Saturday, December 27, 2014

Christmas Advent Videos: 12 Days of Christmas Bible Prophecies Fulfilled! (Videos)

Thank you for joining me this Christmas Season in these twelve video posts that explored the Bible's Christmas story. We looked more deeply into areas of the story that we don't normal hear about or think about.

We also looked into several prophecies that were fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.

If you missed any of this series, are just discovering us, or wish to share what you've learned with your friends or family, here are links to the entire series. (Tweet that!)

We're taking the rest of the Christmas season, through New Year's Day, off. In the New Year we'll pick up with explore more about Bible prophecy and what we're seeing take place in our world today.

Be sure to book mark this page and visit often for more fascinating information!

Related Articles: 



I"ll see you next year when we explore more Bible prophecies and compare them to what we're seeing take place in our world today.

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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 12: What Does It Mean that Joseph and Mary "Presented" Jesus to the LORD? (Video Post)

In Luke 2:22-23 the Bible tells us:

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"). 

Sometimes I think when we read unfamiliar ideas in the Bible we just kind of read over them without much thought because we don't know what they mean or we don't know if they are important or why they are important. I think this is one of those pieces of information. (Tweet that!)

When the Bible says Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to "present him to the Lord," do you know what that means? (Tweet that!) Do you understand what it is referring to?

You can learn what this means and why it was important in today's video. (Tweet that!)

These are the Bible verses I reference in this video, the first one with more context around these verses:


"Presenting Jesus to the LORD" 
Christmas Story vlog 
with Dianne E. Butts - 12 of 12

Related Articles: 


Catch up on this special series of Christmas Advent video posts here:  (Tweet this!)


Again, Mary and Joseph faithfully helped the infant Jesus keep the Law of God right from the start. (Tweet that!)

Today's post along with the previous two posts are all linked together, so if you missed the previous two you might want to view them using the links above.

 Today is Christmas Day and the final post in this Christmas Advent video series. I hope you have enjoyed this series of 12 posts with videos. More than that, I hope you have learned something new that has enhanced your Christmas experience this year.

 We'll be taking the rest of the week off here at the blog, and will resume blogging in the New Year.

 May you and yours have a glorious Christmas!

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 11: "What was Mary's 'Purification' About?" (Video Post)

In the previous post we talked about the circumcision of Jesus, and why that was important enough to list it in Scripture (that is, the Bible).

Today, we look at something else in that same Bible passage that is similar in that we often read over it and wonder what it means and why it's important. In this passage Luke also tells us that while Mary and Joseph were at the Temple in Jerusalem, they also performed the "purification" ceremony required for Mary. Now what is this all about? (Tweet that!)

Find out in today's video.

Here are the Scripture verses I reference in the video today. On the video I'm reading from the older New International Version, so the words don't exactly match this translation linked here, but it means the same thing.


"What was Mary's 'Purification' About?" 
Christmas Story vlog 
with Dianne E. Butts - 11 of 12

Here is a thought I had that I didn't include in my video: It is not sinful to get pregnant or to give birth, so why do women need to be purified? I don't know if this is the answer to that question, but my mind connects the verse in Psalm 51:5 where King David wrote "in sin did my mother conceive me." This does not mean David's mother did anything wrong in conceiving him. (Tweet that!) It refers to the fact that every one of us are sinful from birth. It's in our nature. We're born with it. Maybe that has something to do with why God gave Moses the regulation that women must be purified after childbirth. However as I said in the video, I don't really know and I haven't found anything that shows anyone else understands this either.

Related Articles: 


Catch up on this special series of Christmas Advent video posts here:   (Tweet this!)


Mary and Joseph faithfully helped the infant Jesus keep the Law of God right from the start. (Tweet that!)

Today's post along with the previous post and the next one are all linked together, so please come back on or after Thursday, which is Christmas Day, for the final post in this Christmas Advent video series. Invite your family to join you and then you can have some great conversations about Jesus on Christmas! (Tweet that!)

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Saturday, December 20, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 10: Cut Away Flesh for an Intimate Relationship with God (Video Post)

Remember when the angel, Gabriel, came and talked to Mary and told her that she would have a son? Remember when Gabriel told Mary exactly what to name her Son?

Gabriel told Mary to name him Jesus.

So after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple to officially name Him.

That's not all they did there. If you've read the Christmas story in the Bible, you may have read the part in Luke 2 where Mary and Joseph had Jesus circumcised. (Tweet that!)

Now why in the world is that in the Bible? And in our so-far nice little Christmas story! (Tweet that!)

It's because if a Jewish male did not have his foreskin cut off, then he was to be cut off from God. Why is circumcision important to God? Because it is symbolic of something much greater that each of us needs to take care of in order to have an intimate relationship with God.  (Tweet that!)

Find out more in this video.

