Our service is now live (Sunday 10am). Come join us at bit.ly/KCClive. Our speaker is Pastor Paul Long. The sermon topic is "A biblical perspective on identity, self-image, self-worth, and self-esteem". ... See MoreSee Less
This week’s devotion is taken from Nancy Guthrie’s book “Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room: Daily Family Devotions for Advent”
A Real Hero
When you’re really in trouble, you want someone strong to show up to save you—a real hero. And as people living in this world, we are really in trouble, really in need of someone who can save us from our slavery to sin. God sent someone to save us. The prophet Isaiah wrote about him:
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! (Isaiah 9:6-7)
God sent us a Savior in the form of a baby. The prophet Isaiah assured us, however, that Jesus would be no ordinary baby and that he would grow up to be no ordinary man.
As the Wonderful Counselor, he has the best ideas and strategies; he’s the wisest and most perfect teacher. If we listen to him, we’ll know what to do. As the Mighty God, he uses his power on our behalf, helping us overcome sin. We can find protection in him when we’re tempted.
As the Everlasting Father, he cares for us lovingly, with affection that has no limits. We can entrust ourselves to him.
As the Prince of Peace, he invites us into his Kingdom of full and perfect happiness, giving us the assurance of safety and security. As we submit to him, we will live lives of blessed closeness to him.
The child born to us became our strong deliverer and our source of security and satisfaction forever. The Son given to us gave himself for us.
Prayer Wonderful Counselor, guide us. Mighty God, rule over us. Everlasting Father, take care of us. Prince of Peace, give us your peace. ... See MoreSee Less
Join us for service tomorrow, Sunday 10am at KCC or live at bit.ly/KCClive. Our speaker is Pastor Paul Long. The sermon topic is "A biblical perspective on identity, self-image, self-worth, and self-esteem". In today's society, there is a lot of discussion on identity, self-image, self-worth, and self-esteem. There is confusion as people look to discover who they are, as well as frustration, when their self-worth falls far from expectations, affecting their self-image and self-worth. Are these discussions important, and are there any differences between these four terms? Does the Bible have anything to say about all this? Join us as we look at this topic. #Identity#SelfWorth#SelfImage#SelfEsteem#ImageOfGod#ChildOfGod... See MoreSee Less
Our service is now live (Sunday 10am). Come join us at bit.ly/KCClive. Our speaker is Jin Wan. The sermon topic is "The Three Promises of Christmas (Luke 1:26-38)". ... See MoreSee Less
This week’s Advent devotion is by Dietrich Bonhoeffer: God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas, edited by Jana Riess
God’s Holy Present
Serve the opportune time.” The most profound matter will be revealed to us only when we consider that not only does the world have its time and its hours, but also that our own life has its time and its hour of God, and that behind these times of our lives traces of God become visible, that under our paths are the deepest shafts of eternity, and every step brings back a quiet echo from eternity. It is only a matter of understanding the deep, pure form of these times and representing them in our conduct of life. Then in the middle of our time we will also encounter God’s holy present. “My times are in your hand” (Ps. 31:15). Serve your times, God’s present in your life. God has sanctified your time. Every time, rightly understood, is immediate to God, and God wants us to be fully what we are.… Only those who stand with both feet on the earth, who are and remain totally children of earth, who undertake no hopeless attempts at flight to unreachable heights, who are content with what they have and hold on to it thankfully—only they have the full power of the humanity that serves the opportune time and thus eternity.… The Lord of the ages is God. The turning point of the ages is Christ. The right spirit of the ages is the Holy Spirit.
Dear parents … I don’t need to tell you how much I long for freedom and for you all. But over the decades you have provided for us such incomparably beautiful Christmases that my thankful remembrance of them is strong enough to light up one dark Christmas. Only such times can really reveal what it means to have a past and an inner heritage that is independent of chance and the changing of the times. The awareness of a spiritual tradition that reaches through the centuries gives one a certain feeling of security in the face of all transitory difficulties. I believe that those who know they possess such reserves of strength do not need to be ashamed even of softer feelings—which in my opinion are still among the better and nobler feelings of humankind—when remembrance of a good and rich past calls them forth. Such feelings will not overwhelm those who hold fast to the values that no one can take from them.
