen perfect people, nor does He today. 

God chose Joseph, even though he was not perfect, knowing that his heart was just, humble, and teachable. We will look more closely at how God reached out to Joseph in the coming days, but be encouraged today knowing that though we may not always understand the seasons or situations in which we find ourselves, God has a plan. Let’s ask God’s Spirit to help us to grow in humility and compassion as Joseph did, knowing how very greatly He loves us.

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If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can pick up a copy of the book at our Sunday Services during the month of December or purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.

Mary | Dec 4

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.’”  -Luke 1:46-49

Mary was a young woman from a small town. Her life had been forever changed by the arrival of an angel, Gabriel, who told her that God favored her to bear His Son, the Messiah. Her plans, her upcoming marriage, her physical body—all these things had forever changed when Jesus came into her life. And Mary’s response was a choice to praise and rejoice.

Mary’s humble heart allowed her to respond in praise to God. 

When we recognize our “humble estate” as Mary did, our response to God can be the same. Just as James writes in James 4:10, it is not until we humble ourselves that God Himself is able to lift us up! And at that time, we respond in magnifying the Lord and rejoicing in our God.

God’s choice of Mary as the woman who would bear the Son of God is a beautiful reminder to us of the blessing that comes from a life lived in humility. Even at this early stage, Mary recognized this when she said, “From now on, all generations will call me blessed.” How easy it might have been for Mary to have been filled with pride in such recognition from Almighty God in choosing her to carry the Savior of the world in her womb! But Mary understood her humble estate, and knowing this, her response was to rejoice in praise to God!

As we seek God’s blessing in our lives, may we seek to live humbly before Him in this same way. And as our circumstances change from day to day, may our hearts’ cry be the same as that of Mary, and may our spirit rejoice in God our Savior.

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If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can pick up a copy of the book at our Sunday Services during the month of December or purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.

Isaiah | Dec 3

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” -Isaiah 9:6

These verses from the book of Isaiah are some of the best-known, well-loved verses about the birth of Jesus. If you’ve ever listened to Handel’s “Messiah,” you’re probably familiar with the beautiful, musical rendition of this passage. It is such a grand, poetic Scripture written by one of the best known prophets in the Bible: Isaiah.

Isaiah was man who was used mightily by God. 

Jesus Himself quoted the words of Isaiah many times nearly 700 years after they had been written. God did amazing things through this man—but the Bible tells us this is because Isaiah had a willing heart and made himself available to God and not because of anything special he had to offer in and of himself. 

In Isaiah 6, you can read about Isaiah’s response to God’s call on his life. Isaiah responded to God saying that he was unworthy—a man who was “lost” and who had “unclean lips.” Isaiah did not feel like someone who stood out, but when God asked who might be willing to speak on His behalf to the people of Judah, Isaiah’s response was immediate: “Here I am, send me.”

It was because of this willing heart that Isaiah was able to respond to God’s call on his life. 

It is important to remember, when we hear this familiar passage in Isaiah 9:6, that God gave the words in these verses to a real person: Isaiah. Isaiah heard from God Himself exactly what the Messiah would be like. And Isaiah wrote these words down for the people of Israel and, eventually, for ALL of mankind to read and know our savior, Jesus.

May we, too, have hearts that are humble and willing to step into God’s calling for our lives. It is those who are willing to listen and to obey His call who receive the best gift of all, that is, hearing from God ourselves! Isaiah responded to God’s call on his life, and through his obedience, he received some of the first glimpses into the wonderful Savior that would come: our Prince of Peace.

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If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can pick up a copy of the book at our Sunday Services during the month of December or purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.

The People God Chose | Dec 2

“…God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption." -1 Corinthians 1: 27-30

One of the wonderful things about Christmas is how easy it is to put ourselves in the places of the people in the story. Mary, Joseph, one of the shepherds in the field—these were not extraordinary people outside of the events of Christ’s arrival in their lives. They were simple people living their simple lives when God chose to not only include them in the story of Christmas, but to reveal His Son to them in a truly personal and intimate way. 

Throughout the Bible, God chose to work in the lives of unlikely people. 

Noah, Moses, King David—each of these now-beloved characters of Scripture were simple, ordinary people before God did something extraordinary in their lives. It is a beautiful pattern that God paints throughout all of human history in choosing not the most spectacular or well-known people, but rather choosing those who have a willing heart to hear from Him.

It truly was the most ordinary of people who were the first to hear of the soon-coming birth of Jesus, and those with simple faith who saw Jesus, God With Us, for the very first time. The reward for faith and humility in these men and women was, perhaps, one of the greatest “reveals” of all time: the arrival of the Messiah! In choosing humble people, the glory of God shines all the more brightly throughout the events that led to the birth of Jesus.

This week as we look more closely at the people God chose to include in the story of Christmas, I pray we are able to see ourselves there, too. As we live our sometimes simple, ordinary lives, may we, too, have hearts that are willing to hear when God speaks. And remember that as we humbly follow Him, that is when we get the up-close view of the glorious love of God and of Jesus, Himself.

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If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can pick up a copy of the book at our Sunday Services during the month of December or purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.

