May Christmas Be Centered Around Christ As You Enjoy Your Family And Friends.
Be A Miracle In Someone’s Life.
No Activities At Church This Week.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart:
Psalms 139:7-8, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
The nature, or essence, of God’s love includes His choice and His plan.
Because He chose us, He set His love upon us.
This is beyond our comprehension.
We have become the objects of His love and can only say with David, “Where can I flee from Your presence?”
We cannot get away from God’s love.
It will find us out.
It is the greatest hound that you will ever meet up with.
Just as the police dogs sniff out hidden things, God’s love will sniff us out.
Regardless of where we are, even if we are buried under sin and condemnation, the love of God will come and find us there, because we are the objects of that love.
Brothers and sisters, this is the love of God toward us.
And this is the same love we bear toward one another.
This is the love in the church.
We are not together because we each decided to join a group.
We have assembled together with others of His chosen ones.
We are with others who have a destiny over their life to be conformed to the image of God’s Son.
Who are we to receive or reject a member of the Body of Christ based on our little rules?
If a person has been born again, he is loved by the Lord.
He is God’s choice, and he is also one over whom God’s plan is being worked out.
Thus, our part is only to acknowledge what God has done and receive him whom Christ has received.
We are to “receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (Rom. 15:7).
The love that chose me, predestined me to become like Christ, and reconciled me is the same love in our relationships with one another.
So our relationships with one another have their source in eternity.
It is not accidental that we are together.
We are related to one another and we know one another as brothers and sisters.
Our relatedness is based upon God’s choice and His plan in eternity.
Now, in time, we are with one another, regardless of our condition, our background, our race–whatever.
All those things mean nothing.
God’s love has been set over all of us; and now that love has been poured out in our heart, so we can simply let it flow toward one another.
Until Tomorrow
With a Shepherd’s Love
Pastor
TODAY’S PRAYER LIST
Bill Lawhead – Much Prayer needed
Jill Haines
The Graham Family – Brandon’s Friends
Amy Garner’s Mother/Dad
Ashley Burn’s Sisters
Barbara Shed’s Family
Bill Moody
Carol Lawhead’s Brother
Charlie Sessom – Waiting
Colby/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Denise Stubbs – Kim Allison’s Mom
Greg Payne – Lisa’s Brother
Hanna Hall – Pray for Grace
Kimberly – Dustin’s Sister
Larry Barker
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford – Good News
Michael Stanley
Nora Allison – Dustin’s Mom
Paula Ferus’ Missionary Friend
Ricky Stubbs
Rod Gustafson – Cancer
Roseleigh Osborn
Scott Lanier – Linda’s Son
Shaelyn – Jill’s Friend
Sheila Simmons Cousin
Tom Witcher