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Day Five: Who is like you

Who is a God like you,
     who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
     of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
     but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
     you will tread our sins underfoot
     and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:18-19 NIV

When did this precise moment in salvation history occur? When did God forgive the sins of the remnant of his inheritance? When was that one definitive moment when he forgave their sins, showed mercy, and his anger regarding them was removed? When did he show us compassion and, in victory, hurled our sins into the depths, never to be remembered again? It happened at a specific time and place, 2000 years ago on the cross. That is why the Messiah was born into the world to bring peace. And it happened specifically in the lives of each of us on the day of our salvation so that we would be at peace with God.

Prayer: Lord, today I declare there is no one like you. Thank you for the day of salvation when you showed me mercy and grace. I pray for the day of salvation to come for my friends and family that don’t know you. May they too experience your mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s sing to the song “We Praise You” by Matt Redman (click here).

– CR

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Day Four: Deepest Peace

He will stand and shepherd his flock

    in the strength of the Lord,

    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they will live securely, for then his greatness

    will reach to the ends of the earth.
And he will be our peace

    when the Assyrians invade our land

    and march through our fortresses.
Micah 5:4-5 NIV

“But there is another, deeper peace—a peace that must happen before there can be peace on earth. There must be peace between us and God. Our unbelief and his wrath must be removed. That is our deepest peace—and our deepest need at Christmas… This was the great work of the Messiah yet to be done. Yes, there are enemies on earth that must be defeated if we are to have peace. But, oh, the great enemy called sin and judgment—that is the greatest and worst enemy. The gospel at Christmas is: Christ has trampled this enemy underfoot at the cross. So for everyone who trusts in him, their sins are cast into the depths of the sea.” (John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy, p. 70, 72)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that you sent Jesus Christ to be our peace by removing our unbelief and your righteous wrath. I declare aloud today, that I have victory over sin and the enemy thanks to the good shepherd who gave his life for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s sing to the song “Mention of Your Name” by Brian & Jenn Johnson (click here).

– CR

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Day Three: In every way except

Let’s read aloud the following passage, confession, and prayer:

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:30-35 NLT

Heidelberg Catechism
Q. What does it mean that he “was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary”?
A. That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God, took to himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, a truly human nature so that he might also become David’s true descendant, like his brothers and sisters in every way except for sin.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for becoming like us in every way except for sin so that you could redeem us from the bondage of sin. We praise you, for we are born again into your family through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s sing to the song “King of Kings” by Hillsong (click here).

– CR

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Day Two : Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born,
     to us a son is given,
     and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NIV

“Peace is a condition of freedom from strife, whether internal or external. Security from outward enemies (Isa. 26:12), plus calm of heart for those trusting God (Job 22:21; Isa. 26:3), is included. Peace is so pleasing to God that the godly are enjoined to seek it diligently (Ps. 34:14; Zech. 8:16, 19). It is to be characteristic of the NT believer also (Mark 9:50; 2 Cor. 13:11). Peace is a comprehensive and valued gift from God, and a promised and climactic blessing in messianic times (Isa. 2:4; 9:6–7; 11:6; Mic. 4:1–4; 5:5)… Biblical shalom is a harmony of right relationships, with God, others (on a global scale), and the created order.” (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, p. 27, 647)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we pray for our world today. Where there is war, conflict, hunger, suffering, and brokenness, may people experience the Prince of Peace invading their circumstances to bring biblical peace, reconciliation, healing, and salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s sing to the song “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” by Kim Walker-Smith (click here).

– CR

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Day One: From of old

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

    though you are small among the clans of Judah,

out of you will come for me

    one who will be ruler over Israel,

whose origins are from of old,

    from ancient times.”
Micah 5:2 NIV

“Just as God instructed Samuel to go to lowly Bethlehem to look for the man born to be king, and then passed over all of Jesse’s sons until he eventually had David brought before the prophet, so the coming Messiah will emerge from the little town of Bethlehem – a place so small that it was scarcely worth a mention among the clans of Judah… And yet Micah’s description of this ruler’s origin as being from of old, from ancient days (5:2), brings a double nuance. It stresses the historic link with King David many centuries before, but it also strongly suggests even older lineage. The word for old is used of God himself… It is possible, therefore, that ‘Micah expected a supernatural figure.’” (David Prior, The Message of Joel, Micah & Habakkuk, The Bible Speaks Today Commentary. p. 158)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, the King of kings born in the most humble circumstances. Today, we place our trust in the one from of old. With eager anticipation, we pray that the King of glory will come and fill us, his church, today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s sing to the song “Adore” by Graham Kendrick (click here).

