Embracing Generosity: Preparing Hearts for Christ's Coming

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**
1. Isaiah 40:3-5
2. Romans 8:31
3. Philippians 4:6-7

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**Observation Questions:**

1. What was the main purpose of the Giving Hope Christmas Mall event, and how did it impact the families involved? [44:39]

2. How does the sermon describe the act of preparing the way for the Lord, and what biblical figures are mentioned in this context? [54:48]

3. According to the sermon, what are the four gifts represented by the Advent candles, and what do they symbolize? [01:19:57]

4. What analogy does the pastor use to describe holding onto hope tightly, and how does it relate to the challenges we face in life? [01:02:16]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that acts of generosity can plant seeds of hope beyond the Christmas season? How might this reflect God's love in our communities? [44:39]

2. How does the concept of "preparing the way for the Lord" challenge individuals to make room for God in their lives, especially during the busy Christmas season? [54:48]

3. The sermon mentions letting peace inside as a way to level the rough places in our lives. How might this peace be different from the peace the world offers? [01:07:12]

4. How does the pastor's story about turbulence on a plane illustrate the kind of peace that transcends understanding? What does this teach about trusting God in difficult times? [01:14:06]

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**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a recent act of generosity you participated in. How did it impact you and those around you? How can you continue to plant seeds of hope in your community? [44:39]

2. As you prepare for the Christmas season, what specific steps can you take to make room for God in your daily life? How can you focus on the true meaning of Christmas amidst cultural distractions? [54:48]

3. Identify an area in your life where you need to let peace inside. What practical steps can you take to invite God's peace into that situation? [01:07:12]

4. Think of a time when you faced a challenge and had to hold onto hope tightly. How did your faith help you through that situation, and what can you learn from it for future challenges? [01:02:16]

5. The sermon encourages choosing joy despite circumstances. What is one area of your life where you can choose joy this week, and how will you do it? [01:19:57]

6. How can you actively participate in being the hands and feet of Jesus in your community this Advent season? What specific actions can you take to show God's love to others? [44:39]

7. Reflect on the pastor's encouragement to not be anxious about anything. What is one worry you can surrender to God this week, and how will you remind yourself to trust Him with it? [01:09:45]

Day 1: Generosity as a Seed of Hope
Generosity is more than just an act of giving; it is a profound expression of God's love that plants seeds of hope in the hearts of others. When we give, whether through material gifts, our time, or our prayers, we are participating in God's work of spreading hope and love. These acts of kindness are not limited to the Christmas season but have the potential to grow and bear fruit throughout the year. By being generous, we not only bless others but also open ourselves to receive God's blessings in unexpected ways. Our generosity becomes a tangible demonstration of God's love, reminding us and others that we are His hands and feet in the world. [44:39]

"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." (Proverbs 19:17, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a specific way you can show generosity this week, whether through your time, resources, or prayers. How can this act of generosity plant a seed of hope in someone's life?


Day 2: Preparing the Way for the Lord
Preparing the way for the Lord involves making room in our hearts and lives for His presence. Just as we would prepare for a special guest, we are called to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. This preparation requires us to focus on what truly matters, especially during the Christmas season. It is not about the material gifts but about the gift of Jesus Christ, who brings hope, peace, joy, and love. By making room for God, we allow Him to work in our lives in ways that exceed our expectations. This preparation is an ongoing process that invites us to align our priorities with God's purposes. [54:48]

"Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways." (Luke 3:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to make room for God? How can you intentionally prepare your heart to receive Him more fully this season?


Day 3: Holding onto Hope Tightly
In the face of life's challenges, holding onto hope is essential. This hope is not a vague wish but a confident expectation rooted in the promise that God is with us. When we hold onto hope tightly, we trust that God will bring down the mountains in our lives and raise up the valleys. Our hope is anchored in the assurance that nothing can stand against us when God is on our side. This hope empowers us to face difficulties with courage and resilience, knowing that God is working all things for our good. [01:02:16]

"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." (Romans 15:13, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a challenge you are currently facing. How can you hold onto hope in this situation, trusting that God is with you and working on your behalf?


Day 4: Letting Peace Inside
True peace comes from trusting God with every aspect of our lives. It is a peace that transcends understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ. By letting peace inside, we allow God to level the rough places and smooth out the rugged areas of our lives. This peace is not dependent on our circumstances but is a gift from God that sustains us through life's ups and downs. When we embrace this peace, we experience a sense of calm and assurance that God is in control, no matter what we face. [01:07:12]

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to let God's peace rule? How can you actively invite His peace into this situation today?


Day 5: Choosing Joy Anyway
Choosing joy is a deliberate decision to focus on God's presence and promises, regardless of our circumstances. Joy is not dependent on external factors but is found in the presence of God. By rejoicing in the Lord, we align ourselves with His purposes and open our hearts to His transformative work. This choice to embrace joy empowers us to rise above difficulties and experience the fullness of life that God offers. Joy becomes a source of strength and resilience, enabling us to navigate life's challenges with a positive and hopeful outlook. [01:19:57]

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory." (1 Peter 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you struggled to find joy. How can you choose to embrace joy in similar situations moving forward, trusting in God's presence and promises?

