3/31/2024 0 Comments Pastor’s PenBeloved, today Easter Sunday, we celebrate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s Resurrection. It is a glorious day. It is also a day we reflect on where Jesus defeated death. Nothing had been able to handle death. People, plants, wildlife, mountains- absolutely nothing has been able to handle death. People die, plants die, wildlife dies and even mountains surrender to death. Everyone and everything has succumbed to death.
But today, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:54–57 says, “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’’ When Jesus resurrected, He defeated death. Romans 6:9 says, “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.’’ Therefore, as we study todays Scripture and look as a Father begs, a woman touches and a child arises, we believe that Jesus has conquered death. This is the best news ever! May you have a blessed Easter Sunday! Blessings- Pastor Joe
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3/24/2024 0 Comments Pastor's PenBeloved, written approximately in 500BC the Prophet Zechariah predicted Jesus Christ as entering Jerusalem on a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
We can imagine the joy and excitement that filled Jerusalem at that time. Not only was it Passover but Jesus Christ was coming into Jerusalem as the King of Kings! Jesus was initiating a public, kingly act openly revealing that he is the King. In a sense He was saying, “King Me!” The crowd was overjoyed at His entrance and yet only a week later the same crowd would shout “Crucify Him.” Even as Jesus received the crowd’s worship His heart was breaking in half. Luke 19:41 says, “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.” Why would Jesus weep during such a triumphal entry? Because there were many who would not receive Him but who would ultimately reject Him as their Messiah. Luke 19:44b says, “And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Dear friends Jesus desires to be our King! Is He your King?! 3/17/2024 0 Comments Pastor’s PenBeloved, have you ever wondered what the word, “friendship” means? If you look at the word closely you will notice that it comes from two words, “friend” and “ship.” When combined together we get our word “friendship.” Personally my definition of friendship is a friend who is willing to travel the distance with you, willing to go through thick and thin, through the good times and the bad, through quiet waters and rough seas.
Unfortunately, for many, it seems that friendship is lacking. This is unfortunate because as we study these next few verses in Acts 27, we see the value of friendship. The Apostle Paul had friends all over the world. He had friends willing to travel with him and friends willing to care for him. Beloved, if you learn anything today, learn this: you need friends. I would encourage you to cultivate the friendships that you have and then create some new ones. God did not create us to be friendless but to be friendly. Concerning friendship, two verses of Scripture come to mind. Proverbs 17:17- “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 18:24- “A man of many companions comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Beloved, may we remember to value our friendships and especially our friend who sticks closer than a brother, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Blessings- Pastor Joe 3/3/2024 0 Comments Pastor's PenBeloved, there is a natural progression for every believer. It begins with our conversion when we give our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ. Conversion is when we say, “yes” to Jesus and “no” to ourselves. It continues with our commission, which comes from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Christ has gifted each believer with spiritual gifts and natural abilities, which are to be used for the glory of God. Each of us has been commissioned to be ambassadors of Jesus and commissioned to serve Him, His church, and the world. Beloved, we have been commissioned or “saved to serve,” so to speak.
Thirdly, as a believer we need to learn to “finish the play”. When we live with commitment, it will help us to persevere under duress and to continue to follow Christ at all costs, we will “finish the play”. Therefore beloved, it begins with conversion, which is followed with our commission and is completed with a commitment to Christs’ call. May each of us move forward in our call from the Lord with the conviction to persevere! Blessings- Pastor Joe |
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