Pastor's Corner 02-12-2012

 

You can make a difference today!  You can bring some joy to someone, and don’t we all long for some of that.  We make a difference by being aware of others.  Is it not true that we can become so preoccupied with what is happening in our lives, what we are thinking or what is on our agenda that we lose perspective of what others are facing?

Read more

Pastor's Corner 01-29-2012

 

Economy, immigration, energy, debt, religion and the list goes on and on.  These topics along with several others seem to get the most debate time with our politicians.  And yes they have some valid concerns as we all should but we can become consumed with worry if we focus on all the things.

Read more

Pastor's Corner 01-22-2012

Joshua 1:3 “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”

Reading all of Joshua has been so inspiring to me.  The Lord declares and presses into Joshua’s heart: “Be strong and courageous” declaring this 3 times to him.  The other portion the Father concentrates on is Obedience to the Word of God.  It’s interesting to me that the Lord of all creation passionately repeats 3 times “Be strong and courageous!” when He spoke, “Let there be light” only once.  Every time we take possession of territory (within our family background, church, community, etc.) there is warfare (pressing against us) against the principalities and powers of darkness in the present world.  Then the Lord says in Josh. 1:9  , “Do not tremble (fear) or be dismayed (discouraged)…” If God be for us who can be against us?  He is always victorious and we can be too if we are completely surrendered to Him. Bless the Lord!

Read more

Pastor's Corner 01-08-2012

This last week someone sent me a devotional from Gregory Dickow and it really spoke to me.  I am believing that the Lord will use it today to encourage and strengthen you faith.   Today we're fasting from the thought that says: "I just don't feel I do enough for God."

We've all thought that at times. Let's change it today:

1. Look at what the Lord has done. It honors and blesses God most to reflect on what He has done for you. Psalm 103:1-3 tells us to forget none of His benefits. 

Read more

Pastor's Corner 01-01-2012

Paul writes to the church at Philippi, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” and “I press on that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”  What a powerful pronouncement, it is his declaration that nothing and certainly no one will keep him from reaching his destiny. 

In the last couple weeks I have thought of this scripture over and over.  I believe the Holy Spirit is using it to remind me and encourage me to keep my eyes fixed on the eternal.  We have so many things that try over and over to blur our perspective and we can miss the mark.  We can become discouraged so easily but here we are reminded that there is a prize and it is the upward call of Christ.  He is calling us on, this is not it.  This life, this world is a poor imitation of the one to come. 

Read more

Pastor's Corner 12-25-2011

You can be the source of hope, strength, joy, encouragement and so many other things.  You can be like one of the Wise men who came bearing gifts.  Our words either spoken or in texts, emails or letters and our actions can contain wonderful gifts.  You and I can be the source as we allow the compassion of Christ to fill us and we overflow with that love to others.

My good friend Nate called me this last week and shared with me a story that so encouraged me.  He said he was driving and got a call on his cell phone from truck driver who had been listening to sermon cd’s from Compelled Church.  He had never met Nate but his son was sending him the messages so he could listen as he drove.   He said that God had so blessed him this last year that he wanted to do something to help families in need.  He said, “I want to give a thousand dollars, put it on my Visa, here is the number.”  So when I asked Nate what he was doing he said he was driving down to Toledo to meet with some families and give away some much needed gift cards.  What a source of God’s love being shown in an incredible way. 

Read more

Pastor's Corner 12-18-2011

Let me share with you a scripture I spoke from this last week at a funeral for a young man.  It is from I John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”  What a reminder of the simple truth of Christmas!  That God loves us and we then can love one another with that same love.   We were created in the image of God and that means love.   So what is the one thing that we cannot truly reject?  It is love because it is part of our DNA, the very essence of who we are.

Read more

Pastor’s Corner 12-11-2011

Perspective is one of the most important things in life.  Emerson Eggerichs uses a little exercise in his Love and Respect conference to illustrate this point.  He says how do you read this sentence, “God is nowhere.”  It can be read two ways, God is no where or God is now here.  Certainly this can be humorous but when he shared it in the conference I caught the meaning.  How we see things really is important.

Read more

Pastor’s Corner 12-04-2011

This last week the word, “Overwhelmed” has come up several times.  I began to think of that word and what it means.  Here are several words that are synonymous with it; beaten, conquered, engulfed, flooded, overcame, and defeated.  They really helped me to better understand what it implies when we hear the word overwhelmed.

Read more