Day 2: Jeremiah 29:11-13; 33:3
God wants to communicate with you as an individual and with the church. Call to the Lord. Open your heart. Accept his hope and love. Listen…he has many great things to tell you. Set aside time each day this week to sit quietly, listen, and journal. It can be difficult, but do you want to hear him?

Day 3: Romans 3:4, Psalm 89:8, Psalm 111:3, Isaiah 6:3, 1 John 4:8
Read each Scripture above and write a simple sentence as to what it says about the character of God. Choose one of them to memorize this week. Tell someone why you chose to memorize the Scripture and what it means to you. Remember to listen and journal. Read Jeremiah 33:3.

Day 4: Romans 8:28
For whom does God work for the good? Talk to the Lord about the love you have for him and how that love is evidenced. When we love a person, that person is able to give specific illustrations of how that looks. What kind of illustrations would the Lord give about your love for him? Remember to listen and journal. Read Jeremiah 33:3.

Day 5: Read 1 John 3:18
Make a list of the things you did yesterday that showed the Lord you love him. Now make one that showed others you love them. This Scripture focuses on the words actions and truth. What do you want your actions to say about you as a Christian? Remember to listen and journal. Read Jeremiah 33:3.

Day 6: Read Galatians 5:22-23; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Jeremiah 33:3
What fruit is typically observed in you as you live your everyday life? How does that relate to Jeremiah 29:11-13 and Jeremiah 33:3? Is it possible to trust the Lord with your future and to claim the hope he has to give, and yet not display the fruit of the Spirit? What is visible to those around you is an excellent barometer of your trust and hope in the Lord. Remember to listen and journal. The Lord has a plan for your future!
Develop your relationship with the Lord this week by investing time with Him daily.

Day 2: Read Matthew 5:8 and I Samuel 16:6-7.
“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” What are the outward things that people look at when judging other people? Record your answers in your journal. Alongside the list, mark each item with a number 1 through 5 indicating how much value you place on each trait when you size others up (1 being the most important and 5 being the least). Reflect on what you have listed and ask God to teach you about your own character.

Day 3: Read Matthew 5:8 and I Samuel 16:6-7.
On the list you wrote yesterday, mark another number next to each item. This number represents how much you think God values each of those things (1 being the most important). Then, look at your list. What does it tell you about yourself? Does it give you any ideas about what you may need to confess to God so that He can purify you further? Pray to God about what you have learned about yourself this week.

Day 4: Read Matthew 5:8.
If you have submitted yourself to God’s control, then He works in you to create a pure heart. In what ways have you experienced a purifying, a cleansing of a condition of your heart? Recall who you were before you gave yourself to God and how you have changed. Thank God for loving you enough to be patient with you as He works to purify your heart.

Day 5: Read Matthew 5:8.
Recognizing an outward appearance isn’t necessarily a selfish-driven issue. It is important not to be polluted by the seductive evils of our culture. However, it is easy to work to wash the outside of your life, and you can lose sight of the issue of the heart. God wants you to be different than the world so others see God’s presence in your life. What are the inward conditions of your heart that others can actually see as you live in their presence? Ask God to help you answer this question. Remember, He wants to reveal Himself to others as He lives in you. How do others see Him in you? Pray about this and record your responses in your journal.

Day 6: Read Psalm 51:1-12.
The one who is single-minded in commitment to the Kingdom and its righteousness will also be inwardly pure. Inward sham, deceit, and moral filth cannot coexist with sincere devotion to Christ. If God has revealed a condition of your heart this week, admit it (vs. 1). Ask God to forgive you (vs. 2-5). Believe that purity is God’s desire for you (vs. 6-9). Ask God for a pure heart (vs. 10-12). Receive it!

Day 2: Read Matthew 5:6.
Consider the people who were listening to Jesus as He taught them that day. What were some injustices in their day? How do you suppose they felt when Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”? Write your answers to these questions in your journal. Describe how they might have felt and why they were attracted to listen to Jesus.

Day 3: Read Matthew 5:6.
In your journal list the things you believe are injustices in the world today, in your own life, and in the lives of your loved ones. Ask God to guide your thoughts as you ask Him whether each of the items on your list are truly injustices or the consequences of something else. Is there a difference? Explore with God what He views as injustice.

