Something to Think About

Love is not an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained. —C.S. Lewis

Pastor's Corner

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. (1 Samuel 11:2)

A king walking on the roof and gazing over his kingdom is not an unusual scenario. It is not even unusual that he might catch a glimpse of something that he should not be seeing. But what is unusual in this story is seen in verse 1, David is leisurely strolling across his roof and gazing across his kingdom during “the time when kings go out to battle”. It is the season for battle but David is having his own season of leisure. As the text says, “David remained at Jerusalem”.

You can likely relate to David’s story. Some of our greatest sins take place in times of boredom and inactivity. What Spurgeon once said is demonstrably true, “Idle people tempt the devil to tempt them.” Be careful, when you are doing nothing you are vulnerable to attack. Be busy doing the Father’s work and it will be harder for the devil to get you to sin.

Father, I confess that far too often my mind and heart is driven towards comfort and ease. When my brothers and sisters are “doing battle” I’m sitting idle. Stir up in my heart a passion for the kingdom. Keep me from flitting away my time on fleeting pleasure and to pursue your eternal kingdom. Amen.

Pastor Don

Something to Think About

Heaven will pay for any loss we may suffer to gain it; but nothing can pay for the loss of heaven. --Richard Baxter

Pastor's Corner

Seeing God’s Glory and Power

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. (Psa. 63:1-4) David is hungry and thirsting for God, so what does he do? He looks to the sanctuary, the place where God’s people gather to worship, and there he sees the glory and power of God. I’m not sure what David sees when he looks around the sanctuary but when I look around the “sanctuary” I see God’s power and His glory in the faces of those worshiping God.  I see lives that God has touched in an amazing way; lives that Satan seemed to control, now completely turned over to Jesus! People that normally wouldn't be found “hanging-out” together, now comfortably interacting with one another, affirming, supporting, encouraging one another. It’s God’s miracle, only God can weave such a complex mix of fabric into such a beautiful tapestry. And while I look around God’s sanctuary I am reminded how God has worked in my life too, and I am convicted and humbled at the same time. So, like David, I will bless the Lord as long as I live and lift my hands in praise and adoration, for who is like our God? What a blessing it is to be in the sanctuary of God, surrounded by those who have been healed by the blood of Jesus! Why would we not want to be here every opportunity we can get? Where else can I see firsthand the glory and power of God? Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

Pastor Don 

something to Think About

The only thing of our very own which we contribute to our salvation is the sin which makes it necessary. —William Temple

Pastor's Corner

Can a Christian survive apart from the church?

There are many who are convinced that one can be a Christian without "going to church".  How do you feel? Would you agree with them? Well, to be honest sometimes the thought has crossed my mind, I mean sometimes people are just hard to understand; sometimes people have expectations that are just impossible to meet. Relationships are hard work, there's no question about it and sometimes we want to just skip over the relationship part. But, just as you were born into a family you didn't choose so too with God's family. However, back to our question: can a Christian survive apart from the church? The answer is no, and here's why. The church - that's the congregation of believers, not the building with the steeple - is the mechanism (if I may use that word) by which God strips away my selfishness, my pride, my independence, actually…. He strips "me" away. You see God won't let me get any closer to Him if I won't get close to my Christian brothers and sisters. Husbands if you mistreat your wives then God won't hear your prayers. Christian, if you won't forgive your brother or sister then God won't accept our worship of Him. Our relationship with God is tied to our relationship with one another. Another reason why church is important is because at church you come under the preaching of God's word and it is through His word that God shapes you into the image of Jesus. It is through the preaching of His word that He speaks truth into our lives and without truth we would be like ships tossed about on the ocean, no direction and no anchor for the soul. A third reason why we can't survive without the church is because in the church we come under the authority of the church leadership. Now I can hear you running for the door but this is perhaps the most important reason why God calls us into community. We are like sheep, we're always going astray and we NEED God's leaders to lead us and, when necessary, correct us and as shepherds bring us back to the safety of the fold. Since our relationship with God is tied to our relationship with one another, then just as you cannot survive without God so too you cannot survive without being a part of  the church.

Pastor Don 

Something to Think About

Life is not measured by length but by depth. Birthdays tell us how long we have been on the road, not how far we have travelled. --Vance Havner

Pastor's Corner

Love is a choice.

The Puritans used to say you got married in order to fall in love. Their reasoning was that only through the life long journey of marriage could a man and a woman come to know the wonder, joy, and depth of real love—the kind where you are truly known and truly loved at the same time.

The qualities I love most about my wife were largely unknown to me when we got married. We stood before the preacher and promised to stay together in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, but neither of us knew what those words would cost or where they would take us. How could we? We were just kids! We couldn’t possibly know the bumps and turns and heartaches – and joys – that were waiting for us down the road, and yet it was these very bumps that shape and form the love that binds us together today. The joys we’ve shared and the struggles we’ve survived have burned off the “chaff” and left in its place a deep and lasting bond that we confidently call love.

Today when our marriages are struggling the world says, “Cut your losses and move on. You have a right to be happy!” But God says, “When your marriage is struggling, hang on tight, fight for your love because happiness and joy waits for you on the other side of your struggle.” Do you want to be happy; do you want your marriage to be richer? Then, don’t give up but treasure the good times and use the hard times to go deeper. Remember, love really is a choice.

Pastor Don

Something to Think About

There is no detour to holiness. Jesus came to the resurrection through the cross, not around it. (Leighton Ford)

Pastor's Corner

Looking back or looking forward – we do not lose heart

“So we do not lose heart…as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2Cor. 4:16-18) A lot has happened in 2013, some good, some bad. In the political arena things have not gone well for us as Christians and looking forward into 2014, things are looking to get worse. Perhaps in your individual life things have not gone as you had hoped. Perhaps health has been an issue, perhaps your job has had its tough times, or perhaps you’re just tired. There was a lot going on in the Apostle Paul’s life that would have knocked me down! Yet he was able to say in the midst of it all, “We do not lose heart”! Why? Because what we see is passing but what we do not see is eternal! God will have the final word in all things and He is working all things to His glory. All of this will pass away but the eternal things will not. The triumphs we have experienced are passing to we will not put too much stock in them. The discouragements will not last either so we will not let them bring us down, rather, we will fix our eyes on the things that are eternal and take courage! 2014 will be lived to His glory come what may.

Pastor Don.