Christmas and Advent Plans

In Isaiah 9:6, we see that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. In this 5-Day Plan, we'll celebrate the arrival of Jesus by learning about His different names, and how they apply to our lives today.

Unto Us: Celebrating the Arrival of Jesus

One of the things that is vital for us during the Christmas season is to make sure we really understand the impact of Jesus' coming, His advent in our lives. This devotional will help you to focus on God’s greatest gift of all, Jesus, and the true meaning of His birth for our present lives and for all eternity. Walk with us through this 14-Day Christmas Devotional and experience your best Christmas yet!

14 Days Christmas Devotional

When was the last time you did a really deep dive into the Christmas story? From King Herod to the shepherds, Mary and Joseph, to the wise men and Zechariah, there is much to learn from the events surrounding the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Over the next 10 days, we’ll look at truths from the Christmas story we should live all year long. 

10 Days of Christmas Truths to Live All Year

Is it really possible to experience peace when life is painful? The short answer: yes, but not in our own power. In a year that has left us feeling overwhelmed, many of us are left with questions. In this 7-day Bible Plan, accompanying Pastor Craig Groeschel’s message series, we’ll discover how to find the Missing Peace we all crave.

Missing Peace

This year and last year have felt chaotic, stressful, uncertain, but God (I love those two words!) is unchanging, faithful, and our source of peace. Christmas is a time of remembrance, to reflect on what our God really did when Jesus was born in a manger. Follow along as we meditate on Christmas, joy, peace, love, and hope this Advent season. -Matthew West

We Need Christmas With Matthew West 

The celebration of Jesus' birth during Christmas time is about much more than a single event. Long before the Son of God took His first breath here on earth, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit determined a plan that would provide the greatest gift to all humanity: Jesus, the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God. Join us in this 5-day devotional as we celebrate the Gift That’s Freely Given.

The Gift That's Freely Given

In all the holiday hustle and bustle, it can be easy to lose sight of why we’re celebrating. In this 5-day advent plan, we’ll dive into the promises fulfilled by the birth of Jesus and the hope we have for the future. As we learn more about who God is, we’ll discover how to live through the holiday season with hope, faith, joy, and peace.

Living Changed: At Christmas

What if this Christmas, we were to remember the miracles that Jesus performed in the lives of those who came to Him? This Advent season, I pray you enjoy these 25 compelling stories based on the New Testament characters from The Chosen series. May their diverse, powerful testimonies inspire you to experience and become a miracle of God for others! Are you ready? You are a Miracle! Christian Misch

Chosen to Be a Miracle! Advent Plan Based on “The Chosen"

One Baby For The World takes you on an unforgettable Advent journey seen through the eyes of missions. Author Shari Tvrdik offers a unique perspective through Advent. She connects the powerful story of the nativity to her experiences with life among the suffering poor of Mongolia's ger district. Adapted from the book, One Baby For The World.


One Baby for the World: 24 Days of Advent From a Missions Perspective 

In a brand new devotional series titled, The Reason for the Season, Pastor Jim Cymbala provides fresh insight into the Christmas story. As he addresses the unspoken sadness that many carry at this time of the year, Pastor Jim Cymbala challenges us to think about what would mean the most to Jesus this holiday season.

The Reason for the Season

The Greatest Gift will take you through the Christmas story in ten days, reminding you of the reason why you can have hope, joy, and peace in a world filled with turmoil and despair. 

The Greatest Gift

Advent is a word full of anticipation, preparation, and celebration – the Latin word means “coming” or “to come.” Christ has come as a babe, is coming to each heart that invites Him, and will come again to bring you home. Our 25-day Advent plan includes short daily devotionals based on Scripture and focused on Light, Peace, and Hope. Prepare your heart for Jesus as you prepare to celebrate Christmas!

Light, Peace, & Hope for Your Christmas

Christmas is a season of wonder. So, let’s lay aside our lists, distractions, and cares to receive refreshment by reflecting upon a few of the nativity’s highlights. Reminding ourselves, that the story we love so well speaks directly into our lives today by pointing us to Lord Jesus. Realizing that in this lifetime, we will only begin to scratch the surface of Who He is and what He has done.

A Week of Christmas Wonder

In this special 13-day devotional, we'll discover how God made a way for us to be part of His family as we work our way through the family tree of Jesus. We’ll uncover how all of history points to the coming of Jesus, what it truly means to be a family, and how we’re all a part of this amazing story

Family Christmas

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas Devotional: Discovering the Real Jesus. I believe your life will be changed forever as we discover more intimately who Jesus is and learn about God’s grace, power, and love through His Son! We’d love to have you along for this journey as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of our Savior’s Birth.

12 Days of Christmas Devotional: Discovering the Real Jesus

God gave David a special promise. His descendants would reign over Israel forever. Biblical history shows us how God kept this promise in an amazing way, despite the unfaithfulness of David’s descendants. He sent Jesus Christ, the ultimate Son of David, who will be King forever and ever — not only over Israel, but over all the nations.



