THIS ONE THING DAY 4

 

January 5, 2025

Psalm 56:9-10 (The Living Bible) 

The very day I call for help, the tide of battle turns. My enemies flee! This one thing I know: God is for me! I am trusting God—oh, praise his promises! I am not afraid of anything mere man can do to me! Yes, praise his promises.

On this first Sunday of 2025 perhaps we need to be reminded of this one thing today, God is for you! 

There are so many of His precious promises for those who trust in God. Here are just a few:

Neverwill I leave you; never will I forsake (Hebrews 13:5)

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

… I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

… I have loved you with an everlasting love… (Jeremiah 31:3)

Remember, when we are struggling, we can stand on the promises of God. When all else is sinking sand, He is our firm foundation.

What one promise do you need to claim today?

Here today's scripture again,

The very day I call for help, the tide of battle turns. 

My enemies flee! 

This one thing I know: God is for me! I am trusting God—oh, praise his promises! I am not afraid of anything mere mortals can do to me! Yes, praise his promises.

THIS ONE THING DAY 3

January 4, 2025

Psalm 62:11-12 

One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love…”

I believe this passage does a great job in summing up who God is, all powerful and all loving. His power demonstrates His sovereign nature. As creator of all things, He is also sustainer of them as well. And the thing that most characterizes God? Love.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to reflect the image of God. Now here are some of His attributes that are communicable – meaning we can emulate them. For example, such attributes as love, justice, grace, mercy, goodness, truthfulness, creativity, and relationality. Others are incommunicable – meaning they only apply to God and God alone. These are such character atributes as omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, sovereign, transcendent, immutable, and self-existent. Perhaps, Love is the single most defining attribute that reveals that we belong to Him.

Jesus said "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  John 13:35

What one thing will define you most in this coming year?

THIS ONE THING. DAY 2

 January 3, 2025

Matthew 22:37-39 

Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

A new year 2025 has begun. A New Year is always a great opportunity for self-examination. 

What were some of the greatest blessings in the past year? 

What would you want to do differently as you move into 2025? 

Today’s Scripture has the potential to have the most impact on our life when we start off each day with this purpose before us.    Love God. Love Others.

That’s how Jesus summed up all the law and prophets. This summary statement Jesus calls us toward a single-minded focus, a focus he left with His disciples and by extention you and me.  Love God. Love

THIS ONE THING DAY 1

 

January 2, 2025

Psalm 27:4

One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.

 

It’s a brand-new year, a time to push reset, a time when all kinds of possibilities are before us. There’s something so exhilarating about celebrating the new year, we set goals, resolutions and have all kinds of hope as we start off. But often that excitement and enthusiasm wanes before we even hit January 31st. It seems to be part of being human.

We all have the desire for things to be better, to gain some ground, to accomplish more? Maybe it’s a culture thing, or perhaps it’s something innate, but our desires drive us for more. 

The psalmist in today’s passage speaks openly about his desire. Putting off all earthly desires, he expresses a desire centered around one thing: to be with the Lord.

He expresses this in three ways:

To dwell with God
To see God
To seek God

As we begin this new year, what might it look like to put off our earthly desires for the one desire of being with God? How might that change our life and our perspective? What blessings might come as a result?

Take some time and space to consider those questions today. 

 

ANOTHER YEAR IS DAWNING

 

January 1, 2025

Frances Ridley Havergal, the well-known British hymnwriter, found that most verses on greeting cards were not very memorable. I am sure you have found this to be true as well. Standing in an aisle of greeting cards trying to find the right words for a loved one or friend. Frances, was known to send New Year's greetings to her friends which would include a poem.

In 1872, when she was thirty-six years old, she wrote “Another Year Is Dawning,” printed it on a specially designed greeting card, and sent it to her friends. Over it was the caption, “A Happy New Year! Ever such may it be!”

Here is the poem she sent, that has become a frequently sung New Year’s hymn. I like to use her words as a New Year's Prayer, today I invite you to join me in praying these words as we begin the year 2025.

