2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS His Lineage Names Monday - December 1 Son of God: Psalm 2:7-12; Luke 1:35; John 3:16 Tuesday - December 2 Image of God: Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 1:3 Wednesday - December 3 Seed of Woman: Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23; Galatians 4:4; Isaiah 7:13-14; Luke 2:26-38 Thursday - December 4 Seed of Abraham: Genesis 22:18; Matthew 1:1 Friday - December 5 Seed of Judah: Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 65:9; Micah 5:2; Revelation 5:5 Saturday - December 6 Root of Jesse: Isaiah 11:1-2; 10; Romans 15:12 His Royal Names Sunday - December 7 Son of David: Jeremiah 23:5-6; 2 Samuel 7:12–14; 1 Chronicles 17:10b-14; Matthew 1:2:4-7/15:22; 21:9; Luke 18:38 Monday - December 8 King of Israel: Matthew 2:1-6; John 1:49/19:19 Tuesday - December 9 Lion of Judah: Genesis 49:9-10; Revelation 5:5 Wednesday - December 10 Prince of Princes: Daniel 8:25; Acts 5:30-31; Revelation 1:5 Thursday - December 11 King of Kings: Daniel 7:13-14; John 18:36-37; 1 Timothy 6:15-16 Friday - December 12 Lord of Lords: Revelation 17:14/19:16; 2 Peter 1:11 His Savior Names Saturday - December 13 Man of Sorrows: Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 26:37-39/27:46 Sunday - December 14 Chief Cornerstone: Acts 4:10-12; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6; 1 Corithians 3:11; Romans 9:33 Monday - December 15 Great High Priest: Psalm 110:4; Zechariah 6:13; Hebrews 2:17/4:14-16/6:20/7:25-26 Tuesday - December 16 Lamb of God: John 1:29; Revelation 5:8-14; 1 Peter 1:19 Wednesday - December 17 Redeemer: Isaiah 63:9; Job 19:25; Luke 1:68; Romans 3:23-24; Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 3:13; Colossians 1:14 Thursday - December 18 Savior: Luke 2:11/19:10; 1 John 4:14 His Christmas Friday - December 19 Wonderful Counselor: Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 5:4; Psalm 139:1-2 Saturday - December 20 Mighty God: Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 1:8; Colossians 2:9 Sunday - December 21 Prince of Peace: Isaiah 9:6; John 14:27; Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7 Monday - December 22 Messiah: John 20:31 (niv); Acts 18:28 (niv) Tuesday - December 23 Light of the World: Isaiah 60:1; John 1:5/3:19-20/8:12/9:5 Wednesday - December 24 Emmanuel: Isaiah 7:14/8:9-10; Matthew 1:23 Thursday - December 25 Jesus Christ the Lord: Matthew 1:21, 25; Luke 2:7; Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 22:16, 21 SON OF GOD Psalm 2:7-12; Luke 1:35; John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16, NKJV The gifts are stacked like a brilliantly colored box-mountain under our Christmas tree—colorfully wrapped in sparkling red, green, and silver. I survey the mind-boggling mound before me, inspecting the little tags that say “Tom,” or “Dad,” or “Poppy” (all me). I’m only somewhat interested in the other packages, but the ones I spend time shaking have some form of my name on the tag. But, shaking provides little evidence of the likely value of the gift that hides inside. So, I consultvalue the the giver tag tobecause identify the the giver giver. values Each me.gift is special, because each one reflects—although imperfectly—the love and sacrifice of the giver. I value the gift because I value the giver. And These aren’t “re-gifts”—the kind I might wish to give away or the kind I would hide away in a drawer. These gifts are keepers because they were purchased with me in mind, and someone who truly loves me gives them. for every one of us—given with you in mind. Because Someone loves you. And, like our gifts The Lord Jesus came modestly wrapped on that first Christmas day—one divine gift Giver, is perfectly realized in the Gift. under the tree, the Gift is reflects the Giver. Only in this case, the reflection, the image of the He is—for you and me. He gave because, for some unfathomable reason, He values us. He God the Father gave His own Son, Jesus, as the ultimate Gift—perfectly reflecting all loves usIn so case much you that weren’t He gave aware—our His Son as heavenly a sacrifice Father beyond has oura gift capacity for you tothis fully Christmas, appreciate. and your name is on the tag. It’s perfect. And no one