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True Life Church

Children’s Ministries

Slidell, LA

Jesse Tree Devotionals

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Isaiah 11:1

Created by Christ Community Church in Tucson, AZ, used with permssion.

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Introduction

The Jesse Tree devotional is designed to help families

focus on what is truly important in the days leading up

to Christmas. Among the parties, the shopping, and the

rest of the Christmas shuffle, people sometimes forget

where the proper focus should be. The name comes from

Isaiah 11:1 where Jesus is described as a shoot coming

up from the stump of Jesse bearing fruit. This book

contains twenty-five daily devotions tracing the lineage

of Jesus from Creation leading up to His birth.

Each daily devotion includes a family scripture reading

which should be completed prior to reading the devotion.

There is a memory verse and suggested reading for

further study for those who desire to go more in depth.

Prayer is an important part of any time devoted to the

study of God’s Word, so suggested prayers are included

for each day. Finally, there is an ornament which

corresponds to each day’s devotion. The ornaments are

designed to serve as objects the children will associate

with the Bible account each day. Most ornaments are

completed, although there are several you may create

and customize for your family.

The Children’s Ministries Team prays this devotional

will help your family stay focused on the celebration of

the birth of the Christ Child this Christmas.

All Scriptures are provided in the English Standard Version.

Inspiration for some devotions from The Advent Jesse Tree by Dean

Smith

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Jesus followed God’s will and left His throne in Heaven

and all of His Glory to become a little baby for us. Do

you remember where they laid Him? (in a manger, a

feeding trough for animals) No one had made room for

Him. Jesus was born exactly the way that prophets

hundreds of years before had said He would come. This

was so that we could know for sure that He was truly the

promised Savior.

The account of Jesus’ birth is a wonderful part of the

Gospel message. God loved us so much that, even

though we were sinners and deserved punishment, He

sent His Son to earth so that He could take our

punishment for us. If we believe on Him, He will save us

from our sins. That is the reason why we celebrate this

special day, because God showed us how much He loved

us. He wants each and every one of us to believe in Him

so that one day we can spend eternity with Him in

Heaven. If you have never done that, you can ask Him

to forgive you from the wrong things you have done and

believe that Jesus came, died, and rose again. Then

Jesus can be your Savior too!

Prayer: Thank God for

this special day when we

celebrate the birth of

His Son. Thank Jesus

for coming as a little

baby to be our

Savior. Help us to make

room in our hearts for

Him this Christmas and

follow Him all the days

of our lives.

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He is Here!

A Savior is Born December 25

Ornament: a baby

Memory verse: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-10; John 3:16-17

Additional Reading: Luke 2; 19:10; John 3:2; Corinthians

8:9

Devotion: Do you know what we celebrate today? (Jesus’

birth) It is the day we celebrate Jesus’ birthday, when

He became a little baby. Jesus is different from us, how-

ever, because He was God’s only Son. In fact, He was

alive when the world was created. He has been from the

beginning of time, just as we learned on the first day of

our devotions. Jesus was there at the time that the world

was created.

Do you remember how sin came to the earth and spoiled

it? (Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the fruit He

had told them to not eat and sin and death entered the

world) God needed Someone to come to our earth and

take away that sin. It couldn’t be just anyone though!

Our Savior had to be perfect, sinless. Jesus, the Son of

God, was willing to come and be our Savior. That’s why

the angels sang so gloriously on that first Christmas Day

because Jesus had come to take away the sins of the

world!

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10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a sig-nal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Isaiah 11:1-10

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. 9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

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We Are Created To Praise December 1

Ornament: a globe

Memory verse: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-5; Colossians

1:15- 17; Psalm 150

Additional Reading: Genesis 1-2

Devotion: What did God create? (He created the world

and everything in it.) As we just read together, the world

has not always existed; it had a beginning. We may not

think about it, but everything has a beginning. The earth,

mountains, animals, stars, and oceans all have a

beginning. Each one of us, our family members, our

friends all have beginnings too. What do we call our

beginning? (Yes, our birthday.) What about God? Did He

have a beginning? (No, God unlike everything He created

has always existed. Our reading in John tells us Jesus

was with God before creation and was/is God.) The Bible

tells us in Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were

brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the

world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” He

has no beginning or ending! He is our Creator and

provides everything we need.

Why did God create and fill the world? Why were we cre-

ated? We were created to glorify, praise, and worship God

(Isaiah 43:7). God made Adam and Eve different from the

rest of His creation. Man was made in the image of God;

we were made to worship our Creator (Genesis 1:26).

Reread Psalm 150

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The angel and a whole sky full of angels came that

Christmas night to say the Savior had finally come into

the world! This is what the world had been waiting for

since Adam and Eve first sinned! The angels began

praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace, good will to men.” (v. 14)

Now we have a special message from God to tell oth-

ers. We can be God’s angels when we share the good

news that Jesus was born, died, and was raised from the

dead for our sins and that when we believe on Him, He

will save us from our sins and give us eternal life. What

a wonderful message to share!

Prayer Suggestions: We can never thank Him enough for

His great gift to us at Christmastime! Thank Him for

His Son, Jesus, who loved us enough to die for us on the

cross. Encourage us to go forward and tell other people

about who Jesus is and what He has done.

Ornament Tip: Cut out paper along lines; hold anglefacing you, fold skirt into a circle connecting wingsand back.

