Whadya’ Get? It won’t be long now before most of us will be asked, “Whadya’ get for Christmas? Did you get everything on your list?” Then, we will list our gifts and perhaps share our opinions on them. Gifts are synonymous with Christmas. They have been since the beginning. In Mary’s song found in Luke’s Gospel, she shares, “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy” (Luke 1:49). God has also done great things for us as well. As we reflect post-Christmas on our gifts, let’s also reflect on the great things God has done for us: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17) Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2) You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. (Psalm 30:11) If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11) God has done great things for us. The next time someone asks you,“Whadya’ get?” think about the great things God has done. By LaRaine Rice LaRaine is the wife of Jeff and mother of Christopher and Elizabeth. She teaches the sixth-grade girls on Sunday morning.

Hopeful Waiting Christmas Eve seems just as magical as Christmas Day, particularly in the evening. It’s as if anything is possible and the world is awash with hope as we await the next day. The very first Christmas Eve had a different effect. True, Mary and Joseph knew what was to come or, should I say, Who was to come. But that night, Mary was very uncomfortable and Joseph was looking for a place to stay. The shepherds were bored in the field. The wisemen were watching the heavens for a sign, any sign. And the people of Israel had no idea if the Messiah would ever come. For everyone except Mary and Joseph, it was an ordinary day. No one else knew what God had planned. No one knew that the next day, His promises would be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. Today, as you wait for Christmas, remember that God is always at work even when we don’t know it. God may seem slow or our prayers are going unanswered. That is not the case. “Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. Instead, he is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins.” (2 Peter 3:8-9, NIRV) You see, not only does God fulfill His promises, He fulfills them at just the right time. When we fully trust in God, we know that anything is possible and we can be awash with hope as we await the fulfillment of God’s will. Trust. Hope. Watch. By LaRaine Rice LaRaine is the wife of Jeff and mother of Christopher and Elizabeth. She teaches the sixth-grade girls on Sunday morning.

Magnify “And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.’” (Luke 1:46-48) Were she here today, she might invite us to “magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psalm 34:3)  Today, therefore, magnify and exalt the Lord. Rejoice in God your Savior as you read these truths: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19) “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” (Deuteronomy 7:9) “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17) “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33) “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” (Psalm 115:3) “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3) By LaRaine Rice LaRaine is the wife of Jeff and mother of Christopher and Elizabeth. She teaches the sixth-grade girls on Sunday morning.

Blessed “Blessed” is a word people use to describe themselves. You may see it on sweatshirts, pillows or signs (especially in the fall). Its use is popular because most of us realize that we have been given much. Elizabeth used the word blessed to describe Mary upon Mary’s arrival at her house. Mary was not only blessed because she would be the mother of the Messiah or because her child would be blessed. Mary was also blessed for believing “that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!” (Luke 1:45) Mary believed in God’s promise, and she was blessed for it. She believed, like Abraham, even when it didn’t make sense. “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. . . Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.’” (Romans 4:3,18-22) When Abraham and Mary faced uncertainty, like we all do, they believed in God’s promise to them. Perhaps you think that God has not given you a promise like He did with Mary and Abraham, but, dear one, He has given you many promises. Do you believe, with the same faith that Mary and Abraham had, in the one who has made the promises of scripture? Are you waiting faithfully on God or are you giving up on Him? Today, be blessed, not because of things or people but because of your faith in a faithful God. By LaRaine Rice  LaRaine is the wife of Jeff and mother of Christopher and Elizabeth. She teaches the sixth-grade girls on Sunday morning.

