Do You See What I See?

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 that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, 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 heaven, and on earth peace to those 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. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

- Luke 2:8-20 (NIV)

Faith is accompanied by action.

 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.”

- Luke 2:15

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

- James 2:17

Pursuing Jesus should be our priority.

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

- Luke 2:16

Experiencing Jesus is something to be shared.

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.

- Luke 2:17-18

Meet Maher-shalal-hash-baz

3 And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz…

- Isaiah 8:3

Distress might be near.

…the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 4 for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

-  Isaiah 8:3-4

The world may seem like it’s getting darker.

21 They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. 22 And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.

- Isaiah 8:21-22

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

- Isaiah 9:2

The Son of God came to be the light that we need.

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

- Isaiah 9:6

Let Jesus lead the way.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

- Isaiah 9:7

Mary’s Christmas Choral

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. - Luke 1:46-49

Our souls often magnify the wrong things.

The things you magnify you glorify.

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord… - Luke 1:46

Glorify Jesus who is close and satisfies your soul.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

- James 4:8

50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53  he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

- Luke 1:50-55

How to Walk Out of Doubt

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. - Luke 1:5-6

Zechariah experienced disappointment.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

- Luke 1:7

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

- Luke 1:8-18

Zechariah doubted God.

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

- Luke 1:19-22

We can take one step of faith at a time.

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.

- Luke 1:23-24

We will be sure of God’s goodness.

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.

- Luke 1:57-65

Helping Yourself by Serving Others

34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

- Matthew 25:34-40

Worship is a great place to start, but worship is only the beginning.

True worship is always accompanied by service.

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

- James 2:26

Serving isn’t just what we do, a servant is who we are.

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for a life of good works that God had prepared for us to do.

- Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Thankful Every Day

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

- Psalm 118:24

Psalm 118 overflows with thanksgiving and gratitude.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”

- Psalm 118:1-4

There are days on which we don’t feel thankful.

Out of my distress I called on the Lord...

- Psalm 118:5

10 All nations surrounded me… 11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side… 12 They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns… 13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling...

- Psalm 118:10-13

There’s a reason to be thankful every day.

22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

- Psalm 118:22-24

Remember that Jesus is our Rock.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. 15 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous…

- Psalm 118:14-15

Gratitude changes our attitude.

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.

- Psalm 118:5

10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 12 They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me.

- Psalm 118:10-13

Journey of Generosity

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

- Luke 12:13-21

Proper perspective brings contentment.

Following proven principles leads to confidence and trust.

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

- Matthew 7:24-25

Priorities lead to convictions.

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

- Matthew 6:19-21

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -

Matthew 6:31-33

Conviction leads to commitment and a lifetime of generosity.

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

- 2 Corinthians 9:7

Next Steps to Grow in Generosity

Occasional Giver

• You gave for the first time or maybe a few times

• Still cautious or hesitant

• You’re excited about your relationship with Jesus and the church

• You’re learning to trust Him in everything including your finances

• Allow God to change you from the inside out beginning with your heart

Consistent Giver

• You have a plan to give/support God’s mission

• You’re giving on a consistent basis

• You find giving to be fulfilling

• You are cheerfully allowing God to be first in all areas of your life

Intentional Giver

• Your top financial priority is to bring the tithe to God

• Your conviction is that the tithe is the standard (Genesis 14:18-20)

• You understand God owns all things

• You believe God owns 100% of all that you have but specifically set aside the tithe 

• You want to respond in worship and devotion but trusting him with your tithe

Generous Giver

• You give above and beyond the tithe

• You believe this type of giving is a reflection of Jesus sacrifice on the cross

• What God wants is more important than your earthly possessions

• Your commitment to generosity changes your lifestyle, priorities and budget

• You purposefully make sacrifices in your life in order to give more and more often

• You consistently look for ways to be a blessing to the body of Christ

Surrendered Giver

• You honor God with 100% of everything God has given you

• You hold everything with open hands freely and willingly giving to God in whatever ways he asks of you

• You life reflects this in ways even beyond finances as God continues transforming you

• You constantly think about eternity, the lost, and building God’s kingdom.

(Un)afraid

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

- 2 Timothy 1:7

God doesn’t want us to be afraid. But what is a spirit of fear?

A spirit of fear is marked by constant, negative reactions to bad things that might happen. It holds us captive and keeps us from moving forward into the will of God.

We can’t replace fear with misplaced confidence.

God replaces our fear with power, love, and a sound mind.

We become unafraid of suffering for the mission of God.

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...

- 2 Timothy 1:8-10

If we share in God’s mission, then we’ll also share in God’s victory.

3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

- 2 Timothy 2:3-10

The Gift of Quiet in a Chaotic World

“I am convinced that the ear, on its own, is the essentials as it is the door that leads to the essence of all things, to the Being just as it also represents its opening to the world through the body. - Dr. Alfred Tomatis

17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

- Matthew 3:17-4:1

The wilderness isn’t a place of weakness, it’s a place of strength.

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

- Mark 1:35

Times of busyness requires more quiet time with God, not less.

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

- Mark 6:31

“Internal noise is the running commentary in our heads on everything. The replaying of a lousy conversation with a friend over and over again. Our lustful thoughts for the girl or guy down the street. Our fantasies. And not just sexual; our revenge fantasies - imagining saying this or doing that to our enemies of choice. Our worry - the chipping away at our joy and peace with the hammer of ‘what if?’ The obsessing over hypothetical scenarios, role-playing the future, catastrophizing. Idealizing. Dreaming of the perfect life, which in turn poisons our actual lives.” - John Mark Comer, Pastor & Author

Symptoms of not prioritizing time with God:

• Distance from God

• Distance from yourself

• Anxiousness about hypothetical situations or the future

• Feeling exhausted

• Feeling the need to escape reality

• Living on edge; Having a short fuse

Four practical steps to enter into silence and solitude:

1. Find your eremos (a dedicated, quiet place).

2. Take your time.

3. Face the good, bad, and ugly in your own heart. Allow God to deal with those things.

4. Embrace the silence.

More important than talking to God is listening to Him.

Be still and know that I am God…

- Psalm 46:10

Where is God?

God can feel distant.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

- Matthew 1:1

• We do bad things.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

- Matthew 1:2-6

• Bad things happen in the world.

11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

- Matthew 1:11

• Bad things happen in our lives.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

- Matthew 1:18-19

God is on His throne.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place… 

- Matthew 1:18

God wants to be with us.

20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

- Matthew 1:20-22

We can walk with God even when we don’t feel like it.

24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him…

- Matthew 1:24

We’ll be able to look back and see what God has done.