From Sunday December 23, 2007The Second Christmas

(Matthew 1:18-21)

Christmas I       Time: around Dec. 25th
                             Place: Bethlehem Judea


I. Was initiated before the world(John 1)

II. Was carried out by the holy spirit
       1. Conceived of the holy spirit vs 20
       2. Made man aware of a choice
       3. Persuaded man to respond

III. The God-Man was incarnated
IV. The angels and all of heaven rejoiced
V. God blessed and continued to guide(Luke 2:40)

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Christmas II       Time:(when were you saved?)
                             Place:(where did it take place?)

I. Was initiated before the world(Eph. 1:4-5)

II. Was carried out by the holy spirit

       1. Made aware of need(John 16:8)
       2. Made man aware of a choice(John 3:16)
       3. Persuaded man to man's response(I John 1:9)

III. The God-Man was re-incarnated
IV. The angels and all Gods kingdom rejoiced...(Luke 15:7)
V. God blessed and continues to lead(Rom. 8:38-39)

From Sunday December 16, 2007Christmas Musical

From Sunday December 9, 2007"A Gift Worth Giving"

The wise men started it all. Their gifts were...

1. Personally given.
2. Property given.

Kinds of gifts we give at Christmas time:
1. The "gift for a gift" gift.
2. The "for a favor" gift.
3. The "grace"gift.

More about "grace" gifts...
1. It's impossible to measure the cost of these gifts.
2. These gifts are usually non-material.
    A. togetherness gifts.
    B. service gifts.
    C. encouragement gifts.

What the wise men teach about giving:
1. Give an unexpected gift.
2. Give with genuine joy.

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"Giving with a glad and generous heart has a way of rooting out the tough old miser within us. Even the poor need to know that they can give. Just the very act of letting go of money or some other treasure does something within us. That is it destroys the demon, greed".                   Richard Foster

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3. Give something personal.
4. Give something that will last.
     Gifts you can give that will last forever:
        A. Good memories
        B. Godly heritage
5. Give the gift now.
  "He who waits to do a great deal of good all at once will never do anything"        Samuel Johnson

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"They were going to be all they wanted to be, tomorrow.
None would be braver or kinder than they, tomorrow.
A friend who was troubled and wearied they knew,
Would be glad for a lift and needed it too,
And on him they would call and see what they could do, tomorrow.
Each morning they stacked up the leters they'd write, tomorrow.
And thought of the folks that they would fill with delight, tomorrow.
The greatest of people they just might have been.
The world would have opened its heart up to them.
But in fact, they passed on and faded from view,
And all they had left when their living was through,
Was a mountain of things they intended to do, tomorrow."

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From Sunday December 2, 2007Ministering by Faith

Hebrews 11:1-6

Ministering by Faith Means:
1. Believing when I don't see it.(vs 1)
          We must see it in advance.

2. Obeying when I don't understand.(vs 8)

3. Giving when I don't have it.(vs4b)
         giving and faith go together.

4. Persisting when I don't feel like it.

5. Thanking before I receive it.



   Faith Doesn't mean;
        God CAN do something
        God WILL do something
Faith is believing God IS doing something.(Mark 11:24)
6. Trusting even when I don't get it.(vs'39-40)