Christmas devotional - Thoughts About God

Invited to the Manger

Devotionals — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:03:00 +0000

“For unto us a child is born …and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 & 7

The manger scene of Baby Jesus’ birth can seem so irrelevant today. Nice on a Christmas card, yes, but not really having any impact on our lives.

This verse from Isaiah can bring freshness to our souls as we ponder how the Baby Jesus actually does impact life today in a very relevant way.

Any need you have in the changing landscape of your personal mosaic can be answered by this Jesus. This Baby grew up to be our Savior. He rose from the grave and He offers life to us when we believe in Him.

If you need wisdom or strength, He will be your Counselor;
If you need a mountain moved, He is your Mighty God;
If you need comfort, forgiveness and gentle healing, He is your everlasting Father;
If your heart is anxious and troubled, He will bring Peace to you.

As you think of yourself standing by that manger bed, know that His birth was just the beginning of God reaching toward humankind … toward you.

Let your heart reach back with thankfulness and acceptance. Look at the manger scene with the fresh wonder of all He is to you. Every need, every change that you face can be encompassed by all He is…so much more than just a baby!

Invite Him into your changes today! Let joy fill your soul.

Heavenly Father, Fill my heart with the fresh wonder of what that first Christmas means for me… today. Thank you that any need I have can be encompassed by Jesus. Help me to lean on You to be my Wonderful Counselor, my Mighty God, my Everlasting Father and my Prince of Peace! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Stop for a moment right where you are and whisper a thank you in your heart to Jesus for stepping down from Heaven and coming as a baby. He positioned Himself to be available to you as your Wonderful Councillor, your Mighty God, your Everlasting Father and your Prince of Peace.

What need do you need to bring to Him today?

By Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

If you don’t Jesus and you would like to start a relationship with him, you can start by submitting your will to his. Below is a sample prayer. Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart.

“Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, then you can pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.

I Wonder About Mary

Devotionals — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:03:36 +0000

“…the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.’” Luke 1:30-31 (Read the whole chapter)

Have you ever known a woman who is pregnant and whose baby is due around Christmas? Along with general anxiety regarding the delivery and health of her child, I wonder about other feelings and thoughts she may have. Will she rue that his or her birthday falls so close to Christmas? Will birthday celebrations get lost or muted amidst the hubbub of late December? Will the child feel cheated for not receiving gifts during another month of the year?

These matters only matter because of the holiday. What about the first Christmas? Have you ever wondered how Mary felt? Her anticipation must have been unique.

Mary learned of her pregnancy from the angel Gabriel. I wonder what Mary thought Jesus’ birth would bring. Did she expect hosts of angels trumpeting the news? Mary likely prepared her home for the delivery, expecting to have Jesus there. Did she anticipate a painful, awkward donkey ride to her in-laws’ town of origin? Could she ever have anticipated delivery in a barn? I wonder if she pondered how her God-child would look, act, live. Would he be like most kids? Could she ever predict he would be cherished and spurned, followed and chased, worshiped and demonized? Even with the Spirit of the Lord upon her, could she know that Jesus’ birth, while humble and simple, would be celebrated by millions upon millions for millennia? Could she have known that he would die a brutal death for her and our salvation?

We see these truths through history, and look forward to celebrating them. Yet like Mary we may not be able to predict all Christmas might bring, for we do not celebrate rituals, but the Christ-child, and when He is center to the party, angels may appear.

Dear God, thank you for the model of Mary who not knowing all that was to come still entered into your plan to save the world. May my anticipation for Christmas this year be enlarged by her example. Amen.

Thought: Ask people near you what they anticipate from God this Christmas. Ask them what they think was going through Mary’s head as delivery day approached.

What are your expectations for Christmas this year?

By Dr. Bill Strom
Used by permission

Christmas Poems

The Shepherd King by Kate Tompkins

Christmas in Heaven

The Streets of Bethlehem by Katy Kauffman

The Praying Hands of Grandmother

I Testify that God is…. – by Wendy Patrick

A Morning Prayer by Malcolm Boyd

Seek – to seek God

The post I Wonder About Mary appeared first on Thoughts About God.

