Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Pastor's Corner
for Sunday March 28th
How do you feel about prayer? Really deep down, do you believe that God hears your prayers? Do you believe He will answer your prayers? We’ve been hurt so many times by people promising to help us and then never following through that it’s hard for many of us to believe that God will do anything. I mean, why should He? What’s special about me that He should even notice my troubles? Listen to Nehemiah’s prayer; it reveals something important about God. Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer!” (Neh. 1:5) Hear what he says? As Nehemiah talks to God he reminds himself of the kind of person God is. He’s a God who has a covenant with us, and He “keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands.” So, why should God hear your prayer? Why should He even notice you? Because God’s love is unfailing and He has made a covenant with those who love Him and obey Him. God has NEVER broken His covenant with anyone before and He’s not about to break His covenant with you either. You see, I know God hears my prayers and that He WILL help, not because there’s anything special about me, but because of what’s special about HIM! Who is like our God?! People will abandon you but God never will. People will let you down but God never will. People break their promises but God never will. So do what the apostle Peter said, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.”
Pastor Don.
How do you feel about prayer? Really deep down, do you believe that God hears your prayers? Do you believe He will answer your prayers? We’ve been hurt so many times by people promising to help us and then never following through that it’s hard for many of us to believe that God will do anything. I mean, why should He? What’s special about me that He should even notice my troubles? Listen to Nehemiah’s prayer; it reveals something important about God. Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer!” (Neh. 1:5) Hear what he says? As Nehemiah talks to God he reminds himself of the kind of person God is. He’s a God who has a covenant with us, and He “keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands.” So, why should God hear your prayer? Why should He even notice you? Because God’s love is unfailing and He has made a covenant with those who love Him and obey Him. God has NEVER broken His covenant with anyone before and He’s not about to break His covenant with you either. You see, I know God hears my prayers and that He WILL help, not because there’s anything special about me, but because of what’s special about HIM! Who is like our God?! People will abandon you but God never will. People will let you down but God never will. People break their promises but God never will. So do what the apostle Peter said, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.”
Pastor Don.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Something to think about.
It’s not time that heals but what you do in that time that heals. Dr. Phil
Pastor's Corner
for Sunday 21st March
Our God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing our God cannot do!
The largest animal on earth is the blue whale. Just the flippers on its tail are bigger than most animals on earth. But a blue whale isn't anywhere as big as a mountain. If you put hundreds of blue whales in a huge jar, you could put millions of "whale jars" in a hollowed out Mount Everest. But Mount Everest isn't nearly as big as the earth. If you stacked a hundred Mount Everests on top of each other they would only be a whisker on the face of the earth. And the earth isn't anywhere as big as the sun. You could fit over one million earths inside the sun. But the sun isn't anywhere as big as the red super giant star called Antares. Fifty million of our suns could fit inside Antares. But Antares isn't anywhere as big as the Milky Way galaxy. Billions of stars, including super giants like Antares, as well as countless comets and asteroids, actually make up the Milky Way galaxy. But the Milky Way galaxy isn't near as big as the universe. There are literally, billions of other galaxies in the universe. And yet, the universe is almost totally empty. The distances from one galaxy to another are beyond our imaginations. It simply defies exhaustive comprehension. And so does the One who made it! To think that he did all this with just a spoken word! Incredible! But if the truth be known, it was only an infinitely limited expression of his power. It was nothing to Him! Whatever your needs are, you have not exhausted his strength and power. Whatever your concerns, you have not run his emotional well dry. Whatever your situation, his hand is not too short to save, provide, lead, and fight for you. Whatever the depth of your offenses against him, he is not prevented from forgiving, releasing, and drawing near the truly repentant person. Nothing is too hard or too big for him! For He is BIGGER than everything! (Borrowed from an article by Greg Herrick, Ph.D.)
Pastor Don
Our God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing our God cannot do!