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Prayer: Thank God for sending us Jesus, the Light of

the world, to show us how to find eternal life. Ask God

to help you be more like Jesus and keep your light

shining for Him. Help us to shine for Him today, like

little candles burning in the night so that others can

know You and have eternal life.

Angels Proclaim the Coming of the Savior

December 24

Ornament: an angel

Memory verse: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:14; Luke 2:8-14; Romans

6:23

Additional Reading: Luke 2:8-14; Hebrews 1:1-14; Psalm

91:11

Devotion: Do you know what an angel is? (A special

messenger) God’s angels do whatever He tells them to

do, and they go wherever He sends them. They bring

special messages to people from God.

Who did they bring a special message to on Christmas

night? (the shepherds) The shepherds were in the field

watching over their sheep, when an angel suddenly

appeared before them. The angel was bringing the

greatest message of all time

to them from God. What was

the message they told the

shepherds? (Jesus was born)

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There are many ways we can worship. This Psalm focuses

on praising the Lord. It tells us where, why, how, and who

should praise Him. We are told where to praise the Lord,

on earth and in heaven. We are instructed to praise Him

for who He is and for what He has done. Praise can be of-

fered in many ways including through a variety of musical

instruments. Everything that has breath should praise

the Lord!

Just like Adam and Eve we were made to glorify and

worship Him (Isaiah 43:7). Adam and Eve glorified God.

They walked with Him, at first. However, God knew,

before He created the world, that man would disobey. He

knew they wouldn’t always walk with Him in the garden.

He had a plan, a rescue plan. He knew Adam and Eve and

all other men and women and boys and girls would need a

Savior. He knew exactly who the Savior would be!

Prayer Suggestions: During the coming days we will

glorify God as we spend time focused on the true reason

for Christmas. May we always remember we were created

by Him for His glory.

Ornament Tip:

Have your child(ren)

color the ornament

blue and green.

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Sin Enters Into the World December 2

Ornament: an apple with a snake wrapped around it

Memory verse: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

Scripture Reading: Genesis 3:1-10, 23; Isaiah 53:6

Additional Reading: Genesis 3; 1 John 1:8-10; Isaiah

59:2; 53:6

Devotion: After God created we are told in Genesis that

everything was very good. The world was perfect, there

was no sin or death. Adam and Eve were given one rule;

they were not to eat of the tree of the fruit of good and

evil (Genesis 2:16-17). What happened after Eve was

asked “Did God really say…?” (She made the choice to

take of the tree and eat the fruit, which Adam also ate

from.) What happened because Adam and Eve disobeyed

and ate of the fruit? (After Adam and Eve ate of the fruit,

sin and death entered into the world.) What did they do

after they ate the fruit and God was looking for them?

(They tried to hide from God.)

Hiding from God may sound silly at first; after all we

know God is everywhere (omnipresent, Jeremiah 23:23-

24), but even today people still try to hide from God.

Many times when we sin, instead of going to Jesus in

prayer and asking Him to forgive us of our sin, we try to

cover our sins up ourselves. We may even try to convince

ourselves what we did wasn’t a sin.

Read I John 1:8-10 together

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The Light of the World December 23

Ornament: a candle

Memory verse: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38; 2:25-32; John 8:12

Additional Reading: Luke 1:26-56; 2:21-33; John 1:4-9; 2

Corinthians 4:6; Isaiah 42:6; John 8:12; Revelation 21:23,

24; Isaiah 60:1, 3

Devotion: The time had come for the Light of the world to

be born. Do you know who the Light of the world

is? (Jesus) The Bible says that when the angel came to

Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus, she broke

forth into a song praising God for His goodness! The

True Light was finally coming into the world!

After His birth, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the tem-

ple to present Him to the Lord. Who did they see at the

temple? (Simeon) Simeon was a godly man who was

looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, the Sav-

ior. When he saw Jesus, he took Him and declared that

He was “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glo-

ry to your people Israel.” (v. 32)

Jesus told us that He is the Light of the world. Those of

us who trust in Him can be lights in our world, too. We

must always let our lights shine so that others can see

Christ in us. The Lord wants us to shine for Him, like a

city on top of a hill where it can always be seen. What

can you do to be a light for Him? (obey, be honest, be po-

lite, tell other about Jesus, etc.)

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Prayer Suggestions: Thank Him for loving all creatures,

great and small. Just like the little town of Bethlehem,

we are small too, but if we let Him, we know He can do

great things in and through us.

Following the Star December 22

Ornament: a star

Memory verse: “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Matthew 2:10

Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-12; Revelation 22:16

Additional Reading: Numbers 24:17; 2 Peter 1:19

Devotion: What did the wise men follow? (a star) Men

have used stars to guide them for centuries. Sailors

would use the stars to guide them at night. For many

years the wise men had studied the stars, waiting for a

special star to appear. It would tell the birth of a new

King, a great King above all other kings. How did the

wise men react when they saw the star? (they rejoiced,

v. 10) They had to travel for a long time to get there, but

that didn’t bother them. When they saw Him in a house

in Bethlehem, they fell down and worshiped Him and

gave Him gifts.

Who is “the bright morning star”? (Jesus) Just like the

wise men followed a special star, we need to follow the

“morning star.” As we follow Jesus, we will become more

like Him.

Prayer Suggestions: Help us to use Christ as our guiding

star and follow Him in everything we do. Ask for help

living lives that please Him. Thank the Lord for giving

you the greatest gift of all.

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Can we ever claim to be sinless (without sin)? (No, I John

1:8 and other verses make it clear we all sin.) When we

confess our sins what happens? (God is faithful and just

and we are forgiven!)