Parents were literally overwhelmed by the kindness and the care they received. Many of them couldn't hold back their tears as they picked out gifts for their children, gifts that you made possible. One parent said, I never thought I'd feel this kind of love from strangers. But as we know, Hope City is no stranger. Hope City is no stranger to loving like Jesus. This wasn't just about presence under the tree. It was about giving the hope, the gift of hope, showing families that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved by God. [00:28:35] (32 seconds)


So Hope City, thank you for being the hands and the feet of Jesus. Thank you for your generosity, your heart, and your willingness to serve. This is literally what being the church is all about. Coming together to bless others and show them the love of Christ. From my heart to yours, thank you for making this Christmas so special for so many families. Let's keep the spirit alive as we step into the new year, ready to love, to serve, and to give hope to even more people. [00:29:35] (31 seconds)


I don't care what it looks like. I don't care what it feels like. If the Lord has given you a rhema word, the conditions can be contrary to what God says. It doesn't matter what the conditions are. If God has said something, that thing is going to come to pass. You may not know how, you may not know when, but it is going. It says, and all the people would see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. [00:53:56] (26 seconds)


This Christmas holiday season, I want you to hold on to hope tightly. There's a lot of things that's going to come to try to take away your hope. It's a lot of situations. It's going to be the memories of a loved one who passed away. I had my moment on Tuesday where I wept for almost two hours about my own grandmother who passed away a few months ago. There's going to be things that's going to come to happen. I want us to hold on to hope tightly. [01:00:00] (22 seconds)


Hold on to your hope tightly. Don't give it away easily. Don't cast it away easy. You're going to need to hold on to your hope tightly. Isaiah 44 says, Every valley shall be raised up and every mountain and hill will be made low. I love that because that tells me that every high thing in my life that's getting in my way, that when God is in the equation, he will bring those things down. [01:01:48] (26 seconds)


Here's a second thing as we hold on to hope tightly this Christmas holiday season, despite the loved ones that we lost this year, despite the things that we have lost in any other, tangible, or spiritual, or psychological way. The second thing is let peace, let peace inside. Let peace inside. Some of you are around people with peace, but you don't have peace. [01:04:57] (26 seconds)


Philippians 4 4 says rejoice. A perfect time to say that in the Lord always and I will say it again. Rejoice. Pause. I'm not giving you no other option. Rejoice. You don't have everything you want. Rejoice. I expect you to save up more by this time of the year. Rejoice. I thought I'd have been married by now. Rejoice. There's some people wishing they were divorced right now. Go ahead and rejoice. [01:17:08] (30 seconds)


Rejoice in the Lord always. I mean someone who had been beat, whipped, stripped of so much. Paul he's using ideas and concepts of joy and rejoice. I'm not minimizing what you're experiencing right now. I'm not minimizing the losses and the hurts and the pains and the disappointments you may be experiencing right now but I am saying to you there is a way that even in the storm, in the pain to find some joy. [01:19:28] (27 seconds)

Hello, Hope City family.

I just want to take a moment to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible generosity and support for this year's Giving Hope Christmas Mall experience. You know, because of you, we were literally able to serve 100 families in our community, families who were able to walk through our doors and live the weight of the season, but left with hearts filled with hope and filled with joy. The atmosphere was absolutely amazing.

Parents were literally overwhelmed by the kindness and the care they received. Many of them couldn't hold back their tears as they picked out gifts for their children, gifts that you made possible. One parent said, "I never thought I'd feel this kind of love from strangers." But as we know, Hope City is no stranger. Hope City is no stranger to loving like Jesus.

This wasn't just about presents under the tree. It was about giving the hope, the gift of hope, showing families that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved by God. And you made that happen. Whether you donated gifts, gave financially, volunteered your time, or prayed over this event, your impact was felt in a very profound way.

I wish you could have seen the joy on their faces as those gifts were wrapped, the moments of prayer, the lives that were touched, and the countless smiles and hugs that filled the room. These weren't just moments. These were seeds of hope that will grow long after the season ends.

So Hope City, thank you for being the hands and the feet of Jesus. Thank you for your generosity, your heart, and your willingness to serve. This is literally what being the church is all about—coming together to bless others and show them the love of Christ.

From my heart to yours, thank you for making this Christmas so special for so many families. Let's keep the spirit alive as we step into the new year, ready to love, to serve, and to give hope to even more people. I am so proud to be a part of a church like this.

God bless you, Hope City, and Merry Christmas. Hallelujah.

I want to just encourage you with that. Join us here Friday night for our Christmas concert. I promise you, it'll be a perfect day, a perfect weekend for you to celebrate and to just focus on the Advent, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's going to be an absolutely amazing weekend here.

Christmas Sunday, three services. It's going to be amazing. I would encourage you, just hear me out. If a few of you can go to the 8 o'clock service and a few of you go to the 12 o'clock service, let's make room. There's going to be a lot of people here next Sunday. We had almost a full service in the 8 o'clock service today.

So just asking you as your pastor, some of y'all go to the 8 o'clock. I know all y'all can't do it. I mean, some of y'all, you barely making it here at 10. So you just come on, stick with 10. Don't change your schedule. But I mean, y'all that got it good, come to the 8 o'clock. If you can make some room, come to the 8 o'clock or come to the 12 o'clock because the 10 o'clock is going to be that space. It's going to get real full.

And then last thing, and you can be seated, is just a reminder. Next Sunday is our last Sunday in which we have an 8, 10, and 12 o'clock service. Our services will go to starting the first Sunday in January, 9 o'clock and 11 o'clock as we launch the Pooler campus at 10 o'clock in Pooler. Amen.

So remember, next Sunday is the last service at this time, and starting in January, 9 o'clock and 11 o'clock. And again, for all this is an opportunity for our volunteers to get a break at the beginning of the year. As long as we can maintain two services, we will more than likely at the shortest of month. I'm praying that we can go to Easter with these two services, but at the rate things are going, people are constantly coming, and it's a possibility we may only get a chance to enjoy that for one full month.

So just be ready for the change back to 8, 10, and 12 at some point. But at the beginning of the year, we're going to give the entire church a break with two services and kind of get ready for all that God's going to do in 2025. Amen.

Let's give God one more praise before you take your seats. Amen. And you can go ahead and be seated. Are you great this morning? Good.

We had an amazing time here this past weekend at our Giving Hope Christmas Mall. Can we just give it up for the events team that put that together? I mean, it's an absolutely amazing, beautiful mall. This entire place was transformed. We went to a shopping mall, first-class Macy's style stuff as far as I'm concerned.

Our wrappers did a great job. We had some medium wrappers who didn't, I mean, they didn't know what they were doing, but they did all right. And we had some medium wrappers that did real good, but baby, we had some gangster wrappers up in here, and boy, they wrapped those things not only good in quality, but they wrapped those gifts up real fast. So a shout out to all the gangster wrappers here at Hope City Church that actually know how to wrap.

You know, last Sunday was also our overflow, formerly our legacy offering Sunday. And I just want to thank you guys for your generosity and your giving last Sunday. Over $60,000 was given, and $30,000 of that was towards our overflow. So can we just give God a praise for that today? Amen.

I'm just excited about what God is doing with that. I just want to encourage somebody in this season of generosity and giving—just be generous. Somebody say, "Be generous," and say, "Let your wrist be free." Come on, somebody say, "Let your wrist be free, but be generous."

Let's give as the Lord has blessed us. Let's give, and I promise you, it will be a blessing into the lives of so many people. Let's just find opportunities, find moments to sow and to give, and I'm telling you, God will give it back to you, pressed down, shaken together, running over, somehow, some way to be poured back into your life. Amen.

And just one more thing, and then I'm going to jump into my message. Christmas service is going to be all candlelight services. If this is your first Sunday or your first service with us in the candlelight service, I'm telling you, you do not want to miss our Christmas service next Sunday here at Hope City. It's going to be a very special service. All three services will be candlelit.

We're going to do our communion as well. It's going to be a very spiritual, very emotional Sunday as we reflect on the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Some amazing worship and some amazing words. So please be in the house Christmas Sunday. If you are a believer, you are a Christian, it's just one of the days you don't want to miss. I mean, our entire faith is based on the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

So that is not a day to stay home and sleep. No, that's a day for you to come out and celebrate with other believers the day that we've set aside to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's going to be special. It's going to be great. And then just bring your worship with you. Let's not come in and spectate other people. Come and worship. Bring your gift, bring your frankincense, and let's bow before the King.

Let's worship with all our soul, with all our hearts, and all of our might, and watch what God does for us throughout the upcoming year. Amen?

Okay, with that being said, let's go ahead and jump into the Word. I'm doing just a two-part message, not a series here. And today I want to kick it off just talking about this thought of "Prepare the Way."

Pastor David, I'm sorry, can you help me with this term? Prepare the way. As we go into this Advent season, where normally for those that actually celebrate the Advent as it is, they typically take four weeks to prepare the way—four Sundays leading into Christmas Sunday, where they literally light four candles.

And that first Sunday, as they're leading into the arrival or the birth of Christ, they will light a candle. Many churches are doing this now; they'll light their final candle next Sunday. I didn't have a chance to get any, but if we would have done that, we would have been lighting that third candle today. I'll talk about that here in just a moment.

But this idea of "Prepare the Way." So as we prepare the way, which as we're remembering the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, this message, "Prepare the Way," will be us preparing for the birth, the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I like what it says here in Isaiah chapter 40, verse number three. It says, "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord" or "prepare the way for the Lord. Make room for him."

Has anybody ever expected guests to come over to your home and you had to prepare for that guest to come? And you know, it depends on how special the guest was and who it was; your preparation is different. Come on, somebody. If it's your kids, you really don't care. You leave everything where it is. Come on, they know you.

But when you're expecting special guests, and maybe you're dating for the first time and you finally invite your boyfriend or your girlfriend over to meet you, you make sure everything is in order. You're talking to your mama and daddy and telling them what to say and not to say, how to look. You are preparing the way for someone who is special and significant to you.

When I think of the prophet Isaiah, who in the Old Testament was saying, "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord," it was a picture of even what John the Baptist was going to do in the New Testament, who was going to call out, "Behold, the Lamb of God. Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."

He says, "Make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Get the picture of that. Have you ever seen a highway in a desert? No, there's no highway. It would cease to be a desert if there was a highway in it. But he is saying here that God is going to make highways in deserts.

And that's good news for some of you because you are in a desert place right now. And God has a way of taking places that normally don't have A, B, and C and putting A, B, and C. So here's the thing for you: look for God in unexpected places in this season. Look for God in unexpected ways in this season.

You're looking for God to come this way, but I'm telling you he's coming another way. And if you can just open your heart and open your mind up for God coming another way, you would take him out of your box. You would take him out of your limitations, and you can really experience the moreness of what God desires to do for you in this season.

Somebody say, "Prepare the way." Yeah, prepare the way for what it is that God wants to do this season in your life.

I'm reminded of if you're getting ready for Thanksgiving, if you're preparing just for two people, you don't have that much work to do. But if you're preparing for 20 people to come over your house for dinner, the preparation is different.

