"I would be very happy to walk the path of rebirth with you..."
And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
If we can be like Simeon -- loving to see truth, and Anna, loving to be good -- we will be ready, and listening, and willing to be moved by the spirit, and we will see the Lord born in our lives.
"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was spoken to them."
A longtime reader recommended this wonderful 17-minute video of the Christmas story. It's powerful, moving, reverent, holy.... please watch it if you get a chance. It will restore your soul.
As the Christmas season winds down, we often have mixed emotions - some gratitude, some sadness, perhaps a little wistfulness, a blend of inspired, happy memories and much food for thought.
In the Bible story of Jesus being born in Bethlehem, His birth on earth represents His birth in our hearts. His birth in us is the creation of unselfish love in our hearts.
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (A Christmas doctrinal class that will help you deeply appreciate this whole wonderful story.)
In the Christmas story, the wise men bring gifts to the Lord: gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gold is listed first, because it is the inmost - signifying good, e.g. the good that we do when we love the Lord. The frankincense...
Isaiah prophesied the Lord's coming. 700 years later, Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, was born. And He wants to be born in our hearts and minds now, too.
Mary, bearing the infant Lord in her womb, and bearing earth-changing news, goes to visit her elderly relative, Elizabeth -- who is expecting the birth of her own son, John. It's a profound experience for both women.
"A virgin, betrothed to a man..." In this short phrase, there is a very important set of truths. This is a really good Christmas doctrinal class!
History zooms in on Joseph, a carpenter in the village of Nazareth. He doesn't know it, but he's about to become the most important adoptive father ever.
For Christians, Christmas time is one of the most sacred, most joyous celebrations of the year. What about for people who are thinking about it, but who aren't sure about the whole "reason for the season"?
In this wonderful Bible story, the Lord sends an angel, Gabriel, to tell Mary that she will be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah.
The word advent means coming or arrival - and it is the spiritual practice of preparing for Christmas. Practicing Advent means we are going to actually do something to make way for the Lord.
Everyone believes something. Know any atheists? They may not believe in God, but they DO believe in some things.
We have here in Micah one of the most remarkable prophecies regarding the Lord's Advent, and one of the statements from this passage is strikingly similar to another from Matthew as both discuss the nature of Bethlehem.
The Messiah. The Savior. For hundreds - maybe thousands - of years, people were waiting for the Lord to be born. Why?
Worthlessness isn't it. Complacency isn't it. Self-delusion isn't it. Where is the good path?
The rope tow is a good metaphor for spiritual life. The rope's there, running, ready to pull you.
It's common for people to describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious". What do you suppose that means?
Left to ourselves, we would be "perpetually bent on evil." It's a good thing we're not left to ourselves!
We're supposed to apply Jesus's teachings to our own lives. What about the parts of our lives that relate to politics?
Does it help to seek the Lord together? Or is it something we should do alone?
True or false? We have power of our own. Or... We are powerless. Or... what?
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