2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Today as we prepare to close out our 2009 year, make sure we are a new creation in Christ.  If you have not grabbed a hold of who Christ is, take time to receive Him today.  Close out that old self, 2009 is behind us.  Nothing we can do to change, what we can do is look forward to the year 2010 as a new creation.  Those old things are gone and everything is new going forward.

The best example I think of as it relates to the power of God know you have grabbed Him, think of 220 volts of electricity.  Grab that 220 volts you will know it.  God’s power is bigger then that 220 volts.  Grab Him today, feel His power and be changed, completely a new creation as you go into the 2010 year.  A new creation with all the old ways, all the old days, gone and with Christ everything is different.  Start with a new attitude about serving Him, giving Him your time, talent and treasures.  Giving with a new can do attitude because of His power.  Have a desire in your heart to be in church, growing taking that step from wherever you may be in your spiritual walk.  Maybe you are still in the community seeking a church, find one, right here at Open Door Community Church, come step from the community and begin a journey with this church crowd, as you do all of sudden you will step up and continue your journey as part of the church congregation, learning and studying and growing ready to step in and become committed to a ministry serving the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is here like many you will want to step into a new part of your spiritual journey and take your final step into the ministry of the church core, ready to go out into the community and encourage others to come into the church 2010 and become a new creation in Christ.

Happy New Year Community, you in the crowd, the ODCC Congregation, ODCC committed, and the Open Door Community Church Core, let’s go, Matthew 28:19.

Happy New Year to all it is a new year be a new creation in Christ, you will never be the same in Jesus name amen.

Pastor Ron

Isaiah 40:31

Christmas always brings hurry up and get it done type of pace.  Not much different then our daily lives in this got to have it now world.  Speaking with a very dear friend this morning at a local Wal-Mart, she said the snow this past weekend, during a very busy season, reminded her how important it is to just slow down.  I was touched by our conversation. I discovered something this morning during my devotion, in Luke 2:25-26 there is a man, Simeon, a devout believer in Christ who the Holy Spirit revealed an important message, please wait.  Waiting is something we find hard to do in our society.  We do not know how long Simeon waited on the Lord, what we do know from the Scriptures, He waited.  Let this Christmas season help us all to become a little more tolerant of what is going on around us and be patient, become like Simeon prepared to just wait.  The Lord who lives within us, born on Christmas day will provide.  If you simply are waiting in a line at the grocery store needing to be somewhere and the line is just too long and too slow, wait, the Lord may be protecting you from something or preparing you for something.  Simeon waited on the Lord because he was a just and devout believer.  He was not to die until he saw the Lord Jesus Christ.  He waited.  Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”.  What and awesome promise.  Wait on the Lord.

This Christmas we should all learn from the snow storm of 2009, slow down, and from the Word of God, wait on Him.  Who knows what great and miraculous thing we may see.  Simeon saw the Savior of the world just as it was promised. 

If you have missed something this Christmas, don’t miss what the Lord may have for you.  The other gifts and things we may have missed, well just wait on the Lord. He has something better prepared for you.  Salvation has come to the world on Christmas day, Luke 2:30.  Thank You Father in Heaven, in Jesus name amen,

Merry Christmas, Pastor Ron

Colossians 1:19-23

We are just 3 days away from celebrating the most wonderful time of the year.  Too often we are surprised as to how quickly it comes upon us.  If we truly were to understand what we celebrate we would look to this day everyday with JOY filled hearts.  Not how quickly it has come upon us but we would say on December 26, I can't wait until next Christmas, while celebrating everyday the birth of the One who brought peace to this earth.

The One who reconciled you and I to Himself.  You and I, the ones who live a wicked life without Christ, have been bought at a price, reconciled back to the One who breathed life into us.

Paul writes here to the church of Colosse, and to the church today, a people who were once alienated and enemies in our minds, the Lord brought us back to Himself.  Christmas day a child was born in a city known as the City of David, Bethlehem, Immanuel God with us, who would bring peace on earth at a cost.  That cost, the blood of His cross, (Col. 1:20).  You see His birth was necessary so He could walk up Calvary's hill to be raised up on a cross to die for a wicked world.  Why?  So someone like Ron Thayer could receive the gift of Christmas, Jesus Christ, allowing me to be presented to God our Father, holy and blameless, above reproach in His sight, (Col. 1:21-22)

His birth on Christmas day allows us who receive Him into our hearts, to be a faithful follower, firmly grounded in the truth and hope of the gospel.  The gospel of Jesus Christ, (Romans 1:16).

So you now understand the birth of Christ, was to ultimately bring an awful death to the only one who could reconcile you and I to the Father in Heaven.  It must have been a sad day as well as a glad day for Mary.  This precious child born on Christmas day to bring peace to the earth through the blood of His cross.  Mary understood clearly that Jesus would die a terrible death on the cross for you and I.

They said there was no room in the Inn for Jesus to be born.  Is there room in your heart for Jesus to live.  Seek Him today, invite Jesus Christ into your heart and allow the Holy Spirit of God to be born in your heart. 

Pray this simple prayer, Dear Lord Jesus forgive me of my sins, come into my life and save me, I receive the Christmas gift of Christ as my Savior and Lord, in Jesus name I pray amen.  That is it, now it is up to us to work on living holy, blameless and above reproach, Jesus is watching.  Write me and let me know if you prayed that prayer.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Ron

1 John 5:1-5

Our faith in the birth of Jesus Christ celebrated on Christmas day is what brings us victory in this world, a world of trials, troubles and tagedies.

I am often questioned why do I go through so many bad things in the world when I walk with the Lord?

The answer is really something that this pastor does not have.  However, thru God's Word the answers are available if we read and listen to Him through the Holy Spirit of God.  Our text puts the question out, whoever believes in Jesus Christ, and to believe in Christ you most believe in the virgin birth that is celebrated on Christmas day.  When the believer in Christmas sees and understands how to believe in that miracle itself then we will understand how to love Him, Christ, who first loved us.    Now the conditions we face in our life journey, even the difficult ones, there is victory.  We just need to accept and stay focused on the Savior and follow His commandments as our Lord. 

The Bible says when we understand, this, Christ born of God who came into this world to overcome the world and the trials, troubles and tagedies of the world, on Christmas day brought peace into the world.  Meditate on John 16:33.   Even with the trials, troubles and tragedies we face in the world, being born again by faith, we become overcomers of the world.  1 John 5:4-5 says, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. vs 5, who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the son of God?

This Christmas no matter what the trials, troubles or tagedies may be in your joruney in this world, your faith in the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas we celebrate, makes you and I overcomers and that brings Victory, which is available for those who just will believe and follow and obey Jesus Christ born on Christmas day.

With Christmas came victory, Merry Christmas

Pastor Ron