Daily Devotional
Will You Decide to Receive Jesus Today?
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
John 3:36
December 23, 2023
Ponder This
Christ is the solid rock. Christ is the foundation stone. Christ is the cornerstone. And He’s before you today. You can build on Him or stumble over Him, but you cannot go around the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who determines your destiny. Either Jesus Christ will be your Savior or He will be your judge. He will be a stepping stone or a stumbling stone, but you have an appointment with Jesus Christ. He is inescapable. He is inevitable. He is unavoidable. The baby that Simeon held in Luke 2 is the Christ of your destiny, one way or the other. Simeon said, in effect, “Mary, this baby is going to be like a sword in your heart. He’s going to divide between your natural emotions as a mother and your desire for the will of God. And you’re going to find this conflict between natural emotions and the spiritual life, between your soul and the Spirit.” All who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord feel that sword on the inside, do we not? It’s the pull of the old life and the desire of the new life.
Do you feel that conflict? When you give your heart to Jesus Christ, you become twice born, you let the Spirit of God come into you, and there’s going to be a division in your life between the old and new natures.
- When have you felt the pull of the old life? How do you respond in these moments?
- How does Christmas remind you of your new life in Christ?
Practice This
As you prepare for Christmas, consider how the Christmas story has impacted your faith.
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.’”