Day 4: Read Matthew 25:31-31.
In this passage who are the victims of injustice? Who are the righteous ones? In your journal describe their condition, their actions, and their thoughts. How does the Son of Man judge the righteous? How does he judge the unrighteous?

Day 5: Read Luke 6:21.
The NIV reads, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” The Message reads, “You’re blessed when you’re ravenously hungry. Then you’re ready for the Messianic meal.” To be hungry, either physically or spiritually, indicates that you are eager, searching, desperate to be filled. Are you truly hungry for the Messianic meal? Meditate on this verse and write notes in your journal about your time with the Lord.

Day 6: Read Luke 6:25.
The NIV reads, “Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.” The Message reads, “And it’s trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long.” What does Jesus mean when he refers to one who is “well fed.” How will that person go hungry? Meditate on this verse and write notes in your journal about your time with the Lord.

Day 2: Read Matthew 5:4, Luke 6:21, and II Corinthians 1:3-4.
Read your journal entry from yesterday. When you consider the experience of mourning, it is a challenge to understand how it can be considered a blessing. Our God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. Have you been the recipient of God’s compassion and comfort? If so, tell God how much His support means to you. If you are currently in need of God’s compassion and comfort, talk to Him about it. If it helps, describe your need in your journal.

Day 3: Review Matthew 9:35-36.
Jesus ministered to others not only by preaching to them but by healing their diseases and comforting them in their times of grief. Rather than judging their character by their outward condition, He saw the people around Him according to their true condition— as people who were harassed and helpless. Because He loved them so much, He responded to their needs. His compassion serves as an example of how to respond to those in need. Pray and ask God to give you a heart like His.

Day 4: Review Matthew 9:35-38.
How do you respond when you see a television commercial pleading for relief for impoverished people? Do you change the channel before the images penetrate your mind? Do you become angry or shocked or have doubts about God’s love? Blessed are those who know how to feel the pain of life, especially the pain of others. Meditate on today’s scripture and ask God to show you how He wants you to respond to such needs.

Day 5: Review Isaiah 6:1-8.
How often do you experience grief over the sins of the world? Certainly, the sins of our world are revolting to our Father. Our lost world is cause for mourning. Isaiah’s nation was lost in sin, and Isaiah mourned over Israel’s condition. As he poured out his heart to God, God responded. God atoned for Isaiah’s sins and used Isaiah to minister to the nation of Israel. God wants to intervene on behalf of mankind, and He may even want to use you to do so. Re-read today’s scripture and listen as God speaks to you through the message. Does your heart break for the sinful condition of mankind? Are you willing to be used by God?

Day 6: Re-read Isaiah 6:1-8 and II Corinthians 1:3-4.
As you read yesterday, God wants to intervene on behalf of mankind, and He did so by paying the ultimate sacrifice. He is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. He not only feels compassion toward the needs of mankind, but He responds by cleansing us of our sinful condition. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Give thanks and praise to God for His intervention on your behalf.

Day 2: Read Matthew 4:23-5:3
According to this Scripture, people of great suffering were flocking to see Jesus to be healed. These are not the people in power, the rich, or the prestigious. These were the down and outs, those that society looked upon with contempt. They were the poor, probably not able to work due to their circumstances. What kind of thoughts could have been going on in their minds when they hear Jesus, the miracle worker, this famous one tell them that the poor in spirit have the kingdom of heaven? Does being financially poor have anything to do with being “poor in spirit”? Look in the footnotes of your Bible or other resources to learn the meaning of that phrase. Are you “poor in spirit”? Journal your thoughts.

Day 3: Read Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:14-21
What do these Scriptures say the mission of Jesus is? Can the poor, prisoners, the blind, or the oppressed offer much of anything to Jesus? They cry out and they are heard. What does this say about you and your relationship with Jesus? Do you really have much of anything to offer him? Journal your thoughts.

Day 4: Read Luke 12:22-32
So…not much to offer Him? That’s exactly where He wants you. Your gas tank reads empty which promotes you to cry out to Him. Is there really ANYTHING that you can do or be on your own? Empty yourself. Cry out.

Day 5: Read Matthew 18:2-4
What is the connection between this Scripture, the idea of being “poor in spirit” and the image of a gas gauge on empty? How can you apply these principles in your everyday life? Journal your thoughts.

