“God gives God. That is the gift God always ultimately gives. Because nothing is greater and we have no greater need, God gives God. God gives God, and we only need to slow long enough to unwrap the greatest Gift with our time: time in His Word, time in His presence, time at His feet.” ― Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.

It’s Christmas, and that means gifts. Lots of gifts, some small, some large. TV commercials show a wife presenting her husband with a brand-new car as a gift. It’s a pretty impressive gift if unrealistic for most people. In another commercial, the husband bought a present for himself, a new truck, and a present for his wife, a brand new SUV. his and her new vehicles.  It’s even more impressive and even more unrealistic.

It would be great if you could give such lavish gifts to your spouse or child. But even if you did give such “grand” gifts, it would not come close to being the greatest gift of all time. Giving a gift every time the person needed it would be wonderful. A perfect gift that would bring joy to the person who opened it? That is what God did.

The greatest gift you’ve ever been given wasn’t bought in a store. No cash exchanged hands. It wasn’t even wrapped. Yet it cost the Giver everything. The Bible says God sent His Son to Earth to give you the greatest gift ever. He came to Earth to die—so that you could be made right with God. Romans 3:24-25 says, “Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin” (MSG).

God knew we needed a Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Healer, and Friend, so He gave us the greatest gift that no one can afford, no one can earn, and no one but God can give. This gift is Jesus. The babe in the manger. The Savior of the world. And He brought the promise of unconditional love, unending hope, and eternal life to every person who believes in Him. Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift. No amount of money on Earth could ever purchase a gift that can measure up to the value of the first Christmas gift.

It is not enough to look at this gift and admire it. This gift must change us. Opening the Scriptures is the way we unwrap our gift. Our gift is Jesus, and the Scriptures unwrap Him for us.

“So God throws open the door of this world—and enters as a baby. As the most vulnerable imaginable. Because He wants unimaginable intimacy with you. What religion ever had a god that wanted such intimacy with us that He came with such vulnerability to us? What God ever came so tender we could touch Him? So fragile that we could break Him? So vulnerable that His bare, beating heart could be hurt? Only the One who loves you to death.” ― Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.

 Discussion Questions:

1. Where do you see areas in your life where you should appreciate the gift of Jesus Christ more?
2. What do we do this week to reflect on receiving the greatest gift ever given?

 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

A group of people were asked what their wish for Christmas was. The instructions were to develop a “wish” that didn’t affect them individually but would affect all humanity. A large majority said they would wish for “world peace.”

Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. Isaiah refers to Jesus as the “prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Zechariah said that Jesus came “To guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).   2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” And Romans 15:13 says, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him….” Jesus reassuringly says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

This title, “Prince of Peace,” presents Jesus as the antidote to the peace we are searching for in the world. His peace doesn’t just have the potential to impact our environments, such as our homes, places of work, or schools. His peace provides peace for our minds.   Even when our circumstances are not peaceful, our hearts and minds can be filled with peace because of Jesus.

The incredible Christmas story of God breaking into this world is true, and it is an incredible story of peace, love, and hope. The peace of Christmas is the idea that Jesus came to bring peace on earth and that the Christmas season is a time to practice that peace. The peace of Christmas is a reminder that people are not alone in facing life’s challenges. With Jesus on their side, people can live with confidence and know that no obstacle is too great for him. Yet, within the chaos of Christmas, we find little peace.

We can blame the stressful circumstances around the holidays, but we need to remember that the first Christmas was very stressful, too. There was an unmarried, pregnant teenager. There was a scared but faithful fiancee. There was no room in the inn. There were smelly animals and scratchy straw. There was an unidentified star in the sky.

Yet God gave the gift of prevailing peace in that story in the same way He longs to give our hearts the gift of peace. How did Mary and Joseph overcome the chaos of their circumstances and embrace peace instead? They trusted God.  When they were given the startling and stressful news of being parents to the Messiah: “Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).

Perfect peace isn’t dependent on circumstances. It comes from a steadfast, trusting heart. During this Christmas week and throughout the year, let us find peace by focusing our trust on God, who is faithful. The resulting peace will point to the Savior we’re celebrating during the Christmas season.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we find peace this Christmas season and throughout the year?

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.” – John 1:4.

Christmas lights inspire wonder throughout this season. Everywhere you go, you find opportunities to enjoy Christmas lights: lighting Advent candles, stringing colorful bulbs on Christmas trees, visiting holiday light shows, and wandering through neighborhoods looking for creative light displays. Why do lights inspire awe? It’s not just because of their beauty. It’s also because of what they symbolize. They direct our attention to Jesus Christ.

In John’s telling of the Christmas story, he skips the stable and shepherds and goes directly to the one who “brought light to everyone” (John 1:4). When John later writes of a heavenly city, he describes the source of its light. This “city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:23). Jesus is eternal light and the source of all light.  “…I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12).

