Category: Thursday

Everyone MATTERS

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.–Colossians 4:7

Tychicus is mentioned only five times in the bible. He’s not credited with any huge miracles or massive outreaches. He simple mentioned as a faithful minister.

Like Paul lifting up Tychicus, we should celebrate and encourage each other to minister to others as God leads them. Whether they are ministering to thousands, hundreds or just one. They matter, we all matter. God has given each of us a gift and a unique way to reach people.

Billy Graham gave his life to Jesus because a shoe sales man told him about Jesus. We never know what our impact will be unless we try.

God gave each of us a new life, a new beginning and we need to share that with others. We never know who we’re talking to; it could be the next Billy Graham or we could be the next Billy Graham but regardless the only way anyone will know God and let him change their lives is if we share what he’s done for us.

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Who’s leading?

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother

Colossians 1:1

The apostle Paul was only who he was by following God and the encouragement of others believers, like Timothy. If we try to do what God calls us to do and be who he calls us to be without him. We will fail.

What he asks us to do and who he asks us to be can’t be done without him. It’s only by God’s direction, his grace and his love that we can move mountains.

Paul was a great apostle he wrote a third of the new testament and shared God’s love with thousands. But when Paul tried to accomplish what he thought God wanted without God’s direction. He persecuted those he would later in life call friends and fellow believers.

When we try to do things for God without the leading of the Holy Spirit, they can be good, but they will not accomplish anywhere near what we could if we followed God’s leading. A lot of terrible things have been done in the name of God that he never asked for or wanted.

The leading of the Holy Spirit is imperative and necessary to living for God.

God leads and guides us moment by moment, he gives us the words to say, direction to go, wisdom for decisions and joy and strength to accomplish his leading.

Look to Jesus in your daily life and he will move mountains.


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Love above all

Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.–Colossians 3:14

God’s love is what binds us together, love heals us, love fulfills us.

We can have all we ever wanted in life but if we don’t have love, we will still be lacking.

We can try to do and be the humblest, most compassionate, kindest, gentlest, most patient and forgiving person. But if we don’t have love we will only be striving instead of thriving.

Love shows us others as God sees them, love gives us the drive to put others first, love fulfills us so that we don’t need the approval of others.

God’s love is all we need.

What is God teaching you?

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.  I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,  and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. –Colossians 4:7-9

Sharing what God is doing in our lives and others sharing what he is doing in their live is how we encourage and build each others up. We are the body of Christ and how can the body function if it doesn’t communicate with itself. When one part of the body suffers others parts of the body come to heal that part.

When we lived in Michigan we were part of a small group that had no curriculum, no required reading, no plan, except to that each week when we gathered we asked each other one simple question.

‘What has God been teaching you this week?’

Our facilitator/host always had something prepared but we rarely needed it. Some of the members would share, not always the same people even but somehow it always all connected. We would teach each other what God was teaching us and encourage each other to grow in our relationship with God. Sometimes when one or a few of us were struggling or hurting we did what the body does we would focus on that person and help them to heal. Even when we didn’t know what to do we followed the leading of the Holy spirit and let God teach us all. But we made learning a sharing experience.

Sharing with each other and those who don’t yet know God builds faith and trust. It shows that he is real and that he does make a difference in our lives and he can do the same for everyone.

Share your life share your stories of what Gods done for you and seek to learn from others what God has done for them.

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Humility over honor

And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:8-11

Jesus never demanded respect or to be worshiped or honored. He came to serve. Not to be served.

Have you ever demanded to be honored or respected? Did the actions of the person you demanded respect from fulfill that need or desire. Or did it leave you still wanting more?

When we force appreciation from people it teaches them that honor and respect are demanded, instead of earned.

So in turn they will go and do the same to others.

But when we get our value from God, as Jesus did, we don’t need the approval or appreciation of others to feel honored or respected.

Getting our value from God turns the moments when we are honored or respected by others into ‘life bonuses’ that mean so much more when they aren’t demanded.

Freedom from Trying

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—  “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”  (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Colossians 2:20-23

When we die to our selfish nature it’s to stop trying to achieve salvation on our own. We humble ourselves by acknowledging that we cannot achieve it by our own self abasement. So why after receiving God’s gift of forgiveness would we one again try to earn it?

The choices we make to abstain from things in our lives are to help us develop a deeper relationship with Jesus; building more dependence on him and less on our selves. Things like fasting are to show us that God can sustain us, not to show others how devout we can be.

Our choices to abstain from things are for our focus to be undivided. If we focus on trying to redeem our past we will miss what God is doing in our lives now. If we look to darkness for light we are missing the point that he delivered us from darkness.

Stop trying to earn salvation and accept the free gift that it is and enjoy the freedom from darkness that Jesus salvation gives.

