MATTHEW 4 (ESV)   The Temptation of Jesus 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones…

  MATTHEW 3 (ESV)   John the Baptist Prepares the Way 1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the…

  MATTHEW 2 (ESV)   The Visit of the Wise Men 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it…

  MATTHEW 1 (ESV)   The Genealogy of Jesus Christ 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah…

  Dec 31     Victory in Christ   Romans 8:18-39     (ESV) Future Glory 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly,…

  Dec 30     Thinking of Good Things   Philippians 4:4-14        (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which…

  Dec 29     Giving Thanks   Psalm 97 (ESV) The Lord Reigns 1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;     let the many coastlands be glad! 2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;     righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3 Fire goes before him     and burns up his adversaries all around. 4 His lightnings light up the world;     the earth sees…

  Dec 28     Counting Blessings   Psalm 103        (ESV) Bless the Lord, O My Soul Of David. 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,     and all that is within me,     bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,     and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity,     who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit,…

  Dec 25     Christmas   Revelation 7    (ESV) The 144,000 of Israel Sealed 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the…

  Dec 24     Thursday of the Third Week of Advent   John 1:1-18 English Standard Version (ESV) The Word Became Flesh 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that…