DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 25:
WORD OF WISDOM
A thousand times in history a baby has become a king, but only once in
history did a King become a baby.
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DAILY DEVOTION
So Much to Celebrate
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Luke 2:11-14
From the very first Christmas night, the remembrance of Christ's birth has
been a joyful and happy time-a time to celebrate. As the angels told the
shepherds of the birth of the Saviour, their words were filled with praise
to God as they rejoiced at the working of God's plan. And we rejoice at this
wonderful time of year as well.
Yes, this busy season is often pressure-filled and stressful. There are long
lines in the stores, presents to find, and meals to plan. But we must never
lose sight of the purpose and meaning of Christmas. If we remain focused on
the amazing gift of God's Son, we will find more peace in our hearts and
more praise on our lips.
And as we celebrate, we should never forget that the joyful news of
Christmas is not meant to be restricted to those who already understand the
true meaning of this holiday. The message of salvation through Jesus Christ
is meant for all, and it is our duty and privilege to share it with the
world, just as the shepherds told all they met about what had happened. H.
A. Ironside wrote, "There are good tidings of great joy for all people, not
just for a limited number, but for all people. All men everywhere are
invited to put their trust in the Saviour whom God has sent into the world."
Remembering what Christmas is truly about gives us ample reason for joyful
celebration.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Revelation 1-3New King James Version (NKJV)
Introduction and Benediction
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His
servants-things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it
by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God,
and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed
is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Greeting the Seven Churches
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and
from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ,
the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the
kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed[a] us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and
has made us kings[b] and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they
who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.
Even so, Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,"[c] says the
Lord,[d] "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, both[e] your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom
and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for
the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the
Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a
trumpet, 11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,"
and,[f] "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches
which are in Asia:[g] to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to
Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I
saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands
One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded
about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like
wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were
like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of
many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went
a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its
strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid
His right hand on me, saying to me,[h] "Do not be afraid; I am the First and
the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive
forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19 Write[i]
the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things
which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which
you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars
are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you
saw[j] are the seven churches.
The Loveless Church
2 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks
in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 "I know your works, your
labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you
have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them
liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My
name's sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against
you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where
you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you
quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you repent. 6 But
this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also
hate.
7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To
him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the
midst of the Paradise of God."'
The Persecuted Church
8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I
know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a
synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about
to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that
you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until
death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He
who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
The Compromising Church
12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 "I know your
works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My
name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My
faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I
have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the
doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual
immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.[k] 16 Repent, or else I will come to you
quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To
him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will
give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one
knows except him who receives it."'
The Corrupt Church
18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and
His feet like fine brass: 19 "I know your works, love, service, faith,[l]
and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow[m] that
woman[n] Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce[o] My
servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21
And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not
repent.[p] 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit
adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their[q]
deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall
know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each
one of you according to your works.
24 "Now to you I say, and[r] to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have
this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I
will[s] put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I
come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I
will give power over the nations-
27
'He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'[t]-
as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning
star.
29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
The Dead Church
3 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars:
"I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are
dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready
to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.[u] 3 Remember
therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore
if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not
know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You[v] have a few names even in
Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in
white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white
garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will
confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
The Faithful Church
7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of
David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":[w] 8 "I
know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can
shut it;[x] for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not
denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who
say they are Jews and are not, but lie-indeed I will make them come and
worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you
have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of
trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the
earth. 11 Behold,[y] I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no
one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in
the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the
name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which
comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
The Lukewarm Church
14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans[z] write,
'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of
the creation of God: 15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor
hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[aa] I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing'-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and
naked- 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you
may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of
your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve,
that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be
zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him,
and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My
throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'"
Footnotes:
a.Revelation 1:5 NU-Text reads loves us and freed; M-Text reads loves us and
washed.
b.Revelation 1:6 NU-Text and M-Text read a kingdom.
c.Revelation 1:8 NU-Text and M-Text omit the Beginning and the End.
d.Revelation 1:8 NU-Text and M-Text add God.
e.Revelation 1:9 NU-Text and M-Text omit both.
f.Revelation 1:11 NU-Text and M-Text omit I am through third and.
g.Revelation 1:11 NU-Text and M-Text omit which are in Asia.
h.Revelation 1:17 NU-Text and M-Text omit to me.
i.Revelation 1:19 NU-Text and M-Text read Therefore, write.
j.Revelation 1:20 NU-Text and M-Text omit which you saw.
k.Revelation 2:15 NU-Text and M-Text read likewise for which thing I hate.
l.Revelation 2:19 NU-Text and M-Text read faith, service.
m.Revelation 2:20 NU-Text and M-Text read I have against you that you
tolerate.
n.Revelation 2:20 M-Text reads your wife Jezebel.
o.Revelation 2:20 NU-Text and M-Text read and teaches and seduces.
p.Revelation 2:21 NU-Text and M-Text read time to repent, and she does not
want to repent of her sexual immorality.
q.Revelation 2:22 NU-Text and M-Text read her.
r.Revelation 2:24 NU-Text and M-Text omit and.
s.Revelation 2:24 NU-Text and M-Text omit will.
t.Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9
u.Revelation 3:2 NU-Text and M-Text read My God.
v.Revelation 3:4 NU-Text and M-Text read Nevertheless you have a few names
in Sardis.
w.Revelation 3:7 Isaiah 22:22
x.Revelation 3:8 NU-Text and M-Text read which no one can shut.
y.Revelation 3:11 NU-Text and M-Text omit Behold.
z.Revelation 3:14 NU-Text and M-Text read in Laodicea.
aa.Revelation 3:16 NU-Text and M-Text read hot nor cold.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
