and behold, you will conceive in · lord jesus, show me those friends who i need to bring to you....
TRANSCRIPT
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
ADVENT IS UPON US once
again. We can easily recognize the
season by the decorations and music
that lead up to Christmas, but do we
fully grasp exactly what is meant by
Advent? The word Advent simply
means “coming” and this season is
for us to prepare for the coming of
the One True King—Jesus. It is not
a passive waiting, but an expectant
waiting. We stand ready—watching
and waiting for his arrival—because
we are a people of promise.
Throughout the Scriptures you will
find many examples of God’s people
waiting for what he has promised.
Whether it was waiting for a deliv-
erance from an enemy, an answer
to prayer, or a promised land, God’s
people constantly lived in a state of
hopeful expectation.
There was nothing that they longed
for more than the promised Messiah.
They may not have fully understood
all that the Messiah would come to
do (and not do), but from the days of
Garden of Eden, where sin entered
the world, God’s people have watched
and waited for their Savior to come.
They hoped for the one who would
finally free them from the shackles of
sin and death—once and for all.
We, however, know the end of the
story. We have the blessing of being
able to look back on the birth, life,
ministry, suffering, and death of Jesus
to appreciate his work on our behalf.
And yet, we are also people of prom-
ise. We too, long to see Jesus come.
We watch with hope and celebrate his
birth because it reminds us of another
of God’s promises from John 14:2-3:
—Luke 1:31
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
We find ourselves eagerly
expecting Jesus to come again—
and this time, to take us back to
heaven to dwell with him and
the Father forever.
As we wait during this sea-
son, let us be reminded who
Jesus truly is. Let us remember
all that he has done for us by
looking at the names that he
has been given in Scripture
and how they provide hope,
joy, love and peace for us who
believe in him. Happy Advent!
—The Staff of Cedar Springs
AS WE LOOK with eager anticipation
upon the Lord’s coming during this Advent
season, it is good to be reminded of who
he was and what he did while he was here.
I am constantly amazed how even after
reading the same passage dozens of times
that God’s Word continues to come alive and
reveal new things about Jesus. This passage
was one of those moments for the disciples.
Peter has already confessed that Jesus
was the promised Messiah and he and the
rest of the disciples have spent the last few
years observing firsthand the miraculous
power of Jesus. They probably figure that
they have a pretty good comprehension of
who Jesus is and whathe can do, and then
Jesus reveals even more. As with other
times, Jesus invites only Peter, James and
John to go with him and as they ascend the
December 1
5 He was still speaking
when, behold, a bright
cloud overshadowed
them, and a voice from
the cloud said, “This
is my beloved Son,
with whom I am well
pleased; listen to him.”
1
MATTHEW 17:1-13
Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man Gives Us Hope
Lord Jesus, thank you that you are the Son of Man and can sympathize with our weakness and have been tempted as we are—and yet, also, are the Son of God —who is perfect, holy and gave his life for us. Let our hearts be filled with hope as we await your return. Amen.
mountain I am sure that the three disciples
were filled with eager anticipation, won-
dering what would Jesus do next. What
Jesus does was so beyond explanation
that a Word had to be created—transfig-
ured. Jesus allows the disciples to catch a
glimpse behind the veil and see Him for
who he really is, God who put on flesh.
They had the unique privilege of seeing
both Jesus’ deity and humanity on display
and they respond with worship.
As we prepare our hearts for this sea-
son, let us remember that we worship the
one who is 100% God and 100% man. The
one who can understand our weakness
and yet has lived the perfect life that we
could not and then died so that we may live
forever. Let that truth bring us hope.
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Sybil Baloyi lives in Mozambique and runs a school for orphaned and vulnerable children, starting with preschool and going through middle school. Beginning in 2020 they will expand to high school! Pray the children learn to love God from an early age, become people of high character, and that their caregivers will seek God in all things. Ask God to use the high school to prepare many for college and community leadership. Pray also for Sybil’s strength and endurance.
Thrive Lonsdale is led by Cedar Springs member Clayton Wood. This organization challenges inner-city youth with the love of Jesus Christ to serve others and reconcile by creatively meeting their spiritual, educational, and recreational needs through Bible study, tutoring, mentoring and outings. Pray today for the Thrive team of volunteers and staff as they connect with the children of Lonsdale during the Christmas season in the four target areas-school campus, Thrive upper, Parkridge, and Sprouts.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
A N D P S A L M 1
I HAD A FEW HOURS and I was tasked
with watching my two boys (9 and 10). They
were picky about what they wanted to do —
all my ideas were shot down (ride bikes, two
dollar theater, …), instead they wanted to see
friends, but that only worked out for a short
time. I found later, back home, that the boys
were more interested in a video game than in
spending time with me. Frustrated, I jumped
on my computer to look at this passage and
begin writing this devotion. In John 5, we see
that Jesus was very connected to his father—
Jesus only did what he saw his Father do
(v19). I am reminded of all the times I choose
to work, rather than interact with my family.
My boys’ choice to play a video game should
not surprise me, because that is the exam-
ple I often set when I pull away from them
to work. “The acorn doesn’t fall far from the
tree.” I want to love my family, but it is so
easy to let my phone, laptop or other projects
December 2
19 Jesus gave them
this answer: “Very
truly I tell you, the
Son can do nothing
by himself; he can
do only what he sees
his Father doing,
because whatever
the Father does the
Son also does.
2
JOHN 5:19-25
Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man Gives Us Hope
Lord, help each of us to reach out to those around. Following Jesus, to turn away from isolation and turn towards others. Give us hope to risk rejection in order for us to enter in with others. Help us recognize the opportunities to love sacrificially, so that when people follow our lead, we will point them toward our Father.
take my attention. I should not be surprised
when I see the same choices (with less
sophistication) made by my boys.
When Jesus follows his Dad, it is always a
positive! The Father loves and gives himself
away for his people, his son Jesus, loves peo-
ple and gave himself sacrificially for them.
he did what he “sees his father doing”. Jesus
coming in the flesh (his advent as a human)
was an act of sacrificial love. He entered into
our world and gave himself away. The result
is that we have hope —a certain and sure
promise—that he has delivered us from our
sin and shame. In that hope, let each of us
turn away from self toward God and others.
Isolation (turning toward self) is a destructive
option while choosing to be with people is
costly but life giving. Let us follow our eldest
brother, Jesus, as he follows his Dad, God
the Father, in entering in with people in life
giving sacrificial love.
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Mark and Annemarie Dye are passionate about building Christian leaders to mobilize and equip the African Church for mission in the world. Pray today for the ongoing equipping of Bible study leaders in Turkana. They recently received MP3 players preloaded with the Bible in the Turkana language. Pray for God’s Word to deeply impact the lives of hearers. Also pray for discernment in determining partnership opportunities with two national ministries.
Campus Ministries such as the Cross, RUF, InterVarsity, and Navigators pour into students at the University of Tennessee. Pray for each as they hold Christmas celebrations this week, that the gospel message would be winsome and received with joy. Pray for students as they endure the stress of finals this week, that they would take their anxieties and fears to God. Pray today for God to draw many to Himself.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
A N D P S A L M 2 3
MANY YEARS AGO, I was a small
group leader of about 10 middle school boys.
During their 6th grade year the students
bonded and became very close to each other.
We met at many different locations around
West Knoxville that were conveniently
located between their homes.
Near the end of the first year, one of the
students, named Saxon, started complaining
about his stomach. After several tests and
procedures, it was determined that he had
a very rare form of cancer. Saxon immedi-
ately started undergoing treatment, and this
made him tired and he needed to stay at
home. It was a hard reality to face that one
of the students we had all grown so close
to would not be able to attend small group
the following year and would most likely die
within two years.
Instead of giving up, the other students in
the group decided to meet at Saxon’s home.
December 3
10 But that you
may know that the
Son of Man has
authority on earth
to forgive sins.
Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man Gives Us Hope
3
MARK 2:1-12
Lord Jesus, show me those friends who I need to bring to you. Help me to be willing to tear a hole in a roof if you call me to! Help me desire to see the power of your forgiveness on my life, and that I would desire my friends who don’t know you to experience the same.
He lived out in East Knoxville, which added at
least another hour of driving to their already
busy night. The guys didn’t care, and they
quickly rallied together to bring Saxon to
Jesus. We met each week at Saxon’s home.
His mom told me that he looked forward to
that time every week, and that no matter
what he had undergone as far as treatment
was concerned, Saxon would make it a pri-
ority to be present.
This story of the friend who brought their
paralytic friend to Jesus seemed so familiar
to what these Middle School boys were doing
for their friend Saxon. At Saxon’s funeral, I
told these boys how proud I was that they
“tore a hole in the roof” to get their friend to
Jesus. They knew that Jesus has the power
to forgive sins, and I found out that he has
the power to make selfish middle school
boys think outside of themselves and go the
extra mile to do what is most important in
life, bring their friend to the feet of Jesus. I
guarantee that Saxon is an eyewitness to the
truth of Jesus’ forgiveness today.
