Just a reminder; Due to the rodeo and fair happening in September we will NOT have ranch family fun day tomorrow. Sunday school will start at 9am and service at 10:30. See you tomorrow!
9/11. I think that this date is etched into everyone’s mind if you were above the age of 3 on 9/11/2001. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I even remember the the radio station that I was listening to.
Our little community had already been rocked earlier in the month when Christina McMullen was murdered in her home a week prior to 9/11. But that horrible tragedy was over shadowed as terrorists attacked us and murdered fellow Americans on our own soil and rocked our whole nation. But I do remember this tragedy bringing the whole nation together also. Conservatives and liberals alike were united for a moment in time and it was good! Let’s pray for peace through Christ and for our military fighting the war on terror. America the Beautiful, God Shed His Grace on Thee! Love You All! Pastor Steve
Words from the Pastor
God has been dealing with me on my attitude here lately. I know that I preach all the time that the only way that we can have victory is if we change our attitude and allow the Holy Spirit to rule in our lives. The only way we can live a new life in Christ is to control our minds, you know, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (II Corinthians 10:5).” I feel that our biggest battles are the ones that we fight between our ears. We have a war going on inside of us constantly. It’s called the war of the spirit vs. the flesh. I don’t know about you, but in me it’s a constant struggle. Back and forth between the good and the evil. And it’s been going on since the beginning of time, since God put man and women on the earth and gave them a freewill. So, I guess it shouldn’t be such a surprise that it’s happening in me. But it just seems to happen so much!
Paul again writes in Romans 7:18-20, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Please notice that this is the Apostle Paul writing these words to the Church at Rome. He is confessing to us that he too has problems getting control of his flesh. “For I do not do the good that I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing.” He just keeps on messing up just like I do. And then he admits it in verse 24, “What a wretched man I am!” And then he asks a very pertinent question, “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” Paul understands that he needs to be rescued. He understands that he can’t do it on his own. He sees that it isn’t by being good that he is rescued, it is only through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He writes in verse 25, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” It is all about Jesus! He is our fortress and our deliverer! He nailed all of our sins to the cross when He gave up everything for us. Trust Him in that. He loves you enough to never give up on you. We need to strive to do our best for Him, but we will never be able to do it on our own. It takes Jesus to get it done. Trust Him!
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
I heard a song by Chris Tomlin the other day called, “I Will Follow.” Part of the chorus went like this, “How you serve I’ll serve, who you love I’ll love…” and that hit me like a ton of bricks. We are called to be like Jesus, right? I know in my life at least I come up way short in this area. My flesh rises up and screams at me that I’ve been wronged or that they aren’t living up to my standards or better yet, “Back in 1982 they said this about me!” and I still remember and hold a grudge (Must be the elephant in me!). Unlike Jesus, the one that we are supposed strive to be like. The one that we are supposed to follow.
Who did Jesus serve? Everyone! He could have played the “I am God the Son” card, but He didn’t. He washed His disciples’ feet, He hung out and served sinners. He felt right at home with tax collectors and prostitutes. He came to the sick and the needy and took care of their needs. And notice what He said to the religious leaders of the day. The folks that I would have thought He would have hung out with because they are the “spiritual” ones that know the “Deep Things of God.” Jesus told them that they were graves full of dead mans bones, they were whitewashed walls, they were snakes and they were sons of Satan. But when it come to the women caught in adultery, the very act of adultery, the Bible says Jesus never condemned her. He never judged her. He just told her not to sin anymore.
Who does Jesus love? John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” So, He loved the whole world. Everyone in the world. And then He says go and do likewise. Unconditionally like I have loved you. Pretty big order I would say. Love the person who has different political views than you. Love the one that doesn’t see sin in the same way you see sin. Love your neighbor as yourself even. “But Lord, do you know who my neighbor is?” Well, I can guarantee you that He does. And that He put your neighbor there just so you could grow and become more like Jesus. Or maybe it’s a coworker or someone you’re married to. Jesus is calling us to love them as we love ourselves. That’s a tall order and I have failed and I am going to fail still. And praise the Lord that He understands that and keeps putting up with me and loves me anyway. What a good, good Father. Let’s just keep looking up. His mercy endures forever!
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
Good morning! Just a reminder that we will have Sunday school at 9am and church at 10:30 at Canelo Cowboy Church.
We will also have a service at the rodeo in the Pioneer Hall this weekend starting at 10 am.
Hopefully we will get to see you at one of those services. God Bless!