– CR

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Day Five: Bless. Bless. Bless.

Acts 3:24-26 NIV
24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

This message of Advent blessing is that the Lord is coming and has come to bless and to save. It is like wave upon wave of his grace and blessing coming upon us. It is the continuing in the OT vision of God’s presence coming like a cloud and filling the temple, and now in Christ, God has come and has made his dwelling with his people. Hence, the joy of Advent blessing is that God has come to bless, bless, bless. This changes the way we pray and approach the Lord. We are not left as orphans, nor those who live uncertain of God’s presence and blessing. Therefore, we come before the Lord humbly and confidently, for he has come to us in Advent blessing.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the one through whom all the peoples on earth are blessed. We thank you for the joy of the Advent blessing that has come to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let’s worship to the song Holy, Holy, Holy from this Sunday’s worship (click here).

-GK

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Day Four: Look up with open hands.

Acts 3:4-8 NIV
4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

This was the Advent blessing for this paralyzed man—”in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” This man’s response to the Lord’s invitation was to move towards God by simply looking up and opening his hands saying “Yes, I receive it.” There wasn’t much more that he did or could have done. However, in that small response, he experiences God’s extravagant invitation for blessing and salvation.

That is how we also receive the Lord’s blessing on a daily basis. We know that there isn’t much that we can do, but it is about God’s gracious love, and as we turn even that much (little), the Lord pours his blessing upon us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we turn our eyes and open our hands towards you today. We ask for greater moments of encounter as we pray this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song At the mention of your name by Bethel (click here).

-GK

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Day Three: God is Moving Toward Us

John 1:14, 16 NIV
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

So I say to you that God is moving toward you with blessing in this Advent season…it doesn’t matter that two millennia have passed. With God, a thousand years is as a day with him, it is as though he made this promise two days ago. That’s how fresh the blessing for you is today. If you will move toward him in faith, you will receive the blessing. That is what Christmas is all about—the greatest blessing. (John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy)

There are two words that describe this advent blessing; the first is great intimacy and the second is extravagant invitation for salvation. To say that God is moving toward you, is to know God’s very real presence deliberately and passionately moving toward us in order to bring healing, salvation, and blessing.

Another aspect of the Advent blessing is the extravagant invitation towards salvation. The coming of Jesus is God’s invitation to the world, to come and fill his kingdom with those who are saved, healed, and blessed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, as you move toward us, may we respond by moving towards you in faith. We thank you for the extravagant invitation towards salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let’s worship to the song Adore (click here).

-GK

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Day Two: He Comes to Bless Us

Acts 3:24-26 NIV
24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

What this passage teaches us is that God brought Jesus onto the scene of history to bless people. “In your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” God said to his Son in heaven, “The time is fulfilled; I have promised blessing; now is the time to make good on my promise; you will be my emissary of blessing; I want blessing to come to the world; I have so much to give; go now and bless my people, bless them; indeed bless all the families of the earth through them, bless them, bless them.”  (John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy)

Today may our hearts be filled with joy for God is moving toward us to bless, bless, bless.  Even at this moment, Jesus is moving in those very areas where we need the light of the gospel to shine and give new life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are the offspring through whom all the peoples of the earth are blessed. We rejoice for your salvation has come upon us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song Magnificat from this Sunday’s worship (click here).

-GK

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Day One: Advent Blessing: Christ alone

Let’s read aloud together the following passages and prayer:

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

Luke 1:31-32, 37 NIV, CEB
31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end…So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Nothing is impossible for God.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are continually moving toward us in Advent blessing. We thank you that in the land of deep darkness, the light of the gospel has dawned. We lift our hearts and voices in praise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let’s worship to the song Hope and Glory by Tim Hughes (click here).

– GK

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