The Coronavirus & Christians

Peace and Preparation not Panic.

Jesus told us in John 16:33, “I  have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

The Scriptures tell us to use wisdom and be prepared when facing challenges. However, the Lord does not want us to be ruled by fear. Peace is one of the gifts that our Lord gives us. 

Philippians 4:4-7 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness, (Gracious spirit) be apparent to all. The Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Did you know that the word Corona means Crown? Psalm 65:11 says, “You crown the year with goodness and your paths drip with abundance.”

Psalm 103:2-4, “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”

Psalm 149:4 says, “For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.”

As we look back over history God has used believers to step up in times of crises to make a difference in the world. As believers, let’s pray and work for this virus to be stopped. Let’s use wisdom and be prepared. Then, let us live in the peace that only Christ can give and pass it on to others. 

Join with me in prayer for tonight’s Bible study groups of children, youth and adults. Then, let’s join in prayer for this weekend's services. Invite someone you know to come and worship with us.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Marching into Promise Land Living

In Numbers 13, the Lord told Moses to send one man from each tribe of Israel to explore the promised land. Out of 12 spies, 2 gave a positive report and 10 gave a negative report about the land. In chapter 14, the people began to grumble and complain against Moses and Aaron: “If only we had died in Egypt…”.   As a result, only Joshua and Caleb, the two positive spies and their families, entered the Promised Land. Numbers 14:24 and 14:30 tells us that Joshua and Caleb had a “different spirit”. What gave them a different spirit? The answer: they believed God and His promises. They were not negative. They did not grumble and complain against the Lord and Moses.

There is an old hymn that is titled: “Faith Is The Victory”...that overcomes the world. Negativity, doubt, grumbling against the Lord and unbelief will keep you from promised land living. 

So, don’t give in to the temptation to grumble and complain. Have a different spirit. Believe God and His promises so you can enter Promise Land Living.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Love Takes Time

In Deuteronomy 24:5 there is an interesting Bible verse about marriage. It states "A newly married man must not be drafted into the army or be given any other official responsibilities. He must be free to spend one year at home, bringing happiness to his wife." Wow, some have called this a one year honeymoon. I’m not sure how this was actually applied but I do see this: we must devote time to our marriage for it to be successful.  If the Lord has blessed you with a spouse renew your commitment to spend time together. Let the Lord help you renew your marriage.

This Sunday I will be speaking on the Three Phases of Love and How to Have a Strong Marriage.

The “Love and Respect” class for couples will begin Sunday evening February 16 at 6:00 PM.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Super Bowl Sunday with Joe Jackson

This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday. We call it our "Jeans and Jerseys" day.

Our aim is to use this day to build a bridge for others to come to Christ.

The word Priest means “One who builds a bridge.” I have friends that really like football. You may have family members of neighbors that like football. Invite them to come and hear former NFL player Joe Jackson this Sunday. Joe played with the N.Y. Jets and the Minnesota Vikings. Joe will talk about football and share his testimony.

Here’s how you can participate: Pray with us that the Lord will use this weekend to effectively share His good news with others. Invite someone to come. Wear you favorite Jeans and Jersey.

Also, Joe will speak on Saturday morning at our Men’s Breakfast at 8:30 AM. Please call to reserve a seat if you have not already signed up.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

A Fresh Beginning

New, fresh, recent. It’s great to have a fresh beginning.

In Isaiah 43:19 the Lord told his people, "I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

Elisha prayed for the eyes of his servant to be opened so he could see God at work around them. Let’s pray that our eyes will be opened  to see how He is working around us and wants to work through us in this new year.

This Sunday we will study Isaiah 43:19 and how the Lord makes us new.

Also, we welcome Pastors Chad and Jenna Hammontree to our staff. Chad will serve as our new Youth, Worship and Young Adult Pastor. They will begin their new ministry with us this Sunday.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

The Cast of Christmas: The Angels Proclaim His Peace

This Sunday is the second Sunday of Advent and we will study the peace that the angels proclaimed to others. In Luke 2:10-14 when the angels appeared to the shepherds to announce the wonderful news of the birth of Christ. I’m sure the shepherds must have been surprised, shocked and afraid. But the angels reassured them not to be afraid, for they had “Good news of great joy for everyone...The Savior has been born..Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to men on whom His favor rest.”

Through Jesus we have peace with God and can extend that peace to others. Let’s live in the peace that only comes through knowing Christ as our Savior. Let’s also be alert for opportunities to pass His peace on to others.

