Verse from Malachi

“万军之耶和华说：「我要差遣我的使者在我前面预备道路。你们所寻求的主必忽然进入他的殿；立约的使者，就是你们所仰慕的，快要来到。」”

玛拉基书 3:1 

“"Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.”

Malachi 3:1 

Messages can bring good news, bad news, or words that challenge. In the Old Testament, God used His prophets to communicate messages of hope or judgment. But when we look closely, we see that even His words of judgment were intended to lead to repentance, healing, and restoration.

Both types of messages appear in Malachi 3 when the Lord promised to send a messenger who would prepare the way for Him. John the Baptist announced the coming of the true Messenger, Jesus (see Matthew 3:11)—“the messenger of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1) who will fulfill God’s promises. But He will act “like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap” (v. 2), for He will purify those who believe in His word. The Lord sent His word to cleanse His people because of His loving concern for their well-being.

God’s message is one of love, hope, and freedom. He sent His Son to be a messenger who speaks our language—sometimes with messages of correction, but always those of hope.

Lord Jesus Christ, 

help me not only to understand Your message but to live it.

Verse from Ephesians

“一句坏话也不可出口，却要适当地说造就人的好话，使听见的人得益处。”

以弗所书 4:29 

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

Ephesians 4:29 

Fifty years ago, censors were allowed to delete crude terms from books before they were published. When James Jones, for example, included more than 250 vulgar words in his final manuscript of From Here to Eternity, censors eliminated 208 of them from the original hardcover edition. When the book came out in paperback, they deleted all the rest. They simply didn't want the masses reading profane words. 

Things have changed a bit, haven't they? 

Some R-rated movies today contain as many as 200 curse words—about 2 per minute. And we all know how pervasive cursing has become on television. We are being exposed to more and more verbal pollution in the flow of the average day—even from places like the church pulpit and the church softball league bench. Potty mouth pulpits! Who would have thought? 

It's time to take a stand again, beginning with our own flippancy toward foul language. Here's why:

1. It lowers the moral standards of our family. Jesus said, "The mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart" (Matthew 12:34), which means that cursing exposes the condition of our inner person. It reveals that our hearts have grown sour and polluted with trashy words. 
2. It degrades interpersonal relationships. It robs society of its civility. Used casually, cursing is just rude. When used on purpose, it's derogatory and demeaning. Certain curse words even devalue what God created—like the divinely designed act of intercourse.
3. It sends a bad message to our children. It tells them that cursing within moderation is acceptable behavior. But as Christians, our spiritual transformation—our desire to be more like Christ—should affect our words.

Verse from Isaiah

“耶和华啊！你是我的神，我要尊崇你，称谢你的名，因为你以信实真诚作成了奇妙的事，就是你远古以前所计划的事。”

以赛亚书 25:1 

“O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”

Isaiah 25:1 

In Isaiah 25:1–5, after prophesying Israel’s punishment and subsequent deliverance from her enemies, the prophet praises God for His plans. All these “wonderful things,” Isaiah notes, had been “planned long ago” (v. 1), yet they included some arduous times.

It can be hard to hear God saying no, and even harder to understand when we’re praying for something good—like someone’s deliverance from a crisis. That’s when we need to hold on to the truth of God’s good plans. We may not understand why, but we can keep trusting in His love, goodness, and faithfulness.

Lord, 

give me the faith to keep trusting You even when You say no.

Verse from Psalms

“东离西有多远，他使我们的过犯离我们也有多远。”

诗篇 103:12 

“As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Psalms 103:12 

Recognizing our propensity to be forgetful and unfaithful (Deuteronomy 6:10–12; Hosea 13:6), David wrote Psalm 103 as a thanksgiving song, calling us to praise God for who He is and what He has done. He reminds us not to forgot “all his benefits” (vv. 1–2). The psalmist describes the character of our redeeming Father. He is compassionate, slow to anger, loving, forgiving, and gracious (vv. 3–13). He “does not punish us for all our sins . . . [or] deal harshly with us, as we deserve” (v. 10 nlt). God has forgiven our sins completely (vv. 11–12). 

