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It’s finals time. As my college student takes his finals, here’s a quiz to test your biblical Christmas knowledge: How did Mary and Joseph get to Bethlehem?a. Chariotb. Covered wagonc. Donkeyd. No one knows. Jesus was born in:a. The Bethlehem Innb. A stablec. A caved. A manger The angels told the shepherds to look for:a.…

“Give thanks in all circumstances.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV Yes ma’am. No sir. Please. Thank you. If you were raised in the South, you learned these manners before you could walk. “Thank you” was imperative whether you received the best present ever or Aunt Ethel’s yearly gift of tidy whities. Which of us have never…

One of the strangest scenes in Scripture occurs in the Easter story. My trusty NIV reads: When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus…

Something in the human heart desperately wants to believe.  We started watching Christmas movies as soon as the Thanksgiving leftovers hit the fridge. Miracle on 34th Street has long been one of our favorites.  I don’t analyze every movie we watch, but this year, things just jumped out at me. Miracle on 34th Street centers on the tension…

Son of David. A loaded phrase in Scripture. It came with ties to royalty, future promises of the Messiah, and an eternal kingdom. Consequently, genealogical records were carefully recorded. Genealogies typically read from father to son as seen in Matthew 1:1-17. However, in Matthew 1:20, when the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, the…

I’m big on names.  In biblical culture, name often represented character. Think of how many times you speak a child’s name over them. How could that not influence a child? With that in mind, I chose the names of our children carefully:  Benjamin (son of the right hand) Russell (his father’s name)  Richard (ruler, leader,…

It’s Advent time. Christmas trees primp and preen as they don their seasonal finery. Mistletoe dangles from the ceiling. Candles and poinsettias elbow one another for the most prominent display spot. Our homes glitter, glow, and gleam as we celebrate the Light of the world.  I love to spend time reflecting over the Christmas accounts…

Typically, thanksgiving comes after. After the answer. After the reconciliation. After the storm has ceased. After.  If we remember. Yet, in the New Testament, Paul linked prayer with thanksgiving. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.” Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every…