Happy New Year! It is 2012, a new year with new possibilities. Today, I wanted to do something a little bit different. Today’s message is more of a reflection of the past year’s blessings than it is teaching on the Bible. Nevertheless, I believe it is important to take some time to recognized the goodness of God during 2011.
Our reading for today is from Isaiah 65:17-24.
This is the message for Christmas Day. I don’t really have a title for this message. I talked about Joseph on Christmas Eve. This message focuses in on Mary. Mary was given a difficult burden to bear. But ultimately it was God’s burden. And God help her to bear it. In the end it was a beautiful burden to bear.
The text for this message is Luke 1:26-38.
On Christmas Eve we celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior. One very important person in the events of Christmas is the often forgotten Joseph. In this message we look at how God used Joseph to carry out his plan of salvation and how he uses us as well. The text for this message is Matthew 1:18-25.
During part of this message there is a video that is shown. You can see the video in my last post.
God is so good! What an incredible blessing it is to be a part of the Lord of Life family. I wanted to share with you a few of the amazing blessings that have resulted from your generosity.
Incredible Response
Two weeks ago I had shared in my weekly email how Lord of Life was having some trouble meeting our expenses at the end of the year. Our expenses had exceeded our income. Our ministry has accomplished some awesome things in the past year, but as we look forward to the next year it was important that we live within the means of God’s provision. We don’t want to spend what we don’t have.
So a few weeks back I brought our Executive Committee in front of the altar in the Family Life Center. There we bowed down and just simply asked God’s provision for the ministry that he would provide everything we need to accomplish the work he has given us to do. We trust in God’s provision. We know there is so much more we can do for God’s kingdom, but we definitely needed his help.
This morning I came into my office and I opened up the weekly giving report and was just blown away. The receipts from last Sunday’s offering were $46,018. When I read that, I thought there must have been some mistake. This is almost 3 times the amount given on an average Sunday.
This will go a long way towards catching up on some of those bills. Even more so it is further assurance that with God all things are possible. We are to do what he has called us to do and trust he will make it happen if we are obedient.
Thank you so much for your overwhelming response so far in this end of the year appeal. When there is a need, Lord of Life comes through. I am looking forward to an incredible year in 2012 as we advance the kingdom of God in our community. In the next coming weeks I am hoping to share some exciting opportunities for our church to launch in the upcoming year. My prayer that we will take some steps of faith to do more than we have ever done before. We are not going to back down! What a great blessing to be a part of a church committed to the cause of Christ.
Another Great Story of Giving
When I arrived at Lord of Life on Sunday morning there were still a good number of ornaments on the HELPS giving tree that had not been taken. The HELPS Christmas Party was later that afternoon. It seemed that some of the requested gifts would not be received this year.
But after the 8:30am worship all the ornaments disappeared and at the end of the 10am worship all the gifts that had not yet been purchased arrived at Lord of Life. They were all wrapped just in time to be given away at the HELPS Christmas Party. Praise the Lord for his provision.
Cookies, Cookies, and more Cookies
Once again this year we had more than enough cookies to give away to the boys at IYC. With all the leftover cookies we took some to the train stations at Elburn and LaFox. But we still were not able to give all the cookies away.
That same day volunteers were leaving for St. Matthew’s Soup Kitchen in Chicago. So we sent two boxes of cookies along with them. The staff at St. Matthew’s took the cookies and froze them. Now they will be served on Christmas for those who come to the Soup Kitchen.
Yet, another box went to the Elburn Food Pantry. We handed out cookies to the people waiting in line while we talked with them and prayed with them. Every person standing in line got at least one dozen cookies. We still had more left over that we left at the food pantry.
I think about all the love that went into each one of those cookies and pray that those who receive them will somehow know that there is a great God who loves them.
God Open’s Door for Malaria Initiative
We have been praying that God would open some doors for the Malaria Initiative effort in Africa. John Peterson emailed me this past week that to let me know that the Ghana government is going to begin clinical trials using the Malaria Treatment. This is the note John sent me.
