Resting in the Unknown - Hope for Tomorrow

“Even through I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

The 23rd Psalm, what a beautiful and treasured passage which reminds us that as our Shepherd, God loves and cares for each one of us! We are also reminded of the relational aspect of our walk with God, and when temptations and life’s circumstances face us, we can turn to the One who is ever present and who loves unconditionally.

Awhile back, I received from a friend, a wonderful way to read through and understand the Lord’s Prayer. As we cross the threshold of another year, keep these truths from God’s word near and dear to your heart. No matter what’s ahead, the One who promises these truths will never change!

“The Lord is my Shepherd…THAT’S RELATIONSHIP!

I shall not want…THAT’S SUPPLY!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures…THAT’S REST!

He leadeth me beside still waters…THAT’S REFRESHMENT!

He restoreth my soul…THAT’S HEALING!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness…THAT’S GUIDANCE!

For His name sake…THAT’S PURPOSE!

Yea, though I walk though the valley of the shadow of death…THAT’S CHALLENGE!

I will fear no evil…THAT’S ASSURANCE!

For though art with me…THAT’S FAITHFULNESS!

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…THAT’S SHELTER!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies…THAT’S HOPE!

Thou anointest my head with oil…THAT’S CONSECRATION!

My cup runneth over…THAT’S ABUNDANCE!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…THAT’S BLESSING!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord…THAT’S SECURITY!

Forever…THAT’S ETERNITY!

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Pastor MJ



I’m Glad He Did

Andrea Crouch wrote the words, “I don’t know why Jesus loved me, I don’t know why He cared. I don’t know why He sacrificed His life, oh, but I’m glad, I’m glad He did!”

In that same light, as we are in the Christmas season, I ask myself, “why did Jesus come for me?” In light of all He knew about me and about all of us and how we would break His heart over and over again, He left all of the splendor of heaven to be born as a human and set it all aside for you and for me. And the only answer I ever come up with is from the scriptures. It is because of the Father’s love for you and for me. (John 3:16)

As we worship together today and as you celebrate Christmas this week, let’s take some time to ponder on the true meaning of Christmas. Never forget what Jesus so willingly did on the first Christmas morning. Let your worship today and this week be a “Thanks offering” to Him for loving us in this way.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor MJ

He Still Came

No palace no jewels, No kingdom to rule,

No crown of majesty, No throne and no robe,

No silver no gold, No courts of royalty.

Yet the King of kings left heaven

To become a lowly man.

He left all heaven's glory, To fulfill His Father's plan.

He still came just for me, He still came.

Knowing all He would endure, He still came.

Disregarding every cost,

From the manger to the cross,

He still came Just for me He still came.

© 1990, 1992 Magnolia Hill Music, LLC (Admin. by Integrated

Copyright Group, Inc.) CCLI License No. 157464

Total Surrender

“To accept the will of God never leads

to the miserable feeling

that it is useless to strive anymore.

God does not ask for the dull, weak,

sleepy acquiescence of indolence.

 He asks for something vivid and strong.

He asks us to cooperate with him,

actively willing what he wills,

our only aim his glory. (Amy Carmichael)

Do you ever feel like it’s really difficult to follow the Lord’s commands? I mean on a daily basis. Think about the things that God gives us as instructions as how to live the lives that He has for us. He tells us not to worry. He tells us to trust him completely. He tells us to love Him with all of our hearts, souls and strength. He tells us to love our neighbors as our selves. He tells us not to worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will care for it self. He tells us to trust Him completely and in doing so be led by Him down His path for our lives. He tells us not to fear but that He will take care of our every need. He tells us that if our ways please Him that He will make even our enemies be at peace with us. He tells us that if we train up our children His way that when they are old they will not depart from it. There are hundreds of other things that the Lord tells us to do that provide for us the way to experience life at it’s full. Do we take Him at His word?

Out of the many things that our God tells us to do in order to have the life that He’s created us for, there are other things that He tells us not to do in order to receive the same. It’s been that way since the beginning. Adam and Eve were told to do many things, but one thing that they were told not to do, they did and it changed history forever and the penalty was severe. How would things be different if they had only obeyed? Remember Achan in Joshua 7. Earlier he had been told not to keep the things devoted to the Lord, but he did it anyway. God was not pleased and Achan and all he had was destroyed. If only he had obeyed and waited. We see in chapter 8 that all Achan desired, worldly treasures, were already in God’s plan to give him, but due to his lack of trust, expressed through disobedience he never got to partake of God’s bounty.

