What Happened In Bethlehem Didn't Stay In Bethlehem

This December, once again, our frenetic culture will wind itself up in an effort to find something, to get somewhere, to purchase something. Maybe the finding is in the waiting... waiting for person of Christ to be born in us.

We live in a culture that moves so fast and is constantly trying to forecast and plan for the future. The future is why people read their horoscope and have their palms read. There are plenty of online newsletters and blogs that focus on forecasting the future. There’s great tools and helps available in better planning, but what if you plan well but miss 3 common pitfalls that can cause you to miss God’s plan?

Most of us can’t begin to think about solutions to these national and global conflicts, for dealing with the fights and quarrels that break out in our very lives. Have any of you had such in your life? Fights, arguments, conflicts? Why is that? What causes them and what’s the remedy for them?

How wise are you? Is your wisdom based on knowledge or a practical application of knowledge? James chapter 3 clarifies what kind of wisdom we will harvest as a result of what kind of seeds we plant.

Have you ever spoken something and the minute the words left your mouth, you wished you could have reeled them back in? One of the greatest powers God has given us resides in our tongue. The tongue shapes our lives and reveals our hearts. But scripture says it's untamable. What do we do?

They are all around us, everyday. Big cities are popular places to find them on every corner...KNOCK-OFFS. Things like high-end purses, watches jewelry, clothes, sportswear. Goods made to look just like the real deal, but with subtle differences and greatly reduced prices. The owners of these knock-offs know how to obtain the looks of admiration for something they didn’t pay the price for. And it’s not just for people with less money, as often those with plenty of money just love getting look-alikes on the cheap. Did you know that the same thing happens in the area of faith. A knock-off faith is a dangerous and disappointing imitation of real faith. How can you tell the difference? How can you know what you have spiritually is the real deal? We’ll explore a biblical a debate that has often divided Christians spiritually, but it’s not really that complicated. We’ll see what one ordinary man with geniune faith did to be called ‘a friend of God.’

Have you ever played favorites? Maybe it was intentional or not. Guest speaker Scott Jones discusses the first part of James chapter 2 and shows us how love can narrow the gap.

If you’ve ever been deceived by someone, you know how disorienting that can be. It can strike fear or raise false hopes. Self-deception is damaging and dangerous. So how is it that Christians can become self-deceived when they have the Bible? How is it that we have more access to the scriptures than ever before, yet still miss the blessing that God wants to give us through it? The Apostle James says that authentic spirituality results from my proper relationship with God through His Word. What is that relationship suppose to look like?

Have you ever known what was right in a situation, but still found it difficult to say ‘no?’ Why is that? And who’s really to blame for that temptation anyway? God, Satan or myself? Are my desires really that bad? Will we ever outgrow temptation? And if not, how can we win against it? God says, “Walk This Way.” You don’t have to be a victim.