The poem is based on the following three scriptures:

 Exodus 33:13-14

13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

 

Joshua 1:9

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

 

Psalm 90:12

12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

 

 

Let Us Pray,

Another year is dawning
Dear Father let it be
In working or in waiting
Another year with Thee

Another year of progress
Another year of praise
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days

Another year of mercies
Of faithfulness and grace
Another year of gladness
In the shining of Thy face

Another year of leaning
Upon Thy loving breast
Another year of trusting
Of quiet happy rest

Another year of service
Of witness for Thy love
Another year of training
For holier work above

Another year is dawning
Dear Father let it be
On earth or else in heaven
Another year for Thee

 

CHRISTMASTIDE

 

DECEMBER 30. 2024

Titus 2:11

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

Christmastide, is sometimes referred to as the Twelve Days of Christmas, that begins on December 25 and continues until January 6, when the season of Epiphany begins. Christmastide celebrates the coming of the light into the world that has shattered the world's darkness by the birth of Jesus.

As we wonder at the birth of the Christ child, we reflect on the
story’s many surprises: a faithful pregnant virgin, a baby born in a make-do setting, and the announcement, not to monarchs, but to shepherds going about their everyday lives. 

Christmas and the season of Christmastide reveals the mystery of grace and God’s presence with us, coming unexpectedly and intimately. So, the comprehending of the meaning of this great revelation needs more than one day, once a year, to reflect on these things. It takes a season. 

God has come among us. In becoming human, God shows absolute commitment to humanity and creation. Things can never be the same again. 

Over the next few days of Christmastide I want to invite us to reflect on the following questions, 

What can this season of Christmastide mean for us?

What questions would you like to ask God about the Christmas story?

What is your favorite part of the Christmas story?

What part of Christmas most affects your faith?

How does Christmas challenge the idea that God is out there someplace?

GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

DECEMBER 31, 2024

1 Corinthians 1:20


All of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!”
And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
He has anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come. Amen!


2 Peter 1:4

[God] "has given us his very great and precious promises"


Well, 2024 is just a few hours away from being history, and a New Year 2025 will be upon us. This is a day that we both look back at the year behind us, and look ahead to the future of a New Year about to begin. What a year this has been! So many things have happened. Some of them have been wonderful; others very heart breaking and sad.

Perhaps an opening prayer today is fitting,

God, I thank You for Your faithfulness throughout this year.
For every blessing, lesson, and challenge, I give You praise.
Your steadfast love has been my anchor, and Your grace has carried me through. Even in moments of weakness and doubt, sorrow and sadness, Your love remained constant. Thank You for being my refuge and strength.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There is no greater source of hope than God’s faithful declaration to be close to each and everyone of us. Over and over our God declares “I will be with you.” That is our Creator's promise. Today I want to remind you of an important truth which is: “God is Closer than you Think!”

As children of the true and living God, our confidence is founded on God’s promise to be near, close, with us, for us, among us. This "presence" reality should be at the core of our hope. This is indeed one of those "great and precious promises" that are "Yes ... through Christ."

As we make space for God’s presence today, and everyday, I pray that he fills us with a new measure of hope that is based on the reality that we are not alone, God is with us. Know that this presence of God gives us strength and courage in life. I am reminded of Joshua and God's promise to him as he assumed leadership of God's people following Moses death. I believe it holds a promise for all of us. God said to Joshua, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. . . . Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

These are some good thoughts to occupy our minds with on this New Years Eve as we turn toward 2025. I believe Psalm 105:4 gives us some very helpful advice,

Keep your eyes open for God, 

watch for God’s works; 

be alert for signs of God’s presence.

LET US PRAY


Show me, Lord.
Help me notice.Your presence with me.
Surprise me, by your nearness.
Amen


“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

 

December 26, 2024



Luke 4:18-19

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”



When I use the words, the work of Christmas, what do you think of?

Howard Thurman, published a poem called The Work of Christmas which goes like this:

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.

The Poem's work of Christmas, is based in the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

The focus of the Bible is not on what cannot be accomplished. (Which can be my focus at times) The Bible’s focus is just the opposite. Jesus taught “…all things are possible for the one who believes.” (Mark 9:23). Paul wrote “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

Repeatedly the Bible reveals that God is a can-do God: “God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Ephesians 3:20, The Message).

Let’s be honest, individually, alone we can’t accomplish much of the things we are called to do. However, as a part of the body of Christ, the Community of Jesus, we can do much together.

The work of Christmas requires an attitude that with God, we can do what God calls us to do. The work of Christmas, because it is the work of Jesus, becomes for us a lifelong Christian calling. It begins by caring about the things Jesus cared about. Truly, We CAN do all things through CHRIST who strengthens US.

