This morning, I believe that God wants to start off by reminding us that we were create by Him on purpose and for a purpose.  As long as we draw another breath, we have the opportunity to seek out that purpose and to fulfill it.  We get to cooperate with God; to hear His voice and to follow His lead as He equips, empowers, and does the impossible through us.

How often do we unfortunately settle for far less?  How often do we just float through life instead of intentionally living it well?  How often do we excuse away ourselves?  Perhaps we can relate a bit to this encounter between Jeremiah and God?

Jeremiah 1:4-13

4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

    before you were born I set you apart;

    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

13 The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”

I’m convinced that every day, God’s voice is speaking all around us in so many different ways.  The question is, do we recognize His voice as He calls?  Are we intentionally seeking out His revelation as it is poured out all around us?  Jeremiah just saw simple objects, but God wanted to reveal something greater through them.

This week, I was driving along route 210 toward Elderton just past the Keystone Dam as I’ve done thousands of times before.  There’s a tree in a field behind where Frailey’s building supply used to be.  By the way, that’s all my family that lives right in that area.

That tree has caught my attention several times, but I never really took the time to ask God why.  On Tuesday, I noticed something I never had before about that tree and it reminded me of a Bible verse.

At a glance, it looks like a healthy tree.  It’s branches are full and symmetrical and well rounded.

At a closer look, however, it appears that the tree was damaged at some point.  The main trunk suddenly stops.  The top branches are actually vertical extensions off of a large branch on the right.

When I noticed that, a verse came to mind and I knew that God was sharing something with us through it.

Isaiah 11:1

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

Trees are interesting plants.  Job shared this reality that most of us know well.

Job 14:7-9

7 “At least there is hope for a tree:

    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,

    and its new shoots will not fail.

8 Its roots may grow old in the ground

    and its stump die in the soil,

9 yet at the scent of water it will bud

    and put forth shoots like a plant.

Trees aren’t the only ones of God’s creation that are resilient like this.  Surely if there is hope for a tree, there is an even greater hope for us!  After all, we have more than just hope, we have a living hope!  Like a tree, even if we are struck or damaged or cut down, if we remain rooted in Jesus, we will rise up again!

After all, that shoot that rose up from the stump of Jesse, that capital ‘B’ Branch that became fruitful from the roots of Jesse, was none other than Jesus!

Isaiah 11:1-4;10-12

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

2 Th

In the beginning, God created mankind with the desire to literally walk with us, live with us, and to be in relationship with us.  God never intended for us to live the life that He gave us without Him.  Even after we sinned against God, God pursued us in our sinful state.

Genesis 3:8-10

8 Then Adam and his wife, Eve, heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day,

Mankind, however, chose to sin; going their own way and away from God and His ways.

they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

I believe that today, God is still asking that drawing question, “Where are you?”

He’s not asking it because He doesn’t know the answer. He’s rhetorically asking it because we need to be more aware of the true answer. God hasn’t changed nor moved, but where are we?

Mankind, however, not only chose to sin, but then also afterward chose to surrender to fear and to run from that relationship.

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

I believe that today, God is still asking that drawing question, “Where are you?”  Where do we turn when life gets hard?  Who do we run to when we are in need?  What do we fill our lives with when we are desperate for comfort?

There is no place that we can run to where God is not there.  Now instead of the thought of an omnipresent God making us uncomfortable and filling our lives with fear, it should bring us tremendous comfort and drive out all fear.  That is, if we desire His Presence and are not trying to hide in our sin.

This morning, God is inviting us to go deeper into our understanding of Him.  This morning, God is drawing us further into His Presence.  This morning, God is challenging us to run no longer from Him, but to return fully and wholly back to Him with our all.

He’s inviting us to come to Him just as we are.  There is no need to hide our sin and shame or to be afraid of how He might respond to it.  His response is forgiveness, to cleanse us of all of our sin.  Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His own Son to pay the price for our sin; the greatest of prices.  He would do anything just to be with us.  It’s time to stop running into our sin for comfort and to sprint full speed back into the comfort of His sheltering Presence!

