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As we enter the 2018 Advent season, I encourage us to open our minds to the
role generosity plays in the life of a follower of Jesus. It has always been
interesting to me that Jesus spent more time speaking about money than any
other topic. In fact, in the Gospels, one out of ten verses (288 in total) deal
directly with the subject of money. Joseph Stowell once wrote: “God’s plan is
simple—give to gain. In other words, give to the kingdom and God will take care
of your needs.”
As we journey through Advent, we will be exploring ways we can be generous
in various aspects of our lives, including but not limited to finances. During the
first week of Advent we will look at what it means to be generous with our time,
as we are encouraged to Wait Longer.
During the second week of Advent, we will be challenged to be generous with
our creativity. God is the great creator, and we were created in His image. I
believe that part of being in His image is that there is a spark of creativity in
every one of us, as we are co-creators with Him. During this Advent season we
encourage you to Create Better.
The third week of Advent we will explore what it looks like to be generous with
our material possessions – our money and the physical resources we have
available to us. We are to live lives as wise stewards and generous givers as we
are challenged to Give More.
Finally, during the fourth week of Advent, we will delve into what it looks like to
be generous with how we are. God gave of himself when He sent Jesus to earth.
In the same way, we should give of ourselves to others. Our life is not our own
but is to be lived in service to God, so we desire to Serve Passionately.
Stowell shares that “a generous believer once said: ‘I shovel out, and God
shovels in, and He has a bigger shovel than I do.’ And while the return may or
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may not be monetary, you can be sure that your heart will overflow with the joy
of giving generously and seeing His kingdom prosper.”
It has been a great pleasure working with the staff and ministry teams of our
Attridge Site on this Advent Devotional Project. A big thank-you to all who
contributed readings! I am so thankful you were willing to share what God has
laid on your hearts, and I am excited to see how these readings will impact our
congregations as we prepare to celebrate the Incarnation – Emmanuel – God
With Us.
Brad Berkan
Attridge Worship Pastor
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First Week of Advent December 2 – Val Burron .................................................................... 6
December 3 – Jared Yochim ................................................................. 7
December 4 – Laurie Pauls .................................................................. 8
December 5 – Gail McKenzie ............................................................... 9
December 6 – Amy Cameron ............................................................. 11
December 7 – Brittany Meisner ........................................................ 12
December 8 – Jodi Enns .................................................................... 13
Second Week of Advent December 9 – Jonathan Durance ....................................................... 16
December 10 – Martie Giesbrecht ..................................................... 17
December 11 – Val Burron ................................................................. 19
December 12 – Bruce Enns ................................................................ 20
December 13 – Amy Funk .................................................................. 21
December 14 – Laurie Pauls .............................................................. 22
December 15 – Karen Block ............................................................... 23
Third Week of Advent December 16 – Steve & Orisha Schroeder ......................................... 27
December 17 – Kevin Wiens .............................................................. 28
December 18 – Christine Berkan ........................................................ 29
December 19 – Val Burron ................................................................ 31
December 20 – Chandra Styles .......................................................... 32
December 21– Kenton Stobbe .......................................................... 33
December 22 – Laurie Pauls .............................................................. 35
Fourth Week of Advent December 23 – Val Burron ................................................................ 38
December 24 – Florianne Nickel ........................................................ 39
The Incarnation
December 25 – Jared Yochim ............................................................ 42
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Habakkuk 1:5
I am going to do something in your own lifetime that you will have to see to believe!
any of you who follow social media have probably been drawn to video
posts that have a caption stating “Wait for it....” And what do the
majority of us do? We watch and wait what is hopefully a short clip setting up
an unexpected and typically hilarious ending.
Read what the Lord says to us in Habakkuk 1:5: “Look and be amazed! You will
be astounded at what I am about to do! For I am going to do something in
your own lifetime that you will have to see to believe!” In this passage He is
asking us to watch Him at work. Pay attention and live in expectation. It’s going
to be so awesome, you won’t believe your eyes. It may even appear to be too
good to be true! This verse, paraphrased loosely, is God’s way of saying “Wait
for it....”
The “waiting for it” is sometimes called the process. The word process means
“a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.” For those
of you who are going through a season of transition or change you will
understand completely what that means. Recently our daughter was entering a
season of change. At the beginning of her process I remember telling her that
this was exactly where God loves to meet us. He actually enjoys baby-stepping
us through into the next new thing. Author Graham Cooke says that “it’s the
small actions that build us up. The process makes us rich, not the outcome.”
It’s in the process of “waiting for it” that we grow. We develop faith. We develop
trust. All of our senses are put on high alert to hear, see, feel, taste and smell
what we are waiting for. As a bonus, our relationship with the Holy Spirit
deepens and we have this unexplainable feeling of God’s smile upon us. In
Janelle’s case, her process led her to another province! As parents, our process
included giving words of encouragement, prayer support and releasing her with
our blessing. We were confident in her ability to hear God’s voice and we
trusted Him to work behind the scenes to prepare and position her for
something that, at times, really did seem too good to be true!
Sunday, December 2 Val Burron – Welcome Teams
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Mark 6:31
Then, because so many people were coming and
going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them,
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” - Jesus
n the hair industry, time equals money. Due to the direct relation of this
equation, its easy to see how someone can begin to associate a lot of
their value as a person with how busy they are as a person. So much of our value
as people is determined by how busy we are. I think that might be one of the
main reasons that social media exists - so that the people around us can know
just how busy we are. And therefore, just how valuable we are.
The temptation to be busy is everywhere. I frequently catch my moods shifting
due to the amount of appointments that I may or may not have in my book for
the day. I feel like my value is diminished because I compare my schedule to
those around me.
As a hairstylist, of course I understand the merit to working hard. Everything in
life has a cost. Some of those costs are financial, some are not. To most people,
the trade of time for money is a no brainer. Of course it makes sense to trade
our time for more expendable income.
But as I have been reading about Jesus, I’ve noticed a different take on time. He
was never too busy for people. In the stories I read about Him, He’s always being
interrupted by people who society says are less valuable. He listens to them,
affirms them, and heals them. He gives them the time of day. Perhaps Jesus had
a very different understanding of time and people than the rest of us do.
A friend of mine was once remarking to my dad how quick life seems to go by.
