How to make sure you have a miserable Christmas. Giving gifts can be a dangerous activity, especially if you give gifts to yourself. No, I am not talking about the present under the tree that is labeled from you to you. I am talking about the gifts you give to your wife or husband or your kids or others close to you. One example is giving a gift to someone for the pleasure of seeing how much you are appreciated. For example, you are feeling unappreciated by your wife. You find a gift you think will please her and tip the scales back in your favor. This is where things get murky. You spent money on something you really could […]
Holidays
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The darkness of the world is total. When you are overcome by anger, resentment, bitterness, despair there is no light – only darkness. God has something better for you. People who are walking in darkness will see a great light. Light is the great promise of the Christ-child. As Isaiah proclaims, it is God who turns darkness into light. Take time to remind your children and yourself that life without Christ is deep, utter darkness. May God grant you faith to live by the light and turn from darkness. May the light of Christ shine in the dark, troubled places of your heart. Rejoice! The light of Christ has come. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; […]
Peace on Earth is a phrase associated with Christmas. But then a quick survey of the planet brings the response, “Not so much!” Why is that? Could the promise of Peace on Earth be false? Let’s start with what was the proclamation that the angels made over 2,000 years ago: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 So, yes, peace on earth was promised. But to whom? The Holy Spirit does not speak in sound-bites. That means that we are not free to decide which words of his we like and which ones we don’t like. The truth is that peace comes to those know God’s […]
There is a compelling reason to celebrate the Advent. God’s angels burst into the night sky to praise the birth of Christ. In Luke 2 we read how the sky erupted with the praise of the angels: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”” Then, in Revelation 5:11-14, we again read of the angels proclaiming the praises our Savior, the Lamb. Why is the Lamb worthy to receive praise? Because he completed the mission his Father entrusted to his care. The angels proclaimed his praise at his birth and that praise continues on in […]
The coming of Christ has greater significance than we can possibly imagine. Often lost in the Christmas rush is the comfort the coming of Christ means for mankind and for creation itself. His coming makes all things right. You can know comfort in the face of injustice. But also look at the message that Psalm 98 and Romans 8 reveal about creation. The groaning creation rejoices at the coming of its King. Without his coming, sin would so corrupt the Earth that it would collapse under its ugly weight. The rivers and hills are not rejoicing in a vacuum. The creation knows that Christ is their salvation. Sin’s toxic curse is broken. For God’s people this means comfort is possible. […]
A note from Tedd Tripp Every Christian parent is on the lookout for good ways to teach their children the basic elements of the Christian faith. Why Christmas? and the companion book Why Easter? are illustrated books to aid parents in giving children insight into these profound events. Barbara Reaoch, International Director of Children’s Programs for Bible Study Fellowship, brings a lifetime of teaching experience to these devotional volumes. They are designed for daily reading times in the twenty-eight days leading up to Easter or Christmas. The devotional for each day inclues a Bible passage, a Listen section that gives some devotional concepts, a Truth that highlights an important idea from the passage, a Discuss time that prompts thinking with […]
Happy Holidays is the sensitive, politically correct, caring greeting to offer from Thanksgiving Day until Happy Holiday Day. After Happy Holliday Day then it is fine form to actually say Happy New Year. No one seems to be offended at the prospect of celebrating parties, drunkenness and the fleeting hope that next year will be better than this year. Therefore, to offer a truly happy, non-offensive greeting all you have to do is to avoid the mention of anything that might possibly be a reference to Jesus Christ. But, then it is fair to ask why should anyone be happy if God and his Son are not the reason for being happy. During the holidays people eat too much, spend […]
The holiday season is a challenge. One event blurs into another: shopping, parties, dinners, list making, school plays, church festivities, decorations. And did I mention shopping? The ones who are affected the most by this hectic pace are the very ones the season is supposedly all about – your children. When things are busy, the questions and concerns of children often lose importance. They are admonished to be patient and quiet because there is a lot to do. So their questions blend into the background noise of the holidays. But children need to heard. They get caught up in the rush as well. Yes, it is supposed to be all for them, but they probably don’t realize that. Sin and […]
On July 4th, Americans celebrate their declaration of independence from England 239 years ago. While it might be good thing to gain independence from an overbearing government, it is wise to remember that independence from God is not only a disastrous desire – it is impossible! Regardless of laws, judicial decrees, and presidential orders, God can never be excluded from the course of any nation. Independence from God, whether as a nation or as an individual, is not consistent with reality. Those who think otherwise are on a collision course with the Lord of the Universe. Let us pray that for many this collision will be with gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what Isaiah says about the possibility of […]
Jesus told his disciples to remember him. We must remember there is nothing that we enjoy in this life that did not cost the life of someone else. Whether it is connected to those who have made their sacrifice in the military or in law enforcement, or to Jesus Christ, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for you and me. This much is true: none of us has anything of value that did not in someway cost the life of someone else. So, enjoy your burgers, enjoy the time out doors, enjoy the time off. Just remember this: your joy was paid for in some way by the death of others. Enjoy because someone did die so that you could take […]