Latest / Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast / Signs of Purpose: Celebrating the Birth of Christ

Transcript

Signs of Purpose: Celebrating the Birth of Christ · Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hello, hello.
• 0:01
  Speaker 1: You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 34.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: This week's devotional is titled Signs of Purpose Celebrating the Birth of Christ.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Let's go, merry Christmas.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan.
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart my journey and love for Jesus Christ, my Savior.
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hot Podcast.
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: This is a weekly devotional.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier.
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born, four months early in 2023.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: Through that challenging time, god worked in ways that truly amazed me.
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith, woven together with scripture, to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives.
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through.
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together.
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: Let's all pray within.
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: Signs of Purpose Celebrating the Birth of Christ, episode 34, key Passages Luke 2, 12, luke 2, 9-11, matthew 2, 1-2, and Matthew 2, 9-12.
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: Welcome back to the podcast.
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: Today we're celebrating something truly special the birth of Jesus Christ.
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: Merry Christmas, everyone.
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: I hope you're all enjoying this time to celebrate fellowship and spend quality time with loved ones.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: But let's take a moment to refocus.
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: Christmas is ultimately about Jesus.
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: But let's take a moment to refocus.
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: Christmas is ultimately about Jesus.
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: Let's make sure we're starting and stopping with him always.
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: As we near the end of my ebook, 25 Days Till Christmas, I want to highlight the last few days leading up to December 25th.
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: On days 21 through 23, I explore who visited Jesus after his birth.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: If you're not familiar with the story, it was the shepherds and the magi, or the wise men per se.
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: So let's talk about this.
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: What motivates you?
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: Do signs mean anything to you?
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: Well, I just want to say look at how amazing God is.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: He often uses our interests or signs to grab our attention and guide us in the direction he's planned for us.
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: This reminds me of a personal story, something that shaped my perspective on purpose Years ago when my husband and I were dating in New York City.
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: At the time, I had a tough moment in my career.
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: At the time, I was working at the flagship Macy's store on 35th Street and I took great pride in that accomplishment.
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: But my boss was difficult and I started questioning if I was good enough or if that job was right for me.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: Instead of facing the issue at work, I unfairly took it out, took out my frustration on my then boyfriend or my husband.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: Now.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: It led to a breakup and for weeks I was lost, wondering about my purpose and blaming everything on my personal life instead of dealing with my career struggles.
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: Then one day I went to the grocery store typical thing that was near my apartment and I walked in and on a promo like display I saw a massive setup of red Gatorade.
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: Now, red Gatorade I don't drink, but you know there it was and I know that that may not mean a lot to anyone else, but for me it was a sign.
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: My boyfriend obviously my husband now loved red Gatorade.
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: It was his go-to, whether he brought it to my place all the time or I had it stocked for him there.
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: Standing there in that aisle, I thought what am I doing?
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: I love this man.
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: He's everything I've ever wanted.
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: I called him immediately and the rest is history.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: Thank God he took me back Six years of marriage and over 10 years together.
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: Later, here we are.
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: I know Gatorade has nothing to do with Christmas, but for me it was a sign.
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: God used something as simple as a bottle of Gatorade to remind me of what I was overlooking.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: Just like the Gatorade was my wake-up call or sign, baby Jesus was the wake-up call for the shepherds.
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: Look at Luke 2.12.
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: It says this will be a sign to you.
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: You see, jesus was the good news, as it says.
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: And um, it's shared in Luke 2, 10 through 11 to the shepherds from the angel it says Shepherds, humble and often overlooked in society, were chosen to be the first to see the Savior.
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: Think about that.
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: This just shows that salvation is for everyone, regardless of the status.
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: Now the Magi, a wise man, were viewed as astrologers and intellectuals.
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: God used a star, something they would naturally be drawn to, to lead them to Jesus.
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: So look in Matthew 2, 1 through 2.
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: It says Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: When they finally saw Jesus.
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: They were overjoyed, as described in Matthew 2, 10 through 11.
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: They worshiped him and presented gifts of gold and all these things and each of those gifts symbolized spiritual significance in Jesus's life and I really explore those in my ebook, day 23.
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: So go check it out Now.
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: Here's the takeaway God places signs in our lives to guide us.
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: For the magi it was a star, for the shepherds it was literally Jesus in a manger, in a humbling environment where he was born, and for me it was a display of red Gatorade.
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: Each of these signs pointed us back to the purpose, reminding us that God has great plans for us, but none of it would be possible without the birth of Jesus Christ.
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: First, jesus completes our purpose on earth.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: When we embrace that, we can live our fullest lives for him.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: Today, I thank God for the signs he's placed in my life that made me reflect or made me realize the direction I needed to go.
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: That Gatorade pointed me to my husband.
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: My husband makes me a better wife, a better mother, friend, daughter and a believer.
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: He was the first person to support me with this podcast and I thank the Lord every day for him.
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: And without God's direction, without Jesus, none of this would have been possible.
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: The birth of Christ is the greatest gift, the beginning of salvation for us all.
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: So, as you celebrate today, cherish the signs God gives you and live your purpose for him.
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: Merry Christmas, everyone.
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: Thank you for listening, and have a happy, happy new year.
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: Well, that wraps up this week's episode.
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: I hope these devotions help you draw closer to God each day.
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode.
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessimorganhomecom or find me on Instagram at jessimorganlife.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: Remember God's timing is always perfect.
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: Keep trusting him Until next time.
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: This is Jessi Morgan praying off.