God refines our faith, leads through faith and God is always there.

Christmas Eve 2023

Why was Joseph God's choice? Joseph was a righteous man, he was faithful, he was gentle and compassionate; Joseph's choices came with a cost; Joseph loved and cared for the body of Christ.

Broken silence; the significance of Bethlehem; unlikely messengers; the Heavenly proclamation; joy amidst the ordinary; the application of great joy.

Mary was familiar with God's voice.

Lk 1;28, 19:26; Mat 5:6,8; Mk 4:24-25.

Mary had an attitude of expectancy.

Lk 1:37.

Mary was willing to be interrupted.

Lk 1:38, 46-54, 2:35; Duet 22:22.

Will you give Jesus your hopeless list today?

Hope is expectation and it is action. The object and basis of hope determine the strength and certainty of the act of hoping. The biblical reality of hope is based on Almighty God Himself - who He is, what He is like, His word, His promises and how He acts in the world. We can have a certain and sure hope because of Jesus.

When you realize Jesus brings unexpected hope to unexpected places, you can become hope full in a hope less world and that hope to unexpected places. 

Lord Jesus, I'm asking You to bring Your hope to this person, place, or situation today.

We grow to be like Jesus when we give our body as a living sacrifice, shake off the worls by shaping our mind and allow God to work.

Paul's dedication (v21)

(Col 3:3, Gal 2:20, Phil 3:7)

Paul's Dilemma (vv 22-24)

Paul's Decision (vv 25-26)

My Funeral Plans:

• Cremation or plot burial?
• Favourite Music
• Favourite Scripture or Reading
• Message or Preacher
• Slide Show
• Suggested Speakers: Eulogy/Tribute
• Ushers
• Other

Paul's source of strength is prayer, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and confidence from a healthy relationship with God.

How is Paul or how is the Good News? The Good News will not be deterred - everyone here; believer confidence. The Good News advances despite...  No Greater Joy.

Start with my heart

(Ps 51:17, 78:8; 1 Pet 3:15; Mat 6:19-21,24)

Give willingly and generously

Experience God's joy

Fellowship in common identity in Christ. Fellowship through participation with Paul. Fellowship through a shared future hope of God, faithfully completing what He had begun in them. Fellowship together starts with loving in the right way, continues through priorities, and culminates as it bears good fruit which glorifies God and brings unity in the Church.

Level One Gratitude - God, I'm thankful for ...

Level Two Gratitude - I'm thankful even though ...

Level Three Gratitude - I'm thankful because ...

Following Paul’s example, we should speak words of blessing and grace to one another, thank God for one another, and pray for one another … with JOY.

We are made;  we belong; we're called out; it stretches us.

We're centered on Jesus; we're focusing on a purpose that really matters.

Battle #1 - the devil (vv 16-18)

Battle #2 - the world (vv19-24)

Battle #3 - the flesh (v25)

Victory #1 (v26)

Victory #2 (vv 27-34)

The Author of Philppians

(Phil 3:5-6)

Joy In All Circumstances

(Jam 1:2-4)

A Surrender That Satisifies

(Phil 1:21) 

Be ready! (vv 2-4, 24-27, 32-37)

(Mat 24:3)

Pay attention! (v 31)

(Mat 24:37; Gen 6:5, 11-12; 2 Tim 3:1-5, 4:1-5)

The second coming. (vv 24-25)

(Rev 8:10-12, 6:16-17; 1 Thes 4:16; 1 Cor 15:52)

You can experience a real, fruitful, vibrant and flourishing life through Jesus.  

You can be outwardly fruitful by prayer, sacrifice and forgiveness towards other people. 

You can be inwardly vibrant with bold faith in God.

You can be flourishing at the roots because you belong to your heavenly Father.

Hell is very real, very serious, and we need to avoid it at all costs. Assess, admit and act.

As we near the end, there will be birth pains (deception, wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilence), persecution and we need to learn how we are to respond.

Marriage is God's idea.

(Gen. 1:26, 2:18, 21-24)

Divorce is not God's intention.

(Mal 2:13-17, Mat 19:9)

Remarriage should be approached with caution.

(1Cor 7:8-9, 12-16, 39-40; Mat 19:10-11)

Growth starts small.
(Mat 10:42)

 Growth takes time.

Growth requires faith.
(Mat 17:20, 1 Cor 3:6-7)

The temple will be judges (vv 1-4) (Mat 24:3)

The end will be marked by deception (vv 5-6, 21-23). (1Cor 6:9-10, 1 Tim 4:1)

Understanding deception. (Gen 3:1-6)

Satan casts doubt on God's word (v 1).

