New Years Resolution Part 3

The #1 New Year’s Resolution in the U.S. this year and every year is to lose weight. And dietary experts agree the best way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake. Bread is loaded with carbohydrates and is absent from most diet plans.

In Biblical times bread was whole grain with no preservatives and was a staple at everyone’s table. People ate bread to satisfy physical hunger and to sustain physical life.

In John 6:35-36 we read:

“Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.""

We can only satisfy spiritual hunger and sustain spiritual life by a right relationship with Jesus Christ. No wonder he called himself the bread of life.

As bread must be eaten to sustain life, so Christ must be invited into our daily walk to sustain spiritual life.

I encourage you this year to reduce your caloric intake. (I will continue my abstaining from church donuts) I also encourage you to increase your word intake by coming to the table each day for a quiet time with God.

I have made a New Year’s Resolution, beginning tomorrow the first day of the New Year, to read the entire Bible again in 2016.

There are many Bible reading plans you can access through You Version found on your smart phone app C3Hays. Pick one out that fits you and begin your New Year with a new commitment to read God’s word.

I hope you have a safe and Happy New Years Eve.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

New Year’s Resolution Part 2

New Years Eve is an interesting holiday differing from others because it does not commemorate an event, like Easter or a person like Christmas. New Years is a holiday that celebrates the inevitability of the passing of time. We make New Years special only by being reflective of the year that has passed and proactive about what we want to achieve in the future. Have you taken some time to be quiet and asked God what He wanted to teach you last year? Have you taken the time to ask God what changes He wants to make in you in the coming year? Each year at this time I invite the people of Celebration Community Church and the readers of this blog to take a spiritual check up (See Monday Dec. 28th’s blog)

A spiritual check up is similar to a physical check up a doctor would give you focusing on acquiring good spiritual habits.  A Spiritual habit I am resolving to make is to read through the Bible in the coming year.

Below are some HABITS a spiritually healthy person does with regularity. Tomorrow I will share with you my diagnosis for a starting this new year in a spiritually healthy way.

What Spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. would you most like to establish this year?

H. Have a Daily Quiet Time with God  praying and reading the Bible.    

A. Avail yourself regularly to be accountable with another believer

B. Bible memorization of a variety of passages.

I. Involve yourself in service on a ministry team  

T. Tithing (giving 10% of your income to your church)

S. Study the Bible and fellowship regularly in a Small Group

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

New Years Resolutions Part 1

The top 10 most common New Year’s resolutions people make are:

1.      Lose weight 2.      Stop smoking

3.      Stick to a budget

4.      Stop procrastinating

5.      Find a better job

6.      Become more organized

7.      Exercise more 

8.      Be more patient with others

9.      Eat better

10.    Become a better person

Are any of these on your list for next year? Many of them could apply to me. Some people don’t like making New Year's resolutions, but I like taking the time to do a personal inventory of where I need to improve and put into action a plan to do it. In fact, I’ve already started my plan for the New Year. How about you?

Tomorrow in this blog I will share one of my New Year’s resolutions and the first part of my formula for spiritual growth.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

SPIRITUAL CHECK–UP 2016

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Since Celebration Community Church’s inception almost 20 years ago, I have asked our people to begin each New Year by taking a Spiritual Check Up and choosing a Scripture Verse of the Year to meditate on, memorize and in recent years, write on the walls outside of our Worship Venues.

SPIRITUAL CHECK–UP 2016
(5 questions to ask yourself to help you lead a healthy, purposeful life)

1. What was my scripture verse of the year for 2015?
If you chose one last year recall it, reconnect with why you chose it.

2. Through what difficulties last year did God try to teach me to rely on Him.
Remember the specific difficult times you went through and look back to see how God was with you in the midst of them.

3. Am I growing Spiritual fruit by spending time each day in God’s word and prayer?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23    

4. Am I using the gifts and abilities God gave me by serving and sharing my faith with others?
Ask yourself where in the church can I serve and who outside of the church can I reach out to and share my faith?

5. What is God putting on my heart to be my scripture verse of the year for 2016?
Take time this week to turn off your T.V /computer, open up God’s word and ask Him to lead you to a verse that will lead you in the coming year.

Revisit this exercise each day this week and prepare for what God wants to do in you and through you in 2016.

God Bless you and have a wonderful week.

Your pastor and partner in ministry.

Kyle

Joy To The World

Joy to the World" is a paraphrase of the last part of Psalm 98:

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. . .

Joy to the world, the Lord has come, Let earth receive her King.

Debbie and I wish you a wonderful Christmas Day!

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

The songs of the Christmas season comprise some of the finest music known to man, and the hymn, “O Come All Ye Faithful” is one of my favorites.  It is sung in around the world since it has been translated from its original Latin into more than one hundred other languages. The vivid imagery of the carol seems to have meaning and appeal for all ages in every culture.

Written in 1744 by an English layman named John Wade and set to music by him in much the same style as used today. The hymn first appeared in his collection, Cantus Diversi, published in England in 1751. One hundred years later the carol was translated into its present English form by an Anglican minister, Frederick Oakeley, who desired to use it for his congregation. The tune name, "Adeste Fideles," is taken from the first words of the original Latin text, and translated literally means "be present or near, ye faithful."

Please reflect on the lyrics

O come, all ye faithful, joyful, and triumphant; come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; come and behold Him, born the King of angels:

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; sing all ye bright hosts of heav'n above; glory to God, all glory in the highest:

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv'n; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:

Chorus: O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Come sing the songs of Christmas TONIGHT at one of C3’s 2 Christmas Eve Services at 4 or 6pm

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

As we countdown the last couple of days until Christmas I would like to share with you the origins and lyrics of some of my favorite Christmas songs. 

The Messiah's coming was prophesied seven hundred years before His birth. At the time the Jewish people were living in captivity in Babylon. For centuries thereafter faithful Jews earnestly anticipated the Deliverer-Messiah with great longing and expectation, echoing the prayer that He would "ransom captive Israel." And finally the long awaited heavenly announcement came-"Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord!" Luke 2:11

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" was originally used in the medieval church liturgy that were sung for the week just before Christmas Eve. Each of these verses greets the anticipated Messiah with the titles ascribed Him throughout the Old Testament: Wisdom, Emmanuel, The Lord of Might, The Rod of Jesse, Dayspring, and The Key of David.

The haunting melody is also of ancient origin. It is based on one of the earliest forms of sacred music known as the chant. Please reflect on the lyrics.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times didst give the law in cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here;
O drive away the shades of night and pierce the clouds and bring us light.

O come, Thou Key of David, come and open wide our heav'nly home
Where all Thy saints with Thee shall dwell -- O come, O come, Emmanuel!

Chorus: Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

PK

Come sing the songs of Christmas this Thursday at one of C3’s 2 Christmas Eve Services at 4 or 6pm

Hope Is What Binds Us All Together

What unites us? Families are united by blood relationships. Friends are often united by common interests and shared experiences. Coworkers are united by a common goal.

The Church is united by a shared hope. Ephesians 4 tells us “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” Ephesians 4:4-6. We were called to one hope; the hope that is only found in trusting Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.

All over the world, Christians are united by faith in Jesus and the hope of His return. Jesus instructed His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19, and for the last 2,000 years, the hope that is found in Jesus has spread around the world. The world has been forever changed. From Africa to Australia to Europe, and from Asia to the Americas, followers of Jesus gather under the banner of hope.

As we join in community and draw hope from one another, we grow stronger in Christ as individuals and as a global Church. Jesus is the hope for the world, and through the Church, He wants us to share that hope with everyone.

We were not created to do life alone. We find our purpose and our mission through the local church. Hope binds us all together as followers of Christ. Let’s be united today as one Church across the world, celebrating the hope that is only found in Jesus.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you that I don’t have to go through life alone. I pray that whenever I feel lonely or forgotten I would remember the hope that I have in the community of people around me.

Reflect:

Ask God to continue to allow the Church to share His Hope with the world. What part will you play in this? Is there anyone you should invite to church THIS Christmas Eve? OR should you get more connected to the church? Ask God to show you your next step.

Thanks to NewSpring Church for portions of this Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

Laura Stroup, former C3 CrossCurrent student youth leader passed away. Visitation will be TONIGHT (Tuesday) 6-8pm at Brock's North Hill Chapel.

Memorial Service at Celebration Community Church on Wednesday at 11am with her former youth minister Brant Rice presiding.

INVITE SOMEONE TO CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

Hope Is Powerful

The need for power in the form of electricity runs our world. Could you make it through the day without your hair dryer, coffee maker, toaster, cell phone, or computer?

However, if any one of these items becomes disconnected from its power source, it becomes ineffective.

Much like our appliances and electronic devices need power drawn from electricity in order to be useful, we need power drawn from hope in order to lead effective lives.

Hope changes our perspective. When we have hope that comes from Jesus, the impossible becomes possible. When we have hope, no relationship is so broken that it cannot be restored. When we have hope, no wrong that has been done is so severe that it cannot be forgiven. When we have hope, the chains of habit or addiction are never so strong that they cannot be unbound. When we have hope, we can destroy worry, fear, and doubt.

The hope found in Jesus is a power source. It delivers us from an ineffective life. It unleashes our potential in Christ. It makes us unstoppable.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for using me to do things beyond my own ability. Never let me forget that my effectiveness only comes from You and the hope that You’ve given me.

Reflect:

How can you tap into the power source of hope today? Ask God to help you live today full of hope, draw your energy, passion, and joy from hope found only in God.

Thanks to NewSpring Church for portions of this Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

FYI

David Wood a C3 attender and a Viet Nam Vet, passed away and will be laid to rest with military honors at WaKeeney Veterans Cemetery Today (Monday) at 2pm.

Pastor Kyle Ermoian and Scott Anderson, founder of Patriots of Praise will conduct the ceremony.

Laura Stroup, former C3 CrossCurrent student youth leader passed away. Visitation will be Tuesday eve 6-8pm at Brock's North Hill Chapel Hays.

Memorial Service at Celebration Community Church on Wednesday at 11am with her former youth minister Brant Rice presiding.  

Hope Is the Best Gift We Can Give

What happens when you fill a cup with more water than it can hold? The water quickly rises to the top, overflows, and spills over the side.

The same thing that happens with water in a cup can happen to us when we allow God to fill our life with hope. When we are filled with hope, it overflows, and it spills over into the lives of the people around us.

Romans 15:4 tells us that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

God uses the Bible to speak hope in to our life so that we can share it with others. When the promises of God become our focus, hope rises to fill our heart and affect those around us. The very best gift we can give to others who may be lacking hope is to allow what we have been given to overflow into their lives.

Perhaps there is someone you care about who is in a season of lacking hope. They might ready to give up. If so, don’t let the day end without reaching out to that person with this message of hope. If they can’t find hope of their own, allow them to borrow the hope the Lord has given you. It will be the best gift you can give.

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for being my source of hope. I pray that the hope you give me would spill out into the lives of others and that I would continually rely on you during the times of my life when I need hope.

Reflect:

Is there anyone you know that needs hope today? Pray for that person, ask God to encourage them and bring them hope and joy. After you pray reach out with a phone call or a text message of encouragement.

Thanks to NewSpring Church for portions of this Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

This Saturday the 19th at 7:30 am is C3’S Mens Breakfast.

Come join me as we have great food and a great testimony from Rick Claiborn. -PK

David Michael Wood passed away on Thursday morning.

He will be laid to rest at the Veterans Cemetery in WaKeeney on Monday Dec. 21^st at 2pm.

Hope Is What Binds Us All Together

What unites us? Families are united by blood relationships. Friends are often united by common interests and shared experiences. Coworkers are united by a common goal.

The Church is united by a shared hope. Ephesians 4 tells us “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” Ephesians 4:4-6. We were called to one hope; the hope that is only found in trusting Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.

All over the world, Christians are united by faith in Jesus and the hope of His return. Jesus instructed His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19, and for the last 2,000 years, the hope that is found in Jesus has spread around the world. The world has been forever changed. From Africa to Australia to Europe, and from Asia to the Americas, followers of Jesus gather under the banner of hope.

