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Journey to Bethlehem Day 5

Thursday, December 5 Romans 13:8-14


8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.


What is your first thought in the morning when you wake? Is it that salvation is nearer to me now than when I first believed, or nearer than when I went to sleep last night? Well it is!! For some this is an exciting and comforting thought. For others maybe not so much. Perhaps they aren’t quite sure of their own salvation; perhaps there exits an area of unconfessed darkness; perhaps they have a loved one that has not yet come to Jesus, or maybe they just haven’t thought about it.
Well it’s time to wake up from our spiritual sleep and put on the armor of light and know that the day of Jesus’ return is at hand! Jesus is coming back, Paul is telling us to live like it!
In this Advent season, we wait expectantly to celebrate the birth of our Savior and prepare our hearts for his coming. However, Advent is more than that. It is excitement and anticipation for the return of our Lord Jesus when all will be made right. “The day is at hand!”
During this Advent season may we as believers remember to cast away any areas of darkness that keep us hiding in the night and to daily clothe ourselves in presence of Jesus by putting on his armor of light. Let us tell our family and friends of the light of Jesus that has come into the world casting out the darkness of sin and may we be found walking in daylight when Jesus returns.


Lord, in this Advent season fill us with great expectation and excitement for your return. Help us to examine our life for any area of darkness and reveal it to your light. When we wake tomorrow let us rejoice that “salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed.” Amen.