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Hey everyone! I’m Pastor John Harris. It’s Christmas Eve—can you feel the energy? We’ve been counting down, waiting, hoping, and today we hit the point: God shows up. Not just in a story, not just in our imagination—He shows up in real life.
Listen to Titus 3:4: “But when the kindness and loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared…”
Boom. That’s Christmas. The coming of Jesus isn’t just a cute baby in a manger. It’s God Himself stepping into our messy world, full of kindness, full of mercy. He comes to heal, to save, to change hearts. That’s what this season is all about.
So here’s the punchline: God’s kindness isn’t just for us to admire—it’s for us to imitate. Tonight, look around. Who needs some real, tangible help? Send a text, cook a meal, shovel a driveway, give a hug. Be the hands and feet of God’s mercy right now.
And hey—if you’ve missed any of our daily Advent devotionals, or want to catch up, go to johnmarkharris.net. All of December’s reflections are there—bite-sized, powerful, life-changing.
Merry Christmas, friends. Let’s live out the kindness that appeared in Jesus tonight.
I hope to see you tomorrow morning, check-in before the business of Christmas Morning.
God bless!

Hi everyone, I’m Pastor John Harris.
Thanks for joining me for today’s Advent devotional.
Advent is our season of waiting. Not a bored waiting… but a leaning-forward kind of waiting. A watching. A hoping. Advent reminds us that God keeps His promises—always on time.
Listen to today’s verse from Galatians 4:4
“When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”
I love that phrase—“the time came to completion.”
Not early.
Not late.
Right. On. Time.
All of history was moving toward Jesus. Every story, every rise and fall of nations, every silent night where nothing seemed to be happening… it was all heading toward this moment. God sending His Son. God stepping into our world. God showing up.
And that means something big for you and me today.
Because if God was that precise with the coming of Christ… He’s not guessing with your life either.
I know some of you are waiting right now.
Waiting for an answer.
Waiting for a breakthrough.
Waiting for healing, direction, or clarity.
And maybe it feels slow. Maybe it feels silent.
But hear this—God’s timing is never panic. It’s always purpose.
He’s not stalling. He’s shaping. He’s preparing. He’s moving things toward the right moment… even if you can’t see it yet.
So today, pray for patience. Pray for watchfulness.
Instead of “God, hurry up,” maybe pray, “God, help me trust You right now.”
Because if He knew the perfect moment to send Jesus…
He knows the perfect moment to move in your life too.
If you missed earlier devotionals in this series, you can catch all of them at johnmarkharris.net.
Thanks for tuning in—come back tomorrow as we keep walking toward Christmas with hope and open hearts.

Thanks for joining me again today on our journey through Advent—these days of anticipation and preparation as we get closer to celebrating the birth of Jesus. Advent simply means “coming” or “arrival,” and it’s a time when we remember not only that Jesus came to us in the past, but that He’s coming again.

Today’s verse, Hebrews 2:14, gives us one of the most powerful reasons why Jesus came: He shared in our flesh and blood so that through His death, He could defeat the one who holds the power of death—the devil.

Jesus didn’t stay distant. He didn’t help us from afar. He stepped right into our human story—flesh and blood, joys and sorrows, laughter and tears. Why? Because to defeat death, He had to face it. To break the chains of fear, He had to feel their weight. He entered our world so He could rescue us from the inside out.

Let that sink in: the eternal Son of God allowed Himself to be fragile, killable—even to die—so that death itself would lose its power over us. The devil’s greatest threat—death—has been disarmed by Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection.

So what does that mean for us?
It means we don’t have to live in fear of death, loss, or the unknown. Yes, we still grieve. We hurt. We face moments of anxiety about the future. But because Jesus has defeated the last enemy, we don’t face those fears alone, and they don’t get the final word.

If you’ve lost someone this year… if you’re wrestling with sickness, or just overwhelmed by a world that feels dark and uncertain… hear this: Jesus has already walked through the valley of death, and He came out the other side victorious. And He promises to walk with you, too.

So today’s invitation is simple:
Face your fears—not with denial, but with confidence. Confidence that Christ has conquered death. Confidence that your life is secure in Him. And confidence that the One who came in flesh and blood still holds you in His hands.

As we close, if you’ve missed any of the devotionals leading up to today, or if you want to go back and reflect on earlier days, head over to johnmarkharris.net. All the previous Advent devotionals are posted there for you to revisit or share with someone who needs encouragement.

Thanks for spending these moments with me today. I’m Pastor John Harris—keep your eyes on Jesus, and let His victory over death fill you with hope.

Hi, I’m Pastor John Harris! Today’s Advent focus is preparation. Listen to Isaiah 40:3
“A voice is calling: ‘Prepare in the wilderness the way for the LORD; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.’”
Wow. Did you catch that? Prepare in the wilderness. Not a fancy place, not a perfect place—it’s messy, wild, uncomfortable. That’s where God asks us to make room for Him.
Preparation isn’t just about cleaning up your schedule or your house. It’s about your heart. Is there bitterness? Unforgiveness? Guilt? That’s your desert. That’s your wilderness. God wants us to clear it out, make a straight path for Him.
So today, take a minute. Confess. Forgive. Let go. Smooth the bumps. The Lord is coming. And He wants to enter into a heart ready for Him.
If you’ve missed any of our previous devotionals this month, go to johnmarkharris.net and catch up. There’s a whole Advent journey waiting for you.
Get ready. Prepare your heart. God is on His way.

Hi everyone, Pastor John Harris here. Thanks for jumping in with me again for our daily Advent devotional.
Advent is all about waiting with hope. It’s about slowing down, lifting our eyes, and remembering that Jesus really came… and He’s coming again. Every day this month we’re taking just a moment to let that truth sink in.
Today’s verse is Philippians 2:7
“He emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
Let that hit you for a second.
Jesus… emptied Himself.
The Son of God didn’t show up with fireworks. He didn’t flex His power. He didn’t demand anything. He lowered Himself. He stepped into our world—our mess—on purpose. Why? To serve. To save.
This is the center of Advent.
God comes close… but He comes low.
He becomes like us so He can lift us.
And if that’s our King… then that’s our path too.
So here’s the challenge today: serve someone in a small, simple way.
Hold the door. Write the note. Make the call. Take the last place instead of the first. No spotlight. No applause. Just humility. Just love. Just Jesus.
That’s how we shine His light.
If you missed any of the earlier devotionals, you can catch them all at johnmarkharris.net—they’re posted there every day.
Let’s walk into Christmas with hearts like Jesus—humble, ready, and open.
See you tomorrow.