Got A Light?

God's Word is like a flashlight...you know, that you may use when camping in a dark forest to get from your tent past the outhouses to the dining hall to the campfire.

Without that flashlight, you may trip and fall by accidentally putting your foot into a shallow hole filled with water and leaves forcing you to wait there, stuck in the dark until a large camper who also has no flashlight finds you and punches you repeatedly before taking your marshmallows and s'mores chocolate...

Bottom line--you need a flashlight. And God's Word is like a flashlight:

Psalm 119:105-112 (New Living Translation)

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
106 I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
I will obey your righteous regulations.
107 I have suffered much, O LORD;
restore my life again as you promised.
108 LORD, accept my offering of praise,
and teach me your regulations.
109 My life constantly hangs in the balance,
but I will not stop obeying your instructions.
110 The wicked have set their traps for me,
but I will not turn from your commandments.
111 Your laws are my treasure;
they are my heart’s delight.
112 I am determined to keep your decrees
to the very end.

The Word of God is important. Don't forget, it's like a camping flashlight! Determine today to read and follow God's Word.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: The Word of God

Why is this Bible thing so important? Well, here's a little something to answer that from Hebrews.

Hebrews 4:12 (New Living Translation)

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Alive and powerful...exposes thoughts and desires. Give that some thought.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: A Revisioned World

Ok: It's August 16, 1965--Imagine you are in line to see the Beatles, yes, THE Beatles, play Shea Stadium in New York City. Arguably one of the most famous concerts in rock history. Cars are barely moving, lining up, trying to get close to the stadium. John, Paul, George, and Ringo themselves have to take a helicopter to get to the show on time just because of the traffic.

Now, would you want to be at the front of the line or the back? Front row seats, or nosebleeds? Jesus talks to his disciples about being first or last:

Mark 9:33-37 (New Living Translation)

33 After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” 34 But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

36 Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

You want to be first? Then be last. You want to hang out with the greatest, then hang out with the least. Get it?

411God.net


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ANNOUNCEMENT: A Christmas Treat For You!

Here is a wee Christmas treat for you. (ok not here exactly. Check the podcast)

As we count down to Christmas I am going to be sharing with you a great story that helps to describe what it might have been like in Heaven around the first Christmas. I will be reading chapter by chapter Max Lucado's "An Angel's Story"; so we can experience this story together.

Hope you enjoy coming back for new episodes periodically as I read you a goodnight story :)

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THOUGHT: Confession

Psalm 51:1-10, is actually a prayer. So, let's pray:

Psalm 51:1-10 (New Living Translation)

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner--
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me--
now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Enjoy your day, because with confession comes freedom.

411God.net


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Advent Conspiracy: 4 Words That Could Change Your Christmas 01: Worship Followup

Give a little listen to the podcast that starts this new series up. Does it make you think? Do you think that you will be willing and able to join the Advent Conspiracy?

Read: Luke 2:1-20

What’s your favourite thing about Christmas?

When you were a child, what part did you ever play in the Christmas pageant?

Suppose this group acted out the Christmas story. Who would you choose to play Joseph? Mary? The innkeeper? The shepherds? The angels?

What is the closest you’ve come to experiencing the presence of angels watching over you?

How would you feel if an angel suddenly appeared to you with a message about God’s plan for your life?

Who was the “angel” that first told you about Jesus? What effect has this good news had on you?

From Another Angle:

Pregnant before marriage. Broke. Homeless. If you were Mary and Joseph’s friend, what chance would you have given them? A. none B. 50/50 C. uphill all the way D. a great way to begin

Why do you suppose the Saviour of the world was born in an obscure village and laid in a manger? A. to fulfill Old Testament prophecy B. to show he was an ordinary person C. it just happened that way D. he demanded no special favours E. God didn’t want to draw attention to his son’s birth F. No place would have been as grand as he deserved.

What effect did the angelic visit have on the shepherds? A. they wondered if they had been dreaming B. They saw God in a new way C. Their lives were changed forever D. It was soon business as usual.

What do you think the shepherds were most excited to tell others? A. about hearing the angels sing B. about seeing the newborn baby C. God’s plan for their salvation D. that the angel’s words were true E. that the wait for Messiah was over

Do you think Mary & Joseph understood the full significance of the child they brought into the world? A. probably not B. up to a point C. Mary could have D. They must have E. they couldn’t have.

What effect has the news of Christ’s birth had on you? A. business as usual B. spiritual commitment C. aw awakened sense of joy D. hope for the future E. thankfulness for God’s forgiveness F. confusion about God’s plan

How would you describe your relationship with Jesus Christ now?

If you were to spread the word about Jesus has done for you, with whom would you speak first?

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THOUGHT: The Message

You know, Marshall McLuhan once said, "The medium is the message." Basically, how something is taught might be more important than what is taught. Keep that in mind as you listen to Paul talk about his work.

2 Corinthians 5:11-12 (New Living Translation)

11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12 Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.

When it comes to sharing God's love with others, our actions say way more than our words do. Remember, your life may be the only medium for your friends to see Jesus. So, what message are you sending them?

411God.net


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