Join with me in prayer for this weekends services and invite someone to come and worship with us.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Advent!

I pray that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Take time to reflect on how  the Lord has  blessed you this past year. If you are traveling I pray for safe travels for you and your family.

Also, prepare for Advent. This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. On this day we will light the candle of Hope. This candle also reminds us of the Prophets of the Old Testament who announced God’s coming Savior. Advent means coming or arrival. Advent reminds us that God has sent us a Savior and that He is coming again. Jesus is our Living Hope. He is the Hope of the past, present and future for all people.

Just as the people of old waited and prepared for the Savior to come, we also are to wait with hope, expectation and preparation. The Prophet Isaiah said “ A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3). John the Baptist quoted this scripture in referring to Jesus in Luke 3:3-4.

Advent is a time to prepare our hearts and lives for His coming. If Jesus were coming to your house for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner how would you prepare? Let’s make way, make room and prepare our lives to let Jesus come in.

I am thankful to serve as your pastor.

Abundant Grace

My wife Laurie and I used to live in Ormond Beach, Florida before moving to Bismarck. We would sometimes go to the beach and enjoy watching the waves. The waves came everyday, 24 hours a day there was and endless supply. You could say the waves were abundant.

In Romans 5:20 God's grace is described as "abounding." The word abound means "great in number, fully supplies or an overflow." Wow, what wonderful grace the Lord Jesus has given to us.

This Sunday we will study Romans 5: 12-21. Our key verse is verse 20: "...where sin abounded grace did much more abound."

Think about his abounding grace to you this week and extend his grace to others.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

The Great Exchange

Leonardo Da Vinci is considered by many as the greatest artist in the world.

Suppose you lived in his time and admired his paintings so much that he gave you the credit for painting them. That credit would be undeserved but greatly valued.

In Romans chapter 4, St. Paul tells us that when we put our faith in Christ we receive the credit for what He did for us on the cross. The righteousness of Christ becomes ours through faith. This Sunday we will study Romans chapter 4. Read this chapter ahead of time and we will learn together this Sunday.

Pray with me for this weekend’s services. Invite someone to come and worship with us.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Together: Part 4

Loneliness. Many people suffer from it. In fact, I read this week that we have an epidemic of loneliness. I am thankful that our Heavenly Father has a cure: Fellowship.

We were made for fellowship. I John 1:3 says, “We proclaim to you what we ourselves have seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

The word fellowship means relationship, friendship, sharing, having a common purpose and a joy in one another’s company. Come this Sunday as we learn and grow in fellowship together.

I encourage you to be a part of one of our small group Bible studies so you can have fellowship with others.

Join with me in praying for our weekends service. Invite a family member or friend to come and fellowship with us.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Come On Down

As a boy I remember my Mother enjoyed watching the TV show "Let’s Make A Deal." Every guest waited in anticipation to hear their name called, followed by that famous phrase “Come on Down!" The chosen guest would then, in joyful celebration, make their way to the front of the auditorium to participate in the show.

Did you know that you are chosen and called out for a purpose? In Matthew 18:19 Jesus said “I will build my church…” The word “Church” means chosen and called out. Jesus has chosen and called you out to be a part of His church. His mission is our mission. This Sunday we will study Together Part 3: The mission or purpose of the church. Part of the good news is that we get to be part of His church and work with Him.

Join with me in prayer for this weekend's services. Invite someone to come and worship with us.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Together: Part 2

There is power in unity or working together.

One draft horse can pull 8000 pounds but two can pull 24,000 pounds. They can pull three times as much when they pull together. In Act 2:1-4 the scripture says "On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly,…everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit..."

These believers followed Jesus command to wait for The Promise of the Father and they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. When we work together with Jesus and one another we can accomplish much more than we go through life alone.

This Sunday we will study “Together” part 2. Come and be filled afresh and new with His Holy Spirit.

Together

This Sunday is National Back to Church Day. Our theme is TOGETHER. Many things are done better together. For example, I enjoy singing but when I sing with my wife Laurie we can make harmony together, something I cannot do alone. Harmony is beautiful but it takes more than one to make music in harmony.

Hebrew 10:25 says "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near." Yes, we can worship alone at home and should do that on a daily basis. But when we come together for worship we are following the example of Jesus and putting the scriptures into practice. We need the encouragement that comes from "meeting together."

