Have you heard the good news? There is a lot of focus on the good news towards the end of the year, particularly in December. However, we know that the good news is not limited to the holiday season but should be celebrated throughout the year. The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is the good news. This 7-day devotional will explore the good news of great joy, who the Messiah came for, how the good news inspires and uplifts, the impact of the good news on our lives, soaking in the good news, the benefits of the good news, and sharing the good news. 

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. - Luke 2:10(ESV)

Joy to the world! A season of Joy! Find your Joy this Season!  Embrace your Joy! Spread the Joy! These phrases are synonymous with the holiday season, and their main purpose is to encourage people to feel pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction. In fact, people are encouraged and expected to find joy anyway, in anything and anytime that pleases them. While that may sound invigorating, we know that true joy is internal and can only be found in God's presence. The Bible states in Psalm 16:11 that in God's presence, there is fullness of joy. Fullness of JOY. Being at the capacity or being complete in Joy. This can only be accomplished by being in God's presence. 

I remember talking to a friend who was going through a difficult season in her life. It seemed like every area of her life was heading downhill fast. Her marriage was falling apart, her child was miles away on a different continent, she didn't have a steady job, and she was extremely overwhelmed. I spent a lot of time encouraging her, praying with her, and assuring her that this was only a season. And, like every season, her situation would change in due time.  Some days later, I tried to contact her but noticed she didn't pick up her call and did not return her messages, which was unusual for her.  I later found out that she went on a solo retreat to spend time in God's presence. While she was away, she had no distractions: limited access to her normal life, no family or friends to talk to, no work, and no play. It was a time dedicated to spending time in God's presence. 

When I finally saw her 2 weeks later, she was glowing. I asked her about her retreat, and she said it was amazing. She was able to study the Word, pray, worship, and praise God uninterrupted. It was an experience like no other, and she was able to get clear directions on many aspects of her life. Words could not explain her time in God's presence. And even though her situation had not immediately changed, she was living in Joy. Joy that couldn't be taken from her because it was not given to her by man. She found great Joy in God's presence, and NO ONE could take that from her. 

Like this friend of mine, we have access to great joy in the presence of the Lord. It doesn't require going on a weekend retreat or even a complete separation from others. It requires intentionality. Cultivating the presence of God will create a life of great joy. 

Reflection: When was the last time you truly spent time alone in the presence of God? Take 10 minutes for the next seven days to spend one-on-one time in God's presence. Document your experience and watch your life transform to a place of great joy. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of great joy. As I strive to cultivate your presence, help me to be consistent and intentional as I spend time with You. Thank You in advance for the fullness of joy that I will experience according to Your Word. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. - Luke 2:10-11

The story of the birth of Jesus Christ has always been a reminder of how much God loves us. All of Us. Luke 2:10 tells us that the good news of great joy is for all people, not just a selected few. Not only the people we agree with or share the same beliefs with. Not only the people who attend our church or are of the same denomination as us. It doesn't matter what their political party or socioeconomic status is. The good news is for EVERYONE!

Jesus came as the Messiah to save us all. We all have access to the Messiah, but not everyone has accepted Him as Lord and Saviour. It reminds me of the access that comes with a new membership or credit card. There are some memberships that allow you access to special deals, airport lounges, or additional points just because you signed up. It is not impacted by the amount that is in your account or your available balance. Your membership gives you access. Unfortunately, not everyone who is a member takes advantage of the benefits. This can be a result of many things, such as limited knowledge of the benefits or prioritizing one specific benefit and not taking advantage of the others. 

Thankfully, the foundation of our faith is based on Jesus Christ being our Lord and Savior. And while there are other benefits of our faith, our membership stems from accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Understanding that the Messiah is for all people may shift how you perceive people from different cultures who have different beliefs and/or different ways of thinking or living. The only difference between a believer and a non-believer is that we are “members” because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. They, too, may become “members” and have the same access by taking the same steps. Nothing else is required. 

God wants everyone to have access to Him, which is why the good news is for everyone. Isaiah 61:1-3 discusses who the good news was meant for - the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the prisoners, and the mourners. The good news is for everyone: bringing restoration, hope, comfort, and so much more. 

Reflection: How can I approach or address people who may be different from me, remembering that they have access to the good news - the Messiah? 

Prayer: Father Lord, thank You for the good news and the access You have granted to everyone. Knowing that although everyone has access, not everyone has received membership because they have not accepted Jesus into their lives. Help me to remember to pray for those who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, in Jesus's name, I pray, Amen.

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  - Luke 2:10-11(ESV) 

When most people hear good news, they get excited and elated and sometimes go into celebration mode. It is a natural response because they are truly happy about the news or occasion. When it comes to the birth of a child, more people join in the celebration. Family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church members, and other loved ones. There's something about a child coming into the world that brings hope, joy, excitement, and pride. There was a family trusting in God for a child for many years. After praying, fasting, getting medical care, and doing anything necessary to conceive, they eventually conceived and gave birth to a child. The amount of joy and love that was poured out on the family was overwhelming (in a good way). I can only imagine the emotions at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. The feeling of love, delight, honor, and peace that someone has come to pay the price by dying on the cross for everyone. To sum it up in two words, it's inspirational and uplifting. 

Good Day Today has a segment titled "Good News," where inspirational and uplifting news are shared. Here, you can learn about good things happening to everyday people, and it will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It inspired and gave hope to many. Many people's lives were so impacted by the "Good News" that it changed their views on an array of topics.  Similar to how many people feel when they hear about the good news that is referenced in Luke 2:10. The good news of great joy for EVERYONE. Imagine everyone experiencing the joy that the family felt once they received the child they prayed for, a person who received an overdue promotion, or a student who waited for years for admission into a program. That's the type of joy the good news brought, and if you truly understand the purpose of the Messiah's coming, you will probably feel that joy as well. 

