December 28th of last year, New York City held an annual event known as “Good Riddance Day.” It is the day in which all those desiring to attend from around the world take a preprinted form and write down all their mistakes, failures, depressive thoughts, negative memories, and anything else that has been holding them down and separating them from being victorious and carrying a positive attitude into the upcoming new year. They take that list and place it into a giant industrial shredding machine, never to be remembered anymore. From one year to the next we often carry old negative baggage that hinders people from experiencing the blessings inherent in our relationship with and service for Christ.
In regards to our past failures and sins, our Father God tells us that when we bring those things to Him, He removes them from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). God takes those negative and destructive events of our past and places them into His heavenly shredder never to be remembered again. God shreds sins we commit and the evils we experience, but unfortunately, we often keep bringing them up. We need a “Good Riddance Day” in which we forgive ourselves and others for the mistakes and mishaps of the past and begin looking to the good things God has for us in the future.
In Philippians 3:13-14, the Apostle Paul writes this to the believers at Philippi, “13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Two Sundays ago the Church brought their Good Riddance slips to the front of the Sanctuary. The next day, each slip was pulverized in the office shredder where they belonged. Let’s leave them shredded and begin 2019 with a new clean slate. Our God is a forgiving God. He puts our past in the past, as far as the east is from the west, never to be remembered again!
Be blessed even more, have a wonderful New Year and thank you for all you do for God’s Kingdom!!

In the last blog, we talked about the issue of being overly occupied and distracted during the Christmas season. So much so that often we ignore the real reason for the celebration in the first place. Some stress can be a very good thing for us, keeping us motivated and moving us to a place where we seek to excel in life. But when we are so over occupied with unimportant and unnecessary activity that we begin to neglect the vital foundations of our relationships, stress becomes damaging. Luke 10:38-42 (AMP-C) says, 38 “Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching. 40 But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, ‘Lord, is it nothing to you that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me]!’” Martha was distracted with much serving. That sums up how we can often be during the Christmas season. Peter Drucker, a famous for profit and non-profit business guru, said that we need to be looking, not only at personal priorities, but also at our posteriorities. What he means by that is that it is just as important to have a list of things we don’t do as much as a list of things we need to do. There may be some things that consume our time that should not be a priority in our schedule and therefore, may need to be discarded and put behind us (posteriority). Jesus continues to speak to Martha in that 10th chapter, 41 “But the Lord replied to her by saying, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 There is need of only one or but [a]a few things. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be taken away from her.’” Mary made it a priority to honor Jesus with her presence and attention. She made serving the meal a posteriority. Not that the meal was unimportant, but that its importance paled in comparison to being with Jesus. Martha did a good thing by serving the meal, but the meal became more important to her then the message the Lord wanted His people to hear. This Christmas season, rid yourself of those things that do not rise to the level of true importance. Embrace the things that are vital and give Jesus all the glory this season. Let some of those other things, the posteriorities, fall off. Be free this season. Be free in Christ. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Be blessed even more!!

 

Pastor Chris

Well the race is on! Black Friday has come and gone but we are only beginning the trek toward our many advent season celebrations. December 2nd is our Church Christmas dinner, on December 9th we go to Parkview Hospital for a bereavement service, the 19th of December is our Tipton House caroling and Heritage Christmas celebration, December 23rd is our Sunday morning Christmas service and Monday, December 24th at 11:00pm we worship God at our Midnight Candle-lighting service to usher in Christmas Day. It is an exciting time as we decorate our homes, gather with family and friends over holiday meals, gift giving and the occasional pint of eggnog! Oh, isn’t it the most wonderful time of the year! Well, maybe. But it often, especially with the hustle and bustle of activities, becomes a time of anxiety, depression and stress for many. As we participate in this season’s activities, let us remember to slow down and enjoy the wonders of Christmas. Let us remember the most wonderful gift given came from our Father in heaven, provided for us by sending Jesus, His only begotten Son to us that we might be set free from the condemnation that comes from sin and receive the promise of eternity in the glories of God’s kingdom. With that in mind, make this Christmas special by slowing down, thinking about others, and worshipping our Savior for His gift to us. Be sure to invite a friend or extended family member that has no one to celebrate with over for Christmas dinner. Take time out to get alone with God and just bask in his presence for a bit (even if it is only when you get away from family when taking out the trash)! Remember, giving is of the heart, not of the wallet. And never forget our Father’s love for all of us. As we are told in Luke 2:8-14, “And in the same area there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And then an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid. 10 But the angel said to them, “Listen! Do not fear. For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find the Baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was with the angel a company of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, and good will toward men.” Be blessed even more, have a wonderful holiday season and thank you for all you do for God’s Kingdom!!

 

Pastor Chris