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Julian and Melanie Reese, with the Graduate and Faculty Ministries of InterVarsity, bring an Incarnational Presence to the academic departments of the University of Tennessee. Pray they find a welcome to dialogue between Christian and secular thought, offer healing to people wounded by difficult religious experiences, and encourage the professors of tomorrow’s universities to integrate their faith with their academic discipline.
Wears Valley Ranch offers a Christian home, education, and counseling to children from families in crisis. Their vision is to see each child inspired to follow Christ, healed from the past, and equipped to reach their full potential. Pray today for the staff of WVR as they model Christ’s love and salvation to the residents and for young adults to become mentors.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
A N D P S A L M 4 6
December 4
17And behold, a voice
from heaven said,
“This is my beloved
Son, with whom I
am well pleased.”
Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man Gives Us Hope
4
MATTHEW 3:13-17 IF YOU WATCH any of the 3,754 Christ-
mas movies that will play on Hallmark and
Lifetime this year, you might notice that Jesus
often holds the same significance as Santa,
the elves, or reindeer. Little baby Jesus in
the manger at the nativity scene is simply a
decoration, or just a small part of the Christ-
mas tradition. This is indicative of how the
world often thinks about Jesus. Some see him
as a religious figure with a few good ideas,
and others simply see him as a character in a
fictional story. What we think about who Jesus
is, and what role he plays in this world, will
drastically change the way that we think about
the season of Christmas. And the passage
from today shows that seeing Jesus as just
part of the Christmas tradition isn’t an option.
At this point in the true story of Jesus’ life,
Jesus is getting ready to begin his public
ministry. John the Baptist has been preparing
the way for him to do so, preaching that “The
kingdom of God is at hand.” John was baptiz-
ing people in the water for repentance, but he
Lord, would you help us to never grow cold or numb to the fact that you, Jesus are the Son of God. That you were pleased with Him, and that you were pleased to dwell among sinful and broken people. Would you help us to keep that at the forefront of our minds as we celebrate this Christmas season. Would you keep us from ever seeing you as anything less than the Son of God.
was clear to point out that he was not the one
doing the cleansing, but that someone greater
was still to come. So even before this passage,
John is seeing and describing Jesus as some-
one with power and significance. When Jesus
approaches him to be baptized, John rightly
sees that Jesus is powerful, holy, and has noth-
ing to repent of, so he is hesitant to baptize
him. But Jesus insists that it needs to be done
to “fulfill all righteousness.” It is understand-
able that John was confused by this, but part of
what Jesus was doing was demonstrating that
he was fully obedient to the will of God. The
scene at Jesus’ baptism is a perfect picture of
his humanity and divinity. Humanity in that he
submitted himself to baptism, and divinity in
what happens after his baptism.
Immediately after his baptism, the Spirit
of God rests on Jesus, and God the Father
speaks the words “This is my beloved Son,
with whom I am well pleased.” God the Father
makes it absolutely clear that Jesus is the
Son of God. He is confirming everything that
John the Baptist had been preaching, showing
that Jesus was more than just a wise person,
D A I L Y P R AY E R
A N D P S A L M 6 2
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Tim and Barbie K. are working to translate the Bible into the “Makori”* language, currently working in Ephesians and Romans. Barbie is also guest house manager and a Regional Director, having responsibility for more than 20 missionaries in the area. Their main goal is to see the church in their area effectively using its own Bible translation. Pray today for Tim and Barbie and their family.
Jeff & Ellen A. work with Mekong Ministries in countries of Southeast Asia, catalyzing Church Planting Movements. Pray for the prayer teams, locals, and missionaries to the White Lahu, the Tai Lue, and Tai Dam people. Jeff and Ellen are on an extended trip in this area at this time. Pray for Jeff’s health especially during this trip.
*For safety reasons, we don’t use the actual name of the people group
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
December 5
31And he began to
teach them that the
Son of Man must
suffer many things
and be rejected by
the elders and the
chief priests and the
scribes and be killed
and after three days
rise again.
Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man Gives Us Hope
5
MARK 8:31-38 ANTICIPATION AND EXPECTATION
are some of the themes of the Advent season,
whether it is looking forward to family time,
presents, or remembering the expectation of
Jesus coming down to earth. This passage in
Mark also highlights expectations.
For Peter, it is the unmet expectations
when he realizes that Jesus is talking about
dying and suffering. His idea of who Jesus
as Messiah is, and what he is coming to do,
is challenged. The other expectation in this
passage is for what it will look like to follow
Jesus. Jesus is telling of his way forward, and
He is also showing us our way forward. It
says in verse 34 that “if anyone would come
after me let him deny himself and take up his
cross and follow me.” In that statement, we
see that not only are we following Jesus in
doing what is right, but also in his suffering.
Lord, thank you for the reminder today that you are with us even in our suffering. Thank you that you went before us and died the death that we deserve. I pray that our hope would not be in the things of this world but in you who is everlasting.
That might be difficult to hear, especially when
many of us spend our days trying to avoid
pain. I hope that it brings you great comfort in
knowing that because Jesus is the Son of Man
and the Son of God—He can sympathize with
every weakness. He knew the path to follow
Him was not going to be easy, but our hope
lies in the fact that he is going before us in
everything—including our suffering.
As we consider who Jesus is as both the
Son of Man and Son of God may we be
encouraged that He came to earth for us. We
are not alone and that gives us hope as we
consider this season. We get to put our hope
in Jesus and he will meet our needs every
time—even when it is in unexpected ways.
With this eternal hope in mind, how are you
being called to take up your cross and follow
him today?
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Heath and Angela Many have been serving as medical missionaries in their respective fields (surgery and obstetrics/gynecology at Tenwek Hospital, a Christian mission hospital in rural Kenya. Pray for the two OB/GYN physicians and their families moving there to assist with the new residency program. Pray for good adjustment for all as Rees attends boarding school. Pray also for the spiritual growth and integrity of the residents. Ask for wisdom and grace as they face daily challenges that come with rural Kenyan medical care, working cross-culturally, and teaching/discipling residents.
In recent weeks, 12 of the 80 churches in Algeria, an Islamic country, have received written orders to stop all activities; their doors have been roped off and sealed. 5000 Christians now have no place to worship. Pray for K and S as they lead from the oldest and largest church. Pray for the removal of the opposition that the Church is experiencing, for the government to uphold the freedom of religion guaranteed in its Constitution, and for the gospel to be shared boldly in the midst of the persecution. Pray for wisdom and creativity as the pastors try to continue discipleship training.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 0
6
December 6
62And Jesus said, “I am,
and you will see the Son
of Man seated at the
right hand of Power, and
coming with the clouds
of heaven.”
Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man Gives Us Hope
MARK 14:53-65 RECENTLY I WENT camping in a rural
part of North Carolina. As we neared the
location of our campsite I grew less and less
confident that the GPS in my phone was
giving me accurate directions. We ventured
several miles off course before seeing spray
painted in the middle of the road, “GPS IS
WRONG” in big bold letters. It can be so
frustrating to put your faith in those in power
who tell you the world is a certain way; only
to find that when you are there and see it for
yourself, it is not.
Jesus tells us in Luke 5:32 that he came
not for the righteous, but for the sinners.
He infuriates the Pharisees and confounds
those in power regularly. Jesus chooses to
dine with sinners, heal the destitute, and
value social outcasts like widows and pau-
pers. The ruling class could tolerate him no
Father, thank you have given us Jesus that we can trust him to lead and guide us through this life. Help us during this season to see him rightly as both holy and human. In Jesus’ name. Amen
longer. When he finally outright tells them
he is the I Am, they are all too happy to con-
demn him to death.
It is easy to read the story and think how
foolish they were; however, we are daily
lied to in overt and subtle ways by this
world and the devil. May we take the time to
come and see his side, and touch his hands,
and see him for what he really is. Let us not
listen to what others say, but come and see
for ourselves.
I pray that Jesus will break me of my own
foolishness and religion. I desperately want
him to reveal himself to me, and not let me
live in the patterns of this world. And on that
day, I want to rejoice when I see him, coming
with the clouds of Heaven, because my eyes
have been opened to what others stubbornly
refused to see.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
T & J are serving in Africa. T is a consultant to Bible translation teams from multiple people groups. Pray today for the translation teams to be led by the Spirit, find unity in decisions, and for technology equipment to work when needed. Pray for T as he is taking monthly chemotherapy this year. Pray that God will use the Rendille translation to change lives among the Rendille people.
FOCUS Prison Ministries helps men and women find new beginnings by fostering faith, strengthening families, re-engaging the workplace, and coaching needed life skills. Pray today for the volunteers who go behind the walls to lead bible studies. Pray for inmates to be comforted as they are separated from loved ones during the holidays, for receptiveness to the gospel, for the Holy Spirit power to overcome addictions and change destructive behavior, and for wardens and officers to be people of compassion and integrity.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 1
7
December 7
54 When the centurion
and those who were
with him, keeping
watch over Jesus, saw
the earthquake and
what took place, they
were filled with awe
and said, “Truly this
was the Son of God!”
Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man Gives Us Hope
MATTHEW 27:45-54 THEY KNEW JESUS’ REPUTATION.
They had either watched him or heard about
him through the trial. The centurion and those
who were with him likely knew about Jesus
for the last 3 years (his public ministry years)
and possibly before, if they happened to know
him personally.
At that time in the holy land, there were
many others who claimed to be messiahs,
would gather followers, and proclaim they
taught truth. It seems it could have been con-
fusing deciding where to place one’s hope.
Proof—what everyone was looking for in
making their own decisions about who to fol-
low, who Jesus was, and what truth looked like.
Darkness in the middle of the day…Jesus’
cries to His Father…the temple curtain torn
in two…the earthquake…the rocks split-
ting…the tombs opened. Not only proof, but
dramatic proof, ‘Truly this was the Son of
God”—the words that flowed from their lips
at such spectacles.
Proclaimed in His death. The death of the
Son of God. Surely the centurion, and those
who were with Him, wondered how such a
great truth could be: death + Son of God. How
can they exist together? I wonder if there
was any hope associated with their procla-
mation or if they perhaps believed instead
that final judgment had indeed fallen upon
the world. I think that’s what I would have
concluded in that moment!
Regardless, their utterance was worship.
Their declaration revealed the utter truth of
the moment, regardless of their understanding
of immediate circumstances. Truly this was
the Son of God. And if that is true, then he is
everything; He is above the natural phenom-
ena of chaos that surrounded his cross; He is
above their emotion and understanding; He is
holy; and he is hope.
That hope was fulfilled in the resurrection.
But as we live often in the days between the
crucifixion and the resurrection—the now and
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Lucky and Sonnet Mnisi are South African and serve in Mozambique. Lucky has pastored the Reformed Church in Mucatine and has helped plant other churches in Gaza Province, including Tchake. Pray today for wisdom and God’s guidance as they help serve their church and seek to fulfill God’s purposes for them. Pray for the youth, that they will catch the flame of evangelism and reach out to others with the gospel.
Wycliffe Associates (India, Kenya, Nepal) accelerates Bible translation around the world by empowering national translators and equipping the local church to translate God’s Word into every language. Wycliffe Bible Translators (China) has Bible translators located in China translating the Bible into local dialects. Pray today for several New Testament translations, due soon to be completed and distributed, to be a life-transforming gift this Christmas. Ask God to oversee final checking, printing, and delivery of the NT’s. Pray for translation coordinators, like Todd, to be “invisible” as they travel from team to team.
Lord Jesus, may my imagination be lost in the holiness that ‘truly you are the Son of God’, who walked a dirty earth and felt a painful death, ultimately bringing hope found only in You. Amen.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
A N D P S A L M 1 3 3
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
8
December 8
10 And the angel said
to them, “Fear not, for
behold, I bring you good
news of great joy that
will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born
this day in the city of
David, a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord.”
Jesus as the Savior/Messiah Brings Us Joy
LUKE 2:8-20 WHAT A DIFFERENCE a name makes!
I don’t know about you, but there were times
I wished that I had a different name. I even
got in trouble in Kindergarten for not turning
in work because I put a different name on my
papers. It wasn’t until I understood the heri-
tage of my name (that I was named after my
two grandfathers) that I fully embraced and
appreciated it.
Jesus has many names and titles through-
out Scripture, and each reveal a unique part
of his person and character. They allow us
a fuller picture (although still not complete)
of the one we love and worship. Of all those
names, the one that meant the most to God’s
people during Jesus’ time was the name
Christ. It is almost comical how many Chris-
tians simply assume that Christ was Jesus’
last name rather than grasp its true signifi-
cance. The title Christ was the Greek trans-
lation of the Hebrew word Messiah which
meant chosen one. To fully understand its
importance we must trace it through the
Messiah, thank you that for the joy set before you, you endured the cross scorning its shame for us. You willing came to suffer and die for our sakes so that we can fully grasp the love that God the Father has for us and to give us hope in life eternal with you. We thank you and praise you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Old Testament. The idea of the Chosen One
began in the garden after Adam and Eve
sinned when God promises one who would
crush the head of the Enemy. From there we
see the term used when describing prophets,
priests and kings because they were each
“anointed ones” which reminds us what
Jesus’ roles would be for us in ruling over us
and giving us truth but also being the media-
tor between God and His people. He was the
one who all the people of Israel had longed
for, the Promised One who would defeat
their enemy and bring a lasting peace.
In all of this, the term Messiah was a clear
picture of God’s love. Even despite the con-
tinual sins of the people, God continued to be
at work and continued to show them grace
and mercy until ultimately he sent his own
Son. He sent him as the Messiah, the Sav-
ior, the Chosen One not just to show us the
Father, not just to proclaim truth, not just to do
miracles, not just to show us how to live for
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Andy and Bev Warren serve with an MTW team that is involved in HIV/AIDS work and church planting through the Ethiopia Aids Care and Treatment (ACT) Project. The project targets slum communities in Addis Ababa which contain the neediest people in the community - large percentages of women with small children. Pray today for the 299 AIDS affected families and 56 HIV positive children that are currently being served by the project. Pray for the Family Advocates to have wisdom and creativity as they work on the front lines to care for physical needs and make a spiritual impact.
YOKE mentors middle school children by building friendships with Christian adults through clubs, camps, and Kid Time (hanging out with kids in their world). Currently YOKE reaches out to nearly 20,000 students at 26 middle schools located in Anderson, Blount, Grainger, Jefferson, and Knox counties. Pray today for the Yoke volunteers as they connect with middle schoolers during this holiday season.
A N D P S A L M 1
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
9
December 9
16 Peter replied,
“You are the Christ,
the Son of the
living God.”
Jesus as the Savior/Messiah Brings Us Joy
MATTHEW 16:13-20 MY FAVORITE PART of a story is when
it seems like all hope is lost, then suddenly, the
tide turns in favor of the good guys. Think of
Israel’s history leading up to the birth of Jesus.
God had been silent for around 400 years.
Without a word from a prophet, the Romans
had taken over a huge portion of the known
world, and most rebellions at that point had
been squelched. Even Jesus’ disciples seemed
uncertain as to who He truly was, because he
didn’t come in a way they expected.
Christ revealing himself reminds me of one
of my favorite movie scenes of all time, the
battle of Helms Deep in Lord of the Rings. The
handful of heroes trying to protect the king-
dom of Rohan seemed vastly outnumbered by
the worst evil imaginable. Even King Theoden
asks the question: “What can men do against
such reckless hate?” The gates of the kingdom
are almost torn down and the enemy is about
to take over. It seems like all hope is lost. Yet
Aragorn knows that Gandalf had made him
Lord Jesus, thank you that you reveal yourself to us. When we forget who you truly are, remind us. You are the Christ the one who defeated the darkness of sin, sickness, pain, death and evil. Meet us where we are even in the dark places of life. Shine your light on us. Amen.
a promise, “At dawn look to the East.” If I was
Aragorn at this moment, I would have begun
to question that promise.
Then in an amazing way, we see a promise
kept. Light pierces through the darkness of
night. The scene is captured beautifully by a
gleaming Gandalf on his white horse lead-
ing reinforcements charging down the hill
to overtake the enemy. Even though I know
that scene is coming, it always lifts my heart
as if I am in the battle too. To me it’s a visual
reminder that Christ defeated the darkness of
sin, sickness, pain, death and evil.
We see in scripture that Peter makes the
claim that Jesus is the Christ, yet in the darkest
moment Peter denies Jesus. It’s not until the
resurrection that the truth of Jesus finally
sinks in.
It’s easy for us to also forget who Jesus
really is. Sometimes we are in really dark
seasons of life when all is lost. It’s in those
moments that we need a reminder. Yes, Jesus
was a baby born in a manger but he is also
the Christ, the Anointed One, the King of the
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Cedar Springs is involved in work with the European Refugee Crisis. Please pray for EuroRelief Volunteers in Camp Moria on the island of Lesvos who are caring for the flood of new refugees coming into Greece currently. Pray for our ministry partners in Athens, Prague, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Gouda, and Helsinki who are all caring for refugees and introducing them to Christ through loving relationship. Give thanks for the many new believers in Christ in Europe! Ask God to heal their suffering.
Young Life Europe is an organization that pursues and befriends teenagers to introduce them to Jesus. Pray for Nekane Larreategui as she works in a resistant area-the Basque Country of Spain. Pray for David Beltran as he leads YL in southern Spain. Pray for an initiative to introduce a service-oriented YL club into German schools. Pray for the 44 girls that recently attended the first meeting of a new YL Impact Club at Santa Teresa High School in Donastia.
A N D P S A L M 2 3
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
10
December 10
31 God exalted him at his
right hand as Leader
and Savior, to give
repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins.