Luke 1:37
"For nothing is impossible with God."

HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE DAY 25

 

DECEMBER 25, 2024

Colossians 1:19-20

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

True peace, the peace that calms our souls and anchors us through every circumstance, begins with peace with God. In our world, peace is often sought through temporary fixes, distractions, or achievements. By comparison to the patterns of our culture, Colossians 1:19-20, explains that through Jesus Christ, God has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him. This peace, God's peace, not only calms current fears and worries but also transforms our whole relationship with God.

Finding peace with God, the Bible tells us, is realizing that sin has caused a separation between us and our Creator. Without Christ, humanity remains disconnected from experiencing the fullness of God's presence and joy. The Bible doesn't stop there, we further learn that through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, God made a way for us to be fully reconciled, removing the walls that sin erects that keeps us "far off" from God's peace. Placing our faith in Jesus, we are no longer separated for our loving creator, but brought into a relationship of loving acceptance as a child of God.


Jesus’ peace is especially powerful because it goes beyond just calming our fears; it breaks down the barriers dividing us from God and each other. Jesus has reconciled us to God through His sacrificial death on the cross.


Having peace with God doesn’t mean life will be without hardship, what it does provide is an inner assurance that we are not alone, that we are valued and precious, and that our future is held in God’s hands.


Living in Christ’s peace also transforms how we relate to others. This peace with God invites us to live differently. Knowing we are reconciled, we can extend grace to others, forgive more freely, and live with a confidence that radiates from God’s love within us.


Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, breaking down barriers and extending His love to those around us. When we embody this peace, what a witness it is, for we show that true peace is a gift received through Jesus, our Prince of Peace not through circumstances: quiet moments, resolved conflicts, or life’s calm spaces. These external sources are fleeting and can be disrupted at any moment. However, the peace that Christ offers is steady, enduring, and rooted in His nature. It is the kind of peace that remains through both joy and sorrow, victory and trial.

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”


This concludes our series of devotions "HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE".

May the hope of God,

The peace of Christ,

And the joy of the Spirit.

Be with you. Amen

Have a Blessed Christmas Day!!

YOU ARE LOVED

HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE DAY 24

 

December 24, 2024

Galatians 5:22

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

God's peace is more than the absence of conflict; it is a fruit of the Spirit that takes root and grows in our lives as we walk closely with our creator. In the Galatians verse above, peace is listed as one of the key qualities that the Spirit produces in us, reflecting the nature and presence of God within us.

This peace is deep, abiding, and transforms. It shapes how we respond to life's ups and downs, and grounds us in the calm assurance that God is in control. This peace is not fleeting or dependent  on our circumstances, no, this peace stays with us in uncertainty. This Peace is a gift from God, it is the outcome of the surrender of our fears, and the gratitude and thanks to our God for the gift of peace that follows.

The peace God gives us, is a growing peace, it affects not only our own lives but also our interactions with others. God’s peace equips us to be peacemakers, responding to others with patience and grace. When we reflect this peace, we become a living witness to God’s presence, showing others the rest and comfort He offers.

As we spend time praying, worshiping, and discovering God's Word, the Holy Spirit nourishes us.  Gradually, we will notice a change, that trusting in God's plan will replace fear and the need for control. Through His peace, we gain freedom from worry, and we learn to rest in His promises and presence.

He is our PEACE!!

HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE DAY 23

 

December 23, 2024

 

Isaiah 9:6–7

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. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. 


Peace, as an idea, is immensely popular. We love talking about it, posting about it, dreaming about it and planning for it.

But it sure can be elusive, can't it?

Despite its universal appeal, peace doesn’t mark our world, and I  don’t simply mean unsettling headlines from Israel, Palestine, Syria, Ukraine, Russia or some other distant lands in conflict. Even in the safest neighborhoods, the highest paying jobs, a strong economy, falling crime rates, for most countries, peace remains out of reach. 

Seven centuries before the Messiah's birth, the prophet Isaiah issued a message of hope. Addressing the Israelites, who were about to be exiled for their rebellion and idolatry, he pointed them to a future time when a solution, would come from God himself. In fact, Isaiah says the remedy would be God himself.

This coming gift is cosmic in proportion and yet intensely personal.  And the gift is divine: the promised child will be the “Mighty God.” We also note that it’s a gift tied to the very thing that eludes us. The promised child will also be called the “Prince of Peace”, a fitting title because, there will be no end to “the increase of his government and of peace.” See that? No exceptions, no elusiveness, no expiration date.