David recounts God’s character in the aftermath of Israel’s idolatrous sin (vv. 7–8; Exodus 32): Our God is “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6–7).

Verse from Matthew

“家主若知道几更天有贼来，就必警醒，不容人挖透房屋；这是你们所知道的。”

马太福音 24:43 

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.”

Matthew 24:43 

As the verse above from Matthew states, if you knew when a burglar was coming, you'd double-bolt the doors, you'd secure your valuables off-site, and you'd call the police and have them positioned where they could make an immediate capture. You'd leave no possibility for the intruder to get inside.

But when it comes to keeping out the enemy of our souls, we're not always as diligent. We don't take quite the same pains to keep our hearts out of reach of harm's way. We don't check all the windows—the points that offer him the easiest point of entry into our lives. Things like the following:

• Isolation—Being alone should be an automatic signal to keep your guard up. Temptations seem particularly tempting when no one else is looking. The lures of laziness or mindless television or Internet pornography may be more enticing when you're alone or away from home.
• Bad company—If the enemy can't get you when you're alone, he may try to make his ways seem more appealing through the influence of someone who is already caught up in his web—a coworker, an old friend, a next-door neighbor.
• Fatigue—When you are unusually drained or under exceptional stress, it's much easier to compromise.
• Pride and arrogance—Sometimes when life is going well, you may not feel as much need to pray. You fool yourself into believing you can handle yourself just fine without God's help. But this is when Satan sets you in his sights.

There is never a time when you can't be on the alert, constantly watching and praying. Even the devil has a hard time defeating that kind of alarm system.

Verse from Acts

“亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的神，就是我们祖宗的　神，荣耀了他的仆人耶稣。这位耶稣，你们把他送交官府。彼拉多本来定意要放他，你们却当着彼拉多的面拒绝他。”

使徒行传 3:13 

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.”

Acts 3:13 

After Jesus had ascended to His Father, the apostle Peter proclaimed to a crowd at the temple in Jerusalem that Jesus was the one Moses foretold when he said, “God will raise up for you a prophet like me” (Acts 3:22; Deuteronomy 18:18). God’s promise to Abraham, “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed,” was really a reference to Jesus (Acts 3:25; Genesis 22:18). Peter noted, “All the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days”—the arrival of the Messiah (Acts 3:24).

We can keep the spirit of Christmas alive long after the celebrations have ended. By seeing Christ in the whole story of the Bible we can appreciate how Christmas is so much more than just another day.

Verses from Isaiah

“他不呼喊，也不扬声，也不叫人在街上听见他的声音。压伤的芦苇，他不折断；将熄灭的灯火，他不吹灭；他忠实地传出公理。”

以赛亚书 42:2-3 

“"He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. "A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.”

Isaiah 42:2-3 

Jesus’s arrival took many by quiet surprise. Instead of being born in a palace, He was born in an unlikely place, a humble dwelling outside Bethlehem. And He slept in the only bed available, a manger (Luke 2:7). Instead of being attended by royalty and government officials, Jesus was welcomed by lowly shepherds (vv. 15–16). Instead of having wealth, Jesus’s parents could only afford the inexpensive sacrifice of two birds when they presented Him at the temple (v. 24).

The unassuming way Jesus entered the world was foreshadowed by the prophet Isaiah, who prophesied the coming Savior would “not shout or cry out” (Isaiah 42:2) nor would He come in power that might break a damaged reed or extinguish a struggling flame (v. 3). Instead He came gently in order to draw us to Himself with His offer of peace with God—a peace still available to anyone who believes the unexpected story of a Savior born in a manger.

Verse from Luke

“马利亚把这一切放在心里，反复思想。”

路加福音 2:19 

“But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

Luke 2:19 

During Oswald Chambers’ years at the Bible Training College in London (1911–15), he often startled the students with things he said during his lectures. One young woman explained that because discussion was reserved for the following mealtime together, Chambers would frequently be bombarded with questions and objections. She recalled that Oswald would often simply smile and say, “Just leave it for now; it will come to you later.” He encouraged them to ponder the issues and allow God to reveal His truth to them.