Satan uses people to spread lies (v 1). (2 Cor 11:3-4, 13-15).

Satan takes advantage of ignorance (vv 2-3)

Satan tries to get us to remain independent and self-sufficient (v 5).

The cure for deception. (prov 9: 8-9)

Jesus is God; He transcends all who oppose Him and is far greater than anything we can imagine Him to be. And we see from Mark 9:1-13 that Jesus is indeed who He claims to be - the Son of God.

06In our seemingly impossible situation...

Jesus knows all circumstances. (Ps 147:5, Mat 10:29-30, Is 46:9-10, Ps 139:4, 1 king 8:39)

Jesus always has a plan. (Jn 6:5-6)

Jesus` way will often surprise us. (Is 55:8-9)

Jesus not only provides, He gives an abundance. (Mk 6:42-43, Ps 132:15, Jn 6:35)

God's provision is intentional, purposeful and abundant. (2 Cor 9:8)

God's mercy is patient and undeserved. (Mat 21:41, 43; Act 4:11-12)

The torch has been passed to us.

We are to love God, the one and only true God, with our
whole heart, soul, mind and strength.  Love your neighbour as yourself.

Jesus' greatness outshines everything else and everyone else. (Mat 11:11)

Your greatness shines the brightest when Jesus shines the most through you.

Prepare the way for Jesus' greatness by looking at your life. (IS 40: 3-5)

Prepare a pathway for the greatness of Jesus to shine through your life.

Greatness comes when we bring some stuff low. What must come low in oyur life?

Greatness comes when some things rise up in your life. What must rise up?

Greatness comes when you face the challenges in your life. What challenges are really there? (Mat 11:1-6)

Greatness comes when you keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Will you prepare a pathway for the greatness of Jesus to shine through your life?

6The mark of a true follower of Jesus is not knowledge, power or attendance, but it is a transformed heart.

Knowledge

Pharisees

Power

Herod/Herodians

Attendance

Disciples

Transformed Heart

(Jn 6:35)

Exercise your faith.

Faith sees opportunity.

Faith persists.

Faith responds.

Faith asks.

Faith saves.

Faith follows.

Serving others is our TRUE calling!

Are you serving others?

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross.

The Holy Spirit comes to bring His power and presence. The work of the Holy Spirit can be diminished or driven out of our lives. How do I receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit in my life?

In this passage in Mark, we learn about the tithe, the offering and extravagant or sacrificial giving.

Owners 

Stewards

God doesn't want  your money; He wants your heart.

Do you have your money or does your money have you?

Good Friday Service

The Truth... amazes us, demands a response and sets us free. 

Our Choice: The Jesus we want is the One who is easy to follow. The Jesus we need is the One who is worth following at any cost.

Our Response: Repent. Remember.

If Jesus is God then He has to get all of your life. Abandon all of your masters and embrace the Lordship of Jesus: internal, external and spiritual masters. Next step: sign up for and attend Encounter God.

To fully submit to God's will, we must first fully abandon our own will. God's plan will probably have difficulties, but if you obey, God's purpose will be fulfilled. God usually calls us to things that are bigger than our humanity can accomplish. The Son of man will help us to overcome our humanity if we as Him.

Serving others is never beneath you. Serving others is never about who they are; it's about who Christ is, and how He wants us to follow His example. Humility is seen in not only how we serve others, but how we allow others to serve us. When you see how Jesus loves and serves you, you'll love and serve like Jesus.

Who is this Jesus and who did people want Him to be?

Being great isn't about expecting to be served; it is about serving to expectation: each of us is created to do good things, serving is discovering and Jesus-like or not so Jesus-like. 

What is our conscience, how does Satan attack it and how do we get and keep a good conscience?

Satan attacks our will with pride, with pride so that we ignore the best path for life, we fight back with the humility of Jesus and we can choose humility with Jesus' help.

Why does Satan attack our bodies and how does Satan attack our bodies?

Satan attacks our minds with lies and we can fight back with God's truth.

Jesus takes care of an unclean spirit, because He has authority and gives us spiritual authority

The war we're in happens to everyone, it is in two realms, it is between two kingdoms, it is won by Jesus, and it can be fought with weapons God gives us. 

Sabbath is a gift from God; Jesus is the author and fulfillment of Sabbath; Jesus is the source of Sabbath restoration and new creation.