“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped 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) We’ve all heard the story so much that a few of us could probably quote the verses. So why talk about the wise […]

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) All around the world, children are flocking to malls and shopping centers to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. The truth is the real story of Santa Claus has gotten lost in the commercialization of Christmas, a testament of sorts largely to the genius retailers who wanted to be sure that moms and dads didn’t forget them at Christmas either. The irony behind all this truth is the story of St. […]

“I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites.” (Psalms 26:4) When my wife and I first met, it didn’t take long for me to realize that her faith was very important to her. “You’re pretty religious, aren’t you,” I asked her on our first date. I’ll never forget her answer: No, I’m not religious at all. I’m a Christian.” I couldn’t understand why she had a problem with being labeled as religious, at least not until I became a Christian and understood the […]

“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31) The gospel rests on three giant pillars: Jesus’ virgin birth, atoning death, and bodily resurrection. The Easter season celebrates Jesus’ death and resurrection. Christmas focuses solely on the virgin birth. You can’t call yourself a Christian if you don’t believe in the virgin birth. I remember my doubt about it as an unbeliever. I thought it defied one of the most basic laws of nature. So […]