Jesus as the Savior/Messiah Brings Us Joy
ACTS 5:27-32 DURING THIS TIME of year, marked
by longer dark skies and colder air, it is both
fitting and strange that we walk quietly through
the Advent season towards Christmas. The
possibility of joy being awakened again in us
as we move toward celebrating the birth of
Jesus reflects the surprise of full-life found in
the cold, the dark, the confounding, and the
empty; thoughts and feelings we may even be
experiencing today. Amidst that, the promise
and improbable hope of Christ’s birth, as we
intentionally begin to imagine and receive the
truth of it once again, invites us toward an inex-
plicable joy. In. This. Moment.
Acts 5 reflects much of the deep mystery of
“found-joy” encircled by ambiguities, darkness,
lament, and bleary-eyed “What next?” Much
of it is a narrative rife with turmoil, discom-
fort, anger, and fear. Yet right in the midst of
that, also shared, are moments of miraculous
healing, overwhelming hope, and words of light
and life. Here we see the zenith of the hope,
inviting us to a joy unbounded: Jesus —the one
Behold the one beholding
you, and smiling.”
-Fr. Anthony DeMello
“
Father, shine your light through the darkness of this season so that we may live in the joy that comes from the hope that only comes from Jesus as our Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
raised and exalted, the giver of repentance to
those earnestly wrestling with him, and the
forgiver of sins. This is no small declaration
Peter has made, and he makes it having been
explicitly told not to! But to not say it is to not
live it according to Peter and all those follow-
ing Jesus in the narrative of Acts. Proclaiming
is living and living is proclaiming. Explosive
joy exhibited in words spoken and lives lived
with—by individuals, by the community of
believers as a whole. Christ Jesus, resurrected,
is revealed to be individually and corporately
transforming. This bears verbal and tactile
witness to the hungry, hurting, watching, and
waiting ones: world, city, neighborhood, neigh-
bor...self. Regardless of status, or even other’s
receptivity, the gift of life offered by Christ is
now reflected by those who do not merely
speak of it but incarnate it. It could only be a joy
rooted in the depths of one’s being that moti-
vates this. Even surrounded by the fears and
resistance of the proud, the privileged, and the
powerful, shouts of joy unspeakable begin to
reverberate, resonate and be realized. May it be
with us today as well, that the life, hope, grace,
and smile of this Jesus, whisper-shout joy into
and out of the deepest places of our being.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Paul and Karan Davis have been working with TEAM in France since 1978 in church-planting ministries. Pray for three couples who recently heard Paul speak and caught the vision to plant a church in their own city of Montmelian. They will need faith, wisdom, and perseverance! Pray for all of the Evangelical churches in France, especially Pontcharra, as they plan outreaches during the Christmas season. Ask God to draw many to attend, and for the programs to touch the lives of those who come.
Beatriz and Gustavo Fuentes lead the work of Young Life in Mozambique. Beatriz first encountered Young Life in Brazil and became a Christian through that encounter. The Fuentes moved to Beira, Mozambique in 2010 and began building relationships with teenagers there to introduce them to Jesus. Pray today for the Fuentes and the students they are reaching through Young Life.
A N D P S A L M 4 6
11
December 11
25 The woman said
to him, I know
that the Messiah
is coming (he who
is called Christ).
When he comes,
he will tell us all
things. 26 Jesus said
to her, “I who speak
to you am he.”
Jesus as the Savior/Messiah Brings Us Joy
JOHN 4:25-42 THE PROBLEM WITH the Jews who
rejected Jesus was not that they weren’t look-
ing for a Messiah. They were. The problem
was that they weren’t looking for the Messiah.
Their visions for the One to come were much
different than the One that would come. They
were looking for a political deliverer. Instead,
Christ came to deliver from a much greater
need, indeed, the greatest need. He would
deliver his people from their sins (John 1:29).
This is displayed on a grand scale in this
narrative from John’s gospel. Jesus and his
disciples were coming up from Jerusalem
toward Galilee to the north. John 4:4 tells us
that he had to pass through Samaria on his
way. This is understandable since Samaria
was in between Jerusalem and Galilee making
it the fastest route, but more is happening
here. God is revealing his heart. Strict Jews
bypassed the direct route through Samaria
in favor of a longer way around to avoid any
association with the unclean Samaritans. That
Jesus stepped foot in Samaria at all and spoke
God, we thank you for your grace and goodness toward us. We thank you that when the fullness of time had come, you sent Christ into the world to be made sin for us that we would become his righteousness! We thank you for that great exchange. Now, empower us to boldly share this good news with the nations. Cause our hearts for them to be more like yours. Seek and save the lost according to your great love and glory. And help us to live our lives in the fullness of joy that comes from knowing our Savior and Lord. For it is in his name and for his sake that we pray —Amen.
alone with a woman was doubly scandalous.
This Jesus was certainly not the type of Mes-
siah that the Pharisees were looking for.
Jesus revealed himself as the Messiah
to the Samaritan woman (v. 26). She made
it plain that even the Samaritans were
aware of his coming (v. 25). And it was the
Samaritans, those who were considered not
worthy to even associate with the Jews, that
joyously accepted His Messianic claims (v.
39). We see on full display God’s heart, not
only for the Jews, but for the nations. The
Messiah to come wouldn’t save from polit-
ical, earthly perspectives, but would save—
without distinction—a people for himself.
This should bring us great joy! God has
revealed himself to us through his Son and
He has done so intentionally. But not only
has he revealed himself to us, he has taken
upon himself the divine initiative to save
us. He is the revealed Messiah who was
prophesied to come, and he is our Savior to
the uttermost! It is because of his coming to
seek and save, to reconcile us to God, that
we now live with great joy.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Pastor of the First Greek Evangelical Church, a historic Presbyterian church in the center of Athens, Giotis Kantartzis leads a church planting movement called “Polis” (or, “city” in Ancient Greek). Giotis’ church is largely responsible for a significant amount of outreach to the thousands of refugees who have landed in Greece. He spearheaded the Houses of Hope project in which several apartments were purchased and converted into refugee housing (with up to two families per apartment). Pray today for new church planting initiatives in an area of Athens called “Neos Kosmos.”
Young Life Tennessee seeks to pursue and befriend lost or disinterested teenagers to introduce them to Jesus, share the gospel, and help them grow in their faith. Pray today for the staff and volunteers with Young Life Knoxville as they connect with students at schools as the fall semester winds down.
A N D P S A L M 6 2
12
December 12
64 Jesus said to him, “You
have said so. But I tell
you, from now on you
will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand
of Power and coming on
the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus as the Savior/Messiah Brings Us Joy
MATTHEW 26:57-68 READING ABOUT THE TRIAL of
Jesus does not initially bring about feelings of
joy. That is not the first emotion I feel. Often
it’s more likely anger, sadness, feelings of
injustice and wondering how the sinless son
of God has been found guilty. The question of,
what is God up to, often comes to mind. But
I am so thankful there is more to the story.
This sentence by Caiaphas is not the end—
and that begins to bring in the joy.
When I read this passage a second or
third time and slow down in my reading, I
actually hear the words of Jesus. And the joy
begins to bubble up. I almost want to giggle
or smile behind my hand at Caiaphas and
the gathered Sanhedrin—they think they
are killing Jesus and doing away with him.
But just wait. Something big and bold and
beautiful is coming! If I were as bold as Peter
in Acts, speaking to the Sanhedrin during his
arrests, I would say to the ruling leaders that
they are not the ones that Daniel 7:13-14 was
written about—it was Jesus. And Jesus tells
Father, thank you that even when it seemed all hope was lost that you prevailed. You sent Jesus to conquer sin and death, once and for all, for us. Let us live in the joy of that truth today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
them right after confessing/agreeing with
Caiaphas’ statement that he is “the Christ, the
son of God” (v.63).
Reading the passage in Daniel, it is
understandable (somewhat) why Caiaphas
becomes angry and hands Jesus over to
death. Jesus has not only said that he is
the Christ/Messiah but then gives further
evidence to the court. He, in a few words,
brings the listener back to Daniel’s vision
and says to the whole court “I Am He”. “I Am
the One in the form like a man, who rides on
the clouds. I Am the One who approaches
the Heavenly throne, is ushered into God the
Father’s presence and brought to His side.
I Am He who is given authority, glory, and
sovereign power. All nations and languages
worship Me. My kingdom and dominion is
everlasting. I Am the One you all have been
waiting for. I Am”.
If I had been Caiaphas and heard all this in
Jesus’ confession, I would have been terrified!
I would have wanted to either fall down in
worship (because I believed and understood)
or have Jesus killed. Either Jesus is speak-
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Bobby and Teresa LaDage are working with Redeemer City to City (the church planting arm of Redeemer Church in NYC) envisioning, equipping, and mentoring church planters and their wives in order to have gospel-centered churches that reach the major cities of Eastern and Central Europe. Pray for renewed vision and joy after a time of frustration and disappointment. Also pray they have wisdom, strength, and courage to follow God’s plan for their future.
