This document contains a daily Advent devotional reading for November 30th through December 6th. It includes passages from the books of Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Luke as well as poems and reflections on the passages. The overall message is about preparing for the birth of Jesus and the prophecy of his coming as the Messiah and Savior as foretold by the prophets.

1. Advent Devotional Booklet 2014

2. 2
November 30, 2014
“The days are coming,”declares the LORD, “when Iwill raise up for David a righteous
Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do whatis justand rightin the land. In his days Ju-
dah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called:
The LORD Our Righteous Savior.” Jeremiah 23:5-6
The Prophecy
Chorus
Behold, the days are coming when the LORD will raise up a righteous branch for David.
Behold the days are coming when a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judg-
mentand justice in the earth.
In His days, Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell in safety and this is the name
whereby He shall be called: The LORD our Righteousness.
The Tree
Crystal J. Kirgiss
Whether shortor tall,
bentor straight,
young or old,
full or bare,
once chosen and decorated
with tender care
each tree becomes lovely,
bathed in lights,
wrapped in color,
clothed in newness…
a symbol of bent, bare empty lives
chosen by the Father,
bathed in Light,
wrapped in Hope,
clothed in Forgiveness,
REBORN,
because long ago
a tiny babe
entered our world
and shattered the darkness.
From “Christmas Stories for the Heart”

3. 3
December 1, 2014
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel,“since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spiritwill come upon you, and the power ofthe Most
High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son ofGod. Even
Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be
barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:34-38
No one could have been more surprised or perplexed than Mary when she was told
she was told by the angel that she would have a baby! All Christians believe that Christ’s
conception was a miracle. We believe that “nothing is impossible with God.” Or do we?
When we pray for things that to our human minds seem impossible, do we really believe
God will intervene? Does God really care aboutsome ofthe “small things”thatoccur in our
day to day lives and should we really bother Him with them? I want to share a story that
occurred during the recentWorld Series thatreminds me thatHe does care!
Joseph is in fourth grade. When the Royals won the ALC Championship his greatest
desire was to go to a game atthe K. We all knowthat the tickets were superexpensive and
that there were none to be had. His mother has a strong faith and beliefin prayer. She has
taught Joseph that God is a God oflastminute miracles. She suggested he pray aboutthe
situation. He did. On the day ofthe seventh game his father came home from work with two
tickets and they wentto the game!!! God doesn’talways answer prayers with a “yes”in such
a dramatic way. Sometimes the answer is “no” or “wait”. Butour responsibility is to pray, be-
lieve, and let Him make the decision just as Joseph did. God knows all and wants whatis
best for us. I know that sometimes when I pray Ithink whatI’m praying aboutis impossible.
I hope I will remember this story the nexttime thathappens. God really does care aboutthe
little things in our lives and with Him “nothing is impossible”.
Sue Krall

4. 4
December 2, 2014
The people walking in darkness have seen a greatlight; on those living in the land of
the shadow ofdeath a lighthas dawned. Isaiah 9:2
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Verse 1
Let all mortal flesh keep silence and in fear and trembling stand.
Pondernothing worldly minded,for with blessing in His hand
Christ our Lord to earth descendeth ourfull homage to demand.
Verse 2
King of kings yet born of Mary, as of old on earth He stood.
Lord of lords in human vesture,in the body and the blood,
He will give to all the faithful His own self for heav’nly food.
Verse 3
Rank on rank, the hostof heaven,spreads its vanguard on the way.
As the Lightof light descendeth,from the realm of endless day,
That the pow’rs of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.
Verse 4
At His feet the six winged Seraph,Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the Presence. As with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Lord MostHigh!”
In preceding chapters Isaiah is telling the Jews that God is tired of their hypocrisy.
God is saying that the Jews go through the motions ofreligion, offering sacrifices and pray-
ing when others are watching. But it’s just an act. After two centuries as a nation, the Isra-
elites do not understand what it means to be God’s people. The spiritual gloom of Isaiah
8:22 (”And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of
anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”)
Chapter 9:1 proclaims a differentmessage. The spiritual gloom will be destroyed for-
ever by the light of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This verse refers to those people who had
previously refused to faithfully keep the covenant, but with this prediction a great light (the
Messiah) will give sinners greatjoy forever. Whata glorious gift we have been given!
This message certainly parallels our study of THE STORY where we read aboutthe
refusal of God’s chosen people to continually follow the covenant. They follow it, then they
fall into sin again and again. They are redeemed and then choose sin/darkness. In today’s
culture we are faced with this same dilemma. As Pastor Mark says “Whose movie are we

5. 5
in?” Even though we try to remain faithful, we cannot without God’s continual love and gui-
dance given to us through prayer and Bible study.
Isaiah 60:9 says “No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to
give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light.” This is our great
hope!
Christ’s peace,
Jean McHenry

6. 6
December 3, 2014
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his
shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on
David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and right-
eousness from thattime on and forever. The zeal ofthe LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6-7
For Unto Us a Child Is Born
Chorus
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His
shoulders.
And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
the Prince ofPeace.
Our church family began a journey on September 10 of this year – an epic journey
unfolding the greatest story ever told. We are captivated by the unfolding of God’s story
and His relentless pursuit of us. So far it has certainly been an eventful and often difficult
journey.
We have witnessed human failures over and over beginning with Adam and Eve. We
have seen God use weak, flawed, and often questionable characters, men and women, to
accomplish his plans again and again – Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah,
Jacob,Leah, Rachel and sons (12 in all) from Reuben to Benjamin with a focus on Joseph,
Moses and Aaron, Joshua, Gideon, Deborah, and Samson and Delilah, and Naomi and
Ruth. We have seen deception, betrayal, love, war, mystery, physical strength, moral weak-
ness,redemption,kindness,disobedience,and never forgetthe grumbling, whining, and ar-
guing. We have seen God’s will prevail every time – every single time…
We don’t have to look far to find ourselves in the characters of God’s Story. It’s not
hard to equate those times with the times in which we are living. Today, there is no deficit
of deception,betrayal, wars, grumbling,whining,arguing,and disobedience, is there? Here,
in the Lower Story, it all begins to look rather bleak, doesn’t it? But, in the Upper Story,
where God dwells, there is a plan. A plan to save us, to overcome this world and to live and
walk again with God.
We are still building to God’s plan to redeem His creation in The Story, but Here It Is.
Prophesied byIsaiah in the Old Testament. Presented to us in the NewTestament. Jesus,
born a babe in a manger,growing and learning as we all did even leading his parents on a

