What we’re waiting for shapes how we wait. Waiting is not wasted time—it’s a season where God shapes our trust and prepares us for power. In Acts 1, the disciples wait not for something, but for Someone: the Holy Spirit, who doesn’t just dwell in us but longs to work through us.

Acts is not the story of what Jesus finished, but what He began—and continues today through ordinary people empowered by the Holy Spirit. The same risen Jesus is still at work, inviting us to live as faithful witnesses right where we are.

In this episode, we look back at the steps of faith God led us through in 2025 and look ahead to where He’s calling us in 2026. It’s a conversation about growth, obedience, and stepping into the next chapter with hope and expectation.

The glory that came near—and the glory that revealed God’s heart—is also the glory that transforms us. Christmas isn’t a cozy memory; it’s an invitation. God comes close so He can change us from the inside out.

Just as the manger was an unexpected place for glory to rest, our lives—our schedules, relationships, fears, and hidden corners—become places where His presence wants to dwell. Jesus doesn’t stay in Bethlehem; He wants to invade our real, everyday world with hope, healing, conviction, and purpose.

Christmas isn’t just about what we receive—it’s about who came near. In this message, Seth explores how God didn’t send hope from a distance but arrived personally in Jesus, remained with us through the Holy Spirit, and promises a future where His presence is fully experienced. From “God with us” at Christmas, to “God within us” today, to “God among us” for eternity, this episode invites us to slow down, notice His nearness, and allow God’s presence to shape how we live, think, and love—especially when life feels heavy.

Christmas is not just about a baby in a manger; it’s about heaven bringing the full weight of God’s glory—His presence, character, and saving love—into our ordinary lives through Jesus. God’s glory moves from dangerous and distant to near and transforming, inviting us to let Him invade every corner of our lives.

Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount by calling for a decision. After revealing the way of the kingdom, He places four pairs in front of us—two gates, two trees, two disciples, two foundations—and invites us to choose the path of surrendered, obedient, intentional discipleship that leads to life.

Kingdom life always shows up in relationships. Jesus calls His followers to reject hypocritical judgment, depend completely on the Father, and actively love others with the kind of creative, intentional goodness that mirrors God’s own heart.