Well, the gifts have been opened, the wrapping paper taken to the landfill. Leftovers are in the fridge, and maybe you're feeling a little blue, a little depressed. Christmas is over, or is it? 2 Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” In the West, we tend to have a letdown when the excitement and rush of Christmas is over, as if at midnight on December 25th, we’re ready to go into emotional hibernation. But it doesn't have to be that way. Whether it's something as ...
Dec 26, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1191
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son as told in Matthew Chapter 1, Verses 18–25 “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream a...
Dec 23, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1190
Over 200 years ago, “Silent Night” was first heard by villagers attending Christmas Eve mass in St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria. Joseph Mohr, the young priest who wrote the lyrics, played the guitar and sang along with Franz Gruber, the choir director who had written the melody. How did this simple tune, with its quiet words of comfort, become a beloved hymn of peace throughout the world? An organ builder and repairman working at the church took a copy of the six-verse song to his home...
Dec 22, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1189
God gives us good gifts all the time. All through the year, not just at Christmas. One of the truly joyful gifts is the ability to be kind to others. It sounds simple and maybe to some even quaint, but there is power in choosing to be kind. Choosing to be kind. That’s one of our themes this week. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 tells us to, “Always be joyful.” Paul uses this chapter to describe the heart of a Christian. We are also to “encourage the disheartened,” and “be patient with everyone.” Although t...
Dec 21, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1188
Jerry wasn’t very good at a lot of things. He was shy and his grades weren’t stellar. He was bullied at school. Then he was given a part in the Christmas play at church. No one ever gave Jerry a part, but his Sunday school teacher took God’s Word to heart and knew that if she could help this shy boy, it could change his life. She knew that Jerry was good with mechanical things, so she put him in charge of raising and spotlighting the famous Star of Bethlehem. The result of that defines our discu...
Dec 20, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1187
Phillips Brooks was the minister of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia and visited Bethlehem in December of 1865. When Pastor Brooks traveled to the Holy Land, the journey included a horseback ride from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. Back then, it truly was a small village, far removed from the bustling city it would later become. By nightfall, he was in the field where, according to tradition, the shepherds heard the angelic announcement. Then he attended the Christmas Eve service at...
Dec 19, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1186
Identifying where our problems originate is one thing, but locating the Divine Healer is key in getting clear of obstacles in our lives. At each mile marker in our life journeys, God is standing alongside the road, smiling at us, and holding out his strong hand to guide us. And from the indispensable wisdom of scripture to stories of human triumphs over tragedies, He is always there reminding us we're never truly alone. His grace and mercies begin to overshadow and overwhelm those forces that wa...
Dec 16, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1185
In our humanness, we struggle at times to achieve peace. World War 1 ended 100 years ago, and all sides joined together as a League of Nations to make that conflict the “War to end all wars.” Then World War 2 happened. Our history is littered with noble attempts to make things right, but only God can bring peace to nations, and to individuals. He has promised both! One day, He will make everything new, forever. While we wait for that great day, He also grants us peace in our daily lives. 2 Thess...
Dec 15, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1184
The diversity of life on this planet is astonishing, good, bad, beautiful, painful. Our world is a place of blessing and it's also a struggle for a lot of people. Each of us has a whole batch of issues to deal with every day, ranging from physical challenges to emotional needs. And a fascinating element in all this is how we see contentment. What is it? Where's it found? Is it lasting? Matthew 6:32–33 says, “For the pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need t...
Dec 14, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1183
No one is truly alone. Some people have many relatives and friends, others just a few. Occasionally, someone will have no real friends or family, but all of us interact with humans, and that over time has proven to be dicey. The health of our relationships is one of the biggest factors in how we function each day. Turmoil and chaos at home or work or both puts us in emotional quicksand. On the other hand, healthy relationships in our lives improve our overall health and make us more productive. ...
Dec 13, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1182
It’s all in how you see it. The world we live in has plenty of problems, and they are huge. Don’t need to list them here, but it’s fair to say we even suffer from some existential threats. And yet, God’s Word tells us that this present life can have, and does have, peace. That’s our connection this week. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Remember the story of Jim Elliot and his band of missionaries? They were killed in a jungle by the very pe...
Dec 12, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1181
Have you ever known someone who inherited something of great value from an obscure relative? It happens. The will is read by an attorney and all of a sudden, the beneficiary goes from struggling to pay the rent to needing a financial planner. It can be an exciting time, even disorienting. The only downside to receiving a large inheritance is the knowledge that someday it will run out, or you die and can’t take it with you. That’s why the Bible’s revelations about eternal riches are so much more ...
Dec 09, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1180
In thinking about different kinds of love, it’s a beautiful thing to realize that God has placed certain people in our lives for specific reasons. Friendship is one of His great gifts to us, all-time. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Do you have someone in your life that is not blood-related, but it sure feels like it? In fact, often it feels like a closer relation than biological family! Notice what the writer of Proverbs tells us: A frien...
Dec 08, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1179
It seems that a positive in our culture today is that we can admit our shortcomings. In the past, it was sort of taboo to tell the world you were not exactly all put together. Back in the day, a hot mess usually referred to an overturned pot on the stove. But today we know the phrase ‘hot mess’ as a whole new meaning, and our lives are often exactly that. Thank goodness that the outcome is not dependent on us. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace. You have been saved through faith, and this i...
Dec 07, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1178
Beryl Markham could have given up her aviation dreams after crash-landing in Nova Scotia. But she didn’t. Instead, this determined woman became the first person to fly from England to North America. She later said that in order to move forward, we can’t stay in the past. In fact, she said, “Leave it the fastest way you can!” This pioneer knew that staying stuck was not inevitable, that we must choose to keep our eyes on what it is we are yet to accomplish in life. Ephesians 4:31–32 says, “Let al...
