Rejoice!

Christmastime is such a joyous time of year for so many people. This is the time we celebrate families with gift giving, parties, travel, and much more. We can see the good things in life, when we get together. Unfortunately, many people do not have this same experience of this time of year. So manyContinue reading “Rejoice!”

Salvation & Hope

Are we really ready for Christmas? This is the question we should ask ourselves during the season of Advent. There is so much more than just a baby being born and angels in the skies and shepherds. This is the story of God coming down to be on of us and live the life weContinue reading “Salvation & Hope”

God’s Invading

Last week, a New York newspaper ran a headline that said, “God is not fixing this,” in response to the shootings that happened in San Bernardino, CA. The article was saying that something has to be done and people can’t “hide” behind meaningless phrases – more specifically, “my thoughts and prayers with with…” When weContinue reading “God’s Invading”

Wilderness & Crooked Paths

Advent is a season we prepare our hearts and lives for the coming of the Christ child and anticipate His return. As we look into the process of preparing our lives, we can see how crooked and off the path we have gotten at times. It seems to be human nature to look after onlyContinue reading “Wilderness & Crooked Paths”

Proclaiming God’s Forgiviness

We have several topics of conversation during the Christmas holidays. We’ll talk of love, family, weather (good or rough), relationships, parties, gifts, etc. Our conversations are around the goodness of the season. Yet, this is one of the most stressful times of the year. During this season, it seems we are more likely to beContinue reading “Proclaiming God’s Forgiviness”

John the Baptist

John the Baptist is one of my favorite biblical characters because he definitely stands out and people take notice of him. He is memorable, not only of his message, but of his clothing and food choices. Though the Gospel of Luke does not mention him wearing camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey, MatthewContinue reading “John the Baptist”

Really Ready for Christmas?

This week, we have asked some tough questions, hopefully preparing us and challenging us to embrace the real Christmas event so our lives reflect Christ in this world. Once more, I invite you to read the scripture focus for this week. Take some time to ponder what we have talked about this week. Most importantly,Continue reading “Really Ready for Christmas?”

Urgency

Today, we again look at the passage in Luke 21 of Jesus speaking about the end and the glorious return of the Son of Man. This time, I invite us to look at verses 34-36. “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of thisContinue reading “Urgency”

Our Lives Look Different

Christmas is a wonderful time of year for many and a tragic, depressing or sad time of year for many. This time of year for others is…frustrating. Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of the Christ child into the world, and into our hearts once again. How we live demonstrates our devotionContinue reading “Our Lives Look Different”

Do We Take Christ Seriously Enough?

This may seem like a strange question as we begin Advent, but I believe it is an important question we should ask ourselves. This is a questions I ponder most days. How we think about Christ changes our to do list and what we do day to day. What we believe about Christ changes ourContinue reading “Do We Take Christ Seriously Enough?”