All Hail King Jesus

For thirty five years he ruled with fear. Thousands were killed, raped, maimed, exiled, tortured, and otherwise humiliated under his reign. Fear of him caused hundreds to sacrifice their lives believing a lie. Many fought to the death for this man they called leader. Just four short years ago the world saw in living color the reality that the rewards of evil are indeed counterfeit.

Here was the dictator of Iraq, who called his people, even his own sons to fight to the death, crawling through a hole in the ground with a pistol at his side, shouting, "Dont shoot; dont shoot. I am Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq. I am willing to negotiate."

For the families of every man woman and child who gave their lives in allegiance to him, the pain of their loss hit the lowest of lows at that moment realizing that their leader was not even willing to do what hed called them to do.

Many years ago there was another leader, a fugitive of sorts, hiding from a jealous king, who spent the first 33 years of His life walking the walk that He called His people to walk. He told them to love, He loved. He told them to turn the other cheek and love their enemies, He did just that. He told them not to yield to temptation, He was tempted beyond belief, but did not yield. He told them to spread love to the unlovely, He was the master at that. He told them to forgive, He was the ultimate forgiver. He told them to honor their parents, He did so with such grace as a child and an adult. He told them that greater love has no man than to give up his life for a friend, he called them His friends and for them He laid down His life. This leader asked His followers to do nothing that He was not only willing to do, but did do to set the example for them.

This leader, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is who we celebrate as we gather today and as we celebrate Christmas this month. He was born to die. He lived to serve. He died to give life. He rose from the dead to show that everything He was born, lived and died for was real and that we could do all the things that Hes called us to do through His power that is in us through His Holy Spirit.

Four years ago we saw thousands rejoicing over the capture of an evil counterfeit.

Today, and during this special month, we celebrate that One who showed us what true leadership is.

To Him we shout, "All Hail King Jesus! Happy Birthday!"

Pastor MJ

Born To Die: What A Destiny?

He comes, a Child from realms on high;

He comes the heavens adoring.

He comes to earth to live and die, A broken race restoring.

(Joseph Barlowe "Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light")

Born to die: What a destiny? Although each of us knows that every new born baby that we lay our eyes on will one day die, we always hope and dream of the long life that they will live and as we gaze into their eyes for the most part thoughts of life, not death fill our hearts.

It was not so one special day, long ago. As this Father saw His Son being born, He knew that He was being born for one purpose only, and that was to die.

That very first Christmas morning was filled with heavenly awe and celestial celebration. However, God the Father saw, from His perspective, the manger and right next to it He saw the cross. Baby Jesus, God in the flesh was being held up by a wooden manger made from the very wood that He had created, realizing that one day in the not too distant future that wood from another tree that He has created would hold Him up as well, only this time instead of being warmed by the hay wrapped in cloth, He would be cold held up with nails.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, just a couple of weeks away, let this year be one in which we see this day in history as one of the most powerful moments ever. Allow that reflection to cause us to praise and worship God for what He has done in a new and fresh way.

Lets remember the true meaning of Christmas, that it was not all about gifts and the hype of the holiday and that it is not even about time spent with family and friends, but it is all about Him, all about Jesus and His leaving Heavens throne to come to earth, to be born and to die so that you and I could live.

My friend, whatever your Christmas plans include this year, please make it a point to take some time and worship God for the true meaning of Christmas. And every time you see manger scenes remember that the reason for the manger was to prepare the way to the cross. And never forget that your new birth in Christ was the prelude not the end to your walk, but that each of us also must take the way to the cross and die to ourselves in order to become alive in Him. Jesus came to show the way. Lets worship Him with our everythingness today.

Pastor MJ

If God Ordains It, He Will Make A Way

What if an angel of the Lord came to you in the middle of the night and told you to do something, really wild; something impossible, something that almost seemed wrong? What if you were Abraham and God told you to wake up early the next morning and kill your son? What if He whispered in your ear to go out to the middle of the nearest park and build boat and wait for rain? What if you heard a noise in the middle of the night and it was a heavenly angel announcing to you that you were about to become the parent of the Son of God? What would you do, what would you say, where would you run?

