Scripture for Jan 1st: Jonah 1:1-5

Sermon Title: Six Signs We Need To Return To God

“The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.”

Sin is bad news. That’s one of the main messages from the book of Jonah. Most people remember this book because of the story about how Jonah got himself stuck inside the belly of the whale. But most don’t remember why he was there – it was because he disobeyed God. Dr. David Jeremiah writes the following about sin (disobedience to God) and its consequences:

“When we walk away from the revealed will of God, there’s always a price to pay, “for the wages of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23). Wages aren’t paid in one lump sum; they are paid in little increments throughout our lives and then we get the final payment at death. Sin pays, all right, and its wages are not what the sinner would want.”

There are consequences for disobeying God and Jonah suffered those consequences. But for whatever reason, we often think that those consequences don’t apply to us - we deceive ourselves into believing that we can do whatever we want and it will be okay. We tell ourselves that nothing will happen. The story of Jonah reminds us that sin always has consequences and ultimately we will experience them.

On Sunday, we will talk more about the consequences of sin as we begin a new sermon series entitled, “Returning to God: Lessons From Jonah.” What a better way to start the new year than in church? Hope to see you there!

Scripture for Dec 25th: Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon Title: Christ Has Come!

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Who did Christ come for? The easy answer is that He came for all of us. John 3:16 makes it clear that “God so loved the world” that He sent Christ to be our Savior. The “world” is offered salvation through Christ. However, we also know that not all the world receives Christ, and some outright reject Him. Because of this, some theologians say that Christ came just for the “elected” or those who actually receive Christ as Savior.

But we can also say that Christ came for each of us individually and personally. He left the heavens and took the form of a human for “me.” It was an act of grace and love that is extended to each person, individually, and not just corporately.

This is the true message of Christmas – that God loves each of us so much that He came. For us. Each of us, individually. Yes, He came for me. And for you. And because of this, we can truly say “Merry Christmas”! I hope you will take time in your busy holiday schedule to worship with us this coming Sunday and celebrate true message of Christmas!

Scripture for Dec 11th: Luke 2:1-7

Sermon Title: Christmas Time Is For Hope

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Pastor Lloyd Ogilvie writes the following about the story of Christ’s birth: “John Lennon once said of the Beatles, the phenomenal group of musicians of the sixties and seventies of which he was a part, that they were more popular than Jesus. That may have been so, but they were not and are not better-known. Hundreds of millions of people, even those in non-Christian lands, know the events and details of Jesus’ life and death and Resurrection. The details are universal.”

We will talk about this universally known story that has been retold countless of times over the centuries on Sunday, focusing on the hope that it provides our world and, in particular, our own personal lives, as we continue our sermon series, “Good Times.” Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Dec 4th: Luke 1:59-66

Sermon Title: Christmas is For Giving

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

I like receiving Christmas presents. I especially like receiving presents from Nancy, my wife, because she seems to get me exactly what I need, though I don’t always realize it. For example, one year she got me a new extra large coffee mug because I was complaining how small our coffee cups were. Now that’s something I would have never thought about getting for myself, but Nancy knew that it was something I would use and appreciate.

God’s gifts are like that. We may not know exactly what we need from God, but He always gives to us we really need from Him. In fact, we often don’t even know what to pray for. Romans 8:26 tells us, “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Our God knows us better than we know ourselves – He gives us what we need, when we need it.

Christmas reminds us of this. It tells us that God had a plan to save humanity and that plan worked through the affairs of humans through the centuries and eventually through the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Christmas also reminds us that God not only knows us, but He also loved us so much that He gave His only Son to become human, so that through His perfect life and death we could have the forgiveness of our sins and a relationship with God the Father. This is the greatest gift we could be provided and offered. This coming Sunday we will talk about receiving this gift as we continue the sermon series, “Good Times.” Hope to see you then!

Nov. 23rd: What I Am Excited About!

Today the local Girard elementary school day ended at 11:15 a.m. In an effort to provide kids a hot lunch and something to do, we offered a free lunch and movie. 25 of them came! The food was great and the movie was very exciting (Cars 2). Many of the parents expressed great appreciation for this event. We hope to offer more of these lunches and movies on early school days as the resources and volunteers allow us to do it.