A Shoot From the Stump of Jesse

As the people in the story of Jesus’ birth are transformed by God’s salvation, we are also challenged to receive his salvation. God’s message is working its way out through us: through our humanity, and our yearnings and longings, and God’s presence in the midst of them. So, lean in and listen. Make room for God, and as he dwells within you, the world will see Jesus in the flesh.

Making Room in Advent

Consider this Bible Plan for pre-teens your six days of Christmas. (Because, who has time for all 12?) Get your heart and mind centered around the real meaning of this joyful season. Hint: It’s even better than candy, tinsel, and some guy in a red suit!

What Is Christmas All About?

 A four-day Christmas-themed devotional with Chris Tomlin, based around four songs off his project, ‘Emmanuel: Christmas Songs of Worship.'

Emmanuel: A 4-Day Devotional With Chris Tomlin

For generations, churches and families have used Advent wreaths to help prepare for celebrating the Lord's birth at Christmas. The evergreen wreath symbolizes eternal life and includes four candles—typically three purple and one pink, with a white candle in the middle that symbolizes the purity of Christ. Various traditions assign different topics to each candle, and the candles are usually given names to remind us of the good news of Christ's birth.

The Weary World Rejoices: Daily Devotions for Advent

Not many people knew about the first Christmas when Jesus was born physically on earth. Just a handful of people celebrated the first Christmas and were blessed. Even today, while many people celebrate Christmas, not everyone is blessed during this season. Let's take time to learn how to position ourselves for heaven's attention this Christmas. 

Get Positioned for Christmas

Many of us will not travel to every corner of the world except through stories. Stories transport us into countries, communities, churches, and homes we may never visit. 

In this global Advent, you are invited into the stories of children around the world who have experienced God with them. In their stories, you will see how Christ's hope, peace, joy, and love are still vibrantly expressed in our world. 

A Global Advent: 25 Stories of God With Us Around the World

Emmanuel – God with us! The promise of a child born to save the world rings out to our spirits today with comfort and reassurance that we are not alone. God is with us! If you’re feeling lonely or dealing with depression at Christmas, this 5-day devotional by Laura Woodworth will help you explore Jesus as Emmanuel: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Emmanuel - God With Us: Christmas Comfort for a Lonely World

With excerpts from the book "Shh… Baby Jesus Is Sleeping" by Lisa Tawn Bergren, parents and young children can think about, talk and share, and pray together as they explore some of the Christmas story. 

Shh... Baby Jesus Is Sleeping

What if you encountered God this Advent season? Prepare Him Room invites you to give God sacred space in your holiday season as you ponder the miracle of Christ within you. God invites you to be still and let Jesus radically transform you this sacred season. Let earth receive her King! 

Prepare Him Room

Christmas Plans

Since the Fall, humanity’s story has been saddled with sorrow. Yet at the end of the Book, we’re told that love will triumph.

Fall and Redemption

Do you feel like you're sitting in a waiting room waiting for a door to open? All of us are going to end up in a waiting room at some point. The problem is very few of us wait well. After all, waiting can make us feel powerless or even hopeless. However, the Advent season reminds us that God does some of His best work in the waiting room. Learn how to wait with God today!

The Waiting Room

Forgiveness is a big word, but what exactly does forgiveness mean? And what are the consequences if we don't forgive? And what is the difference between forgiving, pardoning and reconciling? This reading plan is structured like an Advent calendar: 24 “doors” and behind each one a little treasure awaits you about the incredible gift that Jesus gave you for Christmas.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation

This Advent reading plan guides you through the key themes of hope, love, joy, and peace, helping them connect God’s promises to their everyday lives. Each day includes a scripture passage, a brief reflection, and practical application, encouraging deeper faith and meaningful moments of reflection. As you prepare for Christmas, you will grow in understanding and experience the Advent season in a personal and impactful way.

Radiant YTH Advent

Celebrating Christmas is a tradition many of us look forward to all year. We play music, decorate trees, and throw parties all through December. This Advent reading plan aims to help in those celebrations by exploring the themes of the Christmas story. This plan can be read with friends or as a family (kids too!). Use the “Application Questions” for groups to center the conversation on Jesus. And, for families, use “Next Steps”, to find creative ways to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. 

Advent: I Love Christmas

No trips on donkeys. No angels singing. Not even a baby in a manger. Yet, there are still 25 gifts God wants to give you for Christmas. We can find them in a little, six-chapter book halfway through the New Testament. These are The Greatest Gifts, as revealed in Ephesians. Along the way, you'll find the gift of love, the gift of salvation, the gift of unity, and many more. Prepare your heart in a special way this Christmas season by receiving, and giving, God's greatest gifts.

The Greatest Gifts

All is Calm, All is Bright focuses on the Prince of Peace and celebrates the Light of the World.  Short devotionals take you from the Old Testament longing for the Messiah through the fulfillment of God's promise in the story of Jesus' birth found in the gospels. Each day's reading brings you one step nearer the heart of Christmas: Immanuel, God with us. 