How many things have we, will we miss out on that God has planned for us because of our impatience, fear, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. all which when boiled down equal lack of trust. Father is not one who gives commands just for the sake of giving them, he does so with a much bigger picture in mind. Obedience opens the door to multiplied blessings that He is waiting to give to those who take the “risk” to trust in Him with all their hearts with the aim to bring Him honor and glory.

With you on the journey towards total trust,

MJ

God Has Proved Himself

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

As I ponder the last tweleve months since we last celebrated the Thanksgiving season as a church and as a nation, I am overcome with emotion as I think of all that God has done for me and my family. We have been so blessed financially, spiritually, emotionally, physically and in countless other ways that God has chosen to show Himself faithful and trustworthy. God has proved Himself, once again to be faithful and able to do exceeding, abundantly above what we were able to ask or think. It’s a good season and for that I give Him praise!

How has your year been? If God’s hand of blessing has been obvious in your life, lift up your praise and shout it from the rooftops in proclamation of the goodness of the Lord. On the other hand you may be wiping the tears and blood stains off of yourself as you are just desperatly holding on due to what you’ve been dealt this year. Maybe it’s a death, a divorce, loss of a job, a horrible marriage situation, a rebelious child, diaognosis of a terrible disease. Whatever it is and as bad as it might hurt, because of Who He is, all of us can, if we’ll put our trust in Him, say like the hymn writer Horatio Spafford, “Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.”

The Lord never tells us to be happy about everything that we already have or will go through, but we are told to give thanks in the midst of each of those circumstances. Why, because it feels good? No, rather because He is good and no matter what our situation, He is using and will continue to use it to finish what He has begun in us with the goal of making us more like Jesus. (Phillippians 1:6)

This Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year season, no matter what you are going through, take a moment, even if you cannot think of anything else and thank God for who He is and for making a way for you to be His child. Just meditating on that gives us enough to be thankful for for the rest of eternity. If you are still struggling to find something to give thanks about, take a moment and thank God that you have the ability to read this.

Blessings,

Pastor MJ

Two Ways to Give Thanks

Thank You.

The power of those two words is amazing. Saying thank you and showing appreciation is so important that Jesus shows us in Luke 17:17 how much it disappointed Him when 9 people who had been blessed by him did not return to give thanks.

Being thankful is so important that God expresses in His word that, not only is it important but that giving thanks is His will for us. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 )

There are two ways to say thanks.

First, there are the words – Thank you! I was taught from a very young age that when someone does something for you, that you should say thank you. It’s what we used to call a common courtesy. That courtesy is unfortunately not too common anymore. I believe it’s because we, especially in this blessed country of ours take so many things for granted. Have you ever done something for someone and not received a thank you? How does that make you feel? Saying thank you shows that the recipient appreciates what the giver has done or said. It recognizes that the giver did not have to do or say it, and it shows that the recipient does not take for granted the graciousness of the giver.

Secondly, there is the action – Thankfulness! Not only do words express thanks, but our actions and reactions give a glimpse into the true source of thankfulness, that is the heart. I remember when I got my first car. It was a 1976 Catalina! It was a tank, but it was mine. More than that, it was graciously given to me by an aunt who loved me, who cared enough to see a need of mine and meet that need. I remember her taking it to her personal mechanic and having it checked out. I remember that she had it detailed and got it looking incredible before she presented it to me. My heartfelt response was first a huge hug and verbal thank you, followed by a thank you note, but deeper way that I expressed my thanks was to care for that car like it was gold. Why didn’t I get on the road and drive recklessly, because that would have shown disregard for the gift that was given to me. Taking care of that car was an expression of thankfulness to my aunt for loving me enough to give it to me.

How have you said thank you, to the Lord lately? Notice I didn’t say, “What do you have to be thankful for.” That is because, if you can read this, you have at least one reason to give thanks.

Today, take a moment and exercise the two modes of thanks. First, acknowledge what you have to be thankful for than say, “Thank you.” Follow that up by taking care to live in such a way that will cause the Lord to be glad that He presented you with that gift!

Happy Thanksgiving!