John tells us that Jesus is the light who has come to conquer the darkness. Jesus came to earth to give us the light only He could give. He is our only hope against the darkness. Without Christmas, our world would be in complete and utter darkness. We would be lost and wandering forever. Light is always stronger than darkness. That’s why Christmas is all about the lights—the reminder that Jesus, the light of the world, has come to save us from the dark.

2024 may have been a great year, or it may not have been all that good. But there is a light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. This is the season to let the lights of Jesus shine through us.  Isaiah challenges us, “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance”  (Isaiah 60:1-3).

We are lights to the world insofar as we reflect the character of Jesus. This Christmas season, let’s point people to the great Light of the world, the Savior of all peoples. Let’s also be lights, ourselves, showing the greatness of the character of our Lord by reflecting Him to a world that lives in darkness.

 Discussion Questions:

1. How can we shed a little light into the world this week?

 “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” – Ephesians 5:15-17.

Moments can define us and direct us; a single moment can change our lives. God has entrusted us with each moment, a precious gift that should not be taken for granted. Every sunrise, every conversation, every breath is an opportunity to live intentionally and make a difference. Most of us gravitate to “big” moments and don’t give much thought to others. And that includes our spiritual life.

People often think “doing ministry” will be this huge epic moment. They think building God’s Kingdom will be this “out of the ordinary” cosmic event. That is just not the case.  The vast majority of epic Kingdom-building stories emerge from truly mundane and ordinary moments.

The reality is that few of us will ever stand on a stage in front of thousands to proclaim Jesus. Few of us will ever become pastors of churches or traveling evangelists. Most of us will live ordinary lives off the stage and out of the spotlight. As a result, it is natural to think our “moments” won’t be as successful. However, the average ordinary person can significantly contribute to building God’s kingdom.   

Jesus gave us both sides of that equation. He spoke to large crowds where people encountered God and to individuals in ordinary moments where people also encountered God.

For most of us, if we wait for that “epic” moment to share Jesus with people, we may never contribute to building the Kingdom. On the other hand, if we make the most of every opportunity, whether over a cup of coffee, with a random stranger in line at Publix, or with a neighbor, we will see God’s Kingdom built. Every day, ordinary followers of Jesus build the Kingdom of God. Every time someone shares how Jesus has changed them, the Kingdom is built. Every time someone lives out their love for God in how they treat people, the Kingdom of God is built.

Consider for a moment all the Kingdom-building moments that happen during large events and compare them to a list of Kingdom-building moments that happen through ordinary Christians; which list would be longer? While it is impossible to quantify those numbers, the ordinary list would most likely be considerably bigger because a few people cannot have the same Kingdom-building impact as the collective body of Christ.

God uses ordinary people and ordinary everyday moments to build His Kingdom all over the world.

 Discussion Questions:

1. What are some everyday moments that can help build the Kingdom?
2. How can we best recognize those moments?

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things… He has helped his servant Israel  and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever”.” – Luke 1:46-54.

The Luke passage is Mary’s song of praise. How could this teenager express such confidence in God when she is pregnant and unwed? How was she able to say “yes” to God under such challenging circumstances? She could surrender to God when she agreed to mother a son in a most unusual fashion: “…“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true… (Luke 1:38).

Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem in Judea because Caesar Augustus wanted to take a census of the whole Roman world. This directive brought Mary and Joseph to the place where it was prophesied that the Messiah would be born. God sent unlikely witnesses to sing the praises of the newborn King. Unsuspecting shepherds, hanging out in a field with sheep, were urged by an angel to find the Messiah baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Mary treasured God’s Words to her, actively remembering and reflecting on what He had spoken to her through Gabriel and the Holy Scriptures. Mary did not turn aside because she remembered God’s promises. We, too, can remember what He has done in our lives, His promises fulfilled. Every Word He has ever spoken remains: “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

Everything God does will directly correlate with who He is, so it will always be good. It is easy to forget just how good our God is. The good news is we can rest in who He is and trust His plan. We can trust that what God promises, He will fulfill. Even when life doesn’t look how we thought it would, we can trust what God has promised us. Joshua 21:45 says, “Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.”

Some of us have a hard time putting our trust in promises. The Bible gives us many stories that show our faith in God’s promises is not misplaced. Many people throughout the Bible received the blessings of God’s fulfilled promises, including Noah, Abraham, David, and the Israelites. We do not have to fear that God will not keep His promises. We can put our trust in Him and the promises He has given to us in His word.

His greatest fulfilled promise was through Jesus Christ.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you tend to trust promises or react with skepticism? Why?
2. How do you think the promises people have broken in your life affected your ability to trust God’s promises?  
3. What are some of the promises God has given us that we can hold on to when it feels like others aren’t keeping their promises?

