Church of the Nazarene

http://bible.com/events/49053042 Church of the Nazarene - East Rock Tough Sayings of Jesus - Part 4"Take Up Your Cross" Today, on our way to passion week, we conclude our 4-part teaching series called “The Tough Sayings of Jesus.” Throughout this series we want to navigate our way through some of Jesus’ most challenging declarations- yes, the uncomfortable ones too. Jesus wasn’t trying to create likes and follows on his social media account when he said controversial or uncomfortable things. He was communicating truth, guidance and direction for his followers. Our goal is not to somehow transform these texts into something easier to swallow. They were challenging 2000 years ago when Jesus said them, and they will always be that way, long after this series.Today we focus on "Take Up Your Cross".‭‭ Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬-‭26‬‬ And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Jesus' expectation is clear: 1. Deny themselves-The Greek word for “deny” in verse 23 – arneomai –Is the same word used when Peter denies Jesus. To deny yourself is, simply, to turn on, betray your self. That's the implication here. -The Bible sometimes calls the self our flesh. -This ideal of denying self (betraying self) is an intentional decision to not move away from self as the primary motivation. 2. Take up their cross -To “take up one’s cross” referred to the practice of forcing a condemned person to carry the cross beam to his execution site. This showed that the condemned person was now completely conquered. Their last act in this world is carrying the instrument that would lead to their death. -Jesus is painting a picture here of suffering. Of a journey that will lead to pain. Discipleship = self-denial + cross-bearing I realize “taking up our cross” may sound strange or vague at first, but for me it’s meant breaking old habits to create space in my heart for new growth. It’s meant moving beyond a plastic Christian checklist … Go to church. Read the Bible. Don’t cuss. Be nice. Pray. Give to the poor … and letting God mess with any and every area of my life. Lysa TerKeurst Ultimately Jesus is painting a picture here of complete and total surrender. The tension in this text is that there are many who consider themselves a disciple of Jesus, but who are not completely and totally surrendered.‭‭ Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭26‬‬ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. "If your life isn’t cross-centered, it’s off-centered". Ann Voskamp‭‭ Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬‬ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Verses for further study/reflection: Mark 8:34 Matthew 10:38 Galatians 5:24 Luke 14:26 Philippians 2:3-8 Giving at COTN If you have ever had questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2 Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

http://bible.com/events/49049608 Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg Tough Sayings of Jesus - Part 3"You Can’t Serve God and Money" Today, on our way to passion week, we continue in our 4-part teaching series called “The Tough Sayings of Jesus.” Throughout this series we want to navigate our way through some of Jesus’ most challenging declarations- yes, the uncomfortable ones too. Jesus wasn’t trying to create likes and follows on his social media account when he said controversial or uncomfortable things. He was communicating truth, guidance and direction for his followers. Our goal is not to somehow transform these texts into something easier to swallow. They were challenging 2000 years ago when Jesus said them, and they will always be that way, long after this series. Today we focus on "You Can’t Serve God and Money".-As much as we want to be generous and be a blessing to others, many of us have this other part of us that is so afraid of 'not having enough.'-For many of us, that fear is real. There is this creeping anxiety: I’m not enough, there won’t be enough.-That is where greed is born. Beneath the surface, in the places of our lives where others may never see, it keeps us from being generous.‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭22‬‬ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.-Jesus is making an important connection - a connection between your stuff and your heart.-Our heart, our passion, our focus, and our pursuit is directly linked to what we treasure.-The reason Jesus tells us we cannot serve two masters – God and money – is that we are liable to fall into the trap of thinking that we can. Jesus said you cannot serve God and serve money. It begs the question: what does it look like to serve money?“ A ruthless self–seeking and an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit.” John Ritenbaugh" An accursed love of having which will pursue its own interests with complete disregard for the rights of others, and even for the considerations of common humanity.” William Barclay "He is not poor who doesn’t have much, but who wants much". Tomas Fuller We can have stuff, but our stuff can't have us.‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬‬For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. One specific way we guard against greed in our hearts and our minds is by being generous. There is not a better way to counter-act the attachment to material things than to give what we have away. Specifically, when I give to the Lord, I am making three important statements.1. A statement of gratitude Greed focuses on what I don't have, what I lack, or what I still need. But generosity is a statement of gratitude to God for all I do have and all He has provided.2. Statement of priority My giving is an indication of what I value. When I give, I am making a commitment that God is the priority. He is Lord!3. Statement of faith When I give, I am making a declaration of faith: Lord I trust in you, and not in my stuff. Verses for further study/reflection: Proverbs 28:25Hebrews 13:5 Proverbs 15:27 1 John 2:16 Luke 12:13-15 Giving at COTN If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2 Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

