Rumor has it that whatever you do on New Year’s Day is something you’ll do each day of the year. I hope I don’t read ancient genealogies for 366 consecutive days! A more legitimate saying about New Year’s Day is that it’s a time to “turn over a new leaf,” a chance for a “fresh [...]
Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category
Day 123: First Chronicles 7-8
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Chronicles, Holidays, tagged 2012, life, New Year's Day, resolutions, spirituality on January 1, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Day 117: Second Kings 18-19
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Holidays, Second Kings, tagged Christmas, faith, Hezekiah, life, spirituality on December 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Hezekiah is a good king in a time when many monarchs are evil, and his effectiveness arises from his faithfulness. This morning I heard a preacher say that the greatest miracle of Christmas is not the baby in the manger or even the virgin birth but the God who cares. That deserves my faith. It [...]
Day 116: Second Kings 15-17
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Holidays, Second Kings, tagged Assyrian captivity, Christmas on December 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Some prefer Luke 2, but my Christmas reading is Second Kings 15-17. Men kill to become kings and perform notorious evil. Azariah and Jotham aren’t too shabby, but the rest are whacked, and the kingly chaos culminates in calamity. Assyria captures Samaria, Israel’s capital, and deports its residents. Why? Check out verses 7 and 8 [...]
Day 114: Second Kings 9-11
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Holidays, Second Kings, tagged Christmas, Jesus, peace, violence on December 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
These chapters should be rated at least R. When I read the violence, I find no uplifting thought to write, no devotional message to encourage you. I search my feelings and find disgust and embarrassment and am tempted to rethink my allegiance to the Story of scripture. Then I find redemption. In the midst of [...]
Day 104: First Kings 6-7
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, Holidays, tagged Christmas, God, life, Solomon, spirituality on December 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Commercialization consumes Christmas. At least it threatens to. From Black Friday to last-minute shopping on Christmas Eve, my culture worships the stuff god. I like giving presents that make people smile, and I enjoy receiving useful and thoughtful gifts, but Christmas can be more. It can be an opportunity to thank God for blessings (especially [...]
Day 81: Judges 10-12
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Holidays, Judges, Parenting, Relationships, tagged career, Family, Parenting, Thanksgiving on November 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
In the heat of battle, Jephthah promises to sacrifice to God “whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites.” To his surprise, as soon as he gets home, his daughter dances out to meet him. Jephthah is a “mighty warrior,” but he’s not [...]
Day 75: Joshua 16-18
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Holidays, Joshua, tagged blessings, Thanksgiving on November 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Physical blessings come from God, as do people with amazing faith. The Lord told Joshua, “Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh” (Josh 13:6-7). Today’s chapters continue the story [...]
Whose Resolution?
Posted in Holidays, tagged culture, faith, God, Holidays, life, New Year's Day, News, religion, resolutions, Thoughts on January 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Last December, PreachingToday.com posted revealing statistics regarding New Year’s resolutions: Almost half of USA citizens generally make New Year’s resolutions. Only eight percent of the nation is “always successful” in achieving resolutions. 24 percent of the national population makes resolutions but always fails to achieve them. Most resolutions in the country pertain to education or [...]
Give Away
Posted in Holidays, tagged Christianity, Christmas, faith, Frances Havergal, Give This Christmas Away, Holidays, I Gave My Life for Thee, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, life, Matthew West, Music, spirituality on December 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
How can you give Christmas away?
Thanking God
Posted in Holidays, tagged Articles, Bible, Christianity, faith, Family, God, Holidays, Music, Reflections, spirituality, Thanksgiving on December 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Since moving half a country away from our families, Tamara and I never get to see our parents and siblings on Thanksgiving Day. We are, of course, grateful for all members of our extended families, as well as for our friends, cats, jobs, and countless other blessings. A hymn we sang in congregational worship during [...]