7. 7
merry chase in Jerusalem,beginning his ministry as an adult with a baptism by John the
Baptist, preaching healing,advising then ultimately dying on the cross,buried,and resurrec-
ted on the 3rd day, and nowsitting on the right hand of God. Paying the price for oursins.
Offering us everlasting life. Worthy of the names
 WonderfulCounselor
 The Mighty God
 The Everlasting Father
 The Prince of Peace
A child was born unto us…
Blessings,
JaniceStewart

8. 8
December 4, 2014
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him – the Spiritofwisdom and ofunderstanding, the Spirit
of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD – and He will
delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide
by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice
He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His
mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His beltand
faithfulness the sash around His waist. Isaiah 11:1-5
Lo! How a Rose E’er Blooming
Verse 1
Lo, howa Rose e’er blooming from tenderstem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,as men of old have sung.
It came,a floweret bright,
Amid the cold of winter, when half spentwas the night.
Verse 2
Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.
To showGod’s love aright,
She bore to men a Savior, when half spentwas the night.
Verse 3
This Flower, whose fragrance tenderwith sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendorthe darkness everywhere;
True Man,yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us, and lightens every load.
It is 11/12/14 as I write this. Before the day is over, there shall come forth a shoot
from the stump of Joseph – Joseph Jrolf. Yes, grandchild #6 will be here by the end ofthe
day. We can pray that “righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the
girdle of his loins”(italics mine).
“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”is one ofmy favorite carols because ofthe harmon-
ies – especially those atthe end ofeach verse when the alto line goes up the scale pastthe
descending soprano line. I love that part so much that I often abandon the soprano line at
the end of each verse just to sing that simple, beautiful alto line. The piece is difficultto pre-
sent, however, because it’s slow and pensive and easy to sing too slowly.
The shoot from the stump of Jesse part of this passage from Isaiah is actually the
only partofthe passage addressed in this carol, which isn’tto say thatwe shouldn’tconnect
the two. They both allow us to know a little more about who Jesus was and is. Atthis mo-

9. 9
ment, I am in awe of Isaiah’s position as a prophet. How did he know to write or speak
(maybe both) these words which we, in retrospect, see as a clear prediction ofthe coming
of Christ? Did he hear God telling him these exact words, or did he “just”feel compelled to
spill out what was filling his heart, mind and soul? Did he have a vision ofthe actual, physi-
cal Jesus? How much detail did God share with him? Was he ridiculed or revered for his
prophecies? Did he feel blessed to be a prophetor was ita burdensome fate?
This is what happens to me when Iread the Bible. Iwonder whatitwas like to be the
people who wrote what I read, what it was like to be the people aboutwhom the stories are
written, and what it was like to be alive during those times. It is important, I believe, to con-
sider those things because the context IS important for the understanding of the Bible. Fi-
nally, however I must bring myself back to today – this day, this generation, this country,
and this world, this Advent season. I await the birth of a little boy as the world, and espe-
cially we as Christians, remember how long the world waited for the birth of the little boy
who was and is “true man yet very God.” My little boy, my grandson, will probably surprise
me, his parents,and other relatives as he grows and becomes someone otherthan whatwe
expect. Jesus was notwhatwas expected. (Did Isaiah have a true understanding ofthat?)
He was so much more – inconceivably more than anyone had expected or hoped for. That
is what my pondering brings me to. Christmastime is the darkest time of the year, but the
Jesus we knowand aboutwhom we are learning more and more as we study together, “dis-
pels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere.” Be still, in the midst of your hustle
and bustle – and as the new year begins – and own the promises ofthe Savior. “From sin
and death he saves us and lightens every load.”
Allegra Jrolf

10. 10
December 5, 2014
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in
the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and
hill made low; the rough ground shallbecome level, the rugged places a plain. And the glo-
ry of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the
LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5
A wilderness, a desert, a valley, a mountain, uneven ground, rugged places. These
are powerful images of the many obstacles before us, keeping us in a constant state of
struggling to get past them. How can we possibly getpast? It’s justso hard all the time and
we have exhausted ourselves from the striving. The answer is “we”can’tgetpast, “we”can’t
move forward.
Tenderly, the prophetspotlights a remedy for the insurmountable obstacles – a high-
way through the wilderness, a raising up of the deep valley, a making low of the mountain
and hills, level ground and a broad easy plain instead of rough ground. Such comforting
words: a way to pass across…. and to top itoff, a revelation ofthe glory ofthe LORD. A way
to pass across was made, buthow?
Because Jesus became flesh, born into our reality by love, powerfully dealing with
the obstacles that we had no chance against. Grace came into our world. Jesus our Savior
was born for the purpose of making a way for us to get past the obstacle of sin so that we
could experience the glory of the LORD. This is good news. Rejoice! Give thanks. Stand
amazed!
Thank You Lord, Jesus, that You came to us, when we had no way to come to You.
Thank You for dealing with the sin we could not solve. Blessed Jesus, this Christmas sea-
son, give us hearts ready to receive You and bring glory to the Father. Amen.
Melissa Gould

