CISSIE GRAHAM LYNCH

C I S S I E G R A H A M LY N C H
Cissie Graham Lynch is the daughter
of Franklin Graham and granddaughter
of Billy Graham. She is a ministry
spokesperson for Samaritan’s Purse and
the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Cissie and her husband, Corey, have two
children and live in Florida.
Dear Friend,

When I was a young girl, our home was filled with rich Christmas
traditions. From the decorations and food to family and activities,
each memory is dear to my heart. I can still recall the aroma of my
mother’s sweet potato soufflé drifting through the house and the
scent of fresh-cut pine filling our living room.

These cherished memories prepare my heart to celebrate the

true meaning of Christmas, the day when God gave this world
the greatest gift of all—His Son, Jesus Christ.

There was no stress that day in Bethlehem’s manger. No one

rushed about to make sure the greeting cards were sent or the
decorations were put up just right. The sole focus on that first
Christmas was a precious baby in the arms of His mother. That
baby brought the greatest joy of all: salvation to the world.

As you read this devotional, I hope that you will take a moment
to quiet your heart from the busyness and demands of this
season and let the Lord speak to you. I pray that you will respond
in praise to Him this holiday season—the way the shepherds and
wise men did: “They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy … and
they fell down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:10–11).

Merry Christmas!

Cissie Graham Lynch

 hroughout the Old Testament,
we read prophecies of Jesus Christ, the
promised Messiah. His coming is first
foretold in Genesis 3:15:

I will put enmity between you

and the woman, and between your
offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.

It’s the first time the Good News is mentioned in the

Bible. Right after Adam and Eve had fallen into sin, God
immediately revealed His plan to send a Redeemer, His Son,
to offer salvation to a sinful world.

Can you see the promise of Jesus in this passage? The

phrase “I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman
[symbolizing all of humanity]” describes the coming, long-
lasting struggle between good and evil. “You shall bruise his
heel ” refers to Satan’s attempts to defeat Christ, the woman’s
offspring. “He shall bruise your head ” foretells Christ’s victory
over Satan when He defeated death.

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 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, by Charles Wesley, is one of my
favorite Christmas carols. In the original version, Wesley refers
to that passage of Scripture:

Come, Desire of nations, come,

Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.

Since the beginning of time, Satan has been out to steal,

kill, and destroy us. He desires for you to follow his evil,
destructive, and deadly path. He repeatedly attempted to
defeat Christ during His 33 years on earth, and I am sure
Satan thought he had the final victory when Christ took His
last breath. But when Jesus rose from the grave, He conquered
death and defeated Satan. Remember, Jesus came to give life
to you and me:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
—John 10:10

Whether you are dreading this Christmas season or excitedly

anticipating all it brings, keep in mind that Christ stands
in victory. Don’t let Satan rob you of the joy of the season.

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Christmas is the time when we remember that God’s Son
was born—born to live so that He could die for you. What a
precious thing to celebrate!

What are you doing to take time to appreciate and focus on

the gift of Christ this Christmas season?

PRAYER: Father, I pray that You will open my eyes to the

gifts You give each day—and open my lips so that I can give
witness of Your gifts to others. Help me to celebrate the
miraculous birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and share the
Good News of salvation because of His ultimate sacrifice
on the cross.

More Prophecy Readings for Week 1

Numbers 24:17 Psalm 2:7

Deuteronomy 18:18–19 Isaiah 7:14
2 Samuel 7:12–14a Isaiah 53
Job 19:25 Micah 5:2

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 oo often Christmas becomes a time when
we overcommit ourselves to a never-ending “to-do
list.” We make promises to our families, friends, and
co-workers—promises that often become burdens.
From decorating, shopping, wrapping gifts, attending
parties, making cookies, planning activities for the kids,
and cooking, we run ourselves down physically, mentally,
and emotionally. We wonder, will it ever end?

We make so many promises during the holidays that we forget

the promises God gave in Scripture and His fulfilled promise
that we celebrate during this season.

In Genesis 12:2–3, God makes His first promise to Abraham,

known as the Abrahamic Covenant:

And I will make of you a great nation,

and I will bless you and make your
name great, so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and him who dishonors you I will curse,
and in you all the families of the earth
shall be blessed.

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 The word covenant simply means an agreement. God
made an agreement with His people through Abraham.

The Lord promises a “great nation” to Abraham

and goes on to promise Abraham that he will be a
“blessing.” Abraham’s descendants certainly became a
great nation, as evidenced by the genealogy found in
Matthew 1:1–17. Through the lineage of Abraham, God
blessed this world with the birth of His Son,
Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

In Genesis 22:17–18, He reaffirms His promise:

I will surely bless you, and I will surely

multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven
and as the sand that is on the seashore.
And your offspring shall possess the
gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed,
because you have obeyed my voice.

