Advent Season is just about upon us

Now is the time to start preparing for this year advent season. We will be posting all the scripture reading, stories and crafts. So get out your advent wreath, dust it off and prepare for the Joy of this Advent season with your family.

Remember that Advent starts the day after Thanksgiving – Christmas


RESOURCE:



God Is Good!

Author: Barry Bennett

Many Christians attribute to God the characteristics of the enemy.
They see God as the thief.
They see God as making them sick.
God is taking their possessions.
God is making life hard.
God is sending suffering on their lives.
That’s a wrong concept that is going to horribly affect the way you live your life.
If you don’t see God as being for you,
and being the opposite of what the enemy comes to do,
God is not the enemy.
God is not your problem.
God is the blesser.
God is the one who is wanting to give you more life.
God wants us to be joyful.
He wants us to have his nature, his peace, everything about him.
He has made available to us.


My Comments

Author: Rev. Cecil Thorn

My comment addresses a common theological misunderstanding among some Christians regarding the nature and intentions of God. Here’s an analysis of the key points:

  1. Misattributing Negative Characteristics to God: The comment highlights that some Christians mistakenly attribute to God the characteristics and actions traditionally associated with the enemy (often understood as Satan or evil forces). These attributions include seeing God as a thief, the one who makes people sick, takes possessions, makes life hard, and sends suffering.
  2. Impact on Life Perspective: The belief that God is the source of these negative experiences can profoundly affect one’s outlook on life. If individuals see God as an adversary, it can lead to a sense of hopelessness, fear, and a strained relationship with their faith.
  3. Theological Correction: The comment argues that this view is fundamentally wrong and harmful. Instead, it suggests that Christians should understand God as a benefactor who desires to bless, give life, and bring joy, peace, and abundance. This perspective is more aligned with the traditional Christian view of God as loving, compassionate, and benevolent.
  4. God as Supportive and Loving: Emphasizing that God is for people, not against them, encourages a healthier, more positive spiritual life. It reassures believers that God is not their enemy but their supporter, seeking their well-being and happiness.
  5. Biblical Foundations: This perspective is often supported by various biblical texts. For example, in John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” This verse contrasts the actions of the thief (often interpreted as Satan) with Jesus’ mission to bring abundant life.

In summary, the Bible supports the view that God is not the source of our problems but rather our helper and benefactor. Recognizing God as a loving and benevolent Father who desires our well-being and joy can transform our faith and life perspective. Trusting in God’s good intentions aligns us with His promises and character, fostering a life of peace, joy, and confidence in His provision and care.


The thematic connection between John 15:1-17 and Galatians 5:22-23

The thematic (theme or subject) connection between John 15:1-17 (ESV) and Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) lies in the concept of bearing spiritual fruit as a result of a deep, abiding relationship with Christ and living by the Holy Spirit.

John 15:1-17 (ESV)

In John 15:1-17 (ESV), Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and branches to illustrate the necessity of abiding in Him to bear fruit. Here are the key themes:

  1. Abiding in Christ: Jesus emphasizes that believers must remain in Him (the vine) to produce fruit, as branches disconnected from the vine cannot bear fruit (John 15:4-5 (ESV)).
  2. Bearing Fruit: The fruit represents the visible evidence of a Christ-centered life, such as love, obedience, and joy (John 15:8-11 (ESV)).
  3. Love and Obedience: Jesus commands His followers to love one another as He has loved them, linking this love to the concept of bearing fruit (John 15:12-17 (ESV)).

Matthew Henry’s commentary on John 15:1-17 (ESV) highlights the vital connection between Christ and His followers, the necessity of abiding in Him, and the command to love one another. It emphasizes that true discipleship involves bearing fruit through a close relationship with Jesus, obedience to His commandments, and a sacrificial love that mirrors His own. The commentary provides a rich theological understanding and practical application for believers seeking to live out their faith authentically.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

In Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV), Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit, which are the qualities that emerge in a believer’s life as a result of living by the Holy Spirit:

  1. Fruit of the Spirit: The list includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
  2. Living by the Spirit: Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit, emphasizing that a Spirit-led life produces these positive attributes (Galatians 5:16-26 (ESV)).

Matthew Henry commentary on Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV), underscores that these virtues are not achieved by human effort alone but are the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in a believer’s life. He contrasts these fruits with the works of the flesh, noting that the presence of these virtues is evidence of true spiritual transformation. The fruit of the Spirit collectively reflects the character of Christ and the moral and ethical standards that believers are called to embody. By cultivating these fruits, Christians demonstrate the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and live in a way that honors God and blesses others.

Thematic Connections

  1. Source of Fruitfulness:
  • John 15 (ESV): Emphasizes that fruitfulness comes from abiding in Christ.
  • Galatians 5 (ESV): Attributes the production of spiritual fruit to living by the Holy Spirit.
  1. Nature of the Fruit:
  • John 15 (ESV): Focuses on love as a primary fruit and evidence of discipleship.
  • Galatians 5 (ESV): Lists multiple aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, including love, joy, and peace.
  1. Purpose and Outcome:
  • John 15 (ESV): Bearing fruit glorifies God and demonstrates that one is a true disciple of Jesus.
  • Galatians 5 (ESV): The fruit of the Spirit reflects a transformed life and the character of God.

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless . Galatians 5 :22-23 (TPT)

 

Summary

Both passages emphasize the transformation that occurs when believers are deeply connected to Christ and led by the Spirit. John 15 (ESV) uses the vine metaphor to teach the necessity of remaining in Jesus to bear fruit, while Galatians 5 (ESV)details the specific characteristics that the Holy Spirit cultivates in a believer’s life. Together, they highlight that true spiritual fruit is a result of a dynamic relationship with Christ and the active work of the Holy Spirit.

JOY

What do the scriptures tell us about Joy?

Wayne Thorn

Rev. Cecil W Thorn

In the New Testament letters, joy is a desired attribute of Christians. Paul expressed frequently the joy he had regarding the salvation of those he was writing to and prayed that they might be full of joy

JOY (שִׂמְחָה, simchah; χαρά, chara). Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. One of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22–23(KJV)). Having joy is part of the experience of being a Christian.

Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV): 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Romans 15:13 (MESSAGE): Oh! May the God of great hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!

Hope=Joy+Peace

The fruit of the Spirit is … joy: One of the greatest marketing strategies ever employed was to position the kingdom of Satan as the place where the fun is and the kingdom of God as the place of gloom and misery. But the fruit of the Spirit is joy.

i. We could say that this is the joy of the Spirit because it is a higher joy than just the thrill of an exciting experience or a wonderful set of circumstances. It is a joy that can abide and remain, even when circumstances seem terrible. Paul knew this joy personally; he could sing when manacled in a dark prison dungeon (Acts 16:25).

Acts 16:25 (KJV): 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

ii. Barclay on chara, the ancient Greek word used here for joy: “It is not the joy that comes from earthly things, still less from triumphing over someone else in the competition. It is a joy whose foundation is God.”

iii. “Believers are not dependent upon circumstances. Their joy comes not from what they have, but from what they are; not from where they are, but from whose they are; not from what they enjoy, but from that which was suffered for them by their Lord.” (Spurgeon)



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