can take it from you. This Gift is a Keeper. Your Gift is The Son Of God. Tom Renew: I am a retired educator who spent 31 years doing a job that I truly loved and who is now thoroughly enjoying retirement as a new Grandad (Poppy). In my retirement, I am using the skills learned from a career in learning interventions and behavior management as a behavior specialst marathon and a full triathlon. My hobbiesat The includePediatric reading, Office incooking, Evans kayaking,(my wife is hunting, now my wood - turningboss). I andam awriting fitness (yes,enthusiast I’m a andRenaissance an avid runner Man). andMargaret cyclist and with I aare goal also of avidrunning travelers. a half IMAGE OF GOD Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 1:3 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. - Colossians 1:15 NKJV The Christmas rush is on! I know many of you are still looking for the perfect gift, wrapping presents, baking your famous sugar cookies, packing the car for a long trip and wrestling with overly excited children. Ho! Ho! Ho! Stop right where you are! Take a deep breath and travel back with me to a time when there was no hope and no celebration. I can’t imagine a world without Jesus and yet, many times I live my life as if He doesn’t even exist. A trial comes and I try to handle it on my own. Loneliness floods my heart and instead of reaching out to Him, I withdraw into the darkness. into theThen smelly, He unlikelyinterrupts and my very life ordinary and fills existenceeach black that corner is mine with to Light. change His everything. love flows over the pain like a soothing balm and once again, I experience the manger. Once again, He steps Jesus could have come to us in many ways, but He chose to interrupt the very ordinary with the most extraordinary. He could have chosen to be born in a palace. After all, He was a King. Yet His life on earth began in a manger housed in what amounted to little more than a dirty, smelly barn. The simplicity of His birth is one of His most precious gifts to me, and one of my most profound life lessons. I often wish I had been there that holy night when Jesus was born, but then He reminds me that I have my own manger; my own holy moment when God became a reality to me, and I worship Him! Every year I am reminded of the very heart of Christmas -- Emmanuel, God with us. He is the image of the Most High God. He wants to be involved in the simple, ordinary hap- penings of daily life: where we go and what we do, the smile we give the hassled stranger and the patience we exhibit in the crowd of impatient shoppers, the love that prompts the secret gift and the heart that constantly celebrates His birth through every sparkling light, every beautifully wrapped gift, each special meal, every card, phone call and visit. Join me as we celebrate Him and His birth in everything we do! Tom Renew: I am a retired educator who spent 31 years doing a job that I truly loved and who is now thoroughly enjoying retirement as a new Grandad (Poppy). In my retirement, I am using the skills learned from a career in learning interventions and behavior management as a behavior specialst marathon and a full triathlon. My hobbiesat The include Pediatric reading, Office cooking,in Evans kayaking,(my wife ishunting, now my wood - turningboss). I andam awriting fitness (yes,enthusiast I’m a andRenaissance an avid runner Man). andMargaret cyclist and with I aare goal also of avidrunning travelers. a half THE SEED OF WOMAN Genesis 3:15; Is. 7:14; Mt. 1:20-23; Gal. 4:4; Is. 7:13-14; Luke 2:26-38 When people say Mary they often think of Jesus’s mother, which she was. But was that in the beginning of time (Genesis 3: 15) when Adam and Eve ate the fruit from thein the tree Old of Testament life, God told people the serpentdid not know that He who would Jesus’ put mother ill will would between be. All his they seed knew and the woman’s seed. The seed of the woman was Jesus who would crush Satan’s head. In Isaiah 7:14, God says that Jesus will be born to a virgin. We see that from the beginning, God has always worked things out so that his plan for the Messiah Lord through the prophet saying, “she will bear a son and call his name Emmanuel.” Marywould was not betrothed fail.