DAY 1 – December 7, 2009
THE STORIES OF CHRISTMAS
TITLE: “MY SOUL GLORIFIES THE LORD”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord.’” Luke 1:46
Some 12 years ago now, I started a personal study through the book of Psalms. I started the study by memorizing some of my favorite Psalms. Those included Psalm 1, 40, 91, 103, 121,139, and others. During that time I memorized Psalm 34, which soon became one of my very favorite Psalms.
A couple of years ago, I led our Church Board through a verse by verse devotional study of Psalm 34 as part of our board prayer time. The Psalm begins, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” Psalm 34:1-3
Glorifying God is an act of the will. The Psalmist said, “I will extol the Lord.” It is a decision and commitment not based upon the circumstances or emotions of the moment, but upon the God of the ages who never changes. It is the determination of the heart that chooses in every situation of life to glorify God. Glorifying God is not something to be done at selective times. The Psalmist said, “I will extol the Lord at all times.” Glorifying God is a lifestyle of the will. It is the habit of the heart that is filled with the wonder of God.
Glorifying God is a public expression of the soul.
Praise to God fills the discouraged with hope and lifts up those who are beaten
down. The Psalmist invites others to join Him in glorifying God. It is a joy
and privilege to come together and glorify the Lord corporately in the spirit
of unity. Paul wrote to the church at
The other day while in a thrift store with my family, I found an old book of piano music written by J.S. Bach, which I purchased for 25 cents. It has been reported from history that J.S. Bach said, "All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God.” He headed his compositions: "J.J." "Jesus Juva" which means "Jesus help me." He ended them "S.D.G." "Soli Dei gratia" which means "To God alone the praise."
Mary glorified the Lord from her very soul. Every day you
and I have opportunities to glorify the Lord from the depths of our soul
through our actions, attitudes, and the words we speak. I Peter 2:12 reminds us
to, “Live such good lives among the pagans
that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and
glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Will you glorify the Lord today?
DAY 2 – December 8, 2009
THE STORIES OF CHRISTMAS
TITLE: “HOLY IS HIS NAME”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “For the Mighty One has done great things for me-holy is his name.” Luke 1:49
Webster Dictionary describes a name as the title by which
any person or thing is known or designated. The name in antiquity was used in a
fuller sense than with us today, for it stood for the whole person. In biblical
teaching the name is the person; the name is the person revealed; and the name
is the person actively present. Mary says that His name is Holy. Exodus 15:11
says, “Who among the gods is like you, O
Lord? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working
wonders?”
God alone is independently, infinitely, and immutably holy. God alone is pure, unstained, sinless, and unspotted. God alone is righteous, incorrupt, and hallowed. All holiness finds its origin in Him. Holiness is not to be treated as simply another of the attributes of God. If thought of as an attribute, it must be seen as the attribute of attributes. It is the essence of God’s character which determines the nature of His attributes.
The name of God has not changed. Holy is His name. The holiness of God has not changed. God is as holy as He has ever been. After one of Billy Graham’s successful crusades someone asked, “Is this revival?” Billy Graham replied, “No. When revival comes, I expect to see two things which we have not seen yet. The first is this, a new sense of the holiness of God on the part of Christians.” My prayer today is that God would give us all a new vision of the holy God. I pray God would give us a new awareness of His holiness and a fresh understanding that holy is His name.
“Holy,
holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning
our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not
see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in
love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall
praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.” Reginald Heber- verse 1, 3 & 4
DAY 3 – December 9, 2009
THE STORIES OF CHRISTMAS
TITLE: “HIS MERCY”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” Luke 1:50
Mercy is kindness in action. Behind the original Greek word for mercy is the rich Hebrew term, “hesed,” which means loving kindness or steadfast love. Mercy is a broad term, including both compassion and forgiveness. To be merciful is not a surge of emotion, but intentional kindness.
Mercy is kindness or compassion where it's not expected, because the person showing mercy is under no obligation to show it. When a student forgets to do their homework, and the teacher lets the student turn it in the next day with no penalty, that's mercy. When a police officer catches you running a stop sign or speeding and decides to let you off with a warning, that's mercy.
Mercy looks beyond a person's fault, sees their need, and responds to it. Mercy is less than an attitude than an activity. Mercy requires action. As someone said, “Mercy is love with legs on it.” Mercy is proactive, looking for ways to show kindness. In the Broadway play, My Fair Lady, Eliza is courted by a man named Freddy. Freddy writes her love letters every day. Eliza's response to all of his love letters was to cry out in frustration, "Words! Words! I'm so sick of words! Don't talk of stars burning above! If you're in love, show me! Don't talk of love lasting through time. Make no undying vow. If you love me, show me now!"
