Keep Growing

December 30

(Luke 2:52 NIV) "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

(1 Peter 2:2-3 NIV) "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, {3} now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."

(Ephesians 4:11-15 NIV)  "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, {12} to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up {13} until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. {14} Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. {15} Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ."

Luke sums up approximately eighteen years of Christ’s life in one verse. He tells us that from age twelve until about the age of thirty, Jesus grew in wisdom and stature -- physical stature, and spiritual stature. He also grew in favor with God, and with the people around Him. His Father treasured Him and was well pleased with Him, and His neighbors grew to respect Him deeply. Jesus kept growing until the day He died. So it should be with those who belong to Him. We who call ourselves disciples are called to keep growing until the day of our last breath. You have tasted the Lord. Now, crave his word, so that you can grow up in your salvation. Through prayer and Scripture, continuously expand your knowledge of Jesus, so that you may become mature. Fill yourself with the fullness of Christ. Grow up into Him. This is one of the best ways to have a happy new year. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Treasuring Christ

December 29

(Luke 2:51b NIV) "But his mother treasured all these things in her heart."

(Luke 2:19 NIV) "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

(Deuteronomy 7:6-10 NIV) "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. {7} The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. {8} But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. {9} Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. {10} But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him."

Even in her consternation with Christ’s staying behind in Jerusalem, Mary treasured up what was said about her Son, and by her Son. It was a treasure she would need in the years to come when her heart was broken. There is certainly a lot to treasure when it comes to Jesus. We’ve spent this year looking at His many great qualities. But did you know that God treasures you in much the same way? God treasures you so much that He gave His only Son so you could be set free and saved. He has set His affection on you, and has chosen you to be His adopted child. You are His treasured possession! God’s love for you is so great that He laid down His life for you. He laid it down in His incarnation, giving up His place in Heaven for you -- and He laid it down at His crucifixion, surrendering His life to save yours. Will you lay down your life for Him? Jesus treasures you. Will you treasure Him? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Waiting Until It’s Time

December 28

(Luke 2:51a NIV) "Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them."

(Luke 3:23 NIV)  "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,"

(Philippians 2:5-11 NIV) "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: {6} Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, {7} but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. {8} And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! {9} Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, {10} that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, {11} and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

(Isaiah 40:31 ESV) “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

After His success at drawing a crowd and impressing the religious leaders at the Temple, Jesus could have probably stayed there and become the child prodigy of Judaism. He could have continued to gather a following and raked in a fortune as “The Colossal Child Prophet”. Instead, He went home with His parents and was obedient to them until His time came. Luke tells us that Jesus was twelve years old when He first taught in the Temple, but that He didn’t begin His public ministry until He was about thirty. This means He spent eighteen more years in obedience to His parents, growing spiritually, and preparing Himself to be Savior of the world. He waited until it was time. He didn’t run ahead of God, but took on the nature of a servant; first to His parents, and then to His Father in Heaven. In this new year to come, be patient, and wait upon the Lord. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Christ’s Father -- Our Father

December 27

(Luke 2:48-50 NIV) "When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." {49} "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" {50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them."

(John 2:16 NIV) "To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!""

(John 6:40 NIV) "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.""

(John 14:2 NIV) "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you."

(John 15:8 NIV) "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

When Joseph and Mary headed home from Jerusalem, Jesus stayed behind. He spent three days in the temple amazing the religious teachers with His spiritual wisdom. When His parents returned and found Him, they were upset that He had caused them anxiety. Jesus told them that they should have known He would be in God’s temple, “His Father’s house”. Jesus was aware that His Father was God. Later in His ministry, Jesus declared that His Father’s house was a holy place and should not be desecrated. He told His disciples that His Father’s heavenly house had many rooms, and that He was going there to prepare a place for them. He taught that His Father’s will was for them to bear much fruit, and to have eternal life. And the awesome truth today is that when we believe God and are born again, Christ’s Father becomes our Father. We can become true children of God. Believe God! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day