Reflect: Read Genesis 1 again. Is there anything you noticed this time that you missed before?

Request (Prayer): Lord, help me to see Your Word with new insight everyday.

When reading the account of creation, there are many things you can discuss. We can discuss evolution, creation in 7 literal days and the period in which Satan fell from Heaven. But one key aspect that we can take from the account of creation in Genesis 1 is how God brought all of creation into existence.

How exactly did God design all of the earth and everything in it? Did He sit down with a pencil and sketchbook and start designing? Did He elaborately put all the puzzle pieces together and it formed a picture of how the earth should look? Actually, He didn’t create the earth in any fashion like that.

How then, did He create the heavens and the earth? Genesis 1:3 says, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Genesis 1:6 tells us, “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters,’”. God SPOKE everything into existence. God called out, and everything was made. Jesus even calmed a storm by speaking to it, “Peace, be still,” and it was still. God spoke and nature obeyed.

When was the last time you told nature to stop doing something and it listened to you? Maybe you tried saying, “Wind, stop blowing!” It didn’t work out for you too well did it? But God did speak it into existence. What a great thing to think about! The God we serve, created all things by telling it to come to be, and it did.

Check out this sample of the soon to be released ESV Student Study Bible

This is a resource that we have just found, which Crossway has made available coming soon.

This is a great tool for students who want to dig deeper into the Word of God and who want to expand their study of who God is.

Blessings!

CRUX Jr. High

Here is a great article for parents from Pastor Mark Driscoll. Check it out!

Pastor Chris Mathis kicks off our Jr. High Winter Camp with a message from Genesis 22 about Obedience to God.

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Pastor Forrest Rickard

Pastor Forrest Rickard shares on “How to Abide in Christ Through the Storms of Life”.

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Adam Eaton

Adam Eaton teaches on “How to Abide in Christ When You Feel Alone”

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Brad Ormonde Jr.

Brad Ormonde Jr. shares a devotion about “Abiding in Christ Alone”.

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Pastor Jon Lee

Pastor Jon Lee teaches on “Abiding in Christ All the Time”.

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"If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me." ~ Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Sooner or later, every believer discovers that the Christian life is a battle ground and not a playground ~ Warren Wiersbe

As a nation we just enjoyed a time of great celebration. It is a time when family gets together, songs are sung, presents are exchanged, and even many businesses close to celebrate the occasion.

This is all wonderful, fun and important. Unfortunately a very large part of those who take part in the celebration have been deceived into participating in this celebration for the wrong reasons; and thereby missing the point completely.

• As “on fire” Christians I pray that we never lose sight of what we truly celebrate this season: By the very name Christmas we are reminded that we are celebrating a most incredible event: When Jesus Christ (God The Son) physically entered our world by humbling himself to be born in the form of a human.

• Jesus did this for one reason and one reason only; and the Apostle Paul through all that he did and said in his ministry knew that it was very important not to become entangled in details, and miss the main point. Check out what he says in today’s passage: 1^st Corinthians 2:1-5 (1. And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5. that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.)

• Notice what Paul said in verse 2: (“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”)

• This is the bottom line; the whole point of the need for Christmas, and of being a Christian is about one thing and one thing only: Jesus Christ (God The Son) loved the whole world so much He decided to come into our world as a human for the sole purpose to die for us, because there was absolutely no other way to save man kind, for we were all headed for hell.

• This ultimate act of love demands a response from us. And the only correct one which leads to accepting this wonderful gift of salvation from God is to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior (according to Romans 10:9)

• Therefore as we end this wonderful Christmas season let us wrap our hearts and minds around the true meaning of the season; which is God’s ultimate gift of true love: John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.)

By Morris Brison

Are you bold with your faith? A bold person is one who does not hesitate and is courageous and daring. Does that describe you and your faith? The Apostle Paul was very bold about His faith in Jesus. In fact, he went all the way to Rome from Jerusalem so that he could tell Caesar about Jesus. He did not care what it would take to get there. Paul was arrested, beaten, shipwrecked, and bitten by a poisonous snake so that he could bold about his faith.

Many Christians today are more concerned about what people might think of them if they share their faith with others. nobody wants to be thought of as weird or as an outcast. We all deep down want to belong and feel accepted. But here is the good news; if you are a Christian, you belong to God and you have been accepted by God. He loves you and will take care of you no matter what.in all of the horrible circumstances that Paul went through God took care of him. God tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)

So what are you worried about? What is keeping you from being bold? We have the Gospel, the greatest gift given to all mankind. The Bible tells us that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:6). When you don’t share the Gospel with others because you are worried about what they might think of you, you are making a choice that you reputation is more important than their salvation. Is a persons opinion of you really more important than whether or not they get to hear the Gospel?

Paul, at the end of the book of Acts is in Rome boldly telling people about Jesus. He was not ashamed of it. He was not worried about what others thought of him. He just did what Jesus has told all of us to do; Preach the Gospel (Matthew 28:19). Preach the Gospel to everyone around you. You have a gift, don’t keep it to yourself, share with everyone.