As we come into this very special time of the year we shall get into the  Advent narrative as revealed through the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.  As we start in Matthew today we are going to look into the many lives  revealed through the genealogy of Joseph as well as the difficulties  both Joseph and Mary will have to face in the pregnancy which is  discovered today! Time on Sundays is so limited to be able to share the  details of the coming of our King and so we shall hang out here, on the  Corner, and really dig in!

Today in our final chapter of 2 Corinthians we are given the "Final Warning" from the Apostle Paul which is absolutely fantastic! I am fairly certain that if Paul came back in our modern day that he would put a good whoopin' on all the church (at least in the US). One statement he makes in this chapter really rings out though and that is, "Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith..." This is a very powerful statement to make and we should be very mindful to do so today, to truly examine our own hearts to know that we belong to Jesus. This and more today with Pastor J!!!

Today we venture to Psalm 50:1-15 and consider the offering of the sacrifice of Thanksgiving. As to day is Thanksgiving day here in the U.S. I pray we consider the LORD. I have no doubt there will be much food and many families gathering together to feast upon it, but may we also consider the many reasons to be thankful to God in those moments you are all gathered! To recognize His grace and to thank Him for the many ways that He has been with us through this year! We have much to be thankful for, and so may God bless you richly and I pray you all have a happy Thanksgiving!

Today on the Corner we get into Proverbs 15 and deal with the first three verses! To consider the "soft answer" in how to turn away wrath. Also, we shall learn to control our tongue that we may be wise for there is a danger with the heart using the tongue to bring about much folly if the heart is not brought under subjection to Christ! Lastly we have a chance to talk about the omniscience of God and recognize that He "sees" us in all our ways, through all our days! Would we change anything in our life if we truly believed God was watching? All this and more today with Pastor J, so tune in and enjoy this time on the Corner.

Today in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 we get to discover a bit about the third heaven Paul boasts about a bit, as well as come to the understanding of the thorns all of us may have experienced in the flesh, some temporary and some which will never leave us alone! The Apostle Paul had a "thorn" as well and often prayed the Lord would take it from him, but God's answer was quite powerful for Paul and rather important for us to receive today, "My grace is sufficient for you..." Indeed this is the last thing you want to hear from God when you're going through something, but it is nonetheless entirely true for God is always with you, has never left you nor will ever forsake you! After this we come to the fear Paul has in coming to this church as realizing it may not be the same church he's been to in the past! Their corruptions have altered their hearts as a body and they have reached a place where they've begun to tear themselves apart! So much to be amazed by today in this chapter with Pastor J, so hold on tight while we dig into the Word and may God bless you richly, amen.

Today in 2 Corinthians 11 we dig into false apostles, false gospels, false spirits, and the manipulation of the heart which I firmly believe is the sole cause of the great darkness which has overshadowed our nation (and the world) today. This is not the first time the world has had to go through such time, nor is it the first time the Church has faced such challenges. The only way we will be able to combat the times and spirits that are manipulating them is to grow spiritually in the truth of the Gospel and become dedicated servants to our Father in the proclamation of the truth! Buckle up for the ride through chapter 11 today with Pastor J!!!

Welcome to Friday and to 2 Corinthians chapter 10. Today we will only cover the first 6 verses and believe me, this will take all our time! Paul has a mighty discourse in these verses concerning the nature of the flesh verses the Spirit. In many ways, though we may be Christians, often we will find ourselves living according to the flesh and operating in, and through, the flesh. Our new birth experience is only of value if we learn to live in the Spirit and pull down the strong-holds of the flesh which can so easily beset the work of the Holy Spirit within us! Lots to receive today and to consider. May God bless you richly in this time on the Corner today with Pastor J!!!

Today in 2 Corinthians chapter 9 we find the importance of carrying our our promises (as churches) before God. We discover today that the Macedonian people were in the midst of great struggle and the Corinthian church, at one point, had great zeal toward sending relief to the Macedonians by means of a generous gift. Through the process of time though it did not seem as though the Corinthian church was going to come through on its promise, so Paul went into action on behalf of the Macedonians and sent a group before him to Corinth to ensure the gift would be ready when Paul and his Macedonian partners arrived! There are two main points in this chapter for us today, and they are: 1) Being found unprepared - when we make promises we need to realize (especially as a church) that our promises are not made to anyone in specific, but made to and before Almighty God! 2) He who supplies - The last section of this paragraph of persuasion points to God and informs the Corinthian church that their abundance is blessed to them from God and has the principal purpose of being a blessing in overflow to those congregations who are less fortunate around their area of influence. As Paul is often found quoting from the Torah and the Prophets to solidify his points, in verse 9 he ties together Scriptures from Psalm 112:3, 9; Proverbs 8:18; Proverbs 21:21; and Isaiah 51:8. Never make the mistake in thinking the Old Testament or the law have been abolished or replaced at the ushering in of the New Testament times. All of our New Testament authors used, quoted from, and taught the Torah in the building, evangelizing, and establishing of all the foundational church in the New Testament. What God has supplied let no man take for granted or dismiss, but let him be diligent in his study and let him be faithful in his quest to fear God and keep His commandments. May God bless you richly today with Pastor J.

Today in Proverbs chapter 14 we discover the necessity of the fear of the Lord keeping us straight, or straightening us out! We discover that sin is a reproach to the nation that has forgotten God! We also discover that when we do not consider our actions and simply follow whatever we are told that our ways may seem right to us at the time, but the ends of those ways shall lead us to death. There is much to be gleaned from this chapter of Proverbs today so I pray God bless you richly as you dig in with Pastor J!!!

As we dive into 2 Corinthians chapter 8 today we discover the Biblical concept of equality when it comes to those struck by poverty and those blessed with an abundance! What we do not find is our modern concept of wealth re-distribution! What we do find is the willingness of God's children to recognize the burdens and struggles of others, and through the means of blessing they do have we are able to ease the suffering of those who have not. As we are able to give of our abundance we can praise the Lord because of His great blessings to us. As those who lack receive of our abundance they are able to praise the Lord for the provision of their needs, and so everyone is praising the Lord (which is exactly how things should be!). There is a great blessing to be received today from this chapter if we are willing to take it in, so I pray you will be blessed today with Pastor J!!!