Letter to Bonhoeffer’s parents, written from Tegel prison, December 17, 1943
For I hear the whispering of many— terror all around!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love. Psalm 31:13–16 ... See MoreSee Less
Kelston Community Church
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Our service is now live (Sunday 10am). Come join us at bit.ly/KCClive. Our speaker is Pastor Paul Long. The sermon topic is "A biblical perspective on identity, self-image, self-worth, and self-esteem". ... See MoreSee Less
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Pastor’s notes for 22 December 2024
This week’s devotion is taken from Nancy Guthrie’s book “Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room: Daily Family Devotions for Advent”
A Real Hero
When you’re really in trouble, you want someone strong to show up to save you—a real hero. And as people living in this world, we are really in trouble, really in need of someone who can save us from our slavery to sin. God sent someone to save us. The prophet Isaiah wrote about him:
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! (Isaiah 9:6-7)
God sent us a Savior in the form of a baby. The prophet Isaiah assured us, however, that Jesus would be no ordinary baby and that he would grow up to be no ordinary man.
As the Wonderful Counselor, he has the best ideas and strategies; he’s the wisest and most perfect teacher. If we listen to him, we’ll know what to do.
As the Mighty God, he uses his power on our behalf, helping us overcome sin. We can find protection in him when we’re tempted.
As the Everlasting Father, he cares for us lovingly, with affection that has no limits. We can entrust ourselves to him.
As the Prince of Peace, he invites us into his Kingdom of full and perfect happiness, giving us the assurance of safety and security. As we submit to him, we will live lives of blessed closeness to him.
The child born to us became our strong deliverer and our source of security and satisfaction forever. The Son given to us gave himself for us.
Prayer
Wonderful Counselor, guide us. Mighty God, rule over us. Everlasting Father, take care of us. Prince of Peace, give us your peace. ... See MoreSee Less
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Join us for service tomorrow, Sunday 10am at KCC or live at bit.ly/KCClive. Our speaker is Pastor Paul Long. The sermon topic is "A biblical perspective on identity, self-image, self-worth, and self-esteem". In today's society, there is a lot of discussion on identity, self-image, self-worth, and self-esteem. There is confusion as people look to discover who they are, as well as frustration, when their self-worth falls far from expectations, affecting their self-image and self-worth. Are these discussions important, and are there any differences between these four terms? Does the Bible have anything to say about all this? Join us as we look at this topic.
#Identity #SelfWorth #SelfImage #SelfEsteem #ImageOfGod #ChildOfGod ... See MoreSee Less
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Our service is now live (Sunday 10am). Come join us at bit.ly/KCClive. Our speaker is Jin Wan. The sermon topic is "The Three Promises of Christmas (Luke 1:26-38)". ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Pastor’s notes for 15 December 2024
This week’s Advent devotion is by Dietrich Bonhoeffer: God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas, edited by Jana Riess
God’s Holy Present
Serve the opportune time.” The most profound matter will be revealed to us only when we consider that not only does the world have its time and its hours, but also that our own life has its time and its hour of God, and that behind these times of our lives traces of God become visible, that under our paths are the deepest shafts of eternity, and every step brings back a quiet echo from eternity. It is only a matter of understanding the deep, pure form of these times and representing them in our conduct of life. Then in the middle of our time we will also encounter God’s holy present. “My times are in your hand” (Ps. 31:15). Serve your times, God’s present in your life. God has sanctified your time. Every time, rightly understood, is immediate to God, and God wants us to be fully what we are.… Only those who stand with both feet on the earth, who are and remain totally children of earth, who undertake no hopeless attempts at flight to unreachable heights, who are content with what they have and hold on to it thankfully—only they have the full power of the humanity that serves the opportune time and thus eternity.… The Lord of the ages is God. The turning point of the ages is Christ. The right spirit of the ages is the Holy Spirit.
Dear parents … I don’t need to tell you how much I long for freedom and for you all. But over the decades you have provided for us such incomparably beautiful Christmases that my thankful remembrance of them is strong enough to light up one dark Christmas. Only such times can really reveal what it means to have a past and an inner heritage that is independent of chance and the changing of the times. The awareness of a spiritual tradition that reaches through the centuries gives one a certain feeling of security in the face of all transitory difficulties. I believe that those who know they possess such reserves of strength do not need to be ashamed even of softer feelings—which in my opinion are still among the better and nobler feelings of humankind—when remembrance of a good and rich past calls them forth. Such feelings will not overwhelm those who hold fast to the values that no one can take from them.
Letter to Bonhoeffer’s parents, written from Tegel prison, December 17, 1943
For I hear the whispering of many—
terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.
Psalm 31:13–16 ... See MoreSee Less
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Amen