New Year's Resolution

     It's that time of year again already, and in spite of my dread of the cliche' of New Year "resolutions" I will offer a proposal to you, with perhaps a little challenge.
     Founding Father and second president of the United States John Adams made it a practice of reading through the Bible every year, often reading through the New Testament in the original Greek. He was not alone in this, it was generally accepted that all educated men would do this, and many of the founding fathers wrote of their habit of Bible reading.
     In contrast to that, we have modern America which holds the enviable position of highest per capita Bible ownership, while untold millions of Bibles sit on shelves and in closets collecting dust.
     Let me interject here-- I am not in the least trying to make anyone feel guilty. I can only wish for the years I have wasted in other pursuits instead of quality time getting to know God through His Word.

     So what will be our plan? Well, I can tell you one that will not work. At least, I have never heard of it working for anyone. People always tell me, "I decided to start at the beginning of the Bible and read through." When they got to the "begats" it all started going downhill. Me too.

Here are some suggestions:

     Buy a One Year Bible
This Bible contains a daily entry with a reading from the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Psalms, and two Proverbs.

     Do a Google search.
Try "Bible reading plan" or "read through the Bible".
     There are also many options online:

• You can download a free program to keep track of your reading on your computer.
• You can also download a widget for your desktop that tells you the reading for the day.
• Many sites offer daily "through the Bible" reading selections online.
• Others offer a Through the Bible in One Year scripture selection guide you can print out and keep in your Bible.

     One of my favorites is to read through the New Testament. Amazing as it may seem you can easily read through the New Testament in one month. By doing this you can avoid the lengthy geneologies, repeated histories and endless pronouncements of the Law. By the time (10 days) you have finished the gospels it is like having read the same biography 4 times. Talk about getting familliar with a story! More than this, it is in the New Testament we find out what "Christianity" is all about. It is the New Testament which reveals the Gospel to us. It is also the New Testament which shows us how to live as "the Body of Christ."

     Another quick search tells us "the Bible contains everything we need for, "living, salvation, faith and practice, life and godliness. . . So that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:17)

     My personal recommendation to you is to set a bookmark for the ESV Daily Reading Bible. Simply go to your computer, clink on the link, and read your selection for the day.

Some final tips:
     Reading through the Bible on this plan will take you 20 to 30 minutes a day. Be sure to set yourself this much time.
     If you find yourself where you don't have the needed time, read just the New Testament portion of the reading.
     If you miss a day (or several) DO NOT go back and try to catch up. Read that day's selection and keep on. At the end of the year you will have "read through the Bible" anyway. Nobody will say, "Oh but you missed a day," and next year you will catch that missed section. Right?

     Make this challenge to yourself and expect to be pleasantly surprised and wonderfully blessed.

     Happy New Year!

Lifepoint Christmas Banquet

Friday night the Lifepoint church family met at Dolce Cafe and Bakery to celebrate Christmas with a banquet.
It was a wonderful time of fellowship and conversation.
After dinner the Children's Ministry treated us to a play of the Nativity. Then the Woship Team lead us in some Christmas carols.

A great time was had by all!

Go to our web album here to see more pictures.

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Advent

This is the season where we're all getting ready for Christmas. Mixed in with all the Christmas items are "Advent" ones. Especially Advent "calendars."
What exactly is "Advent?"

Looking this up we find that Advent is "the season at the beginning of the Church calendar which leads up to Christmas." Of course "High Church" calendars are a little different than the ones we are used to with the small groups and the youth activities.

Actually advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which has the meaning "coming." So then it refers to the coming of Jesus!

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

The singlular moment in all of the history of the universe is what we celebrate this time of year known as "Advent." This is the first coming of the Lord.

But wait, there's more. For this is indeed the "First" Advent.
There is also a "Second Advent."
What could be so spectacular that it could be considered a "Second?"

Remember the words of the angel to the disciples on the Mount of Olives after the Ascension of Christ?

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

The Old Testament prophets did not make the distinction between the two comings. This can be seen in Scriptures such as Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7 and Zechariah 14:4. Since these prophecies seem to speak of two individuals, Jewish scholars thought there would be both a suffering Messiah and a conquering Messiah. What they couldn't understand is that the same Messiah would fulfill both roles. Jesus fulfilled the role of the suffering Servant (Isaiah chapter 53) in His first coming. He will fulfill the role of Israel’s Deliverer and King in His Second Coming.

The Second Coming is foretold in Revelation 19:11-16

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’”

Maranatha!

A blog post on Prayer

Dennis D. has his own blog site over at Veracity !

Take a look and check out his always timely article on prayer today.

Be sure to check your Lifepoint blog and those of all of our blog friends regularly. And don't forget to leave a comment to let us know you're there also.

God bless!
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