Collegiate Abbey works to strategically meet the needs of the collegiate faculty and staff by shepherding with the heart of Jesus Christ. Pray that God would grant wisdom, insight and direction in how to serve as they seek to encourage and come alongside those who God has put in leadership positions at the University of Tennessee.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 0
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
13
December 13
20 But our citizenship
is in heaven. And we
eagerly await a Savior
from there, the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Jesus as the Savior/Messiah Brings Us Joy
PHIL. 3:12-20 AS EACH CALENDAR YEAR closes
and a new year begins, we typically begin to
take stock of our past year and make future
goals for the year to come. December is a time
of reflection and looking back and January is a
time of new beginnings and resolutions.
As we take stock of this last year and
look to the next, surely we recognize, like
Paul, that we are still works in progress.
God has a lot of work to do to perfect,
prune, and shape us into the likeness of
Christ. As we consider our goals for next
year, Paul encourages us to “forget what is
behind and strain toward what is ahead”
(v.13). Like runners in a race, we will fall
and stumble if we keep looking behind us.
We must instead “press on toward the goal
Father, thank you that you are continually working on us and perfecting us. Help us to see, like the old Gospel song reminds us, “this world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ through.” Give us eyes focused on our one true goal, the joy of eternal communion with you. Amen
to win the prize for which God has called
[us] heavenward in Jesus Christ” (v.14). We
are called to set our eyes on the finish line,
to press on, to keep going, to strain ahead
toward Christ. Do our new year resolutions
reflect this as our primary goal? If not,
we might need to work on changing our
perspective on our true “home.” Sure, these
earthly bodies of ours might need some
TLC and attention. But we are to remember
that “our citizenship is in heaven and we
eagerly await a Savior from there” (v.20).
This transitory world in which we live is
not our true home. Let’s set our eyes this
Christmas season on the joy of heaven, our
goal and finish line, where God promises
He will redeem all things.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Al Massira, “The Journey,” is a series of DVDs for groups to use that presents the Christian faith through a chronological overview of the Bible. It centers the Christian faith in its original Middle Eastern context. Pray for those who have been trained as group leaders to use the Christmas season to invite others to take this “journey.” Pray today for those just starting the course, that they will find Jesus through it and begin a new life with him.
Pray today for Satellite broadcast ministries like Isik Abla and Al Hayat that reach into the living rooms of closed countries in the Muslim world. Pray also for internet outreaches like Maarifa and for radio programs around the world during this Christmas season. Pray that many would stumble across these sites/channels. Pray for the team members who respond to their questions. Pray that, as the thousands who download bibles read it, they will know they have found the One and Only true Word of God.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 1
14
December 14
4 But when the goodness
and loving kindness of
God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because
of works done by us
in righteousness, but
according to his own
mercy, by the washing of
regeneration and renewal
of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus as the Savior/Messiah Brings Us Joy
TITUS 3:3-8 LIVE DIFFERENTLY. That is what
Paul’s message to Titus was as he led the
followers of Jesus on the island of Crete
about 64 A.D., which was known for false
teaching, laziness, gluttony, lying, and evil.
The letter to Titus is filled with remind-
ers on how to not only live differently, but
be different. In the later verses starting
with verse 4, we are reminded why…
Because “when the goodness and loving
kindness of God our Savior appeared, he
saved us.”
Salvation is God’s gift to us, not by any-
thing we did, but according to His mercy.
Father God, thank you for loving us when our hearts were selfish and we would choose our own way. Your kindness and mercy makes it possible for us to enter into your presence through your son, Jesus who is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow. Help us to remember that truth as we seek to be your followers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
He renews our life when we come to faith
in Christ through a washing and renewal
by the Holy Spirit.
Just like in Titus’ time, filled with evil in
all its various forms, we live in a corrupt
world that has not changed, but he has
changed us. For me, where there was
aggravation and tension, there is now
patience. Where there used to be anxiety
and worry, now peace is growing. What is
he renewing in you?
What joy it is to know that Christ is with
us and we will be with him forever...living
differently forever.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Neil and Louise MacMillan have planted three churches in Scotland, the latest of which is Cornerstone, Edinburgh. Neil is also Director of Church Planting for the Free Church of Scotland which is an evangelical Presbyterian denomination. Pray today for the Latin American immigrants who are part of Cornerstone that the church will provide them with a true sense of being home.
Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, in Beirut, Lebanon, has the vision of seeing God glorified, people reconciled, and communities restored through the church in the Arab world. Pray for the school as it works to equip faithful men and women for effective service. Pray today for students to cast off areas of brokenness, gain wisdom in church leadership, and become agents of peace-building in their countries.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 3
15
December 15
2 Looking to Jesus the
author and perfecter of
our faith…
Jesus as the Alpha and Omega Shows Us Love
HEBREWS 12:1-2 HAVE YOU EVER written a book or
story? I have never fashioned myself as
an author, but at different times of my life I
have attempted to tap into my creative side
and put pen to page (or fingers to keyboard)
as an outlet to my imagination.
The two main impediments that hindered
my Pulitzer prize were mistakes and
finishing. As a person with often questionable
penmanship who is also a two-finger typer,
I found myself often with a long litany of
unreadable words or scores of extra letters
strewn in. The thought of going back to
correct them all just seemed overwhelming—
which contributed to my second problem.
I had no problems starting with great
enthusiasm —and enjoyed creating characters
and the situations for them to face, but
eventually I would get bored with them or
find myself unsure on how best to resolve
the problems which I had created, which
inevitably led to an unfinished story.
Lord Jesus, thank you are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the Author and the Perfecter. Allow us to fully see the full extent of your love in your leaving heaven to come and die for us and that you endured that all with great joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Aren’t we glad that as God writes our
stories that he isn’t like me! Hebrews
reminds us that Jesus is the author and
perfecter of our faith. He is the one who
began it and he is also the one who will
take it all the way to completion. He never
makes mistakes so we can trust him as
we experience the story of our lives being
played out and he never gets bored of us
as his creations and his people. We are
promised that “He who began a good work
in you will carry it on to completion until
the Day of Christ Jesus.” Even now, Jesus
is revealing how our story fits into his
grand story of redemption and he does this
because of his great love for us. A love that
allowed him to see even the cross and its
pain as joy because it redeemed us. Open
our eyes Lord to see your Love and your
story during this season!
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
After years of leading Young Life Spain and Young Life Western Europe, Jim and Barbara McNamee are retiring to Nashville, TN. Pray for their transition as Barbara volunteers as a CASA Court Advocate, and Jim will be a Young Life volunteer leader at Glendiff High School (52% Hispanic). Praise God that the ministry of YL in Spain grew from the two of them, to now having 9 national leaders!
Located in South Knoxville and led by Milad and Theresa Guirguis, immigrants from Egypt, the Arabic Church is spreading the word of God, and hope, by embracing Christian and Muslim background people from all Arabic countries. Most of the members of the congregation are from Iraq, Egypt, and Syria; many are refugees. Pray today for church members to be unified across cultural barriers, to have a heart for outreach to other Arabs around them, and for seekers to understand and respond to the gospel.
A N D P S A L M 1
16
December 16
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our
likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea
and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and
over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on
the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image
of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Jesus as the Alpha and Omega Shows Us Love
GENESIS 1:1 & 26-27
Gracious Heavenly Father—Thank you for the way you have blessed us with this amazing world in which we get to live. Thank you for creating us in your very image. We pray we would never take these facts for granted and that we would be careful to never make fun of or look down on others who are also your image bearers. May we each have hearts that are continually thankful for all you have done in creation and in providing your only son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
AT CHRISTMAS TIME we remem-
ber with amazement and wonder that God
came near to us as a baby! Yes, for the
purpose of saving his people, for showing
us how to live and to restore all that he had
created. God is the author of all life, includ-
ing all of us who are created in his image. All
things begin with God, the Holy Spirit and
Jesus and there is no end. He has created
us “in his image” with souls that will last
forever. The fact that he made us in his very
likeness and gave us his only Son should
cause us to walk this life in a manner that
gives him praise and glory! Our life is to be
lived in service to him and to his kingdom
work. He also calls us to be good stewards
of the world he has created and to be good
stewards of our bodies, hearts and minds.
We can have peace with God knowing he is
the keeper of our souls and has secured for
us an eternal home in heaven.
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Pete and Ruth Mitchell are church planters in France with Mission to the World (MTW), where he is the team leader. The Mitchells are living in Toulouse planting a new church in Tournefeuille. Pray that their sanctuary renovations will be ready in time to use for the Christmas program. Pray their church will be known for its love, and that all who come will be drawn to the Lord.
Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Cru, is ministering to college athletes at the University of Tennessee. Rachel and Jason Stankus and Teg and Mikkel Tegelaar minister to and through the athletic department and are trusting God to build a spiritual movement that impacts the campus, community and world for Christ. Pray today for the Stankus and Tegelaar families and the student athletes they are serving.
A N D P S A L M 2 3
17
December 17
6 “Thus says the Lord,
the King of Israel and
his Redeemer, the
Lord of hosts: ‘I am
the first and I am the
last; besides me there
is no god.’”
