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December 22, 2025 · 5:53 AM

Enough For God

Radio personality Paul Harvey once told the story of a little girl named Hattie May Wiatt. She lived near a small church in Philadelphia that she attended. One Sunday she tried to go to the children’s church, but she was turned away because it was too full. A few days later she told the pastor, “I’m going to help build a bigger church so more kids can come.” She began saving her money, but died unexpectedly not long after. Her mom found a small purse containing 57 cents with a note that read, “To help build a bigger church.” When the pastor told the congregation, it inspired generosity and people gave so much they built a larger kids area, larger sanctuary and Bible school that later became Temple University and Temple hospital.

We know the story in Luke 2 of how there was a census and each person and family had to go to their ancestral hometown. Since Joseph was a descendant of King David, he and Mary went to Bethlehem. When they arrived, everything was full. An unnamed innkeeper told them he was full too and there was no room for the couple. We don’t know what was said, but the innkeeper offered them lodging in the stable, which is where she gave birth to Jesus. It wasn’t much, or pretty or ideal, but it was what he had available for them. God took what he offered and turned it into a place that hosted the birth of our savior. We don’t talk about the innkeeper much, but because he offered what little he had, history remembers what he did.

2 Corinthians 8:12 says, “Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have” (NLT). Many of us wish we had more money, more talents or more time. Then we downplay what little we do, but God doesn’t ask us for what we don’t have. He asks for what we have available to Him. Little Hattie May gave 57 cents that God turned into a movement. The innkeeper gave a stable and God turned it into a sanctuary for His Son. What will you give God? Don’t downplay what little you have. God can take what you give and create big things with it. He’s not asking for what you wish you had, only what you have available. This Christmas, choose to give God something that you do have available. Take that step of faith. It’s enough for God.

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December 19, 2025 · 5:57 AM

The Light Of The Son

In the beginning, God spoke into the darkness, “Let there be light.” It was the first act of creation. That light made life possible on earth, allowed plants to grow and enabled sight. Centuries later, God spoke into our spiritual darkness to give us the light of the world through the birth of His son Jesus. He made eternal life possible, allowed spiritual growth and gave us insight into heavenly things. The prophesies of old said the Messiah would bring light into the world, and Jesus Himself referred to Himself as that light. It’s no wonder God used the light of a star to guide the wisemen to Him. Today, we follow the light of the Son and reflect His light through our lives pointing people to Him. This Christmas let your light shine brighter than ever.

Here are some Bible verses on Jesus being the light:

1. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Isaiah 9:2 ESV

2. A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness— Light that darkness could not overcome!

John 1:4-5 TPT

3. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!

Luke 2:30-32 NLT

4. I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.

John 12:46 GNT

5. Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

John 8:12 AMP

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December 18, 2025 · 5:30 AM

The Gift Of Christmas

From the time you’re a child, there’s something special about receiving gifts. The anticipation of Christmas was sometimes overwhelming as you waited to open the gifts. I remember wanting to peek to see if I got what I really wanted. Some years I did, and other years I got what I needed. While gifts are always for the receiver, the giver gets something special out of it too. As an adult, there’s nothing better than to see my child’s reaction when he gets just the right gift. The excitement. The smile. The raised voice. The desire to take it out of the box even when there’s more under the tree. The right gift at the right time is priceless.

Christmas is the time we celebrate how some 2,000 years ago God gave us the perfect gift at just the right time. The sky was lit up by a special star. The gift was wrapped in a stable and placed in a manger. The angels announced a His birth. The right time had come to give the world the greatest treasure it would ever know. With the birth of the baby Jesus, God gave us the gift of a right relationship with a Him. There was (and is) nothing we could ever give Him that is so great a gift, but what we can give Him is our heart and life in return with gratitude for giving us His Son.

Romans 8:32 says, “For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give” (TPT). God loved you and I so much that He gave everything He had to restore a relationship we never could. As you open gifts and spend time with those you love this Christmas, don’t forget why we celebrate. You’ve been given a greater gift than you can ever purchase or receive. The gift you have received from Him though is one that can be shared with others. It is the true gift of Christmas.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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December 17, 2025 · 6:02 AM

The Arc Of Freedom

One of the most dynamic stories in the Bible takes place in Exodus 12-13. The Israelites had been in Egypt for over 400 years, most of which was in slavery. Now God had sent Moses to set them free. Egypt had been destroyed by nine plagues and the tenth one was upon them. On the night it was to take place, the Israelites were instructed to take a spotless lamb, kill it and cook it. They were to take some of its blood to put over their doorposts as a sign they trusted God. When the plague hit, they were spared and set free. That Passover meal represented God’s freedom from their oppressors. They walked in freedom from Egypt to the Promised Land.

