Christmas 2020 will undoubtedly be unique. But maybe that is a good thing. Maybe it will be less hectic and more focused on what really matters. Maybe all the trappings and expectations will seem less important. Maybe we will be better able to celebrate the Child in the manager.

The CRADLE

When God sent His Son to earth as a helpless infant, His cradle was a humble manger in a stable. The shepherds and wise men worshiped Him. But when the wise men didn’t return to tell King Herod where the young child was, Herod sought to kill Him. Herod ordered the murder of all the baby boys two years old and under. God protected Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the land of Egypt. After Herod died, Joseph was instructed by God in a dream to return ...

One cold evening, a renowned Jewish rabbi met privately with Jesus. He attempted to flatter Jesus by telling Him that He must be of God because of all the public miracles He had done. Jesus cut to the chase when He told the rabbi, “Truly, truly I say to you unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The rabbi was confused. He reasoned that Jesus was asking him to physically be born a second time from his mother. Jesus clarified his meaning when He said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:6, 7). Two births. One physical. One spiritual. One ushers us into ...

Last month I wrote about the fear of conflict which afflicts many. I listed five different reasons why people avoid conflict. Just to recap, here are the five reasons for conflict-avoidance:

1. Family-of-Origin. People often avoid conflict because they saw the results of conflict between their parents or their parents and others in the family and it was not pretty.
2. Fear. Probably the most common reason people avoid conflict is fear. They are afraid of losing control of themselves and doing or saying something they’ll regret or they’re afraid of the other person losing control and emotionally or physically hurting them.
3. Emotionality. Some people avoid conflict because it would require them to become emotional and they have ...
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Seldom are single men taught how to be married. Many men come into marriage thinking and behaving like singles “with benefits.” For single men to become husbands, men must switch their thinking from thinking like a single to thinking like a married man. For example, single men only need to think about themselves. They have no one else for whom they need to be responsible. Married men must think about their wives, the impact of their decisions on the marriage, and the needs and happiness of their wives. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “. . . One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his ...