https://www.bible.com/events/49049050 Church of the Nazarene - East RockTough Sayings of Jesus Part 3 You cannot serve God and money...Tough Sayings of Jesus Throughout this 4-part series we are navigating our way through some of Jesus’ most challenging teachings. We believe when Jesus was teaching and saying hard things, that it was for our good. It was so that his followers would pay attention and hear his warnings and live differently in light of his teaching. As a church, we want to take in the whole counsel of God’s word, not just the sayings we like or that make us feel good, but the uncomfortable ones too. So, we aren’t seeking to make them any easier. We want to respond to Jesus, to form our thinking and our living after his word- even the hardest ones. Today we are unpacking a tough saying. It’s tough because we tend to like our stuff, but Jesus sees the real danger of greed in our lives. He sees how greed pulls people away from God, how it interrupts their faith, and how the pursuit of more possessions brings with it a lot of anxiety and pain. Will you trust Jesus in that the abundance of life is NOT found in the abundance of possessions?‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭21 ‬‬“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. In these verses He makes an explicit connection for us- The connection between our heart and our stuff Jesus is not just giving us insider investment secrets to boost our 401K or savings account when he says to lay up treasures where moth and vermin don’t destroy- He is teaching us how to invest our focus, our affections, our attention. This is not a prohibition against savings accounts, wise stewardship, or investments, or even having a retirement plan. Jesus is warning about the pursuit of MORE. About allowing our hearts to become fixated on more, bigger, faster, newer, nicer things. As with so many areas of the sermon on the mount- The heart condition is the key matter at hand. So, is your heart invested in the here and now, or in your eternal destiny?‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭22‬-‭23 ‬‬“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!In a challenging metaphorical saying- Jesus teaches that what we are focused on- our eyes- effects or illuminates the rest of our body. If our focus is good and generous, then our whole body will be full of light. But if our focus is greed and self-fulfillment, how dark our condition. Jesus moves to conclude this teaching with a definitive statement about our possessions. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭24 ‬‬“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Perhaps this explicit teaching made the sermon on the mount because Jesus knew we would be tempted to think we could do it. We would be tempted to think we are the exception, the talented and driven few who can handle serving money and God. The implication of this text is not that if you love money, you will be indifferent towards God. The implication of Jesus words here is that if we love money, we will actually hate God. For us today it comes down to this: We can have stuff, but our stuff cannot have us.‭‭ 1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬-‭10‬‬ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. So, how do we combat this influence in our lives? Begin by asking the Lord to show us where our treasures are. Next, let’s practice gratitude Finally, let’s live generously. It has been said that “It’s possible for God to have all your money and not have all your heart. But it is impossible for God to have your all your heart and not have your all your money” As God does His transforming work in and through our lives, we WILL be generous people. Generous with our money and treasures yes, absolutely. But also with our time, with our talents and abilities. Generosity is the lifestyle of worship of a generous God. Giving at COTN If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2 Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

https://www.bible.com/events/49044074 Church of the Nazarene - East Rock Tough Sayings of Jesus Part 2 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away...Tough Sayings of Jesus Throughout this series we are committed to navigating our way through some of Jesus’ most challenging declarations. We believe that Jesus wasn’t just saying these things to draw a crowd, we believe that he was communicating truth, painting pictures of life in his kingdom. He was giving guidance for his followers. Often these sayings are tough for us because they shine light into the dark corners of who we are, they take us places within our hearts that we would honestly rather not go… they show us our great need for healing. So, our goal is not to do some fancy footwork and somehow make these texts easy- we believe that the bible is God’s whole truth, and we are committed to working through the tough parts too. Today we wrestle with Jesus' words "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away" ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭27‬-‭30 ‬‬“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. That is a tough and even gruesome saying- it's shocking and quite honestly, hard to even hear. But we need to hear- that’s how seriously Jesus took sin. Here is the hard truth: WE sometimes struggle to take sin seriously We tend to want to wait to deal with it…Or to only address it in small and comfortable intervals Or maybe, we don’t want to deal with it at all because we like it, or it feels good in the moment. But, for followers of Christ- that’s not how Jesus said we should treat sin in our lives. Our teaching text today is found in Chapter 5 of Matthew’s gospel in what’s known as the sermon on the mount. Jesus has been teaching in the local synagogues, healing all kinds of sickness and infirmities and now, large crowds are following him. Matthew 5, 6, and 7 record Jesus' teaching about his kingdom. It's important to consider, this was Jesus' teaching to his disciples, people who had were following him. This was NOT Jesus teaching on how to ENTER the kingdom of God. The call of Jesus to deal so explicitly with sin in our lives, will cause some discomfort- It may be hard, uncomfortable, or costly.- It may mean the loss of some relationships- It could mean the withdraw from a substance- The long struggle of breaking free of bad habits.- It may mean saying a hard NO to our body desires and sexual desires Jesus understood that cuts across the grain of our natural self. But Jesus urges us to deal with sin NOW, to suffer any loss any inconvenience NOW rather than allowing that to separate us from God for eternity. Our perspective about sin is almost always about the NOW, But Jesus has a bigger perspective- and eternal perspective of sin. The one who bore the whole world’s sin on the cross sees and knows the immediate gruesomeness of sin, the pain and suffering that it can cause now, but he also has all of eternity in mind. To be clear, this is not Jesus saying every mistake you make you are in danger of hell- that’s not it at all. But there is danger every time we knowingly choose sin over what we know God desires for our lives. So, anything and everything you do in your life to combat sin by his grace is worth what you do. Every step, every sacrifice.‭‭ Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭2‬‬ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. I hope that it has become clear enough that Jesus was not talking about literal body parts. Our teaching text in Matthew 5 was framed around dealing with adultery specifically, but to be sure, Jesus well intended the principal to extend beyond just that. So not in the literal, but in the fullest sense that Jesus meant- to cut off sinning- What would that look like for you today? We need Jesus to do that deep heart cleansing, to forgive and restore our hearts. We need his spirit to enable and empower us to live holy lives. Along with that prayer and his Holy Spirit’s leading, we need to take action.In whatever it is God is calling you to, will you trust that his perspective is best? That he has your eternal good in view as he is guiding your heart? In prayer and reflection, I would invite you to confess and repent- that can be a simple prayer.“ Lord, I am confessing to you today that I agree with you, this area of my life is wrong. I am sorry Lord. I want to repent, I want to stop doing that and live in right relationship