When Life is Not a Christmas Card

Devotionals — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:03:51 +0000

In our homes with lights aglow, stockings hung with care and cookies baking in the oven, our lives can look like a Christmas card. But sometimes it looks like something else. It can look harsher, colder, and even very lonely. Sometimes, Christmas can be hard. It doesn’t look like a Christmas card, or a happily ending Christmas movie.

What do we do when life is hard and we don’t know what to do?

Hold tight to our faith and keep our trust in God.

Sometimes, there are those things we can never fix and things that we can never change. Sometimes, there are circumstances and trials we’ll never understand, those things we’ll never know the reason why. Sometimes, we face situations that will test our faith and test our trust in God.

Faith is trusting that God is there
And knowing He is always in control.
Faith is staying close to Him
No matter what comes your way,
And believing He will meet your every need.

Faith is knowing that He loves you
And will never leave you or forsake you.
Faith is believing that in all things
He has a purpose and a plan.

Faith is knowing
You don’t have to understand it all
To keep your trust in Him.

Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

By Kathy Cheek
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

The post When Life is Not a Christmas Card appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Prince of Peace

Thoughts_About_God — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 08:03:50 +0000

“His name will be…Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NCV)

Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious One in a human womb.

The Omnipotent, in one instant, made Himself breakable. He who had been Spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And He who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.

God had come near.

By Max Lucado
From: Everyday Blessings
Used by permission

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about/

Reason(s) for the Season

Devotionals — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:03:21 +0000

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter. 3:15

The holiday-red card arrived in a square, shiny envelope. Attached to the card were credit-card sized “certificates” for merchandise available in a nearby department store. It wasn’t the bargain opportunities but the message on the card that caught my attention: “Let this be the holiday you find new reasons to believe.”

Even in the midst of the bustle of this season, most of us who call ourselves Christ followers could quickly come up with “a reason for the season.” We know that tinsel and trees, cookies and candles, family and friends are only side effects of the miraculous birth of the Savior. But how many new reasons for the season could we offer? What new work of God is happening in our lives? What new facets of God’s character are we discovering? What new and powerful truths from the Bible are becoming reality?

I wonder who in the advertising department thought up the potentially life-altering slogan? My skeptical nature doubts that a commercial establishment is interested in my relationship with God. But eleven short words arriving in the mail have focused my attention in new ways. Each day during this beautiful month I want to discover yet another “reason for the season.”

by Marilyn Ehle
Used by Permission

Gift Exchange

Thoughts_About_God — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 09:01:42 +0000

It’s Christmas time again and all that goes with it, including the traditional drawing of names for the gift exchange with the family.

And I am reminded again of the ultimate gift exchange. Jesus exchanged His life for ours. He gave us a new life. One that is eternal. And in gratitude we should give Him our life. Not the old life. He died for that one. We need to give Him our new life. The one that He can use for His glory.

My prayer for us this week:

“We kneel before you the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. We pray that out of your glorious riches you strengthen us with power through your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And we pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. In Jesus name, amen.” Ephesians 3:14-19

Have a great week

by Alec Niemi
used by permission

“Dat Baby Jesus – He Makes me Laugh”

Thoughts_About_God — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 09:03:42 +0000

“I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.” Psalm 16:8-9

Brennan Manning, in his book, The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, tells of an experience he had at an airport. It was just before Christmas

and he was in the Chicago airport waiting to get a flight to Texas for a week-end retreat. But because of a severe storm, he and thousands of others were not going anywhere. The flights were all delayed. Public address systems were blaring, people were at the ticket counter demanding a projected departure time, children were crying, some people were just sitting and staring.

Then he noticed a middle-aged black woman cradling a child in her arms and laughing. Manning asked her,

“Would you mind telling me why you’re so happy?”

“Sho,” she said. “Christmas is coming and dat baby Jesus—He make me laugh.”

According to the Psalm 16, verses 8 & 9, focusing on Jesus at all times is the key to a happy and joyful heart.

How about you?

During the Christmas season, our already busy life become more busy.

Are you ‘setting the Lord before you’ today?

