From Jeremiah 29:11: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”
Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) was an American pastor and missionary. He was one of the first Protestant missionaries in Burma, where he would serve for nearly 40 years.
From Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,and the flame shall not consume you.”
From John 16:33: “I have said this to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world!”
There’s no sight like seeing the light from Calvary kiss a human face as it fills the heart with the assurance of Divine forgiveness.
From Hebrews 6:10-12: “For God is not unjust; He will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for His sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Rodney “Gipsy” Smith (1860-1947) was a British evangelist who conducted campaigns in both his native land and the United States for over 70 years.
When facing painful trials, we may be tempted to doubt God’s love for us. Remember that God orchestrated the greatest demonstration of love possible–His Son’s death on the cross.
From Romans 5:8-9: “But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely, therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, will we be saved through Him from the wrath of God.”
Being obedient to the truth means that we don’t have to look at others through the distorted lens of our own biases. We can see them as God sees them and love them as He loves them.
From 1 Peter 1:22-23: “Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual affection, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.”
The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality. If I love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament; I have to feed His sheep.
From John 21:17: “He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter felt hurt because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.'”
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher. Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons. Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.
From Genesis 1:1-5: “When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”
From 1 John 4:9-12: “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.”
Today’s poem is a very special guest post and gift from Mrs. Buckeye. My talented wife, Colleen, adds her voice to this Advent season as we both await the birth of our Savior.
Big Sky Buckeye 