I want to ask two questions today, something for you to think about as we head into Sunday. Who is God to you? What attributes of His character come to mind first?

Scripture is full of stories about people who experienced God in unique and powerful ways.

Why is it that I am still tempted by things that I know aren’t good for me? Why can’t I seem to break free from the hold that this habit has on me? Will there ever be a time that I will think more about living God’s way than my way?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to think like Jesus, to see things the way he does and make decisions with his insight? What an advantage that would be for every aspect of life and ministry, to know for sure that we are doing the right thing at the right time all the time.

How do I know that God is real? How do I know that the gospel message is true? What is it like to experience God? How will I know when I have?

Experiencing God in a deeper way is what many of us want for our lives.

“I'm hungry!” That's what my kids will say to me even right after having finished their entire supper. Any parent will know that what they are looking for is not more of what they've just eaten but something different.

The first day of a new year brings so much to mind - the memories of last year, the hopes for the coming year and where we are right now.

“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him."

The Christmas story is a clear example of how God chooses to use improbable, ordinary people to accomplish his plans. This has always been God’s way.

Change is difficult for most of us. We tend to like things predictable and without surprises so we get into a routine that’s familiar and comfortable.

When you think about Christmas, what comes to mind? If you’re like me, my first thoughts are often about all of the extra events that I will have to attend, the presents I need to buy for the people on my list,,,

How do you define humility? Perhaps it's "a modest view of one's own importance." Or, "not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less."

Surprising joy in the midst of suffering, eh? Surprise, indeed!

What does God think about…..? You can fill in the blanks with every possible issue of life. God does have an opinion on any subject and his is the one that matters above anyone else’s.

How long do you think that the world is going to last? Is that something you’ve ever wondered about?

It takes courage to be different when you know it’s the right thing to do. Most people don’t want to stick out from the crowd and be made fun of or even worse, ridiculed for what’s considered by others to be pretentious or self-righteous behaviour.

The scripture this week, 1 Peter 3:13-17, in the ‘Decidedly Different’ series makes me think of a survival or crisis preparedness kit.  

Every day we make choices that reveal our allegiance to Jesus and his ways. Often our decisions are not what we would have made before we cared about what God thought of our actions.

Did you remember that this weekend is Thanksgiving? How are you planning on spending it?