Join with me in prayer for Back to Church Sunday. Plan on attending and invite a friend to come to.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Let 'Em In

In 1976 Paul McCartney and the band Wings recorded a song titled “Let 'Em In’. It became a big hit. In the song he mentions several family members as well as some famous people. He simply says “Someone’s knocking at the door, someone’s ringing the bell. Do me a favor, open the door and let 'em in.”

In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, “Look, I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal together as friends.” Jesus wants to have a living relationship with you, but you must open the door of your heart and let Him in. Jesus spoke these words to the church at Laodicea. They had become lukewarm in their love for Christ. They were blessed and didn’t think they needed more of Christ. However, they had become lukewarm in their love for Him. Open the door of your life afresh and new to Jesus. Let Him be your first love and treasure.

Join with me in prayer for this Sunday’s services. Also, invite or bring someone with you to church this week. It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Work and rest: we need a balance of both.

In 1894 Congress set aside Labor Day as a holiday to honor the American worker.

The Bible says that we should "enter His rest," the rest that only the Lord can give. On this coming Labor Day weekend, I encourage you to rest in Christ. He said, "Come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

This Sunday we will study how to receive the rest that only He can give. Invite someone to come and worship with us. If you will be traveling I pray for safe travel for you and your family.

It is an honor to serve as your Pastor.

A Good Plan Gone Bad

Have you ever prayed, “Lord, get me out of this mess I have created!”

When David escaped from King Saul and went to hide in enemy territory (I Samuel 21:10-15) it seemed like a good plan at first. However, things began to turn south and his life was in danger.

Psalm 34 is David’s celebration for God rescuing him from a bad dilemma. David knew hurtful times but God heard his cry and helped him.

This Sunday we will study Psalm 34. I encourage you to read this Psalm ahead of time. Let’s decide along with David to; “Praise the Lord at all times.” Psalm 34:1

Join with me in prayer for this weekend’s services and invite someone to come with you.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Be Still And Know

When you were young did your parents ever tell you to "Be still?" Often our schedules are so filled with work and recreation that we do not make times of stillness.

Yes, we are to work and to do our work as unto the Lord. In other words, when we work we should do our best to bless others and to give God glory. Also, when we have done our best it brings a wonderful sense of fulfillment.

However, we also need times to rest and be still. Often we are so active that we don’t take time to "Be Still" and let God speak to us. We need times of stillness in order to rest in Him and hear his voice.

This Sunday we will study Psalm 46. I encourage you to read this Psalm. Then, seek to rest and be still in Him and hear His voice.

Join me in prayer for this weekend’s services and bring someone to church with you.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Have You Taken Your Prescription?

Often doctors will prescribe medication to help a patient be healthy. However, if the patient doesn’t use the prescription they shouldn’t expect to recover very soon. In Psalm 37, the Lord gives us a “Prescription for life.” I encourage you to read Psalm 37 and highlight the key words and phrases that stand out to you. Then pray to put it into practice.

This Sunday we will study Psalm 37. Join with me in prayer for this Sunday’s services and invite someone to come with you.

It is an honor to serve as your pastor.

Our Rock

As Laurie and I traveled to the Bear Tooth Pass in Montana and the Black Hills of South Dakota this summer, we saw many Majestic Mountains and Beautiful Rocks. As we sat high upon a rock in Custer State Park overlooking Sylvan Lake, Psalm 18:1-3 came to my mind. In these verses David wrote:

I will love You, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies.

This Sunday we will study Psalm 18 together. Read this Psalm ahead of time and we will learn about "Our Rock of Salvation" together.

Join with me in prayer for this weekend’s services and invite someone to come with you.

It is an honor to serve as your Pastor.

Get Up In Jesus' Name

In Acts 3, Peter and John were on their way to pray at the temple when a crippled man asked them for money. Peter said, "…I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!"

Their prayer sparked faith in the heart of this lame man. They reached out in love and the man was healed. God wants to flow through us to reach out to others this week. It may be your prayer, words of encouragement or an act of love that will bring salvation and healing to others. As a result of this healing Peter was able to explain how it happened and 5000 people received Christ as their Savior. A little prayer can make a big difference.

Read the rest of the story in Acts 3 and 4. This Sunday we will study this true story together.

Heavenly Father, flow through us to bring your love, healing and salvation to others.

It is an honor to serve as your Pastor.