Our heavenly Father encourages the disciples to listen to Jesus and follow him, as he is the one in whom the Father is well pleased. Through this event, we can understand the deep love and affection that the Father has for his Son and for those who follow him.

Life is full of difficult decisions, but Jesus has come to help us with the most important one of all. He has chosen us and laid down his life for us, offering us the opportunity to share eternal life with him and live in the freedom and grace of God’s love.

When spreading the gospel to the Corinthians, Paul focused on sharing his personal testimony and the power of the Holy Spirit, rather than trying to impress others with his words. He encouraged others to trust in Jesus’ actions and words instead of their own.

If you read Psalm 15, you could easily say that no one would ever fit any of the descriptions when the psalmist collectively asks the question, who is worthy to be in the presence of God? No one is righteous enough. No one can always be kind and blameless. The only one who would fit the description is Jesus! He has always been in God’s presence as God’s very own Son. Through Christ, we learn to be righteous. Through Christ, we learn to be loving and kind. Through Christ, we can stand in God’s presence by the Spirit and experience the complete grace and glory of God our Father.

As kids or even as adults, some of us might have felt scared of being in the dark. Science tells us that we need the dark for good health because light exposure at night can affect our bodies’ internal sleep rhythms and hormones. Comparably, in our Christian journey, experiencing troubles or trials is natural. Don’t let this discourage you. Christ is here with us. Even though we experience darkness in life, we can always be assured that he will bring us back to the light.

We easily give applause when we experience something wonderful in our lives. And sometimes it can leave us speechless when we encounter the same overwhelming feeling when we grow to know God to greater depths.

We are limited in how far we can plan ahead of time. But God’s plan looks at the bigger picture. Even when we think what we know is best, rest assured, God knows what is best for us and for the greater glory of his kingdom.

During the Advent season, we celebrate Jesus’ incarnation. The Divine entering into our neighborhood in human flesh to save us and love us. Our God saves and only he can make us whole.

When we’re facing a problem, there are different ways how we should respond. When we’re filled with doubt and despair, let us keep our eyes and hearts on the one with whom we can completely put our trust because he is faithful to address what concerns us today.

Every time we check our favorite news app, scroll through social media, our daily newspaper, or turn on the TV, we are likely to run into some form of bad news that can leave us disheartened. The prophet Isaiah reminds us to lift our eyes to the one who never fails when everything else does. Jesus is always ready to embrace us in his loving arms. He is our one true hope.