Today's Good News

December 2009

12/1            John 1:1
In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.

GOD
Jesus is God.  He is totally God and totally man.  Divine and human in every respect; and He is totally able to understand the pain and suffering that mankind experiences.  When you pray to Jesus you are praying to God.  When you spend time with Jesus you are spending time with God.  Jesus Christ is the Lord God.

 

12/2            John 1:2-3
He was in the beginning with God.  He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make.

GOD
Jesus is the creative activity of God.  He is God and He created everything.  We cannot exist without Jesus.  His blessings cover those who are saved and those who are lost, He is God’s everything.

 

12/3            John 1:4-5
Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone.  The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

LIFE
Jesus brings us life.  His life covers us and fills us with life.  What are you struggling with?  Christ will bring real life to your troubles and woes.  Sit with Him and express yourself.  Christ will change the way you see yourself and the way you see your struggles.  Often He will give us an immediate change of heart.  Sometimes it will take a bit of time for everything to work through to us.  Jesus is bigger than anything that challenges us.

 

12/4            John 1:6-9
God sent John the Baptist to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.  John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light.  The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.

JESUS
Jesus is foretold and forth told.  John the Baptist tells one and all that HE is coming.  I want you to know that Christ has come and He came that you and me would have eternal life beginning right now.  Nothing can separate us from His love, nothing can condemn us and we do have the right to claim all of His promises for our life each day!  Jesus is Lord.

 

12/5            John 1:10
But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came.

ALWAYS
The preexistent Christ created everything there is and His greatest creation, mankind, denies His existence.  That is just unbelievable that the world will claim darkness over Jesus.  You have chosen Christ.  Believe in Him and know that He has you on His heart this very moment.  Jesus loves you.

 

12/6            John 1:11
Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted.

SAW
They saw His miracles.  They heard Him teach.  They walked with Him many places in the land.  But they didn’t believe Him.  Jesus was just another person to them.  Believe in Him and He will give you life.  There is nothing complex about that.  Trust in the Lord and He will be with you.

 

12/7            John 1:12
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

CHILDREN
We belong to Him and as a result of believing in Him we have become children of God.  We belong to the KING, the Lord High God.  Rejoice in Him and accept His peace and your life will be useful and useable.

 

12/8            John 1:13
They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan – this rebirth comes from God.

SPIRIT
By the power of the Lord, His Spirit, we are given a spiritual birth.  We have a difficult time understanding this birth but we know and we experience it.  The comes alive to us because we are a part of the Family of God and now hear the Spirit speak to us in the Word of God.  That Word is alive and is to us.  We hear Him as He speaks to us and know Him as Lord and Savior.

 

12/9            John 1:14
So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.

JESUS
The Darling Son of the Lord is our elder brother.  Jesus is alive.  He lives in us.  He lives to guide us.  His concern for us even transcends our own concern because Jesus knows what we will face.  When tragedy or challenge strikes Jesus will stand together with you.  The Lord Jesus wants to be totally involved in your life.

 

12/10          John 1:15
John pointed him out to the people. He shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.'”

JESUS
John knew.  He knew because the Spirit revealed Christ to him.  You know if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  The Lord has come to us and one day He is coming back to claim His bride and His children.

 

12/11          John 1:16-17
We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us – one gracious blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses; God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

GRACE
The sun is not diminished by shining.  Grace pours out of Christ, grace upon grace and is not diminished by the amount of grace given to each one of us.  He is gracious and provides bountiful grace.  His precious grace gives us what we need and cannot earn.  Jesus the Lord provides each one of us exactly what we need.  His grace is more than we ever expect and far greater than what we need.

 

12/12          John 1:18
No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him.

GOD
The more fully you see grace the greater grace becomes.  God is always ahead of us and we can never outrun His grace.  The greatness of Christ’s love explains the greatness of the Father’s love.  The Lord has come and dwelt among us and we are blessed by His presence.

 

12/12          John 1:18
No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him.

GOD
The more fully you see grace the greater grace becomes.  God is always ahead of us and we can never outrun His grace.  The greatness of Christ’s love explains the greatness of the Father’s love.  The Lord has come and dwelt among us and we are blessed by His presence.

 

12/13          John 1:19-23
This was the testimony of John when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John whether he claimed to be the Messiah.  He flatly denied it. “I am not the Messiah,” he said.  “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?””No,” he replied.”Are you the Prophet?” “No.”  “Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”  John replied in the words of Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare a straight pathway for the Lord’s coming!'”

VOICE
John the Baptist was a voice.  He submitted himself to God and let the Lord speak thru him to the people.  He prophesied the coming Messiah.  He lived His live in submission to God and was used by the Lord to tell people that Jesus was coming.  One more step in the fulfillment of the prophecies predicting that Messiah would come.  John the Baptist was a workmen clearing a road for the coming Lord.

 

12/14          John 1:24-27
Then those who were sent by the Pharisees  asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”  John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not know, who will soon begin his ministry. I am not even worthy to be his slave. ”

NOTHING
I am nothing but Jesus, Jesus is everything.  Jesus is God’s everything.  He is Lord and ruler of all things.  Creator God, loving Messiah, Savior of Mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ is the one and only son of God sent to save us from our sin.

 

12/15          John 1:28-29
This incident took place at Bethany, a village east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

JESUS
Have you got problems today?  Do they seem insoluble?  Can you not see your way through to a solution to your problem?  Take it to Jesus.  He loves you and will stand with you to work through this problem.  God has a plan for your life.  He has called you to become a member of His family.  Trust the Lord.  Believe in Jesus and He will save you.

