10-21-2019

Good Morning All,

         Mark 16:15; “Then Jesus said to them, “So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News.”

    238 minutes, almost 4 full hours.  That is how long the movie “Gone With the Wind” is.  Even “The Birth of a Nation” isn’t that long.  The movie “Gone With the Wind” is an epic.  It goes into great detail as it tells the story of Scarlett O’Hara and her tumultuous life around the time of the Civil War. 

    I remember the first time I watched it.  I thought it was dragging along.  Then it came to the part where Scarlett says, “I’ll never go hungry again” and everything went dark on the screen; I thought that this was a strange way for a movie, especially one so highly acclaimed, would end like this.  Then the screen said “intermission”.  Two hours, longer than most other movies, and it is only intermission??  Wow, I had to make more popcorn; good thing it was a video so I could stop it for a bathroom break.  At a time when I expected it to be over, it was only half over and really, a major part of the story was still to be told!

    We often have expectations of when something is over.  There have been more than a few times when I quit listening to or watching a ballgame only to find out it ended completely different that when I stopped listening.  Our life is a lot like that. At times when we think the end is in sight; it may really only be the intermission.  We might spend weeks, months, even years trying to witness to a neighbor or a friend.  We think that it is over and they aren’t listening when they ask to hear more about Jesus.  It was only the intermission!

    Sometimes we feel we are at our wit’s end and ready to give up but we always need to remember that it is God who is truly in control.  So, if we struggle with life, we know that this is only part of the whole story.  We need to remember that God’s whole story for us is all about his amazing love for us.  Before the story is over, we will experience it in its fullness.  But until we do, we continue on in faith.  Faith in the certainty of his love and grace.  At times, it will be tough; it might be the toughest thing we do but it is only part of the story not the whole story.

    The whole story is about how the sacrifice of Jesus has paid our debt and gave to us eternal life and the hope for tomorrow and the comfort and the consolation for today.  The problem is that we are always in the middle of the story when we think it is over but God knows how and when the story ends; we know how it ends just not when.  So, we continue, each day, going about our life, witnessing to those around us.  We go about following the path that God has laid out for us.  Your story isn’t over until the final credits run; live the life that God gives you secure in the knowledge of your salvation.

Dearest Father, you know the path that lays ahead of us.  Give us the faith to trust you to keep us in your loving arms and to know for certain that we are safe with you.  Be with those who are especially feeling lost and hurt.  Guard them with you love.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret      

10-20-2019

Good Morning All,

     John 16:33; “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

     Do you remember the song by Bobby McFerrin?  It was a catchy little tune that was somewhat infectious.  It was “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”  (Do Doot Doot doo da doo) Everyone was humming or singing along as it played on the radio.  It was one of those songs that played in your mind and was usually on your tongue.  It was an inane song.  It said nothing of any value.  The whole song was “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”

     The really strange thing is that there were people who thought this was an answer to life’s problems; don’t worry just be happy.  The thing about this little song is that it never tells you how to be happy or how to “don’t worry”.  It can be real easy to tell someone this when that person isn’t the one who has anything to worry about.  That is what many think when they listen to the Christians speak of “not worrying”; they think that a comfortable Christian has no business telling me to be happy.  To a certain extent this is true but what needs to be explained is where we get this confidence.  It doesn’t come from a silly thought but from a certain confidence.

    The one thing about this verse that has always intrigued me is that Jesus speaks these words just a few hours before his crucifixion.  He is about to die and he tells his disciples, “don’t be troubled” or “don’t worry”.  How does he do this?

    As we look at this we need to remember two things.  First, Jesus is about to die a horrific death but he has the confidence that there is a greater good to be attained.  This good is our salvation and with that; we receive the promise and the same certainty that Jesus has.  So, we may face some earthly pain.  We may face our own mortality or that of a spouse or other loved one.  We may face a time of failing health.  We may face a job that goes away or moves 500 miles away.  We may face a painful time but we know that through it all God is with us.  We always have the certainty of the promise of our salvation.  We will face trouble; we will face failures, pain, and ultimately death but we face them with the confidence that our salvation is secure and we do not have to face these battles alone.

