New beginnings

Hello everyone!  I hope you had an AWESOME Christmas.  I am glad I got a chance to see most of you this past weekend.  Please remember we will NOT be having group tomorrow night.  Enjoy the New Year!

Thinking of 2009, I know most of us have things that were a part of 2008 that we hope will not carry over into the next year.  Maybe it’s some type of behavior or addiction, maybe it’s the breakup of a relationship or maybe even financial stuff–whatever IT is, I know we can all think of something we would like to change for 2009.  In some way, we seek a new beginning.

Jesus encountered a man in that situation.  His name was Zacchaeus.  He was short, which I can relate to, and he had a job that made a lot of people dislike him.  He collected taxes from people and they didn’t like him for it.  He took money from people for something they didn’t support and he had become a rich man because of that.  Then, in Luke 19:1-10, we see that Zacchaeus gets in a place where he wants to see Jesus.  He decides to climb up a tree so that he can see him through the crowd.  Then, all of a sudden, Jesus walks by the tree Zacchaeus is in, and he looks up.  Jesus tells Zacchaeus that he wants to come and stay at his house that night.  Jesus wanted to be around this man that had manipulated people into giving him money; he wasn’t a very popular guy and despite that, Jesus wanted to come and be a part of Z.’s life.  

Jesus is just like that today. He wants to be a part of our lives, even in the parts where we have shut him out and not allowed him to have any control.  He wants to come and place himself “in our house,” just like he did with Zacchaeus.  Z. woke up that morning one person, dealing with specific things, and later that day, he seemed like a different man, one who was willing to give up all this world had to offer to be with Jesus.  Our plan for a new beginning in life begins with Jesus.  We can be brought into a complete relationship with Jesus that changes every area of our lives and gives us a fresh start, a new beginning.  

So where are you?  Are you interested in a new beginning for 2009?  Jesus can help.  Think about that this week.

Take care everyone!

Adam

Random Tuesday

Hello, it is officially random Tuesday because I am going to dump a lot of random information on you.  Here we go:

A. I didn’t know it could snow this much over a couple of days.  Yikes–my mailbox has almost diasppeared.

B. Christmas Eve services are tomorrow at 4:30 and 6 pm.  Hope to see you there. 

C. Youth winter retreat: Jan.23-25 in Maryland. If you want to go, I need to know (that rhymes).

D. Clemson is the best college in the universe (not just the world).

E. We are NOT meeting on Dec. 31/New Year’s Eve.  Have fun without me, if that’s possible.

F. If I don’t see you before then, have a merry Christmas.  All of you rock!

 

Adam

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

OK, so, I sound a lot more excited about this than I really am.  Snow gets on my nerves.  Where I grew up, it is 70 degrees today.  

But seriously, sometimes we feel like we are dealt a raw deal.  It seems like life just hands us no breaks, nothing good happens.  Have you ever felt that way?  I think this verse (John 16:33) has been helpful to me when I feel that way:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

No matter what happens to us, good or bad, fair or unfair, lame or exciting, Jesus has overcome this world.  He invites us to live for more than meets the eye.  In bad times, that can give us hope.  In good times when we are sailing on cloud nine, that can bring us back to reality.  Jesus wants to be an integral part of our lives.  That is the hope wrapped in the message of Christmas–that we have a loving, good God that is concerned about us and wants to be a part of our lives each and every day. 

Just my thoughts on a snowy day.  I hope you are enjoying the snow so far.  Please plan on being here tomorrow night for the Christmas party at 7 pm.  We will have our gift swap, a new game, a movie, and some good food.  See you soon.

Adam