"And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." Luke 2:21 Joseph obeyed God. The angel had instructed him to give the child the name Jesus because Yahweh would save His...

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they...

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer...

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they...

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In...

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1While Thanksgiving Day is not a festival on the Church’s calendar, it is central to the Church’s life. Thanksgiving Day may not be celebrated across the border in Canada or among sister congregations across the...

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”1 Thessalonians 5:18The person who taught me about thankfulness the most was not a pastor or seminary professor, but a young mother of two. As a new pastor, I visited this young woman who...

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16“Songs of Thankfulness and Praise” is not just an Epiphany hymn, but also the joyful response of the saints to God...

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe…”  Hebrews 12:28The Christian life is one of receiving from God innumerable blessings of body and soul. The primary way that we know God is through His...

"And he said, 'The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.  He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.  The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in...