•Day 15: Thursday, December 17, 2020

“FORGIVE!”

Let this Christmas season be the last season for any of us to hold any bitterness, hurt, unforgiveness toward another person(s)...whether family, friend or community member who may have hurt or wounded us.
Some wounds run deeper than others — so if you are struggling to forgive, please consider seeking God’s help and wise counselling to victoriously deal with the challenges.

•READ: Isaiah 1:18; Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25

•PRAY: Take a minute to thank God for his tender mercy and forgiveness toward you.

Have a beautiful Thursday!

Have a joyous Christmas…
Pastor Larry

Day 14: Wednesday, December 16, 2020

“GIFTS!”

A number of years ago, we lived in the Ottewell neighbourhood of Edmonton.
It was a beautiful and wonderful area to live in, particularly with a lovely church across the street.
Each Christmas, the church would wrap up a beautiful gift and deliver personally to each of our homes and thank us for being so understanding of their presence on the block.
For instance, they thanked us for being so understanding about their parking on Sunday mornings!
They did this every year while we were in that nelghbourhood.
I was always so impressed by their practical expression of care at Christmas!
Could I ask us to consider sharing a Christmas gift with a valued neighbour or one we don’t know well?

•READ: Matthew 5:14; John 13:35; Romans 10:17

•PRAY: Ask God that your gift will be received in a spirit of love and gratitude.

Ask God that this gesture will be the beginning of building deeper relationships in your community!

Have a joyful Christmas

God bless you and yours!
Pastor Larry

•Day 13: Tuesday, December 15, 2020

“Prayer Walk!”

I encourage us, at some point, during the advent season, to walk through our neighbourhood and pray for it.

READ: 2 Chronicles 7:14; Ephesians 6:18; 1 John 5: 14-16

PRAY: Here is a prayer you can use to begin your prayer walk:
“Lord, thank you for the neighbourhood you’ve placed me in, and the dear neighbours you’ve surrounded me with.
I ask you to pour out your steadfast love on them.
For those who don’t know you, I pray you would give them a longing to know you and an opportunity for me to share your love with them. Amen!”

Have a joyous Christmas everyone!

God bless you.
Pastor Larry

•Day 12: Monday, December 14, 2020

“Invite!”

This Christmas season, we are blessed as a church family to be able to come together online each Sunday morning at 10:30 am.
I encourage you to invite a friend, family member, colleague, neighbour to connect with us online and enjoy the Christmas season.

READ: Acts 14:37; Mark 8:35

PRAY: Pray for God to provide you with an opportunity to invite someone to join church online. It may literally change your life and their life!

Have a joyful Christmas!

Love you all…
Pastor Larry

•Day 11: Sunday, December 13, 2020

“CREATE!”

God is the ultimate creator who created us to be creative! So, encourage us to tap into that today, create something beautiful that points to the beauty of Christ.

READ: Ephesians 2:10; 1Timothy 4: 14-15; Colossians 3:23-24.

PRAY: Ask God to reveal how you might display His beauty for the world to see during this season.

Have a joyful Christmas!

God bless you…
Pastor Larry Lindoff

•Day 10: Saturday, December 12, 2020

“CARE!”

Some of us might have a personal relationship with someone who is a mom in need, or homeless, or really struggling. Or some of us might not currently know anyone in those kinds of circumstances, but we can come alongside the wonderful ministries and people who are serving. If we know of an organization that does great work-let’s take the time to thank them, encourage them and if we can, bless them in some way.

READ: Psalm 73:13-14 and spend a moment thinking about a ministry you could support this Christmas. Then, spend time praying for that ministry and the lives it impacts.

PRAY: Pray for those who have dedicated their lives to helping the suffering and the needy.

God bless you dear friends!

Have a joyful Christmas!
Pastor Larry

•Day 9: Friday, December 11, 2020

“Listen!”

As we read through the Gospels, we notice how Jesus listened to people. In fact, as Jesus demonstrated, listening is a great act of service. As we listen, we hear heart needs that are often open doors to share the ANSWER to others’ heart needs. Today, may we pledge to speak less and listen more.

READ: James 1:19, 26; Proverbs 18:2,13.

PRAY: May we pray for God to remind us throughout the day of need to listen and be slow to speak.

Merry Christmas!
Pastor Larry

Day 8: Thursday, December 10, 2020

“Serve!”

This Christmas season we are understandably being encouraged to limit our contacts for health purposes.
With this reality before us, I encourage us to consider how we can serve others safely and responsibly within this atmosphere.

