Day 3. John 1:9-12
(by Jason)

John makes a point in todays passage that makes me think a little bit deeper. The fact that the world did not recognise Jesus, despite the signs being there, the miracles. The maker of the Earth was not recognised in his own creation. If that was me, I’d be a little upset and even ask a few questions, but then I am not God, and He had other ways to deal with this.

How can it be that the people of Israel didn’t recognise Jesus when He arrived? Fear and denial: The fact this is actually happening, the moment that has been talked about for centuries was finally here in their lifetime? Or for some it might have been they had gotten so distracted with their own lives that they hadn’t stopped to see what was really going on around them and missed it completely.

The reward for this is clear, that they became Children of God. How is your Christmas season looking this year? Homework up to your eyeballs? Christmas shopping lists you want to get through and not sure how you can afford it? The challenge of cooking the Christmas dinner for so many people? Don’t get too distracted this year that you don’t have time to stop, think and ponder on what this festival called Christmas is really about. I pray that your Christmas will be the most special this year as a result of this.

Day 2: John 1:1-4
by Jason

Those of you who have read all the gospels will realise there are big differences between Matthew/Mark/Luke and John. The first 3 give the story, (Mark is very to the point, Matthew and Luke gives more detail). John gives more explanation and meaning to these narrations. He starts with ‘In the beginning…’ Any guess to the only other time that is mentioned in the Bible? (Hint: It’s at the start…).

In Istanbul, there is a museum that used to be both a church and a mosque, and in it they still have both Islamic and Christian decoration. This decoration helps us see one of special things about Christianity, that Jesus is more than just words on a page, more than just a character in a story that gives a ‘too good to be true’ message. These decorations have both arabic words that one might find in a mosque, but also pictures of Jesus. Jesus is the Word (notice it starts with a capital), and the Word became flesh.

The Word, the Bible, is lived out in Jesus’ life, and He became flesh and now is with us even today, in His Holy Spirit. All we need to do is ask to see Him, and we we will. Not in the way we see things normally, but the more we get to know Jesus, the more we see Him in our everyday life. The passage ends with talking about darkness and light, and Jesus’ life, the Word, is the Life of all mankind. And the Light wins, thats an amazing thing to thing about in the dark world we find ourselves in, and at this ‘literally’ dark time of year. Something to remember when you see all the advent lights around the city.

Ask Him today to show Himself you to. It might not be what you expect, but it will be special, and seeing Him might also mean just having that peace in your heart that He is there and in control.

Luke 1:26-38

(by Jason)

I know some of you started off with todays reading in Youth Church on Sunday, but I want to add a couple of changes, and extra challenges today. We have gone over this passage a lot in youth group with our focus on Mary, so I want to challenge you to go deeper.

How many times have your plans come in conflict with what God wants you to do? It might be something really big, like where to go to university, or it might be things really small, like whether to spend your money on something good or something pointless.

I can be good to ask God what He thinks even about the small things, because if we can trust Him and follow Him in the small things, it will be easier to trust and follow Him in the big things too. Mary was able to trust Him in this big thing because she had trusted Him in the small for most of her life. And that’s a place I believe God wants us all to be and where I really desire to be.

God is saying, ‘Do not be afraid’. It’s His plans, He’s with you. He was with Mary, and He’ll be with you. Today, give Him your plans (however big or small) in prayer, and trust Him with them.

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Psalm 51:10-11/Jeremiah 29:11

(by Jazmine)

Congratulations!!

You have finished the Christmas Bible Reading Plan. You may have missed a few days, but that is ok. The idea was that we’d all read our Bibles and focus on Jesus more than we normally do this Christmas.

New Year is a good time for a new start, a fresh look and a chance to re-organise life a bit. Todays verses talk about cleansing our hearts, and we can only do that with the help of God. We might be wanting help with certain temptations we struggle with, or habits that keep tripping us up. Take time to ask God for that help.

Then look forwards to 2015. What big things are happening this year? What decisions do you have to make? Ask God to be in those decisions and to go before you. He has the plans, but we still have free will and need to be lead. 2015 might just be the year we have been waiting for.

Luke 2:22-35

(by Jason)

This is our last narrative passage of the reading plan, and we see the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph really coming through. It really seems that all through Mary and Josephs journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem to Jerusalem then back to Nazareth, there were people waiting for the Messiah and recognised Him whenever then came across Jesus.

This is quite special, and it makes me think of all the people God has put in my life to guide me and help me on my journey, and I am very thankful for that. In England, I have met up with a few of these people and it have been uplifting to hear that they have been praying for me the whole time I have been in Sweden.

Take some time to thank for first for the people in your life who have given you good guidance, and then for the people who pray for you, even the ones you don’t know pray for you, because there are probably more than you realise.

Isaiah 54:10

(by Jason)

Enjoy todays verses. They talk about just how much God loves you and me individually. Think about how the writer Isaiah uses extremes to show you that God’s love is unfailing, and His love for us cannot be shaken.

When we think about it, only our love for God is shaken. It could be because we are feeling down some days, we might be struggling with something, or just feel great. But as I have said before. Love is choice more that it is a feeling, and the more we focus on God and His greatness, the more we can return this unfailing love.

Spend some time just thanking God for how much He loves you, and think about some of the things He has done for you in 2014. Try making a list if it is easier. But you might be surprised how much God has shown His love without us knowing at the time.

Philippians 2:9-11

(by Jason)

Todays verses focus on the place Jesus takes in relation to God, and says that He will take the highest place. In other places of the Bible, it talks about Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven. We talk a lot about Jesus being human at Christmas and how His birth is remembered, but it is very important to remember that Jesus is also fully God, and is fully without sin, and shares in the full power of God the Father.

Today, focus on the divinity of Jesus and the closeness and the affection that these verses show between God and Jesus.

1 Cor 13:1-13

(by Jason)

Those of you involved in youth Sunday last year will have remembered this passage. Anyone who has ever been to a wedding might have heard this verse.

Yesterday I said how love is the reason Jesus came, and how God showed us his Love through Jesus. Today’s passage pinpoints how that actually looks. When you see all the attributes listed, you will see that Jesus lived these out throughout his life. So if we want to see what love actually looks like (as opposed to things like lust and obsession), we only need to look as far as Jesus.

You might be starting to think about the new year now, and what promises you might be making to yourself. Consider the end of this verse when making your New Years Resolutions. What will be left? Know that just because you are young, doesn’t mean you can’t make an impact.

1 John 4:9-10

(by Jason)

It’s my birthday! That is all…

… no just kidding! As I mourn for my twenties, todays passage helps us look at why Jesus came in the first place. It’s all about love. Anything that God ever does is about love. Of course He helps us with discipline, self-control, patience, but the foundation of it all is love. The mere existence of Jesus is because God loves us so much that He wanted a way out for us.

God loved us, and showed us love before we even had a chance to show Him how much we love Him. The thought can often seem so big and daughting, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Love might be a very strong word for some people, but have a think today about what it really means that God loves you. As an individual.

Merry Christmas!

(by Jason)