A Prayer to Remember the Real Reason for the Season - Your Daily Prayer - December 19

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

your daily prayer devotional art


A Prayer to Remember the Real Reason for the Season
By: Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading:
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:11-14).

Listen or Read Below:

Due to materialism, the focus of Christmas can stray far away from Jesus. Christmas is often associated with giving and receiving gifts rather than celebrating the Lord. Becoming aware of the materialism surrounding the holiday season will help ensure that we keep Christ at the center of Christmas, rather than placing Him on the back burner.

Jesus is truly the reason for the season, and we must avoid allowing anyone or anything to distract us from Him. Psalm 73:25 states, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”

I am not often persuaded by the materialism of the world, but I must admit, Christmas gets me at times. I want to buy my loved ones great gifts, but I often don't have enough money to afford the nicest things, which makes me feel ashamed that I can’t keep up with this elaborate gift-giving.

You might be struggling with financial hardships this Christmas, but take solace in knowing that you can still have a great Christmas. It’s not about the huge presents or the elaborate parties. Remind yourself of this truth this holiday season, and it will help take some of the heavy weight off your shoulders. 

The Bible tells us, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:11-14). 

As the Gospel of Luke records, the Savior has been born, and He is the Messiah. The heavenly hosts appeared, and they praised God. They gave glory to God and lifted His Name to the Heavens. 

We need to take a moment to appreciate the lengths God went to in order to save us. He left Heaven to save us and bring us home to Him. Do we also have this great love in us? Would we leave the comfort of our home to die for someone else’s sins? Reflect on the matter and allow it to bring your heart back to Jesus. 

Ultimately, this is what Christmas is all about: Jesus was born into the world to save us. He lived a sinless life and died the death we deserved for us to live. The greatest gift has been given to us, and His Name is Jesus. During this Christmas season, let us find our hope, praise, and strength in the gift that the Savior has come. 

Let's Pray: 

Dear Jesus, I praise You for coming into the world as a baby to save me from my sins. You grew up, lived a sinless life, and died the death I deserved. I will never be able to repay You for what You have done. All I can do is give You praise and thanks this Christmas season and every season going forward.

Help me to always keep You at the center of the Christmas season, Lord. You are truly the reason for the season, and You have covered me with many blessings. Please prevent my heart from chasing after materialism again. Help me to only pursue You and follow Your heart. Merry Christmas, Jesus.

In Your Name, I praise, Amen.

Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/RoterPanther 


Vivian Bricker author bio photoVivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.

Related Resource: What If God’s Heart Toward You Is Kinder Than You Think?

In this episode of Talk About That, you will laugh along with stories about children’s books, volleyball mornings, St. Patrick’s Day, and even the questionable legacy of the Power Team, but underneath the humor is a thoughtful conversation about one of the deepest questions of faith: how God truly sees us. John and Jonnie reflect on weakness, mercy, and the struggle many believers feel in accepting that God is not only patient with them, but genuinely pleased to call them His own. It’s an honest, encouraging reminder that our relationship with God is not built on performance, perfection, or “having it all together,” but on His love, grace, and fatherly delight in His children. You'll come away challenged to see yourself less through the lens of self-criticism and more through the steady, compassionate eyes of a God who knows you fully, loves you deeply, and may just be rooting for you more than you realize. If you laughed out loud listening to this episode, be sure to follow Talk About That on Apple and Spotify!

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

A Prayer to Remember the Real Reason for the Season - Your Daily Prayer - December 19

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

your daily prayer devotional art


A Prayer to Remember the Real Reason for the Season
By: Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading:
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:11-14).

Listen or Read Below:

Due to materialism, the focus of Christmas can stray far away from Jesus. Christmas is often associated with giving and receiving gifts rather than celebrating the Lord. Becoming aware of the materialism surrounding the holiday season will help ensure that we keep Christ at the center of Christmas, rather than placing Him on the back burner.

Jesus is truly the reason for the season, and we must avoid allowing anyone or anything to distract us from Him. Psalm 73:25 states, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”

I am not often persuaded by the materialism of the world, but I must admit, Christmas gets me at times. I want to buy my loved ones great gifts, but I often don't have enough money to afford the nicest things, which makes me feel ashamed that I can’t keep up with this elaborate gift-giving.

You might be struggling with financial hardships this Christmas, but take solace in knowing that you can still have a great Christmas. It’s not about the huge presents or the elaborate parties. Remind yourself of this truth this holiday season, and it will help take some of the heavy weight off your shoulders. 

The Bible tells us, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:11-14). 

As the Gospel of Luke records, the Savior has been born, and He is the Messiah. The heavenly hosts appeared, and they praised God. They gave glory to God and lifted His Name to the Heavens. 

We need to take a moment to appreciate the lengths God went to in order to save us. He left Heaven to save us and bring us home to Him. Do we also have this great love in us? Would we leave the comfort of our home to die for someone else’s sins? Reflect on the matter and allow it to bring your heart back to Jesus. 

Ultimately, this is what Christmas is all about: Jesus was born into the world to save us. He lived a sinless life and died the death we deserved for us to live. The greatest gift has been given to us, and His Name is Jesus. During this Christmas season, let us find our hope, praise, and strength in the gift that the Savior has come. 

Let's Pray: 

Dear Jesus, I praise You for coming into the world as a baby to save me from my sins. You grew up, lived a sinless life, and died the death I deserved. I will never be able to repay You for what You have done. All I can do is give You praise and thanks this Christmas season and every season going forward.

Help me to always keep You at the center of the Christmas season, Lord. You are truly the reason for the season, and You have covered me with many blessings. Please prevent my heart from chasing after materialism again. Help me to only pursue You and follow Your heart. Merry Christmas, Jesus.

In Your Name, I praise, Amen.

Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/RoterPanther 


Vivian Bricker author bio photoVivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.

Related Resource: What If God’s Heart Toward You Is Kinder Than You Think?

In this episode of Talk About That, you will laugh along with stories about children’s books, volleyball mornings, St. Patrick’s Day, and even the questionable legacy of the Power Team, but underneath the humor is a thoughtful conversation about one of the deepest questions of faith: how God truly sees us. John and Jonnie reflect on weakness, mercy, and the struggle many believers feel in accepting that God is not only patient with them, but genuinely pleased to call them His own. It’s an honest, encouraging reminder that our relationship with God is not built on performance, perfection, or “having it all together,” but on His love, grace, and fatherly delight in His children. You'll come away challenged to see yourself less through the lens of self-criticism and more through the steady, compassionate eyes of a God who knows you fully, loves you deeply, and may just be rooting for you more than you realize. If you laughed out loud listening to this episode, be sure to follow Talk About That on Apple and Spotify!

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide