Advent Devotional – Week 1
November 21 – Who Will Come to Jesus?
Let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. —REVELATION 22:17
God’s invitation to men is broad but not unqualified. The words “whosoever will may come” throw the door open, indeed, but the church is carrying the gospel invitation far beyond its proper bounds, turning it into something more human and less divine than that found in the sacred Scriptures. What we tend to overlook is that the word “whosoever” never stands by itself. Always its meaning is modified by the word “believe” or “will” or “come.” According to the teachings of Christ no one will or can come and believe unless there has been done within him a prevenient work of God enabling him to do so. In the sixth chapter of John, Jesus teaches us that no one can come of himself; he must first be drawn by the Father. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing,” Jesus said (6:63). Before any man or woman can be saved, he or she must feel a consuming spiritual hunger. Where a hungry heart is found, we may be sure that God was there first—“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16).
Heavenly Father, I pray today for evangelists and missionaries around the world who are representing You in teeming cities and remote areas. Through them, I ask that You will draw many people to Yourself who have never heard the gospel message. Amen.
A. W. Tozer on the Son of God (p. 360). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
November 22 – Manifestation of the Trinity
Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. —JOHN 17:1
We must get into our heads and hearts that Jesus Christ is the full, complete manifestation of the Trinity: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). He set forth the glory of the Triune God, all the God there is! Where Jesus appears, God is. And where Jesus is glorified, God is. I wouldn’t quote anybody unless there were Scripture to confirm it, and Scripture does indeed confirm that the Trinity will fill our hearts. “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:12–13). There you have the Father and the Spirit. “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (4:14–15). There you have the Father and the Son, or the Trinity.
Son of God, Jesus Christ, You are the perfect image of the Father, and You indwell me by Your Spirit. May I stand continually in awe of who You are and the revelation You give. Amen.
A. W. Tozer on the Son of God (p. 361). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
November 23 – Christ’s Call
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” MARK 10:28
Jesus Christ is a Man come to save men. In Him the divine nature is married to our human nature, and wherever human nature exists there is the raw material out of which He makes followers and saints! Our Lord recognizes no classes, high or low, rich or poor, old or young, man or woman: all are human and all are alike to Him. His invitation is to all mankind. In New Testament times, persons from many and varied social levels heard His call and responded: Peter the fisherman; Levi the publican; Luke the physician; Paul the scholar; Mary the demon possessed; Lydia the businesswoman; Paulus the statesman. A few great and many common persons came. They all came and our Lord received them all in the same way and on the same terms. In those early Galilean days, Christ’s followers heard His call, forsook the old life, attached themselves to Him, began to obey His teachings, and joined themselves to His band of disciples. This total commitment was their confirmation of faith. Nothing less would do! And it is not different today. From any and every profession or occupation men and women may come to Him if they will. He calls us to leave the old life and to begin the new. There must never be any vacuum, never any place of neutrality where the world cannot identify us as truly belonging to Him!
Lord, I recognize Your call to follow after You. Grant by Your Spirit that I would not look back and that I would invite others to walk in Your steps. Amen.
A. W. Tozer on the Son of God (p. 362). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
November 24 – Where God Releases Grace
For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! —ROMANS 5:15
If I want to know this immeasurable grace, this overwhelming, astounding kindness of God, I have to step under the shadow of the cross. I must come where God releases grace. I must either look forward to it or I must look back at it. I must look one way or the other to that cross where Jesus died. Grace flowed out of His wounded side. The grace that flowed there saved Abel—and that same grace saves you. “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” said our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6). And Peter said, “There is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” except the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). The reason for that is, of course, that Jesus Christ is God. Law could come by Moses and only law could come by Moses. But grace came by Jesus Christ. And it came from the beginning. It could come only by Jesus Christ because there was no one else who was God who could die. No one else could take on Him flesh and still be the infinite God. And when Jesus walked around on earth and patted the heads of babies, forgave harlots, and blessed mankind, He was simply God acting like God in a given situation. In everything that God does, He acts like Himself.
