Month: December 2018

December 31, Reading 1 – Esther 9, 10

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The Jews celebrate with a feast. They still celebrate this feast in the 21st Century. This book is a memorial to the Lord. He didn’t just work right back at the beginning with Moses. He is there TODAY!

SJA Notes

* Dear God, please help us to resist the temptation to worship other things, for You alone are to be worshipped, You only shall we serve.

“… For he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.”

As we end one year and begin another, it is fitting to be reminded of the witness and example Mordecai sets us.

Are we seeking the welfare of God’s people?

Are we speaking peace to God’s people?

We can be encouraged in this, because Mordecai is only reflecting the better (by far) example of our King Jesus.

We are able to seek the welfare of God’s people because He has first sought our own welfare, bringing us from darkness into light – God’s people saved!

We are able to speak peace to our brothers and sisters because peace was first shown to us – The Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world, cursed on a tree so that we might have peace!

* Father God,

Please mark us as a faithful people as we see in another year turning, given to Your word and the practice of it, people who commune earnestly with You.

Please help us to be more like our King Jesus.

Amen.

December 31, Reading 2 – Malachi 3:8-4:6

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Robbing God! These words startle now as then. How do I rob God? This is a good question to ask yourself. 4:5,6 closes the Old Testament with the coming of John the Baptist prophesied. John the Baptist opens the New with his testimony of Jesus.

SJA Notes

* God Above, please teach us this day from Your word as we look to the new year.

“The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”

This was a word for Israel, going into the many hundreds of years of quiet before Jesus was born.

And this is absolutely a word for us today.

The end of things for anyone outside of Christ, is fire. The lake of fire that burns with sulfur (Revelation 19-20).

As we end the year, it is so important to be reminded of.

Our unbelieving friends and family need Jesus!

And we who are believers, we need Jesus too!

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healings in its wings.”

This is Jesus, the SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

He rises with healing in His wings – He has bought us, healed us, whistled for us and called us home.

We are His sheep. He is our Good Shepherd.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Father God,

As we finish another year, we give You thanks!

Thank You for saving us, for healing us.

Thank You for Jesus, the Son of righteousness.

Please bless and keep us for another year, for the sake of Your Name, for Your glory alone.

Amen.

December 31, Reading 3 – Revelation 22:6-21

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Jesus is coming! This thought is repeated throughout these closing verses. May those people we pray for all come to say: Amen. Come Lord Jesus!

SJA Notes

* God Above, You are holy. We are Your people whom You have chosen. Please teach us today from Your word.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Here we are at the very last passage in God’s word, His testimonies to us, His precepts and laws and commands.

And here we read that Jesus, God’s word become flesh – THE WORD has been sent as a testimony _for us_.

We are “the churches”, throughout the span of time and location across the earth.

God’s word is alive for us today. This is not a wishful exuberant thought, but a deep reality.

Jesus knows and knew each of us at the time John wrote this revelation. He was speaking about us.

Praise God for His word!

Here at the end we see the culmination of Him working together all things for our good – We are to be encouraged, convicted, exhorted and rebuked.

At the end – Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Almighty God,

We praise Your Name!

You are good and just, right and true.

No lie comes from You, Your love is steadfast and without end.

You are the TRUE God, there is none like You.

You are the Creator God who is preparing for us a place, making all things new.

You are Father, Son and Spirit – Three Persons, One God, at work for our good.

You are God, and we praise Your Name!

Amen.