In Matthew 1:21 when the angel visited Joseph, he said, “And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (NLT). When Jesus was born, Israel had been under oppression from Roman rule and they were looking for another type of Moses. They were looking for the Messiah to come bring them freedom from their oppressors again. But Jesus was born to be our sacrificial lamb. He was born to die so that his blood could be applied to the doorposts of our heart. He would deliver us from the slavery of sin, opening the way to the Promised Land of Heaven. He did come to bring freedom, but not the freedom they were looking for.

Galatians 5:1 says, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” The freedom that Jesus gives is not temporary, but eternal. You have been set free from their oppressors slavery of sin, so walk in that freedom. Don’t stay chained to your past feeling disqualified and oppressed by it. You are free. You are no longer chained to what you have done or who you were. You are a new creation in Christ. Live as one who has been set free. As one who belongs to Jesus. As you celebrate Christmas this year, celebrate the freedom He has brought into your life. It’s not just His birth we’re celebrating, but our rebirth into new life and freedom from our sin.

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December 16, 2025 · 5:55 AM

Perpetual Peace

We went to the mall last weekend. I drove around for a while looking for parking. There was a steady stream of people walking in the mall going from store to store. In the store, there was a long line to check out. After a while, I sat down on a chair in the main walkway to people watch. There were a lot of people who appeared overwhelmed. I researched and found that December is one of the most stressful times of year for people. There’s family obligations, work functions, kid plays, financial pressures and trying to meet expectations of others. In all the chaos of the mall, I couldn’t help but think how many of the people walking through there were missing the true reason for the season. Even if they had known, would they steel feel overwhelmed and stressed? Or would it help them to find peace in the chaos?

In Luke 2, the shepherds were watching their flocks by night. In the town of Bethlehem, there was the chaos of being overcrowded for the census, people trying to find enough food in the area for the increase of population and the stress of not having enough room for everyone. In the middle of the chaos, the sky lit up with an angel to announce the birth of Jesus. Then suddenly, a heavenly host of angels joined him singing. “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:15 NKJV) Jesus entered the world as the Prince of Peace and to bring goodwill towards people from God. The peace that the angels announced was just for Bethlehem or just for that night. It was a declaration that peace was our new reality through Jesus.

I love how Paul closed out his second letter to the church in Thessalonica. He wrote, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all” (3:16 NLT). You are entitled to have the Prince of Peace give you peace at all times and in all situations. Even though there is chaos in the world, and in this season, you can have peace because the Lord is with you. This isn’t a temporary peace or a superficial one. It is a deep peace rooted in His presence. It’s a perpetual peace that stays with you no matter what troubles you face in life. Glory to God in the highest for this peace that was brought to earth and given to us through His son Jesus.

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December 15, 2025 · 5:51 AM

Opening Your Circle

For many of us , Christmas is a joyous Sean and time with family and friends. It had never crossed my mind that it could be anything but that for someone. Growing up, our church always had Christmas Eve communion. When it was time to partake, our Christmas tradition was that each family would go up together, get the bread and the juice, and then get together alone for a private time of taking it together. One year, our pastor made mention for people to look around at anyone who was alone and to invite them into your family for this special time. Each year, that became one of my favorite things. I’d look around to see who needed to be brought into our family and included. Each year, there was always someone who needed a family to be with That we could open up the circle of our family to.

2 Samuel 9:1 says, “And David said, ‘Is there still anyone left of the house (family) of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’” (AMP) They told him of Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, who was lame and had been hiding for years. David ordered them to bring him in at once. Mephibosheth was the last of his family and was afraid he was being taken to his execution because that’s what kings did back then. Instead, David returned his family land to him, had his servants work it for him and offered him a seat at the king’s table to eat. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s heart for us to not only show kindness, but to open up our circle and make room at the king’s table for others who may not have a seat.

In Galatians 6:10, Paul reminds us, “So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).” I know this is a busy season with lots to get done, but don’t forget about the Mephibosheths of the world around you. They need someone to be helpful, to promote their spiritual well being and to be a blessing to them. They need someone to open their circle and to offer them a seat at a table where they can feel loved and included. Ask God to open your eyes to see who that is. Chances are that God will show you someone who needs to be shown some kindness. When you’re available to open your circle, God will give you the opportunity to do good.

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December 12, 2025 · 5:53 AM

For You

One year I was handing my wife the presents to wrap. After each one, she would ask who it was for and write their name on it. About six presents in, I gave her one to wrap and when she asked who it was for I said, “It’s for you!” She was so caught up in all the measuring that she didn’t even pay attention to what she was wrapping and didn’t notice what the gift was. I feel like we get that way with Christmas. We get caught up in stringing lights, decorating, singing the songs and shopping that we forget the central message of Christmas. God sent His son for you. You were the reason Jesus was born. God desires to have you with Him for eternity, so He sent Jesus to make a way for you.