Pastor Phil, I just got the most excellent Christmas present I have been praying for. The Ghana Government has confirmed their agreement to work with what you may know as Malaria Initiative (M-end) to start Clinical trials of our new malaria treatment. There are more negations to be done but God has answered a prayer by many people. He works in His way. I Pray that we are doing His work. We are the most blessed persons on earth. I am sending you this note to let you know that Prayers are answered. In His Service, John
A Christmas Greeting from Gilgal Gospel Ministries
Gilgal Gospel Ministries sent us a link to a video with Christmas greetings. About a minute into the video you will see gifts given to children in Christmas Stockings. Some of these gifts were contributed by you at Lord of Life.
Here is the direct link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O-n7z0psK0&feature=youtu.be
Wheelchair for Meagan
Another thing I wanted to share with you is an effort we have been undertaken for Meagan Seals. Many of you already know Meagan’s story, but if not please check out by watching this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFjc-q9V9ws
Meagan’s parents, Scott and Luellen, have been working to raise the funds for an infant wheel chair for little Meagan. It is a special chair that will allow Meagan to sit up on her own. Because of overwhelming medical bills related to Meagan’s condition, the Seals have not been able to afford this chair.
In an effort to help out, Lord of Life has contributed benevolence funds towards the effort. The Seals have also been generously supported by Conley Outreach in Elburn and Lutheran Church Charities. Lutheran Church Charities has set up a fund to which you can donate by following this link. Lutheran Church Charities has posted the story on the front page of their website at lutheranchurchcharities.org.
Christmas Worship and New Years
The last thing is a reminder that Christmas Eve Worship is at 5pm and 7pm. Christmas day worship, which happens to fall on a Sunday, is at 9:15am. There are no Bible Studies or Sunday School on that day.
Some of you have asked about worship on New Year’s Day. We will be going back to our regular Sunday schedule. There will be two worship services that morning at 8:30am and 10am. Make sure to start the new year in the right way!
Merry Christmas, Pastor Phil
We apologize for the poor audio in this recording. We will try our best to improve future recordings.
Today is the fourth and final message in our Advent series – “He Will Be Called.” We have been looking at the 4 names given to Jesus is Isaiah 9:6. You can follow the links to previous messages below:
November 27: Wonderful Counselor December 4: Mighty God December 11: Everlasting Father December 18: Prince of Peace
Join us on Christmas Eve at Lord of Life at 5pm or 7pm for a special Christmas message: He Will Be Called Jesus!
For to us a child is born . . . and he will be called Everlasting Father. Isaiah 9:6
God is eternal. He is without beginning or end. He is the Alpha and Omega. The first and the last. He is uncreated before there was time.
Wow! That is amazing. But there is something that is important to realize. While God is eternal, you also were created as an eternal being. You were created for eternity. You were created for more than just this life on this earth.
The time we spend on this earth is so short and minuscule compared to the span of eternity. It is impossible to put into human terms. If eternity were represented by a 24 hour day, in comparison your life on this earth would be represented by less than 1 second. Of course this is an imperfect example because a day has a beginning and an end. Eternity has no such thing.
The point is we are so focused on our life on earth we miss the eternal perspective that God gives to us through Jesus. Because of Jesus we have so very much more to live for. An eternal perspective changes so much.
An eternal perspective will help us endure hardship and difficulty. Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may last through the night but joy comes in the morning.” I can much easier face suffering knowing there is an end in sight.
An eternal perspective will help us to order our priorities. It will change the way we spend our time. It will change the lessons we hope to instill in our children. It will change the way we spend our money. What is important to us when don’t see past our life on earth will be very different to what is important to us when we recognize that there is a long eternity ahead. The choices we make today will greatly impact that eternity.