•READ: Matthew 22:28; Galatians 5: 13-14; John 13:14-18

•PRAY: I encourage us to pray that God will reveal afresh to us how we can serve others more creatively, cheerfully, wholeheartedly, compassionately and safely during this festive season.

God bless you dear friends!
Pastor Larry

•Day 7: Wednesday, December 9, 2020

“ADOPT!”

This Christmas, we as a church, have chosen to “adopt” two worthy charities.
They are ...”Sleep in Heavenly Peace”, a Greater Edmonton organization that builds beds for disadvantaged children in our region; as well as, “For Her Dignity”, a global initiative facilitated by an Albertan that supplies health and sanitary education and resources for women in the developing world.

We encourage you to consider donating to these remarkable organizations as part of our church’s “Christmas Projects 2020”...

You can donate by going to www.heritagevalleyassembly.com and follow the giving links.

Please designate to which charities you desire to give...one or both.

•READ: Micah 6:8; James 1:27

•PRAY: Pray that God will bless these two organizations during this Advent season and New Year of 2021.

Have a blessed day!
Pastor Larry

•Day 6: Tuesday, December 8, 2020

“GUARD!”

Guard against letting the pressures and stresses of the season rob you have love, joy, peace and patience.

READ: James 4:4; Romans 8:7-9; Matthew 6:24; Proverbs 4:23

PRAY: Pray for the Lord to reveal what concerns and strains you may be allowing into your season and ask Him to assist you in managing and overcoming these matters!

Happy Advent Week #2...”Faith!”

God bless you and yours.
Pastor Larry

• Day 5: Monday, December 7, 2020

“CONSIDER!”

I encourage us to consider our Christmas traditions afresh this year and determine how they might reflect Christ even more. By fostering Christ honouring traditions, we are passing on a heritage that is eternal to our families.

•READ: Deuteronomy 11:19-21; Deuteronomy 4:9-10; Psalm 34:11-14; Isaiah 38:19

•PRAY: Let’s pray how we can best honour Christ in our celebrations and traditions this year...

Happy Advent Week #2...”Faith!”
Pastor Larry

•Day 4: Sunday, December 6, 2020

•”OBEY”!

A life of obedience to Christ is a wonderful witness to others! Too
often some Christians have used the name “Christ follower” without letting the reality of that statement into the depths of their daily lives! As the saying goes “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words when necessary!” Our actions do indeed speak more loudly than our words!

READ: 1 Thessalonians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:18-19; John 13:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:3-4

PRAY: During this time of Advent, I would encourage us to pray about how the Lord might be prompting our hearts toward deeper obedience.

Merry Christmas!
Pastor Larry.

•Day 3: Saturday, December 5, 2020

“THANK GOD FOR YOUR FRIENDS!”

People don’t care how much (or what) we know until they know how much we care.

Therefore, I encourage us this Christmas season to ask the Lord to reveal ways that we can be His hands and feet extended toward friends in need during this special season and always!

•READ...Genesis 2:15; Psalm 95:7; Proverbs 12:10; Matthew 10:29-31; Matthew 9:36; Colossians 3: 12-13.

•PRAY...Pray today for God to reveal specific ways you can live out caring concern for your friends during this Christmas season and into the New Year!

Merry Christmas...
Pastor Larry

•Day 2: Friday, December 4, 2020

“BE READY!”

The verse 1 Peter 3:15 tells to have a ready answer when someone asks us why we hope in Christ.

I encourage us, therefore, to study, pray, and if God leads, fast for the opportunities God has prepared for us to share Him during this Christmas season.

READ: Proverbs 22:17-18; Matthew 24:44; 1Timothy 6:18-19; Titus 3:1-2

PRAY: Pray that God will equip us with all the readiness we need to share His truth with others during this Advent season.

Have a beautiful day!
Pastor Larry.

Today, we begin our HVA “25 Days to a Joyful Christmas”...brief daily thoughts and Scriptures to read!

Enjoy!
Pastor Larry
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•Day 1, Thursday, December 3, 2020

“Less of Me, More of Others!”

This Christmas season, let us work toward an others centred attitude.

Why?

Because often, we can inadvertently spend too much time focused on ourselves…as a result, we can miss the people God has put in front of us to bless.

READ...John:9-13; Matthew 5:14-16; Mark 12:30-31; Ephesians 4:2; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 3:16-18

WRITE...On a sticky note or index card, consider placing the names of others you want to pray for over the month of December.

God bless you and yours!
Pastor Larry