Jesus as the Alpha and Omega Shows Us Love
ISAIAH 44:1-8 WHAT IS LOVE? Love songs have
been sung slowly and swiftly, sounded
sweet sirens, sonnets and soliloquies but
have only expressed feelings, not answers
to the question “What is love?”. Poems have
been penned and poems have pricked our
emotions but poems have not defined love.
Sometimes beautiful art has articulated
what the heart cannot express but those are
rare pieces and are open to interpretation by
the artist and the eye of the beholder. Love
has been said to be a verb and is only love
when actively expressed. We all fail at that.
Probably more times than not. So, what is
love? Love is given. Love is approachable.
Love is inviting. Love is expressed. Love is
sacrificial. Love is steadfast. Love is pow-
erful. Love is peaceful. Love is turbulent.
Love takes away fear. Love gives life. Love
redeems. Love is everlasting. Love is the
invisible made visible. Love is God made
flesh who lived among us. Love is first. Love
is last. Love is God. God is love. And besides
Father, thank you that Jesus is the First and the Last. What he began, he will complete which shows us his great love for us. Help us to see and experience his love today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God there is no god, no Rock, no Redeemer
and no love.
Through love we have hope. Through love
we have security, strength and steadfastness.
As we move through this Advent season we
are reminded of Love—the love of the Father,
the love of the Son and the love of the Holy
Spirit. This passage opens our eyes to some
of the beauty of love. Love gives and in this
passage the Lord gives, he speaks and we are
invited to listen. That is grace. God gives of
himself and needs not. He speaks and con-
siders us as an invited audience. He needs no
thing from us and yet he chooses us, invites
us and he blesses us. Through him we are fed
like trees next to flowing streams and when
we are thirsty and dry of emotion or faith or
feeling he gives us living water. That is love.
“Thus says the Lord…I am…” (Is. 44:6)
“God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”…”
(Exodus 3:14). The name that God gives
himself is “I AM” and the great I AM said
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Joe and Cindy Platillero proclaim the transforming presence of Jesus Christ through Biblical teaching and practical training to all who come through their doors. Their main ministry is through the Torchbearer Center where they have camps, conferences, and a small Bible School during the winter. Pray today for the Platilleros as they seek to guide Spanish youth to truly seek Christ with their lives which feels impossible in this aggressively secular society.
Becoming Like Christ (BLC) for women, and Christian Leadership Concepts (CLC) for men, seek to find, strengthen, and deploy disciple-makers in our city. This challenging program provides a discipleship experience that encourages going deeper in relationship with God and each other, in a small group of 10-12 followers of Jesus. Pray today for Kristin Cazana and David Bianconi as they lead these ministries. Pray for the men and women currently involved in BLC and CLC.
A N D P S A L M 4 6
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
18
December 18
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and
peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and
from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from
Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,
and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has
freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us a kingdom,
priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and
all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so.
Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God,
“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Jesus as the Alpha and Omega Shows Us Love
REVELATION 1:4-8
God, may we see you in what has been, what is, and what is to come. May we glorify you even when we do not understand your purposes for us. Place our trust and hope in your son Christ Jesus, who has redeemed us through his blood and offers us the promise of everlasting life in glory with you forever. Amen.
IN THIS ADDRESS to the “seven
churches” (possibly the full and complete
bride of Christ made up of every tribe and
tongue and nation) the writer John can’t
get past the first sentence without spilling
into praise for God: Father, Spirit, Son! He
reminds us that this God whom we praise
existed before the foundation of the heav-
ens, is present and active today, and has
ordained a future glory for his restored cre-
ation. We are not clutching onto a promise
that one day things might get better if God
ordains it —we rejoice in the fact that even
as we are waiting, Christ Jesus reigns now
and forever at the right hand of God the
Father and the Holy Spirit! In our Advent
waiting, we celebrate and remember the
birth of Jesus as a foretaste of the unimag-
inable glory to come when he returns
again. As one of our popular worship songs
reminds us, “with all creation I sing praise
to the King of kings; You are my everything,
and I will adore you.”
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Chris and Donna Roberts were living in Müllheim, Germany working with Young Life’s German-speaking ministries. They moved back to the US permanently in June 2019, as Donna is having health problems that need to be addressed here. Pray for resolution there, and for their children-Mac at Furman University, and Madelena, a junior in high school.
Bethany Christian Services is a global organization caring for orphans and vulnerable children on five continents. They manifest the love and compassion of Jesus Christ by protecting and enhancing the lives of children and families through quality social services such as adoption, family support, foster care, pregnancy counseling, refuge services and infertility. Pray today for the staff as they work with families to facilitate adoptions.
A N D P S A L M 6 2
19
December 19
12 “Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, whom I
called! I am he; I am
the first, and I am the
last. 13 My hand laid the
foundation of the earth,
and my right hand
spread out the heavens;
when I call to them, they
stand forth together.”
Jesus as the Alpha and Omega Shows Us Love
ISAIAH 48:12-17
FROM THE BEGINNING, humans
have had a problem with forgetfulness.
Throughout the book of Isaiah, God through
the prophet Isaiah, reminds us of many
important things. In this passage, two stand
out. As verse 12 starts I can picture the Lord
kindly grabbing us by the shoulders and say-
ing, “This is important, pay attention!”.
First, we are reminded of who we are.
We are God’s people, the ones he has
called, protected, led out of slavery, and
through the wilderness. Second, we are
reminded of a piece of the character of
the God that has called us his people. He
is the first and last, the God who created
every part of creation. Nothing within
creation can stand against him. The Lord
Lord, thank you that you alone are the Alpha and Omega. Thank you for the reminder that you are in control of all of creation, and nothing within creation can stand against you. Teach me to see your goodness and your might more clearly each day. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
is all powerful, and he is most powerful.
If we served a god who was unjust or
changing, the thought of this would bring
us great distress and hopelessness. But,
our God, the one true God, is abounding in
steadfast love (Lam. 3:22-23), He is a God
of great mercy (Ps. 51:1) and compassion
(Lk. 19:41-44). The God who is in control of
all of creation, is the same God who is our
Redeemer (Lk. 4:16-21). He is the one who
calls us by name (Is. 43:1).
As we are reminded of this, it causes us
to worship and praise God, who is before
all things, and lasts beyond all things. And
as we remember who God is, we start to
long to be the people the Lord has called
us to be.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Mostafa and Mona Sharkawy serve among Arab Muslims in the U.K. Their goals are to see Arabic churches arise from Muslim background believers, to see new generations of leaders from Muslim believers. Pray today for the continuing ministry inside the Immigration Removal Centre for refugees who have arrived in the United Kingdom. Pray for open and soft hearts for the detainees as they hear the gospel this Christmas season. Pray for Mona as she works with Arab women in trauma healing, and as she teaches in a school for Arab diplomats and leaders.
The Bible Society of Egypt is the largest Arabic Bible publishing operation in the world. Pray they would be able to continue to provide the Scriptures at a reduced rate, in view of the economic downturn of the Egyptian dollar. Pray they will lead the families of the Christian churches in Egypt to grow in maturity, to reach out in love to their Muslim neighbors, and to respond to persecution with grace. Pray for those of the Christian faith to stand strong in proclaiming and living the love of Christ.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 0
20
December 20
We look at this Son and
see the God who cannot
be seen. We look at this
Son and see God’s original
purpose in everything
created. For everything,
absolutely everything,
above and below, visible
and invisible, rank after
rank after rank of angels—
everything got started in
him and finds its purpose
in him. —The Message
Jesus as the Alpha and Omega Shows Us Love
COLOSSIANS 1:15-20 IT’S DECEMBER 20—we’ve spent a
good part of the past few weeks celebrating
and decorating—so many traditions that point
us to the arrival of Jesus. In many ways this
passage from Colossians and the lives we
are living are in conflict with each other….the
hustle that we’re caught up in and the stress
that our culture seems to dictate and yet, this
is our hope. The season with all intended
purposes points to December 25, the day we
light the Christ candle, change our para-
ments from purple to white, and we expe-
rience, as fully as we can now, the words of
O Holy Night. While all the celebrations and
traditions of this season give us glimpses
and reminders that something amazing
has happened in time and space, they are
merely shadows that tell us of the hope we
have —that he is before all things, creator of all
things and in all things.
The last two lines of the passage offer
such important emphases, pointing to
Father, in the busyness of this season help us to not miss the most important parts. Still our hearts so that we may see your glory, hear your voice and obey your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
the transcendence of Jesus as well as his
imminence. The wholly other and the inti-
mately incarnational nature, not separate,
but one. Not at all at odds but in constant
complement. And the most striking fea-
ture of his glorious nature is found in His
active, caring, empathetic work of binding
together all the broken elements of the
universe—“people and things, animals and
atoms.” Why? Because he loves all of it and
refuses to give up on it/us or toss us aside.