What is sin? (Sin is breaking God’s law.) Who has

sinned? (Every single person in the world has sinned.

“All” in Isaiah 53:6 & Romans 3:23 means all!) Have you

sinned? (Remember the Bible tells us all have sinned.)

Even though we have all sinned, there is good news. Re-

member yesterday we learned God knew before He creat-

ed us that we would sin. He knew we would need a Sav-

ior. He is never surprised!

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God for sending His Son to

be our Savior. Pray that we understand that we are all

sinners saved by God’s grace. Ask God to forgive us from

our sins.

Inside the Ark December 3

Ornament: a rainbow

Memory verse: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Scripture Reading: Genesis 6:5-8; 7:17-23; 9:16; Romans

6:23

Additional Reading: Genesis 5-9:17; Joshua 23:14

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Devotion: After sin entered the world because of Adam

and Eve’s choice the world changed. In Genesis 6:5 you

just read The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. God knew the hearts of each man and woman, each boy and girl. Who was the man who found favor in the eyes of the Lord? (Yes, Noah Genesis 5:8) God commanded Noah to build the Ark and Noah loved God and faithfully followed Him. While Noah was building the Ark, he also was preaching to the people calling on them to repent, to ask for forgiveness for their sins, and to believe in God. The Bible tells us though only Noah and his family boarded the Ark.

When God closed the door on the Ark, the rains began to

fall. The Ark was God’s tool to save those who had be-

lieved in Him. Noah’s family spent more than a year

aboard the Ark. Once the waters parted and the Ark

came to rest on dry ground Noah built an altar to the

Lord and offered a sacrifice to Him.

God made a covenant, a promise that He would never

again destroy the world with water or a flood again.

Along with this promise He gave a sign, so man would

remember His covenant. The sign He chose is one many

of you have seen after rain. It is a rainbow. The rainbow

should be a reminder to us of God’s love, mercy, and

grace. It should remind us of the patience God has with

each one of us.

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The people of Israel waited for many years for Jesus to

be born and yet many people still missed His

coming. Today there are still many people who have

missed Jesus’ coming and don’t understand why we cele-

brate this special day. Some day the Bible says that Je-

sus will return! Are we ready for Jesus to come?

Prayer Suggestions: Just as the people returned to

Jerusalem and began waiting for the Messiah, may we

prepare our hearts to celebrate HIs coming this

Christmas. More importantly, help us to be ready for

His return.

Prophecy of Bethlehem December 21

Ornament: Bethlehem town with star

Memory verse: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7

Additional Reading: Micah 5:2-4

Devotional: Just like the song “O Little Town of

Bethlehem” we are reminded in these verses that

Bethlehem was a very small and unimportant city, but

God chose it to be the birthplace of His only Son, Jesus.

In Micah 5:2-4 it was prophesied that the Messiah (the

Savior) would be born in Bethlehem and that He would

come from the line of King David. When the time was

right, Mary gave birth to her Son in a lowly stable, and

Mary and Joseph were both in the line of King David!

It’s amazing to think of Jesus’ humble beginnings, but

God here reminds us that even though we may be small

and seem unimportant, He can still use us for His great

purposes, when we put our faith and trust in Him.

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The Return to the Land

December 20

Ornament: a block wall

Memory verse: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:3; 2:18; 6:15, 16; Malachi

3:1

Additional Reading: Ezra 1 (For all the events of the re-

building of the Wall, read the entire books of Ezra and

Nehemiah)

Devotion: Can you guess what this brick wall is a symbol

of? (It represents the Wall of Jerusalem.) A long time

ago, people would build large walls around their cities to

keep out their enemies. Jerusalem had a wall that cir-

cled all the way around it. Do you remember why the

people of Israel were sent into exile? (They worshiped

idols) They disobeyed God’s Word and God punished

them by allowing their enemies to tear down the Wall of

Jerusalem and take all the people as slaves into different

lands.

In order for Jesus to be born, the Bible said the people

would return to Jerusalem, and sure enough, more than

400 years before Jesus was born, they began rebuilding

the Wall of Jerusalem. When the Wall was complete,

the waiting for the

Messiah began. It took

many years for the people

to be ready for Him.

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The flood did not solve the problem of sin. Men and

women were still born sinners, they still sinned, and

many chose to turn away from God. God knew the Ark

could not save His people from their sin, but He had a

plan. A perfect plan, as only God’s plans are! He knew

there was only one way people could be reunited with

Him. There was only one way they could be saved from

their sins. He knew they needed a Savior and He knew

exactly who that Savior must be. The time was not right

yet, but God always has perfect timing. He was going to

send the Savior, at just the perfect time, a time He

decided from before He created the universe. Who is this

Savior? When did He come? Why do we need Him? We

will answer these questions and more as we continue to

study the Bible together each day.

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God for His faithfulness in

keeping His promises. Thank Him, too, that He always

has a plan to save the faithful.

A Call to Abram December 4

Ornament: a camel

Memory verse: “... and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3b

Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1-7; Hebrews 11:8, Mat-

thew 1:1

Additional Reading: Genesis 12, 15, 17

Devotion: God called Abram to follow Him and he faith-

fully did. Abram did not know the destination, he did not

know how far it would be; all he knew was God told him

to go and he had faith and went. He followed God!