You're preparing for two people; one turkey is enough. Matter of fact, a three-pound turkey would be okay for two people, but you're preparing for 20-plus people. You may need a couple of turkeys, come on somebody. You may need a couple of hams, come on somebody. You may need 15 pounds of greens; you may need 25 pounds of sweet potatoes to have enough sweet potato pies to go around.

You prepare differently. And the question is, how am I preparing the way of the Lord in my life? This is the Christmas holiday season. He says, "Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low, the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain."

It says, "And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all the people will see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it."

Listen, there's some stuff that it doesn't matter what situations or circumstances have done or said; if God has spoken it, it's going to come to pass. I don't care what it looks like. I don't care what it feels like. If the Lord has given you a rhema word, the conditions can be contrary to what God says. It doesn't matter what the conditions are. If God has said something, that thing is going to come to pass.

You may not know how; you may not know when, but it is going to come to pass. It says, "And all the people will see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it."

Prepare the way. The Hebrew word for prepare is "panah." It literally means to turn toward or to give full attention. When you're preparing the way for something, you're giving your full attention to that thing.

Have you ever had to give your full attention to something, and no one else could get that attention because your focus had to be so focused? I say something like focus your focus. Sometimes your focus has to be so focused on that thing.

And when we talk about the advent of Christ or the first advent of Christ when he first came, and then the second advent of Christ, we have to remember we must give our full attention because we can be prepared this Christmas and still focus on what matters the most.

I'm going to say it again. We can be prepared this Christmas and still focus on what matters the most. And let me be clear. When I say Christmas, here I'm not talking about the true meaning of the word. I'm talking about the true meaning of Christmas.

I'm talking about our cultural Western culture of how we understand Christmas right now because how many of you know that everybody who has a tree in their house is not worshiping Jesus? Everybody who's giving away gifts, the Christmas holiday is not because they have faith in Christ. It's because it's our Western culture holiday that we celebrate now.

We as believers should remember the meaning for the season, but everybody in the West is not celebrating Christmas because they believe in Jesus. They are celebrating because they're ready for the season. They are celebrating the festivities, the foods, and the giving away of gifts. Come on somebody.

And so you have to find ways to focus on what really matters the most for you when it comes to Christmas, and that is Christ. You know, I remember when I first got married, now 22 years, and we had some things in my house that we were going to do because we wanted Christmas to be right.

And one of those things was when we had some standards, if you would, on what Christmas meant to us. We would not have a fake Christmas tree. We had to have a real Christmas tree because we ain't serving no fake God. Come on somebody.

So we had to have a real tree. We didn't put no blinking lights on the tree. We put solid lights on the tree. Why? Because our God is consistent. He ain't in and out. He's always there. He's ever-present.

And watch this here: we didn't put all colors of light, no red, green, and blue, because we serve one God, not many gods. Come on somebody.

So we found a way to make Christmas have a meaning about it. And it wasn't about the gifts under the tree; it was about the gift that hung up on the tree. Come on somebody, Jesus Christ.

And then about five years into that thing, I got tired of cleaning up thistles from a Christmas tree. I said, "It's too much work right here." And we put up that real Christmas tree and got us a fake Christmas tree. Oh, matter of fact, we sold fake nine-foot trees. We got six fake Christmas trees around the house right now.

I box those suckers up every few. I got no time for that. Focus on what matters the most.

So we still make sure the lights don't blink at the house. We still make sure there's no different colors in the house because you have to find the ways you personally for yourself. What ways are you going to make sure that culture doesn't strip what the true meaning of Christmas is all about?

You have to find your creative ways. What works for us may not work for you, but what ways can we make sure that we remember the reason for the season? Come on somebody.

You have to make sure that you focus on what matters the most. I say matters the most because some of you are not going to give that particular gift that you're hoping that he or she gets you this year. It's okay.

Some of you don't need all the tangible gifts that you really want. Some of you need to save some money up. I just got in trouble just then. Some of y'all dreaming for a house next year. You don't get no Christmas gifts; you get house money. Come on somebody.

You get you a jar and you put all your money—that's your Christmas gift, right? Oh, somebody mad at me, and your spouse just hit you. You see the pastor just told you. Look straight ahead; don't look to your left or your right. I'm representing your sister or brother.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, come on. You already got your mind made up that you want this next year. It's not about the gifts that are under the tree; it's about the gift that hung up on a tree.

You know, the advent means to come in or the arrival of something or someone particular, a notable person or event. We could even say the advent of the television or the advent of the telephone. There's something that never existed or was there, or in this particular case, it's the advent of Christ.

You know, there are four advent candles. I wish I would have had them today. One represents hope, one represents peace, one represents joy, and one represents love.

I want to talk about those four candles today as we go and prepare the way as we look forward to the coming of Christ this Christmas holiday season. We remember his birth.

Number one, I want us to hold hope tightly. This Christmas holiday season, I want you to hold on to hope tightly. There's a lot of things that's going to come to try to take away your hope.

It's a lot of situations. It's going to be the memories of a loved one who passed away. I had my moment on Tuesday where I wept for almost two hours about my own grandmother who passed away a few months ago.

There's going to be things that's going to come to happen. I want us to hold on to hope tightly. This Christmas holiday season, I want you to hold on to hope tightly.

There's going to be things that's going to come to try to take away your hope. Maybe you don't have that dream job anymore. Maybe you don't have the amount of money you wanted to be saved up by now.

