Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! Just think and meditate and worship this morning as you think about that little baby in a manger that grew to the God/Man on the cross that took our sins and purged them and delivered us from eternity in Hell! How is the Holy Spirit leading you this morning as you contemplate God's great forgiving, patient love for you?

Sunday worship at 10 live in person and on Zoom. Be ready to share your stories of how God used the $50. He gave you to bless others. (Write them out if you need us to read them). We will examine all God has done in 2024 and prayerfully contemplate His plans for 2025. What's God saying to you? What are His plans for you and us? How are we doing? What might need some tweaking? What can we build on? God is revealing your part to this and maybe some ideas to spur us on to His best. Keep seeking and be prepared to share. God is on the move! Amen!

Good Morning Known, Redeemed, Loved, Sent to Love, Children of God! You are His custom made for such a time as this disciple and apostle--student who is sent to love and make disciples. Love as I have loved you is Jesus' command that we continue to work on. Thank God we are known and forgiven and helped to live like Christ more and to go love well! Often we can't imagine how or why God would wants to use some sinner like we are. Right? Who am I Lord that You are mindful of me is often a praising question I ask of our Father in heaven. Yet He is mindful, loving, forgiving and our Potter who molds us to fit our created purposes. Just trying to fathom all of this blows my mind. We have so much to be thankful about and so much to learn and put into action just as we are. He really does have good plans just for you, just as you are. And as we follow Him and do what we are created to do, we grow in Christ and more like Him and eventually will be able to live and love like Him. Please Lord, come! Have your way with me and us and lead us to Your perfect plans for today and eternity. Thanks! Amen!

This morning God really spoke to my heart as I extended my quiet time with Him and prayerfully meditated on His Word and my devotionals. Take some time to still yourself, open His Word prayerfully and maybe engage Him through the devotionals below. Then wrap up your time with the Harvest Prayer Connection blog. (Start there if you have limited time! It's another good one!) It really threads through these devos and speaks to your open and soft heart and will help you step into this day prayed up and ready for whatever God has in store for you. Rejoice for you are loved, known, redeemed and created for such a time as this and God is molding all things together for your and others good! PTL and Amen! Choose to live and love well, my friends! God is with you always and really does have great plans for you and us today and always! PTL! Thank God I'm Forgiven and being prepared and sent for such a time as this! Great fruit is budding!

Chuck Swindoll

 

Sarah Young

 

Charles Stanley

 

Upper Room: Unexpected Beauty

Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. - Philippians 4:8 (KJV)

After weeks of high temperatures followed by torrential rainfall, the sun rose on a calm, clear morning. The blue sky was sprinkled with white fluffy clouds. I decided to take a walk. Nestled among tall pines and pecan trees, our pond seemed like the perfect place to begin. The sounds of birdsong and splashing fish and turtles were a symphony of nature. The colorful flowers and deep, green grass created a soft blanket across the ground.

But the prettiest blooms around our pond were never planned. No expert gardener prepared the soil or planted the seeds. Most folks would call them weeds, but I don’t see it that way. I see a wonderful gift of unique and beautiful blooms.

We can enjoy many things in life that were never planned. Sometimes we walk paths we never thought we would. But just as the wildflowers bloomed and brought joy, the unexpected in our lives can bring a joy all its own. Even when we encounter the unforeseen, we can trust God to walk with us.

Today's Prayer

Gracious Father, help us to find the beauty in the midst of change and challenges. Thank you for your deep and abiding love and presence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Word for You Today

 

Harvest blog:

December 27 - The Hope of Glory Before you begin, meditate on this thought:  Christ in me, the hope of glory. Heavenly Father how grateful I am for Christ Jesus in whom all of Your fullness, the fullness of the Deity, lives in bodily form.  Because of my faith in Him, I have been given “fullness in Christ” who is the head over every power and authority!  Thank You for this great mystery—“Christ in me the hope of glory”!  Thank You for the Holy Spirit, given to me as a deposit, a guarantee of what is to come! And now Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I ask that you strengthen me to live as one who has died to my earthly nature, for my life is hidden with Christ in You.  May I therefore set my heart on things above, not on earthly things, for surely Jesus, who is my life will soon appear.  Make me ready Lord! Renew me in knowledge of You and remind me continually that Christ is all, and in all.  (Pause and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what things have captured your heart and taken Christ’s place as Lord of All in your life.) As one of Your chosen people, holy and dearly loved, may my life be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Help me to forgive others as You Lord Jesus, have forgiven me. And may Your peace rule in my heart. (Pause and ask that greater evidence of the Holy Spirit would be seen in the way you live. Consider what areas of your life lack peace. Invite Jesus to rule over these. Ask Him to fill you with His peace.) This day I ask You Wonderful Counselor, that You open my heart and mind that I might understand in a deeper way the great mystery that Christ lives in my heart by faith.  Reveal to me I pray the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are found in Him. Mighty God, as this truth lands on my heart and takes root, may I truly live and move and have my being in You alone. May Your power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, that is in me, be lived out of life! Everlasting Father may my trust in You increase as I walk in this great truth--that Christ is in me, the Holy Spirit is mine, and You will never leave me or forsake me. Prince of Peace because You are in me, I ask that You guard my heart and mind and fill me with Your peace.  For it is written that Your peace in not like what the world tries to give.  This day I choose to not be troubled or afraid. Father I ask that You renew my mind according to the truth of Your Word that because of Christ Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, You are with me, You are for me, You are at work through me, and You are in me.  May my life be continually transformed as I walk Your ways. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Emmanuel, Amen. (Colossians 2:9-10; Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Colossians 3:1-15; Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:3; Ephesians 1:19-20; John 14:27; Matthew 1:23; Romans 8:31; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19) --By Tiece L. King, author of the Pray the Word series: Pray the Word: 90 Prayers That Touch the Heart of God, Pray the Word: 31 Prayers That Touch the Heart of God, Pray the Word for Your Church. These resources are available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount