Now Blogging at www.Clarity.la

Please visit www.Clarity.la to stay current with what I am writing.  I will not be posting here for the time being.  Thank you!

Something That's Worth It

I have read about many people that gave everything to follow a dream. I know some personally. I am honored to be part of a team that is continually risking it all to see the Kingdom of God expressed in west LA. I’ve been asked often why we do this. 

There are really only two reasons:

1. Simply the call of God. That thing in our hearts that was birthed in the secret place, alone with God, that simply can’t be ignored.

2. I think everyone wants the opportunity to risk everything for the sake of something that is worth it; something that is truly great. I know that's true for me, and that's what we're doing.

The amazing news is that we ALL have this opportunity anytime, anyplace, and with all our hearts. You have the opportunity. You have the call to follow Jesus. Lose your life in order to truly find it. Love unconditionally. Receive the grace of God. Walk in the promises. Give glory to God. Think eternally and enjoy the moment at the same time. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Walk in it and bring it to others. 


And, when God calls you to do something that is difficult or risky, do it.  

3 Ways to Know You're Under Spiritual Attack

While I was away on vacation the past two weeks, I had several nights of strong spiritual warfare. I would wake up and have to go right to the Word of God and prayer. I realized that God was allowing me to feel and understand what many in our church are currently going through.

So, this Sunday I will begin to teach how to “know when” and “win when” you are in spiritual warfare. Over the past month, many people in our church community have come under more spiritual attack than usual.This is part of the evidence that we are clearly seeing and knowing God, because we have an enemy that hates what is going on. 

Now, I’m not advocating that there’s a demon under every bush or that our sinful nature is not a huge part of this, but I do think we underestimate the kind of spiritual attack we are experiencing. So, here are three areas of spiritual warfare and the possible symptoms. When you are experiencing these things, understand you are in a battle for your soul.

1. You are being seduced and the truth is being distorted.

Possible Symptoms: You operate out of selfish ambition, you are not content in Christ or with what He’s given you, you are running to things that destroy you, you hurt people you love due to not valuing what you have, and ultimately, you are an addict; mastered by something other than Christ.

2. You are living under false religious duties. 

Possible Symptoms: You perceive yourself as a failure and are discouraged; or you perceive yourself as a success and are prideful. Your life can be like a roller coaster; sometimes feeling so accomplished and sometimes feeling like a total loser, all based on your performance and duties. You have become disconnected from the grace and kindness of God.

3. You are hurt and offended. 

Possible Symptoms: You blame others, you run, you are often angry, it is very difficult for you to trust, and you repeatedly disconnect and isolate yourself. You may wonder why you’re always the victim.

Over the next two weeks at Clarity, I will teach through these three areas of attack and how to defend yourself against them. We will be spending time in the Word of God together, learning how to win.

Have I missed an area that you are dealing with? Let me know at info@clarity.la.

Our New Pastors

We recently installed two new pastors at Clarity. This is a first for us. A special time indeed! 

Josh Kollar 

Josh K. has been with Clarity since the beginning as a part of the original team that moved from PA in 2010. In that time he has served faithfully in many different roles, all while working full time, being a husband, and being a father. Now, by God’s grace and direction, he is able to step in as our Executive Pastor. He is giving oversight to all Sunday operations and team leaders. Over the next year, Lord willing, he will assume responsibility over all administration as well. More than that, he will simply serve as a missionary and pastor to the people of West LA, bringing a keen understanding of the wisdom of God to our lives. He follows Jesus whole-heartedly along with his wife, Allison, his son, Hudson, and his soon-coming second son (due in late August).

Josh Houston

Josh H. has been connected to Clarity since early 2010 when he filled in as a drummer for one of our first events. Since then, he and Nathan developed a friendship and a sense of God’s calling to work together. Even while holding a job elsewhere, he has served as a part of our leadership and missional communities. Now, by God’s grace and direction, he is able to step in as our Associate Pastor. He is giving oversight to all of our missional communities and their leaders. He will also be a key part of our leadership community development. But more than all that, he will serve as a missionary and pastor to the people of West LA, bringing a profound gift for spiritual leadership to our lives. His heart for abiding with God and loving people is a gift to our church.

Let us pray for these pastors, encourage them, and move into this new and exciting season of blessing in our church and this city.