From that tragic day in the garden, God still never ceased to call mankind back into a right relationship with Him; back into His Presence.  And mankind continues to intentionally distance themselves from God…

Exodus 19:3-8

3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

Exodus 20:1-2;18-21

1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

How often are we like the Israelites?  We say with our lips, “Sounds good and will do!”  Then, when it comes time to put our words into

This morning, we continue our message series entitled, “Plant” where we are challenging ourselves to be more intentional about the Biblical life principle that we reap what we sow; we harvest what we plant. 

We want to plant the things of God both into our lives and into those around us.  We want to allow Him to develop and grow good roots within us which produce good fruits.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived:

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

Here is quite possibly the most challenging part about planting…

For me to reap and harvest anything from this seed, I first have to let go of it and bury it.  I have to do what seems illogical and unreasonable.  I need to shove it down in the dirt and walk away from it.

Essentially, I need to trust God with it by letting it completely go out of my hands and out of my control.

That’ll preach, right???

Paul explained this spiritual and life reality drawn from this reality found in nature here.  The spiritual often mirrors the physical and vice-versa.  After all, whether a plant seed, our natural lives, or our spiritual lives, God is the Creator of them all!

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field

God is the only one who can make things grow. 

However, for Him to grow this seed, I have to place it completely and totally in His hands.  If I go back day after day digging it back up to see God is doing anything, it will not grow.  I need to bury it and then patiently trust that God will make it grow and to reach its full potential.

Growth requires faith and trust and patience and sacrifice.

It is a process and often an uncomfortable one.

If I hold onto this seed and safely store it away, it will never become anything more.  It will never, ever reach its full potential. 

I can hope and dream and pray and declare and proclaim and prophesy and do anything else that I can think of over this seed.  However, it will always remain only a seed until I let go of it and bury it.

We must let go of it and trust it into God’s hands.

We may be able to justify holding onto it and even label it as good stewardship.  However, God did not entrust us with this seed just to end up at the end of our life with the same seed in hand. 

Most of us are familiar with the parable of the talents and how it ends for the person who simply returns what was entrusted to them instead of growing and multiplying it.  Jesus said:

Matthew 25:26-30

26 … ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God entrusted us with this seed so that we might cooperate with Him to break it free from its shell and to grow it and mature it so that it becomes fruitful and multiplies into many, many more seeds all able to do the same.

For this to happen with this seed, I have to let go of it and bury it.

Now to clarify, the wicked and lazy servant was the one who did this with their bag of gold.  They dug a hole and buried it. 

For tho

This morning, we continue our message series entitled, “Plant” where we are challenging ourselves to be more intentional about the Biblical life principle that we reap what we sow; we harvest what we plant. 

We want to plant the things of God both into our lives and into those around us.  We want to allow Him to develop and grow good roots within us which produce good fruits.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived:

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

When planning a garden, would you go to the store, dump a bunch of seeds into a bag, mix it up, dump it in a big pile on your front lawn and then say, “Well, if it’s meant to be, it’ll be!”?

No!  Instead, you carefully plan out your garden based on what you want to harvest.  You select the right place for it that has the right ground, the right amount of sunlight, and the right moisture.  You then cultivate that ground. 

Lastly, you buy specific seeds for the fruits and veggies that you want to harvest and intentionally plant every individual seed exactly where you want it to grow.  When anything begins to grow that you did not intentionally plant, you pull it up by the roots and cast it aside to its death.

1 Corinthians 3:9

…you are God’s field…

How is God’s field looking?  Take a moment, reflect on your life objectively looking at it as if though it were a large field. 

Is it looking like a chaotic potluck of plants that changes with every step through it?  Does one get tangled up in weeds and thorns as they are looking for the good in it?  Are we a little prickly and unapproachable?  Would others want the fruit that it is producing?

Or is it an easy to navigate field with a plentiful bounty of good plants bearing a good harvest?  Is it a field that looks inviting to others and one that they would gladly eat from?  Is it one that others would want to model their own lives after?

It’s not that God demands perfection or that He doesn’t love us and the hot mess that we may be.  It’s about where our hearts and desires are at.  Do we want to live a life that honors and glorifies God?  Do we want to follow His plans and purposes, His blueprint, for our lives?

Having a humble heart that trusts God and His ways enables Him to arrange our life, His field, in such a way that is able to grow well, become healthy, and to produce good fruit.

Thankfully, so long as we live, we have the opportunity to work on our lives and to allow God to transform these fields that we are from chaos to abundance!

Thankfully, so long as we live, we have the opportunity to work on our lives and to allow God to transform them from chaos to abundance!

When we see a rainbow in the sky, we remember the covenant that God made with Noah, but we don’t often recall this part of that promise!  After leaving the ark, Noah built and altar and gave an offering to the Lord on it.

Genesis 8:21-22

21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

22 “As long as the earth endures,

seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night

will never cease.”

So long as you draw another breath, it is still an unceasing opportunity to sow and reap; plant and harvest.  The field of your life can still reach its full potential!

We must be mindful of this, however.

We’re not going to be walking about through life and all of the sudden stumble into a season of peace and joy and patience.  No, if we want to produce a rich and plentiful harvest of the fruits of the Spirit in our lives, then we need to cultivate and plant the seed of the Spirit into our lives.  We need to weed out anything else that tries to grow and compete with it.

It will not happen accidentally.  It requires us to be intentional about how we cultivate and

Last week, we prepared to enter into the new year with a new message series about the Biblical life principle that we reap what we sow, we harvest what we plant, we are what we think.  We were challenged to plant the things of God into our lives and allow Him to develop good roots within us which produce good fruits.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived:

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

Of course, we only want to be sowing the good stuff, the best stuff, the God stuff, the kingdom stuff.  First we plant it into our own lives, but we also want to be planting it out into the lives of all of those around us.  This morning, God is challenging us not on what type of soil we are, not on what we are planting, not on how well we’re cultivating it, but our attitude toward sowing.

Jesus came not just to give us life eternal someday in Heaven.  Jesus came to give us eternal life which begins here and now.  Jesus came to give us life abundant.  Jesus came to give us life to its full! 

This morning, we’re being challenged to have the same attitude toward planting that God has.  God is generous!

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Psalm 103:8-10

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

    slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,

    nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve

    or repay us according to our iniquities.

God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve or we would all be burning in hell right now.  No, instead, God is a generous god who patiently waits for us to receive His salvation.  Even while He is awaiting a response to His open invitation to His salvation, He generously loves us and gives us all things. 

Approximately 500 years before Jesus wrapped Himself in flesh, David had this same revelation about this generous attitude of God.  He said:

Psalm 27:13-14

13 I remain confident of this:

    I will see the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the Lord;

    be strong and take heart

    and wait for the Lord.

Generosity has far more to do with the attitude with which we give and far less about the amount that we give.  We don’t give to get, we give because we have been given so much!  As Jesus said:

Matthew 10:8

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Making clear that generosity is an attitude, we recall this time in the earthly life of Jesus:

Mark 12:41-44

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Generosity is less about how much we give and far more about our motive and attitude while giving!  To reinforce this, not only did Jesus praise the widow who gave so little, he rebuked the religious people who were faithfully tithing on everything just as they were supposed to!

Luke 11:39-42

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the lat

With the New Year coming up this week, most of us are contemplating things to cut out of our lives.  Less junk food, less social media, less smoking, less drama, less debt, etc.

This morning, I feel that God wants to challenge us to think about this differently.  What if instead of considering what to cut out of our lives, we consider what we should add to our lives?

There is something psychological about us that makes it difficult to give up things or to take things out of our lives.  We feel like we are missing out or getting less out of life.  It’s a very negative thing.

However, we are all about adding to our lives.  We’re all about “but wait, there’s more!”  Pay $20 for a small tub of Oxi-Clean?  No way!  Pay $19.95 for a small tub of Oxi-Clean and call in the next 30 minutes to also get a free second tub of Oxi-Clean, a squirt bottle, a bottle of orange clean kitchen cleaner, a super shammy, and free shipping? YES!

Psychologically, we want more, not less.  We don’t want to miss out.  So, when making new year resolutions, consider making commitments that add to your life and not take away from them. 

