Who Was Mary in the Bible?
Imagine! The promised Savior would be born to an insignificant young Jewish woman, Mary, from an insignificant little town, Nazareth. Very little is revealed about Mary’s upbringing and circumstances other than that she lived in Nazareth of Galilee. This fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy that the Savior would come from humble beginnings. However, Mary was […]
Christmas & the Enemy
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV) Through all the wonder and joy of Jesus’ birth, we know Satan lurks in the background. He must have hated what was happening in Bethlehem. As if they were playing […]
The Christmas Shepherds: Why God Picked Them and What They Teach Us
You ever feel like you’ve missed Christmas? Where it came, went, you did a bunch of activities—but you kind of missed it? Most people did. Most everybody in Israel and even Bethlehem missed the first Christmas. There were only a very few people who actually got it. Even the Wise Men missed it, as they […]
Ichabod: When the Glory Has Departed
The first time we see the word “glory” in the Bible is in Exodus, when God is preparing to show his glory through rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. On the other side of the Red Sea, they sing God’s praise, including this line about his glory: “Who among the gods is like you, […]
Christmas: The Invisible Made Visible
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and […]
Christmas: Does the Wrapping Really Matter?
As Christmas nears, is all your gift wrapping done? And does the wrapping really matter? By the way, Americans use 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper every year (most of it from Christmas). Does that seem like a waste to you, or do you think that’s a vital part of gift giving? Is wrapping really […]
Glory in a Feed Trough
“May God give you peace with yourselves; may He give you good will towards all your friends, your enemies, and your neighbors; and may He give you grace to give glory to God in the highest.” —C.H. Spurgeon In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. […]
The Original Christmas
What do we know about the original Christmas? The more we explore about the roots of Christmas, the more we discover that it is an event anchored in history, not in mere tradition or emotion. This article delves into some of the major historical questions that come up when considering the original Christmas. Christmas was […]