As we join in community and draw hope from one another, we grow stronger in Christ as individuals and as a global Church. Jesus is the hope for the world, and through the Church, He wants us to share that hope with everyone.

We were not created to do life alone. We find our purpose and our mission through the local church. Hope binds us all together as followers of Christ. Let’s be united today as one Church across the world, celebrating the hope that is only found in Jesus.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you that I don’t have to go through life alone. I pray that whenever I feel lonely or forgotten I would remember the hope that I have in the community of people around me.

Reflect:

Ask God to continue to allow the Church to share His Hope with the world. What part will you play in this? Is there anyone you should invite to church or should you get more connected to the church? Ask God to show you your next step.

Thanks to NewSpring Church for portions of this Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

This Saturday the 19th at 7:30 am is C3’S Mens Breakfast.

Come join me as we have great food and a great testimony from Rick Claiborn. -PK 

Hope Is Trusting God With Our Future

We’ve all watched a game where the outcome seemed to be inevitable. One team is losing so badly that it would take a miracle for them to win. But suddenly the game changer happens: The play no one expected turns the tide and gives the losing team a renewed sense of hope.

That one play in that one game doesn’t just give us hope for that day, it changes our attitude toward every game after. The next time our team is struggling to make a comeback, we recall that game-changing moment and remind ourselves there’s still hope.

For Christians, salvation is the game changer. No matter what happens to us, we can always look back to the moment we asked Jesus into our lives and have hope knowing He saved us then and He will come through for us again.

No circumstance is too difficult for God to handle. There is nothing we’ve done wrong that He can’t make right. When we remember God’s past faithfulness, we can be reassured of His future provision.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

Like the writer of Lamentations, we can look back at all God has done for us in the past and take hope in knowing that God won’t give up on us now. “The Lord’s compassions never fail. They are new every morning...”

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for delivering on Your promises. Because You’ve been faithful in the past, I can trust You with my future.

Reflect:

How has God been faithful to you in the past?

What promises do you expect God will fulfill in the future?

Thanks to NewSpring Church for this Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

This Saturday the 19th at 7:30 am is C3’S Mens Breakfast.

Come join me as we have great food and a great testimony from Rick Claiborn. -PK 

Hope Is Found Through Suffering

Hope isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Hope is a non-negotiable as we follow Jesus in this life. We need hope because without it, we’d give up.

We will face trouble in this world and things won’t always go as planned. Addressing the church in Rome, Paul explained how God uses these times to help shape us: “We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:4).

The more we face struggles in this life, the more our perseverance, character, and hope grows. Like the baby learning to crawl, we must too move forward with the hope that God is using our challenges to prepare us for bigger things to come.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for showing us how to move forward in hope. Grow my perseverance, character, and hope in You.

Reflect:

How can the idea that Jesus is growing your perseverance, character, and hope in Him help to change your perspective in your current circumstances?

Thanks to NewSpring Church for portions of this Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

Hope is a Gift

Hope isn’t something we can manufacture on our own. God is the Giver of hope. Paul, a leader in the early Church, wrote to the people of Ephesus, “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9.

Because Jesus gives us salvation, we receive hope from Him. When we give our life to God, He places hope in our heart.

There is no magic formula that automatically fills us with hope. A gift is not something that is earned; it is freely given. The same is true for the gift of hope that Jesus offers. We need only to receive it. There is nothing we can do to extinguish His undivided love for us.

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for giving us not only salvation, but hope. Help me to look at my current circumstances with hope because You are with me.

Reflect:

Who in your life needs hope? Pray for that person below.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus.

PK

Pastor Derek, Tessa and Taten Mayfield welcome 8lb 13oz,  21" Ryken Allen into their family and ours.

Hope Is Eternal

Ever heard the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”?

Some days that’s easier to remember than others. When one child melts down in the grocery store over a pack of candy, it’s a lot easier to keep your cool than when two are crying and flailing uncontrollably. When your boss hands you one urgent task, it’s easier to stay calm than when you’re hit with three work emergencies at once.

