Glory in God's Workmanship

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10

I have a couple of brother-in-laws who are very gifted in woodworking. They have made beautiful furniture, household accessories, and more. They love working with the wood and have the patience to make each piece special. Each item they create has a purpose and as they work on the project, they keep the end purpose in mind to its completion.

The Great Artist God did the same thing as he made us. Each of us is specially made by his patient hands with the goal of belonging to Jesus Christ and using our gifts and talents for his purposes. It was planned out before we were born and is being lived out in our lives to its completion.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for the workmanship you have done in my life giving me purpose in Jesus Christ. I pray that I allow you to work in and through me today as we journey together. Amen

Faith Tip: When you come across something today that took a lot of work and patience, consider how you are specially made by God for a great purpose.

 Written by Kathy Bruins

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; - Romans 3:23-24

Tearing the piece of bread from the loaf, I heard the familiar words, “This is Christ’s body, broken for you.” And as I dunked the piece into the cup, the reminder given to me was, “The blood of Christ spilled for you.”

The act of communion is so important to Jesus, because he does not want us to forget. We are not to forget the great sacrifice made, but also that the price was paid for our freedom in Christ. We tend to remember the sacrifice, but sometimes forget that we are free to live holy lives, and we still act like we are under Satan’s reign.

This Advent season, reopen the gift of your freedom in Christ and enjoy the riches that are meant for you. This is the best deal of the season for you and someone you love.

Prayer: Jesus, I thank you for the wonderful gift of freedom you have given me though the price was great to you. Your love for me is the perfect fit for each day of my life, and I pray that I can focus on you rather than what the world has to offer. Amen

Faith Tip: Each day during Advent, starting with today, find a new freedom you have in Christ and enjoy it to the glory of God.

Written by Kathy Bruins

Thanksgiving in Word and Action

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:17

In this passage Paul is urging the Colossians to give thanks to God in all they do and say.  That is a difficult concept to grasp.  It is easy for us to understand giving thanks before a meal, during our times of prayer, when we are abundantly blessed and when we are happy and content in life, but it is much more difficult for us to understand how to give thanks in all that we do and say.  What does it look like to give thanks when we are shopping for groceries, driving a car, or changing a baby’s diaper?  What does it look like to give thanks when we are talking to a phone salesperson, talking in a business meeting, or asking someone for directions?  

To understand what Paul is talking about, we have to look at the middle part of the verse where it says, “do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”  When we are living our life for the Lord then everything we do and say is an act of thanksgiving in God’s eyes.  When we are living our lives for ourselves than our actions and words are not giving thanks to God.  Give all your life to the Lord and let every action you do and every word you speak be a gift of thanksgiving to God.

Prayer:  Thank you God for sending Jesus Christ to be an example of how you want me to live my life.  Forgive me when I live my life in selfish ways.  May all I do and say be done in the name of Jesus as a thanksgiving to you. Amen.

Faith Tip:  Today, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, think about how your actions and words are a thanksgiving to God.       

Written by Pastor Aaron Anderson

Thanksgiving in Song

Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19-20

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head that kind of goes with you throughout the day?  I enjoy it when the song that goes with me is a song of praise, because it helps me focus on the Lord all day long.  Maybe that is what Paul is referring to when he speaks about “songs from the Spirit.”

When we think of giving thanks we often picture our thanksgivings in the forms of prayers.  However Paul tells us that we can also give thanks to the Lord when we sing and make music from our hearts.  The ability to sing is a gift from the Lord and our songs, no matter how well we sing, is our gift of thanksgiving to God.  So this Thanksgiving give thanks to the Lord with a song.

Prayer:  Thank you Lord for giving me the ability to praise and thank you in song.  Let my heart sing for all the blessings that you have given to me.  May my song be a joyful noise to you ears.  Amen.

Faith Tip: Plan to come and worship on Thanksgiving morning at 9:00am where we will have the opportunity to sing many Thanksgiving songs.  

Written by Pastor Aaron Anderson

Enter With Thanksgiving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. – Psalm 100:4

Psalm 100 was originally used in worship of the Lord as the worshippers entered the temple courts through the gates.  It helped focus the worshippers’ hearts on thanksgiving and praise as they entered into a time of worship.  Thanksgiving is a wonderful way to enter into worship!

Psalm 100 provides us with wisdom of how we should enter not only worship, but all aspects of our life.  Think of how much better things would go if we entered into everything with an attitude of gratitude.  All you need to do is apply the first part of verse 4 to your situations in life.  For example, enter your day with thanksgiving…  Enter your week with thanksgiving…Enter your meal with thanksgiving…Enter your work with thanksgiving…Enter your family with thanksgiving…Enter your leisure time with thanksgiving…Enter your bedtime with thanksgiving.   When we enter into everything with thanksgiving it will invariably lead us to praise of worship of the Lord.

Prayer:  Thank you Lord for the life that you have given to me.  May I live my life in thanksgiving to you.  Help me to enter into everything I do with a heart of thanksgiving.  Amen. 

Faith Tip:  Today as you begin a new task or go from one place to another, remember Psalm 100:4 and enter with a heart of thanksgiving.     

Written By Pastor Aaron Anderson       

Overflowing Abundance

You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. – Psalm 65:11

Last night our churched gathered together for our annual Harvest Celebration. The main portion of the celebration included the bringing of our abundance offerings.  This offering represents the abundant blessings that God has given to us throughout the year.  I am not one who sheds tears easily, but as young and old alike walked to the cross to give of their offerings it almost brought tears to my eyes.  What a beautiful sight!  God is so good and certainly blesses us abundantly!

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week we will definitely celebrate with abundance.  Many will enjoy an abundance of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie.  Houses will be filled with an abundance of family.  Football fans will watch an abundance of football.  Airports will be overflowing with an abundance of travelers.  In this country we live in abundance compared to many others around the world.

As Americans we certainly have a lot to be thankful for.  As we look back over the year we can certainly see how the Lord has crowned the year with his bounty and how his carts overflow with abundance.  This Thanksgiving give thanks for the abundant blessings that the Lord has given!

Prayer:  I give you thanks, O Lord, for your abundant blessings.  Let me never forget what you have done for me.  I will give thanks to you and praise your name forever.  Amen.

Faith Tip:  As you celebrate Thanksgiving, be aware of the abundant blessings the Lord has given you and thank God for his abundant love, grace and mercy.

Written by Pastor Aaron Anderson

God Says Yes

Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete. – 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 The Message

I remember making some homemade bread from a book I purchased that had beautiful pictures of all different kinds of loaves. There were step by step instructions including the mixing, kneading, raising and baking. The implied promise was for a beautiful loaf of bread just like in the picture. Didn’t happen. I believe I did all the steps correctly, but what came out of the oven was more like a manhole cover than loaf. It did smell good though, so I’m grateful for the aromatherapy.

Life can be like that, can’t it? You think you are doing the right thing, making the right choices, and the expected implied promise of the world is that life will be free from trouble. All of us know that isn’t really true. Jesus said we would have trouble. He being the Son of God and was perfect had trouble, why wouldn’t we?

We do have a guarantee with God. It is “a sure thing” when we are in Christ that we will have eternal life. Nothing in this life will come between us and God and the fulfillment of that promise.

Prayer: Jesus, I thank you that our future is guaranteed with you because of your sacrifice on the cross. I pray that I can be mindful of the gift you have given, and open to sharing with others who need to hear the story. Amen

Faith Tip: Think about the promises you depend on in this life and contrast them to the promise you have in Christ. Which one do you serve more?

Written by Kathy Bruins