11. 11
December 6, 2014
In those days CaesarAugustus issued a decree that a census should be taken ofthe
entire Roman world. (This is the firstcensus thattook place while Quirinius was governor of
Syria.) And everyone wentto his own town to register.
So Joseph also wentup from the town ofNazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem
the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to
register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While
they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a
son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room
for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-7
David approached me this week to tell me thathe had sadly ripped a hole in the un-
derside of his comforter as he had wrapped up tightly in the night. He has been a bitunder
the weather and a mighty cough has kepthim from sleeping well. The single digitnightwith
the restlessness had him snugging in a bitcloser than usual, maybe. Iwas so happy to tell
him it could be easily mended,because, as you know, there are justsome “rips”thatare too
big for a needle and thread. There are many little mending projects thatdon’tgetquick at-
tention but this one was done before I went out for the day. Why was this one so urgentto
me?
As parents, one of our first little care lessons is to make certain our tiny one is warm.
Some new ones are born with a startle reflex that will awaken them as soon as they driftoff
to sleep and keep this reflex longer than others. Books have been written by experts who try
to communicate their elaborate theories and methods for calming crying babies during the
night. Sometimes, itis as simple as a close, close swaddle until this reflex calms. (We have
experience…the snug swaddle was wondrous…)
I have thought so much about Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, Joseph on
foot and Mary probably on the donkey. I believe that if Mary could only find space to take
one thing for Jesus, it was a blanket or swaddling cloth. It was a soft, clean, warm blanket
that maybe her mom or a valued woman, probably another mother, had tucked into her
hands as they said tearful a goodbye. Itwas a connection with the giver thatgave courage
and strength. That blanket had to be wrapped around baby Jesus….the giver ofthat blan-
ket was notthere to do it.
God offers each ofus a blanketof Love. His Name is Jesus.
Life is hard some days and weeks and we lose our grip on our “blanket.” Jesus is al-
ways there. We say goodbye to loved ones and Jesus is always there. Change comes in
unexpectedly and Jesus is always there.
Dear Heavenly Father… Thank You. Simply thank You. In Jesus Name… thank
You.
Julia Horowitz

12. 12
December 7, 2014
Prepare for the Birth of Jesus
Advent is a time to deepen yourfaith and considerhowthe coming ofour Savior will
change yourlife.
By Gina Bridgeman, Phoenix, Arizona
Joseph went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and
was expecting a child. Luke 2:5 NIV
“Come, Thou long-expected Jesus” says the Christmas hymn, and usually when I
hear it, I think of how long the people had waited for their Messiah. Butno one could have
waited for Jesus’ birth with more anticipation than Mary.
It’s been a while, but I remember what it was like to be pregnant. Nine months to
ponder questions thatcan’tbe answered until the baby arrives; the same kinds ofquestions
Mary might have asked. Am I truly prepared? How will this baby change my life? Itall came
back to me when a young co-worker was pregnant, with some new concern or question
every day.
One day she was telling Jeanne, the mostexperienced mother in our office, thatshe
wished the waiting didn’t have to take so long. “Think ofitas a gift,”Jeanne said. “God gives
you nine months to get comfortable with the idea that your life is never going to be the
same!”That’s a decidedly uncomfortable – butaccurate – thought.
Advent provides a similar opportunity: four weeks to ponder whatJesus coming into
the world means to me. Christmas is one day of excitement and joy, as is the day of a
baby’s birth – a rush of emotions that passes in a blur. But Advent brings time to consider
how the birth of this baby will change my life. Can my faith grow stronger? Can I truly be-
come more like Him? Each year, the season ofAdventgives me a fresh opportunity to wel-
come Jesus and think abouthow Ican be changed because ofHim.
Loving Jesus,although Ithink of You nowas a baby, You have the full-grown power
to change me. Use this time of Advent to prepare my heart for Your arrival.
Submitted by
Barbara Burkholder

13. 13
December 8, 2014
In those days Caesar Augustusissueda decree thata census should be taken
of the entire Roman world. (This is the first census that took place while Quirinius
was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was
expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and
she gave birth to her firstborn,a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placedHim in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-7 (NIV)
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar
Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. Luke 2 verse 1 (King James)
It is interesting that even that long ago people were being taxed. Butwhata journey
in order to pay ones taxes. There were two differentroutes thatwere possible. One would
have been through Samaria, but its hilly terrain would have proven particularly arduous for
Mary, who was in the late stages of pregnancy. It was also a dangerous route because
Samaritans could have posed a threat to travelers. It is believed that Mary and Joseph
chose a safer and more comfortable route that took them southeast through the Jezreel
Valley and further east to the Jordan Valley. Continuing south to Jericho,they probably pro-
ceeded through the Judean Desert to Jerusalem and onward to Bethlehem. By the end of
their difficult trek, the couple would have walked more than 90 miles; much ofthatdistance
across difficult terrain. Opinions differ on how many days it took for Mary and Joseph to
complete their epic journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Some scholars believe the trek
lasted from 4 to 7 days, while the institute for Priestly Formation cites the journey as lasting
a week and a half.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that
she should be delivered. And she broughtforth her first born son, and wrapped him
in swaddling clothes,and laid him in a manger;because there was no room for them
in the inn. Luke 2 6-7 (King James)
The journey most certainly was a difficultone for Mary and Joseph. Itis probable that
they traveled with other people going thatdirection. Itwas a common practice then for safe-
ty and for company along the way. I cannotimagine walking thatfar butfor people in those
days that was the most common way oftravel.
We often think of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem the night that Jesus was
born. However, some scholars believe they may have been there for some time possibly
staying with friends or relatives. There are several ideas of where the manger was. How-
ever, no one seems to know for sure.

14. 14
I love the story of Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus. Itis the beginning for most
of us of “The Greatest Story Ever Told”.
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for this beautiful story ofyour Son. Ithank you for
your love for us and ask you to help me remember the reason we celebrate Christmas.
Please let me spend time with you and forget the rush and hurry around me. Please be
with me and help me to do thy will. Amen
Alice Staves

15. 15
December 9, 2014
“Arise, shine,for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See,
darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, butthe LORD rises upon
you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the bright-
ness ofyour dawn.
“Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons
come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. Then you will look and be radi-
ant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be broughtto you, to
you the riches ofthe nations will come. Herds ofcamels will cover your land, young camels
of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclai-
ming the praise ofthe LORD.” Isaiah 60:1-6
As With Gladness Men of Old
Verse 1
As with gladness men ofold did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light, leading onward,beaming bright,
So, most gracious Lord,maywe evermore be led to Thee.
Verse 2
As with joyful steps they sped to that lowly mangerbed,
There to bend the knee before Him Whom heaven and earth adore,
So, may we with willing feet ever seek the mercy seat.
Verse 3
As they offered gifts mostrare at that mangerplain and bare,
So may we with holy joy, pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, ourheavenly King.
Verse 4
Holy Jesus,every day keep us in the narrowway;
And when earthly things are past, bring ourransomed souls atlast
Where they need no star to guide,where no clouds Thy glory hide.
THIS OLD MAN
As I age, I realize that it takes more to surprise me or amaze me. Ithink far too often,
“I’ve been there, I’ve done that!” Iwonder aboutthis old man and wonder whatitwould take
to get up, leave what I know and then follow a star. As Ising this greathymn, Iadmire what
these truly wise men did at their age. Yes, Isaiah had prophesized that they would come.
But they still had to come, actually had to leave their homes and travel across the desert
just to see a baby! This season is not only a celebration of a birth, that is Jesus, but itis a
reminder of what has been done by God that these two humans, Mary and Joseph, were

