John 1:1-13

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.

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 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...."

"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....."

"[Jesus] had to go through Samaria on the way [to Galilee]. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to..."

"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..."

"Dear Follower, I came into the world as the Light of the World. That means I came to bring true light. So much light around you is dim and full of..."

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created..."

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . The Word gave life to everything that was..."

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.

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

"Dear Seeker, When seen in the darkness of a moonless sky away from the light pollution from your cities, the billions upon billions of stars merge..."

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.

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

"[Jesus, the Word] existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him."

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning."

"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..."

"He [the Word, the One we know as Jesus,] was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

"In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it."

"John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was..."

"God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony."

"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...."

"[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."

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . The Word gave life to everything that was..."

"The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can....."

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.

Inspirational illustration of John 1:4-5 -- In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.

Inspirational illustration of John 1:2-3 -- He [the Word, Jesus] was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Advent is the celebration of Jesus' coming to earth as the Son of God and our Savior. Inextinguishable hope is just one of the blessings of ADVENT! 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.

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.

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.

What really matters to the emerging group of young adults? Rather than fearing the new group of young adults, we should embrace them and hope to influence them for Christ.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling..."

"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..."

"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...."

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

"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..."

"The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone."

"As he is in the light! Can we ever attain to this? Shall we ever be able to walk as clearly in the light as he is whom we call "Our Father," of whom....."

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."

"John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light."

Inspirational illustration of John 1:1 -- In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was god

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

Heartcard of John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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.

So where can you go to find beautiful things? Lisa Mikitarian shares some thoughts on motherhood and finding beauty and overcoming the nature of pop-culture.

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.

Is there any hope, any light, for our darkness? Phil Ware talks about the triumphal entry of Jesus and the darkness that Jesus faced for all of us to defeat the darkness and bring us to light.

"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..."

God spoke His greatest message with just one Word! Phil Ware talks about why he and about 100 others go to Peru each year when it costs so much.

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.

Some things you have to believe or you have nothing worth believing in! Phil Ware continues his series on I AM, God's handwritten messages from heaven and focuses on the bottom line faith requirement -- Jesus is God come in human flesh.

God's yearning to bring life runs thematically from the beginning of our Bibles in Genesis, to its conclusion in Revelation. Phil Ware and Grady King bring us teaching and practical prayer strategies on praying for God's will to be done.

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.

With Jesus' arrest under torchlight, the end for darkness' reign drew near. Phil Ware concludes his four-part series on Jesus' Passion called seed, towel, promise, and torchlight.

How deep is the darkness where you shine your light? Phil Ware continues his dialogue on darkness and light and emphasizes the importance of shining our light in the darkness and

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.

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.

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

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?

How long has it really been? It's been two weeks since the awful murders at Virginia Tech and the heartbreak of parents, friends, and classmates.

What's shining in that darkness? Rubel Shelly talks about how important it is for us to be light for the dark places of our world.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Why do we love the darkness so much? Phil Ware continues his series on Jesus, I AM, and his claim to be God with us, who brings light into our lives.

Have you seen the Lord lately? When Christians gather together for worship and fellowship, it is a holy moment.

Can I really know Jesus? Phil Ware continues his series on The Andrew Effect focused on connecting others with Jesus as our life's mission.

Can you find that light that chases away the shadows? Phil Ware continues his series on When Spirit Becomes Flesh and talks about Jesus as heaven's light.

Why do we have to be the big fish in our small puddle? Phil Ware looks through The Jesus Window and is led to ask a question of all of us: just how big is our aquarium, just how big is our Jesus?

Can you drown out all the noise and simply listen for the Creator's voice in the Bible's first chapter? Phil Ware continues his series of messages based on the sea passages of the Bible, called Saved at Sea, this post is called Something Beautiful, Someone Good.

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!

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.

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.

The beloved disciple wants us to know and love Jesus like he does! Phil Ware looks at the gospel of John chapter 1 and reflects on all the titles, names, and descriptions given to Jesus in this one chapter and what it really means for us.

"Dear Disciple, The foundation for everything you hold dear as a Christian and as My disciple is this one fundamental truth: I came as God, in human....."

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.

'The verses are the blues, the chorus is the gospel.' Patrick Odum picks up a line from a Bruce Springsteen interview and helps us understand the need for being real about our struggles but also celebrating our hope in the gospel.

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.

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