Scripture: Matthew 2:14-15Joseph got up and, during the night, took the child and his mother to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod died. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I have called my son out of Egypt. Thought for the Day: The word ‘fulfilled’ is the same basic word as what we find in Luke’s Gospel when it said the time was right for
Scripture: John 10:27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. Thought for the Day: What does it mean to follow the gift God gave to the world? I have often said that I don’t want folks to simply fall in love with Jesus, but to fall in love with the ways of Jesus. You can always passionately admire someone without ever replicating what it
Scripture: Luke 2:28-32Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said, “Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation. You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples. It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel.” Thought for the Day: A few days ago, I referenced the
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. Thought for the Day: We, with emphasis on we, are the Body of Christ. Collectively, we are the physical body of Jesus Christ in the world. In light of what you learned this Advent Season, what should the Body of Christ look like to the world as we approach 2019? I don’t have
Scripture: Luke 2:22-24When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves
Scripture: Luke 2:6-7While they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Thought for the Day: Good morning, Christmas! Maybe you’re not reading this in the morning, but whenever you find yourself glancing upon
Prayer for the Week:I can see you fast approaching;I have been looking for you; and dreaming about you for quite some time.They call you Christmas Day –They refer to you as a holiday –They unpack you and decorate you and then, when done, return you to the closet.The world loves ChristmasBut does the world love you, O Lord of the Manger?Do we love you,
Scripture: Isaiah 40:3-5A voice is crying out: “Clear the LORD’s way in the desert! Make a level highway in the wilderness for our God! Every valley will be raised up, and every mountain and hill will be flattened. Uneven ground will become level, and rough terrain a valley plain. The LORD’s glory will appear, and all humanity will see it together; the LORD’s mouth has commanded it.” Thought
Scripture: 1 John 2:5-6Now, dear friends, I am requesting that we love each other. It’s not as though I’m writing a new command to you, but it’s one we have had from the beginning. This is love: that we live according to his commands. This is the command that you heard from the beginning: live in love. Thought for the Day: In his life and ministry, Jesus both
Scripture: Luke 2:1In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. Thought for the Day: To the ears of first century folks, these words were very interesting as Caesar Augustus was not just another leader among leaders. He was the one who had been sent to all people and their descendants as a savior. That language was found chiseled