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Take a moment and think about what Abram did. Abram

was 75 years old and was probably set in some of his

ways. He had not moved around very much. He had

friends and family. Yet his faith in God was great; when

God told him to leave his home, his country, the place

where he felt comfortable he did. He didn’t argue with

God. He didn’t think it over and weigh the options. He

followed God! It may be easy for us to think, if God told

me to leave my home, to leave Slidell, to leave even the

state of Louisiana to follow Him I would. Yet, when we

think about the real situation Abram was in, we can see

how tremendous his faith was. It is no wonder we read

about Abraham in the New Testament in many places

including Hebrews 11, described at times as “the hall of

faith” because of the examples set by those listed.

God chose to use Abram in many ways and Abram

followed him. The first seven verses of Genesis 12 reveal

the promises God makes to him. (Genesis 15:1-21

describes the promises as well.) What did God promise

Abram? (He would become a great nation and receive

land. He was promised seed, that his offspring would be

as numerous as the stars, and was given divine

blessing.) These promises were not all fulfilled in

Abram’s lifetime. Abram struggled against sin, as each of

us does. He lied about being married to Sarah and even

doubted God would give him a son. Yet through it all he

grew in faith, he grew to know there is nothing too

difficult for God. He learned God always keeps His

promises! He grew to become a man of tremendous faith

as we will learn about more in tomorrow’s devotional

after God changed his name to Abraham.

Prayer Suggestions: Pray for obedience in following God

wherever He leads, and trust Him in all circumstances.

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The Exile

December 19

Ornament: a fiery furnace

Memory verse: “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 1:8

Scripture Reading: Daniel 3:19-29; Jeremiah 1:8

Additional Reading: 2 Kings 17:1-23; 25:1-17; Daniel 3;

Isaiah 43:2; Jeremiah 1:8

Devotional: Idol worship was one of the main reasons

God brought judgment on the children of Israel. But as

we see in this passage, not everyone worshiped idols.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were brave young

men and they loved God. They refused to worship a big

idol (or statue) that King Nebuchadnezzar had built.

They were probably afraid of what might happen to

them, but it was far more important to them to obey and

trust God than to give in to their fears or dishonor God.

They knew God is the One who gives eternal life and

strength in this life to overcome fears and temptations.

God honored their faith by saving their lives! Then King

Nebuchadnezzar saw what happened and he began to

praise God too.

Prayer Suggestions: Sometimes we are tempted to be

afraid or do bad things. Ask God to make us strong like

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to stand up and be

counted for Him. Help us know that He is with us and

will strengthen us.

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Prophecy of the New Covenant

December 18

Ornament: a heart with writing on it

Memory verse: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 31:33

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Acts 16:31

Additional Reading: Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Hebrews 8-10

Devotion: A long time ago, God made a promise or

covenant with the children of Israel. As long as they

obeyed the Ten Commandments, God provided for them.

But if they broke any of the laws, God punished them.

That would be very hard to live by, and it was! After all,

God knew none of us would be able to keep the entire

law. But God still loved His children even though they

continued to break His laws. So God decided to give

them a new promise, or a New Covenant. He would write

His law on their hearts.

God sent His Son Jesus Christ, who was the only man to

fulfill the law, to earth to save us from our sins, and

when we believe and trust in Jesus to forgive our sin, He

puts His law in our hearts. He also gives us the Holy

Spirit who will be our Helper, who leads us and guides

us and gives us strength. God gives us grace to help us in

times when we need help (Hebrews 4:16).

Prayer: Thank Him for the New Covenant which is

written on our hearts.

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Isaac and the Lamb December 5

Ornament: a lamb

Memory verse: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29b

Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-19; Isaiah 53:7; John

1:29; 1 Peter 1:19

Additional Reading: Genesis 22; John 1

Devotion: Abraham and Sarah had a child named Isaac

just as the Lord had promised them. They loved Isaac

very much, as God intends parents to love their children.

What did God ask Abraham to do? (Yes, He asked him to

take Isaac to the top of a mountain and offer him as a

burnt sacrifice.) How was Isaac described in verse 2?

(Abraham’s son, his only son, the son whom Abraham

loved…) Did Abraham argue with God? (No) Did he turn

and try to hide like Adam and Eve? (No) What did

Abraham do? (He obeyed God the next morning,

gathered the materials he would need, and departed with

Isaac as the Lord instructed him too.) As Abraham was

about to offer Isaac as the sacrifice, what happened?

(God told him to stop) What did God provide to Abraham

and Isaac for the offering? (a ram) Why did God ask

Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice? (He was testing

Abraham’s heart.)

In the Old Testament one of the animals which was sac-

rificed was a lamb. The lamb was sacrificed in order to

cover sin and to pay the price for it. In the verses you

read together as a family, who was going to be sacrificed?

(Isaac) Abraham thought he would be sacrificing his son,

Isaac, just as a lamb is sacrificed at times. In the Old

Testament this type of sacrifice needed to be given once a

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year, since the lamb was not enough to pay for all the

sins the people would commit.

Think about the description given in verse 2 (you may

want to reread the verse). This verse describes Isaac, but

who else does this description sound like? (Clue: Think

John 3:16) God asked Abraham to do something that He

knew He would have to do! Though unlike Abraham,

whom God stopped from offering his son Isaac as a

sacrifice, God’s Son would be sacrificed! He would be described as a lamb who was led to slaughter, the Lamb of God, a lamb without blemish, etc. Unlike the lambs though, He would die once, paying for the sins of the world. God knew there was only one way we could be saved.

Prayer Suggestions: Pray for a heart after God, being

willing to obey and trust in all circumstances. Thank

Him that He was willing to sacrifice His Son in our

place.

Ornament Tip: Have your child(ren) cut out a lamb. Glue cotton balls to body.

35 The next day again John was standing with two of

his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by

and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

John 1:35-36

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Devotion: It’s amazing to think that God would love us

so much that He would send His only Son, Jesus, who

was perfect and never sinned, to die on the cross for us.

It’s as if Jesus was born to die! But that was God’s plan.

The Bible says in Hebrews 9:22 that without the

shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. As we read in

Isaiah 53, it was prophesied hundreds of years before

Jesus was born that the Messiah (the Christ or Savior)

would suffer and die for us. That by His wounds we

would be healed (forgiven of our sin) and made right with

God.

Jesus willingly left heaven to be born as a human baby,

grow up and become a man so that He could die on the

cross for our sin. The Bible says that Jesus became sin on

our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). That means all the sins

of everyone in the whole world and everyone who would

ever live were laid on Him while He was suffering and

dying on the cross. Jesus willingly took the punishment

for our sins; He took the punishment that we all deserve!

Only Jesus could do this because He had never sinned.

The cross symbolizes God’s great love for us, and that

Jesus Christ willingly died for our sins. But, that’s not

all—God raised Jesus from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-

4) and now Jesus is in heaven praying for us all the time!

The Bible says that Jesus intercedes (prays) for us day

and night (Hebrews 7:25).

Like we read yesterday, our Lord will never leave us

when we put our trust in Him. What a wonderful Savior,

that He would be willing to suffer on the cross to make

us right with God and give us eternal life!

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God for the cross; suffering for

us, taking the punishment we deserve. Ask Him to help you

to live lives pleasing to Him.

28

A shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures where they

get plenty to eat; he leads them to still waters where

they can safely get a drink. The shepherd’s staff is used

to guide them or catch them if they fall. A shepherd

keeps predators away from the sheep—if a wolf tries to

attack, the shepherd defends the sheep by fighting off

the wolf! The sheep don’t need to be afraid of anything

because the shepherd is watching over them; just like we

don’t need to be afraid of anything because the Lord

Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, is watching over us!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who came to die for us so

that we can be forgiven of our sin. Have you trusted in

the Good Shepherd to save you from your sin? Jesus

came to die for us, but He didn’t stay dead, and if we

trust in Him, He has promised to never leave us

(Hebrews 13:5-6). He will always be our Good Shepherd,

watching over us and eventually bringing us to His

kingdom in heaven where we’ll live with Him forever.

Prayer Suggestions: Praise and thank God for sending

Jesus, His only Son, to die for our sin and be our Good

Shepherd. Thank the Lord Jesus for being our Good

Shepherd and watching over us now and forever, when we

put our trust in Him.

Prophecy of the Suffering Servant

December 17

Ornament: a cross

Memory verse: “Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:15

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53; Luke 2:8-18; John 19:11-

18; John 10:15

Additional Reading: Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:22;

Romans 5:9, 10, and 1 Peter 1:1, 19

13

35 The next day again John was standing with two of

his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by

and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

John 1:35-36

Jacob’s Ladder December 6

Ornament: a ladder

Memory verse: “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.” Genesis 28:15a

Scripture Reading: Genesis 28:10-17

Additional Reading: Genesis 27:41-28:22

Devotion: Remember the promise that God made Abram

(Genesis 12: 2-3; see Day Four)? Here God repeats that

same promise to Abram’s grandson Jacob, demonstrating

that He has been faithful to fulfill His promise and that

He will continue to be faithful. This was probably very

encouraging for Jacob to hear at this time, since he was

on the run from an angry brother and sleeping on a rock.

Jacob is at a low point in his life, but God encourages him

by telling him that He has chosen Jacob to be a part of the

fulfillment of His covenant with Abraham. Did Jacob do

anything to earn the Lord’s favor? No, God chose Jacob

over his brother for His own reasons that we could never

even begin to guess! In fact, according to the world’s

standards, God should have chosen Jacob’s older brother,

Esau, to play this part in history. But God in His sover-

eignty chose Jacob, made Jacob into a great nation, and

bestowed upon him the name “Israel.” It is, indeed,

through Jacob and his offspring that all of the families of

the earth are blessed; Jesus is part of this family line!

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God for His everlasting

faithfulness and praise Him for His sovereignty. Ask to

always be reminded that He is with you, wherever you go.

14

Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors

December 7

Ornament: a colorful coat

Memory verse: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…” Romans 8:28a

Scripture Reading: Genesis 37:3-36; 50:18-21; Romans

8:28

Additional Reading: Genesis 37-50

Devotion: Joseph did not get along very well with his

brothers. For one thing, everyone could tell that Jacob,

their dad, liked Joseph best because of that cool robe.

Also, Joseph told his family about his dreams in which

the rest of the family bowed down before him. This really

made Joseph’s brothers angry! In fact, they were so

angry that they planned to kill Joseph! They changed

their minds about killing Joseph, but decided to sell him

as a slave. The brothers took Joseph’s robe and dipped it

in goat’s blood to use as evidence that Joseph had been

killed by a wild animal. Jacob believed that Joseph was

dead, and Joseph was stuck as a slave in Egypt.

