“He is the image of the invisible God…” (Colossians 1:15, NET). The gifts rise like a multi-colored box-mountain under our Christmas tree—colorfully swaddled in red, green, and silver. I survey the geometric mound, scrutinizing the little tags that say “Reg,” or “Daddy,” or “Budbo” (all me). I’m mildly interested in the other packages, but the […]

“…our God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 1:1, NASB). The one name or title of Jesus that eclipses all others is the transcendent monosyllable—GOD. Jesus is God. This is the crux of Christmas and Christianity. Undiminished deity was joined forever with unfallen humanity. As someone has profoundly said, “He who made man was made

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end’” (Revelation 22:13, ESV). “Wooden Block Letters—and the Babe in Bethlehem” As a child you may have played with wooden blocks on which were carved the letters of the alphabet. You may have even tried, perhaps unsuccessfully, to spell

“…He has a name written that no one knows except himself” (Revelation 19:12, NET). We pondered, thought, scratched our heads, and pondered some more. My wife and I deliberated long and hard about what we would name our newly adopted children. As Ethiopian children adopted into an American family, these kids needed names that would

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NASB). As the apostle Paul ends his second letter to the Thessalonian church, he prays they would have peace in the midst of ALL their circumstances. So often, we think of peace

“In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered” (Hebrews 2:10, NIV). In 1775 Daniel Boone opened a trail through the Cumberland Gap enabling thousands of settlers to cross the central Appalachians

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth…” (Colossians 1:15–16, NIV). Colonel Henry Lee once described George Washington as “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Lee was not

“‘As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth’” (Job 19:25, NASB). In the beginning, all creation enjoyed the freedom endowed by the Creator to know Him, to enter into fellowship with Him. When Adam disobeyed and ate of the forbidden fruit, all

“Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk’” (Acts 3:6, NIV). Only in Acts 3:6 and 4:10 do we find this threefold name of our Lord. This amazing combination of names brings to bear on

“When Jesus had finished saying these things, he looked upward to heaven and said, ‘Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you’” (John 17:1, NET). One of the first words from a baby’s mouth is “Daddy.” And, in a caring family, even before words, infants understand themselves as