I don't know the specificity of what the thing is in your life that can come and steer your hope, but you need to grab hope tightly because there's going to be things that will come your way. Not if, but there's going to be stuff that will come your way that has the ability to take away the hope from your marriage, the hope from your dream, the hope from your vision if you don't hold that hope tightly.

You ever seen a football player who's running, and I mean he's getting tackled by everybody, but he's holding that football so tightly? Even when he hits the ground, he still has the football. I'm telling some of you right now, if life dishes you a blow this year or if life has dished you some blows, I don't care how hard you get knocked down, hold on to your hope tightly.

Hold on to your hope tightly. Don't give it away easily. Don't cast it away easily. You're going to need to hold on to your hope tightly.

Isaiah 44 says, "Every valley shall be raised up, and every mountain and hill will be made low." I love that because that tells me that every high thing in my life that's getting in my way, that when God is in the equation, he will bring those things down.

I don't know what proverbial mountains in your mind, in your heart, in your life that are standing in the way for where you're trying to go. The promise of God is that we hold on to hope tightly. Those things that are getting in your way, bring those things down.

And everything that's supposed to be up in your life that's now low, God has a way of bringing those things up high. Come on, somebody.

And when we put our confidence in a God that is carrying us and a God that is holding us, and I just love that fact when it says in the wilderness, "Prepare your way for the Lord, make a straight in the desert a highway for our God."

Do you know one way that God comes into our life in a tangible way where you can feel his manifestation? God comes in riding on our praise and our worship.

For some of you who really haven't embraced the power of praise and worship, and you like to watch people praise and worship, there's a place you can get into your worship. And it's not about screaming and shouting; it's a posture of your heart.

If you ever find whatever your posture in your heart that invokes the presence of God, you can be still and know, and literally the presence of God can rest on you in such a way. That's how he can sometimes come into your situation and give you peace that does not make any sense.

Every valley shall be raised up. Every mountain, everything that's getting in your way, it shall be made low. I love what Romans 8:31 says, "What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us..."

So it doesn't matter what you are dealing with right now. The writer is telling me, it doesn't matter how many are against you. It doesn't matter how long you have been without. It doesn't matter what your deficit is. If God is for you, it don't even matter.

Come on, somebody. You keep talking about you were born on the wrong side of the track and we never had this, and nobody in my house ever had a house. I never been able to save up that kind of money. I never been able to do this.

But you're talking about what you never been able to do by yourself. You got God in the equation, right? You got God in the equation. You got God in the equation. You got God in the equation. You got God in the equation. You got it right now.

Come on, somebody. You got a new mindset, a new perspective. And God said, "Don't come to me telling me all those that are against you," because if I can open your spiritual eyes, you will see you have a whole host of army in the spiritual realm that is standing with you.

Come on, somebody. Have you ever been to a place and you physically saw that there was more against you? You saw somebody that had more money than you, more resources than you, and probably even more ingenuity than you.

But when God tells you something, when God has something for you, it doesn't matter what they have. God's going to bring that thing to pass. And I have seen it happen in my own personal life time and time and time and time—not just one time, many times over. I have seen the handiwork of God in my life.

Many of you have seen the handiwork of God in your life. And Paul says, "What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, if God is for us, who or what can be against us?"

Remember that this Christmas holiday season, there's no thought, there's no physical person, there's no idea, there's no scheme, there's no plot that can be against you when God is with you. Can we give God a praise for that knowledge today?

Here's a second thing as we hold on to hope tightly this Christmas holiday season, despite the loved ones that we lost this year, despite the things that we have lost in any other tangible, spiritual, or psychological way.

The second thing is let peace inside. Let peace inside. Some of you are around people with peace, but you don't have peace. You're around people who themselves have peace.

And many times when you are around them, you experience peace and calmness in your life because you are in the presence of their peace, but you need to let peace in on your own inside—in your own heart, in your own mind, in your own life.

Isaiah 44 says, "The rough ground shall become level. The rugged places are going to become plain." Any rugged places, any rough patches in your life right now, any embarrassing pockets in your life, any shame areas in your life—the things you don't, not the stuff you're okay with letting everybody, but those shame places, like that one closet in the house that's messy, that one drawer you don't let nobody in.

I cleaned out about five of them yesterday, y'all. Come on somebody. I just went through the house. I got a big old black trash bag. I said, "I'm cleaning every drawer, everything." And I started just throwing away stuff.

Those were places I wouldn't let nobody go into but myself. We even spiritually and psychologically have places in our heart, in our life, that we won't let nobody go. And God said, "If you let peace inside, if you let peace in those areas, I can level those things out."

Come on somebody. Amen. Amen. I can smooth out those rugged places in your life. Yes, yes. I know it's been there for five years. I know it's been there for 10 years. Yeah, yeah. I know. I don't know your man. I know. I don't know your wife. I know. I know they are a tough cookie.

Yeah. I know they are built Savannah. They got some things that I get there, but they're no match for God. They're no match for God.

Well, Pastor Corwin, you don't know my husband. He been this way for years. Pastor Corwin, you don't know my wife. She been this way for years. I don't, I don't. God knows. God knows him.

Here's the thing about God. He's Alpha and Omega. He's already in the future. He’s already in their future. So he knows how to cause things to come in alignment to deal with it.

But we try to do it, and we're not God who can't see everything. God is sitting high. He can see all angles at the same time. We are limited on the angles that we can see.