Scripture for Nov 27th: Luke 1:39-45

Sermon Title: Christmas Is A Time For Family

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

So the Christmas season is once again upon us and I am sure that it will pass very quickly. With all the family activities, special parties, gatherings, and assorted "busyness," Christmas will be here and gone quicker than most of us realize. And with it are the opportunities to spend quality time with our loved ones. Notice that the text above tells us that Elizabeth and Mary spent time together and they blessed each other because of it. It was through being together that they were able to declare God's truth and worship God in a powerful way. They could have experienced God apart from each other, but by coming together God was met in such a manner that it blessed generations after them. God can also impact our families in such a way as we meet with them. And the truth is our families are more blessed by the time we can give them than the presents we buy them. Thus, Christmas is more than giving presents to our loved ones - it is the giving of our time. And through that gift, we can express the love of God that transforms lives.

This coming Sunday we will talk more about how our families are benefited by the time we spend with them as we begin a new sermon series for the Christmas season, "Good Times." I hope to see you then!

Week of Nov. 14th: What I Am Excited About!

Our children's ministry, TeamKID, collect supplies to fill 23 shoeboxes for the ministry, Operation Christmas Child. These shoeboxes filled with hygiene items and gifts will be going to needy children overseas. Over $100 was also raised to pay for shipping. The TeamKID ministry had lots of help from some super adults who gave of their resources and time to make this happen. Pray for the shoeboxes, that God will use each of them to bless each child who receives one, and that many will come to know Christ as Savior through this ministry of love.

Scripture for Nov. 20th: Psalm 100:4,5

Sermon Title: Appreciating God

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. 5 For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

There are some things that irritate me to no end – traffic; looking for a trash bag and realizing that there are no more; waiting for the NBA season to start and still waiting…(there should be a law that prevents millionaire basketball players from striking!). I also have a short fuse with people who commit to doing things and then don’t show up. I often wonder, why do people volunteer and then don’t follow through? Wouldn’t be better to NOT say that you are going to do something instead of having no follow-thru? I guess why this bothers me so much is because I have a bad habit of doing the same thing. I have the best of intentions when I volunteer, but often circumstances get in the way and then I don’t carry out my own commitments. As I get older, I’m breaking this habit, but I’m still not always faithful to carry out my commitments (or to remember them!).

God doesn’t have this problem. The psalmist reminds us of this, as he says, “His faithfulness continues to all generations.” God doesn’t forget us; He doesn’t work for us one day and then against us another day. There is no “falling out of love” with God; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His grace and mercy continues to be extended to us every day of our lives. Of all the things that I am so very thankful for, I am most thankful for God’s faithfulness – He won’t leave me, He won’t so loving me and He won’t become “unfaithful.” Maybe that is what the writer of this hymn was thinking when he wrote this song:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest no; Thy compassions, they fail not. As Thou has been Thou forever wilt be. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

This coming Sunday we will talk about what we see when we are in fellowship with God – we see His desire to give us joy, His love that never changes, and His great faithfulness. As we see God for Who He really is, we can be truly thankful – in spite of whatever our circumstance may be. Hope to see you Sunday!

His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.
Lamentations 3:22-23

Some Pastoral Thoughts...

This past Sunday my granddaughter celebrated her sixth birthday. Although I live over 1300 miles from her, she is often in my thoughts. At some point during almost every day I find myself wishing I could spend time with her playing games, hearing her stories and holding her. As I think of her, there is only one word that comes to mind: precious. So how can I best influence this precious little girl's faith who lives so far away from me? Here's what I've come up with:

1. Live for God. My walk with God impacts my granddaughter. I know that it is hard to believe, but what I do and don't do will ultimately affect her. The Bible says, "Do not be decived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:8). How we live our lives will always influence our loved ones, no matter how far they live from us. If we decide to live for God and maintain a close walk with Him, our families and loved ones will be blessed because of it.

2. Pray. Nothing is more powerful than prayer. James 5:16 reminds us, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." All the physical things that we can do for others cannot compare with what God can do when we pray. My prayers will impact my granddaughters life unlike anything I could ever do physically. Though my lack of faith may question that sometimes, the Bible reminds me of the constant power of prayer that never changes.

3. Have Others Pray for Her. The faith of others can move mountains. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12). Please remember to pray for her; her name is Madison.

What are some other ways that can impact your loved one's faith from a distance?