16. 16
able to bring Jesus into the world safely. Let us not forget as well the gifts of gold and in-
cense that enabled the Holy Family to live safely in Egypt, in Exile, until King Herod died
and they could return to Nazareth. These old men came notreally knowing how important
they were in God’s plan for all ofus. This season will we be open to the ways God still might
use us old men and women to implementHis plan?
Remember,the birth of Jesus was only the beginning ofwhatwas foretold. The end-
ing has yet to be written. And, now letus look for the Star to guide us and may we with glad
hearts follow THAT STAR.
Rev. Dr. Dennis Haines

17. 17
December 10, 2014
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi
from the east came to Jerusalem and asked,“Where is the one who has been born the king
of the Jews? We saw His star in the eastand have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2
This year the word “royal” has been prominent in the news and in the minds of the
long-suffering fans of Kansas City baseball. Fans rallied around, full ofanticipation and ex-
citement, as the team vanquished competitor after competitor. Everywhere you went, there
were signs and banners, and most conversations included some mention ofthis team that
we had waited for so loyally for so long. The national media spoke ofthe humble team from
this humble town. There was an electricity surrounding this city as we united in our hopes
for the victory of these Royals. We recognized this achievementofour team as a miracle. “I
Believe” was the slogan.
Long ago, there was discussion and anticipation of a much different “royal”. The
faithful spoke about and waited for this Messiah, this King that would come to save us all
from the suffering of this world. In Matthew, it speaks about Bethlehem as the birthplace of
this Messiah… a humble town. His arrival was simple and withoutmuch notice. The faithful
were looking for a powerful and magnificent ruler, yet he came into this world as an innocent
little baby. No signs or banners heralded his birth; only a star thatwas recognized by buta
few shepherds and some wealthy magi.
I admit that I was swept away with everyone else in this Royals fever. It was an
event that brought a lot of different people together; a positive diversion in a world filled with
negatives. I find myself, however, pondering how we can all become so enthusiastic about
an event like the World Series, yet so complacent about the greatest miracle of all times.
God loved us so much, despite our continued sinfulness and lack offaithfulness, He came
to dwell among us. Whata victory! Whata miracle! Where are all the banners and signs to
herald this event?
In this Christmas season, I pray that we would all come together, as we did in those
few weeks of October, in excitement and celebration for the true Royal. I pray that we will
share our joy in His arrival with everyone, not just for a few weeks butevery day. Ipray that
the crown we hope for is the crown of righteousness, and that we will proudly profess our
hope and faith in the Lord.
I Believe!
Debbie Blackman

18. 18
December 11, 2014
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he
had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them
where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is whatthe
prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least
among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd ofmy
people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found outfrom them the exacttime the star
had appeared. He sentthem to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the
child. As soon as you find him, reportto me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
Matthew2:3-8
Once In Royal David’s City
Verse 1
Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby in a mangerfor His bed.
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ herlittle child.
Verse 2
He came down to earth from heaven,Who is God and Lord ofall,
And His shelter was a stable, and His cradle was a stall.
With the poorand meek and lowly
Lived on earth our Savior holy.
Verse 3
Jesus is ourchildhood’s pattern, day by day like us He grew,
He was little, weak,and helpless,tears and smiles like us He knew.
And He feels for all oursadness
And He shares in all our gladness.
Verse 4
And oureyes at last shallsee Him through His own redeeming love,
Forthat child so dearand gentle is our Lord in heaven above
And He leads His children on
To the place where He has gone.
THE VIEW FROM THE WALL
Several years ago Ihad the opportunity to walk on the Walls ofOld Jerusalem. From
the Wall, I could see Bethlehem much like King Herod must have viewed from his Palace.
When the wise men came and asked where Jesus mightbe born, Herod could only pointin

19. 19
the direction of Bethlehem. They would still have to search. We came down from the Wall
to find ourselves atthe Tomb ofMary, the mother ofJesus, in the Kidron Valley. We walked
to the shrine where traditionally it is believed that Mary was buried. Excited that we had
found this beautiful site, we briefly worshipped there and like the wise men from the Eastwe
left and headed another way.
I believe that the wise men would never forget what they had seen. The birth of
Jesus, the Holy Family was all worth the effort of following a star and walking the streets of
Bethlehem until they found what they came to see. And, like those wise men, I will never
forget what we found as we came down from the Jerusalem Wall. We were all excited to re-
turn to our fellow travelers and exclaim that we had found the Tomb of Mary. Will you this
Christmas Season find whatyou might be looking for?
There he is, Jesus who was born ofMary, willing to live among us on earth and then
become our Savior. I pray that as you sing this great hymn you will sense the joy offinding
Jesus in that manger and you will sing with awe and excitement reflecting that day when
those first visitors found Him!
Donna Haines

20. 20
December 12, 2014
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in
the east went ahead of them until itstopped over the place where the child was. When they
saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mo-
ther Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures
and presented him with gifts ofgold and ofincense and ofmyrrh. And having been warned
in a dream notto go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew2:9-12
O Holy Night
Verse 1
O holy night! the stars are brightly shining, it is the night of the dearSavior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and errorpining, till He appeared and the soulfelt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonderbreaks a new and glorious morn;
Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christwas born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Verse 2
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, with glowing hearts by His cradle we stand;
So led by lightof a star sweetly gleaming,here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,in all ourtrials born to be ourFriend;
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!
Behold yourKing,before Him lowly bend!
Verse 3
Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospelis peace;
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall
cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, let all within us praise His holy name;
Christ is the Lord, oh, praise His name forever!
His powerand glory evermore proclaim!
His powerand glory evermore proclaim!
Holy, Holy, Holy
Today may we keep the faith strong in ourhearts so we can witness for God.
Bless us all as we take the hands of our brothers and sisters, far and near to sing
Your praises.

