Why Us ?

The Shepherds and the Angels

Luke 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Why the shepherds ?

What made them important enough to be the first to hear the news ?

Let's talk about it Sunday.

Why Me ?

As the father of two girls I often wonder what Mary the mother of Jesus had to endure as she carried the Savior of the world in her womb. The young girl's life must have been full of stress as she received the gift from God for this sinful world. Why me must have been the question she asked herself.

This week I want us to look at some words I found to describe what Mary had to go through as she was choosing to be the mother of Jesus.

Pledged
Virgin
Troubled
Believer
Truth seeker
Humble
Cherished
Lawful
Loving Mother

As we read we will find other words that will describe the most famous mother whoever lived.

I will see you Sunday.

After The Leftovers

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. The food was great. The weather was beautiful. The break from work was fantastic. The entertainment was interesting as my 94 year old grandmother sang to us hymns after lunch.

Now our thoughts turn back to the norm. Work, ballgames, meetings and our daily lives will fill our time. Will I remember to thank God for these things that fill my life? Will I remember to turn to him for my needs? Will I remember Thanksgiving after the leftovers are gone ?

In class we will listen to a prayer from David thanking God for never letting him down. This is a heart felt prayer of thanksgiving. I just hope I can learn from his example.

See you in class.

All In The Family

As we prepare for Thanksgiving our thoughts turn to our families. This Thursday many of us will pass the sweet potatoes or turkey to someone in our family. We will laugh at some members for something funny they said and hug some we have not seen in a while. Many of us will share how we have been blessed during the last year.

David has some family troubles this week. Rape and murder plague his home. We will see a true dysfunctional family because God is not invited to their Thanksgiving meal.

As we share a meal with our families this week let's remember how blessed we are to have them. Also remember to invite God to your family gathering.

The Tangled Webs We Weave

In Proverbs 6 we read:

16 There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:

17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,

19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

" The Lord hates " are strong words. Surely I am not guilty of any of these sins.

This week we will read about the sins of David as he lust after his neighbor. God hated what David did and made him pay a high price for these sins.

I may not have shed innocent blood but I have said hurtful words to people. I know I have not started a riot but I have pasted along information that may have made one think less of someone else.

Does God hate these actions ?

If He does am I any different in my actions than David ?

This lesson has humbled me greatly. See you in class.

Your Call Is Calling

This week the unemployment rate hit a 14 year high at 6.5%. In the month of October 240,000 people lost their jobs. When is the last time you have thanked God for your job? I know sometimes I take my job for granted.

This week God lets King David know that He (God) is the boss. He also promises David a great future with the company if He (God) remains as the boss.

How can we keep God as the boss at our work place ?

God can use us in great ways at our jobs if we let Him.

Hope to see you in class.

Pray For Uncle Sam

The life of every citizen will be impacted by our upcoming elections. This election will see the greatest number of voters ever. As you know there is a great deal at stake for each of us. Regardless of the winner, we as citizens must pray for our elected officials.

Ten Ways To Pray For People In Leadership -

Pray that:

1. they be granted wisdom, knowledge, and understanding ( Jas 1:5)
2. they recognize their own inadequacy and seek the will of God ( Prov 3:5-8 )
3. they be convicted of sin ( John 8:1-9 )
4. they respect authority and practice accountability ( Rom 13:1-7 )
5. they be honest and faithful to spouses and children ( Mal 2: 15-16 )
6. they be timely, reliable, and dependable ( Mt 21: 28-31 )
7. they desire honesty, integrity, and loyalty ( Prov 11:3 )
8. they endeavor to restore the sanctity of life and family ( Eph 5:21-6:4 )
9. they desire humility and meekness ( Titus 3: 1-2 )
10. they be prepared to give account to God ( Heb 9:27 )

See you in class.