ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 23: THE JOY OF JESUS
Posted December 23, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
Fourth Sunday of Advent
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 22: A PILGRIMAGE
Posted December 22, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
By Stephen Fox
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked, ?Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.?
Matthew 2:1-2
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 21: LOVE YOUR GOD
Posted December 21, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 20: CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Posted December 20, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, His mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped Him, then opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11 (The Message)
This year I have already received a gift more precious than gold, or frankincense, or myrrh. My health was restored.
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 19: HOW THE WISE MEN FOLLOWED GOD'S WARNING
Posted December 19, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
By Pat Gray
On coming to the house, they saw the young child with Mary, His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Matthew 2:11-12
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 18: MORNING STAR
Posted December 18, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
By Chase McKnight
One of my favorite Advent stories is when the three wise men are inspired by the star of Bethlehem to go witness the birth of Christ. King Herod, after hearing about the coming of the ruler of the universe, desires to preserve his kingship. He invites the wise men to stop by on their way, secretly planning to obtain the location of Jesus. However, the star bears a…
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 17: WE'RE IN GOOD COMPANY
Posted December 17, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ?Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.?
Luke 2:9-10
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 16: COMMUNICATION 101
Posted December 16, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
I Corinthians 13:1
This fall I was granted an 8-week sabbatical by our Personnel Committee. While I was away from my regular work, I learned from a communications consultant, read interesting books, and spent time thinking about deep questions. I?m still…
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL DECEMBER 15: THE BABY JESUS
Posted December 15, 2018 by SMBC in Advent
For a child has been born for us, a Son given to us; authority rest upon His shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
By Jeri Kuhleman Heath
The Jesse Tree
Posted December 14, 2018 by Glen Dickey in Advent
Growing up, the big excitement during Advent was the Jesse tree. It was a branch from the tree at our house, but my mom used it as a learning tool for my brother and me. Every now and then, a new construction paper ornament would be hung on a branch. The tree told the genealogy of Jesus. My brother and I could not wait until Christmas morning! I wanted tools, and he wanted model airplanes.…
Waiting for Christmas
Posted December 13, 2018 by Matt Walton in Advent
I have a favorite picture of my daughter, taken three years ago in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day. The picture hangs in our kitchen where it warms my heart each time I consider it. Often I will stop what I am doing and gaze at it for a few moments, and when I do, the phrase "waiting for Christmas" lingers in my mind. Honestly, I smile in part because this is a moment I want frozen in…
Growing Up With Advent
Posted December 12, 2018 by Charlie Funderburk in Advent
When I was younger, I did not know what Advent was. I thought it was just a warning the church gave to say, "Christmas is almost here, fellas." I did not like it because it was the only thing between me and Christmas. I just wanted to open the presents on Christmas morning. Eventually, I grew out of my narcissistic frame of mind going through middle school. When I was buried in school work or…
An Unexpected Turn
Posted December 11, 2018 by Cathy Edwards in Advent
What an unexpected turn life brought to these two young people! As we look forward to the birth of Jesus with excitement and anticipation, I am also reminded about how unsettling this experience must have been for Mary and Joseph. We are all familiar with situations where God has blessed couples with unexpected "bundles of joy," but this is a whole new level of "unexpected!" Job changes,…
Mary Trusted God, And So Shall I
Posted December 10, 2018 by Carol Shattuck in Advent
The part of the Christmas Story that describes Mary initially questioning the angel who tells her she will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit, saying, "but how can this be, I am a virgin?" is one of the passages that makes me believe this incredible story. She must have had many, many questions, concerns, and fears. But the miracle is that after Mary received the surprise of her life, she made…
A Carol for Joseph
Posted December 9, 2018 by Carey Cannon in Advent
It was December 2008, and we were days from welcoming Duncan into the world. One of the final scheduled church events was a Wednesday night carol sing. It was our first Christmas with the new Celebrating Grace Hymnal when a curious youth requested the carol "The Hands That First Held Mary's Child." As we sang through these verses, I found myself overcome with emotion and incapable of singing.…
Jingle Bells
Posted December 8, 2018 by Byron Keeling in Advent
Our older son, Dustin, is now a college student in his twenties. It seems like only yesterday he was a first grader in Sunday School at South Main. One December morning, he and his classmates spent the Sunday School hour singing Christmas carols. When Sherri and I arrived to pick him up, his teacher told us that Dustin had enthusiastically participated in the Christmas carols—up to a point.…
Shared Feelings of the Season
Posted December 7, 2018 by Bill Carpenter in Advent
The Advent season is a joyous occasion for Christians because all activities lead toward the birth of Christ. As we journey with Joseph and Mary, we see them deal with many difficult and trying circumstances. I am always amazed at God's hand in their journey and at their persistence in pursuing the desired result: the birth of the Christ Child and His dramatic impact on our world. At…
Are You Ready?
Posted December 6, 2018 by Bill Anderson in Advent
We have all been asked, "Are you ready for Christmas?" There are two questions there—one is about the "cultural Christmas" we all take part in and the other about Christmas as celebrating the birth of Jesus. Many of us would respond initially to the "easy" question about preparations for Christmas as a cultural holiday: Is the tree trimmed? Gifts bought and wrapped? Cards mailed? A 2013 Pew…
Reflecting the Past, Looking to the Future
Posted December 5, 2018 by Angie Durand in Advent
On the day after Thanksgiving, we begin our Advent season by emptying our bookcases and shelves and putting out nativity sets. We have nativities that we have been collecting for years. By the end of the weekend our home is Advent-ready—ready for the celebration of our Savior. When Amy and Sally went off to college, I made sure they had a few Christmas ornaments and a small tree for their…
Glory of the Lord
Posted December 4, 2018 by Jason Harper in Advent
One of my favorite ways to recharge is to spend time outdoors at our ranch in central Texas. As the seasons change from fall to winter, dry air occasionally descends upon us from the north in the form of a cold front. One of the great by-products of these fronts is that the amount of water vapor in the air is usually greatly reduced. That scenario, combined with a dark sky nearly untouched by…