So we're trying to do things from our limited perspective versus standing in the mind of God who can see everything. And that's where that true peace comes in for trusting in God.

I may not see it with my own eyes, but I trust him that he sees it. And he has my—come on somebody—and he has my best interest. Let peace on the inside. Shalom.

Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything." Some of you are going to be anxious this Christmas holiday season about what you can get for the kids, what you can't.

Matter of fact, if some of you still, if you have kids here, you don't have a toy for your kids, we still have gifts available. Reach out to the church tonight or tomorrow. Leave your message on the voicemail. We'll make—don't be anxious about no Christmas gifts. Come on somebody.

Don't go in debt. Don't lose sleep because you can't get what you want for Christmas. Listen, I told the first service or us who is over 40 years old, at least y'all 15-year-old people, y'all won't get this.

Y'all 20-year-old Christmas, hey, Christmas ain't the same no more. Hey, I don't care about 40 gifts on the tree because guess what? Amazon comes to my house every single day. Come on somebody.

I don't have to—you remember 25 years ago we had to wait for a lot of gifts. Some of y'all got boxes at your door every single day. Merry Christmas. Come on, somebody.

We ain't got to wait no more. We don't have to wait for a whole year, no more week. Just get it every single day. And you're going to allow yourself to get anxious in Christmas about what you can't get?

You better look at what you have already got throughout the entire year and thank God for that. You mean to tell me you ain't going to get me that 47-inch TV I wanted? No, I'm not. I got you the one last month. Okay, you good.

Come on. You got to put things in perspective. You get mad at people for no reason because Paul said, "Do not be anxious about anything."

You mean to tell me I can't be anxious about my job? Anything. I can't be anxious about that new house I want to get? Anything. Because, again, if you trust—if you trust in God with it, God ain't worried about how it's going to happen.

Come on, somebody. You just need to make sure that the steps of a good man or a good woman are being ordered by the Lord. God, you got me? Okay, God got me. I'm going the right way.

That's what you need to focus on. Am I allowing the Lord to order my steps? Folks say, "If God don't sleep, why am I staying up?" If God ain't worried, why am I worried? Come on, somebody.

Come on, somebody. Y'all better get this right here. You got your blood pressure up? Taking anxiety pills? For no reason. When God says, "Here's your prescription."

See, I would tell people the word scripture is like a prescription. All scripture is is prescriptions. And there's a prescription. There's a scripture for every issue in your life.

And if you find the right prescription, if you find the right prescription and take the right amount of doses, come on, somebody. God can heal everything in your heart and in your life.

Now, watch this. The doctor tells you to take two of these a day for three weeks, and when you do this, your issue is going to be resolved. What if I only do it for three days? My issue is not going to be resolved.

Some of y'all like to read your scripture one time and think your issue is going to be resolved. I'm telling you, if you take the right prescription, you're going to be resolved.

If you take the right amount of dosage of God's word in your heart, stuff you are being anxious about right now, you will not be anxious about anymore. Can we give God a praise for his prescriptions today?

Okay, I'll have five doses of Philippians chapter four, verses six through seven. "Do not be anxious about anything. But in every situation, watch this, Mona Lisa. Watch this. By prayer."

Y'all just by prayer. "But I call my homegirl." He didn't say call your homegirl. "But I call my homeboy." By prayer and petition.

You called everybody else, but you didn't call him. Am I saying in the multitude of counsel there's not safety? No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying do that, but at the same token, he's first.

He said, "Talk to me first about it." Come on, somebody. By prayer and petition. And then he said, "Do it with thanksgiving."

See, the reason why he's saying do it with thanksgiving becomes he said, "Come expecting that it's already done." Come on, somebody. Come on.

You thanking me because it's already done. You praying to God about something that he's already worked out. He just wants to talk to you.

Come on. God has—the scripture says, "God knows what we need before we even ask." But the thing is, he has a desire to hear from his children.

So he already knows what you need before he acts, but he just wants you to ask him. Come on, somebody. Because he just wants to talk to his kids.

Come on, somebody. Ain't nothing like some selfish kids. Come on, somebody. And here's the reality. Every child, for the most part, almost all have been at that point at one point.

All of us was, all of us at one point was that selfish child. You say, "Not me, Pastor Corey. I was always humble."

Matter of fact, right now, you proving you was the selfish kid, the selfish child. He said, "With thanksgiving, present your request to God."

I'm done right here with this verse here. It says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ."

So you're telling me, Pastor Corey, some issues and some concerns over the next few weeks that I can get in a place where I trust God and I can get such a level of peace that it makes no sense?

See, you need the kind of peace that makes no sense. Where the boat can be rocking, rocking, rocking, tossing up and down, and you smiling like, "Whoo, whoo, whoo."

Because you know the boat ain't going under. I told a story before years ago. I've been flying for a while now, but I remember maybe my, at least my 20th flight. I still am not over that stuff.

What do you call that stuff again? Turbulence. I'm still not over that. That stuff like that there. That stuff. Oh God. Hold on a second. Oh God.

I remember y'all, I was scared so bad one time I just prayed myself into the kingdom of God. Whatever sin I have done, just take me on in. God forgive me right now in the name of Jesus because I just knew it was over with that day.

This thing ain't going over; it's going under. Lord, I'm sorry for every sin I did since I was two years old, God. Even the ones I don't know about.

But I remember one time being on a plane, and I've told this story before, but I was on that plane, and it was a row. Three kids here, three in the middle, and the other side a big plane.

