Family

Merry Christmas! I trust all is well with you and your family. Christmas is about celebrating what God the Father has given to us. He has given eternal life to us through His Son Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate the birth of the Savior. Imagine that first Christmas! Joseph and Mary holding their new born child. Their little family filled with joy and the excitement of having a new born child. That first Christmas morning was the birth of the "prince of peace".

Christmas-day is usually a day we spend together with family and friends. As you are together with your family take the time to thank the Lord for each family member. God has created each one of us with our own uniqueness and giftings. Family is so important, take time today to say, "I love you."

May you have a Merry Christmas!

This is today,

Pastor Gary

The Words of Christ

As I was reading this morning I was reminded of the words of Christ, "the letter of the law kills but the Spirit gives life." I need the life that comes from the presence of Jesus Christ. I want His life flowing through me. Seek to walk in His truth. Seek to keep the spirit of the law, that is, to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and to love thy neighbor as thyself."

Show mercy and extend grace to others. Give others room to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and watch the transformation take place. It is great to watch the Lord, by His Spirit and Word, change people and make them into instruments for His glory!

May we seek "life"!

This is today,

Pastor Gary

Mary, An Astounding Faith

When you contemplate the Christmas story your heart is filled with amazement. Imagine Mary? A young lady, she is being raised in a very religious household and culture. She is one who fears God herself, not simply because she is raised in a Jewish home but because she herself wants a relationship with God. Imagine! She is at home one night. Probably just finished doing some chores and after a long day she finally has some time for herself. I mean, life is busy for young Mary, she is engaged to be married to Joseph and there are a lot of things to do. She finally has some time alone. Time to rest, to relax and time to just focus on herself and all that is going on. She is probably in a gaze, staring off into space, thinking of what life is going to be like when she gets married. And suddenly she has a visitation from an Angel. And what he tells her is unbelievable! The first question that comes to her mind is, "How can this be?" and then finally she comes to the place of surrender. And it is not simply surrender, it is the place of submission.

Luke records her response in chapter 1 verse 38 (NKJV) "Then Mary said, 'Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let is be to me according to your word." Her life was forever changed! Oh we speak of her with much honor today. We speak of her with such reverence and awe. We esteem her courage, her faith, her fortitude! And rightfully so. But how different it was in that little community where she lived. She had to walk by the crowds as they whispered to one another. She had to hold her head high as others silently jeered her, for she was pregnant and was not yet married.

Yes, her faith is amazing when you think she gave birth to the Son of God; yet her faith is astounding when you think of what she had to go through before even giving birth. Lord, give us the courage to surrender to the plan you have for us!

This is today,

Pastor Gary

Overwhelmed!

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by things? Maybe you feel this way now! It is easy to allow life to overwhelm you. What should you do when you feel overwhelmed? Where can you go? How are you to ddeal with these feelings? The feeling of being overwhelmed is common to most of us. Therefore, remember you are in good company. Sometimes we are overwhelmed because of impending dead lines or because there is so much stuff going on in our lives. Sometimes the seasons of the year overwhelm us. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by our own short comings. There are several things we can do during these times to help us deal with our feelings.

First, do as the Psalmist says: "From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy" (62:2-3). He cries out to God!. We must be willing to take our feelings of being overwhelmed to the Lord. His word declares that "His understanding is infinite." Second, allow Him to "lead you to the rock that is higher than you." The rock that is sturdy, that is greater, that is stronger, that is sufficient. Third, realize what God has already been to you. He has been a shelter to you. And He has been a strong tower from the enemy.

Remember, Jesus is greater then your needs. He is greater then your sins. He is greater then your situation. He is greater then your failure. He is greater then your insufficiencies. Jesus is the "rock that is higher!"

This is today,

Pastor Gary

Trust

Trust is so important in any relationship. It is especially important in our relationship with the Father. Proverbs 3:5,6 declares: "Trust in the Lord with all of thine heart, lean not to thy own understanding and in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path." Trust is so hard to come by in today's ruthless society; however, may we learn to trust God in all things. Remember TRUST means:

T -- Total Surrender

R -- Relinquish Control

U -- Understand His ways are better then our ways

S -- Submit to God's way

T -- Together with God everything is going to be alright

God is at work in your life. Trust Him to bring about His plan and His purpose in you. Surrender everything to Him; relinquish control of yourself and your destiny to Jesus. Submit yourself to the power of the Holy Spirit and together with God everything is going to be alright.

