There is no time of the year … like this time of the year. During this Christmas season, it seems that ordinary space and time are taken over by a sense of wonder and reverence and glee. And even though Christmastime is often filled with extra busyness and sometimes stress, at the heart of the season … is JOY. And that is as it should be… Christmas is meant to be a celebration of the One who came to give us life and to set us free! And that’s a...
Today we’re going to be talking about the Advent Conspiracy ‘in a nutshell’ … or how all of this could play out in our lives this season… In this Advent Conspiracy thus far, we’ve been talking about those in this world that are in serious need—like those in need of clean water (which we take for granted most of the time). And, I know that some have been thinking ‘we need to take care of our own!’ I’ve heard that said before. And, once again, that’s fine for ‘philanthropic giving’—to...
There was a musical that came out some time back that I truly enjoyed (thanks to my wife’s encouragement). And, in that musical, there was a song that came to my mind as I was preparing for today’s message. From Rogers & Hammerstein’s ‘The King and I,’ the song was “Getting to know you….” Do you remember that one? Here’s why it hit me so strongly… Getting to know God–desiring to do so–is the beginning of true worship. And, the more we get to know God, the more we will come...
Today begins the season of Advent—Advent 2010. Can you believe it’s here? Well, let me ask you this, as we begin this season together today: Do you remember how the Christmas story goes in the Gospel of Matthew? For most of us, we’re very familiar with the Gospel of Luke and the Christmas story there—reading Luke, Chapter 2 just about every Christmas Eve since the beginning of time … but, how does the story of Christmas go … according to the Apostle Matthew? Well, it was all about a dream—the...
Zechariah finally got it! It was more than just a miraculous birth to an elderly couple. It was more than just God being good to Zechariah and Elizabeth, rewarding them for their righteousness. It was a plan that would involve their son—a plan for the salvation of the world… Listen to our Bible story for today—this part of the Christmas story, the story of ‘the other nativity’… “The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how...
Have you thought about friendship lately? It’s one of those important aspects of life that I think about quite a bit, especially during this time of the year. It’s during times of the year like this—times when we feel loneliness just a little bit deeper, times when we feel hurt just a little more severely, times when we feel loss in a very profound way—that we really need true friends. But, what is a true friend? In a survey of more than 40,000 Americans these qualities were most valued in...
Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth; self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. (Micah 5:2) Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall, virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the Fall. (Isaiah 7:14) Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God; everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod. (John 6:38) Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree the rejected Son of God, He died to set men free. (1 Peter 1:18) Mary had...
How aware are YOU … of God’s presence during this very special season that we’re in? Here’s something that may be telling: What do you do personally in preparation for Christmas? Here’s Jane’s and my list… Shop for those who’ve given me their Christmas lists… Update the annual Christmas card list… Write my annual Christmas letter to both family & churches… Get the outside decorations put up while the weather’s still mild… Begin to sort through the inside decorations to see what’s still useable … and what might need to...
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