21. 21
We lift up our hearts to you, Lord, and accept the Beautiful Gift You sent us, Jesus,
our Creator, Savior, and Friend.
Thank You Lord for taking us as we are in spite of our weakness;help us to know we
can give You our burdens and receive Your grace.
From a manger to a crown; King of Kings, our Beginning and our End, we lift our
praises to You.
Patricia Newby

22. 22
December 13, 2014
When Herod realized thathe had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious and he
gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and un-
der, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then whatwas said through
the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourn-
ing, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no
more.” Matthew 2:16-18
This is what the Lord says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weep-
ing, Rachelweeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because herchildren are
no more.” Jeremiah 31:15
The Coventry Carol
Verse 1
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child, Bye-bye, lulloo, lullay.
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child, Bye-bye, lulloo, lullay.
Verse 2
O sisters, too, howmay we do for to preserve this day?
This poorYoungling for whom we sing Bye-bye, lulloo, lullay.
Verse 3
Herod the king in his raging charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight, all children young to slay.
Verse 4
Then woe is me, poorChild for thee, and ever morn and day
ForThy parting norsay norsing, Bye-bye, lulloo, lullay.
Levi had a brother named Kahvavi (in the book Matthew’s Story by Tim LaHaye)who
was killed in Herod’s rampage. Later on, Levi metJesus and became one ofHis disciples.
Jesus showed Levi that God feels his pain, and did notforgethim. God used Herod for His
greater plan, justas He uses you and me. Will you heed the call and follow Him?
Kevin Kelly

23. 23
December 14, 2014
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who be-
longed to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendantofAaron.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and
decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was notable to conceive,
and they were both very old.
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before
God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom ofthe priesthood, to go into the temple
of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the
assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of
incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. Butthe an-
gel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Eliza-
beth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delightto you,
and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be greatin the sightofthe Lord. He is
never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even
before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts ofthe
parents to their children and the disobedientto the wisdom ofthe righteous—to make ready
a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can Ibe sure ofthis? Iam an old man and my wife
is well along in years.”
The angelsaid to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence ofGod, and I have been
sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silentand notable
to speak until the day this happens, because you did notbelieve my words, which will come
true at their appointed time.” Luke 1:5-20
How many ofus have ever feltlike Zechariah? We hear the good news butwe can’t
trust that it is really for us. We wantto believe butsomething in the back ofour mind tells us
that it couldn’t be possible. You wanted God to answer your prayer but since it was not
when you thought it should be you thoughtGod was notgoing to answer it. Well, today Iam
here to tell you the good news that God answers all of our prayers. Over the years I have
learned that God has three answers to prayer. They are yes, no and wait. The third answer
is the one so many ofus have problems with including me. God is nottorturing us or confu-
sing us when He wants us to wait on Him. I have found out that when I have to waiton an
answer to prayer, God is giving me time to be where He wants me to be. He is giving me
time to grow. He is giving me time to fellowship with Him. He gives me better understanding
of His word. He gives me peace. He renews my mind. He draws me closer to Himself.

24. 24
I would like to encourage anyone who is struggling with answer to prayer to waiton
God and see what His will is for you. Give Him the opportunity to draw you closer to Him-
self.
Some verses to meditate on while waiting on an answer to prayer:
Isaiah 65:24 Psalm 37:4
Matthew 7:7, 8 Psalm 91:15
Matthew 21:22 Psalm 145:18,19
Matthew 18:19,20 Psalm 15:29
John 14:13 Jeremiah 33:3
John 15:7 Matthew 6:6
John 16:23 1 John 3:22
Hebrew4:16
Alonda Forde

25. 25
December 15, 2014
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a
virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendantofDavid. The virgin’s
name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this
might be. But the angel said to her, “Do notbe afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He
will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the
throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom
will never end.”
“How will this be,”Mary asked the angel, “since Iam a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spiritwill come upon you, and the power ofthe Most
High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son ofGod. Even
Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be
barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May itbe to me as you have said.” Then
the angel left her. Luke 1:26-38
Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)
Verse 1
I have traveled manymoonless nights, cold and weary with a Babe inside. And I wonder
what I’ve done. Holy Father, You have come and chosen me nowto carry Your Son.
Verse 2
I am waiting in a silent prayer, I am frightened by the load I bear. In a world as cold as
stone, mustI walk this path alone? Be with me now,be with me now.
Chorus
Breath of Heaven, hold me together, be forever nearme, Breath of Heaven.
Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness, pour over me Your Holiness for You are Holy,
Breath of Heaven.
Verse 3
Do You wonderas You watch my face, if a wiser one should have had my place? But I offer
all I am for the mercy of Your plan. Help me be strong, help me be, help me.
Ending
Breath of Heaven. Breath of Heaven.
We have heard the saying “The Lord works in mysterious ways”many times through-
out our lives, and here is a vivid example. At this most important time in Earth’s history,
God, Our Heavenly Father, reveals his Son. Here, God through the Angel Gabriel announ-

26. 26
ces the birth of Jesus to Mary (Luke 1:26). It should come as no surprise that God would
need to inform the birth mother his Son was to be borne. But, individually speaking, this
announcementmusthave come as a greatsurprise to Mary, a virgin.
Imagine how terrified you might be when first approachedbyan Angel, buthow won-
derful the feeling that would come over you once the Angel reveals to you the good news of
Jesus’ birth. Immediate fear quickly turning into ultimate joy! Whata life-altering experience
for the Virgin Mary, as well as for all ofmankind and future generations for time immemorial.
Whatan unbelievable and remarkable eventfor Mary, notjustthe fact she was spoken to by
the Angel Gabriel, but the Angel telling her, a young woman, a virgin, she had been selec-
ted by God to be the mother ofhis Son whose birth was happening soon. Surely, this mes-
sage overwhelmed Mary causing her to question: why me, why am Ithe one to firstbe told
of the imminent birth of Jesus, and most improbably, why have I, a virgin, been selected to
be the Mother of the Son of God. How wonderful, how incredible, how humbling, yetsignifi-
cantshe musthave felt!
It is completely understandable this young woman when told she was specifically
chosen by God to be the mother and bear God’s Son, Jesus, would be stunned, would be
awe struck, and would be justifiably frightened. One can only imagine what a forever life-
altering event simply seeing the baby Jesus would have been, let alone having been
selected by God, no less, to bring Jesus into the world, mankind’s Messiah, mankind’s
Savior.
Now try to imagine Virgin Mary’s reaction, feelings, thoughts, and questions. The
Promised Messiah spoken of for centuries was not only coming, but she the Virgin Mary
was going to be His mother! Remember your feelings when YOU first felt Jesus Christ’s
presence, the Messiah, now try and compare thatto Mary’s feelings.
How satisfied God must have been with Mary, once her rush ofemotions and doubt
were swept aside, when she replied to the Angel Gabriel “Iam the Lord’s servant. May itbe
to me as you have said.”
We believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ pray of one day being with God
and seeing His Son. Until then we believers can share the joy Virgin Mary must have
experienced along with our own joy that comes from spreading the news today, tomorrow
and forever that Jesus Christ was indeed borne – born to be the world’s Messiah and
Savior!
Merry Christmas! Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Whether
you are with friends, family, or away from home, let us not forget the miracle that was the
birth of ourLord and Savior. Let us rememberthe blessings that He brings to us all and how
God provides to us in every way. The Lord speaks to us through so many facets ofour lives.
Let us always remember our blessings and glorify God in all we do.
Christ’s Peace this Holiday Season,
Mike Gould