Scripture verses I used in today's video are:


"Cut Away Flesh for an Intimate Relationship with God" 
Christmas story vlog
Dianne E. Butts - 10 of 12

Mary and Joseph faithfully helped the infant Jesus keep the Law of God right from the start. (Tweet that!)

Have you taken steps to "cut off" (spiritually, figuratively!) your sinful flesh so that you can have an intimate relationship with God? If not, why not do so today? This is not a physical act and no physical cutting needs to be done. This image is symbolic of spiritually removing our sinful flesh to come into a beautiful spiritual relationship with God.

Related Articles: 


Catch up on this special series of Christmas Advent video posts here:   (Tweet this!)


Today's post and the next two are all linked together, so please come back on Tuesday for the next Christmas Advent video. Invite your family to join you and then you can have some great conversations about Jesus on Christmas! (Tweet that!)

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 9: The Prophetic Meanings of the Gifts of the Magi (Video Post)

Did you know that the gifts the Wise Men gave to the baby Jesus were not just randomly picked, but had special meaning? (Tweet that!)

These gifts were picked especially for Jesus. Well, obviously. But they had meaning for his life. Where He was headed as a man. And what He would do while here on earth. (Tweet that!)

The three gifts of the Magi predicted the future. (Tweet that!)

In other words, the Wise Men's gifts were prophetic. The gifts themselves were prophecies. (Tweet that!)

You probably know the three gifts were

  • Gold
  • Frankincense
  • Myrrh

But what did each of the gifts mean? (Tweet that!) We'll talk about it in today's video.

The Bible Scripture verse I mention in today's video is the one that lists the three gifts brought by the Magi. You can find it here in the context of the story of the Wise Men:

"The Prophetic Meanings of the Gifts of the Magi" 
Christmas Story vlog 
with Dianne E. Butts - 9 of 12

Related Articles: 


Catch up on this special series of Christmas Advent video posts here:   (Tweet this!)


Please come back on Saturday for the next Christmas Advent video. I hope you're enjoying this special season. Take time out to enjoy the journey and your loved ones!

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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 8: What Was That Unusual Star of Bethlehem? (Video Post)

Hanukkah begins today, and I wish all those who celebrate it a very happy Hanukkah!

What exactly was the Star of Bethlehem?

There's some interesting research about that, and it's dependent on the answer to this question: When did Herod the Great die? (Tweet that!)

I talk about that in today's video.

Here are some more tidbits from today's video. Did you know...?

  • The planet Jupiter is named after the greatest god of Roman mythology. (Tweet that!)
  • Jupiter is known as the King Planet. (Tweet that!)
  • The star Regulus takes its name from the word we get our word "regal" from. 
  • The Babylonians call Regulus Sharu, which means "king." (Tweet that!)

"What Was That Unusual Star of Bethlehem?" 
Christmas Story vlog 
with Dianne E. Butts - 8 of 12

So when the King planet met the King star, it made an unusual star in the sky that led the wise men to Jesus, and Jesus was born! (Tweet that!)

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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 7: Trivia! Who Gave the Prophecy of the Star of Bethlehem? (Video Post)

You've heard there was a prophecy given centuries before Jesus was born that there would be a special star in the sky that pointed to Messiah. (Tweet that!)

You may even know where in the Bible that prophecy is found. (Ask that in a Tweet!)

Christmas trivia question: Who was it who spoke that prophecy? (Tweet that!)

The answer may surprise you! I'll share the answer in today's video.

Bible verses I share in this video are:


"Who Gave the Prophecy of the Star of Bethlehem?" 
Christmas story vlog 
with Dianne E. Butts - 7 of 12


Here's more context for that one little verse: Numbers 24.

Here's the story about the talking donkey! Numbers 22.

Related Articles: 


Catch up on this special series of Christmas Advent video posts here:   (Tweet this!)


Please come back next Tuesday for the next Christmas Advent video. We're going to talk more about the Star of Bethlehem and what it actually was. Please invite a friend. And please share this blog with your social media networks. Thank you! See you then.

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Thursday, December 11, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 6: A Prophecy Given And 700+ Years Later It's Fulfilled! (Video Post)

Did you know that one of the most popular Bible verses we hear at Christmastime isn't in the Christmas Bible story at all, but was written more than 700 years before Jesus was born? (Tweet that!)

Yes, it refers to Him. It was a prophecy given by Isaiah and fulfilled perfectly more than 700 years later! (Tweet that!)

In the previous post we talked about why Gabriel, the angel God sent, announced the birth of Jesus, the Christ, to the group of shepherd who were on the hills near Bethlehem.

Today, let's take a closer look at the message Gabriel gave those shepherds.

The angel told the shepherds about a child that had been born that very evening in Bethlehem. (Tweet that!)

This was the same child that the prophet Isaiah spoke of 700+ years earlier when he prophesied that both a child would be born and a Son given. (Tweet that!)

