The BRIGHT MORNING STAR

Good morning church family,
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INCLEMENT WEATHER:


Should we encounter inclement weather, we want to make sure everyone is notified of any cancellations or events which need to be rescheduled.   

Please be sure to provide your cell or best number to reach you for robo calls to Ron Saracino as soon as possible since Ron takes care of the robo calls.  

Also, New members are encouraged to provide your contact information (cell, email and address) to Patrick Keller who keeps an updated contact list for our members.  

GIVING THANKS:
*  Thanks to Tammie Carey for leading our ladies class on JOY last Saturday.
*  Thanks to Kevon Turner who lead songs for the first time last Sunday!   Praise God for his willingness to lead in this capacity and Kevon did a great job!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
*    Prayers for all of our members who are traveling over the holidays.
*    Prayers for all who struggle with illness, grief, and life struggles.   Many of our members are struggling, so please keep everyone in prayer and encourage them with a card or call when you are able.
*    Emille Jones is now working with Yale for his condition that they’ve now termed Waldenstrom Lymphoma based on their tests.  He began IV cancer treatment this past Monday and will repeat the treatment for 4 weeks at 6 hours per treatment, then every 3 months if it works for 4 weeks.  Jenna asked to please pray for the treatment to have minimal side effects.  Prayers for both Emille and Jenna who is walking by his side on this journey.  His next chemo is December 23rd.
*    Our prayers continue to be with both Flo and Jay.
*    Karen Stanzione’s son-in-law Jose has cellulitis and is in the hospital.  Prayers that the medical team will be able to address his case and that he will recover soon.
*    Jillian Taylor is waiting on a date to have  surgery to remove her gallbladder.
*    Debbie Christy has been very sick and is struggling with breathing.  Prayers for her response to the medicine and quick healing. 
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YOUNG ADULTS continue to be on fire for the LORD, both in their steadfast fellowship and service.  They are growing and including young adults from other congregations!    Here are some pictures from last week’s gathering which show pure JOY!
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*    Marion and Maury Samaha’s son-in-law John Beck obeyed the gospel and was baptized last weekend!   The angels in heaven are singing as are the Samaha family over this wonderful news!  Praise God as John begins his faith journey!
COMING UP:
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Saturday, January 4th at 5:30 pm – An evening of sharing your testimony!  How did you come to Christ?  
Bring a sandwich and desert to share, and enjoy an evening of fellowship sharing YOUR STORY.  
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The next TUESDAY morning Ladies studies will be on January 7th and 21st 2025  at 9:30 a.m. The Next lesson is chapter 10 in the book.   Please see Lisa or Mary Lou if you would like to join the study and need a book.  


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FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – LIVING BEYOND YOURSELF – Galatians 5:22-23  

Ladies bible study continues on the second Saturday of the month.  

The January class will Lord willing meet on Saturday January 11th 10:00-12:00  at JoAnne DiScala’s home.  JoAnne DiScala will lead us in a beautiful lesson on PEACE!


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Friday night, January 31st MIDNIGHT OIL  – There will be an evening of Prayer at the church building.  Stay tuned for more details.  Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication , with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. “




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God in all of HIS GLORY, created the magnificent stars in our universe for many purposes.  The scriptures teach us many things about the stars.
Genesis 1:16 “God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; the stars also.”
Jeremiah 31:35  “Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;  The LORD of hosts is His name.
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Stars are used to represent the glory of HEAVEN and the HEAVENLY REALM.
In the biblical account of Abraham, God promises that his descendants will “be as numerous as the stars in the sky.”   

