Nearer My God: December Powerlines

Christmas Faith in Action

Dear Peter,

As a pastor, what does Christmas mean to me? Put simply, yet astoundedly, a Savior was born unto us and our lives have never been the same. I just get so overwhelmed with emotion this time of year thinking about this: Our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord’s only begotten son, was born and lived 33 years so that our sins would be forgiven. God’s love is so powerful! As this special day approaches, let’s contemplate the meaning of Christmas faith, or rather active faith — the idea that as Christians, we are called to take action in our faith today. Not in secret, not tomorrow, but today.

Christmas happens every day, and I’m not referring to sparkling lights and eggnog. I’m referring to the Biblical idea that Christ is always in us; that the incarnation, the infleshment of the Spirit of God is always happening every day in men, women, and children. The idea that God; the Living Word of God, becomes flesh and dwells among us, is something that happens all the time, and it happens in you when you take Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Special Encouragement to Keep Going...

A long-time viewer of Hour of Power and an author, Linda Merritt earned a bachelor of arts degree in Bible and a minor in biblical languages. When she says that Pastor Bobby’s sermons are “biblically sound,” you nod with an all-knowing smile, and you pay attention to what she has to say next. “I am excited to tell you how the Lord has carried me through some very difficult times. Starting with the ministry of Robert H. Schuller, and perpetuated by Robert Anthony and now Bobby,” she said. “Through Hour of Power, I received a lot of spiritual nourishment and encouragement through the years. Many times, it seemed that they were speaking specifically to me when I needed it the most.” continue reading online...

It warms our hearts to know that lives are being transformed as the Holy Spirit works in and through our global church family. Here are just a few of the testimonials we have received recently:

“We love your Sunday morning preaching, Bobby! Thank you for your humble, transparent, kind delivery of consistent powerful messages that God uses in our lives. The Holy Spirit conveys through you timely messages for us each week - even through your occasional special speakers. Thank you!!!”
— Anita, Rosedale, British Columbia

“Thank you! Sometimes it seems your sermon was written for me, still so many need to hear the same message. We seem to be forgetting the basics. Thank you for sharing your family and for the singing children today. I hope to help with the community garden today.”
— Wiggins, Missouri

“Hi Pastor Schuller, I just want to write a note of encouragement and thank you for what you do. Your humility comes across and shines, your dedication and love for God comes across in your sermons and teaching. You are so dedicated, humble and sensitive, don’t lose that quality in yourself, be strong in face of criticism, don’t be so hard on yourself, be who God designed you to be, YOU are God’s masterpiece, remember that, the Lord is so proud of you and loves you and your family so much! Thank you for sharing your light to the world, you matter so much! I hope this encourages you today. God bless you a hundredfold. I felt led by the Holy Spirit to share these words of encouragement to you today.”
— Teresa, Email

Immanuel

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”).”— Matthew 1:23

Do you believe God is with you? If you are human, there are probably times when you’ve doubted it. David had times he doubted it, “I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.” — Psalm 69:3.

An actual angel of God appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Gideon replied, “Pardon me, my lord, but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” and goes on to say, “But now the Lord has abandoned us.” — Judges 6:12-13.

Even Jesus cried out in Matthew 27:46, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”.

If you keep reading their stories, does God prove to be with David, Gideon, and Jesus? Absolutely. God does incredible wonders in their lives. Likewise, if you begin to doubt that God is with YOU, remember your story is not over yet. You received a promise from the Living God, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” — Hebrews 13:5.

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A Legacy of FAITH

Every step forward you take in your faith journey is a new beginning. Christmas is a special time of year, one that also acts as a reminder that the new year is fast approaching. We know this to be true, but we don’t always know what the calendar of our life holds. This is why it’s important to take action today when it comes to your estate plan and your ability to leave a legacy for your loved ones and future generations. As the saying goes, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” The end of the year is a great time to assess your estate plan and what your goals are surrounding it.

Hour of Power has a special group of friends called Legacy Donors who are a part of what we call our Heritage Circle. These generous Christ-followers felt it was their calling to pass along a legacy of values and love by including our ministry in their Will or Estate Plan. By partnering with Hour of Power, they are committing to share in our vision of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to every corner of the globe for years to come.

If you’d like to learn more about stewarding your resources for the glory of God or remembering Hour of Power in your Will or Estate Plan, call us at 714-971-4111 or email livinglegacy@hourofpower.org