All Is Calm All Is Bright

Over the first 25 days of December, we will cover the genealogy of Christ, the characters of Christmas, the prophecies Jesus fulfilled, who Jesus is, and the Christmas story. 

The Christ of Christmas

With all that noise telling us what Christmas should be about, it can be difficult to get to the point—to the heart of Christmas. That’s why, in this devotional, we’ll work to cut through the noise and discover the real meaning behind the season. We’ll look at what brings real joy and purpose in this holiday. We’ll unpack the incredible story behind the birth of Jesus Himself to understand what the purpose of Christmas really is.

The Purpose of Christmas

In this special 10-day devotional, we'll look at the story of Christmas, starting back in Genesis 1 leading all the way to the birth of Jesus. Together, we'll see how through of all history, God was moving the pieces into place to bring His plan of redemption to fruition. 

Christmas: The Lord Has Come

Seven hundred years before Christ was born, Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would be called a Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Only in the divine foreknowledge of God could all of these titles be perfectly fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This Advent, be awed and amazed at the Wonderful Counselor who’s a wonder of a counselor. Oh, come, let us adore him! 


He Shall Be Called

Immanuel, Prince of Peace, The Humble Servant, Promised Messiah, Our Coming King – Jesus!

Join us in this 7-day series as we explore the uniqueness of Jesus’s character as revealed through the Christmas narrative. Let us give Him glory and praise this Christmas!

The Uniqueness of Jesus

Discover the wonder and purpose behind Jesus' miraculous birth as told in Matthew 1. From Joseph’s courage to the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, these devotionals invite you to embrace the depth of God’s love, the reality of Emmanuel (God with us), and the ultimate gift of salvation. Rediscover Christ’s story and its life-changing significance.

Born to Save: The Christmas Story of Jesus

Spark awe and recapture the wonder of Christ’s birth in this 4-day Plan. Join Bible teacher Jen Weaver and explore Isaiah’s ancient prophecies, revealing the beauty and majesty of Jesus nearly 700 years before His arrival. Let these timeless truths inspire worship in your heart and draw you closer to Christ.

In Awe of Jesus: Christmas Foretold in Isaiah

Biola University's Center for Christianity, Culture & the Arts is pleased to share the 2024 Advent Project, a daily devotional series celebrating the beauty and meaning of the Advent season through art, music, poetry, prayer, Scripture, and written devotions. The project starts on the first day of Advent and continues through Epiphany. Our goal is to help individuals quiet their hearts and enter into a daily routine of worship and reflection during this meaningful but often hectic season. Our prayer is that the project will help ground you in the unsurpassable beauty, mystery and miracle of the Word made flesh.

The Advent Project: Week 4

This Advent, spend time in the opening verses of John’s Gospel reflecting on what these verses reveal to us about who Jesus is. 

Who Is Jesus?

To help prepare our hearts for the Christmas season, you can start December 1st and spend the next twenty-four days journeying through the Gospel of Luke together. Each day, you will read a chapter, reflect on devotional materials written by members of the Beijing International Christian community, answer questions relevant to your life, and spend time in prayer.

We hope this devotional reminds you of the true reason we celebrate Christmas and becomes something you can share with family, friends, or co-workers as you gather to study God’s Word together.

Advent Devotional: The Gospel of Luke

The music we sing at Christmas helps us to remember the story of Jesus and fills our hearts with hope, peace, love, and joy. This 5-day plan will encourage your heart as you learn inspiring stories behind some of our most beloved Christmas songs, including O Holy Night, Joy to the World, and Silent Night.


Songs of Advent

This Christmas season, let the Advent candles remind you of the hope, love, joy, and peace that are ours in Christ. Join author Lynn Austin as she reflects on the season of Advent in these devotionals and invites you to pray for those who need to come home to Him. 

Praying and Waiting for Christmas: A 7 Day Advent Devotional

Advent Study going through: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

Advent Study

As Bible teacher Dr. R.C. Sproul observes, the Christmas story is so familiar to many that “the words just slip over us.” 

These profound Advent readings, taken from Sproul's sermons, delve into the details of the first Christmas and reflect on how they impact our lives now, combining scholarly detail with heartwarming application.

Each day includes a prayer written by a well-known Bible teacher of our own day.

The Advent of Glory by R.C. Sproul: 5 Days Exploring the First Christmas

Advent

Finding Freedom: At Christmas

The names of God throughout scripture are essential in understanding His character and revealing the needs of His people. This seven-day devotional will take an in-depth look at each name and description the prophet Isaiah used for the coming Messiah, and why those names are just as important for us today as they were for the original audience. May it awaken our hearts to discover that God is everything we need and more! 

His Name Shall Be Called

This five-day devotional, "God With Us," reflects on the miracle of Jesus’ birth as Emmanuel—God with us. Each day focuses on a different theme: the gift of God’s presence, Jesus’ humanity and divinity, his love for us, his understanding of our struggles, and the joy of belonging to God’s family. Celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and the promise of Christ’s enduring presence with us.