Often times when we miss that job interview, mess up that relationship, or don’t get that opportunity we thought we deserved, we think God is holding out on us. The text today already says “no!” God wants to bless His church (Ephesians 1:3,5). Gods blessing is in His grace loves us enough to deploy all means at His disposal to bless and adopt sinners to himself.

May Christ bind us mercifully to Himself in 2025. Paul’s letter to the Colossians reveals two pathways for the church, and us, to hold on to Jesus. May we love people and God’s word well!

We pray that today’s week 1 Advent message is a blessing to you. May we wait on and anticipate the way of Christ this season. Thanks to my daughter Brooklyn for filling in reading the Word today!

Happy Thanksgiving from FMC-Mineola! We pray this message is a blessing for you this week.

Friends, thanks for listening today! May Jesus plead on your behalf and teach you this week.

“Question 20 of our Global Methodist Catechism states that one of our core beliefs as Methodists is “we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life.” This strong, optimistic teaching of Jesus advocating for sinners brings up an important point: the greatest chance Christians have for a better life is Christ’s presence. When Paul wrote the Philippians church to “Rejoice always” He was not ignoring their problems, far from it. Paul rejoices because what He now has in the presence of Jesus, is life-changing! “But whatever I gained, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ”-Philippians 3:7-8. Church, it is important you understand this. Christ as our greatest gift, as our advocate, changes lives. Has He changed yours?”