The act of God sending His Son to die for our sin is evidence of God's unconditional love for us. He was able to do what no one else could do to save us. What an inspiring and uplifting story. We are so valuable to God that He paid the ultimate price for us. It's encouraging, mind blowing, inspirational and uplifting all at the same time.  

Reflection: How does the good news referenced in Luke chapter 2 inspire and uplift you personally? 

Prayer: Almighty Father, I am overwhelmed by Your love for me. The act of sacrificing Your Son for me reminds me how special I am to You. Help me to be reminded of this good news when I don't feel my best or when I feel like I'm not enough. You showed me in Your Word that I am more than enough, and I am more than grateful. In Jesus's name, I pray, Amen. 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17(NIV)

Not all news is good news. There are several types of news that we are presented with daily, and they each fall into the category of hard news or soft news. Hard news focuses on politics, business, or watchdog news. While soft news primarily focuses on entertainment and lifestyle, such as culture, art, sports, or celebrity news. We also know that there is bad news, and the worst of all is fake news because when something is categorized as fake news, we begin to question everything about it. 

With so many types of news, it's important to be able to differentiate the various types and decide what type of news we absorb. My daily routine for many years was to watch or listen to the news twice a day: in the morning as I was getting ready to start my day and at the end of the day before I went to bed. Whatever I didn't catch in the morning, I would definitely learn about in the evening. This routine worked for a long while until I started noticing some things about me that I needed to change: my mood. I was anxious, paranoid, and, depending on the day, sad for no apparent reason. I took time to reflect on what I was taking in and the amount. I was spending more time listening to or watching the news than I was reading the Bible. The news was a part of my work conversations and family discussions and influenced where I went, my purchases, my diet, and so many other things. More than I realized, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, I needed a breakthrough to make the changes that I desired. I wanted to be more positive, more optimistic, enjoy the present, and look forward to the future. 

So I prayed, and I literally had a breakthrough. One day, the television in my serenity room just stopped working. This was not an old television, nor did it show any signs of issues. It went from working perfectly fine to breaking and never working again. Initially, I was annoyed, but the Holy Spirit directed me to wake up a few minutes earlier to start reading my Bible. The Bible was filled with good news. The more I read it, the better I felt and the mood that I was striving to change, transformed without even realizing it. 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 says, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Reading the Bible became my news source and corrected my mood. Since the breakthrough, I decided not to take in more news than the Word of God by only spending a few minutes reading the news instead of watching or listening to the news. This cut down the amount of news that I absorb from 2 to 3 hours a day to an average of 10 to 15 minutes on a good day. 

Reflection: Where do you get the majority of your news? Are you content with how much news you take in? 

Prayer: Almighty God, thank You for blessing me with the Word and the good news that is within it. Help me to prioritize the good news and manage, according to my capacity, the other news. Grant me the spirit of discernment to identify how the news is impacting my life, if at all, and give me the ability to make the necessary changes, in Jesus's name, I pray, Amen. 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit  - Matthew 28:19(NIV)

We've spent the first six days discussing the good news of great joy, Jesus being the good news, how the good news is inspirational and uplifting, how we receive our news, soaking in the good news and the goodness of the good news. We will end the week-long devotional with a charge to share the good news. 

Evangelism can be one of the most fearful parts of our faith. People are fine with giving their lives to Christ, but to tell others to do the same, now that's where it gets tricky. This may be because when we think of evangelism, we tend to think of street evangelism: passing out tracks or speaking into a large megaphone. At least, that was my perception of evangelism growing up. 

For many years, in downtown Chicago, I used to see a man in a gray suit on the corner of State Street and Monroe Street. Every day, he would stand on the corner, encouraging people to give their lives to Christ because time was running out. I rarely ever saw anyone stop or even pay attention to what he was saying. People would ignore him, ridicule him, look at him with annoyance, or just keep on walking. This is what I thought evangelism was, and I did not want to be a part of it. And I was partially correct. It is one method of evangelism but not the only way. 

The great commission in Matthew 28:19 tells us to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We are expected to share the gospel, but we have the flexibility to do so in our own unique way. God knows that we are unique, and He does not expect our approach to be exactly the same because we are not the same. He's interested in the assignment, not the approach. He died for all and would like all to have an opportunity to be introduced to Him.

Thankfully, there are several different platforms we can use to fulfill the great commission. I discovered over 20 methods to evangelize, and I'm sure there are many more. The key is to find one that is comfortable for you and utilize it. Everyone's story of salvation is unique, which tells you that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Jesus instructed His disciples to spread the Word because of His love for everyone. We owe it to Him to find a method that works to spread the Word. Now, this may require studying different approaches, joining an evangelism team, or incorporating evangelism into your existing team. It doesn't matter how; what matters is that you do it. It may be nerve-wracking at first, which is fine - most new things are, but with time and diligence, it will get easier, or you will get better. Take the first step by making the decision to evangelize and ask God to help you each step of the way. After all, He gave you the assignment, so He has the answer. 

Reflection: What's the one thing holding you back from evangelizing? Write it down and pray about it. If you already evangelize, how can you do more? Ask God to help you by giving you a blueprint. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have instructed me to spread the good news. Help me to discover the best approach for me. Give me the boldness to do what You have instructed me to do and hold my hand each step of the way. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen.