What is your favorite Christmas passage from scripture? Perhaps it’s found in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.” This is a beautiful scripture foretelling the coming of the Savior. For me it is John 3:16, “For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This fact sums up the whole purpose and meaning of Christmas; a loving God who was moved by the plight of mankind and decided to act upon that love and give his one and only son, Jesus Christ.

Christmas is a reminder that God sees value in us. He gave all that he had for us. Your value is not in what you have under your tree, but what you have in your heart; the living presence of a loving God. It is not about how much money you have to spend on others, but how much love you have to expend on them. Like your heavenly Father make the choice this Christmas season to give the greatest gift you have, love. It really is the only gift that keeps on giving throughout the year and beyond.

Cindy and I wish you the most joyous and love filled Christmas season you have ever experienced. We also encourage you to let hope arise in your hearts for 2012. Know that God’s best is yet to come for you and your family and be encouraged!

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Norris & Cindy

“Celebrate the Day” at Grace Community Church. A Christmas Service and Musical Program December 18^th at 10:30 a.m. followed by a Fellowship Meal on Sunday.

A special Christmas Eve Service Saturday at 6 p.m.

There will be no Christmas Day Service at Grace as we are holding a Christmas Eve service.

This year we will be celebrating by having a Saturday Christmas Eve service at 6 p.m. in place of a Sunday Christmas Day service.  This will give families more time together. It will be an hour long candle light service celebrating the Christ’s birth!

Sunday, December 4, 2011 at  7 o’clock p.m. in the Church sanctuary.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

So Abraham had two things to consider, the facts of his life and the promise for his life.  Abraham made a choice which we see revealed in Romans 4:18.  It says that Abraham when faced with the facts of his life chose to believe God’s promise was greater.  “When all reason for hope was gone (the facts) he chose to believe in God’s promise and received a son.

What are the realities, the facts, which are in your life right now?  Do those facts say, “give up it’s all over?  Do they say, “you will never realize your dream”?  You have a choice today.  You can believe only the facts of your life or you can consider the alternative, God’s promise.

Let us look at some vital truths discovered by Abraham which can help us in choosing God’s promise.  First, he discovered that the facts cannot alter the promise of God.  Second that the facts and the promise of God will always stand out in contradiction to each other; that the promise and not the facts are my basis for hope and faith.  Third, the promise has within it the power to strengthen my hope and faith until the reality of God’s promise is seen in my facts.

Today there are two things you must consider in your life; the facts of your life and God’s promise for your life.  Your choice will determine ultimately which reality you will live in.  God told Israel that life and death were before them and that they must choose life.  I encourage you today to choose life as well; do not give up your hope and your faith in God and His promise to you.  He will not fail you therefore hope on in God!

Norris Braswell

Bring all who are in need of a miracle and those hungry for more of the Holy Spirit and the power of Jesus Christ!

First we must understand that the Kingdom of God is not geographic but is revealed everywhere men submit to the rule of God.  Its domain is the hearts of men revealing the will and purpose of God.  The heart of man is the throne room of the Kingdom from where its rule and blessings flow to bless mankind.

Secondly, the Kingdom has a king with all authority, Jesus Christ.  Upon his resurrection Jesus declared that “all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto me.”  To submit to the Lordship of Jesus as King is to become a subject and citizen of the Kingdom of God with all its subsequent blessings.

Thirdly, the Kingdom of God has a message.  In Matthew 4:23 it says that Jesus went about all of Galilee preaching and teaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people.  The gospel is the message of the Kingdom, not the message of self help and success that has been substituted for the true Kingdom message.  It is time for the church to get back to the message of the Kingdom and not allow “another gospel” to take its place.  The message of the Kingdom is powerful and able to meet every need of mankind.

Fourthly, the Kingdom of God is one of power.  The Holy Spirit has been given and Jesus said along with His coming He would bring power! (Acts 1:8)  We have substituted programs for power in much of the church and the results are we have people who are not healed, who have no peace and are still living under the bondage of sin, yet come and sit in a “service” every Sunday.  We must return back with all our hearts to the true Kingdom of God and see a restoration of its power to save, heal and deliver mankind from every work of darkness.

Finally, one last thing Jesus taught us concerning the Kingdom of God; to pray for it to come, to be released and revealed in the earth.  Through God’s people there needs to arise a heartfelt faith and voice in prayer for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done in the earth.  Only when God’s Kingdom rules in the hearts of men will we see God’s redemptive plan become a reality in the earth.

Norris Braswell