Thursday, June 24, 2010
Something to think about.
“It is better to walk in the dark with God than to walk alone in the light.”(from ‘The Still Small Voice’)
Pastor's Corner
for Sunday June 26th
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) Writers come and writers go, many writers who once were famous are now dead and forgotten and their works are also forgotten; books that were once best sellers are now out of print, but God’s word will never go out of print because it is alive and active and thus it is relevant to every generation. It is active in that God’s word never remains passive but works on the heart bringing either conviction or inspiring one to noble deeds. You see, within our hearts there is often a mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. And so it is important that we use the bible as a supernatural discerning agent to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh and what is of God. That’s why reading God’s word can be both exhilarating and uncomfortable, because it gets right to the heart of the matter and exposes what is really in our hearts. If we are not in the right place, God’s word will convict our spirit of this truth. On the other hand, God’s word can affirm that our motives and decisions are true; confirming that we are on the right path. So the word of God energizes us, it fires our passion to be the person God wants us to be. Just as the surgeons knife gives us hope even though it involves pain, because in the hands of the surgeon the knife brings healing so too with God’s word. In the hands of the master surgeon there is great healing as He exposes and removes the deadness of our flesh so that what is of Him may grow.
Pastor Don.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) Writers come and writers go, many writers who once were famous are now dead and forgotten and their works are also forgotten; books that were once best sellers are now out of print, but God’s word will never go out of print because it is alive and active and thus it is relevant to every generation. It is active in that God’s word never remains passive but works on the heart bringing either conviction or inspiring one to noble deeds. You see, within our hearts there is often a mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. And so it is important that we use the bible as a supernatural discerning agent to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh and what is of God. That’s why reading God’s word can be both exhilarating and uncomfortable, because it gets right to the heart of the matter and exposes what is really in our hearts. If we are not in the right place, God’s word will convict our spirit of this truth. On the other hand, God’s word can affirm that our motives and decisions are true; confirming that we are on the right path. So the word of God energizes us, it fires our passion to be the person God wants us to be. Just as the surgeons knife gives us hope even though it involves pain, because in the hands of the surgeon the knife brings healing so too with God’s word. In the hands of the master surgeon there is great healing as He exposes and removes the deadness of our flesh so that what is of Him may grow.
Pastor Don.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Something to think about.
Only one life, it will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last. C. T. Studd
Pastor's Corner
for Sunday June 13th
Jesus, don’t you care?!
Last week, in our journey through Luke on Sunday mornings, pastor Doyle preached on the story of Jesus calming the storm. An amazing event, one filled with challenging applications. In Mark’s gospel Mark adds this accusation by the disciples, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to drown?” (Mark 4:38) Are you kidding me?! “Don’t you care...?” Jesus must be thinking, “That’s right, the reason I came to earth; the reason I am here with you now; the reason I am going to die for you is because I don’t care?!” I’m being a little hard on the disciples, they didn’t understand yet just who Jesus was. I have the advantage of 20/20 hindsight; I know who Jesus is and why He came to earth. These disciples are still figuring it out, so I guess we can cut them some slack for accusing Jesus of not caring. However, we too are quick to say to Jesus, “Don’t you care?” “Don’t you care that my heart is breaking?” “Don’t you care that my business is struggling?” “Don’t you care that....?” (Fill in the blank) Things may be happening in my life that I don’t understand but one thing I never question is Jesus’ love for me. Since I am rock solid on that fact I can face the storms with a little more assurance. It’s hard not to be scared, many things in life are very scary, but since I know that Jesus cares and I know that He is with me I know too that I am safe with Him. I don’t know what your struggle is or why you have to go through it but I do know it’s not because Jesus doesn’t care, He does. So take a deep breath; hold on tight; Jesus won’t let you drown!
Pastor Don.
Jesus, don’t you care?!
Last week, in our journey through Luke on Sunday mornings, pastor Doyle preached on the story of Jesus calming the storm. An amazing event, one filled with challenging applications. In Mark’s gospel Mark adds this accusation by the disciples, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to drown?” (Mark 4:38) Are you kidding me?! “Don’t you care...?” Jesus must be thinking, “That’s right, the reason I came to earth; the reason I am here with you now; the reason I am going to die for you is because I don’t care?!” I’m being a little hard on the disciples, they didn’t understand yet just who Jesus was. I have the advantage of 20/20 hindsight; I know who Jesus is and why He came to earth. These disciples are still figuring it out, so I guess we can cut them some slack for accusing Jesus of not caring. However, we too are quick to say to Jesus, “Don’t you care?” “Don’t you care that my heart is breaking?” “Don’t you care that my business is struggling?” “Don’t you care that....?” (Fill in the blank) Things may be happening in my life that I don’t understand but one thing I never question is Jesus’ love for me. Since I am rock solid on that fact I can face the storms with a little more assurance. It’s hard not to be scared, many things in life are very scary, but since I know that Jesus cares and I know that He is with me I know too that I am safe with Him. I don’t know what your struggle is or why you have to go through it but I do know it’s not because Jesus doesn’t care, He does. So take a deep breath; hold on tight; Jesus won’t let you drown!
Pastor Don.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Pastor's Corner
for Sunday June 6th
Going where Jesus says go.
“When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch." "Master," Simon replied, "we've worked hard all night long and caught nothing! But at Your word, I'll let down the nets." When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear.” (Luke 5:4-6) Simon, (we know him best as Peter) is not very optimistic about going back out to fish, they had been at it all night and had caught nothing. However, Peter says something very important. He says, “But at Your word” or, “because you say so…” There are two important things that brought about this change from a night of no fish to so many fish that their nets are breaking. The first is Peter’s obedient spirit here. He basically thinks he’s wasting his time but if Jesus says go he will go. The second is, and this is the most important, Jesus is in the boat. When Jesus is involved failure is impossible! Is your heart ready to say, “if you say so Jesus, then I will do it”; are you going where Jesus is directing you? Are you doing what Jesus is telling you to do? If so, then great things await you!
Pastor Don.
Going where Jesus says go.
“When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch." "Master," Simon replied, "we've worked hard all night long and caught nothing! But at Your word, I'll let down the nets." When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear.” (Luke 5:4-6) Simon, (we know him best as Peter) is not very optimistic about going back out to fish, they had been at it all night and had caught nothing. However, Peter says something very important. He says, “But at Your word” or, “because you say so…” There are two important things that brought about this change from a night of no fish to so many fish that their nets are breaking. The first is Peter’s obedient spirit here. He basically thinks he’s wasting his time but if Jesus says go he will go. The second is, and this is the most important, Jesus is in the boat. When Jesus is involved failure is impossible! Is your heart ready to say, “if you say so Jesus, then I will do it”; are you going where Jesus is directing you? Are you doing what Jesus is telling you to do? If so, then great things await you!
Pastor Don.
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