Here is a meditation/devotional I’ve written for the Christmas season. You may find it helpful during the busyness of the holidays to use it as a way to keep your focus on Christ as you participate in all the other plans and events going on. Use it as the Spirit of God leads. You don’t […]
Christmas: a new king is in town
THE VISIT OF THE WISE MEN, Jan van’t Hoff The four gospels in the New Testament are not simply biographies. There is more to them than “the life of Christ.” They are histories and more. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John constructed their documents in ways to convey meaning beyond plain facts. They were free to […]
4 allofus
“Hey, listen up! What do you want first – the good news or the good news? Because I’ve got good news. Good news for all people!” (Luke 2:10, Wobbly Translation Version). The angel told the shepherds that the birth of Jesus was going to bring joy for all the people. Everybody. Not just some. Not […]
God before birth?
Most people in the U.S. do not believe that the Son of God existed before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The results of a LifeWay Research study show that 41% of American adults agree, even though 80% agree that Jesus is the Son of God. Of Christians who attend church four times a month or […]
In Bethlehem’s darkness
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. Now Joseph also went […]
While empires clash
While empires clash authorities bully religions vaunt cultures corrupt families hurt and individuals hope In a secret shelter of wood, hay, and dung, as shepherds wonder and angels praise, the Lord Almighty is birthed in our flesh, inaugurates his holy mission, and the kingdom […]
Peace on earth
Are you familiar with the declaration made by angels who appeared to shepherds when Jesus had been born in Bethlehem? Here it is from various versions of Luke 2:14. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (KJV) “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to […]
Who is with us?
Some children should be allowed to change their names as soon as they understand what their parents have done to them, like these: Audio Science Denim Derfla (a girl’s name; but read it backwards) Greedy Hellzel (a mashup of Hazel and Hell’s Angel) Jesusangel (no relation to Hellzel) Little Sweetmeat Moo Munpi (pronounced “moon pie”) […]
The challenge of Christmas
Well, yeah: peace, joy, good will. We all want that. Who wouldn’t? Umm, King Herod wasn’t very happy about it. You remember the story in Matthew 2 – after Jesus was born one of those angels appeared to Joseph and told him to take the child and Mary and run for Egypt because “Herod […]
A poem for Christmas
The Journey Of The Magi by T.S. Eliot ‘A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter.’ And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory, Lying down in the melting snow. There […]