My dad’s response was simple, “Don’t slow life down, fill it up.” That made a lot
of sense to me. Fill your life up with the things that are truly valuable. The
trouble with that simple statement is that it can make us feel like we need to fill
it with our jobs or things that can provide us with a financial capital. When that
happens, we can become very poor practisers of rest. This holiday season, ask
Monday, December 3 Jared Yochim – GroveYouth Leader
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yourself, “What things can I fill my life with that are meaningful?” It could be
time with family, time with those in need, time with Jesus, or even time resting.
One of the main questions I have been asking myself lately is “How do I fill my
life up?”
Life is short. Don’t slow it down, fill it up.
Psalm 27 (TPT)
Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord.
ecently I have found Psalm 27 helping me express my heart’s desires.
My desire to find my light and my salvation in the LORD.
My desire to live each day in the presence of the LORD.
My desire to worship Him for who He is.
My desire to be obedient when He calls me to take action in some new way.
My desire for the LORD to teach and guide me along life’s journey with
confidence that I will experience His goodness along the way.
I can read through this psalm and sense my heart agreeing with the Psalmist
David, whispering a passionate “amen!”
It is right at the end of the psalm where my heart has been challenged and
convicted. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and
courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” When reading this verse, I
recognize my desire for immediate answers, for the LORD to fulfill a promise
quickly, and to act in the way that I want Him to. So many times I have prayed
eagerly for things and then quickly feel discouraged when things don’t turn out
how I thought they would or happen in my desired timeframe. I am left waiting.
Tuesday, December 4 Laurie Pauls – Worship Design Team
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The LORD is teaching me that in many situations, transformation and growth
happen slowly over time. . .years. . .and in unexpected ways. God loves my
passion, eagerness, and prayers, but He wants me to trust Him to be God -
trusting Him to do what is best from His all encompassing point of view. He
wants me to trust in His goodness, His perfection, and His love even when I do
not understand His ways.
As I begin to trust Him, the fruit of patience starts to grow. Patience strengthens
us to hold onto hope when situations seem hopeless. Patience supplies us with
endurance for the journey of loving and walking alongside others even when
the growth or healing isn’t obvious. Patience gives us courage to submit to the
LORD’s will when it does not line up with our own.
Instead of being overcome by discouragement when life does not go our way,
let us pay attention to what God is doing, teaching, and growing through the
unexpected.
Romans 8:29 (TPT)
So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together
to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives.
his is a hard time of year for me. In the past I remember loving
Christmas: the excitement and anticipation, all the Christmas smells,
music, and gatherings of friends and family. It was an exciting change from
routine, a very special time.
Then everything changed. I experienced loss and began hating this time of year.
Busy people everywhere. Everyone seemed so happy. I pretended to be happy
or hid to avoid it all. But I couldn’t hide. Every sound, smell and decoration acted
as a reminder of those no longer present.
Wednesday, December 5 Gail McKenzie – ALPHA Leader
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Years later, the love and hate take turns. I have moments of delight followed by
tears of pain. It’s a struggle to survive ups and downs, riding out waves of
emotions. This year I am trying to focus on a verse that came as a promise to
me while I was in the throes of grief and sorrow. Romans 8:28. In my own
paraphrase it says: I know you are hurting, and you don’t understand. I know
you don’t believe it, or even if you do, knowing it doesn’t ease the pain, but
hold on to me… you will make it. You are my daughter, I am right here with
you, and I will bring good out of your pain. You may never fully understand
but continue to trust and love me so that nothing in your life will be wasted. I
will redeem it all as I have redeemed you.
I am learning that it’s not really about what happens to me or making sense of
it all. It’s really about who I am becoming. It’s about who He is turning me into.
Lately I have been learning a lot about waiting. Instead of filling my time with
pleading, worry, and frustration with God (yes, it hurts to admit that!), I am
actively waiting. Basically, I asked God what He is trying to show me during this
season. This is changing me. I am learning about peace. I am learning about
trust. I am learning about rest. I am learning about God. I am learning about
myself. Please do not misunderstand. I have not fully figured these things out.
But I am learning them in a new way, in a way I could not have possibly
understood before. It makes me excited to learn more.
Whether you are a lover or hater of Christmas, or somewhere in-between like
me, I have a challenge for you. Carve out time today to ask God a question:
What would you like to show me during the Christmas season this year? And
wait until He answers. Just wait. Once you have your answer, make it your focus
this month. Imagine your focus is like looking through this lens at each
experience, all the wonderful and terrible happenings over the next few weeks.
It might change the way you experience this season. It might change you. But
please be patient with yourself and patient with others as you never know what
this season evokes.
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John 15:1-8
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you,
you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
usyness seems to be a prominent symptom of the culture we find
ourselves in. Often, we fill our lives with tasks and projects to make us
feel important or purposeful. But these “fillers”, no matter how important they
may seem, can sometimes leave us with little time for things of real value and
purpose. Ultimately, they can leave us feeling more burnt out and drained than
contented and fulfilled. The remedy is to create healthy margins in our lives,
leaving room for God to use us in ways that are better than any of the plans we
might come up with ourselves.
Margins are the spaces surrounding a page that go unnoticed until they’re not
there. These margins may be used in many different ways, but their purpose is
always the same - to enhance what’s in the centre. In the same way, Jesus uses
the margins in our lives for His glory. When we allow Him to prune back
branches, or areas in our lives that need pruning, we’re told these branches will
be even more fruitful.
Creating margins in our lives allows for valuable time of rest and reflection,
spent with our Creator. But this may require pruning and removing things in our
lives that are no longer valuable or a priority, in order to increase the margins;
time that can be made available when people need us; time that is available to
be used for whatever Jesus may use it for.
If we have no margins in our lives, we limit the fruit God will bear in us. But
when we prayerfully allow God to prune back parts of our lives we allow Him to
grow other areas of our lives to be more fruitful.
What areas in your life might be pruned? Are you allowing God to be the master
of your time?
