The tree in Psalm 1 is established because it has the right inputs – it is planted by the water, with plenty of sun and good soil. Consequently, it grows. Christians require input too, in the form of God’s instruction found in the Bible. With the right input we’ll grow healthy and produce fruit. With the wrong input, we’ll still grow, but in unhealthy and damaging way.

Our world isolates and divides. Christians are called to live in community with one another. The earliest Christians met collectively in the Temple courts, and then in smaller groups in homes. Christians today should follow this example of gathering collectively for Church worship services, and then out in small groups!

Our world treats humans like wealth-generating machines and encourages us to invest in all kinds of trivial pursuits. In contrast to that, Jesus gives us purpose and invites us to make the best kinds of investments: those with eternal returns.

People confuse all kinds of things with church: a building, a service, an address, a minister, a choir, or something else. What a church really is though, is a gathering of believers.

We tend to define ourselves by our experiences, occupations, or circumstances. But if we follow Jesus, he is the one who determines our identity. What God says about us is what defines us, and we need to learn to see ourselves as he sees us!

Today we talked about where we are going in 2025…the need for us to grow our faith. If we aren’t growing, we are not producing fruit, and not living out God’s desires.

Characters: Wisemen – We know of the wisemen because they looked forward to Jesus, and because they show that he is king. What things in your life in 2025 will do the same? What are you looking forward to in your faith in the new year?

Today we look at Joseph’s part in the story of Jesus as Emmanuel, God with us! Through his story, we see that we have a part in the story of Jesus, if we choose to live it.

Character: Habacuc shares about Mary and how God is with us!

Character: Simeon/Anna My son Simeon is important to me. I’m just one guy in a world that is currently populated by 8 billion people. I live at this moment in history, but time stretches infinitely in both directions. Simeon matters to me, but I’m a nobody. Simeon matters to Jesus, and he is the King.