Bible verses I refer in today's video are:
"A Prophecy Given, 700+ Years Later It's Fulfilled!"
Christmas story vlog 
with Dianne E. Butts - 6 of 12

Related Articles: 


Catch up on this special series of Christmas Advent video posts here:   (Tweet that!)


Next time we will talk about the Star of Bethlehem. If you think a prophecy given more than 700 years before it was fulfilled is amazing, the prophecy of the Bethlehem Star was given way earlier! Please come back Saturday for the next Christmas Advent video. See you then.

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Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 5: The Bethlehem Shepherds and the Temple Sheep (Video Post)

I'm sure you remember the part of the Bible Christmas story where the angel, Gabriel, appeared to the shepherds tending their sheep on the hills near Bethlehem. (Tweet this!)

But have you ever thought about why shepherds were keeping their sheep on the hills near Bethlehem? (Tweet that!)

And why, of all the shepherds tending sheep in all of Israel, would Gabriel have come to those shepherds, the ones near Bethlehem? (Tweet that!)

I think there's a clue, if you think about what those sheep were for.

Find out more in today's Christmas story video.

The Scripture I refer to in today's video is Luke 2:8. Here is that verse with the surrounding context:

"The Bethlehem Shepherds & the Temple Sheep" 
Christmas story vlog 
with Dianne E. Butts - 5 of 12

Related Articles: 


Catch up on this special series of Christmas Advent video posts here:


Please come back on Thursday for the next Christmas Advent video. Invite a friend! Please share this with your social network buddies using the buttons below. See you Thursday.

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Saturday, December 6, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 4: Was Jesus Born on the Feast of Tabernacles? (Video Post)

I hope you're enjoying this Christmas video series as we look forward to the coming of Jesus, the Christ.

If you've missed any previous Christmas Advent posts, you'll find links to the previous Days at the bottom of the page.

You've probably heard that, while we celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, most likely Jesus was not born on that day. But I think I know which day Jesus was born on! (Tweet that!)

Today I'm going to tell you how I came to the conclusion that Jesus may have been born on the Feast of Tabernacles. (Tweet that!) Now that, as you might imagine, takes a bit of explaining! So I hope you'll hang in there with me through the explanation. I think it's all fascinating so I hope you'll find it worthwhile.

Why would it carry any significance if God had Jesus be born on the Feast of Tabernacles? Because "tabernacle" means dwelling place, so wouldn't it be fitting if God came to dwell among people on the Feast that celebrates God dwelling among people? (Tweet that!)

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14, NIV).

Furthermore, if Jesus was born on the Feast of Tabernacles, then He may have been conceived during the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah! (Tweet that!) Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, and Jesus was the Light of the World who was coming into the world. Cool, huh?

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world (John 1:9, NIV).

This year Hanukkah begins the evening of December 16 and it's 8 Days of Hanukkah, runs through Christmas Eve, December 24.

Want to know more? It's all here in this video. Enjoy!



Scripture verses in the Bible I reference in this video are:


Related Articles: 

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Thursday, December 4, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 3: The Virgin Birth (Video Post)

Welcome to Day 3 of our 12 Christmas Advent video blog posts.

Today, let's talk about the virgin birth.

Have you ever wondered why a prophet 740 years before Jesus was born would give a prophecy of a virgin giving birth? (Tweet that!)

What were the circumstances of that prophecy?

Was there another "virgin birth" fulfilled at that time? (Tweet that!)

Who gave that prophecy? Who received it?

Here's a trivia question: Who received that prophecy? (The answer is a name I bet you've heard if you've read the Old Testament.) (Tweet that!)

If this prophecy was given 740 years before Jesus was born, what did it mean at that time and how did it relate to Jesus 740 years later?

So many questions! You can learn the answers in today's video:

Bible verses referenced in this video include:

  • Matthew 1:22-23
  • Isaiah 7:1-14, especially Isaiah 7:14
  • Genesis 24:43



Related Articles:


If you missed the previous posts in this special series of Christmas Advent video posts, you can view the previous posts here:


Please come back on Saturday for the next Christmas Advent video. Please invite a friend. See you then.

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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Christmas Advent Day 2: Jesus is a Descendant of Abraham (Video Post)

Hello! Welcome to Day 2 of our own "12 Days of Christmas" Advent video posts. (Tweet that!)

Have you ever wondered how the people living in the days of Jesus could have known whether or not He was the Messiah? (Tweet that!)

That's what we're talking about today.

In today's video I teach about one of the very first prophecies any good Jewish leader would have checked to see if someone claiming to be the Messiah actually fulfilled. (Tweet that!)

So when people began to think Jesus was the Messiah, it was important to them to find out if He fulfilled this prophecy. (Tweet that!)

The Bible verse I use in the video is:





If you missed Day 1 of this special series of Christmas Advent video posts, you can view the previous blog post with that video here:


Please come back on Thursday for the next Christmas Advent video! And bring a friend! See you then.

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