Thursday, December 6 Amy Cameron – Grove Young Adults
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1 Samuel 1:9-18
“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel
grant the request you have asked of him.”
hen I am at the doctor’s office or waiting for a flight, I wait for about three minutes before I pick-up my phone. I can’t seem to sit and wait with nothing to do. When I was little, I remember the Christmas season being so exciting, and yet so difficult. My brothers and I would wake up so early on Christmas morning. We couldn’t sleep any longer knowing that our stockings were full, and that there were gifts under the tree. Advent is a time of waiting with anticipation and preparation. It’s good waiting. However, I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to be waiting year after year for the promise of the Messiah, because I am terrible at waiting. I can be so impatient, especially when I am waiting for an answer to prayer. A few years ago, I was given the opportunity to teach at my church in Kelowna. The series was on prayer, and I was given a passage of scripture from 1 Samuel. It was the story of Hannah and her desperate desire to conceive a son. Hannah was miserable. The passage says that she prayed with “deep anguish” as she desperately asked the Lord to allow her to conceive a son. As she was praying, Eli the priest confronted her. When she explained to him what she had been praying for, Eli answered “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to Him.” 1 Samuel 1:18 says, that after this conversation, Hannah went away, ate, “and her face was no longer sad.” I was deeply impacted by her response. It was a response of such faith. She completely trusted that the Lord had heard her prayer and would answer her. Not only did she believe He would answer her, but she was completely content to wait for His answer. I don’t pray like this. I don’t wait like this. I find myself praying half-hearted prayers over and over again, not really trusting that God has heard me, and certainly not content to wait for His answer. This passage
Friday, December 7 Brittany Meisner – Worship Teams
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taught me that while God answers our prayers with a “yes" or a “no”, He also answers our prayers with a “not yet” - and that’s ok. Recently, I’ve been reading a book that talks about being with Jesus during each season. The author calls winter a season of waiting, one in which the work you do is pray. He urges us to pray based on who God is and who the Bible says He is, not just on how we actually see God in our daily lives. This is the kind of person I want to be in the waiting. That in the midst of any circumstance, I pray prayers of deep trust. Prayers based on who God is. I want to be a person that is patient. One who waits with anticipation and preparation; knowing that God has heard my prayer, and He will answer in His timing. I pray the same for you today - in whatever it is you are waiting for.
Mark 5:34-36
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace
and be freed from your suffering.” While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from
the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why
bother the teacher anymore?” Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him,
“Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
esus was constantly travelling and His time was consumed with people
wanting healing and wanting to spend time with Him. These verses follow
an account of Jesus arriving on shore and being approached by a man named
Jairus. Jairus, a loving father, grieving his dying daughter, approaches Jesus and
pleads for His time. Jesus agreed to go with Jairus to see his daughter. As they
journeyed, amidst a crowd pressing in around them, Jesus feels the power go
out of Him. Jesus stops and asks who touched Him. A woman stepped forward.
This woman had been bleeding for 12 years, declared unclean, and was cast
aside to live her life in isolation and shame. Her illness had become her identity,
and her identity seemed to declare her as unworthy. As news spread about this
man named Jesus, this became a final source of hope for the woman. While
Saturday, December 8 Jodi Enns – Children’s Ministry Director
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Jesus was on His way through the crowd with Jairus, this woman sees her
opportunity and reaches out for even the slightest touch of His robe. The
moment she touches Jesus' robe, her abundant faith heals her.
Jesus stops. Jesus takes time. Jesus sees her. Not only seeing her for her illness
or her shame but seeing her for her faith. Jesus takes the time to embody love
in the form of time. It's not just about spending time with people, it's about
spending the right kind of time. Time loving people as Jesus loved. We should
model after Jesus; instead of telling people about Jesus, we are to become like
Jesus, become love.
I recently read Bob Goth's book, Everybody Always and I was moved by the love
that he exampled in the midst of incredibly challenging circumstances and
incredibly challenging people. He uses the phrase to "become love," and since
reading it, it has become a mantra I try to filter all of my encounters through.
When I spend time with people, am I serving up love or dishing out opinions?
How can I humble myself and not feel that I need to have the last word in every
disagreement? In what ways can I serve and go out of my way to be present?
What if, instead of speaking about Jesus as our primary way of sharing the
gospel, we became like Jesus? What a powerful way to build and expand the
Kingdom.
Following Jesus healing the woman, He then receives news that Jairus' daughter
has passed. While people are immediately discouraged, Jesus says to believe.
Jesus visits Jairus' daughter and miraculously heals her. Jesus then says they are
not to tell anybody about this event. Jesus asks people not to share about His
miracle multiple times throughout His ministry on earth and it seems puzzling.
If Jesus wants people to know about Him why would He do this? I don't think
Jesus was trying to keep His identity a secret. I think Jesus was asking people to
be generous with their time and show people about Jesus instead of telling
them. How were they to show people Jesus? By becoming love. By becoming
like Jesus.
How can you be generous with your time this season to embody the love of
Jesus?
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Micah 5:2,4
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of
you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely,
for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
his week we are focusing on the importance of creativity in response to
the Nativity. In many ways, the incarnation was the most creative event
since the creation itself: who would have thought God could take on human
form! It was so improbable that even the angels looked on in wonder (1 Peter
1:12). Micah, writing under the inspiration of the Spirit, says, “though you are
small among the clans of Judah,” Bethlehem will produce a ruler who’s
“greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.” The Creator demonstrated His
creativity once again: He took the small and insignificant and brought out of it
something beautiful and magnificent.
In response, our little acts of creativity around Christmas are inspired by God’s
creativity. From baking and a decorated tree, to music, art, photography,
clothing, and gifts, we seek to invent, imagine, and re-imagine – all inspired by
the thrilling creative act of God becoming a human being and then offering to
dwell in us.
Our culture is replete with countless examples of creative acts inspired by that
first Christmas. For example, I am reminded by John Milton’s astonishing
creativity. In his sublime treasure, Paradise Lost, he not only laid the foundation
for modern English – along with Shakespeare and the translators of the King
James Bible – he also affirmed the historical and spiritual significance of the
Bible. When he was only 16 years old, he wrote a poem titled “On the Morning
of Christ’s Nativity.” There are many memorable passages, but the following
stood out to me in the context of Micah’s passage:
Sunday, December 9 Jonathan Durance – FGCC Council
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He (a demon) feels from Judah's land
The dreaded Infant's hand,
The rays of Bethlehem blind his darkened eyes;
Nor all the gods beside Longer dare abide.
Our Babe, to show his Godhead true,
Can in his swaddling bands control the damned crew.
Milton creates this fantastic imagery of demons fleeing the “dreaded infant’s
hand” as our little Lord in his swaddling clothes can “control the damned crew.”
Like Micah, Milton is contrasting the meekness of the location and weakness of
a baby with the reality that this child was truly Immanuel, God with us. The
entrance of this child swaddled in a manger into our world completely changed
the very nature of our universe as the old “gods” which have plagued us since
the Fall must now retreat before the Lord of the universe.
