Hope in the Final Advent
December 25, 2024“…set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus” 1 Peter 1:13 There is nothing like a proper Kenyan boarding school to teach you about hope. After one or two …
The Great Privilege of Prayer
December 23, 2024Reading: 1 John 5:14–17 As we near the close of the book of 1 John, we have discovered two central ideas interwoven throughout. First, we must abide in the Son. Yes, we must hold fast to the doctrine of the …
Waiting Eagerly for Christ
December 22, 2024Reading: Luke 2:25–35 Simeon is described as *righteous and devout,* a man who lived with the anticipation of Israel’s consolation, and on whom the Holy Spirit rested. His life offers us profound lessons in faith, hope, and reliance on God’s …
Life Is in God’s Son
December 21, 2024Reading: 1 John 5:5–13 The most scandalous thing about the first Noel was not that Mary and Joseph found no room in the inn. The most shocking thing was not that the Son of Man, destined to rule the nations …
Christmas Conquest
December 20, 2024Reading: 1 John 5:1–4 The Christians of the earliest centuries, along with the apostle John, teach us to confess Jesus as the only begotten Son of God (John 1). From all eternity, he is the Son, begotten not made. The …
Authentic Christianity Loves Like Christ
December 19, 2024One facet of the wonder of the incarnation is that Jesus, the God-man, represents perfect humanity. What Jesus told Philip is astounding: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). But this is not all the incarnation …
Love that Compels our Love
December 17, 2024Reading: 1 John 4:7-13. Love is a prominent component of human life. We love to love, and we love to be loved. Also, we naturally tend to love those who love us or those who are lovely. This fact about …
The Test for Truth
December 16, 2024Reading: 1 John 4:1-6 Back in the 15th Century, the mining of precious stone such as gold or silver depended upon the use of another stone. In order to establish the authenticity of gold and silver, the mineral needed to …
God Exalts His Humble Servants
December 15, 2024Reading: Luke 1:46-53 Today we take a brief break from 1 John to consider Mary’s prayer in view of the announcement of the coming of the Messiah. How are you feeling about Christmas this year? What will you be celebrating? …
Confidence Before God
December 14, 2024The world into which the Lord Jesus was born was a dark one. Imperial Rome maintained peace through brutal military control. For decades martial law had prevailed. The gospel of the God who takes on flesh and suffers for the …