Where Does God Fit In? | Matt. 2:1-10; Luke 2:1-7

A famous Canadian preacher wrote: Words fail when we try to articulate in theology and worship our deepest feelings about the awesome, transcendent majesty of Almighty God. Is it possible that a God like that could have been in Bethlehem’s manger? In stark reality, are we to believe that God was there in that ancient place in some special and unique way? Shockingly, Jesus came into His own world in complete obscurity, in fact, with such obscurity that we are compelled to ask: Where does God fit in, and does it really make sense to fit such an obscure figure into our own lives?

The Last Noel | Luke 21:25-36

The celebration of the first noel and the anticipation of the last noel are closely connected. Both events teach the same truth — and what is that truth? God has his hand on human history and your place in it. Both the first and last noels teach us that God has not abandoned us, that God is not ignoring us, that God has a plan and a purpose and that He’s inviting us to get plugged into that plan and purpose. You may not know what tomorrow will bring, but you don’t have to be afraid. You may have no idea how things are going to turn out, but you don’t have to be afraid. You may be headed into unknown territory but you don’t have to be afraid.

Consider the Navel | Ezekiel 5:5

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ then you stand at the center of the world you inhabit.  But wait!  How does that idea mesh with such biblical phrases as consider others as more important than yourself, and he who is greatest among you will be your servant?   Living and residing at the center?  Really?  Yes, it’s true!  And it’s time to take your place in the middle of things.  Get out there every day and let the focus be on you.

He Ain’t Heavy; He’s My Brother | 2 Pet. 1:3-11 (7a)

In its design, the church is uniquely equipped to reach out to every age group and say: We care about you. We want you. Come find a home here. But designs don’t reach out to people, people reach out to people. Brotherly kindness not only reaches out and brings others in, but it reaches out and brings others in again. Forgiveness is not a one-time event for a one-time failure. Forgiveness is an event that occurs again and again and again and again and again in the church.

Deciding, then Deciding Again and Again | 2 Peter 1:3-11 (6c)

If you are a Christian, it’s because somewhere along the way you made a choice. You said: I want to follow Jesus Christ, and you trusted Him as Savior and Lord of your life. Perhaps, that decision came as a struggle for one reason or another. Yet, making that decision was not nearly as difficult as maintaining that decision. Starting is not nearly as tough as following through. Many begin but few finish.

Living Below 212* Fahrenheit | 2 Pet. 1:3-11

Self-control is a quality found in the character of God. At least nine times the Bible tells us that God is slow to anger, i.e., God controls His emotions; God restrains His agitations; God never acts rashly. The person who breaks out of the egg and soars on the winds of the Spirit has learned to manage well his/her mind, emotions and passions. Here’s the question of the day: How can a person reel in the emotions and passions? How can a person manage explosive agitations? How can a person live below 212* Fahrenheit?

Overcoming Worry | 2 Peter 1:3-11

Not only are worry and anxiety symptoms of assuming somebody else’s responsibilities, they are also evidence of a deep problem. What problem? Not knowing God. You may think that the propensity to worry is connected to DNA inherited from previous generations. However, worry is actually the result of not knowing God well enough. Anxieties and insecurities about life come under control when we possess an adequate understanding of who God is and how God cares for us. Don’t miss this opportunity to wipe worry from your life. Learn how now.

The Incredible Power of Biblical Knowledge | 2 Peter 1:3-11

Show me someone who is effective as a Christian, and I’ll show you someone who knows his or her Bible. Possessing an intimate knowledge of the Bible is paramount for the person who, as Peter says it: wants to have his entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ abundantly supplied. However, why is biblical knowledge so important? Why does biblical knowledge precede self-control? How does a person draw knowledge out of the Bible and into his head and heart? The answers to these questions hold the key not only to personal healing but to the healing of our society and the world.