Rebel to Redeemed…Sharing HIS Kind of Love
The Wise Men have worshiped at the feet of the Christ child or baby Jesus. They then bestow three gifts to him of gold, frankincense and myrrh. When they leave, they probably planned to head back to Jerusalem and inform King Herod of the child’s location as he requested. “We do not find that the wise men promised to come […]
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We first meet Thaddeus in the list of disciples of Jesus. “…Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddeus.” {Matthew 10:3} The name Thaddeus is believed to be a Aramaic form of the Greek name, which means a courageous heart. The name Lebbaeus is a form of Judas or Jude, to which it is believed he is often referred to later in scripture. […]
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As we wrap up the sons in the Bible series, it is fitting to end with the ultimate son, who is also the sun. Jesus Christ is the son of God. On earth, he was the son of Mary and Joseph. His birth was foretold and he was born of a virgin. The Lord announced his arrival to the shepherds […]
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The name Immanuel is spelled both Immanuel and Emmanuel, meaning God is with us. The word derives from the Hebrew words עִם which means with and ל (‘el) which means God. The word describes the incarnation and God becoming flesh and dwelling among us. {John 1:14} The birth of Jesus by a virgin fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14. “Therefore the […]
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Jesus has been arrested, tried and sentenced to death. Each of the gospel accounts mention the women gathered at the cross to witness the crucifixion of Jesus, either by name or as a group. {Matthew 27:55-56; Mark 15:40; Luke 23:49}. However, none of the other gospels mention the disciples. We know Judas is remorseful and commits suicide. Peter is remorseful […]
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Mother Teresa was admired by many for her charitable work among the poor in Calcutta, India. She was born Anjezë Gonxhe {Mary Teresa} Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910 in the Ottoman Empire. Her parents were Nikollë and Dranafile Bojaxhiu. She was baptized the day after her birth and always considered August 27th her “true birthday”. According to biographer Joan Graff […]
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Joseph Henry Gilmore was a seminary professor, Baptist minister, and author of several textbooks in Hebrew and English. However, he is best remembered today for his hymn He Leadeth Me. The year was 1862, and the Civil War was raging all around. Gilmore later wondered if God was leading him to focus on His {The Lord’s} leadership. He was invited […]
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Time has passed and Jesus is probably a young toddler by this point. The Wise Men come to visit Mary, Joseph and Jesus, but with them arrives a threat from King Herod. Herod is afraid that this “king” will take his place and more importantly his throne and kingdom. When they left, an angel appeared to Joseph. Once again, the […]
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Last week, we spent with the shepherds who had first one angel and then a host of angels appear to them. The shepherds then made their way to Bethlehem to see the child they were told about. The child was now a little over a week old and the time had come to circumcise him. The Law, since the time […]
Read more Last week, we were with Joseph, as an angel came upon him in a dream and told him to take Mary as his wife. We are fast-forwarding a few months and Mary and Joseph has travelled to Bethlehem, where they found a stable and Mary gave birth to a tiny infant named Jesus. One can only imagine how the angels […]
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The angel has appeared twice already to Zacharias and Mary, but He is about to appear a third time. This time to Joseph, who is engaged to Mary. Imagine Joseph’s shock and hurt when Mary told him she was expecting. Scripture tells us that he was trying to decide what to do with her and to put her away quietly. […]
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We are digging into Christmas from the viewpoint of the angels. Last week, we joined Zacharias as the angel Gabriel appeared to him. Today, we are join Mary, as we pick her story up in Luke 1:26-38. We do not know what Mary was doing or where she was, but she was going about her day when an angel appeared […]
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Today ministers have sound systems, radio and TV Cameras to help them spread the gospel. However, in the early days of the United States, ministers did not have all of these luxuries. Most ministers traveled by horseback. One such minister was Francis Asbury, known as the father of the Methodist Church in America. Francis Asbury was born on August 20 […]
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I Saw Three Ships {Come Sailing In} is a traditional and popular Christmas carol from England. The hymn was published in 1833 by William Sandys in his book, Christmastide: Its History, Festivities And Carols. However, it is believed that earlier versions may have been around from the 17th Century. Other sources believe the hymn originated from an English folk […]
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What Child is This? was written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865 in England. Dix worked as a manager for an insurance company before being afflicted with a severe illness that left him bedridden and severely depressed. This near death experience brought about a spiritual renewal in him while he was recovering. During his recovery he would read the Bible […]
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We’ve been studying the lives and lessons from the wives of King David, including the childless wife, some nameless concubines, a bed warmer and an almost wife. But what about his children? Only one daughter is mentioned by name. She is Tamar, daughter of Maacah. Her name is Hebrew and means date palm, palm tree or a date {the fruit}. She […]
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The story of Bathsheba is the best known of King David’s wives. By the time David meets her he is King of Israel and living in Jerusalem. Her name means the daughter of oath. Her father and grandfather were in David’s inner circle and Wikipedia says her father, Eliam, was “one of David’s thirty” and her grandfather, Ahitophel was “one […]
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Francis Scott Key We all know our National Anthem, but do you know how it originated? The author, Francis Scott Key, was at Fort McHenry when the British Royal Navy bombed the fort in 1814. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer and amateur poet, and John Stuart Skinner were on a mission for President James Madison on September 3, 1814. The […]
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The last time we saw Mary and Jesus, he was twelve years old. Now he is about thirty years old. A lot has occurred during this time, although we don’t have a record of what experiences the family had during this time. We believe that Joseph most likely died sometime in these intervening years. Jesus has already been baptized by […]
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The years passed by and Mary, Joseph and Jesus probably found a house somewhere to live or rent. They settled into a routine of daily life and Jesus continued to grow. The traditional belief is that Jesus was about two years old when the Magi visited. Matthew 2:1-3 (ASV) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the […]
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