Day 6: Read Scripture of your choice that supports Matthew 5:3
Jesus taught the “new” way to live, life beyond the Law of the Old Testament. As you live your ordinary life with your gas gauge on empty, do you embrace the words of Jesus? Do you believe that the Kingdom of Heaven is yours? Journal your thoughts.

Day 2:  Read Luke 24:33-48.
When Jesus appeared to His disciples, He first reassured them that He was actually standing before them in bodily form.  Then, He immediately went on to tell them that everything written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.  This is the same way He responded to Cleopas and His friend.  Why was it so important for Jesus to talk to His followers about the prophesies about Him?  Write your thoughts in your journal.

Day 3:  Review Genesis 12:1-3.
Abram (later re-named Abraham) was to become the father of a great nation, and all peoples on earth would be blessed through him. In what way(s) have all peoples on earth been blessed through Abraham?  Why do you suppose there has been such hostility toward the children of Abraham throughout history?  Ask God to teach you as you ponder these questions and write your observations in your journal.

Day 4:  Review Genesis 22:1-18.
Review today’s passage and write in your journal all the similarities between this account of Abraham and Isaac and the events of Jesus’ death.  Review your notes and ask God to show you the significance of these similarities.  Why did God test Abraham in this way?  How could Abraham have had such faith in God that he could have sacrificed his son, his only son?  Pray asking God to increase your understanding of today’s passage.

Day 5:  Review Genesis 22:1-18.
God wants us to understand the kind of faith He’s looking for because it’s Abraham-like faith that led to Jesus’ sacrifice. It was Abraham-like faith for Jesus Himself when He prayed, “Not my will, but your will be done.”  It’s Abraham-like faith that leads to God’s blessings to be poured out in your life as well.  Consider your own faith.  Is God clearly asking you to do anything?  Are you willing to just talk the talk, or are you willing to walk the walk?

Day 6:  Review Matthew 27:27-50.
Look at what Jesus endured in order to obey God.  God had planned from the beginning of time to bless all peoples through Abraham’s offspring, and He uses all those who are willing to obey Him.  Write a prayer of thanks and commit yourself to obey God when He wants to include you in His plans.

Day 2: Read Exodus 1.
As the nation of Israel multiplies greatly, other nations are threatened by its size. As he always does, Satan seeks to thwart God’s plans. In what way(s) is Satan active in Exodus 1? Why is Satan opposed to the growth of the nation of Israel? In your prayer time today ask God to teach you about His vision for the nation of Israel.

Day 3: Read Exodus 12:31-42, Deuteronomy 34:1-5; Joshua 1:1-6.
In your journal write down the ways that God was at work in these passages to fulfill the promises He made hundreds of years earlier to Abraham. What have you learned about God’s involvement in His vision for Abraham’s descendants? What have you learned about Satan’s involvement in God’s visions? Ask God to guide you as you meditate on these questions.

Day 4: Read Esther 1-5.
Again, the nation of Israel is threatened by one who hates the Jews. Will God allow the destruction of the nation of Israel? Invest some extra time today in reading the first five chapters of the Book of Esther in light of your knowledge of God’s vision for Abraham’s descendants. In your journal write your thoughts about Mordecai and Esther. What was the foundation of their faith? How did their faith impact their behavior?

Day 5: Read Esther 6-10.
What an exciting story of God’s faithfulness to His people! It is eerily similar to the events found in today’s news about the nation of Israel. Find some articles in the newspaper or on the internet about the threats against the nation of Israel today. Satan is still bent on destroying Israel, but Almighty God is still in control! In your prayer time today, thank God for His sovereign authority over all things and all beings.

Day 6: Read Revelation 7:1-8.
In John’s Revelation we read of God’s provisions for Abraham’s descendants. Never has God or will God forget His children. Review your journal for this week and recall those you read about who were faithful to God: Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Mordecai, Esther. You too can be counted among the ranks of the faithful – those who take action based upon faith in God’s sovereignty!

Many people spend their lives, as the song goes, “Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places.” So, how do we find real, lasting love? Love comes from God. In your journal list some ways people search for love in this world. Include your thoughts about how those sources of love may be lacking in true love. Pray asking God to teach you how to love others like He loves you.

Day 2: Read Matthew 22:37-39.

