“Joy to the World!”

“Joy to the World” is one of my favorite Christmas carols. The words are based on Psalm 98, and it is one of the more than 600 hymns written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748).1 Watts wrote the hymn not about the First Advent of Christ, however, but about His Second. “Joy to the World” was in […]

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day! This is not the easiest of days for many women. Whatever your circumstances, the Lord knows your labor of love for children—whether they are yours or children whom you have nurtured and encouraged. May He bless you and honor you for your faithful work. May He comfort and console those of you […]

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Maundy Thursday

As Jesus talked with His disciples the night before He died on the cross (John 13–16), He spoke to them about who He was, and he described about the suferring they would face as His disciples. He reassured them of His continuing presence and care in His sending of the Holy Spirit even as He […]

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“The Kingdoms Of Our Lord & Of His Christ”

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:15 KJV – The words of the “Hallelujah” chorus in Handel’s Messiah are from Revelation 19:6, 16; […]

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Christmas Tears

Christmas and the holiday season are not always times that are cheery and bright. Loneliness and loss have a sharper edge in contrast with our longings for warmth and love and joy shared with others. Suffering inflicts a terrible sense of alienation on our hearts. We can feel as if we don’t matter. But what we […]

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“Joy to the World!”

“Joy to the World” is one of my favorite Christmas carols. The words are based on Psalm 98, and it is one of the more than 600 hymns written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748).1 Watts wrote the hymn, however, not about the First Advent of Christ, but about His Second. “Joy to the World” was in […]

Read More

Happy Mother’s Day!

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands so that the […]

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Maundy Thursday

As Jesus talked with His disciples the night before He died on the cross (John 13–16), He spoke to them about who He was and what their life was to be as His disciples. He reassured them of His continuing presence and care in His sending of the Holy Spirit even as He told them […]

Read More

“The Kingdoms Of Our Lord & Of His Christ”

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:15 KJV – The words of the “Hallelujah” chorus in Handel’s Messiah are from Revelation 19:6, 16; […]

Read More