http://bible.com/events/49046169 Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg Tough Sayings of Jesus Part 2 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away... Tough Sayings of JesusThe desire of this series is not to take some difficult sayings of Jesus and turn them into not-difficult sayings of Jesus. They will be difficult before and after this sermon series. The purpose of the series is for us to more deeply understand the Lord’s purpose in saying these difficult things and how we are to think and behave accordingly. Often these sayings are tough for us because they shine light into the dark corners of who we are, they take us places within our hearts that we would honestly rather not go…they show us our great need for Him. However, it is important that the church teach the whole truth of the Bible – the ideas that are pleasant and those that are terrifying and make us uncomfortable. Today we look at Christ difficult declaration, "Cut off your hand..."‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭27‬-‭30‬‬ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. John Stott What he was advocating was not a literal physical self-maiming, but a ruthless moral self-denial. Not mutilation but mortification is the path of holiness he taught, and ‘mortification’ or ‘taking up the cross’ to follow Christ means to reject sinful practices so resolutely that we die to them or put them to death.‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭7‬-‭9 ‬‬Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Note the words ‘eternal fire’ in verse eight. For most of the history of the church, some have asserted either some form of ultimate universal salvation for everyone or ultimate annihilation of the lost. But for the entire history of the church, the vast majority of Christians and the vast majority of the church’s most eminent and reliable theologians have affirmed that what Jesus and the apostles taught about hell is eternal, conscious punishment.“ The devil doesn’t care if you read your Bible or go to church, as long as you don’t apply it to your life.” Sin is gruesome and deadly - not laughable and light hearted‭‭ Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭24 ‬‬So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. The moment you think sin is acceptable, cut that thought off!‭‭ 1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬‬ Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD John Stott continues: Jesus was quite clear about it. It is better to lose one member and enter life maimed, he said, than to retain our whole body and go to hell. That is to say, it is better to forgo some experiences this life offers in order to enter the life which is life indeed; it is better to accept some cultural amputation in this world than risk final destruction in the next. Of course this teaching runs clean counter to modern standards of permissiveness. It is based on the principle that eternity is more important than time and purity than culture, and that any sacrifice is worthwhile in this life if it is necessary to ensure our entry into the next. We have

Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg Tough Sayings of Jesus "Love your enemies" Today, on our way to passion week, we begin a 4-part teaching series called “The tough sayings of Jesus." Throughout this series we want to navigate our way through some of Jesus’ most challenging declarations- yes, the uncomfortable ones too. Jesus wasn’t trying to create likes and follows on his social media account when he said controversial or uncomfortable things. He was communicating truth, guidance and direction for his followers. Our goal is not to somehow transform these texts into something easier to swallow. They were challenging 2000 years ago when Jesus said them, and they will always be that way, long after this series. Today we begin with "Love your Enemies".‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭48 ‬‬“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Before we consider how we relate to our enemies, perhaps we must first consider how God relates to us. -We began as God's enemies. Because of sin, we were all his enemies. And what if the story ended there? -Through Jesus, we were reconciled and forgiven. This is how God treated his enemies. -When Jesus tells you to love your enemies, what he is actually saying is: "Love like God"." God befriended you while you were still His enemy. In that case, He loved His enemy: You."-John Piper‭‭ Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭10 ‬‬For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! We tend to love according to what feels reasonable to us We love those who love us. We love those who deserve our love. Jesus said, anyone can do that. What these words of Jesus don't mean: -We don't allow someone to abuse us or someone we love. Loving your enemy doesn't mean you allow yourself to be a victim of abuse. You don't allow yourself to be a doormat. -It doesn't mean to just blindly agree with everyone, accepting sin or never standing up for injustice. Remember that just before Passover Jesus cleared the temple of corruption and hypocrisy. ‭‭Jonah‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭4‬‬ But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah believed the people of Nineveh did not deserve the grace of God. Simply put: Jonah does not want to love his enemies. The question the Lord asks Jonah, in response, is so poignant: “Is it right for you to be angry?” Bottom Line: Love like God loved you. Giving at COTN If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2 Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

Tough Sayings of Jesus Love your enemies Today, on our way to passion week, we begin a 4-part teaching series called “The tough sayings of Jesus.” Throughout this series we want to navigate our way through some of Jesus’ most challenging declarations- yes, the un-comfortable ones too. Jesus wasn’t just trying to create likes and follows on his social media account when he said controversial or un-comfortable things. He was communicating truth. Guidance and direction for his followers. Our goal is not to somehow transform these texts into something easier to swallow- They were challenging 2000 years ago when Jesus said them, and they will always be that way, long after this series.Today we begin with "Love your Enemies" ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭44‬‬ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, I think how compact and short this teaching is, essentially 3 words, makes it easy to read over without feeling the weight of its significance. i.It’s easy to blow past this without taking it into our daily lives. That’s really what we want to do within this teaching and within this series. Slow down. Reflect. Pray. Repent The word for love here is agapao (Ah-gah-pa-oh) The love Jesus commands of our enemies is active, pursuing, seeking the good of the other person. Its sacrificial, it’s long suffering, its perseverant.(And this is what might be most important) In its most basic sense- it’s the way God loved YOU. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners (while we were opposed to God, disagreeing with him, fighting against him, resisting him), Christ died for us. He says just a few verses later in 10For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! The call of Jesus to love our enemies, is a call that his followers would love others with the same love that they have received through Him. Jesus is simply saying “love like God”‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭45‬-‭46‬‬ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? In the shadow of tough sayings of Jesus, it’s all too easy to offer ourselves a concession. Something in us wants to appeal to a lesser standard of love. We want to make ourselves feel better by comparison with the world, rather than comparison with God’s truth. But we have to be careful because Jesus cuts that off immediately in our text. He essentially says "If you love those who you can readily get along you’re showing no signs of being a true disciple" Perhaps the greatest challenge of this text is that Matthew doesn’t take a 6-page sidebar to tell us how we are to apply this truth to every situation we encounter. But what is clear for the follower of Jesus, is that we are to be people of mercy and people who don’t seek vengeance. Our default posture toward our enemies not even to be neutral- its to be an active and gracious love of our enemies. Over the next few weeks we are going to take a look at a few other challenging sayings of Jesus. Sayings like: - If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away… - You cannot serve God and Money - You must take up your cross and follow me. The point of all this is not so we all leave feeling terrible about ourselves or think that Jesus sees us as failures- that’s not it at all. We want to hear Jesus’ teaching and yes expectations for his followers so that we might live differently- that we might live our lives as children of the King. The invitation of following Jesus is to be transformed, to live a radically different life. A radical life where you love even your enemies… Will you humble yourself before this tough teaching of Jesus and his love to define your relationships?Giving at COTN If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

