Ray Burns

I love Christ, my wife and four kids, the Oxford comma, and board games. Although saved at 18, it took 10 years for me to stop chasing idols and find true satisfaction in Christ. God's given me a passion for teaching and writing, and with that a deep burden to be my creator's instrument in giving His people a profound, unshakable relationship with their savior.

Day 17 – Willingly Beaten (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutesWhat Christ suffered at the hands of His enemies was horrible. While they thought they were beating and mocking just another criminal, we know they were doing it to God. When we realize why Jesus Christ allowed this, we may realize that we are even worse than those who killed Him. Christ in the Old […]

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Day 16 – Healing to the Sick (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 4 minutesWe all have broken bodies and live in a broken world. The effects of sin on the universe have taken God’s beautiful creation and exposed it to rot, decay, and death. If there’s one thing humans share, it’s our understanding of how terrible it is to suffer at the hands of sickness. The Messiah that

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Day 15 – The Line of King David (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 4 minutesProphecy isn’t the same as seeing the future. When God says that something will happen, it’s not because He’s a fortune teller who can see what will happen. Instead, He is the sovereign ruler of the universe, and prophecies are His declarations of what He has decreed will happen. This can often be overwhelming to

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Day 14 – Crucified with Criminals (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutesToday, we share in Christ’s victory over sin and death. We enjoy the enormous blessing of being called the children of God, and we get to rest knowing that all the work necessary for our salvation was done by Jesus Christ on the cross. Yet in order to make us innocent before God, Christ had

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Day 13 – A Blessing to the Nations (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutesIt’s easy to forget that Christianity, which has spread all around the globe, could once only be found around Judea. In time it spread throughout the Roman Empire, eventually bringing the gospel to even the most remote people groups. While skeptics might try to rationalize the global appeal of Christianity, we can see that its

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Day 12 – The King’s Forerunner (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 4 minutesJohn the Baptist can be confusing to read about. He wore weird clothes, had an odd diet, and had the incredible joy to baptize Jesus Christ. Yet John’s life wasn’t just different because of who John was, but because of the role God had prepared him for centuries before his birth. Christ in the Old

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Day 11 – Silent Before His Accusers (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutesNothing about the death of Christ was fair. We can look back and see that, of anyone who has ever existed, the Son of God is the last one who should ever have been killed for the crimes He was accused of. Yet despite the lies and slander of His accusers, Jesus Christ never tried

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Day 10 – Born in Bethlehem (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 4 minutesThe little town of Bethlehem was important long before the birth of our Savior. This is the very town where King David was born. Although it was never a city of political or military importance, God has shown it immense favor. Those familiar with the prophets would have known that a ruler was coming from

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Day 9 – A New Covenant (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 4 minutesThroughout the Old Testament, we see God making covenants, or special promises, to His people. Some covenants were purely up to God to fulfill, like promising never to flood the Earth or to make a great nation out of Abraham. Others, like the covenant made through Moses and the Law, promised blessings or curses on

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Day 8 – Immanuel and the Virgin Birth (25 Days of Christ in the Old Testament)

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutesLittle baby Jesus and His mother Mary are a familiar staple during the Christmas season. We know there was a bit of controversy when Mary got pregnant, what with her being unmarried and a virgin. However, things worked out in the end. There are those who doubt part of that story. The idea of a

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