WEDNESDAY'S WORD - INCARNATION - Sadell Bradley- 12/15/2021

WEDNESDAY'S WORD INCARNATION 12/15/2021     "Christmas in Bethlehem. The ancient dream: a cold, clear night made brilliant by a glorious star, the smell of incense, shepherds and wise men falling on their knees in adoration of the sweet baby, the incarnation of perfect love." - Lucinda Franks - American Writer INCARNATION - means a person who embodies in the flesh a deity, spirit, or abstract quality. In Christian theology, The Incarnation is the embodiment of God the Son in human flesh as Jesus Christ. Though December was probably not Jesus' birthday (scholars believe it was actually Spring), the Incarnation is what many celebrate today. As we gleefully open gifts and share experiences with family and friends, let's not forget that God's PRESENCE is His PRESENT to us. When the angels approached Joseph and Mary, their salutations were the fulfillment of prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."  Immanuel means God with us. Jesus Christ was not just an historical figure whose life we can read about. He was not just another baby being born into humble circumstances. He was and is the King of all other kings and Lord of all other lords. He is the glorious Ruler of the universe. Paul said, "For in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. (Col. 2:9) Godhead is the Biblical word for the concept of the Trinity—Father, Son & Holy Spirit.    Jesus' name means Savior. Christ means one who is anointed. The name Jesus Christ means that He is the One empowered to rescue us from the eternal penalty and consequences of sin and the Fall. He came to restore us to a right relationship with God the Father and to offer us the free gift of an eternal quality of life as we identify with Him. Joseph was encouraged to maintain his engagement to his mysteriously pregnant future wife because, "the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, (Yahweh is salvation)  because He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20b-21) This same Jewish baby boy who was born in a manger would be crucified, die, be buried, and resurrect from the dead. He will one day soon return as Lord and King of His Heavenly Kingdom.    Many people experience sadness, grief, and loneliness during this season. They wonder if they are really loved, particularly as they mourn for loved ones no longer with them. Today, I am at the funeral celebrating the life of my Aunt Dorothy, the last member of my nuclear family, which included my mom who adopted me, my aunt, and my grandfather. "Aunt Dot," the family historian, prayer warrior with blackened knees to prove it, faithful member of her church for over 80 years, and maker of the best macaroni and cheese. died at the age of 97 years. All of my nuclear family members lived past the age of 90, what a blessing! I am extraordinarily grateful. Still for many, this season's Christmas songs, trees, gifts, and even the presence of other people leaves us wanting. It's supposed to. We have a God-sized hole inside that only Jesus Christ can fill. I want to reassure you today of God's love for you. Whether you are rich or poor, young or old, no matter your ethnicity, culture or background...it doesn't even matter what you've done...the Incarnation both proves and demonstrates God's love for us. "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love-not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take aw ay our sins." (1 John 4:9-10) This is a gift you won't want to return. The gift of God's presence is one that will not break, rust, fade, tear or wear out. It's a gift that all the money in the world can't buy. It's a gift that we can never work for nor repay. As you celebrate Advent, take a moment to thank the LORD for His indescribable gift!

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SAVIOR - Sadell Bradley 12/8/2021

WEDNESDAY'S WORD SAVIOR 12/8/2021 "How sweet it is to learn the Savior's love when nobody else loves us! When friends flee, what a blessed thing it is to see that the Savior does not forsake us but still keeps us and holds us fast and clings to us and will not let us go!"―Charles Spurgeon  WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY DREAM TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org Advent is the season where we commemorate the arrival of the most notable person who has ever lived—the LORD Jesus Christ. The angel appeared to Joseph in a dream announcing the immaculate conception of Jesus in the womb of his fiancee the virgin Mary. The angel said, "fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matt. 1:20b-21) How startling this pronouncement had to be! What kind of faith and love did Joseph have to exercise to stay with a woman and raise a child that was not biologically his. Still, today's word is SAVIOR —a person who saves or rescues someone from harm or danger; or (in Christianity) Jesus Christ the redeemer of sin and saver of souls. To redeem means to compensate for the faults, bad aspects, poor past performance, or behavior of someone. It is to atone or make amends for our errors; or to pay our sin-debt and buy back our opportunity for life. It is no doubt that all of us are more than qualified as sinners (Romans 3:23) As a pastor, it is interesting how few people who attend church know that the name Jesus Christ actually means the one who is anointed or empowered to SAVE. #notjustababy Jesus' mission is rescue, liberation, and freedom from sin and its effects. He understands that our participation in certain beliefs and practices will harm, steal from, or even kill us naturally—and will separate us from God eternally. Jesus the Savior's sacrifice on the Cross is the remedy. Paul wrote, "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." (1 Timothy 1:15) Paul was aware of the tragedy of his past life, how in his pride, sin, and zealous persecution of Jesus' followers, he had also wounded the Lord. Even the flaws of his present revealed his need for God's ever-abounding grace. Paul needed a Savior, to prevent his life from being destroyed by his own foolishness and his soul from being damned forever...and so do we.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - GRIEVE - Sadell Bradley 12/1/2021

WEDNESDAY'S WORD GRIEVE 12/1/2021 "Grief is so human, and it hits everyone at one point or another, at least, in their lives. If you love, you will grieve, and that's just given."―Kay Redfield Jamison - Psychologist  WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY LETTING GO TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org GRIEF is keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; or painful regret. I used to have a very narrow view of grief as only something one feels after at the death of a loved one. All of us go in an out of the emotions associated with Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross' 5 Stages of Grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Sometimes we don't go all the way through the grieving process to acceptance. Over the years family members, friends, and church members have passed on. Holiday seasons leave us grappling with grief. We have fond memories, but our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables are different when those we love are no longer with us. Isaiah prophesied of Christ, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." (Isaiah 54:3a) Jesus taught His disciples, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4) It is good to know that God not only cares about our grief, but acts to alleviate it. I didn't realize until much later that the condition of grief goes far beyond the death of a loved one. Grief is complex and includes many other aspects of our lives. Each time we progress from one stage of life to another, we grieve the former and have to adjust to the latter. When we marry, we grieve singleness. When we retire, we grieve our working lives. When we move from one city to another, we grieve our former home and embrace the new one. When we experience illness, we grieve the loss of the full functioning of our bodies. When we age losing mobility, hair, memory...there are elements of grief. When our relationships change or people leave us, we mourn their loss and move on..or do we? English musician Oliver Sykes said, "When it comes to the grieving process, we all try to ignore that feeling—but it's important to grieve. Even if it's happened for the best, you need to take that moment to feel something." Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us there is "a time to mourn and a time to dance," but too often, we attempt to avoid or skip the grieving and move too quickly into dancing. If we've not fully grieved a loss, change, regret, or disappointment...those feelings, and that paralysis don't just disappear, they are often buried beneath a simulated happiness or a dull sense of nonchalance. We sometimes fear thinking about anything that causes us to feel negative emotions, yet we still want a sense of relief and release. Paul said that Christ, "comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." (2 Cor. 1:4) How can Jesus comfort us when we refuse to grieve?

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - FULFILLED - Sadell Bradley - 11/24/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD FULFILLED 11/24/2021 "I can't stress this enough: The single thing that will guarantee a happy, fulfilled, and calmer life is the quality of your human relationships, especially the people you love and who love you back." ― Joanna Coles - American Editor

 WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY CONTENTMENT TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org

Tomorrow, the US celebrates the Thanksgiving holiday. Though history classes told us the first Thanksgiving was a joyful feast between the American Colonists and the Native Americans they were dispossessing; most of us know that was not the case. Now, we observe a time of gratitude to God, enjoy time with our families, and gratefully count our blessings. I'm wondering...Are you fulfilled in life? FULFILLED means you are satisfied and happy because you're fully developing your abilities or character. When a task is fulfilled, it has been brought to completion. Something that was desired, promised, or predicted has been carried out and realized as pledged, or expected. We become unfulfilled: when we stop growing or maturing; when something we've started or desired has stalled and we've not finished; when we're not where we desire to be relationally; or when we're impatiently waiting for God's promise. The virgin Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel. He tells her she will birth the long-awaited Messiah. She humbly replies, “I am the Lord’s servant, May your word to me be fulfilled..." (Luke 1:38) God was making good on His Word to Israel— bringing prophecy into reality. Mary was willing to believe, and to put her body, her reputation, her marriage, and her life on the line to be the one through whom that promise would be fulfilled. Are you willing to do the same? When Mary goes to tell the news to her elderly cousin Elizabeth, also with child by a miraculous visitation, her cousin gives this affirmation and confirmation, "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45) Elizabeth's baby leapt in her womb and she was filled with Holy Spirit. God made these ladies a promise. They had to believe, live, and walk it out to experience its fulfillment. During this season, I encourage you to go back and look at what God has said. Whatever God has spoken will be fulfilled.

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