ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
UNITY When Scripture speaks about God’s attributes it never singles out one attribute as more important than the rest. Every attribute is completely true of God and God’s character.
John can say that “God is light” (1 John 1:5) and then a little later say also that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Each attribute is simply a way of describing one aspect of God’s total character or being. God himself is unified, completely integrated, and infinitely perfect in all of these attributes.
The reality of God’s unity transcends our understanding, but if all of God could be understood by our minds He would cease to be God.
Praise God for His Unity
Praise God that He is perfect in love and perfect in justice all the time. Praise God that He executes wrath and He is merciful. Praise God for His unity. Praise God that He is perfectly all of Himself at all times.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Pray for a Uyghur couple who has recently heard the gospel. Pray that they would read the Word and take their questions to God. Ask God to answer them through dreams, through His word, and through His people.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Luke 1:1-4 – English Standard Version
Dedication to Theophilus
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Luke 2:1-10 – English Standard Version
The Birth of Jesus Christ
2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luke 6:47-49 – English Standard Version
47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Be honest; no one will know unless you tell them. Do you think there are two kinds of truth? Steel truth and mushy truth? Steel truth is like when you put gas in your car even though water is much cheaper. Mushy truth is when you think it really doesn’t matter if you put God’s truth into your mind and life. It’s “ok” to believe the Bible and mostly it’s good to do what God says, but it’s not absolute. It’s not like my car. I know my car won’t run on water, but do I think perhaps my life can run on my own version of what is true? It’s unlikely that you actually think about life that way, but perhaps in subtle ways you live like that. Perhaps in your application of the truth of the gospel to your relationships with others, you try the equivalent of putting water in your gas tank. Do you hold grudges and refuse to forgive? Water in the gas tank. Do you think you are justified in demanding that others defer to you? Water in the gas tank. Do you think that seeking selfish physical, relational, or emotional gratification will actually bring satisfaction? Water in the gas tank. Your car runs on gas– that is the truth. Your life belongs to God, and it can run only run well on his truth.