For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 This Christmas, what are you expecting? What do you want out of Christmas this year? Of this past year, what is one thing you have learned? One thing I have learned is to love and love with the overflow of God’s love. Matthew 22:35-44 says this, “And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with…
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Advent: Day Twenty – Two
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worship him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:10-12 Christmas!!! The feels of Christmas can be different for everyone. There is excitement, happiness, stress, sadness, and fear. Gifts can add to these feelings. The discontent of “This isn’t what I wanted.” “How are we/I going to pay for all this?” “Where do I…
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Gratitude Among Others
And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal. Hosea 2:8 Have you ever done something for someone, yet another got the credit for it? Has God ever blessed you with a harvest of food, and you never gave him credit for it? Israel is not giving gratitude where gratitude is due. Year after year, God gives Israel plenty of harvest. Year after year, though, the Israelites offer what God gives them to Baal. A false god that doesn’t even exist. They honor Baal and not God.…
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Bless His Holy Name
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103: 1-5 Do you ever talk to yourself about where your soul is with God? Do you bless the Lord and his Holy name? Do you remember the benefits he gives you? This Psalm is an expression of thanksgiving and praise to…
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Gathering In Small Groups
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord…
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Investing In God’s Work
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Philippians 1:3-5 And you Philippians yourselves know that at the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into a partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment and more. I am well supplied, having received…
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Pray For The World
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. James 5:16 Do you have a group of people that you can have them pray for you? As believers, we need to pray for one another and share where we are struggling. For through him, we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus, our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. Ephesians 3:…
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Gifted to Serve One Another
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; Romans 12:6 Read 1 Peter 4:10-11: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11: There are different…
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A Love That Is Everlasting
the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Jeremiah 31:3 God loves his people with an everlasting love. He reaches out with kindness to his children. Look at the Israelites. They obey God, then slip away from him. It’s a yo-yo. Yet, there is God just waiting for them to return to him. God still loves them, showing grace and mercy. God will discipline us for our disobedience. He is still calling us home. He is still loving us. I caught myself questioning the Israelites fo them turning to other gods. For instance, Why…
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Courage
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 God promised to show His strength through Paul’s weaknesses. God did not remove Paul’s affliction. God’s power is shown through weak people. Our weaknesses help develop our Christian character, it also deepens our worship. When we admit our weakness, we are…