Advent

All his life, Mark Fields has dreamed of joining the Defense Force to fight the vicious, alien Exlian, just like the rest of his renowned family. But so far, he’s … a dishwasher, trapped in a dead-end job with no powers, no money, and even fewer friends. But an encounter with a dying woman changes everything—granting him the abilities he needs to join the training camps—and his life finally feels like it’s turning around, faster than a movie martial-arts montage (just ignore the weird cat).

Drew Michalik was working in a top-secret facility in Washington, DC, when the Advent began. As all electronics in the world simply ceased to work, blue screens filled with information appeared before him. Drew was given access to a mana interface and a limited number of reality-altering crystals called Xatherite. Following the instructions on his vision-impairing screens, he "slotted" his Xatherite and changed his fate: He gained the ability to cast spells. Now alone in the dark, he must battle through the government bunker turned dungeon in a desperate bid for survival.

Giant fireblasts tear across the earth as the Gates of Hell are ripped open. In an instant, billions are killed. Human technology becomes utterly worthless in the face of the end of the world. Fortunately for Jaco, he barely survives the opening act of the Apocalypse. Unfortunately for him, he has to live through what comes next. Those who died in the initial blast are reincarnated as undead monsters. Massive fiery pits swallow up the center of every major city across the world.

We tend to think of Advent as the season of anticipation before Christmas—and while it is that, it's also much more. Throughout its history, the church has observed Advent as a preparation not only for the first coming of Christ in his incarnation but also for his second coming at the last day. It's also about a third coming: the coming of Christ to meet us in our present moment, to make us holy by his Word and Sacrament. Priest and writer Tish Harrison Warren explores all three of these "comings" of Christ and invites us into a deeper experience of the first season of the Christian year.

There are only two places where the powerful and great in this world lose their courage, tremble in the depths of their souls, and become truly afraid. These are the manger and the cross of Jesus Christ. No priest, no theologian stood at the cradle of Bethlehem. And yet, all Christian theology finds its beginnings in the miracle of miracles, that God became human. These stirring words are among forty devotions that guide and inspire readers as they move thematically through the weeks of Advent and Christmas....

The Christmas season is often one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year, and it’s easy to lose sight of what makes it special. Helping us refocus on what’s truly important, well-known pastor and author John Piper leads readers through twenty-four short meditations on Advent. The devotionals - drawn from Piper’s extensive preaching and teaching ministry - lead readers to ponder afresh the birth of Jesus, Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and the Savior of the world.

An Advent devotional for Christmas that will stir hope and inspire worship. As dawn broke on that first Christmas morning, the sun rose on a new era: God's king had come to Earth to bring about his kingdom. Join Sinclair Ferguson as he opens up the first two chapters of Matthew's Gospel in these daily devotions for Advent. Each day’s reflection is full of insight and application, and will help you to arrive at Christmas Day awed by God's redeeming grace and refreshed by the hope of God’s promised king.

Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration. But in the hurriedness of December, sometimes we find ourselves sacrificing a sacred pace for hustle, leaving us feeling more stressed than blessed. What if you approached this Advent more open to the things of God? What if you decided to be expectant that God would move in your midst? What if you made room for the true joy found in the coming of our king?

In this widely popular, exciting story for the advent season, listeners follow 10-year-old Jotham across Israel as he searches for his family. Though he faces thieves, robbers, and kidnappers, Jotham also encounters the wise men, shepherds, and innkeepers until at last he finds his way to the Savior born in Bethlehem.

These straightforward, short, and profound Advent readings have been edited from talks given by much-loved Bible teacher Dr. R.C. Sproul, helping listeners to benefit from his enduring insight and wisdom. They delve into the details of the Christmas story and reflect on how these impact our lives now, combining scholarly detail with heartwarming application.

I started reviewing all of the things I had done over the past two years, memories flicking through my head almost too fast to follow. Each choice led to another: my choice to leave my home in Tobadorage and seek refuge in Hain led directly to my actions now, bringing a Queen into exile. And each choice, each action on my part, had started the chain reaction that was bringing magic back into Chahir.

During Christmas, homes are filled with good food, welcoming family, and lively cheer. Streets are lined with lights and sprinkled with snow. Amid this season of beauty, even Christians can become distracted, keeping Jesus at an unintentional distance. How can Christians effectively prepare their hearts for the arrival of their King and worship him the way he deserves? O Come, O Come, Emmanuel by Jonathan Gibson presents a 40-day devotional liturgy guiding listeners through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany—helping them keep their eyes fixed on Christ.

The wonder and awe of the Christmas season can easily get overshadowed by lights, tinsel, bows, and paper—not to mention last-minute trips to the mall and visits to the in-laws. In all the hustle and bustle, we often lose sight of what’s most important. This book of daily passages for the month of December by best-selling author Paul David Tripp will help you slow down, prepare your heart, and focus on what matters most: adoring our Savior, Jesus.

After barely defeating his most powerful opponent yet, Jaco is flung immediately into the aftermath of that bloody duel. Now permanently affected by the Infernal State and being granted the Devil’s Essence, he must learn to navigate having such energy within him. Both for how the powers of Hell itself affect those originally given to him by Heaven’s System, and what that means for him moving forward. Yet the Apocalypse waits for nobody, and neither do the Chosen Few as they make their own preparations from the darkest corners of the ruined city.

This new edition of the beloved devotional includes Scriptures and 20 stories from Sarah and readers of Jesus Calling. It makes a wonderful gift for anyone eager for a new experience of Jesus Calling as well as for those experiencing it for the first time.

Beginning with Creation, The Advent Storybook invites your family on a beautiful, chronological journey through ancient stories, tracing God’s faithful promise to send a Rescuer—Jesus. Each of the 25 Bible stories begins with a key verse and ends with a thoughtful question, helping you and your children think and talk about the reason we celebrate Jesus’ birth. This year, begin a new Christmas tradition. Create memories your family will cherish.

The Carols of Christmas is a heart-warming devotional inspired by some of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time. Inside, you’ll enjoy a fresh glimpse of some of the same joyful and nostalgic melodies you sing every year now set to personal reflections in this 28-day devotional journey.

Most Christians agree that Christmas is all about Jesus, yet most of us spend little time preparing our hearts to celebrate Him. Why is this? Partly because we don’t know how. In Unwrapping the Names of Jesus, Asheritah Ciuciu leads listeners through the four weeks of Advent (Hope, Preparation, Joy, and Love). This devotional can be used by listeners in their own personal worship times or as a tool to engage in family worship during the busy holiday season. Either way, participants will gain a greater sense of awe and wonder at who Jesus is.

More than any other time of year, Christmas brings with it an undeniable sense of wonder and awe. The Advent season gives us the opportunity to delight in the promises we celebrate at Christmas: the HOPE that Jesus will return and make all things new; the JOY that comes from worshiping Him today and for eternity; the PEACE we experience with God today and we long for our world to experience when it is redeemed; and the LOVE of a God who sacrificed His own Son to be in relationship with us.

This devotional collection of prayers and reflections from Sarah Young's bestselling Jesus Listens® and Jesus Calling prepares your spirit for the Savior's coming, helps you spend the days of Advent and Christmas with intentionality, and carries you into the New Year with your heart and mind fixed on Jesus.