Christmas is over unless you are a member of an Orthodox Church; in that case, it won’t come until January 7^th. There may still be turkey to eat and undecorating to happen, but for most of us, Christmas 2024 is in the past.

We’re in the nebulous period in between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s a time when people easily get confused about what day it is, and calendars get confused.

People are starting to gear up for their favorite New Year’s Eve activity. For some, it will be big parties; for others, it will be a quiet night at home. I used to enjoy the New Year’s Eve gatherings at “the cowboy church,” where we would gather for an evening of games and snacks and ring the New Year in with communion.

It’s also a time of reflection. Many will reflect on their resolutions from last year, some of which will be successful and some of which will fail. Most resolutions last only a few days. Other people will be thinking ahead to the changes they want to make for the New Year.

I don’t tend to make resolutions. If I were to make one, it would be more like Christ. That, of course, is an ongoing process guided by the Holy Spirit.

…and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

God alone saves us. God transforms us. He redeems and shapes us to spend eternity in His presence.

There are Christian disciplines that can help us be readily available for Him to mold us. There is prayer, fasting, Scripture reading, worship attendance, giving, service, and more.

I seldom miss a Sunday of worship, and thanks to technology, if I do, I can at least catch up on the sermon. It isn’t the same as attending in person, but it helps. My prayer life can always use work. Fasting is something I have done periodically but never regularly. Tithing is part of our lifestyle, and we both serve at the local church.

Now, let’s be clear: none of those things earns me extra merit with God. We are saved by grace and not by works. All of us are sinners saved by grace and works in process.

The other discipline I am reasonably consistent with is Bible reading. I don’t do it every day, but I try to read the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation at least once a year. That’s on top of whatever other reading I do.

I will be reading in the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) this coming year. It’s a solid translation, not my favorite, but I’d have no issues recommending it to others.

By changing translations each time I read through, I gain fresh perspectives. It forces me to actually read what’s on the page, not what I am used to seeing.

I confess to cheating. I started yesterday as I had finished last year’s reading already. I try to be diligent in my reading, but I don’t give up if I miss a day or two. I pick up where I left off and continue.

There are plenty of Bible reading pans out there. I usually read front to back, but some do the New Testament and then the Old, others read chronologically, and still others have designated passages in both the Old and New for each day. It doesn’t matter which plan you choose; pick one and stick to it.

What are your plans for the coming year? Are you planning on reading the Scriptures in 2025? What plan do you use? Is there a time or place that you find helpful to read? What translation will you use this year? Have you done it before? Let me know, let’s all encourage one another.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

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Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

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© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

I have been thinking about Christmas a lot lately.  So, I’m sure, have been most people. Some can’t wait for the arrival, while others can’t wait for it to end.

I can see both perspectives. It is painful to endure if you see Christmas as being all about the hype and hoopla (and there is plenty of that) or the constant parade of advertisements pandering to every greedy cell in our bodies.

It is a fantastic season if you enjoy Christmas as a series of parties and family get-togethers. If not, you want it to be over.

If the season is about Advent leading up to Christmas and celebrating the birth of Emmanuel, God with us, it is a special season indeed.

For the believer, Christmas is about Christ. 

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” Luke 1:26-35

The critical moment in history, foretold by these words, is while we celebrate Christmas. It’s why we have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.

Warning … personal rant follows…

It saddens me to see how few churches even bother with a Christmas Day service anymore. Our community has approximately 60 local assemblies, and only two offer Christmas Day services (at least according to a quick online search). Perhaps there are more than the two, but whatever the actual number, it is a decided minority.

Pastors have explained that the service is not offered because of poor attendance and the staff being given the day off.

I oppose attending a  Christmas Day service as a legalistic requirement or empty ritual. I’m not condemning the churches that don’t offer Christmas Day; after all, it isn’t a faith essential to gather on December 25. Still, it does break my heart that even believers have relegated celebrating Christ’s birth to a secondary or even tertiary status.

Whether you attend a Christmas Day service or not, take some time during the day, amidst the festivities, to celebrate the reason for the season and praise the Lord.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.