At the start of the new year, it’s all about beginnings… there’s not much thought given to the ending. But as believers, we should be living with the end in mind. And when we get quiet and ask ourselves, “What If?” 2023 was the last 12 months we spent on earth; what does the Bible have to say about what God would want us to be doing?

In the Old Testament, God paints a clear and beautiful picture through Samuel of what it looks like to be used by Him. As we read about Samuel’s calling and development into a servant, we’ll find qualities of a servant’s heart that we can exemplify and grow into in this new year!

Merry Christmas! Thank you for joining us from home for worship. We hope this special service helps you connect with Jesus and praise Him this Christmas morning!

These weren’t typical gifts from a store. These weren’t cute gifts meant to entertain. God wants us to see that the Wisemen brought “Intentional Gifts” specifically chosen for this one unique Child. And even though they were given over 2,000 years ago, these “Intentional Gifts” have much to teach us today.

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…” Isaiah wrote this prophecy about a baby who had yet to come. But while there were countless babies born, this prophecy was fulfilled in just one… “Only Jesus.”

What God asks of us won’t always make sense, and it won’t always be easy. But there’s only one response that we should have when God speaks: “Obedience… No Matter What”.

We’re dedicating the entire morning to communion. It’s the time we set aside to reflect on the greatest gift ever given…the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us on the cross.

Demas is only mentioned a couple of times in Scripture, but there’s a world of difference between the first mention and the last. He started out so strong with so much promise but ended in complete defeat. And what we need to learn from Demas’ life is that, at the end of the day, compromise leads to ruin.

God used two of Jesus’ own disciples to give us a very important example of what a follower of Christ should be like. When Andrew and Philip met Jesus, they didn’t just follow after Him and keep it to themselves… they went and found others who needed to meet Jesus, too.

Ever heard the saying, “the days are long, but the years are short”?

When it comes to parenting, it’s so very true. And raising kids God’s way is so important that we can’t afford to let the early years slip by.

Because when it comes to God’s way of parenting, they aren’t the “early” years. They are “The Most Strategic Years.”