Discover the Peace of the World
“As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.”
Revelation 6:1-2 NLT
“Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.”
These two passages are not your typical “feel good” Christmas story passages. We are studying Revelation as the final section of our walk through the Bible series that began in January with the book of Mathew.
As we read Revelation, we are reminded once again what Jesus told his disciples in John 10 that “Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy.” Satan is the antithesis of peace. Throughout the book of Revelation, we see the destruction and violence of the end times before Christ returns. When Jesus came the first time he came as the “Prince of Peace” and shared a message of peace and love. Jesus demonstrated his peaceful nature by not starting an armed rebellion but rather gave up his life willingly. His revolution came through words and deeds rather than violence. God came in the flesh and dwelled among His people and by doing so changed their hearts and minds forever.
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Pastor Paul Marzahn
Discover the Love of the World
-1 John 1:1
-1 John 3:1
In the beginning, before existence, God was. Long before He came to this earth wrapped in flesh, before existence, Jesus was. Long before He was poured out at Pentecost, before existence, the Holy Spirit was. God as Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit existed as One in all eternity. Through Jesus, believers in Him have unfiltered access to God and have been filled with the Holy Spirit for abundant life and light. We could not reach or touch our holy God, but we could cling to and grab hold of a holy Jesus. Jesus is our example of light, love, joy, peace, and hope in this dark world.
The writer John states that God is love. The concept of God is hard to comprehend, but when we experience the love of God in our lives, we start to get a glimpse of God. As a father and grandfather, I understand more fully the concept of love. My grandson was injured the other night. As he cried, it broke my heart; because he was hurting, I was hurting. Likewise, he was filled with joy with all his cousins around for Thanksgiving. His laughter was contagious. I found myself filled with love for him as he ran around our house playing games. When he left the house, he said, “Love you poppa” and gave me a big hug. His love for me and my love for him parallels the love our Father, God, has for us. His love was revealed to us through Jesus in a tangible way. May we experience that love fully this Christmas season.
Let us pray:
Holy and loving God, You pour Your love out into my life in ways that I can’t comprehend. ABBA Father, my mind has difficulty accepting the fact that You love me as Your son/daughter. Help me to trust Your promises regardless of my feelings. Please help me to accept and receive the unconditional love that pours out into my life. I thank You that Your love never fails even when I do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Pastor Paul Marzahn
Discover the Joy of the World
The Bible tells us that joy is only made complete through Jesus. Although we may find joy in our families or in helping others, it is incomplete. It’s tough to think that the great joy you felt when you first met your son or daughter and saw their first smile or laugh wasn’t complete. I don’t think that John here is saying that. John is saying that the joy is complete because the long-awaited messiah and savior, Jesus Christ, is finally here! There’s no more death! Death has been defeated! We can finally fully rejoice knowing that Jesus did all the work to ensure everlasting life!
That’s why complete joy is found in Jesus Christ. The darkness is gone, and the light of the world is here. That’s why we can find joy amidst the most sorrowful moments in our lives. We have hope in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Complete joy emerges in the meeting of hope and faith. When we hope for something better and have faith that something better is only found in Jesus, then we can have complete joy. We can live helping others knowing that it glorifies Jesus. We can be good fathers and mothers knowing that it glorifies our Lord. We can be who God created us to be knowing that he is for us, not against us. This joy is what makes life enjoyable. It’s our duty as Christians to share that light with others so that all may come to know complete joy. Amen.
Better Together | Through Identity
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
Identity is now becoming controversial in modern culture. There is a lot of discussion as to whether we are created a certain way or whether we are defined by our upbringing. Is it nature or is it nurture? One of my favorite Eddy Murphy movies – TRADING PLACES – takes a con man off the streets and makes him into a commodities stock trader, while at the same time ruining a man of “proper breeding. The movie ends by both realizing we are all by-products of our decisions. I would argue that our decisions about God define our identity.
In Christianity, our identity comes from a relationship with Christ Jesus. Jesus sees not only who we are but who we will become. Our identity is FOUND in Christ but also FORMED by Christ. It is through the transformation process that our true identity is drawn out by God. Who we are created to be becomes dominant over who we are. Our identity comes from the understanding that we are children of God first and foremost. May we live in our identity in Jesus Christ this day. May we continue to grow in our identity so that we may grow the kingdom of heaven.
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Pastor Paul Marzahn
Questions to Consider:
1. Who does God say you are?
2. What has been transformational in your life?
3. Are you allowing who you are as a child of Christ to flow into what you do daily? Why/Why not?
4. How can you use your transformation to further the kingdom?
Better Together | Through Generosity & Service
James 2:18 NIV
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Pastor Paul Marzahn
Better Together | Through Honesty
The Apostle Paul also teaches about honesty to the early church. He reminds them we are to be “sincere” to God and one another. I love the Pastor’s heart shared by Paul to his church family. He doesn’t preach at them and say, “you need to do the following.” Instead he includes himself as one who is still on the faith journey with them. He says we and the term “Let Us.” (Let us draw near to God. Let us hold on to hope. Let us spur on one another. Let us not give up meeting together. Let us encourage one another.) Paul states in Hebrews 10:22-25 – “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
David and Paul are both great leaders and both focus on the importance of faithfulness and integrity. Both made huge mistakes and yet confessed their sinfulness. They were honest with God and those around them. Both overcame their sins to be used by God in powerful ways. Let us follow David and Paul and grow in our honesty. Let us continue to hold on to the hope we have received in Christ Jesus.
Questions to Consider:
1. How would you define honesty?
2. When is a time recently when someone was dishonest with you? How were you able to resolve it?
3. How does honesty strengthen our relationships? When is a time when you were honest lately?
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Pastor Paul Marzahn
Better Together | Through Growing
Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT
Better Together | Through Example
Titus 2:7-8 NIV
Setting an example is never easy. We have to be aware that others are watching us. People observe more of what we do than what we say. In the book of Titus, the leaders are being told to set an EXAMPLE by doing good. If we are to share our faith it starts through our actions. May our lives be good examples of how to live as Christ would have us live. May we share God’s love this week wherever we go to demonstrate His love in our lives.
Pastor Paul Marzahn
Better Together | Through Honor
1 Thessalonians 5:12 NLT
1 Timothy 5:17 NIV
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Pastor Paul Marzahn
Here is a modified list of ways to honor a pastor that was shared by LifeWay Resources.
1. Pray for your pastors every day for a week and send a note of encouragement to one of them.
2. Support your church financially and generously.
3. Find out the name of a lost person your pastor is praying for and covenant to also pray for this person.
4. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s fullness to be evident in the Sunday services. Come early to worship and pray with others for the service.
5. On Sundays in October, ask him what you can pray about for him this week. Then the next Sunday ask him how things went regarding what you prayed for.
6. Encourage your friends to join you in sitting closer to the front during October’s Sunday services.
7. Defend him or her against critics. Every pastor is imperfect and has some people whose expectations are not met by his ministry.
8. Take notes on your pastor’s preaching and teaching. Such a practice is spiritually healthy and demonstrates that you value what he says.
9. Listen and have an open heart to his/her ideas for change. Oftentimes, the value of that change may take months or years to be fully appreciated.
10. Tag your pastor in a social media post with the hashtag #pastorappreciation and tell your friends, family and fellow church members what you appreciate about your pastor.
Better Together | Through Prayer
2 Thessalonians 1:11
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Pastor Paul Marzahn
1. Some people enjoy praying with other Christians, while others find it intimidating. What’s your initial reaction to the idea of praying with others? Why do you think you feel that way?
2. When is the last time you prayed out loud for another person? When is the last time you prayed out loud?
3. Have you ever asked anyone else to pray for you? Why or why not? If they did what did that feel like?