Thursday, December 15, 2016
In that day you will sing: “Praise the LORD! He was angry with me, but now he comforts me. 2See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” 3With joy you will drink deeply […]
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Matthew 1:23 (NLT) “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).” When a child feels disturbed or distressed, their first reaction is to look or cry for mom or dad. A parent’s presence has a comforting effect on […]
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Isaiah 9:2-6 (NLT) The people who walk in darkness will see a great light—a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow. 3 Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvest time. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing […]
Monday, December 12, 2016
John 1:14 (NLT) So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. Birthdays are special. They acknowledge a person’s entrance into the world and the value that others place […]
Saturday, December 10, 2016
They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. — Matthew 2:11 (NLT) Gift giving is a wonderful tradition of Christmas. Finding that perfect gift for that special someone […]
Friday, December 9, 2016
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the […]
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Mary responded, “Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. — Luke 1:46-49 (NLT) In recent years a […]
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy […]
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.” And then the angel left. –Luke 1:38 (NLT) These words of Mary follow a startling message from the angel Gabriel to her. The angel told Mary that she was to be the […]
Monday, December 5, 2016
In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness. His message was, “Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” — Matthew 3:1, 2 (NLT) If you met him once, you would never forget him. His appearance was a bit unusual, and his message straightforward. He […]
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly. As he […]
Saturday, December 3, 2016
For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert! ––Isaiah 43:19 (NLT) If you have ever made a terrible mistake, done something […]
Friday, December 2, 2016
… The Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel—God is with us. Isaiah 7:14 (NLT) These words were spoken through the prophet Isaiah approximately 700 years before Jesus Christ was born. It is one of many prophetic promises that were fulfilled […]
Thursday, December 1, 2016
“O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.” Matthew 2:6 (NLT) The word “advent” refers to the coming or arrival of someone or something. It is traditionally and liturgically connected with Christmas. Christmas is about an arrival—the most […]
Monday, November 28, 2016
As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. — Joshua 11:15 (NIV) Before Moses died he gave Joshua a clear set of instructions. Moses laid out for him a job description. Joshua was to take the Israelites into […]
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Two “magic” words: Please and Thanks! They’re called “magic” not because they possess some mystical quality, but because they actually have the power to change an environment. When these words are spoken, something happens. Hearts open. Bridges are built. Requests are granted. Tension is reduced. Thoughtfulness is expressed. Appreciation is felt. These words always make […]