Scripture for Nov. 13th: Psalm 100:3

Sermon Title: Apprehending God

Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 100 has been called the "Thanksgiving Psalm." It calls readers to give God complete and absolute praise. Why is God worthy of such adoration? Verse 3 gives us the reason.

Dr. Donald Williams wrote the following about this verse (edited): "Why does God deserve worship? First, because "know that the Lord is God." Since God is God, He is to be praised for Who He is, not simply for what He has done. He is God! That's enough. Second, He is the Creator: "It is He who made us..." We are not autonomous. We are not self-sufficient. We are the creation and therefore dependent upon Him for everything. Third, beyond creation stands redemption. Thus "...we are...the sheep of His pasture." The metaphor of sheep assumes that God is the Shepherd. Therefore, the prophet Isaiah promises, 'He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them hin His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young' (Isa. 40:11). This picture is now fulfilled in Jesus, Who presents Himself as the Good Shepherd Who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). No wonder that we are to come to God. He is Our Creator! He is Our Redeemer! He has made His name known to us. Praise God!"

This coming Sunday we will explore how this verse tells us that God is in control, provides our strength and ultimately performs His will as we continue our sermon series, "Enter With Thanksgiving." Hope to see you then!

Great Devotional Thought!

Here's a devotion from the book, "Enter His Gates: A Daily Devotional" by Charles Stanley (enjoy!):

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

In her daily devotional book Edges of His Ways, Amy Carmichael noted, "I believe that if we are to be and to do for others what God means us to be and to do, we must not let adoration and worship slip into second place. For it is the central service asked by God of human souls; and its neglect is responsible for much lack of spiritual depth and power."

Perhaps we may find here the reason why we so often run dry. We do not give time enough to what makes the depth, and so we are shallow; a wind, quite a little wind, can ruffle our surface; a little hot sun, and all the moisture in us evaporates. It should not be so.…Today if we will hear His voice, today, this morning, if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. In the hush of that nearness … we shall forget ourselves, lost in the wonder, love and praise to Him.… The morning never disappoints us by not coming, neither does our loving God. You may be hurting motionally and find the thought of praise awkward. That’s okay. God knows what you are up against. But if you will begin to praise Him, regardless of your circumstance, He will lift you up and give you strength to carry on.

Prayer: Truly, You are great, O Lord. Help me look beyond the problems and challenges of my circumstances to praise You today.

Some Pastoral Thoughts...

"God takes the ugly and creates something beautiful." I often think of this as I look into my own life. There is a brokenness in my life, something that will never be fully repaired. God doesn't fix our brokenness -as sinners, we will always be incomplete. And as a sinner, I will always have to live with the things that are broken in my life and the feelings that come from it. But He does bring healing and restoration to our lives. And it is through the healing that He is able to create something new, something so wonderful. As I look at my children, I see that they are what God has created out of my own brokenness - and I fully realize the truth in the verse, "beauty for ashes." I don't deserve healing or restoration, but through my children, God has done this in my own life. And as we approach Thanksgiving, this is one of the things that I am most thankful for.

How has God turned something that was "ashes" into "beauty" in your life? Be sure to thank Him for this today!

To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Isaiah 61:3

Scripture for Nov. 6th: Psalm 100:1, 2

Sermon Title: Approaching God

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

This coming Sunday I will begin a three week sermon series entitled, "Enter With Thanksgiving." With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, there is no better time to consider this particular psalm than now. This week we will consider how we are to approach God. For many of us, we approach God the way we approach life itself and it often very much looks like this:

The psalmist reminds us that our attitude as we approach God should be one of thanksgiving that comes from an awareness that He is Lord of all the earth. We should not come with grateful hearts to God simply because of the blessings we receive, but because He is worthy of our thanksgiving and that should come from our understanding of Him. To approach God in this manner we must be fully aware of Who He is and how He views us. This is what we will explore this coming Sunday. I hope to see you then!

Week of Oct 30th: What I Am Excited About!

I am excited about our youth group! They are an awesome group of kids who attend Sunday morning worship services on a regular basis and bless the congregation with their presence. They are also hard at work practicing for a Christmas drama that will be performed on Sunday, Dec. 11th at 6 p.m. Please pray for these young people, that God will continue to bless their lives and that they will grow in their faith and walk with the Lord.

Some Pastoral Thoughts....

