Drawing CLOSER

January 22nd, 2024
by Pastor Randy Eliason

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 Pastoral Encouragement
Posted in Drawing closer to God, Introduction to SOAP

1 Comment

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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.