There are many scriptures placing emphasis on the promise God made to Abraham.  These scriptures are worth the read…
Genesis 15:5
Genesis 22:17
Genesis 26:4
Exodus 32:13
Deuteronomy 1:10,  10:22,  28:62
1 Chronicles 27:23
Nehemiah 9:23
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GOD PLACED EACH STAR IN IT’S PLACE…HE ALONE CONTROLS THEM,  AND HAS NAMED THEM!
Job 9:7 “Who commands the sun not to shine, and sets a seal upon the stars..”
Job 22:12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?  Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!
Psalm 8:3 “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained.” 
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1 Corinthians 15:41 
There is one glory of the sun, 

and another glory of the moon, 

and another glory of the stars

for star differs from star, in glory.
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The 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL ARE REPRESENTED AS STARS:
Genesis 37:9  “Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.
Revelation 12:1 “A great sign appeared in heaven:  a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars:” 
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THE SCRIPTURES REFER TO ANGELS AS STARS:

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Judges 5:20 “The stars fought from heaven; From their courses they fought against Sisera.


Isaiah 14:13 “But you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north.”


Revelation 1:20 “As for the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp-stands; the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp-stands are the seven churches.
ONE STAR SHINED ABOVE THE OTHERS & HERALDED JESUS’S BIRTH WHEN HE CAME TO EARTH:
Numbers 24:17 
“I see him, but not now; 

I behold him, but not near;  

A star shall come forth from Jacob, 

A scepter shall rise from Israel,  

And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,  

And tear down all the sons of Sheth.”
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Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

vs. 3-6 “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”
Matthew 2:7  “Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared 
vs. 9-12   “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, incense and myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

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Matthew 2:10 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”

JESUS CHRIST IS THE BRIGHT MORNING STAR
Jesus, as GOD incarnate, the LORD of the Universe, is referred to in the scriptures as the BRIGHT and MORNING STAR.  
JESUS is the most HOLY and POWERFUL “light” in all the universe for HE said… 
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD”    John 8:12
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IN CHRIST, we have such HOPE.  1 John 2:25
BECAUSE OF CHRIST, we will live eternally with GOD.  John 3:16
Revelation 2:26 
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, 

I will give authority over the nations
‘He will rule them with an iron scepter;

he will dash them to pieces like pottery
just as I have received authority from my Father,

I will also give him the morning star.

He who has an ear, 

let him hear 

what the Spirit says to the churches.” 


2 Peter 1:19
“So we have the prophetic word made more sure, 

to which you do well to pay attention 

as to a lamp shining in a dark place, 

until the day dawns 

and the morning star arises in your hearts.”
Because of LOVE, HE came for us;
Because of GRACE, HE died;
Because of HOPE, He gave us life – a living sacrifice.
MAY WE REJOICE!
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JESUS came not to a throne, but to a manger.
He lived not as a king, but as a servant.
He chose not a Kingdom, but a cross.
He gave not just a little, but everything!



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MAY WE REJOICE AND SING HIS PRAISES for HE is the BRIGHT MORNING STAR!


THE LILY OF THE VALLEY


I have found a friend in Jesus,
He’s everything to me,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Lily of the Valley,
in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole,
In sorrow He’s my comfort,
in trouble He’s my stay,
He tells me every care on Him to roll.
He’s the Lily of the Valley,
the Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
Oh, He all my griefs has taken,
and all my sorrows borne;
In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tower.
I have all for Him forsaken,
and all my idols torn
From my heart, and now He keeps me by His power.
In sorrow He’s my comfort,
in trouble He’s my stay,
He tells me every care on Him to roll.
He’s the Lily of the Valley,
the Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
He will never, never leave me,
nor yet forsake me here, 
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me,
I’ve nothing now to fear,
With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
In sorrow He’s my comfort,
in trouble He’s my stay,
He tells me every care on Him to roll.
He’s the Lily of the Valley,
the Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

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PRAISE GOD FOR THE VICTORY & SALVATION we have in JESUS!    Galatians 3:26
PRAISE GOD for HIS MERCY AND GRACE!  Ephesians 2:4-5
PRAISE GOD for the breath of LIFE so we can continue to hold out the GOSPEL MESSAGE OF OUR 
LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
Spread the good news and tell everyone of the BRIGHT MORNING STAR!
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This life is not about us, but about HIM!   

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We pray that everyone enjoys family, the LOVE of GOD and the ABUNDANCE of HIS GOOD GIFTS.
To GOD BE THE GLORY – GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!
Bruce & Paula
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