Father, A Savior who is Christ the Lord has been born to us. He is God with us. He saves His people from our sins. May our days be filled with adoration. May our hearts be filled with love for the Lord Jesus. Through Him may we experience peace as Your favored ones. Amen (Isaiah … Continue reading A Christmas Eve Prayer
The Wonder of Immanuel
Father,As we contemplate Immanuel may we not only see a name but a Person. Guard us from academic staleness as we reflect on "God With Us." Ignite true and renewed wonder in us and our church families. God has come to dwell with us, so we may dwell with Him forever. May our hearts swell … Continue reading The Wonder of Immanuel
Advent 3 – Exile and Longing
Exile. If you are like me you automatically get a picture of a remote desert island. Perhaps you think of Napoleon Bonaparte who was exiled twice; once he was exiled to Elba and another time to St. Helena where he eventually died. Maybe you think of the fictional Robinson Crusoe who was marooned on a … Continue reading Advent 3 – Exile and Longing
Advent Part Two: Darkness, Death, Light, Life
Advent is the time of year that Christians have traditionally celebrated the two comings of Jesus Christ. Advent means “coming.” So, the church has traditionally set aside this time of year to remember Jesus’ first coming and to look ahead to His second coming. Last week we did an overview of the Advent Season entitled: … Continue reading Advent Part Two: Darkness, Death, Light, Life
Clothed in Salvation; Adorned in Beauty
Isaiah 61:10 (ESV) I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with … Continue reading Clothed in Salvation; Adorned in Beauty
Advent Part One: Season of Darkness, Death, Exile, and Longing
We are in the season of Advent. I have often viewed Advent simply as the time leading up to Christmas. Advent is the time every year that we study Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2. We meditate on John 1:14 about the Word becoming human. We focus on the incarnation. However, I have spent the past … Continue reading Advent Part One: Season of Darkness, Death, Exile, and Longing
Ornamental Prayer Prompts
Our family decorated our Christmas tree yesterday evening. It is always fun to take out ornaments from years gone-by and add new ones to the collection. This year I did something new. It was unplanned, but it turned into a great blessing. It is something I hope becomes a tradition in a good sense. This … Continue reading Ornamental Prayer Prompts
The Grace of God Has Appeared (Titus 2:11-14)
Paul has called Titus to teach believers how to behave in a way that matches the Gospel (2:1-10). This behavior is not just for goodness sake; it is not to earn a place in God's family. This behavior matches the Gospel and is based in the Gospel. The foundation for right behavior is the Good … Continue reading The Grace of God Has Appeared (Titus 2:11-14)
Gospel-Matching Behavior for Leaders (Titus 2:7-8)
“Yourself” is the next category in Titus 2:2-10, and it refers to Titus. Titus was to show himself to be an example of good works in every way (2:7-8). He was to "teach what accords with sound doctrine" (2:1). He was to behave in a way that matched the Gospel as a model to follow. … Continue reading Gospel-Matching Behavior for Leaders (Titus 2:7-8)
Sermon Intro – Grace and Glory (Titus 2:11-14)
Last week, we studied Titus 2:1-10. There we studied “Behavior that Matches the Good News of Jesus Christ.” Titus was called to teach the believers on Crete the kind of behavior that matches the Good News of Jesus Christ (2:1). We studied the kind of behavior that is consistent with the Good News (2:2-10). We … Continue reading Sermon Intro – Grace and Glory (Titus 2:11-14)
