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But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:44-45)

Reflection
By God's compelling love, we have the honor of sharing kindness and compassion to others—including our enemies. For those who believe, the love of Christ abundantly pours forth and causes overwhelming joy and peace within our hearts. It is by His great compassion that we can love others and know of God's unfathomable adoration for us. How beautiful is salvation! It allows us to share unconditional love for others.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/357

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JVIM - Today's Devotional - Dec 27
Matthew 2:1-8 - Wise Men Still Seek Him

Memory Verse:
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1).
The wise men who came from the east to worship Jesus are the most mysterious of all the characters connected with the Christmas account. We know little about them.

We do not know how many wise men there were. Though tradition calls for three wise men because of their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the Bible simply says: “There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. “

No one knows exactly when the wise men began their journey. It may have been as long as two years before their arrival in Jerusalem. A clue is found in Herod’s slaughter of all children under two years of age, an action that was prompted by his conversation with the wise men. Neither do we know when they arrived in Bethlehem, though it was not while Jesus was in the stable. Matthew says they came into the house.

Where did they come from? Nobody knows. We are only sure that it was east of Jerusalem. Perhaps the most interesting idea is the one that locates the home of the wise men in the area once occupied by the ancient Babylonian empire where the prophet, Daniel, had once been in captivity. This view has the wise men coming to find the King of the Jews as a result of studying the writings of Daniel, who had been held in high esteem there.

Were they kings? Probably not. At least there is no Bible support for that theory.

Beyond all the speculation one fact remains. Wise men still seek Him!

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[To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.]] God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

Reflection
Be assured, O believer, that the Lord your God is with you. He shall shelter your spirit in His mighty house forever. Never need you fear, for He is even now your aid against all manner of trouble. Rejoice, therefore, in His love and power!



https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/358

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But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine. When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:1-2)

Reflection
Take heed, O children of faith, to the voice of the Lord, for He has redeemed you and brought you unto so great a salvation! Through fire, famine, and flood—through all earthly perils—the Lord is with you protecting and sustaining you. Know this and be comforted!


https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=364

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JVIM - Today's Devotional - December 29
Matthew 2:12-15 - The Warnings of God

Memory Verse:
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way (Matthew 2:12).
In describing Herod’s effort to destroy Jesus, DeWitt Talmadge wrote: “In a sense it was the narrowest and most wonderful escape of the ages that the child was not slain before he had taken his first step or spoken his first word. Herod could not afford to have him born. The great oppressions and abominations of the world could not afford to have him born. ‘Put him to death!’ was the order all up and down Palestine,” BUT THAT ORDER WAS NEVER CARRIED OUT, though hundreds of infants died in Herod’s wicked slaughter. Both the wise men and Joseph were warned by God of danger to the child and their action caused Herod’s plan to fail. God often warns us through His Word today.

God’s warnings are to change the direction of our lives. The wise men departed into their own country another way. That move of obedience likely spared their lives as well as that of Jesus. If God has warned you about sin or disobedience through the reading of His Word, change the direction of your life.

God’s warnings are to deliver us from the destroyer. Herod was but the human instrument. Satan is the destroyer. It was his plan that Jesus came to thwart. He is the killer who stalks the human race, the enemy of God and man. Heed the warnings of God’s Word and enjoy abundant life instead of yielding to the tempter, the destroyer.

God’s warnings are to bring our lives into the design of His Word. Joseph and Mary took Jesus as directed to fulfill the Scriptures. Obey the warnings of God so that your life will be blessed, conformed to the design of His Word.

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My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

Reflection
If we are truly believers in Christ, then we will also be followers of Him. Because we believe in and follow Jesus, we will live eternally in heaven with Him. Once we have been saved, no one can take away our salvation!


https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=365

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O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory? The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law. But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:55-58)

Reflection
Death defeated! The Law stripped of power! No longer crushed beneath the fell weight of the curse! Praise the Lord that the resurrection of Christ has secured your own resurrection, O people of the Almighty! Hell can hold no victory over you, O believer, for you are a child of the Most High, made into a new creation. Perfect! Righteous! Clothed exquisitely and adorned in beauty befitting the bride of Christ Himself! Christ has cleansed you unto righteousness, so go forth in that righteousness, steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the good work that all God's children desire!

https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=366

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Becoming New
by Greg Laurie
10/15/2015

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17

Have you ever looked at your life and felt that you always would be a victim of your circumstances? Maybe your parents neglected or abandoned you. Maybe there is a family history of alcohol and drug abuse.
You may feel as though your course is fixed, that you don't have a say-so, and that it's just the way it goes. But that isn't true. God can intervene. I know from experience.
I didn't have a father growing up. It wasn't that he mistreated me; he just wasn't there. I was left to myself a lot. My mother was an alcoholic, and I could have gone that direction. I could have followed that course. But God took hold of me, and the cycle was broken. He can do that for anyone. I am just an ordinary person who took God at His word.
Maybe you are trapped in some lifestyle, some pattern of sin, or some addiction. God can break that cycle. The question is whether you want Him to break it.
The Bible tells the story of a man who had been paralyzed for a long time. Jesus said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" (John 5:6). We may wonder what kind of question that is to ask someone who can't even move. It's a very good question, actually.
Not everyone who is addicted wants to be delivered. Not everyone who is living a certain lifestyle wants to get out of that lifestyle. The question is do you really want to change? Do you really want to be free? Jesus can do that for you.
We read in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." God can change you.