PASTOR’S THOUGHTS
ANTICIPATE GOD’S GOODNESS: There are some things we strive and strain for which we already possess. May Jesus open our eyes and show us just how rich we are. Right here, right now, as Christ-followers…we are heirs to the heavenly Kingdom. We possess more divine love than we could ever contain in our mortal body. God pours out compassion and mercy and grace on us daily, in abundance. Our Heavenly Father is far kinder to us than we could ever be to ourselves. He’s patient with our weaknesses…and fierce in our defense. We possess more of the promises of God than we would ever know what to do with. We have access to the very presence of God…and He’s always glad to see us. We are filled with the Spirit of the Living God—a treasured, priceless gift for so many reasons. We are blessed beyond measure. Earthly trials come and go. The earth itself will soon pass away. But we will overcome…because Jesus overcame! ❤️ Ephesians 1:3-4 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
NURTURING OUR FAITH: Almighty God—who protects, provides, refreshes, and renews us—is worthy of our trust. Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Trees grow from tiny seeds, extending their branches toward the sky. In a way, believers are like trees. Our faith in the Lord is like a seed planted in fertile soil. It takes root and begins to sprout, stretching toward the heavens. Then, as we draw strength and nutrients from the Creator, our hope in Him matures…bearing good fruit that nourishes and satisfies our heart. As we abide in the Lord, He protects us during life’s trials and becomes our refuge. He alone sustains us with the fruit of joy…peace…and fulfillment…refreshing our spirit while renewing our strength. In order for our hope in God to grow strong, it needs to be watered with prayer, worship, and trust. Then we will become like rooted and established trees…radiating God’s glory and bearing the fruit of His Spirit. As Isaiah 61:3 says, “So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” ❤️ —Charles Stanley
FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS: “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12 Here’s a powerful truth that will help us see how we can effectively drive fear out of our life…and keep it out. It is a precious truth that will garrison our heart and mind from the enemy’s lies. Take time to worship the Lord…especially when it feels like overwhelming odds are against you. Do what King Jehoshaphat did when his enemies joined forces and amassed a formidable army to destroy Israel. In the natural, Jehoshaphat knew Israel had no chance of winning the battle. But he chose to do something you and I need to learn to do whenever we are besieged by our enemies. He cried out to the Lord, saying, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron. 20:12 NIV). Jehoshaphat then placed not commandos but worshipers at the head of his army, and this is what they sang: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever” (2 Chron. 20:21 NIV). Instead of despairing because of their enemies…they chose to fix their eyes on the Lord, giving thanks to Him and singing of His love. This happened long before the cross of Jesus. How much more can you and I sing of His love…which never fails…which endures forever! And do you know what happened? The Lord defeated Israel’s enemies by turning them against each other, and Jehoshaphat’s troops did not even have to lift a finger to fight. Instead, when they came to the place that was supposed to be their battleground, their enemies were already dead, and all they ended up doing was collecting so much plunder that it took them three days to collect it all. In Jesus’ name, may this happen to you, too. When you are overwhelmed by challenges…and you don’t know what to do or even how to feel…just cry out to the Lord and tell Him, “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.” That’s the most powerful posture we can take…with our eyes fixed not on our enemies…but on our Savior! As we focus on His love that endures forever, the Lord Himself will fight our battle for us (2 Chron. 20:15). May we be so conscious of His perfect love that every fear is driven from our life…and may we walk away so much stronger than before our enemies tried to come against us! HALLELUJAH!! ❤️❤️
Rest In His Love: May God reset your perspective. You’re not called to do everything…be everything…or even see everything. You are called to keep your gaze fixed on God alone! Don’t look at all of your problems all at once…instead, look at ONE of His promises all of the time until you’ve made it your own. God’s Word is living and breathing, active and powerful. God’s Word holds life, wisdom, and revelation for you. Search until you find them. It’s time to reset your perspective. God has peace for you here. God has joy for you here. God has provision for you in this place. Look to Him and you’ll find life again. Spend the rest of your life getting to know the love of God and the promises of God. Spend every moment seeking the face of God. He deserves your trust. He’s a good God…and it is impossible for Him to fail you!! ❤️ 2 Corinthians 4:18-19 AMP ~ For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.