But Joseph’s story doesn’t end there. Time and time

again, God worked things out for Joseph so that

eventually Joseph was a great leader in Egypt, preparing

the nation for a horrible famine. The famine affected

Joseph’s family, too, and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to

ask for help. It was there that Joseph was reunited with

his brothers, and Joseph was able to provide them with

food and save their lives. Joseph understood that

through all of his troubles God had been with him,

working things out for good, and it was that knowledge

that allowed him to forgive his brothers the evil that

they had intended him.

27

As you put the dove and crown ornament on your tree

play “For Unto Us a Child is Born” from Handel’s

Messiah and remember you are not just preparing for

the birth of baby Jesus. You are preparing for the

coming of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will

reign forever and ever. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God that He would send his

Son to earth to be your Savior. Pray that we can be

patient and continue to pray for our own leaders while

we wait for God’s eternal government of peace.

Prophecy of a Gentle Shepherd

December 16

Ornament: a staff

Memory verse: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:9-11; Psalm 23:1-2; John

10:27

Additional Reading: Psalm 23; John 10:11-16

Devotion: When King David was a boy, he was a

shepherd. He knew all that a shepherd does to protect

his sheep. David wrote Psalm 23 because he thought of

God just like a Good Shepherd. God loves, guides, and

protects us when we put our trust in Him.

Have you ever thought about what a shepherd does? A

shepherd cares for his sheep completely. Without a

shepherd to take care of them, the sheep would die! The

shepherd keeps the sheep together with him. The sheep

learn to know the shepherd’s voice and they will only

come when he calls. If someone else calls them, they will

ignore the call.

26

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God that we can trust in His

plan. Pray that as we celebrate Christ’s birth we also

remember He will be coming again.

The Increase of His Government and of Peace

December 15

Ornament: a dove and crown

Memory verse: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.” John 14:27a

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:6-7

Devotion: Isaiah 9:6 is one of the most famous

prophecies of the Messiah. Remember Isaiah wrote this

700 years prior to Christ’s actual birth, but it is a

powerful and accurate description of the coming

Savior. Read Isaiah 9:6 again, but this time at each

reference look to see how this prophecy was fulfilled in

Jesus.

For to us a child is born (Luke 2:11), to us a son is given

(1 John 4:14); and the government shall be upon his

shoulder (Matthew 28:18), and his name shall be called

(Matthew 1:23) Wonderful Counselor (Colossians 2:2-3),

Mighty God (Romans 9:5), Everlasting Father (2 Peter

3:18), Prince of Peace (Romans 5:1).

Remember the child’s birth we celebrate this Christmas

is the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, on whose

shoulders a government shall rest like none we have ever

seen. Earthly governments rise and fall, but Christ will

establish a kingdom in the New Heaven and New Earth

that will be perfect, peaceful and have no end (Isaiah

9:7). For Christ’s new government will not be one

established by men, but made by the zeal of the Lord.

15

Again, God had demonstrated His faithfulness,

continuing to fulfill the promise that He had made to

Joseph’s great-grandfather Abraham, to make his

children into a great nation, and to bless all of the

families of the earth through him.

Prayer Suggestions: Praise God for His faithfulness and

sovereignty, and ask to remember in difficult times that

He is always with us. Pray for perseverance when things

are hard.

Moses and the Ten Commandments

December 8

Ornament: a tablet with numbers

Memory verse: “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:15-18; 20:1-20; Psalm

119:11; Galatians 3:19

Additional Reading: Exodus 1-15; 20; 32:15-18

Devotion: God gave Moses two stone tablets, “written

with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18), on which were

outlined a way to live that would serve as a sign, to both

themselves and to other people, that God had chosen

them as His people and that He would continue to be

faithful to the promise that He had made their forefather

Abraham.

Trouble was, God’s people from the very beginning found

it impossible to keep His Law (they were breaking

Commandments One and Two before Moses even made it

down the mountain!), even when they remembered what

it said (and they regularly forgot what the Law said)!

16

God knew that His people would fail to keep the Law,

and He knew that they could never be perfect. So why

would He bother with something so impossible? God

wanted His people to know that they were sinners and

completely unable to come to Him on their own. Their

sin, our sin, from the time of Adam and Eve, keeps us

separated from God, unable to approach Him and

certainly unable to live with Him for all of eternity.

There is nothing we can do to fix this situation; try as we

might, we cannot be perfect. Only God Himself can

bridge the gap between us and Him, and it is for this

purpose that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, died on the

cross, and rose from the grave! God gave His people His

Law to make it exquisitely clear that they were, and still

are, desperately in need of a Savior.

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God for the gift of His Son,

and seek His help to honor and obey Him.

For whoever keeps the

whole law but fails in

one point has become

accountable for all of it.

James 1:10

Canaan, the Promised Land of Blessings

December 9

Ornament: a cluster of grapes

Memory verse: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…” Psalm 103:2

Scripture Reading: Genesis 17:7-8, Numbers 13:1-2, 17-

23, 27

Additional Reading: Numbers 13-14:38; 24:17

25

We live now in a fallen world. Because of their sin Adam

and Eve were sent out of the peace and daily walking

with God in the Garden of Eden and sent to toil the earth

and face the challenges of our world (Genesis 3:17-

23). But God’s plan of salvation will result in the crea-

tion of a new Heaven and new Earth where peace will

once again reign and believers in Christ will return to

living with the Lord in His glory. That is the place that

Isaiah is describing.

The peace that Jesus will bring is sometimes described

by saying, “the lion will lie down with the lamb,” but that

expression is never mentioned in the Bible. The expres-

sion probably came from the actual prophecy of God we

read in Isaiah 11:6: “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and

the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a

little child shall lead them.” Natural enemies in this

world will be living in peace in God’s kingdom, without

fear of being hurt or destroyed.

