Resumen del Editor

Bring some Spirit-filled peace into your hectic schedule every weekday morning with this new Daily Devotional.
Episodios
  • December 23rd - Luke 2:1-3

    December 23rd - Luke 2:1-3
    Dec 23 2025
    Luke 2:1-3 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. A friend of mine once commented to me that he wasn’t bothered whether the story of Jesus’ birth was historically accurate or not. He was happy to accept it as simply a beautiful story. Dr Luke, who wrote this gospel, would have profoundly disagreed. For Luke, the historical context of Jesus’ birth was of crucial importance, so he supplied us with more information than any of the other gospel writers. It was typical of the Romans to conduct censuses. They liked to have a clear account of what was going on throughout their vast empire. Joseph and Mary made the long and arduous journey from Nazareth, in the north of the country, to the ancestral home of Joseph in Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem in the south. The meticulous historical details are of vital importance because they make it clear that Jesus fully entered into human life. God became part of our world, with all its challenges and difficulties. Jesus arrived at a time of humiliation for the Jewish people as they lived under the oppression of Roman occupation. It was a time of struggle and threat, indeed so much so that not long after Jesus’ birth, his parents were obliged to take him to Egypt to avoid the threat of King Herod, who was insanely jealous at the thought of a rival king turning up in his kingdom. As we celebrate Christmas this year, we do so in a world that is struggling in a vast number of ways. There have never been more displaced people in the world than there are today. There is much violence, fear, brokenness and pain. The wonder of Christmas is that we celebrate that God comes to our world, broken and sad as it is, and offers his gift of new life through Jesus. Just as God didn’t wait for the world to become peaceful and harmonious before he sent his precious son, so too he comes to us amid the present turmoil and offers his gift of peace. Question In what way do the circumstances of Jesus’ birth give you encouragement this Christmas? Prayer Loving Father, thank you for sending Jesus to our troubled world, and for the peace that he offers us today. Amen
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    4 m
  • December 22nd - Luke 1:78-79

    December 22nd - Luke 1:78-79
    Dec 22 2025
    Luke 1:78-79 “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” There is something very exciting about the start of a new day. I love those times when I am up early in the morning, long before most people are awake. The streets are empty, and you feel that you have the place to yourself, but you know that the day is just about to begin and, within a short time, children will be going to school and the streets will be filled with vehicles. A new day is underway. In this wonderful song of praise, Zechariah recognises that with the coming of the Messiah, a new chapter of history is just about to begin, and his son John will be preparing the way for him. Jesus’ ministry brought light to the world. For hundreds of years, the Jews had been waiting for this moment. There had not only been no prophet in the land, but they had passed through some times of terrible persecution. They were sitting in darkness, but all of that was to change with the coming of Jesus. No longer did people need to languish in the darkness and live in the fear of death. Jesus came to lead them into a new life that would be characterised by peace, love and joy. There is a great deal of cynicism in our society. Many people see life as a constant struggle, and continually getting worse, but Jesus comes to us all today with a message of hope. He offers his light to anyone who will open their life to him, and promises to lead us on the path of peace. Of course, people can choose to shut their eyes and continue to sit in darkness. But for all who open their lives to the new life of Christ, a brand-new day begins. Question In what ways has Christ inaugurated a new day in your life? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the light that now shines in my life through Christ. Amen
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    3 m
  • December 21st - Luke 1:76-77

    December 21st - Luke 1:76-77
    Dec 21 2025
    Luke 1:76-77 “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.” In his song of praise, Zechariah makes an incredible claim. There had been no prophet in the land for about 400 years, but he claimed that his little son would fulfil that role. More than that, he declared that John would be preparing the way for the long-promised Messiah who would bring salvation to the world. What an amazing moment this was for Zechariah, the elderly priest, who had long believed that he would never be a father! God had very different plans for him. The importance of John the Baptist was not in himself, but in the one to whom he pointed. His role was to prepare the ground for the coming of the saviour of the world. The context may be different, but that is precisely our role. God doesn’t call us to draw attention to ourselves, but to prepare the way for others to meet Jesus. The Christmas season gives us amazing opportunities for pointing to Jesus. Many people who would never normally consider attending a church service during the rest of the year gladly accept an invitation to a carol service. Recent statistics show that about three times as many attend at Christmas as on a ‘normal’ Sunday. Preparing the way for Jesus was tough for John the Baptist. People were not eager to hear his message, and he spent much of his ministry in the desert. His prominent role brought him into conflict with the king and, finally, to his brutal death. No one said that introducing people to Jesus was an easy task, but it is certainly the most wonderful and valuable thing that we can ever do. Question In what ways are you able to introduce people to Jesus? Prayer Loving God, help me to seize every opportunity for helping people to meet Jesus. Amen
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    3 m
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