To ponder something is to concentrate and think deeply about it. New Testament scholar W. E. Vine said that ponder means “to throw together, confer, to put one thing with another in considering circumstances” (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words).

When we struggle to understand the meaning of what’s happening in our lives, we have Mary’s wonderful example of what it means to seek God and His wisdom.

When we, like her, accept God’s leading in our lives, we have many new things about His loving guidance to treasure and ponder in our hearts.

Father, 

guide us by Your Holy Spirit as we consider Your great love and embrace Your plan for our lives.

Verse from Job

“说：“我赤身出于母胎，也必赤身归去。赏赐的是耶和华，收回的也是耶和华；耶和华的名是应当称颂的。””

约伯记 1:21 

“He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."”

Job 1:21 

Ann Voskamp’s book One Thousand Gifts encourages readers to search their lives each day for what the Lord has done for them. In it, she daily notes God’s abundant generosity to her in gifts both large and small, ranging from the simple beauty of iridescent bubbles in the dish sink to the incomparable salvation of sinners like herself (and the rest of us!). Ann contends that gratitude is the key to seeing God in even the most troubling of life’s moments.

Job is famous for a life of such “troubling” moments. Indeed, his losses were deep and many. Just moments after losing all his livestock, he learns of the simultaneous death of all his ten children. Job’s profound grief was evidenced in his response: he “tore his robe and shaved his head” (1:20). Job knew the practice of gratitude, for he acknowledges that God had given him everything he’d lost (v. 21). How else could he worship in the midst of such incapacitating grief?

The practice of daily gratitude can’t erase the magnitude of pain we feel in seasons of loss. Job questioned and grappled through his grief as the rest of the book describes. But recognizing God’s goodness to us—in even the smallest of ways—can prepare us to kneel in worship before our all-powerful God in the darkest hours of our earthly lives.

O God, You are the Giver of all good things. Help me to recognize Your generosity in even the smallest ways and to trust You in seasons of loss and hardship.

Why not start a gratitude list? Watch how the regular practice of thankfulness changes your daily life.

Verse from Micah

“至于我，我却要仰望耶和华，我要等候那拯救我的神； 我的神必应允我。”

弥迦书 7:7 

“But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”

Micah 7:7 

This world often disappoints us, but hope can anchor us in God’s truth and power during the turbulent times.

Micah understood this reality. He was heartbroken by how Israel had turned away from God. “What misery is mine! . . . The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains” (7:1–2). But then he refocused on his true hope: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” (v. 7).

What does it take to maintain hope in harsh times? Micah shows us: Watching. Waiting. Praying. Remembering. God hears our cries even when our circumstances are overwhelming. In these moments, clinging to and acting in response to our hope in God is our strategy, the only strategy that will help us weather life’s storms.

Father, 

You’ve promised to be an anchor for our hearts when circumstances look discouraging. 

Help us call out to You in faith and hope, believing that You hear our hearts’ cries.

Verse from Mark

“说：“时候到了，神的国近了，你们应当悔改，相信福音。””

马可福音 1:15 

“and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."”

Mark 1:15 

Nearly every time an angel appears in the Bible, the first words he says are “Don’t be afraid!” Little wonder. When the supernatural makes contact with planet Earth, it usually leaves the human observers flat on their faces in fear. But Luke tells of God making an appearance in a form that doesn’t frighten. In Jesus, born with the animals and laid in a feeding trough, God takes an approach that we need not fear. What could be less scary than a newborn baby?

On Earth Jesus is both God and man. As God, He can work miracles, forgive sins, conquer death, and predict the future. But for Jews accustomed to images of God as a bright cloud or pillar of fire, Jesus also causes much confusion. How could a baby in Bethlehem, a carpenter’s son, a man from Nazareth, be the Messiah from God?