God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Imperfection Each Gospel approaches the story of Jesus a bit differently. In his account, Matthew doesn’t open with a star or a stable, but with genealogy. That long list of names quietly proclaims one of Scripture’s most surprising truths: the Savior of the world entered history through a line of broken and flawed people. Maybe there is no greater mystery—or greater comfort—than this: God sovereignly works through the messy, imperfect stories of ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. Matthew intentionally highlights this messiness. Tamar’s story is marked by personal tragedy, deception, and painful family dysfunction. Rahab, a prostitute from a pagan nation, acted in courageous faith when everything was at stake. Ruth, a Moabite outsider, chose to follow Israel’s God instead of returning to the comfort of her homeland. David—Israel’s greatest king—was also the man who committed adultery, conspiracy, and murder. And Manasseh was a king whose evil was so severe it nearly destroyed Judah. These are not the names you expect in the family line of the Messiah. Yet God does not hide them; He includes them. And in doing so, He reveals a profound mystery: God never approves of sin, yet He is never defeated by it. Human decisions—good, bad, and devastating—remain real. But God’s sovereign purpose moves forward with absolute certainty. That’s why Matthew keeps repeating the phrase, “This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken…” The virgin birth? Fulfilled. Bethlehem as the birthplace? Fulfilled. The flight to Egypt? Fulfilled. Even the grief in Ramah? Fulfilled. These fulfilled prophecies are not random connections—they are purposeful declarations that nothing, not even human brokenness and failure, could derail God’s plan to bring Christ into the world. This truth does not minimize our responsibility; it magnifies it. Because God works through imperfect people, we never treat sin lightly. Grace is not an excuse to live carelessly; grace is the motivation to pursue Christ wholeheartedly. We strive for holiness, not to earn God’s favor, but because His grace has already been poured out on us. Your failures do not define you. But your calling—to emulate Christ, to grow in godliness, to walk faithfully—is real and weighty; and God Himself empowers it. As Paul reminds us in Philippians, we can “forget what is behind and press on toward the goal God has set before us.” As you reflect on the fact that God wove the messy choices of kings, outsiders, sinners, and wanderers into the story that led to Christ, remember this: God can certainly work within your story to advance His purposes - to bring hope to those around you through your redemption story, and to glorify Him through your life. By Paky Kramer

Son of the Most High Every so often, a new toy will come out around Christmas that becomes way more popular than it should. People once searched high and low for Furbies and Tickle Me Elmo Dolls. Many have purchased Beanie Babies certain they would be worth money one day. I am pretty sure Stacy went out of her way to get Hatchimals one year. Such things create a buzz and then quickly fade. If we aren’t careful, the truths we encounter at Christmas can go through a similar lifecycle. We rejoice at the words of the angels, take comfort in God’s promises, and worship in response to Christ’s birth. But these things should not be fads that impact us for one month of the year. Consider these words Gabriel spoke to Mary concerning Jesus: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31–33) If these things are true about Jesus, He demands our full attention and devotion throughout the year. He is the Son of the Most High. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the light of the world; He is our only hope in life and death; He has borne our sin and conquered death. But we are fallen creatures. Though we know Jesus is worthy of our devotion, life gets in the way. Distractions are just around the corner. People cause frustration. Our bodies start to fail us. World events trigger worry. Before we know it, the great truths of Christmas can become a fad as we grind through each day. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Consider these simple habits you can develop. First, be faithful in church attendance. This includes both worship and small group as we are not meant to walk alone. Through church involvement, we are reminded of the gospel while we give and receive encouragement. Second, find ways to meditate on God’s Word. This is more than just reading a few minutes each day. Find verses that encourage or challenge you so you can think on them throughout your day. Memorize them if possible. Third, practice repentance. None of us are perfect, so don’t pretend you are. The gospel is for sinners like us. May the light of the gospel shine from our lives year-round. The gospel is not a fad. By Philip Jones Philip and his wife Stacy have been attending Immanuel since 2015. They are blessed to be raising four kids. His passion in ministry is to help others follow Jesus through teaching, preaching, and personal discipleship.