27. 27
December 16, 2014
This is howthe birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be
married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through
the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did notwantto ex-
pose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because
what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to
give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will
be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means,
“God with us.”
When Joseph woke up, he did whatthe angel ofthe Lord had commanded him and
took Mary home as his wife. Buthe had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And
he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25
I was twenty-four years old when my daughter Rebecca was born, and thirty-four
when my son Isaiah was born. Ican clearly remember holding each ofthem in my arms for
the first time on the day they were born, in awe of how small, delicate, and beautiful they
each were. These babies would be dependent upon me to be their father – their daddy.
Who was I to fill that roll? Did I have what it took to be a good dad? What if I failed; what
would become of these little babies? Those questions and more poured through my mind
as I stood in awe ofthe beautiful gift that God had safely broughtinto the world.
I often wonder what Joseph was thinking thatnightin Bethlehem when he held baby
Jesus in his arms for the first time. Of all of the men in the history of the world, God had
trusted and chosen him to be the father – the daddy – to his son. As he held his Savior in
his arms that night did Joseph have the same questions in his heart that Ihad when Iheld
my infant children?
While I have no doubt that the Lord has a very special plan for my children, Ido not
yet know how their lives will unfold. Joseph, on the other hand, knew who his adopted son
was – he was the heir to the throne of King David; the long awaited Savior of Israel; the
Messiah; the anointed one; the one who would save the people ofthe world from their sins;
the one who would restore the relationship between God and his people… Iam grateful to
Joseph that he didn’t run from the task that God had given him. Rather, Joseph chose to
raise this child as his own, and he surely lavished the baby with love and protection – rely-
ing completely on God for the wisdom and strength to properly raise Jesus as his own, yet
still pointing to God. He is surely an example to all of us, male and female, in how to raise
children in the Faith.
Pastor Mark

28. 28
December 17, 2014
When they had gone,an angelof the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Getup,”
he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for
Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”So he gotup, took the child and his mother
during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was
fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “OutofEgypt I called my son.”
Matthew2:13-15
A Strange Way to Save the World
Verse 1
I’m sure he must have been surprised at where this road had taken him, ’cause never in a
million lives would he have dreamed ofBethlehem.
And standing at the manger, he saw with his own eyes, the message from the angel come
to life.
And Joseph said,
Chorus
“Why me? I’m just a simple man of trade.
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world?
Why here,inside this stable filled with hay?
Why her? She’s just an ordinary girl.”
Now I’m notone to second guess whatangels have to say, butthis is such a strange way to
save the world.
Verse 2
To think of howit could have been,if Jesus had come as He deserved.
There would have been no Bethlehem,no lowly shepherds atHis birth.
But Joseph knewthe reason love had to reach so far, and as he held the Savior in his arms,
he must have thought,
Ending
Now I’m notone to second guess whatangels have to say, butthis is such a strange way to
save the world.
This is such a strange way, such a strange way, a strange way to save the world.
Such a strange way to save the world.
If I had a dream where an angel came to me and told me to take my family and flee
to another country, I’d probably think that was strange. Would Iacton it? I don’tknow.
Yet that’s exactly what happened to Joseph and he acted on it. He did what was
needed to protecthis wife and the child he was to raise as his own.
Then, I getto wondering:Are we willing to be as obedientas Joseph? Are we willing
to be used in any circumstance no matter how strange it might seem to us? Are we willing

29. 29
to be obedient no matter how difficult we view the task (i.e. writing, speaking, or going into
the mission field)?
This Advent season, I would like to challenge you to reflect on what obedience to
God really means and go thatextra mile even ifitmeans doing something thatfeels strange
or awkward to do so.
Submitted on behalfof
Joshua Trnka

30. 30
December 18, 2014
Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
Verse 1
There’s a star in the East on Christmas morn;
Rise up,shepherd,and follow.
It will lead to the place where the Savior’s born;
Rise up,shepherd,and follow.
Chorus
Follow, follow, rise up, shepherd,and follow;
Follow the star of Bethlehem; rise up,shepherd,and follow.
Verse 2
If you take good heed to the angel’s words,
Rise up,shepherd,and follow.
You’ll forget your flocks; you’ll forget your herds;
Rise up,shepherd,and follow.
Have you decided to follow Jesus yet?
The song which Iwas assigned to reflectupon was “Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow”
by Vanessa Williams. The majority of this song repeats the following statement“Follow, fol-
low, rise up shepherd and follow. Follow the star ofBethlehem. Rise up shepherd and fol-
low.” Another great quote which comes from this song states thatwe are to leave our sheep
and we are to follow. The first thought that came into my mind after listening to this song’s
lyrics over and over again is, am I rising up and following? Am I doing us Christhas com-
manded ofme? Am Iwilling to leave what all I have in order to follow Him?
So what does it mean for us to follow Christ? It doesn’t mean that we have to pack
up our houses and move. Think about the Israelites and the exodus, I think it means we
have to pack up some negative thoughts and/orbehaviors that maybe keeping us separated
from God. Following Christ means walking in his footsteps, even when it means we walk
away from our comfort zones, or familiar situations and walk into the greatunknown offaith.
Walking by Faith means answering the call to rise up and follow, even when we can’t see
the destination. On this Journey we don’t always know where we will end up, but we do
know that there is a guide waiting to lead us to freedom from all thatis keeping us from the
full relationship with God. My prayer this Christmas is that every one of us will walk fuller in
Him and feel the peace that He has to offer us. I also pray that we will be willing to share
this peace and great news with others outside our church family. Let’s Rise up Shepherd
and follow His commandmentfor us.

