The shepherds respond to Jesus' birth

[The shepherds] hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child...The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Luke 2:16, 17, 20

The New Living Translation of the Bible uses the word 'terrified' to describe the shepherds initial response to the angel who told them about Jesus' birth. In the end, though, they hurried to meet the newborn Savior. After meeting Him, they couldn't keep the Good News to themselves. Not only did they tell everyone, they praised God. It is not our first reaction to Jesus that defines our lives. It is what we do with the Good News that determines our eternity.

Dear Jesus, thank you again for coming to a fallen world and living as a man so we could live in paradise with You forever. Define our lives. May we be full of praise as those shepherds were and glorify God for all the world to see. In Your name, Amen.


What was your first reaction to Jesus? Has it changed?

Jumping for joy

"When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy." Luke 1:44

Even before he was born, John (Jesus' cousin and later known as John the Baptist) jumped for joy to be near Jesus. For the rest of his life, John would proclaim the Good News about a Savior, born of a virgin, come to "take away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). No matter what the situation looked like, no matter who he spoke to, no matter what the consequences, John spoke boldly for the Messiah and jumped for joy to be near Him.

Dear God, thank you again for sending your Son to be our Savior. Thank you for bringing us to realize our need. Jesus, thank you for being born. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Do you jump for joy to be near Jesus? How would you react if you could physically see and touch Him?

The Gospel of Christ

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes....for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.  Romans 1: 16 - 17

The gospel of Christ, translated the good news of Christ, is the power of God to save individuals who will respond in faith.  Many seeds are scattered which direct seekers to self-help, meditational thoughts from Buddha and direction from icons of the culture declaring you must ONLY believe and good things will happen.  However, scripture very clearly says it is the gospel of Christ that God uses to save.  Clearly, if we can scatter seeds directly related to the good news of the work of Christ, then it becomes possible for those seeds to grow into faith, trust, and hope. 

Let's pray for the individuals we know who desperately need Christ to have open hearts and minds toward Him. 

Father, we ask that you soften hearts toward Christ and reveal the lies being believed that offer only momentary relief. 

Think about how you first believed in Christ.  What seed from that experience can you offer to someone else? 

Blessings