the glory due unto his name;

worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”

God is holy, and being that He is thrice holy, He will only accept worship from people who are holy.

Will He accept your worship today?

Be sure to confess sins first.

David loved the Word of God. The word “breaketh” indicates a very strong desire for God’s Book. All through the Psalms you will find that he loved God’s Word and meditated on it every day. It was of more value to him than all the riches a king could enjoy. In Psalm 119:127, he said: “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.”

David loved it because it revealed God’s love to him. It also revealed the principles that needed to be followed in order to be blessed by God and enjoy fellowship with Him.

Christians today can find that same level of desire for the Word. Hunger for truth and for God can be satisfied from reading and studying His Book. Those who do so regularly know this to be true.

Unfortunately, many believers have forsaken these things. No wonder they have no peace or real joy – they are looking for satisfaction in the wrong places.

The Apostle John wrote, in I John 1:3b,4: “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” Notice in this verse that John testified that when you have genuine fellowship with the Father – you can also have full joy – the kind that only God can give. Fellowship with God and spending time in the Word go together.

There is a famine of the Word of God today and of knowing its teaching only because so many people are not reading the Bible. It is not because there are no Bibles to be found – but because God’s people are not taking advantage of the Bibles they have in their houses.

Isn’t it time you got back in the Word – every day?

In this illustration of two kinds of people, Jesus referred to two builders. There is a wise builder and a foolish one.

The wise builder knew that if his home would last and endure the storms, he would have to build it on a rock foundation. The only Rock that will stand forever is Jesus Christ. Because he built his life on Christ, the inevitable storms could not destroy it.

The other builder was not wise. He wanted to build it quickly and did not take time to think about what it would take to endure the storms. The result was to be expected – it collapsed under the strain of the storms.

The “house” refers to their lives and eternity. The storms are the end of life. One man built his house (life) in light of eternity. Because he did so, he escaped the ultimate storm – the wrath of God against sin. For the believer in Christ and His payment for our sin on the Cross, it is enough to enable them to live with God forever.

The foolish man never gave eternity any thought. He failed to live in light of the fact that all his words and deeds would have to be accounted for at the Judgment of God: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). The unbeliever’s “house” cannot stand when God examines the life and judges.

The primary difference between these two builders is the matter of obedience to the words of Christ. God’s words that lead to salvation are to turn from sin in your heart (repent) and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Make your decision for Him today before it is too late and the “storms” arrive.

A lot of people set goals for themselves at the start of the new year. Many quit after two weeks, but some are able to continue striving to reach their new goals.

Have you been able to maintain your spiritual goals through 2024? How about reading the Bible every day? or not missing church services except when sick?

Every runner in a race should be hoping to win it. Christians have an enemy who continuously seeks to rob you of joy, power with God, witnessing, and prayer. It is time to stop yielding to his will for us and start doing God’s will faithfully. No, we are not perfect yet – but we are commanded to seek His kingdom first – and He will bless you for it.

Paul “pressed” for the prize. He was not merely in a race – but he determined to win it with God’s grace. To him it was a “high calling” – there was nothing more important to him than to please the One Who called him.

What have you decided to do differently this year than what you did last year so you can expect a better outcome at the end of 2025? Only daily Bible reading and much prayer will make a difference and let you have the victory through Christ that you need. As a starting point, will you commit to it with God’s help?

New Year’s Day is almost here. No doubt, many are looking forward to some New Year’s Eve events. Some people will be glad this year is just about gone, and a new one will be here in just a few hours.

People, especially Christians, need to realize that they will be the same at the end of 2025 as they are today, unless deliberate steps are taken to make a difference. If you do nothing different, you will get the same results you did at the end of this year.

There are some things that you need to do to please God and have greater fruit and joy in 2025. They are not new, but the old fundamentals of the faith. They include being baptized, reading the Bible daily, prayer, going to church regularly, tithing, and witnessing.

Parents, remember that if you do not think church is important enough to attend it, your children never will. Even worse, it is highly unlikely that they will ever be saved or live right. It is the influence of the Word of God and other Christians in their life (and yours) that helps keep people on the right path.

God invites you to consider the question: “what is your life?” If it is not headed in the direction it should go, will you confess failure in 2024 and ask Him right now to make 2025 a year that honors Him in all you do?

Have you thought about how many blessings you have had over the past year? Most Christians have received so many blessings just in the past month that they could not count them all.

God loves His children which are regenerated through faith in His Son, Who died for us – and for the world (Jn. 3:16). Those who receive the most blessings are those who walk close to Him and are obedient.

