Holy Father,

The packages are opened and the carols have been sung. The candles have flickered out and the flurry and scurry of last minute preparations has ended. We thank You for yet another celebration of the birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and we are grateful in our hearts that so great a Gift is ours to love and to cherish. Like the wisemen, we search for gifts to give You in return, and yet You seek neither gold nor earthly treasures, but a heart of obedience from each of Your children. Father, help us to return to You the uniquely special gifts that can only come from hearts committed to You. Make us useful to You, Father, so that we may show our appreciation and reverence for the gift of Jesus Christ each day of our lives.

We ask that the peace of Jesus would penetrate the life of our President, that it may steadfastly rule in his heart. Help him to take hold of the inner peace that is his spiritual birthright, offered freely, and paid in full by our Savior. May You, the God of hope fill him with all joy and peace as he trusts in You, that he may overflow with hope by the power of Your Spirit.

We also ask that our precious military men and women would receive Your special comfort and blessings as they continue their service to this nation and its people. Please grant them courage for each new day and the strength they need to accomplish every task set before them. We pray for Your purposes to be fulfilled in Iraq and for the success of the newly established government there. Thank You for all those who will hear the Gospel for the first time, and grant them hearts inclined to You.

Father, as we near the end of 2007, we pray that You would instill in us a new committment to prayer and to seeking Your highest blessings upon this nation and its people. You are the God of ages past and the Hope of years to come. We acknowledge You as the Source of every good and perfect gift, and we confess that Your love and Your truth endure forever. May Your Kingdom be glorified both now and evermore. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

December 26, 2007

Still New

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READ: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you. —1 Corinthians 15:1

Did you ever notice how quickly things get old or outdated?

I thought about this the other day as I taught my class at a Christian college. They’re on the cutting edge by providing a laptop computer for each student. It wasn’t too long ago when it was innovative for a college to have computers for students in the library. Then it was cutting edge to provide them for dorm rooms. But someday even personal laptops will become obsolete as well.

Everything man creates will eventually go out of date. Everything gets old. Everything, that is, but the gospel. The gospel is over 2,000 years old. And though there have been a lot of updated Bible translations, the gospel is still as relevant today as it was when it was written.

The gospel is this: Jesus Christ came to earth, lived a perfect life, gave up His life by being sacrificed on a cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and was raised from the dead 3 days later (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Because He took our punishment for sin on Himself, He can forgive our sins and make us children of God if we put our faith and trust in Him (Acts 13:38-39).

Let the greatest story ever told make you brand-new—forever. It’s the story that never grows old.

O cleansing Word, O precious Word,
Thy promises are true;
They are the “Amen” in my life;
Thy truths are ever new. —Anon.

The gospel never grows old.

Bible in One Year: Haggai 1-2; Revelation 17

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