We continue our Christmas journey through Old Testament texts by visiting Exodus 15 and I Samuel 2. Both texts deal with songs of celebration for God's victorious intervention on behalf of His people. By looking at these songs, we see a pattern demonstrating that the intervention is part of the larger story of God's salvific plan. A salvation that delivers those who revere and place faith in God, while dashing His enemies to pieces. It is a salvation which, in God's righteous wisdom, upsets the ways of this world. It is a song that is echoed in another moment of intervention when -in Luke chapter 1- Mary sings a song of praise and worship for the God who intervenes to bring victory through Christ-

Having covered the era in which Habakkuk was called, and the complaint that Habakkuk brings before God, tonight we will see the Lord's response. God offers His prophet -and all those who hear the prophecy- the truth that God's people will trust in God's ways, purposes and promises. The proud trust in themselves, thus their soul is not upright in them- their judgment is certain. However, the just shall live by faith. This simple truth is at the heart of the salvation that God is bringing His people.

As we look to I Chronicles Chapter 17, we find one of the great promises of the Bible. David, desiring to honor God, seeks to build a temple in which the Ark of the Covenant would reside. Nathan the prophet agrees with the idea of doing this. However, on that very night, God instructs Nathan to tell David that he is not to do this. In fact, God wants to remind David that He has never asked David to provide for Him- further, that is not the nature of their relationship. It is God who raised up David- God appointed David king and gave him authority over Israel. Then, God makes a great promise- David will not build God a house, but God will build David a great house-

In celebration of Thanksgiving, we turn to I Chronicles 16 in order to focus on David's Psalm of Thanksgiving. After a previous failed attempt, David, by God's grace, brings the Ark of God into the city of Jerusalem. This offers a wonderful and appropriate opportunity for the people to praise and worship the Lord. On this occasion, David writes a wonderful Psalm, which declares that we are to give thanks to the Lord- Today, we will see that we, too, need to focus on keeping God central in our lives, and that we should be a people of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

As we celebrate the Reformation's 503rd anniversary, we turn to Romans 1-14-17 in order to look to God's glorious Gospel. It is this message of God's power and mercy that motivated both the Apostle Paul and Martin Luther. It is this same message by which God still calls sinners to recognize their need of Christ.

As we continue walking through 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, we come to one of the most debated subjects Paul addresses- the restrainer. Who or what is this restrainer who holds back wickedness so that lawlessness and the man of sin arrive at just the right moment. It is only when this restrainer is removed that these harbingers can emerge. Join us as we look at one of the most interesting aspects of this chapter.

In this message, we continue our journey through the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians by looking at the man of sin-lawlessness. Here is a man devoted to opposing all that God has ordained- he shall be the advocate for wickedness in a generation of lawlessness. We will not only look at the details that Paul offers, but we will seek to understand how the Thessalonians might have interpreted them. In that way, we will see that there has been a long line of antichrists who are but shadows of this coming man of lawlessness.

As Paul draws near to the end of I Thessalonians, he calls for a greeting of all the brethren in the form of a -holy kiss-. How are we to greet one another in a global pandemic. What are we to do when Government orders us not to meet, thereby limiting -in-person- holy greetings- In considering these questions, we pray that we will see the importance of Christian greetings, as well as our need for wisdom in dealing with the civil magistrates.

As a part of the closing of his First Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul requests prayer for the mission team. This text shows us the importance of a right understanding of prayer, as well as the practical need to enter into daily intentional prayer. Paul knew that the needs of the Christian life and mission outstripped his natural supply, thus he needed the sustaining strength offered by God in the prayers of the saints.

As Paul begins to bring this great letter to a close, he offers a prayer that God would completely sanctify the Thessalonian believers. In doing so, Paul provides much information on sanctification, helping us to realize that God not only empowers our growth in holiness, but guarantees the end result for all those in Christ Jesus. It is based on God's steadfast faithfulness that Paul can assure the Thessalonian saints that God will completely sanctify them at Christ's parousia.