WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:06.280 Very few people were in on the first Christmas. Two 2 00:00:06.280 --> 00:00:09.400 thousand years later, the entire world knows what Christmas is. 3 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:15.359 Billions of people will go to worship service, will celebrate 4 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:18.519 the birth of Christ, but not at the first one. 5 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:24.280 So what made those people marry Joseph, the shepherds, the 6 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:30.000 wise man. What made them so special that they got 7 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:33.280 to be in on the very first one? How does 8 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:36.880 God choose who he is going to bless? And I 9 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:39.439 want to just think for a second about who God 10 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:44.759 chooses and uses the kind of person that God can bless. 11 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:48.159 The fact is, if you'll get blessable, God will bless you. 12 00:00:48.679 --> 00:00:52.320 And if you'll do the things that Mary and Joseph 13 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:56.640 and the shepherds and the wise men do did, if 14 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.640 you'll do it now, this will be a blessed Christmas 15 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:04.319 for you too, Because when you look at it, Joseph cooperated, 16 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:13.200 and the shepherds celebrated, and Mary contemplated, and the wise 17 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:17.680 man dedicated. What does that mean? Well, let's just start 18 00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:24.000 with Joseph. Joseph is the most underestimated and underreported and 19 00:01:24.040 --> 00:01:27.680 often overlooked character in the Christmas story. He's kind of 20 00:01:27.719 --> 00:01:30.519 supporting cast. We don't know a whole lot about him. 21 00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:34.879 But Joseph was just a normal guy. He's a young guy, 22 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:40.200 he's poor, he doesn't have money, he has probably a 23 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:44.480 menial job in a very small village. And that's about 24 00:01:44.519 --> 00:01:47.200 all we know about him except this. He was engaged 25 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:52.359 and one day his fiancee comes to him Mary and says, honey, 26 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:56.840 you're not gonna believe the story. I know, but it's true. 27 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:02.040 And she says, I'm pregnant. Now. I know we haven't 28 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:04.680 had any relations, but I want you to know I 29 00:02:04.760 --> 00:02:06.200 have been faithful to you and I haven't ever had 30 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:11.120 any relations with anybody else. Right. Oh, and there's one 31 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:13.879 other part of the story. The father of my baby 32 00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:19.479 is God. Guys, if your fiancee told you that, would 33 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:26.280 you believe it? That's the most preposterous, outrageous, illogical story 34 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:31.560 ever ever given. But it was true. But here's what 35 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:35.319 the Bible says Matthew Chapter one. Joseph was a good man, 36 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.919 and he didn't want to publicly disgrace Mary, so he 37 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:42.159 planned to quietly divorce her. Now, he said, well, how 38 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:44.840 can you divorce when you're just engaged? In those days, 39 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:49.520 an engagement was like a marriage. It was a binding contract. 40 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:53.080 You were. Legally, you couldn't just break off an engagement. 41 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:55.439 You actually had to do in a divorce to break 42 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:58.120 off the engagement. It was like marriage. It's just you 43 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:01.960 hadn't had relations yet with your spouse. So he planned 44 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:05.080 a quietly divorce her. But an angel appeared to him 45 00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:08.280 in a dream, and when Joseph woke up, he did 46 00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:12.439 exactly what the Angel of the Lord had commanded him 47 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:15.719 to do, and he took Mary home as his wife. 48 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:19.800 Now that took great faith to believe the most impossible, 49 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:24.240 improbable story and to trust that God had a bigger 50 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:29.199 and better plan for his life that he would ever imagined. 51 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:32.520 Now here's the first point I want you to get. 52 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:35.879 These are quick points. If you want to be blessed 53 00:03:35.879 --> 00:03:41.639 by God. You want God's blessing on your business, on 54 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:45.479 your marriage, and your relationships, and your friendships and your finances. 55 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:49.800 Here's what you must do. You must do what Joseph did. 56 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:55.759 You write this down. Cooperate with God's plan for your life. 57 00:03:56.199 --> 00:03:59.039 You stop following your plan for your life, you start 58 00:03:59.080 --> 00:04:03.520 following God's bye. This is a total you turn in 59 00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:06.520 Joseph's life. He had his life all planned out with Mary, 60 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:09.120 and God said I've got other plans, but my plans bigger, 61 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:12.800 and my plans better. You cooperate with God's plan for 62 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.759 your life. And here's the key. Even if it doesn't 63 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:20.079 make sense, it would make sense later on. But it 64 00:04:20.120 --> 00:04:22.839 certainly didn't make sense to Joseph when the angel showed 65 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:25.360 up and said, go ahead and marry the girl. I've 66 00:04:25.399 --> 00:04:28.000 got a bigger plan. God's got a bigger plan. The 67 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.959 Bible says this in Jeremiah twenty nine to eleven. God says, 68 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:34.399 I know what I'm doing. I know what I'm doing. 