    That is what Jesus’ promise of being “with us always” means.  That is why this promise is so valuable to us.  We are never alone.  We can turn away but God stays with us giving us the hope for our salvation and the words to remember his love for us as a comfort when times are hard.  God’s grace will always be there for us.  No matter what the battle is, we face it with God’s everlasting promise of his love for us and the promise of our salvation being secure.

Gracious Father, you are ever with us and with that promise we can face life with no fear; we do not have to worry.  You comfort us, you sustain us and you give us hope.  Guide us by your mercy to be the arms and ears for those who are battling life at this time.  Help us to bring them the hope that you give to us.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

10-19-2019

Good Morning All,

         Luke 17:21; “They can’t say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ You see, the kingdom of God is within you.”

    We like to play a lot of games that involve searching for something.  From “Hide and Seek” to board games that involve hidden treasures, we like to look for things.  There aren’t many people who aren’t fascinated by treasure hunting or wonder about buying a metal detector and finding some valuable coin or trinket.  We are an inquisitive species.

    We seek answers to problems, we seek information for the sake of knowing what was going on.  We are always on the lookout for new ideas, new theories, or new thoughts which make us wonder about tomorrow.  We tend to think that we can find the answers to everything and then solve every problem.  But what happens when we can’t?  What happens when events go unexplained or unanswered?  Many people, at this time, decide to blame God or the people who believe in God.

    Do you ever notice, when there is a catastrophe, people often blame God and then go looking for answers in all the wrong places?  When people face struggles in their lives, they often seek out answers from any source they can find.  Then they shout out that they have found the answer, “Here it is!”  We have found the answer to life’s problems; only they haven’t.

    But that doesn’t answer the question that many have and that is “Where is God?”  When there is pain, trouble or sadness, where is God?  Have you ever asked, or heard someone ask that question, “where is God?”  Where was He when the flooding was going on?  Where was he when the forest fires were burning? Where was he when the gunman opened fire?  Where is God?

    We often struggle with this because when we read the Bible, we see all the extraordinary times that God intervened in man’s existence.  We want that type of experience, we want to say, “Here it is.”  The thing is that God has chosen not to work that way.  He has chosen to work through his Church at this time.  Jesus empowered his Church to forgive sins, to preach repentance, to bring reconciliation to the world; God is in you and has chosen that way to work in the world.  So next time we wonder where God is, he is in us wanting to use us to work his love throughout the world.  Maybe we cannot stop everything that is bad in this world, a sinful and broken creation will exist until Christ will return, but we can offer God’s grace to one person, right now.  It might be your spouse, your child, your neighbor, or even someone you don’t even know.

    God has chosen to dwell in you and to use you as the method that He touches the world.  Next time you think “Where is God?”  He is in you seeking to work his love and grace in this broken world.

Father, we see pain all around us.  Use us as your hands and ears to deliver your love.  Give us the courage to show that you live in us and we are your people.  Give us the wisdom to reach out to those who hurt the most and give them your grace.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,  

Pastor Bret

10-18-2019

 Good Morning All,

     Exodus 14:21b; “All that night the Lord pushed back the sea with a strong east wind and turned the sea into dry ground.”

    Do you remember that song by Simon and Garfunkel called “Sounds of Silence?”  It is a very plaintive song about a person who feels that he is completely isolated from anyone and everyone.  In the process of this event, he feels the cold and damp while seeing people who are talking but he doesn’t hear anything because they are speaking to him.  He feels lost and without hope.

    That is how the Israelites found themselves while they were in captivity in Egypt.  They were isolated from their land and were alone in a foreign land, enslaved by their cruel taskmasters.  They sat in bondage and cried to God to save them.  Even as they prayed, God seemed distant and unhearing.  The Egyptians continued to beat them and crush their spirit, crush their hope.

    There are times in our life when we probably feel the same way.  Perhaps it is waiting for the results from a doctor’s visit.  You know, one of those visits where cancer is still a possibility.  Or maybe even worse is when the doctor just scratches his head and says, “I just don’t know.”  Perhaps your boss keeps talking about “downsizing” or “re-structuring”.  Maybe it’s been more than a year of hearing, “we aren’t hiring right now.”  I visited with a young man whose family just showed him the door, gave him a suitcase and then closed the door; how far away is God there?  These are but a few examples, you can probably add some of your own.   The thing is God is never far away; we just don’t always see it clearly.