 

12/16          John 1:30-31
He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Soon a man is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.’  I didn’t know he was the one, but I have been baptizing with water in order to point him out to Israel.”

JESUS
God has provided a solution to your deepest need.  Jesus is the solution.  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Jesus loves you.  Surrender your heart to Christ for He cares for you.  Believe in Jesus and He will never depart from you.

 

12/17          John 1:32-35
Then John said, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.  I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone, he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’  I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Son of God. ”

JESUS
Jesus Christ is Lord of all.  He reconnects us with the Father.  John attested to who Jesus was, Jesus was the Son of God.  He is beloved by the Father and He loves us.  Feeling blue?  Spend time with Jesus and He will help you.

 

12/18          John 1:35-36
The following day, John was again standing with two of his disciples.  As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and then declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”

JESUS
He is the sacrificial lamb for my sin and your sin.  He is the sacrifice for everyone who has ever lived.  We are given the right to choose Jesus.  He has already chosen us.  If no one else has ever given you the right to choose which way you should go, Jesus has.  Jesus would that each one of us have an abundant life.  Sin and evil get in the way and drag us away from doing those things that benefit us.  Jesus always has our best interests at heart.  He died for us so that we might have the right of free choice.

 

12/19          John 1:37-39
Then John’s two disciples turned and followed Jesus.  Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”  “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place, and they stayed there the rest of the day.

JESUS
Jesus is looking for followers who will follow Him and not something else.  The Lord is single minded and single focused.  We cannot serve Him and everything else we find in our lives We must choose whom we will follow, Jesus or self.

 

12/20          John 1:40
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who had heard what John said and then followed Jesus.

JESUS
It was very clear to those He would call to follow Him who He was.  Jesus was different than the ordinary person.  He was devoted to the Father and was concerned for the weak.  Later Peter testified that He was the Messiah.  Who do you think Jesus is?  If you believe that He is the Messiah then Jesus will change your life.

 

12/21          John 1:41
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means the Christ).

JESUS
Jesus was fully man and fully God.  We don’t understand exactly what that means but we know what it means to us.  Jesus knows all about me and He still loves me.

12/22          John 1:42
Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “You are Simon, the son of John – but you will be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

JESUS
Jesus knows us from the inside out.  What are you not discussing with the Lord?  Take time now to discuss it and you will discover that the Lord has a plan for you.  Are you troubled?  Take it to Jesus and He will deal with your trouble.  Whatever your need is take it to Jesus.

 

12/23          Matthew 2:1-8
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.”  Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem.  He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. “Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?” he asked them.  “In Bethlehem,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ”  Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star.  Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

MAGI
Wise men from the east came to see the baby Jesus.  Go to Jesus and talk with Him about your need.  Do it now not later.

 

12/24          Matthew 2:9-12
After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!  They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

MAGI
Wise men were elated to find Jesus.  When we come to the Lord Jesus we are blessed with joy and peace.  If you have lost your joy and peace go back to Jesus and you will get it back.

 

12/25          Luke 2:1-8
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  All returned to their own towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time.  And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

MANGER
The Lord of glory was born in an animal trough in a cave in Bethlehem.  What difficulties have you shackled?  Take it to Jesus; He knows how to handle hardship and difficulty.

 

12/26          Luke 2:8-20
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!  The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!”   Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. ”  When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.  All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often.  The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

SHEPHERDS
Tough, ingenious men faced unbelievable difficulties on a daily basis to take care of their sheep.  The Lord cares for you.  He will not turn you away and will keep you from stumbling.  Spend time with the Lord and He will direct your path.

 

12/27          John 1:43-44
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, be my disciple.”  Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.

JESUS
Christ knew each person He was calling to follow Him.  Have you heard His call?  Are you following Him?  What will it take for you to follow Jesus?  Choose this day who you will follow, self or Christ.

 

12/28          John 1:45-46
Philip went off to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”  “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from there?” “Just come and see for yourself,” Philip said.

JESUS
Predicted in the Old Testament and recognized in the New Testament, Jesus is the Son of God.  We have a relationship with the Father because we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

 

12/29          John 1:47-48
As they approached, Jesus said, “Here comes an honest man – a true son of Israel.”  “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.And Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”

JESUS
Jesus knows all about us.  He never forgets us nor does He ever leave us.  Rejoice today, Jesus is Lord and He is Lord of where we are.  Jesus fixes the broken things in our life.

 

12/30          John 1:49
Nathanael replied, “Teacher, you are the Son of God – the King of Israel!”

JESUS
Wisdom comes from the Lord.  Nathanael speaks here under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  He is announcing the true King of Israel-Jesus Christ the Son of God.  We are not alone.  We are not at the mercy of the world.  Our background does not disqualify us.  Jesus changes everything and makes us children of God.

 

12/31          John 1:50-51
Jesus asked him, “Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”  Then he said, “The truth is, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man.”

JESUS
We belong to the Lord.  Everything we have and all we are belongs to Him.  My responsibility is to love the Lord, love others and share with others what Jesus has done for me.  Evangelism is simply reporting what the Lord has done to me to everyone I know.  But first, I must learn to connect with others.  People won’t believe me until they trust me.

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Clay Corvin

Clay Corvin is currently a Bible Teacher and occasional preacher at Bethel Community Baptist Church in New Orleans. He is the retired VP Business and Professor of Admin at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary after completing 38 years as their Business Administrator. He was the pastor at the Brantley Baptist Center for twenty-five years. He is married to Carol Corvin and the father of three children and has three grandchildren. He ministers today as Co-pastor of the Bethel Community Baptist Church and seeks to share the Gospel with everyone. Jesus is Lord!