"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

It's only the 13th of December, we still have 12 days to go before the 'big' day and life couldn't be more hectic. Granted, Laurie and I got a late start in preparing for Christmas this year as we had out of town family staying with us through Thanksgiving. Then I left for the first few days of December for a conference in California.

After fighting far too long with way too old icicle Christmas lighting I gave up and to this moment have a forty foot dark gap on our roof line. I haven't even started thinking about gifts (thank you Lord for Laurie) and am trying to do some last minute scheduling of leadership meetings before the end of the year.

At this pace Christmas will fly by and we'll hardly take a breath to rehearse the why behind the season. Tonight, while Laurie was making banana bread for our neighbors, I played catch up reading John Piper's Advent devotional The Dawning of Indestructible Joy to her.

Within a few minutes of reading about the 'advent' or coming of the Lord of glory, 2 Corinthians 11:3 hit my mind reminding me this season of all seasons should be about the "simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ". I stopped and refreshed my mind with the truth of God's Word and asked Him to do whatever necessary that we would not complicate the coming of Jesus to seek and save the lost.

Father please forgive me for giving into the busyness and pressures of our hectic culture. Guard us Father from the subtle seduction of this world, our flesh, and the enemy. Please bring us back to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus and resist the materialistic madness of our day. Thank You for loving us so much that You would give Your only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life.

His Kingdom Come!
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