How are you doing with your Christmas preparations? Ray and I fly, today, to visit with our children and grandchildren. We are SO excited to be able to see our dear ones. No matter how busy, though ... let's stop and meet with God first, shall we? It sets the tone for the whole day. I suspect that you, like me, need His Presence in these busy days so that all we do is done in love.   Please record your verse and thoughts below on the wise men. My verse: Matthew 2:9b,10 " ... It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!" My response: Father, this must have been a […] Read more »

And ... just like that we are almost done this study. Notice that the last entries are all about Jesus' story! We've read the stories from Adam and Eve in Genesis, the very beginning, to prophets in the Old Testament and on to the shepherds and wise men and all the Christmas people in the New Testament. We'll end our study with marvelous passages of Scripture that declare who Jesus is and why it matters that He came! Oh, I am excited to continue on with all of you!! Print this out and put it in your Bible for your last week of study, k? And FYI ... your Saturday reading from Week Three is Matthew 2:1-12.  Read more »

What a short little story we have today about a woman who must have suffered much ... yet worshiped. All Her Life! Read deeply, friends, and ponder. Then, record your verse and your response below. My verse: Luke 2:37 "Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer." My response: Oh Father! How I love that in the midst of this BIG story of you saving the world .. You touch the lives of very little people. Barren Elizabeth, finally blessed with pregnancy ... bearing John the Baptist ... Mary and Joseph, obscure young couple from a tiny village ... Simeon, a man who yearned to […] Read more »

Oh, there are some sweet characters in the Christmas story ... I love reading about each one. How about you? Share your thoughts below, friends. My verse: Luke 2:34b, 35 " ... He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." My response: Along with Simeon's very real and genuine rejoicing that he had, indeed, lived to see Messiah (I love that he was "eagerly waiting .. vs. 25) came a warning. It's almost like Simeon became a prophet and "saw" the rejection of the Messiah. He fore-saw many religious leaders oppose Christ, perhaps, thereby revealing their hearts? And he […] Read more »

So ... are you remembering to Request God's help before you Read, Record, and Reply/Respond? Particularly when it's an overly familiar passage like this one, we need to stop and request that He speak so we don't "skim over" it. I love stopping to ask God to "show me." So ... what DID He show you? Share below, please, if you have time. My verse: Luke 2:9 "Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified." I was struck, today, with the fact that with the angel came such radiance that the shepherds were surrounded by it. No wonder they were terrified. Not just a being the likes of which they'd never seen […] Read more »

Today, we are focused on that little town of Bethlehem mentioned in Micah and then highlighted in Luke. Prophecy fulfilled! Would love to read your comments so post them below! My verse: "At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman empire." Father God, HOW did Micah "see" this all those years before it happened? I have no idea, but he clearly did see it. Augustus had no idea that his decree would force a young couple to travel in the ninth month of her pregnancy to a strange town with not enough inns to accommodate the census crowd ... a tiny town where wise men would come with expensive gifts. (Oh little Bethlehem. SO much happened […] Read more »

Here are the assignments for Week Three, one day late. SO sorry! If you like, print off this sheet and tuck it in your Bible: Read more »

And today we learn more about Zechariah, son of John, and one of the priests of Israel. If you wish, share your findings below, friend.  My verse: Luke 1:76 "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord." My response: I am imagining Zechariah's beaming face, perhaps tears streaming down it ... overwhelmed with the awe of it all, newly able to speak after 9 months of silence! He had a son!!! Just as the angel had said. And this baby's purpose was declared before he was even formed in the womb. Oh the JOY. No wonder, "Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood" as Zechariah regained his voice. And even then, […] Read more »

Happy Sunday, friend! Hope your worship this morning is rich. Oh how fun to learn the stories surrounding the people of Christmas! Today, we learn a bit more about Joseph. Please share in the comments below. My verse: Matthew 1:21 "And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." My thoughts/prayer: First of all ... unlike Zechariah, who also saw an angel, Joseph didn't ask for a sign. He simply did what the angel said. And then, he also followed through and not only married Mary, but he named her son. I heard R. C. Sproul say that that was the "adoption moment" for Joseph. His naming of Jesus was his claiming […] Read more »