2021-12-26
Nehemiah 8:9 KJV
The word holiday comes from the Old English word haligdæg, which means ‘holy day’. So, when Nehemiah announced, ‘This day is holy,’ he was declaring a celebration; a time to ‘eat and drink before the LORD’ (1 Chronicles 29:22 KJV). Today, overindulgence and overspending have become associated with Christmas, making many Christians hesitant to celebrate.
Jack Hayford writes: ‘Often it is from those newly associated with our fellowship who have allowed themselves – perhaps for the first time – to enter into the wonder and fullness of Christmas joy and celebration…Christmas is more than merely “merry”. Christmas is mighty. Celebration – unfettered enjoyment, love…laughter…gifts and giving, trees and tinsel,…carols and bells…all of it – has an inherent potential for mightiness.
The qualifying factor is the presence of the Holy Spirit. When He is present, the accoutrements of Christmas…can bless, strengthen, heal, [and] restore…When He is absent, carols ring hollow. Greetings, wishes and smiles lie on the surface, like glitter glued on a flat card. Lights and decorations…can leave the heart more desolate than ever. But where the Holy Spirit is there is power…to change entrenched habits…transform cold hearts…grudges and expectations…lift lives out of the shadow…This Christmas, let Him come upon you. Welcome the…Holy Spirit…to move upon your life, and then make your own move…into the season’s best opportunities to bask in the wonder of it all…Reach out to those around: encourage, bless, bake, give, visit, invite, share, and lift hearts wherever you can. By…New Year…you’ll find Christmas to…have been marvellously, and even miraculously, mighty.’
However we choose to celebrate Christmas, let’s invite the Holy Spirit to be a part of it, and watch expectantly for God to move in mighty ways.
Isa 11:1-10; Luke 2:21-38
2021-12-25
Hosea 14:8 TLV
The word ‘celebrate’ means to rejoice, delight in, honour, and appreciate. Jack Hayford writes: ‘There is so much done in the name of Christmas that is neither pleasing nor honouring to Christ. Even so, I find myself doing battle…with…religious superstitions which argue against almost every observation of Christmas…against giving…against decorations, trees, or just plain fun, as though such participation defiled something holy. Such harsh debunking is nothing more than “holy humbug”.
A Christmas tree…is a specific statement…By means of this tree we are saying: We believe in celebration. We serve the God who “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17 NKJV) and who through history assigned…sacred appointments of feasting and rejoicing…”great gladness” (1 Chronicles 29:22 KJV)…Although no one can make a “biblical case” for Christmas trees, we gather around ours with joy. We see in its living branches a symbol of everlasting life given us because of Jesus’ death on the tree – whose naked crossbars Xed out death and ushered in forgiveness…and eternal hope. The lights…gleam a testimony of His Light-of-the-world glory. The ornaments reflect the decorative splendour with which His kindnesses adorn our lives. The star beams hope, with a heavenward ray, reminding us that from there He shall come again to receive us.’
Whether we’re celebrating by gathering around a tree, attending parties, tucking in to a feast, or however we choose to do Christmas, let’s not forget to celebrate the One who said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me…will have the light of life’ (John 8:12 NIV).
Isa 9:1-7; Matt 1:18-25; Micah 5:2-5a; Isa 7:14
2021-12-24
Luke 2:10 NIV
Are you excited for Christmas? Or do you secretly wish that it were all over already? For many people, Christmas is filled with dread instead of delight.
Author Jon Walker writes this: ‘There’s a darker side to Christmas we rarely acknowledge. We create this fantasy that seldom matches reality, even in the best of homes…many Christmas memories are full of tension, not tinsel…yet another reminder that the one we love is far away or perhaps never coming back…more people hurt at Christmas than we initially imagine.’
We may dread strained family gatherings, parties where we have to put on a happy face in spite of how we’re feeling, or reminders of painful past Christmases. Even if we enjoy this time of year, we might find the preparations stressful. Relatively trivial things like wondering if we’ve chosen the right present for someone or mentally calculating if we have enough wrapping paper can take tiny bites out of the joy of Christmas. But whatever is stealing our joy, let’s reclaim it back. Jon Walker continues with these words of encouragement: ‘For those tired of the hollow hope…of Christmas, the good news is, God is with us. Jesus came to earth to “bring…good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”
Regardless of your situation, Christmas is the best gift you’ll ever get, because: 1) it’s the costliest you’ll ever receive because it cost Jesus His life; 2) it’s the only gift that lasts forever; 3) it’s one you can enjoy for the rest of your life.’ We can get so weighed down by all the things we’ve made Christmas about – the food, the parties, the decorations, and so on – that we sometimes lose sight of what it’s really about. This year, let’s try to focus on the true meaning – the gift of Jesus.
