Words from the Pastor
I am not sure if anyone notices this or not but I try to have a new scripture on the front of the bulletin every month and this month is no different. I read this month’s Scripture early Wednesday morning and it spoke to my heart. Here it is, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone (Titus 3:3-8).”
“At one time Paul” writes to Titus in verse 3. I don’t know about you, but I am feeling that that one time is still happening and I am still messing up quite often. That as a pastor and someone that has been a Christian for over 50 years I should be on top of all those things that Paul is telling Titus was “At one time…” Now please notice what Paul writes next, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” I heard a definition of mercy and grace that went like this: “Mercy is not getting what we deserve and grace is getting what we don’t deserve.” I know that I sure didn’t deserve mercy. I am a sinner that deserves the utmost punishment. I deserve to be on that cross, but my Savior Jesus took my place because of His love for me. And by His grace (Getting what I don’t deserve), He saved me from that death and from my sin.
Do I still sin? Oh yes, indeed I do (And so do you I would presume), but because of His death on the cross those sins are under His blood and I am free! I John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” So, when I sin, I must confess it and it is forgiven right then and there and I am free from that sin. All because of the blood of Jesus and His mercy! And then, as Paul tells Titus, “…so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” The hope of eternal life!! I do hope that you have that hope. That you know that you will have eternal life. That beyond a shadow of a doubt you know that you have been forgiven and that He no longer looks on your sin. If you don’t know those things please let me know. I can help you understand that He wants you in His family. And if you do know than I pray that you are living the victorious Christian life that only a born again believer can live!
Please let me know if you need anything. You pray for me and I’ll pray for you. Naomi and I love you all. -Pastor Steve
Words from the Pastor
As the dust settles from the last of the family leaving for home after the memorial service and getting done with VBS, and life gets back to “normal” (Normal is just a setting on the dryer my cousin once said!), my mind wanders back to the past few days and recounts all of the events of the week gone by. I then have to ask myself, “Did everything I did in the past days please the Lord? Do I need to repent because I sinned with my mouth and said something that I shouldn’t have said? Did my actions bring people closer to God or push them away from Him? Will there be a reward in Heaven for my actions or not?” I suppose that this really should be one of my main concerns every day, but for sure I am concerned right now because of all of the interaction with so much of the family and people in the community. Naomi’s father and mother have 153 descendants so you know that there was interaction and some of those people are hard to get along with! They’re in-laws for crying out loud so of course there will be some that will rub you the wrong way! And Paul does tell us in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” I am glad that Paul says “If it is possible…” because you and I both know that sometimes it just is not possible! Some people just don’t WANT to live in peace! But he also writes, “as far as it depends on you…” I believe what Paul is saying here is that we need to make sure that we do everything in our power to keep the peace.
David tells us in Psalms 39:23-24 this, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” I believe that David was asking God to look inside him and reveal to him anything that would keep him from living at peace with everyone. I want to ask God the same thing, to look inside me and reveal anything that would hinder my walk with God and my fellow man. I learned a long, long time ago that I cannot change anyone else. I cannot make anyone else do what I want them to do or act the way that I want them to act. The only one that I can make change is me. I am responsible for my own actions and no one else’s. No matter what people say or do, how I react is up to me and no one else. So, Paul says, “as far as depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
What we need to do is allow God to look inside of us and show us where it is we need to change. Ask Him, as David did, to search us and to know our hearts. It is true that we may not always like what He reveals to us. We may not like it at the moment He reveals an offensive way in us, but we will like it as He leads us in the way everlasting, and Heaven is everlasting. All we need to do is get out of the way and allow Him to show us where to change.
Please let me know if you need anything. You pray for me and I’ll pray for you. Naomi and I love you all. -Pastor Steve
Words from the Pastor
As the dust settles from the last of the family leaving for home after the memorial service and getting done with VBS, and life gets back to “normal” (Normal is just a setting on the dryer my cousin once said!), my mind wanders back to the past few days and recounts all of the events of the week gone by. I then have to ask myself, “Did everything I did in the past days please the Lord? Do I need to repent because I sinned with my mouth and said something that I shouldn’t have said? Did my actions bring people closer to God or push them away from Him? Will there be a reward in Heaven for my actions or not?” I suppose that this really should be one of my main concerns every day, but for sure I am concerned right now because of all of the interaction with so much of the family and people in the community. Naomi’s father and mother have 153 descendants so you know that there was interaction and some of those people are hard to get along with! They’re in-laws for crying out loud so of course there will be some that will rub you the wrong way! And Paul does tell us in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” I am glad that Paul says “If it is possible…” because you and I both know that sometimes it just is not possible! Some people just don’t WANT to live in peace! But he also writes, “as far as it depends on you…” I believe what Paul is saying here is that we need to make sure that we do everything in our power to keep the peace.