The reason I share this with you today is to encourage you to look around and
see the creative expressions of the Nativity all around you and, in response,
inspire you to intentionally add your creativity. Others may not celebrate or
understand it, but God will, and bringing joy and honour to Him is the goal we
pursue.
Psalm 9:1-2 (NLT)
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
I will be filled with joy because of You. I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High.
ne of the ways that I cope with my chronic pain is through art. Chronic
pain is hard to explain to people and it’s not curable, only manageable. This
has been a part of my life for over 15 years and for too many years I tried to
manage life on my own strength – and failed miserably. When I finally reached
the end of myself, the bottom of that dark pit of despair, I met Jesus. That
moment changed me, and changed the direction of my life. As my faith grows,
Monday, December 10 Martie Giesbrecht – Attridge Artist
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and transformation happens in me, I am finding that my God-given gift of
painting is also growing and changing. The joy I find as I create something new
comes only from Him – I know this because prior to giving my life completely to
Jesus, I was often frustrated with what I painted. Now, it’s like God uses my
imagination and hands to bring glory to Him. I love painting nature and
especially the sky in all its glorious, ever-changing beauty. It’s impossible to
capture how splendid God’s “painting” of each sunrise and sunset and
everything in between is, but I sure do try! Romans 12:6a “In His grace, God
has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.”
A couple of years back, when I was
having an “identity” crisis (I was no
longer able to work due to pain) God
gave me a vision. In it, I was standing in
front of my easel, paint brush in hand,
when a wonderful, rainbow Light came
out of the canvas – this Light was shaped
like a man but so brilliant in its colors it’s
impossible to describe. The warmth that
enveloped me as this Light surrounded
me was such a perfect temperature. I
experienced perfect love, perfect peace,
perfect joy and perfect security while in
that Light – so I know that it was Jesus.
Telling me that He loves me and that I
was doing exactly what He wanted me
to do. I can bring joy by painting
beautiful scenes that showcase God’s creation. Serve by volunteering my time
to instruct at paint party fundraisers. I also use my gift as a way to share my
testimony - that I can have joy and peace DESPITE my daily pain. God is good –
always – even on my most painful days, I see His goodness. And when I turn on
my worship music, and pick up my paint brush, I have a brief period where I do
not notice the pain; where I feel a rush of joy in being creative – feeling a
connection with my Creator.
Isaiah 26:12 “Lord, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really
from you.”
You can view an enlarged version of Martie’s Painting at ForestGroveCC.com/Martie-Advent
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2 Kings 4:8-38, 8:1-6 and Proverbs 13:12
But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.
found myself reading through portions of the Old Testament this summer. One particular story captured my attention in such a significant way. It was the story of the Shunammite woman found in 2 Kings 4. By all appearances, and even by her own admission, the Shunammite woman had a full and satisfying life. When the prophet asked her if there was anything that she wanted in return for her generosity to him, she said she was fine. There was nothing she needed. But there was something. She didn’t have a son. Elisha prophesied that “About this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.” Her abrupt and surprising response was “No!” It was too late for that. It was impossible now. She had stopped hoping, stopped dreaming, stopped wanting, because it was just too hard. The remainder of her story is a testimony to the faithfulness of God and the tenacity of one woman who would not let go of her promise. I kept being drawn back to this story days after I’d read it. Finally, I asked the Lord if there were dreams in my life that I’d given up on and were left lying dormant and unfulfilled. Where had I stopped hoping, stopped dreaming or stopped wanting because I simply felt like it was just too hard? And there it was. He brought back to my remembrance an area of barrenness that I had adapted to living without. I knew that I did not yet carry the promise. His promise. Through the words of a timely worship song He reminded me that “He who plants the seed is faithful to water it.” Could I have faith to also take hold of the prophetic word spoken by Elisha that “by this time next year” I would hold my promise? What I didn’t realize as I kept reading through 2 Kings was that the Shunammite woman’s story was not over! In chapter 8 the impact of her testimony resulted in tremendous favour shown to her from the king. Most of us have developed a knack for adapting. We adapt to change. We adapt to challenges. Some are better at it than others. Sometimes we adapt to disappointment and can totally relate to the passage in Proverbs 13:12a (TPT) where it says, “when hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing.” Maybe there
Tuesday, December 11 Val Burron – Worship Design Team
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are dreams and desires that He is wanting you to revisit and return to. He is faithful to bring to life every single seed of promise so that you can carry the testimony of Proverbs 13:12b “But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.”
Proverbs 22:29 Do you see any truly competent workers?
They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.
've never had a problem trying to identify my passions and interests - my
problem has always been that I have too many and not enough time to do
them all. Years ago, I wanted to be an architect, because I love designing and
building, which I've realized are things God has hardwired within me. The
creative work of designing and building comes in many forms, and I continue to
enjoy many of them. I design and build furniture, sermons, leadership
processes, pens, discipleship systems, leather crafts, governance models,
teaching tools, and many more. Some I do in my day to day work, some I do as
hobbies. But each one is an expression of a creative design and build.
Proverbs 22:29 states, "Do you see any truly competent workers? They will
serve kings rather than working for ordinary people." The implication of this
passage is that competent workers will be successful, rise up the ranks, and be
noticed by those in positions of power. This may be true, but even more
important than that is the reality that all of the creative work that we do is
noticed by God himself. Being noticed by the world is not nearly as important
as being noticed by the King of Kings, who has given us these passions, interests
and gifts in the first place. He is the one whom we serve.
We may not be able to use all our passions and interests in our daily work in the
ways that we think, but when we recognize the "audience of One" that we work
for, we can explore and express all kinds of creativity for the glory of God and
the important work of His kingdom. I continue to believe that God has placed
more gifts, passions and creativity within each one of us than we often
Thursday, December 12 Bruce Enns – Lead Pastor
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recognize. As we get to know God more intimately, and our various
communities more deeply, we begin to understand ourselves better, and the
ways that He has created us. We are then free to create better for our King in
all areas of our lives.
Exodus 35:30-35, 36:1-7
Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of
Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with
understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—
ow often do we hear, “find out what your spiritual gifts are and use
them for the kingdom of God”? I have struggled for a long time trying to figure out what gift I could possibly possess. I would look at the lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament and try to see which gifts I could maybe muster up some feelings for. The only one that ever came to mind was hospitality. When we think of this gift, it’s mostly in the way of having someone over to your house and serving them a meal or hosting a billet or planning an event with co-ordinating napkin colours. And while this is all great, logistically hosting people in my home is not always a viable option. I was discouraged, how was I supposed to be reaching others with this gift that rarely gets put to use. I prayed about it and something was revealed to me. If I am to make people feel welcome and comfortable in a situation, I should bring that same purpose to my everyday interactions with others. When I am in a large crowd, I try to seek out those who are uncomfortable, the quieter folk who might not get a word in, the younger or the older. When having a conversation with someone one on one, listening well. When I’m at work, asking questions that show I’m invested in them. And of course, praying before conversations with non-believers that God would lead the conversation and give me the words to be ‘hospitable’. I don’t know if the gift of hospitality resonates with you, but if you’re stuck looking at the list of spiritual gifts, ask yourself what are you good at? What do
Wednesday, December 13 Amy Funk – GroveKids
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you enjoy doing? What are interests that you have in common with your non-believing friends? Then see those things through the lens of Spiritual gifts. If this is something God has given you as an interest or passion, how can you use it to reach others? In these verses, and if you go on to read in chapter 36, Bezalel is constructing the Tabernacle with his gift of cutting stone and carving wood, while relying on the help of the Spirit of God. He is able to use these somewhat unconventional gifts in a major kingdom move, because he used them in conjunction with the power of the Holy Spirit. In 36:1 it says ‘Bezalel…in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary.’ The Lord gave him the skills of engraving and embroidery that he might use these gifts for the good of others, just as the Lord gives us interests unique to ourselves, that we might use them for others and His Kingdom. So don’t stress about your ‘lack of gifts’, God has already equipped you with more than enough to complete your purpose if you think creatively and rely on His power.
Matthew 5:14-16
Your lives light up the world. Let others see your light from a distance,
for how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop?
“There is nothing more vulnerable than creativity.” - Brene Brown
n order to share the gift of our creativity with the world around us, we
must push through discomfort, fear, making mistakes, being exposed and
courageously embrace vulnerability time and time again. It means removing the
lid of our comfortable box and stepping out into the unknown. Taking risks.
I have an inner resolve to say “Yes” to something, if fear is the only reason I
would say “No” (Confession: fear tries to hold me back a lot!). I want to follow
the LORD’s leading instead of letting fear have the final word. This fall I have
Friday, December 14 Laurie Pauls – Worship Design Team
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found myself a little further from my comfortable box, wishing I could hop back
in and shut the lid. I have felt a little too vulnerable, too uncomfortable, fearing
the potential of failure. Philippians 2:13 broke into my fear and discomfort with
these words of life: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the
power to do what pleases him.”
As I navigate this season of creativity and vulnerability, God has had to remind
me weekly that He is working in me, giving me the desire and the power to do
what He has called me to. I am so thankful that I don’t have to do any of this on
my own and that I have help (God’s power!) to continue valuing and choosing
courage over comfort. It is possible to be brave and afraid at the same time as
we share our gifts of creativity. And little by little we learn that feeling
vulnerable isn’t a bad thing. It might be really hard, but it is also good and part
of the creative process. When God asks us to share our creativity with others, it
is a courageous and beautiful offering. We won’t always see or recognize the
fruit that comes from it. However, as we release our offering, we can trust that
God accepts it and will do what He wants to with it.
Writing this devotional… is me choosing courage and sharing my creativity with
you. I will also choose to embrace the vulnerability that comes along with this
offering, trusting that God can use even me.
Genesis 1:26-28, 31; Exodus 35:31-35
“Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature.”
rom these two scripture passages we see:
• God created human beings; He created them in His image - reflecting
God’s nature
• God has selected various people for various gifts
• God has filled them with the Spirit of God
Saturday, December 15 Karen Block – International Worker
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• God has given them skill, ability, and know-how for making all sorts
of things, to design and work in
• God has also made them teachers
• God has gifted them with the know-how needed for carving,
designing, weaving, and embroidering in blue, purple, and scarlet
fabrics, and in fine linen. They can make anything and design anything
• God looked over everything He had made; it was so good, so very
good!
I have been on a journey of exploring and unpacking the ways in which God has
created me to be creative. It has been a journey to come to the place where I
can say “It is good” about my own art.
Recently I’ve led a retreat day where we looked at the fruit of the Spirit - not in
terms of where we are lacking but where my life IS bearing spiritual fruit. There
is always need for pruning for the purpose of bearing more fruit, but how often
do we ask God if we’ve actually been bearing fruiting and where we have been
exercising the gifts given to us. The Message version of this passage speaks to
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the tendency to comparison: “Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the
life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our
heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail
of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one
of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do
with our lives. Each of us is an original.”
I love creating mixed media art, growing in my skills, and teaching others what
I’m learning. I love how creating art has impacted my journey with God. I know
how my journey with God impacts my creativity. I love the art retreats I lead
and co-lead. Here are a few comments from participants:
“I’ve learned that I can focus on Scripture, and let God into the
creative process and see what He wants to show me.”
“From making and mixing messy colour to creating a meaningful
art piece with the inspiration of HIS words. Creative, refreshing,
colourful. It was good.”
Consider: Where are you and God bearing creative fruit in your life?
You can view an enlarged version of Karen’s Mixed Media Artwork at
ForestGroveCC.com/Karen-Advent
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Matthew 25:34-40 When did we do this?
rowing up in a Christian household, it was always instilled in us what
Christmas was really all about. We celebrate the greatest gift, God’s son, to
save us from our sins, every Christmas season. The “reason for the season”, as
we often say. I’ve always believed this, but in our culture it’s hard to ignore the
focus on giving material gifts as well.
However, being generous with our material possessions can be a great way to
worship God. It’s been interesting to see how others can be blessed through gift
giving, especially as we help the Syrian family settle into a new life in Canada.
It’s amazing to witness the generosity and eagerness to give to someone in
need. It was even more amazing to see how incredibly grateful the family was.
The first night in their new house, Jehad, the father, looked around and asked,
“Is this all mine?” It was such a cool moment to say “Yes!” But it was made
possible because people were generous, from small to large gifts. Simple gifts
such as a broom, or coat hangers, to larger ones like couches, beds, or a house
to rent. It did not go unnoticed, not by the sponsorship team, not by the Merei
family, and not by God.
In Matthew 25, Jesus is teaching about the final judgement, and speaks about
the righteous ones, and how they will be blessed because of their generosity
here on earth. The interesting part to me is that the righteous ones don’t even
recognize their generosity. “When did we do this?” they asked. It must have
been so natural and habitual that it didn’t even register in their minds. Imagine
having that lifestyle and mentality. I believe this is what God desires of us. We
are to be so naturally generous in giving gifts, whether it’s clothing, food or
shelter, like in the passage, or just generally caring for people, that we don’t
recognize it. We are to imitate God in this way, the greatest gift giver there ever
was.
Sunday, December 16 Steve & Orisha Schroeder – Refugee Team
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May we love others so much, and be so generous on earth, that when we get to
heaven, we can ask God, “Is this all mine?”, and I can just imagine how excited
He will be to say “Yes!”
Revelation 21:1-7
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To
the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
dvent is a time of waiting and expectancy. As a kid Christmas takes
forever to arrive. I clearly remember regularly returning to my Advent
calendar to check and see how many more little doors needed to be opened
before Christmas. To my disappointment it was often the same amount of days
as when I checked only an hour earlier.
For me, I wasn’t excited about the Christmas programs, lights, tree, family
gathering, or even celebrating Jesus’ birth. I was checking the Advent calendar
regularly for one reason… it was a count-down to the day I got PRESENTS!
The actual morning rarely disappointed but the reality of what was under the
tree paled in comparison to the hopes that I had during the days preceding
Christmas. If I would have received all the things that were circled in the Sears
catalogue (the 1980’s version of an Amazon wish list) the boxes would have
filled the living room from floor to ceiling. The expectations were massive, but I
knew that they were totally unrealistic.
Do you think of God as generous? Do you think of Him as one who gives good
gifts? I certainly do, but too often I think of Him as only providing for my basic
needs. Using a Christmas analogy – it’s like expecting pajamas, a few small toys
in a stocking, and a couple of moderately priced gifts under the tree. The gifts
are appreciated and certainly not disappointing. We politely say thank you and
enjoy what we have received.
Monday, December 17 Kevin Wiens – Attridge Site Pastor
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But in reality God has provided us with a lottery of gifts, more than we can ask
or imagine. The gifts are through the ceiling surpassing any expectations. There
is a new heaven and a new earth coming.
Advent is about waiting and expectancy. It’s not about waiting for the material
gifts that we may receive under the tree. It’s about waiting for the gift of Jesus.
We look back and celebrate Jesus coming to earth but also need to live in
anticipation of His coming return even if it seems like it is taking forever for Him
to arrive. No more death or mourning! Every tear wiped away! Everything will
be made new!
Think of Advent as a time to prepare to celebrate Jesus coming to earth 2000
years ago. But also dream ahead to the future when He returns. That’s the day
of real celebration, one that is beyond all our imaginations.
Matthew 6:21
Where your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also.
hortly after I moved away from home and started my own career as a
teacher, I gave some money to Tele-miracle. This was probably the first
independent act of giving I did apart from my parents. The program was on one
night while I sat in my living room prepping for my next day’s lessons. As I
watched, I felt compelled to give. I stated my parent’s address as my place of
residence because I had been fairly transient and wasn’t sure where I would be
living once the receipt came through. When my Dad saw evidence of my giving
come in the mail, he encouraged me with a card spurring me on to continue a
life of generosity and in it he quoted this scripture verse from Mathew 6:21,
“Where your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also”. I often
think of that note and scripture my Dad gave me as I make decisions about my
finances. But I definitely have more growing to do in my willingness to give
sacrificially.
Tuesday, December 18 Christine Berkan – GroveKids Welcome Team
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CS Lewis says:
I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am
afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other
words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries and amusements is
up to the standard common among those with the same income as
our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do
not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There
ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our
charitable expenditures excludes them.
Ouch.
The widow in Mark 12:40 is made an example not because of what she gave,
but because of what she kept. What am I keeping? Is my giving sacrificial?
I keep a prayer journal – in it I write my specific personal prayer requests and
scripture verses that seem especially meaningful. One of my favourite ways to
pray is through the reciting of these scripture verses. It is a way of claiming God’s
promises and using His words to give me direction and wisdom. Here is one of
my prayers as it pertains to being generous with my finances. It is my desire that
my prayer would become your prayer. That it would help lead you in growth as
you consider where your own heart and treasures lie.
Lord God,
Thank you that the earth is yours, and so is everything in it. Help me to
see that you are the owner of all I have, and I am the steward. Your word
says in Psalm 50:10, “For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I
own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains,
and all the animals of the field are mine.” Since you are the owner of
everything, I do not need to give anything to you. It is already yours. You
have poured out your resources on me, not as a reward, but as a
responsibility. Holy Spirit, plant the desire in my heart to give freely,
cheerfully and sacrificially. Help me to discern ways to use my finances to
expand your kingdom. Thank you that you promise to always provide us
with all we need. May my treasure and desires of my heart be firmly
planted in You.
Amen
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Proverbs 10:22 and James 1:17
The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich and He adds no sorrow with it.
he year was 1980 and I was living in my very first apartment with a friend
I met in Bible College. I also landed my very first job, working for the City of
Saskatoon and I happily took the #8 bus to work downtown every day. Life was
good! Then one day my sister came to visit me and asked if I would come outside
to look at something on the street. When I stepped out onto the sidewalk,
parked right in front of my building was a brand new silver Honda Accord with
a sign taped to the window that read “Do you like me Val? I’m yours!” And
beside my new car stood my dad, grinning from ear to ear. It would have made
a great Instagram story (if the iPhone had been invented yet!) How do you
respond to that kind of generosity? The lavish kind. The undeserved kind. The
unexpected kind. Personally, I could never echo the kind of generosity my father
showed to me. It was steady and consistent my entire life. Thankfully it never
provoked an attitude of being spoiled or entitled. I had a confidence that if I
ever needed anything, my dad would supply it. He understood and lived out the
expression “blessed to be a blessing.”
Whether it’s been modelled well to you or not, we all have the capacity to offer
generosity. The kind that has nothing to do with opening our wallet, but
everything to do with opening our heart. Proverbs 10:22 (NLT) says “The
blessing of the Lord makes a person rich and He adds no sorrow with it.” (Ex.
no rust, no depreciation.) We all have areas of abundance in our lives. Are you
rich in friendship? Then invest in people. Are you rich in creativity? Then look
for opportunities to display your gifts. Are you rich in your prayer life? Then
partner with the Holy Spirit in bringing heaven to earth. It may likely require
withdrawing something from your personal account. Time, effort, and even
sometimes money! The economy of God is all about overflow and because He
is the source of all good gifts (James 1:17) then what we give away never loses
its value but is always gaining interest.
Wednesday, December 19 Val Burron – Prayer Ministry
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Matthew 25:31-36
I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these
my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!
hen my husband, Kirk, and I were first married we had the opportunity to live with a woman from our church community who was going through a difficult divorce. As a young couple just starting off in life and ministry together, she offered us a room in her basement in exchange for minimal rent and a shared supper table. From coffee to meals, from laughter to tears, from early mornings to late late nights, her home was a place where we experienced much more than a living arrangement. We experienced a woman loving us as if she was loving Jesus. And from that time on we knew that we too wanted to be generous sharers of whatever home we would come to call our own for the rest of our lives.
So often, as Jesus followers, we declare that we want to “be the hands and feet of Jesus” in the world. We want to serve and love and give just like He did. But, in Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus actually instructs us towards the opposite. Jesus challenges us to love one another as if we were loving Him. To give freely and generously as if the very thing we are offering is given directly unto Him. To see Him in the other.
How would it change the way we view the things we own and can share if Jesus was asking us to share them with Him? How much more urgency would we have to meet the need if it was His? How much harder would we look for those needs to fill if they belonged to our King?
May we be people who love Jesus through being the ones to provide a meal for some one in crisis or who looks like they haven’t eaten in a while, or a ride to some one who has to go very far out of our way, or hospitality to a broken soul in need of belonging, or new clothing to some one even when it means we go without, or finances to some one who is struggling to find work, or a home and a family for some one who has absolutely no where else to go.
Thursday, December 20 Chandra Styles – Attridge Youth Pastor
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May we be people who offer generously all we have to meet the needs of those around us and, in doing so, worship our King.
Philippians 4:12
I have learned the secret of living in every situation,
whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
arlier this fall Pastor Bruce spoke about being more intentional and more
vulnerable. As I reflected on the theme of more than expected as it
pertained to our material possessions, I realized that being vulnerable is not
easy. Being open about what we have, or don’t have requires the right mindset,
humility, and vulnerability. This is certainly a stretch for me, but here goes
nothing.
When it comes to finances, I feel that my own experiences in life are summed
up well in Philippians 4:12 when Paul writes:
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have
learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with
a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
I had years in my life working in Fort Mac, making a lot of money when I was
single with very little expenses to speak of. On the flip side, the last 2 years have
been very difficult financially with work. I started a business with a friend of
mine and it has been a long, hard road to make it to where we are today. Always
wondering if we would have enough to get paid every 2 weeks. Never having
quite enough work, and when there wasn’t enough money in the company to
get paid, wondering how we were going to make it.
So then my next thought goes to, what has my heart looked like through these
different times in life as far as giving goes. I remember during my time in Fort
Mac and some jobs since that as well, getting paid well and I loved to give to the
Friday, December 21 Kenton Stobbe – Worship Teams
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church. I remember thinking, “finally I can make a difference, because this is a
significant amount of money.” The next job I had wasn’t so good. I remember
driving home from church after leaving a cheque in the offering and my wife
was surprised at how much I had made it out for. I simply said it was our tithe
and that I felt that was important. I caught her off guard and it challenged her.
The funny thing was that earlier this year we had almost the same conversation
but with the roles reversed. If nothing else, as least at all times one of us has
had their head in the right space to be faithful in giving when it’s hard. So where
did I go wrong? How has my attitude gone from cheerful to reluctant? I’m not
sure I know the why behind it but there are a few things that I have been
challenged with lately. Luke 21:1-4 records the following story:
While Jesus was in the Temple, He watched the rich people
dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow
came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,”
Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of
them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she,
poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
When I signed up to write this devotional, that story came to mind right away. I
read through it and was brought to tears. Sure, I have continued to give when it
was tough and finances were tight, but this seems to take things to a whole
different level. When have I ever given EVERYTHING that I had? Well, never.
When I had lots, I tried to be generous and give more than 10%. Even when I
had less, I tried to do my best to give always more than what I thought was
expected. But I never gave so that I was completely out of money.
The story could have gone differently. If she had given one coin and kept the
other. Jesus might have said, “Look this woman gave half of all she had.” What
she would have had left would have been one copper coin. But, no, she threw
them both in. With nothing to live on she did way more than was excepted by
anybody.
Once again looking at myself and being vulnerable. When the times are tight
and the pay cheque comes in and is whisked away by the stack of bills and the
bank is drained how do I give more than expected? When I am doing well and
living a cushy life style and enjoy spending money, how do I get out of that mind
set and start giving more like the widow instead of the rich people?
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I really believe that there is more that we can all do to be more like the widow
in this story. She knew that everything she had came from God, which is why
she was able to give it all back. It isn’t easy, and it might take time, but it is very
important for all of us to grow and be stretched in this area of life.
Mark 12: 38-44 (TPT)
For the rich only gave out of their surplus, but she sacrificed out of her poverty and gave
to God all that she had to live on, which was everything she had.
couple years ago, my husband and I asked the Holy Spirit how much
money we should give to the Alpha program at our church and I heard
a clear reply that said, “Double it.”
We often have had a number in our head that would be an appropriate amount
to give and the Holy Spirit asked us to double that amount. We were surprised
that it was significantly more fun to give double the “right” amount. Through
this we have been stretched to see generosity in a whole new way. It broke us
out of our religious giving or tithing or obligation and into a world of what it
means to truly be generous. What we have found in this new perspective on
giving is a deeper joy.
This idea of generosity or “doubling it” can apply to areas of life other than just
our finances. In this season of my life God is challenging me to “double” the
grace and forgiveness I give to others. I was convicted through Colossians 3:13
which says, “Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who
offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”
Personally, I have found it easier to give more money than to generously extend
grace and forgiveness for the faults of others.
So how do we make allowance and have a continuous supply of grace for the
faults of others? I do not have all the answers, but I am listening to the Holy
Spirit and looking for His help. I am paying closer attention to the worship songs
Saturday, December 22 Laurie Pauls – GroveKids
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and verses in the Bible that remind me of the incredible grace and forgiveness I
have received through Jesus Christ.
I thought that meditating on God’s grace was the main thing that would help
me have more grace to extend to others. Don’t get me wrong, it is helping.