Today Josh, my 19 yr old son, left for basic training in the Navy. It is a rite of passage for members of my family – my grandfather, my uncles, my father and my brothers all served in the military. I had the privilege of serving in the Air Force and Army National Guard. And I have two nephews who are currently serving, one of which has been to Iraq and another who is in Afghanistan now. So there is much pride in my heart as I realize that my son carries on this great tradition of service to our country. However, I feel a sense of loss as well. I think back to the days that I wished I had spent with him, the times that I didn’t talk with him as much as I should have, the time that was wasted and is now forever lost, and I feel sadness. Part of me wishes I could go back in time and walk outside of my home to the yard and run around with a little boy who loved spending time with his dad. But another part of me is amazed that the same little boy is now a man who has pledged to fight for our country, and die defending it if necessary. May we hold all the little boys and girls in our lives tightly, while they are still our little boys and girls. May we “waste” our time loving them with games, smiles and laughter. And may we not forget to pray for all the grown up boys and girls who serve our country in the military and honor them for their service and sacrifice.

“...we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” II Corinthians 4:16

Week of Oct 23rd: What I Am Excited About!

We have built a new church office and Pastor study inside the church building. The office and study look very attractive - they enhance the appearance of the church building. They are very well built and a BIG improvement over what was used for a church office in the past. I am thankful for the vision that the leadership of the church and the congregation had to allow the resources to be spent to build these needed spaces.

Scripture for Oct. 30th: Psalm 100

Sermon Title: What To Do When Life Is Going Well

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.


What is a Christian to do when life is going well? Be happy of course! Dr. J. Vernon McGee once wrote the following about this Psalm:

"I would emphasize the fact that God does not want you to come before Him to worship with a long face. There are times when we have long faces; problems beset us, temptations overcome us, or we come to God in repentance, asking Him for forgiveness. We cast ourselves upon Him. But none of that is worship. You worship God when you come to praise Him. He wants you to be happy. At the time of this writing most of the bars have what is called a “happy hour.” I wish we had a “happy hour” in church, without the liquid. Let’s tune up and get ready to worship the Lord. “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.” That includes everybody. That is universal praise. There is a time coming when the entire world will be able to sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”

Everyone will experience "good times" and "bad times" in life, some more than others. During the "good times" in life, we need to remember to enjoy those times - give God praise, enjoy His blessings and be very thankful. And even in "bad times" we still need to experience the joy that comes from God's presence and express that joy, as Dr. McGee writes. We will talk more about this on Sunday as we conclude our sermon series, "God Is Closer Than You Think." Hope to see you there!

Week of Oct. 17th: What I am excited about!

Our weekly children’s ministry, TeamKID, started in September and currently we have 28 kids enrolled. We have collected lots of can goods for the Girard Food Pantry thus far and our current missions project is Operation Christmas Child, with a goal of sending 6 shoeboxes. The kids are learning Bible stories, Scripture verses , playing games and earning points towards rewards from our reward store. It has been exciting to see the kids come and participate in this discipleship program (btw, TeamKID stands for “Kids In Discipleship”). Let others know about our exciting TeamKID program: it meets every Monday from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. throughout the school year (with school holidays off).

Scripture for October 16th: Psalm 62

Sermon Title: What To Do When You Have To Wait


Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence? Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”

It's hard to wait. In this country, in our present era, we are taught not to wait - we have instant everything. We expect to have things done quickly so that we can hurry to the next place. We have no time for patience. So when circumstances happen that causes us to wait, we fret, complain, grip and sometimes curse. Why do we have to wait?

The writer of this Psalm, King David, had to wait for God's deliverance. Dr. J. Vernon McGee reminds us that David was probably encouraged to take matters into his own hands and fight for his deliverance, but the better route was to wait on God and retreat:

"No doubt there were those around David—fanatics of those days—who urged that he stand his ground and thereby exhibit his faith, for he was God’s anointed and God should overrule this whole matter. Not David! He said that his life was in God’s hands, and it seemed best that he leave. David lived above the hue and cry of little men. He did not listen to pious shibboleths, for while little men cried for a miracle David avowed to walk in the dark, trusting God. O for a faith like that! A God-given faith! What others called defeat, to David was but a test of faith. David can retreat from Jerusalem and it is still going to sound like a victory. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved [Ps. 62:2]."