The baby in the manger didn’t stay there, he grew up and obeyed his Father to the point of death, even death on a cross. On the Cross Jesus made peace between God and humankind through his death. (see Eph. 2:14–17).

No other religion teaches anything like this. Each one insists, in some form or another, that a person must achieve the peace of God, which is also why it never happens. In Christianity, however, you can

receive the peace of God, through trusting Jesus;

enjoy the peace of God, through following Jesus;

and spread the peace of God, through proclaiming Jesus.

Bottom line is, if we want to experience the peace of God, we must know the God of peace. And if you want to know the God of peace, you must embrace his only begotten Son.

Real peace isn’t found in a successful job or a secure neighborhood, or any of the other pursuits  the world temps us with. It’s not found in food or exercise or travel or holiday cheer. No, peace is only found in the Prince of it. For Jesus is our peace.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in his wings

– Charles Wesley, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

 

HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE DAY 22

 

December 22, 2024

2 Timothy 1:6-7

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.



Whether the threat is real or imagined, physical or mental, near-at-hand or somewhere out there, our fears exert a powerful influence over us. Fears can drive us inward and downward, deeper into ourselves, rather than upward and outward towards God. When
we are caught in the grip of our fears, the temptation will always be to look to our own resources to save ourselves. Self-dependence comes naturally. God-dependence does not. This is precisely why Paul writes: to speak a steadying gospel word to his struggling
co-worker Timothy.

The name Timothy means “God-fearer.” He had been raised by a Christian mother, mentored by the Apostle Paul, with more than a decade of intense ministry experience under his belt, we might
assume Timothy to be a fearless, a fierce veteran. Instead, what we get from this "God-fearer" is a seasoned pastor wrestling with his own anxieties and fears; uncertain and unsettled about next steps.

We need to recognize that the dangers Timothy faced in Ephesus were real, not imagined. Ephesus had a history of resistance to gospel messangers. Whether it was fierce resistance by the Jews (Acts 19:9), demons overpowering exorcists (Acts 19:16), or violent rioting in the streets (Acts 19:21-41), Ephesus was a tough calling, not a place we might say, for the "faint of heart".

Instead of a spirit of fear, says Paul, God has given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (self-control). Timothy needed the counsel of the Apostle to remind him that God has given us a stronger spirit, than the spirit of fear. Perfect love, which casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), was displayed most fully at the cross, where Jesus died in victory, at the cross Jesus broke "the power of cancelled sin and set the captive free", as Charles Wesley's hymn says. In his resurrection, Jesus defeated death. 

Through Jesus, we have this Power at work in us. The word "power" comes from the Greek "dynamis", from which we get the English word for dynamite. This power given to Jesus followers blasts the insecurities that threaten us. I think of the words from 1 John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” And a sound mind/self control comes from the peace of a healed relationship with the Prince of Peace, God himself.

That is a reminder for us today, we are God's beloved people, so let us fan into flame the gift of God.

Almighty God,
direct my gaze away from my own resources and
toward the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

 

 

HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE DAY 21, 2024

 

December 21, 2024

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. 

And be thankful

Have you ever noticed that the Apostle Paul loves to compare the past and the present in his letters through his use of “were” and “are”: We were one thing, but now we are another. He does this even as he warns Christians still caught in the practices of the past, to remember who they are and live a new life. Something has happened to the Christian, and it’s serious. A change has happened, which leads to more changes, which are the fruit of this new relationship.

In this chapter of Colossians 3, Paul writes about the Christian life. It’s the Christian life not just because the Christian lives it, but even more because it’s lived in Christ. Christ is our life, and our lives are hidden in him.

We were. We were a lot of things. At times, we may still feel like we are those things. But, we are not those things. We have been liberated.


Truth is, that "were" (Old Life) is indeed a persistent nuisance. It attaches itself to us, lingers in the recesses of our minds, and whispers in our ears. We must remember that we are someone who is being made new in Christ. We are, here and now, God's new creation and Jesus is making all things new including us.

Today, be thankful, because that is what we are. We are God’s own children and that is our peace, the peace of Christ that passes understanding but stands guard over our lives.

Lord Jesus,
there is much that we once were that still plagues
and tempts us. That is not who we are now because
we are yours. Rule in our hearts and make us ever new.

Amen