Stonybank Community Church with Pastor James Carroll

As the saying goes, if you don't like the message, kill the messenger.  Hated by everyone this once persecutor of the church was embraced after three years in seclusion with the Holy Spirit.  Two words from his understanding are inseparable - Call and Grace.  Whenever and whoever hears the call of God, you can be certain God's grace is sufficient.

We begin our series in the book of Galatians where Paul confronts the legalistic issue of adding traditions to the gospel of grace alone.  Adding to the gospel does not make it more true and does not just make it less true, it is a poison pill that will keep you bound for destruction - "anathema."

This brief message was shared following the Slavic Missionary Baptist Church band presentation.

The Slavic Missionary Baptist Church visited our church for a special presentation of Christmas music and message on the joy of Christmas.

Beginning with why Santa must be a man and other fun facts, this message reviews several undeniable comparisons to why Christ is right choice for Christmas.  Its a busy time of the year and easy to lose focus on what is really important.

The families of John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ meet causing quite a stir, even in the womb.  Imagine the whispers of this older lady having her first child and this engaged virgin being pregnant.  But when the families compare their stories it becomes evident, this is the fulness of the time, when God would send forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Did Mary know?  Of course she did.  But we don't know what we don't know because we are ignorant of God's word.  John confirms five fundamental facts as he closes his book.

God is love but that He SO loved the world is what no one could have expected.  The best way to restore the joy of your own salvation is to tell someone else how much God loves you.

What to do when Christians disagree.  Unity is not sameness but that at the end of the day we love the same thing.

Unthankful people always end up dependent upon other people.  The more a person has, the less thankful they become.  Don't wait for the day of reckoning to appreciate what you have.