How faithful we were in 2009

As we approach the end of one year and the beginning of another, let’s take a few moments to reflect on how faithful we were in 2009. 1) Church attendance? Were you as faithful to the house of God as you should have been? If not why not take the time right now to repent and promise God that nothing or no one will keep you from being faithful in 2010. 2) Bible reading ? It has been said that, “sin will either keep you from God’s Word, or God’s Word will keep you from sin.” You cannot blame your lack of faith and spiritual weakness on anybody but yourself. Pick up a Bible reading schedule and at least attempt to read through in 2010. 3) Prayer ? Private prayer, Wednesday night prayer meetings, prayer together as a husband and wife, or as a family, all are very important times. (James 4:2-3) “…ye have not, because you ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” In other words no prayer life = no prayers answered, and praying only when you need something for yourself, only causes you to sound selfish to God, so He refuses to answer. 4) Witnessing ? (Rom 10:14)“…and how shall they here without a preacher?” The preacher spoken of here is anyone that is saved. We have all been called to go, but all have not decided to go or preach. No one will ever get saved without hearing the gospel. Who did you witness to in 2009? 5) Giving & Serving ? Both begin by faith in the heart. How did you do in 2009? Did you tithe or tip? Did you promise God to serve and then not serve? 2010 can be a new start if you will “repent and do thy first works.” (Rev. 2:5)

JOY

Just what is it that makes Christmas such a joyful season ? Well, it all depends on who Jesus is to you. There are a lot of people today who would like to take Jesus out of Christmas and just have a holiday, but when you remove the reason for the season all that’s left is a joyless holiday. Christmas could not be Christmas without Jesus, no more than the 4th of July could be a celebration of independence without independence. Christmas is all about JOY. Joyful in that it gives “glory to God in the highest,” because God became a man and dwelt among us. Joyful, also in that he came to bring us “peace” with God if we put our faith and trust in Jesus, and Joy because Jesus came to bring “goodwill” toward all men. 1) J OY must begin with Jesus. The world celebrates a joy that is temporary at best, but if you’re saved you have him living in your heart and you celebrate joy every day. Sure there is joy in the Christmas season, but there is a greater joy in the forgiveness of sins and in a personal relationship with Jesus. Getting saved is the greatest joy you will ever experience. 2) J O Y = in helping Others. The Bible is clear that there is a more full joy when we learn to help others. A full joy, that can only be full as we practice God’s “goodwill” toward others. 3) JO Y that involves You. You might not think that you are important to God’s joy but you are. Jesus came because of you, he died because of you, and it’s you that he wants to save and use as a vessel of goodwill. Though Joy began with Jesus, it continues on through You!

Zacharias

The Christmas story, as found in the gospel, does not begin with the birth of Jesus, but rather with a man named Zacharias. Before the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary, God sent an angel (possibly Gabriel) to Zacharias the father of John the Baptist, to proclaim to him the birth of his son John. John was born to precede Christ in life, and was sent to Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. 1) John was sent by God on a Mission. His mission was to prepare Israel for Salvation. For 400 years God had not sent a prophet with a new message, but rather Israel was left with an old prophecy that Elijah would precede Christ at his coming. The Bible says that John came as a prophet in the “spirit and power of Elijah.” John’s mission was to preach repentance and to baptize Israel as an outward sign of that repentance, for men could not be saved until Christ died on the cross. 2) John was sent to preach God’s Message. His message was to repent and be prepared for God’s coming salvation. John’s baptism did not save, but it was a preparation, as repentance is today before salvation. 3) John was sent to teach us God’s Method. “Preaching.” “God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost.” John preached Christ’s coming, but we preach that Jesus saves. John was the first Christian preacher, baptizer, and disciple maker. God sent a man, and He is still sending men today. Oh, that we would be as faithful to God’s mission as John was.

hold tightly

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them slip.” The above verse warns every believer to listen closely to God’s Word and to be careful not to take it lightly. Like a boat that is not tied to a dock, certain things in our Christian life can slowly drift away if neglected. 1) Bible Reading and Prayer. Christians don’t just stop praying and reading God’s Word by accident. The neglect begins slowly at first. One day we’re too busy, and the next thing we know 3-4 days turn into a week, the week months, and pretty soon we seldom talk to God and almost never pick up a Bible. Godly habits have drifted away. 2) Salvation. Salvation cannot be lost, but it can be neglected to the point that only God can tell sometimes if you’re saved. It can happen in a number of areas, for example when we decide to neglect church and not attend, pretty soon we seldom come, or tithe, or witness, or fellowship with other Christians, to the point that we seldom do anything for God. 3) Service. The Holy Spirit’s gifts are not given for nothing. They are service gifts, given to us to produce growth and maturity in the body of Christ. His gifts are supernatural, and they supernaturally work when used. If we neglect them we will lose God’s best in the church and in our lives. So hold tightly God’s Word, and be careful not to let His things slip.

Thanksgiving

In these dark days of anti-American sentiment, the world may never understand why we celebrate Thanksgiving, but we must . We must never forget to thank God for His mighty hand in the development of this great nation. It is a fact of recorded history that the first Thanksgiving celebration took place in the Plymouth colony during the month of November 1621. Just one year earlier, the Pilgrims landed the Mayflower but experienced much hardship during that first winter. However that next fall, with the help of the native Indians, the pilgrims experienced a great harvest of food. These exiles from Holland and England were accustomed to celebrating a traditional harvest festival back home, so they decided to proclaim a three day celebration of thanksgiving here as well. For three days, fifty five colonists and one hundred Indians gorged themselves with fish and a great number of wild turkeys. This first harvest festival on American soil gave birth to what we now celebrate as Thanksgiving Day. May we be thankful, just as these early pilgrims were thankful in those early years, and demonstrate our thanksgiving by never forgetting the God that so provides for us on a daily basis. “ Oh give thanks unto the Lord,” who continues to shed His grace upon us and this great nation. May we truly be thankful for all that He has done, and for all that He continues to do on a daily basis.

Faith Promise

In order for us to be involved in Faith Promise, we need to see the vision of God, and then respond to it as God wants us to respond. The Apostle Paul, while in Troas on his 2nd missionary journey, received a vision from the Lord to go up to Macedonia and preach the gospel. A Macedonian man pleaded for Paul to come and he responded, and as a result many were saved and a church started. God seldom gives us details when He calls, but he always leads us with a vision. 1) God’s vision and call is personal. When Jesus said to “go ye into all the world,” He called for us to go personally. Personally to our world, and personally to help others reach the world of their vision. 2) God’s vision is purposeful. God’s purpose is always to lead us to people who need to be saved, and grow in the Lord. There are Macedonian men everywhere, pleading for God’s help. 3) God’s vision is pursuable. Meaning that it is do-able. Whatever God calls us to do, or whatever vision He lays on our hearts and minds, He will help us achieve. While in Macedonia, Paul and his company were beaten & jailed for their faith, but God still provided for them. Macedonian men were saved, & the gospel preached, because they responded by faith to God’s vision.