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Jesus Humbled Himself

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature  of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Phil 2:6-8

Even Jesus didn’t consider himself equal with Father God when he came to earth. He could of been born to the highest king in all the world, He could of come as an adult.

But instead He choose to come as a baby, to a young girl and her fiance with no notoriety or status.

He choose to start with humble beginnings.

He never demanded to be worshipped, glorified, honored or respected.

He simple came to serve us in love, to do what we couldn’t, to live a sinless life and then die falsely accused the death of a murder.

All to give us the opportunity to have right relationship with Father God. To not have to earn anything, simple to let Him live through us and He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us. Jesus did the hard part.

We need to stop striving and trying to work for Him. Instead we need to start surrendering, to let Him work through us!

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Learning to walk

If we as infants need love, care, guidance and protection to learn the basic of just walking and talking. Why do we expect those that are new in their faith should automatically know how to walk, talk and act in their new found faith in God.

We should teach them to read the Word of God, to go to him in prayer when they need help and show them how God has guided us in our own lives. The majority of the New Testament is instruction for the new believers. If it took such lengthy instruction to help guide them. How can we expect someone who just surrendered their life to God to know everything.

We need to love and encourage them to learn about God and develop their own relationship with him. So that he can father them to be who he made them to be. Teach someone to walk and talk as Jesus. Just like Jesus taught you!

Who God made you to be

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 1:1

God’s identity for each of us is so crucial to our relationship with Him. Who and what He has called us to is so much more then a career; it’s who we are.

For me, it’s writing, it’s who he made me to be and even though I don’t earn a dime from it currently, it’s still who I am. Writing uplifts me, it causes me to think about who God is, what He’s done and what He is doing. Writing about Him is how I understand Him and know His character.

In our American society we get so encapsulated that our job or career is our identity, but we are so much more the what we do for a living. Our identity can never be stripped away. We can lose everything and everyone and God will still be God and we will still be who He called us to be; His kids.

Paul knew that and that’s why he says by the will of God, because God completely changed who he was, God gave Paul a new identity, a new purpose and even a new name.

God does this with us too. When we seek God and ask Him who He made us to be. He reveals His identity for us, who He designed us to be. We become fulfilled by Him the more we walk in the identity He’s called us to.

Who has he called you to be?

Marriage is about balance

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Colossians 3:18-19

Some say this seems archaic but that’s a surface level answer.

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There is a balance to this. Wives are to submit to their husband and husband are to love their wives. This is because men and women are different and we each need different things to feel loved. Women feel loved when they are protected, supported and encouraged. Men feel loved when they are respected, affirmed and appreciated

Marriage is about serving each other and putting the needs of the other above your own. God gave it to us as a model for his relationship with us. Jesus came to serve, not be served. He was not looking for what we could do for him, but what he could do for us. When we focus on fulfilling the needs of the other then our needs are then met by our spouse.

Represent Jesus

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. –Philippians 1:27-30

Would you act the way you act if Jesus were standing right next to you?

Regardless of the circumstance around us we are to represent Jesus in our words, our actions and reactions.

No one said Christianity would be easy or popular, but it will change you for the better if you let it.

We may be surrounded by opposition but that does not mean it has to change us. One of the biggest ways to witness to others is to let them see that we are faithful to representing the character of Jesus, even in the roughest circumstances.

No matter if people are screaming at us and telling us, we’re wrong, we know the truth. That God loves us and that He loves them too. That truth can move mountains.

When we don’t falter during the hard times we show others what God has to offer. That they can have the same peace in the storm and confidence that they are loved, that we do.

 

Regardless of the circumstances around us or the lack of support or encouragement. When we know God and His character and we will  represent Him to others.

He will give a peace in the storm and the confidence to love others, because we are loved by Him.

God changes our stories

And Mary said:

“My soul [ag]exalts the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His [ah]bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50 “And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 “He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
53 “He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
54 “He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Luke 1:46-55

God loves to change our stories from what we think would be likely for us; to blessings beyond our belief.

Mary was an ordinary girl and we would probably know nothing about her in history, if it had not been for her birthing and raising Jesus. God loves to take everyday people and make them extra-ordinary. It wasn’t Mary’s own achievements that gave her the blessing of bearing Jesus but her humility and willingness to serve.

We are not meant to achieve greatness on our own, but to serve God and let him bless us instead. His blessings will always surpass what we could achieve on our own.

Jesus Unites Us

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,  that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.  For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. –Colossians 2:1-5

We are bonded together by our faith in Jesus. It knits us together, creates a common bond that surpasses all else. When we meet strangers and find out they share our faith in Jesus there is an instant connection that bonds us together.

It’s Jesus.

And He should be what brings us together, not pushes us apart. We have divided our faith up, but I can’t honestly think that is what Jesus intended.

He wants us to be one body that fights for each other, not against each other.

So instead of seeking what divides us. Lets seek what unites us.

Jesus.

And let him lead us together.

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What do you draw out in others?

To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:2

Paul greets the people of Collassae and immediately reminds them of their identity in Jesus. That they are God’s holy people and that gives them God’s grace and because of his grace they have peace.

We should be the same when we see greet other brothers and sisters in the faith. We should see them as God sees them as his kids. As loved, forgiven and made new in Jesus. We should be encouraging each other to be who God created us to be. So that when we see others distressed we can remind them that God’s grace gives them peace and help them to refocus there attention on who God made them to be instead of their problems.

When we spend our time with other believers, trying to point out their problems instead of the solution. It’s like poking a wound. Instead of trying to help. All we are doing is drawing attention to it and making it hurt worse.

But when we direct others to being made new in Jesus, it like applying ointment to the wound, promoting healing.

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Just need more Jesus

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 

Colossians 1:9

We as Christians can be very judgmental. We see people living life without God and immediately judge them; we even judge each other.

But we need to remember that we all came to Jesus because we needed him. None of us are perfect. Jesus sacrifice covered all our wrong doings and it covers all theirs too.

Instead of judging people we need to see them as Jesus sees them. That He is greater than all they’ve done, all we’ve done and no challenge is too great for Him.

Jesus is the one who changed us and made us who we are and makes us who we are becoming. Everyone is just in a different place in their relationship with Jesus. Some of us are still learning to trust Him, some are still learning to love Him and some don’t even know Him.

The next time you catch yourself being judgmental of anyone. Remember…

they just need more Jesus.

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Why don’t we just go straight to heaven the minute we accept Jesus into our hearts?

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;  but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,  so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Philippians 1:22-26

Why don’t we just go straight to heaven the minute we accept Jesus into our hearts?

For this very reason, that we might be there to encourage and uplift each other, but also so that we may take more people to heaven with us.

What better way to reach people then through people. God has a grand intricate design to every bit of creation and we are a major part of that. He wanted to make us part of the process, not just instantaneous zap into heaven.

Think about it, would’t that be scary if every time someone accepted Jesus sacrifice they disappeared. Who would want to follow that person? Not knowing where they went, why, if they were ok.

No, God makes us his witnesses to tell and show others, how he changes our lives, how he heals and restores how he provides and loves us beyond imagination.

We are meant to share him with others, so go out and tell someone!

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Amazing Grace

To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:6

There is no greater gift then Gods grace. It gives us all new life, a fresh start and the deepest most intense love of our lives.

Listen to this song and just have moment with Jesus and appreciate his grace in your life.

Love is

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is selfless, lust is selfish.

In our instant gratification society, everyone wants everything immediately, people are rarely willing to wait for anything.

But what compromises have we made for convenience. We eat lower quality food because its cheaper and faster. We spend extra on shipping to get things one day sooner. We get annoyed if an email or download isn’t instant.

What has this done to our relationships? What compromises have we made?

We make snap judgments and quick commitments without giving much thought to it because its easier. But at what cost?

Lust is about ourselves, it’s about instant gratification of hormonal desires, it’s about me and what I can get.

Love is selfless. Love puts others before themselves.

When was the last time you were solely 100% focused on making everything about the other person?

Love waits because it sees the other as valuable. Love sees the best in the other and seeks to encourage them to be who God made them to be. Love keeps you grounded during the hard times and makes the good times better.

Love never fails, lust does.

Lust fulfills our selfish desires. Love fulfills the desire of our love.


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Are you helping or hindering?

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree and to work in harmony in the Lord.  Indeed, I ask you too, my true companion, to help these women [to keep on cooperating], for they have shared my struggle in the [cause of the] gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. ~Philippians 4:2-3

Why do we have disagreements within the church body? I’m not talking about the big theological debates. More about the simple things like how the Christmas decorations get set up.

Why do we let these things bother us? Was it really our decision in the first place or are we giving our opinion. If it is our opinion, is that what we should be focused on?

Isn’t our role in the church to be the body of Jesus to help each other, not hinder.

Have we asked Jesus His opinion on the matter? Or are we just blazing forward without regard for God’s opinion.

You may think He doesn’t care about the little things, or that your perfectly capable of making that decision without Him; but should we be doing things without Him? Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.

Jesus can make the simplest thing simpler or the most boring thing enjoyable.

Make every moment a moment to deepen your relationship with Him.

If doing something simple and boring is more fun with a friend; and He is the funnest friend ever. Then shouldn’t we want to do everything with Him.


