The heart of the Gospel of John is wrapped up in the fact that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save sinners. Jesus is introduced as the passionate Lamb of God and later on in the gospel we see Him as the Sacrificial Lamb of God who loves us and died for us. The question is not “does God love us?” but rather, “do we love God”? Do you love Him more than anything else? More than your sin? More than any relationship? More than anything? It is time to get right with God and put Him first!

God chooses an incredible strategy to release His provision. God will feed His people and then use the people He feeds to feed others. Before God can use us and pour His provision through us He must see a core value in our character. We must have the same compassion that Christ has for us. True compassion is born of the Spirit. The storehouse of God is unlocked when the Holy Spirit stirs us to reach out to the sea of human need all around us.

Peter was a passionate and emotional disciple. He saw many miracles, walked on water, and said he would follow Jesus anywhere; yet at Christ’s trial Peter denies Him three times. Guilt and shame made Peter discouraged. He’d forgotten the promise Jesus had given him: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. Like Peter, we get discouraged when we feel like we let God down. The enemy uses discouragement to keep us down. The Kingdom does not operate on a “three strikes and you’re out” principle. The Scriptures tell us that if we fall we are to get back up. Jesus will never let you go. He loves you too much.

God has a desire to walk among His people and display His power. The power of life, virtue and the anointing of the almighty God is released through a people who choose to walk in unity. There is a unity that is found in the body of Christ that is not found anywhere else in the world. Unity is the gathering together in agreement with the Word and will of God. Believers walking in unity for the purpose of Christ will experience Jesus Himself walking in their midst. When God's people choose to be one with Him and one with each other He commands a blessing!

The Kingdom of God does not come with outward observation. The Kingdom of God is a deep inward work where our heart moves forward in quietness and confidence. You cannot see it; you cannot hear it. It is an unseen work of the Holy Spirit. Some of the times God is doing the deepest work in our lives are the times when we are not hearing anything. These are seasons when God leads us by waters of quietness. God is building a temple where His glory will me manifested and He does it in quietness. Because we don't hear anything doesn't mean that nothing is going on. In the silence God is doing His most creative work.

We live in a culture that tells us that the more money we spend on someone, the more we love them. We look for joy in our possessions and materialism. Christmas isn’t about Christ anymore. When the wise men saw Jesus they rejoiced, fell down and worshipped him, and gave him gifts out of their treasures. Let’s be revolutionists and rebel against the message of capitalism. Let’s hold loosely to things of this world, focus on the eternal, and make Christmas about Jesus again.

[2 Corinthians 8:1–7] The church in Corinth provides an example of how we can be a picture of God to saints and sinners alike. Despite their affliction the church in Corinth had abundant joy; continued to give despite their poverty; begged Paul to let them support the work of Christ; and completed their calling with excellence. If God presents an opportunity, He is looking for you to give — no matter your circumstances. He will provide the grace needed to fulfill the mission.