01 - Advent
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
Christmas–Advent 2023
Day 1 | ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS?
Christmas–Advent 2023
Day 1 | ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS?
ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS?
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I thought I would do the next four weeks about advent and get us ready – in our thinking, in our emotions, and spiritually – for celebrating the birth of our Lord.
John 1:1-4
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.”
It’s common right after Thanksgiving to start asking friends and family, “Are you ready for Christmas?” This usually means: have you started your shopping? Are you checking out the Black Friday sales? Are you ordering online this year? And so on.
But, are you READY to celebrate the Birthday of the Son of God? The Creator of all that is?
John 1 reminds us of some essential facts. Specifically, that Jesus (the Word) was with God in eternity past. And of course, as a member of the Trinity, He was with the Father and the Spirit from eternity past. But the verse reminds us that EVERYTHING that has been created (the world, the universe, the sun, moon, and stars) – was created THROUGH HIM—all of it.
That makes Jesus MORE than just a religious leader; it makes Him the Divine Creator of all that we enjoy about this world and our lives.
Let me ask: If such an important person were coming to your town: would you go see Him? Would you prepare? Dress well? And be honored to meet Him? (I certainly would!)
Prayer: Father God, help me treat THIS Christmas and the birth of your Son Jesus with the respect and excitement it is due! Help me NOT to treat this Christmas as just another Christmas. Please help me to get ready to make it memorable in some way. Amen.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I thought I would do the next four weeks about advent and get us ready – in our thinking, in our emotions, and spiritually – for celebrating the birth of our Lord.
John 1:1-4
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.”
It’s common right after Thanksgiving to start asking friends and family, “Are you ready for Christmas?” This usually means: have you started your shopping? Are you checking out the Black Friday sales? Are you ordering online this year? And so on.
But, are you READY to celebrate the Birthday of the Son of God? The Creator of all that is?
John 1 reminds us of some essential facts. Specifically, that Jesus (the Word) was with God in eternity past. And of course, as a member of the Trinity, He was with the Father and the Spirit from eternity past. But the verse reminds us that EVERYTHING that has been created (the world, the universe, the sun, moon, and stars) – was created THROUGH HIM—all of it.
That makes Jesus MORE than just a religious leader; it makes Him the Divine Creator of all that we enjoy about this world and our lives.
Let me ask: If such an important person were coming to your town: would you go see Him? Would you prepare? Dress well? And be honored to meet Him? (I certainly would!)
Prayer: Father God, help me treat THIS Christmas and the birth of your Son Jesus with the respect and excitement it is due! Help me NOT to treat this Christmas as just another Christmas. Please help me to get ready to make it memorable in some way. Amen.