Today beings the Advent season (it always starts the 4th Sunday before Christmas). The English word "Advent" is from the Latin word "adven- tus," which means "coming." The Advent season is a Church tradition that calls us to celebrate the first coming of Jesus, and to patiently long for the 2nd coming of Jesus. In the midst of a chaotic and busy time in our culture, Adven...

Advent is a special time in which we celebrate God's first coming, in the form of His son Jesus wrapped in a baby body. He came to where we live, exactly where we are.from heaven to earth, from the presence of God to the presence of man. He came so we could be intimate with God exactly where we are and encounter a little piece of heaven on earth each day. This was made pos...

'Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.' Revelation 22:12-13 At Christmas time it is common to focus on Jesus' first coming, as the baby in the manger. The very power of God Himself wrapped up within a helpless infant. It'...

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are neededor indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." - Luke 10:41-42 The above scripture is the story of Mary and Martha having Jesus actually visit them in their home, and how the two of them reacted very differently. Martha ...

" For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." When I was a little girl, Christmas time, to me, truly was the most wonderful time of the year!Each day I couldn't wait to open up o...

Last Sunday my sister-in-love, Fiona sent a text to my daughter Marjorie and me. It started with Psalm 94:19 Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer. (TLB) Marjorie responded with something so profound and deep and this is my Advent devotional. She said "Re" is my favorite prefixit means again. Renewed hope ...

"But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man's trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5: 15 As I was reading Romans 5, I realized that I am the one that received a gift on the day of Christ's birth. It is an unimaginable gift of love, sacrifice, obe...

The Glory of God has to do with the weight, the girth, the bigness of God. His magnificent beauty, his extraordinary might, his incredible greatness. So to give God glory doesn't mean we have the power to make him bigger or more beautiful than he already is. It is more the idea of giving him the honor and the praise that his glory is due. It is to point at, to reflect, to...

When our first daughter Kayla was born, the hospital asked us what we wanted to name her. And we said to the nurse, "she's not ready to be named yet. We're going to wait until she feels ready." Just kidding. That would be ridiculous. But that's what a lot of people do with baptism. "Yes, I trust Jesus as my savior, but I'm just not ready yet to be baptized. I want to get...

From September 27, 2013 The following story was taken from "Today's Christian Woman." ____________ The day had come. I'd lasted as long as I could in my marriage. Once my husband, Bill, left for work, I packed a bag for myself and our 14-month-old son and left our home. It was the only year in our married life when we lived in the same town as my parents. Obviously the ...