12 Days of Christmas Devotion Day 2

12 Days of Christmas Devotions

Day 2- Thursday

Good morning..I’m Grace Heart and thank you all for joining me in these 12 days of Christmas devotion calls.  If you haven’t already, please just mute your phones...and lets begin

I thought we’d talk about change today.  Life defining moments come from life defining situations.  The night Jesus was born, the shepherds had a life defining situation.  Luke 2:8-15 tell us that the Angel of the Lord appeared to them...now THATs a life defining moment!  Their focus no longer was on the sheep, but in going to see the Lamb of God.   Later on in time, Matthew 2 1-12 tells us about magi from the East came to seek out the child.  They were given a star to follow and were instructed in a dream to not go back the same way they came.  When you have an encounter with Christ, we should be changed...it should leave us changed.  I hope this Christmas that you have an encounter with Christ that leaves you changed and filled for a new year ahead.

Let’s pray:

Dear Lord;

   As we prepare to celebrate your birth, we dont want to get so caught up in the process of Christmas that we miss an encounter with you.  I pray that we leave Christmas changed...that we have a little more of you and a little less of us going into the new year ahead.  Thank you that once we know you, we cant possible go back to the way we came...you give us a new direction in life.  

               AMEN

12 Days Til Christmas Devotion Day 1

12 Days of Christmas Devotions

Day 1 - Wednesday Dec 12

I would like to welcome you all here and thank you for taking a little time out each day from now until Christmas Eve day to focus on what the season is really about.   

This morning I wanted to talk about “stuff”...there seems to be a lot of it around ....stores are jammed packed everywhere... there sure is a lot of stuff out there...and every year we seem to think we need more of it...the kids think their lives just will not be complete without that next new thing....we who are older and wiser know how quickly that newness wears off, and we are left empty and wanting more stuff...

We all have seen and know of the “grinch”...he tried to steal Christmas by stealing all the food, decorations and gifts...and he was amazed that even after all that, Christmas still came.  Would Christmas still come for you if there were no gifts or decorations?  There must be more to this day we celebrate than just the stuff....even the grinch commented:

    “Maybe Christmas” the grinch thought

          “Doesn’t come from a store.”

     “Maybe Christmas, ...perhaps....

             Means a little bit more”.    Dr Seuss

Christmas is about more...the gift that doesn’t empty us-but fills us....the gift of Jesus..

       “For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior,  which 

             Is Christ the Lord”.    Luke 2:11

Let’s pray:

Dear Lord;

   It’s so easy at this time of year to get caught up in all the “stuff” of the Christmas season.  Help us to remember that the only thing that will fill us and satisfy us is you.  Let us be so filled with the things of you, that Christmas would still come for us even our decorations, gifts and other things all were gone when we woke up on Christmas morning...I pray we would still rejoice at the most important gift of Christmas..a savior that was born.

               AMEN