http://bible.com/events/49038730 Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg The Relationship Keys: Forgiveness Forgiveness comes with a promise: forgive and be forgiven. Having the right keys is important isn't it? Just talk to someone who has been locked out of their house or who locked their keys in their car. Throughout the month of February we are focusing on relationships. What is the key to healthy, life-giving, God honoring relationships? We're not talking about car keys or house keys, but rather, "relationship keys". Today's focus is forgiveness. Jesus had some very poignant and very powerful things to say about forgiveness. As we read these words today, the question is: Are we willing to do what Jesus says? ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬-‭35 ‬‬Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” There is an obvious and crazy disparity in the story. To those listening, it would have been obvious. The master forgave the servant in such a remarkable way. A debt so great it is incomprehensible. And yet the servant was unwilling to forgive someone else. Someone else with an offense that pales in comparison.1. Forgiveness will heal your heart. -"Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die." -The person who has hurt you deserves your vengeance. But vengeance doesn’t belong to you anyway. -God really places no limits on His command to forgive. -When we choose to no longer hold onto an offense any longer, it frees us to truly live. 2. This forgiveness leads to your forgiveness. -Our own willingness to forgive dictates the level at which we will be forgiven. That's what Jesus said! -Many of us read these words of Jesus about forgiveness and yet live as if they aren't true. -It's as if we know this is true, We know Jesus said this. But we live our lives filled with unforgiveness anyways. The bottom line: Forgiveness comes with a promise: forgive and be forgiven.‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬-‭15 ‬‬And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. ’ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Scriptures for Further Study/Reflection: Ephesians 4:32 Mark 11:25 Matthew 18:21-22 Colossians 3:13 Luke 17:3-4 Giving at COTN If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2 Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

Church of the Nazarene - East Rock The Relationship Keys: Forgiveness “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” ― C.S. Lewis Series Purpose: To gain a greater understanding and tools to strengthen and grow God-honoring relationships of all kinds – friendships, workplace relationships, marriages, etc. FORGIVENESS- to let go - act of pardoning an offender ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬-‭35 ‬‬Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” “To place limits means that forgiveness has become a bargaining chip in the relationship rather than an act of grace." “Seventy-Seven times” is just a way to say, “unlimited.” Jesus answered unexpectedly, saying we are to forgive the repentant an unlimited number of times. Jesus’s reply does away with calculations. God expects those whom He forgives to forgive everyone who sins against them up to the amount they themselves have been forgiven.“ Mercy” is not giving to a person what he/she deserves" Grace” is giving to a person what he/she does not deserve. It’s really simple math: Forgive and be forgiven.‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬, ‭14‬-‭15 ‬‬And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Jesus does not mean that forgiving others is a condition for salvation, but that forgiveness is the expected condition of those who have been saved. Unforgiveness is inherently contradictory to godliness. BOTTOM LINE Forgiveness is an action you must choose, rather than a feeling you must create ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭13 ‬‬Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Scriptures for Further Study/Reflection: 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. Ephesians 4:32 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Mark 11:25 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.1 Corinthians 13:5 (Love…)5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Psalm 103:8-10 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Ephesians 1:7-8 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavish

Drip Jesus Guest Speaker Michael Kraemer Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭17 “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”‭‭ ‬Whatever is going on inside of you is eventually going to come out of you. Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭45 “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”‭‭ When life presses you or when things are difficult, or things don’t go your way what comes out of you? ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭31‬ ‭“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”‭‭ God, we need you to fill us we can’t do it without you. Holy Spirit will fill us from head to toe, completely saturate us with your Holy Spirit

Church of the Nazarene - East Rock The Relationship Keys: Loyalty The deep commitment and willingness it takes to overcome the hardships that sometimes come in relationship. What if today one of the greatest stands we could take against the enemy in our lives was to cultivate God honoring relationships? That’s exactly what our new teaching series is all about. Through this series we are committed to seeing God’s emphasis on the importance of our relationships- with family, members of the church, our community and friends How do we cultivate deeper, stronger, healthier relationships through the challenges we all experience in those relationships?That takes loyalty. Loyalty- To be faithful, unswerving in allegiance, constant, steadfast, and resolute in relationship You have heard it said before from someone going through a difficult time “You really find out who your friends are…” That’s the issue of loyalty in real life.‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬‬One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. There is no real relationship until two people have undergone challenges or hardships together. In those moments, loyalty plants the seeds for growth and fruit through the hardship. Loyalty is upheld as the foundation of relationships throughout Scripture. Moses and Joshua, David and Jonathan, Jesus, and Mary Magdalene and many more teach about loyalty to God and to each other. But perhaps the most direct example comes from a woman that walked the earth close to 3000 years ago. They are the words of Ruth to her mother-in-law Naomi.‭‭ Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭18‬‬ In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!” At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. As we begin to look at Naomi and Ruth’s relationship, we see that they had endured a lot together. Their bond of loyalty had grown through immense suffering and grief together. As Naomi plans to return to her home, she knows there is no prospect for her daughter-in-law’s there. Naomi urges them to leave behind their relationship in favor of a better more secure life. Orpah concedes to her mother-in-laws request, but Ruth stands on loyalty. It's the glue that holds us together in God honoring relationship. Loyalty for Ruth represented a significant and life changing sacrifice. There was hardly any guarantee that it would all work out, but Ruth couldn’t forsake her relationship or her commitment to Naomi. That’s because her commitment to loyalty flowed from her character. Faithful and loyal love was at the core of who she was. We can all recognize within ourselves that we want a friend like Ruth or even Sheriff Andy Taylor. Someone

http://bible.com/events/49027605 Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg The Relationship Keys: Selflessness The model of Jesus is the laid down life. Having the right keys is important, isn't it? Just talk to someone who has been locked out of their house or who locked their keys in their car. Throughout the month of February is a focus for us on relationships. What is the key to healthy, life-giving, God honoring relationships? We're not talking about car keys or house keys, but rather, "relationship keys". Today's focus is selflessness. Some foundational truths: 1. Relationships matter - in fact, you wouldn’t be wrong to say relationships are everything! 2. Relationships are hard - there seem to be fewer examples in our lives of healthy relationships. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭39 ‬‬Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ This is the heart of God: your relationships matter! The way you love the people around you matters. ‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35 ‬‬“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”‭‭ John‬ ‭15‬:‭10‬-‭13 ‬‬If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.‭‭ Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭8 ‬‬Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 1. Selfless love means it's not about me. -We tend to want what we want, and we expect others to care about our needs and wants. -In Godly relationships we choose to take the focus off ourselves and look to those we love. -Imagine what a relationship would be like if both people in the relationship cared about the other’s needs over their own? Important Disclaimer: This does not mean that we are to be doormats, allowing someone to hurt us. Some of us have been a part of unhealthy, co-dependent relationships. We are grateful for the important work of counselors and mental health professionals that help us walk through the healing from destructive relationships. At COTN, the ministry of Celebrate Recovery also helps us find handles in creating healthy boundaries in our relationships. More information is available at cotnaz.org/celebraterecovery. 2. Selfless love means sacrifice which means selfless loves take courage. -It is easy to be selfish, it is always much harder to demonstrate selfless love.-Love is not the same in all our relationships. We don’t love our spouses in the same way we love our children. We don’t love our co-workers in the same way we love our in-laws. But we love nonetheless. And love is sacrifice which means it always take courage. -The selfless love of Jesus takes courage. The bottom line: The model of Jesus is the laid down life. Scriptures for Further Study/Reflection: 1 Corinthians 13 Proverbs 18:24 Romans 12:10 Romans 12:16 Romans 14:19 1 Corinthians 12:25 Galatians 5:13 Galatians 6:2 Ephesians 4:2, 32 Ephesians 5:21 Colossians 3:13 Colossians 3:16 1 Thessalonians 4:18 Hebrews 10:24 Giving at COTN If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

Church of the Nazarene - East Rock The Relationship Keys: Empathy Empathy acts on an attitude of selflessness and sacrifice What if today one of the greatest stands we could take against the enemy in our lives was to cultivate God honoring relationships? That’s exactly what our new teaching series is all about. It’s focused on God honoring relationships that are an offensive attack against the enemy of our souls. I want to welcome you back to our teaching series Relationship Keys Through this series we are committed to seeing God’s emphasis on the importance of our relationships- with family, members of the church, our community and friends As we continue today, we are taking the next step or the next key in our relationships. That key is Empathy. Empathy is the relationship key that acts on an attitude of selflessness and sacrifice Part of growing God honoring relationships is to feel what others are feeling, too walk in their shoes, and respond in compassion.‭‭ Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭14 ‬‬Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Paul’s first relationship key- “clothe yourself with compassion.” Compassion there is a unique word- it’s very close to what Jesus felt in Matthew 9Some translations have “sympathetic”, “Heartfelt compassion” or I like the old KJV “Bowels of Mercy.” What these translations are pointing to, is not just a kind response, it’s not a smile and nod until they leave you alone, but a compassionate response of love from deep within our being. Empathy is a sacred space Empathy fuels connection- sympathy drives dis-connection. Sympathy keeps a safe and comfortable distance, but Empathy has the courage to get close. ‭‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭30‬-‭37 ‬‬In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” To show what God honoring love looked like- Jesus told a story about empathy and compassion. The empathy we’re talking about – the compassion Jesus calls for – crosses any boundary you can think of. Through empathy we can open the door of God’s compassion and grace. We can drive connection. Will you commit to seeing that happen in your relationships? Our response this week is simple- a simple prayer- Lord, give me the courage (and conviction) to love the people in my life with your selfless love. Giving at COTN If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

February 5: Harrisonburg Campus Three chairs Generations- the amount of time to have a grandfather and grandmother, to have a son or daughter to then have a grandson or granddaughter. God speaks through generations God may want to speak to us today about the kind of generation we are The place of chairs in our lives But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.””‭‭Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭15‬“After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.”‭‭Judges‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭Chairs define our lives Three chairs- represents three types of people The kingdom of Heaven is like these three chairs 1. Commitment - You love God with your whole heart he becomes your everything. 2. Compromise- You know the word but there are other things in your life that are more important than God 3. Conflict - You’re at odds with God What chair are you sitting in? Wherever we are seated the next generation usually sits one seat down not the other way around. No matter what seat you are in today you can change seats“ The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”‭‭ John‬ ‭10‬:‭10 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.”‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭21 ‬ ‭“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”‭‭ Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20 ‬ ‭“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33 ‬ ‭“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬ ‭ “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭ “Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. ”‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭No life is more secure than a life that is surrendered into Gods hands There is a chair for everybody There is an unlimited supply of commitment chairs.

February 5 East Rock Relationship Keys part 1: Selflessness Who is it in your life today that has the most keys? Relationships matterRelationships are everything God made us to be in relationship With other people around us We are created for connection Relationships are hard Consider Jesus when he was asked the most important commandment he responded, not with one, but with two “Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭40‬God’s word offers us the help, the wisdom, the keys that we desperately need in our relationships.“ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭If you want to test the quality of your love for Jesus measure the quality of your love for others.“ When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭Anything short of Jesus standard is not a biblical standard of love“ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭8‬Selflessness is a key to Godly relationships. What does it look like?Selfless, love really means these four things - It’s not about you Selfless love is about sacrifice Which means, selfless, love takes courageIt’s not about blame“ The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ The model of Jesus is the laid down life.

http://bible.com/events/49022924 Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg Mission in Action Part 4: Christ Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ. Our mission statement says “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ” We believe this concise, yet powerful statement gives light and guidance to our purpose as the church and as individual believers. So, this teaching series- called Mission in Action is not just to make sure you know the mission statement, but so that you understand it more deeply, find excitement in its possibilities and desire to engage with us to see this mission lived out.‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬‬May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.CHRIST When we talk about Christ Jesus, we affirm the biblical truth that He is indeed God. God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible; what a pity we plan to do the things we can only do by ourselves.-A.W. Tozer Knowing Christ vs. Knowing about Christ‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬-‭9 ‬‬“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭21‬-‭23 ‬‬“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭11‬‬ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. When Paul speaks of “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,” then, he means that he has acknowledged God’s great act of deliverance in Christ and submitted to Christ’s lordship.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭18‬-‭20‬‬Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ Mission of YOUR Life: To know and serve Christ Jesus as your Savior and Lord Christ has staked a claim on our life. Be glad of it. He is incomparable! It is your calling, and honor, to serve Him. There is no other way to live a life that matters.- Dennis Rainey Prayer of Response Jesus, everything hinges on you- knowing you and serving you is what empowers and inspires us to accomplish your mission. I surrender to your Lordship in my life. May your will/your purpose/your mission be fulfilled in and through my life. Amen Giving at COTN If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

Church of the Nazarene - East Rock Mission in Action Part 4: Christ Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ. Our mission statement says “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ” We believe this concise, yet powerful statement gives light and guidance to our purpose as the church and as individual believers. So, this teaching series- called Mission in Action is not just to make sure you know the mission statement, but so that you understand it more deeply, find excitement in its possibilities and desire to engage with us to see this mission lived out. While Christ is literally the last word in our mission statement, it’s not just a play on words, It’s there on purpose. We are committed to giving Christ the last word, to focus on Him, to give him the authority in all we do as the church. After all, apart from him- we really don’t have anything to offer others.‭‭ Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭11‬‬ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. To give Christ the last word is to see him as the central focus and authority of our lives and of our mission together. It means we give Christ the authority over our lives, the past, and the present. And to make him the focus of the future. To give Christ the last word is to give him authority over everything, even if that’s what it costs. The invitation to give Christ the last word over our past means that we decide to abandon anything that would keep us from experiencing relationship with him now.If that’s pride in our accomplishments, our jobs, our families, or even our self-reliance- we must let the past go to embrace Christ If it’s Guilt, or shame, or regret that have you paralyzed- Give Christ the last word over your past. Your past doesn’t have that power over you when give your life to Jesus. To see Christ have the last word means we don’t just give him authority over our past- We give all our lives over to him for the sake of Christ. Paul is helping us to see, there is absolutely nothing in this world worth as much as knowing and experiencing Jesus as Lord. Nothing! As a church we are called to see others come to know Christ- to experience him as their lord and savior. To give Christ the last word means that he is not only the life we experience, but also the authority that will guide our actions. That’s going to challenge me, that will challenge you, because Christ having the last word means that we follow him, no matter what. It’s not going to be our preferences that are get the final word. It might not be what’s popular It’s probably not what’s easiest or even what’s comfortable. It might even feel un-safe in the moment. In those moments, will we give Christ the last word? That's our mission! Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ! Giving at COTN If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2 Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

