“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NLT
Christmas brings hope for the hopeless. How are you this year? What have your struggles been about? God rescues the lost. Do you feel aligned with God’s purpose for your life? We can find hope again at Christmas.
Christmas fills those who trust God with even more hope. Even when our life in the world doesn’t turn out as we hoped it would, we are never left hopeless. Jesus birth in Bethlehem changes everything. We discover renewed hope and strength in celebrating the birth of our Savior.
The angel told Joseph, “And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 NLT
When I was a kid it was almost more than I could bare; waiting for Christmas morning. The anticipation of gifts to be unwrapped was too much. My brother and I would often be found shaking a box or two. In all honestly, maybe it was me doing most of the shaking of boxes.
Regardless what presents are found under our tree this year, Immanuel, baby Jesus, born in Bethlehem brings confident assurance to our world. It is the ONLY gift to be opened which brings hope to everyone. You are not hopeless. Jesus changes everything.
Join us this weekend at Journey Community Christian Church for a pre-Christmas message. I will look at the Jospeh of the Bible in Genesis chapter 45. Not Joseph and Mary in the Nativity scene (that will be next week). This is Jospeh and his jealous brothers who hated Joseph; selling him into slavery.
In God’s Divine twist of human circumstances, more than twenty years later, Joseph prays, forgives, and blesses his brothers and their family. Joseph realizes his purpose in the world was to save his family and others from severe famine - Genesis 50:20. What an amazing story of God’s never ending love. God’s love and His will for your life is still at work today.
If the manager scenes this time of year are difficult for you, or someone you know, this message will provide support and hope again. Good News and great joy is for everyone; even those with stories of betrayal, injury, and hardship. YOU matter to God. He is for YOU!
Join us this weekend for a message to get us ready for Christmas 2023, Journey Sat@6pm/Sun@10:30am. Bring a Journey guest and share this HOPE-filled message from the Bible.
You matter to God.
