Merry Christmas From NCL!

Merry Christmas NCL family,

 

"Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!"  I love to sing this Christmas carol as its tempo is so upbeat and joyful!  I believe it really reveals the heart of the shepherds that glorious day after they had heard from the angels, "For there is born to you this day, in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!" (Luke 1:11)  "Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them" (Luke 2:20). 

 

Let that melody manipulate your mind today that you, like the shepherds, would go and tell everyone on the mountain and in the valley too that Jesus Christ is born!  It is so striking to me that the Lord told shepherds.  Shepherds were not people whom people would pay attention to or listen to in that day.  They were socially unacceptable, but the people did listen.  Why?  Shepherds were not supposed to know much, but these shepherds shared startling information that if heard and received would result in tremendous transformation for the hearer.  The shepherds spoke from the heart, and the words connected to the deepest needs of others. 

 

Your story, like the shepherds' story, is the story of your experience.  Tell the story of God in your life.  You don't need to share all the details of your past.  Simply share that you were once lost and all alone, and when someone told you about the Savior your life was transformed, and now you have been found and never will be alone for Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

 

Please be praying for us tonight as we head to Watts to share the Good News that Jesus Christ is born!  We will be serving a meal, sharing Christmas carols, a special message of hope, and giving Christmas gifts to hundreds of kids and their parents!

 

God bless you all, and I pray you all have a very Merry Christmas!  

Merry Christmas From Wing Ministries

Midweek Update

Merry Christmas NCL family,

 

Two very important pieces of information!!!!

 

First, as many of you know, we have moved our Christmas party from Newport Coast to Watts this coming Thursday night.  The Lord opened a door for us to come alongside Hope Central in Watts to serve the community by serving a southern feast, singing Christmas carols, and handing out gifts to hundreds of children.  You will not want to miss this wonderful opportunity to serve our Lord this Christmas by serving others.

 

Here is the plan so far: We will meet at my home at 4PM to carpool to Watts to arrive at 5PM to prepare and serve dinner promptly at 6PM!  After dinner we will sing Christmas carols and handout gifts to hundreds of children.  The event will end around 7:15, and then we will  have about 45 minutes to breakdown.  We should be departing Watts at 8:00PM.

 

If you are unable to attend, please be praying.  If you want to meet us up there, we will be meeting at 1464 East 109th Street, Los Angeles, CA.  Please let me know if you would like to join us!

 

Secondly, we will not be having any church meetings until Sunday, January 1, 2012, at which time we will celebrate New Year’s Day together with a testimony, a gospel message, and a potluck.  Let’s start the New Year off with a bang and remember to bring a dish to share and a friend to share the good news that Jesus Christ has come!

 

This morning for my devotion I meditated on the song Mary sang after her visit with Elizabeth (just before John the Baptist's birth and about three months before Jesus was born).  Please take a moment and mediate on Mary’s joyful heart:

 

“My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.  For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.”
Luke 1:46-56

 

God bless you!

Missionary Update - Desery Montenegro

Missionary Update - The Kulas

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The Coming of the Christ!

Good morning NCL family,

Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem?  This question has been burning in my brain all week long. 

This tiny, little village is located about five miles south of Jerusalem and sits on a high ridge more than two thousand feet above sea level.  There were many other great cities in that day that Jesus could have been born, but God chose Bethlehem.  One of the reasons I discovered is that this little village held great significance for the Jews.  Jacob had buried his beloved wife Rachel in Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19); Ruth had met Boaz in Bethlehem (Ruth 1:22-2:6); King David had grown up in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:1; 17:12).  Even more important, the prophet Micah had prophesied that Messiah would be born there:

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2).

Prophecy is such a powerful tool to share with unbelievers.  And in this little passage is the answer to many questions that many people have about the birth of our Lord.  Such as: Where did He come from?  Where did He come to?  What did He come for?  Lastly, had He ever come before?

This coming Sunday we are going to answer each of these questions in a special Christmas message entitled, "The Coming of the Christ!"

Please be praying about an unsaved friend you can invite to hear the answers to these awesome questions! 

God bless you!    

Missionary Update - Boal Family

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Missionary Update - Dave & Darlys Bird

Dear Prayer Partners,

Merry Christmas!  During this Christmas Season, we want to give you a warm Christmas "hug" as we celebrate together the birth of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

Most Current News: Over the past 3 months, Jacmel, Haiti has experienced numerous armed robberies aimed primarily at missionaries, and it has not been a safe place for us.  We are now in S. California and plan to return to Jacmel as soon as the violence calms down (possibly as soon as the end of December).  Please pray that the robbers are caught (and saved) and for God's wisdom and timing in returning to God's work in Jacmel. 

To view our December Newsletter, with lots of photos, please click on the following link and double click on the Newsletter "Download" icon:  CIDM Newsletter 

  

 

Love & prayers,
Dave & Darlys Bird
Calvary International Development Ministries

 

 

Midweek Update

Good morning NCL!

"The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable." - Ralph W. Sockman

My wife loves nativities.  She has been collecting them for many years from all over the world.  In each and every nativity scene the focal point is the Christ child, as it should be, but we cannot leave Him there.  This tiny, helpless baby lived an amazing life, died for sinners, ascended to heaven, and will come back to earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords!  Christ will rule the world and judge all people according to their decisions about Him.

When the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in the fields, he said, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

What a wonderful birth announcement!  At first, the shepherds were terrified, but then their fear turned to joy and they began to testify of Christ's birth!  First they ran to see the baby, and then they spread the word!  Jesus is your Savior, your Christ, your Lord!

Let your fear turn to joy by testifying of Christ's birth this year!  This wonderful story could be the hinge that opens the door of the heart of that unsaved friend or family member that you have been praying for! 

Reminders:

• No Wednesday night study this week.   
• Young adults study at Jeff and Jackie Bird's home on Thursday night.
• Special Christmas message and music this coming Sunday.
• NCL's Christmas party is Thursday, December 22, at 7:00 pm at Newport Coast Elementary School.