Don’t Miss the Miracle And she [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (ESV) There were no five-star hotels in first-century Palestine. Travelers who were unable to stay with relatives often found lodging in shelters that …
Caesar Augustus
Lord of All Leaders The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. Proverbs 21:1 ESV Octavius was a member of the triumvirate that ruled Rome after the death of Julius Caesar. A victorious warrior and shrewd politician, he eventually became sole emperor of the Roman Empire, taking the …
Elizabeth
The Lord Has Done This for Me “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” Luke 1: 36-37 Barrenness was considered a sign of God’s disapproval. Elizabeth probably felt the shame …
Empowered to Give an Eternal Perspective
Open Your Eyes: The Lord Almighty Is in Control And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” 2 Kings 6:17 Second Kings 6 records one of my favorite Old Testament events. The king of Aram wanted to conquer Israel, but every time he set up an ambush, the king of Israel eluded him with the uncanny …
Empowered to Worship
No Other Gods “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7 His name meant “My God is Jehovah,” and Elijah was a prophet during a time when idolatry abounded. God gave Elijah a message to deliver to King Ahaziah that might have made any prophet fearful. He was to intercept Ahaziah’s men on their way …
Onesimus
Epaphras had been going back and forth delivering letters, but now he remained with Paul in prison. Two new messengers were sent: Tychicus and Onesimus. The first was unknown to the Colossians, but the second was well known to one of them—Philemon. Onesimus was his runaway slave. Paul might have shown Onesimus the letter he was to deliver (Philemon 1:10-21). …
Julius
Willing to Change When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. Acts 27:1[1] Listen to the sailing experts or to the celebrated Jewish prisoner, Paul? The answer must have seemed obvious to Julius, the Roman centurion charged with bringing …
James and Jude
Half-Brothers of Jesus Coming to his hometown, [Jesus] began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did …
Euodia and Syntyche
Choose to Agree I plead with Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Philippians 4:2 The community of Christians in Philippi was especially dear to the apostle Paul, who established a church in that city on his second missionary trip (Acts 16:6–40). The theme of his letter to the Philippian congregation is living joyfully regardless of …
Matthias
The Twelfth Apostle Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. Acts 1:21-22 After he rose …