Take a moment and wonder if you could have gotten more blessings – and have been a greater blessing to others – if you had walked closer to the Lord this past year. Think about His tremendous promise in Ephesians 3:20: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

This verse makes it plain that most believers have no idea of the amount of blessings God wants to give His children. It is our lack of faith and lack of obedience that often short-circuits those blessings.

On top of it all, the verse says that when God blesses – “he addeth no sorrow with it.” It is certainly another great blessing in itself. Yes, God wants us to be joyous in Him, and He wants to give that joy and peace. All that the world offers cannot completely satisfy. Its joys are often short-lived.

Friend, if you are saved, why not try to see how God can bless and use you more in the coming new year. Why not talk to Him about it right now?

he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer

the righteous to be moved.”

The fact that the Son of God came into our world at all is a very powerful demonstration of the mercy of God. He did not have to come. Ever since Adam, the entire human race has repeatedly and deliberately broken God’s law and, because of sin, has prevented God from giving His best to us in this world.

Instead of the perfect world He created for us, sin brought about a curse upon it. Although there is much beauty in our world still, evidence of the curse is very much seen all around us.

Through the Sacrifice of His Son at Calvary, His mercy invites all to come to Christ for forgiveness, cleansing, a new start, salvation, and Sonship. He certainly has “not dealt with us after our sins” – which would merit Hell.

God’s mercy does not end at salvation, He desires to demonstrate it over and over to His redeemed children. We certainly need it – and thank God – He freely and readily gives it to the sincere.

When God’s people turn to Him and seek His forgiveness and fellowship, He immediately restores that believer. Like the prodigal son’s return to the father, there is joy and a welcome to be found.

A new year will soon be here. Will you seek to be in close fellowship with God? His mercy awaits your call, and He will revive and strengthen you anew.

The wise men had apparently learned about the coming of the Messiah from some of the Jews that were still in the East. These men, who were not Jewish, believed the prophecies of His coming, but did not know some of the details.

They were miraculously guided by the star to Jerusalem. The star (probably an angel) may have stopped there because they did not know where to go once they arrived – so they started asking around.

After Herod met them, he plotted against Jesus and pretended to want to go and worship Him also. God told them not to go back to Herod once they had seen the Baby.

Many people think that they appeared at the stable – they did not. Even Herod know that Jesus was no longer a Baby, because he told the wise men to “Go and search diligently for the young child” (vs. 8) – calling Him a “child” and not a baby.

When the wise men arrived, and “they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him” (vs. 11). Notice that they met Jesus in a house and He is called “a young child” – probably a toddler by this time.

Notice also Who they worshipped. It was not Mary, but the Son of God in human flesh. Only He could die for the sins of the world. Being that He was God, He could receive the worship of men – and God forbade the worship of any other being or creature.

These wise men gave valuable gifts to Jesus, which His parents probably used while they were in Egypt. Although three gifts are mentioned, it does not mean that there were only three wise men, as the song says. There could have been more, with others giving similar gifts. These men would have also traveled with an entourage of many others, since travelers in those days often encountered robber bands.

Today, with Christmas almost over, have you spent time worshipping the One Who gave so much to redeem us? These wise men traveled a long way to meet the Savior.

Among the many miracles that surrounded the birth of Jesus, the appearance of the angels was certainly spectacular. His announcement was certainly “good tidings” – and it was not limited to one group of people or to a single nation – but to “all people.”

The heavenly news that will bring “great joy” was that a real Savior was born. He is One Who is capable of accomplishing the will of God – and He did it.

After the news was delivered, a whole host of angels appears and give glory to God. The shepherds were excited and wanted to see this Baby that they were told about.

The shepherds met Jesus in the stable and saw Him lying in the manger and wrapped in “swaddling clothes” – just as the angel said. The angel said it was “a sign.” The sign was that He was born as a lamb destined to be a sacrifice – just like all the other sheep not far away.

Only His birth and ultimate death could bring us salvation. Since God declared that the penalty for our sin is death (Romans 6:23), and since we all have sinned (Romans 3:23), there had to be a Sacrifice for us, or we would have to pay the penalty ourselves. Only Jesus could pay that price because He was sinless, and He was God.

After the shepherds saw the Savior lying in the manger, they broadcast it to others whenever they could. The Good News still has saving power. The Savior died for sinners on a cross, was buried and rose again, and anyone who comes to Him for salvation can have it – just for the asking.