    In our verse, God was at work for the Israelites at a very dark time in their existence.  The only life that they knew was slavery.  Then, miraculously, they were freed by the Egyptian Pharaoh only to have him change his mind and then begin to chase them through the desert.  Maybe you have felt that way.  Some pain just seems to chase after us.  It seems that many of us have some form of an addiction.  It doesn’t have to be to a chemical, like drugs or alcohol, it might be a feeling or an inclination to a mood.  It might be that nagging desire to gossip or envy your neighbor.  Or it might be that constant feeling that, deep down, you don’t think you are good enough.  This can be dark times.

    Yet our verse gives us a clue into our God.  He used the very creation that is his to save his people.  The winds pushed back the sea to form dry land.  The Israelites were saved from the Egyptians and their slavery.  God does the same thing for us; he uses his creation, simple and plain, for our good.  He uses water connected with his Word to cleanse us of our sin and he uses bread and wine tied to his Word to nourish our spirit and to refresh our soul.  Yet he also uses the beauty of a flower or the freshness of a summer rain to give us comfort.  He uses the members of his church to console us as we need.  We don’t always “see” or “feel” God active in our life but he is.

Father, thank you for the blessing of today and the promise of tomorrow. Keep us safe in your loving arms and strengthen us that we may not waiver or fall but always stand firm in your grace.  Be with those who are battling at this time.  Defend them with your Holy Spirit.   In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

10-17-2019

Good Morning All,

 Isaiah 54:10; “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

    “I feel your pain.”  With that phrase, a presidential election shifted.  As Bill Clinton campaigned against George H. W. Bush, this phrase, spoken by Clinton, changed the tone of the election.  With this phrase Bush was put on the defensive as a wealthy elitist who was out of touch with the average American.  As most Americans heard this, they began to perceive that the former governor of Arkansas understood their plight better than a career Washington diplomat. 

    Most people like it when someone can empathize with them.  If you have been in the hospital with some ailment, it can help to talk to someone who has already gone through the same ailment.  I find that when someone experiences a tragedy it is most helpful if they can talk with someone who has experienced this type of event earlier.  A widow shows far more empathy with another widow woman.  A person who is experiencing a divorce can receive comfort from someone who has been through one earlier. 

    This is why it is so incredible about what Jesus did for us.  In order for him to know what our troubles, the pain of this life, he came to earth to walk among us and to experience this life.  He walked among the sick and the lame.  He knew the cruelty of oppression.  He knew the loneliness and the emptiness that life can bring.  He saw loved ones die; he held them as they went.  He saw the needs of the people whom he viewed as lost sheep.  By seeing it and experiencing it, he knew what life was like so he knows what your life is like.

    Because of his love he reclaims you.  There is no sin that has to go unforgiven.  He picks you up and cleans you off and calls you his own.  He puts you on the path to salvation that he wants you to walk.  Even when we fail and slip back into sin, he pulls us up and out of the mud and cleans us again. Through all of our battles and struggles Christ has fought for us.  He has given us the victory.  It is because of his grace that we are conquerors, victors over the devil and his ways.  While the struggle may seem intense at times and difficult to see the end, we will be victorious.  Our salvation is achieved, our comfort secured and our hope is ever unfailing.  God is ever with us, through whatever is thrown at us.  God has carried us in the past; he always has and has never failed.  He will never fail you tomorrow.

Gracious Father, you have always carried us.  You have given to us the certainty of your grace.  Empower us to boldly hold onto your holy promise.  Keep us in your mighty arms and defend us from all the devil’s lies.  We pray especially for those whose battles are fierce that you would protect them and give them the comfort that they so desperately need.  Guard and protect us we pray, in Jesus’ precious name, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

10-16-2019

Good Morning All,

 Psalm 18:6; “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help.  From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.”

    I still struggle using my smartphone.  I have quickly discovered it is smarter than me.  I keep having people tell me how your phone can do everything for you.  You just need get an “app” for it.  I heard on the radio the other day that there is an “app” that will allow your phone to help diagnose skin cancer.  All you do is take a picture of the mole or spot on your skin and with this “app” it will tell you if it is malignant or not. 

