Jesus, Groaned & Wept! February 26, 2012

Welcome to the “Lenten Season.” We are commemorating the Lord Jesus life as He when into the wilderness and was tempted of the devil.  He was victorious over the temptations of the enemy and we are inspired to follow in His footsteps and be victorious! We are blessed that you are here.

The Lenten Season has begun, it is the season that points to spring, and reminds us of the knowledge of Resurrection.  Just as the earth wakes up when winter is past, so our mortal bodies shall one day spring forth in immortality – in Resurrection power! O Glorious morning!  In this Lenten Season, we remember the Lord Jesus as He came out of the waters of Baptism and went forth into the wilderness.  It was a time of preparation for Ministry as He fasted those forty days. As Jesus came to the end of the forty days of fasting, Scripture says He was hungry! This is when the devil chose to tempt Him, in the midst of a spiritual time of abstaining. Jesus was victorious as He came forth from the wilderness and the temptation of the enemy. He was now Truly about His Father’s business, the days wherein He would teach His followers, correct them, warn them and prepare them for His departure.  As the time of Jesus life on earth is winding down, He is busy going about doing good, obeying His Father. There has been quite a few attempts now on His life. His friend Lazarus has died and has been in the grave four days. As most saints know, Jesus went to Bethany to the place of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. It is here that Jesus declared: “I am the Resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though He were dead, yet shall He live!” Why then did Jesus “weep” at the grave site?  Jesus ‘groaned’ C it was a conflict once again with satan and the power of death! He ‘wept’ C because of unbelief of His followers. As Jesus was victorious over the conflict with satan so we too can be victorious!  May we be mindful of unbelief and eradicate doubt from our minds, and Trust in the Lord with all our heart! Let us maintain our Lenten Discipline as we “remember our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sacrifice He gave for our Salvation.   Loving you, Pastor

“This do in Remembrance of Me!” February 19, 2012

Come worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness!  Today we partake of Holy Communion as we remember our Lord and Saviour!  Let all who Love Him received the emblems of His Grace & Healing.  You are always welcome in our Church family.   

One would think we would be in remembrance of our Lord’s Sacrifice on a daily basis, but alas the ‘cares of this life’ have a tendency to overwhelm us at times or just interrupt the plans that we make concerning our spiritual activities.  Jesus said these powerful Words on the eve of His incarceration and ultimate Sacrifice.  As He gave thanks and brake the Bread with His Disciples at the Last Supper, He said:  “This is My Body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me.” There is controversy among spiritual leaders concerning when we should have Communion in our Church Services: Some day once a month, some say every Sunday, some think you must go through a ritual and have a set time to be brought to the Communion table.  Some teach it is so holy that the saints are fearful to partake. On and on go the thoughts of mankind.  But Look at who Jesus brought to the Communion Table. Men of righteous indignation, desiring to call down thunder from heaven, a man with an uncontrollable temperament who would even attempt to chastise the Lord and would deny he knew Jesus, one who would soon betray Him and those who would go into hiding when things got dangerous. These are the followers of Jesus whom He desired to have Communion with, to eat the Passover with before His suffering.  They too like humanity of today, were caught up in the ‘cares of this life.’ Did Jesus say He was going away?  Did He reach out to those who seemed to follow Him so close and invite them to come to a prayer meeting with Him?  Yes in His most desperate hour He brought them with Him to pray.  This is a desperate hour for our country, for Christianity, for the followers of Christ.  We must daily remember Jesus, to the point of take Communion in our home as we begin our day. For He is our strength, our consolation− Let us daily Commune with Him…. Prepare for your Lenten Discipline. Loving you, Pastor

The Word to Live By, part 4 “Love In The Word!” February 12, 2012

What a joyous occasion, Valentines Day, a wonderful opportunity to share your love with one another and to remember the greatest valentine of all time, our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.  Welcome to the Service today and may you feel His Love in this house!

Whoso keepeth God’s Word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.” − 1 John 2:5-6

Today the stores are loaded with Valentines of all sorts.  Every year it gathers more momentum as business sees the opportunity to make money.  But the Valentine we are going to talk about today can not be purchased with money.  Yet, it is the most valuable Valentine that you will ever receive. God’s Love given to us in Jesus Christ!  It is an Everlasting Gift. This Eternal Gift, our Salvation, was a Sacrifice. Those who are “Born Again” know this, but often we forget to give thanks for this valuable Gift.  Pictures of hearts will be before us until Valentine’s Day is over.  But showing our Love and appreciating the people in our life should be shown our Love more then just one day a year. Thus it is true of our Love for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus heart was broken for the sins of the world and He gave the Sacrifice of His life that we might have the greatest Gift of all, Eternal Life. God has given us instruction concerning our Love for Him: “Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the First Commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”  As our heart turns toward our loved ones and we scurry about finding just the right Gift for someone we love, may we remember our Saviour, who is the Love of our Life!  Let us not just show our Love in this season, but let us walk daily in the Spirit of Christ and Love our neighbor as our self and in so doing fulfill the Commandment of our Loving Saviour. You are Loved, Pastor