ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

In Luke 2:13-14, we read what must have been the first worship service for Jesus! I chose to sing “Angels We Have Heard on High” because the song is filled with so much joy and hope. Jesus was born and angels came bursting onto the scene, singing and proclaiming their worship for Him. Every season is a good season to worship Jesus!

The holiday season is a time when many people get more excited about worshipping Jesus, but He wants to capture our hearts in worship all year long. Christmas cannot be the only time we get excited about singing out and proclaiming that Jesus reigns. This year, when you feel that excitement settle on you, hold onto it! Carry it with you into the year and challenge yourself each day to spend time worshipping Jesus. It doesn’t matter if you are musical or not, just give your heart to Him in adoration. He is worthy of our worship every single day.

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Romans 12:12 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.12.12.KJV

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2:17‭-‬20 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.2.17-20.KJV

SILENT NIGHT

I absolutely love that in Luke 2, the Bible makes mention of Mary taking a moment to ponder all that was happening. She took the time to store up every precious moment as a treasure in her heart. My favorite line in the song “Silent Night” is “Christ our Savior is born!” In the moment Jesus entered this world, everything changed. From this point on, there was no going back. Jesus came into this world to save us all. Mary and Joseph must have felt the power of the moment and the stirring of overwhelming joy inside of them; nothing would ever be the same again.

In all of the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season, it is so important for us to stop and just take a moment. Ponder in your heart the miracle that is Jesus and the beauty of what His birth meant for us. Take the time to let your heart feel the excitement and anticipation of what Jesus is doing in your life.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.15.4.KJV

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke 1:30‭-‬33 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.1.30-33.KJV

7 Day Devotional by Kim Walker-Smith Day 1:

AWAY IN A MANGER

Most of us who have grown up in church, have at some point sang the song “Away in a Manger” during a children’s Christmas play. We learn it at a very young age. For some of us, it is a lullaby that our mother’s sang to us. As I write this, I am 8 months pregnant and currently have a 1 year-old son. I have already been singing this song to him as a lullaby! As a mother, there are times I worry about whether or not I’m doing a good job, asking the Lord to continuously teach me to be a good mom, and praying that I will be a good example to my children. I think about the destiny and the dreams that God has placed inside my babies and even with all the excitement I can feel a weight of responsibility.

How incredible, that God would trust me with these precious ones and the destiny that is within them! I can’t imagine how Mary must have felt to have an angel appear, and tell her that she would give birth to a King; the Savior of the World! So many questions must have run through her mind like “Who am I to give birth to a King?” and “How on earth will I know how to raise a King?” The angel goes on to tell Mary that nothing is impossible with God. He doesn’t expect perfection from us, only a heart that says “yes” to following Him. He promises to never leave us and He walks with us on this journey. A heart that trusts the Lord is a heart at peace. Just say yes to Him.

To listen to the album When Christmas Comes on The Overflow please visit http://oflow.it/00ne/7m0dZyZffw​​​​​​​

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:5‭-‬7 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/1pe.5.5-7.KJV

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4:6 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jas.4.6.KJV