Denison: Advent Devotional for Tuesday, December 24

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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Tuesday, December 24

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God
John 1:12-13

God could have entered the world as a King but he came as a baby. God could have stepped into the world as the most brilliant of scholars, but he came as a newborn needing to grow and learn. God could have shown himself to the world as a giant, strong enough to pluck trees from the dirt or stop a flood with his hand. Jesus chose to come as a tiny infant needing protection.

• 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.