This past Sunday at our church, Christ Chapel, we had our Christmas service. The Christ Chapel kids sang songs, acted out the nativity and were generally too cute for words. I had a hard act to follow.

I spoke on Love. John 4: 9  says “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one an only Son into the world that we might live through him.”  Love came down to earth! God loves us so much that he sent his Son to the world. Not to condemn us, to yell at us, to beat us over the head, but to LOVE us, to give us life everlasting through Jesus!

The Word says that “We love him because he first loved us.” He has loved us from the beginning of time, he always had a plan.  He sent his son to the earth all those Christmases ago, to show us love, to give us life.  He is the Messiah spoken of in Isaiah 9:6  “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,”  and he is our soon coming King!

Celebrate his love for you today and share his love with others. Share the love story of Christmas, the amazing love that Christ has for us. Take refuge in his love today, let it overflow from your heart and into your life.

Merry Christmas!

 “Joy to the world the Lord has come!”

Jesus has come! Joy everlasting has come to the world! We are grateful for the gift of Joy that God gave to the earth over 2,000 years ago at Christmas.

Miriam Webster’s dictionary defines joy as “a source or cause of great happiness: something or someone that gives joy to someone.”  Jesus is our source! He can be our constant joy, joy that is not dependent on circumstances, but joy that comes from knowing, way deep down on the inside, who Jesus is, from having a relationship through Jesus with our heavenly Father.
The Word of God says “the joy of the Lord is your strength” Let him be your strength this Christmas. Rejoice that God sent His son to the earth for you and for me, so we could have everlasting Joy and so that we can give the good news of “joy to the world” to others.

I continued our Christmas series this past Sunday with a message on Peace.   Isaiah, speaking of the birth of Christ said:

“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Jesus is Peace. He alone can speak to the storms of our life and say, “Peace be still.” Jesus said  ^“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” 

Many people go through life afraid, afraid of their circumstances, afraid of what people think of them, afraid of many different things.  If we know Christ, we have no reason to fear. He has given us peace. He came to this earth 2000 years ago so we could know Him, so through Him we would have access to God the Father, (Rom 5:1-2), so we could know Hope, Peace,  Joy and Love. 

If you are struggling to find peace this season, rest in Him; let your heart dwell on the great gift God gave to us on Christmas day so long ago, the gift of His Son, the gift of peace.

It’s that time of year again, the Christmas Season!  I spoke on HOPE this past Sunday, the wonderful hope we have in Jesus. He is the hope of the world. 

The Christmas season is often very busy with shopping, decorating the tree, school performances, visiting family, the list goes on.  While these are all wonderful things to do, we can also let ourselves become stressed, fretful, worrisome, “Did I buy so and so the right present? Did we put enough decorations outside? Did I find the perfect Christmas tree? Did I mail enough Christmas Cards?” We can become so consumed with the preparation of Christmas that we miss the significance of the preparation season, Christmas can pass us by in a blur.

This year, let’s slow down; let’s focus our hearts on the HOPE of the world, the hope that came to this earth as a tiny baby in a stable, and the hope that is coming again as a triumphant king.  

Let’s dwell on that hope this Christmas and let’s give hope to others. Maybe a co-worker, a family member, a neighbor needs your help this Christmas, let them know, their situation is not hopeless.  Many people are hurting and you can bring them hope!

 Feeding The Nations right now is sending hope in the form of food to the people of the Philippines, and many other nations, the need is tremendous friends!  If you feel led to help, the donation link is at the bottom of this post. Thank You, and remember HE is HOPE.

https://feedingthenations.org/donate.html

In my last post, we talked about Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams and visions. His spirit was troubled and his dream left him.

In Daniel 2:2 the Bible says,

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed.

Now that, was ok. They thought they could handle it. But then, the king, threw them a huge curve ball. He said,

When they came in and stood before the king,  he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”  Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble.”

A little severe, don’t you think? That’s tough! He said, just don’t just interpret the dream, but tell me what the dream is, then interpret it. They certainly thought, that was beyond their power.

However, there is a risk and reward even in the financial and human sense of man. The next verse says,

“But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided:  If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

I believe in the days ahead of us, we’re going to be pushed into the spotlight, because business owners, managers, politicians, are going to look around the table and look at you and say, “Well, what do you think?”

What are you going to do? Are you going to sit there and say, “I don’t know…that’s a hard one.” Or like the astrologers said, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks!”

That’s when the Spirit of God rises up inside of you and says, “Wait a minute, I have an answer!” But don’t you dare say that, unless you have one. That will then be of your flesh and you’ll fall flat on your face. It’d be worse if you just sat there and were mum.

We need to keep praying to the Lord. Lord, show me. 

If you ask the Lord, He will give you the word. When you get in various circumstances, and you’ve been praying to the Holy Ghost, you can give an answer that’ll astound them and has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with Him.

That’s who we need to be. That’s what the church needs to be, in this end time.

I pray that you are ready for that day. It’s approaching, if it’s not here already.

God Bless,

Pastor Steve

The Lord wants you to know today, that you truly are sent.

In the past few posts, we’ve been discussing who missionaries are, who are the sent ones. We now know, without a doubt, it’s you. It’s me. It’s everyone who is born again. The Bible says, we are called to reconcile people to God. We are the sent ones.

With great responsibility, comes great power. The power to change the world with the good news. The time is getting short. Years ago, God said, the fields are white, ready to harvest. Go into the fields and bring that harvest in, because the time is short. Be busy, as sent ones, into this world.

I will personally send you to groups and individuals that need help. They are looking for help. They are trying, but looking in all the wrong places. Help them. Be a sent one to them. Don’t give your opinion, but give the gospel, the good news, to those who have not had good news in a very long time. Help them, lift them up, encourage them, because redemption draws nigh.

Hallelujah.

Remember the sacrifice. Remember the price paid. Remember, it cost somebody, something, and it just wasn’t something. It cost them everything. Everything. Their very life. But, He didn’t mind doing it, because He knew that God was going to raise Him from the dead. And He did. Thank God for the power of the resurrection, because He lives, we too can live. We have the hope of heaven, knowing all those that have gone on before us, are there with Him.

The Bible says, that we are surrounded be a big cloud of witnesses, that are looking over heaven, looking on the playing field, called Earth. They’re cheering us on, saying, “You’re close to the end, don’t quit!” God says, I see the line, don’t falter. Don’t take a misstep, because I’m coming real soon, for My church.

What good news that is.

When God looks at us, He doesn’t see us in our sin. He sees us saved, whole, and delivered. He’s looking through that sacrifice.

I challenge you today, be ambassadors. Be responsible. Represent heaven and the King. Hallelujah, we are sent ones.

Pastor Steve