Money is necessary for life. It is what we use to get the food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and everything else that we need for life.

Because of its prevalence in our lives most of us have done something dumb with our money. It is easy to do.

The reality is most Americans are lost financially. We have too much debt and too many obligations which lead to experiencing significant financial pressure each month. We need help when it comes to money.

The Bible says too much about money for us to be lost financially. God cares about how we use our money, which means that money is a spiritual issue.

When we discover that we are lost financially the best thing to do is not to panic, which is easy to do. We look at our debt and responsibilities and we wonder how we can ever get back on track. Panic sets in when we focus on the wrong things: debts, responsibilities, and wants.

Instead of panic we need to find contentment. Contentment sets in when we realize that God has given us what we need for life. We need to focus on what God has blessed us with and trust Him for our ongoing provision.

Text: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Big Idea: To be a good steward of God’s money we need to find contentment with Jesus.

Challenge: Write a letter of thanksgiving to God.

Money is necessary for life. It is what we use to get the food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and everything else that we need for life.

Because of its prevalence in our lives most of us have done something dumb with our money. It is easy to do.

The reality is most Americans are lost financially. We have too much debt and too many obligations which lead to experiencing significant financial pressure each month. We need help when it comes to money.

The Bible says too much about money for us to be lost financially. God cares about how we use our money, which means that money is a spiritual issue.

The second step in getting unlost financially is to have a plan that allows us to be good stewards of what God has loaned to us. The reason God has blessed us is so we can bless others, so our plan needs to prioritize a way for us to bless people.

Text: Luke 12:13-21

Big Idea: To be a good steward

Challenge: Figure out how much money comes into your bank account and where it goes each month.

Money is necessary for life. It is what we use to get the food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and everything else that we need for life.

Because of its prevalence in our lives most of us have done something dumb with our money. It is easy to do.

The reality is most Americans are lost financially. We have too much debt and too many obligations which lead to experiencing significant financial pressure each month. We need help when it comes to money.

The Bible says too much about money for us to be lost financially. God cares about how we use our money, which means that money is a spiritual issue.

The first step in getting unlost financially is to discover where we are. We need to understand that everything belongs to God and that we are His stewards managing His resources. When we remember this truth everything else begins to fall into place.

Text: Matthew 6:19-21 and Luke 16:10-13

Big Idea: Christians are to be good stewards of their finances.

Challenge: Figure out how much money comes into your bank account and where it goes each month.

A new year brings with it a hope of a new start. All of us have at least one area in our lives that we would like to see changed.

The issue we face is that we have failed in the past and we don’t know why now would be any different. Our hope of a new start quickly turns into discouragement.

Thankfully, God isn’t after our perfection, but our progress. Our faithfulness to Jesus is seen in our continual transformation day by day and year by year.

Text: Philippians 3:12-14

Bottom Line: Our faith helps us make progress in our journey to become more like Jesus.

Challenge: Write down one goal for your spiritual formation and think of the step needed to accomplish it.

Advent plays an important role in the yearly rhythm of life for a disciple of Jesus. It is easy for us to be distracted with responsibilities, obligations, interruptions, tragedies, and every thing else life has for us. Advent is an intentional season of reflection on the first coming of Jesus to help motivate us to continue to prepare for his second coming.

The word advent means the arrival of a notable person. That person is Jesus, the Christ or the Messiah, the anointed one. Christmas is much more than the “birthday” of Jesus, but it is the coming of the King into the world.

In the Biblical record we read about a group of people, magi (often called wisemen), who came to Israel in search of the king the read about in the stars. Christmas, even today, invites us to search for the King who arrived and promised to save us from sin.

Text: Matthew 1:1-12

Bottom Line: This Christmas we need to give our loyalty to Jesus.

Advent plays an important role in the yearly rhythm of life for a disciple of Jesus. It is easy for us to be distracted with responsibilities, obligations, interruptions, tragedies, and every thing else life has for us. Advent is an intentional season of reflection on the first coming of Jesus to help motivate us to continue to prepare for his second coming.

Christmas Eve is the time when the fifth candle in the Advent wreath is lit. The Christ Candle brings together the hope, peace, joy, and love of the other four candles. This represents all the hope, peace, joy, and love that are wrapped up in Jesus.

