Northwest Gospel Church - Summit View

Imagine being a teenage girl pledged to be married to a man you barely know.

Following the customs of their culture, Joseph has paid a “bride price” to your family, and you are expected to spend the next year preparing for marriage. Then suddenly, amidst your preparations, you are visited by the angel Gabriel, who informs you that you have been chosen to conceive and give birth to God’s Son.

Everything seemed to be out of Mary’s control in the Christmas story. In the middle of her betrothal, she becomes pregnant with God’s Son, leaving her fate in Joseph’s hands as he could demand retribution for a child that is not his own. Yet in the midst of it all, Mary testifies: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

In a time of uncertainty, Mary chose to worship God, looking towards the hope she had in Him. Her praise focused on the mighty works God had done and His past faithfulness; Mary’s fear, replaced with hope.

Take a moment to write out Mary's prayer of praise and post it on a mirror or in your car--somewhere you will see it often. When things seem out of your control this Christmas season, come back to her prayer, pause and give thanks to God, and write out your own prayers of praise to the God who is still working to fulfill His promises today.

Sin separates us from God, and there is nothing we can do to fix that on our own. God is the only one able to bridge the gap between us and Himself. He could have left us as sinners, forever apart from Him, but He didn’t! God loves us so much that He chose to come to us through Jesus. Jesus' death and resurrection took care of our sin and allows us to come close to God when we choose to believe in and follow Him.

Make a list of your family & friends. Do any of them not yet know Jesus? Pray for them, that they would be saved. Want to know more about Jesus and Christmas?
Search the internet for “Jesse Tree” crafts or coloring activities!

To access our extended family devotional click the button.

Paul writes in Ephesians, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:19-20)

As we reflect on the genealogy of Jesus, remember that we have been adopted into the family of God. We are His sons or daughters--members of His household. Those who belong to Jesus have this blessed assurance: that our names are eternally secure in the Lamb’s book of life. Nothing can take away God’s love for us, nor remove us from His family album.

Who in your family or among your close friends needs to hear the story of Jesus this Christmas season? Invite them to participate in Advent with you! Send each person God brings to mind the following link and invite them to join you in the daily devotions as we prepare for Christmas. www.summitview.net/christmas

We live in a world where ego gets attention and arrogance makes headlines. But the Scriptures teach us a different way. Humility gets results, humility makes a difference. This Sunday we will look at how God’s people are to be marked with and known for their humility.

Do you ever get the feeling that things are not as they should be? Do you ever struggle to find words to properly express or describe just exactly what you're feeling and thinking? Do you desire a greater future? If so, you're not alone. In this week's passage, we discover that it's perfectly normal to feel this way, in fact, we find out there are others who share this angst and longing. As we begin 2021 looking at what it means to be further made into the image and likeness of Jesus, we will focus this week on how living within this tension does just that.

O Holy Night is often cited by many as their absolute favorite Christmas song. Our favorite musicians have recorded renditions of it. The imagery in the song chokes us up as we sing it. The theology the song teaches is robust and communicates the Gospel beautifully. Our advent series A Thrill of Hope, has sought to show us just how this song isn’t just something to enjoy musically once a year, but how these truths are impactful for the entirety of our lives. This week as we conclude our series, we will see just how Jesus “has taught us to love one another” and how “his law of love and His gospel of peace” impact our day-to-day relationships.

The last few months have just been hard. We’ve had to learn to juggle both unexpected and unwanted changes that have impacted every sphere of our lives. Our homes, once places of recreation and rest are now hubs for commerce and education. We’ve been thrust into new realms while simultaneously losing what was comforting. How can anything good come from such a disappointing season? Right now, we have an opportunity to shift our perspective. Right now, is the time to reset and realign our mindset when looking at our families, parenting, and work.

What is love? Baby don’t hurt me...If half of marriages end in divorce, what is the point? Does marriage still matter? What if there is a purpose for marriage, beyond a husband and wife, and a happy life? Something deep in our core longs for connection and fulfillment, but it doesn’t come the way we think it does. Join us Sunday online or in-person at 9 or 11 am as we open the infamous marriage passage in Ephesians 5 and look at God’s vision for marriage.

We have never been more divided. Our daily experience is to separate into us vs them. We like the people who think and act the same way we do; and we hate those who are different. Is there any hope for humanity? Why can’t we all be the same so we would just get along? But unity is not measured in sameness. Unity is measured by purpose. We can be different and yet unite ourselves under a purpose, a cause, something, or someone. Someone like... a King.

Division is our default. Sin separates, making our differences liabilities. Christ’s atoning death reconciles our differences; what once brought division miraculously comes together. Those who were strangers on the outside are invited in and made family. In Christ, we are made new, we are made one. Join us Sunday at 9 and 11 as we celebrate the unity we have through Christ.