I Will

As we read the Word of God we begin to see a multitude of “I Will.”  All through the Old Testament God was establishing His Covenant with the Patriarchs and their decedents.  I thought, what a wonderful God, leading and guiding Noah, Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!  But wait, that would be us too! For often, the term “Generations to come,” was applied to the Covenant that God was making with these leaders.  We know that God is a Covenant making God, and we know that we are partakers of His Covenant, but sometimes we forget the power of sacrifice that was in God’s heart as He “willed” to Covenant with humanity.  The Covenant would ultimately have to be written in blood, it would be the Blood of His Only Begotten Son.  The Covenant of the Old Testament would be enlarged in the New Testament and sealed in the Blood of Jesus, our Saviour! When God said “I Will” Redeem them, He kept His Word. Over and over in the Old Testament God declared His Covenant with an “I Will!”  I turned over to the New Testament to see the “I Will’s that came from the heart of Jesus!  “I Will not leave you comfortless” —  “I Will pray the Father for you!” —  “I Will be his God” —  “I Will give you rest,”  “ I Will never leave you nor forsake you.” etc.  No wonder David seeing afar off could say:  “I Will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth I will make known Thy Faithfulness to all Generations!” This question filled my mind, “What will I do for my Lord?”  What “I Wills” do I have for Him?  May we say with Jesus, not my will, but Thine be done!  I love this Passage from the Old Testament – Ex 33:19 God said, “I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy!”  Loving you and praying for you, Pastor

This One Thing I Do

“... This One Thing I Do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before ... Phil. 3:13

  

As we meditate upon Jesus’ Example to us in the midst of His temptation ... we quickly note that His strength to overcome came from the Word of God.  He came against the enemy by reminding the devil “It is Written!” Today’s Message points to “One Thing” that benefitted Jesus in the midst of His suffering and trial. It is the strength that we need in this hour to overcome the obstacles that the enemy places before us as we seek to be a Christian. Often I have spoke concerning the Word of God and the power that it contains.  The more Word of God we take into our vessel, the greater strength we have in the time of stress, anxiety, temptation, and weariness, etc. As we see Jesus in the wilderness being harassed-tempted by the devil we are reminded of how often the enemy plots against us. One of the greatest tools of satan is to remind us of past failures, past pain, past injustice, – what is it for you?  What an awesome Word of God comes forth from Phil. 3:13   this One Thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before...” In this new year, we must let go of last year & and any year that disturbs our thoughts – and reach forth for what the Lord has planned for us now.  As we look at Scripture, at what is “Written” we note several  “One Things!” The “Written Word of God is life changing!  O Father God energize us with the “Written Word!”  For we know that in the strength of God’s Word you defeated the devil!  And we can do no less as we are filled with your Word!    Loving every one of you! Pastor

Patience in Tribulation

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;”    – 2 Cor. 4:8-9

   

In this Holy Season of Lent we remember the suffering of Jesus, our Saviour! – A Physical, emotional, and psychological Sacrifice of His life for us.  Jesus was persecuted, no doubt perplexed and troubled on every side, but He yielded His will to the Father and became an Offering for our sin!  We can do no less as we journey through this life.  We will survive temptation for Jesus is our example.  We are strengthened as we see Jesus weep before the Father over His decision to die for us.  We will note the psychological suffering — as He sees the ones He came to bring Salvation to, mock Him as He hung on the Cross. The saints of the early Church stood strong in the face of temptation and persecution. The Disciples of the New Testament Church pressed on through the difficult times; and in the face of opposition, they shook the dust off their feet and proceeded onward. Scriptures tells us they were filled with “Joy, and the Holy Ghost.”  There is a strength in the “Joy of the Lord” and an awesome “Power” in the Holy Ghost.  It is my Prayer that as we think on the suffering of Jesus, and as we behold Him upon the Cross, we will remember ... this “Joy.”  It filled His heart as He took on our sin.  It was this “Joy” that was set before Him that strengthened Him in His most difficult hour.  He conquered death, and we are more than conquerors in Him! Loving you, Pastor, Hebrews 12:2