For followers of Jesus, it is possible to take comfort in the midst of anxiety. In John 14:1-3, we’re told that what we experience on earth is not the end. Jesus is coming back for us, and the hurt we experience in this life will feel like a vapor compared to the joy and peace we experience in eternity with Him. The hope we have in Jesus extends far beyond the relational heartbreak, financial stress, and overwhelming jobs we experience every day.

When Jesus comes back, our hope will be complete and fulfilled. We don’t have to live in fear because Jesus already died on the cross, rose from the dead, and conquered fear. The peace we’ll experience in eternity with Jesus is going to be so much greater than the worries we experience today. Thinking about His eternal hope doesn’t change our circumstances, but it does change our perspective of what’s happening here and now.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for offering hope for a life that lasts beyond the worries of this life. Help me to remember Your eternal hope when I start to become overwhelmed by worry.

Reflect:

What is the “small stuff” in your life that keeps you focused on stress and worry of today?

How does Jesus’ promise to come back change your perspective on the stresses in your life?

NewSpring Church provided today’s content from their Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

Purchase shirts to support Taylor Wiedenhaft.

Liz Schremmer is taking the orders and shirts are $15 regardless of size.  

Child sizes are S,M or L.  

Those who want to order can contact Liz by email at lschremmer78@gmail.com.  

She is taking the first set of orders until December 14th.  

Shirts should be done by December 23rd.  

Hope Is Always Fulfilled by God

In Luke’s Gospel account of the birth of Jesus we learn of a man named Simeon who received a promise from God. God promised Simeon he would meet Israel’s liberator before he died. The people of Israel had been waiting hundreds of years for their rescuer, the Messiah. Then one day, the Holy Spirit prompted Simeon to go to the temple. Simeon obeyed and met baby Jesus that day.

Like Simeon, God sometimes gives us promises that are personal to our own story. Maybe God gave you a desire for children and four years later nothing has happened. Maybe God spoke to you about that family member who needs a relationship with Jesus, but hundreds of invitations and conversations later, that person is as far from God as ever. Maybe you’ve been praying for hurting loved ones for years with no answers.

Numbers 23:19 reminds us, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Waiting to meet Jesus wasn’t easy for Simeon, the same way that waiting to see promises fulfilled isn’t easy for us. But no matter what Simeon faced in the waiting, he could find hope knowing that God was not done. God will fulfill His promises, and He always finishes what He starts. So, if it’s not good—if God’s promises are not fulfilled—then God’s not done.

Pray:

God, thank You for keeping Your promise to save the world by sending Jesus. You have proven that I can believe You. When I’m tempted to doubt Your promises, help me to remember that hope is always fulfilled by You.

Reflect:

When have you seen God fulfill a promise to you in the past?

NewSpring Church provided today’s content from their Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

Hope Is Contagious

When was the last time you were excited about something? Did you tell someone about it? When we hear great stories or things that stir our hearts with excitement, we have to share them.

In Luke 2:8-20, we see this to be true for the shepherds in Bethlehem. They were considered the lowest of the low in their society and spent their days with animals. What’s so amazing about Jesus’ birth is that God chose to share the birth of His Son with these lowly shepherds first! What’s even more amazing was the shepherds’ response. They had to share the good news they heard. They had to talk about this amazing hope that was now available to the world!

Hope is contagious. When we’re promised great things we’re filled with expectation that something incredible is going to happen. True hope cannot be stopped, and it cannot be contained.

Jesus came to earth to conquer death and allow us to have a relationship with God again. Jesus gives us hope. This is good news we can’t keep to ourselves. In our schools, in our workplaces, and in our circles of friends, people are hurting and desperate for hope. Just like the shepherds, we can share our hope by sharing what Jesus has done for us.

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for sharing Your good news with the world and with me. Your love really is something worth sharing. Help me to revel in Your story and to share it with those who need hope today.

Reflect:

Is there a person in your life who needs hope today? Write that person’s name down, and invite him or her to Christmas Eve services at 4 or 6pm at C3. Thanks to NewSpring Church for their Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

Hope Is Persevering

“She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” Luke 2:7 NLT

Mary and Joseph’s 70-mile hike from Galilee to Bethlehem took them down rocky and uneven roads. The journey would have been tiring for young man in peak physical condition, much less a pregnant woman.

