IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS! IT'S EASILY ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF THE YEAR. IT'S SO FULL OF POTENTIAL AND PROMISE. I LOVE THE MUSIC, THE TREES, AND THE LIGHTS! I LOVE IT ALL; BUT WHAT I LOVE MOST IS THAT IT IS THE SEASON WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR. HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. IT'S THIS SEASON THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

IN MATTHEW 1:20-21, THE BIBLE RECORDS THE WORDS OF THE ANGEL TO JOSEPH. THE ANGEL SAID, “FEAR NOT TO TAKE MARY AS YOUR WIFE, FOR THAT WHICH IS CONCEIVED IN HER IS OF THE HOLY GHOST. AND SHE SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS, FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS!”

THE ANGELS MESSAGE INFORMED JOSEPH THAT HIS SOON TO BE WIFE WAS EXPECTING, AND THAT WHAT SHE WAS EXPECTING WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST. WHEN I READ THIS, I FELT THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT ASK ME “WHAT CONCEIVED WHAT YOU’RE EXPECTING?” EXPECTATION IS SO POWERFUL. YET WHEN WE TAKE INVENTORY OF OUR EXPECTATIONS THIS CHRISTMAS, I WONDER IF THOSE EXPECTATIONS WERE CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST? WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING THIS CHRISTMAS? WHAT ARE YOU BELIEVING FOR? ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS ROOTED IN THE PROMISE OF GOD, OR IN THE PROBLEMS OF YOUR LIFE?

I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO JOIN STEPHANIE AND ME IN THE SOWING OF A SACRIFICIAL SEED THIS CHRISTMAS. ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, WE WILL BE COMING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY TO WORSHIP AND TO SOW. CONCEPTION DEMANDS THAT A SEED BE SOWN. IT IS CONCEPTION THAT CREATES EXPECTATION! I BELIEVE THAT GOD IS GOING TO GIVE OUR ENTIRE CHURCH FAMILY A NEW EXPECTATION FOR THE NEW YEAR AHEAD! YOU ARE ABOUT TO CONCEIVE THE PROMISE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU WILL BRING FORTH WHAT YOU ARE EXPECTING!

IN LUKE THE FIRST CHAPTER, YOUR BIBLE RECORDS THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE ANGEL AND MARY.  IN VERSE 28 THE ANGEL SAID, “MARY, YOU ARE HIGHLY FAVORED, THE LORD IS WITH THEE, BLESSED ART THOU AMONG WOMEN.  AND WHEN SHE SAW HIM, SHE WAS TROUBLED AT HIS SAYING.”

I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT MARY FOUND HERSELF IN A PLACE WHERE SHE WAS BOTH FAVORED AND TROUBLED AT THE SAME TIME!  STRANGELY, I HAVE FOUND THAT FAVOR AND TROUBLE OFTEN GO TOGETHER, AND THAT YOU CAN BE FAVORED WITHOUT “FEELING” LIKE IT AT ALL.  AS BELIEVERS, IT SEEMS THAT WE ARE ALWAYS LIVING THE TENSION BETWEEN WHAT WE’VE BEEN PROMISED AND WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING.  OUR REALITY SEEMS TO ALWAYS CONFLICT WITH OUR THEOLOGY.  WE CAN BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN HIS PROMISE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME GRAPPLING WITH OUR PROBLEM.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE BOTH FAVORED AND TROUBLED?  HOW DO YOU CONTEND WITH THE REALITY THAT YOU CAN BE BOTH BLESSED AND BURDENED?  HOW DO YOU NEGOTIATE SEASONS THAT ARE FILLED WITH BOTH JOY AND SORROW?  THIS SEEMING CONTRADICTION CAN BE TRICKY, AND HOW WE RESPOND IN THESE MOMENTS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE RECEIVE FROM THE LORD.  IN THESE MOMENTS WE MUST DECIDE WHETHER WE WILL SIDE WITH WHAT WE SEE OR WITH WHAT HE SAID!  MARY’S RESPONSE SHIFTED THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD “BE IT UNTO ME ACCORDING TO THY WORD!”

