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Name Above All Names – The Names of God Advent Study – {Week Four}
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 Can you imagine seeing our prominent leaders, the wisest sage of our days, or even your own father, bending their knees to bow before a child? The Wise Men sought Him, but other kings tried to kill Him. This child born in a lowly manger sure caused a stir. How can the birth of a baby boy turn things around? It really passes all understanding. The birth of this child will bring salvation…
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Name Above All Names – The Names of God Advent Study – {Week Three}
Music is a wonderful part of the Christmas and Advent season. The first Noel, defined, literally means, “a Christmas carol” (Merriam Webster), and is synonymous with Christmas. It is in some of our favorite songs of the season where we find our next two names of God. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel According to Praisecharts.com, originally, monks in monasteries sung O Come, O Come Emmanuel during medieval days. The words of this song were considered so important that a separate stanza was assigned to each of the most pious monks, to be sung from the 16th of December to the 23rd. In the 1800’s, a standard tune was written for…
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Name Above All Names – The Names of God Advent Study – {Week Two)
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2. The Plaza Lighting Ceremony is one of Kansas City’s most treasured traditions. For the past 90 years, people fill the plaza streets in anticipation of watching a local celebrity flip a switch that turns on 80 miles of lights. When that switch is flipped, it is officially the Christmas season in Kansas City. It is our way of announcing the most wonderful time of the year. It takes over 200,000 bulbs to create light in the Plaza’s darkness; however, the Light of the World shines…
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Name Above All Names – The Names of God Advent Study – Week One
Welcome to the 2020 Advent series here at Beautifully Broken. I am glad you are here. This year we are going to spend the next four weeks unwrapping some names of God. Have you ever wondered why there are so many names in the Bible for God? Me, too. Our names are important, don’t you agree? We have a first name, a last name, and usually a middle name. Then we often have nicknames. It is this combination of names that makes us unique. Do you remember when everybody’s name and phone number were listed in a phone book? Our names are important because they identify and introduce us. Called…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Fifteen, Treasured
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 From the time the angel, Gabriel, greeted Mary, she treasured all these things – the angel, Gabriel’s greetings as the favored one, the shepherds’ words, and even the events of Jesus’ strange childhood. She pondered them in her heart. Mary gave great thought to her God’s words and acted upon her faith as she raised His son. Without the spiritual discipline of pondering and treasuring God’s Word, we will lose it. When we fail to remember the promises of God or when we turn our attention to the ways of the world, we find ourselves…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Fourteen, Spread the Word
“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:16-18 The shepherds wasted no time going to find this thing that happened. They hurried out to find Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. They were so excited about the implications of the birth of the Savior that when they leave the stable, they tell everyone the good news! We, too, need to waste no time in sharing this good…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Thirteen, See
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’” Luke 2:15 The Shepherds’ very first response after hearing this good news was to leave everything and go see this thing that has happened. They were not just popping over to the maternity ward at Bethlehem General Hospital to drop off a quick baby gift. No, they were going to see an event that changed the world. The shepherds realized that the prophecies passed on from generations of old, had come to pass and that the…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Twelve, Suddenly
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”Luke 2:13 Have you ever been startled by something? Maybe, if someone jumps out at you from behind a wall, you might feel scared or startled: your heart may skip a beat at the unexpected sight. The shepherds were quietly tending to their own business when suddenly angels appeared out of nowhere. I’m not surprised they were afraid. Even though the sudden appearance of angels startled the shepherds, they were not startled by the announcement of a…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Ten, Good News
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11 Many have asked why the good news of the birth of Jesus was first delivered to the shepherds. Here are three reasons to consider: God chose to announce the arrival of a King to a group of people who were looked down upon by many. He would be looked down upon by many throughout history. The shepherds represent all of us. None of us are…