Not only will peace reign, but also Isaiah 11:9 tells us

“the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the

Lord.” That is what we have to look forward to: a world

of peace filled with the knowledge of the Lord and His

glory.

And who will lead us to this peaceful place? Isaiah fore-

tells of Jesus twice in this passage. “A little child shall

lead them” (Isaiah 11:6) and “the root of Jesse, who shall

stand as a signal for the peoples” (Isaiah 11:10) are both

references to the coming Messiah and how He will lead

us to God’s coming kingdom and reign there in glory.

This Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus who has

already died for our sins, but who will also come again to

lead believers to the new Heaven and new Earth.

24

Isaiah 11:3-5 tells us more about what the Messiah will

be like, but Isaiah 11:2 tells us why He is special. “The

Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,” and that Spirit

brings with it “wisdom and understanding,” “counsel and

might,” and “knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” Jesus

is the descendant of man, but He is also fully God with

all of His wisdom, knowledge and might.

Christmas is not just another holiday. It is the

fulfillment of God’s promise, a celebration of the arrival

of the Messiah, the birth of a baby born fully man, but

also fully God. Jesus Christ, the prophesied Messiah, is

a descendant of Jesse, but He is also the Spirit of the

Lord. For only the God-Man would be able to fulfill God’s

promise for salvation for the world.

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God for fulfilling all of His

promises. Pray that you can fully understand the

miracle of God’s Word becoming flesh to be your

Savior. Pray that you can help someone else understand

that Christmas is more than a holiday.

The Wolf Dwells With the Lamb

December 14

Ornament: a wolf and a lamb

Memory verse: “Of Him shall nations inquire, and His resting place shall be glorious.” Isaiah 11:10b

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11:6-10

Devotion: Isaiah not only prophesied about the arrival of

the Messiah, but also about what Jesus will still accom-

plish. Isaiah 11:6-10 describes how Jesus will ultimately

change the world by the creation of a new Heaven and a

new Earth (Revelation 21:1-7).

17

Devotion: God had promised Abraham that his

descendants would be many, that through them

everyone on earth would be blessed (referring to Jesus),

and that Canaan would be their home. God repeatedly

reminded His people of this promise, and many of them

trusted in His faithfulness. Sadly, many others did not.

The account in Numbers takes place after God had

delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. They

witnessed the plagues that God brought on the

Egyptians (Exodus 7-12); they saw the sea part before

them (Exodus 14). God had been before them, leading

them, in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by

night (Exodus 13: 21). He had provided them with water

from a rock (Exodus 17:6) and food that condensed from

the atmosphere (Exodus 16:13-14). The Lord had done

great and mighty things on behalf of His people; surely

He had demonstrated His faithfulness!

Now God’s people had arrived at the land that God had

promised them, and it was everything He said it would

be! Yet again, God had proven that He will keep His

promises. There were some challenges ahead in taking

possession of the land, but surely God’s people would

trust Him to take care of that.

But God’s people did not trust Him. Well, a few people

remembered God’s faithfulness, and they tried to

convince the rest to do the same. But most of the people

whined and complained and did not trust God. So God

prevented the people from entering the land for another

forty years. Nobody who was alive to complain was still

alive when God’s people finally entered the land He had

prepared for them.

18

It seems to be in our nature to forget to trust God. He

has demonstrated His sovereignty and His love for us so

many times, but it is so easy to doubt Him. We have to

make a real effort to remember His faithfulness; we must

read in His Word the truth of what He has done and pray

regularly that we will remember to trust Him.

Prayer Suggestions: Thank God for His faithfulness, and

pray to remember to trust Him.

Ruth and Boaz December 10

Ornament: a sheaf of wheat

Memory verse: “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16b

Scripture Reading: Ruth 1:16, 2:5-17; 4:14-17; Matthew

1:5

Additional Reading: Ruth 1-4; Matthew 1:5

Devotion: Ruth gave up everything to follow Naomi to

Bethlehem. She left her land, her friends, and any

remaining family she might have had (we know of her

sister-in-law, Orpah). The Book of Ruth also makes a

point of mentioning that she was giving up her gods;

Ruth was a pagan woman. We don’t know for sure what

her motivation was for doing all this, although it’s clear

she loved Naomi. Her declaration that “your God (shall

be) my God” suggests that she made the decision to go to

Bethlehem as much to leave behind false gods and

embrace the one true God as to

continue to be with her

mother-in-law.

23

Prayer Suggestions: Pray to follow Josiah’s example and

recommit to God’s word. Pray that you will have oppor-

tunities and the ability to share God’s word with others

this Christmas and help them understand that Christ is

also their Savior.

The Branch will Bear Fruit December 13

Ornament: stump of Jesse with shoot

Memory verse: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14a

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11:1-5

Devotion: The book of Isaiah was written by the prophet

Isaiah who lived 700 years prior to the birth of Jesus. In

chapter 11 Isaiah is describing (or prophesying) about

the future Messiah. Isaiah 11:1 starts by telling us what

family to expect the Savior to come from. “A shoot from

the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall

bear fruit,” tells us to expect the Messiah from the

descendants of Jesse.

Do you remember who Jesse was? Jesse is famous for

being the father of King David. In Matthew 1:5-6 we can

find Jesse and King David listed in the ancestry of Jesus

just as Isaiah prophesized.