69 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:38.079 I have it all planned out, good plans to take 70 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:41.240 care of you, not to hurt you. God is a 71 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:45.120 good God. My plans will give you the future you 72 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.240 hope for. Okay, do you trust God or you trust yourself? 73 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:51.279 You trust God's plan and you trust your plan. If 74 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:53.680 you want the blessing of God in your life, you 75 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:58.720 have to cooperate with God's plan for your life. That's 76 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:00.920 what Joseph did. That's why he got to be at 77 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:04.720 the First Christmas, and others didn't. Okay, what about shepherds. 78 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:10.199 The shepherds really are the bottom of the social ladder 79 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:14.959 in the Roman Empire, and yet God went from the 80 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:17.399 highest of the lowest in who he invited to his 81 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:22.000 son's birth. And so he invites the shepherds. And they're 82 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.399 out there relaxing in the fields. And you know, they're 83 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:27.720 not sleeping at home, they're not sleeping in a motel. 84 00:05:28.040 --> 00:05:31.079 They're sleeping out on the grass every night with their 85 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:34.079 sheep to protect them from the wolves and other predators. 86 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:36.439 And the Bible says this, look up here on the screen. 87 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:40.000 The angel shows up in the middle of the night. 88 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:42.480 All of a sudden, the skylights up, and the Angel 89 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:45.759 said that the shepherds, don't be afraid. I bring you 90 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:49.480 good news of great joy, good news of great joy 91 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:53.399 that will be for all people. Christmas is not simply 92 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:57.519 for Christians, It's for all people. Jesus did not come 93 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:02.560 and die for just certain people, certain class, certain ethnic background. 94 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:06.839 He died for everybody. This is good news for all people. 95 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:11.120 And he says, today in the town of David, a 96 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:15.879 savior has been born for you. It's for your benefit, 97 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:18.160 and he is Christ, the Lord. So what did they do. 98 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:23.160 The shepherds literally run to Bethlehem. The next verse, they're 99 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:25.800 on your outline says this shepherd turied to Bethlehem and 100 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.639 there they found Mary and Joseph and the baby who 101 00:06:28.680 --> 00:06:31.240 was lying in a manger. And when they had seen him, 102 00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:36.160 it says they returned to their fields, singing praises and 103 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:39.920 thanking God. They're having a party. They're singing praises. They're 104 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:42.800 thanking God for all that they had seen and heard, 105 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:48.079 which happened just as the Angel had told them. What 106 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:56.319 are they doing. They're celebrating. They're celebrating. Joseph had to cooperate, 107 00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:59.680 but the shepherds had to celebrate. They're having a party. 108 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.160 Christmas is a festival. It's not a funeral. That's why 109 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:07.959 we say Merry Christmas, like not Sad Christmas, because it's 110 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:10.360 not sad. It's good news of great joy, which is 111 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:12.439 for all people. For Undue is born this day in 112 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:14.720 the City of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. 113 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:17.600 That's the best news. You can have your past forgiven, 114 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:19.639 you can have a purpose for living, you can have 115 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:24.680 a home in heaven because of Christmas. It's party. Now. 116 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:27.079 Here's the second point. If you're taking notes, if you 117 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:29.920 want to be blessed, then you've got to be like 118 00:07:29.959 --> 00:07:34.040 the shepherds, and that is celebrate that God is here 119 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:39.000 with us celebrate that God is here with us. It's 120 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:42.000 interesting that during Christmas season people will celebrate everything else. 121 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:44.319 It will be all kinds of Christmas parties, and Jesus 122 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:48.399 is never ever mentioned. But the whole purpose of the 123 00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:51.160 celebration of Christmas is God is with us. He's come 124 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:53.360 to earth. We're not alone in the universe. He has 125 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:55.639 a plan and a purpose for our lives. He loves you, 126 00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:58.600 He knows everything about you. There's a whole lot to celebrate. 127 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:02.480 He loves you, and he forgives you, and he has 128 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:06.560 a plan for your life. Now, not only did they celebrate, 129 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:10.839 they communicated. They celebrated and they communicated, said they told everybody, 130 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:14.240 who have you told? How long has it been since 131 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:21.240 you told somebody the good news? Have you ever? Have 132 00:08:21.319 --> 00:08:24.519 you ever ever told anybody the best news in the world. 