Less junk food for snacks?  Nope!  We’re going to try out a whole bunch of new natural foods that we’ve never experienced before as snacks.

Less time staring at your phone looking through social media?  Nope!  More time getting together with friends and doing new things together.

Less debt?  Nope!  More wealth and more financial peace by building up some savings.  Or another way of looking at it, paying ourselves first.

It becomes a more positive mindset and attitude toward life in gaining a fuller life and less negative about takin things away from our lives.

It’s the old adage that says, “You are what you eat.”  Another way of looking at this is, “What are we planting into our lives?”  What are we putting into our lives?  After are, who we are is the result of how we think.  That’s what repentance is all about; seeing ourselves and our lives the way that God does and no longer from our own perspective!

That is essentially what this scripture is stating:

Proverbs 23:7 (NASB)

For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

We are what we think.  The thoughts that we plant into our hearts and minds root themselves within the fabric of our character and eventually bear fruit through our behavior. 

This is why the primary message of Jesus, and John the Baptist preparing the way for Him, was to repent.  Repentance is less about what we do and more about how we think.  Once our thoughts are transformed, then our attitudes and actions will change as well.  What thoughts are we planting and cultivating in our lives?

Are we pressing in to seek after God and to hear what He is speaking to us?  Or do we fill our ears and minds with what others are saying through social media and news sources?  Do we value the voice of peacemakers or do we prefer listening to voices that stir up division and strife?  Which choice voice are we allowing to plant seeds of thought into our lives?

This morning, God is beginning to take us on a new journey that will likely continue throughout the course of the upcoming year.  He is challenging us to be planters.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived:

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

We do not plant watermelon seeds and expect to later reap a harvest of corn.  We do not plant carrot seeds and expect to later reap a harvest of barley.  We should not plant seeds of gossip and expect to later reap a harvest of encouragement.  We should not plant seeds of greed and expect to later reap a harvest of generosity.  We should not plant seeds of violence and expect to later reap a harvest of peace.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived:

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

Karma is fake knockoff of this Biblical principle, which is why it appears to be true.  We reap what we sow.  We harvest what we plant.  We receive what we give.

This morning, we’re once again going to go back to that day when Jesus was born.  I believe that this morning, God desires for us to better understand what makes this season “Merry & Bright.” 

When God became flesh and dwelt among us as a baby, it was certainly a time of great joy.  When Jesus was born, a great light entered the world that brought hope.

In today’s world, we need to keep in mind this same hope that is available to us; that same great light that shines brightly through the darkness.  It’s easy for us to see all that is happening in the world and the great darkness that it often brings. 

We see these things happening because of the poor choices of people.  We see wickedness and evil in the hearts of mankind and the pain and grief that it brings.  Whether it be at the hand of world leaders, unfaithful spouses, friends that betray us, or whatever the case may be and become frustrated by it.

It’s important for us in those times not to focus on the darkness around us and allow it to grow roots of bitterness and frustration in our hearts.  Instead, we can look beyond the circumstances and remember the hope and light within us that no darkness around us can ever snuff out! 

It’s important for us to lift our eyes up to God and see what He is doing through the darkness.  None of it is going to stop His plans and purposes for you!  None of it is greater than our all-powerful God!  What mankind intends for evil and to harm us, God works together for good!

We see this reality in movement with the birth of Jesus.  John described the birth of Jesus poetically in this way:

John 1:1-14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

…

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

When God chose the timing to wrap Himself in flesh and to dwell among us, it wasn’t during the best time in our history.  It was a very dark time full of chaos and power struggles and frustration. 

He came at a time when His own people were crying out for the savior to come to their rescue and yet when He came, He wasn’t what they were expecting or seeking out.  They didn’t recognize nor receive Him as their savior and their God.

The circumstances in and through which Jesus was born weren’t all that merry and bright.  In fact, the great joy about the light of the world experienced on that day was in contrast to a very dark reality. 

The circumstances through which God chose to come into the world weren’t all that merry and bright.  He chose to come in complete humility living a complete life as you and I have with one difference; born of the Holy Spirit and not of a man so that He was not born into sin.

