fisher of men

1. Noël is “Christmas” in French. Joyeux Noël is French for “Merry Christmas.” 2. Noel can also mean good news, coming from the French phrase bonnes nouvelles (“good news”). 3. Noel can even mean birthday. The French noël comes from the Latin natalis, meaning birthday. 4. Finally, noel can also refer to a Christmas carol. The First Noel It makes sense then that noel is a word we use in English to celebrate or share the good news of the birth of Christ! It is no wonder that one of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time is “The First Noel”: The First Noel the angel did sayWas to certain poor shepherdsin fields as they lay;In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel. “Aujou...

So how did Black Friday go for you? Did you get some good deals? Did you knock out all of your Christmas shopping? Apparently a lot of us tried. According to a survey by SlickDeals, more than half of us hit the stores on Black Friday. And on average, those of us who did planned to spend more than $500 that day alone. And the three things we went looking for? Number one was clothes. Second on our list were laptops or computers. And then third, TVs. And we like our Black Friday sales. The survey found that most of us would skip out on Thanksgiving with family entirely just to get a good deal. But here’s the real craziness: one in five Americans would eat only oatmeal for two weeks straight if it meant they could get a new, flat-screen TV for half price. And for the same deal, nearly one in 1...

Dr. Ray Pritchard Author, Speaker, President of Keep Believing Ministries This is Day 2 of Letters to Our Grandchildren: “Let’s Go Straight to Bethlehem.” Today’s letter is written to Hannah, our four-year-old granddaughter. I’m sure she would have gone with the shepherds to see the baby Jesus in Bethlehem! PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

December 3, 2019Love Shows UpMary Southerland Today’s Truth 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). Friend to Friend It was one of those days. You know what I mean. The minute I opened my eyes, I could feel the weight of the darkness. All I wanted to do was pull the covers over my head and pray that the world would go away and leave me alone. But it won’t. I know that.                                                      I have responsibilities – deadlines to meet, people who are counting on me, and things I need to get done. So I do what I always do...

Dr. Ray Pritchard Author, Speaker, President of Keep Believing Ministries This is Day 1 of Letters to Our Grandchildren: “A Star in the Sky.” Each day between now and Christmas, I’ll read a new letter to our grandchildren. Marlene and I wrote these simple letters to help our grandkids understand the real meaning of Christmas. Join us each day for these brief video devos. PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

Monday, December 2, 2019 Open Your Gifts! Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:7 nlt) I love to get gifts for people. When I get a gift for my wife, I’ll have it wrapped, because I have no wrapping skills whatsoever. Sometimes I’ll give her a gift when we’re out for a meal. I’ll present it to her and then wait for her reaction. She’ll take the gift and carefully set it aside. Then she’ll say, “I’ll open it after dessert.” “No, not after dessert,” I’ll say. “I want you to open your gift now. I’m so excited—I think you’re really going to like it!” In the same way, when God gives us spiritual gifts, He wants us to open them. Writing to the believers in Rome, the apostle Paul said, “For I long to visit you so I...

A Prayer to Put Jesus First this Christmas Season By Debbie McDaniel “And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:7 No room for them. No vacancy. No place. Words that still seem to hang close, even today. In a world that seeks to crowd Jesus out, where busyness abounds, and hearts are stirred to focus on other things, it can be hard sometimes to choose to keep Him first. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the whole hurried dash of the holidays, and to give our attention to what seems more urgent. Our focus gets blurred; and the most important gets pushed aside. It takes an active and daily choice to put Christ first, especially in a culture that says you’re too busy ...

Ann Spangler Ann Spangler is an award-winning writer and speaker. Anyone who has ever been a parent knows how satisfying it can be to provide for the needs of their children. To give a child a home, food on the table, love, guidance, a good start in life—these are basic needs we love to provide. But even the best parent can’t meet every need—to be accepted by peers, to find a perfect spouse, to be healed of a serious illness. With our limited vision we cannot see even a millisecond into the future. And even if we could, we would likely misdiagnose many of our children’s deepest needs. Fortunately Yahweh Yireh (yah-WEH yir-EH), the God Who Provides, sees each of us clearly—past, present, and future.  Because of that, he knows what we truly need. Though most of us might love to be match...

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” – 1 Peter 2:23 Why Not Rather Be Wronged? by Lynette Kittle Have you ever been mistreated? Dealt with unfairly or experienced loss and hardships at the hands of another? Has someone cheated you out of a position, promotion, or items that should have rightfully been yours? If so, you’re not alone. Ever increasing lawsuits are evidence of a world of unfairness. Yet as a Christian, what is your response? Have you adapted the ways and methods of the culture or do you trust God in these types of matters, turning to Him to direct your reactions and make things right? 1 Corinthians 6:6 describ...

Editor’s Note: This blog is a favorite of the Church & Culture Team and has become a Thanksgiving tradition. Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving! The barracks where Corrie ten Boom and her sister, Betsy, were kept in the Nazi concentration camp Ravensbruck were terribly overcrowded and flea-infested. Corrie and Betsy had been able to miraculously smuggle a Bible into the camp, and in that Bible they had read that in all things they were to give thanks and that God can use anything for good. Betsy decided that this meant thanking God for the fleas. This was too much for Corrie, who said she could do no such thing. Betsy insisted, so Corrie gave in and prayed to God, thanking Him even for the fleas. Over the next several months a wonderful, but curious, thing happened: They found that the guar...

A Prayer for the Long Walk of Faith By Karen Ehman “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 5:24 (NIV) Is there a person in the Bible whose story you simply love? One who encourages you, challenges you or with whom you share a similar life circumstance? Perhaps it’s Moses and his keen leadership skills? Or, Esther — the compelling queen, both beautiful and brainy — who used her quick thinking to help save an entire nation? Maybe Joseph is your favorite, as you contemplate how someone so mistreated could continually take the high road which led him not only to political power but also to family forgiveness? All of these are fabulous choices, but I choose Enoch. I first heard of Enoch as a teen, and he fascinated me. Not ...

Thursday, November 28, 2019 (Thanksgiving) Courageous Gratitude Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 nkjv) Jesus, who is God, knows all things. And there in the Upper Room, He knew what was about to happen. He was about to identify His betrayer, Judas Iscariot, and said, “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27 nkjv). He also identified His denier, Simon Peter, telling him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times” (John 13:38 nkjv). And then Jesus gave thanks. Mark’s gospel tells us, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them an...