Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.—Psalm 95:6 NIV
Carols are an integral part of the Christmas season. “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant…O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!” The admonition here is clear: Gaze in gratitude and awe at the wonder of His birth.
Heavenly Father, today I’ll sing Your praises in my heart. Glory to God in the highest!
We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.—2 Chronicles 20:12 (NIV)
In the above verse, King Jehoshaphat called out to God for guidance. When you are in a situation and you don’t know what to do, repeat this Scripture and shift your thinking away from your problem and onto God.
Lord, I turn to You knowing that You are always there, an ever-present Source of peace and guidance.
On this fourth Sunday of Advent, take a moment and ponder what Jesus wants most. What gift can you offer? Is it forgiveness, gratitude, humility, or possibly more time dedicated to studying His Word and growing closer to Him?
Heavenly Father, I long to spend more time with you in prayer, to grow firm in my faith. I long to please You.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.—Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
As you prepare for Jesus’ coming, consider this: each and every day Jesus is planning your future and preparing blessings for you to discover on your path. Some gifts are designed to help you grow in faith. Others are signs of His presence to reassure you that you are not alone and that because of your faith, anything is possible. Life is amazing!
Heavenly Father, I am in awe of Your limitless wonders. I celebrate You, my glorious God.
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.—Psalm 94:19 (NIV)
Unfortunately, worries and problems don’t take a vacation during the holiday season. If you are upset about something, take a moment and tell God about it. Give words to your worries and then let them go. Let them rise above to Him for His care.
Lord, I release my fears and problems. I trust my future with You and look forward to finding the peace I deserve this Christmas because I know all is well in Your hands.
The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”—1 Kings 19:7 (NIV)
In the above verse, Elijah is feeling down and the angel of the Lord nudges him toward self-care. As you go out of your way doing good deeds and finding the perfect gifts for others, don’t forget to give yourself something special, maybe a new prayer journal or a book that touches your spirit. Or send a donation in your name to a charity that means a lot to you. Treat yourself. You deserve it.
Lord, thank You for teaching me the importance of taking care of myself and nurturing my spirit.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”—Matthew 1:20 (ESV)
Joseph was facing a very difficult decision when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Throughout the Bible there are a number of instances where God uses dreams to guide and protect. If you are in need of God’s guidance, ask for His help right before bedtime.
Dear God, I need Your guidance and divine instruction. Please help me with this problem while I sleep.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”—John 8:12 (NIV)
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross said, “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” Do you hold the Light of Christ in your heart? When you reflect His love, compassion and wisdom into the world, you glow with His beauty.
Heavenly Father, radiate Your loving Light through me. Transform me by the glow of Your Spirit; the deeper the darkness, the brighter I will shine.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.—JAMES 1:6 (ESV)
Advent is a time to wholeheartedly align your inner light with Him; to work on all that is unresolved in your faith. Christ has come, He is with us. Yet there is holiness in faithfully pondering prayers that are unanswered and developing steadfast devotion that doesn’t waver in doubt.
Almighty Father, help me to feel the guidance, strength and grace of Your presence each day.
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.”—Luke 1:46 (ESV)
The above verse is the beginning of the prayer that Mary prayed when the angel announced she would be the mother of Jesus. On this third Sunday of Advent pray Mary’s beautiful words and consider ways that you can glorify Him every day.
My soul magnifies You, oh Lord, and I rejoice in the coming of the Savior.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.—John 13:34 (NIV)
The holidays can put families under stress. If you have strained relationships with loved ones, take a moment and pray about it. Ask God to help you respond to contention with kindness and guide you to words and actions that are rooted in love.
Dear God, give me the patience to bear disagreements and generosity to share my joys. Open my heart with Your understanding and help me bring comfort to those around me.
As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.—2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV)
Faith is having the vision to see beyond life’s challenges to the brightness of better days. When you develop your spiritual vision you see possibilities instead of problems and recognize the importance of “things unseen.” You trust God’s hidden workings and live in harmony with His plans.
Dear Lord, I faithfully believe in things that are unseen.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly…—1 CORINTHIANS 9:26 (NIV)
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.—PROVERBS 12:25 (NIV
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship.—Romans 12:1 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.—Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.—1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”—Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV)
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.—Philippians 3:13 (NIV)
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.—Genesis 1:21 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.—Romans 12:2 (NIV)prayer
Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.—Genesis 5:24 (NIV)
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.—Genesis 50:20 (NIV) Bib
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.—Luke 6:38 (NIV)
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”—John 15:13 (NIV)
I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.—Psalm 119:30–32 (NIV)
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.—Psalm 1:3 (KJV)
But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.—Jeremiah 10:12 (NIV)
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.—1 Samuel 18:1 (ESV)
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”—Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.—John 15:12 (ESV)
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.—2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
