John 1:11-13

"To all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human..."

"To all who received [the Word, that is Jesus Christ], to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of..."

"But to all who believed [Jesus, the Word] and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn — not with a physical birth...."

Inspirational illustration of John 1:12-13 -- To all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

"The one who is the true light [Jesus Christ], who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but...."

Have you found out what is truly amazing this time of year? Jesus is the reminder of God's unconditional love and willingness to search and sacrifice to find us and bring us home as our love-sick father.

His coming divided the history of the world into two parts Every man's life is divided into "Before Christ" and "After Christ." We come to know of him, we learn about him, then we decide. We decide to reject him and all that he stands for. Or we believe in him, and receive all that he has to offer.

"He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him."

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..."

Inspirational illustration of John 1:11 -- He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

"Dear Child of God, The fifty days between My resurrection and Pentecost were important. I appeared to My closest disciples on several occasions, and...."

You offer the invitation, and Jesus brings the blessing! Max Lucado reminds us that Christ is our hope and that we can invite him into our lives anew, and to stay, this Christmas.

Do you feel just a little above average? God has always and will always use ordinary people to do his work!

How do you approach God? Phil talks about when his son Zachary was born hurt and how his voice as a father comforted his son and how we as God's children can approach God as Abba Father.

"Dear Disciple, Have you really made room in your heart for Me? I'm not talking about thinking about Me during the Christmas season. I'm asking if..."

Mary's simple life was about to come to a dramatic end! Phil Ware finishes the year 2012 with two powerful posts or articles about Jesus' birth and the people gathered around him, and emphasizes that God's greatest beginnings are found in hard endings.

"Dear Child of God, One of the most amazing things about My story is that I created the mother who gave birth to Me. Like every person who has ever..."

"[Jesus, the Word] came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him."

Can we really break the code? While there is much ado about the Da Vinci code, the real proof of Christianity's vitality and truth to the younger generation will be seen our living of the truth of Jesus.

"Dear Disciple, I love the way My beloved disciple you know as John describes My coming to earth: "The Voice took on flesh and became human and chose...."

Why is it so hard to say? We all have the fear of being rejected by the one we love, but Jesus knows this fear best.

Jesus longs to be born again into our world in me? Jesus wasn't just born into our world in the womb of Mary, but he longs to be born into our world again in each individual Christian the Holy Spirit gives birth to in the world.

"Dear Friend, The text in the Verses to Live section comes from two different places. I want you to read them together to help you understand two very..."

All hotel rooms look alike We were made to be in relationship with one another. We were made to be in relationship with God. In fact, God's plan is that we be adopted into His family.

You've been invited to be a part of God's family God has invited each of us to come and be a part of His family

Jesus came to earth, lived as one of us, and died a horrible death of shame and humiliation on the cross so we could be in his family. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in an online, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to celebrate and focus upon what it means to be a child of God who can approach Jesus as an older brother and God as Abba Father.

Have you invited him in? Max Lucado reminds us to make our heart a manger and every day Christmas.

What are we supposed to do about Christmas? Knowing what to do about the birth of Jesus is quite a dilemma, however, we do need to acknowledge he was born and respond appropriately.

The Holy Spirit gives birth to Lord in the heart of each new Christian and longs to bring that new follower of Christ to full maturity in Jesus. Phil Ware challenges us to enter the mystery of the conception and birth of Jesus the Messiah with Mary and find ourselves caught up in the story of Jesus with her.

The Holy Spirit gives birth to Lord in the heart of each new Christian and longs to bring that new follower of Christ to full maturity in Jesus. Phil Ware challenges us to enter the mystery of the conception and birth of Jesus the Messiah with Mary and find ourselves caught up in the story of Jesus with her.

Are we really willing to make Jesus the center of our life. Phil Ware reminds us that Jesus is the center of everything, our salvation, our time, our hope, but will we make Jesus the center of our lives?

In the middle of our grief, loss, and brokenness, we must remember that we are not alone in our brokenness. Phil Ware reminds us that God shares our pain in our worst moments of grief and loss, God is heartbroken with us.

What else can you say, but thank you? Phil Ware shares a collection of Scriptures that talk about the significance of Jesus' birth.

"Dear Disciple, In the verses below, I want you to notice a few things about the ongoing contentious dealings I had with the religious leaders. They....."

What makes your identity secure We don't find our identity in our roles or our status. Our identity is found in Jesus Christ.

What's your story? You've got a story. It's a unique story that's being written every day. But your story needs an ending, a happy ending. And I know that the only way your story can end happily is if you make your story part of God's story.

In a year of trouble, sorrow, isolation, and loss, our prayer is that you can experience the presence of Immanuel in your life! Phil Ware shares the Heartlight.org and VerseoftheDay.com Christmas prayer with all their readers.

Show me, I'm tired of just hearing talk! Phil Ware continues his C2K or church to Kingdom series emphasizing that our message must be lived, displayed, and demonstrated and not just spoken.

How can God know experientially how hard life can sometimes be for us? James Nored and Phil Ware remind us to push past the glittering lights and see that God came to be one of us in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus didn't come to earth to be protected from life's harshest realities, but entered into mortality to share it all with us — the good, the bad, the ugly, and the painful! James and Phil continue their series on The Story of Redemption by focusing on the birth of Jesus and what it means for us.

Jesus picked this beginning because he knew our idols would someday reek of perfectionism and opulence, of measuring up and looking the part, of vanity. Jordan shares this powerful post that was highlighted on The Today Show with our Heartlight.org audience.

Without the Holy Spirit, how can there be new life? Phil Ware continues his series on the Holy Spirit with a focus on being born of the Spirit and its ties to faith, baptism, and repentance.

It sure is hard doing the right thing. Doing the right thing is hard, but the retirement benefits make it worth the effort -- just ask Jesus!

Why settle for a past-tense God when the Lord longs to move through us with power from the Holy Spirit? Phil Ware and Demetrius Collins lead us into worship through songs, Communion, and the Word God, inviting us to realize that God's presence and power are still available to us today and we can ask God to do again in our day what he did in days of old thro

Jesus had many opportunities to walk away from the shame and pain of the cross, but he chose the Father's will and our need over his comfort. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the dark night that began the long, painful, and lonely journey of Jesus through his Passion to bring us to God and helped define the way of Jesus through the cross to the empty tomb.

What is most important for us to believe and do as disciples of Jesus, today? Phil Ware begins a series of messages on what is core, or what is at the heart of what we must believe and do to be true disciples of Jesus, today.

God came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth. God chose to come to us as one of us. Phil Ware shares the Heartlight.org team's reading plan for December to help prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus.