As you have been blessed by the gift of God in the coming of Christ at Advent, please consider how your giving for the Christmas Offering to support Regional Ministry may bless the whole Church and world.  You may give through your local Disciples congregation, or at www.wvdisciples.org/support.  Congregations of the WV Region’s congregations whose members give online will still receive credit for the gift for Yearbook outreach reporting.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Rejoice always,

pray without ceasing,

give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Do not quench the Spirit.

Do not despise the words of prophets,

but test everything;

hold fast to what is good;

abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

 

from Rev. Donald Snyder

First Christian Church, Beckley

For Paul it comes down to one simple truth: being a Christian should make a difference in our life. These closing words of 1 Thessalonians are a primer for the practices we are to engage in our walk with Jesus. First, like Mary we need to let our hearts magnify the Lord for His goodness. Second, like Anna and Simeon we need pray that God’s consolation for humanity would be believed by all. Third, like Zechariah we need to praise God even in the midst of our failings for His faithfulness. The world may define faith according to its terms, but God has shown us the way, the truth, and the life in Jesus. On this kingdom journey that we pursue we will stumble and struggle along the way. However, while we are not perfect, we are in a state of being perfected. If we avail ourselves of God’s peace completely—spirit, soul, and body—then the One in whom we believe will bring us to that dwelling with many rooms.

O Lord, do for us that which we cannot do ourselves,

and keep us by your Spirit until the day of your fulfillment. Amen.