DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 13:
WORD OF WISDOM
Know who you are and who you're not.
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DAILY DEVOTION
The First Christmas Celebration
"Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father
that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not
known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a
liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad."
John 8:54-56
The first celebration of the birth of Christ did not involve angels or
shepherds or wise men or any of the other characters that we associate with
the Christmas story. In fact it happened hundreds of years earlier. God had
revealed to Abraham what His plan for the redemption of the world was, and
Jesus tells us that Abraham rejoiced over His coming long before it
occurred. This passage tells us Abraham celebrated the knowledge of the
coming of Christ.
The reason Abraham was so thrilled with the news that Jesus was coming is
that, like us, he needed a Saviour for his sins. When he understood what God
was going to do, he understood what it meant for his eternity. There is so
much to celebrate about Christmas, but the greatest source of joy is the
salvation that the birth of Christ made possible for all who believe.
There is a reason that we speak of the gospel as "good news." It is the best
news. Yet as wonderful as it is, not everyone is willing to receive it. In
fact when Jesus told the religious leaders of His day the truth that Abraham
celebrated His coming before it happened, they tried to kill Him. "Then took
they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the
temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by" (John 8:59). We
must not let the rejection of Christ by others rob our joy in His birth.
Christmas is a wonderful reminder to us to rejoice over God's gift of
salvation.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Philemon New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to [a]the beloved
Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon's Love and Faith
4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of
your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the
saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the
acknowledgment of every good thing which is in [b]you in Christ Jesus. 7
For we [c]have great [d]joy and [e]consolation in your love, because the
[f]hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
The Plea for Onesimus
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is
fitting, 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you-being such a one as
Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ- 10 I appeal to you
for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once
was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him [g]back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own
[h]heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might
minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I
wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it
were, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might
receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave-a
beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the
flesh and in the Lord.
Philemon's Obedience Encouraged
17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But
if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul,
am writing with my own hand. I will repay-not to mention to you that you owe
me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in
the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you
will do even more than I say. 22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room
for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
Farewell
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
