Luke 4:332

And they were astonished at His doctrine for His word was with power.

Here in Luke 4, after His baptism by John and the wilderness temptation, Jesus sets out to fulfill His earthly ministry.  Even though His home town forsakes Him (verses 16-30), He continues on and every other place He goes receives His preaching.  The people are moved by His miracles, His casting out of demons, and His words to them.  By Luke 4:37, the word of all that Jesus has done reaches "every place of the country round about."  The Messiah has come!  He is tangible, visible for mankind to see.  God has fulfilled th Old Testament prophecies before their very eyes.  His Word is as powerful today as it was when He walked the earth.  Perhaps He has a mircle for you this year.  Expect it, and look for Him to do something dynamic in your life- something that will make you an M.V.P. in His Kingdom.

Pastor John

Ephesians 2:10

For we are His workmanship, created  in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained  that we should walk in them.

This verse speaks of God's love and plans for each of us.  To be "created in Christ Jesus unto good works" means we are made in Christ's image and we are to take on His Character.  Our salvation is the result of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and our own repentance of sins.  So, this verse is not only about our lives here  on earth, but also about our eternity.  God eternally chose us.  According to Ephesians 1:3, God "has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."  In other words, before God ever created us, He had a plan for our eternal existence in His mind.  You and I are not merely a divine afterthought.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made to bless God, so that He in turn can bless us beyond what we can imagine.  Pastor John

Luke 3:32

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

This scripture is a continuation of Simeon's earlier words:  "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people..."  As he took the Baby Jesus in his arms, Simeon knew that God had kept His promise to him, to Israel and to the world.  He saw salvation in a baby - a person.  Salvation is a person, not something that you do.  Salvation is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.  You either have Him or you don't have Him.  You either trust Him, or you don't trust Him.  Do you know Jesus as your Salvation?  You can know Him before you leave church today if there's any doubt in your mind.   Pastor John

2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is that Spirit:  and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is LIBERTY!

In our first week of the READ Initiative we have seen God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit mentioned in Genesis 1, the first chapter of the bible:

"In the beginning God (the Father).... Genesis 1:1
"...and the Spirit of God (The Holy Spirit) moved..."  Genesis 1:2
"And God said, Let us (The Father and the Son) make man in our image..."  Genesis 1:26.

God wanted us to see the work of the Trinity from the very beginning.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit were present and working then, throughout the Old and New Testaments, and still today.  My prayer is that this year you will pursue God as never before.  We will be a dynamic church as we allow the Holy Spirt to revitalize our spirits!  Pastor John