New Day With Jesus

" After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem   and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." — Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV)   The story of the wise men from the East is often told as a tale of exotic travelers following a star. But beneath the familiar imagery lies a profound truth about the relationship between intellect and faith. These men—scholars, astronomers, philosophers—represent the intellectual elite of their time.  They were thinkers, researchers, interpreters of the heavens. And yet, their journey leads them not to a library or a throne room, but to a humble child in Bethlehem.   Their story reminds us that intellectualism and faith are not enemies . In fact, when rightly understood, they enrich one another. In an age where faith is sometimes dismissed as anti-intellectual and intellectualism i...

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16 (NIV) Christmas begins with love — not human love reaching upward, but divine love reaching downward. The birth of Jesus was not an accident of history or a sentimental holiday moment. It was God stepping into our world because humanity was on His heart.  The manger is not just a symbol of humility; it is a declaration of intention. Jesus came for our sake — to rescue, redeem, and restore. Christmas exists because God looked at a broken world and chose to enter it, not out of obligation, but out of overwhelming love. John 3:16 doesn’t simply explain salvation; it explains Christmas. “For God so loved the world…” is the reason the story begins at Bethlehem. If God did not love you and me, there would be no shepherds, no angels, no star, no manger. The incarnation is the heart of God revealed — a God who refuses to remain distant from t...

"She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." — Luke 2:7 (NIV) A manger is a feeding trough—rough, ordinary, and unremarkable. Yet this is where God chose to begin His earthly life. That choice is intentional. It reveals a God who does not remain distant from human struggle but steps directly into it. The manger shows that holiness is not confined to grand spaces and that greatness is rooted in humility rather than dominance. In a world obsessed with achievement and visibility, the manger whispers a countercultural truth: true significance often begins in hidden, humble places. It stands as a quiet protest against the world’s obsession with status, influence, and applause. The Savior of the world arrived not with fanfare but in simplicity, reminding us that God often works through what is small, unnoticed, and easily overlooked. Redefining Greatness The manger fits p...

Sing aloud, the King is born,  On this bright and holy morn;  Heaven bends to kiss the earth,  Angels herald joy and birth. Shepherd hearts in fields awake,  Hushed in awe for heaven’s sake;  Stars lean low to light the way,  Guiding night toward dawning day. Hope now breathes in manger small,  Love made flesh to save us all;  Every shadow flees the light,  Grace has stepped into the night. Lift your voices, let them soar—  Peace has come forevermore;  Sing aloud with hearts reborn,  Joy to all, a King is born.

“ The Lord Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel .” — Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah’s prophecy was spoken into a moment thick with fear. Judah trembled under political pressure, and King Ahaz stood at a crossroads—trust God or trust human alliances.  Into that atmosphere of anxiety, God offered a sign. Not a display of military strength. Not a strategic alliance. But a child. A name. A promise of presence.  Immanuel—God with us. It was God’s way of saying, “I have not abandoned you. My promises still stand. My presence is your security.” From Prophecy to Fulfillment Even before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah 7:14 declared that God keeps His word even when circumstances seem to contradict it. Centuries later, Matthew’s Gospel identifies Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of this ancient promise. What once reassured a fearful king becomes a sign of salvation for the entire world. Isaiah 7:14 opens a window into the very...

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” – Matt 2:2 The Magi’s simple yet profound statement above captures one of the most mysterious and beautiful moments in the Nativity story. These travelers—outsiders, foreigners, seekers—noticed something in the sky that others overlooked.  Recognizing it as a sign worth following, they began a journey that models attentiveness, responsiveness, and openness to God’s movement in the world. Before the Magi ever set out, God had already placed a sign in the heavens. The star symbolizes God reaching out, drawing people toward Christ long before they know His name. It reveals that God’s invitation extends beyond boundaries—geographical, cultural, or religious. Grace That Goes Before Us The star reminds us that God’s work always precedes our response. Long before the Magi packed their bags or understood what they were seeing, God had initiated the journey. The star wasn...

“ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace .”— Isaiah 9:6 The phrase “the government shall be on his shoulder” carries both political and deeply personal weight. In Isaiah’s world—marked by instability, oppression, and longing for justice—this image signaled not only authority but responsibility. It evokes a leader who willingly bears the burdens that come with ruling. A Different Kind of Leadership Isaiah contrasts this divine government with the power structures people knew. Instead of domination, the ruler is described with titles like Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Authority here is not enforced through fear but expressed through wisdom, strength, compassion, and peace. A shoulder symbolizes strength, but also closeness. You carry on your shoulder what you intend to bear personally. Isaiah’s i...

“ The angel said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has shown you his grace. ’” — Luke 1:30 There is something profoundly tender in the angel’s opening words to Mary: Do not be afraid. Before heaven unveils its plan, before any miraculous promise is spoken, God meets Mary at the level of her humanity. He acknowledges her fear. He speaks into it. He calms it.    God never overlooks the emotional weight of what He asks of us. He sees the cost before we feel it. He understands the tremble in our hearts before we can name it. And He chooses to begin not with instruction, but with reassurance. God never calls anyone into sacred, stretching, or unexpected work without first seeing the impact it will have on their inner world. His invitations are never detached from His understanding of our fragility. He knows the questions forming beneath the surface, the anxieties rising before we can articulate them, the quiet tremors that accompany stepping into the unknown. Presence Befo...

“ The angel said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has shown you his grace. Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end. ’ ” — Luke 1:30–33 The Christmas story unfolds in a world full of striking contrasts—royalty and poverty, glory and humility, heaven and earth. Angels stand at the center of this tension. They are heavenly beings who step into the most ordinary human spaces: a quiet village, a carpenter’s troubled sleep, a field under a night sky. Their presence reminds us that the sacred is not distant or unreachable. Instead, it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. God Moves First One of the most profound truths revealed through the angels is what they show us about God’s character. Before anyone in the story prays, seeks,...

“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt…” — Matthew 2:13–15 Angelic visitations in Scripture are rare, reserved for moments when God shifts the direction of history. Yet Joseph—a humble, working‑class man from Nazareth—receives not one but two direct angelic messages at the heart of the Christmas story. Heaven’s intervention in his life reveals how deeply God valued his role. In Matthew 1, Joseph stands at the edge of heartbreak. Mary is expecting a child he knows is not his, and the future feels uncertain. It is in that vulnerable moment that an angel appears, revealing the divine origin of the child and calling Joseph to step into God’s unfolding plan. This was not merely comfort; it was commissioning. Then in Matthew 2, the angel returns with urgency: flee to Egypt. Herod seeks the child’s life. Joseph does not hesitate. His obedience becomes the shield that protects the Mes...

“ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under …” — Matthew 2:16 Herod’s decree stands as one of Scripture’s darkest scenes—a ruler so threatened by the possibility of a rival that he unleashes violence on the most defenseless. Matthew echoes Jeremiah’s lament: “A voice was heard in Ramah… Rachel weeping for her children.” It is the sound of parents whose world has shattered. We often imagine Christmas as peaceful: angels singing, shepherds kneeling, a star glowing over a quiet stable. These images are beautiful, but they can also feel disconnected from real life. Matthew refuses that distance. He reveals the harsher backdrop: a paranoid king, terrified families, soldiers carrying out horrific commands, and a village drowning in grief. A World God Chose to Enter Matthew places Herod’s massacre beside the miracle of Christ’s birth to remind us of...

“ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him .” — Matthew 2:1–2 The Christmas story is rich with wonder, symbolism, and divine mystery, but few scenes captivate the imagination like the visit of the Magi. Across cultures and centuries, people have been drawn to these mysterious travelers from the East.  They appear suddenly, guided by a star unlike anything in the natural sky, carrying gifts that speak in prophetic tones. And just as quickly as they arrive, they disappear from the narrative, leaving behind a trail of questions, symbolism, and awe. Their presence in the story is more than decorative. It is a moment where history, theology, and cosmic wonder intersect. The Magi remind us that the birth of Jesus was not a quiet, local event. It was a global announcement—one that reached far b...