Ask any high performing athlete and they will tell you, before they can achieve greatness, they have to begin with the basics of stretching. What about the believer? All throughout the Bible there are examples of how God stretched his people to allow them to become something greater for God’s purpose. What do these examples teach us about our own lives, our own purpose and relationship with God? Are you ready to Stretch?
Through the weeks of Advent and the Christmas season we will look at the familiar symbols of Christmas with new eyes to find a deeper meaning of peace, love, hope and joy.
Generosity is not something you do, but something you are. When you give, you acknowledge God as the center of your life. Just think what it would look like if we led the way with extravagant generosity, not only as individuals, but as the church?
Have you ever prayed for something risky? Maybe you've prayed for God to use you or to test you. These prayers can be life changers, and that kind of change can be scary. What if God answers our prayers in ways we aren't prepared for or didn't plan for? Are you willing to take the risk?
In Jesus’ time people would travel great distances from their homes to make sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem to atone for their sins. The need for forgiveness and restoration overwhelmed them to the point of making a long and difficult physical journey. What about today? We all hurt others or stray from the path through our words and actions. Would you be willing to make the journey to find or give forgiveness? It has been too long. The time is now to free your heart. It’s time to Repent!
Life throws all kinds of things our way. No matter how careful we try to be, we will still inevitably face things like failure and heartbreak. We can't avoid these challenging aspects of life, but with God's help our hardships can be an opportunity. It's time to grow.