Do you want to have a merry Christmas?

Bring Jesus into all your activities.

Talk to Him all day long.

He will make you laugh!

Father, you fill us with joy in your presence. Give us the grace to remember to enjoy your presence. We want to laugh, Lord. Amen

By Katherine Kehler
Used by permission

Whatever is going on in your world this Christmas, there is no greater gift you could give yourself than to receive the One who came to earth for us. He offers you complete forgiveness, a relationship with Him, a more abundant life and eternal life. As long as we trust in ourselves, our own good life, God will remain distant, and we remain separated from him by our sin. He asks us to empty our hands of our efforts and receive him and his gift.

I’d like to give you the opportunity right now to ask him to come into your life. There is no greater offer, nor more important decision you could make in your life. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him….”

I’ll help you put this into words. You could say to him,

“Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. Right now I open the door and ask you to come into my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me an eternal relationship with you.”

Unlike other possible relationships, if you asked Jesus into your life right now, he promises never to leave you. Jesus said, (speaking of us as his sheep), “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”

I found that one of the best ways to get to know him better was to read the gospel of John, which is the fourth book of the New Testament, in the Bible. You’ll be amazed. It seemed like he was speaking straight to me, answering my questions, like an intimate chat over coffee. Also, you might find it helpful to look for a church where the Bible is taught.

There is no greater joy at Christmas than coming into a relationship with Jesus. Too many times we have worn ourselves out, driven by our expectations to have the “perfect” Christmas. It’s a set-up for disappointment.

All of the shopping, decorating, entertaining never fully meets our deepest longings. For Christmas to be special, we simply need to receive Jesus’ gift to us…a relationship with him. Knowing him brings great meaning and enjoyment at Christmas, no matter who knocks over the Christmas tree.

Holy Passion

Devotionals — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 09:01:42 +0000

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

Thoughts on today’s verse

God’s promises, God’s Scripture, and God’s clearest message of all, his Son, are truth. But only the last of these is truth, grace, deliverer, friend, Lord, Savior, brother, Redeemer…

Prayer:

O God, give me a holy passion to know your truth and live it in both word and deed. Make my life a reflection of your Word, who both proclaimed and lived your truth. In him I pray. Amen.’

By Phil Ware
used with permission.

You can also follow Phil’s daily devotionals on https://www.verseoftheday.com

The Cap of Separation

Devotionals — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 09:03:25 +0000

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people; for today in the City of David there has been born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10

So just what do you see and just what do others see in celebration of Christmas? Can those who go to parties mistake it as a time of merriment? Can those who cruise the malls with ever expanding bags of gifts and an every decreasing credit line mistake it as a time to give and get the material gifts of life? Can those who just read the Christmas story and overlook the majesty of the moment mistake it as a mere historical event? So just what is the significance of the birth of the Christ Child?

I recently heard a Jewish man talking about why he wore the skullcap, known as a kipa in the Hebrew language. I was fascinated at his explanation, as it opened my eyes as to another perspective on the birth of Christ.

When I asked, he said he would be delighted to write it down and send it to me and the following is the note he sent to me:

“I am happy to share with you the reason Orthodox Jews and other people of faith wear the skullcap (kipa). Since the time of Abraham, we have understood the greatness of the Creator of us all. To demonstrate that, we acknowledge that he is everything and although he has created in his own image, there exists a great separation between him and us as there is a separation between heaven and earth. To demonstrate that separation, our humility, love and obedience to him, we wear the skullcap.”

That gave me a whole new perspective on my Christian faith. If those people who are still looking for the Messiah need to demonstrate a separation between man and God, then we as Christians need to understand that Christ’s coming as Savior and Lord connected that separation between man and God.

Jesus came to take off my kipa. The sin established in the Garden of Eden separated us from God until a baby born in a manger later shed His blood so that sin would no longer separate me from my Creator. He was not only mighty in creation, but mighty in salvation. He conquered my obstruction and when he ripped the temple vale, He restored my separation from my Creator.

So, as you celebrate Christmas remember that because of the baby in the manger, your head is bare and you have direct access to the one who created you.

