John 1:5,10-11

"[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."

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

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

"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.

"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."

"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 1:4-5 -- 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.

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

"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..."

"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..."

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.

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.

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.

"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..."

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.

"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...."

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.

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

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....."

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!

"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..."

"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..."

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.

"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..."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

'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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.