January 11 (Romans 5:8)

[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (ESV)

Our neighbors, who have already moved and are in the process of selling their house, asked our son to shovel their snowy driveway before an upcoming open house.  In the wee hours of the morning, however, he became quite ill, prompting a trip to the ER.  Later that morning, as he slept, I shoveled our neighbor’s driveway.

As I fought the snow and cold, I thought about why I was doing it, and the answer was simple.  Our son had an obligation that he could not fulfill.  Because of my love for him, it never crossed my mind to do other than I did.

You know where this is going.  All of us are ill with the sickness of sin.  We cannot possibly fulfill the obligation of perfection we owe our perfect God, nor can we pay the penalty for falling short.  God loves His children so much that for Him there was no other choice and no second thought.  He would pay the price and do what it took to perfect us.

Lord, the simple truth of Your love is too much for me to comprehend.  I mean it.  I really cannot grasp the magnitude of what You have done for me through Jesus.  All I can do is acknowledge it and hope that I can live in a way that shows You my thanks.  Amen.

Copyright © 2015 by Steven R. Perkins

January 4 (2 Peter 3:9)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  (ESV)

It is the start of the new year, and we all look forward to certain things that we hope will happen, but is the return of Jesus really one of them?  There may be anniversaries or activities that we have every reasonable expectation will take place this year, but most of us, if we give any thought at all to the return of Jesus, think of it is a vague event in the far distant future.

And why not?  We have been waiting two thousand years.  It is no surprise that for some this may lead to despair.  Maybe He is not coming back after all.  Peter reminds us that His delay is actually a sign of His immense love for us.  He wants all of His children to repent and turn their lives toward Him.

If you are reading this, then you are probably one who says that you do follow Jesus.  That is great!  For you.  Yet there are countless friends and family around us who are the walking dead.  They seem to be doing okay, but because they have not turned from their own path to follow Jesus, they are living in death.  Consider the delayed return of our Lord an opportunity to share the true life that you know with those you love.

Lord, help me take seriously the danger for my friends and family who do not know You.  Ignite in me the passion to shine Your light so brightly that they are drawn to surrender their lives to You and in so doing may know true life.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Whose resurrection from the dead brought life to me and to the world, amen.

Copyright © 2015 by Steven R. Perkins

December 28 (Matthew 1:13)

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”  (ESV)

There was the joy of that miraculous night.  There was the star, the wise men, and the love that all new parents know, a love that shuts out everything else as the world contracts to the one tiny baby in front of you. Then the rest of the world came crashing in upon them.  Someone was trying to kill their baby.  Joseph did not have time to savor the moments surrounding the birth of Jesus.  He had to get down to the work of being a father.  He had to protect his wife and baby boy.

Christmas is over now.  Many people are still on vacation.  We need this time every year to celebrate the birth of our Lord and to be reminded of the miraculous gift of God.  Yet our great enemy is still trying to destroy Him.  Of course, he cannot hurt Jesus directly, but he attacks his followers.  The next verse says that Joseph did not even wait until morning, but escaped with Mary and Jesus to Egypt in the middle of the night.  I hope always to be so on guard that I answer God’s call the moment it comes.

Lord, keep me focused on the truth about Christmas after the lights have been put away.  Make me quick to serve others in the name of Jesus, Whom we have all celebrated.  May I give no thought to my own safety, but only to the Your call.  Amen.

Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins

December 21 (Luke 2:11)

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  (ESV)

This is what it is all about.  Every single one of us needs a savior.  We are born needing one, and we have either accepted that Jesus is that savior, or we have yet to do so, but the fact remains that the savior of the world, Christ the Lord, was born on Christmas Day in the city of David.  Do you need a reminder of what that means?

He has paid the price for your sins.  You will live forever in glory with God.  The Holy Spirit now lives in You, guiding you and leading you toward all truth.  Your friend and brother is God Himself.  He listens to you and knows your every need.  Do I need to go on?

