In a world gone wrong, our world, the coming of Christ in his truth, righteousness, justice, beauty, mercy and, above all, love, radically shakes things up.Read More
Jesus said to his disciples: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens...Read More
O God, who makest us glad with the yearly expectation of thy coming, grant that we, who with joy receive thy only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may without fear behold him when he shall come to be our Judge, even thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy...Read More
So, we wait and we pray. God willing, our grandbaby will arrive in a week or two. But our hope and expectation nonetheless is necessarily in God alone. According to St. Augustine, patient, persistent and attentive prayer primarily expands our hearts and “exercises our desires” to receive the ultimate good that God has for us.Read More
The preparatory season of Advent helps put the nativity of Jesus into the context of his death, resurrection, and ascension. This devotional guide includes an Old Testament prophecy and a fulfillment of that prophecy, with additional explanation and commentary each day.Read More
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In...Read More
One of the ways we observe the holy season of Advent, preparing for the birth of Jesus, is by taking time each day to be with God. I have written an Advent devotional guide to use daily during the season to remind you that Emmanuel means “God with us.” You can learn more about the...Read More
IWS will sponsor a community-wide Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at New Grace Church in Fleming Island. This event, which begins at 6:30 p.m., is a traditional choral worship service composed of a stirring collection of Advent hymns and carols, interspersed between Scripture readings. The service is intended to...Read More
Advent emphasizes what has been described by theologians as the "already, but not yet," the time between the first and second comings of Jesus, between the Kingdom unveiled and the Kingdom fulfilled. In a sense, the "already but not yet" is also the time between our own births and deaths.Read More
I have published a family devotional guide for Advent, the season of anticipation of and preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ. The daily material begins with Sunday, December 1 and actually runs all the way through the Feast of Epiphany (January 6). You can learn more about the book and purchase it at the...Read More
What humans could not attain because they could not raise themselves to God, God attained by descending to humans. . . . There can be no such thing as spirituality without God initiating relationship with human persons, a relationship that is traced back to the momentous event we celebrate as Christmas—God with us. But there...Read More
He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. Luke 1:51-53 (ESV) This coming fourth...Read More
