Special Features 2004 Archives

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A Gift Certificate for Jesus?

What have you come to offer Jesus?

The wise men brought gifts to Jesus that reflect their respect, time, thoughtfulness, and generosity -- but what kind of gifts do we give to Jesus?

Buy Your Own Gift!

Could you afford the price of this gift?

We couldn't pay the debt of our sin, so God paid it for us in Jesus, but will we accept this gift?

Living with the Gift

What difference does this gift make in your life?

God's gift of grace in Jesus' Christ carries with it the responsibility to live changed lives.

The White Envelope: A Follow Up

When Christmas is more than Christmas.

Christmas can be a blessing even in the face of grief as the White Enevelope shows.

My Christmas Present

What can we learn from a bad Christmas shopping experience?

Sometimes we get the service we suggest by the way we present ourselves to others.

O That Christmas Spending!

Is there more to the season than the spending?

We don't have to become Scrooge to be responsible at Christmas and yet still keep the meaning of the season.

What about Xmas?

What are we supposed to do about Christmas?

Knowing what to do about the birth of Jesus is quite a dilemma, however, we do need to acknowledge he was born and respond appropriately.

Another Reason Not To ...

Why would anyone do that on national television?

The holidays, and life in general, are not about drinking.

The Picture

What is the story behind this picture?

This once in a lifetime event occurred: Jesus was born and place in a manger.

Guilt by Any Other Name

How do we get rid of it?

We can try all sorts of things, but only Jesus can take our guilt away.

Damaged and Discarded

Can you find value in what has been discarded?

We can reclaim those who have been discarded and reclaim them for God.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

What does your neighborhood look like?

What would happen if we matched our Christmas decorations spending with help for those in need?

Make Every Day Like Christmas

Why can't every day be like Christmas?

Wouldn't the world be a better place if we lived as each day were Christmas?

It Only Comes with Rain

Some things we just can't do!

Only God can bring new life with refreshment through his holy spirit.

My Old Watch

Is there still time?

We must use all the time we have and not waste it because we can make a difference in the time we are given.

Thanks-giving

What holiday has a message in its name?

Giving thanks should lead us to other forms of giving.

Taste and See

Have you tasted just how good it is?

Just as we enjoy the senses of taste and sight, we need to taste and see that the Lord is good.

Time for Thanksgiving

Isn't time to do this with everything else going on?

Thanksgiving is something that is needed, commanded, and celebrated: so let's give thanks.

Quieted with His Love

Is there a place of calm and rest?

God has promised to know us and love us and quiet us with his love.

The Challenge to Just Be

Can you resist the urge to be in motion all the time?

So often, we try to face every challenge rather than to rest in the peace of the Lord's victory and just be.

The Old Clock

What lesson can an old abandoned clock teach us?

Too many people are put on the back shelf of life and we need to find them and reclaim them just as Baranabas once did.

Re-Thinking Election Strategy?

Can anything good come out of politics?

While we can get sickened by election rhetoric, sometimes good lessons can be learned from good men!

No Pain, No Gain

How does your shoulder feel?

Exercise can cause pain, but that pain is necessary to help us grow and see things more clearly.

For Those Under Trial

What about those who are not free to worship the Lord?

We must pray for those facing persecution.

You Must Remember the Forgotten

Will you remember those everyone else forgets?

True religion is more than just spouting off religious phrases and remaining isolated from worldly people -- it means to take the sin and worldliness out of people and take care of them.