Episode 132

TODAY’S READING:

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds, you have been healed.”

1 Peter 2:24

 

HAPPY DECEMBER 1ST!

 

This month is about one thing and one thing only! GIFTS!

 

You’re thinking of the gifts under the tree, but I mean the gift of our savior JESUS! Here we are, ready to embark on our 2nd prayer of Advent, and I am just overcome with emotion when I think about this season. It’s is so much more than twinkling lights. Yes, it’s the celebration of His birth, but we celebrate His birth because of who He was. The message He brought. The sacrifice He made.

 

We get to shout VICTORY when we look at strongholds and obstacles. We get to look at the face of whatever is holding us, hurting us, stumping our growth, and we can declare that God already won the battle. All we need to do is believe.

 

In the book of John, chapter 5 verse 4 it says:

 

24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

 

So yes, this month is absolutely about gifts. The gift of victory over our life. The gift of freedom. The gift of a child who grew to become a man who would save the world from itself. Who saved you from yourself.

 

Maybe you dread this month because gift-giving ranks 5 in your list of love languages, and you are less than excited for the next three weeks. (If you know nothing about the love languages, you just need to know there are five kinds of languages.) But maybe it goes deeper than that. Maybe you’re just tired, and you don’t think you have the strength anymore. These morning prayers serve as a reminder that you’ve got this, not by your doing but because He already took care of it.

 

So if you need strength for today, suppose you need a reminder today. Suppose you’ve had just about enough of this year, this season, this valley. Remember that God took it to the grave. He took your husband’s addiction to the grave. He took your anger to the grave. He took your mom’s cancer to the grave. He took our worldly strongholds to the grave. He took the thing that’s weighing you down to the grave so that you may live for righteousness. So that we may live in right standing with God. Fully protected. Fully blessed.

 

PRAYER

Jesus, thank you for bringing us safely to the last month of this year. God, it’s been a crazy year, but we have four weeks, and we know you have so much left to do. God, this is your month. This is your birthday, and we are going to celebrate you all month. These next few weeks are more about you and less about us so that we may realize that you hold power. God, you have us in the palm of your hand. You are in control of every situation. You see the bigger picture. Remind us when the world weighs us down that you already overcame the world. You took our strongholds to the grave, and today and every day, we get to shout victory over our lives. It is in your Holy Name that we pray, Amen!