December 21, 2023 … Hope and Light In Christ …

December 21, 2023 … Hope and Light In Christ …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Lauren Daigle singing  … Light of the World …  Poignantly singing of Jesus being our light of hope in a very dark world.   

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Highlight Passage: … Psalms 42:11  [ESV] … 

11 Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise my Savior and my God. 

… God’s Psalmist sings of putting his hope in God as his hopeful light, … praising God even while downcast in spirit.     

Highlight Passage (in context) … Psalm 42  … USE THIS LINK …. 

… A grieving Psalmist longs for the hope he knows he has in faith in God as his light of hope.      

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 27:1 (NLT] …  

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid?  The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble. 

… King David remembers and sings of God being his light and his protection, even in times where he is fearful..   

Reference Passage: … Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus calls on His faithful followers to become lights of hope in this world by reflecting His light through our good deeds.       

Reference Passage: … John 8:12 (NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus assures His faithful followers that as long as follow Him they will walk in His light.      

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 2:9 (NLT] …  

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.  

…Peter teaches fellow Christians that He has chosen them (and us) to walk in His glorious light.                     

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:5 (NLT] …  

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: … God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all.    

… John exhorts fellow Christians that Jesus is God and His light brings us out of the darkness of this word.          

My Devotional Journal: Today’s  Our Daily Bread Author , Xochitl Dixon -  AT THIS LINK -   Tells about being with her mother while she was going thru cancer treatments and remembering being reassured of the hope for her mother being reflected in the lights of Christmas.      

And that reflection of God’s light means a lot for our family during this Advent season, … as our Son-In-Law’s mother, who knew and professed her faith in Christ, went on to be with her Lord as we have been surrounded by the lights of this Advent season.   Yes, even when we grieve the loss of a loved one, we can find joy and peace by our faith in the Light of the World, … our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

So, I pray that we all see the “Light of the World” as we are surrounded by the lights on display all around us during this Christmas season.      

   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for Your Light, Lord, shining brightly all around us in this season of light.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to praise God for Your light shining brightly, Lord, in this season.  … Amen  

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.