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Good morning. We trust that you had a blessed Christmas with your family and friends. For now, the hustle and bustle of Christmas has come and gone. No doubt, during the course of today, we will think about the special moments that yesterday brought us - that embrace with your spouse, your son, your daughter; the phone call to loved ones in a different city, across the world; that special gift you received. Pleasant memories. Mary, too, spent time reflecting on the events leading up to, as well as the birth of her first child, Jesus. Luke reminds us that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) After all, how would you respond to this - "The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28) As Mary pondered all that had taken place - regal angels and common shepherds - all this part of the first Christmas. She probably remember those special words that the angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. (Luke 1:30) Let us make time today to ponder the greatest gift we can ever receive - eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. We, too, are favoured by God. We trust that you will have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Today Christians all over the world are remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. John says this about Christ. "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." (John 1:4). Jesus is the hope of the world. Followers of Christ "have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe." (1 Timothy 4:10) Yesterday, Nicky Gumbell, in his daily devotional, reminded us that: • We must put our hope in the right place. "Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God." (Psalms 146:5) • We must look forward with hope. Bishop Lesslie Newbigin puts it like this. "The horizon for the Christian is, "He shall come again" and "We look for the coming of the Lord". That is what males it possible to be hopeful. • We must never give up on hope. The prophet Ezra reminds us that no matter how badly we mess up, there is still hope for us. "We have been unfaithful to our God ... but in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel." (Ezra 10:2) For followers of Christ the reality of Christmas is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." From Daphne and I, our Christmas prayer for you is this: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Jesus was heralded by angels, loved by Mary, protected by Joseph, and worshiped by Magi. Imagine getting to worship the Everlasting King, the Mighty Warrior, the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace. What would you do? How would you act? What would you bring? When the Magi came face to face with Mary, Joseph and the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, they offered their gift of worship directly to Jesus. We are able to do the same. Because of His death and resurrection, we are invited to be born again so that we can boldly enter the throne room of Heaven to worship Him. There is no greater love than laying down one’s life for one's friends - and that’s what Jesus did for us. Our only proper response is to: • Submit to the Everlasting King • Believe in the Wonderful Counselor • Trust in our Mighty God • Worship the Prince of Peace "Glorious now behold Him arise, King, and God, and Sacrifice; Heav’n sings Hallelujah: Hallelujah the earth replies." (Three Kings of Orient by John Henry Hopkins, Jr.) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) The birth was announced by angels, attended by shepherds, and acknowledged by Magi. The Magi were Gentiles from the east seeking to worship the King of the Jews. Their question was specific: "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" They did not seek someone who would “become” king. They were looking for someone who entered the world as King. They were looking for God’s King. When the Magi found Jesus, they honored Him with gifts: Gold for the everlasting King, Frankincense for the Wonderful Counselor, Myrrh for the Mighty Warrior, and Worship for the Prince of Peace. The King’s gift of gold recognizes sovereign authority. Jesus is, and always has been, the everlasting King. He offers peace to anyone who repents and proclaims Him as their sovereign Lord. “Born a King on Bethlehem plain, Gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever, Ceasing never Over us all to reign” (Three Kings of Orient by John Henry Hopkins, Jr.) Reign, King Jesus, reign. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning At Christmas time we easily get caught up in the buzz of Christmas. Everywhere we go, we see a well orchestrated campaign to get us to part with our money. Through the media we are repeatedly told to be vigilant, to make sure that we put extra security on place. Who would have thought that peace and joy is what the birth of Christ was to bring. Paul writes: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts ... And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15) As he talks about that peace, though, he directly calls his us to be thankful! Why? Because he knows that thanksgiving is both a natural result of us experiencing God’s love. This is what Christmas is about. Paul continues: "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly ... with gratitude in your hearts." (Colossians 3:16) When we grasp the true meaning of Christmas, gratitude and thanksgiving will be the overflow of our lives. So as we rush through the shopping malls (only 4 shopping days to Christmas! 😀) remind yourself what Christmas is really about. Enjoy your day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The story of Christ's birth brings out the significance of being available to God's call. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her." (Luke 1:38) Unassuming but powerful words. Through such simple words of obedience, the Lord carried out His plans for the birth of the Son of the Most High, Immanuel, God with us. “Here I am”—three simple words. Abraham, Moses, and Samuel all answered the Lord with these words when He called on them. These are not only words of availability, but also of obedience. Because they were in relationship with the Father, they could recognize His voice. Because they knew and trusted Him, had disciplined themselves to be obedient and available, they were able to say, “Here I am.” As a result of our relationship with Him we are able to cultivate listening to His voice, being ready for His call, so that when the Lord invites us to join Him in bringing about His plans, we are able to say, “Here I am.” Have a wonderful Wednesday. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. How can anything be too difficult when you realize that the One who knows you the best and loves you the most has promised to always be at your side? We are never alone! The Lord’s presence is guiding us, watching over us, and protecting us. We have been given the treasured gift of His peace. Christmas reminds us that God, the Father, gave us His only begotten Son. We couldn’t shake the presence of God even if we tried to do so for the rest of our lives! For followers of Christ one of the most cherished aspects of life is a relationship with Jesus. Time with Jesus turns an awful day into an amazing day. When we settle down and spend time alone with Jesus, it revolutionizes a mediocre day into a magnificent day. When we choose to read the Word and ignore the distractions in our world, it delivers the peace that passes understanding. Paul writing to the Philippians reminds us that "the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:9) In the hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas make time to spend with our Father. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Christmas offers a wonderful opportunity to show love and appreciation for others. There’s no better time of year to demonstrate goodwill to those around us. The first Christmas was characterized by giving. • Mary gave her physical body and reputation (Luke 1:26-38). • Joseph gave provision and protection (Matthew 1:18-25). • Caesar Augustus gave a decree (Luke 2:1-7). {God was using him to accomplish His divine purpose. Prophecy foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2)} • The angel of the Lord gave an announcement (Luke 2:8-14). • The shepherds gave a testimony (Luke 2:15-20). • The magi gave gifts and worship (Matthew 2:1-11). • God gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). • Jesus gave His life (Matt. 20:28). Of all the gifts we’ve ever received, God’s gift of eternal life through His Son is by far the most valuable. Those around us need to know salvation is available through Jesus Christ. The gospel is the best gift you could possibly give them this Christmas. Today, walk in God's love and give it away to all you come in contact with. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When was the last time you soaked in a hot bath? Hot water healing is nothing new. As early as 2,000 B.C., Egyptians used hot baths to ease pain. The word “spa” comes from the Latin term “sanus per aquam” - meaning “health through water.” While soaking is good for the body, it’s equally good for the soul. Like a bubble bath for the weary heart, soaking in silence is a time of saturating yourself in the presence of God. What does soaking in silence look like? It’s hard, but simple. It’s a time of sitting quietly, clearing your mind, and focusing your attention on being silent. It is a time with few words or noise. Wait and see what God brings to mind as you soak in His presence and remember, “let your words be few.” Soaking in silence is meant to be a time for resting in the presence of God. No words are necessary. As thoughts come to you, write them down and come back to them when you’re done soaking. Since Sunday is set aside as "the Lord’s day", it is a good day to make time to sit quietly and soak in His presence. Have a peaceful day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When we face challenges in life, we're told to be brave. It sounds romantic, but it’s not always possible. Being brave puts the responsibility on us; leaving it to us to stir up the courage from some deep reserve. Sometimes we just don’t have the bravery we need for certain situations, and our fear ends up crippling us. Rather than trying to live unafraid, what we really need to do is live fearlessly. Being fearless does not mean living with the absence of fear; it means moving forward in spite of our fear. It means walking in obedience to God, even when we’re terrified of what it could cost us. Just like Mary. Mary said yes to God, even when it threatened to cost her everything. Her situation required incredible fearlessness. Although she was probably terrified, her faith overrode her fear. We can acknowledge fear without letting it consume us. We can do this by saying yes to God and stepping into the plans He has for us. There are 365 Bible verses in the Bible about not being afraid – one for each day of the year. Let’s remember that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) Have a good weekend. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Think of a time when you heard from God, whether it was a promise, a confirmation, or a conviction. What was your immediate response? Did you act on what He said, or did you sit and ponder whether it was really His voice? Luke tells us that when the angels told the shepherds the Good News about Jesus’ birth, they “hurried off” to find Him. Instead of waiting around and letting doubt creep in, they responded immediately. They no doubt had earthly concerns. What would they do with their flock? Should they tell their families first? Were they dressed appropriately? They didn’t let any of the questions we might have asked in the same situation keep them from quickly responding to God. This took great faith! As followers of Christ, we need to embrace the kind of faith the shepherds displayed. When we hesitate with God, we create a breeding ground for doubt, fear, and insecurity - none of which come from Him. When we hear a specific word from Him, trust His direction. He will equip us to do what He’s asked us to do. All we need to do is respond. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6) Let's stir our faith today and decide in advance that we will move when God says to move, no matter what! Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. God often operates differently from the world’s perspective. He doesn’t honor people for the same reasons the world honors them. He values faithfulness over fame and humility over power. On the night of Christ's birth, instead of revealing it first to kings or world leaders, God sent an angel to tell common shepherds. "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified." (Luke 2:8‭-‬9) Shepherds were of low social status, but they were faithful devoted workers, living next to their sheep and caring well for the things they’d been entrusted to steward. And God chose them to be the first recipients of the greatest news in history. Sometimes we feel unimportant or overlooked. But even when we feel our task is small, we give it everything we’ve got. God is looking for people who will be faithful with little so that He can entrust them with more. Don’t be discouraged! We do whatever we have been assigned to do with all our might. God sees our diligence and rewards those who faithfully complete their assignment. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters" (Colossians 3:23) Blessings. Mike and Daphne