God does His best works when we have to wait on Him and declare, like King David, "I shall not be greatly moved." So how should we wait? We should wait by remembering that worry does us no good, replacing worry thoughts with God thoughts and with confidence and expectation. We will talk more about each of these aspects of waiting on Sunday as we continue our sermon series, "God is Closer Than You Think." Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Oct. 9th: Psalm 51:1-6; 10-17

Sermon Title: What to Do When You Have Blown It

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Dr. Warren Wiesbe writes the following about this chapter:

Like Psalm 32, it came out of David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11–12) and his futile attempt to cover it up. If any chapter in the Bible reveals the high cost of sinning, it is this one. Sin hurts the sinner. David’s whole being was affected by his sin: his eyes (v. 3), mind (v. 6), ears (v. 8), heart (v. 10), spirit (v. 10), and mouth (vv. 13–15). He lost fellowship with God (v. 11) and the joy of the Lord (v. 12). Are the pleasures of sin worth paying this great price? Sin hurts others. Sin can bring tragic consequences to the lives of others (James 1:13–16), especially one’s family. David’s sin led to Uriah’s death. Bathsheba’s baby died. David’s lovely daughter Tamar was violated by her brother Amnon, who was then killed by Absalom, who in turn was slain by Joab. Is a fleeting moment of sinful pleasure worth a lifetime of sorrow? Sin hurts God. We hurt ourselves and others when we sin, but primarily, our sins are against God (v. 4). Sin makes us dirty (vv. 2, 7). Sin is rebellion against God’s holy law. If you want to know how much sin hurts God, go to Calvary and see His Son dying for the sins of the world. God is love, and our selfish sins break His heart. God is merciful and gracious and forgives when we come in repentance and faith (1 John 1:9). David did not want “cheap” forgiveness; he came with a broken heart.

When we "blow it," we pay a heavy price. Sin comes with a penalty and that penalty is ultimately death. So what do we do? David gives us a road map to restoration: ask for God's forgiveness, seek a full relationship with God and serve Him by serving others. We will explore this more on Sunday as we continue our series of messages, God is Closer Than You Think. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Oct. 2nd: Psalm 77:1-14; 19-20

Sermon Title: What to Do When You Are Troubled

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Dr. Warren Wiersbe has written the following concerning this Psalm: "Joyless days of trouble and sleepless nights of despair plagued the psalmist. Why? Not because of unbelief but because of faith. Because he believed in the Lord, he wrestled with himself and with God. He could not understand why the Lord did not keep His promises and deliver His people from bondage. What do you do in a situation like that? Of course, you pray (verse 1) and tell God just how you feel. Reach out to Him in the night seasons (verse 2), but do not refuse the comfort that He sends. He will remind you of His past works and wonders, and the more you meditate on them, the better you feel."

As Dr. Wiersbe points out, the feelings of despair when we are troubled are not just felt by unbelievers. Everyone is troubled from time to time, and when we are, God is there to comfort us. How does He do this? He uses our memories of what He has done in our lives to bring us hope, as He did with the Psalmist. He also reminds us of His great power to help us and the fact that He is a Great Shepherd leading us in mighty ways. We will talk more about this on Sunday as we continue our sermon series, "God is Closer Than You Think." I hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sept. 25th: Psalm 139:1-8; 13-16

Sermon Title: What To Do When You Feel Like A Nobody

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

One night in April, 1994 rocker Kurt Corbin took his life by overdosing on drugs and alcohol. Although he was famous, wealthy and successful, he suffered from depression and often felt out-of-place and misunderstood. He wrote the following the night of his death: "I can't stand the thought of Frances becoming the miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that I've become." Frances was the name of his only daughter and he feared that she would grow up to lose the innocence that he long lost in his own life. Although Mr. Corbin was admired by literally millions of adoring fans throughout the world, he found himself feeling like a nobody at the very end of his life.

We, too, can have a life filled with loving, caring people and yet at times feel like a nobody. No doubt the King David, the writer of Psalm 139, found himself at times feeling like a nobody - left by friends, betrayed by loved ones with many upset with him. He, too, could say, "I hope my children don't grow up to be like me." But his "self-esteem" was not based on his own accomplishments or lack thereof. No, he knew he was important and a "somebody" because he was important to God. It was God Who followed him, created him, and worked in his life. Because God cared for him so much, David knew that he was always a "somebody."

