All Things Work Out...

Last Sunday's message was titled All Things Work Out.

Most likely you are familiar with Romans 8:28, which states, "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those that love the lord, and are called according to his purpose."

Most likely you also know some situations that have happened, or perhaps you are going through right now, that don't seem to good. 

How do we reconcile these two?  How do we explain the trouble in life, if we understand that God works for the good in our life?  These are some difficult questions, and we try to answer them in this weeks message.

If you would like to read the entire message, or hear the audio recording (not the best quality this week, sorry), click the link below.

1-24 All Things Work Out

Thanks for reading!

Casual Words...

Curtis Corkey was our guest speaker at church this week as I am still in Florida with my parents.

His message was titled, "Why do the Lives of So Many Christians Look No Different Than the Lives of Those Around Them Living Secular Lives."  Now that's a mouthful, and Curtis readily recognizes that, and has come up with a short working title, "Casual Words."  Because that's the key - we as Christians let our words become too casual.  To the point that we no longer sound like Christians.  We sound like everyone else.

To hear the audio recording of the message, and I encourage you do, click below and follow the links...

Jan 17, 2010 - Curtis Corkey

Helping out in Haiti...

I'm sure that you're email boxes are filling as fast as mine with requests for donations for the people of Haiti, and for those organizations that are helping, or will soon be helping.

In an effort to help you cut through the complex maze of offers, may I suggest that you donate to Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief.

When Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita hit the Lousianna and Texas coasts, it was Samaritan's Purse that we as a chruch donated to.  I had the opportunity to serve side by side with Samaritan's Purse work crews in Texas and I do not hesitate to say that they are tops.  They are proficient and Christ-centered in the work they do.  I also had an opportunity to serve with them in the Elmira area after serious flooding there.

The morning after the earthquake, when the rest was world was promising to help, Samaritan's Purse arrived on the ground in Haiti.  If you're looking for a way to help, if you're looking for an organization that is there working to bring relief, use the link above and support Samaritan's Purse.

Do you hear His voice?

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

Hebrews 4:7b

I came across this reading today, and tended to stick with them for a few minutes.  My mom just got out of the hospital yesterday.  She has cancer.  I’ve been struggling with the questions so many have already asked, many of them starting with the word, “Why?

This verse pulled me back a minute.  Yet as I looked at it, there is nothing there that probably should have pulled at me.  Yet… 

As I reflected on it, it occurred to me that, perhaps, some of those “why” questions were causing my heart to be a little hardened.  Perhaps because the focus on a “why” question is what you want, not what God wants.  We may ask God why he doesn’t want something, but it’s only because we really want, and therefore, we want to want it, too.  But that’s backwards.  We should want what God wants.  Not want God to want what we want.  I don’t know if you followed that, it sounds a little confusing, but God is God, and if we’re on the same page as God, we want what God wants.  Having that backwards is an indication that we’re not on the same page as God.

So, I don’t know why my mom has cancer.  I don’t know why it wasn’t contained so the surgery would have been successful.  I don’t know why she will have to go through the sometimes difficult treatments that are sure to follow.

But I do know God.  And I know His voice.  And I am listening to His voice.  And in the end, He will lead us through…

Rev. Ken Chroniger was our Guest Speaker on Sunday

On Sunday, Jan 10, Rev. Ken Chrongier was the guest speaker as Pastor Steve is out of town.

He gave an excellent message on persecution.  More accurately, about holding onto our faith in the midst of the troubles that come our way. The question to consider is this:  What in your faith are you willing to hold on to, no matter what.  Or perhaps, a better way to phrase it:  What in your faith are you willing to die for?

God doesn't promise to keep us out of trouble, but he does promise to be with us in the midst of those troubles.  Our role is to hang on to Christ, rely on our faith, no matter what the troubles are.

There is no written manuscript, but there is a recording of the message.  To hear his message, click below...


Jan 10 - Rev. Ken  Chroniger

Thanks for reading... 

PS - I wasn't there Sunday as i was in Florida spending time with my mom as she undergoes cancer surgery.  I'll keep you up to date, please pray for her.  Pastor Steve.

Jesus as a child...

Has it ever occurred to you how little we know about Jesus' life?  What was he like as a child?  What games did he play?  Did he play well with the other kids?  How was he at school?  Did he like it?  Did the other kids tease him?  Did he tease them?  What was he like?

We really don't know.  There is only story that covers Jesus' life from his birth to his baptism nearly thirty years later.  It's amazing that we really only know about his birth, and then his last three years.  This is the only story that covers the time in between.

This week's message looks at that story to see if we can figure out a little about what he was like, and we might learn from this time in his life...

To read the message, or to hear an audio recording of it, click the link below...

January 3, 2010 - Being About the Father's Business