Celebration Center

Every one of us was created for purpose, but we can often wonder what that purpose is? Do we just live to Eat, work, sleep, pay bills, and repeat? Or is there more? The Kingdom of God has an amazing story, and we were not called to make an excuse for not participate, we have a responsibility to be all in, because our life has a SIGNIFFICANT part to play in God’s story.

God has given us the opportunity to share His love with the world. In order to do so, we must always be ready to give witness to Jesus through word and deed. We can either give Him a good name or be the reason someone would reject Him.

Every choice we make in life has consequences. We must use wisdom that is given to us by God to choose wisely. That all begins with a fear of God. This fear is a reverence and respect for Holy God, but that fear can mature into a deep and abiding trust. Ultimately it is our trust in God that helps us make better choices.

Our relationships are a good indicator of the trajectory of our lives. The people that we spend most of our time with have an incredible influence on who we become. To become better, we may need to make better choices concerning the “whom” we spend our time “with”.

When we put the things of God first in our lives, the other things fall into proper order. However, when we prioritize earthly things, we find ourselves anxious and full of worry. God helps us have better priorities.

What happens when the people of God lose a hunger for the word of God? The story of Josiah’s reign as king of Judah teaches us that a return to the heart of God happens through the word of God. This week we will discover that the word of God will guide our lives once it hits our hearts.

Join us as we bring in the new year and the Regional Executive Director of Open Bible, Chris Hansler shares with us.

The name given to Jesus at His birth was Emmanuel which means “God with us”. Christmas reminds us that our God has come close in the form of Jesus. No matter where we find ourselves today, God is close to us and so is redemption.

Christmas time fills us with joy as we remember the salvation that comes through the birth of Jesus. The mark of a Christian should be a joy that is not dependent upon external circumstances or situations. Our joy springs eternally because we have been rescued from our sin.

When the God of the universe was born into the world, it was not in an ivory tower somewhere far from the broken world, but instead, it was right in the middle of a messy stable and a world that needed a Savior. This song reminds us that God is born to each of us, no matter who we are or where we come from.

The announcement given to the shepherds in the field was good news for all people. A Savior was born who would bring peace to a world that was in great need. The shepherds could have ignored the news as it seemed too good to be true, but they went away at once to see for themselves. This song reminds us that this good news is for us today, but will we believe it?

For a Christ follower, living a life connected to Christ is of utmost importance. It’s because of Him and through Him that we can experience abundance, fruitfulness, purpose, and joy. The truth is, as the scripture says, “apart from Him you can do nothing.”

It’s easy to love Jesus. He’s patient, kind, gentle, and lowly. He literally traded His life so that we could experience eternal life and salvation. But obedience is hard. Following the commands of Jesus to love, forgive, and extend mercy is all so difficult. Thankfully He gave us a helper, the Holy Spirit. And thankfully, through the enabling of the Spirit we can enter into the life giving and sacrificial love shared by Jesus and God.

The more you get to know Jesus, the more you understand about the Father, the Spirit, and ultimately the Kingdom of Heaven. In John 14:1-14 we learn; if you really know Jesus then you know some pretty incredible truths about salvation, God the Father, and living an empowered life. Really knowing Jesus is really knowing life.

Some of the baggage we haul around with us gives us anxiety about things out of our control. When we feel anxious, instead of bottling it up and keeping it within us, we should cast it on Jesus and trust Him to handle it.

Many people are unwilling to experience the new things God is trying to do in their lives because of the baggage that keeps them longing for the past. When we wonder, “what if” or “if only,” we rob ourselves of the fresh work of God within us that can take us places we cannot imagine.

Jesus does not just offer us the promise of eternal life one day after we die. He offers us the strength and power to sustain us in the present. In His own words, Jesus tells us that he is a vine and we are the branches. When we remain connected to Him, we receive all of the power and strength necessary to produce wonderful fruit with and through our lives.

The Bible teaches that there is only one way to God and that is through Jesus. Like a door, Jesus is the way we access the grace of God and eternal life available to us. Like any entrance, however, we must receive the invitation and walk through in faith.

We live in a world that is shrouded in darkness. This darkness causes us to stumble around, making mistake after mistake. In order to be able to see things clearly, we need to have light that exposes all of the dangers and temptations around us. In Jesus’ own words we find that he is the only true source of light that can guide us into eternal life now and forever.

The world has always offered its own version of fulfillment and sustenance. But in Jesus’ own words we find that he is the only true source of nourishment and life. When we find ourselves settling for counterfeit versions of fulfillment, we will always find ourselves spiritually hungry.