In the ninth chapter of the book of Daniel, we see a young man recently taken captive, praying for help and deliverance. What can we learn today from Daniel's prayer?

The year of Jubilee was a great time in Israel, an event every 50 years that allowed for rest and celebration. What can we learn from this happy event that we can apply to our lives today?

In over 700 biblical occurrences, we can see the intricate patterns by which God has used the number 7 in history, throughout Scripture, and in the age to come.

Advent: four weeks that lead up to the holiday of Christmas. Many churches will light a different candle each week to represent joy, hope, peace, etc., as we remember the true meaning of the season. But how do we celebrate Advent at home? Should we light candles for four weeks? You can if you want to! But I suggest also diving into the Word of God each week, especially as a family.

Celebrating Advent in Church or at Home In church, your pastor may lead the congregation in lighting a different candle each week, focusing on Scriptures that reveal God’s promises and remind us of the gift of Jesus. Each Sunday, as we gather, we’re encouraged to turn our eyes toward God’s unfolding plan of redemption, starting all the way back in Genesis, through the prophets, and ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.

At home, you can carry on this practice with your family. Light a candle each week, read a passage from Scripture, and take a few moments to reflect together. You don’t need anything fancy—just an open heart to let the story of God’s love take center stage. Advent readings are a wonderful way to make the season feel special and to teach our families the deeper meaning of Christmas.

Why Use Advent Readings?

Scripture plays a huge role in the Christmas story. The Christmas story actually starts in Genesis (more on this in a moment), not Matthew. Although there's nothing wrong with watching Christmas pageants or movies about the Christmas nativity, I also suggest digesting the Word yourself and discovering why we cherish this story so much.

The Christmas story is so much more than a single night in Bethlehem. It’s the fulfillment of promises made throughout the Old Testament, beginning right after humanity’s fall in Genesis. So while Christmas movies, pageants, and decorations add to the celebration, reading from the Word of God each week helps us cherish the real significance of Jesus’s arrival.

Whether at church or home, here are four Scriptures to use as Advent readings—one for each Sunday. As we light candles, read God’s Word, and gather in prayer, may we all feel a renewed sense of hope, peace, joy, and love as we prepare to welcome Jesus into our hearts once again this Christmas season.

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Psalms for healing can be one of the most beautiful spiritual medicines when a family or friend undergoes a sickness, surgery, or ailment. Pray over these Psalms of comfort today.

We've heard about Ebenezer stones in the Old Testament. But can Christians create one today? And what does it look like?

Some people refer to God as "God the Mother." Or claim there is a mother figure in heaven. Is this biblical or heretical?

The Bible is full of imperfect people. But are there certain people we like to diss more than we ought to?

Unicorns? They come from myth and legend, right? So why do we see them popping up in some versions of the Bible?

We can easily laugh at Jonah, or roll our eyes at him. After all, why couldn't he allow God to save the people of Nineveh? But how often do we have someone we don't want to see redemption?

Even though Jonah ran in the complete opposite direction of God's plan, God still brought others to know him, Jonah's shipmates.

Creatives show up all the time in the Bible poets, songwriters, craftsmen, etc. God uses the lowly artist Oholiab to work on one of the most important tasks in the Bible, the Tabernacle.

We've heard that giants, descendants of Anak, traversed the pages of Scripture. But was the Bible exaggerating, or were they actually giants?

Is it a funny story? A sad one? A sobering one? Eutychus falls from a window and literally dies. So what can we learn from him?