This coming Sunday we will talk about how we can overcome feeling like a "nobody" by remembering that we are important to God, we are desired by God, and we are loved by God as we continue our sermon series, "God Is Closer Than You Think." Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sept. 18th: Psalm 23

Sermon Title: What to do in Times of Crisis

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name. Yes, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of anything, because You are with me. You have a walking stick with which to guide and one with which to help. These comfort me. You are making a table of food ready for me in front of those who hate me. You have poured oil on my head. I have everything I need. For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever. "

An old man and a young man were on the same platform before a vast audience. A special program was being presented. As part of the program, each was to repeat from memory the words of the 23rd Psalm. The young man, trained in the best speech techniques and drama, gave, in the language of the silver-tongued orator, the words of the Psalm: 'The Lord is my Shepherd ....' When he had finished, the audience clapped their hands and cheered, asking him for an encore so that they might hear again his wonderful voice. Then the old gentleman, leaning heavily on his cane, stepped to the front of the same platform and in feeble, shaking voice repeated the same words: 'The Lord is my Shepherd ....'

But when he was seated, no sound came from the listeners. Folks seemed to pray. In the silence, the young man stood to make the following statement: 'Friends,' he said, 'I wish to make one explanation. You asked me to come back and repeat the Psalm. But you remained silent when my friend here was seated. The difference? I shall tell you. I know the Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.'

During times of crisis, we don't simply need to know the Psalm, we need to know the One that the Psalm is about. In knowing Him, we will find that He will lead us, causes our fear to depart and gives us His joy in the mist of our troubles. We will talk more about each of these benefits on Sunday, as we continue the sermon series, God Is Closer Than You Think. Hope to see you then - and remember, bring a friend as we celebrate Friend Day!

Scripture for Sept 11th: Psalm 73:1-17; 21-26

Sermon Title: What to Do When You Get A Raw Deal


Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.


Tara Creamer awoke one September morning to prepare to take a flight from her home in Massachuetts to Los Angeles. As a buyer for TJMax stores, she sometimes had to travel but did not like to because she was a mother to a 4 year old son and a 15 month old daughter. As she said good-bye to her husband who she met in college some 9 years earlier, it was the last time she was seen alive by her family. You see, the plane that she boarded that sunny September morning was one of the planes that struck the World Trade Center buildings on September 11th, 2001. We read the details about her life and the lives of those who were lost that day and we say, boy, they got a raw deal. They did not deserve to die, nor did their families deserve to suffer the devestating loss of their presence in their lives. And perhaps some of us look at our own lives and make the same observation - things have happened that we did not deserve and those events have greatly influenced our lives negatively. What are we to do when we find ourselves in those circumstances?

David found himself in similar circumstances. In the passage above, he speaks of his "raw deal" - he says he "saw the prosperity of the wicked" and that "they are not plagued by human ills." And although he believes in God and tries to follow Him, he writes that "all day long" he was "afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments." And yet he realizes that he has nothing of lasting eternal value apart from God. He declares, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you." He decides to not give his attention to the injustice in his life, but rather give his heart to God. And by making God his passion and desire, he is able to overcome his bitterness and anger that he had because of his "raw deal."

If we are going to overcome our "raw deals" in life, we must pursue God passionately. And we need to remember that God will one day bring justice to the world, He is working through the "raw deals" in our lives and He is seeking to make us disciples, not potted-plants! We will talk about each of these points on Sunday as we began a new sermon series, "God is Closer Than You Think." Hope to see you then!

Sunday, August 28th: Revival Services

This coming Sunday, August 28th, we will hold revival services at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. At 10:30 a.m., Rev. Shaun Williamson will preach; at the evening service, Rev. Terry Turner, pastor of Prairie Temple Assembly of God in Virden will be preaching. I hope that you can make it to at least one of the services and bring someone with you, as we pray that God will move on our hearts to draw us closer to him.

Scripture for August 21st: Job 2:3-9; 4:8; 8:8; 11:4-6

Sermon Title: Lessons From Job’s Friends – Giving and Receiving Advice

Job 2:3-9
3 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” 4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 6 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. 9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

Job 4:8 - As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.

Job 8:8 - Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned…

Job 11:4-6
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.’ 5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you 6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.

