A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities
God Has Your Provision!
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:11


The Bible tells us: ‘When Jesus was born in Bethlehem…[astrologers] from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east…and have come to worship Him.”…and behold, the star…went before them until it came and stood over the place where the young Child was…And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they presented to him gifts – gold and frankincense and myrrh’ (vv. 1-2, 9, 11).
One Bible teacher says: ‘We all remember the Christmas story: how…Wise Men came from the east following a star which led them to the Holy Child, how they came in and worshipped Him, laying before Him precious gifts…Mary and Joseph didn’t go out seeking gifts. Although they were forced to spend the night in a cold, dark stable, they didn’t send out messages asking for gifts. But because they were in the middle of God’s will, He sent them Wise Men…on camels, loaded down with provisions…
‘If we are in the will of God, He will…bring our provision to us. We don’t have to try to chase it down; it will seek us out. We don’t have to try to make things happen; God will bring them to us…The camels will come for each of us if we will stay in the will of God. The only way we can expect this kind of provision is by being faithful…where God has placed us…When we begin to believe this, we are free to cast our care upon Him. We don’t have to stay up all night fretting and worrying.’
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to remember all of Your Faithful Provision for my Needs each day (not my greed’s). Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

                                                    A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities
Always Treat People with Respect
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

The Bible says, ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.’ Two ways to get an egg out of an eggshell are to 1) crack it open, or 2) put it in a warm, loving environment and allow it to incubate and hatch. The second way preserves the chick, while the first kills it.
Similarly, two ways to get the good news of the gospel across to people are to 1) pound them over the head with it, or 2) love them into God’s family. Have you noticed that a lot of evangelism is just a thinly-veiled insult? ‘You need what I have because you’re so awful.’ People do need the good news, but your disposition can keep them from receiving it. Respect unbelievers; don’t humiliate them. Respecting means accepting them. That doesn’t mean you have to approve of their lifestyle. Acceptance and approval are different. But everybody has the right to be treated in a respectful way.
The best way to share the gospel with unbelievers is to surround them with love and acceptance as you share it with them. Be respectful, sensitive, and caring. Theologian D.T. Niles said, ‘Evangelism is just one beggar telling another where to find bread.’ Share God’s Word! You do the sharing, and God will do the saving. Once you sow the seed of God’s Word into someone’s heart, you can love them and leave them and trust God to do His part.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to nurture and accept all people, as You have done for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

                                                   A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities
Never Compromise On God’s Word
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1

We must constantly reaffirm our scriptural foundations. What are these foundational truths on which the church of Jesus is built? The infallibility of the Bible; Christ’s virgin birth; His sinless life; His atoning death; His bodily resurrection and mediatory work on our behalf; our need to be saved, baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit; and the commission to carry the gospel to the four corners of the earth and announce the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign. These truths are non-negotiable!
You say, ‘But won’t we come across as being narrow minded?’ The law of gravity is narrow minded! The law of mathematics is narrow minded! Paul was narrow minded: ‘But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed’ (Galatians 1:8). Cancer begins with one unidentified, unchecked cell, but it can destroy your whole body. That’s why Jude writes: ‘Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Jude vv. 3-4). Note the words ‘the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’. Our methods of reaching the world may change, but our message must never change. You say, ‘But aren’t we supposed to love everybody?’ Yes, and that’s why we must never compromise on God’s Word.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me love all people and never to let go of the truth of Your Word and Live. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

God has assuredly promised His grace to the humble [1 Peter 5:5], that is, to those who lament and despair of themselves.  Bu no man can be thoroughly humbled until he knows that his salvation is utterly beyond his own power, devices, endeavors, will, and works, and depends entirely on the choice, will, and work of another, namely, of God alone.  For as long as he is persuaded that he himself can do even the least thing toward his salvation, he retains some self-confidence and does not altogether despair of himself, and therefore he is not humbled before God, but presumes that there is--or at least hopes or desires that there may be--some place, time, and work for him, by which he may at length attain to salvation.  But when a man has no doubt that everything depends on the will of God, then he completely despairs of himself and chooses nothing for himself, but waits for God to work; then he has come close to grace, and can be saved.  
                                                                             ~Martin Luther~