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1. What’s the true meaning of Christmas?

The true meaning of Christmas is love. (John 3:16-17) says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love.

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The world is full of people with broken hearts, broken spirits, and broken relationships. The pain of a broken relationship includes a very real sense of personal loss. Sometimes the hurt is so great it prevents people from functioning properly and, in extreme cases, can result in mental breakdown or even a desire to commit suicide.

How many of you are wounded or know someone who's wounded? These are things we really don't like to talk about. It happens every day. Maybe it's happening right now in your once happy home, unrealistic expectations, infidelity, and broken promises are destroying the dreams of lifelong love and trust. I have good news, God is the healer of broken relationships and violated trust.

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1. What does it mean to be kept by the power of God?

(1 Peter 1:5) who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

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Anxiety-a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

Anxiety disorders are the most common types of mental illness in the U.S., affecting 18% of the population, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. 

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Domestic violence- is defined as an act or threatened act of violence upon someone with whom the perpetrator is or has previously been in intimate relationship.

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If there is anything that will spark a spontaneous debate, if not an outright argument, it is a discussion involving politics—even among believers. As followers of Christ, what should be our attitude and our involvement with politics? It has been said that “religion and politics don’t mix.” But is that really true? Can we have political views outside the considerations of our Christian faith? The answer is no, we cannot. The Bible gives us two truths regarding our stance towards politics and government.

Unity- The state of being one. 

Divisiveness, the promotion of division, is a serious matter. In (Romans 16:17), Paul warns, “I urge you, siblings, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.”

Have you ever gone through something and said  why me?

In the book of James, we have a very practical command: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Or, as the ESV puts it, “Be doers of the word.” James urges people who listen to God’s Word to demonstrate a sincere commitment to the Lord by reacting to what they hear with obedient action.

(James 1:13–17) When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 

¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

1. How many of you have dealt with Adversity?

• James (chapter 1) deals with the way the Christian should handle adversity. 

• This letter was written during a very critical transitional period in the history of the church. 

• This lesson may also come at a very critical transition time in your life as a Christian. 

Believers have the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the Comforter who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:27). He also leads the believer into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18) and produces His fruit in those yielded to Him (Galatians 5:22–23). Believers are to submit to the will of God and walk in the Spirit.uence and power. 

Change for its own sake is neither good nor bad. It depends on the direction the change takes you. We should be willing to change our minds and our lifestyles when we are shown from God’s  Word that we are wrong. We should embrace change, no matter how hard it is, when it comes from God. But we must respect that some things never change and are not meant to pretending we can change God or His Word to fit our preferences is a dangerous idea and only leads to destruction.

Do you remember picking teams for P.E. Everyone chooses the tallest, fastest, most athletic, most popular to be on their team. But God is not like that. His criterion for choosing is not based on us.

Pollster George Gallup contends that fewer than ten percent of evangelical Christians could be called deeply committed. Most of those who profess Christianity don’t know basic teachings and don’t act differently because of their Christian experience. George Barna found that almost half (46%) of evangelicals read their Bible only once a week or not at all.

People experience anxiety when they think about the future; however, it does not have to be that way. For those who know God, thoughts of the future bring eagerness and comfort. For example, describing a woman who knows and trusts God, (Proverbs 31:25) says, “She smiles at the future.”

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We talk and preach a great deal about morals sins-for example fornication, adultery, pornography, and the like. Rarely do we look at our financial sins and temptations and the warnings Jesus gives us in the Bible about wealth. Let us look at some of these Scriptures in the Bible and examine our hearts.

A primary teaching of the New Testament is proper management (stewardship) of the money God has blessed us with.

One of the sad facts of our time is the financial struggle and poverty that so many people in the world experience day by day. Even sadder is the number of born-again Christians who and in severe debt, poverty, and financial bondage.

The purpose of the Study is to identify some very basic and simple teaching, commands, and principles in God’s word about money, wealth, and prosperity.