And that plane was going whoo, and I was sitting there reading the book, and I'm like whoo, and they're like I'm okay switching the pages too fast knowing I ain't read that page yet whoo.

You know paper getting all wet because I'm sweating on this, they're sweating. And I look up front, and all the kids from the far left to the right, they got their arms crossed, and they making waves and whoo, whoo, whoo.

Because those kids had peace. They had peace in the midst of turbulence because they understand this plane ain't going down. Turbulence is a part of life. Turbulence is a part of the journey, and we're going to make it to the other side.

Can somebody give God a praise even while you're in the turbulence when it seems like all hell is breaking loose? You need to say whoo.

Come on. Just when all stuff start breaking, just—I can do that then, but now you ain't going to see me sweating on no plane right now. That plane can't go like this here.

Matter of fact, I like to show out every now and then. I like to stand up when the plane is rocking. I'm going to the bathroom real fast. I knew I could have waited, but let me show y'all a set record.

Y'all the scary selves. I'm walking to the restroom real fast, but on that time, Lord, don't let the plane go down now, Lord. Hold me up. Hold me up, Lord. Keep me.

I know I may be acting like a fool right now, but your word said you look out for fools and babies. I ain't a baby right now, so look out for this fool who should be sitting down right now.

Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice." A perfect time to say that in the Lord always, and I will say it again, "Rejoice."

Pause. I'm not giving you no other option. Rejoice. You don't have everything you want. Rejoice. I expect you to save up more by this time of the year. Rejoice.

I thought I'd have been married by now. Rejoice. There's some people wishing they were divorced right now. Go ahead and rejoice. Come on.

The Bible says in whatever state you find yourself, rejoice. Come on somebody. Somebody say praise the Lord.

Y'all rolling for that right there. Y'all having too much fun in church right now. Rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord.

And you got to understand the book of Philippians. The Apostle Paul. Read it. It's a very short book, four chapters. The Apostle Paul was in prison, y'all guys.

He was writing this book to the people on the outside. You go back to chapter 1 and chapter 2, at least 30 times the concept, the idea of rejoice and joy was being said.

Now Paul, who's in prison locked up, is trying to tell people on the outside to rejoice. Now I don't know about you, but if I was in prison locked up, I'm going to call you. I'm going to collect saying, "Get me out of here."

That's not what Paul—Paul was in prison rejoicing. He wrote them a letter and explained to them, "Hey you guys, this is what is happening to me while I'm in prison."

He said, "I was locked up unjustly. I was stripped of my freedom unjustly, but while I'm here in prison, I'm able to preach to people, and there are so many people getting set free and delivered while I'm here in prison."

Then you jump over to Philippians chapter 3, verse 1. He says, "After I've told you all of that in chapter 1 and chapter 2, he said finally, my brethren, rejoice."

See, when you understand why you're going through what you're going through, you can rejoice in that because you understand something good is going to come out of that.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I mean someone who had been beat, whipped, stripped of so much. Paul, he's using ideas and concepts of joy and rejoice.

I'm not minimizing what you're experiencing right now. I'm not minimizing the losses and the hurts and the pains and the disappointments you may be experiencing right now, but I am saying to you there is a way that even in the storm, in the pain, to find some joy.

There is a way that even on the downside of where you are, to find some joy. That brings me to number three. Choose joy anyway.

Choose joy anyway. Some of you had a hard decision this past week. Something major you lost or even is about to come your way you're dealing with now. I'm telling you in advance, choose joy anyway.

Psalm 16:11 says, "You will fill me with joy in your presence." Psalm 32:11 says, "Rejoice in the Lord and be glad." Psalm 33:21 says, "In him our hearts rejoice."

Isaiah 45 says, "And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together." Imagine us as a church family.

I just love the stuff that we're getting to see together that has happened over the past 10 years. We'll be 11 years old as a church in January. Some of you came the first year, some of the fifth, the seventh, eighth, whatever.

But there's things that we are seeing together. I mean, we got to see yesterday so many kids—100 families, which was over 300 children, over 1,400 gifts.

And I'm not just talking about—and God bless the dollar store. I ain't got nothing wrong with the dollar store. But these were not no dollar store gifts, y'all.

These were, I'm talking about brand new basketball hoops. I'm talking about big stuff. I'm talking about games. Over 1,400 toys that could have been found in Macy's.

It's in a department store. We saw that together. We saw us come together last weekend and raise over—and give over $60,000 to the work of what God is doing here at Hope City.

We together fed so many people in Savannah. We hope they had the video ready together on today. We had issues with it. It'll be here next Sunday.

Got a house being built right now in Africa because of what you have. We did that together. Single people have been helped out. We did that together.

We'll be able to bless five singles because of what you did. We did that together. God wants us to see. He wants to reveal. He wants to show us some stuff together.

Even though we've done some bigger stuff than these things here, I would still never get over the fact that during the hurricane, not the people on the outside that was in need, but we found out in-house almost $10,000 that people needed food that we were able just to do without having to pay for the food.

Not even raising any special. We did that together. Imagine the amount of things that God wants to do in 2025 as we prepare the way, as we are seeking with expectation what God desires to do for us corporately and even during our lives individually and personally.

Number four, and I'm done. Receive love freely. Isaiah 45 says, "For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him does not have to perish but can have everlasting life.

Isaiah 40:10 says, "See, the sovereign Lord comes with power, and He rules with authority." When God comes in your life, He's not going to let you down. He's not coming by Himself.

