Welcome to the Christmas season at Calvary Bible Church.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Each year, the Church enters a sacred rhythm of preparation and anticipation called Advent. The word “Advent” means arrival or coming. It is a season where we remember the first coming of Jesus in Bethlehem and His promised return. We slow down. We listen. We look again toward the manger and remember that God Himself stepped into our world. God is not distant, but near. Not silent, but speaking. Not passive, but saving.

This year, we will journey through Advent by reflecting on the names of Jesus Christ. Scripture gives Jesus many names, not simply titles, but revelations of His character. Every name tells us something true about who He is and what He offers to us today. Names such as Immanuel, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father invite us to see Jesus as the One who steps into our joys and sorrows, our celebrations and our longings.

These devotionals are written for you. For your home, your family, your quiet mornings, your late-night reflections, your dinner table conversations, your weary days, and your joyful ones. Some readings will lift your spirit. Others may gently confront. All of them point to the One whose birth changed the world forever.

As a church, we enter this season together.

Together we wait.

Together we worship.

Together we remember the story we belong to. 

A story of a God who comes close.

Our prayer is simple:

That through these reflections, you would see Jesus clearly. That His presence would steady your heart. That His peace would rest upon your home. That His love would renew your hope in this season, and in the year to come.

May the Word who became flesh dwell richly with us this Advent.

Come, let us adore Him — Christ the Lord.

– Pastor Jay Ewing  

Wonderful Counselor
November 30

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 16

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

There are times when we are unsure about what to do next, seasons when decisions feel heavy, unclear, or overwhelming. Sometimes the heart is full of emotion, yet direction seems distant. Into this fog of uncertainty, Isaiah gives us a name: Wonderful Counselor.

The word wonderful here does not mean just “impressive,” but rather something beyond human explanation, full of divine wisdom. The word counselor refers to the One who guides, leads, and rightly interprets the world.

Jesus is not just wise; He is wisdom itself (1 Corinthians 1:30). He doesn’t merely give counsel; Jesus Christ is the counsel your heart is longing for.

When Christ enters the world at Christmas, He comes not only to save us from sin but also to guide us through life. He aims to lead us into truth, goodness, and a way of being human that reflects God’s design.

The question for us this Advent is simple: Are we listening?

When everything in life urges us toward speed, the Wonderful Counselor invites us to slow down. When anxiety pushes us to grasp for control, He calls us to trust. When disappointment tries to shut our hearts, He teaches us how to hope again. Jesus does not rush you. He does not scold you for not knowing. He draws near. He speaks peace. He leads with gentleness.

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,

‘This is the way, walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Wonderful Counselor, speak to my heart today. Guide me in the way I should go. Give me clarity, patience, and trust in Your voice. Teach me to walk in Your wisdom. Amen.

God
December 1

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 8

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1

Christmas begins with God.

Before there were lights, shepherds, or songs of angels, before the first star hung over Bethlehem, there was God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Perfect in love, complete in joy, eternal in being. All that we celebrate at Christmas begins not in a manger, but in the mystery of the eternal God who chose to reveal Himself through the Word made flesh.

The New City Catechism asks, “What is God?” The answer still stirs the heart: “God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in His power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his will.”

Stop for a moment and read that again. Eternal. Infinite. Unchangeable. The truest definition of perfection and power. Everything in this world exists because He spoke it into being. Even the Christmas season itself, our celebrations, our gatherings, our songs, are held together by His will and sustained by His grace.

John begins his Gospel with the same grand truth that echoes through creation: “In the beginning…” It reminds us that Christmas is not the start of Jesus’ story but the unveiling of God’s story. The Word who was with God was God. The Word took on flesh to dwell among us. The child wrapped in swaddling clothes is the same God who spoke galaxies into motion.

Throughout church history, believers have marveled at this wonder. The early church fathers called it the incarnation, a word that means “in the flesh.” Augustine wrote that God became what He created, so that we might be restored to our Creator. The carols we sing echo this same truth: Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity!

In all your preparations this year: the lights, the lists, the laughter, I encourage you to pause to recognize His presence. Christmas is not something that happens apart from Him. It happens because of Him. Jesus Christ has full authority over the season you are living in this year.

Do you recognize His will?

Do you recognize His work?

Do you see Him?

I pray that you do.

As C. S. Lewis wrote in The Last Battle, “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. … Come further up, come further in!”

May this Christmas draw you further into the wonder, beauty, and glory of God Himself.

Reflection

Tonight, light a candle and read John 1:1 aloud. Think about how every word, every carol, every shining light reflects the God who was and is and is to come. How might your Christmas change if you began every celebration with the words, “In the beginning was God”?

1. How does knowing that Christmas began with God, and not just in a manger, change the way you think about and celebrate the season?