    There are apps for the weather, for the stock or commodity markets, for the news, there are apps to allow you to set your thermostat or lights in your house when you are away, or any one of literally thousands of different app that can make your smartphone do incredible things.  Some of the apps are free and some are very expensive.  Yet you need to have the app on your smartphone in order to get the benefit of the app.  You also need to learn how to use the app properly and you need to be sure that the phone you have has the necessary add-ons in order to make it work as well.  They are nice to have but they can be difficult to handle especially when the “one size fits all” app doesn’t fit your phone.  Or you need an upgrade in either your phone or your service plan.  I really get a headache about the time that Jamie (my phone guru salesperson) tries to explain this. 

    The thing about the apps is that you have to put them on your phone and you often have to pay for them.  The other thing is that when you really need them; the best you can do is guess if they will actually work.  Those are things that we do not have to do with prayer.  Prayer exists for you from the moment that you are given into faith.  God has promised to hear the call of his children.  We don’t have to buy anything or even really understand how it works.  It just works!!  Prayers to God get results!!  The results may not be what we think we want but honest prayers get results.  The results aren’t always a visible effect but are often a spiritual effect.  We may not be healed of our pain but God gives us the peace to deal with it and the hope of our salvation.  Prayer affects the way you live but it also effects the way you live.  A true personal prayer life effects or changes the way you view life, the way you experience life and even the outcome of your life. 

    Prayer gives you the constant interaction with God; along with a devotional time you have the conversation time with God.  We listen to him through his Word and we speak to him through our prayers and all without an app!

Dearest Father, you encourage us to call upon you for you give us the hope and peace that we so desperately seek.  Give us the wisdom to bring all things to you that we may find in you all that we need.  Be with those who are at greatest need of your peace.  Lead them to call to you.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret   

10-15-2019

Good Morning All,

         Romans 3:23-24; “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

    I remember a conversation that I had with a non-churchgoer.  She told me that she would never go to that church after all it was full of hypocrites!!  My initial (sinful) reaction was to say to her, “well thank you for not being one more in there.” But the Spirit held my tongue and I just smiled.  I wanted to say something but for the life of me I couldn’t think of anything; perhaps this has happened to you as well.

    It seems that we hear comments like this often.  We hear often how the church and its members are judgmental, hypocritical, greedy, self-serving and a bunch of other things.  At times, it may seem that those charges are right.  Yet from my standpoint, most of the people that I talk to in the church have faith.  They believe that Jesus died for their sins and hold onto that truth.  So, the church is made up, mostly of believers.  So why does the church so often trip over its own feet and make mistakes? 

    The reason is that the church is made up of sinners; people who are fallible, who make errors, who make bad decisions, who cannot see into the future and go the wrong direction; in other words, the church is made up of people like you and me.  We are redeemed by God but we continue to sin.  There is a Latin phrase to explain this; it is “simul justus et peccator”.  This means that you are, at the exact same time, justified and still a sinner.

     We are justified by faith through God’s grace.  We don’t work to earn it.  So, when we look at the church each person is this type of person.  We are God’s children and it is through us that God chooses to work in the world.  Yet at the same time we are sinners; we say callous things, we are jealous of other’s success, we tend to look out for ourselves; we are sinners.  We are an imperfect people working in a broken creation; we are probably going to make mistakes but who we are; we are the redeemed children of God.  We will make mistakes so if we go in realizing this; that perfection here on this earth will not occur, then we can go forward trusting in God for guidance.

    We don’t need to defend the church. If someone tells you that the church is full of sinners; tell them,” Yes, that is the complete truth!!”  We are not the church because we are perfect; we are the church because we are the redeemed; we are the justified.  We are declared holy by God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice.  So, as you go forward today; know that you probably will sin.  You probably don’t want to but you probably will.  Know for certain that you are a redeemed child of God; you are justified by faith.

Dearest Father, we are weak yet you build us up and send us out as your church.  You move through this world using the weak and the feeble.  Through this you show your grace to us and to the world.  Give us the certainty to trust in your mercy to keep us close to you.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret