Drawing CLOSER

January 22nd, 2024
by Pastor Randy Eliason
1
We are already three weeks into 2024, can you believe it? As I was praying for our church family as we began the new year, the Lord placed a specific word on my heart for our church. That word is CLOSER. I began to pray that God will draw each of us CLOSER to him and CLOSER to each other. 

The Holy Spirit wants to move us beyond the status quo level of intimacy with Jesus and draw closer to himself. The Holy Spirit also wants to take us beyond status quo, superficial, relationships with our brothers and sisters into closer, intimate, Christ-centered, life-giving relationships.

In order to achieve the first part - the call to grow closer to Jesus – I am inviting everyone who calls Calvary Church home to join us as we embark on a life-changing journey through the Gospel of Matthew in 64 days, starting January 28 and concluding on Resurrection Sunday, March 31.  We have created a daily scripture reading and meditation plan for us to engage in together using the SOAP Bible study method. SOAP is a simple method to follow which helps Christians develop a daily habit of reading the Bible and applying it to your life.  

You will find resources on this page that you can download to enrich your journey. Click on the video to learn more so you can be prepared to start SOAPing with us through Matthew.

I believe you will find this daily habit to  be life transforming as it brings you closer to Jesus.    

-    Pastor Randy
Posted in Book of Matthew
Posted in Drawing closer to God, Introduction to SOAP

Pastor Randy Eliason

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Cathrine - January 30th, 2024 at 12:23am

Matthew 1:1-25

VV 1-17, Outstanding is that Matthew follows the legal Jewish system in giving the genealogy of the "father".If the Jewish opponents of Jesus could have demonstrated that He was not descended from David, they would have disqualified His claim to be the Messiah, yet they did not and could not.

Matthew demonstrate Jesus' royal lineage "Son of David" and His link with the founder of the Jewish race "Son of Abraham"

Matthew continues in vv18-25, his fulfillment statement declares the famous Isaiah 7:14- prophesy of Christ's virgin birth, Jesus's miraculous birth, a virgin conceives and bear a Son who will be called Emmanuel "God is with Us"

Christianity doctrine stands at the very heart of the Lord's Person and saving work. Without the virgin birth there would be no salvation for sinners, of whom I am the first one. Jesus would be a sinful human being.



V21 brings all this home.

This is very encouraging to me to be reminded of " the power of The Holy Spirit" It was by the power of The Holy Spirit that Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb.



As a christian disciple I must learn to live within the tension of two ages, the present age of fulfillment in the Person of Jesus (in His words and works through His church by the Holy Spirit's

power) and the Age to come, that is the consummation of all things.

I am called to be humble, patient, genuine, faithful, watchful, and responsible.



It is my prayer that God give me the divine courage to be obedient , and trust His Plan.

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Archive

 2025
 March
Reading Plan : The Gospel of John Reading Plan1. John 1:1-18-Jesus, the Word Made Flesh(The Incarnation)2. John 1:19-28 - John the Baptist: The Forerunner of Christ3. John 1:29-34 Jesus, the Lamb of God Who Takes Away Sin4. John 1:35-51 Jesus Calls His First Disciples5. John 2:1-12 Jesus Turns Water into Wine6. John 2:13-25 Jesus, the True Temple of God7. John 3:1-21 Jesus, the Giver of Eternal Life8. John 3:22-36 Believe in Jesus, Receive Eternal Life9. John 4:1-19 Jesus, the Giver of Living Water10. John 4:20-26 Jesus Teaches True Worship11. John 4:27-42 Jesus Calls Workers for the Harvest of Souls12. John 4:43-54 Jesus Heals an Official’s Son13. John 5:1-18 Jesus Heals at the Pool of Bethesda14. John 5:19-29 Jesus, the Son Who Shares the Father’s Authority15. John 5:30-47 Jesus, The Fulfillment of Scripture16. John 6:1-21 Jesus, the Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15)17. John 6:22-59 Jesus, the Bread of Life (Exodus 16:4, 14-15)18. John 6:41-71 Jesus, the Source of Eternal Life19. John 7:1-24 Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles20. John 7:25-52 Jesus, the Messiah rejected by the World21. John 8:1-30 Jesus, the Light of the World22. John 8:31-59 Jesus Declares Freedom23. John 9:1-23 Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind24. John 9:24-41 Jesus, the just judge of the world25. John 10:1-21 Jesus, the Good Shepherd and the Door26. John 10:22-42 Jesus, One with the Father27. John 11:1-27 Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life28. John 11:28-44 Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead29. John 11:45-57 The Plot to Kill Jesus30. John 12:1-19 Jesus's Triumphal Entry
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 2024
 January
Drawing CLOSER Day 1: January 28Day 2: January 29Day 3: January 30Day 4: January 31
 February
Day 5: February 1Day 6: February 2Day 7: February 3Day 8: February 4Day 9: February 5Day 10: February 6Day 11: February 7Day 12: February 8Day 13: February 9Day 14: February 10Day 15: February 11Day 16: February 12Day 17: February 13Day 18: February 14Day 19: February 15Day 20: February 16Day 21: February 17Day 22: February 18Day 23: February 19Day 24: February 20Day 25: February 21Day 26: February 22Day 27: February 23Day 28: February 24Day 29: February 25Day 30: February 26Day 31: February 27Day 32: February 28Day 33: February 29
 March
Day 34: March 1Day 35: March 2Day 36: March 3Day 37: March 4Day 38: March 5Day 39: March 6Day 40: March 7Day 41: March 8Day 43: March 10Day 44: March 11Day 45: March 12Day 46: March 13Day 47: March 14Day 48: March 15Day 49: March 16

Categories

Book of Matthew
Book of Romans
Pastoral Encouragement
The Gospel of John
The Gospel of John Part 2 (21-40)
The Gospel of John Part 3 (41-50)

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