Posts with the category “advent-devotionals”

The joy of this day is that God the Father has done more than send his Son (v.7). He has also installed His King (v. 6). This One who came to earth in a humble manger as the Prince of Peace is now sea...  Read More

It is no surprise that Jesus quotes this verse when John the Baptist asks if Jesus is the Messiah promised by God (Matt 11:4; Luke 7:22). This chapter in Isaiah speaks of immense joy with the coming o...  Read More

The author of this Psalm remembers the redemption and restoration given by God. In the midst of a sincere longing for revival and rescue, he bears witness to the life-giving provision of salvation and...  Read More

I love that Mary went to the hill country, a pattern that we later see so much in Jesus' life. She was originally troubled at the saying of the angel when he told her she would give birth to the Son o...  Read More

Has the Lord ever asked the impossible from you? And if so, how did you respond? Listed below are some of his commands and potentially some of your responses:• "Love your neighbor..." But you responde...  Read More

The context of these verses is the impending judgment on Jerusalem and the foolish political alliance with Egypt (v. 18). The leaders of Jerusalem are ungodly, trusting in their own wisdom, rather tha...  Read More

Imagine for a minute the depth and dimension of the expectation illustrated in this prophecy of deliverance. The nation of Israel, after generations of fraill, ineffective human kings, longed for the ...  Read More

We have heard it. We know it. It's the most well-known Scripture of all time. Just ask the guy in the outfield holding the John 3:16 sign. It's the one Scripture that we can all recite—and we usually ...  Read More

This is a psalm of instruction and tells of the coming judgment on the great day of the Lord's return. We see that God is not impressed with our sacrifices if our hearts are not turned toward God. It ...  Read More

The purpose of Peter’s first chapter is to provide full confidence of one’s salvation. In the previous verses, assurance of salvation is found by spiritual growth of the characteristics listed. In tod...  Read More

In this passage Peter explained that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (v. 3). He has even made us "partakers of the divine nature" (v. 4), which refers to our new birth. Then...  Read More

The words, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven" gives us great insight into John’s character. He recognized that "all our righteousness is a filthy rag" (Isaiah 64:6). He underst...  Read More

In this Psalm, God had taken Israel out of bondage in Egypt. He had driven out the other nations and planted Israel like a vine in the Promised Land. They grew strong and very prosperous. Blessings we...  Read More

Many people are familiar with this prophecy as it is referenced in the story of Jesus' birth in Matthew 1:23, but it's also important to see the verse in its original context.Isaiah was speaking durin...  Read More

David begins this psalm with the statement, "I love You..." This is the only time in the Old Testament that this Hebrew word for "love" is used to express man’s love for the Lord. David is responding ...  Read More

God gave Isaiah a vision of the spectacular glory, and immediately Isaiah fell down and exclaimed that he was undone. This was the response of a sinful man before our holy God. We cannot endure His pr...  Read More

Christmas is a time for family and friends to celebrate the peace that Christ brought into the world (Luke 2:14). Sadly, many people find themselves estranged from someone they love during the holiday...  Read More

“Great” is a term we throw around a lot and apply to many different things. Maybe during this Advent season you'll see some dazzling Christmas lights, partake of a delicious holiday meal, or experienc...  Read More

"What do you want on your tombstone?" This was a popular commercial for a pizza company a few years ago, but it is still a great question for today. When you have passed away, how would you like to be...  Read More

How important is your family tree to you? For the Jew, family history and tribal position was everything. Therefore, it is not surprising that Isaiah uses ancestral language to describe the person and...  Read More

At first glance this story seems to be about sacrificial giving, but as we look closer, there is another dimension here. It seems to be more about the religious leaders than the poor widow! Jesus poin...  Read More

Religious groups of Jesus' day openly questioned him often. The Sadducees were one of these groups. They accepted only the first five Books of Moses and did not believe in angels, spirits, or the resu...  Read More

Here the reader encounters Isaiah, the tough prophet of God, looking forward to a day when the Messiah judges and reigns forever. This prophecy must have seemed a little far-fetched, because the power...  Read More

There is much in this Psalm to ponder. First, it’s a call for those whose help and hope is in the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth to continue praising and trusting Him (cf. Psalm 146:1-6). Take a ...  Read More

I love reading the stories when it's Jesus against the religious leaders. It's just like the TV shows where you know the good guy is going to win. So why watch it then?Because you have got to see how ...  Read More

The birth of Jesus took place; it happened. It’s not just a story or a fairy tale, it’s a fact. Even history books record that a man named Jesus lived in Israel. Sometimes a story can be heard so many...  Read More

It seems like every year the stores put out their Christmas trees and decorations earlier and earlier. Why? Because the spending during the Christmas season is what keeps many stores in business. The ...  Read More

People look forward to Christmas, giving and receiving gifts, getting together with family and friends, and enjoying good food. But sometimes people look forward to things that never come, a perfect s...  Read More

If you’re like me, there’s probably a whole list of things that need to be done to get ready for Christmas. There’s an entire storage rack in our garage that holds several tubs full of Christmas decor...  Read More

Dear Worshiper, During this Advent season, the staff of Campus Bible Church has prepared twenty-nine devotionals for you and your family. These devotionals will begin on Sunday, November 27th ...  Read More

Christmas Day is not just about family gatherings and exchanging gifts. It isn’t just about the Baby Jesus, meek and mild. It is about the Holy Son of God who existed for eternity in an intimate relat...  Read More

This prophecy from Isaiah sees a future with a restored creation.  The opening of blind eyes and deaf ears is precisely what Jesus did.  The healing of the lame and the mute were miracles Jesus showed...  Read More

The narrative of the birth of John the Baptist greatly affects the Christmas story. Without this narrative, the effect of a small baby who was Immanuel, God with us, would have very little effect. The...  Read More

It is a privilege to serve God’s purposes.  Mary was a simple, small town girl who loved God and was willing to be used by Him.  Because of her faith and acceptance of God’s calling in her life, we ha...  Read More

Mary was very surprised, perplexed, and afraid when she heard the words of the angel Gabriel.  Why would an angel greet her?  What did it mean that she was “highly favored” of God?  How was the Lord w...  Read More

In this mixed-up world, we equate material possessions with happiness.  But often those who have the most end up being the least happy.  According to Jesus, when we keep things for ourselves, we don’t...  Read More

It’s painfully ironic that Christmas, which ought to be a time of peace, joy, and celebration, is widely recognized as a time of stress, busyness, and depression.  At the core, I suspect our prioritie...  Read More

Are you a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full kind of person?  I admit that I have my cynical days, especially when I watch too much news.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure out something is broken i...  Read More

This psalm calls the people of God to worship Him. “Jerusalem” refers to all the people of God which at that time was Israel.  He watches over them and provides for them.  Nothing is done apart from H...  Read More

In the Old Testament, the Law required that a charge or allegation be verified by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Deut. 19:15).  Jesus alluded to this in John 5:30-47, when he summoned four w...  Read More