Merry Christmas! Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus who grew up to die on the cross for our sins and come back to life again. That’s not the only thing special about Jesus. See for yourself. For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be…
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Today we’re looking at my favorite Christmas carol: “What Child Is This?” Let’s look at some of the funny, old words in this song and at the most important thing about Christmas. (Hint: It’s not the birth of a baby.) The Song Do you know the song “What Child Is This?” Here’s a video of…
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The story of the little drummer boy is not in the Bible, but this fictional story points to an important truth. The Song Are you a fan of Pentatonix? Their version of “Little Drummer Boy” amazes me. I don’t know how a human mouth, throat, and voice can make all those complex drumming sounds. Wow!…
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Things are going well, everyone is happy, everyone is healthy, and our prayers have been answered. What’s next, or are we just idling along in life? How does prayer fit into our lives during good times? Early in Jesus’ ministry things were going well. He had large crowds following Him and hanging on every word…
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When you have experienced tragedy or loss, holidays can be a trigger for those memories. It doesn’t help that everyone else around you seems to be celebrating and so happy . Even at church the message can seem to be: “Why aren’t you happy? It’s Jesus’ birthday!” Is that really what God thinks? Is it…
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Versions of this question are often tossed around when new babies are born. “Who do you think he (or she) looks like?” Usually, the answer is mom, dad, or a mix of the two. Physical characteristics pass from generation to generation, but so do character traits and other tendencies. Do you ever wonder who Jesus…
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Did you know that not all Christmas carols are happy? One sad carol is the “Coventry Carol,” also known as “Lully Lullay.” You may not remember it, but this is one of my favorites. The words and music are sad, but they point to the hope we have in Jesus Christ. NOTE TO PARENTS: Please…
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Some of the Christmas carols we sing mean more than you may have realized. For instance, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” talks about “ransoming Israel.” What does that mean? Gather up the family, settle in, and think with me for a bit about the advent, the coming, of Jesus. Click here for a shorter family…
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In the Pixar movie “Inside Out,” Fear, Disgust, Sadness, Joy, and Anger are the voices in people’s heads, helping them decide what to say and do. Whatever emotion takes control, the appropriate actions follow. Christians have another option. When Christ changes our hearts, He takes control. How does this work? What does “hypocrite” mean? A…
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Is it biblical to “follow your heart”? Why or why not? Today I want to share with you an excerpt from The Answer Book: Small-Group Guide. This is actually two small-group guides in one. The first part is for groups of children or multi-generational groups. The excerpt below is from the second part, written for…
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