Pastor's Desk

3-31-26

Mark 16:6  And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 

It will forever be true that the fundamental truth of our faith is the difference between the fear associated with a dead prophet and the victory of a Risen Savior!  He is Risen!  Rejoice!

3-24-26

2 Corinthians 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 

It would be great if, when we woke up every morning, our body had completly renewed itself.  All aging process had been reversed; all disease and affliction had been overcome. This is not happening physically.  It can happen inwardly!  That is, spiritually and in our relationship with the Lord.  Someday, God will give Christians a new incorruptible body.  That is in the future.  The renewing of the inward man is now!

3-17-26

Matthew 5:43-48  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

 It is worthy of note to acknowledge our brother, Patrick, for what he did in obedience to Christ as he heeded the Word of Christ and obeyed His will.  Patrick had been a slave in Ireland.  He had every reason to resent the Irish.  Yet, after his release/escape, he went back to share Christ's love with them.  That is a worthy example to us all. Patrick was indeed a saint.  Yet, so are all Christians. He was, and all Christians are, a saint(s) because of what Christ did to atone for sin.  Because of Christ, we too can truly love our enemies.

3-10-26

Colossians 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 

The direct connection between the mind and the wicked actions of the lost can never be overemphasized.  This is where we were.  As believers, reconciled to Christ it is not where we can remain.  The mind is like a staging area for action.  What occupies our mind?  This is a very important question to ask and keep asking. 

3-3-26

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

"Careful" here means anxious in more modern English.  This is how the MEV translates it.  Indeed anxiety is a plague of the human condition. God's people are not to be anxious. So, one might ask, what are the exceptions?  Apparently from Scripture there are none!  Is that not great news?  The opposite of anxiety here is the prayerful and thankful trust of the Lord.   So, one might ask, what are the exceptions?  Apparently from Scripture there are none!  Is that not, again,  great news? 

2-24-26

Luke 10:33-35  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,   And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.   And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, it is not the Jew who condesends to help the lowly Samaritan.  It is rather the Samaritan who overcomes the likely hate against them to help the Jew.  What if it was the HIspanic person who helped someone snakebit in the desert who hates all Hispanics because of what criminal illegal aliens may do?  What if it was the person wearing a MAGA hat who helped the wide eyed lefist who goes down because they are protesting ICE in MInnesota in vicious cold weather?

2-17-26

Psalm 86:12  I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 

The praise of God is to be with our whole heart.  Superficial praise is poor praise.  Our praise of God is forevermore.  It does not end at the end of this life.  Eternity will be ours to praise the Lord and proclaim "Worthy is the Lamb."

2-10-26

1Peter 1:15-16  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;    Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

Nobody can be holy except as they are in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  We are positionally holy because we have been saved and are therefore set apart.  The process of becoming more holy in  our day to day life is the process of sanctification.  Throughout our Christian lives we grow in holiness.  This is a positive command of the Lord made possible through the indwelling presence of the Lord.

2-3-26

1Corinthians 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

The permanence of God's Agape love is what it is all about!  It never ever fails.  It is the reason for the Cross.  It is the only way we can do anything worthwhile.  It is what distinguishes the people of God from the world around us.  It is controversial at times.  It makes no sense to those who do  not know God.  It may even seem foolish to them!  It is the heart of who we are though.