Notice how Jesse is described as a stump and the rest of

the family tree is a shoot or branch, but Jesus, the

Messiah, is the fruit on the branch. Like fruit is more

than the branch, Jesus is much more than a man. He is

God’s Word made flesh and sent to live among us (John

1:14).

22

Josiah’s story is one of individual redemption. “When

the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore

his clothes.” (2 Kings 22:11) Understanding he had

sinned against God, Josiah purged his kingdom of false

idols and worked to have the kingdom of Judah live

under God’s law. King Josiah is one of the great kings of

the Old Testament and a man who truly sought to follow

God: “Before him there was no king like him, who turned

to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and

with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor

did any like him arise after him.” (2 Kings 23:25)

But this is also a story of God’s wrath. No matter how

good Josiah was the people had sinned against God for

years and they would receive His punishment. A prophet

told Josiah what would happen to the people because of

their sins, “my wrath will be kindled against this place,

and it will not be quenched.” (2 Kings 22:17) Josiah was

spared seeing the disaster God brought to Judea because

of his obedience (2 Kings 22:17), but after Josiah’s death

Judea was put under the rule of terrible kings who, “did

what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all

that his fathers had done.” (2 Kings 23: 29-37)

Remember, Christmas and the birth of Christ is also a

story of redemption and punishment. Jesus is born to be

the Savior of the world, the God-Man who did not have to

rediscover God’s Word; He came to fulfill it. Christ’s

sinless life and sacrificial death was not to redeem

Himself, but to save everyone that believes in Him (John

3:16). But God’s punishment still exists for those who do

not accept God’s grace (Romans 6:23).

Josiah saved his kingdom for a generation. Jesus saves

everyone who believes.

19

Whatever her initial motivation, whether love of mother-

in-law or love of God, Ruth committed herself to serving

them both. There was no visible reward for doing either;

as widows, Ruth and Naomi’s prospects were dim, and

Ruth was committing herself to a life of poverty in a

foreign land.

Ruth’s righteous behavior earned her the admiration of

Boaz, and, in deference to Naomi, Ruth proposed

marriage (Boaz was so much older than Ruth was that

it’s not likely that he would have done it). Boaz accepted

the role of “kinsman-redeemer,” and the two were

married and had a son. Boaz redeemed Ruth in a way

that is not unlike how we are redeemed by Christ; she

was delivered from her former life and into a new one.

Furthermore, Ruth is fully integrated into the family of

God, so completely that she is the great-grandmother of

King David and part of Jesus’ family line!

Prayer Suggestions: Praise God that we are part of His

family.

The Unexpected King December 11

Ornament: a gold crown

Memory verse: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, 1 Samuel 17: 1-11,

32-50

Devotion: After Saul, the first king of Israel had dis-

pleased God, the prophet Samuel was sent to the city of

Bethlehem to find and anoint a new king. The Lord sent

Samuel to the house of Jesse to find a king from among

his sons.

20

When Samuel examined Jesse’s oldest son the Lord said

in 1 Samuel 16:7, “Do not look on his appearance or on

the height of his stature, because I have rejected him.

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the

outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

It is easy for us to also focus on outward appearances.

When we worry too much about how we look or we judge

others only by their appearance we are missing what

God considers most important – our heart. In Matthew

5:8, Jesus tells us, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for

they shall see God.”

If Samuel had followed his own judgment, he may have

chosen Jesse’s oldest son Eliab to be king. But Samuel

waited for God’s choice and found him where he was

least expected, Jesse’s youngest son, the little shepherd

boy, David.

As a boy David is famous for taking on the giant Goliath.

King Saul and all his soldiers were frightened of the

giant (1 Samuel 17:11,24). For forty days Goliath had

challenged the army of Israel to choose a champion and

again the choice would be someone no one expected:

David, a boy who was only at the camp to bring food to

his three oldest brothers who were serving in Saul’s

army (1 Samuel 17:17-18).

David refused armor and a sword and faced Goliath with

a shepherd’s staff, a sling, 5 smooth stones, and, most

importantly, his faith that the Lord would give him a

victory (1 Samuel 17:37). David defeated the giant and

the unexpected king became an unexpected champion

who defeated the enemy in a way that surprised

everyone.

21

Understanding David’s story helps us prepare our hearts

to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s champion

and the anointed King of Kings. A little baby born in a

manger is not how anyone expected the Messiah to

arrive and no one but God expected the battle over sin to

be won by the Son of God dying on a cross for our

sins. Jesus is the truly unexpected King, God’s

champion, who won the greatest victory not through

battle, but by doing God’s will and sacrificing himself.

Prayer Suggestions: As you prepare for Christmas, pray

that God will help you focus on what is truly important,

God’s love in your heart. Pray that you can have the

faith and courage to stand up to the challenges that you

will face. And pray that in all things you will seek God’s

will however unexpected it might be.

Josiah Finds the Law December 12

Ornament: a scroll

Memory verse: “But Jesus said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.’” Luke 11:28

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 22: 1-2, 8, 10-13, 16-20. 2

Kings 23: 1-5, 21-25.

Devotion: King Josiah was a descendant of King David

and is listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:10).

Josiah lived over 600 years before the birth of Christ and

became king when he was eight years old, ruling over Ju-

dea for 31 years. Before Josiah became king, God’s peo-

ple had turned away from Him, worshiping false idols

and living against God’s law. Josiah helped lead a revival

in the land after scrolls with God’s laws were discovered

and he realized how evil his kingdom had become.