SCRIPTURE: “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23: As the Christmas season is coming to an end and the New Year is on the horizon many people begin to think about how to better themselves, what they can do differently in the upcoming year, or how to maintain what has previou...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also MUST do.” Colossians 3:13 Christ, our Lord, is the presentation, demonstration, and yes, the substantiation of God’s love and forgiveness! Before time, as well as in the fullness of time, God determined a redemptive plan for a world of unholy and unrig...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”  Psalm 19:7-9 Father, we once again open you...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: "For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob." Malachi 3:6 In a world where new challenges face us every day, can we really trust that God will be the same today and tomorrow? Perhaps one’s response will weigh heavy on their spiritual foundation. According to (Isaiah 40:8) “God does not change. The writer of Hebrews, states “Jesus is the same ye...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  “For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]” Romans 11:29 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) The wise men following Jesus’ star, traveled for a great while to worship the almost two-year-old King of the Jews. You can imagine th...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 1 O come, O come, Immanuel,and ransom captive Israelthat mourns in lonely exile hereuntil the Son of God appear.Refrain:Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuelshall come to you, O Israel.2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,who ordered all things mightily;to u...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefor...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manager.” Luke 2: 11-12 Growing up my mother read to me often and I loved her to do it. By age 6, I could read by myself, and I enjoyed doing it, but still loved hearing my mother read to me. One of m...  Read More

SCRIPTURE:  "...For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also..." Matthew 6:21 Christmas time connects with many people in many ways, and has across the decades offered the very sentimental, the very decadent, the seasonal, as well as the nudge to consider a certain spiritual reality, sometimes tucked within the religious and sometimes the common. It is a time to align with what is kno...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know wh...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged ours sin...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Inasmuch as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same…” Hebrews 2:14 NKJV Pause for a moment and consider the wonder of the God of the universe. Even though we read of His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence throughout the Scriptures, are you simply amazed at His desire for personal relationship with the likes of us?—creatures who, wit...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 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. 11 For there is b...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16 Jesus was a toddler in a house when the wise men searched for a manger,They traveled for months with great anticipation to encounter and honor the Savior.Thousands of years have passed, but His blood remains powerful and effective,Yet, as Christmas approaches, the King of Kings an...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God tosalvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16,17 I have always loved Christmas, the songs, the decorations, the movies. One of the songs I have always...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 While 'getting' seems to be on steroids during the holidays, one other thing is noteworthy as a contrast. 'Giving' as well is exceptional, and with needier times, the call for sacrificial giving is felt even more...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-224 Our eternal Fath...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to h...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!' 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.' 16...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 1 and 2, Luke 1 and 2 The nostalgia of Christmas sometimes makes us want to prolong the season beyond its December boundary.  Maybe it’s the lights, decorations, Christmas songs, a good old Bask/Rankin Claymation cartoon, and gifts-certainly these do their part in giving us the warm fuzzies. When you ponder the events surrounding Christmas, have you ever imagined the conversatio...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: " Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising." Isaiah 60:1-3 With all deference to 'Chestnuts Roasting on An Open...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:21-30 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I kno...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 I don’t know when society stopped saying Merry Christmas and instead began saying andwriting Merry Xmas or Happy Holidays. I believe it started about 30 years ago or that’s when I remember noticing that people start...  Read More

SCRIPTURE: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of ...  Read More