Dec 06, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1177
Have you ever paused and thought about how rarely people see you for who you are? Have you ever done something that you feel is almost unforgivable? You need to know that that is not the way God wants you to feel. Psalm 51:10 says, "Create in me a pure heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me." Some of the most famous people in history were very unrighteous at times. King David, described as a man after God's own heart, he was loved that much, did dreadful things. Guess what, though? Hi...
Dec 05, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1176
Keeping things simple is usually the best path forward. For Christians, that means following Christ’s lead in everything. This includes sharing and standing for our faith. The Bible is full of examples of how Jesus did this. Occasionally he got mad, as when he threw out the moneychangers. Other times he just quietly sat and taught what His Father had shown Him. This is our model. When you share Christ with someone and that person believes, you have been given the privilege of watching the most i...
Dec 02, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1175
Are you a person that has walked away from your faith? Maybe you believed once, very much, but it faded over time. Maybe you accepted the promises of God for a little while but then something else caught your eye. That’s not uncommon. Starting out on fire for God and then becoming weary is something many of us have dealt with. To use a flying analogy for our talk today, sometimes your flight of faith becomes grounded. Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They...
Dec 01, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1174
One of the biggest criticisms of those who follow Jesus Christ is that such a model is very exclusive. In other words, it seems on the surface that Jesus leaves some people out of the salvation plan, because He says that He is the only way to God. But what is He really telling us? John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Jesus is actually showing us the way. He gives us the path to being reconciled with God the Fat...
Nov 30, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1173
In the last century, a 4'10" woman from England answered the call of God to become a missionary in China. Her accomplishments there, especially in saving orphaned children during war and conflict, have made her sort of a legend. Near the end of her life, Gladys Aylward gave an interview in which she said the most amazing thing — something that could only have come from the heart of a truly humble servant: I wasn’t God’s first choice for what I’ve done for China. There was somebody else…I don’t k...
Nov 29, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1172
Have you ever tried to follow God in a half-hearted way? You know what that means. You like the idea of God, but His perfect will for our lives also can feel restrictive. That’s the moment you are walking along the highway of life completely alone. Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Notice the precise language in these beautiful verses. We are to trust Him with all...
Nov 28, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1171
It's amazing how important the right perspective is in helping us maintain a healthy balance in every area of life. Alphonse Karr has said, “Some people grumble that roses have thorns. I'm grateful that thorns have roses.” Isn't that amazing? It's so common to gripe and complain about negatives, yet we don't see the great things right in front of our faces. Derek Carpenter has written, “The benefits of practicing gratitude are nearly endless. People who regularly practice gratitude by taking tim...
Nov 25, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1170
John Kralik was in a bad place. The LA attorney was generally miserable…divorced again, broke, and living in a dingy apartment with no air conditioning. He was also struggling to pay his employees because clients wouldn't pay him. Not exactly glamorous, but then John did an amazing thing. He decided he would concentrate on things to be grateful for, and follow that up with writing a thank you note every day for an entire year. Over time, and not too slowly actually, John's life began to improve....
Nov 24, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1169
From the Bible, we know that a consistent heart of gratitude keeps us in harmony in our relationship with God, but in a practical sense, how do we maintain it and how can we be intentional? A first clue is the example of Paul. Philippians 4:12–13 says, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Notice that the famous preacher t...
Nov 23, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1168
New York Times writer Arthur Brooks once cooked a Thanksgiving dinner for his in-laws in Spain. Over dinner, a couple of questions were asked. The first, “What does this beast eat to be so filled with bread?”, and then, “Should you celebrate this holiday even if you don't feel grateful?” The first question is just funny. The second should give us all pause. Being grateful is a state of mind. It's intentional. Too many times, we get caught up in what we don't have, and let's be honest, as America...
Nov 22, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1167
Psychologists and self-help gurus will all tell us that a grateful heart and a positive outlook will do wonders for health and relationships. A person with a heart of gratitude will be seen by others who will want to follow, and see what he has going for him. Such a person is a magnet for sharing the Gospel, and the greatest source of wisdom has much to say on the subject. Dozens of times in the Bible, we read about the value of gratitude. Paul mentions it several times, including in the account...
Nov 21, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1166
Clive Staples Lewis was successful. A British writer and theologian, his work has become very famous. When Lewis wrote his classic Surprised by Joy, he was emphasizing the fact that true joy comes from a place we cannot create, but only claim and receive. His story really brings a point to our weeklong series about asking the Lord for help when we are at the end of our rope. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be com...
Nov 18, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1165
We look for things and stuff to make us happy, don’t we? Especially in America, where we are blessed with abundance, people from all walks of life look for more and more. That can bring us to an empty place. Spiritually and emotionally, we look in the wrong places. But as we’ve discussed this week, that spark of joy we look for can be found only in Jesus. Everything else is, yes, clutter. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your j...
Nov 17, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1164
Solomon was one of the most amazing men in all of history. The King of Israel, the son of the famous David, was so rich he got bored. In fact, some believe he was the wealthiest man of all time. In terms of money, he was the Jeff Bezos of his time. But the Bible tells us his story, and doesn’t spare any truth in doing it. Solomon accomplished great things, but at great spiritual cost. After awhile, he discovered the secret to real success, and that is what we’re talking about today and all week:...
Nov 16, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1163
Life is a process. We know that if we’ve lived very long at all. And this week, we’re talking about the process of trusting God. John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” Could Jesus meet our needs by just giving us something instantly? Of course. He made everything! And sometimes He does that; the miracles he performed that are recorded in the New Testament tell us that he often instantly met a person’s need...
Nov 15, 2022•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1162
