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5011 Liberty Road; Greensboro,
NC Office 336-674-6538; FAX 336-676-0505 sebc@gosoutheast.org Home | Interactive Map |
2004 Advent Daily Devotional GuideAnticipating Our Lord Through ...
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Southeast Home Page | 2004 Advent Introduction | Children's Pictures | Acknowledgments
| Advent I | Advent II | Advent III | Advent IV | Epiphany |
| Nov 28 - Dec 4 | Dec 5-11 | Dec 12-18 | Dec 19-25 | Dec 26 - Jan 1 |
| Advent I - Preparation | Well Made Plans - Layman Cash |
| Sunday November 28 | Paul Daniels |
| Monday November 29 | Bill Settle |
| Tuesday November 30 | Steve Sellstrom |
| Wednesday December 1 | Christopher Bronson |
| Thursday December 2 | Lonnie Baxley |
| Friday December 3 | Rene' Whitesell |
| Saturday December 4 | Ronnie May |
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Return to Top PREPARATION - Sunday
November 28, 2004
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PREPARATION - Monday
November 29, 2004 2 Timothy 1:9b -10 This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. When do you start thinking about what gift to give for Christmas? Do you know the person well enough to decide if the present that you give is something that is needed, or something wanted? Not long ago, I attended a Bar Mitzvah service. It was conducted in Hebrew, and trying to find something to do during the long passages, I picked up a copy of the Torah from the seat in front of me. It was written in Hebrew, of course, but contained an English translation and commentary. I began to read from Genesis; "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..." I glanced at the accompanying notes. The commentator wrote that it was astounding to see the plural forms "us" and "our" used because Jews had always been monotheists. Over the centuries, the writer continued, Torah scholars speculated that perhaps God had conferred with the angels or the animals before creating man. The opening words of John's gospel came back to me, echoing the first words in Genesis; revealing the answer to the mystery: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." What amazing grace and love that God knew, before the first man breathed, what we needed and wanted most. More amazing still is that He gave Himself as that gift. Father, thank you for the most precious gifts of your love and forgiveness. Thank you for giving yourself to save me. Thank you for knowing what I needed and, in the deepest part of my heart, wanted most; even though sometimes I didn't know that myself. Prepare my heart to show your gift and share your gift with others. For those who don't know you, Christmas day has not yet come; Christ has yet to be born into their lives. Amen Bill Settle | ||||||||||
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PREPARATION - Tuesday
November 30, 2004 When I was a boy, my grandmother always hosted a big Christmas Eve celebration which included a traditional Swedish smorgasbord, reading the Christmas Story from the scriptures, and opening of gifts. My twin brother and I always looked forward to the events of the big night. We knew there would be plenty of good Swedish food - smoked herring, rice pudding, cheeses, black beans, Swedish meatballs, the traditional tuna mold in the shape of a fish - with half an olive for the eye and a piece of pimento for the mouth. Our dad or our granddad always read the Christmas Story. And there were always lots of gifts - even in the years when there wasn't much money - there always seemed to be plenty of gifts. There was so much for us to look forward to. My grandmother looked forward to something very different: she actually looked forward to preparing the festivities! She spent days planning the menu, then buying the food. She laundered her best tablecloth and napkins - no paper napkins for that celebration! She brought out the traditional centerpiece for the table. Every detail had to be perfect. Weeks before Christmas, hundreds of cookies were made to share with the neighbors. Days were spent preparing the food for the smorgasbord - and agonizing over the rice pudding if it didn't thicken just right. My grandmother knew there was value not only in the celebration, but also in the preparation for the celebration. Matthew 24:36-44 tells us that "we must always be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." We won't ever know when He will return for us, so we have to be ready all the time. During the advent season, we are busily preparing for the celebration of Christ's first coming. As we prepare for all the celebrations involving that first coming, we must remember that we should be in constant preparation for His second coming - the ultimate celebration! Lord, let us find joy in preparing our hearts to receive You anew during this time of celebration. Amen. Steve Sellstrom | ||||||||||
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PREPARATION - Wednesday
December 1, 2004 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." Matthew 25:13 Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, and of preparation. In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus tells the story of ten virgins. In this parable the bridesmaids, rather than the bride herself, constitute the primary characters. Wedding processions from the bride's to the groom's home, accompanied by singing and dancing, normally happened at night and hence required light. The lamps in ancient weddings were not the small, hand-held lamps used under normal circumstances, but torches. Women torchbearers led the bride to the bridegroom's home, joined by the groom and his male friends. Presumably the bridesmaids are thus waiting outside the bride's home for his coming, to escort her to his home. In this particular parable (in contrast to 24:42-44) the issue is not that the virgins went to sleep--both the wise and foolish did so; the issue is that some were not watchful enough to have sufficient oil. In traditional Palestinian weddings, messengers may repeatedly announce the bridegroom's coming, yet it can be delayed for hours. All the virgins would have been ready for the groom had he arrived when they expected, but