Sometime in the days ahead, get away by yourself and ponder all that Jesus is…to you and to the entire world.  Let the monumental truth of His identity and the meaning of His birth fill you and let that become the source for how you go about all the activities surrounding Christmas.

Jesus, it is impossible for me to conceive all that You are, all that You have done, and all that You continue to do.  May every word from my mouth, every action I make, every thought that crosses my mind bring You glory.  May my life do nothing but honor You.  Amen.

Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins

December 14 (Psalm 86:11)

…[U]nite my heart to fear your name.  (ESV)

There is so much to do as Christmas approaches.  There are gifts to buy, cards to write, foods to bake, trips to arrange, houses to clean for guests, shows and parties to attend, and all the other things to do that you did not do the rest of the year and now feel the pressure to do before the year ends.  Sound familiar?

Many, perhaps all, of those things are good enough, but not one of them involves awe, and I am pretty sure that celebrating the birth of God in the flesh is an awe-filled event.  Awe requires absolute, single-minded focus.  Its proper expression is a dropping to the knees and bursting out, “My Lord and my God!” because your mouth has no choice in holding back the words.

This cannot happen when our hearts are divided, and that is why I love this verse.  It is a simple prayer that I need to pray often.

Lord, unite my heart to fear Your name.  In the midst of all that I must do, help me to see You.  In fact, give me the courage to drop anything, no matter how urgent or good it may seem, to praise You with all that I am.  Amen.

Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins

December 7 (Luke 2:11)

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  (ESV)

Bear with me for a moment.  I am going to reference a song by Led Zeppelin.  In 1970 Led Zeppelin recorded what has become the most famous version of a centuries-old tale.  In their version of the song called “Gallows Pole,” friends and family bring gifts to the hangman to save a beloved young man.  The hangman takes all the gifts, but in the final verse laughs as he prepares to hang the young man anyway.

Every human being who draws a breath is under a sentence of death.  We are born with a sin nature, and given the opportunity, we will live up to that nature every time.  As a result, we are separated from the pure perfection of God.  We deserve to die, and there is nothing we can give God, not gold or silver or good works, that can save us.

Enter Jesus.  It is God’s law that says we must die, yet it is God Who provided the way out.  He sent His Son to be born our Savior.  His laughter and joy fill the heavens when we accept this and surrender our lives to Him.  We do not celebrate Christmas because a cute baby was born.  Many cute babies are born each day.  We celebrate Christmas because our Savior has come.

Father, words cannot express how grateful I am that You sent Your Son to take my place in death.  I was born to die, yet You had already prepared a way for me to live.  Praise be unto You, O God, now and forever!  Amen.

Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins

November 30 (Galatians 5:25)

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.    (ESV)

This may not seem like a verse suited for the first Sunday in Advent, but consider for a moment the last time you even thought about Advent.  If you are part of a more liturgical church, Advent may play a more prominent role, yet for most of our culture it plays no role at all.  Even many Christians get caught up in the stress of year-end activities in the mad rush toward Christmas.

Advent is a slower time.  It is about the build up toward and the expectation of the birth of God in the flesh.  It points us toward Jesus, and that is precisely the role of the Holy Spirit.  He is the quiet member of the Trinity.  Sadly, for many, He is the forgotten member as well.  Yet He dwells within each person who has been redeemed by the blood of Christ, directing them gently toward all truth and helping them lead a life worthy of Jesus.

I have known Jesus my entire life, but it has taken that entire life to learn how to walk in step with the Holy Spirit.  I need this verse every day, and especially at this time of year.  How about you?  Would it not be nice to follow the gentle leading of God the Spirit rather than running from the lash of the demands of this, that, and the other thing?

Father, thank You for sending Your Spirit to dwell within me.  I want to live by His strength and with His guidance.  I surrender myself to Your will that I know through Him.  In the name of Jesus, my Savior, I pray.  Amen.

Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins