Goss Church Blog

This year’s Christmas Variety Night movie focused on the idea that Jesus chose to leave the glories of heaven and endured putting on flesh, faced humiliation, and eventually suffered a brutal death on the cross.  When given the choice between comfort and discomfort, we as humans almost always would rather have comfort.  I hope you are grateful that God Almighty sacrificed His own comfort and became an infant child 2000 years ago! 

You can check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtzNecqxeSI&ob=av2n

We have much to celebrate this Christmas season, and always!

Blessings,

Josh

Often times I understand God more when I am able to experience a song, story, or movie that reflects (in some small way) a characteristic of God.

This week’s advent focus is love.

Notice the father’s love for his son.  Notice the father’s love for the passenger’s of the train.  Notice his agonizing decision.

Notice God’s indescribable love for YOU.

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Will you notice what God did for you, for us, this Christmas season?

Blessings,

Josh

It’s a great question.  The answer, though, may not always be something we like.

December 9, 2011, think about what you want.

If you are a believer in Jesus, do you want Him to be active in your life more than you want things, experiences, comfort, or otherwise?  Are you willing to make hard decisions or do hard things to see Jesus work in your life?  Or do you want the easy way?

This Christmas, do you want things more than the love of Jesus?  Do you want a nice happy feeling more than you want the soul satisfaction of knowing Jesus came to this earth to do things for you that neither you nor anyone else can do?

How are your decisions made?  Do you rely on the Bible, or do you rely on what you want people to do and your perceived ability to control them?

What do you want?  Are you doing things mostly to serve your own ends, or to love both yourself and your neighbor in balance with each other.

Lots of questions for a Friday.  Lots of things to think about.  What do you want?

Have a great weekend everyone.

In Christ,

Pastor Kevin

Here are a few verses about joy for us to reflect on as we approach the third Sunday of advent.

Psalm 16:11 – “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Isaiah 12:6 – “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

Luke 1:14 – “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth…”

John 16:20 – “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

Matthew 28:8 – “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.”

Romans 15:13 – “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.”

May the reality of Christ’s love for us fill us with unspeakable joy this week and always.

Blessings,

Josh

I am always inspired by the first part of Titus 2:

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.  Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Titus 2:2-3

There is a lot of good stuff in here.  Here are a few thoughts:

If you’re younger:

• Know the faith of someone older.
• Give them an opportunity to learn your faith by showing respect.
• Seek out older people and thank them for being great examples.

If you’re older:

• It’s not time for cruise control!
• There are lots of young folks who can gain from what you know.
• Evaluate these passages – are you “self-controlled”, “reverent”, etc.  Ask the Holy Spirit to work inside you to continue to make you more like Jesus!
• Look for someone in the younger generation you can mentor and encourage.  This can be formal or informal.

I hope and pray these principles will be lived out by anyone reading.  Have a great Friday everyone!

In Christ,

Pastor Kevin