Always Christmas

The Christmas season is here again. For the business world it is the season to make money. For the student is a time to take a break. For families it is time to make plans for travel and gatherings.

For the Christian and the Church, Christmas should be business as usual. The message of Christmas is not seasonal for the Body of Christ. The birth of our Lord is part of the gospel message that we proclaim everyday. The birth of JESUS is clebrated everytime we gather as God's people.

Giving Thanks

We are truly blessed and we have much to give thanks for. The list is long. Here are a few blessings.

My family- I am blessed to have a great family who have been so good to me.
My health- I am so blessed to be in good health and happy to be living with purpose
My Church- I am blessed to be apart of a group of people who love and support me.

I thank God that my best days are ahead of me. My future is bright and I am blessed to live in a great nation, state and city. I wanted to thank God for every blessing that I know comes from Him and Him alone. To God be the glory for every perfect gift that come from above.

Have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving.

The Lepers Healed

I came a across an interesting thought as I was reading in Luke 17:11-21 about the healing of the ten lepers. It says that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. Jesus was always on the right road. He knew where He was destined to go. When I read "As he passed between Samaria and Galilee" this thought came to me. Lepers where the outcasts of society. The sickness of the leper is the physical example of what sin does spiritually to man.

Sin is sin and there are no degrees of it. Sin is a condition. Just remember what got Adam and Eve in trouble. It was eating a fruit. Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee because there were lepers who were gentiles and lepers who were Jews. The Samarian leper is a reminder of the those who are living in the world away from Christ and doing there own thing. The worldly leper does not darken the door of the Church house because his world is the fulfilment of fleshly desires. The Jewish leper is a reminder of those who are living in the world of legalism and religion. The religious leper lives under the bondage of self righteousness and the letter of the law.

Both the worldly leper and the religious leper need healing. Jesus Heals them both but only the worldly leper comes back to say thanks. The truth is most worldly lepers turn into religious lepers if there not careful. Lets remember where Jesus found us. We were lost in our sin and away from God. Lets return to the Lord our healer and once again say thanks and maybe more importantly say Lord touch me again and make me whole.

The One Who Said Thanks

Luke 17:11-19

It happened as he was on his way to Jerusalem,
that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee.
As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him,
who stood at a distance.
They lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
When he saw them, he said to them,
"Go and show yourselves to the priests."
It happened that as they went, they were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.
He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus answered, "Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?"
Then he said to him, "Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you."

What Christians Should Do

Colossians 4:2-18

V2 Continue to pray and be aware of what you should pray for. Always give thanks to God.(we need to learn to pray specifically)

V3 Pray for us. Ask God to give opportunities to preach our message. We want to tell people God’s plan about Christ. I am in prison for doing this.(it is important to ask others to be in prayer for you. We need to pray for open doors to share the Gospel)
V4 Pray that I shall be able to preach the message of the Gospel in a clear way.(we need to present a clear message of the good news)
V5 Behave wisely among people who are not Christian. Use every opportunity in the very best way.

V6 When you talk, you should say kind things. Have good conversation. Answer every
person in the right way.

V7 Tychicus a loyal helper,
V8 Be encouraged
V9 Onesimus a loyal brother.
V10 Aristarchus and Mark prisoners with Paul
V10 Mark a success story
V11 Justus a servant of a Jesus
V11 Epaphras prayer warrior/ his prayer 1. that they would mature 2. for confidence
3. to do all that God wants you to do.
V14 Demas and Dr. Luke /2 Timothy 4: 9-11(Demas did not finish well)
V15 Nympha and the house church.(The house Church model is relevent and real)
V16 Read the letters to the Church
V17 Tell Archippus to complete his God given assignment (sometimes easy to start but tough to finish)
V18 Paul signs off and asks for them to remember him. He extends a blessing

Miracles Teach us how to Overcome

Jesus Calms the Storm/ Jesus Walks on Water

Mathew 8:23 Mathew 14:22

Jesus calms the outward and the inward storm.
The inward storm was directly related to the outward storm.

Trusting God to take care of the outward brings peace in the inward.

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Jesus walks on the water as a teaching for us to use our faith to stand on top of our issues.

Trust God when you take your step of faith. He will be there for you always.

Water to Wine

The First Miracle of Jesus

John 2: 1-11

John 20: 30-31


Let’s look at the miracle

Water to Wine

Look for Miracles in the everyday celebrations of life
Look for the miracles that come through change
Look for your role in the miracles for others

Remember that God manifest His glory for the purpose of drawing us closer to Him