Welcome to the Paul Tripp podcast, where pastor and best-selling author Dr. Paul David Tripp connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

Today, we'll be listening to an episode of Paul Tripp's Wednesday's Word podcast, where I read aloud Paul's popular Wednesday's Word

devotional. If you'd like to subscribe to this podcast channel, search for Paul Tripp's Wednesday's Word

wherever you listen to podcasts. Here's this week's Wednesday's Word podcast.

I'm Dalton, a member of the Paul Tripp Ministries team.

Join me each week as I read aloud Paul's popular Wednesday's Word devotional.

You can subscribe to our email list to receive this devotional straight to your inbox

each week, or you can read online at paultrip.com slash Wednesday, or on Facebook, Instagram,

and the Paul Tripp app. This week we'll hear another poem from Paul called,

Thou art not thy king. Here's this week's Wednesday's work.

On a night in lowly Bethlehem, Mary gave birth, not in the ornate nursery of a palace,

not in the home of an influential family, not in anywhere you would want your baby to be born. This was not any baby. This was the promised Messiah, wonderful counselor,

mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace, son of man, son of God, sacrificial lamb, the way, the truth, the life, the redeemer,

the hope of humanity, the Savior, Jesus. His humble birth predicts the nature of his life. His

humiliation rescues us from our self-exaltation. His humiliation is our salvation. His humiliation purchased

our final exaltation. He left splendor so that we would live in splendor forever.

Humble birth, humble life, humble death. This is the story of grace. Christmas is a story of kingdoms at war, the kingdom of God, and the

kingdom of self. That battle still rages on the turf of your heart today, fighting for control of your

soul. There will never be a truce, and no demilitarized zone exists in any area of life. These two kingdoms cannot live in peace with one

another. Each kingdom demands your loyalty and your worship. Both kingdoms promise you life, but only one

can deliver. One leads you to the king of kings, while the other sets you up as king. Jesus came to earth as a king to dethrone all other rulers

and set up his grace-infused, life-giving reign in our hearts.

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