God

God’s Attributes Expressed Through Jesus

Penni Bulten
22 Dec 2016
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Many Christians are familiar with the song “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel” whether it is Enya’s version, or another. Handel’s “Messiah,” another piece that is often heard at Christmas time, also reflects on several of the titles of God that are appropriated by the Messiah, Jesus. Even from the promise of Jesus’ birth, there are both direct statements and hints at his sharing the attributes of God. Some of these directly relate to the name of God, others to his attributes and still others relate to both. The Old Testament prophesies these connections, while the New Testament reveals their fulfillment. […]

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Finding the Star of Bethlehem

Tom DeRosa
9 Dec 2016
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Was there an actual “Star” of Bethlehem or was it an apparition that God miraculously set in the skies that led three Magi (Kings or Wise men) to the Savior of the world? Could the star actually be an unusual pattern of heavenly bodies aligned over Bethlehem? Some think it was an angel that appeared as a star. The mystery of the Christmas star has always been subject to much discussion by scholars and followers of Christ. The Star of Bethlehem appears in Matthew 2:3-11 where we are told that there was a sign in the heavens that lead the […]

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Four Ways to Restore Your Christmas Spirit

Jonathan Smith
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Have you ever noticed that some people just seem to exude Christmas Spirit? Do they do this naturally or is it some secret? Let’s face it; none of us wants to be around a Christmas Scrooge robbing the season of joy. Yet, if we are real honest about how the season can affect us, it’s real easy to slide into a Scrooge mentality. So how do we restore the Christmas Spirit in our hearts?   Too busy for Christmas Consider the “busyness” that Christmas generally entails. There is shopping, planning, wrapping, coordinating, inviting, participating, cooking, cleaning, driving, ordering, scheduling and […]

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A Christmas Fantasy

John Hawkins, Sr
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Two thousand years ago on a Judean hillside an angel appeared to a group of shepherds keeping watch over their sheep by night. He announced good news that would bring great joy to all people. A savior – Christ the Lord was born. Then suddenly the sky was ablaze while an angelic choir proclaimed peace on earth and good-will toward men. The shepherds were given instructions on how to find this new baby in the village of Bethlehem. They went there and worshipped the baby Jesus. What a wonderful story. It tells us the real meaning of Christmas. There are […]

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Unspeakable JOY!

Dr. Tommy Boland
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joy

To be sure, this was my truth growing up. I could not wait for Thanksgiving to be over so we could put away the pumpkins, turkeys and little Pilgrim figurines.  Every day I counted down to that day . . . Christmas day . . . when we would finally get to open the presents under the tree, see everything Santa left behind, hoping it would not be a stocking full of coal, and bring baby Jesus out from behind the stable to lay him in the manger. Well, I am a whole lot older and a little bit wiser […]

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Bethlehem Revisited Takes Visitors Back in Time

Melia Diana
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First Church of Coral Springs invites you to Bethlehem Revisited, a living interactive recreation of the town of Bethlehem. It is a chance to watch the town of Bethlehem come to life as it was more than 2,000 years ago during the time of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. This five-day annual event will open Friday, December 9 and continue till Tuesday, December 13. Bethlehem Revisited started over 20 years ago. There are more than 300 volunteers from staff to local churches, uniting together for this live event. Janet Brockway, event and drama coordinator, said, “All volunteers are trained […]

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Make Christmas Meaningful for Kids

Maritza Cosano
6 Dec 2016
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  If you are like most families, the Christmas season brings a certain anticipation of one, two or even twelve days filled with family traditions. From Christmas trees shopping adventures to decorating your house with mistletoes, candles and candy canes, baking delicious desserts and splashing the Christmas colors and twinkle lights everywhere from the family room to the front yard — in other words, the Christmas you have always imagined. For our children, this Christmas is still being written upon their future memories. So, how can we as parents make Christmas more about the reason and less about the season? […]

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Leaders See Things Differently

Paul Greasley
5 Dec 2016
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Leaders are people, like all of us. But there is something different about a real leader. Leaders see things with a clarity that brings life into focus. Leaders see things that other people don’t see. Physical eyesight is one of the five senses. We take special care to preserve our vision. A few years ago the total vision care market in the U.S. generated about 34.5 billion dollars. Eye sight is important. We often use the analogy of sight to express our agreement or disagreement with each other. Sometimes we say that we see eye-to-eye about a certain situation. At […]

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Restore Conference 2016 Shines a Light on Human Trafficking

Melissa Presser
30 Nov 2016
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There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today. According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80 percent are female and half are children. Even more alarming is the number of children in foster care who have made their way into the sex trade. The Restore Conference held November 18 at Journey Church in Boynton Beach worked to combat that, shedding light not only on the global effects of human trafficking, but highlighting the issue in our own communities. The conference brought together people of […]

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Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant Will Honor American Heroes

Estefania Hernandez
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From camels and new-born babies to flying angels, pyrotechnics and more, First Baptist Fort Lauderdale’s annual Christmas production has wowed thousands for more than 30 years. The Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant rises to the caliber and mastery of Broadway shows but with a different foundation. What makes this renowned event so special? Some may say the magic is in the scenery, while others can argue the actors hold the pageant to its high standards. One thing is certain. “When you have welcomed 40,000 people a year for 33 years, the impact is undeniable, as the real message of Christmas is […]

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