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27.

There are a lot of folks who are stuck in the past. They are always looking back. They regret bad decisions from their previous days. They are haunted by what they did wrong or failed to do right in years gone by. Then, other people will live in the future. They are preoccupied with what could be down the road.

While the Bible helps us understand how to process our past and inspires us with hope for our future, its emphasis is on “today.” God does not dwell in our past or future. He only relates to you in the present. God calls us to pay close attention to now —  to live in the present.

Mary exemplifies living in the present and finding peace. Her world was turned upside down when an angel appeared, and she was told she would deliver the Messiah. Mary knew there was a good chance she would be disgraced by her community, disowned by her parents, and disavowed by Joseph. And how did Mary react to this turn of events? She remembered God’s character and His ways. Mary concentrated on the present amid indescribable circumstances that would drastically change her future. Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true….”(Luke 1:38). She still saw herself as a servant of the Lord and trusted in Him in the present circumstances she found herself in.

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel  and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever” (Luke 1:46-55).

What a beautiful example of how having faith embedded deep within our hearts will help us to keep a Biblical perspective in the twists and turns of life. Her trust of God helped her accept Gabriel’s message. Her understanding of Scripture assured her of God’s promises and gave her the faith to rejoice at God’s call on her life. She is also an example of how knowing and believing God’s Word and His promises gives us the faith to praise Him when life doesn’t turn out how we thought it would.

And this is the secret to our peace as well. We need to see ourselves as servants of the Lord, to do what He commands, to walk where He leads, and to serve in humility where He puts us. Faith in God’s promises frees us to live for the Lord in the only moment we can: the present. Yes, believers have a bright future, but at the same time, we live in His kingdom here and now.

Every moment of every day is a gift. Remember that no matter what any given moment brings, you can always know peace—like the peace in the eye of a hurricane—by simply trying to live and love in this moment.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can God’s promises help us live in the present moment?
2. How can we stay focused on the present this week?

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” – Luke 1:30-33.

Life has moments when we ask, “Why me?” or move forward with “What now.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, had that choice. Before Gabriel spoke his prophetic words announcing that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and that she would be the mother of the Messiah, she was well on her way to marrying the man of her dreams. You could picture her setting up her house, being a good carpenter’s wife, and raising Joseph’s children. But Gabriel’s news changed everything. It was a moment that changed everything.

Luke 1: 26-28 tells us: “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive and give birth to a son of the most high. Mary asked how this could be, and Gabriel told her that the Holy Spirit would come on you and that the power of the Most High will overshadow you. The Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.

Mary was probably going about her typical day without expecting a divine encounter with God. Scripture tells us that Mary was greatly troubled. We have to assume she was scared, and who could blame her? She’s got her whole future in front of her. She’s about ready to get married, and then a divine moment. How do you even absorb and take in those words? How do you get your head around what you have just been told?  First, she’s just trying to deal with the angel Gabriel and the fact that the Messiah is coming to fulfill all the prophecies of the Old Testament, she is playing a big part in it.

In all of this, Mary had a beautiful attitude of humbleness. And to say, “God, I don’t understand all of this. I don’t… have no idea how all of this is going to play out, but all I can say in this moment, in this holy moment, is to say, ‘God, let it be.’ I’m here. I’m saying yes to you.” We won’t understand every detail of our encounters with God, but that’s okay.  Our job is to acknowledge that God is in control and that amazing things can happen when we say yes to Jesus Christ, allow Him to run our lives, and are in sync with the Holy Spirit. We may not see how He will put all of those pieces together or how we will get out of this situation, but somehow, He does when we trust Him.

It’s amazing when we look at our lives and how quickly God can change things. But should we be surprised?  God is constantly working behind the scenes and setting us up to fulfill His plan and purposes.

Discussion Questions:

1. So, how do we put ourselves in a position to experience and seize divine moments?

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” – Galatians 5:22-23.

A simple search in Google on character yields thousands of books, speeches, and quotes. Historically, philosophers, educators, politicians, religious leaders, judges, and the general public have agreed that character should be valued and reinforced. But character — the aggregate of moral qualities by which a person is judged apart from intelligence, competence, or unique talents — seems obsolete. Not many people talk about it, let alone work at it. And too often, the media is filled with stories of character flaws of people we have put on pedestals. Character flaws are not limited to others. We are all a mixture of both good and bad, and we make missteps.

God cares about character, so much so that it could be said that the Bible is a character textbook. It is filled with instructions on what it means to live righteously. The life of Christ teaches us great practical character lessons. Despite difficult circumstances and times of severe difficulty, Jesus was the epitome of love, kindness, and gentleness.