133 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:27.800 If I had the cure for cancer and I didn't 134 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:29.959 share it, that would be criminal. They should lock me 135 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:32.639 up and put me in prison. If I had the 136 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:35.879 cure for HIV and AIDS and I didn't share it, 137 00:08:36.440 --> 00:08:40.039 that would be criminal. But will you and I have 138 00:08:40.120 --> 00:08:43.159 something even better? The good news? As I said, how 139 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.240 your past can be forgiven, how you can have a 140 00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:48.559 purpose for living and how you can have a home 141 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:49.919 in heaven? Where else are you going to get that? 142 00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:54.759 Have you shared the good news? It says the shepherds 143 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:59.240 told everybody they came in contact with, so they celebrated, 144 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:06.519 just like Joseph cooperated. Now let's look at Mary. Mary 145 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.639 had to be scared to death. What are my parents 146 00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:14.799 gonna think? What are my girlfriends gonna think? I'm pregnant, 147 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:21.120 I'm single, nobody has kids out of wedlock in those days? 148 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:25.519 Will anybody believe this fantastic story that I'm carrying the 149 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:29.120 son of God? Nobody's gonna believe that. But the thing 150 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:33.799 about Mary, she didn't panic. She was young, but she 151 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:36.919 didn't panic. And the reason she didn't panic because what 152 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:41.600 she was thinking about was God's promises to her. And 153 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:50.440 while Joseph cooperated and the Shepherd's celebrated, Mary was contemplating, 154 00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:54.960 and what she was doing was thinking about God's word. Now, 155 00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:57.799 I want you to know this next verse Luke, chapter two. 156 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:02.960 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and when 157 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:05.279 the angels had said to them, and what the angel 158 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:08.559 had said to them about this child. Everyone else who 159 00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:14.000 heard the shepherd's story were amazed. But Mary treasured up 160 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:20.320 all the words that she heard and continued to quietly 161 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:24.879 ponder them in her heart. Why did God choose Mary 162 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:27.159 out of all the young women he could have chosen 163 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:31.519 to be the mother of the Son of God? What 164 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:36.080 did Mary do right? She paid attention to God's word. 165 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:40.399 When God spoke, she listened. She didn't just listen, She 166 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:44.200 wrote it down, she remembered. She pondered, that means to 167 00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:48.559 meditate me, so seriously think about She continued to quietly 168 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:52.080 ponder everything. Everybody else heard what the angel said, and 169 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:55.480 they wondered, But Mary pondered. Big difference. 170 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:08.840 If you want to make your time in prayer the 171 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:11.159 best it can be, then you're going to want to 172 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:15.000 get a copy of the Daily Hope Prayer Journal. The 173 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:19.120 theme is Growing your Prayer Life. This vegan leather, full 174 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:23.039 color prayer journal has sections to pray for specific people 175 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:27.080 in situations, as well as space to express your gratitude 176 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:31.200 and personal prayer request to God. Each page is beautifully 177 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:35.200 designed and filled with inspiring Bible verses, photos and artwork. 178 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:38.679 The Growing Your Prayer Life Prayer Journal is a spiritual 179 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:42.320 growth tool designed to help you enjoy a vibrant prayer life, 180 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:48.000 connect with the Lord. Strengthen your prayer practice, and establish 181 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:52.120 a consistent daily prayer time. When you give a financial 182 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.440 gift to this ministry, we'll send you the Daily Hope 183 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:01.679 Prayer Journal to say thanks. Quantities are limited, so don't wait. 184 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:05.840 By the way, this month, only any gift you give 185 00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:09.440 will be matched up to one hundred thousand dollars. 186 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:16.600 If you want to be blessed like Mary, you must 187 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:22.759 contemplate continually on God's word. It says she continued to 188 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:26.799 quietly ponder the things she heard that God said in 189 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:32.279 her heart. Contemplate continually on God's word. Now, this is 190 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:35.320 a promise not just for women. Let's promise for men. 191 00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:37.200 Let me show you a couple verses up here on 192 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:40.399 the screen. James Chapter one, verse twenty five says this, 193 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:46.159 if you keep looking and carefully study God's perfect word, 194 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:49.240 which sets you free. The truth sets you free. And 195 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:51.639 if you do what it says and you don't forget it. 196 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:53.559 In other words, you remember it, you write it down, 197 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:58.399 you will be what blessed. You will be blessed by 198 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:04.679 God for doing it. You get blessed by reading, studying, memorizing, meditating, 199 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:11.200 thinking about pondering, applying, and doing the word. Anybody in 200 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:14.519 this place could be blessed. It has got to be blessable. 