The Joyful Life we seek ... 

Let us rejoice in the Lord always: and again, I say, Rejoice. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. The blessing of the Lord, it makes it rich, and he added no sorrow with it. So, ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy.

Philippians 4:4, Psalm 16:11, Proverbs 10:22,

John 16:24, Romans 14:17, Galatians5:22

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Col 1:16-17

The sovereignty of God used to be a given in church and was a common subject of preaching. Is this the case in these times? We must take time to read and take in scriptures like the one above, Heb.1:3, Eph.1:11, and Psalm 115:3. God has unlimited power, does what He chooses, and has sovereign control over the affairs of man, nature, and history. His power is absolute and infinite. He’s the potter and we’re the clay. Being God and being almighty, He has the power and the right to do whatever He wishes and is under no obligation to us.

There are aspects of God’s sovereignty we can see and experience, but we’ll never truly understand it on this side of the grave. Digging in the Word, being led by the Spirit, allowing God to have His way in our trials - these will shed light on these aspects but our hope in putting all the pieces together will have to be placed in eternity. “For now, we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” 1Cor.13:12

Let us continue to grow in understanding of His will and His ways. Amen!

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

Herding sheep in David's time was hard work. There was nothing romantic about the night shift. Shepherds did not relax on balmy evenings under the twinkling stars. They braved numbingly cold nights and worked hard to protect their sheep from predators. Night and day, they were never passive toward their flock. Shepherds had to lead, tend, feed, protect, and nurture the animals in their care. They provided everything necessary for their flock’s safety and well-being. To appreciate the size of this challenge, remember that sheep are fearful, defenseless animals. They will drink from any body of water that they stumble upon - dirty or clean. They will not lie down unless they feel entirely secure. Sheep are susceptible to certain diseases. Indeed, sheep need lots of care.

The Bible tells us we are like sheep. On our own, we are defenseless against the power of sin and death. Without guidance, we will drink from any source of information and entertainment. We look everywhere for security, and we're vulnerable to diseases of our spirt, our emotions, and our mind. We, too, need a lot of care. I thank God for appointing Jesus to be our Good Shepherd.

ELDERS’ CORNER

A New Perspective

“From the end of the earth will I call unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed:  Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2  Are any of you a beach, mountain, or woodsman person as I? Do you like to stare at the stars or marvel at cloud formations? I do! How do you react to satellite pictures of the earth and of galaxies far away?  In these situations I am reminded how small we really are. The vastness of the ocean, the grandeur of the mountains, the distance of the stars, the movement of the clouds, the immeasurable nature of the universe - these help us put our lives and our concerns in perspective.

This is especially true when we let these amazing aspects of creation point us to the Creator.  Although we don’t like to think about it, human beings are frail and weak and life’s pressures and pain can overwhelm us at times. God is greater than all our problems and He is undaunted by our worst trials. When David was feeling overwhelmed, he asked the Lord to “lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Let’s follow that example and let God help us see things from His perspective; the perspective of our all loving, all wise, all powerful heavenly Father. 

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” Rom 12:17)

Despite our best intentions we occasionally say and do things that hurt others, even those (sometimes especially those) we love the most. Often our pride and fear – the same things that usually created the mess to begin with, keep us from properly making amends.

Pride tells us our hurtful words and actions are justified and we have nothing to apologize for. Fear tells us to protect our image or we will be disrespected, dominated, or deemed inadequate. The result of this pride and fear is a battle for control that only prolongs bad feelings and undermines the trust needed in a healthy relationship.

Scripture clearly teaches us to “be humble and not hold ourselves in higher esteem than others .” Phi 2:3 The combination of these two qualities - humility and strength - is called meekness.   Let us be people that surrender our pride and apologize. It shows obedience, courage, humility, love, and strength.