1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: their families in the areas they need at most. I'm 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: your host, Nicolette Belle. Over the last decade, we've helped 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the 9 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: devotion is written by Stacy Thacker, author of ten books, 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: including our brand new book, Every Day Prayers for Christmas. 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: To learn more about Stacy, or to learn more about 13 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: how you can get involved in the ministry of Million 14 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: Praying Moms, visit Today's show notes or Millionprayingmoms dot Com. 15 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: After a word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: our children. 17 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: What the people loved more than light? And this is 18 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 2: the judgment. The light has come into the world, and 19 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 2: people love the darkness rather than the light because their 20 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 2: works were evil. John three p Nineteen. My family loves 21 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 2: a good Christmas movie. We start on Thanksgiving with White 22 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 2: Christmas and work our way joyously through December with one 23 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: hope filled story after another. If your family is like mine, 24 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 2: you have a similar list as well. I don't think 25 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: I'm going out on a limb here too much, but 26 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 2: if I said bah humbug, you could probably know without 27 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 2: a doubt what story I'm talking about. The character of 28 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 2: Ebenezer Scrooge stands out as one of the greatest redemption 29 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 2: stories of all time. He went from Christmas curmudgeon to 30 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 2: Saint Nick quicker than Tiny Tim could say, God bless 31 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 2: us everyone. It only took three ghosts and a good 32 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: look at the emptiness his current path would lead him to. 33 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: In the end, if only every story had a happy ending, 34 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: and heart really did grow three times bigger when given 35 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: the opportunity something to think about. As much as we 36 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: love a good redemption story, Jesus warned us that not 37 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 2: every story would end that way. In his conversation with 38 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 2: Nicodemus and John three, Jesus tells him good news, but 39 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: doesn't mince words about the bad. He says, God loved 40 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 2: the world so much that he sent his son so 41 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 2: that no one would have to die without him, but 42 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 2: would instead have eternal life. God sent Jesus not to 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 2: condemn the world, but to save it. What does it 44 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: take to be saved? We simply need to believe in 45 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 2: the one and only son God sent. Yet, just at creation, 46 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 2: when God said, let there be light and the physical 47 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 2: boundary lines were drawn, when God sent Jesus, the true 48 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 2: light into the world, a spiritual boundary line was drawn. 49 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 2: Darkness fled and the people who love the darkness fled 50 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 2: to In some ways, it's unimaginable to think that there 51 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 2: are people who prefer their pride more than the light. 52 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 2: They cherish their sin more than freedom, and they hate 53 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: the light because it exposes their destructive deeds, deeds they 54 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 2: would rather hide and hold onto than walk with God 55 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 2: in the light. Does this break your heart like it 56 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 2: does mine? I think in the middle of the season 57 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 2: of Christmas, we should take some time to pray for 58 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 2: those around us who need the love and light of 59 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 2: Christ to flood their lives. I can imagine that you 60 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: know at least one person who needs this type of 61 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: intercessory prayer. Today. I have found people tend to be 62 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 2: more open to the Gospel message at Christmas time. Than 63 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: any other time of year. Perhaps this will be the 64 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: year their hearts will receive the good news that the 65 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 2: love was born at Christmas and that the light still shines. 66 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: Let's pray, Father, you sent your son into the world 67 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 2: because you loved us and desired to have an eternal 68 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 2: relationship with us. That is the best news. I know 69 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: people right now who don't know you personally. They live 70 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 2: and ourdarkness, and I pray that you would knock on 71 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 2: the door of their hearts today, open their eyes and 72 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: Lord to the light and love you have for them 73 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: in Jesus name. Amen. 74 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: I hope you're enjoying reading along with us this month 75 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,679 Speaker 1: in our new book, every Day Prayers for Christmas. Grab 76 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: your copy in a few for gifts wherever books are sold. 77 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: If you love the Everyday Prayers podcast, consider joining our 78 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: community with a ten dollar monthly donation through Patreon. When 79 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: you join, you automatically receive a new downloadable scripture inspired 80 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: prayer calendar every month, plus the devotions and prayers from 81 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: this month in written form, along with an invitation to 82 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: our monthly live mom chat. Learn more in today's show 83 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: notes or at Million Prayingmoms dot com. Until next time, friends, 84 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make His face 85 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,359 Speaker 1: shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the 86 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.