STOP. JUST LISTEN: When plans change, hopes are dashed, and answers are delayed, remember this: God will keep every one of His promises! He cares deeply about every nuance of our story. He has not abandoned us or forgotten about us. Hard seasons have their end dates. Setbacks—for the Believer—are always setups. Detours always have a hidden and divine purpose for the greater good of our story. We are only passing through…this world is not our home. Exhale today…and consider the incredible blessings you enjoy…and offer up a sacrifice of praise to God for His faithfulness to you. Embrace this place. Look for Him here. He’s waiting to speak to you!! ❤️ Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT) This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’
FINISH THE RACE: Acts 20:24 “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” We were all created for the same purpose as Paul — we were created to bring glory and honor to God! Our specific tasks may differ and change from time to time, but we each have the same unchanging purpose. Everything we do, say, and think should bring glory and honor to our Heavenly Father! God’s race is run in the deepest part of our heart…not in the flurry of activity. Running well is not defined by doing more; rather, we run a “successful” race as we do every little task we are given…with the complete and absolute devotion of our heart. His race is long and often difficult. There are many distractions which seek to slow us down and even pull us from the track…and at times we may even wonder why we are running. But being a participant in God’s eternal race is infinitely more rewarding than standing on the sidelines and simply watching! He has called us to run – and to run well!! We must run the path God places before us with all the strength He provides, and within the sure and calming protection of His grace. Let’s run with the motivation of bringing Him glory and honor by loving Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Let’s continue to run well…and with a burning desire to finish the race! ❤️—Steve Troxel
POWER TO LIVE: His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. 2 Peter 1:3
Perhaps it happened to someone you know…a radical transformation after (getting to know) Jesus Christ. Every life changes, but sometimes the change is so dramatic that it’s like the person was, well, born again—like the apostle Paul who went from murderous persecutor to missionary apostle. Nowhere was that change more evident than in the band of Christ’s disciples. Before Pentecost they were fearful; after Pentecost they were fearless! What happened at Pentecost? The fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to them: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me…to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit filled the disciples and empowered them to live as bold witnesses for Christ. One of those disciples, Peter, later wrote that God’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” through Christ. If you are Christ’s today, you have power by the Spirit. You can do all things through Him!! ❤️ (Philippians 4:13)–David Jeremiah “Christianity is not merely a program of conduct; it is the power of a new life. (Benjamin B. Warfield)
How can so many Americans be so wrong on abortion?: The Daily Article for Jan. 18, 2024 by Dr. Jim Denison: Since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in America, more than sixty-three million babies have been aborted in our country. This is a population four times the size of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston—combined. And yet, more Americans than ever before think abortion should be legal under any circumstances. More than two-thirds also believe it should be legal in the first three months of pregnancy. If you believe as I do that life begins at conception, you might be asking yourself: How can so many people be so wrong on this crucial issue? “The real question today” It’s not because pro-life supporters are not vocal and visible. The National March for Life is tomorrow in Washington, DC. It will be followed by Sanctity of Life Sunday, both of which are timed to coincide with January 22, 1973, when the Supreme Court issued its ruling that discovered a “right” to abortion in the US Constitution. It’s no longer because of Roe v. Wade. After the Supreme Court overturned this horrendous ruling in 2022, returning the issue to the states, abortions increased nationwide. It’s not because the science is unclear. The Supreme Court claimed in its 1973 ruling: We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the development of man’s knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer. But resolving “the difficult question of when life begins” is precisely the issue. If life begins at conception, our founding declaration that “all men are created equal” and endowed with the “unalienable” right to “life” should clearly apply to preborn babies. As should every legal protection that currently applies to babies from the moment they are born. The science is clearer than ever. As Jan Langman writes in Medical Embryology, “The development of a human being begins with fertilization.” On the tenth anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Ronald Reagan wrote the only book ever published by a sitting US president. In Abortion and the Conscience of a Nation, he states: The real question today is not when human life begins, but, What is the value of human life? The abortionist who reassembles the arms and legs of a tiny baby to make sure all its parts have been torn from its mother’s body can hardly doubt whether it is a human being. The real question for him and for all of us is whether the tiny human life has a God-given right to be protected by the law—the same right we have (his emphasis). The foundational issue Why, then, do so many Americans support the abortion of preborn children? Some claim that abortion must be legal as an alternative for women who are victims of rape or incest. However, while such crimes are unspeakably horrific, only 1 percent of women who choose abortion do so for this reason. Others cite the need to protect the health of the mother. However, only 3 percent of abortions are chosen for this reason. In fact, the most popular motives for abortion are: Unready for responsibility (21 percent) Can’t afford baby now (21 percent) Concerned about how having baby would change her life (16 percent)Is too immature or young to have child (11 percent) Has all the children she wanted or all children are grown (8 percent). Here’s the foundational issue: most Americans want the right to determine what is right for themselves. This is a major reason the majority of men in America want abortion to be legal under any circumstances: they want the state to have no authority over their personal decisions as well. And they want a woman who becomes pregnant with their unwanted child to be able to abort it. This quest for personal autonomy extends to other moral issues. It helps explain LGBTQ advocacy by those who are not LGBTQ, for example. They not only see this as a civil right for others—they also want the right to live their lives however they wish. How does God see America? My purpose today is not to inflict guilt on those who have chosen abortion in the past. Nor is it to offer simple answers to such a divisive and complex issue. Rather, it is to make this point: Our democracy can function effectively only if it is practiced within the consensual morality its founders embraced. As Benjamin Franklin noted, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.” When American culture decided that all truth is personal and all morality is subjective, our collective future became imperiled. If we will not extend justice to the most innocent and vulnerable among us—our preborn babies—how can we claim to be a just society? How does the God who cherishes children (Matthew 19:14), who fashioned us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5) and forbids the taking of innocent life (Proverbs 6:17), see our nation? How is he calling you to love life as he does? REFUSE REGRET: May the reality of heaven mean more to you than your temporary circumstances on earth. May the promise of God’s provision compel you to live generously and with expectancy. May you see the blessing in your battles, fierce as they are. Are you sturdier because of them? Do you have more compassion for those who suffer because of what you have experienced? In our hardship, Jesus meets us…refines us…and empowers us to change the world. He loves to reward our faith! May you refuse to get tangled up in your regrets from yesterday…your frustrations today…and your fears about tomorrow. Lift your eyes and look to Jesus…and live with eternity in mind!! ❤️ Colossians 3:1-4 (NLT) Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory –Susie Larson