201 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:23.600 Cooperate with God's plan, celebrate God's son, and contemplate God's word. 202 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:27.200 Think about it. He says. If you do that, you 203 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:29.080 will be blessed by God for doing it. Let me 204 00:13:29.080 --> 00:13:33.039 show you another verse Joshua, Chapter one, verse eight. Study 205 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:37.679 this book continually. That's what Mary did. She continually pondered 206 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:41.159 what God had said, remember it and meditate on it 207 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:43.759 night and day, day and night, so you'll be sure 208 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:47.799 to do everything. So it says, remember, study, meditate, do 209 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:53.360 then you will prosper and you will be successful. Now, 210 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:56.639 what about this last group, the wise men, These guys, 211 00:13:56.759 --> 00:14:01.039 the wise men, the magi, they're the a list. They're 212 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:04.679 the brightest people. They're the scientists. They're far educated, more 213 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:08.840 than everybody else is not. A caravan to Bethlehem from 214 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:12.960 either Iraq, Iran, Persia or Babylon would require a lot 215 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:16.039 of money. But they were wealthy and it would require 216 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:19.159 a lot of their time. But they did this because 217 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:23.320 it was an intellectual pursuit. They'd seen the star in 218 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:25.759 the sky that God had placed there. This is a 219 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:27.840 unique star. We don't even know what it did was. 220 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:32.559 And they studied the scriptures, and they study the manuscripts, 221 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:34.799 and they study the traditions, and they go, oh, this 222 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:36.799 is a sign that the savior of the world is 223 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:41.200 to be born in Bethlehem. So, at great expense of 224 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:45.200 time and money, they traveled to Bethlehem, the exact opposite 225 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:50.799 of the shepherds. What are they doing. They're seeking the truth, 226 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:56.759 They're seeking God. That is always a wise thing to do. 227 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:04.600 Wise men still seek Jesus. Wise men always seek Jesus. 228 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:09.080 It's fools who don't seek him. It's fools who go 229 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.679 through life unprepared for something they know is inevitable death. 230 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:17.279 It's fools who go all through life unprepared for is 231 00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:19.519 there a God? Does he exist? And does he have 232 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:21.799 a plan for my life? And don't even care enough 233 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:28.360 to figure it out? Wise men still seek Jesus. Now, 234 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:31.080 the Bible says this about the wise men Matthew chapter two, 235 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:35.600 verse eleven. When the wise men saw the child with 236 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:41.159 his mother Mary, they bowed down and worshiped him. Then 237 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:45.399 they opened their treasure chest, and they presented him with 238 00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:51.080 gifts of gold and incense and mirk and being warned 239 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:54.720 by God in a dream. They that wise men headed 240 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:57.879 home by a different way. Anytime you've been with Jesus, 241 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:02.960 it changes your direction. Anytime you've been with God, it 242 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:06.039 changes the way you walk, It changes the way you work. 243 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:08.639 You can't have somebody as big as God come into 244 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:10.919 your life and it not change you. If you think 245 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:12.720 you've got God in your life and it that didn't 246 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.919 change you, you got something, but you didn't get God. 247 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:18.879 Because God is so big, he can't come into your 248 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:23.399 life without it changing your direction. Now, come into Jesus 249 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:27.200 cost him a lot, but when they saw him, they 250 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:30.919 worshiped him. Now here's the fourth lesson. If you want 251 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.840 to be blessed, you want your life to be blessed, 252 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:36.720 you want to be blessed, then you be like the 253 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:40.679 wise man. And that is this. Dedicate my time and 254 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:45.600 my gifts to Jesus to seeking him and then giving 255 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.399 my time and my gifts. They brought gifts to Jesus, 256 00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:51.039 and he will multiply. All the things you've got in 257 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:53.600 your life are given to you by him. Anyway, you 258 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:56.519 wouldn't have anything without God. It's just giving back to 259 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:58.559 God what he gave to you. And then he takes 260 00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:00.919 it and multiplies it back. Let me show you a 261 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:03.639 couple verses on the screen. The Bible says in Romans 262 00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:09.640 chapter twelve, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Dedicated. 263 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:14.160 There's the word dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. 