He is bound up in and with his creation…
on purpose! What he creates, he remains
with, in order to love and redeem. Of
course he does. No head ever desires sep-
aration from its body. The head only wants
what’s best for the body; that it might
experience the spaciousness of the Holy
Intimate. So we join in celebration that “on
a particular night, in a particular place, so
many years ago, was born to us, an infant
king, our Prince of Peace.”
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Vitaly and Oksana Voinov live in Moscow, Russia. Vitaly is working with the Institute for Bible Translation (IBT) in Russia/CIS as IBT’s director. IBT has been serving the non-Slavic peoples of the former Soviet Union for four decades by translating the Holy Scriptures. Pray today for the Voinov famil,y and their eldest son Nathan as he begins college. Pray for the Nenets people to become interested in the Scriptures that the translation team has been working on for many years to produce.
Bridges International serves the needs of international students adjusting to living and studying at the University of Tennessee. Pray today for the international students on campus, that they may understand their need of Jesus and have the courage to accept all that God offers in relationship. Pray many Knoxville families will open their homes to international students this holiday season.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 1
21
December 21
6And he said to me, “It
is done! I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the
beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will
give from the spring
of the water of life
without payment.”
Jesus as the Alpha and Omega Shows Us Love
REVELATION 21:6 THESE ARE THE BEAUTIFUL words
of our Savior to the Apostle John on the
island of Patmos over 2000 years ago. John
is at the end of his life and the last Apostle
alive. This conversation between Jesus and
the disciple whom he loved was special
because Jesus shows John some additional
things for his and our understanding of the
past, present and future. John got to see
what was like an amazing movie that Jesus
was showing him with the Mediterranean
Sea in the background. We can only imagine
how eager John would have been to see and
Gracious Heavenly Father—Thank you for sending your one and only Son, Jesus Christ. In him we both hear and see the truth of your living and powerful Word lived out among us. Thank you that he is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End and that you have secured in Christ our eternal home forever. Amen
hear from his resurrected Savior, Lord and
friend! Every Christmas we tend to think
and focus on the birth of Christ; which is
right and good. But it is also important to
remember that in Christ all the fullness of
God’s deity dwells and he has for all times
sealed, accomplished and applied salvation
and faith for his people now and for-
ever and ever. In Christ it truly is a world
without end for those who place their faith
and trust in him alone for salvation. How
thankful we should be!
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Eric and Beth Yodis are facilitating church planting in eastern Ukraine. Eric and Beth returned to the Ukraine last year to help with church planting in Kiev. Pray today for a revival throughout Lugansk and the entirety of the war zone and for Eric and Beth to continue to enjoy good health and strength as they serve this country. Pray for their Fall travels as they visit students, pastors, churches, and others throughout Ukraine.
Bridge Refugee Services facilitates the resettlement of refugees in East Tennessee. Bridge empowers refugees to become self-sufficient, and works closely with many volunteers, employers, and churches that sponsor refugee families. Pray today for all the refugee families that have settled in Knoxville to have a ready mind to learn the English language, for jobs that provide for their families, and for Knoxville families to have hearts ready to offer Refugees their help and friendship.
A N D P S A L M 1 3 3
22
December 22
35Jesus said to them,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me
shall not hunger and
whoever believes in
me shall never thirst.”
Jesus as the Bread of Life Brings Us Peace
JOHN 6:22-40 THINK ABOUT THE best meal you
have ever eaten. If you can, picture the
food, smells and tastes and remember
how you felt during and afterwards. I have
been blessed to eat more good meals than I
deserve, but I can easily pinpoint the best. I
was on a missions trip to Spain and on the
last day we bought some fresh bread and
rotisserie chicken and as a team we sat out-
side on a bridge many hundreds of years old
and ate. I am sure that the atmosphere and
people contributed to the overall experience,
but I can still remember how good that food
was. I remember feeling full and satisfied in
a way that no other meal has been able to
do. But you know what...before long, I was
hungry again. No matter how satisfied I was
for that moment, my body needed more —so I
ate dinner that night —and breakfast the next
morning—and I remember neither of those
meals. No matter how perfect and satisfying
that meal was, it would never be enough.
Lord Jesus, thank you that you are the Bread of Life. Thank you that you offer yourself to us that we may find our ultimate satisfaction in you. Give us the strength to believe you and allow you to affect our whole lives and say like the disciples, “where would we go, you alone have the words of eternal life.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.
As Jesus often did, he gave the people a
picture they could easily understand what
He is like to his people—like bread for the
hungry. Jesus connects this teaching to the
feeding of the 5,000 by speaking to the same
crowd who had experienced that miracle.
They had waited on Jesus because they were
hungry again and wanted more bread—at
least that’s what they thought they wanted.
Indeed, they had a hunger, but it wasn’t com-
ing from their stomachs. It was from their
souls. Jesus then identifies himself to them,
“I am the Bread… of Life.” I am what you are
actually hungering for and unlike the bread of
this world, I can actually satisfy your deep-
est need—your need to be made whole. I am
the one who made you and knows you—and
more than that, I am the one who can pro-
vide rest for your souls. I alone can bring you
back to the Father and give you peace—the
enduring peace that all of our hearts search
and long for.
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Paul and Dori Pittman, currently living in Lake City, Florida, serve as area directors for United World Mission’s Latin America region. Paul is also project coordinator of UWM’s Cuba Partnership Project. Pray for missionaries in Honduras, Cuba, and throughout Central America serving in difficult areas and under adverse circumstances. Pray for teams/individuals willing to serve short term in Cuba.
In partnership with Child Evangelism Fellowship of Knoxville, Evangelical churches can “adopt” a local elementary school and begin an After-School Good News Club. Currently there are Clubs in 7 of the 137 elementary schools in the Knoxville area. Ask God to provide the Church partners, volunteers, and open doors (awareness of the 2001 Supreme Court ruling that entitles equal access) to begin 20 additional clubs.
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
A N D P S A L M 1
23
December 23
47Very truly I tell you, the
one who believes has
eternal life. Your ances-
tors ate the manna in the
wilderness, yet they died.
But here is the bread that
comes down from heav-
en, which anyone may eat
and not die. I am the living
bread that came down
from heaven. Whoever eats
this bread will live forever.”
Jesus as the Bread of Life Brings Us Peace
JOHN 6:41-51 HOW DO YOU NOURISH your body?
Through food. The process is physical; you
can tell from your body’s cues when you are
hungry, thirsty, faint, or full. God provided
manna for the Israelites as they trained and
traveled through the wilderness, giving them
enough for each day’s needs. They learned
dependence and trust as they enjoyed their
morning manna for almost forty years’ time.
God’s provision for them never failed.
So how do you nourish your soul and
spirit? You can’t see them; what are the cues
that your soul and spirit are starving for the
bread of eternal life, not mere physical bread?
Jesus, the master of illustration, took the
physical reality of manna and personalized it.
He asked people to draw a parallel between
God’s provision of physical, bread-like manna
for their temporal survival and God’s provi-
sion of Jesus, the Bread of life, for their eternal
survival. Both manna and Jesus came down
from heaven; both nourished people well.
Manna, constructive for today’s needs; Jesus,
Father, thank you for sending Jesus as our Living Manna. Lord Jesus, may we feast on you and live in your peace. Spirit, please nourish us through the body of Jesus, this day through eternity. Amen.
crucial for eternal needs.
Just as we eat bread and our body is nour-
ished, we ingest Jesus (through prayer, Scrip-
ture, and delight) and our spirit is nourished.
Without Jesus, we are spiritually scrawny and
spare, destined for death by spiritual star-
vation. But because of Jesus’ birth, we have
in Hhm all we need for our spiritual life and
godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
How do you feel physically when you are
satisfied after a meal? Peaceful, contented,
restful. This is possible spiritually, as well. As
we become more and more filled with Jesus,
His peace, contentment, and internal rest sate
our spirit-appetite. Jesus takes away our hun-
ger for affection with his own love, which he
gives fully and freely. He realigns our appetites
by giving us a new heart and his own mind.
He feeds the gaunt loss and boney harm
within us with the fat and lean of truth. He
confronts our ravenous greed and voracious
gluttony through satisfaction with his Spirit.
He fills our emptiness with love, joy, peace,
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Carlos and Sandy Rios are planting Rivers of Grace Bible Church in the San Andres area of Guadalajara, Mexico. Pray for God’s guidance as they seek to partner with Pastor Rafa Oropeza and take steps for both churches to come together as one group. Pray for their church’s 3 students in Bible School-for growth in Christ. Pray new believers stand strong in their faith as they have spiritual conversations with family and friends who are not believers, over this Christmas season.
Choices Resource Center is a Christian, life-affirming pregnancy resource center offering services to help people facing decisions regarding pregnancy, parenting, purity, and post abortion healing. Pray today for each young woman who will visit this center this week.
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control, so rather than
living in famine, we are full to overflowing
with life. God’s provision for you in Christ
will never fail.
A N D P S A L M 2 3
24
December 24
24 and when he had given
thanks, he broke it, and
said, ‘This is my body
which is for you. Do this
in remembrance of me.