1 Cor 4-6; Matt 1:12-17; Ps 117; Prov 31:18-21
2021-12-23
Proverbs 15:27 AMP
Paul wrote these words to Timothy: ‘People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows’ (1 Timothy 6:9-10 NLT). This is often misquoted as ‘money is the root of all evil,’ but what the Bible actually says is quite different. If money was inherently evil, God wouldn’t have blessed Solomon with it (take a look at 1 Kings 3:13).
There’s nothing wrong with having money. The real problem starts when we let a love for money become more powerful than our love for God. Then money can control us, and our desire for more can lead us to acquire it in the wrong way. ‘He who profits unlawfully brings suffering to his own house, but he who hates bribes [and does not receive nor pay them] will live’ (Proverbs 15:27 AMP). We might think one small lapse won’t matter because nobody will be hurt by it. But the impact of dishonesty can be wide ranging, and we probably won’t realise the total effect that it can have in the long run.
When it comes to having a healthy relationship with money, we should pay attention to our desire for more. If we find that money is our main driving force, the only thing that motivates us, we need to check in with God to make sure we’re not letting it replace Him in our lives, and that we’re not allowing it to lead us towards a path of dishonesty. When we’re honest with Him and listen to His wisdom, He’ll help us get back on track.
1 Cor 1-3; Matt 1:6b-11; Ps 113; Prov 31:14-17
2021-12-22
Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV
Moses spoke these words to the Israelites: ‘You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today’ (v.17-18 NIV).
As we saw in yesterday’s reading, the right way to earn money is through hard work and honest work, not through cheating or ungodly methods. But Moses’ words remind us that we must always remember the ultimate source of our money – God. We need to give Him the gratitude and glory for blessing us with the skills that enable us to do a good job, and for guiding us in the right way to go.
There’s a great feeling of satisfaction that comes from a job well done, and it isn’t necessarily wrong to feel proud about what we’ve done. Paul encouraged Timothy by saying, ‘Be a worker who is not ashamed’ (2 Timothy 2:15 NCV). If we stop caring, we won’t be inclined to out the effort into doing a good job. But what we need to watch out for is the type of pride that makes us shine the spotlight only on ourselves while forgetting God’s involvement.
So if we realise that we’ve been neglecting God’s part in our work, what can we do? A good starting point is to try and keep in mind the words of Colossians 3:23: ‘In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the LORD, not for people’ (NCV). When we realise that God’s the source for everything we have, we’ll want to praise Him more and more for His blessings.
Malachi 1-4; Matt 1:1-6a; Ps 128; Prov 31:10-13
2021-12-21
Proverbs 10:22 NCV
There are about five hundred Bible verses on prayer, and more than two thousand on handling money and possessions. It’s an important issue. Money-related problems can often be the cause of family tension and mistrust. And there’s a reason for this: money and stress often go hand in hand.
God isn’t necessarily opposed to us having money, but there are right and wrong ways to earn it. The Bible teaches that money should come through hard work. ‘All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty’ (Proverbs 14:23 NIV). ‘Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but he who gathers gradually by [honest] labour will increase [his riches]’ (Proverbs 13:11 AMP). God expects those who ‘labour’ to give a good day’s work, just as He expects those in management to pay a good day’s wage. The workforce enables the management to make a profit, while the management enables the workforce to make a salary. An honestly made profit and a well-earned salary are pleasing to God. But our money must also be made through honest work. ‘A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty’ (Proverbs 22:16 NLT).
Eugene Peterson puts the issue this way: ‘Switching price tags and padding the expense account are two things GOD hates’ (Proverbs 20:10 MSG). ‘The LORD’s blessing brings wealth, and no sorrow comes with it.’ When we earn money dishonestly or in a way that God doesn’t approve of, eventually we’ll face the consequences. But if the way we earn money honours God, we’re doing it right.
Zech 12-14; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
