Category Archives: Reading Guide

Praise Through Reading the Word:

⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Colossians 1:15-20

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• What are some of Jesus’ aspects that these passages magnify?
• These passages were sung as hymns in the early Church. What are some songs that we sing that magnify Jesus similarly?
• We often talk about peace at Christmas. How is the way that Colossians 1:20 talks about peace different from the peace that people usually talk about?
• Ask God to set your mind to be more like Jesus’.
• Look back at today’s Scripture passages and specifically praise Jesus for who He is.
• Thank God for reconciling us to Him and giving us His Life.
  • Pray specifically for someone who needs to receive Christ as Savior and Lord.
  • Ask God for opportunity to share Him with them today.
• Pray specifically for families who are struggling during this Christmas season:
  • some who are separated because of sickness
  • some who have lost loved ones
  • some who have situations only known by God

Praise Through Reading the Word:

⁴⁶ And Mary said,

     “My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷      and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸   for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹   for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰   And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹   He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵²   he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³   he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴   He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵   as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

⁵⁶ And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

Luke 1:46-56

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• Think about what it must have felt like for Mary.
• Look back at Mary’s song (the Magnificat) and pray it to God yourself.

Praise Through Reading the Word:

⁴  Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵  But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
⁶  All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

⁷    He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
⁸    By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
⁹    And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰   Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
¹¹   Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
¹²   Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:4-12

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• What are some things that “dismay” you in your life right now?
• What does it mean that He was “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities”?
• Thank God for being your Savior.
• Look back over today’s Scripture reading, and praise God for specific things that He promised in this prophecy and fulfilled with His Life.

Praise Through Reading the Word:

⁸ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ⁹ who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ¹⁰ and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ¹² which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. ¹³ Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1:8-14

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³ waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-14

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• How, specifically, is Jesus our “blessed hope”?
• Thank God for the gift of His Holy Spirit.
  • Ask Him for opportunity to “not [be] ashamed” of Him and His gospel this week.
• Pray and ask for strength in specific situations.

Praise Through Reading the Word:

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
¹⁴  “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke 2:13-14

⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, ¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” ¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 5:5-14

Praise Through Song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmf7q_-dur4

Meditation & Prayer:

• Think/talk about the songs that the angels were singing in today’s passages.
• What songs do we sing today that are similar?
• Look again at the angels’ songs in today’s passages and pray these to God.
• Ask God for the opportunity to be a “herald” for Him this week.

Praise Through Reading the Word:

⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. ³⁵ And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:34-40

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• What does it mean to “love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”?
• What does it mean to “love your neighbor as yourself”?
• Tell God you love Him.
  • Be specific about your feelings toward Him.
• Ask God to give you opportunity to love your neighbor this week.

Praise Through Reading the Word:

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
—————-
⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-5; 9-14

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• What does “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men” mean?
• What does “all who did receive Him, who believed in His name” mean?
• Talk about how special it is that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”.
• Thank God for the truth of His Word.
• Specifically praise God for truths about Him that we see in today’s Scripture reading.
• Thank God for the gift of Life. 

Praise Through the Reading of the Word:

⁸  There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
⁹   All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
¹⁰   For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
¹¹   Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
¹²   I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
¹³   For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Psalm 86:8-13

¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:15-17

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• Why is God’s love described as “steadfast”?
• What are some things that make our God unique?
• Sing today’s hymn and think of three things you are thankful for.
• Tell God why you adore Him, and thank Him for your three things above.

Praise Through Reading the Word:

⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 3:16-18

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

• Think about how the gift of Christ’s life and sacrifice has impacted your life.
  • If you are reading as a family briefly share your testimony with each other.
• How can you share this gift with others during this season?
• Thank the Lord for the gift of salvation.
  • Individually, think on the sin that has enslaved you and thank God for purchasing your freedom from it with Jesus’ sacrifice.
  • Ask God to deliver you from specific sins and/or situations that you are struggling with/in currently.
• Pray specifically for people in your life who you believe do not know Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Praise Through Reading the Word:

²  The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
³   You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
⁴   For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵   For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶   For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷   Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:2-7

¹⁶ “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” ¹⁷ So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” ¹⁸ So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” ¹⁹ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? ²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. ²¹ When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ²² So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

John 16:16-22

Praise Through Song:

Meditation & Prayer:

Look back through today’s Scriptures and thank God specifically for 1) who He is, and 2) what He has done.