I’ll start with a reminder to view the Christmas Eve service online from North Carolina. Today, I’m going to add the 6 P.M. candlelight service from FBC, Kentwood. It is 30 minutes of Christmas joy. I hope you have plans to attend in person with your family, but another option is to watch it online. It’s a great family experience!
Prayer Focus
Pay attention to some who need Christmas love and cheer due to sickness, loneliness, death, etc. Be an encourager to them today! That is a very important role we can all step into.
Today’s Verse
No New Obituaries This Morning
Baptist Press
Choose your own articles to read today. I’ve been choosing those I want to return to in a few minutes.
Weather Advisory
We have had dense fog this week that will continue and probably get worse. The holidays are always dangerous travel days. Dense fog could make safe driving more difficult. Be prepared to be extra careful and/or adjust travel time to avoid heavy fog hours.
Holiday Focus
Jesus is the reason for the season. Use opportunities God provides to “Tell Others about Jesus”! Read the Bible, sing some carols, view nativity scenes, attend special services, watch special programs or movies that tell the 2,000+ year old story!
Read the Bible in 2025
- Tuesday, December 23
- Amos 6-9
Additional Bible Passages
‘No Distinctions’
5 Is Apollos important? Is Paul important? No! We are God’s servants. We told you God’s good news and you believed it. Each of us is doing the job which the Lord has given to us.
6 When I told you God’s good news, I was like someone who planted seeds. Then Apollos was like someone who gave water to the young plants. But it was God who caused everything to grow.
7 The person who plants the seeds is not important. The person who gives water to the plants is not important. The important person is God, because he causes everything to grow.
8 The person who plants and the person who gives water both have the same purpose. God will pay each person what is right for their work.
9 Apollos and I work together as God’s servants. You are like God’s field that we work in.
You are also like a building that belongs to God.
10 I am like a good builder. God has given that job to me and he has helped me to do it well. I was the person who built the foundation. Now other people are building on that foundation. But each person must be careful how he builds.
I Corinthens 3:5-10
‘He Has Done Great Things for Me!”
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
Luke 1: 41-52
Luke 1:48-52 is often called Mary’s Song.
‘Always Be a Blessing’
3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4 So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”
5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and csuffered no harm.
6 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and dsaid that he was a god.
(Paul was NOT a god. He was a servant of God and a blessing to many.)
Acts 28:3-6
Be a blessing to others today!
Anna Lee
The Prayer Link 
You must be logged in to post a comment.