By John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Thoughts_About_God — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 09:01:56 +0000

Wow! it is already December.

How the time flies.

Now it is time to get serious about Christmas.

Serious in the sense that we need to take the time to reflect on what this season is all about. Christmas songs are filling the air. And as we sing along with the Christmas songs being played on the radio, in stores, on iPod, etc. let’s sing them in remembrance of Jesus, the one whose birthday we are celebrating.

My prayer for you this week:

“Creator God we praise you. How good it is to sing praises to you our God, how pleasant and fitting it is to praise you! It is you oh LORD who built up Jerusalem; who gathered the exiles of Israel. You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. You determine the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great are you Lord and mighty in power; your understanding has no limit. You LORD sustain the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Yes we sing to you our LORD with thanksgiving and remembrance; making music to you on the harp. In Jesus name amen.” Psalm 147:1-7

by Alec Niemi
Used by Permission

God with Us, and We with Him

Devotionals — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 09:01:30 +0000

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)

Let’s today imagine ourselves in Bethlehem, in company of astounded shepherds and adoring Magi who have gathered to see Him who was born King of the Jews. Together we can sing in faith “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and friend. This is a new opportunity for us adore and admire Him.

Remember first His miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a Son.

God’s first promise in the Garden of Eden says “The seed of the woman,” not the offspring of man. A woman sinned in the Garden, but in God’s grace a woman also had the privilege of ushering in the one would will restore Paradise. Our Savior, although fully human, was in His human nature the Holy One of God. This realization should cause us to reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores humankind to its ancient glory. Jesus is, in fact, our previous, and only, hope of glory.

Remember second His humble parents. His mother is described simply as “a virgin.” Not a princess, or prophetess. Not rich or powerful. What humble accommodations for a new-born king! Yet she could still sing the sweetest songs of praise and was chosen for her faithfulness to God despite her modest circumstances.

Immanuel, God with us … in our nature, our sorrow, our life, our death, and now with us forever. Or rather we are with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and glorious triumph.

Question: God with us … where do you turn when it feels like God isn’t with us, even though we know He is?

By Charles H. Spurgeon
Used by Permission

Given by the Father

Thoughts_About_God — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 09:01:05 +0000

“Unto us a Son is given” Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

When He came to earth it was the most miraculous thing that had happened since creation. When Jesus entered the world as a baby He was God come in the flesh. He was Mary’s baby, but He was God’s Son.

The Creator entered creation as a man. Why did He do it? He came because His Father sent Him—not to impress us with His miracle power so He could entertain us, not to educate us so we could learn more facts about heaven, and not to provide us with new rituals so we could become more religious.

He came because we had sinned and needed to be forgiven, because God wanted us brought back into a loving, holy, caring relationship with Himself, and because the only way that we could ever be reconciled to God was by His Son coming and offering up His body as a sacrifice for our redemption.

What incredible love is in the heart of God for you. Jesus came as a visible expression of that love…nothing is deeper than that love.

He came so that you could have sweet communion with Him…nothing is sweeter than that communion.

He came to be your companion always…nothing is nearer than that companionship.

He came so that His presence could be within you…nothing is dearer than that presence.

By Roy Lessin
Used by Permission

If you would like to know Jesus in the sweet way that Roy Lessin does, you can start by submitting your will to his. Below is a sample prayer. Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart.

“Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, then you can pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.

Christmas devotional - Thoughts About God

Invited to the Manger

FURTHER READING

I Wonder About Mary

Further Reading

Christmas Poems

When Life is Not a Christmas Card

What do we do when life is hard and we don’t know what to do?

Prince of Peace

“His name will be…Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NCV)

FURTHER READING

Reason(s) for the Season

FURTHER READING

Gift Exchange

“Dat Baby Jesus – He Makes me Laugh”

“I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.” Psalm 16:8-9

FURTHER READING

Holy Passion

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

FURTHER READING

The Cap of Separation

Further Reading

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Now it is time to get serious about Christmas.

FURTHER READING

God with Us, and We with Him

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)

Further Reading

Given by the Father

“Unto us a Son is given” Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

Further Reading