Daily Devotional
Do You Know Jesus?
“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh….” (1 Timothy 3:16)
Luke 2:7 and 1 Timothy 3:16
December 4, 2020
Ponder This
I love 1 Timothy 3:16, “…God was manifested in the flesh.” You may not understand that. The apostle Paul said, “I don’t understand it.” Great is the mystery. God stepped out of Heaven and came to this earth through the portals of a virgin’s womb.
Jesus did not have His beginning at Bethlehem. When the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1), it’s not talking about a start but a state. There never was a time when Jesus was not. There never will be a time when Jesus is not. A billion years from now, He will still be God. He is God from everlasting to everlasting.
When Jesus was born, He was older than His mother and as old as His Father because He was the Son from Heaven. Jesus did not begin in a manger. He came to earth and was manifest in a manger.
This little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes was the great, eternal, uncreated, self-existent Word made flesh. The little baby in Luke 2 is the mighty God of Genesis 1. He is the One who made it all. “Without Him, nothing was made…” (John 1:3). That little baby lying in the straw with dimpled feet is the One who swung planets into space. The little baby boy playing with shavings in Joseph’s carpenter shop is God of very God. God manifested in the flesh.
Practice This
What good is it to know history and the events of history and not know Jesus? Ponder this truth: For it is in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). He is fully God, forever God. How will this impact your worldview today?
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