Why does God take on human form? The scene of twelve-year-old Jesus debating rabbis in the temple gives one clue. “Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers,” Luke tells us (2:47). For the first time, ordinary people could hold a conversation with God in visible form.

Jesus can talk to anyone—His parents, a rabbi, a poor widow—without first having to announce, “Don’t be afraid!” In Jesus, God draws near.

Verse from Luke

“耶稣又对众人说：「若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，天天背起他的十字架来跟从我。”

路加福音 9:23 

“And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Luke 9:23 

His path was one of self-denial and suffering, which can be hard to follow. But to be His effective disciples, we too are invited to put aside selfish desires and pick up spiritual burdens daily—serving others first instead of ourselves, for example—as we closely follow Him.

It’s quite a sight, this humbling, close walk with God. Following His lead, and staying so close, we can appear with Christ as one. Then others won’t see us, they’ll see Him.

Our lives are a window through which others can see Jesus.

Verse from John

“道成了肉身，住在我们中间，充充满满地有恩典有真理。我们也见过他的荣光，正是父独生子的荣光。”

约翰福音 1:14 

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14 

We could say that the original Christmas love letter was Jesus, the Word made flesh. John highlights this truth in his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). In ancient philosophy, the Greek for Word, logos, suggested a divine mind or order that unites reality, but John expands the definition to reveal the Word as a person: Jesus, the Son of God who was “with God in the beginning” (v. 2). This Word, the Father’s “one and only Son,” “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (v. 14). Through Jesus the Word, God reveals Himself perfectly.

Theologians have grappled with this beautiful mystery for centuries. However much we may not understand, we can be certain that Jesus as the Word gives light to our dark world (v. 9). If we believe in Him, we can experience the gift of being God’s beloved children (v. 12).

Verse from Hebrews

“他虽然是儿子，还是因着所受的苦难学会了顺从。”

希伯来书 5:8 

“Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.”

Hebrews 5:8 

It's easy to focus on the struggles in our lives and not recognize what God may be doing. Ted Engstrom, who headed Youth for Christ and World Vision in his fruitful lifetime, wrote this historical summary:

Cripple a man, and you have Sir Walter Scott. Lock him in a prison cell, and you have John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have George Washington. Raise him in abject poverty, and you have Abraham Lincoln.

Strike him down with infantile paralysis, and he becomes Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Burn him so severely in a schoolhouse fire that doctors say he'll never walk again, and you have Glenn Cunningham, who set the world record in 1934 by running a mile in four minutes and six seconds.

Call him a slow learner, retarded, write him off as unable to be educated, and you have Albert Einstein. Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Marian Anderson, George Washington Carver, and Martin Luther King.

We could add many others to that list. People like Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, whose incarceration in a concentration camp or prison cell became their classroom. Or Joni Eareckson Tada, whose wheelchair has become her platform for amazing ministry.

Each is proof of what Charles Spurgeon said: "The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction."

Could it be that even now—on the front lines of your current ordeal—God is making you more battle-worthy than ever before?

Verse from Luke

““主在眷顾的日子，这样看待我，要把我在人间的羞耻除掉。””

路加福音 1:25 

“"This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."”

Luke 1:25 

Imagine the plight of Elizabeth, who was childless despite being married for many years. In her culture, that was seen as a sign of God’s disfavor (see 1 Samuel 1:5–6) and could actually be considered shameful. So while Elizabeth had been living righteously (Luke 1:6), her neighbors and relatives may have suspected otherwise.

Nonetheless, Elizabeth and her husband continued to serve the Lord faithfully. Then, when both were well advanced in years, a miracle occurred. God heard her prayer (v. 13). He loves to show us His favor (v. 25). And though He may seem to delay, His timing is always right and His wisdom always perfect. For Elizabeth and her husband, God had a special gift: a child who would become the Messiah’s forerunner (Isaiah 40:3–5).

