As we approach Christmas, many people come to worship the Messiah like the Pharisees of old. They come outwardly, but do not allow the knowledge that they receive to make any inward change. Their practice may be good, but their hearts do not truly worship. The practice of men, to live by tradition, will not bring us the satisfaction of a relationship with God. Only an approach based on the Word of God will bring us the satisfaction that we long to find. Samuel told King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22 after Saul did not obey the Lord, but justified his actions by couching them with his “desire” to offer sacrifice to the Lord, “.” My friends, worship of the Messiah is not based on merit, it is based on grace. God gives us the privilege of coming to Him and recognizing who He is in the midst of all what is going on in our lives. Christmas is not a time to appease God, it is a time to recognize Him for who He is and what He has done. May you choose to listen to the voice of God, as He speaks to you through His Word today.… READ MORE

What are you looking for is the question of the week, the Sadducees (Religious leaders during Jesus’ time). Were faithful in their attendance at the Temple, and even attempted to lead Israel in their worship. Yet they were ignorant of truth! Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but only the one who does the will of the Father which is in heaven.” The Sadducees were lead by the Flesh, as they worshiped God because of their since of obligation. All they did the did to appease their guilt, not to demonstrate their love. They associated the bad experiences of their life with their lack of worship to God, and therefore they attempted to appease God to force God to bless them. When God did not respond to them the way they thought He should, they quickly became disillusioned with their “faith” We must understand that we do not worship God to get from Him nor to appease Him. We worship God because we love Him and desire to thank Him for all He does in our lives. Worship is not an obligation it is a privilege! … READ MORE

In Luke 2:25-35 we read about one of the forgotten characters of the birth narrative of Jesus. Simeon, was an older man who was looking for the consolation of Israel (the Messiah). He positioned himself in the one place that he was confident that he would find that Messiah – The Temple. As we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord it is essential to ask ourselves if we, like Simeon are ready to meet the Messiah. The Bible gives us three reasons why people come to the place of meeting, and it is the same reasons that people have doe throughout history, and we need to ask ourselves why we will position ourselves in church this Sunday. The sad reality is that out of those three reasons only one brings salvation and spiritual growth to those who come. This week I want to remind us of those three reasons, and ask you a simple question, why are you coming to the place of worship? There were three religious groups who were in the temple that day, the Sadducees, who came because of procedure, the Pharisees, who came because of their practice, and then we see Simeon, who came … READ MORE