264 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:18.039 So I dedicate my time, and I dedicate my life, 265 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:21.240 and I dedicate my gifts to Jesus. And then here's 266 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.839 another verse, Romans chapter six, verse thirteen. Give yourselves completely 267 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:32.000 to God. I mean, what's more wise than that. Give 268 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:34.640 yourself not to something that's not gonna last. Give yourself 269 00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:37.559 something that is going to last. God's gonna last forever. 270 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:40.400 Give yourself completely to God, every part of you. For 271 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.440 you want to be tools in the hands of God, 272 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:46.039 to be used for his good purposes. Now let me 273 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:49.160 wrap this up and just ask you the question, what 274 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:54.240 are you going to give Jesus for Christmas? It's his birthday. 275 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.799 Can you imagine going to a birthday party where you 276 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:02.079 go to the birthday party, everybody gives gifts to each 277 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:07.400 other except to the birthday boy. What kind of party 278 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:12.039 is that? The most important gift you give this ear 279 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:17.039 at Christmas is the gift you give to Jesus. It's 280 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:19.400 his birthday. What are you going to give him? Have 281 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:24.599 you even put any thought into it? You say, well, 282 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:28.440 what do you give a gift? What kind of gift 283 00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:32.599 you give the guy who's got everything? Well, he doesn't 284 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.680 have everything. I could give you a couple hundred things. 285 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:40.000 He doesn't have unless you give it to him. He 286 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:42.920 doesn't have your love unless you give it to him. 287 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:47.240 He doesn't have your trust unless you give it to him. 288 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:51.440 He doesn't have your life unless you give it to him. 289 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:56.440 He doesn't have your attention unless you give it to him. 290 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:59.000 What are you going to give Jesus in this new year? 291 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:02.079 What are you going to give him for his birthday? 292 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:04.759 That's the most important Christmas gift. By the way, you 293 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:08.559 know why we give Christmas gifts because the wise men 294 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:13.599 started the tradition. They brought gifts to Jesus, and now 295 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:16.359 we give gifts to each other. But the whole gift 296 00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:18.880 giving pain came because God so loved the world that 297 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:22.640 he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in 298 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:27.640 him should not perish but have everlasting life. God gave 299 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:29.559 the first Christmas gift. He was a gift to you. 300 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:33.279 He didn't have to give it. He did it because 301 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:35.599 he loves you and he wants you to know him, 302 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:38.839 and he wants you and his family. Now, of these 303 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:42.000 four things that Mary and Joseph and the Shepherds and 304 00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:47.119 the angels, i mean, the wise men did, is there 305 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:51.240 one that really particularly sticks out to you. Maybe you 306 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:53.720 need to be like Joseph. You need need to start 307 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:59.079 cooperating with God's plan instead of trying to push through 308 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:04.000 your plan for your life. And maybe this Christmas you say, God, 309 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:06.240 I'm going to stop trying to push in my plan. 310 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:11.119 I'm going to start cooperating with your plan for my life. 311 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.119 You tell me what to do and I'll do it. 312 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:18.000 That's a gift. Or maybe you need to be like 313 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:23.160 the shepherds and you need to start celebrating God's gift 314 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:27.519 to you. They had a party. We're forgiven, we have 315 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:31.039 a savior. We're not out here in the universe by ourselves. 316 00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:34.759 We are loved as a pastor president and a future 317 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:38.279 plan for our lives. Need to celebrate that. Maybe you 318 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:40.880 need to have more gratitude and less griping this year. 319 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:46.480 Maybe you need to have more thanksgiving and more trusting, 320 00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:53.240 less complaining, And you say I'm gonna start celebrating God's 321 00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:56.440 gift to me. Maybe you need to be like Mary. 322 00:20:57.799 --> 00:21:03.079 You start thinking about the Word of God daily, start 323 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:06.680 contemplating his word. So I'm not going to go a 324 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:09.279 single day without being in this book. God has spoken 325 00:21:09.319 --> 00:21:12.160 to you, and the promises for your prosperity, your success, 326 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:15.680 your life, your health, your relationships, all these things are 327 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:19.640 in this word. But God doesn't have your attention unless 328 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:22.880 you give it to or maybe you need to be 329 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:25.759 like the wise men. You just need to seek him. 330 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:27.960 You know I have not been seeking you. I've been 331 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:30.920 seeking my own success. I've been seeking my own fame. 332 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:33.839 I've been seeking my own fortune, I've been seeking my 333 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:37.359 own future, spouse. I've been seeking all these other things 334 00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:40.319 that I haven't been seeking you. It's wise to seek 335 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:44.079 God first. You say this Christmas, that's going to be 336 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:54.920 my Christmas gift to you. That's power heads. Would you've 337 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:57.079 prayed this prayer in your heart, you know, said aloud? 