Have you ever received bad advice on a bad day? That’s what Job was experiencing when he received advice from his wife and three friends. They may have had the best of intentions, but because their advice was based on wrong principles, they added to Job’s suffering. So how can we make sure we don’t hurt those who are hurting when we give them advice? Perhaps this story will give us an idea:

A big, burly man visited a pastor's home and asked to see the minister's wife, a woman well known for her charitable impulses. "Madam," he said in a broken voice, "I wish to draw your attention to the terrible plight of a poor family in this district. The father is dead, the mother is too ill to work, and the nine children are starving. They are about to be turned into the cold, empty streets unless someone pays their rent, which amounts to $400." "How terrible!" exclaimed the preacher's wife. "May I ask who you are?" The sympathetic visitor applied his handkerchief to his eyes. "I'm the landlord," he sobbed.

Our motives must be pure when we extend our advice to others. Advice must come from a heart of love and compassion, not one which condemns or belittles others. If we are like the burly man in the story, we will give advice to benefit ourselves. But advice that helps the hurting always comes from a sacrificial heart.

What are some other ways we can ensure that our advice will help those that hurt? We can make sure our advice is necessary, Biblical and factual – all of which we will talk about this coming Sunday. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for August 14th: John 14:6

Sermon Title: Knowing Jesus

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Who was Jesus? There are some who say that Jesus was a good man, others that say He was a prophet or holy man. But Jesus said He was the only Way to the Father, the Truth of life and the Source of Life itself. The question today is what do you say? Is Jesus truly Who He claimed to be? Do you truly live like you believe it?

Someone once wrote about some well-known hymns that we would sing in church if we were really honest about how we live our lives. Here's the list:

1. I Surrender Some
2. There Shall Be Sprinkles of Blessings
3. Fill My Spoon, Lord
4. Oh, How I Like Jesus
5. He’s Quite a Bit to Me
6. I Love to Talk About Telling the Story
7. Take My Life and Let Me Be
8. It is My Secret What God Can Do
9. There is Scattered Cloudiness in My Soul Today
10. Where He Leads Me, I Will Consider Following
11. Just As I Pretend to Be

The list is humorous, but it points to the fact that we often say we believe Jesus was the Way, Truth and Life, but we don't live as if He truly is. What does it mean to live like Jesus is the only Way, the complete Truth and the Source of Life? We will talk about this on Sunday as we celebrate the completion of our Vacation Bible School. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for July 31st: Job 42:1-8

Sermon Title: How To Respond to God

Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”

As we go through challenging times in our lives, how do we respond to what God is doing in the midst of our suffering? In the passage above, we find that Job responded by recognizing the greatness of God. He fully understood his own mortality and his inability to even know the right questions to ask. He lost his desire to be dependent on his abilities and saw clearly his need for God.

Suffering should produce the same response in our own lives. However, we are often tempted to move away from God through anger, depression, despair and/or indifference. Perhaps this story will help us to understand why:

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in the classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children. The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree out side?
Tommy: Yes.
Teacher: Tommy, do you see the grass out side?
Tommy: Yes.
Teacher: Go out side and look up and see if you can see the sky.
Tommy: OK. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
Teacher: Did you see God?
Tommy: No.
Teacher: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there. The little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions. Teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
Tommy: Yes.
Little girl: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
Tommy: Yessssss (getting tired of the questions by this time)
Little girl: Did you see the sky?
Tommy: Yessssss
Little Girl: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
Tommy: Yes
Little Girl: Do you see her brain?
Tommy: No
Little Girl: Does that mean she doesn't have one?

Maybe we don't see what Job saw in his suffering - the greatness of God - because we are not looking for it. It is there, even when we miss it. May we not miss it, but rather respond to it through repentance and dedicating our lives to Him. We will talk more about this on Sunday as we continue our sermon series, Lessons from Job. Hope to see you there!

Scripture for July 24th: Job 30:27-31 and Psalm 30:2-12

Sermon Title: Job's Perfect Storm (How to Survive One)

Job 30:27-31: The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me. I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry for help. I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of owls. My skin grows black and peels; my body burns with fever. My lyre is tuned to mourning, and my pipe to the sound of wailing.

Psalm 30:2-12: LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” LORD, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me; LORD, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

I try to be careful when I speak about suffering. I don't want to give people the impression that I think suffering is not a terrible experience, because it is always terrible, for some more than others. I was recently reminded of how terrible of experience suffering can be when I spoke to a woman who had lost two of her sons and a grandson through an accidently drowning. As she spoke, I realized how much her heart was still broken and how deep her pain was. And I thought about Job, and the text that is listed above - he, too, suffered greatly and his heart was broken.

