Respond like the Shepherds

Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing
Alleluia.
Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!

Luke 2:8-20

When I think about Christmas’s spent in Nigeria, I remember fondly the Christmas play which was performed every year. When the angel visited the shepherds, they fell down and shook violently which put new meaning to the line from Silent Night – shepherds quake at the sight.

This year I also found myself taking a look at how the shepherds responded to the message from the angels.

First, the shepherds were in the fields, doing what they did every night; watching over their sheep. But that night they had a surprise visit from an angel. When the angel spoke, they listened to the message and identified the important aspects of it. NIV Luke 2:10-12”…I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Second, after hearing and identifying the message they chose to verify it for themselves. v 15-16 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Third, after verifying that the message was true, the shepherds gave their testimony to everyone they came in contact with. v 17-18 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Fourth, after testifying and telling others, they went back to their jobs giving the glory to God for all they had seen and heard. v 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

So this year as we hear the familiar Christmas story let us think of responding like the shepherds. We can do this by: Identifying the message, Verifying the truth of the message, Testifying about the message (tell others), and Glorifying and Praising God for the message.

by Roxane Hill

Devotions May 31 – June 6, 2015

DAILY LINK WITH GOD 2015EYN Devotions graphic
A Daily Devotional Guide from the
EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)

EYN leaders in Nigeria believe prayer is one of the most important ways to support the Nigerian people and the Church.  These daily devotions were written by EYN members and published by the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Reading them daily is a powerful way we can be in solidarity and connect with our brothers and sisters caught in this crisis.  EYN’s daily devotional for 2015 will be posted a week at a time on this blog, appearing mid-week for the following week. More information about the crisis can be found at www.nigeriacrisis.org.

Click on this link for May 31th -June 6, 2015

EYN Devotions Jan 18-24, 2015

DAILY LINK WITH GOD 2015EYN Devotions graphic
A Daily Devotional Guide from the
EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)

EYN Devotion Blog Jan 18-24 2015

EYN leaders in Nigeria believe prayer is one of the most important ways to support the Nigerian people and the Church.  These daily devotions were written by EYN members and published by the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Reading them daily is a powerful way we can be in solidarity and connect with our brothers and sisters caught in this crisis.  EYN’s daily devotional for 2015 will be posted a week at a time on this blog, appearing mid-week for the following week. More information about the crisis can be found at www.nigeriacrisis.org.

EYN Devotions Jan 1-17, 2015

DAILY LINK WITH GOD 2015EYN Devotions graphic
A Daily Devotional Guide from
EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)

EYN leaders in Nigeria believe prayer is one of the most important ways to support the Nigerian people and the Church.  These daily devotions were written by EYN members and published by the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Reading them daily is a powerful way we can be in solidarity and connect with our brothers and sisters caught in this crisis.  EYN’s daily devotional for 2015 will be posted here a week at a time, appearing mid-week for the following week.

EYN Devotion Blog Jan 1-10 2015

EYN Devotion Blog Jan 11-17 2015

ABOUT THE DEVOTIONAL BOOK (Written By EYN)
Every church has the zeal for the spiritual growth of her members. That is why there are many spiritual devotional books in circulation. EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has seen the need for her members to have a devotional book that will build them spiritually. It is for this reason that this daily devotional guide is published. This devotional material is called “Daily Link with God.” The President encourages every EYN member to use Daily Link with God in order to build their family spiritually and mentally.

To achieve this, the 2015 Daily Link with God which is the fourth publication since the inception of the RPC is centered on “Knowing God and His full Purpose.” The Committee realized that having dealt with the subject of worship in the previous years, knowing God and His full Purpose will be the sustaining force of the Church. In the midst of persecution, the killing of members, destruction of worship places as well as business places. The activities of the enemies of the Gospel and the Church of Jesus which has displaced hundreds of thousands of EYN members, it is obvious that what will keep the church from disappearance as the blood thirsty people could want is the knowledge of God and His full purpose which will in turn propel members to complete devotion and acceptable worship of Him.

The Church devotional guide is divided into twelve months January to December with general and monthly introduction to make it unique. There are daily readings for each day with some explanations, lessons and prayers. This is made easy for the reader as we already know the need of our church members and clergy. It is our desire and prayer that anyone that reads and concentrates on this devotional book would be linked to God and grows spiritually. By so doing it will enhance the church spiritually, morally and otherwise. Worthy of note is that the Daily Link with God is not meant to be limited only for the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria, EYN) but for every believer in Christ Jesus. As you study God’s word daily, you will surely be blessed.