Sometimes we forget that the men and women in the Bible were regular people just like us, with doubts and fears and frustrations. Abraham, Noah, Mary and Joseph were no different than us except their story is written about in God’s Word for us to learn this one pivotal truth that rings throughout history and eternity: If God ordains it, He will make a way.

Next weekend we will see this truth lived out in the portrayal of the lives of Mary and Joseph and their families in our production of Two from Galilee. Join us as we witness what it might have been like to get this news of unequaled proportion. Listen in and hear the heart of the human emotion of parents, friends and a community who were about to be change forever by the love and sovereignty of a God who sent His one and only Son to come and live among us; the Son who was born to die for you and for me. Through it all, hear and experience the love The One and Only true God poured out on His creation on the very first Christmas day.

We encourage you to invite and bring your friends and family Saturday December 1^st at 7:00pm and Sunday morning December 2^nd at 9:00am or 11:00. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Our prayer is that you will come and be blessed, and leave with a deeper understanding and acceptance of God’s love for you expressed though His presentation of the best gift of all, His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

Thank You

Thank you. Everyone appreciates hearing those words. However, many times although not always intentionally, we forget to thank those to who thanks is due. Although a common courtesy, the excitement of the gift often overshadows the giver.

Our Lord Jesus experienced that. In John 17 we see that Jesus heals ten lepers. Now just imagine. You are a leper, an outcast, set aside by society as untouchable. You look at yourself and your limbs are all but off. You are bandaged up and because of the lack of feeling in parts of your body you have several severe burns. Your life is a mess and your body is the same.

Then Jesus steps into your journey and heals you. Partial limbs become whole, gangrened skin becomes as soft and clear as a new born baby’s. A distorted face is made beautiful. What would be your first response? Well in Luke 17 we see that one man recognized the most important thing in being blessed, which is to remember to thank the giver of the blessing. But as we read, Jesus asked, Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17:17 NIV)

So often we focus on and are carried away with the gift that we forget and neglect to thank the Giver. During this Thanksgiving season lets take a moment and pause. Take an inventory of the past 12 months or more. What has God done for you? What has He done in you? Have you thanked Him for it? Is the Lord saying, "Where is ________? Didn’t I bless him/her too?"

We have an opportunity to bless the Lord today. As we participate in our annual Thanksgiving sharing service take a moment and share with us, in the presence of the Lord what you have to be thankful for. All of us have something, but who of us will share? By doing so, you bring pleasure to the Lord. Along with that, in the community of believers youll encourage those who hear you who might need the same blessing from God. Your thanks through your life story will encourage them that if God can do it for you then He can do it for them as well.

Lets join together today to offer to Him a "Symphony of Thanksgiving" for who He is and all He has done. He is so worthy of our doing so!

To Him alone be the glory,

Pastor MJ

Don't Worry About Anything

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Then you will experience Gods peace,
which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts

and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

As we look at the children of Israel in the book of Exodus, how many times can and do we see ourselves? God had just done so many miracles, things that only He could have done. They had watched Him turn the Nile River into blood. They had witnessed God sending boils to cover all of the men and animals throughout the land. Then they saw the plague of locusts and darkness that culminated in the death of all first born children of Egypt while all of Gods chosen people who were covered by the blood of the lamb did not see death. You would think that after all of that, that trust would not be an issue with these folks. However, our human nature is strong and how soon we forget Gods gracious provisions and protection when the going really gets tough.

Their thought was that this had to be a trick. All that separated them from their enemy was land and in front of them sat the Red Sea. They cried out, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (Exodus 14:11-12) But God in His incredibly gracious way, once again provided for His own. He opened a way where there was no way. He made a roadway in the wilderness and a path way through the sea. The pathway of life for the Lords people became a roadway of death for the Egyptians.

God had given His word through Moses and Aaron that they were going to a land that He had prepared for them. He had made a covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. He was not about to break His promise. However, circumstances were giving them other signals. God has given us His word. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He promised to give us the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). In every circumstance He has promised to meet our every need (Philippians 4:19)! He has promised to not only hear, but to answer our prayers if we ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). We need but to exercise our faith and believe Him at His Word. He is worthy to be trusted, He has never failed, and that's a reason to praise Him. Lets do so together today and throughout this week.

Pastor MJ