Living Christ for the rest of the year

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Songs for the Savior   CURRENT TV SERIES Songs for the Savior

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” Luke 1:46-55 It’s always a little sad, isn’t it? Christmas is over, and soon decorations will come down and be put away in boxes for the next 11 months. It’s like we experience this feel-good high that crashes to the ground on December 26th. Unfortunately, that’s the way many live the spiritual life, just waiting for the next big event so they can get their feel-good fix. But Mary’s first Christmas was anything but feel-good. Mary sang and praised God for the same reasons that we ought to be singing every day of the year: She sang because of her salvation. Mary knew the challenges that were on the horizon and was getting ready to face some severe scrutiny for turning up pregnant and unwed! And never mind the anguish she was going to cause her family, who would be forced to disown her or face the same rejection. True praise isn’t grounded in your circumstances. So as you unwind from Christmas, don’t just settle back into business as usual. Take something special from this Christmas like a better appreciation of who Christ is and what he did. Because while you may celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th, you should experience the life of Christ every day as he lives through you. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SHOULDN’T BE BASED ON FEEL-GOOD EVENTS BUT ON YOUR DAILY RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

Putting Limits on God

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.”

Psalm 78:39–42

When God called Abram to leave Ur and go out to a land that would become his inheritance, the “father of the faithful” responded in obedience. When he finally reached the land that would become Israel, God described to him the borders of the promise—which included some 300,000 square miles of land. Though Israel would claim the land under Joshua, and a great kingdom would later be established under David and Solomon, at no point did they ever claim all of the land God had promised. In fact, the greatest extent of their possession was only around 10 percent of the promise to Abraham.

So many times we fail to see God work as He has promised and decide as a result that the problem is with Him. In reality, the problem is with us turning away from what God offers because we do not obey Him. When we suffer the consequences that come from our disobedience, that is not God letting us down. Instead, that is the life of limitation and lack that we have chosen when we fail to live in such a way that we can claim His promises and blessings.

The problem of powerless living is not with God but with us. “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1–2). Our sins limit God’s work in our lives.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

If you want to see God’s power and promises in your life, yield to Him in obedience and follow Him in faith.