John 15:27 says, "And you must tell others about me because you have been with me from the beginning." This was the words of Jesus to His disciples. They were to tell others what they had experienced in the presence of Christ. They had been with Him from the beginning and they were to tell others all about it. They were to talk about the things they had seen and heard for themselves.
What a challenge for us! To tell others what we have seen, heard and experienced for ourselves. May we talk about His love. May we tell about His grace. May we speak about how He has changed our lives. This message of redemption and forgiveness has been told for generations. The challenge for each of us is to continue to carry the torch.
This is today,
Pastor Gary
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Mary
The Christmas season is here! What a great time of the year. Take a moment and think back to that first Christmas. Imagine what it must have been like for Mary when the Angel Gabriel arrived in her little obscure town of Nazareth in Galilee. Think about how awe-struck she must have been when the Angel addressed her. Let us take a moment and ease drop on a part of his conversation with Mary: "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" (Luke 1:28) But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. (Luke 1:29) Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30)
I can only imagine how afraid Mary was. She suddenly found herself at the center of God's redemptive plan for mankind. She found herself at the center of all that God was about to do in "the fullness of time." This is what the nation of Israel had been waiting for since its very conception. This was going to be the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise that God made in the Garden of Eden that there would be a champion from the seed of woman. Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." This is what the patriarchs had believed in and what the prophets spoke about, and, Mary finds herself in the middle of this great salvation plan.
Is this not how God still operates today? He takes ordinary people (the Mary's) and He uses them to bring about His great plan. God wants to take you and place you at the center of all that He is doing. Do not be afraid. Ponder what He is doing around you and say like Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant" (vs. 38).
This is today,
Pastor Gary
I can only imagine how afraid Mary was. She suddenly found herself at the center of God's redemptive plan for mankind. She found herself at the center of all that God was about to do in "the fullness of time." This is what the nation of Israel had been waiting for since its very conception. This was going to be the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise that God made in the Garden of Eden that there would be a champion from the seed of woman. Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." This is what the patriarchs had believed in and what the prophets spoke about, and, Mary finds herself in the middle of this great salvation plan.
Is this not how God still operates today? He takes ordinary people (the Mary's) and He uses them to bring about His great plan. God wants to take you and place you at the center of all that He is doing. Do not be afraid. Ponder what He is doing around you and say like Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant" (vs. 38).
This is today,
Pastor Gary
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