December! Can you believe it? Christmas in 20 days! Happy New Year 2010 in just 26 days! This is a time for evaluation, consideration, administration, and then demonstration. Take a look at yourself. How have you lived your life? The past is filled with ups and downs, positives and negatives, wins and losses, good decisions and decisions that we regret, righteousness and sin. What lessons have you learned from the past? The lessons you have learned will serve you well in living today, tomorrow, and into the future. How are you living your life today? How will you live your life tomorrow and into the coming year? Decide to live with a view of eternity.

“The Preacher” (Solomon) wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:9-10;
”Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.”

He wrote in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 concerning life and living;
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:1;
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

He wrote in the same chapter, verses 15 and 16;
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

This Sunday morning we will continue in our sermon series entitled “About Our Father’s Business.” We will once again look to Jesus to show us just how we must live our lives every day about our Father’s business. If you would like to read ahead, read John 17:1-5. Jesus glorified His Father. What does it mean to glorify our Father? Who should? Why should we? How can we? Where do we? We will look to the Scriptures to answer these questions.

On Sunday evening the theme for our study is “Understanding Growth.” We have found that growth is natural and is the result of proper nutrition (Matthew 4:4), reasonable exercise (James 1:22), and time (Galatians 6:9). We have also found that growth is good (Matthew 4:4). It is of God (1 Corinthians 3:6). It is necessary (John 15:1-3). It is expected (Matthew 25:14-30).

This Sunday evening we will take a look at the importance of BALANCE when it comes to growth. Jesus experienced balanced growth. The New Testament church was balanced in their growth. Our purpose and desire for ourselves, for our children, and for everyone is that we all grow in wisdom (mentally) and stature (physically) and in favor with God (spiritually) and men (socially). It could be that you know someone who is not balanced in their growth. Consider someone growing physically but not mentally? I had a cousin who had a terrible virus when he was very young. This affected his mind for the rest of his life. He grew physically. He loved everyone. He loved going to church. But… Just think of a fifty year old man with the mind of a two year old. My great aunt had a tough time. Now think of a church that is huge when it comes to the number in attendance but yet cannot tell you why they do what they do or believe what they believe. I look forward to our study together.