Another year gone by. A 2018 ahead as a year of promise, a year of hope. Why do I say that? Well, I prefer optimism to pessimism and I think it’s more biblical. God emphasizes not fearing the future. He reminds us He’s still God. God’s focus is always on hope, faith, trust, and giving […]
Luke 2:20 “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” What is the Christmas miracle the shepherds celebrated? It’s not that virgins give birth or that women wrap their babies in cloths and put them in mangers. Nothing is […]
In the rush of Christmas preparations, do you ever stop and Be Still in order to ponder the true meaning of Christmas? There’s so much noise regarding Christmas that we can miss what should be truly treasured. To ask ourselves, “What Child is this?” In Luke 2:19, we read, But Mary treasured up all these […]
Would you drop everything and leave it all behind to see what had been announced to you? The shepherds did. They even double-timed it to get there. Curiosity can be a great motivator. But angelic messengers were a definite plus. “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one […]
Now it’s not just one angel doing the proclaiming and worshiping. As we continue our look at the birth narrative of Christ in our Advent 2017 Devotional Series, Still Christmas, we see the angel count has grown. Now, it’s a multitude. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God […]
It was almost like the excitement of Christmas morning!! (Actually, it was still dark but it was Christmas morning in the birth narrative of the Christ Child.) The angel, probably giddy with excitement like a toddler couldn’t even wait for sunrise, rushes to wake up and proclaim to the shepherds there’s a seriously amazing gift […]
I wonder how angels feel about the task of sharing news that doesn’t impact them and they don’t even understand. “A Savior has been born to you.” Why to people and not to angels, too? (The angels might ask, “What about us?”) Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I […]
Luke 1:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. I don’t know what would be more terrifying: an angel of the Lord or the glory of the Lord shining all around my location. Both would be completely out of the ordinary […]
Conflicts between one’s work and one’s spiritual life are nothing new. They’re as old as the Garden of Eden. Adam was put in the Garden to work it, but the competing voice to be one’s own master called out, “You will be like God.” How is it possible to protect yourself from letting your work […]
Luke 2:6 “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” For women who have given birth, we know that […]
