✨ Verse of the Day
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
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A Christmas Invitation for Everyone
One day as John the Baptist and his disciples were together, Jesus came by. John pointed out Jesus was the Messiah. The one who had been sent full of grace and truth, so Andrew and John started to follow him. “Jesus looked around and saw them following, ‘What do you want,’ he asked them. They…
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Christmas Fulfills Long-Awaited Promises
A promise was made for many years. The promise was made through such people as Nathan, Isaiah, and David. God himself made the promise in the Garden of Eden, and when its fulfillment was close, the angel Gabriel was given the task of announcing its arrival. The promise is a Savior. Someone to help us…
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Movie Themes
Imagine you just received a call from a production company. They are going to make a movie about your life. What would the theme be? What Bible verse would they use to describe you? Would you be like Joseph, and known for your faith, hard work, and willingness to sacrifice? “Joseph, to whom she was…
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Joseph: Unsung Hero of Christmas
Obviously, Mary has a prominent role in the Christmas story, and standing beside her in every manger scene is another hero. Joseph may have a more behind the scenes role, but he is a hero nonetheless. Matthew’s Gospel unfolds Jesus’ birth from Joseph’s perspective. “This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary,…
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Mary: A Faithful Response to Model
She was a common girl. She wasn’t extravagantly rich or excessively poor. She just belonged to the group of common folks. Life seemed to be going well. She was engaged and her wedding was coming up. Mary had no idea of the direction her life was about to go. Gabriel’s Visit Luke records the angel…
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Christmas Brings God Close
Imagine for a moment you are on your way home from work. You work the evening shift, so it is close to midnight as you’re cruising down the interstate about 30 minutes from home. Traffic is light, so you are enjoying the drive and thinking about how good crawling under the covers is going to…
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Christmas Brings Forgiveness
It was an exciting day. Eight-day-old Jesus has been brought to the temple for his circumcision to fulfill the law, and much has occurred. Simeon and Anna have been waiting for this day, and Simeon has spoken about the comfort and peace Jesus brings. Now, it is Anna’s turn. As Mary and Joseph are still…
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Christmas Brings Comfort & Peace
Just a week ago, these parents found rest in a stable as there was no room in the inn. Today, their son turned eight-days-old, so it was time for his circumcision. Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to fulfill the law, and while there, Simeon came up and scooped the baby from Mary’s…
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Christmas Brings Hope
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” These were Isaiah’s words many years before the first Christmas, and in his parenthetical statement, he gives us great…
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Don’t Forget Christmas
A father and son enjoyed collecting art. They enjoyed attending art auctions together, and the two had amassed a stunning collection. Paintings by famous artists lined the walls of their living room, and the two spent much time pursuing their hobby. One day the son received word he had been drafted, and he was to…
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