BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK [SUNDAY 30 DECEMBER 2012 TO SATURDAY 5 JANUARY 2013]

31. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

32. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. - Ephesians 4 verse 31 to 32 (NKJV)

CHRISTMAS DAY 2012 [DEVOTION OF THE WEEK ~ SUNDAY 23 DECEMBER 2012 TO SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 2013]

NOTICE: The following article is written by the author itself and not by me, I am not trying to violate their copyright. I will give some information on them. As it is Christmas 2012, I will post two devotion of the week articles (one was on the eve of Christmas).

PAGE TITLE: CBN Daily Devotional

ARTICLE TITLE: Christmas Joy All Year

DATE: N.A

AUTHOR: Kay W. Camenisch

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Kay W. Camenisch is the author of Uprooting Anger: Destroying the Monster Within. She has been published in The Upper Room and The Lookout. Contemporary Drama has published one of her plays, and she is a regular contributor to a newspaper column. Send Kay your comments.

Kay is also a pastor’s wife, mother, and grandmother. She has worked closely in ministry with her husband, including in local churches, as missionaries in Brazil, working with a church school, training young adults to mentor troubled youth, and establishing and directing a ranch for troubled young men. Visit Kay's Web Site

URL: http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Camenisch_christmasjoy.aspx

& http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Camenisch_christmasjoy.aspx?option=print

Erma Bombeck, an American author and humorist, once said, “There’s nothing sadder than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.” I’m sure that when she said that, she was thinking of the joy and wonder of a child opening presents on Christmas morning. I experienced such a Christmas in the second grade.

It was the year I wanted a baby doll. My sister and I usually got similar gifts. Generally, she’d get a doll with brown hair and I’d get an identical doll, except mine would have blond hair and blue eyes to match my coloring. The year that stands out in my memory, Jean wanted a bride doll, but with all my heart I wanted a doll that was like a real baby. My excitement about Christmas morning was tempered by concern about what kind of doll I would find under the tree.

I was the first one awake on Christmas morning. In the quiet, I could almost hear my own heartbeat as I tiptoed down the hall and peeped around the corner. 

There she was! Sitting under the tip of a tree branch was the sweetest baby doll you ever saw. She wore soft, cuddly pink pajamas that begged for a hug. A little matching bonnet covered her smooth head and the light brown hair painted on it. A baby bottle was fastened to her right wrist with a tiny rubber band. Her left fingers wrapped around a pink rattle, which was also secured with a rubber band.

I gazed in frozen wonder before moving in to touch. My fingers tingled as I reached and gently touched her stomach. Sure enough, her skin was soft and flexible, good for cuddling. She was perfect—like a real baby—not hard and stiff like some dolls. 

I’m sure Erma Bombeck was thinking of such precious moments when she made her comment. But, the wonder and joy doesn’t have to stop when we grow up. I recall the Christmas I went to Brazil to meet my husband’s family. His parents had sent a list of things to buy for his brothers’ gifts. We carried engines and such to fly model airplanes. 

I knew they would be thrilled, and I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed watching them more than I did opening my own gifts. I’d never had so much fun around the tree. Later I experienced the same anticipation and excitement as our children opened their presents. Since they are grown and live in other states, Christmas is a bit quiet around our house, but I’ve learned that the Christmas season doesn’t have to be dull, even without children around. 

The wonder and joy I experienced when I found Susie under the tree was a self-centered joy of having my dream fulfilled. There is nothing wrong with that. However, part of maturing is growing out of our self-centeredness. As we mature, we learn to rejoice with those around us and share their joy. 

There is even greater joy and wonder to be the one that brings joy to others. I can imagine that my parents were overflowing as they watched me with Susie. It really “is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). If we want more joy at Christmas, it’s amazingly simple. All we have to do is give more joy to others. 

The late American newscaster Eric Sevareid seemed to understand our need to give to others. He said, “There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.” 

Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38). The truth applies all year long, but maybe Sevareid is right. Maybe it is a good thing we have one day a year that encourages us to practice it. Maybe seeing it prove true in December will encourage us to put it into practice all year long.

May your Christmas and New Year be filled with joy!

CHRISTMAS EVE 2012 [DEVOTION OF THE WEEK ~ SUNDAY 23 DECEMBER 2012 TO SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 2013]

NOTICE: The following article is written by the author itself and not by me, I am not trying to violate their copyright. I will give some information on them. As it is Christmas Eve 2012, I will post two devotion of the week articles.

PAGE TITLE: CBN Daily Devotional

ARTICLE TITLE: Christmas: It's About Being with God

DATE: N.A

AUTHOR: Craig von Buseck

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Craig von Buseck is a published author, popular speaker and a contributing writer for CBN.com. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and an MA in Religious Journalism from Regent University. His most recent book by Regal Publishers, Praying the News, was co-written by CBN News anchor Wendy Griffith.

Craig is also the author of NetCasters: Using the Internet to Make Fishers of Men and Seven Keys to Hearing God's Voice. Craig has extensive ministry and speaking experience. He travels often to minister in churches and speak at writers conferences and professional events. Find other articles and interviews by Craig von Buseck on CBN.com or at www.vonbuseck.com.

URL: http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/vonbuseck-christmas-god-with-us.aspx & http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/vonbuseck-christmas-god-with-us.aspx?option=print

Craig von Buseck

Christmas Devotion

Christmas: It's About Being with God

By Craig von Buseck

Did you know that Christmas is about God wanting to have a relationship with you? 

You might have thought it was about presents, or peace on earth, good will to man … that sort of thing – and it is in a lesser way. But at the center of the Christmas message is a God of love who desires to be with you.

That's right. God wants to spend time with you. 

That's why the Father sent Jesus to be born as a little baby. It set in motion this whole plan of love in Jesus' death and resurrection that would break through the barrier of sin and reunite mankind with a loving Heavenly Papa.

Hanging out with mankind was God's idea from the beginning. The Bible says that God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden. The Father sent Jesus because he wanted to renew that kind of intimate fellowship with us.

During the Christmas season we often sing the classic hymn, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," but have you ever thought about what this familiar song means?

The text is based on the biblical prophecy from Isaiah 7:14:

...the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (ESV).

The name Emmanuel literally means "God with us." God gave Jesus to mankind as the first Christmas present.

The Apostle Paul tells of the wonder of this idea several times in his letters.

…God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col. 1:27, ESV)

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. (2 Cor. 5:18, NLT)

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10, ESV)

Jesus Himself made it clear that relationship with God should be our highest priority in this life.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:7-8, NKJV)

It is God's will that we remain in fellowship with Him for all eternity. We see this in the beautiful hope-filled words of Apostle John in his revelation:

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. (Rev. 21:3, NLT)

This is the glorious news that we proclaim to the nations, that Jesus is Emmanuel. By His shed blood, He has ransomed captive Israel – and now He lives with us through the precious Holy Spirit. 

So have a very merry Christmas knowing that God loves you and wants to be with you. May you know the presence of your Heavenly Father in a special way during this blessed season. And may you join with God's people in singing this glorious hymn, both now and forevermore: 

"Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel, shall come to thee oh Israel."

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK [SUNDAY 23 DECEMBER 2012 TO SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 2012]

7. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. – John 15 verse 7 to 8 (NKJV)