Making More of Christ @ Christmas!

1. Make everything you do about Jesus and His coming!
2. When it comes to buying gifts and giving gifts set a budget! Something to "Read". Something you "want". Something you "wear." Something you "need"!
3. Get beyond yourself. Is there a family you can bless with a great Christmas? What can you do as a family to make Christ famous with your community, neighbors, peers, and those far from Christ?
4. Go to Christmas eve service. Celebrate the birth of Jesus and God's advent of giving us a Savior!
5. Tell the real story of Santa to your kids and explain the legend without ruining their imaginations or lying to them about an elf bringing them presents. He was a saint and he dropped gold down a chimney to help some poor families make it in the winter.
6. Read the Christmas story from the Bible in the morning first thing. It is my opinion but I don't think it should be all about presents for yourself. Consider what you are going to give to Jesus as a present this next year.
7. Pray and thank God for the blessing you have been given and recognize the privileged position you are in to receive presents at all. Santa didn't bring these gifts , but your hard work and gracious God did.
8. Honor your family traditions as much as possible, but remember your family starts it's own traditions and you are not bound to those your parents held to when you were under their authority. You are not bound to obey your parents once you are married.
9. Resist letting Jesus be dismissed by the culture of "Happy Holidays". As a Christian we wish people to have "More of Christ" in their lives. Say "Merry Christmas".
10. Rejoice, celebrate, and enjoy the season we have a God who wishes to be present in our lives and to redeem us from our brokenness and sin!

7 Ways To Foolishly Rush In With Crazy Love

Engage:  7 Ways to foolishly rush in with crazy love!

1. BE HOPE WALKING - Jesus @ Bethany Lazarus’ family/ Lazarus’’ Tomb… Gave tears & raised hope up in everyone who knew him.  Lazarus’ testimony didn’t need words because He was a living hope for death itself.   
2. BE The HEALING PRESENCE OF GOD  - The Good Samaritan @ Jericho Road… Bind up, gave time, gave money, engaged, made and effort, got into the mess with him.  Samaritan was not religious
3. BE THE HEAD HELPER - Stephen’s Ministry @ Dinner Table … Used his organization gift to distribute materials as needed, gave time, and leadership, Was a solution to what could have divided the first church.  
4. BE A HAND UP - John with the Temple beggar Acts 3... Gave the man a hand up…, Gave touch, healing from the Holy Spirit,
5. BE one who HOLDS OUT GRACE - Jesus with the woman in adultery @ the temple – Gave his Grace and Kindness, and His protection to her.  Those ruined by sexual sin need the churches protection, wisdom, and care.
6. HEAP AFFECTIONATE ON OTHERS - Jesus @ the base of the mountain … Gave the leper His touch.  People with diseases need physical affection as much as healing.
7. HEARTEN OTHERS WITH YOUR WORDS… Joseph the Levite was called Barnabas Son of Encouragement

Job Principles

Job Principles

God allows troubles to come on the righteous.  

Satan has no authority over the righteous unless God gives him permission.  

Satan's authority extends then only to the areas of life that God allows.  

1. property

2. children

3. wealth

4. health

God initiated the conversation with Satan regarding Job.

Satan's question is  valid for all of us.  Do we serve God only because of His blessings?

Satan's second question is also valid,  Do we serve God only because we have our health?

Job's response to testing is quite amazing.  He fell down and worshipped.  This is a hyperbole response.  

1.  A man might praise God with his words.  

2.  A man might love God,  but i have not met a man who worshipped God because he lost everything.  

Job has friends who come to comfort him but instead they condemn him accusing him of suffering God's judgment and then of being rebellious by claiming innocence before

God.

Job's friends come from quite a distance and when they are a ways off they don't even recognize him.   

all three of job's friends accuse job of being unrighteous.  Their understanding of God is that he would never test or bring such trouble on the righteous.   All of their understanding of God was based on the reality that God physically blesses those who live righteous, and God judges those that do not.  Each claims to be righteous in his own mind, but all are bearing a spirit of judgment and condemnation toward Job.  

good counselors don't condemn they comfort and console.  It may just be that God is bringing about some change in thinking and in living in the heart of the man or woman you find broken before you.   

God is not pleased with Job's three friends and requires them to bring sacrifices to Job for peace offerings and for Job to pray for them.  

God allows Job to plead his case with Him in person.  Job refuse to complain about receiving testing from God.  

Simply put God may well bring a financial or family or physical issue into your life to test and develop a deeper understanding of the way of God.    

God is sovereign and he rules rightly and justly.   He at his pleasure tests us for his own good purpose and not for our own good.  

Job was blessed almost doubly for enduring without blaming God and for receiving difficulties with the same understanding that he received blessings.  

Do you and I see the author of our troubles and  fall down and worship?

Do you and I seek to converse with God or do we blame God for the evil or difficult circumstances in our lives?

Are we ready for what God would give us difficult or what we desire?