Tag: The Gospel Medley

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Get Your Fifteenth Gift of 25 Gifts – For Advent Day 15

Gospel Medley Writer's Block: My Experience
Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
The Gospel Medley back cover

Get Your Fifteenth Gift of 25 Gifts – For Advent Day 15 of 25 Gifts to Christmas. Merry Christmas, you’ll enjoy this new Christmasy excerpt from my non-fiction book, The Gospel Medley (Click here to grab it). My book goes on sale TODAY from December 15th to 22nd, 2024.

AND so does my other non-fiction book, The Book of Revelation Devotional. It’s on sale TODAY from December 15th to 22nd, 2024. Click here to get yours. And I’ll give you another excerpt from it in this post.

Check out my past Advent gifts listed below

  1. Advent Day 1 – Get Your Free Copy of Secret Supers on Advent Day 1

2. Advent Day 2 – Grab Villain’s Vacation for 67% Off, For Advent Day 2

4. Advent Day 4 –Three Free Excerpts from Three Secret Supers Books – Advent 4

5. Advent Day 5 – Get Your Free Copy of My Most Popular Book–Advent Day 5

6. Advent Day 6 – Three Free Zombie Detective Excerpts – Advent 6

7. Advent Day 7 –Meet My Undead Mother-in-law My Gift for Advent 7

8. Advent Day 8 – Paranormal Privateers Is Your Wildest Ride — Get Your Excerpt

9. Advent Day 9 – Oops! You Get Double Gifts for Advent Days 9 and 10 – My Mistake

10. Advent Day 10 – Double Posts Double Your Gifts – Advent 10

11. Advent Day 11 – Laugh At Four Free Audiobook Excerpts – Advent 11

12. Advent Day 12 – Four More Free Audiobook Excerpts for Advent 12

13. Advent Day 13 – Your Thirteenth Gift of 25 Gifts – For Advent Day 13

14. Advent Day 14 – Get Your Glimpse of the Future – Advent 14

If you want to keep track of all my blog posts and get free books you can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here.

Get Your Fifteenth Gift – What Else Happened Before Jesus Was Born?

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
The four icons of the four gospels

During Mary’s Pregnancy

Matthew 1:18–25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 

20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is He who shall save His people from their sins.”

22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel [1] which is, being interpreted, ‘God with us.’”

24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

[1] Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

The Birth of John the Baptist

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
Back cover detail

Luke 1:57–80  

57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father. 

60 His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled. 

64 His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?”

The hand of the Lord was with him. 67 His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people; 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David 70 (as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been from of old), 71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember His holy covenant, 73 the oath which He spoke to Abraham, our father, 74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.”

76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us, 79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 80 The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Luke 1:26–56; John 1:14

Get Your Fifteenth Gift – Excerpt from December 15th

December 15 – Revelation 22:5 from The Book of Revelation Devotional

There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.

What is the light of the city?

How long will God’s servants reign?

Prayer: Father, just as You provided the sun to shine by day and the moon by night, they will no longer be necessary in Your Presence in the city of God. You are our sun and moon, our Light of the world. Thank you, Jesus! Amen.

They will reign forever and ever. This is significant, for the reigning of God’s children continues without end. The rule over the Earth from Jesus’s return until the white throne judgment is clear, (See Revelation 20:11-13 for details about the judgment.) but this reign continues into the new heavens and the new Earth. The details of the subjects and the territory are not covered.

Your Fifteenth Gift Concludes

Gospel Medley cover spread

What do you think of your fifteenth gift for Advent? Let me know right here. Don’t forget I’ll give you a free book after I get your email.

If you like The Gospel Medley you can subscribe to my newsletter here to see all my blog posts and get free books every month. Or you can just stay at my blog, checking back every day until Christmas.

You can also get an autographed copy of The Gospel Medley by clicking here right now!

Get Your Glimpse

Psst! Audible lets you listen free to my books. Click here right now to find out how.

Note that both The Gospel Medley and The Book of Revelation Devotional are on sale TODAY December 15th, until December 22nd. Grab your copies now!

You can also get an autographed copy of The Revelation Devotional by clicking here right now!

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Your Thirteenth Gift of 25 Gifts – For Advent Day 13

Gospel Medley Writer's Block: My Experience

Your Thirteenth Gift of 25 Gifts – For Advent Day 13 of 25 Gifts to Christmas. Merry Christmas, you’ll enjoy this Christmasy excerpt from my non-fiction book, The Gospel Medley. My book goes on sale from December 15th to 22nd, 2024.

Check out my past Advent gifts listed below, next to the back cover of The Gospel Medley.

