Mary's reaction to the angel's news that she's going to bear the messiah is a masterclass in humility and faithfulness. Following Mary's Example, we can take God's promises seriously, and respond with humility when God decides to use us. Zechariah receives a divine promise about a coming baby. His skeptical response misses the mark. Mary,…

When life is hectic, sad or stressful, rejoicing is not our normal reaction. When Paul tells the Philippian church that they should always rejoice, he shows how we can find peace in troubled times. Our confidence in Jesus' victory, in his closeness and in his faithfulness, changes how we react to difficulty. We can cast…

When we prepare for Jesus' return, it's fitting for us to look at the mistakes God's people made in the lead up to his first coming. The Jewish religious leaders thought they were righteous by keeping the letter of the law. Jesus showed that this form of righteousness isn't good enough. Israel's story shows us…

During Advent, we celebrate how Jesus is the fulfillment of God's people's hopes. But this is only true if our hope is for God's kingdom to come. If instead, we're pursuing our own agenda, God's kingdom isn't the thing we hope for, but the thing we dread. Jesus is only welcome to us when we're…