The connect devotional is a great way to stay connected spiritually to what our community is learning about God right now. It is in step with the current sermon series, studying the scripture through the lens of life application.
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[While the CD Team enjoys a Christmas break, please enjoy these devotionals from December 2020 based on scripture readings and Christmas carols.] "Silent Night" and John 1:1-18 If you had to pick "the best" of all the Christmas carols, "Silent Night" would certainly be at or near the top of the list. This week we wrap up this week by listening to this beloved carol and ...
Keep Reading[While the CD Team enjoys a Christmas break, please enjoy these devotionals from December 2020 based on scripture readings and Christmas carols.] Now the dwelling of God is with men. (Rev. 21:3) No more let sins and sorrows flow,/Nor thorns infest the ground./ He comes to make His blessings known/Far as the curse is found. ("Joy to the World," Isaac Watts, 1719) Jesus...
Keep Reading[While the CD Team enjoys a Christmas break, please enjoy these devotionals from December 2020 based on scripture readings and Christmas carols.] Mild He lays His glory by "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," Charles Wesley I imagine Charles Wesley was moved to write "Mild He lays His glory by" by Paul's observation that Jesus voluntarily set aside his status as God to becom...
Keep Reading[While the CD Team enjoys a Christmas break, please enjoy these devotionals from December 2020 based on scripture readings and Christmas carols.] "O Holy Night" Matthew 11:28 I should have kept a tally of how many times I listened to "O Holy Night" in preparation for this week's Connect Devotional. I listened to various artists sing it in many different styles; I list...
Keep Reading[While the CD Team enjoys a Christmas break, please enjoy these devotionals from December 2020 based on scripture readings and Christmas carols. Covid even makes an appearance in our devotional for today.] O come, O come, Emmanuel, / And ransom captive Israel / That mourns in lonely exile here/Until the Son of God appear. / Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel / Shall come to the...
Keep ReadingOf the greatness of his government and peacethere will be no end. He will reign on David's throneand over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousnessfrom that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almightywill accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7). What if Christmas is actually the beginning of a glorious victory celebration? What if we're celebr...
Keep ReadingFor to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). As I look around my living room, my house is decked out with festive Christmas decorations: A tree, nativity scene, garland, and beautiful lights. The music and movies create ...
Keep ReadingFor to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the governmentwill be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, EverlastingFather,Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). "Ask your neighbor what their favorite Christmas song is," instructed the worship leader this past Sunday during our greeting time. I turned to the gentleman behind me and asked h...
Keep ReadingOf 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 ESV) At the beginning of this month, I ventured to eastern Tennessee with my senior class for a w...
Keep ReadingFor unto us a child is born, To us a son is given And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) In our current sermon series, Pastor Alex has pointedly reminded us that if we're focusing on the what of Christmas instead of the Who, then we're not only missing the point, we're also setting ourselves up for a J...
Keep ReadingNow I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church (Colossians 1:24). My neighborhood does a wonderful job decorating for Christmas. And beyond the lights, snowmen, Santas, penguins, and trees, there are a lot of nativity scenes set up. It's beautifu...
Keep ReadingThere's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this worldthe kind of suffering Christ takes on. (Colossians 1:24 MSG) I'm not in the mood for Christmas. My life took a major geographical turn this year, and I find myself in a place I've been before but never expected to be again. I'm far from family and friends, and I'm missing being a part of the usual holiday festivi...
Keep ReadingI want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you.There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this worldthe kind of sufferingChrist takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering.When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve y...
Keep ReadingThe mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col 1:26-27). Recently, I received an invitation from a woman in my neighborhood to attend her 38th birthday party. Ladies only. Cri...
Keep ReadingNow I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church To the Lord's people God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone ...
Keep ReadingOnce you were alienated from God and were enemies in your mindsbecause of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physicalbody through death to present you holy in his sight (Colossians 1:21-22). Apologizing for something is a very tough thing to do. I'm not talking about the "oops, sorry" when we accidentally collide with someone else's shopping ca...
Keep Reading"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel." (Colossians 1:22-23a) Have you ever thought about the difference between biblical hope and just being hopeful? I may be ...
Keep Readingall the broken and dislocated pieces of the universepeople and things, animals and atomsget properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross (Colossians 1:19 MSG). I love a good organization project! Last year I and some other staff members worked to revamp the main storage space at our Pittsboro cam...
Keep ReadingOnce you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation (Colossians 1:21-22). Have you ever watched one of those home makeover shows like "Fixer-Upper," or "Forever Home," or the hilariously ...
Keep Readingwe have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God's people the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven (Colossians 1:4) Hope. A bit hard to define, isn't it? Is it primarily a feeling that things will work out in the future? Isn't it pretty similar to faith and how does it differ? Is the "hope of the gospel" t...
Keep ReadingHe is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:15-17 ESV.) How do you remember your Driv...
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