Some of y'all looking for Santa Claus. You better be looking for God. And He's coming bearing gifts for real.

It says, "See, His reward is with Him, and His recompense will accompany Him." So in other words, God said, "I'm not coming this season in your life by myself. I'm coming with everything you need."

I'm bringing the rewards, and I'm coming with recompense. And recompense is this idea of paying you back for everything that the enemy has—come on somebody—for everything that the enemy has done for you, done to you, everything he has stolen from you prematurely.

God says, "I'm coming in might. I'm coming in power, but I ain't coming by myself. I'm coming with everything that you need."

I'm coming with everything you need pertaining to life. Telling somebody right now, come on, stand to your feet. When you look for God in this season, look for Him coming bearing the specific gift.

Watch this here—that you need. Because here's the thing: what I need, you don't need. What you need, I don't need.

This next coming of God, this next advent, if you could make this personal right here, I promise you, it's a prophetic word for some of you. This next advent of Christ manifesting himself to you in your life, he's coming specifically with a tailor-made blessing.

With a tailor-made need that's designer fit for your life. And if you can just believe that, I dare you to give God a praise on the front end for what you believe that he's about to do on the back end.

For eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God is about to do for you. Only believe.

Only believe that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can think or even act according to the power that works on the inside of us.

Let's give God a praise for his word today.

Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word; it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths. Thank you for speaking to our hearts. Thank you for speaking to our minds.

Father, we prepare the way for something great this season. Number one, we prepare the way for you to make your abundance hold and dominate and rule every area of our life.

We prepare for you. You're the VIP guest in our life. You're that special guest of honor that's coming to our house today. That's coming in that circumstance.

God, we're preparing the way. Some of us are going to go home today and act like the king is coming. That we're making room for you in our life, God.

We're making room for you in our heart. God, you see things that we cannot see. Why wouldn't we want you in the equation of our lives?

God, we invite you in. We invite you in this season, God. We thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die, to be born, and to ultimately die on the cross for our sins.

We thank you for the gift of eternal life. Maybe someone is saying, "Pastor Corey, I needed to hear this word today. I know church, but I don't know him. I've shaken your hand, but I've yet to shake God's hand.

I got good religion, but I don't have a personal relationship with this God you're talking about. I want to know what it means to be saved. I want to know what it means to be born again.

I want to know what it means to give my heart to Christ. I want to know what it means to have my name written in what you often have said is called the Lamb's Book of Life.

I know we're all God's creation. Every human being is God's creation, created by God. But because of the fall of first Adam in the Garden of Eden, that relationship was severed and lost, and we no longer could go in the presence of God.

But because of what Jesus did, the second Adam in the Garden of Gethsemane, everything that we lost was restored and made available, and we have now full access to get back into the presence of God.

And today, if you're saying, "Hey, I want to move from just being God's creation, I want to accept the finished work of Christ so I can have now full access back into the presence and speak to God directly, myself."

If you're in this place, I'm not going to call you out; I'm not going to call you up. I want to know who to pray for that's making that decision today.

Then number two, maybe you're saying, "Hey, Pastor Corey, I already made that decision. I already made God, Christ, the Lord of my life. I'm already assured of my salvation.

But what I don't have is a church home that teaches the Word of God in such a way that I can take it and apply it to my life, that I can see my faith grow, my family grow, that I can hear the Word and respond accordingly throughout the week and just watch growth over time in my life.

I believe I want to make Hope City Church my home today." So if you're in this place, I'm not going to call you up; I'm not going to call you out. No pressure, no problem.

I just want to know who to include in on this close-eyed prayer. If you just slip your hand up in just a moment, and then slip it up and bring it down as a sign of me knowing who I am praying for.

So on the count of three, let me just quickly, quickly see your hand. One, two, three. Will that be one? No pressure.

I see that one hand. I see that one hand as well. Sir, I see that hand. I see that hand as well. I see that hand in the back as well. God bless you all.

God bless you all. I see that hand. I see that hand as well. I see that hand, sir, as well. God bless you as well.

Thank you, Father. Thank you, Lord God. The King is coming. Thank you for preparing the way for him to come into your life.

I'm telling you, this is one of the best decisions. And I believe on an amazing day, an amazing message, "Prepare the Way."

I prophesy in advance as your pastor that this will be a message, that this will be a day that will go down in history of your—this will be a marker, a mile marker for your life.

You'll be able to reach back that this was the day that you begin to see the shift that was necessary to bring about the desires and the change that you needed.

Come on, pray this simple prayer with me across the room with those that raised their hands. Say, "Lord God, I believe you sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins, but I also believe that he rose from the grave with all power in his hand."

Now say, "God, I ask you now to forgive me of any and every sin that has separated me from your love."

Now say, "God, I don't fully understand what all this means, but I do believe with your spirit living on the inside of me, I will become the person you desire me to be.

So, Holy Spirit, I welcome you in my heart for the rest of my life. Father God, your word declares any man being in Christ, he's a new creation. Old things are passed away, and behold, all things are becoming new.

I pray for those that prayed that prayer for the first time in faith that God—whether spiritually a separation or physically separation, separated from a church body, I declare that everything they lost in that season of separation, they're moving into a season of restoration and recovery, and everything they lost prematurely, you're bringing it back into their life.

And Father, I declare that everything that has attached itself to them, that is sucking away at the quality of their life, every yoke, every stronghold, every addiction, every chain, they are falling off right now, and who the Son sets free, they are free indeed.

Come on, let's celebrate with every decision made in this place today.