Day 18: Luke 1:46-56
By Pastor Sarah The songs of Christmas are part of the beauty of the season, but sometimes they become the background music to everything else that happens – shopping, eating, decorating – rather than the starring role. I love to sing at Christmas time! Songs of joy, peace, comfort, and The Story fill the…
Read MoreDay 17: Luke 1:39-45
By Pastor Brian When Mary went to visit Elizabeth, she literally brought the presence of Jesus into Elizabeth’s home. When she entered the house, she carried Jesus in her body and His presence made an immediate difference in the people who lived in the house. Luke tells us that at the sound of Mary’s greeting…
Read MoreDay 16: Luke 1:26-38
By Pastor Phil One of the challenges of parenthood is admitting your child is growing up. We want to keep them cute, sweet and innocent, protecting them from trouble and pain as long as we are able, but try as we might to keep them little, they grow up. Before you know it they are…
Read MoreDay 15: Isaiah 7:10-16
By Pastor Jeff The prophet Isaiah is giving a sign to a faithless king of God’s sovereign plan that has both immediate and future promises. Matthew also later describes these promises, when we find him telling a faithless world about the signs that point to the birth of the Jesus, our Messiah! You see…
Read MoreDay 14: Luke 1:5-25
By Pastor Brittany I love this story. Zechariah and Elizabeth desperately want to have a child and go most of their lives carrying this burden. Zechariah doesn’t have a son to carry on his name, Elizabeth feels shamed because she cannot bare a child. Yet, one day Zechariah is in the temple when Gabriel…
Read MoreDay 13: Malachi 3:1-4 & 4:5-6
By Pastor Sarah Years ago “Magic Eye” pictures became extremely popular. Remember those? If you stared at the picture long enough a 3D image would pop out from the background seemingly coming straight at you. They were extremely frustrating pictures if you couldn’t relax your eye enough to finally see what you were supposed…
Read MoreDay 12: Isaiah 40:1-11
By Pastor Brian I was sitting in Starbucks trying to wrap my head and heart around the rich Christmas themes found in this Old Testament prophecy about the coming of God’s Savior. Here we find the heart of the Christmas story recorded hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. Here is how I would…
Read MoreDay 11: Zephaniah 3:14-20
By Pastor Phil Our Advent reading today is taken from the prophet Zephaniah. Writing during the reign of King Josiah, Zephaniah warns of judgment that will come upon the people of Judah. Hard times were coming because of their sin and rebellion against God. Not exactly the good news they were hoping for. Perhaps…
Read MoreDay 10: Isaiah 64:1-9
By Pastor Jeff In this reading of Isaiah I would say he (Isaiah) is finished waiting. In fact, the prophet is begging God to “tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake before you.” It’s like the Israelites are feeling a bit abandoned. They don’t feel the presence of…
Read MoreDay 9: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
By Pastor Brittany I love this season. I love the precious time spent with loved ones. I love the small breather I get to take as we have wrapped up the major events of the year and the hope and excitement that come with looking ahead to a new year. I love the food….…
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