Category Archive

This week’s devotion is taken from “Experience Hope Through His Presence ~ Jesus Today” Author of Jesus Calling, Sarah Young. “You can be joyful in the knowledge that I am near. When a man and a woman are deeply in love, they often bring out the best in each other. Just being near the beloved can soothe irritations and increase happiness. I am the Lover who is always nearby—unseen yet tenderly present. I can soothe your frustrations and fill you with Joy as you tune into My loving Presence. One way to do this is the thank Me for My continual Presence and My constant Love. When circumstances are getting you down, turn your attention to Me and consider the great Love I have for you. Rejoice!”

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) Tuesday was Independence Day—the day we celebrated how free we are in the U.S. But are we really free? Just look around: Bitter partisanship and anger and bitterness—is that freedom? The constant struggle to have more money and stuff—is that freedom? The fear of death that leads people to spend whatever possible just to stay alive a little longer—is that freedom? Here’s something we need to understand: You can live in the U.S. and still not be free. You can be free and still not be free. We think that the more we can do what we want, the freer we are. We say: “It’s a free country, so I can do whatever I want!” Do … Read More

Independence Day:  Our Christian Heritage The Birth of a Nation For over 235 years, America has been blessed as the longest, ongoing Constitutional Republic in the history of the world. These blessings are not accidental, they are blessings of God. This is evident as we look at the turmoil in other nations and contrast that to the stability we see in America. Preserving American liberty depends first upon our understanding of the foundations on which this great country was built, and then it depends on preserving the principles on which it was founded. On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve a complete separation from England. Two days later, the early draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed. Four days later, members of Congress took the document and read it out loud from the steps of Independence Hall, proclaiming it to the city of Philadelphia, and afterward, they rang … Read More

Celebrate Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)There’s a party goin’ on right hereA celebration to last throughout the yearsSo bring your good times and your laughter tooWe gonna celebrate your party with youCome on now… CelebrationLet’s all celebrate and have a good time… This Kool and the Gang song reminds us to take time to celebrate. Believe it or not, Quolet, author of Ecclesiastes, reminds us of the same call to celebrate. Even though this book declares all our striving is vanity, it also offered the realization that the best part of our lives is to eat, drink, and enjoy the fruit of our labor with the loved ones around us. If you’ve been working hard and need a reminder that it’s okay to take some time off this summer, read Ecclesiastes. Then get up and celebrate good times! Blessings,Pastor Carol Hate Hurts. … Read More

Summer means many things to many people. For some, it means a time of rest and relaxation. Others see it as a time to get as much done as possible. No matter what end of the summer spectrum you are on, it’s important to stay close to God through summer. Consider a morning time of prayer in nature before it gets hot outside. Perhaps, read a psalm before the day takes off, or maybe write a gratitude letter to God each week. Don’t let the summer pass by and miss the opportunity to enjoy it with God! Blessings,Pastor Carol See you Sunday. When you are not here, you are missed!

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7a NRSVUE Indigenous peoples have long understood the value of stories to pass down history, practices, and culture. No book, video, or post can teach as well as sharing a personal experience. Moses commanded the Israelites to share their stories of God’s love with their sons and daughters. The knowledge of God depends on our courage to share more than the “facts” of Christianity with the next generation. Faith is an experience. We must share our heartfelt faith experiences so the next generation will trust that God is still relevant. If … Read More

“In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” — 1 Peter 3:15 NIV Christians have something that is very valuable in today’s world — HOPE. As Christians, our hope is found in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and love for all of God’s people. Peter encourages us to “always be prepared” to tell a personal story of our faith. Peter is not instructing us to give a full faith witness of transformation. He is asking us to “be prepared” to share a story when we became a little kinder, more compassionate, accepting, and/or grace-filled because we chose to learn from the lessons of Jesus. “But do this with gentleness and respect” The ultimate act of respect is to share a story of how we … Read More

Faith/Fear Fear of Scripture Have you ever thought back to a lesson your parents tried to teach you as a child and all you heard was WHOMP WHOMP? Lessons like, “You should eat your vegetables.”; “You should do your homework before your playtime to get it out of the way.”; “You should always shop the sales racks…” Our response to such sage advice ranged from an eye roll to a full-blown fit. And then, we began adulting. The more challenges we face and the more consequences we suffer, our parents’ wisdom emerges from the back of our psyches. You really do need to eat your vegetables first to keep your health on track. You can relax more during fun activities if you do not have the constant brain talk that comes with procrastination. And managing a budget is best accomplished when we are frugal about how much we spend. Like … Read More

Jesus asks, not demands, for his disciples to follow him. All four gospels use the exact language of “follow me,” which is rare for Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to agree in this way. This uniformity signifies the importance of Jesus’ word choi — akoloutheō. Jesus asks for the disciples to let go of their current lifestyle and refocus their life’s work for a greater purpose. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than I. John 14:12a As believers, we are asked to live with intention. Jesus’ summons is to free our minds and spirits making it possible to refocus for purposeful living. “Doing even greater things than Jesus” requires us to become keenly aware of God’s beckoning. Will you come and follow meIf I but call your name?Will you go where you … Read More

Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1 Jesus does not say, “Do not let your hearts be troubled!” Life is stressful and Jesus knew it. Life can present frightening or overwhelming situations. Feeling anxious is a natural response. Often, we ask God to fix the problem we are facing holding on to the hope that we can be rescued. Jesus meets us in “how we feel” and not “what we want.” The salvation that Jesus offers is faith. If we believe Jesus’ promise, we can move through our anxiety to calm in order to better manage any stressful situation. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) Jesus brings us what we need to overcome our … Read More