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
The Gospel Medley back cover
  1. Advent Day 1 – Get Your Free Copy of Secret Supers on Advent Day 1

2. Advent Day 2 – Grab Villain’s Vacation for 67% Off, For Advent Day 2

4. Advent Day 4 –Three Free Excerpts from Three Secret Supers Books – Advent 4

5. Advent Day 5 – Get Your Free Copy of My Most Popular Book–Advent Day 5

6. Advent Day 6 – Three Free Zombie Detective Excerpts – Advent 6

7. Advent Day 7 –Meet My Undead Mother-in-law My Gift for Advent 7

8. Advent Day 8 – Paranormal Privateers Is Your Wildest Ride — Get Your Excerpt

9. Advent Day 9 – Oops! You Get Double Gifts for Advent Days 9 and 10 – My Mistake

10. Advent Day 10 – Double Posts Double Your Gifts – Advent 10

11. Advent Day 11 – Laugh At Four Free Audiobook Excerpts – Advent 11

12. Advent Day 12 – Four More Free Audiobook Excerpts for Advent 12

If you want to keep track of all my blog posts and get free books you can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here.

For Advent Day 13 – What Happened Before Jesus Was Born?

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
The four icons of the four gospels

The Conception of Jesus

Luke 1:26–56; John 1:14

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’ 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father, David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to His Kingdom[1].”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 36 Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”

38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”

14 The Word became flesh . . .

38 The angel departed from her. 39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

Your Thirteenth Gift: From The Gospel Medley, Mary and Elizabeth

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

46 And Mary said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away. 54 He hath helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; 55 As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

[1] 2 Samuel 7:12 When your days are fulfilled, and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
Back cover detail

Your Thirteenth Gift Concludes

Gospel Medley cover spread

What do you think of your Thirteenth gift for Advent? Let me know right here. Don’t forget I’ll give you a free book after I get your email.

If you like The Gospel Medley you can subscribe to my newsletter here to see all my blog posts and get free books every month. Or you can just stay at my blog, checking back every day until Christmas.

You can also get an autographed copy of The Gospel Medley by clicking here right now!

Psst! Audible lets you listen free to my books. Click here right now to find out how.

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Your Twenty-Fifth Literary Gift of 25 Gifts

Gospel Medley Writer's Block: My Experience

Your Twenty-Fifth Literary Gift of 25 Gifts to Christmas. Merry Christmas, you’ll enjoy this Christmasy excerpt from my non-fiction book, The Gospel Medley.

What happened between the visit of the shepherds to the manger and the visit of the wise men to the house? In this last of a two-part series, you’ll find out! Another momentous prophecy and testimony about Jesus soon after His birth.

That’s not all–my other twenty-four gifts are below for your reading pleasure, not just my twenty-fourth literary gift! You don’t have to unwrap them–just click on them.

Let me know what you think by clicking here or emailing me at [email protected]. As always, everyone who responds with a comment or email will get a free book from me.

My past gifts to you are here:

If you want to keep track of all my blog posts and get free books you can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here.

Your Twenty-Fifth Literary Gift: From The Gospel Medley

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
The Gospel Medley back cover

 (After Simeon’s prophecy in the previous post)

36 There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day. 38 Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem. 39 When they [Joseph and Mary had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.[1].

[1] Joseph and Mary eventually returned to Nazareth but moved to a house in Bethlehem by the time the wise men visited. Since Herod died in March of 4 BC, this episode had to take place before then but after Jesus’s birth. “All these things” included the circumcision (nine days) and the purification (thirty days) plus at least three days for travel and three days back. At least two months passed before they fled to Egypt. We know the wise men visited them while they resided in Bethlehem. After their flight to Egypt, they returned to Nazareth.

The Next Episode in Jesus’s Life

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
The four icons of the four gospels

The Flight to Egypt

Matthew 2:13–23 

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him.”

14 He arose and took the young child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod;

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”[1]

Herod’s Slaughter

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”[2]

19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”

21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Footnotes from This Section

Your Twenty-Fourth Literary Gift
Back cover detail

[1] Hosea 11:1 – “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”

[2] Jeremiah 31:15 – Yahweh says: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.

Your Twenty-Fifth Literary Gift Concludes

Gospel Medley cover spread

What do you think of your Twenty-Fifth Literary gift? Let me know right here. Don’t forget I’ll give you a free book after I get your email.

If you like The Gospel Medley you can subscribe to my newsletter here to see all my blog posts and get free books every month. Or you can just stay at my blog, checking back every day until Christmas.

Psst! Audible lets you listen free to my books. Click here right now to find out how.