2024 Map

 

We stand on the threshold of a new year. Even though we may think we are too sophisticated to believe that a certain day of the year means more than other, more common days, most of us would like to think that with the start of a new year, change in our lives is possible. While making resolutions isn’t as popular as it was in the past, mostly because of our widespread inability to continue to keep our proposed lifestyle changes, we still hope that positive change is possible. And while new, healthy habits are definitely attainable, the key to 2024 is not what we are going to do for ourselves, it’s going to happen when we allow God to begin molding us into the people he intends for us to be. 

If we head into 2024 thinking all about “my dreams and goals”, we could be very well setting ourselves up for failure. As followers of Christ, life is no longer about me, it’s about Christ living in me. The 2024 map of our lives needs to have Jesus in the center of everything, whether it be our careers, hobbies, holidays, finances, friendships, or family. 

If you have a chance, give the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes a read before you head into 2024. If you haven’t spent time in this ancient work, you might be surprised to find it in the Bible. You’ll be even more astounded at how current this book is having been written 3000 years ago. It’s a powerful reminder that no matter how hard we try, no matter how educated we are, no matter how influential we are, we can’t make life work apart from the One who created us. 

Is it time to change the map of your life? Join us for our worship service Sunday morning. You might find the map God offers is a whole lot more exciting than you thought. 

Sunday Morning Worship – 10:00 am

Is Peace a Possibility or a Pipe Dream?

 

The human race has a love/hate relationship with war. For those who have experienced it firsthand, war has left an indelible mark of brutality, agonizing suffering and death. For some, they are never able to return to the life they lived before going to war because of the horror they witnessed. 

And yet, our television screens are filled with movies celebrating war. Societies which have lost millions of young men and women in a past conflict are ready to have blood spilled again just a few years later. War can be addictive if you are on the winning side. Even typically peaceful people accept war if it brings economic prosperity, national prestige and requires little sacrifice on their part. 

Strangely, the same principles for fighting between nations holds true in our personal conflicts with the people with whom we live, work and play. No one likes to fight if we get the bad end of it all, but if we come out dominant, that’s another matter. 

The truth is, if left to human beings, peace is only a pipe dream. We may have brief periods of international or personal peace, but fighting will continue to erupt on an ongoing basis. The reason is, in and of ourselves, the driving motive in our lives is to get what we want, what we have determined is best for our survival and personal happiness. If someone is a threat to that goal, the only logical human reaction is – fight, dominate, get what we want. 

If a person is going to be serious about peace, then you have to get serious about Christmas. Left to ourselves, we will end humanity through our wars. Peace can only come from outside of us. And that is exactly the message of Christmas. God invades human history to bring the peace option we can only find in him. The one great question each one of us must ask this Christmas is: “Will we give peace a chance?” 

Christmas Eve Sunday Morning Worship – 10:00 am

Christmas Eve Sunday Evening Worship – 7:30 pm

Christmas Day Monday Morning Worship – 11:00 am