Love your neighbors and love your enemies. Are you kidding me? Yes, it will make the world a better place. Jesus taught that the only salve that can cure the wounds of bitterness, hatred and hurt between enemies is the salve of love. Supernatural love is to love the absolutely unlovable. We love the idea of love but we don't love the practical part of love. Forgiveness and not revenge should be our first response. We can never be good enough. We are totally dependent upon grace.

There is only one source of our spiritual vitality and that source is the Holy Spirit of God, who works in people's lives and in every congregation. Churches don't grow through expansion of programs and ministry events. They grow through a relationship with Christ. It is God who gives us growth. Are we growing and stretching as individuals in our lives? Are we willing to move out to where the Spirit can move us? Maybe it is time for us to go out and do some spring planting. Sow peace, grace, goodness and love and God will bring the increase.

The first thing God created was light. Our very lives depend on light. Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. We, as Christ followers, are to be a light to the world. We are called to be light hearted, to shine our light on others. There is not enough darkness in the entire world to put out the light of even one small candle. Shine your light. What are we here for anyway?

Our message as Christians to the world is Christ crucified, Christ's gift of life to us. It is a message that runs counter to today's culture and that brings amazing transformations. What message are we sharing? Have we failed to share the message? The church is at the center of God's plan. Some of the best people in the world are in churches. The reason they care is because there is a power at work in them - the power of the Holy Spirit. They continue to say YES to Jesus again and again. There is only one way to make a better world and that is to introduce everyone we meet to the love of Jesus.

God has times for us to receive wake up calls. There are critical times in our lives, kairos moments, extra special moments in which time stands still. God speaks loud and clear in God's time. Jesus life was filled with kairos moments. Are you listening for your kairos moments from God?

The brothers and sisters in God have not always gotten along well. Would we get along better if we pointed to Jesus, the Prince of Peace? Are you pointing others to Jesus and the goodness and grace of God? God provides many great gifts such as the ability to hear, to taste, to see, to touch, to love... There is nothing like gratitude in our lives. We often take for granted the gifts God has given us. We sometimes forget the generosity, the grace, the goodness of God in our lives. Are you grateful and eager to share Jesus and to let someone know that God sees them? May we all reach the point in our lives that we can be a blessing in some way in someone else's life.

God cleaned you up and put your picture on His refrigerator because He loves you like crazy.

God loves change, especially changed lives. God has a design and purpose for each one of us. He chose us before the creation of the world. We are God's chosen beloved ones, His elect. Transforming our lives does not take a resolution but a revolution. We need a change in our lives that can only come from God. God loves doing a new thing. God can change anyone. A new year is a time to change the way we have named ourselves and named others. God wants something better for us in the New Year. Go out and live as holy, adopted sons and daughters of God.

A Christmas Message in Song

Carols, Christmas Music, and a Christmas Message from Pastor Tim Hathaway