Youth Event... coming soon

Mission Impossible

**** Youth Lock In ***

for our Middle School/High School Students

Friday 8th January through Saturday 9th January 2010

8:00 p.m. Friday – 8:00 a.m. Saturday.

Games, Movies, Discussion, Mission Project, Snacks, Breakfast!

Bring a Sleeping Bag and a pillow.

See, call or e-mail the pastor to register.

WOW!

Luke 1:37-55 tells us about Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth. It was a ‘Wow!” moment. It causes Mary to break into song. “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior!” Life brings along ‘Wow!’ moments to us all. Our sermon can be found here.

As we approach Christmas reflect on some of the “Wow!” moments in your own experience. Think about your earliest Christmas memories, your first job, your first kiss or your first car. Remember those times that have taken your breath away. An unexpected surprise. A precious gift. A milestone that has helped you be who you are today.

Think of the way people around you have blessed your life and helped you through the difficult times. Be thankful for the mentors, the teachers, the family members and friends… who often never realized they were having such a profoundly positive influence on your life.

Above all be overwhelmed for a moment as you consider God’s greatest gift… Jesus Christ. Consider the influence that small bay in the manger was to have, the lessons He bought that have changed the world for the better, the teaching He gave that we still strive to follow.

Think on His sacrifice and the promises Scripture makes regarding His death securing our salvation. Reflect on the mystery of His resurrection and the empowering of the Holy Spirit that can be born into your daily life.

And as you reflect pause for a moment to consider the ‘Wow!’ factor in all of the blessings that God has invested into our lives. It’s Christmas.

Prayer. “Lord, You truly are an awesome God. Thank You for every blessing that has transformed my life and shaped my destiny. Help me never to take such things for granted, but out of thankfulness may I seek to be a means of blessing and joy to others. Amen.”

JOY TO THE WORLD

The prophet Zephaniah ben Cushi is not exactly a household name. He writes words that are mostly gloom and doom to the unfaithful folk of his nation during the reign of King Josiah. But amongst his words are also some tremendous ‘Good News’ verses.

One that stands out is Chapter 3: Verse 17; ‘The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." The Sermon can be found here.

Words of encouragement right here!

God walks through our troubles with us. We may not always sense God’s presence, but the promise remains. ‘The LORD your God is with you’.

God battles on our behalf. ‘He is mighty to save’. Zephaniah pictures God as a warrior who fights for His peoples salvation.

God is crazy, madly in love with us. The prophet tells us that we are the apple of God’s eye. "He will take great delight in you"

God desires that we rest in His love. In the midst of our worlds craziness God invites us to take a breath and find the assurance that our lives are safe when committed to His care. ‘He will quiet you with His love’

God sings a love song over us. God loves us so deeply God has even composed a song in our honor and loves to sing it! Don’t take my word for it… I’m just passing on what the prophet said. ‘He will rejoice over you with singing.’

The song that began with Zephaniah ben Cushi gained new harmony when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and angels filled the sky with glorious song. Take some time out during this advent season to thank God for the Good News!

Prayer "Lord, in the midst of the discouraging headlines and Christmas rushing, remind us that You are the God who is for us… not against us, the God who is not trying to catch us out but to catch us up in His arms, the one who comes not to condemn us but to save us, the One whose very name and nature are a love song. Amen."

OUTLASTING THE ENERGIZER BUNNY

My adapted version of Isaiah 40 verse 8 reads; "The Grass Withers, the flower fades, the energizer bunny eventually runs out of gumption; but the Word of our God will stand for ever." The sermon that goes with it can be found here.

Our mortality cannot be avoided. The clock keeps ticking. Even the energizer bunny has a battery that eventually dies. How do we build stuff into our lives that has a lasting quality?

Welcome life’s seasons. We are all just passing through this life. We need to make the most of every step of the journey. Embrace every stage of life for what it is! Each season carries its own special beauty. Every day brings its particular challenges. We recharge our batteries by acknowledging that ‘This is the day that the Lord has made".

Build on God’s Word. According to Isaiah the only thing that really lasts for ever is the Word of God. There is all sort of stuff we can build our hopes on, but a lot of it ultimately leaves us flat. But if we seek to apply the principles of God’s Word to our daily lives then it really makes a difference.

To reiterate some words from the sermon:- "If we seek for our lives to be molded by the teaching of the One who came to us as a baby in a stable in Bethlehem all those centuries ago, then we are allowing principles and forces and dynamics with eternal reverberations to shape who we are and what our life will be and where our lives will take us."

Accept the empowering of the Holy Spirit. We are not called to make this journey alone. Jesus promised His disciples that He would send His Holy Spirit to be their helper and their guide. We fall and fail time after time. By God’s love we are forgiven and renewed. By God’s Spirit our batteries are recharged and... we… saved by grace through faith… can outlast energizer bunnies!

Prayer: "Lord in this season of Advent we can become over tired and down hearted. Our strength and patience can run out. Help us to take the time to build into our lives the eternal principles of Your Word and to turn to You for the renewing power of Your Holy Spirit to refresh and renew our lives for Your Service." Amen.