Mary likely experienced moments when she wanted to quit. But she believed God would be faithful, so when the road was tough and the birthing conditions were less than ideal, she could hold onto the promise that her baby was going to grow into the man who would save the world.

When our hope in God’s promises determines our actions, faith grows. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” By putting confidence in what they hoped for, not how they felt or what they could see, Mary and Joseph persevered.

At times, we feel the uncertainty of uneven, rocky roads. We may even feel like we’re on a journey that seems impossible. Hope is what allows us to persevere through the fear and the pain. And hope is more powerful than any uphill journey we face today.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for giving me hope in difficult circumstances. I want that for my friends and family as well. Help my friends and family members who doubt to believe your promises even though life’s circumstances seem uncertain.

Reflect:

Are you up against difficulties financially, relationally, or spiritually? What’s one area of your life where you need help to persevere? Think about what you’re facing and how you feel about the challenges ahead.

Thanks to NewSpring Church and their devotional series, “Hope Is”…

“I have hope and my hope has a name… Jesus”

PK

TONIGHT @ 6:30 PM @ C3

Celebrating Health Ministry is hosting a class on dealing with grief and stress during the holiday season.   Ann Leiker from the Center for Life Experiences will also be on hand to discuss the different support groups that are available. Please make plans to attend and share this post so we can reach as many people as possible!

“It’s A Wonderful Life”

Every Christmas season I look forward to doing watching Frank Capra’s 1946 classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It’s the story of George Bailey, the best and brightest of the town of Bedford Falls who selflessly puts other people’s hopes and dreams before his own.  He is working a job that he never really wanted to do, but was thrust upon him when his father passed away and his brother got married. His life is not at all what he imagined it would be.

Now, the economy has taken a turn for the worse, his business is under investigation, and now due to no fault of his own George is faced with bankruptcy and imprisonment. He is feeling hopeless so he turns to the Lord in prayer and instead of his circumstances improving, he gets punched in the jaw.

He feels like there is no hope at all and that everyone would be better off if he were dead. What should be an incredibly joyous time, Christmas, has only compounded all the poor circumstances of life for George.
Have you ever felt hopeless like George Bailey? Maybe you are feeling that way right now. I want to encourage you and let you know there is hope.

In the Christmas hymn “Oh Holy Night” we sing about “a thrill of hope”. The birth of Jesus the Son of God into this dark world and the events surrounding His birth brought great hope to the people in Jesus’s time as it does to us today.

This truly is a wonderful life when we recognize where our hope comes from.

I have hope and my hope has a name… Jesus.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Hope Is Risky

Joseph finds out his fiancée, Mary, is pregnant—and not by him. He plans to call off the wedding instead of having Mary killed, which would have been allowed under Jewish law. But an angel of the Lord appears, bringing hope for Joseph’s upcoming marriage. The angel tells Joseph not to be afraid to marry Mary, since her child is the Son of God.

Marrying Mary would damage Joseph’s reputation. Putting his hope in God meant Joseph would have to take a risk and give God his trust. The same is true for us. Sometimes, putting our hope in Jesus seems to come at great personal cost.

What we’re willing to take risks for reveals who we are. Are we willing to take a risk and apply for the job we feel called to do, even though it doesn’t make sense on paper? Will we take a risk this Christmas season and talk to a family member about Jesus? Every risk we take shows what we value most.

If we’re serious about putting Jesus first in our lives, we are going to have to take risks. But we can have hope, knowing the risk we take will be worth the reward.

God will never call us to take a risk He doesn’t intend to use for our good. Joseph risked his reputation. In return, he had the privilege of being the earthly father of Jesus and his character—the very thing people questioned during his lifetime—is celebrated in the Bible and became an example for generations to come.

Pray:

Jesus, show me how to put You first in my life today. And in doing so, help me to put my hope in You and You alone.

Reflect:

When was the last time you took a big risk? What did that decision reveal about what you view as most important?

