Impact 360 Institute

Behold. Our King.
In the days leading up to Christmas, we place ourselves in the seat of those who waited, yearned, and sought the Lord for the promised King. And we marvel anew at the faithfulness and deep love of God in the realization of his promises in Jesus.
This advent, we invite you to join us in the practice of scripture reading, memory, and prayer as we journey through the prophecies of the Messiah and their fulfillment in the birth and life of Jesus.

Pray:
As we enter into a time of reading Scripture, ask, “Lord, would you allow me to slow down and hear your voice today?”

Lord, as I read your word, would you illuminate, in new ways how the reality of you changes everything in my life. Because you are real and you invite me to be in relationship with you my perspective on everything changes. Would you let me see the world around me and the people in my life with your truth? You alone are worthy and all my praise I give to you my humble King.

Scripture:
Take your time reading through the passage. Read the passages 2 or 3 times, each time asking the Lord to speak to you as you meditate on His word.

When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.”
Luke 19:29-34

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.
John 12:12-16

The triumphal entry, might not, at first glance, be a part of the quintessential Christmas story. But the Christmas story begins the long-awaited perfected covenant between God and man. Jesus, our reigning King, lived among us then and still lives today. “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12).

Memorize:
In Psalm 119, the psalmist writes, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, so that I might not sin against you.” In memorizing scripture we place our minds in submission to the Lord. Focusing on God’s word aligns our thoughts with truth and helps us live our lives transformed in the likeness of Christ. 

John 12:13
So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”