338 00:21:57.119 --> 00:22:01.039 Just say, Dear God, I want to be closer to 339 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:06.880 you this Christmas. I want to get to know you 340 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:13.039 better and God Like Joseph, I want to learn to 341 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:17.759 cooperate with your plan even when it doesn't make sense, 342 00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:23.359 even when I don't understand it, even if it seems illogical. 343 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:25.519 I'm going to trust that you are a good God 344 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:28.160 and you have a plan for my life that is 345 00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:34.599 good and God. I also want to start celebrating all 346 00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:38.559 the good you've done for me, the gift of freedom, 347 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:44.640 the gift of forgiveness, the gift of salvation, the gift 348 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:47.079 that I will never go through life by myself but 349 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:53.240 you are with me, the gift of your presence. Then 350 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:55.880 you might want to say God, I want to be 351 00:22:57.240 --> 00:23:01.279 a woman of the word like Mary. I want to 352 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:07.599 be a man of the word like Joseph. I want 353 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:13.960 to look to your words for guidance, for direction, for hope, 354 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:19.160 for instruction that I might be the person you want 355 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:21.880 me to be and succeed in the areas you want 356 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:26.839 me to succeed. And then say God, I want to 357 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:33.119 dedicate myself to seeking you, and like the wise men, 358 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:37.480 I want to find you, and I want to know you, 359 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:39.839 and I want to give you the gifts of my 360 00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:46.319 time and my life and the talents that you've given 361 00:23:46.359 --> 00:23:51.559 to me. Lord, Thank you for Christmas, Thank you for 362 00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:53.799 the joy that we share. Thank you that it is 363 00:23:53.799 --> 00:23:56.400 a merry Christmas. Even with so many things that are 364 00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:59.640 bad in the world, that you shine as a light 365 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:03.079 in the darkest part of the year. We love you 366 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:16.799 and we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. Hi, everybody, 367 00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:20.759 this is Pastor Rick. I would like to thank you. 368 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:24.160 Thank you for being a part of our Daily Hope family. 369 00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:27.039 I don't get to say that often enough, but your 370 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:32.880 generosity is helping us share the hope of Jesus with 371 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:36.039 people here at home and literally all around the world, 372 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:40.279 even in places where it's difficult and even dangerous to 373 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:42.920 get the good news. You know. I recently heard from 374 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:47.480 a woman named Eunice in Cameroon. Cameroon is a country 375 00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:49.720 in Central Africa, and she wrote to me. She said, 376 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:52.519 Pastor Rick, I lost both my son and my daughter 377 00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:57.359 in the war, and now I'm raising four grandchildren on 378 00:24:57.400 --> 00:25:00.799 my own. I was overwhelmed with grief. But then she says, 379 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:05.119 but through the Daily Hope devotionals, I have found strength 380 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:09.599 and comfort and peace in God's word. So thank you 381 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:15.079 for helping me hold on to hope. Wow. That's powerful. 382 00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:20.160 That's powerful, and that happened because your giving is helping 383 00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:24.640 Eunus find the strength to carry on to raise her 384 00:25:24.680 --> 00:25:28.599 grandchildren and to keep trusting God even through the deep 385 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:32.039 loss of her kids. Now, right now, I want to 386 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:34.680 tell you about this because we have a special opportunity. 387 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:39.799 There's some generous friends who have offered a matching grant 388 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:44.079 that will double your gift. What that means is whatever 389 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:47.279 you give will be doubled. Okay, they'll match it. That 390 00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:50.559 means whatever you give today will go twice as far 391 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:55.559 to reach even more people with God's word. So can 392 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:58.039 I ask you a favor? I want to encourage you 393 00:25:58.680 --> 00:26:02.880 and give your best gift you can and today, together 394 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:06.839 let's keep bringing the hope of Jesus Christ to people 395 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:10.680 like unus and to the billions of other people who 396 00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:14.559 still need to hear. There are still people who've never 397 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:17.240 heard the name of Jesus. We want to keep expanding 398 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:19.839 to get the message to the whole world. And I 399 00:26:19.880 --> 00:26:24.160 am so grateful that we are in this mission together. 400 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:25.640 God bless you. 401 00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:29.359