However, I am also learning through the humbling process of messing up and
receiving grace and forgiveness from my kids and husband. I have become more
aware of my need for others to make allowance for my own faults. The generous
grace I receive softens my heart and helps me to extend that same grace to
others.
What is the LORD wanting you to “double” in this season of your life?
“May the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Philippians 4:23
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2 Kings 4:1-7
“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
am a creature of habit. I have my morning routines that are pretty
mundane. They involve a cup of coffee, texting a greeting to my mom and
sister, then reading the newspaper. On the days I’m not at work, I go into my
office and shut the door. If the weather is agreeable I head outside. Even though
my mind is more alert in the morning, it is still prone to wondering towards my
lists, my chores, or my iPhone. I have to intentionally shut out or shut off things
that distract me from my spiritual assignment for each day.
In 2 Kings 4 there is a story about a widow who was in a desperate situation.
The prophet Elisha asked her “How can I help you?” The reality was that her
husband had just died, she had bills to pay and no way to pay them. Plus, if she
couldn’t pay off her debts, her sons would be taken away from her. All of her
resources were depleted except for a little oil. What she needed was a miracle.
Elisha instructed her to gather as many empty jars as she could find from her
neighbours, take them inside and shut the door behind her. She then began to
pour what she had into the jars until every single one was filled. She was not
only able to sell the oil and pay off her debts, but she had so much oil remaining
that she and her sons were able to live on what was leftover. She surrendered
the natural to receive the supernatural! Behind the shut door, He not only met
her needs, but gave her an overflow!
Like the widow, there may be outside distractions and noises we need to
eliminate in order for the Holy Spirit to release a creative miracle on our behalf.
Our minds and emotions can be plagued with inner turmoil. It may be necessary
to shut the door on things like our own agendas, unbelief, independence,
apathy, or offence. Sometimes He waits until we have been utterly depleted of
our own resources before He asks, “How can I help you?” Never underestimate
the power of simply shutting the door on everything else but Him. It’s where
we empty ourselves in order to be filled to overflowing. It’s in this place of
surrender that the mundane becomes a miracle!
Sunday, December 23 Val Burron – Worship Design Team
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Matthew 1:1-17
The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah . . .
hat a weird verse to choose for an Advent devotional. You might call this
text "The forgotten chapter of the Christmas story." It is a genealogy—a
list of names, most of them unpronounceable. Because of that, this is a portion
of Scripture that we tend to overlook. We don't know what to do with it. It's not
often read in public. For that matter, we don't read it often in private unless
we're following one of those "read the Bible in a year" plans.
It's just a long list of names starting with Abraham, moving on to David and
ending with Jesus. In between are some names we recognize—Jacob, Solomon,
maybe Jehoshaphat—and many more we've never heard of—Hezron, Abiud
and Azor – and are guessing at how to pronounce.
How does it fit with the theme, “The Gift of Self”? When I hear those words I
immediately think of Jesus and His own personal, ‘gift of self’. My favorite part
of John 3:16 is ‘whosoever’. He gave the gift of Himself for ‘whosoever’ and
Matthew 1 has quite a few interesting ‘whosoevers’. Let’s concentrate on the
four women listed: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba.
Tamar: Incest, immorality, feigned prostitution, a Gentile
Rahab: Harlotry, lying, deception, a Canaanite
Ruth: A woman from Moab—a nation born out of incest
Bathsheba: Adultery
Four unlikely women:
Three are Gentiles
Three are involved in some form of sexual immorality
Two are involved in prostitution; One is an adulteress
All four are in the line that leads to Jesus Christ!
Why did God include women like that in this list? Well, one, He did it so that
God's grace might be richly displayed. If you come from a family like this, you
Monday, December 24 Florianne Nickel – Welcome Teams
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can't exactly boast of your heritage. Sure, your ancestors were rulers and kings,
but they were also great sinners.
When you read the stories of these four women—and of the men on the list—
you aren't supposed to focus on the sin, but on Jesus, on His ‘gift of self.’ His gift
shines through the blackest of human sin as He chooses flawed men and women
to give His gift to.
Jesus was expected to arrive for the Jews. And as He usually does, He surprised
everyone by coming for. . . everyone. He came for all the ‘whosoevers.’ He
came for you. And He came for Me. We are those flawed men and women. I
encourage you to read through Matthew 1:1-17. And remember, “For God so
loved the world that gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in
Him should not perish but have have eternal life.”
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Matthew 1:21-23
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
y dad is the coolest guy I know. My favourite stage of relationship with
him has been getting to know him as an adult. To be able to go play pool
with him, ride motorcycles with him, and talk openly about life with him. In
recent years, it seems like we have become more friends than father and son.
The late Robin Williams said that it is a beautiful thing when your father comes
down from the mountain. When he ceases to be the god that you once made
him out to be and becomes a man that you can have a relationship with. Who
is completely human and capable of error.
I’m not a Bible scholar, but I seem to recall reading the Old Testament and
reading a lot of stories of people who I imagine have long hair and epic beards
needing to scale mountains in order to be with God. That sounds like quite the
cumbersome task. There are no mountains near where I live. If I had to scale a
mountain in the middle east to be with God, I would have to take two or three
airplanes, a bus, a sherpa, and a backpack full of camping equipment just to be
with God. Imagine re-enacting Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with John Candy
every time you want to spend time with your dad. Yikes.
But in the New Testament, God does something interesting. He comes down
from the mountain. As a baby boy who becomes a man that people can be
friends with. Its almost like He does this so that His kids don’t have to keep
climbing mountains to be with Him.
Before Jesus was born, Matthew, who has a friend of Jesus, tells us that an angel
of the Lord appeared to Joseph - the man who was to father Jesus - and tells
him that the woman whom he is to marry is going to have a son. The angel tells
Joseph that this baby will be the Messiah. Which is a fancy word that means He
will help save humanity from themselves. But then he gives the boy another
name: Immanuel. This is another word that simply means God With Us.
Tuesday, December 25 Jared Yochim – Worship Design Team
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If Jesus really is God With Us, then this is truly good news. God has come down
from the mountain. No longer do we have to swim seas and scale mountains or
take buses and trains to be with Him. Now God is here. With us. And if you pay
attention, you may just see Him in your neighbour, your dad, your friends, or
even someone you may not like. But the way God chooses to reveal Himself is
hardly what we expect.
God has come down from the mountain. He is here. He is with us.
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