Day 18 - 40 Days of JOY
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of JOY
Day 18 | WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
40 Days of JOY
Day 18 | WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
Luke 2:10-11
“And so the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” (NASB)
Anyone who gone to church at Christmas time has probably heard these verses.
First, the shepherds were afraid. Well, why not? Seeing and hearing a colossal angel must have been frightening. But then the shepherds are told, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.”
Here’s what I say about the word “ALL” – “All means all and that’s all, all means.”
So, does that ALL include you and me? Of course, it does!
Why?
Consider what life would be like if the LORD had NOT gotten involved on earth after Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” No Jesus, no Holy Spirit, no Scriptures, no salvation, no heaven for us, no angels to help, no right, no wrong, nothing that helps give life meaning and clarity. Just brokenness, sin, Satan and his demons everywhere – a real mess or, might I say, an absolute hell on earth. Genesis 1:2 tells us how it was: “And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep.” That’s what things are like without the LORD.
You see, those angels that night were absolutely correct. Because of Jesus Christ, our Savior, we have access to a real relationship with Him and at least the possibility – if we live our lives right – of a life full of God-blessed JOY!
Prayer: LORD, I am again so thankful for ALL you’ve done. I don’t remember and say it often enough, but I am GLAD; I am JOYFUL that YOU are my Lord and Savior and that I can know you personally. Amen.
Luke 2:10-11
“And so the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” (NASB)
Anyone who gone to church at Christmas time has probably heard these verses.
First, the shepherds were afraid. Well, why not? Seeing and hearing a colossal angel must have been frightening. But then the shepherds are told, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.”
Here’s what I say about the word “ALL” – “All means all and that’s all, all means.”
So, does that ALL include you and me? Of course, it does!
Why?
Consider what life would be like if the LORD had NOT gotten involved on earth after Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” No Jesus, no Holy Spirit, no Scriptures, no salvation, no heaven for us, no angels to help, no right, no wrong, nothing that helps give life meaning and clarity. Just brokenness, sin, Satan and his demons everywhere – a real mess or, might I say, an absolute hell on earth. Genesis 1:2 tells us how it was: “And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep.” That’s what things are like without the LORD.
You see, those angels that night were absolutely correct. Because of Jesus Christ, our Savior, we have access to a real relationship with Him and at least the possibility – if we live our lives right – of a life full of God-blessed JOY!
Prayer: LORD, I am again so thankful for ALL you’ve done. I don’t remember and say it often enough, but I am GLAD; I am JOYFUL that YOU are my Lord and Savior and that I can know you personally. Amen.