December 2025

You Are A Gift!
December 20 & 21, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Revelation 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     It is getting close to Christmas, when many people look forward to opening presents from family and friends. Some have sent out their wish list and hope for certain things. Now, stop for a second and ask yourself, how many past presents can you name? Over the years, what ones brought you happiness or pleasure enough to remember? We look at things often and think, “If I only had that, it would bring me pleasure forever.” However, after we have it for a while, we are much like little children who tire of their new toy and begin looking for something else.

     Did you realize that the Lord, for His PLEASURE, created us? The Bible says that all things were created for our Lord’s pleasure. When the Lord of all time sat down and thought, “What will bring me the most pleasure?” He thought of you. In addition, being the Lord, He also knew He would never tire of this creation. This creation has caused Him many problems and troubles over the centuries, but also much joy, and most of all, true love. When you read how we were created for God’s pleasure, do not think, as some may, that we were created as a plaything to bring pleasure for a little while, like a toy or gadget. This is not the nature of God. We were created to bring God pleasure forever.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    What have you done in the last year to bring God pleasure? Did you lead someone else to Him? Did you remember Him daily? Did you listen to Him as He spoke to you out of His Word regularly? Did you bring Him pleasure? Think hard. OK, now let me help you a bit. He finds pleasure in you just being you. He surely does want you to witness, read your Bible, and pray. Those things bring about blessings in your life. However, they are not conditions of His love. He loves you and finds pleasure in just you. Just because you’re you, and that alone should make you want to love Him. Moreover, your love for Him brings Him great pleasure. Love God, simply because He first loved you.

Can you quit trying to bring God pleasure
and just rest in the knowledge that you do?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself what MY THOUGHTS are concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 20, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
Zechariah 13, 14 / Psalm 139-140
Proverbs 20 / Revelations 4-7

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Nahum  /  Revelation 12-13

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAY:

    There will not be a Daily Devotion sent out on Sundays. Instead, we encourage you to attend your church and listen intently to what God has prepared in the heart of your Pastor. Write down all the scriptures he uses in that message, then, when you get home, re-read those passages for today’s reading. God has given your Pastor exactly what He desires for you on that day.  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December  21, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

Puzzled By Life
December 19, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 19:21
There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     Our family used to like to put together puzzles. It seemed as though there was always a puzzle on the table. Most everyone in the family would stop by, look for a few pieces, and then place the pieces they found where they needed to be.

     Sometimes we would find a few pieces that went together, but we could not see where they belonged in the puzzle. These pieces would sit beside the puzzle, connected together, until we found their home.

     On occasion, we would lose a piece. How discouraging it was to complete a puzzle, only to find one piece was missing. Later, when we found a puzzle piece around the house, we would try to figure out which puzzle it went with. The only way we could know is if we had seen the completed puzzle. Otherwise, it is just a colored, funny-shaped piece of cardboard.

     Our lives are much like these puzzles. We want to believe we have things all figured out when, truthfully, we are all simply a piece of a much bigger picture. Only God, who has seen the whole plan together, can know how our life fits with the lives of others. He has already seen the completed puzzle. We might try to fit in here or there, but without God’s guidance, we are just a piece out of place. Occasionally, we will find a few others and realize we fit comfortably together with them. Yet we are still not the entire puzzle, but only a section of the picture that only God has seen. How can we possibly fit into life’s puzzle? Since only God knows, we need to follow His guidance and leading as He places each of us where we belong.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     Some may be thinking, “I do not seem to fit anywhere.” We had those puzzle pieces, too. The ones we tried but did not fit, so we set them aside and kept looking for their place. We knew they had to fit somewhere. When we found their place, it seemed as if those pieces were extra special, as they made the entire picture complete. You do fit. We all fit into God’s plan. “The counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.”

Do you sence you have found your place in God’s Puzzle of Life?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to ACCept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  December 19, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Zechariah 10-12 / Psalm 138
Proverbs 19 / Revelations 3

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Micah 5-7  /  Revelation 10-11

Wandering In A Strange Land
December 18, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 137:4
How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

      I know the Bible tells us to rejoice always. I know we are told to be full of praise always. However, sometimes we just do not feel like it. At least I hope I am not the only one who ever feels this way. What is it that causes this feeling in the life of a God-fearing, born-again Christian? Well, I believe there can be several things. It could be a medical condition or medication that has you in a state of depression. It might be a family issue bringing you down for some time. However, what about those times in life when it is not something like that? What then? It could be that you are in a strange land! By this, I mean you might be somewhere other than exactly where God wanted you to be.

 

      It might be a strange land of sin. There might be some area in your life that is not right with God, and God is trying to point this out to you. It might be the strange land of disobedience. God has told you in His Word how things should or should not be done, but you are living according to your desires and not God’s Word. You are in a strange land. It could be that the strange land of being out of the will of God. Maybe God was leading you one way, and like Jonah, you walked another. God went in the direction He wanted you to go. You walked off into a strange land. It might be the strange land of being at odds with a Christian Brother, Sister, or spouse. No harmony in the church and at home can have you standing in a strange place with God. You find yourself wandering in a strange land. There are many strange lands out there, and all it takes to get there is getting off the narrow path that leads to joy and happiness. Holding on to the Master’s hand and following Him guarantees safety from the strange lands.

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

   There is a song in many Hymnals. It says, “Come Home, Come Home, Ye who are weary Come Home.” Do you feel you might be in a strange land today? Is something hindering your joy? Turn from it, repent of it, reconcile if necessary, and come home. The Lord of all is reaching out and saying, Come home. Can you hear Him as He sings that chorus to you, “Come Home, Come Home, Ye who are weary Come Home.”

 

What strange lands has God brought you through?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

 

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 18, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Zechariah 8, 9 / Psalm 137
Proverbs 18 / Revelations 2

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Micah 1-4  /  Revelation 9