Merry Christmas

We want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for all your participation, prayer and encouragement. God has been good to us in 2009 and we pray that you will have a deeper relationship with Him next year.

We will be back on Monday, January 4th, 2010. We have many surprises for the new year so stay tuned... Before you go why not share a Christmas wish with everyone in the BGO community.

God Bless
Natasha and Andrew

Talk Tuesday-The CHRIST of CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Why has this greeting become controversial? Today it is considered politically correct to say, "Happy Holidays." Why? Who is this Jesus whose birth we celebrate? Why is He so important?

The Jewish prophets foretold of the coming of the Jewish Messiah many centuries ago. The Prophet Isaiah writes:

"Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14

*Immanuel or Emmanuel or Imanu'el (Hebrew עִמָּנוּאֵל "God [is] with us" consists of two Hebrew words: אֵל (’El, meaning 'God') and עִמָּנוּ (ʻImmānū, meaning 'with us')* (wikipedia reference)

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE." Isaiah 9:6

Jesus is the Son of GOD-the ONLY begotten SON OF GOD. Jesus is our Salvation.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Jesus is the WORD of GOD.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." John 1:1-2

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Jesus is the One who holds the key to our birthright.

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." John 1:12

Jesus is the Mediator between us and God the Father.

"For there is one GOD and one mediator between GOD and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.." 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE.

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " John 14:6

Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb of God who cleanses our sins and redeems our souls.

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to your from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19

Jesus is our High Priest.

"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not part of this creation. Hebrews 9:11

Jesus is our intercessor. Jesus is at the right hand of God.

"...Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of the GOD and is also interceding for us." Romans 8:34

"...but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to GOD through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:24-25

Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is our Defender, the Righteous One.

"But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2

Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Jesus is the chief cornerstone.

"See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." 1 Peter 2:6

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone." Ephesians 2:19-20

Jesus is the vine.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." John 15:1-4

Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.

"...the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." Revelation 5:1-5

"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for GOD from every tribe and language and people and nation.You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our GOD, and they will reign on earth." Revelation 5:9-10

Jesus is the difference between life and death. There are NOT many paths to GOD. There is only ONE PATH, ONE WAY, ONE TRUTH, ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD and MAN, ONE SAVIOUR, ONE REDEEMER-His name is Jesus Christ! This Christmas join us in meditating on the truth of who Jesus Christ truly is. Let us share these life-giving truths with those we love. Give the gift of Christ for Christmas-He is the VERY BEST present!

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20

Movie Monday - We Are Here (Christmas)

Bible Study Weekend - John 7:1-13

Jesus Goes to the Feast of Tabernacles

1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 2But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, 3Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 4No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
6Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. 7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. 8You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." 9Having said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?"

12Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man."

Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.



Questions:

1. Although Jesus' brothers do not believe Him, this does not cause Jesus to falter in His mission. Jesus' brothers incorrectly assume that Jesus desires to become a popular 'public person', well liked and admired for His miraculous abilities. Yet Jesus knows that His message is both powerful and controversial.

a) What was Jesus' mission from the God the Father?

b) How does Jesus teach us about waiting for God's timing rather than our own?

2. Jesus' own brothers don't believe Him, members of the public want to kill Him and He knows that His message will cause others to hate Him. Yet Jesus remains faithful to God's mission for His earthly life. As a result of His obedience, multitudes upon multitudes of generations to come have the gift of salvation.

Has God called you to a particular ministry or put a dream in your heart that seems unattainable? What does Jesus teach us about following, trusting and obeying God's call for our lives?


3. When Jesus eventually went to the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jews were looking for Him. Some believed that He was a good man while others thought He was a deceiver. Yet no one wanted to publicly say anything about Him for fear of the Jews. How do people today view Jesus? Is it controversial to talk about Him as the Messiah?

Talk Tuesday-Purity's Wisdom

We would like to introduce you to our Guest Writer, Minister V.

MINISTER V, known to most as simply Vanessa, is a mother, sister and friend. Passionate and not afraid to speak the truth, this young woman of God, now twenty five and having come a long way, has much to share about her life and relationship with Jesus Christ. Currently enrolled at The Montreal School of Ministry, in the Ministerial Internship Program, this young lady is eager to serve the Kingdom of God and relay the gospel message of Christ. You can find Vanessa on Sunday mornings at The Resurrection Center Church of God, in Montreal, Canada where she resides, this is her first article.

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Breaking up is hard to do.
When you have sexual intercourse with someone you become one flesh, "and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh," (Mark 10:8) so, you are considered taken by that person, taken as in married! That means spiritually you are in a counterfeit marriage! No walk down the aisle or pretty white dress; in the spirit realm, this is it! When you break up, it literally tears apart the two people and it is physically painful because your emotions and your body are involved. Ever wonder why you hurt so badly after breaking up? You’re going through a spiritual divorce! That is why the bible talks about joining one man to one wife, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh, (Gen 2:24). God intended us to be with one person, someone with whom we are equally yoked, sharing the same values with and can anticipate a firm foundation on the solid Rock that is Christ. When you’re married, there is no tearing apart flesh as marriage is for life. It is in times of trouble that the same foundation will keep you from breaking up.
One of the reasons I believe we have sex before marriage is because we do not understand the extent of the damage that it causes spiritually. Everyone you sleep with becomes a part of you, and creating an unhealthy cycle we carry what our sexual partners have given us and attach whatever we have received to the next person. With each sexual partner we become connected and when we disconnect, we are left damaged. It is not God’s will that we present ourselves to our future husband or wife, emotionally disfigured. The Word cautions us, Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (Prov.4:23) because we make decisions about love and sex with our hearts. The purpose of marriage is divine because God understands the need to be with someone, And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him,” (Gen 2:18). The point of abstaining from sex before marriage is not to deprive one of sexual desires, but rather to ensure that when you’re ready for marriage you enter into your marriage spiritually and physically healthy.
Don’t forget that God created us in His image (Gen 1:27) and He fashioned each one of us in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5), created for His specific purpose. He knows what is best, it is us who take it upon ourselves to do as we please and lead our lives in the way we see fit. The bible says, Commit your ways to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established-A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps, (Prov. 16:3, 9) so as we pursue future relationships we need to remain mindful of His Word and His calling; our aim should be to allow God to work in us to become the whole individuals that He has intended us to be and remain pure. While we are dating or courting, that means understanding that sex before marriage is fornication and fornication is sin. Sin brings with it complications and is to be avoided at ALL COSTS, for the wages of sin is death.
In short, breaking up is hard to do and it can become nasty. That is why we must take our time, use wisdom about who we date and understand that we are not to be involved sexually before we take the marriage vow. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).
I don't know about you, but I've suffered enough damage in my life, so let us continue to press on towards the high calling of Christ Jesus and be encouraged!
Always keepin' it real-your sister in Christ,
MINISTER V

Movie Monday - The Christmas Story

Bible Study Weekend - John 6:60-70

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

70Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

1. Why do you think many of the disciples turned back and no longer followed him?

2. How does Simon Peter's statement, "You have the words of eternal life" vs.68, reflect his belief in Jesus Christ?

3. How have Jesus' words given life to you?

Talk Tuesday-The Battlefield...Is It the Mind? Part III

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Each of us is presented with the choice to either conform or be transformed. Conforming denotes our deliberate participation in worldly patterns while the renewing of our minds happens through a process of us being transformed by God's word. When we allow our minds to be transformed, we begin to process the world around us through God's lenses. Let's take a look at the concept of forgiveness. This morning as I was spending time with the Lord I began to think about my carnal nature. When someone hurts my feelings, it is my innate desire to retaliate. Why? My pride gets wounded and I feel humiliated. I think, 'How dare they do that to me? Who do they think they are? What gives them the right?' Then I read Romans 12.

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." Romans 12:14

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil." Romans 12:17

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink." Romans 12:20

How is this possible? Why should I treat those who wound me, with kindness? Perhaps God, in His infinite wisdom, knows that if I mirror the actions of my enemies, then I begin to embody the very nature that has caused me pain. If I emulate Jesus Christ, then I become more like Him. The foundation of being transformed lies in our submission to Jesus Christ. This submission includes our minds, as well as our bodies.

There is a battle ensuing the spiritual realm:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

The armor of God is for our protection. How are we to stand in the midst of the battle without putting it on?

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6:14-18

The armor is protective, to provide a defense against attack. Yet, there is one part of the armor that can be used both offensively and defensively-the 'sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.' Being transformed by God's word enables you to become spiritually discerning. Putting on the helmet of salvation protects your head, your mind from the lies that often inundate us through this journey called life. If we truly believe and accept God's love, His offer of salvation, then the negative reinforcements that appear from our past and present can be crippled in the sight of His mercy. The shield of faith is in applying the truth of God's promises to our minds, thoughts and hearts. We cannot spread the gospel of peace without forgiveness. We need God's transforming Word to teach us righteousness and truth. Jesus prays in John 17:7, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." The battlefield of the mind must be fought in submission to God's truth.

We at BGO hope you have enjoyed our 'Battlefield...Is It the Mind?' series. We look forward to your comments and feedback. Please click on the comments link below. Next Tuesday we will be featuring a Guest Writer. Her name is Minister V and she has chosen to share a most personal and powerful word/testimony with us. It is on an EXTREMELY relevant topic! Stay tuned, you will be blessed!

Prayer Wall - December

We wish you a Merry Christmas.

Share your prayer requests with us and we will pray for you.