He came as a baby born to a young couple not yet married through a girl who was a virgin.

Matthew 1:18-25

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  (We find the interaction with the angel Gabriel and Mary when she learned that this was going to happen in Luke 1:26-38) 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorc

With Thanksgiving now behind us, it’s now the most wonderful time of the year! 

Christmas music everywhere, lights all aglow, girls falling for the wrong guy in so many Hallmark movies, snow soon on its way, and Santa preparing for his big night.  This time of the year, it’s so easy for us to get caught up in the way that the world celebrates Christmas and to lose sight of the true reason for the season; Jesus!

In fact, it’s so easy for us to move on from Thanksgiving and forget to maintain an attitude of gratitude. 

On Thursday, we’re thanking God for what we have and on Friday, we’re running people over with our carts to get stuff that we don’t need just because it’s a great price.

This morning, we’re going to go back to that day when Jesus was born.  I believe that this morning, God desires for us to better understand what makes this season “Merry & Bright.” 

We’ll go more in depth with this next week, but all of the circumstances in which Jesus was born (and even the circumstances by which He was born) were not very merry and bright. 

Jesus, light of the world, was born into darkness.  However, it was for this very reason that He came.  He came to bring hope in the place of hopelessness, joy in the place of despair, praise in the place of heaviness, and of course, light into darkness.

Luke 2:1-20

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Good news that will cause great joy for everyone!  This is what the gospel is.  The gospel is always good news that causes great joy to any willing to accept it.  The gospel itself is unchanging, but changes everything!  The gospel is able to enter any circumstance and bring hope and peace and courage because the gospel is all about Jesus. 

The gospel makes everything Merry & Bright!

In this world where we don’t really know what or who we can trust, we have a great assurance in God and confidence in His word.  His word came in

The post Biblical Finances appeared first on New Hope Assembly of God in NuMine, PA.

This morning, we’re continuing on our message series about the power of God. 

With Thanksgiving this coming week, it seemed appropriate to cover the topic of gratitude.  Obedience is the behavioral key to unlock the power of God in and through our lives, but gratitude is the key attitude to unlock the power of God in and through our lives.

Over and over again throughout the Bible, we find that in the midst of lack, in the midst of betrayal, in the midst of hopelessness, in the darkest and most impossible days of life; that gratitude unleashed the power of God to do the impossible!

Have you ever noticed that it is often not those who have much who are most thankful, but those who are in need who are the most thankful?  I recently saw a quote that, “It’s not the happy people who are thankful, it is the thankful people who are happy.”

Choosing an attitude of gratitude, no matter our circumstances, can change everything for us because it changes our perspective.  Even if we have such a rotten attitude that we can’t see anything to be grateful for, we can begin by looking at God.  Just realizing who God is and all that He has done for us and has promised yet to do for us begins to break up the hardness of our hearts and produce in us a more grateful attitude.

Thanksgiving opens the gates of Heaven for us!

Psalm 100:3-5

3 Know that the Lord is God.

    It is he who made us, and we are his;

    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

There is a common thread that we find throughout the scriptures and we’re going to take a look at it today in three separate instances.  In them we find a backdrop of impossible and dire circumstances and how choosing to give thanks in the midst of them unlocked the gates of Heaven and released a miracle to transform them!

Matthew 14:15-21

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Great need and impossible resources with which to meet it.  Looking to God and being thankful for the little that they had unlocked a miracle that multiplied that little to exceed the need!  There is so much more to this account, but it was the grateful attitude of Jesus that overcame the grumbling and the lack around Him.  This wasn’t the only time, either!

Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread, and gave it all away.

Gratitude, brokenness, servanthood.

Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, John 6:

5 loaves of bread and 2 fish fed 5,000 men not including women and children with 12 baskets full of leftovers

Matthew 15, Mark 8:

7 loaves of bread and a few small fish fed 4,000 men not including women and children with 7 baskets full of leftovers

Of course, we’re all familiar with this account where Jesus does just the same.  In fact, He does it symbolically as a prophetic act of what He was about to physically do.  Gratitude, brokenness, servanthood.

Matthew 26:20-30

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while t