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Hi everyone, Pastor John Harris here. Thanks for joining me for today’s Advent devotional.
Advent reminds us that Jesus came… and Jesus is coming again. It’s about waiting with purpose… expecting God to move… right where we are.
Our verse today is Luke 2:8
“Now there were shepherds in that same region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.”
I love this. God sends the announcement of the Messiah straight to ordinary people. Not royalty. Not experts. Shepherds. People out in the cold. People just doing their job. People most folks didn’t notice.
But heaven saw them.
And heaven went to them first.
The good news isn’t guarded. It’s not hidden. It’s not for “special” people. It comes to the lowly… the watchful… the ones just trying to make it through another night.
And that means God can speak right into your life, right into your routine, right into the place you think doesn’t matter.
So here’s the challenge today—simple and real:
Share Jesus with someone who might feel unseen. A neighbor. A co-worker. Someone who’s always in the background. A quick word. A moment of kindness. A “you matter to God” kind of conversation. Keep it simple. Let God do the rest.

If you’ve missed any devotionals, you can watch the whole series at johnmarkharris.net. They’re all there for you.
Let’s live this out. The Savior came for everyday people… so let’s bring His hope to everyday people.
I look forward to tomorrow.

Hi everyone, Pastor John Harris here. Thanks for joining me for today’s Advent devotional.
Advent is all about waiting… longing… looking for the moment when God breaks into our world with hope. And today’s verse takes us right to the heart of that moment.
Luke 2:7 says, “She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them”
Just let that hit you for a second.
The King of glory… the Son of God… came in like this. No fanfare. No palace. No soft bed. Just a teenage mother, some rough cloth, and a feeding trough. This is how God chose to show up.
Why?
Because humility is His heartbeat.
Because love stoops low.
Because Jesus came for the forgotten, the pushed-aside, the overlooked.
And if the King came in vulnerability… then following Him means we go low too. We serve. We notice the people others walk right past. We give kindness where it’s least expected. We choose humility over pride. That’s real Advent living.
So today—ask the Lord, “Who can I lift up? Who can I bless? Who’s feeling unseen?” And then do something simple… and quiet… and humble. Just like Jesus.
If you’ve missed any of the earlier devotionals, you can catch them all at johnmarkharris.net. Keep walking with us each day as we lean into this season with open hearts.
See you tomorrow.

Hey everyone, I’m Pastor John Harris. Thanks for jumping into another day of our Advent journey. Advent simply means “arrival.” It’s this season where we stop, breathe, and remember that Jesus came… and Jesus is coming again. And that changes everything.
Today’s verse goes straight to the heart. Luke 1:45 “Blessed is she who believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”

This is great! Mary didn’t have all the answers. She didn’t know how God was going to do it. She just believed. She trusted that if God said it… He meant it. And Scripture says that kind of faith is blessed. Not because the person is strong. But because God keeps His promises. Every time.
That’s the point today: Belief in God’s word is blessed because God keeps His promises.
He’s never dropped one. Not once. Not ever.
So here’s your application—simple, but powerful:
Boldly hold God to His promises.
Seriously. Practice it. Don’t just say you trust Him—remind yourself what He said. Grab one promise from Scripture. Something real. Something for you. Maybe it’s His promise to never leave you. Maybe it’s His promise to give wisdom. Maybe it’s His promise to supply what you need. Speak it out loud if you have to.
Because faith isn’t wishing. Faith is remembering. Faith is leaning. Faith is saying, “God, You said this… so I’m standing on it.”
If Mary could believe in a promise that seemed impossible… you can believe God for the promise sitting right in front of you.

If you missed any earlier devotionals in this month-long Advent series, you can catch up at johnmarkharris.net.
See you tomorrow as we keep pressing into the hope of Jesus.

Hey everyone, Pastor John Harris here. Thanks for joining me for today’s Advent devotional. Advent is this season where we slow down and remember that Jesus didn’t just show up—He was promised. He was expected. And God kept His word.”
“Today’s verse hits hard. Luke 1:38 ‘See, I am the Lord’s servant,’ said Mary. ‘May it happen to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.’”
“Man… Mary’s response is wild. She’s young. She’s scared. The angel just dropped life-altering news on her. And she still says, ‘I’m Yours, Lord. Do whatever You say.’ That’s faith. That’s surrender. That’s trust in motion.”
“Mary gives us a picture of what real faith looks like—faithful submission. Not just nodding along. Not just agreeing in theory. But stepping into God’s plan even when it feels big… or heavy… or impossible.”
“And here’s the challenge for us today: when God asks something hard of you—when He nudges you to forgive, to serve, to give, to risk, to step out—pray Mary’s prayer. Simple. Honest. Brave: ‘May it be to me according to your word.’ Say it until it sticks. Say it until it becomes your first response instead of your last.”
“That’s Advent faith. Trusting the God who keeps His promises.”
“If you missed any earlier devotionals this month, head over to johnmarkharris.net and catch up. I’d love for you to walk through this whole Advent journey with us.”
“See you tomorrow.”

Hey everyone, Pastor John Harris here with Day 9 of our Advent journey.
Real quick: Advent is that season where we slow down just enough to remember we’re waiting—waiting to celebrate Jesus’ first coming and getting our hearts ready for His return.
Today we’re parked on one line the angel says to Mary. Luke 1:31, Christian Standard Bible:
“Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.”
That’s it. Simple. Direct. No metaphors, no footnotes.
God puts skin on His promise. A real baby. A real name you can say with your mouth. Jesus—the One who will save His people from their sins.
God doesn’t deal in vague hope. He deals in names, birthdays, and crying in the middle of the night. That’s how solid His word is.
And the same God who gave Mary a person with a name? He’s given you that same Jesus for today. Not just for Christmas morning—for the text you don’t want to answer, the doctor’s appointment, the quiet moment when fear shows up.
Whisper His name in the middle of the ordinary. Jesus. He’s near. He’s real. He’s already here saving you, step by step.
If you’ve missed any of these first nine days, head over to johnmarkharris.net and catch up. They’re short, but they’ll stir your heart.
We’re waiting together—and He’s already with us. See you tomorrow.