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The Supremacy of Jesus Christ
The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with “the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, “That is the work of God Almighty!” Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else.
The Gift of the Magi
A young married couple had more love than money. As Christmas neared, both struggled to find a gift that would show how much they cared for the other. Finally, on Christmas Eve, Della sold her long, knee-length hair to buy Jim a platinum chain for the watch he’d inherited from his father and grandfather. Jim, however, had just sold the watch to buy a set of expensive combs for Della’s hair.
Author O. Henry called the couple’s story The Gift of the Magi. His creation suggests that even though their gifts became useless and may have caused them to look foolish on…
A Christmas promise
Today the Discover the Word team wraps up their series titled “A Christmas Promise.” And it’s their final discussion of 2017! You won’t want to miss this capstone conversation with the team. Launch into the New Year with the satisfaction, contentment, and joy that came on Christmas. Grab a seat at the table today for […]
Discover how peace and contentment can endure
Do you have a favorite place where you feel completely at peace? Maybe it’s reading by the fire or sitting on a fishing dock at dawn. Don’t you wish that feeling could last forever? Today on Discover the Word, we return to Luke chapter 2 to reveal how peace and contentment can endure. Be part […]
“Be prepared”
Do you know the Boy Scout motto? It’s, “Be prepared.” And it’s actually a good motto for all of us! It’s also the posture of a man we’re meeting in Luke chapter 2 this week on Discover the Word. Join us at the table and learn from Simeon how to be prepared and always hopeful! […]
What Do We Do Now With All Those Christmas Gifts?
Can you believe it? Christmas Day has come and gone—just like that. Over the last month or possibly just this past week, you probably spent a great deal of time writing Christmas cards
Experience peace despite our present circumstances!
We’re told that Christmas is the season to be jolly, but what if we’re dealing with deep disappointment and broken relationships? Today on Discover the Word, we’ll explore an aspect of the Christmas story in Luke chapter 2, to find how we can experience peace and contentment despite our present circumstances! Listen to Discover the […]
A Thrill of Hope
Reginald Fessenden had been working for years to achieve wireless radio communication. Other scientists found his ideas radical and unorthodox, and doubted he would succeed. But he claims that on December 24, 1906, he became the first person to ever play music over the radio.
Fessenden held a contract with a fruit company which had installed wireless systems on roughly a dozen boats to communicate about the harvesting and marketing of bananas. That Christmas Eve, Fessenden said that he told the wireless operators on board all ships to pay attention. At 9 o’clock they heard his voice.
He reportedly played a record…
God with Us
“Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left . . .” These hymn lyrics, written by the fifth-century Celtic Christian St. Patrick, echo in my mind when I read Matthew’s account of Jesus’s birth. They feel like a warm embrace, reminding me that I’m never alone.
Matthew’s account tells us that God dwelling with His people is at the heart of Christmas. Quoting Isaiah’s prophecy of a child who would be called Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (Isa. 7:14), Matthew points to the…
Have you allowed the true meaning of Christmas to impact your life?
I’d encourage you to get together with the Discover the Word team today. They have a question they’d like you to think about. Beyond the lights and the presents, when did the true meaning of Christmas impact your life? When did Christmas become Christmas for you? Has it? Well, join us to hear how “Christmas […]
Choosing faith over fear
As the Christmas carol tells us, Christmas brings “tidings of comfort and joy”! But it’s safe to say that not everyone buys into the Savior in the manger. Today on Discover the Word, we turn our attention to one person in the Christmas story who saw Christmas as a threat. Yes, “Christmas Changes Everything,” but […]
Home for Christmas
Christmas 1982 found me on assignment in a place many of my friends couldn’t locate on a map. Trudging from my worksite back to my room, I braced against the chill wind blowing off the bleak Black Sea. I missed home.
When I arrived at my room, I opened the door to a magical moment. My artistic roommate had completed his latest project—a nineteen-inch ceramic Christmas tree that now illuminated our darkened room with sparkling dots of color. If only for a moment, I was home again!
As Jacob fled from his brother Esau, he found himself in a strange and lonely…
A closer look at the shepherds
Most nativity scenes are pretty similar. You’ve got Mary, Joseph, and Jesus of course, usually some sheep, a donkey, an angel, and a couple shepherds. Today on Discover the Word, we’ll take a little closer look at those shepherds, who discovered that “Christmas Changes Everything.” Be listening today to Discover the Word!
Breaking the Silence
At the end of the Old Testament, God seems to be in hiding. For four centuries, the Jews wait and wonder. God seems passive, unconcerned, and deaf to their prayers. Only one hope remains: the ancient promise of a Messiah. On that promise the Jews stake everything. And then something momentous happens. The birth of a baby is announced.
You can catch the excitement just by reading the reactions of people in Luke. Events surrounding Jesus’s birth resemble a joy-filled musical. Characters crowd into the scene: a white-haired great uncle (Luke 1:5–25), an astonished virgin (1:26–38), the old prophetess Anna (2:36).…
