For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 This Christmas, what are you expecting? What do you want out of Christmas this year? Of this past year, what is one thing you have learned? One thing I have learned is to love and love with the overflow of God’s love. Matthew 22:35-44 says this, “And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with…
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Advent Day: Twenty-Three
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Can we get serious for a moment and ask some hard questions? What are your beliefs based on? Truth or lies? Where do you base these truths on? Where do they come from? The Bible, the world, or our enemy, the father of lies? Read the following verses: John 8:44, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding…
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Advent: Day Twenty – Two
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worship him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:10-12 Christmas!!! The feels of Christmas can be different for everyone. There is excitement, happiness, stress, sadness, and fear. Gifts can add to these feelings. The discontent of “This isn’t what I wanted.” “How are we/I going to pay for all this?” “Where do I…
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Advent: Day Twenty -One
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born, “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'” Matthew 2:4-6 By the time Jesus is born, the Jewish people are desperate for a political revolutionary. Yet, the way we think and how God goes about his business is different. If we expect Jesus to fit into our…
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Advent: Day Twenty
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, an all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:1-3 Everything about Jesus’ birth was unusual. He is King. He is the Messiah. His humble birth challenged the status quo. We, as humans, make a lot of assumptions. What does God do? He shakes it up. He throws a twist to how we think things should or…
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Advent: Nineteen
And all who heard it were amazed a what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorified and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:18-20 Mary is a good role model for us. When everything was said and done, and everyone moved on, Mary stored up these treasures in her heart and pondered on them. She treasured God’s word. What was required of Mary being the mother of the Messiah? She had courage. If we are to walk in our calling, we…
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Advent: Day Eighteen
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. Luke 2: 15-17 Have you ever been in a nature storm? Either a blizzard, a tornado, hurricane, etc. Years ago, my family and I were on a closed road in the middle of Montana’s winter in a blizzard. We could…
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Advent: Day Seventeen
This will be a sign to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:12-14 The angles declared the glory and splendor of God. This year for us humans, we will get to see the Christmas star according to the internet. I really don’t know what people are expecting. I think about the night Jesus was born and all the splendor and majestic it must have been. Can I really grasp…
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Advent: Day Sixteen
And shepherds were living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:8-11 The angel brought the shepherds good news. The angel proclaimed to them that the Messiah had been born. This was a joyful night. What exactly is this great…
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Advent: Day Fifteen
And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:7 The arrival! In Luke 2, Jesus arrives. How exciting is this? The Savior was born. He was born in a humbling way. Jesus was born in the barn in Jerusalem. He was wrapped in cloths and placed in a manger where animals ate their food. Not a place you would think a king should be born or even laid to sleep! Joseph and Mary knew this baby boy was special. Did they really comprehend how special or what the…