Luke 2:4-5

When was your last pause to reflect, rest, and renew? Rick Brown gives some statistical data on Christmas shopping, historical data on the birth of Jesus, and some spiritual insight on how to keep from going under during the busy time we call Christmas.

Come on! The New Year is coming, don't we need to move on and get ready for it! Phil Ware and James Nored introduce Heartlight.org readers to the grit of grace and the coming video series called, "My Story in God's Story."

Where does Jesus fit into all the make believe? Rubel Shelly helps clarify that Jesus is a historical figure and real, not something imaginary like the Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, and Santa Claus.

Come on and let's go! Let's find a fresh joy in going back to Bethlehem for the birth of our Lord!

Advent is the celebration of Jesus' coming to earth and bringing God's heavenly Kingdom shown in his ministry, lived by his people, and ultimately experienced at his return! Phil Ware shares Scriptures and James Nored shares an inspirational video regarding the blessings and significance of Advent, Jesus' coming to earth as God in human flesh as our Savior and Lord.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This is the Biblical account of Jesus' birth from Matthew 1 and Luke 2 from the NIV 11 version of the Holy Scriptures.

I wonder what it was like when the angel learned he would bring the news? Whether Christmas comes on December 25 or not doesn't really matter, what does matter is that Jesus came and the angels declared it and that we celebrate it with great joy.

How does something like this happen? Rubel Shelly tells a story about Tommy Luck and the baby that transformed a rough mining town and then reminds us Jesus did the same thing with the world.

We sometimes forget that Jesus' birth, so wrapped in sentimentality at Christmas, was a real event when the Immortal God chose to wrap himself in the fragile face of a newborn child. Phil Ware continues his Christmas series, entitled "Give Me Jesus", focusing this week on the specific time, the then, of Jesus' coming.