31. 31
Luke 2:8-20: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping
watch over their flocks at night. An angel ofthe Lord appeared to them, and the glory ofthe
Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid. I bring you good news of great joy thatwill be for all the people. Today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you
will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another,“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing thathas happened,which the Lord
has told us about.”
So they hurried offand found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying
in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning whatthey had
been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds
said to them. But Mary treasured up allthese things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned,glorifying andpraisingGod for allthe things they had heard
and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The Lord is waiting for us to obey and follow His leading. Therefore I strongly en-
courage each of us to put aside any fears and worries that we may have in regards to “Ri-
sing up and leaving our sheep”behind us in orderto follow God and His wondrous promises
for our personal lives. For each of us has a unique and valuable journey that God has
planned out for us ahead of time, so let’s also be sure to give Him all the glory, honor, and
thanksgivings and praise!
In Christ’s love,
Sherri & Sara Leasure

32. 32
December 19, 2014
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you
good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior
has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby
wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:9-12
Why a Manger?
If I had been one of the shepherds, I would have laughed, once I was no longer
terrified. The baby is lying where? In a feeding trough? We see those things every day.
As small boys, we all had the job ofputting grain and hay in the mangers. What’s the new-
born Messiah doing in one ofthose? Idon’tremember Motel 6 saying, “We’ll keep the barn
door open for you.”
There is a marvelous harmony of word pictures thattie the manger to the words and
miracles of Jesus. Bethlehem means House of Bread. Jesus multiplied a few loaves of
bread to feed thousands. He calls Himself the Bread of Life. He says, “Whoever eats this
bread shall live forever,” and again, “Take, eat. This is My body.” The baby, wrapped in
cloth, lying in the place ofeating, is like a loaf of bread on the table.
The shepherds had no way ofknowing any ofthis. Butthey did understand thatGod
was fulfilling the promise their people had longed for over many centuries. And the sign, the
proof, was that they would find Jesus in a manger: a place they took for granted, a place
they least expected Him to be.
May we also see Jesus in places we take forgranted,places where we leastexpect
Him to be. Amen.
Ted Horowitz

33. 33
December 20, 2014
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Luke 2:13-14
Angels From the Realms of Glory
Verse 1
Angels from the realms of glory
Wing your flight o’er all the earth.
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.
Chorus
Come and worship,come and worship;
Worship Christ the newborn King.
Verse 2
Shepherds in the fields abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night.
God with man is nowresiding;
Yonder shines the infant light.
Verse 3
Sages,leave your contemplations;
Brighter visions beam afar.
Seek the greatdesire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star.
Verse 4
Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear.
Suddenlythe Lord descending
In His temple shallappear.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and His entry into the world brought great joy to the
people who had been groaning under the weight of sin and oppression. Many had been
anxiously awaiting His arrival for a long time. The angels heralded it. In the poem “Joy”by
Jack Hayford, it says: “And most joyous of all…He is with us.” He is the Light ofthe world,
and with Him we no longer stumble aboutblind in the darkness.
Kevin Kelly

34. 34
December 21, 2014
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one an-
other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing thathas happened, which the Lord has told
us about.” Luke 2:15
We’ve all heard the story of the shepherds and the angels’ message to them many
times. Perhaps that repetition has eroded somewhatthe sense ofamazementthatyou ex-
perience when you hear the story. I’ll admit that it has for me. Thus Idecided to step back
for a momentto consider the contextin which we’ve traditionally heard the shepherds’ story.
We generally know that story as itis taughtto us in Scripture atchurch. Butwhen we
come to church and open up God’s Word,we EXPECT to encountersomething spiritual, su-
pernatural,or miraculous. And when we get to the shepherds’story, we already knowabout
Mary and Joseph, the Lord’s appearances or messages to them, their journey to Bethle-
hem, the Magi, etc. That additional context, too, foreshadows that we should be expecting
something supernatural to occur.
The shepherds didn’thave any ofthis contextor foreshadowing. They were just peo-
ple, going abouttheir daily lives. Just before the heavenly hostappeared to them, the shep-
herds were probably dirty, tired, maybe bored, maybe telling stories around a fire, just wait-
ing for their shifts to end.
To develop some sense of how jarring the angels’ appearance to the shepherds
must have been, pretend for a moment that you’re reading the story not from the Bible, but
from a secular history textbook in which you have no expectation ofencountering anything
supernatural.
From that viewpoint, the story of the angels’ en masse appearance to a group of
shepherds in the ancient Middle East is truly startling, isn’t it? It must have been startling to
the shepherds, indeed, as their nightly routine was interrupted.
Probably none ofus have been approachedbya heavenly hostwith a message from
God. But God otherwise speaks to us and meets us just like He metand spoke to the shep-
herds, right where they were, in the midstofthe monotony and routine oflife... when no one
expects anything supernatural to happen.
The shepherds’ story thus reminds me that I should expect to hear from The Lord,
and be anticipating and listening for His voice, in every circumstance and context. He does-
n’t confine His communications with us to Sunday mornings.
Are we always listening? Ifso, are we responding as the shepherds did? When we
listen and respond,ourreward is the same as itwas for the shepherds: we getto personally
encounter our Savior. Whata Gift.
Miriam Bailey

35. 35
December 22, 2014
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the
manger. Luke 2:16
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Verse 1
O come,all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him born the King of angels;
Chorus
O come,let us adore Him,
O come,let us adore Him,
O come,let us adore Him,
Christ, the Lord.
Verse 2
Sing, choirs of angels,sing in exultation,
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
Glory to God,all glory in the highest;
Verse 3
Yea, Lord,we greetThee,born this happymorning,
O Jesus,to Thee be all glory be given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
I’m so faithful to this church and for all the people and pastor and all the children to
learn aboutfaith and God.
Jesus, we are so faithful that we all come and worship God.
Sara Seymour