The largest animal on earth is the blue whale. Just the flippers on its tail are bigger than most animals on earth. But a blue whale isn't anywhere as big as a mountain. If you put hundreds of blue whales in a huge jar, you could put millions of "whale jars" in a hollowed out Mount Everest. But Mount Everest isn't nearly as big as the earth. If you stacked a hundred Mount Everests on top of each other they would only be a whisker on the face of the earth. And the earth isn't anywhere as big as the sun. You could fit over one million earths inside the sun. But the sun isn't anywhere as big as the red super giant star called Antares. Fifty million of our suns could fit inside Antares. But Antares isn't anywhere as big as the Milky Way galaxy. Billions of stars, including super giants like Antares, as well as countless comets and asteroids, actually make up the Milky Way galaxy. But the Milky Way galaxy isn't near as big as the universe. There are literally, billions of other galaxies in the universe. And yet, the universe is almost totally empty. The distances from one galaxy to another are beyond our imaginations. It simply defies exhaustive comprehension. And so does the One who made it! To think that he did all this with just a spoken word! Incredible! But if the truth be known, it was only an infinitely limited expression of his power. It was nothing to Him! Whatever your needs are, you have not exhausted his strength and power. Whatever your concerns, you have not run his emotional well dry. Whatever your situation, his hand is not too short to save, provide, lead, and fight for you. Whatever the depth of your offenses against him, he is not prevented from forgiving, releasing, and drawing near the truly repentant person. Nothing is too hard or too big for him! For He is BIGGER than everything! (Borrowed from an article by Greg Herrick, Ph.D.)
Pastor Don
Friday, March 12, 2010
Something to think about.
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him." - Psalm
62:1 (NIV)
62:1 (NIV)
Pastor's Corner
for Sunday March 14th
The Sword of Fear.
The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. 4 Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and run me through before these pagan Philistines come and humiliate me.” But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
(1 Chron. 10:3-4) King Saul is afraid; afraid of humiliation; afraid that he is going to die a horrible death and his fear causes him to take his own life; to fall on his own sword. The arrows of the enemy wound us; they cut deep; they are painful but they do not kill because we have the shield of faith by which we can “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Eph 6:16) No, it’s not the arrows of the enemy that should cause us alarm, rather beware of the sword of fear in your hand. When things seem to be insurmountable; when the enemy is pressing down on you so hard you feel like you can’t breathe, don’t let fear destroy you. Fear and discouragement kills us because fear makes us give up. We give up on our marriage; we give up on our children; we give up on our friends; we give up on our church; we give up on...whatever it is that’s weighing heavy on you right now. You’ve given it all you got and it’s just not working, “I just can’t do this anymore!” “This man/woman I’m married to will never change!” The arrows of the enemy cut deep, we are discouraged; we doubt ourselves; we are in pain! And so we give up; we fall on our own sword. The apostle Paul says, “Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” (Gal. 6:9) Don’t let fear rob you of the victory that God will give if you persevere. Lay aside the sword of fear and pick up the sword of truth and press into the battle and win.
Pastor Don.
The Sword of Fear.
The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. 4 Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and run me through before these pagan Philistines come and humiliate me.” But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
(1 Chron. 10:3-4) King Saul is afraid; afraid of humiliation; afraid that he is going to die a horrible death and his fear causes him to take his own life; to fall on his own sword. The arrows of the enemy wound us; they cut deep; they are painful but they do not kill because we have the shield of faith by which we can “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Eph 6:16) No, it’s not the arrows of the enemy that should cause us alarm, rather beware of the sword of fear in your hand. When things seem to be insurmountable; when the enemy is pressing down on you so hard you feel like you can’t breathe, don’t let fear destroy you. Fear and discouragement kills us because fear makes us give up. We give up on our marriage; we give up on our children; we give up on our friends; we give up on our church; we give up on...whatever it is that’s weighing heavy on you right now. You’ve given it all you got and it’s just not working, “I just can’t do this anymore!” “This man/woman I’m married to will never change!” The arrows of the enemy cut deep, we are discouraged; we doubt ourselves; we are in pain! And so we give up; we fall on our own sword. The apostle Paul says, “Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” (Gal. 6:9) Don’t let fear rob you of the victory that God will give if you persevere. Lay aside the sword of fear and pick up the sword of truth and press into the battle and win.
Pastor Don.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Pastor's Corner
for Sunday March 7th
It’s communion Sunday so I thought it would be good to reflect on this hymn by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty about the cross of Jesus (some verses omitted for space):
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
It’s communion Sunday so I thought it would be good to reflect on this hymn by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty about the cross of Jesus (some verses omitted for space):
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
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