The Angels – Strength – Luke 2:4-15
In the Bible, we often read about angels sending messages to God's people. Remember Gabriel? His messages to Zechariah and to Mary sparked the Christmas story as we know it. Besides Gabriel, Michael is the only other angel whose name we know. But many more exist! The Bible tells us millions upon millions of angels worship God, serve Him, and carry out His instructions. Sometimes you might meet an angel without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2)! However, angels aren't necessarily the sweet, gentle, winged beings we often see portrayed in nativity scenes.
The Bible describes angels as having "great strength" and obeying God (Psalm 103:20). Perhaps that's why, when the Shepherds saw the angel in the field surrounded by the glory of God, they were terrified. Yet the angel said, "Don't be afraid" (Luke 2:10). Then, all of sudden, many more angels lit up the night skies above the shepherds as the first messengers to proclaim the birth of the Savior to the world. Coming in strength, the angels delivered a message unlike any other: The light of the whole world-God's Son, Jesus-had come! His power would defeat the darkness of sin, once and for all. The Bible says that angels encamp around those who fear Him and He delivers them (Ps. 34:7). What or who is it that you fear more than God? God loves and protects His children. If you are facing something that you need strength to overcome, remember you are not alone. Heaven’s armies are encamped around you.

Song for today: Hark the Harold Angels Sing by Elevation Worship

The Shepherd – Adoration – Luke 2:15-20
Like Mary, the mother of Jesus, the shepherds living in Jesus' day were not flashy or powerful. They were not highly thought of.
Being a shepherd was hard work, and the job was often left to the youngest child in the family. Even David, before he became king, was dismissed when he was just a shepherd boy. Yet God often reveals Himself to the most overlooked people in the world to show that He cares most about what's inside our hearts. In Luke 2, you can almost hear the excitement in the shepherds' voices as they hurried off to Bethlehem to find Jesus.  Seeing Him with their own eyes, they adored Jesus, meaning they loved everything about Him. On their way back to the fields, the shepherds couldn't keep silent about what they had seen.
They told everyone they saw how much they adored Him!
Years later, during His ministry, Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). Jesus was talking about dying on the cross to pay the price for our sin. Perhaps that's the very reason God uses these excited shepherds as His first messengers to share the good news about the birth of Jesus! Take time today to spend time adoring Jesus. Name things about Him you love. Thank Him for all the beautiful
things He is to you.

Song for today: Song: Joy to the world by Citizen

The Manger – Hospitality - Luke 2:7 & Phil. 2:3
Remember, Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem for the census. The custom for ancestors returning to the City of David was to show hospitality, especially for a woman who was pregnant. Hospitality is welcoming someone else into your home in a thoughtful way. It’s also defined as the love of strangers. Sadly, when Joseph and Mary arrived, there was no room for them in the inn. The Greek word inn means "guest room," which was likely a house where Joseph's extended family lived. Sadly, the guest room was already full because so many people had come back for the census!
So, out of hospitality, Mary and Joseph were put in a lower room, or main living area of the house. This is also where animals were kept warm at night. While she stayed there, Mary gave birth to Baby Jesus. She wrapped Him in cloths and laid Jesus in a manger, which was a feeding trough for the animals. The manger wasn't anything majestic, but it was a sign of hospitality, and it was where the most hospitable Person ever was laid. Jesus welcomes everyone to trust in Him and enter the kingdom of God! And like the manger, we can prepare our hearts as a place for Jesus to come stay. When Jesus lives in our hearts, we become more like Him, serving others in hospitality. Ask God to help you love others around you. Ask Him to help you make room in your life so that you can share Jesus with others.

