Posts with the tag “advent-devotionals”

During the holidays our home is filled with various nativity scenes. They help me reflect on that moment in human history when Jesus Christ took on flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14.) However, there...  Read More

The New Testament alludes to Jesus Christ being the Cornerstone, which is defined as the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, all other stones are set in reference to this ston...  Read More

God declares Himself to be the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. What an incredibly powerful statement. Nothing came before Him, nothing will come after Him. As f...  Read More

Hopefully when you see a title like “the Rock” your first thoughts aren’t of Dwayne Johnson or that mid 90s movie with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage. I admittedly thought of those things eventually b...  Read More

I love my Christmas tree. It is beautiful with all the twinkly lights sparkling their announcement that it is Christmas time. Truth is it would not look as lovely in my living room without the lights....  Read More

I know it would be natural to think of this literally, that if we believe in Jesus we will never go hungry or thirsty again. But it goes beyond this.  Jesus can provide for our physical needs but He w...  Read More

I like stories. One of my favorite parts of the gift-giving process is the story behind the gift. Whether I am the one giving or receiving, I think a good story makes a good gift even better. I love t...  Read More

The book of Isaiah was written approximately 750 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.  Isaiah prophesied that God the Father would give His Son and one of His names would be Wonderful Counselor.  T...  Read More

Peter stood there. The question had been asked. As he reflected on it, things went on in his mind. Jesus had just healed a blind man. “Who do people say that I am?” Jesus had asked.Peter’s attention t...  Read More

I love a good Christmas tree. There’re the ornaments, the star on top, and of course, presents underneath. Gifts are concealed in a box and a layer of wrapping paper then placed under the tree and we’...  Read More

After the angel explained to Mary that she was with child by the Holy Spirit, the angel went and told Joseph “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from t...  Read More

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