2. In what ways can we recognize and honor God’s presence in our preparations and celebrations this Christmas?

Immanuel, “God With Us”
December 2

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 139

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Matthew 1:23

Our world is hurting. Many hearts are weary. Even as we enter a season of lights and laughter, there are moments when the joy of Christmas feels distant. Yet it is into this very world, this wounded, uncertain world, that God chose to come. There may be no name of God more comforting this Christmas than Immanuel, which means God with us.

The name first appeared centuries before Christ’s birth. During the days of Isaiah, around 734 B.C., Judah faced a terrifying war. Two neighboring nations, Syria and Israel, joined forces against them. King Ahaz, frightened and faithless, looked to Assyria for help instead of trusting God. Yet through the prophet Isaiah, God gave a promise: a virgin would bear a son, and his name would be Immanuel. This was a sign that God had not abandoned His people. Even in fear and conflict, He was still present.

When Matthew wrote his Gospel, he looked back at Isaiah’s prophecy and saw its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. The Son of God entered the world through a miraculous birth, taking on human nature, bringing God’s redemptive presence to His people once again. In Jesus, God did not stay distant. He stepped into our pain, our confusion, and our history.

This year may have held uncertainty, loss, or longing, yet the story of Christmas reminds us that none of it surprises God. His name, Immanuel, is His promise that He will never leave us. 

Hebrews 11:16 tells us, “They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” Immanuel is the assurance that we are not alone on the journey to that better country.

Reflection

1. What does the name “Immanuel”—God with us—mean to you personally, especially during times when life feels difficult or uncertain?

2. Can you think of a time when you felt God’s presence during a challenging situation? How did it bring comfort or hope?

3. How can we remind each other that God is always with us, even when things aren’t going as planned?

4. What are some ways we can share the message and hope of “Immanuel” with others this Christmas season?

Son of God
December 3

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 2

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

John 1:49

During the Christmas season, we slow down to reflect on who Jesus truly is, His divine nature, His unique relationship with the Father, and His mission to bring salvation to the world. One of the most important titles given to Jesus in Scripture is “Son of God.”

From the very beginning, followers of Jesus have confessed that He is not merely a teacher, prophet, or moral example, but the eternal Son, fully God and fully man. This truth was tested and defended throughout the history of the church. In 325 A.D., leaders of the early church gathered at the Council of Nicaea to clarify what Scripture taught about Jesus’ nature. The central question was whether Jesus was of the same essence as God the Father. Using the Greek word homoousios, meaning “of one substance,” Athanasius and other faithful believers boldly declared that Christ was not created but co-eternal and co-equal with the Father.

Their confession became part of what we now call The Nicene Creed:

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of the Father before all worlds,

Light of Light, very God of very God,

begotten, not made,

being of one substance with the Father.

When we call Jesus the Son of God, we are proclaiming this same truth. The apostle John uses the phrase “only Son” several times to emphasize this divine relationship (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). In John 3:16, we hear the good news that God loved the world so much that He gave His “only Son.”

Throughout His ministry, Jesus demonstrated divine power and knowledge. He knew Nathanael before meeting him (John 1:48), and He calmed the storm with a word (Matthew 14:33). His disciples recognized this and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 

The arrival of the Son of God is more than a historical event; it is the unveiling of divine love. The Creator stepped into creation. The eternal Word took on flesh to redeem what was lost.

This Christmas, as you gather with loved ones and sing familiar carols, remember the confession of Nathanael and the church through the ages: Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Israel.

Reflection

1. What does it mean to call Jesus the “Son of God,” and why is that important for our faith?

2. How did Nathanael recognize Jesus as the Son of God, and what can we learn from his example?

3. How can remembering Jesus’ divine nature help us celebrate Christmas with deeper meaning?

Alpha and Omega, First and Last
December 4

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 121

“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.”

Isaiah 48:12

Who writes your story?

Who decided where it began? 

Who will decide where it ends?

A few years ago, I walked through a quiet cemetery in the nearly forgotten town of Como, high in Colorado’s mountains. Once a thriving coal-mining and railroad town in the late 1800s, Como, during this time, was a hub of energy and hope. It connected Denver to the mining towns of Leadville and Breckenridge. There were hotels, shops, a school, and a church. However, life in the high country was challenging, and winters were particularly harsh. One particular winter around the turn of the century, many townspeople fell ill and died, especially children. 

As I read the names carved into the weathered stones, I could almost hear the stillness of that Christmas long ago. The joy of the season must have felt distant to those families. And yet, even there, in the shadow of sorrow, the message of Christmas still whispers hope: God is not absent. He is the beginning and the end.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13). In Greek, Alpha is the first letter of the alphabet, and Omega is the last. The title reminds us that Christ is both the origin and the completion of all things. He stands before creation and beyond time itself. Nothing begins or ends apart from Him.

