Do you enjoy being comfortable? Who would say no to that? Sometimes, God calls us out of a situation we've grown comfortable with to fulfill His mission in a less comfortable environment. This was Abraham's story. Amazingly, he gave up everything he knew to obey God. Thankfully, God worked His promise, even in the uncomfortable times. Let's seek to be like Abraham, even if it means leaving behind our comfort!

How quick are you to point fingers and pass the blame onto someone else? When we are confronted by our sin, it's easy to come up with excuses. This game dates back to the first occurrence of sin in the Garden of Eden. Thankfully, though we are guilty, God chooses to do something about it, motivated by His love for us. He sends His son to pay the wages of our sin and remove our reason for guilt. Because of this, we are bold to repent and rejoice in our Savior.

Are you a good listener? So often, what we call listening is really just mindlessly waiting for our turn to be heard. Sadly, we even do this with God! Instead of listening, we'd rather interrupt and tell God what we expect of him. Not surprisingly, this doesn't always go over so well. Today, we learn that Jesus is worthy of all our attention and all of our obedience. So, let's strive to listen to him this week and worship him together this morning!

Have you ever heard the phrase "when helping hurts"? Sometimes, our attempts to ground ourselves in God can turn into empty distractions away from Him. Though important, these disciplines are never meant to be done in isolation, insulating ourselves from the world. God wants these disciplines to be done in service to those around us. Thankfully, our savior provides a perfect example of how to live out these disciplines daily in service to others!

How we view things is often shaped by our past experience. This perspective is an important gift for understanding. At the beginning of Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount, He reshapes what it means to be blessed in the kingdom of God, helping us to understand the rest of the sermon. We are blessed by God, as demonstrated by the ministry of Jesus, our savior. Thankfully, the Gospel is the key that frames our entire lives. Through it, we know just how blessed we really are. So, let us praise Him!

"What are you seeking?" How would the evidence of your life answer this question? We often seek significance, peace, pleasure, or purpose. Jesus teaches us that the better answer to this question is that we seek after Him, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The good news is that He comes to us and invites us to remain with Him forever! Let us worship Him together!

In Baptism, we believe that God works forgiveness of sins. Before Jesus started His earthly ministry, He went to the Jordan River to be baptized. Why did someone without sin choose to do such a thing? What exactly is Baptism anyway, and why do we do it? Thankfully, Jesus stood in the waters of Jordan, where we belong, so we can stand outside the empty tomb, where only He belongs. Let us worship our "stand in" this morning!

With a new year comes new hopes. What are you resolving this year? Is it going to make much of a difference to the people that God has placed in your life? King Solomon demonstrates that when we can ask for anything, the best thing to ask for is wisdom, a gift that serves others. We can gain such wisdom by spending time with God, His Word, and His people. Let's resolve to spend time in each this morning, as we worship His name together!