Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “The Lord’s Presence”
Our Bible verse for today: “Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave your or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Because of what was done on Christmas, the Lord is always with us.”
As I write this it is twelve days before Christmas. Christmas of course is the day of the year on the Christian calendar which is set aside to celebrate the incarnation of Christ. On that day above all others, we remember and celebrate that Jesus voluntarily left the glory of heaven and came to earth on a rescue mission, to save us from the penalty of our sins.
The incarnation of Christ brought us Immanuel, “God with us”. But more than that, the incarnation made it possible for our Savior to be with us always. Shortly after His thirty-three years on earth were over, He replaced His physical presence with the new reality of the Holy Spirit living in the hearts of every one of His followers (Pentecost). In this new and better way, He is with us always.
In Deuteronomy the Israelites were on a great adventure into a new land, a new life. The land that lay before them was filled with danger and challenges. But they did not need to fear, instead they were to be strong and courageous because God assured them He would go before them and would be with them.
This is our promise too, but ours is even better. They had God with them, but we have God in us. Christmas eventually led to the cross, which then led to the day of Pentecost, and therefore we can now face daily life with the confident assurance that our God is with us, He is in us, and He will never leave us.
“Be strong and courageous … do not be terrified or afraid. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you.”
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 