Here are some Bible verses that remind us God sent Jesus for you:

1. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:4-6 NLT

2. For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life.

John 3:16 TPT

3. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah).”

Luke 2:10-11 AMP

4. A child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. The responsibility of complete dominion will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be: the Wonderful One, the Extraordinary Strategist, the Mighty God, the Father of Eternity, the Prince of Peace!

Isaiah 9:6 TPT

5. And when He had taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Luke 22:19 AMP

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December 11, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Emmanuel

Around Christmas time, I remember an old song we used to sing at church by Don Moen. “Emmanuel. Emmanuel. His name is called Emmanuel. Emmanuel. God with us. Revealed in us. His name is Emmanuel.” Simple, yet powerful as it reminds us of God’s plan to save the world. I thought about the meaning of it the other night when we, as a family, sat down, looked at our nativity and talked through all the people in it. By doing this activity, we each gained more insight and perspective into what has become a common Christmas symbol, but is truly the greatest display of love the world has ever seen.

Since the Garden of Eden, sin had reigned on the earth. It brought death and decay with it. Man had no ability to conquer it. When God looked on our helpless estate, He didn’t condemn us to an eternity In hell. Rather, He displayed His love by sending His one and only Son into the world, not to condemn it, but that through Him the world might be saved (John 3:16-17). He became one of us in order to reach us, to break the curse of sin and to end its rule. If you remember, while He was in the tomb, He took the keys of death, hell and the grace removing its power over our lives. He ushered in a wave of grace to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.

Romans 8:3 says, “Yet God sent us his Son in human form to identify with human weakness. Clothed with humanity, God’s Son gave his body to be the sin-offering so that God could once and for all condemn the guilt and power of sin” (TPT). Jesus, coming to earth as depicted in the manger scene, is God reaching out, identifying with us and ultimately sacrificing Himself so we could be together. Emmanuel is a powerful word that concisely tells the story of Christmas. You are loved immensely by your creator. He didn’t come to condemn you. He came to save you because there is no way to save yourself.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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December 8, 2025 · 5:30 AM

The Miracle Of Christmas

Every year as we move into the season of Christmas, I find myself thinking about the shepherds, who were in the field, and the town of Bethlehem. Shepherds didn’t command respect the way that the religious leaders did. They didn’t hold influence on others, yet God chose them to be the first ones to hear the announcement of Jesus’s birth. They were treated as significant by God even though they were lowly. They were given a front row seat to God’s greatest gift to mankind, while being overlooked by society. God chose people who felt unseen to see the newborn King. I believe God still does that today. He is drawn to those who draw near to Him regardless of position, title or social standing.

For the same reasons, I believe God chose Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 says, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf” (NLT). Bethlehem felt small and insignificant to Jerusalem, yet God chose this city whose name means “House of Bread” to give us the Bread of life. It’s the city where Ruth gleaned in the fields. It’s home to the fields where David watched his father’s sheep. It’s the place the whole world now remembers at Christmas and sings songs about. Bethlehem didn’t have a palace or even room for Mary and Joseph to give birth in. Yet God proved once again that He will miraculously encounter those who do make room for Him, even if it feels you are as insignificant as a stable.

My favorite verse in all of this is Matthew 1:23. “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” God with US. God with YOU. He came into this world to be involved in your life, to reveal Himself to you and to let you know you are His greatest creation. Don’t deflect and say He’s here for others or that other people are more significant in the Kingdom than you. He will create divine encounters with anyone who makes room for Him, no matter how insignificant they feel. To me, this is the miracle of salvation that shows the heart of God who desperately wants you to know you matter to Him. That’s the miracle of Christmas.

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December 5, 2025 · 5:56 AM

Overflowing Joy

Joy is not just a fruit of the Spirit, it’s truly a gift from God for us. Joy is what allows us to be thankful in all circumstances. It is our strength when we’re walking through fiery trials. It isn’t dependent on our situation because it flows from our relationship with God. It’s something we must all cultivate in our lives because of how powerful it is. When we keep our eyes on Jesus and abide in Him, our joy grows. What does it look like in your life? I’ve had it sustain me in the darkest of times. In my pain, joy kept me trusting in God’s promises and helped me look past the present to God’s eternal character. It will do the same for you.

Here are some Bible verses on joy:

1. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

Psalms 4:7 NLT

2. Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!

Romans 15:13 TPT

3. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.

John 15:11 AMP

4. You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.

Psalm 16:11 GNT

5. And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

Nehemiah 8:10 NLT

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