PERSONALIZE CHRISTMAS

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The story

Christmas is, no doubt, the biggest holiday of the year in America. It’s a gigantic event.  And I love the Christmas season – the lights and decorations and music and gift-giving.  It’s a special event.           But some of it bothers me.  Everybody celebrates but many don’t seem to know what’s being celebrated.  Some school […]