The events surrounding the birth of Jesus produce a sense of wonder in the people who experienced them. The Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah and Mary, the miraculous pregnancies of Elizabeth and Mary, and the angelic vision Joseph had telling him it was okay to marry Mary. The angelic visitation, followed by the angel army, to the shepherds would have filled them with wonder.

We are so familiar with Christmas story that it not longer is awe inspiring to us. Our Christmas holiday gets focused on the traditions of the holiday, and reality behind the season is forgotten. How can we regain a sense of wonder in Christmas?

Text: Luke 2:1-20

Bottom Line: Christmas becomes a season of wonder when we remember the reality behind the holiday.

Advent plays an important role in the yearly rhythm of life for a disciple of Jesus. It is easy for us to be distracted with responsibilities, obligations, interruptions, tragedies, and every thing else life has for us. Advent is an intentional season of reflection on the first coming of Jesus too help motivate us to continue to prepare for his second coming.

The fourth week of Advent is a reflection on love. Our definition for love doesn’t come from our culture, but from the actions of God. God’s love isn’t primarily about the emotions He has towards us, but what He has done for us. This is first and foremost seen in Jesus.

We don’t know much about Joseph, who was the earthly father of Jesus. What we do know is that he was a righteous man. This means he was committed to God by keeping the covenant God made with Israel through Moses. This commitment shaped how Joseph lived and how he treated other people.

Text: Matthew 1:18-25

Bottom Line: Our commitment to God makes us available to His plan for our lives.

Challenge: Take a step of faith and do that hard thing God has called you to do.

Advent plays an important role in the yearly rhythm of life for a disciple of Jesus. It is easy for us to be distracted with responsibilities, obligations, interruptions, tragedies, and every thing else life has for us. Advent is an intentional season of reflection on the first coming of Jesus too help motivate us to continue to prepare for his second coming.

The third week of Advent is a reflection on joy. Biblical joy is finding delight in life in spite of your circumstances. With our modern technologies and luxuries it would be easy to assume that finding delight with life would be easy, but it is not. According to studies Americans are unsatisfied and unhappy about the state of their lives.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived in a time when life was difficult. Hard work was required for survival, the smallest of comforts seemed like luxuries, and they were ruled by the Roman Empire, with all of their violent oppression and heavy tax burden. In spite of this, Mary was able to have joy in her heart.

Text: Luke 1:46-56

Bottom Line: Our joy comes from God’s work in our lives.

Challenge: Thank God for the blessings in your life that bring your joy. Be specific about what those blessings are.

Advent plays an important role in the yearly rhythm of life for a disciple of Jesus. It is easy for us to be distracted with responsibilities, obligations, interruptions, tragedies, and every thing else life has for us. Advent is an intentional season of reflection on the first coming of Jesus too help motivate us to continue to prepare for his second coming.

The second week of Advent is a reflection on peace. The Biblical understanding of peace is more than an absence of conflict, but also includes a restoration of harmony. Harmony between God and people, between people, between people and creation, and even between our spirits and flesh.

Zechariah was the father of John the Baptist, the prophet God sent to prepare the way for Jesus. At the end of Luke 1, Luke records the prophecy Zechariah proclaims at the circumcision and naming of John. The prophecy ends with Zechariah declaring that the long awaited Messiah will lead his people to paths of peace.

Text: Luke 1:67-80

Bottom Line: God is at work to accomplish His plan.

Challenge: Write down the reasons why you are confident God is at work in the world.

Advent plays an important role in the yearly rhythm of life for a disciple of Jesus. It is easy for us to be distracted with responsibilities, obligations, interruptions, tragedies, and every thing else life has for us. Advent is an intentional season of reflection on the first coming of Jesus too help motivate us to continue to prepare for his second coming.

The first week of Advent is a reflection on hope. Isaiah’s prophetic ministry happened during a dark time in Israel’s history. The Northern Kingdom had been conquered by Assyria and the Southern Kingdom paid an oppressive tribute them. Isaiah and the other prophets were clear that this had happened because the nation had broken the covenant God had established with them at Mount Sinai.

It is in this context the Isaiah gave Israel an prophecy of hope. A prophecy about a light dawning and a new leader emerging, a leader who would lead by the power and presence of God.

This prophecy of hope continues to give us hope as we wait on Jesus to return and make everything right.

Text: Isaiah 9:1-7

Bottom Line: The future is not hopeless because we trust in the God who keeps His promises.

Challenge: Memorize Romans 5:3-5