Jesus as the Bread of Life Brings Us Peace
1 COR. 11:23-26 FOR THE BENEFIT OF… As the dawn
grows brighter toward that great day of
celebration of the birth of the baby King we
are drawn into these words of Jesus that Paul
gives us from 1 Corinthians 11, “This is my
body which is for you.” Jesus, on the night he
was betrayed…as the dawn of that great day
was about to break... broke bread and gave it
to his disciples. “for the benefit of…”
He gave bread to them with words that
they haven’t heard before. “What did he
mean?” they must have thought as he uttered
those words. He broke the bread then said,
“This is my body.” The bread wasn’t his
body! Their minds may have stopped listen-
ing with that first phrase if it had not been
Jesus talking. He went on and said “which
is for you (or literally for your benefit).” That
is a pure picture of God’s grace. The bread
was part of the Passover dinner; that which
would give them strength for the next day
and replenish their weary and emotionally
drained bodies from the previous days of
Father, Thank you that you sent Jesus for our benefit. Help us to receive him as we remember all he has done for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
new teaching from their Lord; teachings of
end times and persecution! At least, that is
what they thought before Jesus spoke.
That evening was the start of an eight-day
celebration of Passover which, for well over
1200 years, the Hebrew people had cele-
brated. From infancy they had been told of
God’s provision for them by bringing them out
of bondage in Egypt into the land of promise.
The whole story of God’s redeeming love was
fleshed out in the celebration of the day of
Unleavened Bread which the Passover lamb
was to be sacrificed and was a time, they
might have thought, for them to kick back and
relax from all the people and questions and
teachings of Jesus. What could Jesus mean,
“this is my body”? Bread was their sustenance.
Little did they know that this was a time when
the True Passover Lamb would be sacrificed
once for all. Jesus is the Bread of Life.
Paul was just repeating what he had received
from the risen Christ. And through Paul we
now receive the same instruction. “Do this…”
D A I L Y P R AY E R
MISSION PRAYER REQUESTS
Manuel and Annabella Valverde are involved in church planting and leadership training in Guatemala. Manuel founded and continues to teach at the Francisco Lacueva Theological Seminary in San Marcos. Pray for the students to be fully equipped as mature pastors. Pray for open doors to continue training pastors in Venezuela and Cuba. Pray for those who come to Guatemala from PassionLife and the group who comes to install wood burning stoves in San Marcos, a remote area of Guatemala.
Global Cities, Church Planting in Cities of Influence: Pray for God to grow these churches in membership and maturity, especially with those new to church. Pray these churches would impact the community around them, especially reaching new folks with outreach efforts during this Christmas season.
CONTINUED IN THE BACK
A N D P S A L M 4 6
On this Christmas Eve day we, too, look
forward to a great day of celebration in
the life of the church. But in this passage
25
December 25
22 All this took place to
fulfill what the Lord
had spoken by the
prophet:23 “Behold, the
virgin shall conceive
and bear a son, and
they shall call his
name Immanuel” (which
means, God with us).
Jesus is Immanuel
MATTHEW 1:18-25 IT’S FINALLY HERE! After weeks
of waiting on the Coming of the Promised
Messiah, he has come. He has not come as
many expected however. He has not come
as a powerful King to come and overthrow
Roman rule and thus freeing God’s peo-
ple from their political enemy. He has not
come as the perfecting Priest to bring the
people close to God by offering acceptable
sacrifices on their behalf. He has not come
as the proclaiming Prophet with signs and
miracles signifying God’s presence as well
as the words of warning and hope. In fact,
the first sounds of his coming to Earth were
the cries of a helpless baby. Indeed, one day
he would perfectly fulfill all the roles of the
Old Testament and be the Promised One
who would be our perfect Prophet, Priest
Father we rejoice that you loved us enough to become one of us and live the life we couldn’t live and die the death we couldn’t die so that we may be with you in heaven one day. We praise you for your loving and gracious gift!
and King, but he came with no power, no
pomp and no circumstance. He came as
one barely noticed, born in a stable because
there was no room anywhere else for Him
and attended by shepherds as the priests
and kings of the world took no notice of
Him. He came as one of us!
Of all the names the Bible uses to refer to
Jesus, maybe none quite have the power and
beauty of Immanuel, God with us. It seems
impossible and absurd to even insinuate
the possibility of the Holy and All-Knowing,
All-Powerful and All-Present God would
come and restrict himself to time and space
and a body and yet that’s exactly what he
did. He came to fully experience life as we
have and yet to not be controlled or con-
sumed by the sin that has ahold of us. He
D A I L Y P R AY E R
came to fulfill the demands of the Law that
we could never fulfill and take the penalty
and punishment that our sin deserved and
free us forever from sin and death, and He
did it willingly. The author of Hebrews tells
us that he did this for the “joy set before
him.” He saw the pain and sacrifice of the
cross not as duty but as a joy and it all
began here in Bethlehem.
More than anything else, He came to
show us the true heart of God the Father.
God loves us so much that he pursues us
and provides for us all that is needed for
our forgiveness and salvation. He is not
just God for us or God near us but he is
truly God with us, so let us rejoice!
A N D P S A L M 6 2
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another prophet, or an interesting person.
He was God in the flesh, God dwelling with
man, and God incarnate. This is the exciting
news of Christmas! This is the unique truth
about Jesus that makes him worth following,
worshiping, and devoting our lives to. Jesus,
the Son of God, is more than just a decoration
or part of our Christmas tradition. He is the
entire point of the Christmas story.
the not yet, may we always proclaim, above
all—and because of that with hope, that ‘Truly
Jesus is the Son of God.”
and love God, but to die—for us. God shows
his love by sending the Messiah to take our
place and the punishment our sin deserves
in order to truly save us and defeat our
greatest enemies—sin and death—forever.
Praise be to Christ!
Universe and the ultimate hero who defeated
sin and death. We know that in the end we
win, because Jesus fought the greatest battle
and won it for us.
ing the truth or he is blaspheming. And as the
High Priest, staying in power and eliminating
any (what I perceived as) false teaching was
important. So Jesus is sentenced to death.
And yet, God! God prevails! Yes, Jesus
is handed over for suffering and death. But
...three days later, he is resurrected! He con-
quers death —for all of us (even for those men
in the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas)! He brings
restoration! And the joy bubbles up and over!
We can rejoice and dance in our joy because
Jesus is the Savior Messiah—the One who
conquered death and sits in power at the right
hand of God the Father. And his kingdom will
never end! What a glorious Savior! What joy
he brings!
that he is the First and he is the Last. The
great I AM hems us in—from the first and
to the last. Love is God and God is love and
his love was shown supremely through the
given, approachable, inviting, expressed,
sacrificial, steadfast, powerful, peaceful,
fearless, redeeming, live giving love of his
Son; The Rock who cannot be duplicated,
only imitated. Christ is the visible expression
of the invisible God and through him we can
have life more abundantly. We can know
love through the baby who suffered through
DECEMBER 24 CONTINUED
DECEMBER 22 CONTINUEDJesus finished this chapter with a com-
mand—“Feed on me.” The people misunder-
stand and take offense wondering if Jesus
is meaning cannibalism. Instead, Jesus is
making the point that bread only satisfies
when it is eaten and becomes part of us.
In the same way, unless we take Jesus and
make him a part of our lives, how can he
truly satisfy us? He declares himself as the
Bread of Life for us and now it remains for
us to believe and take him and allow him to
give us peace and satisfaction.
we are reminded as we look back, in
remembrance, to also look forward to the
day of greatest celebration for a believer;
the day when he comes again. When we
celebrate Christmas we celebrate Christ’s
first coming; His birth. When we partake
of the Lord’s Supper we celebrate and look
forward and proclaim to the world, not his
birth but the Lord’s death until he comes
again. Feed on him in your hearts by faith
with thanksgiving. “This..is for the benefit of
…you. Do this…” Christ’s birth and death call
us to not only recognize that his body and
blood are for us but with that recognition
we are then to “Do this…” We are called to
receive what God has given us and then do
what he calls us to do. What is Christ calling
you to do? Chew on that (pun intended) as
you celebrate this Christmas! He is the Bread
of Life, broken…for the benefit of you. Do
this...in remembrance of me.” Think about
that, won’t you? Merry Christmas and Peace.
childbirth and hunger and later suffered
through humiliation and scorn on our behalf.
We can know love because he has made
himself known. He has called us and invited
us to hear him, draw near him and love him.
Isn’t that what love is? Isn’t that what we
long for from our family, our friends, or our
spouse? We deeply want someone to love
us. We deeply want someone to show us that
love. Sometimes those close to us do but we
all fail and we still long for it. Won’t you listen
to God’s call?
What is love? God is love. “{Love is} the first
and {Love is} the last; besides {Love} there is
no other god…No other Rock.” Christ is love.
Jesus invites us to come to him and know love.
Office Phone (865) 693-9331 • www.cspc.net • 9132 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee 37923