An eternal perspective will help us to worship God. We recognize that the only reason we can talk about an eternity apart from the suffering of hell is because Jesus lived, died, and rose again from the dead. My eternity was changed because of him. He saved more than just my life, he saved my eternity. I have all the reason in the world to honor him with everything I’ve got.
Merry Christmas all! Look forward to seeing you at Christmas Eve Worship at 5pm and 7pm. Christmas Day worship is 9:15am.
Today is the third message in our Advent series – “He Will Be Called.” We will be looking at the 4 names given to Jesus is Isaiah 9:6. You can see the schedule below:
November 27: Wonderful Counselor December 4: Mighty God December 11: Everlasting Father December 18: Prince of Peace
Dear Members of Lord of Life - It was another record setting Black Friday weekend this year. Total spending for the four day weekend following Thanksgiving was $52.4 billion. That was a 16% increase from the year before with the average shopper spending almost $450. The translation for all of this is that Americans are spending a whole lot of money this Christmas in spite of the economy.
Now there is nothing wrong with buying Christmas Gifts. I will admit I was at Walmart on Black Friday this year. I helped contribute to the $52.4 million spent on that one weekend. I know it will be a joy to watch my children and family open their gifts on Christmas morning in celebration of Jesus, the greatest gift ever given.
But in this season of gift giving I want to encourage you not to forget to bring your gifts to Jesus as well. With all the money we spend on stuff that has little lasting value, may we also consider how much we are giving for heavenly treasure.
As we look back to this past year it brings joy to my heart to think about the things the Lord has accomplished through our church. I think about the Haiti mission trip, Vacation Bible School, and the “Ready to Go” Community Week of Service. I thank Jesus for the dozens of cookies being baked for the Illinois Youth Center this weekend along with the visits to Marklund and St. Matthew’s Soup Kitchen. There have been so many prayers that have been offered to the Lord through the electronic prayer bulletin. Many of those prayers have been answered from jobs found, addictions overcome, and surprise gifts that arrived on the doorstep when least expected. I think of the children who have grown in the faith. I am amazed at how my daughter has learned and grown through Awana and Sunday School. I celebrate the learning that has taken place among adults through Bible Studies and Small Groups. We have had some powerful special events like the Seder Dinner, Women at the Well, and the Love and Respect Marriage Conference. Almost $80,000 has been given to missions outside of Lord of Life both locally and globally. This doesn’t even take into account the contributions made directly to these missions by Lord of Life members. For example, I know of two families at Lord of Life who are financing the building of two separate churches in India. Praise God for these things. I could go on. There is even more! Through trials and difficulties, God has continued and prospered the work he is doing through us. We pray that God will do an even greater work through us in 2012.
But as we enter the final weeks of the 2011 our church expenses have exceeded our income. At this point in time we have a few outstanding bills that have not been paid because we do not have the funds. We are matched with a potentially difficult December month to make up the difference because of how the Sundays fall. This year Christmas Day is on a Sunday which means we essentially lose a week of income that is normally available on most other years.
In light of this, there are a couple of things that I would ask of you.
Pray for God’s provision. Pray for God not only to continue the work but to prosper our work here in this place, beyond the walls of the church building, and to the ends of the earth.
Come to our Voter’s Meeting on Sunday following the 10am worship. During this meeting we will look at the budget for next year, pray for God’s work through us, and consider a “Call” for Brian Zielke as Director of Christian Education. There are some documents you can download from Lord of Life Online at lolchurch.ccbchurch.com in preparation for the voters’ meeting. These documents are also available to be picked up at the church office.
If God has blessed you at the end of this year, don’t forget where that blessing has come from. Consider bringing an extra gift this Christmas to help provide for the shortfall and to further the Lord’s work in the next year.
During the next couple of weeks we will set up a manger in front of the Communion table. Instead of passing the offering plate down the aisle I want to invite everyone to bring their gifts to the manger in recognizing we are ultimately bringing our gifts to Jesus. We can never out give Jesus. He has given us everything. So in this season of gift giving, we remember how it is truly more blessed to give than receive.