Song for today: Away in the Manger by Carrie Underwood

Bethlehem – Steadfast - Luke 2:4-5 & John 6:35
Bethlehem is the small village where Jesus was born.
Although not a person, the city itself plays an important role in the Christmas story. Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem for the census because it was where Joseph's ancestors had lived. The four- or five-day journey to Bethlehem was about eighty miles of hills and rough terrain, which was hard on Mary because she was about to have her baby. Although the journey was difficult, Mary stayed steadfast. That means she kept going and did not give up. Bethlehem was also a fitting place for Jesus to be born because it means "house of bread." When Jesus grew up, He called Himself the "bread of life" (John 6:35), meaning He gives us all we need for life. Whenever we face hard times, like Mary did on the road to Bethlehem, we can always rely on Jesus to help us keep going. The bread symbolizes how Jesus is steadfast for us. That means He helps us follow God and not give up. Is there something that you are facing today that you need some encouragement to keep working at?  Your brothers and sisters in Christ and God himself are steadfast anchors that will help you keep going.  Ask God for His help!

Song for today: Holy Forever (Christmas Version) by Chris Tomlin)

The Star – Discernment - Mt. 12:18-21 & Matt. 2:7-12
The star was a sign to the wise men, or magi, that Jesus had come. The magi lived in the east and were very smart. They had studied the stars and planets for years. They knew that a unique star appearing in the sky meant the Messiah from the ancient prophecy would be born. The star was so unique that nobody else seemed to notice it. But the magi were discerning. This means they paid careful attention to how God was leading them and what He was saying through Scripture. Knowing the star's significance, the magi left their homes and followed it, hoping to find the Messiah. The star led them all the way to Jerusalem. When they arrived unexpectedly, they asked King Herod where the King of the Jews was living. King Herod sent them to Bethlehem, and on their way, the star reappeared. Seeing it again overwhelmed them with joy! Because the earth rotates on its axis, stars appear to be slowly moving above us. But the Star of Bethlehem did not move. It stopped above the place Jesus was, proving that it was most likely a supernatural event, just like Jesus' birth. While the wise men could not explain this miracle, they trusted God's Word and followed His leading. God is leading you, too.  Trust Him even if you don’t understand.

Song for today: Emmanuel by Charity Gayle

Gold – Honor - Col. 1:15-17, Matt. 2:11 & Rev. 19:16
Gold is a highly treasured metal and one of the gifts the magi brought to Jesus. Though we don't know how much gold the magi gave, wise Bible teachers believe gold was worth more in Jesus’ time than it is today. So even a small quantity could have helped Mary and Joseph take care
of Jesus! The gift of gold was used in Bible times to honor a king. This was used to show them respect. We can do this by giving gifts, sharing meaningful words, or acting in thoughtful ways. The magi knew Baby Jesus was not an ordinary baby. He is the "KING OF KINGs" and the "LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:16). While the magi were honorable men, they understood that Jesus deserved more honor than they did-even as a toddler! Their gift of gold honored Jesus as the King of kings. While many kings and world leaders make bad decisions because of sin, Jesus is the perfect King and the ruler over all the kings of the earth. His throne is built on righteousness and justice, and His kingdom never ends. Commit to making Him the King over your life and every decision.

Song for today: Three Wise Guys from the Journey to Bethlehem movie

Frankincense – Intercession - Ps. 130:5-8, Heb. 7:25 & Rev. 8:3-5
Frankincense is the second gift the magi gave Jesus. Like gold, frankincense was also quite expensive when Jesus lived. It was an incense, or perfume, that priests commonly burned in worship to God. Priests were men who came to God on behalf of the people.
Just as the gift of gold showed that Jesus was King, the gift of frankincense meant that Jesus was a priest.
Known as our Great High Priest, Jesus' priesthood means we can talk directly to God! We also don't have to practice special routines when we sin like people had to do in the Old Testament. Instead, we just have to confess our sin to Jesus in prayer.
Jesus is our intercessor, which means He takes our prayers to God for us. The Bible uses incense to describe the prayers of believers. Confessing our sins to God in prayer is like an aroma, or a nice smell, that is pleasing to Him. Spend time in prayer today, knowing Jesus is interceding for you.

Song for today: Before the King by Saddleback Worship