Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.. Luke 2:10–11 As we enjoy our traditions and festivities of the Christmas season—customs that have been collected from around the world—let’s save our most sincere and heartfelt “thank you” for our good, merciful, and loving God. From Him came the reason for our Christmas celebration: the baby born in that Judean manger more than […]

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Luke 2:25 The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon (v. 25), so it was no coincidence that he was in the temple when Mary and Joseph presented their firstborn son to God. Simeon, who had been looking for the promised Messiah, took the baby in […]

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Revelation 3:1 In the book of Revelation, we find the words of the risen Christ to seven churches in Asia. To the church in Sardis, Jesus said, “I know your works, that you have a name [reputation] that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1). The Lord knew the truth about them, and no doubt deep […]

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content  Philippians 4:11 During World War II, Dr. Frankl was imprisoned at Auschwitz, where he was stripped of his identity as a medical doctor and forced to work as a common laborer. His father, mother, brother, and wife died in the concentration camps. All his notes, which represented his life’s work, were destroyed. Yet Frankl emerged from Auschwitz believing that “everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any […]

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:3 Someday those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior will leave this life and go to the place He has prepared for us (John 14:3). The journey may be difficult or uncomfortable, but we certainly look forward to the final destination. Composer Don Wyrtzen wrote the music for a wonderful song that pictures our earthly life as a “tempestuous sea.” It ends with these words: Just think […]

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 For those who follow Jesus Christ, it is a mistake to view the remarkable as ordinary. Think about prayer for instance. At any moment we can talk to the Creator God who spoke the universe into existence! Not only are we welcomed into His presence, but we are invited to enter boldly: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help […]

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 This is what Paul meant when he commanded the Philippians to count others as more significant than themselves (2:3-4). Being united to Christ made the Philippian believers members of the same family and gave them a special bond. Thus their attitude toward one another was to be expressed in practical ways: unity in love, sacrificial service, and discovering how to help others even when they didn’t realize they needed help. The motivation for this type of normal Christian behavior […]

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 While that expression of pseudo-religion is no doubt exaggerated, it does voice the feelings and values of a sizable segment of our population. For these devotees of the great outdoors, nature takes the place of God. They don’t see the need for formal services in buildings dedicated to religious purposes. They claim that they don’t need Bibles, hymns, and sermons because reverent thoughts occasionally fill […]

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15 Jesus said that our heavenly Father observes the fall of even a sparrow (Mt. 10:29), so we can be sure that He is aware of each person who dies in a disaster, and He grieves. He values each of us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for us (Rom. 5:8). And when followers of Christ are victims of a tragedy, family and friends can find great comfort in the words, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the […]

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26 We may wonder why some people are so concerned about where and how their bodies will be buried. Even though it’s wise to give some thought to cemetery plots and funeral arrangements, such matters are insignificant compared with the concern we ought to have for our undying souls (Mt. 16:26). The rich man in Jesus’ parable had not been concerned about his soul and where he would spend […]