Mercy is who God is and what God does. It is God’s very nature to show compassion, forgiveness, and give help. Showing mercy is something God enjoys doing. Micah, the prophet wrote, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?” You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” Micah 7:18
The term for mercy here goes back to the Hebrew, which means the ability to get right inside the other person’s skin until you can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings. The word carries the meaning of identification in the suffering of others, of going through something with another, of entering into another’s problem with understanding and acceptance. The use of the word is based on the Hebrew word used frequently in the Old Testament to express the unique quality of the everlasting mercy of God. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. God will never run out of mercy. His mercy extends to you.
DAY 4 – December 10, 2009
THE STORIES OF CHRISTMAS
TITLE: “FEAR HIM”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: KEY VERSE: “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” Luke 1:50
When it comes to the subject of fearing God, my mind immediately thinks of the book of Ecclesiastes. Some have called Ecclesiastes the soul’s autobiography or the book of experience. It is like reading a story that seems hopeless until you get to the end of the book. The preacher begins with a pessimistic view of life. He confronts all forms of secularism whether theoretical, “there is no God” or pragmatic, “I don’t care about God.”
The words, “under the sun,” are used some thirty times in Ecclesiastes. It is a collection of what man is able to discern under the sun, or in other words, in the visible world. It is pessimistic, because He is talking about the observable world, the earthbound horizon. The vertical perspective is yet to come.
The end of all the searching comes to an end with a conclusion filled with hope. The preacher has done a very careful evaluation. He has been thorough and diligent. The conclusion that all is vanity or meaningless has permeated Ecclesiastes. At the end of the book, we are presented with that which is not meaningless. It says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13
It is not fear in the sense of terror, but in the sense of awe. According to Ecclesiastes 3:14, fear of God is realization of His unchanging power and justice. It says, “I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.” According to Ecclesiastes 7:18, fear of God keeps us in proper balance and delivers us from wickedness and self-righteousness. The scripture says, “It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.”
Fear of God is a positive thing. It is putting God in His proper place on the throne of our life. It is not something that makes one cower, but something that makes one courageous. Fear of God leads us to honor God rather than hide from God, respect Him rather than run from Him. Fear of God causes us not to be afraid of Him, but to be available to Him.
William Gurnall said, “We fear men so much because we fear God so little.” Now is the time to remember God and to fear Him. Scripture says, “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12. God’s mercy extends to all who fear Him. Will you fear God and keep His commandments?”
DAY 5 – December 11, 2009
THE STORIES OF CHRISTMAS
TITLE: “THE MIGHTY ONE”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: KEY VERSES: “For the Mighty One has done great things for me…” Luke 1:49. “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm…” Luke 1:51
God is a mighty God. Earlier Mary said, “For the Mighty One has done great things for me…” Luke 1:49. Mary understood that God was powerful enough to do what He said He would do. When Mary asked the angel how it could be that she would give birth to a Savior, the angel responded as recorded in Luke 1:37. The angel said, “Nothing is impossible with God.” He is the God who has the ability to do great and mighty deeds. The Psalmist said, “O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” Psalm 89:7-8. In Psalm 50:1 the Psalmist said, “The Mighty one, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.”
Mary says, “He has performed mighty deeds with His arm.” God’s divine arm will never grow weary or tire. It will never weaken under pressure. The Psalmist said, “Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.” Psalm 89:13. With His mighty arm, God has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. With His mighty arm, He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble. No king can withstand His might. God is the Mighty One. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” What can the mighty God do in your life today?
Yesterday we looked at a poem by Reginald Heber that begins, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!” What can the mighty God do in your life today? Robert Grant wrote, “O tell of His might, and sing of His grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.” What can the Mighty God do in your life today? An unknown song writer said, “What a mighty God we serve. What a mighty God we serve. Angels bow before Him, heav’n and earth adore Him; What a mighty God we serve.” What can the mighty God do in your life today? Kay Chance wrote, “Ah, Lord God, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power; Ah, Lord God, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thine outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for Thee. Nothing is too difficult for Thee. Great and mighty God, great in counsel, and mighty in deed. Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing, nothing is too difficult for Thee.” What can the mighty God do in your life today?
“Father in heaven, how
we love you; We lift your name in all the earth.
May your Kingdom be
established in our praise, As your people declare Your
mighty works. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is and is to come.”