God’s unfolding plan
Monday 22nd December  The promise given
Is. 9 v 6 For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given & the government will be upon his shoulders
Beautiful words full of hope & promise. For Christians they are the very essence of Christmas.  But what do they really mean?  The angels in heaven rejoiced at his coming; but did they know what the true cost would be to the Father who sent him?  Simeon the old priest saw the deeper meaning; he saw the sword that would pierce his mother’s heart & the cross from which this child’s life blood would flow to redeem the world.
Pray for family & friends who will join us for the Christmas Services to be open to receive the true meaning of Christmas.

Tuesday 23rd December   Is your foundation right?
Is. 28 v16  Look I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm & tested stone.  It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
When Isaiah was given this prophecy hundreds of years before Christ was born, the nation of Israel was heading for disaster.  On the surface they went through the rituals of their faith but on the inside their hearts were unresponsive & wilfully disobedient to their God. We cannot live with one foot in each camp.  The plan that God has for our life is built on a sure foundation, it is firm & tested but it has to be adhered to with our whole heart.  God will not share His glory with any other.
Pray for anyone you know whose faith is challenged by events happening in our nation at the present time.

Wednesday 24th December   Jesus our living stone.
1 Peter 2v6    I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem
Jerusalem was the very centre of worship for the nation of Israel.  The Holy Temple was there.  Pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem to worship & make atonement for their sins & to be restored in their relationship with God.  It was the cornerstone of their faith.  But it had become devoid of meaning.  God’s presence no longer dwelt there. So had God abandoned his people? The word the prophet brought was of a new and living cornerstone.  Not a building, awesome & beautiful as it was, but a Saviour who through his coming would bring us into a totally new & living relationship with the Father Himself.  His Spirit would indwell all who responded to Him & would bring purpose & meaning into our lives.
Reflect on your own relationship with God. Is it as vibrant as it once was? Let this Christmas be a place of new beginning in your relationship with Him.

Thursday 25th December    Did God get it wrong?
1 Peter 2 v 6   Chosen for great honour.
Was it honourable to die on a tree?  The O.T. stated, ‘cursed is the one who hangs on a tree.’  Had God got it wrong?  1 Peter 1v 18-20   For you know that God paid a ransom to save you…not mere silver or gold.  It was the precious blood of Christ the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.  God chose Him as your ransom…
As you sing these beautiful carols this Christmas remember the cost of your ransom.
Reflect- In God’s Kingdom, His ways often seem at odds with human logic. Paul knew our dilemma as we struggle to understand spiritual truth s& he encourages us ‘to look not to things that are seen but to things that are unseen.  Things that are seen are temporal, things that are unseen are eternal.’

Friday 26th December    No shame here.
1Peter 2 v6   Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed.
How much our nation, indeed our world needs to hear these words. Despair, hopelessness & fear fill today’s media. Yet the Church has such a message of hope to share.  1Peter 1 v 21   Through Christ you have come to trust in God.  And you have placed your faith & hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead & gave Him great glory.  No matter how much the world tries to distort the true meaning of Christmas & loudly proclaims it’s irrelevance in our politically correct society, the truth remains the Saviour of the world came as a child; His church worship Him as the risen King of Glory & God has exalted Him to the place of highest honour & the wonder of it all is that He invites you to share in His glory.  Father, we pray for all who are in despair, whose hearts are heavy because of the situation in their lives, please help them to know your presence & to find the peace which comes from knowingYou.

Saturday27th December   What will he find?
1 Peter 2 v 9  …for you are a chosen people,  You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, His very own possession.
What privileges, what honour Jesus has bestowed upon His church. The world makes much of the tinsel & glamour of Christmas but it quickly fades away in a matter of days. But our joy in our Saviour is everlasting, He is our cornerstone, He is safe to build our life on.  We will soon begin a new chapter in the life of Fetteresso Church. We are looking forward with great expectation to the coming of our new minister. But will he find us fulfilling God’s call on our lives as ‘a chosen people’ ‘a kingdom of priests’  living as God’s very own possession? If he does we will all have a great future before us.
Refect on your role as God’s special possession. How is that working out in your life?

Sunday 28th December  What will be the result?
1 Peter 2v 9   As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Please visit the following links for inspirational daily meditations.

Word for Today - UCB daily devotional
http://www.ucb.co.uk/word_for_today

Word 4U 2Day - Youth daily devotional
http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?itemid=92