I Am the Servant of the Lord I love watching Rube Goldberg machines. If you are not familiar with them, let ChatGPT explain. “A Rube Goldberg machine is a deliberately complex contraption designed to perform a simple task through a series of chain reactions. Each step triggers the next in a playful, often humorous way, using everyday objects to create an elaborate process that’s fun to watch.” If you ever played the game “Mousetrap,” you have seen a small Rube Goldberg machine in action. As I was reading Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel, I noticed how the simplicity of her response contrasts with a Rube Goldberg machine. “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Following Jesus isn’t easy, but it isn’t complicated either. You don’t need a graduate degree or certificate. Sure, we all have things to learn and opportunities to grow. But the hard work of growing in faith and understanding should not be confused with being complicated. Mary’s two sentence response helps here. “I am the servant of the Lord.” Discipleship begins with submission. He is Lord; we are servants. He is God; we are His creation. He is the Savior; we are the redeemed. We bow our hearts before Him, offering our lives as a living sacrifice. “Let it be to me according to your word.” I understand Mary is referring to the specific message from the angel, but this still captures a healthy aspect of simple discipleship. God has given us the Bible as our authoritative guide to following Him. We don’t have to guess at His commands, desires, truth, or character because He has revealed Himself. With the heart of a committed servant, we follow Him according to His Word. With these two simple principles in mind, use the questions below to reflect on your current walk with Jesus: · Do you have areas that you have not submitted to Him? · Are you willing to serve? · Are you regularly spending time in the Bible? · Are you ignoring what God has communicated in the Bible? Don’t turn discipleship into a complicated Rube Goldberg operation. Follow Mary’s example and live your life as a servant of the Lord according to His Word. By Philip Jones  Philip and his wife Stacy have been attending Immanuel since 2015. They are blessed to be raising four kids. His passion in ministry is to help others follow Jesus through teaching, preaching, and personal discipleship.

Nothing Will Be Impossible with God If you could go back in time as a fly on the wall, what Old Testament stories would you like to experience firsthand? I will spare you my entire list, but one would be Elijah vs. the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. After King Ahab had led Israel into idol worship, Elijah is sent on what appears to be an impossible mission. He challenges the prophets of Baal to the following contest. “Let two bulls be given to us, and let them (prophets of Baal) choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” (1 Kings 18:23–24) What follows is a miracle of God filled with the wit, sarcasm, and bold faith of Elijah. He mocks the silence of Baal before calling on God to consume the offering. God’s people repent and the false prophets are destroyed. God accomplished the impossible.  Throughout the Bible, God has a habit of calling His people to tasks that are impossible without Him. The Christmas story is no different as Mary is told she will conceive a son though she is a virgin. Gabriel’s announcement of Jesus’s birth ends with these words that echo throughout the Bible: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) God is still in the business of accomplishing the impossible through His people. Though we can’t be certain of all outcomes or claim promises He hasn’t made, we can be assured He is at work. He is still changing lives, healing the sick, calling people to repentance, rescuing orphans, and saving all who call upon His name. God does all of this through His people. He has placed each of us on our own path with our own purpose and mission. Every day may not feel like a miracle or battle on Mount Carmel. But if we are obedient, He will call us to what seems impossible. How have you seen God accomplish the impossible in your life? What impossible prayers are you praying? When He calls you to the impossible, will you be ready? By Philip Jones Philip and his wife Stacy have been attending Immanuel since 2015. They are blessed to be raising four kids. His passion in ministry is to help others follow Jesus through teaching, preaching, and personal discipleship.

The Lord Is with You “Go back, Sam. I’m going to Mordor alone,” Frodo shouts as his boat drifts from shore. “Of course you are. And I’m coming with you,” Samwise-Gamgee responds as he wades into the water. As The Fellowship of the Ring ends, Frodo’s dangerous journey to destroy the ring of power in subsequent Lord of the Rings movies begins. His determination to go alone was only matched by Sam’s loyalty, a loyalty that refused to stay behind. The mission was too important. Even though she didn’t know it, Mary was about to be sent on a mission too important to go alone. Before she even gets the assignment, Gabriel begins with these words. “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28) The promise of God’s presence comes swiftly from his angelic tongue. I am sure Mary needed a calming reassurance in that moment, as angels don’t visit every day. But this initial promise is not just for her immediate comfort. Mary needed the promise of God’s presence to do the task she was being given. Gabriel continues. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30–33) For an unmarried teenager in tiny Nazareth, to say her assignment was beyond her ability to accomplish alone is a bit of an understatement. But believe it or not, we are not that different. The details of our assignment from God are very different from Mary’s, but they are just as impossible without God’s presence. He has called each of His followers to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). We are to display His love in how we live, treat others, and share the good news of what He has done. Our lives, in word and deed, should reflect the grace we have been shown. That is no easy task, which is why I appreciate this promise from Jesus in Matthew 28:20. “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Be His witness today; He is with you. By Philip Jones  Philip and his wife Stacy have been attending Immanuel since 2015. They are blessed to be raising four kids. His passion in ministry is to help others follow Jesus through teaching, preaching, and personal discipleship.