After Christmas

The Message today Now that all the celebration has come to a close we face a brand new year. It is wonderful how God has planned our days. There is His Word for all things in our life.  I hear His Word:  Phil 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” In this New Year before us let us examine our Christian experience. God has set the pattern for our life through His Son Jesus Christ. In Him we can do just that, leave last year and its shortcomings and press onward. He can make all things new.  We have this sure Word from our Father God.  “As God, that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”  In the midst of New Year’s Resolutions why not make a spiritual resolution?  “This year I am going to “Increase in Wisdom!”  Jesus is our example: After Christmas, after His Birth; “Jesus grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”  We can make resolutions as to our habits, our goals, and dreams; or we can make a New Dedication spiritually to truly follow in our Lord’s foot steps. It is a strategic hour for Christianity; will we pull away from the things of this world and make sincere preparation for the Coming of our Saviour?  Will we set Spiritual goals?  Goals of Spiritual growth, gaining strength in the Holy Spirit, filling our life with Biblical Wisdom, and seeking favor with God; which will ultimately bring favor with humanity! Jesus is our example, let us “Increase in Him!”   Together we press onward; Loving you, Pastor

“Thou Hast Done Wonderful Things!”

The Message today Our Theme in this Christmas Season has been Thankfulness!  Thankful for God’s mercy, Thankful for His hope, Thankful for Jesus joy, and Thankful for The Holy Spirit that brings peace through the Sacrifices of our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ! We were comforted by the MERCY of God that overwhelms us when we think of all that He has forgiven us!  And daily His Goodness and Mercy follows us, not just today, but “all the days of our life.” Let us be reminded that Mercy is –  “compassionate treatment shown to an offender, and implies Compassion is that which forgives punishment even when Justice demands it! What a Wonderful Father in Heaven!  O the Wonderful Things of God!  The Glorious Promises in His Word that fills the soul with HOPE.  God takes pleasure in us when we fear Him and Hope in His Mercy!  Hope is a strong word brought into our life by a Loving Saviour: Hope is a desire accompanied by expectation! O saints, we need this “Earnest Expectation” as the creature of God as we wait for Jesus return! Let us wait with JOY in our heart for Jesus has given us His Joy!  His Joy can overcome the circumstances of this life and bring us victorious into His Powerful Presence!  His Joy in us, the Hope of Glory!  Jesus has given us “fullness of Joy” through His shed Blood, the offering of His life for our Eternal Life.  This should awaken PEACE in our life even in the midst of this broken and wicked generation. We have this Sure Word: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great JOY, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Jesus has given to us a Peace that passes all understanding, a Peace that will endure the adversities of this natural life. He was given as a Child which we celebrate today, however the Greatest Advent is yet to come ... Jesus the once Child has now become our Resurrected Lord & Saviour!  He shall return, hear the Word of the Lord ... “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him ...”!  He will be clothed with vesture dipped in Blood: and His name is called The Word of God!  He is our Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace!  Wonderful, wonderful Jesus! Have a Wonderful Christmas as you celebrate Jesus, Loving you, Pastor

Benediction

O Lord God, The Gift of Your Son has opened to us to many Gifts You prepared for us. The Gifts of Love, Joy, and Peace! Now the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength Advent Week 3

The Message today ♬♪O the JOY of the Lord is my strength! ♪♪ – A great song with a Message!  Today the Pink Candle is lit; it is the Candle of Great Joy! It symbolizes the great JOY that we feel as we anticipate the Birth of Christ. I’m thinking it should be a great Joy everyday as we reflect not only on Jesus Birth, but the fact that He is our Resurrection King!  He lives within our heart! Joy is a great testimony of His Presence in our life. It speaks volumes, sometimes more then we can ever speak.  Think of the Joy that filled heaven at the Message of Jesus Birth, the Advent of His Coming! The angel descended in the midst of great glory and for a moment the Shepherds were sore afraid, then they heard –“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great JOY, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Just take a moment to meditate upon this glorious occasion!  There would be a ‘sign’ “Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And then the heavens was filled with a “multitude of the heavenly host Praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace, good will toward men.”  Can you sense this JOY?  165 times Joy is mentioned in the Word of God. And the Greatest Joy in Scripture is the moment of Jesus Birth, the moment when our Saviour was born. He would not remain a Baby, but would be our reigning King, our Healer, our Baptizer, and our Soon Coming King! O saints life up your heads and let His Joy be revealed in you! “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in.” ~ Psalms 24:7 “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your Redemption draweth nigh.” ~ Luke 21:28 If there was ever a day that our head needs to be turned toward heaven, it is this moment. The battle rages, and the Advent of our King draws nigh. But for the JOY that was set before Him and His Strength of obedience; He gave us the Gift of Salvation!    Praying for His JOY to fill our hearts as we celebrate Christmas! Pastor

O Give Thanks Unto the Lord, Part 2 “Our God of Hope”

O come Let us Adore Him; O come Let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! What a glorious season to commemorate our Saviour!  The Christmas carols ring out across the land, the ancient of songs that are still relevant today. The First Verse this song rings out “O Come all ye faithful, Joyful and Triumphant!  Are we joyful and are we triumphant?  Psalm 31:24 comes to mind “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that Hope in the Lord.”  He is the God of our Hope!  I love Psalm 42:4 “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the Voice of Joy and Praise, with a multitude that kept Holyday. The Words of Isaiah the Prophet fall upon my ears ...  “O Zion, that bringest Good Tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest Good Tidings, lift up thy Voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!  Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.  He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” O the glorious Promises of God they fill us with Hope!  Psalm 147:11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that Hope in His Mercy.”  Hope is a strong Word brought into our life by a Loving Saviour: Hope is desire accompanied by expectation. The fact that the Prophets said Emanuel would come, be born of a virgin and  in Bethlehem; a Star would guide the wise men to Him! This brings a ‘great Hope’ to my heart for the Word of God also proclaims:  Rom. 15:44 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope. Praying for you a Blessed Christmas filled with Hope & Loving you, Pastor