This name, Alpha and Omega, reveals the vastness of God’s sovereignty and the intimacy of His care. He is not only the Creator of the universe but the Author of your story. Every joy and sorrow, every beginning and ending, rests within His divine plan.

The prophet Isaiah echoes this same truth when God says, “I am the first, and I am the last.” These words call us to trust in God’s faithful presence through every season of life, even the winters that feel long and lonely.

As you enter this Christmas season, perhaps your heart feels heavy or uncertain. Maybe this year has carried its share of loss or difficulty. Yet even in the stillness, the Alpha and Omega is with you. The same God who began your story will be faithful to complete it.

Let your heart rest in the assurance that Jesus holds every chapter of your life–from your first breath to the final word and beyond that, into eternity.

Reflection

1. What do you think it means that Jesus is called the “Alpha and Omega” or “the beginning and the end”?

2. Can you think of a time when you felt God was with you during a difficult season, like the families in the story of Como?

3. How can remembering God’s presence bring us hope during times that feel hard or uncertain, especially around Christmas?

Image of the Invisible God
December 5

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 19

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Colossians 1:15

When I think back to my childhood, I can still see myself lying in the backyard grass on a warm evening, looking up at the stars and wondering, What does God look like? 

Maybe you’ve asked the same question. 

What would it be like to see the face of God?

If we had asked the greatest storytellers in history to write the script of how God would appear on earth, no one would have imagined the Christmas story. The Almighty, wrapped in the soft folds of a blanket. The Creator of galaxies, resting in a feed trough. The Eternal Word, unable yet to speak. Christmas is where we see the invisible God become visible.

Paul’s words in Colossians pull back the curtain: Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Everything God is, His mercy, His holiness, His steadfast love comes into focus in the person of Jesus. 

And look at how God chose to reveal Himself. Not through power or spectacle, but through humility. The way God shows Himself to the world is the way He wants to shape our hearts. Jesus works slowly, gently, and near.

But not everyone noticed. In Bethlehem, most were too busy. In Jerusalem, too proud. Yet the outsiders, true outsiders, the shepherds, the Magi, the young couple from Nazareth saw Him for who He truly was. Paul later wrote, “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).

At Christmas, we are invited to see. To look beyond the glitter and noise and recognize the God who still chooses humility as His stage. Charles Wesley captured it so well in the carol, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing:

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;

Hail th’ incarnate Deity.

Today, may you pause and notice the ways God is showing Himself to you in the quiet, ordinary, humble moments. For it is there, in the stillness of Christmas, that we behold the image of the invisible God.

Reflection

1. When you think about God being “invisible,” what comes to mind? How does it feel to know that Jesus shows us what God is like?

2. Why do you think God chose to reveal Himself through humility and gentleness, rather than power and spectacle?

3. Who were the people who recognized Jesus for who He truly was when He was born? What can we learn from their example?

Word/Logos
December 6

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 104

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:1

This is the great opening of John’s Gospel–the prologue of who we will encounter as we step into John’s storytelling. From the opening line, John declares, “In the beginning was the Word.” This word is translated in Greek as logos, which means “the logic of…” Now, the most interesting thing about John’s use of the word is the capitalization of the Greek word, making it Logos. John is delving deeper into the words’ meaning, exploring “the logic of everything.” 

Here is how this matters to you. This Advent season, as we take a moment each day to pause before Christ and remember this beginning story, we must realize that everything we experience, possess, and contemplate today is in Christ’s view and control. For Jesus Christ reveals God’s relationship to the world and the sovereign reign of Christ over this universe. He is the essence of human existence. He is the center of your story. He is the center of ALL stories. He is the Word. Amazingly enough, he moves into our world and points to the Father. Not only does he make us re-center our lives which seem so self-serviced, but he also invites us to step into an overwhelming abundance of grace and truth, more than we could ever imagine. To say it another way, he invites us to experience all the grace and truth we need. He is your Word, and that is all you need or could handle today. Be encouraged, my friend. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Reflection

1. What does it mean that Jesus is called the “Word” (Logos)? How does this shape how we see him in our lives and stories today?

2. How would life look different if we truly believed Jesus is at the center of our story and of the whole world? Can you share a moment when you felt Jesus was guiding your actions or thoughts?

3. The passage says Jesus is “full of grace and truth.” How can we welcome more of Christ’s grace and truth into our home? What are practical ways we can show these qualities to each other?

4. The writing mentions that Jesus invites us into all the grace and truth we need. Where in life do you feel you need more grace or truth? How can we support and pray for each other as we experience this invitation from Jesus?