YOU MAY BE IN A SEASON WHERE YOU FEEL BOTH FAVORED AND TROUBLED.  YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID, BUT YOU ARE CONTENDING WITH WHAT YOU SEE.

I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN A VERY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO SOW A SACRIFICIAL SEED ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24TH.  YOUR SEED ALWAYS “SIDES” WITH WHAT HE SAID AND NOT WITH WHAT YOU SEE.  IT EMBOLDENS YOU TO LOOK BEYOND YOUR TROUBLE AND TO SAY “BE IT UNTO ME” TO YOUR FAVOR!  WHAT HE SAID IS GOING TO GET BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU SEE, AND WHAT YOU KNOW IS GOING TO BE WEIGHTIER THAN WHAT YOU FEEL.  I AM ADDING MY FAITH TO YOURS AS YOU PREPARE TO SOW.  STEPH AND I LOVE YOU, AND WE ARE PRAYING THAT YOU WOULD GIVE BIRTH TO YOUR GREATEST MIRACLE THIS CHRISTMAS!

In just a few short days we will be coming together to celebrate the birth of our savior!  What an incredible season of promise and possibility.  It makes me feel as if anything is possible and because of the baby in the manger, anything is possible!

On Sunday, December 24th we are going to gather as a family to celebrate the event that changed everything forever.  I believe that for you and your family, and for our whole church family, that something will change forever!  I want to invite you to join Stephanie and me on that day in sowing a sacrificial seed.  Seed is necessary for conception to take place and I believe that as you sow in faith, that you are going to leave expecting!

Our church has been in a season of explosive growth.  This year has been record setting in every way, and i believe that it has positioned us to walk through the door into our most fruitful year!  As you have noticed, we have begun to prepare for company by remodeling our current facility.  We have begun in the youth and children’s areas to create a clean, safe, and exciting environment for our students to grow.  It is our plan is to replace all the flooring throughout the building and it is for that that I ask your help.  We will be applying the funds from the Christmas offering to take care of this part of the remodel.

All the improvements will serve our church family much better as we believe for greater things in 2024.  Until then, it is my heart to create the very best environment that we can to welcome new people and for lives to be changed.  My prayer is that God will touch your heart and move you to give.  I believe that as you sow, that God is going to cause you to conceive his promise.  Merry Christmas kingdom center family - I love you and I can’t wait to worship with you this weekend!

I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TODAY AND SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART TO GIVE IN THIS SEASON.  YOUR GIFTS OF LOVE DURING OUR CHRISTMAS OFFERING WERE SUCH AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO STEPHANIE AND ME.  I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU.  A CHURCH IS ONLY AS STRONG AS THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE IN THEIR GIVING TO SEE THE VISION SPEAK.  GOD HAS GIVEN US SOME OF HIS VERY BEST!

I HAVE FELT VERY STRONGLY ABOUT REMODELING OUR FACILITY TO PREPARE FOR 2024.  THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE WELL UNDERWAY, AND WE’VE STILL GOT A WAYS TO GO.  TO DO ALL THAT WE HAVE PLANNED TO DO, I NEEDED YOUR HELP.  I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE TO GIVE TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.  IF YOU WERE UNABLE OR NOT PRESENT TO GIVE AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO, WE HAVE ADDED A LINK FOR YOU TO DO SO.  ALL YOUR GIFTS WILL BE APPLIED TO THE REMODEL OF THE BUILDING AS WE PREPARE FOR MORE IN 2024.

STEPH AND I LOVE YOU AND STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF YOUR SACRIFICIAL GIVING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO CONCEIVE THE PROMISE OF GOD.  YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE BIRTH TO A MIRACLE THAT CHANGES THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUR LIFE!  WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE AND ARE THANKFUL THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE A PART OF IT!