http://bible.com/events/49019183 Church of the Nazarene Mission in Action Part: Hope "God, fill me with your hope so it overflows into the hearts of those you send to me." Our mission statement says “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ” We believe this concise, yet powerful statement gives light and guidance to our purpose as the church and as individual believers. This teaching series, called Mission in Action, is not just about knowing the mission, but it is challenging us all to engage in the mission more deeply than ever before. Today we will focus on HOPE, both the invitation to experience it and the call to share it with others.‭‭ Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬-‭13‬‬ For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.” And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -The Jews were God's chosen people, and while Paul is reminding the church that God kept His promises, he is also reminding them that the fulfillment of that promise was not just for the Jews as some believed. -Paul points back to the Old Testament to remind the church of the promises God has already made, and now fulfilled. -Finally, Paul introduces this concept of hope. This hope is possible because of what Christ has done. Hope in Him -Paul is specific about who the source of true hope is (verse 12 says "in Him [Jesus] the Gentiles will hope"). -This is a hope that is available now and forever. Hope for Forever -Eternal hope is possible because we have been reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus. -This is why Paul would write to the church in Phillipi, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21) Hope for Today -Paul's words do not just point to a hope one day in the future, but also a hope for right now. -"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him", meaning as you trust Him now. You fill be filled with hope as you trust God today.‭‭ Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21 ‬‬I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. It's not enough to experience this hope. We are called to share this hope with others. This is why Paul points to 'overflowing' hope. Our prayer of response: God, fill me with your hope so it overflows into the hearts of those you send to me. Verses for further study/reflection: Isaiah 40:31 Jeremiah 29:11 Psalm 39:7Romans 5:1-5 Romans 8:24-25 Romans 12:12 Colossians 1:24-27 Giving at COTN If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: [email protected] you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

We are joined on today’s broadcast of HOPE Talks by Vickie Dove, Angela Kohl and Kayla May. They join us today to talk about the women’s Bible studies happening at church of the Nazarene in Harrisonburg. We talk to them about how God called them to leave the Bible studies and about what they’ve gotten out of the studies and fellowship with other women in their groups. we pray that today’s broadcast will be a half hour of hope for your life. We would also like to invite you to take an anonymous six question survey to help give us some feedback on the podcast. You can take the survey by clicking the link below. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=rMtAr_aDl02Dki0XlUrGIhYk-WuZPbRHkFKyO4BJJKdURTIyS1JBNU1TSjRYQjA3VVo5RlNPT0dSWS4u

The Path to Death “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”‭‭ Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬-‭7 ‬ ‭“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬ ‭To know God, we have to die to self How do we destroy the idle of self? When you have the right voices, you make the right choices You can’t disciple others, if you’re not discipled. Acknowledge Him= Know Him His Kingdom cannot come, until our Kingdom goes. Walking with God will destroy the idol of self How to Cultivate a path to death 1. Go Home and grow 2. Find strong community 3. Serve. Are you bearing fruit? fruit that lasts?

Are You Frozen or Chosen? “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”1 Peter 2:9 “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬ ‭“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭18‬ ‭“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬ ‭Authority-1. Ugh definition- The power to give orders and make decisions the power or right to direct or control someone or something. 2. Ahh definition- The common quality of someone who knows a lot about something, who’s respected or obeyed by other people. Authority- It can be assumed It can be earned It can be delegated It can be received It can be rejected It can be revoked God calls everyone not just special people. “So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.” Genesis 41:41-42 “The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. “ ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.””‭‭Haggai‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬-‭23 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14 ‬“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”2 Corinthians 1:21-22“ “As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off.” Jeremiah 22:24 “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ How is the temperature of your life? How are you serving in authority in ministry? Only through the promise of the Holy Spirit are we gifted to serve All called fully surrendered believers have authority, and the Lord has need of you You didn’t choose him he chose you and appointed you to bear fruit, fruit that will last.

http://bible.com/events/49011655 Church of the Nazarene Mission in Action: God "God, I need you. You alone are worthy of my worship, my life." "Our mission statement says “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ”. We believe this concise, yet powerful statement gives light and guidance to our purpose as the church and as individual believers. This teaching series, called Mission in Action, is not just to help us understand our mission more deeply, but to engage in the mission in these days. As we continue in our series, we want to understand, and affirm, that God is central in our mission.‭‭ Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭6 ‬‬And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. The Lord speaks directly to his people, saying that in covenant relationship with Him- he is the exclusive one to whom we give ourselves. He is to be the center and the focus of our lives- and there is to be no other. If we are in relationship with God- we cannot be worshiping or giving ourselves to another- that’s not covenant. Our world is full of false gods: wealth, power, prosperity, self-sufficiency, freedom, my sin-of-choice, my rights, etc.But our mission statement points us to the one and only God, existing in the nature of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, Jesus the Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. Nazarene Article of Faith #1: We believe in one eternally existent, infinite God, Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the universe; that He only is God, holy in nature, attributes, and purpose. The God who is holy love and light is Triune in essential being, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭40 ‬‬Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” We can’t reach others with hope until and unless we are being transformed. And we won't be truly transformed until He takes His rightful place in our lives. As we surrender completely to Him, He transforms us.We are transformed by God! A prayer of response: God, I need you. You alone are worthy of my worship, my life. Verses for further study/reflection: Deuteronomy 5:1-10 Isaiah 40:28 Revelation 1:8 Psalm 18:30 Isaiah 44:6 Jeremiah 51:15 Zephaniah 3:17 Genesis 1:1 Giving at COTN If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: [email protected] Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

