Treasured Truth

Sixteen times in the book of Matthew, the Apostle uses the phrase, “This was to fulfill what the Lord had said by the mouth of the prophet.”  And as we begin this study, we’ll find that the genealogy of Jesus Matthew provides validates the prophecies about the Messiah and is proof that we can trust the Word of God.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Jews were expecting a King to be born, who was promised to them in the Old Testament.  But they missed their king because He was not born in the pomp and circumstance they were expecting, but in poverty.  He was not born to a princess, but to a peasant.  He was not born in a palace.  He was born in a barn instead.  Pastor Ford will share more about the birth certificate of Jesus when you join us for today’s Treasured Truth.

As we continue to see how Joseph was a great example of obedience in accepting his assignment from God, Pastor Ford will help us understand how things could have been much different for him.  He could have disobeyed and walked away.  But because he was in tune with God and understood the importance of obedience, we can look back at his story and find encouragement.

Today, Pastor Ford will continue to share encouragement for those of us who find ourselves in a blended family situation.  And he’ll remind us that if you need help understanding how to raise a child, whether the child is yours or not, then scripture—especially the book of Proverbs—is full of wisdom to help us know how.

When we experience the struggles that come in life, we have to rely on God’s strength to get us through.  As we continue to look at the story of Joseph and how he accepted his role as the earthly father of Jesus, we’ll see how he depending on God to give him wisdom and the power to do what he needed to do.  He was rightly related to God and that was key in helping him face the truth of his situation.

Today, Pastor Ford will help us understand that it really does take a man of character to meet the challenge of raising someone else’s child.  When we are part of a blended family, having good character can help us overcome the issues that are part of that situation.  We’ll continue to learn from the example of Joseph when you join us for  today’s Treasured Truth.

As we begin to look at the story of Mary and Joseph in the book of Matthew, Pastor Ford will talk about how it was apparent that Joseph’s character enabled him to deal with Mary’s announcement that she was going to have a child.  There were many ways he could have responded, but he listened to God, obeyed.

Pastor Ford wants to remind us this Christmas, that we can believe the promises of God, because the baby in the manger is Deity in a diaper.  God came in the flesh, fulfilled the promises in the Old Testament and He kept His word!

God wants us to be generous, not only in our gifts to Him, but also in our gifts to others.  As we cultivate a giving attitude and a heart that is focused on generosity, then God will honor us.  But Pastor Ford will remind us today that we don’t give to get.  Instead, we give out of gratitude.

When we are giving to God, it’s not about what’s in our pocket or wallet—it’s about what’s in our heart and our attitude about giving.  And Pastor Ford will share with us today how we can honor God with our gifts, as we respond in gratitude for all that He has done for us.