Author - Clay Corvin

12/18          Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! ” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to bless you! 31 You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s already in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.” And then the angel left.

INVOLVED

God is involved in your life.  He knows what is going on.  He has a plan for your life.  Surrender control of your life to Him and listen as He tells you what His plans are.  God loves you. 

12/17          Luke 22:35-44

Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler’s bag, or an extra pair of sandals, did you need anything?” “No,” they replied. 36 “But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one! 37 For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’ Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.” 38 “Look, Lord,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.” “That’s enough,” he said. 39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives.

There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” 41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

PRAY

Pray for one another.  Pray for family.  Pray for work.  Pray for the lost.  Pray for the hurting.  Pray for the homeless.  Pray for government.  In all things pray.  Pray until the Lord intervenes and changes the situation. 

12/16          Luke 22:28-34

“You have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29 And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right 30 to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” 34 But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

TRUTH

Jesus always told the truth.  You and I must insist with ourselves that we speak the truth in love.  Do not let Satan push you into and untruth.  When you are faced with a complex situation and really need to speak the truth go to Jesus for that truth and let Him guide you into what you should say. 

12/15          Luke 22:20-27

After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. 21 “But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. 22 For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.” 23 The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing. 24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

SELF

The world is focused on self.  People think about themselves most of the time.  Jesus calls us to a radical new ethic: people count with God.  Every person we see each day counts with the Lord.  Every person is of distinct and high value.  Remember that as you study the Bible.  Remember that as you pray.  People count with the Father.  Jesus died for people.  As we continue to count down to the celebration of His birth remember that people count with Jesus.     

12/14          Luke 22:17-19

Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.” 19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”

REMEMBER

Remember that everything related to Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection were done for you.  Christ knew you.  He knows you better than you know yourself.  He loves you with a depth and tenaciousness that is beyond our comprehension.  Just remember that Jesus loves you. 

12/13          Luke 22:9-16

“Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him. 10 He replied, “As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, 11 say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 12 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 

They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there. 14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. 15 Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

ABLE

Jesus is able.  Just as He was able to prepare His disciples for the cross event He can prepare you for living your life for Him.  Spend time with Jesus.  He will prepare you for each day of life.  Spend time with Jesus and you will discover that your life works much better.  Jesus gives us the wisdom we need to live a Godly good life. 

12/12          Luke 22:1-8

1 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said, “Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together.”

NOW

Now is the time for us to remember all about Jesus; His birth, life, death and resurrection.  Jesus is in charge.  Then with the disciples He was preparing them for His demise and today He is preparing us for His life.  Now is the time to get to know Jesus.  Now is the time to begin the preparation of your life with Him.  Now is the time.  Today. 

12/11          Revelation 11:17

And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign.

JESUS

Jesus is reigning.  He is alive and in charge.  We are focused on the day we celebrate His birth and it seems like a long time even though it isn’t because as we celebrate His birth He is already reigning.  Jesus is in charge right now. 

12/10          1 Tim 4:8

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. 10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

LOOKING

I am looking forward to the Gospel.  His birth is celebrated on December 25.  Jesus is the Good News.  God has provided a Savior of all people particularly of all believers.  Jesus is Lord.  Look forward with me to the celebration of His birth.

12/09          Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

DEVOTE

Devote yourself to prayer.  It takes commitment and hard work to pray specially to pray at or near the same time each day.  Learn to pray without ceasing.  This takes hard work, and attention to details to devote yourself to prayer and to pray without ceasing.  That’s why few people do this because it is difficult.  Please remember the value of joining together with the Lord to pray.  People are literally placing their life in your hands so pray for the lost, pray for the homeless, pray for the prisoner, pray for our leaders.  Prayer is desperately needed in a lost world.  Pray for your church members.  Pray for your pastor.  Pray for your family.  Pray.