Emmanuel’s Story: Simeon’s Light

It’s been so long, Lord. You made a promise from before the beginning of time, and your people have waited. We need Messiah. We were cast out of the garden. Our fathers failed to obey. We continue to turn away from you. Your law only proved how wicked our hearts truly were. We can’t save…

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Emmanuel’s Story: Daniel and the Magi

We’ve come a long way in biblical history, and now because they broke the covenant, both Israel and Judah have been cast out of the Promised Land. Sad. It seemed like the end of Israel, the end of God’s blessing to his people, and the end of the promise. Ah, but even in exile, God…

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Emmanuel’s Story: We Approach the Throne

I’ve always loved the story of Cinderella. A poor, orphan girl wins the prince’s love and becomes a princess. It reminds me of my story as a bride of Christ. Before I discovered that the prince chose me, I floundered as an unwanted daughter. Without a father to love and care for me, I was…

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Emmanuel’s Story: A Gentle Whisper

Today we turn to the next person in our quick journey through the Old Testament. Remember his story? The Lord sent him to preach against the evil King Ahab and his uber-wicked wife Jezebel. During the ultimate stand-off, Elijah went against Baal’s prophets. Simple test: I’ll make an altar to my God. You make an…

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Emmanuel’s Story: Forever Shepherd King

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Luke 1:8 Have you ever thought about why the angels appeared to shepherds? I mean, why shepherds? There must be a reason. (This is how my mind works.) Imagine those shepherds. Such a dirty job. Lonely. Nothing glorious…

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Changed by a Baby 2: A Reason to Smile!

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice. Phil. 4:4 As I stood in the bathroom, the dread of disappointment draped over me. More than a year earlier, I’d lost my second baby to miscarriage. Day after day, infertility ate away at me as I watched friends my age raising kids—their first, second,…

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Changed by a Baby: From Bitter to Pleasant

Did you realize there were so many babies in the Old Testament? I never really thought about it until I started doing this study! Now we come to another one—or another lack of one. The book of Ruth opens with the land of Israel languishing in a hot mess they’ve created for themselves. They have no…

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Emmanuel’s Story: Manna or a Manger–God Provides

How those Israelites could complain! The Lord had just miraculously brought them out of hundreds of years of slavery. They saw the plagues—frogs, boils, grasshoppers, even the loss of the firstborn. They witnessed firsthand how God provided a way for the angel of death to pass over their homes, sparing their sons. He split the…

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Emmanuel’s Story: He’s Got You

  Today we come to another story about a baby. We’ve already met the long-anticipated Isaac, now we get to meet sweet little Moses. Remember the story found in Exodus 1 and 2? He came at the worst possible time. The relatively small band that originally trekked down to Egypt from Canaan had “increased and…

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Emmanuel’s Story: Fear Not

Now we turn to Joseph. Such an amazing story, overflowing with signposts pointing to Jesus. Remember the story? (Gen. 37; 39-41) A father sends out his robe-wearing son, who willingly leaves his glorious and honored life, only to find murderous men waiting for him. He’s thrown into a pit and then descends into a far-away…

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