I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because they don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t… They don’t belong to this world, and neither do I. (John 17:14, 16 CEV) Twice in His prayer, Jesus emphasizes the fact that His followers “don’t belong to this world,”ContinueContinue reading “Not of the World”
Category Archives: Bible
A Friend Request
Servants don’t know what their master is doing, and so I don’t speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me. (John 15:15 CEV) God is so great and awesome, yet He wants to be our friend, and whatContinueContinue reading “A Friend Request”
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. (John 14:6 CEV) It amazes me how Jesus is the only spiritual leader in history to make this statement. He declared that He is the only way to the Father, the only truth and the source of life. He knew who He was andContinueContinue reading “The Way, the Truth, and the Life”
The Gift of Praise
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.” (Luke 1:68 NIV) We find several people offering the gift of praise in the nativity story. We hear… Mary praising God in a song, also known as “The Magnificat:” And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the LordContinueContinue reading “The Gift of Praise”
Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24 NIV) I don’t think we talk enough about Joseph’s sacrifice in the Christmas story. Joseph was a man who “was faithful to the law” (Matthew 1:19). He was pledged to be marriedContinueContinue reading “Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain”
Appreciate the Present
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 NIV) There’s a Christmas song that I like to listen to every year…It’s called, “Mary, Did You Know?” The song is aContinueContinue reading “Appreciate the Present”
The Gift of Worship
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 NIV We often associate the wise men with the gifts they presented the Christ child: gold, frankincense and myrrh.ContinueContinue reading “The Gift of Worship”
Rediscovering the Christ of CHRISTmas
“He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared forContinueContinue reading “Rediscovering the Christ of CHRISTmas”
Christmas: A Journey of Faith
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23 NIV) It doesn’t make sense, does it? Even Mary, who was chosen to be the mother of God’s Son, didn’t get it. “How will this be,” MaryContinueContinue reading “Christmas: A Journey of Faith”
No More Silent Nights
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:15 NIV) After 400 years of prophetic silence, the Word who was with God, and was God, became flesh and dwelt with the world He had created (John 1:1-2, 14). So imagine Israel’s joy when God finallyContinueContinue reading “No More Silent Nights”
Rising with the Son 