Jamey Nettles | The angels announced Jesus’s birth as “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” The God of heaven gave His only Son to us - for our joy! God cares deeply about the full and eternal happiness of our souls. Jesus came at Bethlehem to secure our joy in God and He will come again in glory to complete it. While we walk through many sorrows as we wait for his return, God’s Spirit is with us and enables us to rejoice even through tears.

Jamey Nettles | At Advent, we look back in reflection on Jesus’s birth and look ahead in anticipation of His return. Jesus took on humanity and was born at Bethlehem because “God so loved the world.” God’s love toward us is astonishing, both because the Gift He gave us was infinitely precious and because we as a fallen race are profoundly undeserving. Yet into our guilty world the hope of mankind has come to reconcile to God all who will believe.

Jamey Nettles | At Advent, we look back in reflection on Jesus’s birth and look ahead in anticipation of His return. Jesus took on humanity and was born at Bethlehem because “God so loved the world.” God’s love toward us is astonishing, both because the Gift He gave us was infinitely precious and because we as a fallen race are profoundly undeserving. Yet into our guilty world the hope of mankind has come to reconcile to God all who will believe.

Jamey Nettles | Throughout Proverbs we’ve seen that God wants His people to be truly wise - not mainly by learning a certain set of facts, but by growing in a certain type of character. The wisdom God calls us to might be best described by the word humility. “The wise hear and increase in learning,” (Prov. 1:5) because the wise person humbly accepts that he has not “arrived,” having no need to be further taught. Only in knowing Jesus, our incarnate Wisdom from God, will we grow in God-honoring, humble wisdom.

Jamey Nettles | Throughout Proverbs we’ve seen that God wants His people to be truly wise - not mainly by learning a certain set of facts, but by growing in a certain type of character. The wisdom God calls us to might be best described by the word humility. “The wise hear and increase in learning,” (Prov. 1:5) because the wise person humbly accepts that he has not “arrived,” having no need to be further taught. Only in knowing Jesus, our incarnate Wisdom from God, will we grow in God-honoring, humble wisdom.

Joey Thompson | God loves to display His manifold wisdom in His grace-transformed people - in individuals, families, and faith communities made new in Jesus. Yet sin and foolishness remains in each of us until Jesus returns, so we always need to experience more of God’s transforming power. Our growth in wisdom and grace will always shape our relationships in the home.

Joey Thompson | God loves to display His manifold wisdom in His grace-transformed people - in individuals, families, and faith communities made new in Jesus. Yet sin and foolishness remains in each of us until Jesus returns, so we always need to experience more of God’s transforming power. Our growth in wisdom and grace will always shape our relationships in the home.

Jamey Nettles | One area where we’re often deeply aware of our need for God’s grace and wisdom is in regard to marriage, whether we’re married or single. Proverbs gives us practical wisdom for navigating singleness and marriage - not only about the kind of person to seek to marry, but also and more importantly, about the kind of person to seek to be by the power of the Gospel.

Jamey Nettles | One area where we’re often deeply aware of our need for God’s grace and wisdom is in regard to marriage, whether we’re married or single. Proverbs gives us practical wisdom for navigating singleness and marriage - not only about the kind of person to seek to marry, but also and more importantly, about the kind of person to seek to be by the power of the Gospel.

Jamey Nettles | God designed us to thrive in loving community, ultimately with Himself. Our need for real friendship is a feature of our humanity, not a bug. Proverbs teaches that the wise person will be neither isolationist nor idolatrous toward others, but will love God supremely and love others sincerely. May God help us to be the kind of friends who gladly point others beyond ourselves to Jesus, the all-sufficient Friend of sinners.