Below is the series that we are currently learning at church....the first part is what the series is about and the second is what we learned today. We have learned so much from this church and feel that we as a couple and family are growing and learning even more....we are seeking out truth and love which in turn is making us stronger. Here is the website to our church....
http://www.newlifechurch.tv/. Check it out!! There is actually a sister church in
NWA and my mom goes there and loves it.
PresenceIn Nazareth, Jesus' home town...He did no miracles. Because they were too familiar with Him. They watched Him grow up, wearing diapers and maturing as a teenager.
They took Jesus for granted.
The awe & wonder of the Messiah was gone because they were so used to the thought of having Jesus around.
This holiday season, as we shop and brave the mob of people the day after Thanksgiving...think about the crowds that surrounded Jesus as He taught and healed the sick.
The crowds we face may be overwhelming but we cannot forget the presence of God. And reaching out to touch Him is the single most important thing we can do.
Jesus was born in a barn but the Little Lord Jesus is no longer asleep on the hay. He is alive and He is the Messiah. There is nothing more life changing than the Presence of God. WHAT DOES GOD NEED?God doesn't need anything.Acts 17:25 (New International Version)
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
God decided to need you.Genesis 2:19 (New International Version)
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
Mark 6:5-6 (New International Version)
5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
1 Samuel 17:4-11 (New International Version)
4 A champion named Goliath, who was from
Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs he wore bronze
greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us." 10 Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." 11 On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
Romans 10:13-14 (New International Version)
13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Have you decided to need God?There are three things that are important to understand.
1- God will never change/do our job.
2- God will never do what you are given the responsibility to do.
3- Our part is never supernatural and our part comes first.
Today we had a guest pastor, Robert Morris, from Gateway Church in Dallas, TX.
The message was awesome and he explained that in the 1 Samuel verse, that the very conversation that Goliath was having could have been a conversation that God and the devil had. Basically, he pointed out that the use of the number 6 three times in that verse could stand for the devil (evil) and that basically the devil felt that he had figured God out and knew how to attack him. God set a principle for himself and the devil thought that he could take advantage of the situation. God's principle is that he will not intervene and fix all things...that he loves people and if we are willing to listen and be obedient that God will work through us. Due to this the devil thought that he could discourage the people of Israel by having his fighter, Goliath, defeat them. When Goliath asks for a man to fight him, God responds and says that he has a boy. Basically, anyone who is willing to seek out God and open his heart, will have the favor of God...this is how David defeated Goliath. God gave David the courage to stand up to Goliath and shoot the pebble, however, God was the one who made the pebble hit the right spot.
I also got that though many have questions and seek out the Bible for answers, there will be times that we do not understand the meaning or purpose. It was shared with us today that the Bible is not wrong...it is always truthful. However, due to being condemned at birth (Adam's sins) our mind is wrong. The comfort and peace is that since it only took one man (Adam) to lose it all...it only took one man (Jesus) to get it all back. Jesus is the son of God as well as the son of man. This is what we should all rejoice about because of Jesus' blood all we have to do is believe and we are forgiven!! What a way to know that God's presence is always with us and that we are so blessed.
I know that at times the
hustle and bustle can make us all forget what is important, but take time to rejoice that a baby was born in a manger and that one baby is the reason that we can all have eternal life.
Happy Birthday, Jesus!!
(Playing around on Friday waiting for Karye & Bret to open gifts!)
Unfortunately, the dogs are also very interested in the cookies as well. Last night I know that I gave Adleigh a full cookie and I turned my head for one sec and all of a sudden it was gone and Noel looked very guilty. She avoided eye contact and hid behind the Christmas tree...that is some major guilt.