Denison: Advent Devotional for Thursday, December 12

Dr. Jim Denison's 2013 collection of Advent devotionals is entitled, "Looking Forward to Christmas", which he describes as "a time to celebrate the Nativity, and Christians around the world look forward to the season ... The details surrounding Christ's birth are a treasured story to each of us but, to the first century population, Jesus was an unexpected gift that most didn't know how to receive. It is still difficult for some people to receive what Jesus was born to give. Maybe that is why we have a Christmas season – to help others receive the most valuable gift, a relationship with the baby in the manger ... The Denison Forum offers this Advent book to help you spend a quiet moment each day, looking forward to Christmas and remembering why the baby in the manger was God's promised Messiah.

CLICK HERE for a free copy of Dr. Denison's complete 2013 Advent Devotional (in a downloadable/printable Adobe .pdf file)

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Thursday, December 12

The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land
Jeremiah 23:5

The laws surrounding the Christmas holiday have changed in my lifetime. Freedom of speech is not always the freedom to speak. Jesus was born a King, but was not able to live as one on earth. Scripture says he gave up "royalty" in heaven to become one of us. The world didn't treat Jesus as a "righteous Branch" and "a King" but that didn't change who he was. He was a king and he reigned with wisdom, doing what was just and righ.

• read the rest of today's devotional

Prior to founding the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, James C. Denison, Ph.D., was pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, a 10,000-member congregation in Dallas, Texas. He also pastored churches in Midland and Mansfield, Texas, and in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion and Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Dallas Baptist University. He is also the the author of seven books.