Choosing to make Jesus Christ the Lord of our life changes our lifestyle dramatically. Friendships, activities, and even health issues receive careful evaluation. While we formulate reasons for the way we live our Christian lives, God’s purpose for our lives never changes.
• To remain connected to God through Jesus Christ (John 15:4–8). A life that’s cut off from God withers and dies -- physically as well as spiritually. God desires to reproduce His Son’s life through our fruitfulness.
• To remain faithful through persecution and to resist false doctrine (2 Timothy 3:12–17). The apostle Paul expected situations to become worse as worldly pressures increased. Our testimony and knowledge of the Scriptures arm us against any deceivers or deceptive ideals.
• To present the Good News to a lost world (Mark 16:15-16; 1 Timothy 6:12) Like an athlete or soldier, we present our best efforts to further the faith. Our transformed lives compel us to share the Gospel’s impact not just for our “today,” but for our eternity.
Selah
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
New Year's Eve (Watch Night) Service
A New Year with No Limitations
“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” 2 Cor. 6:1-2
Tired of just getting by?
Tired of barely making it?
Tired of borrowing and begging?
Tired of being the tail and not the head?
God wants you to have life and have it more abundantly. No, you don’t just have to exist.The good news of the Gospel is: Be not dismayed whatever betides you. In this New Year, God will take care of you. My brothers and sisters its time we dwell abundantly.
Help bring in the New Year with jubilation, praise, praying, shouting, and thanking God. I see a better day. I see a better life. He's giving me more than I ever had before. No more am I limited by limitations. I serve a God who has no limitations.
New Year's Eve (Watch Night) Service
Friday, Dec 31
Refreshments and Fellowship: 8:30pm
Service: 10:00pm to Saturday, Jan 1 (2011) 12:00am
Come and join us at:
Scotts Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
511 Tulip Grove Road, Hermitage, TN 37076
“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” 2 Cor. 6:1-2
Tired of just getting by?
Tired of barely making it?
Tired of borrowing and begging?
Tired of being the tail and not the head?
God wants you to have life and have it more abundantly. No, you don’t just have to exist.The good news of the Gospel is: Be not dismayed whatever betides you. In this New Year, God will take care of you. My brothers and sisters its time we dwell abundantly.
Help bring in the New Year with jubilation, praise, praying, shouting, and thanking God. I see a better day. I see a better life. He's giving me more than I ever had before. No more am I limited by limitations. I serve a God who has no limitations.
New Year's Eve (Watch Night) Service
Friday, Dec 31
Refreshments and Fellowship: 8:30pm
Service: 10:00pm to Saturday, Jan 1 (2011) 12:00am
Come and join us at:
Scotts Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
511 Tulip Grove Road, Hermitage, TN 37076
Friday, December 24, 2010
This Christmas, I say Rejoice!
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).
Sometimes it is not easy to rejoice or to give praise to the Lord, but that does not change the command. It is God’s will that we find joy in prayer in Christ Jesus in every condition of life. God works everything together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). “Rejoice . . . pray . . . give thanks” is God’s will for every believer in every situation regardless of the chances, changes and circumstances that come in your life.
Is your hope fixed on Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him! Are you a partaker of the life that is in Him? Rejoice in Christ! Have you been born to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him!
Have you been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him!
Do you know the grace of the Father that has given you eternal life? Rejoice in the Lord!
Have you experienced the forgiveness of all your sins? Rejoice in Christ!
Has the Holy Spirit spread abroad in your heart the love of God? Rejoice in Him!
Do you delight in knowing Jesus Christ died as your substitute on the cross? Rejoice in the Lord!
If you have been saved the Holy Spirit has taken up permanent residence in you. Rejoice in the Lord.
Rejoice in His dwelling in you, quickening you, comforting you, and the illuminating His Word. Rejoice in Him! Rejoice and be glad, what God has done in Christ, should make you rejoice and keep on rejoicing.
This Christmas, as I think about the many gifts the Father has given us, one is the privilege of rejoicing. Thank you, LORD for being so faithful. May He bless you abundantly, and may you and your family have a very Merry Christmas! Selah!
Sometimes it is not easy to rejoice or to give praise to the Lord, but that does not change the command. It is God’s will that we find joy in prayer in Christ Jesus in every condition of life. God works everything together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). “Rejoice . . . pray . . . give thanks” is God’s will for every believer in every situation regardless of the chances, changes and circumstances that come in your life.
Is your hope fixed on Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him! Are you a partaker of the life that is in Him? Rejoice in Christ! Have you been born to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him!
Have you been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him!
Do you know the grace of the Father that has given you eternal life? Rejoice in the Lord!
Have you experienced the forgiveness of all your sins? Rejoice in Christ!
Has the Holy Spirit spread abroad in your heart the love of God? Rejoice in Him!
Do you delight in knowing Jesus Christ died as your substitute on the cross? Rejoice in the Lord!
If you have been saved the Holy Spirit has taken up permanent residence in you. Rejoice in the Lord.
Rejoice in His dwelling in you, quickening you, comforting you, and the illuminating His Word. Rejoice in Him! Rejoice and be glad, what God has done in Christ, should make you rejoice and keep on rejoicing.
This Christmas, as I think about the many gifts the Father has given us, one is the privilege of rejoicing. Thank you, LORD for being so faithful. May He bless you abundantly, and may you and your family have a very Merry Christmas! Selah!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Season of Epiphany
In western Christian tradition, January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from the evening of December 25th until the morning of January 6th, which is the Twelfth Day.
This is an occasion for feasting and celebration. In traditional Christian churches Christmas, as well as Easter, is celebrated as a period of time, a season of the church year, rather than just a day. The Season of the Church Year associated with Christmas actually begins with the first Sunday of Advent, four Sundays before Christmas Day. Advent is marked by expectation and anticipation in preparing to celebrate the coming of Jesus. Christmas begins with Christmas Day December 25 and lasts for Twelve Days until Epiphany, January 6, which looks ahead to the mission of the church to the world in light of the Nativity. The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide.
The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King.
The day is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the church in reaching others by "showing" Jesus as the Savior of all people. It is also a time of focusing on Christian brotherhood and fellowship, especially in healing the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often create between God’s children.
Prayer
Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. We realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.
Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better, or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!
Will you fill us so full of your love; enable us with your strength to forgive, and to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?
We thank you for your love, praise you for your Gift, ask for your continued Presence with us, and bring these petitions in the name of Jesus, who has truly revealed your heart. Amen.
This is an occasion for feasting and celebration. In traditional Christian churches Christmas, as well as Easter, is celebrated as a period of time, a season of the church year, rather than just a day. The Season of the Church Year associated with Christmas actually begins with the first Sunday of Advent, four Sundays before Christmas Day. Advent is marked by expectation and anticipation in preparing to celebrate the coming of Jesus. Christmas begins with Christmas Day December 25 and lasts for Twelve Days until Epiphany, January 6, which looks ahead to the mission of the church to the world in light of the Nativity. The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide.
The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King.
The day is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the church in reaching others by "showing" Jesus as the Savior of all people. It is also a time of focusing on Christian brotherhood and fellowship, especially in healing the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often create between God’s children.
Prayer
Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. We realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.
Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better, or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!
Will you fill us so full of your love; enable us with your strength to forgive, and to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?
We thank you for your love, praise you for your Gift, ask for your continued Presence with us, and bring these petitions in the name of Jesus, who has truly revealed your heart. Amen.
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