Happy New Year!

Christopher Gallagher
January 07, 2025

Happy 2025! I hope your New Year is starting off the a great few days!

Our year is starting off in a great way. The Lord is blessing us more every day, and it is beyond what we deserve. I am thankful that God who hears our prayers and wants to so talk with Him.

May I give you some motivation this week?

As we start this new week, let's focus on deepening our faith and growing closer to God. Every day is an opportunity to strengthen our spiritual lives and walk in His light. Here are a few things we can do to make this week spiritually uplifting:

Daily Devotionals: Start each day with a devotional reading. Reflect on the scripture and let it guide your thoughts and actions throughout the day.
Prayer Time: Set aside time each day to pray. Share your heart with God, seek His guidance, and listen for His voice.
Acts of Kindness: Show God's love through your actions. Help a neighbor, volunteer, or simply offer a kind word to someone in need.
Join a Bible Study: Connect with others in your community by joining a Bible study group. Share insights, ask questions, and grow together in understanding God's word.
Meditate on God's Promises: Take time to meditate on the promises God has made to us. Let His words bring peace, comfort, and assurance to your heart.

Let's commit to growing in our faith this week, supporting one another, and walking hand in hand with our Heavenly Father. Together, we can make this week spiritually enriching and full of God's blessings.

May your hearts be filled with His grace and your spirits be lifted in His love!

California Redwoods and Church

What would you say if I told you that the church is like the California Redwoods, or perhaps the Redwoods are like the church?

Did you know the California redwoods can reach 300 feet in height? Did you know they are 2,500 years old? You might already know then are the largest trees on Earth, but did you know their root system does not run deep?

For trees their size, you would think their root system ran deep underground to hold them in place. Instead, their root system is not deep, but it spreads out with other redwoods, and they intertwine with each other. This root network locks them together so they can withstand the fiercest storms. No redwood in the root network stands alone. The redwoods stand together. They stand to protect and support one another.

As a congregation, sometimes we depend on our spiritual family for protection and support. It is during moments like these that the congregation draws closer to one another to share in the suffering, and even the joys, of our brothers and sisters (1 Corinthians 12:26). When life's storm's rage against us, we reach out to one another to help bear the burden. Like the intertwined roots of a redwood tree, our lives are connected through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

As Christians, we strive to follow the example of the early church, which serves as the foundation of our family. When they gathered on the first Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection, they bonded instantly. They recognized the need to support one another while continuing in the apostles' teachings (Acts 2:42-47).

The early church grew because they adhered to the teachings of the apostles, one of which was the unity of the church. Jesus prayed for unity, desiring everyone to be united. The bond among Christians helps us achieve the peace that surpasses understanding.

Let us unite to change the world!

Just some thoughts.

How to Find the Perfect Church

People want to find the perfect item to solve their problems. As people, we look for the newest and most improved item to conquer our issues. These new and improved items are the ones which glitter and shine in the midst of a sales campaign on television. However many look at churches and seek to find the perfect church.

Several years ago I drove past a church building which sign read, “This is the Perfect Church!” Regarding those thoughts, I have decided to share with you steps on finding the perfect church.

How to find the Perfect Church:

Step #1 – Leave Yourself Behind

To find the perfect church, we must lay down our interests and pursuits and look to the One whose thoughts are greater than ours (Isaiah 55.8-9)

To find the perfect church, look for the words of God not the words that you want to hear. (2 Timothy 3.16-17; 2 Timothy 4.1-5)
To find the perfect church, find the worship of the Lord not the worship you might like. (John 4.24)
To find the perfect church, find people to serve not a reason to be served. (Philippians 2.3-4)
To find the perfect church, look for saved sinners not lying self-righteous. (1 Corinthians 6.15-20; 1 John 1.8-10)
To find the perfect church, find not a building but a vision looking forward. (2 Corinthians 4.16-18; Colossians 3.2)

Step #2 – Repeat step #1 often.

Just my thoughts.

Final Thoughts:

I pray your year is starting great and it continue to be well. As you go through out the year, try to get up every day and think of 4 positive things to motivation you throughout the day.

Here is my Four for Today:

I was blessed to be able to open my eyes and take a breathe with no problems.
I have been blessed with a heated house in the middle of this cold weather.
I have been blessed with a car to drive.
I am blessed with food to eat today.

What are your four blessings?

Just a thought.