Lord Jesus, I praise You for the grace You have poured out on me! Outside You there is no salvation, for You are the only source of life and grace. May I point others to You today. Amen.
A. W. Tozer on the Son of God (p. 363). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
November 25 – Salvation’s Price
Without faith it is impossible to please God. —HEBREWS 11:6
Too many Christian leaders, acting like enthusiastic promoters, are teaching that the essence of faith is this: “Come to Jesus—it will cost you nothing!” The price has all been paid—“it will cost you nothing!” Brethren, that is a dangerous half-truth. There is always a price connected with salvation and with discipleship. God’s grace is free, no doubt about that. No one in the wide world can make any human payment toward the plan of salvation or the forgiveness of sins. I take issue on Bible grounds with the statement that “everyone in the world has faith—all you have to do is turn your faith loose.” That is truly a misconception of what the Bible teaches about men and God and faith. Actually, faith is a rare and wonderful plant that lives and grows only in the penitent soul. The teaching that everyone has faith is simply a form of humanism in the guise of Christianity. I warn you that any faith that belongs to everybody is not the faith that saves. It is not that faith which is a gift of God to the broken and contrite heart!
Lord Jesus, I praise You for extending Your grace so freely to me. I repent of any sins I have committed, both knowingly and unknowingly. Help my faith in You to grow today. Amen.
A. W. Tozer on the Son of God (p. 364). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
November 26 – Confused About Worship
For we are the temple of the living God. —2 CORINTHIANS 6:16
To really know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is to love and worship Him! As God’s people, we are so often confused that we could be known as God’s poor, stumbling, bumbling people, for we are most prone to think of worship as something we do when we go to church on Sunday! We call it God’s house. We have dedicated it to Him. So, we continue with the confused idea that it must be the only place where we can worship Him. We come to the Lord’s house made of brick and stone and wood. We are used to hearing the call to worship: “The Lord is in His holy temple—let us kneel before Him!” This is on Sunday and in church—very nice! But on Monday, as we go about our different duties, are we aware of the continuing Presence of God? The Lord desires still to be in His holy temple, wherever we are; for each of us is a temple in whom dwells the Holy Spirit of God!
Lord Christ, I want all the rooms in my temple to be clean, not only for Your abiding presence but also to be a shining testimony to those I encounter during the week. Amen.
A. W. Tozer on the Son of God (p. 365). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
November 27 – Blue Grass Testimony – Pam Young
Think of a special friend or relative who has walked with you, celebrating the joys and supporting you in the sorrows. What makes a friend like this not just good but great? One of my favorite friendships in the Bible is between Mary and her cousin, Elizabeth, in the book of Luke.
The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth. This elderly couple has long experienced the pain of infertility but Gabriel has promised him that his wife would conceive a son.
Then Mary, an unmarried servant girl, receives a visit from the same angel, saying she will give birth to the Son of God!
After the shocking encounter with the angel Gabriel, Mary leaves Nazareth and immediately makes the eighty mile walk to Elizabeth’s house in Judea. You see, Gabriel made a specific point to tell Mary about her cousin’s pregnancy. The news would have encouraged Mary who would have been overjoyed to learn of Elizabeth’s unexpected and miraculous pregnancy. Mary was concerned regarding her own situation and did not want to be alone. God provided Mary a companion who would understand.
We all have experienced what it is to be in a hard season, in need of friendship. After her long journey, Mary was met with instant understanding and a loud cry of excitement from her cousin. What a relief this joyous reception must have been.
After Elizabeth affirmed and encouraged Mary, Mary belts out a song of praise from her joy-filled heart: “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.’ “ Luke 1:46-49
Mary’s faith was on fire and in large part because of Elizabeth!
Jesus,
Thank you that you encourage us to stir up each other’s faith to believe and trust in you and to bear one another’s burdens. Thank you for the power to be “an Elizabeth” to “a Mary” when we are the friend who speaks hope and joy to a scared and anxious world. Thank you for your never-ending love and friendship for us. Amen.