So how do we survive such suffering? Not through some easy to recite formula or abstract ideas. No, if we are going to survive intense suffering with a stronger faith we have to follow the example of David. Through God's grace he was able lift himself above his suffering (You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead...)to see the glorious future that God had in store for him and the presence that God continue to have in his life. Was accepting God's grace easy for David? No easier than it is for you and I. But because he was able to, he was changed for the better through the great suffering that he experienced.

This Sunday, we will talk more about what it means to accept God's grace in the midst of great suffering. I hope to see you then!

Scripture for July 17th: Job 28:20-28

Sermon Title: Three Hard Truths About Wisdom

”Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky. Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.” God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

Through suffering we find that our knowledge of God's plans and purpose is limited. Although we have a general understanding of how God operates and what He expects of us through His Word, there are many specifics that God has left unanswered. Some of those questions (such as why some people are healed and others are not) are left unanswered and require that we have faith in God's plan that has not been fully revealed to us. This is one of the greatest challenges that we face when we suffer: to trust God with the unknown even as our circumstances may cry out for answers. This coming Sunday we will explore how to deal with these unanswered questions through faith, obedience and a relationship with Him. I hope to see you then!

Scripture for July 10th: Job 1:18-22; 2:7-10

Sermon Title: Choosing Faith While Suffering

"While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house,when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."

"So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. "His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolishwoman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said."

As you read the story of Job, have you ever asked the question, what did Job do wrong? He did not do anything to deserve the loss of his family, material goods and good health. He lived in a sinful, fallen world, the same world that you and I live in, and served a God who loved him, just as He loves you and I. But God allowed him to suffer so that much good could come from it - both in Job's life and in the lives of others. In fact, because God allowed Job to suffer we today understand much about the role of suffering in God's overall plan and purpose for creation. You see, suffering can be a blessing - God can and does use our suffering to create a new heart in us and bless the lives of others around us. That sounds silly to many people, but God is still in charge when we suffer and our suffering is never in vain - there is always a purpose for suffering. So exactly how is suffering a blessing? We will answer that question this Sunday as we begin a new sermon series based on the Book of Job entitled, "Choosing Faith While Suffering." Hope to see you then!

Sermon For July 3rd: The Church's Responsibility to America

On Sunday we will celebrate July 4th with a special service to remember God's blessings on our great country. During the service, I will bring a message that will speak to what God expects the Church to do in America. The Church has lost its influence and no longer impacts American culture and perspective as it did at one time. Because of this, the morals of America continues to decline and ultimately the judgment of God will someday come. What should the Church be doing to increase its influence and help to turn the country back to God? I will answer that question during my sermon - I hope you will attend, wear red, white & blue and celebrate God's providence over our country. See you then!

Sunday, June 26th: Katie and Taku Longkumer

Missionaries Katie and Taku Longkumer will be speaking this coming Sunday. They have been called to the mission field in Northern India to provide counseling and theological training. Katie is originally from Springfield, IL and Taku was born in India. They have an amazing testimony as to what God has done in their lives and what God has called them to do. Taku will bring the morning message from God's Word and it is sure to be a blessing. Hope you can attend!

Scripture for June 19th: Titus 2:1-8

Sermon Title: What Does the Bible Expect of a Man?

"You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

Christian men have a responsibilty - they are to teach and train others how to live out the Christian faith. They are to do this in word and deed: not only through telling others how to live for Christ, but demonstrating it by how they live. This responsibility is given to all men, whether they are young or old. And this is a responsibility that many Christian men are not meeting. Too many men who claim to be Christian do not regularly attend church or take little to no interest in spiritual matters. Our churches all across our country are kept open by faithful Christian women, while the men are at home or take a backseat to the affairs of the local church. The Scripture passage in Titus call men to be responsible for leading their families and churches in the ways of the Lord. Until more Christian men take on this responsibility, most of our churches in America will remain ineffective in their ability to impact their communities with the Gospel of Christ and families will be hurt spiritually.

This coming Sunday, on Father's Day, we will discuss men's greatest responsibilites as we conclude our current sermon series, "Life Questions: Answers to Life's Most Important Questions." I hope to see you then!