Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Matthew 2:9

God is The Promise Keeper and the birth of Christ is the fulfillment of promises as foretold through prophecies of the Old Testament. The aim of this devotion is to encourage you in your faith as you study some of God’s promises which are a glimpse into the events related to the arrival of Jesus which we celebrate during Christmas.

How will you prepare to celebrate the Savior's birth this year? Many people have traditions such as listening to Christmas music, sending cards, decorating a tree, or reading the Christmas story. During this Advent devotion, we'll be looking at 5 different responses from people who were present for the coming of Jesus and we'll look at how they prepared for His arrival. We'll now look at The Magi’s response.

Christmas isn't just about baby Jesus. It's about the glad tidings of great joy Jesus would announce from his cross! Join us for three days leading up to Christmas and see what Jesus' birth reveals to us about his Gospel.

Feel like the wonder of Christmas gets lost amidst all of the digital distractions and busyness of the season? This 3-day plan will help you to adorn your heart with wonder. Each day includes a "Wonder Challenge," a short, practical activity that will help to bring some wonder into your life through a reflection on a part of the story of Jesus' birth.

Heaven had a plan from the very beginning. Heaven’s plan was to bring us a Savior; this Savior, though human, was God Himself. Hay held the Savior who would save our hearts. Heaven’s plan began to be unfolded in the Old Testament, centuries before the birth of Christ.

The celebration of Christmas is less about Jesus being born in a manger and more about Him being born because we matter. God came to be with us because He didn’t want our world to be without Him. He intentionally chose the name Immanuel because He was no longer simply watching us, warning us, and waiting for us to get it right. He was with us. In this devotional, you will be challenged with a fresh perspective as you prepare for the Christmas season.

Reflections on the events of Good Friday told by characters from the nativity stories. An imaginative exploration of the wonder of the nativity and the sacrifice of the crucifixion.

Have you ever sat in front of your oven waiting for a frozen pizza to finish cooking?... Then you know what it’s like to wait in anticipation for something you want. Well here's some Good News you don’t have to wait for: Jesus is born! God has saved the world from sin! And guess what? He’s coming back again!

Have you grown up reading the Christmas story in the book of Luke? Most of us are very familiar with this story, but there may be some amazing things that you've never noticed before. Let's take a moment this Christmas season to look beyond the manager and discover some interesting facts about the Christmas story.

The magi, or “wise men,” are known for their gifts to baby Jesus—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But their story goes beyond giving; they also received profound gifts from God. In this 3-day reading plan, we’ll explore the three gifts God gave the magi and still offers us today. Based on The Gifts the Magi Received by Stephen Unwin, published by Our Daily Bread Ministries Australia, this plan reveals the generosity at the heart of their journey and the gifts that continue to inspire us.

The story of the birth of Christ read and illustrated directly from the pages of Scripture. Plan starts in Luke 2:1-17 then transitions to Matthew 2:1-12. The plan ends with Christ's teachings found in Matthew 11:28-30 and John 3:16-18. This plan is illustrated scripture courtesy of The Video Bible, read by actor Max McLean with permission by Biblica.

What would make this Christmas awesome for your marriage? How do we take a season that is often filled with stress and anxiety and turn things around? In this reading plan, Dr. Kim Kimberling addresses four things you can do as a couple to reduce the stress and anxiety of the season and help you focus on Jesus. Your Christmas and your marriage can be better than ever.

The aim of this devotion is to help you put a little bit of "Awe and Wonder" back into your celebration as you contemplate and celebrate the birth of Jesus from a child-like faith. During this special time of Christmas celebration, may you prepare your heart to prepare Jesus even more room all year through.

Are you looking for Jesus amid the tinsel and bows? He is here for you, but when you encounter Him, what will your response be to the God-child? These guided audio Meditations from the Manger will follow along with the Magi, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and Simeon. Contemplating their thoughts, fears, and passions as they encounter the birth of the Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

When the Magi found Jesus, they honored Him with gifts: Gold for the everlasting King, Frankincense for the Wonderful Counsellor, Myrrh for the Mighty Warrior, and Worship for the Prince of Peace. How will you honor Him today?

The glorious event of the birth of Jesus teaches many lessons beyond the traditional tales of Christmas. This devotional takes a closer look at some of the events surrounding that holy moment and discusses how we can leverage the opportunities from the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ beyond the seasonal celebrations and into our everyday living.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the greatest gift of all, Jesus. Looking at the story of Christ's anticipated arrival at Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to be the fulfillment of God's promises and faithfulness. All our hopes and prayers are answered in the presence of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

At Christmastime, Advent calendars serve as tangible reminders of expectation slowly moving toward fulfillment. Likewise, the Old Testament records how the failures and weaknesses of God’s people created a longing and a need for a perfect King to come. This four-day plan reminds us that Jesus’ birth wasn’t an isolated event but the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish His kingdom forever. In Christ alone we find our long-expected, perfect King.

The vocations represented in the characters of Christmas can teach us a lot about God and how our work is a means of co-laboring with “the newborn King.” In this four-day plan, we’ll look at the vocations of the innkeeper, King Herod, the nameless manger builder, and Jesus himself to draw out applications for our own work today.

Game systems… new clothes… snacks that are honestly kind of gross but we eat them because it’s tradition… We are talking about GIFTS! Over the next few days, we will be focusing in on the greatest gift we could ever hope to receive: the Savior of the world… Jesus!

Every good story has a plot twist—an unexpected moment that changes everything. One of the biggest plot twists in the Bible is the Christmas story. Over the next five days, we’ll explore how this one event changed the world and how it can change your life today.

How is Christmas celebrated around the world? Over the next 5 days, we’ll learn from other cultures how they prepare for and celebrate the birth of our Savior. Included in each devotion is a family activity to incorporate in your family’s traditions.

The Christmas story is so familiar to those young and old. The manger scenes, shepherds, and wise men are all a part of a narrative that has been retold for over two thousand years. It’s easy to think it has nothing new to teach us. Yet, the word of God is living and active - it works in us in new ways every time we digest it. -Vertical Worship

We hate to admit it, but after years of reading the same story of Christmas, we get a little bored—we lose some of the awe that we had the first time. That's why The Characters of Christmas was written, to give you a fresh look at the Christmas story by getting to know the characters that played a part in Jesus' birth and restore awe to the Christmas story.

Watch this devotional plan to find out what you can do when the Christmas season isn't so happy and merry.