Encouraging Word - December

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December 1

So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2:17

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1

Psalm 118:27 (NIV) The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us...

Thought: That light is Jesus. Let it shine brightly in your life.

Isaiah 12:2 (NIV) Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid...

Thought: Celebrate the Savior.

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Today’s Scripture: II Thessalonians 1:3 (NLT): brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.

Today’s Thought: Sometimes it is good to thank God for each other. We often take each other for granted. Today let’s stop and tell someone how much we appreciate them.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, thank You for putting my close friends in my life. Help me to show them how much I appreciate them. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

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December 2

This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! Nehemiah 8:10b

How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Psalm 111:2

2 Corinthians 1:2 (NIV) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thought: It's what Christmas is all about. Why not put the verse in a card to a friend?

Isaiah 12:3 (NIV) With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Thought There's joy in finding forgiveness and being set free.

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December 3

The Lord will work out his plans for my life-for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for you made me. Psalm 138:8

"...Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Revelation 15:3

John 2:11 (NIV) ...Jesus thus revealed His glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

Thought: God's Son -- sent to be our Savior.

Isaiah 12:4 (NIV) ...proclaim that His name is exalted.

Thought: Keep Christ in Christmas.

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December 4

Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Psalm 37:3

Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. 1 Chronicles 16:24

Psalm 116:7 (NIV) Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

Thought: God's care is constant. Count on it.

Isaiah 12:5 (NIV) Sing to the Lord, for He has done great things; let this be known to all the world.

Thought: Go. Tell. Share. Jesus.

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December 5

Be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people! Psalm 66:5

Psalm 14:7 (NIV) Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

Thought: There is great rejoicing in our redemption. Thank you, Jesus!

Isaiah 12:6 (NIV) ...for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.

Thought: Jesus came and conquered the cross. All for you and for me.

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December 6

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

John 9:38 (NIV) Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped Him.

Thought: "Believing" is what Christmas is all about.

Matthew 12:13 (NIV) Then Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

Thought: God's ministry is still about miracles. What will you trust Him to restore?

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December 7

Psalm 37:23 - The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We can't even imagine the greatness of his power. Job 37:5

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Thought: It's a moment that will forever mark the lives of all who believe.

Matthew 12:15 (NKJV) And great multitudes followed Jesus, and He healed them all.

Thought: Here's the question: will you follow Him, too?

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December 8

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17

Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live. Psalm 119:144

Isaiah 43:11 (NIV) I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no Savior.

Thought: We can be certain about where to put our faith because it's never been a multiple-choice question.

1 John 4:9 (NIRV) How did God show His love for us? He sent His one and only Son into the world. He sent Him so we could receive life through Him.

Thought: You're really not living unless Jesus is your Lord.

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Today’s Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:2 (NLT): Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.

Today’s Thought: Do not believe everything you hear or read especially on the internet. Take everything back to the Bible. If you cannot find it in the Bible most likely it’s not true. We need to be students of the Word so we do not fall and believe false teaching.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, help me not to believe everything I hear even though it might sound really good. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

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December 9

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Psalm 37:4

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. Proverbs 9:10

John 11:27 (NIV) "Yes, Lord," Martha told Jesus, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

Thought: What about you? Where do you stand?

John 12:46 (NIV) Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness."

Thought: You'll live differently when you get God in view.

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December 10

My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. Psalm 62:7

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13

Isaiah 12:6 (NIRV) ...give a loud shout! Sing with joy! The Holy One of Israel is among you. And He is great.”

Thought: It's ok to say "Merry Christmas" to get out the good news.

John 7:21 (NIV) Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Thought: Jesus is looking for walkers, not talkers.

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December 11

Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. Psalm 16:1

In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:3

Psalm 71:15 (NIV) My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, of Your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.

Thought: Do what the shepherds did. Tell the world about Jesus.

Habakkuk 3:18 (NLT) ...I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

Thought: Jesus saves us from our ourselves, our sins and our mistakes.

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Today’s Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:7-8 (NLT): For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

Today’s Thought: We must be students of God’s Word so we do not fall and believe false teaching. There is coming a day when someone will rise up and have a solution for everything. People will run to him. However, we must run the other way.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, help me to understand the Word of God so I do not fall and believe the false prophet. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

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December 12

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12

For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

Isaiah 57:19 (NIV) "Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the Lord. "And I will heal them."

Thought: What do you want for Christmas?

Luke 1:32 (NIV) He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David...

Thought: God's plans for Jesus go way back. Same for you.

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Today’s Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:9-10 (NLT): This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

Today’s Thought: Satan will use everything in his power to make us fall. This is where we need to know the Word inside and out. We must fight our adversary, the devil, with the Word of God. The truth will always set you free.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, help me to fight the devil by quoting scripture. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

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December 13

Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:21

Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. Proverbs 15:22

Isaiah 51:5 (NIV) My righteousness draws near speedily, My salvation is on the way, and My arm will bring justice to the nations.

Thought: The Savior has so much in store. Wait. Watch. Worship.

Psalm 105:5 (NIV) Remember the wonders He has done...

Thought: A virgin birth. A sinless life. A selfless death. A risen Savior.

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Today’s Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:11-12 (NLT): So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

Today’s Thought: God always wins! It may not look like it sometimes but He always does. We are on the winning side. Let’s act like it!

Today’s Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that we can always beat the devil. Help me to live in a way that will show others how powerful You are! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

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December 14

Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ Philippians 3:8

Isaiah 44:24 (NIV) I am the Lord, who had made all things, who alone stretched out the earth by myself.

Thought: Big bang. Big bull. It's time to worship the one true God.

Isaiah 9:6 (NLT) ...He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Thought: We can also call Him Lord.

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Today’s Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:13 (NLT): As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.

Today’s Thought: It is an awesome thought to know that we are loved by the King of Kings. Let’s live our lives as royalty.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, thank You for loving me. Help to live my life as You see me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!

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December 15

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.” Proverbs 11:14

Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV) Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth...Nothing is too hard for You.

Thought: What's your Christmas wish? God is more than able to meet all your needs.

Jeremiah 10:6 (NIV) No one is like You, O Lord; You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.

Thought: Jesus came as a child to reign as a King.

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Today’s Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:14 (NLT): He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s Thought: We need share the good news with everyone we come in contact with. It might not necessarily mean preaching at them. It might be living your life in a way that is upright. Are you living an upright life?

Today’s Prayer: Lord, help me to live an upright life so that everyone can see You through me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!