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Throughout Scripture, God continues to make
promises to His people. This week, read and rejoice in
the promises God has made to those who love Him.

What promises that God made through Scripture can

you see fulfilled in your own life?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I pray that You steady my

path and slow my pace. Allow me to stay focused
on Your unfailing love and enable me to share that
love for others through my thoughts, words, and
actions. God, help me to cling to Your promises
today and every day.

More Prophecy Readings for Week 2

Deuteronomy 4:29–31 John 14:1–3

Psalm 103:8–14 John 14:27
Isaiah 57:15 Romans 5:1
Luke 18:29–30 Romans 8:38–39

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 uring the Christmas season, some people
wonder about Jesus. Maybe you have known
Him for a long time, but you find yourself
in a valley, struggling to understand who
He really is.

In different chapters of my life, I have found my

relationship with Jesus changes. According to what I am
experiencing, He has been my Counselor, Prince of Peace,
Deliverer, and Comforter. He continues to reveal Himself
to me in different, yet more beautiful, ways through each
stage of my life.

Throughout Scripture over 200 names are given for

Christ. Some are titles for Jesus, while others are
concepts or descriptions of Him.

The message and meaning of Christmas is spelled out

in Isaiah 9:6. The Prophet Isaiah gives four

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 awe-inspiring names of our Lord that encourage
us, thrill us, and fill us with hope:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Each of these descriptions of Christ is reinforced and

expanded on through other Scriptures.

Wonderful Counselor: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let

him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach,
and it will be given him” (James 1:5).

Mighty God: “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With

man this is impossible, but with God all things are
possible’” (Matthew 19:26).

Everlasting Father: “Yet for us there is one God, the

Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things
and through whom we exist ” (1 Corinthians 8:6).

Prince of Peace: “For in him all the fullness of God was

pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself
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all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by
the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19–20).

The full meaning of these words from Isaiah should give

us enough strength, hope, and joy to face any crisis, to
endure any sorrow, and to meet any temptation.

How is God revealing Himself to you today?

PRAYER: God, You are El Roi—the God who sees.

Help me to see You today and every day. I pray this
Christmas season You will reveal Yourself to me
in new and amazing ways.

More Readings on God’s Names for Week 3

Psalm 25:5
Isaiah 54:5
Matthew 1:23
John 1:1
Hebrews 1:2–4
Hebrews 4:14–16
Revelation 19:11
Revelation 22:13

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 o you ever think about how Mary must have
felt after the angel Gabriel appeared to her?
She was a virgin and promised in marriage, but
Gabriel told her she would become pregnant
and give birth to God’s Son.

We cannot imagine the fear that probably swept over her. How
lonely she must have felt, and how scared she must have been
to face the next day. Who would believe her? How would Joseph
react? She would be a disgrace to her family. What would
people do to her? How could she bear it?

God chose Mary. He chose a poor, young girl to be the mother

of His Son, the Messiah. He chose the least of these to be the
mother of the King of kings. Even though she was selected by
God to carry out an honorable task, this announcement would
bring her ridicule and much pain. It would be years before her
name would ultimately be cleared and lauded. This chosen girl,
however, willingly submitted to God’s plan.

We read her response to God in Luke 1:46–55,

“Mary’s Song,” also known as the Magnificat.

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 Even in the depths of uncertainty and
loneliness, Mary sang praises to God:

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble
estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations
will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the
thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

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Mary recognized that God had a plan for her. She submitted
to His authority and called out to Him, shouting and
rejoicing. We, too, should sing praises to God this Advent
season. We can rejoice that He sent His Son once to this
earth and that He will send Him again (see John 14:3).

What other reasons do you have to sing praises to God

this season?

PRAYER: Gracious Heavenly Father, we praise Your

holy Name. Jesus, Messiah, King of kings, Lord of lords,
Jehovah, Elohim, Yahweh—we lift our voices and hearts
and proclaim that there is no one greater than You. God,
help to soften our hearts so that we can fully receive You
and hear Your voice when You call to us.

More Praise Readings for Week 4

Exodus 15:2 Psalm 150

2 Samuel 22:2–4 Isaiah 12:4–5
1 Chronicles 16:34 1 Peter 1:3–9
Psalm 103 Revelation 19:6

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scriptures are from

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, ©2001 by Crossway
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Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture on page 8
is HCSB. Scripture on page 12 is NKJV.

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