For many, the Christmas season can be a challenging time. Maybe a loved one has passed away at this time of year or maybe its a current health or marriage issue…regardless, we can become depressed, isolated and withdrawn during a season that is supposed to represent hope, joy and glory. But take heed! If you are a believer, Christ the Savior of the World is in you, is with you and is for you. And if God is for you, who or what can stand against you?

Whether we grew up in church or not, chances are we have all heard and been taught "The golden rule"…that we are to love and treat others as we would have them treat us. But the reality is, this is the exact opposite of how the world teaches us to respond to those that hurt, degrade or insult us. the truth is, it is easy to love those that love us back but difficult to love those that don't…but it's essential if we are to show the love of Christ to a lost and hurting world.

Guest Pastor Perry Brindley joins us for this discussion on 2 Timothy 1:16-18 and asks the simple question "What type of church member are you?" Are you the type that leave people refreshed after an encounter with you or do they feel downtrodden and depressed? We should all strive to do our best to encourage the Body of Christ so that God's work can be done and His Gospel can be spread to the ends of the earth.

In all things, we are to strive to be more like Jesus… in our thoughts, actions and attitudes towards others. But perhaps this is never more difficult than when it comes to our attitude towards our enemies, those who mistreat, slander and persecute us. Yet in Luke chapter 6, Jesus reminds us that we are to love, bless and pray for those who hate and mistreat us. How is this possible? Join us as Dr. Brian Kinlaw discusses exactly how we can imitate Jesus in this challenging endeavor.

Run the race of the Christian life with endurance by keeping your eyes on Jesus. Scripture helps us to: find encouragement in those who've gone before; remove anything that hinders our race; run with endurance the course set before us and focuses our attention on the perfect example in Jesus Christ.

Scripture is clear~ Jesus tells believers that they will be persecuted for their faith in Him. And while certainly no one enjoys persecution, the rewards will outweigh the risks. For when we are persecuted for His name sake, we see proof of three things: Who we are, where we are and whose we are...

God's desire for believers is to transform us more and more into His image. And we are closest to Him when we seek to mirror His Son Jesus' life. Do you want to be more like Jesus? Serve others. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. He literally gave His life so that we may have eternal righteousness, life and honor through Him.

To be blessed is to be in the condition of having the approval, acceptance and favor of God that brings deep joy. The reality is that even in our brokeness we can find true joy and peace through Christ...it is only when we come to the end of ourselves and the realization that we are broken and empty can God bring us to the place where we ar made new and filled through Christ and Christ alone.

What drives you? Most of our drives come from either comfort, approval, control or power. When we hunger for and seek after the things of this world, we will find ourselves broken, confused, lonely and disappointed. But when we hunger for the things of God, we will find our cup filled to where we cannot contain the flow!

In Christ we find our blessings. And in our own poverty we find Him. Not material poverty but rather the realization that we are broken, bankrupt and lost without Jesus. When we come to the end of ourselves and acknowledge that we simply aren't able…then will we find the true blessings of a Savior who has given all for us.