5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on the Sunday Message from December 7, 2025:
Day 1: Peace Through Worship
Reading: Revelation 4:6-11
The shepherds encountered fierce heavenly warriors—not gentle cherubs, but powerful beings covered with eyes and wings, ceaselessly worshiping God. Their response wasn't to run, but to receive the message of peace these warriors brought. True peace begins when we recognize God's majesty and respond in worship. This Advent season, before you tackle your to-do list, pause to worship. Sing a hymn. Pray with thanksgiving. Be still in His presence. When worship precedes our activity, peace follows. The angels' message remains true today: in the midst of extraordinary circumstances or ordinary routines, God offers peace through worship. Let your entire life—your time, finances, relationships, and work—become an act of worship.
Day 2: Remembering God's Faithfulness
Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7
Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, God promised a Savior. That's twenty-five generations waiting, remembering, and trusting God's word. The Israelites had to hold onto a promise they wouldn't see fulfilled in their lifetime. Yet God's word never fails. When you're anxious about unanswered prayers or delayed promises, remember: God's timing is perfect. He was working His plan from Genesis to the manger, and He's working in your life today. Take time to read the Christmas story again—not as a familiar tale, but as evidence of God's unwavering faithfulness. What He promised, He delivered. What He begins, He completes. Your circumstances may feel uncertain, but God's promises remain sure.
Day 3: Peace in the Mundane
Reading: Luke 2:8-20
The shepherds were doing ordinary work on an ordinary night when God broke into their world with extraordinary news. They weren't religious leaders or influential people—they were outsiders living with stinky sheep. Yet God chose them to receive the announcement of His Son's birth. After encountering angels and worshiping the newborn King, they returned to their fields—back to the same sheep, same work, same life. But everything had changed. They went back praising God. Your workplace, your home, your daily routines can become places of worship. You don't need a perfect setting or impressive credentials to experience God's peace. He meets you in the mundane. Whatever ordinary task you face today, invite His presence into it and watch it become sacred ground.
Day 4: The Practice of Gratitude
Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Paul's instruction seems impossible: "Do not be anxious about anything." Yet he immediately gives us the key—prayer with thanksgiving. When we're truly grateful, negative thoughts struggle to take root. This Christmas, when stress over gifts, gatherings, and expectations mounts, practice gratitude intentionally. Complaining about wrapping gifts? Be thankful you could purchase them and for the people who'll receive them. Frustrated by a crowded schedule? Thank God for community and relationships. Gratitude crowds out anxiety. It shifts our focus from what's lacking to what's abundant. The peace that surpasses understanding doesn't come from perfect circumstances; it comes from a thankful heart that recognizes God's goodness even in chaos. Make a list today of ten things you're grateful for.
Day 5: Jesus, Our Peace
Reading: John 14:25-27
Jesus didn't promise us a life free from trouble. He promised us His presence in the midst of it. "My peace I give you," He said—not the world's temporary peace that depends on circumstances, but His eternal peace that sustains us through every storm. Peace isn't a time frame, a calm relationship, or a stress-free season. Peace is a person: Jesus Christ. When He reigns in your life, peace follows. The shepherds experienced this—fear transformed into joy when they encountered Christ. You can experience it too. Anchor yourself in His promises: "Come to me and I will give you rest." "I am with you always." "Do not let your hearts be troubled." This Christmas, don't just celebrate what Jesus did; celebrate who He is—your peace, your rest, your constant companion. Let Him reign.
Day 1: Peace Through Worship
Reading: Revelation 4:6-11
The shepherds encountered fierce heavenly warriors—not gentle cherubs, but powerful beings covered with eyes and wings, ceaselessly worshiping God. Their response wasn't to run, but to receive the message of peace these warriors brought. True peace begins when we recognize God's majesty and respond in worship. This Advent season, before you tackle your to-do list, pause to worship. Sing a hymn. Pray with thanksgiving. Be still in His presence. When worship precedes our activity, peace follows. The angels' message remains true today: in the midst of extraordinary circumstances or ordinary routines, God offers peace through worship. Let your entire life—your time, finances, relationships, and work—become an act of worship.
Day 2: Remembering God's Faithfulness
Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7
Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, God promised a Savior. That's twenty-five generations waiting, remembering, and trusting God's word. The Israelites had to hold onto a promise they wouldn't see fulfilled in their lifetime. Yet God's word never fails. When you're anxious about unanswered prayers or delayed promises, remember: God's timing is perfect. He was working His plan from Genesis to the manger, and He's working in your life today. Take time to read the Christmas story again—not as a familiar tale, but as evidence of God's unwavering faithfulness. What He promised, He delivered. What He begins, He completes. Your circumstances may feel uncertain, but God's promises remain sure.
Day 3: Peace in the Mundane
Reading: Luke 2:8-20
The shepherds were doing ordinary work on an ordinary night when God broke into their world with extraordinary news. They weren't religious leaders or influential people—they were outsiders living with stinky sheep. Yet God chose them to receive the announcement of His Son's birth. After encountering angels and worshiping the newborn King, they returned to their fields—back to the same sheep, same work, same life. But everything had changed. They went back praising God. Your workplace, your home, your daily routines can become places of worship. You don't need a perfect setting or impressive credentials to experience God's peace. He meets you in the mundane. Whatever ordinary task you face today, invite His presence into it and watch it become sacred ground.
Day 4: The Practice of Gratitude
Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Paul's instruction seems impossible: "Do not be anxious about anything." Yet he immediately gives us the key—prayer with thanksgiving. When we're truly grateful, negative thoughts struggle to take root. This Christmas, when stress over gifts, gatherings, and expectations mounts, practice gratitude intentionally. Complaining about wrapping gifts? Be thankful you could purchase them and for the people who'll receive them. Frustrated by a crowded schedule? Thank God for community and relationships. Gratitude crowds out anxiety. It shifts our focus from what's lacking to what's abundant. The peace that surpasses understanding doesn't come from perfect circumstances; it comes from a thankful heart that recognizes God's goodness even in chaos. Make a list today of ten things you're grateful for.
Day 5: Jesus, Our Peace
Reading: John 14:25-27
Jesus didn't promise us a life free from trouble. He promised us His presence in the midst of it. "My peace I give you," He said—not the world's temporary peace that depends on circumstances, but His eternal peace that sustains us through every storm. Peace isn't a time frame, a calm relationship, or a stress-free season. Peace is a person: Jesus Christ. When He reigns in your life, peace follows. The shepherds experienced this—fear transformed into joy when they encountered Christ. You can experience it too. Anchor yourself in His promises: "Come to me and I will give you rest." "I am with you always." "Do not let your hearts be troubled." This Christmas, don't just celebrate what Jesus did; celebrate who He is—your peace, your rest, your constant companion. Let Him reign.