Christmas To Do-ers List, Day 5: Seek Him

Christmas To Do-ers List

Day 5: Seek Him

“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:1

O come, O come, Emmanuel.

Come Emmanuel, to our homes, to our workplaces, and to our churches. Come Emmanuel to our prisons, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, slums, street corners, and to our hearts. God promises when we seek Him, He will come.

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Seek.

To seek. In the Ancient Hebrew, baqash, means “to seek, require, desire, exact, request.” Do we seek God in everything we do, every place we go, in every decision we make? Do we require His presence in order to do life or do we trudge along without Him?

Seek Him.

Baqash also means “to search for as by touching.” When do we search by touch? When we can’t see. Tripping through the darkness with hands outstretched to protect ourselves and find our way. Stumbling because we are blinded by the darkness of our own sin and frailty. Grappling in the shadow of our guilt, hands reaching through the blackness until we grasp the One we seek, the One we long for. Jesus. Our Emmanuel.

Seek the face of God.

As traditions states, the Wise Men sought His face, wet with sweat and blood at the manger. We seek His face, wet with sweat and blood at the foot of the cross. So begins our journey with God, a lifetime of searching, seeking and finding as Jesus reveals Himself to those who seek Him.

Seek the face of God this Christmas.

Most significantly, baqash translates “to seek specifically in worship or prayer.” The keys to finding Jesus this Christmas: prayer and worship. In the midst of the merry making, the caroling, the tree and the stockings, remember the reason we’re celebrating: Jesus

We don’t need more Christmas spirit, but Holy Spirit.

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Seek His word, His will, His wisdom, His presence, seek Him through prayer and worship.

Seek Him.

Action Points:

In order to seek Jesus, we must think of places where He may be found. List a few places or activities in which you can meet with Jesus. Pick one to do today.
Jesus can always be found when we seek Him in His Word. Play the beautiful Christmas music embedded below, get your Bible and read Luke 2. Write down what God speaks to your heart as your seek Him.
Seek Jesus while enjoying His creation. Unplug. Leave the phone at home and just listen to Him.

How will you seek Jesus today? Please comment below.

Be a doer of the word!

Christmas To Do-ers List: Watch for Him, Part 3

Remember to keep your eyes and heart open for Jesus today. He is constantly speaking to you through your circumstances, His word, others, radio preachers, music, His creation, etc. Keep your eyes on Him! Please read the scripture below and leave a comment on what you learned about watching for Jesus.

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

He is coming. Watch for Him.

http___signatures.mylivesignature.com_54493_129_D5D820C2A0F89154063869217CF282DC

“Blue Letter Bible – Mat 25: Gospel of Matthew 25 (Blue Letter Bible: NKJV – New King James Version).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 7 Dec, 2015. <http://www.blueletterbible.orghttps://www.blueletterbible.org/nkjv/mat/25/1/p1/s_954001>.

Christmas To Do-ers List: Watch For Him, part 2

Watch for Him

To help you continue to watch for Jesus this Christmas season, please read the Scriptures below. Consider how Zachhaeus watched for Jesus. What can you learn from Zacchaeus? How can you watch for Jesus today? Please comment on what you learned in the Comment section below. Remember, be a doer of His Word this Christmas season!

Jesus Comes to Zacchaeus’ House

1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.

7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”

9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

How can you watch for Jesus today?

Be a doer of His Word!

Merry Christmas

“Blue Letter Bible – Luk 19: Gospel of Luke 19 (Blue Letter Bible: NKJV – New King James Version).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 6 Dec, 2015. <http://www.blueletterbible.orghttps://www.blueletterbible.org/nkjv/luk/19/1/p1/s_992001>.

Scripturegraphic: Christmas Grace

Bible Scripturegraphic: Christmas Grace

During the “most wonderful time of the year” the phrases joy to the world and peace on earth are ever on our lips. Joy and peace fill our hearts as we reflect upon Emmanuel God with us. But what about amazing grace? Usually this phrase is reserved for Easter and the grace of the cross. However, there would be no grace of the cross without the grace of the cradle. Jesus humbled Himself and took on flesh to tabernacle among us. From the cradle to the cross, it’s all about grace, Christmas Grace!

To do the Scripturegraphic Bible Study, Christmas Grace, please click on the link below.

Bible Scripturegraphic: Christmas Grace

Need a little more Christmas? Click on one of the links below!

Day 1: Believe Him

Day 2: Make Room

Christmas Presence: The Collection

Follow Him this Christmas.

Christmas To Do-ers List, Day 3: Watch for Him

Christmas To Do-ers List

Day 3: Watch for Him

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Luke 2:8

Day in. Day out.

Looking. Watching. Waiting. Shepherds in the fields faithfully caring for their sheep. Diligence is their watchword. Always searching for the finest pasture, the best shelter, and the freshest water. Looking, watching, and waiting, day in and day out. Night after night. Until one night. O Holy Night!

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

Faithfulness in their daily work allowed the shepherds to see Jesus. Had they not been diligent in their mundane tasks, they would have missed the angel’s message, and they would have missed Jesus. Shepherds watching for the Good Shepherd.

Look. Watch. Wait.

The same thing we do for Jesus.

Look for Jesus this Christmas season. Watch for glimpses of Him as you go through your ordinary days. Wait for Him to act. Chores, tasks, errands, and suddenly He’s there—teaching, comforting, directing, healing, and loving.

Ordinary made extraordinary by the presence of Jesus.

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Watch for Him in your everyday chores and holiday tasks.

Look. Watch. Wait.

The same thing Jesus does for us.

Jesus constantly looks out for our best interests and watches over our every concern. He waits to draw us into closer relationship, greater trust, and deeper faith. Stolen moments in the crush of the day. Precious minutes at His feet in the rush of the season. Day after day, silent night after silent night.

He looks, watches, and waits for you.

Action Points:

Look for Jesus today. Notice the blessings He sends your way and then look for ways to be a blessing to others.
Watch for Jesus today. What is He trying to say to you? What is He telling you? What does He want you to do differently this Christmas season?
Wait for Him. Jesus is calling you to rest in heavenly peace with Him. Tarry with Him for a few moments. Get your Bible, turn to Luke 2 and listen to the beautiful music below. Wait for Him to restore your soul.

How will you watch for Jesus today? How will you make time to wait for Him? Please leave a comment in the Comment section below on how you plan to watch for Jesus, or how you saw Him today.

Did you miss a day? Don’t fret, just click on a link below.

Day 1: Believe Him

Day 2: Make Room

Watch for Him.

Copy right 2015.

Christmas To Do-ers List, Day 2: Make Room for Him, part 2

I love Jane’s blog post on making room for Jesus. After reflecting on making room for Jesus, the verses below hit me in a fresh new way. While we may struggle to make room for Jesus, He always has room for us. Please read John 14:1-6 and leave a comment on what God is teaching you. Be a do-er of the word.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:1-6

Make room for Him today.

“Blue Letter Bible – Jhn 14: Gospel of John 14 (Blue Letter Bible: NKJV – New King James Version).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 2 Dec, 2015. <http://www.blueletterbible.orghttps://www.blueletterbible.org/nkjv/jhn/14/2/p1/s_1011002>.