grooms' delays were common enough that they should have anticipated it. The wise virgins' unwillingness to share their oil reflects their concern for their friend's wedding; since they had only enough for their own torches, sharing would cause all the torches to be extinguished, ruining the whole. Bridal processions were so important that rabbis even suspended their lectures so they could hail a passing bride; for the groom, weddings even took precedence over some ritual obligations, so a breach of etiquette was serious. The foolish virgins were not excluded simply because the door was locked (25:10-11), nor because the host actually did not recognize them (v. 12), but because they had insulted the bride and groom as well as all their relatives! They would never be allowed to forget such an offense. To participate in their friend's wedding was a great honor. That they would be shut out of the feast in punishment suits their case, but how does this apply to me today? Am I prepared for the Messiah's return? Which bridegroom will I be like? Will I be able to celebrate on the day of return or will I be unprepared? Have I had a personal experience with God? If God is only a Sunday morning activity for me or only a problem solver when I am in trouble, I need to reassess my relationship with Him. Jesus cannot be only my Savior, He also has to be my Lord. Am I prepared for His return? Have I given control of my life to Him? God, in my everyday life, I pray that you be honored; in the things I do, the things I say, the things I think. During this season of Advent, break all of the habits that prevent others from seeing you in me. Make me bold to share the great expectation we have that you will return for us. Thank you for loving me so much you would have died for only me. Christopher Bronson | ||||||||||
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PREPARATION - Thursday
December 2, 2004 Some of you have heard me say "Quality comes from ownership with integrity and appropriate resources in a healthy paradigm". I think we can use this in the context of our spiritual lives when we focus on preparation. Our Quality of preparation is a function of: Ownership, Integrity, Resources, Health Matthew 23: 1-13 relates a story of preparedness. Jesus tells about five wise and five foolish bridesmaids. The five wise bridesmaids took ownership of the situation and prepared with adequate resources. However, the five foolish bridesmaids did not prepare with adequate oil. Our own preparation level can be influenced by many things, including the health of our body, mind and soul. If our body is deprived of sleep then it is physically difficult to stay alert to the happenings around us.. Many accidents occur because of drivers asleep behind the wheel. It appears all of the bridesmaids did rest while the bridegroom was delayed so their bodies were not deprived of sleep. Our preparation levels are also affected by the lifestyles we choose. Many bad choices are made during the influence of drugs or inadequate attention to the situation at hand. Our Christian integrity in various situations such as bad company or risk-prone adventures can help keep us alert to making the right choices. Spiritual distractions of SIN affect our alertness level toward what God is saying to us. We can reduce distractions in our relationship with God by putting full attention to the matter at hand by being prepared. Jesus said in Matthew 13:13 "So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or hour of my return", and Luke 12:40 "You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." (NLT). My prayer is that we follow the Holy Spirit and Christ's teachings to be like the five wise bridesmaids. Let us choose to be prepared to create a healthy spiritual paradigm for our lives that others will find attractive and will therefore influence them toward their full potential in God's will.. Lonnie H. Baxley, Jr. | ||||||||||
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PREPARATION - Friday
December 3, 2004 It is the beginning of the holiday season - the busiest of the year. I think to myself, will I be prepared for its arrival? My family is coming to my house this year too; will I be prepared for their arrival? I have written lists upon lists of how to be ready for the situation. I've prepared shopping lists, prepared menus, prepared the calendar for specific days with specific responsibilities. I don't like being unprepared; I am a list-monger. But what about God? I look down and notice my list - all those responsibilities that I've been preparing for - includes nothing about Jesus' return. Matthew 24:30 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. " I think again, what am I doing to prepare for Jesus' return? I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, but am I being faithful, obedient, and prayerful, every day? I've pushed God aside and become so consumed with daily and weekly preparation - earthly behaviors within the present moment, that I realize I am not preparing for that most important moment at all - the day Jesus returns! My preparation should be for the kingdom of heaven. It should include making myself clean for Jesus, both on the inside and outside. And, my preparation for Jesus' return also should include my fellow man through witnessing, educating, and living by example. Once I wrote these words on paper, the realization that I am completely unprepared for the best moment I could ever experience was like a knife through my heart! I'm starting a new list now. It is a God-centered list because I want to be prepared for Jesus! Father, I thank you for the trust that your Son, Jesus Christ, will return one day. I pray for your patience, and I pray for your help, as I do my best to turn from temporal daily moments and focus on an eternity in Heaven. Humble me, oh Lord, so that I may do my best to be obedient to You, to focus on You, and to be prepared for my Lord and Savior's return. René Whitesell Return to Top | ||||||||||
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PREPARATION -
Saturday
December 4, 2004
Southeast Home Page | 2004 Advent Introduction | Children's Pictures | Acknowledgments
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