Many people think that God is only interested in rules. But God is all about love. Jesus, God the Son, reminds us of the most important “rule.” Meditate on Jesus’ instructions on how you are to love God. Ask God to search your heart, soul, and mind. Listen as He prompts you to respond in love to Him. Commit to obeying Him as He guides you in your meditation.

Day 3: Read Matthew 22:37-39.

Meditate today on Jesus’ instructions on how you are to love others. Ask God to heart, soul, and mind. Ask God to search your actions and words as well. Are there any areas in which you feel powerless to love others? Re-read I John 4:7. Pray and ask God to give you the love that you need to express toward others.

Day 4: Read 1 John 4:7-10.

Anything you have done that is not loving separates you from a loving God. You don’t have to murder or commit armed robbery to “sin.” Sin is simply breaking God’s commandment to fully love Him and others. His only Son Jesus Christ died and rose again to “atone” for your unloving behavior. Atone means to make “at-one.” When you confess your lack of love (sin) and believe that Christ died and arose for your sin, you are forgiven and are “at one” with God and His love. Talk to God about your response to this passage.

Day 5: Read 1 John 4:11-12.

Re-read today’s scripture as follows: “Dear friend, since God so loved me, I also ought to love others. No one has ever seen God; but if I love others, God lives in me and His love is made complete in me.” What a wonder? You live out God’s love to others. Do others see God in the way that you relate to them? Spend some time today reflecting on any recent experiences that God brings to your mind. Are there any words or actions that He would like to make holy in you?

Day 6: Read I John 4:11-12.

We get to know God and His love better through reading His love letter (the Bible), talking to Him (prayer), and being with those who also love Him (the church). The better we know God, the easier it is for us to obey His commandment to love Him and others. Re-read all of this week’s scriptures and spend some time praying and journaling as God speaks to your heart, soul, and mind.

Day 2: Read Luke 2:6-18
Glory to God in the highest! A savior has been born. He is Christ the Lord! Yet, he is born in a stable, placed in a feeding trough to sleep, and wrapped in strips of cloth for warmth. His first visitors were ordinary shepherds. Christ comes to all, even to you! Do not be afraid. The Good News is for all people. Receive him and be full of joy. Receive him!

Day 3: Read Matthew 1:20-23; Luke 2:21
What’s in a name? Do you know the meaning of your name? Look it up here. How did Jesus get his name? The angel told Joseph to give the baby the name Jesus, “because he will save his people from their sins.” Immanuel, “God with us.” What do these names mean for you personally? Journal your response.

Day 4: Read Luke 2:22-24
In obedience to the law of the Lord, Joseph and Mary consecrated Jesus to the Lord. Consecrated means to “dedicate” or “devote.” If you have ever dedicated a child or children to the Lord, reflect upon that event. What did it mean to you at that time? Perhaps, events have occurred since that occasion that you never imagined. Consider how Joseph and Mary might have responded to events that occurred later in Jesus’ lifetime. Write you reflections down in your journal.

Day 5: Read Luke 2:25-38
The child’s parents marveled at what was said to them. Imagine what they must have thought and felt in response to Simeon’s and Anna’s words… God, why did you choose me to parent this child? I am unworthy. The enormity of the responsibility and privilege to raise God’s own son! And the piercing of their very souls, the depth of their love as well as the anguish they would suffer over the course of his sufferings. Journal your thoughts.

Day 6: Read Luke 2:39-40
Joseph and Mary did everything required by the law of the Lord. Most of all, they loved their son! Their child, God’s child, grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and grace. In what ways did Jesus grow strong? In what ways was wisdom and grace evident in Jesus’ life? You have the same resources available to you that Jesus had; God himself can make you strong and fill you with wisdom and grace. Consecrate yourself to God, obey his laws, and ask him to make you strong, to fill you with wisdom, and to fill you with his grace.

For 15 minutes each day, sit quietly by yourself. Without music, TV, or others talking with you, ask the Lord to show you the wisdom in the Scriptures and how you can apply it to your everyday ordinary life. Daily write your thoughts in your journal.

You can use the Scriptures below to start you on your quest:
John 14:27
John 16:33
Philippians 4:7
Colossians 3:15

During the week, talk with others what you are learning from the Word of God and how you are applying it to your life. Continue to unwrap Christmas!