David tells us in Psalms 39:23-24 this, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” I believe that David was asking God to look inside him and reveal to him anything that would keep him from living at peace with everyone. I want to ask God the same thing, to look inside me and reveal anything that would hinder my walk with God and my fellow man. I learned a long, long time ago that I cannot change anyone else. I cannot make anyone else do what I want them to do or act the way that I want them to act. The only one that I can make change is me. I am responsible for my own actions and no one else’s. No matter what people say or do, how I react is up to me and no one else. So, Paul says, “as far as depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
What we need to do is allow God to look inside of us and show us where it is we need to change. Ask Him, as David did, to search us and to know our hearts. It is true that we may not always like what He reveals to us. We may not like it at the moment He reveals an offensive way in us, but we will like it as He leads us in the way everlasting, and Heaven is everlasting. All we need to do is get out of the way and allow Him to show us where to change.
Please let me know if you need anything. You pray for me and I’ll pray for you. Naomi and I love you all. -Pastor Steve
Words from the Pastor
This morning as I sat and wrote Naomi’s mother’s eulogy, I was reminded once again of how fragile life is. As the poem by C.T. Studd states, “Only one life, will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” Although Naomi’s mother was 91 years old, a long life by anyone’s estimation, it is just a small blip on the screen when you compare that to eternity. Sarah, Naomi’s mother, served the Lord as faithfully as she could in the knowledge that she had.
There has been 4 of Naomi’s family called home in the last 2 years. One of the things that these deaths have shown me is that life is so short. We never know when God will call us home do we? It can happen anytime. But one thing I do know is that we better be ready.
One stanza in the same poem is: “Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done; Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” One thing that I have to constantly remind myself of is that serving God is the most important thing we can do. Even if we are doing church work or serving the poor, fighting the fight against abortion etc. etc., we may not be putting Christ first. We may be doing everything that is right on the outside. But what does our inside look like? The inside that no one else can see except God. Jesus told the religious leaders in His day this: “”Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence (Matthew 23:26).” Jesus is saying that everything looks good on the outside but inside, where no one can see, we are only interested in our selves. In verse 27 Jesus goes on to say, “Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” Isn’t that interesting? So, it doesn’t matter what the outside looks like, if our inside is dirty, we’re dirty all over! Take care of your heart first and everything else will follow! But aren’t we so much more interested in the outside? Making sure we look good instead of making sure our inside is clean and we can stand before God and hear these words, “Well done good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:23).” And when we do hear those words, I promise you that they will make it all worth it! No matter what we have to endure here on earth, it will be nothing compared with the glory that will be revealed in us in Heaven! I promise you that. So, continue to serve the Lord with all of your heart and please, don’t weary in doing well! Jesus loves you, and even though it may not seem like it right now under your circumstances, He is going to make all things work together for His good. He is that kind of Savior. All you have to do is trust and obey Him. He loves you.
Please let me know if you need anything. You pray for me and I’ll pray for you. Naomi and I love you all. -Pastor Steve
Words from the Pastor
Have you read Psalms 46 lately? This is what it says; “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her; she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Isn’t that beautiful? Essentially, what the Psalmists (The sons of Korah) are saying here is that no matter what is going on around us, no matter how rough our situation looks, God’s got this! He is an Ever-present help in times of trouble! So, we don’t need to worry about anything. Even though it looks as if the whole world is crumbling around you (Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea), God is bigger than all of that! It doesn’t always feel that way does it? But He is. He has proven over and over and over again that He can handle any situation! And the Psalm says, “Therefore we will not fear.” It doesn’t say “Therefore you don’t have to fear,” or “Therefore it’ll be alright if you don’t fear.” Oh no, it says, “Therefore we will not fear.” Will NOT fear! That’s easier said then done isn’t it?
Usually when I am having troubles of any sort I am busy trying to figure out how to fix it and thinking about what I can do next. But see what it says there towards the end of this passage of Scripture? “He says ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” He says! God Himself says that so you and I need to be still and know and trust Him. In other words, “sit-stay” and know that I am God. When we tell that to our doggies (Remember, man’s best friend before you think I am calling you a dog!!), what are we doing? We are trying to teach them something aren’t we? And do you think that maybe that is what God is doing with us?
I believe that in each and every situation that our Heavenly Father brings us into and allows in our lives, it is there to teach us one thing, and that is to completely trust Him for the outcome. Completely rely on Him and to be still and know that He really truly is God. What sweet peace there will be in our lives if we are able to step out of the boat, take His hand and walk through the storm knowing that He is in perfect control. But, just like Peter, do I take my eyes off of Jesus and look at the waves around me and cry out to Him, “Lord save me! I am drowning!” and guess what? He does, over and over again. He is good like that.
So, let’s just trust Him. He’s got this! “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full I His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!” That’s a promise!!
Please let me know if you need anything. You pray for me and I’ll pray for you. Naomi and I love you all. -Pastor Steve