A star rises, a city shakes, and a few travelers choose joy over fear. We open Matthew 2:1–12 and trace the Magi’s long road to a small house in Bethlehem, where worship changes everything. Along the way, we sit with the tension between Herod’s grasping power and the quiet courage of those who follow a light they don’t fully understand yet.
We read the passage in full, then unpack the details that matter for a modern heart: how guidance often comes step by step, why information without surrender can harden us, and what it means to offer our best as worship instead of leverage. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh move from holiday trivia to a living pattern—honor the true King, draw near in prayer, and embrace a love strong enough to face suffering. The Magi’s final choice to return by another route becomes our invitation to live differently after encountering Jesus.
This Advent reflection is slow on purpose—space to breathe, listen, and renew your focus on hope that has come and hope that’s coming again. If your week feels crowded, let this reading simplify your next step: look for the light, bow where you find it, and take the wiser road home. We’d love to walk this journey with you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs encouragement today, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show.
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The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc.
Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes.
Music used with permission.
Thank You. I Love You!
SEE YA!
Rick
Episode Transcript
Are you ready to go?
SPEAKER_00 (00:56):
Hey, welcome to Renewed Mindsets.
I'm Rick, and I'm so glad you'rehere.
Now, this is something special.
For the next 25 days, we'regonna slow down, we're gonna
quiet our hearts, and we'regonna turn our eyes towards
Jesus as we walk through Adventtogether.
Now, every day we'll take a fewminutes to breathe and reflect
(01:19):
and remember the hope that cameinto the world and the hope
that's coming again.
Hey, welcome back to RenewedMindsets for our Advent Bible
reading.
We're on day 17, and I am soexcited today.
Now that I finally have my voiceback, I also have Ashton back.
(01:43):
Yay! Hey Ashton is feeling alittle under the weather, but I
she missed doing yesterday'sreading, which would have been
perfect for her.
So we're gonna give her thesecond best one, which is this
one.
And um, and I could just rattleon for hours, but I'm gonna let
her take it.
SPEAKER_01 (02:06):
Matthew chapter 2, verses 1 through 12 of the New
Living Translation, visitorsfrom the East.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem inJudea during the reign of King
Herod.
About that time, some wise menfrom eastern lands arrived in
Jerusalem asking, Where is thenewborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star as it rose, andwe have come to worship him.
(02:32):
King Herod was deeply disturbedwhen he heard this, as was
everyone in Jerusalem.
He called a meeting of theleading priests and teachers of
religious law and asked, Whereis the Messiah supposed to be
born?
In Bethlehem, in Judea, theysaid, for this is what the
prophet wrote.
And you, O Bethlehem, in theland of Judah, are not least
(02:54):
among the ruling cities ofJudah, for a ruler will come
from you, who will be theshepherd for my people Israel.
Then Herod called for a privatemeeting with the wise men, and
he learned from them the timewhen the star first appeared.
Then he told them, Go toBethlehem and search carefully
for the child, and when you findhim, come back and tell me, so
(03:15):
that I can go and worship himtoo.
After this interview, the wisemen went their way.
And the star they had seen inthe east guided them to
Bethlehem.
It went ahead of them andstopped over the place where the
child was.
When they saw the star they werefilled with joy.
They entered the house and sawthe child with his mother, Mary,
(03:37):
and they bowed down andworshipped him.
Then they opened their treasurechest and gave him gifts of
gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
When it was time to leave, theyreturned to their own country by
another route, for God hadwarned them in a dream not to
return to Herod.
SPEAKER_00 (03:54):
I knew you'd be perfect for this reading.
SPEAKER_01 (03:56):
Why is that?
SPEAKER_00 (03:58):
Because you've got the voice.
You've got the voice.
Sorry.
I can't believe I just sang.
All right.
Tomorrow we got some more.
Day 18.
And uh I love you.
Appreciate you being with us.
SPEAKER_01 (04:16):
Bye, guys.
SPEAKER_00 (04:22):
All right.
Thanks for joining me today onRenewed Mindsets.
As we walk through Advent, let'sstay expectant.
Let's stay watching, praying,and keeping our hearts ready for
the one who came and the onewho's coming again soon.
I love you.
Let's keep our minds renewed andour eyes on Jesus.
(04:45):
The executive producer ofRenewed Mindsets is Christy
McCurry.
That's all for today, but I'llbe back with more unfiltered
biblical truth and undeniableprophecy.
The time to wake up is now.
If today's episode challengedyou, don't keep it to yourself.
Tell someone, please.
(05:06):
Text them a link.
Share the truth while there'sstill time.
Visit renewedmindsets.com tostay connected and to listen to
past episodes.
And check out our merch atrenewedmindsets.store.
Jesus is coming soon.
Stay watchful.
Stay holy.
(05:27):
Stay renewed.
Until next week.
I'm Rick.
Be an encourager, not adiscourager.
I love you.
(05:47):
See ya.
The intro and outro music forthe Renewed Mindsets podcast is
Are You Ready by Floodgate.
From the album Are You Ready?
Copyright 2002 OffbeatMinistries Incorporated.
Floodgate can be found on AppleMusic and iTunes.
(06:08):
Music used with permission.
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