Christmas Time is Here | Dec 1

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son…” -Galatians 4:4

For some people, the Christmas season can’t come quickly enough. They’re ready to turn on the Christmas music, put up the tree and twinkle lights and start celebrating the most wonderful time of the year as soon as possible. For others, there is a cherished tradition of waiting til exactly the right moment to begin celebrating—the day after Thanksgiving, the 1st of December, Christmas Eve. These are some of the traditions that make Christmas so special.

As we are beginning to count down the days to Christmas, think back to the very first Christmas season. The birth of Jesus was truly the most long-awaited, highly anticipated miracle in the history of the world! The Jewish people had been waiting and anticipating the arrival of their Messiah, and finally Jesus arrived! Here He was, God in human form, and it was at the perfect, God-ordained moment in time. But though the world had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of its Savior, the first Christmas was nothing like anyone had expected. 

God in flesh, came down to earth to save the world in exactly the way at exactly the moment God had planned since before the creation of the world. And even if it may not have seemed that way, it was perfect. The people involved may not have seemed very important, and the place was not lavish or especially welcoming. There was really very little attention given to the arrival of our Savior. Yet, God chose these people, this place, and this time because He had a plan.

Galatians 4 tells us that it was at the exact place in history that God intended from the beginning. May we remember this as we enter into this most wonderful time of the year. Though His ways are not our ways, His plans bring about the most beautiful, miraculous wonders of all time. His timing is perfect, and this is something we can all celebrate.

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If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can pick up a copy of the book at our Sunday Services during the month of December or purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.

God's Plan For Christmas | A Note from The Author

God’s plan for Christmas was perfect. The wonder of Jesus’s birth still captivates us each year as we prepare to celebrate this season. The story is beautiful and wonderful—complete with angels singing, sheep and shepherds, and mysterious wisemen bringing exotic gifts from faraway lands to the little baby sleeping in a manger. It is no wonder that we love the Christmas story so much.

In the coming days, we will look more closely at the biblical account of Christmas and consider some of the surprising things God chose to include in the story. The birth of Jesus was a real event with real people in a real place. There is a thread that is woven throughout the Christmas story which we will see again and again in the coming days. And that is the understanding that God’s plans are different than our own, and His plans are always about restoration and hope.

This devotional includes four parts—each examining a piece in the Christmas story: The People God Chose, The Ways God Spoke, The Struggle God Allowed, and The Gift God Gave. Each entry points to how God’s plan in sending Jesus reveals more of who He is. As you consider the many aspects of this familiar story, take time to consider the incredible wisdom and love woven throughout. God’s fingerprints are all over it.

I pray that as you read each day’s entry, the Holy Spirit reminds you that His plans are always good—His plan for Christmas and His plan for you. And take time to celebrate the wonder and mystery of this most incredible story. Merry Christmas!

Laura

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If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.

Grace in All Things by Sue Stahl

2 Cor 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

Lately I have been overwhelmed by the grace that the Holy Spirit brings into my life.

It comes in ways unexpected and I am humbled and grateful and reminded of who I am….a child of God, a new creation in Christ, a light in the darkness.

Two recent experiences were reminders of this. The circumstances not hard and pressing but still profound in what they represent as my identity in Christ is built and confirmed.

One of these events was when Eric and I were traveling and my luggage was lost. 

After the reality sunk in and the agent of the airlines brought us into the ‘lost luggage office’, my immediate response was the ‘oh no, you must be kidding’ attitude along with feelings of disgust, but then within seconds I felt the presence of the Spirit saying ‘don’t worry about it’ and His peace came upon me.I didn’t ask Him. He just came. In that moment I knew who I was. My response to the agent was then kind, sweet and joking around…Thank you Lord! That is Christ in me.

Now as I write this, I am at my daughter’s house getting things ready for her wedding in a few days. I put on praise and worship music as I sorted through the décor and checked off the things to do list. In the midst of it I thought about the two sets of parents of the groom that I hadn’t met or didn’t know well. The biological ‘mom’ at one point had circumstances happen in her life that lead to her son (the groom) spending his high school years being raised by a new ‘mom’ and family that adopted him for those years.

In that moment, I knew the Spirit was speaking. I was to send the distant mom a word of encouragement about how great a job she did raising her son. No judgment, nothing I need to know, just a sincere welcome and appreciation that she could join in the celebration with us. 

God’s pure and perfect love sent forth by His Spirit for His purposes. A prayer lifted for God to let her know His love.

Again His grace upon me. My personality and busyness to get this list done first would be my natural inclination, but now my supernatural inclination was to stop and send that word. 

The rivers of living water flowing brought again a peace and perspective so that I could put things aside and write this as my place of praise, my reminder of the grace and goodness of our God!

Yes, in many areas I still feel like it’s all about my flesh leading but from grace to grace He leads.

In my places where I struggle I can call on to the same Abba Father in a place of hope knowing that  change will come because that is what He does! I am a new creation in Christ. Thank you Lord.

Thank You Jesus for the excitement in the forever growing in grace and knowledge of who You are which changes who we are. Thank you for a grace the not only opens the door to the Father but creates us to become as You were in this world. One day face to face we look forward to meeting You in fullness Jesus. The bride awaits your return. Amen

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Cor 5:17

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