Author: Pastor Doug

Our scripture this morning is (Proverbs 29:25-26 NLT).

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord.

These two Proverbs are related, telling us the Lord is our ultimate protector and judge. It warns against the human security the world offers because it is changeable and temporary. God is permanent and eternal.

Human justice is often unjust because we can be unfairly influenced by appearances or what we believe are other people’s motives. God judges us fairly, but offers His mercy to those who choose repentance and reconnection with Him. He is the only ruler whose favor we should seek.

The trap this speaks of is allowing the world to frighten us into changing our behavior. Jesus tells us “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that” (Luke 12:4). God’s love for us is everlasting and when we trust Him, we can be part of what He is doing in the world.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we haven’t listened to Your call: “Do not be afraid!” Help us to share Your love with confidence, telling the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 1:12-14 (NLT).

He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Paul speaks of God’s provision for us, that “He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness.” Like the Exodus from Egypt, God has made a way for us to be saved from our sin through Jesus. God is ready to lead us all, individually and collectively into “the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”

Jesus began His public ministry with the phrase “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15). God’s Kingdom is anywhere that people accept His forgiveness and love and share that blessing with each other. We may sometimes think the Kingdom is a far-off place in the future, but the time is right now and the place is right here.

We can be part of the Kingdom. We read “He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people who live in the light.” This is the saving grace that only Jesus can give us. We trust in Him to lead us to the new Promised Land of eternity.

Heavenly Father, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved and called us to be part of the Kingdom work. Bless us to go in Your name always. Amen.

Our scripture today is Psalm 30:5 (NLT).

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Have you ever gone to bed sad but felt relieved as the next morning came? The psalmist tells us that each morning is a cause for joy, a chance to do better than the day before. God continues to offer us opportunities to grow closer to Him and each other.

We are reminded that “His anger lasts only a moment but His favor lasts a lifetime!” I’m sure like human parents God is sometimes deeply disappointed in the choices we make, however He never withdraws His love or His presence. He is always there, waiting for us to choose Him.

God has made a New Covenant with us all through His Son and it is the only way to be part of His kingdom. Other than recognizing our need to repent and be forgiven, we can do nothing to save ourselves. Jesus came to save us from sin and death and when we accept that saving grace, we can share His love with the world.

Amazing God, You have made a way for us to be redeemed from our failures. Bless us to be gentle but energetic voices for You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NLT).

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

Paul has a very telling phrase in this passage – “we destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God.” It is our pride that usually leads us into trouble. We are often overconfident in our abilities, believing them to be “ours” rather than a gift from God.

In another letter we read a cure for this issue: “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires (Hebrews 4:12).  By studying and sharing His word we arm ourselves against earthly ways and wiles that will lead us astray.

Our only source of pride is that God has chosen each one of us and called us by name. Later in this chapter Paul quotes from Scripture “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord” (2 Corinthians 10:17). In this way we can have the relationship with God and each other that He intends for us.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times our foolish pride has caused us to fall into sin. Help us to live as Jesus taught us, serving our brothers and sisters everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT).

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

What a wonderful future we are promised, a time when “God’s home is now among his people!” God has always promised to be with us, but this is “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1). The sorrow and pain we experienced in this life “are gone forever.”

The song “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe expresses the wonder we may feel when we are with God eternally. As humans, we can only imagine because it is beyond our capacity to understand. Jesus taught us about this blessing but we can’t fathom heavenly things. 

He used examples that we can relate to in the parables recorded in Matthew, saying “the kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed” showing us how the kingdom will grow or “the kingdom of heaven is like a man who finds a treasure hidden in a field”, that salvation is worth more than anything. We can trust His promises and when we follow His teaching, we can experience them together with Him.

Heavenly Father, we can only imagine what it will be like to be in Your presence forever. Bless us to share the hope You have given us with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 18:13-14 (NLT).

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus teaches a lesson in this parable that seems backward to us, that “the sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.” It would seem to us that people who keep the Law would be the ones God accepts. However, you need only read the Pharisee’s words to see the meaning here.

