Advent Season
Week 49 Day 4
Pray
Ask God to reorient you to Himself. Confess any known sin. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Be still and reflect on Jesus and His sacrifice for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to God’s Word. Pray for others in your life that they, too, would know and love God today.
Read:
Matt. 4:13-17 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali — to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
Reflect:
Everybody trusts somebody. Maybe they trust an “expert” or an influential peer or perhaps they simply trust self. Who we decide to make our authority determines who will direct what we think and believe. This then determines how we “feel” about our lives and this in turn directs the choices we make. So how important is it that we are wise and careful in deciding how to trust? There have been many through the ages who have been self-proclaimed prophets. They have made predictions of the future that did not come to pass. They have declared certain things to be true about the present that were in fact not true. These prophets, not all of them religious, many have been politicians, professors, and often entertainers have gained a large following. Those who followed the false prophets experienced the bitter fruit of believing what is not true. Often this has led to utter devastation but at times just lives of quiet desperation. This is why James wrote that “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) We should be very careful to “teach” what is real and true about God, people, and life because the stakes are very high in the realm of “thoughts”. What we think shapes our very lives. We should also be very careful in who we choose to believe. There are a thousand teachers and prophets out there, all declaring diverse views on what you should give your life to. Be careful here, your very life depends on getting this right. Even if you have believed the gospel and have settled that Jesus is Lord of your eternity do not forget that he is Lord of your life now. If you can trust him with the truth of eternity then surely you must trust him with the truth of how you use your time, talents, and treasures now. Jesus is the final prophet and he is the greatest teacher. What he says about your life is said as the supreme, infallible expert. Will you look closely at the ONE the prophets foretold would come as the expert on your life right now? Look to how he thought, felt, and acted to understand how you are to live your life right now. He was more than merely an example, but he is not less than one. Look to Jesus, seek to live today his way.
Pray:
(Personalize this prayer today; make it specific to the circumstances that face you.)
Ask God to lead you through His Spirit as you go through your day. Ask Him to bring to mind the truth of the gospel and its implications for what you will encounter today. Tell Him “Yes” to His will and ask Him for His power and protection to live this “yes.” Ask God to create and reveal opportunities to proclaim the good news today.