baby Jesus

Divine Mysteries

“She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.” – Luke 2:38,39 Yesterday, we learned about Anna the prophetess and how she devoted herself to a life of service to God after she was widowed at a young age. Interestingly, because she was such a passionate seeker of the Lord’s heart, and since she walked so closely with the Holy Spirit, as soon as she saw Jesus at the temple, she began to worship. And while there were thousands of people present there on the day He was dedicated, she knew there was something special about this child. Though to most onlookers He appeared to be just another baby, she recognized Him for who He was, and her excitement bubbled over as she began sharing

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Jesus is True Fulfillment

“Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God.” – Luke 2:27,28 Yesterday, we learned about Simeon and how he received a promise from God that he would see the Messiah in the flesh before he died. After waiting for decades to behold his Savior, the Holy Spirit spoke to him and told him to go to the temple, because his Redeemer had finally come. When he arrived, he set out looking for a kingly young man, which would have been like trying to find “a needle in a haystack,” since there could be as many as 200,000 people at the temple on any given day. Nevertheless, the Lord guided him, and a path was cleared that led him straight to

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His Life Is the Light of Men

“Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11 Christmas Eve has arrived, and although it looks a bit different this year, my prayer is that you are embracing the power of the One whom we celebrate and that He is filling your life with the gifts of His Spirit. In that vein, today, I want to talk about the third and final offering the Magi brought to Jesus, and how it gives us a source of fresh hope in the midst of a tough season. While gold signifies that the Lord reigns over the kingdoms of earth and incense represents His authority in the Kingdom of Heaven, myrrh speaks to His victory over the grave. Used as an embalming oil in ancient times, this valuable gift foreshadowed His crucifixion, but more importantly, it revealed His greater plan and purpose. Though

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The Wonder of Worship

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” – Matthew 2:11 The second offering the Magi presented to Jesus was frankincense, otherwise simply known as incense. Like the gold they brought to Him in abundance, incense was a valuable commodity in the ancient world, and it was used traditionally in temple worship and burned ceremonially by the priests as an offering to the Lord. Known for its calming and healing properties, this second in the trio of original Christmas gifts offers us a message of hope and encouragement in years like this one. Just as gold signifies that Jesus has dominion over the affairs of history, incense denotes that He reigns supreme in the Heavenly realm. While there is a very real spiritual battle raging around us, the baby who was born in Bethlehem triumphed over Satan when

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The Immovable Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” – John 1:1,2 Well, it’s December of 2020, and we’re preparing to welcome Christmas once again. That said, there’s no doubt that this year looks different. As we continue navigating the ever-changing currents of the COVID-19 situation, flexibility and sacrifice seem to be essentials for survival. While we embrace the holiday season with the knowledge that our country — and our planet — is in a state of uncertainty, we can apply our hearts with greater understanding to the story of Jesus’ birth. You see, on the night He came, Mary and Joseph’s world looked dark. They were in a strange city, she was dealing with the pain of labor, and they couldn’t find a quiet place for her to rest and give birth. I imagine

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