Throughout this month in these blogs I am sharing with you a daily devotional from NewSpring Church entitled “Hope Is”…

I have hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

LADIES BRUNCH THIS SATURDAY Dec 5th

Ladies please plan to attend the Ladies Brunch this Saturday from 10am-12noon

All are invited to attend. Food will be provided, so please RSVP to womens@celebratejesus.org

All attendees are asked to bring a $5 or $10 gift card to a location of choice to give to those in need this holiday season.

Hope Is Expecting the Best Is Yet to Come

None of us have ever woken up and thought, “I hope I have a terrible day today.” We might expect to have a bad day or worry about having a bad day, but these emotions are not hope. Hope is believing God works all things for our good.

In Luke 1:39-56, Mary writes a song about the amazing things God has done and will do, expecting that the best is yet to come. She writes this after going to visit Elizabeth, whom God promised would be pregnant in her old age. Mary’s song is not blind optimism, but the song of a woman who has hope.

There is a difference between having hope and wishing something. Wishing is an optimistic thought that doesn't require any action; hope is about trusting. Wishing the store will have your favorite flavor of ice cream when you get there is just a thought. Hope is calling ahead, learning it is in stock, then trusting the manager put it aside for you. Our hope is only as valuable as the person or thing in which we place it.

God cannot lie, so when He makes a promise we can be sure it will come true. Mary’s life was not always easy. She was about to be a pregnant, unwed young woman. She had no idea that 33 years later, she would witness her son’s crucifixion. And when Jesus died, Mary didn’t know He would come back to life. But seeing God’s faithfulness in the past is what gave her confidence that no matter her circumstances, she could put her hope in Him. That’s what gives us hope as well.

We aren’t just optimistic that the best is yet to come. Like Mary, we can have hope that the best is yet to come because our God says it is, and He always keeps His word.

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for giving me hope as an anchor for my soul. You are a promise maker and promise keeper. Help me to remember that today.

Reflect:

Do you have a hard time believing God will do what He says He will do? Why or why not?

Throughout this month in these blogs I am sharing with you a daily devotional from NewSpring Church entitled “Hope Is”…

I have hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

LADIES BRUNCH THIS SATURDAY Dec 5th

Ladies please plan to attend the Ladies Brunch this Saturday from 10am-12noon

All are invited to attend. Food will be provided, so please RSVP to womens@celebratejesus.org

All attendees are asked to bring a $5 or $10 gift card to a location of choice to give to those in need this holiday season.

Hope Is the Belief That Anything Is Possible

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" Luke 1:34

Put yourself in Mary’s shoes for a minute. You’re in your room late at night when an angel appears out of nowhere and tells you you’re going to get pregnant (without having sex) and that your son will reign like a king.

To say this is hard to believe would be an understatement. But after receiving this mind-blowing news, Mary does not question God’s fulfillment of His promises. Her only question is a practical one: “How will this be...since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). Instead of getting caught up in questions like “Why me?” or “Are you sure?”, Mary’s response is, “OK. How’s this going to work?”

In this moment, Mary shows us what it means to live in hope. Living in hope is realizing that nothing is impossible with God. The same God who made a way for a virgin to give birth wants to do the impossible in our lives today. The wayward child who leaves you sleepless night after night is within God’s reach. The cancer that threatens a loved one’s life is not beyond God's ability to heal.

Living in hope, Mary believed God and pursued the sign He gave her. For us, living in hope looks exactly the same—believing that nothing is impossible with God and doing what God has put on our hearts to do. We may not know how all the details will work out, but God always does what He says He’ll do.

Pray:

Jesus, give me the faith to believe that nothing is impossible and the courage to face what’s before me today. Even though I may not understand how this will all come together, I put my hope in You.

Reflect:

Is there a longing God placed on your heart that seems impossible to fulfill? How can you take a step today to put action to your faith?

I am sharing with you in these blogs from time to time a daily devotional from NewSpring Church entitled “Hope Is”…

I have hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

LADIES BRUNCH THIS SATURDAY Dec 5th

Ladies please plan to attend the Ladies Brunch this Saturday from 10am-12noon

All are invited to attend. Food will be provided, so please RSVP to womens@celebratejesus.org

All attendees are asked to bring a $5 or $10 gift card to a location of choice to give to those in need this holiday season.