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What are Christians supposed to be like?

 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (emphasis added)-Philippians 2:1-5

If we have found encouragement, comfort, love, tenderness and compassion from Jesus.

Then we are supposed to bring joy to Him by being liked minded with Him. By sharing that same love with others. By following the Holy Spirit. By humbling ourselves and valuing others above ourselves.

If you haven’t found these things in Jesus. then I ask have you been seeking Him?

We cannot be these things to others if we do not first know them from Him. Its hard to give out what you haven’t received.

Seek God, learn His character, know His words and His actions. If we know Him we can tell others about Him, but if we don’t know Him how can we expect to show others.

Before Creation

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ~Ephesians 1:5

Amazing to think that God knew us even before you were born and he decided before then to make us part of His plan. 

We are not a mistake, we were thought of by the creator of the universe before we were even born. That’s how important we are to God. 

Stop thinking no one cares or you’re not important because it’s simple not true. Each and everyone of us is precious to God.

Who are you?

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossians 3:5-11

Its easy to excuse away our behavior by saying ‘that’s just the way I am.’

But if we are are made new in Jesus, then we are not who we used to be. We are like him.

By saying ‘that’s just the way I am’ we are resurrecting our old self and saying that Jesus in us, is not enough to kill off our old selves.

Jesus makes us new when we invite him into our lives, he gives us new life a new identity.

When we say we die to self, we are spiritually no longer that person and are given new life in Jesus and that new life is to be him.

So when we find our selves reverting back to our old ways and our old habits we don’t need to try to change, we need to realize that, that is not us anymore.

That’s why knowing Jesus is so important, because the more we know him the more we know our new selves, its how we find our identity in him.

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Forgiveness changes us

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25

God’s way and our ways can be very different. We may think one thing is the logical choice but God may have more going on in the background then we realize.

Logically Joseph should of divorced Mary, even by their own laws. But God had a different plan. He started Jesus family with forgiveness.

We may not always understand or want to do what God asks of us but if we follow his plan he will provide a life that we can’t even imagine.

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Baptism and Circumcision

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,  having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 

Colossians 2:11-12

Circumcision and baptism sound like religious terms that many of us don’t understand the reasoning behind.

Circumcision and baptism symbolize our choice to die to our selfish ways, cutting ourselves off from our old life and being reborn into a new life in Jesus.

That new life in Jesus frees us from the guilt and shame of our past mistakes.

Jesus dying and being raised back to life gave us the gift of doing the same spiritually. We can die to our old selfish ways and be reborn into the new life that he gives us.

It is a spiritual circumcision, its cutting ourselves off from who we use to be and finding new life in Jesus.

Baptism is a public declaration, a symbolization of that new life, of being made new, being reborn into the life Jesus paid for and originally interned for us to have. A right relationship with him.

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One where we can laugh and talk with God, where we can feel free from our past and share that same freedom with others.

Don’t shy away from what you don’t understand or think is just tradition or old ways. Talk with God, ask him what it means and let him show you his true intent.

Alone

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,  for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.-Phillippians 2:12-13

How do you act, speak, think when your alone? Is it the same way you are in public, at work, at church?

Would you be ashamed to share who you are at home or what you do?

Does who you are change depending on where you are? Or who your around.

If we have Jesus living in us and we are living by the guidance of the Holy Spirit we should be the same person whether we are alone or surround by thousands.

If you worshi God at Chuch worship him at home. If you pray for people when they need it pray for your family.

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Renewing Your Spiritual Lens

Graham Cooke has taught me so much about growing in my relationship with Jesus. This teaching helped me through one of the toughest times in my life and helped me see my relationship with Jesus from a whole new perspective. I hope it helps you grow closer to Jesus.

Todd White

I love to share people who have influenced my walk with Jesus. Todd White is one of those people. His testimony and his passion for Jesus have inspired me to grow closer to Jesus and to find my identity and calling in Jesus alone. I hope this message blesses you!

Glory to God in the Highest

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,  in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant.  While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night.  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”

 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Luke 2:1-20

Songs of Thanksgiving

Today I encouraged you to sing a song of thanks to God with your family for Thanksgiving.

Here are a few suggestions

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

From ours,

Ryan & Rebecca Darga

Atmosphere matters

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:2

This is Paul’s common greeting when addressing other believers. It’s easy to gloss over but it’s important. 

How we greet each other matters. It’s sets the tone for our whole time together. Nothing is worse then coming into a social situation and feeling awkward, ignored or unwanted. 

When we greet each other we should make everyone feel at peace and that means giving grace. Grace to that person that might get on our nerves and that gives everyone peace because there is no strife or conflict.

We can choose what atmosphere we create.