One of the great lessons Jesus taught His followers is that a man’s or woman’s character is always a matter of what is in his or her heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, Above all else, guard “your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 21:2 says, “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.” And 1 Corinthians 4:5 says, …He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts…”

God is always attempting to get us to change our character. We must do what we can today to conform to His image, the image of Jesus Christ. As believers and representatives of God on earth, we need to be people of integrity and character. A person of integrity does right in all areas of life, one who can be trusted. True character is built on our inner values and consistent actions, even when no one is watching, and striving to live with integrity, honesty, and kindness reflects our faith and relationship with God. Our character demonstrates our commitment to living a life that aligns with His principles, doing the right thing, even when it’s difficult, and being dependable in all situations.

 Discussion Questions:

1. In what areas of your life do you need to intentionally focus on building stronger character?

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”  – Romans 12:9-13, (ESV).

One of the most frustrating parts of the Christian life is we are sometimes not as passionate about God as we should be. We sometimes find ourselves amid a stretch of feeling reasonably indifferent about the things of God. We know that Bible reading, prayer, church involvement, missions, evangelism, and many other means of grace should capture our hearts. But with all that is going on around us, we can’t seem to get excited about them. We are spiritually apathetic for a short time. And while we may be aware of our apathy, we often feel helpless to pull ourselves out of it.

There is a lot to digest in the Roman 12 passage,  but wrapped right up in the middle is this, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Paul writes to be fervent in spirit and to serve the Lord.  Zeal means having great energy or enthusiasm to pursue a cause or objective. We should be filled with energy and enthusiasm because no matter what is going on in our lives, we are living for Jesus, and we aim to follow Him. Next, it says to have fervor. To have fervor is to be intense and have passion. God wants us to have great energy, enthusiasm, intensity, and passion when following Him. This does not mean that everything we do will be exciting. But it does mean that we can still do whatever we are called to with high energy, enthusiasm, and passion.

No matter what you are doing, there will be fun things, and there will be not-so-fun things. It is not about what you are doing but the attitude in which you do them. You are not just living for what the day brings, but something much bigger. You are living for Almighty God. Our walk with God is not just a fleeting enthusiasm but a burning passion, a deep commitment to actively pursue God’s will in every aspect of our lives. According to the Word of God, the way to fight off apathy and reignite your passion for Jesus is to do the very thing that apathy is trying to put you off of: Serve the Lord. Read the Bible. Pray. Worship.

 The antidote for spiritual apathy is a faithful and diligent routine of devoting time to Jesus and serving Him.

 Discussion Questions:

1. Where do you see areas in your life where you could cultivate more zeal for the Lord?
2. How can you actively express your devotion through your actions, words, and attitude?
3. What steps can you take to reignite your passion for God’s Word and prayer life?

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep….I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me” – John 10:11,14.

What was a day in the life like for a person who lived in Bible times? A shepherd’s life was long and sometimes difficult. In the early morning, shepherds led the flock from the fold, marching them to where they would be pastured. Once there, they watched them all day, taking care that none of the sheep strayed, and if any, for a time, eluded his watch and wandered away from the rest, seeking diligently till he found and brought it back. The shepherd had to protect the sheep from predators, of which there were many: lions, bears, wolves, hyenas, and leopards were all interested in a sheep dinner.

We all have some shepherd we follow. Sometimes, we may want to be or at least try to be our shepherd and follow ourselves. Or our functional shepherd may be another person in our life, leading us around and taking us places we don’t want to go.  Maybe there is some idea or something that consumes you. But there is only one good shepherd. Jesus was called the Good Shepherd because He called himself the Good Shepherd in the Gospel of John.

There are two different types of shepherds: hired hands and those who own the sheep. The hired hand is doing this shepherding gig to make a living. In most cases, his commitment to the sheep is based on self-interest, which will impact to what degree or length he will go to take care of those sheep. If the going gets tough, the shepherd may get going.

The shepherd who owns the sheep has no limitations in his level of care for his sheep. Jesus is the long-awaited, true Good Shepherd who does not lose sight of His sheep (Ezekiel 34). He knows the heart and condition of each one in His flock.  The text says the Good Shepherd “…sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:11) to save and protect his sheep.

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). He protects them against danger, goes after those who wander away, and pursues those who are lost (Matthew 18:12-14).

Psalm 100:3 says, “Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his, — his people, the sheep of his pasture.”  Jesus is the only one who cares about you without limitation.  He is the only one who loves you perfectly.  Psalm 121:3-4 says, “He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.” There is no limit to the Good Shepherd’s love and care for you.

Discussion Questions:

1. When you think of a shepherd, what comes to mind? What comes to mind when you think of a sheep? What is most significant about the shepherd’s relationship to the sheep?
2. Throughout Scripture, God describes Himself as the Shepherd of His people. How does that apply to your life?