Do you feel inadequate because you seem to lack something—a university degree, a spouse, a child, a job, a house? Keep living for Him faithfully and waiting patiently for Him and His plan, just as Elizabeth did. No matter our circumstances, God is working in and through us. He knows your heart. He hears your prayers.

God, 

You are forever faithful and good. 

Help us to keep trusting in You, even when we experience heartache.

Verse from James

“唯有详细察看那使人自由的全备的律法，并且时常遵守的人，他不是听了就忘记，而是实行出来，就必因自己所作的蒙福。”

雅各书 1:25 

“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

James 1:25 

In a practical analogy, James gives us a useful dimension to make our study of Scripture more beneficial. We look in the mirror to examine ourselves to see if anything needs correction—hair combed, face washed, shirt properly buttoned. Like a mirror, the Bible helps us to examine our character, attitude, thoughts, and behavior (James 1:23–24). This enables us to align our lives according to the principles of what God has revealed. We will “keep a tight rein” on our tongues (v. 26) and “look after orphans and widows” (v. 27). We will pay heed to God’s Holy Spirit within us and keep ourselves “from being polluted by the world” (v. 27).

When we look attentively into “the perfect law that gives freedom” and apply it to our lives, we will be blessed in what we do (v. 25). As we look into the mirror of Scripture, we can “humbly accept the word planted in [us]” (v. 21).

As a mirror reflects our image, the Bible reveals our inner being.

Verses from Luke

“马利亚说：“我心尊主为大，我灵以神我的救主为乐，”

路加福音 1:46-47 

“And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”

Luke 1:46-47 

A grateful recipient of God’s grace, Mary rejoices in her salvation (v. 47). She acknowledges that God’s mercy has extended to the Israelites for generations (v. 50). Looking back over God’s care for the Israelites, Mary praises God for His powerful acts on behalf of His people (v. 51). She also thanks God, recognizing that her daily provision comes from His hand (v. 53).

Mary shows us that recounting the great things God has done for us is a way to express praise and can lead us to rejoice. This Christmas season, consider God’s goodness as you reflect on the year. In doing so, you may create a mosaic of great beauty with your words of praise.

Father, 

we praise You for the great things You’ve done in our lives this year. 

We rejoice in Your mercy and care for us.

Verse from Psalms

“耶和华啊！我知道你的判语是公义的，为了你的信实，你使我受苦。”

诗篇 119:75 

I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. (Psalms 119:75)

In his book The Problem of Pain, C. S. Lewis observes that “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Suffering often helps us to redirect our focus. It shifts our thinking from immediate circumstances so we can listen to God concerning His work in our lives. Life as usual is replaced by a spiritual schoolroom.

In the Old Testament, we read how the psalmist maintained a teachable heart even during painful circumstances. He accepted them as orchestrated by God, and in submission he prayed, “In faithfulness You have afflicted me” (Ps. 119:75). Isaiah the prophet viewed suffering as a refining process: “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction” (Isa. 48:10). And Job, despite his laments, learned about the sovereignty and greatness of God through his troubles (Job 40–42).

We are not alone in our experience of pain. God Himself took on human form and suffered greatly: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). The One with nail-scarred hands is near. He will comfort us and teach us in our suffering.

Dear Lord, 

life is so hard sometimes. 

I confess that I don’t always see Your purpose in my trials. 

Help me to trust You, 

and teach me to become the person that You desire me to be.

We learn the lesson of trust in the school of trial.

Verses from Lamentations

“耶和华的慈爱永不断绝，他的怜悯永不止息。每天早晨都是新的；你的信实多么广大！”

耶利米哀歌 3:22-23 

“The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 

At times, God’s apparent withholding results from His loving discipline. And other times God lovingly delays to renew our trust. In Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah describes God’s correction of Israel. The pain is palpable: “He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver” (3:13). Through it all, Jeremiah also expresses ultimate trust in God’s faithfulness (vv. 22–23).

God is always faithful, though not necessarily on our timeline nor always according to our desires.

Dear God, 

help me trust You today even when I can’t see what You are doing. 

You are faithful.