The Pharisee’s prayer reminds me of the old country song “Oh Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble.” He does thank God, but it is for supposedly making him “better” than others, and then he goes on to list his accomplishments. We can’t be proud of our humility, that’s the exact opposite of what Jesus was teaching!

Jesus teaches more about this at the Last Supper, explaining to John and James about who will be great in the Kingdom of God, and then demonstrating by washing the disciples’ feet. Humble service is what God expects of us, using our gifts to tell the world about His love.

Gracious God, we are grateful for Christ’s sacrifice for us and the blessing of salvation. May we bring Your love and care to all Your children. Amen.

Our Scripture this morning is Acts 4:31 (NLT).

After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Earthquakes as a sign of God’s presence occur several places in the Old Testament (Exodus 19:18, Psalm 114:1-7, Isaiah 6:4). In the New Testament it is still a sign of His presence with us through the Holy Spirit, as recorded in today’s passage. However, more than just a signal, the Holy Spirit guides and empowers us to go in Jesus’ name to share the Good News.

In Acts 16:25-34 we read of an earthquake loosing the chains of Paul and Silas and breaking down the jail where they were imprisoned. Instead of escaping, they minister to the jailer and his family. They had heard and obeyed Christ’s command to make disciples of all people.

Jesus promised us another Comforter in John 14 and in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit comes upon His followers. God has always been there for us, now He lives within us through His Spirit. It is up to us to accept the blessing and use the gifts He has given us.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your presence with us always. May we be energetic workers for the Kingdom, bringing the Gospel to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NLT).

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.

Paul echoes a command to God’s people from the time of the Exodus: “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). As a variety of people threatened the fledgling Hebrew nation then, many oppose the growing Christian movement. Paul reminds the Corinthians (and us) of this blessing now offered to all people.

Paul adds “do everything in love”, remembering Christ’s command to love one another. Earlier in this letter we read “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Love is the fuel for all God’s gifts; if we don’t do it for His glory and in His love, it is wasted.

Jesus came to be the sacrifice for our failure, but also the example of what a life truly devoted to God can be. We can be like Him when we repent of our sin and follow the path of love He has shown us. We can be part of the kingdom work and share the Good News with everyone.

Heavenly Father, thank You for human examples of Jesus who have faithfully carried the word to generations of Your children. May we bring Your word and Your love to all people. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Mark 8:34-35 (NLT).

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”

Jesus gives it to us straight: to accept Him as Lord and Savior we must “give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” He is our one and only option for salvation, we can’t save ourselves. However, our selfish outlook keeps us from seeing that giving up our own way is the first step necessary to follow Him.

He teaches us “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.” This sounds backwards to a worldly way of thinking, but it is truth in His kingdom. The harder we cling to earthly things we think will save us, the less time and treasure we have to do the work He has for us.

Jesus calls us into service “for the sake of the Good News” and this is what will save us. It’s not the action which saves us, only Jesus can do that, but rather a loving reaction to that gift of eternal life and the joy of our relationship with Him.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved through Christ’s sacrifice for us. May we go in Your name, offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to share the Gospel. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Chronicles 16:11-12 (NLT).

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given.

When scripture tells us “search for the Lord” it’s certainly not because God has hidden Himself from us. As the old saying goes “if God seems far away, guess who moved!” When we choose our own way instead of His, we stray from the path He has appointed for us.

Jesus called us His sheep, and He intended it as a kindly but eye opening comparison. Sheep are not the brightest creatures on the planet. By themselves they will focus on eating and not pay attention to where they are or the approach of danger until the shepherd’s voice calls them back.

The writer of this passage may not have had sheep in mind, but the admonition to “continually seek Him” is the same lesson Jesus taught. Ask the Lord for the help you need. When we put our faith in Him and listen to His guidance, we can be saved from our sin and know that He has prepared a place for us.

Loving Lord, You know our weakness and the trouble we find through our own plans and actions. Forgive us and strengthen us to go to the world with the Good News of salvation. Amen.