John 3:1-5
 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 

Genesis 3:1-7 

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

This week The Daily Pause is diving into the archives and revisiting the journey through well-known Christmas Carols that God us through last year.

Each day we will open with prayer to immerse in the presence and love of God, and then we will engage with a well-known Christmas carol, hearing something of the story behind the carol, as well as the deep soul-stirring theology of the lyrics. We will get to embrace these age-tested songs in a fresh way, giving the Holy Spirit ample space, time, and truth to restore our souls in this unique season. 

Enjoy today's journey as God uses the story and lyrics of Silent Night to strengthen our faith and enrich our lives. Merry Christmas! 

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav'nly hosts sing, Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior is born!
Christ, the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

This week The Daily Pause is diving into the archives and revisiting the journey through well-known Christmas Carols that God us through last year.

Each day we will open with prayer to immerse in the presence and love of God, and then we will engage with a well-known Christmas carol, hearing something of the story behind the carol, as well as the deep soul-stirring theology of the lyrics. We will get to embrace these age-tested songs in a fresh way, giving the Holy Spirit ample space, time, and truth to restore our souls in this unique season. 

Enjoy today's journey as God uses the story and lyrics of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen to strengthen our faith and enrich our lives. Merry Christmas! 

God rest you merry, gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay;
remember Christ, our Savior
was born on Christmas Day
to save us all from Satan's pow'r
when we were gone astray.

Refrain:
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

From God our heav'nly Father
a blessed angel came
and unto certain shepherds
brought tidings of the same,
how that in Bethlehem was born
the son of God by name.

"Fear not," then said the angel,
"let nothing you affright;
this day is born a Savior,
the true and radiant light,
to free all those who trust in him
from Satan's pow'r and might."

Now to the Lord sing praises,
all you within this place,
and in true love and fellowship
each other now embrace;
this holy tide of Christmas
is filled with heav'nly grace.

Refrain:
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

This week The Daily Pause is diving into the archives and revisiting the journey through well-known Christmas Carols that God us through last year.

Each day we will open with prayer to immerse in the presence and love of God, and then we will engage with a well-known Christmas carol, hearing something of the story behind the carol, as well as the deep soul-stirring theology of the lyrics. We will get to embrace these age-tested songs in a fresh way, giving the Holy Spirit ample space, time, and truth to restore our souls in this unique season. 

Enjoy today's journey as God uses the story and lyrics of Hark the Herald Angels Sing to strengthen our faith and enrich our lives. Merry Christmas! 

Hark! the herald angels sing,

  “Glory to the new-born King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild;

  God and sinners reconciled.”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,

  Join the triumph of the skies;

With angelic hosts proclaim,

  “Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

 Christ, by highest heav’n adored,

  Christ, the everlasting Lord:

Late in time behold Him come,

  Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,

  Hail th’ incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with man to dwell,

  Jesus our Immanuel.

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!

  Hail the Sun of righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

  Ris’n with healing in His wings:

Mild He lays His glory by,

  Born that man no more may die;

Born to raise the sons of earth;

  Born to give them second birth.

This week The Daily Pause is diving into the archives and revisiting the journey through well-known Christmas Carols that God us through last year.

Each day we will open with prayer to immerse in the presence and love of God, and then we will engage with a well-known Christmas carol, hearing something of the story behind the carol, as well as the deep soul-stirring theology of the lyrics. We will get to embrace these age-tested songs in a fresh way, giving the Holy Spirit ample space, time, and truth to restore our souls in this unique season. 

Enjoy today's journey as God uses the story and lyrics of What Child Is This to strengthen our faith and enrich our lives. Merry Christmas! 

What Child Is This?

What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping,
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary!

Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce him through,
The Cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word Made Flesh,
The babe, the son of Mary!

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
Come, peasant, king, to own Him!
The King of Kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him!
Raise, raise the song on high!
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy! Joy! For Christ is born,
The babe, the son of Mary!

This week The Daily Pause is diving into the archives and revisiting the journey through well-known Christmas Carols that God us through last year.Each day we will open with prayer to immerse in the presence and love of God, and then we will engage with a well-known Christmas carol, hearing something of the story behind the carol, as well as the deep soul-stirring theology of the lyrics. We will get to embrace these age-tested songs in a fresh way, giving the Holy Spirit ample space, time, and truth to restore our souls in this unique season. Enjoy today's journey as God uses the story and lyrics of Joy to the World to strengthen our faith and enrich our lives. Merry Christmas! 
Joy to the world, the Lord is come

Let Earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And Heaven and nature sing

And Heaven and nature sing

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns

Let all their songs employ

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love

And wonders of His love

And wonders, wonders, of His love

John 15:5-9

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

John 10:7-15

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

 John 6:28-35
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c]”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I AM the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.