5 Reasons Why it Was One of My Favorite Weekends; But it’s Not Over

Live Dead Month at Clarity came to end end this week, but the live dead lifestyle has only just begun. Here are a few reasons that made last weekend so special and reminders that it’s not just about that weekend, but the entire next year and beyond: 

1. We baptized six people; the ultimate declaration of what it means to go down into our own death and come alive in the fullness and purpose of Jesus. Now we are compelled by the love of God to live out that reality together day by day as growing disciples of Jesus and as missionaries to the people of LA.

2. We are VERY close to having enough people step up to raise the $50,000 we need to plant the church in Somalia. Now we must come through with those commitments and give more as we are enabled and stirred to live by faith. God blesses us as we radically align our resources with His heart, even as we are still in need of support ourselves. Give here.

3. Missionary Will Cleveland and his family are in our hearts and now we must pray for them and the other Live Dead team members daily. Like the Facebook page for daily prayer need updates.

4. Seeds were planted for some of you to go as Live Dead missionaries to unreached people groups overseas. If that is you, your response is simple; spend extravagant time with Jesus, do what He says, be faithful today, and talk to us about next steps.

5. We move right into our next series feeling very led by the Holy Spirit into this critical issue; MONEY. We will learn the counter cultural principles that lead to the blessing of God in our finances so that we can be faithful and healthy. It is useless to have radical faith, to take massive risks, and try to move forward in power if we don’t know how to walk in His blessing. See you Sunday!

5 Big Announcements for Clarity

1. New Pastors

We are taking a big step this summer as we bring on an executive and an associate pastor at Clarity! Both of them are incredible men of God that I am honored to call friends. This June, Josh Kollar will move into being our executive pastor and Josh Houston will become our associate pastor. More on that soon.

2. New Worship Leaders

Amanda Ahrenberg will now be with us as one of our worship leaders! Then, Matt and Una VanScoten will be added into that mix after they arrive, find work, and settle down sometime this Fall (they will arrive late July)! God is bringing together amazing men and women of God who will lead the way in worship on the front lines.

3. New Missional Communities

Two of our leaders, Brandon Tyra and Lindsay Deming, have a vision to launch new Missional Communities this Fall! One in the Valley and one in Orange County. Not much excites me more than followers of Jesus getting a vision and stepping up to lead in living missionally where God has planted them.
Note: Stop to celebrate. Recognize the milestone in our journey. There are too many to name, but Clarity is BLESSED with great kids ministry leaders, missional community leaders, worship leaders, pastors, volunteer staff, Sunday operations teams, etc. Most importantly, we are a community of missionaries (sent ones) to LA and to the un-reached of the world. 

4. Pastor Rod Loy

Rod (one of my key mentors and one of Clarity’s primary supporters and encouragers) will be with us on Wednesday, October 24th to hang out, teach, and get to know our team! Mark your calendar now to be with us that evening (location TBA). His teaching and challenging of the status quo has exponentially increased my health and effectiveness in multiple areas! Be there.

5. The Clarity Retreat Dates

It's official, the Clarity Retreat will be held at Frazier Woods Conference Center (same place as last year - an hour north of LA in the mountains) and will be from dinner on Friday, July 27 to dinner on Saturday, July 28. It’s only $67 per person and that covers lodging and all meals! Child care provided as well. It is highly relational, lots of fun, and a chance to get away and meet with God! Don’t miss it. To register, simply go to our giving page, give $67 (per person) securely, and type "Retreat" in the comment box at the bottom. If you need a financial sponsor, let me know! Email info@clarity.la with any questions.

Wow, awesome things are happening! Thanks be to God! I am honored to walk with you all.  

Reflections from The Creativity Expo

The Creativity Expo was an experimental two week series that began on Easter Sunday at Clarity. It featured music, fine art, poetry, VFX reels, live interactive songwriting, a live interactive sermon, and more.

It all pointed people to our master Creator; the one who spoke into existence His brilliant creativity expo and gives us the incredibly good new of Jesus. Here are 10 reflections:

1. People were saved! I saw true redemption in people’s eyes and that is amazing! All of heaven celebrates every single one who returns to God.

2. God was glorified! He was worshiped, exalted, and seen for who He is. This is at the heart of what we were created to do. He is huge, we are small, and that is good news.

3. Our community was built up, pumped up, and encouraged through the Word. It is awesome to be a part of a growing church; in every way.

4. Our Clarity team pulled off yet another excellent event. Sometimes I am more aware of how awesome this team is, and this is one of those seasons. Thanks everyone for being great and serving first.

5. The Clarity Kidz Creativity Expo was wonderful. Kids are not just our future, they are our present! In the Kingdom of God, kids are a HUGE deal. I’m proud of our team and all our kids.

6. The local creativity was brilliant and well appreciated. It is an honor to be a part of people’s intimate, vulnerable, and honest work. Art is key in the expression of Jesus and the renewal of neighborhoods. It tells the story. City developers seem to understand this more than the Church. Strange.

7. The live interactive song writing was insanely fun and hilarious. We have two new hits: “Get Lucky Ducky” and “Bubbles.”

8. The live interactive SOAP sermon was powerful and eye opening. This will be a regular practice for us from this point on; maybe once a quarter. The talk on the 4 stars, the vastness of the universe, and the cross holding us all together gave us new perspective.

9. Our Missional Communities are in full swing again. This is a great place to begin practicing Abiding with God and Missional Living (some of our values that are transformational when lived out).

10. This was a great Expo! There were risks, there were some mistakes, but it was worth it and we learned a lot. We now move into our next series, “Don‘t Look Back.” May is Live-Dead month (focusing on our work in Somolia). The summer is packed with wonderful fun and growth. And this Fall is going to be incredible (expanding team, new MC’s, 2 year anniversary, Clarity 2.0)!

That people will clearly see and know God, and that we would see true renewal in our neighborhoods, city, and world. Amen.

Why I Am Not Quitting - And Why You Shouldn't Either

Why I Am Not Quitting - And Why You Shouldn’t Either

To help me get this point across, let me set the stage with a bit of transparency from my own story. Because of the nature of this post, it’s a bit longer than usual.

The Battle

The past two years and two months of church planting in LA have simultaneously been like the Great Awakening and the Dark Ages. For my team, my wife, and I, we have never seemingly experienced so many wins and losses at almost the same time. While we have rejoiced on the mountain top, we have also become familiar with difficulties in the valley. I have wanted to quit plenty of times, and at one point, during a long night of prayer between the Lord and I, I did quit. Thankfully, by God’s grace, that only lasted one night, and I was restored to the vision quickly.

Yesterday, Jess and I were driving back from a “support-raising” speaking engagement. We had to miss the Clarity service, so I texted my team for a report about how the morning had gone. One of them responded that we were “down in numbers but it was a good morning.” Now, unless you’ve planted a church or led a start up, that may not seem like a big deal to you. For me, I ignored the “it was a good morning” part and this is how I translated the rest in my head… During a time when I was hoping we were growing to a certain size and momentum, we have now had three weeks in a row of being down in numbers. It was like falling back to the difficult times of 2011, all while trying to push with everything I had into a bigger and better 2012.

I was immediately faced with an all-to-familiar mental battle. Maybe I just don’t have what it takes to do this. Soon everyone is going to leave because this just isn’t happening. Maybe I can’t do what others have done. I am just not attracting the blessing of God. I am letting everyone down… my family, my team, my church, my mentors, my supporters. Sound like anything you have ever thought about yourself?

The Shift

As my heart sunk into my stomach and my decent into discouragement commenced, I noticed the beautiful mountains of the Central Coast of California that we were driving by. I noticed the green lush grass on the rolling hills. I noticed the cattle and the horses scattered all around. As we continued to drive, I noticed the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the crashing waves on the shore, and the beaming sun warming up our car. I thought about how God orchestrates it all into perfect harmony. Not only that, He orchestrates all things; this planet, this universe, and all the heavens. Then I heard my daughter laughing and I felt my wife reaching to hold my hand. We exclaimed together the beauty of what we were seeing and experiencing together. I thought, wow, if God can do all this, He can do anything. I began making the healthy shift back to faith in our faithful God.

Then, I remembered an illustration I had just used in my message that morning. It’s about two different orange groves during a drought season. At one grove, all the trees were dying from lack of water. At the other grove, all the tress were healthy; even in the midst of the drought. The difference? When the trees were young, the owner of the grove with the healthy trees would occasionally withhold water from them, forcing them to dig their roots deeper into the soil in search of water. Then, when the drought came, they would still have access to water. The owner, in great wisdom, was enabling the trees to last.

In the message, I encouraged everyone to take heart. I spoke passionately… Even if you are in a season when you feel like the water you need is being withheld, you can rejoice, for God is enabling you to develop deeper roots. He is doing this to prepare you for what is to come; not just the drought, but the greater things. Without these deep roots, you will not be able to handle what God is going to do. So be glad, be full of faith, and rejoice in the wisdom of God as He sovereignly prepares you for tomorrow.

I have used that illustration many times, but I wasn’t really applying it to myself. Our own battles have a way of blinding us to the things we know to be true. Thankfully, by God’s grace in that moment, I was able to take this to heart.

The Point

Robert Frost said, “Lord, help them to lay foundations strong enough to bear the weight You will later place on them.” Jesus said in John 15, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

No matter what you are going through, no matter how much you want to stop, and no matter what set-backs have befallen you, keep going. When all you want to do is quit, rejoice that God is enabling you to develop deeper roots for what is to come. There are no losses in God’s playbook. He does it all for a reason. All motion is forward motion. God has you in this moment. Embrace it and send your roots down deep. Have faith. Trust and believe in His plan.

While it is important to start well, it is more important to finish well. A bad finish discredits a good start. Rejoice that God is empowering you to finish well. Not just you, but those that will come after you. Without you developing roots through this season, the generations after you will not be able stand. It’s not just about you. It’s not just about now.

Personally, I know that even if I did quit right now, this burden would remain and I would want to come back to do it all again. I might gain temporary relief, but I would lose long term effectiveness. In regards to this church plant in LA, I have the burden. There are no limits. It is worth fighting for. A prevailing church. A true expression of Jesus in a place that touches the world. It is imperative. Who will fight? Who is called? God, make your deeds famous in our time. May you be clearly seen and known.

The Scattering Challenge

Our new series, "The Scattering," begins this Sunday. Here's a challenge for the month of March that goes with the talks. It builds up to Easter Sunday when we will begin "The Creativity Expo" series. It's gonna be awesome.

The Scattering Challenge
It’s Simple: One-a-Week during the Month of March

1. Each week in March, connect with someone over coffee, dinner, phone call, movie, etc. Encourage them, love them, serve them, and invite them to Easter at Clarity. Be hospitable. Offer Rides. Invite to lunch afterwards. Follow up. Love.

2. Also, pray for someone you do not yet know. Ask God for an opportunity to meet, love, and serve someone. Invite them to Easter at Clarity. Be hospitable.

The four people/families I will connect with this month are:

Week 1 (March 4-10) _________________________

Week 2 (March 11-17) _________________________

Week 3 (March 18-24) _________________________

Week 4 (March 25-31) _________________________

PRAYER

Lord, I pray for you to bless these friends of mine. Bring them hope, peace, and strength. Open a door for them to be full of life in Jesus, to find deepest purpose and love. May they join me at Clarity this Easter and be blessed.

Lord, I pray for those I do not yet know. Give me an opportunity to meet, love, and serve them. May they find life in Jesus as they join me at Clarity this Easter.

5 Reflections from East Africa

When something impacts me this much, it is hard to try to put it down in words. But, here are a couple attempts at key highlights:

1. There are entire groups of people in the world today that have never heard the message of Jesus or had an opportunity to know the way of the Lord. This means that the job falls to us to finish the task of taking the Gospel to all people. We don’t need to wait to hear from God, He has already spoken in His Word about this.

2. There are reasons that no one has gone to some of the places where there Gospel has never been heard. Right now, there are people risking their lives to go to those places, and they need us to pray for them daily. The spiritual and physical battle is strong.

3. Occasionally there are moments when you are bonded with other leaders about something so critical to God’s heart that it is worth your life.

4. We, Clarity, are partnering in big ways with the Live Dead initiative to see the Gospel brought to some of the most difficult places on earth. I can’t share many details about who, where, and how; but you can visitlive-dead.org to learn more. Be sure to like the Facebook page and pray daily for the needs updated there.

5. The call to bear witness to Christ is as critical here in LA as it is in East Africa; just as it is wherever you are. This trip brought fresh perspective, focus, and power to the daily work.

What I Imagine and Work Toward

Imagine a community loving so deeply that there is none needy among them. Imagine a community whose love overflows to the under served and forgotten in their neighborhoods. Imagine a community where people clearly see and know God, being restored daily by grace. Imagine a community that influences the future of our culture and the next generation of artists that shape the imagination of the world.

Things are not as they should be. The world is full of pain, poverty, injustice, selfishness, coercion, and oppression. Imagine a community that is a part of bringing healing, justice, selfless love, peace, and freedom... joining with God in the restoration of everything.

God imagined a community like this. There has been much misrepresentation and distortion of what it was meant to be, but let us be the kind of church that God had in mind. Let us be a clear reflection of Christ in the city of Los Angeles. Let us see God’s Kingdom come and God’s will be done, bringing restoration to all things.

Daily Scripture Readings for Advent

The weeks of Advent remind us to set aside some of the hectic business of the holiday season, and to quietly reflect on the promise of the baby born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. The Bible readings listed below relate to the Advent themes of waiting, preparation, light in the darkness, and the coming of the promised Messiah.

First Week of Advent Sunday, Nov 27- Romans 13:11-14 Monday- 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Tuesday- Mark 13:33-37 Wednesday- John 1:1-5 Thursday- John 1:6-9 Friday- Jeremiah 33:14-16 Saturday- Isaiah 6	Second Week of Advent Sunday, Dec 4- Romans 15:4-13 Monday- Psalms 43:3-6 Tuesday- Psalms 27:1-4 Wednesday- Psalms 119:105-106 Thursday- John 12:35-36 Friday- Ephesians 5:6-14 Saturday- 1 Peter 2:5-9
Third Week of Advent Sunday, Dec 11- Isaiah 60:1-3 Monday- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Tuesday- 1 John 1:4-7 Wednesday- John 3:16-21 Thursday- Isaiah 40:1-11 Friday- John 9:1-7 Saturday- Luke 3:1-6	Fourth Week of Advent Sunday, Dec 18- Isaiah 11:1-10 Monday- Zephaniah 3:14-17 Tuesday- Matthew 1:18-25 Wednesday- Luke 2:8-20 Thursday- Matthew 4:14-16 Friday- Isaiah 2:1-5 Saturday- Luke 2:25-33

First Week of Advent – Sunday Romans 13:11-14Scriptures

11 Besides this you know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed;

12 the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;

13 let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

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Monday Corinthians 1:3-9

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

5 that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge–

6 even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you–

7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;

8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Tuesday Mark 13:33-37

33 Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come.

34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.

35 Watch therefore–for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning–

36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.

37 And what I say to you I say to all: Watch.”

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Wednesday John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God;

3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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Thursday John 1:6-9

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

9 The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.

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Friday Jeremiah 33:14-16

14 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

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Saturday Isaiah 60:19-22

19 The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

20 Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.

21 Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land for ever, the shoot of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.

22 The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it.

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Second Week of Advent – Sunday Romans 15:4-13

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name”;

10 and again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;

11 and again, “Praise the Lord, all Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”;

12 and further Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope.”

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

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Monday Psalms 43:3-6

3 Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling!

4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise thee with the lyre, O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

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Tuesday Psalms 27:1-4

1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall.

3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

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Wednesday Psalms 119:105-106

105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe thy righteous ordinances.

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Thursday John 12:35-36

35 Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them.

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Friday Ephesians 5:6-14

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

7 Therefore do not associate with them,

8 for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

10 and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret;

13 but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.

14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”

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Saturday 1 Peter 2:5-9

5 and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it stands in scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner,”

8 and “A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall”; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

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Third Week of Advent – Sunday Isaiah 60:1-3

1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.

3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

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Monday 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God.

5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

6 For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

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Tuesday 1 John 1:4-7

4 And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth;

7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

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Wednesday John 3:16-21

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

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Thursday Isaiah 40:1-11

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people is grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever.

9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

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Friday John 9:1-7

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.

4 We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay,

7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Silo’am” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

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Saturday Luke 3:1-6

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiber’i-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturae’a and Trachoni’tis, and Lysa’ni-as tetrarch of Abile’ne,

2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Ca’iaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechari’ah in the wilderness;

3 and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

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Fourth Week of Advent – Sunday Isaiah 11:1-10

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear;

4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

7 The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.

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Monday Zephaniah 3:14-17

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

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Tuesday Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;

19 and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;

21 she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us).

24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife,

25 but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

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Wednesday Luke 2:8-20

8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;

11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;

18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

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Thursday Matthew 4:14-16

14 that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15 “The land of Zeb’ulun and the land of Naph’tali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles–

16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

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Friday Isaiah 2:1- 5

1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,

3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

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Saturday Luke 2:25-33

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,

28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;

30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation

31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;