When applying for a job, it is normal and responsible for a person to put their best foot forward. A job seeker wants to portray themselves at their best, as well as convey their potential to succeed. It is also normal for us to do this in our everyday lives. We love for others to see how well our family is flourishing and to highlight the wonderful moments we get to bea ...
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For the past few weeks of advent, we have been speaking about thehope, peace, and joy we have in Christ.During this season, we arereminded of God's great love for us in sendinghis Son to earth to be born as a baby who would later die on the cross for our sins toreconcile us back to God. We see this in 1 John 4:10,"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he lov...
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One of the most loved Christmas carols of all time is, in fact, not a Christmas carol at all. The song is so familiar and its words are so well known that you really don't notice that the song does not include a single detail of Jesus' birth: no stable, no shepherds, no wise men, no Mary or Joseph, no little town of Bethlehem or choirs of angels or silent nights. It's "J...
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As you know, we are in the season of Advent; that time in the Christian calendar when we as a church are preparing our hearts and minds for the celebration of Christmas. Isaiah the prophet spoke of the coming of Christ as a baby when he said: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Won...
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As the people of God, this is the time of year that we celebrate Advent, the season leading up to Christmas. Through these four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day, we remember that for thousands of years, God's people were anticipating and longing for the coming of God's salvation. They were awaiting a Savior. That's whatadventmeanscoming. This week we praise the Lord for...
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Psalms chapters 3-7 contain a consistent theme of being oppressed, persecuted, and suffering. We have seen how to seek the Lord as we face anxious days and trust him through the night. We have learned more about praying not around our sorrows, or in between our sorrows, but through them. We have seen in each of these Psalms wthe importance of calling upon the Lord in ever...
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Over twenty years ago I wrote a phrase on the title page of my bible. It is a quote, though not original to me. By experience, I have come to trust that it is true and relevant and that it speaks to my past, present, and my future in compelling and urgent ways. The phrase is simply this; "The reader is destined to become a participant." Last Sunday we continued the story ...
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[9] And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, [10] so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:911) The investment of prayer has been formationa...
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Philippians 2:19-30 offers two examples of humble joy that Paul puts forth for the Philippians to learn from. Timothy and Epaphroditus were both believers in Christ Jesus who had been gripped by the gospel, lived to build up the church, and worked to advance the mission of God. We have much to learn through the stories of saints who have gone before us. Below are a handfu...
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