36. 36
December 23, 2014
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning whatthey had been told
them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to
them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:17-19
What Child Is This?
Verse 1
WhatChild is this, who,laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greetwith anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?
Chorus
This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe the Son of Mary.
Verse 2
Why lies He in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian fear for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.
Verse 3
So bring Him incense,gold,and myrrh, come peasantking to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him.
The shepherds saw the baby Jesus and talked about him to others. I like that the
shepherds wentto see the baby Jesus and talked aboutHim.
I also like the songs we sing at Christmas because they talk aboutJesus.
Gage Quinn

37. 37
December 24, 2014
Christmas Eve
The shepherdsreturned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard
and seen, which were justas they had been told. Luke 2:20
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Verse 1
Said the night wind to the little lamb,“Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb, do you see whatI see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night,
With a tail as big as a kite, with a tail as big as a kite.”
Verse 2
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,“Do you hearwhat I hear?
Ringing thru the sky, shepherd boy,do you hearwhat I hear?
A song, a song, high above the tree,
With a voice as big as the sea, with a voice as big as the sea.”
Verse 3
Said the shepherd boyto the mighty king, “Do you knowwhat I know?
In your palace warm,mighty king,do you knowwhatI know?
A Child, a Child, shivers in the cold,
Let us bring Him silver and gold, letus bring Him silver and gold.”
Verse 4
Said the king to the people ev’rywhere,
“Listen to what I say: Pray for peace people ev’rywhere.
Listen to what I say: the Child, the Child, sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light.
Bring us light.”
This passage and this song are very special to me; I look forward to hearing them
this time of year. This year I have heard, seen, and experienced loss, pain, and unsettling
situations, in my personallife, community and world. What do we see,what do we hear, to
sustain us through these dark and difficult times? Truly, it is the “goodness and the light of
the Holy Spirit” that gives us hope and assurance ofbetter days and a better world.
Like the shepherd boys we are sustained by the wonderful gift of Grace. The giftof
God’s love, favor and promise to be with us always. Grace is the giftfrom God thatbelongs
to all of us from shepherd boys to kings. So as we enter this wonderful season what do I
see,what do I hear,and whatcan I do… I see and hear hope and faith, and the opportunity
for each us to receive God’s love and mercy and show love and mercy to others, through
compassion, forgiveness and kindness.

38. 38
The good news is God’s grace is sufficient to move mountains of adversity in our
personal lives and community. In the words of Paul, “Know that you belong to God the
Father and Lord Jesus Christ”, who gives us freely the gift of Grace and Peace. See it,
hearit, and act upon it as we celebrate the birth of the “child” who broughtus goodness and
light.
Rosemary Graves

39. 39
December 25, 2014
Christmas Day
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40
This year I thought I’d do something different by sharing a poem called “The Christ-
mas Guest” by Edwin Markham. I firstheard iton Reba McEntire’s album “Merry Christmas
to You.” Then I found it in a book called “Christmas Stories for the Heart”compiled by Alice
Gray.
The Christmas Guest
By Edwin Markham
It happened one day near December’s end,
Two neighbors called on an old-time friend,
And they found his shop so meager and poor,
Made brightwith boughs from ceiling to floor,
And Conrad was sitting with face a-shine –
When he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine
And said, “Old Friends, atdawn today,
When the cock was crowing the nightaway –
The Lord appeared in a dream to me –
And said, ‘I am coming your guestto be!’
So I’ve been busy with feet astir,
Strewing my shop with branches offir.
The table is spread and the kettle is shined,
And over the rafters the holly is twined –
And now Iwill wait for my Lord to appear
And listen closely so I will hear
His step as he nears my humble place –
Then I’ll open the door and look on his face.”
So his friends went home and leftConrad alone,
For this was the happiestday he had known.
For long since his family had passed away,
And Conrad had spentmany a sad Christmas Day.
But he knew with the Lord as his greatguest,
This Christmas would be the dearestand best.
So he listened with only with joy in his heart,
And with every sound he would rise with a start
And look for the Lord to be atthe door
Like the dream he had a few hours before.
So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,
But all he could see on the snow covered ground
Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn –
And all of his clothes were ragged and worn;
But Conrad was touched and wentto the door,
And he said, “Your feet mustbe frozen and sore –
I have some shoes in my shop for you,
And a coatthat will keep you warmer, too.”
So with grateful heartthe man wentaway –
But Conrad noticed the time of day;
He wondered whatmade the dear Lord so late
And how much longer he’d have to wait –
Then he heard a knock and ran to the door,
But it was only a stranger once more,
A bent old lady with a shawl ofblack,
And a bundle ofkindling on her back.
She asked for only a place to rest–
But that was reserved for Conrad’s greatguest,
Yet her voice seemed to plead, “Don’tsend me
away,
Let me restfor a while on this Christmas Day.”
So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup
And told her to sit at the table and sup.
But after she left, he was filled with dismay,
For he saw the hours were slipping away,
And the Lord had notcome as he said he would
And Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.

40. 40
When outofthe stillness he heard a cry,
“Please help me and tell me where am I.”
So again he opened his friendly door.
And stood disappointed as twice before.
It was only a child who’d wandered away
And was lostfrom her family on Christmas Day.
Again Conrad’s heartwas heavy and sad
But he knew he could make this little girl glad.
So he called her in and wiped her tears
And quieted all her childish fears,
Then he led her to her door once more,
But as he opened his own darkened door,
He knew that the Lord was notcoming today
For the hours ofChristmas had passed away.
So he wentto his room and kneltdown to pray,
And Conrad asked, “Lord, why did you delay?
Whatkeptyou from calling on me,
For I wanted so much your face to see.”
Then soft in the silence, a voice he heard,
“Lift up your head for Ikeptmy word.
Three times my shadow crossed your floor,
Three times I came to your lowly door;
For I was the beggar with bruised cold feet;
I was the woman you gave something to eat;
And I was the child on the homeless street.
Three times I knocked, three times Icame in,
And each time I found the warmth of a friend.
Of all the gifts, love is the best;
I was honored to be your Christmas Guest.”
In Christ,
Melissa Ball