Church of the Nazarene - East Rock Mission in Action Part 2: God Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ. Our mission statement says “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ” We believe this concise, yet powerful statement gives light and guidance to our purpose as the church and as individual believers. So, this teaching series- called Mission in Action is not just to make sure you know the mission statement, but so that you understand it more deeply, find excitement in its possibilities and desire to engage with us to see this mission lived out. As we continue in our series, we want to understand, and affirm, that God is central in our mission‭‭ Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭6‬‬ And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Everything we engage in our world comes with choice- it’s the air we breathe and perhaps more than that- it’s the comfort and control we expect to engage everything with. But that's not how we interact with God- With Him- there is, nor can be any other. The Lord speaks directly to his people, saying that in Covenant relationship with Him- he is the exclusive one to whom we give ourselves to. He is to be the center and the focus of our lives- and there is to be no other. That’s why this command is relational at its core- it wasn’t a command given to just anyone- but to those who had said YES to God and expressed their desire to be in covenant with him. If we are in relationship with God- we cannot be worshiping or giving ourselves to another- that’s not covenant. As you follow the story of the children of Israel from this point forward- you will see that at times they did trust God, they did worship him exclusively, but you will also find they did struggle with worshipping false gods. They would grumble, try to do things their own way, and they would trade exclusive covenant relationship with God for worship of Baal or some other form of pagan worship. It may be hard to see at first but, we still struggle with this today. Just because we don’t call them Baal or bow before a golden statue, doesn’t mean we aren’t subject to worshipping other gods. An idol or false god can be anything we prioritize over our exclusive relationship with God. Our world is full of these false gods: Money, success, fame, our phones, relationships- the list is endless. One of the difficult things with idolatry is that many of these false gods start out as good, healthy realities, blessings even, that we can experience in our lives- the danger comes when WE give them priority over our allegiance to God who explicitly says “Have nothing before me…nothing” One function of a mission statement is to hold us accountable- to make us ask the hard questions. Questions like: "Is God really the center of my life?" We can’t experience transformation apart from himWe won’t engage our world with hope without him as the source of hope in our own lives-Friends, God is God alone- There can be no other. Will you make him the center of your life today? Giving at COTN If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ! https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/

http://bible.com/events/49007994 Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg Mission in Action: Transformed Lord, transform me by your power to make me everything you want me to be. Let's know our mission, but even more, let's engage in the mission together! Our mission at church of the Nazarene is: Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ. We start the new year with a focus on the first word of our mission: transformed.‭‭ Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬‬ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. The Greek word for transformed is where we get the word 'metamorphosis' from. It means "a complete and total change". The story of God is a story of transformation. But transforming us from what? According to Paul, we no longer conform to the pattern of the world. What are we being transformed into?His image. Reflecting His glory. His transformation is not a "one-time thing". Yes, God can and does change us in a moment. But He’s also in the business of continuing to transform us, moment by moment and day by day. Each week we will introduce a one sentence prayer as a way to focus on engaging the mission and responding in obedience.This week's prayer:" Lord, transform me by your power to make me everything you want me to be."‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭18‬:‭1‬-‭6‬‬This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. Verses for further study/reflection: Psalm 51:10-12 Romans 5:1-21 Colossians 3:10 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

The arrival of a new year brings a great opportunity to renew our faith and love for God. It's also a wonderful time to renew the joy of salvation in our hearts, as a new creation in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 Many look at January 1st as a new beginning. We hear people talk about New Year’s resolutions. The previous year wasn’t good, they are aware of mistakes they made, and the New Year is an opportunity to start over. I am thankful as believers in Jesus Christ, every day we can start over. The New Year’s Resolution is called “Confession” and it is available every single day of the year. What does that mean? We acknowledge the sin in our life to Jesus and we ask Him for His help to stop. This gives us freedom from the effects of sin by turning to Jesus. As a believer, January 1 is a day to remember all that God has done for you over the previous year. A day to give thanks. Our church mission is “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ.” Today is the first of four messages on our mission. Over the next four weeks we are going to focus on a specific key word: 1. Today we are going to dive into the idea of Transformation. 2. Next week, we are going to focus on God 3. Third week: Hope 4. Fourth week: We will close our series with Mission in Action: Christ. Until we are changed people - transformed, experiencing a heart change, then we can’t truly reach others with the good news of hope. There is an order to our mission statement. We believe that, first we surrender to the process of transformation and then we can bring hope to others through Christ. · We love others because He first loved us. If you’re a part of our church, or if you’re considering becoming a part, understanding our mission matters. · Not just that you know the words but that you personally experience transformation, and the excitement of what God is doing in our campuses. One of my life verses is Romans 12:1-2. I especially like the Message translation. The Message translation reads: 12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Unlike the culture around you, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Paul – the author of those words in Romans - experienced a major transformation on the road to Damascus. He knew about personal change. Paul spells out the doctrinal foundation for the Christian life in the first 11 chapters. Paul informs us in great detail how to actually live a surrendered life to Jesus. Then, in chapter 12 verses 1-2 Paul tells us how our faith should be lived out. These transitional verses introduce us to the attitudes and actions which should set the Christian apart from the world in which he or she lives. Romans 12:1 (NIV) 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Paul is calling Christians to action. His words are directed toward application. These words challenge the Christian to make a decisive commitment—to take action. It’s easy to say something and never follow through. · As a Christian, are you walking your talk? · Are you being transformed? Or are you conforming to the world? · If you were on trial for being a Christian, would you be convicted? Romans 12:2 NIV says, 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. We believe that Christ is in the change business, constantly working to form us in His image. Praise the Lord, He’s still working on me. Paul knows what it means to live a life of excellence, a transformed life unto the Lord. Paul was transformed. What does it mean to be transformed? Simply: The heart of a transformed believer is surrendered to God’s will. · A believer who is fully transformed is concerned that their words, thoughts and actions stem from a right attitude and right motive. · As opposed to obeying God out of what you want Him to do for you. God wants ALL of you and all of me. · God loves you so much that He will take you exactly as you are and He loves you too much to leave you there. · God instantly comes into your heart when you ask for His forgiveness and invite Him in. He doesn’t have to stop and think it over. When you surrender to Jesus, He is working in you even when you can’t feel it or see it. This is a continual process until we are in heaven. Paul urges us to be transformed. T

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.””‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭14‬