Are we bugging God when we pray about the same thing? No. He loves for his children to talk with Him. I think some deeper questions here could be, “Does God hear me if He is not answering my prayers.” “Am I praying for something in line with God’s will?” “What is the Lord cultivating in me through praying?”

The enemy can try to get in our heads so that we will avoid sharing with others, but this goes against Jesus' final words before His ascension.

When we isolate or steer clear of the local church or Christian community, we miss out terribly on the blessing and the purpose of God’s greater plan for His people.

When we are tempted to fear the winter storms this season, may we be reminded of dwelling in the shelter of our God who is the Most High.

Did you know that when you woke up this morning, God was with you? Did you know that when you received that horrible news, God was with you? Did you know that when you reached that goal, God was with you?

Revelation is a book with a lot of symbolism and various interpretations among believers. As we dive in, please know that this is one interpretation of Scripture. There is no place in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth mentioning a dragon, however as we view the Bible as a whole, this is a legitimate belief and worth pondering.

The multitude of heavenly hosts praised the Lord for His coming. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). As these shepherds stood there, initially terrified at what they saw and excited about the news they had received, the angels glorified the Lord.

Jesus’ whole birth story was probably not what any of the Jews imagined. The Savior of the world was born in a smelly stable, placed in a manger, and His first visitors were poor shepherds on night duty. Jesus was showing that He came for all of us; all are poor in spirit, sinful humans, in need of a Savior.

Just like John the Baptist, we too have purposes that the Lord wants to fulfill through our lives. Our earthly fathers may have never prophesied over us, however our God calls us His children when we believe in Christ Jesus.

The truth is that we do not have 100% knowledge that animals were there. However, as we observe Scripture, it is very likely that they were present. With this in mind, how does it help us love Jesus more by understanding His great sacrifice for us?

The greatest gift to humanity was in the most undervalued of places. The first to know of His miraculous birth in Bethlehem were shepherds on night duty. He was a small-town boy, raised by two righteous parents who loved God and served Him with their lives. Jesus reminds us that what God values is opposite of the world.

From Joseph, we see that God’s will is always better than our own. Sometimes faith leads us to actions that the world around us does not understand. However, purity and integrity are of great worth in the eyes of God.

Mary was a common woman, just like you and me, but she was chosen as the vessel to bring God Himself to earth. Her role was no small task, but with the help of God, she fulfilled her mission to help bring Him into the world and raise Him in her home.