This is today,

Pastor Gary

Positioning Yourself

What a thought! Positioning yourself to hear from God. All of us want to hear God speak to us. All of us want to know the will of God for our lives. A. W. Tozer once said, "God is ever speaking but we have trained our ears not to hear." This is true! God is ever speaking. God is constantly talking to us in ways we never dreamed possible. The question is, are we postured to hear Him? Have we postioned ourselves to listen to what the Lord is saying to us?

Acts 10:33 says, "So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.” Cornelius is speaking to Peter and he and his household is eagerly waiting to hear the message God has given to Peter for them. This is so important! What a great picture! It is one of anticipation. It is a picture of excitement and anxiously waiting for something good to happen.

May we be this way in our walk with God. May we be ready to hear what God is saying. May we be ready to hear the message He has for us today. Saint, the Father has a message for you today. Have you positioned yourself to hear what the Father has to say? Will you slow down long enough to hear Him speak to you? What is your spiritual posture? Are you waiting with bated breath, waiting to hear the message the Lord has for you today. God will not dissappoint you!

This is today,

Pastor Gary

Friendship

Friends are so important in life. Friends are there in your life no matter what the situation is you are facing. The book of Proverbs says, "A friend loves at all times" and how true Solomon was. We all need companions, friends who will have our back. Friends who will give a word of encouragement or friends who will speak a word into our life at the right moment. Sometimes we simply need a friend to simply listen.

I thank the Lord for the friends He brings into our lives because life would be unbearable if it were not for our true friends. In Colossians 4 the Apostle Paul is closing his letter and as he does he is saying thank you to his friends and companions who have helped him. It is in verse 11, the last part that stands out to me, (NLT) "...they are working with me here for the kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!" There are two things that I notice: "Friends work together on a common cause" and "friends comfort one another."

What makes this so interesting is, the Apostle is in prison. If there ever was a time he needed friends to work with him it was while he was in prison. If there ever was a time he needed comfort and encouragement it was at this time in his life. And this is what these companions, these friends provided for the Apostle Paul.

We realize that we cannot accomplish what the Lord desire's for us too without a team of friends. And sometimes we need our friends to come alongside of us to comfort and encourage us. May we thank the Lord today for the friends He has brought into our lives. Why not take the time today and say to that friend (s) "thank you" and/or "what an encouragement you are to me."

This is today,

Pastor Gary

"Thank You"

It feels good when someone says, "thank you" doesn't it? When someone is appreciative of what you have done it makes you want to do something else or work even harder or give even more. As parents, it makes us feel good when our children show appreciation for the things we do. It actually makes us feel like our teaching and pouring into them is actually working and making a difference.

As Christmas approaches may we stop and contemplate what God the Father has done for us. He gave us his "only begotten Son." The Father gave Jesus to the world! Can we stop for a moment and say: "Thank You!" May we say "thank you" for sacrificing so much so that we might know you. That we might know your love. That we might know your power. Thank we might know your presence. Christmas is a time of gatherings, parties, appointments, shopping and so much more. May we stop for a moment and say "thanks" to the Father. Perhaps as God is honored by our praise and thanksgiving He may in turn bless us in ways we never dreamed possible.

Perhaps no one has said "thank you" to you for all you do or have done. I want to say, "thanks" for being you. Thank you for being kind to your neighbor. Thank you for letting your light shine for Jesus. Thank you for standing up for what you know is right when others are being silent. Thank you for all the little things you do that no one ever sees. Just in case you have not heard it today, I want you to know, I thank you for being you.

This is today,

Pastor Gary

Practice, Purpose, Discipline

Practice, Purpose, Discipline. These are the words the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in order to encourage them to run the race of life effectively. Each of us are in a race, and the goal is heaven. Eternal life with Jesus Christ! 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT says: "Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. 25 All athletes practice strict self control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete ..."

The three words that are important in this passage are: practice, purpose, and discipline. Athletes practice self control. They practice self control over their appetite and their daily routines. Purpose! We must live with purpose. Paul said, "purpose in every step." When you live with purpose it shows thru in your passion. Discipline! If the athlete is going to cempete and compete well then he has to discipline his body and get into shape. Think! We are in a race and the finish line is heaven. Let us discipline ourselves, our spiritual lives so that we can compete and compete well. And one day, we will hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Practice, purpose, and discipline this is what it takes!

This is today,

Pastor Gary

Emmanuel, God is with us!

Have you ever gone through a difficult situation all alone? Have you ever turned to tell a friend something and realize there was no one their, no friend to be found? Sometimes we experience challenges in life where we feel alone. There are even times when we are in a crowded room and people are talking all around us and yet, we feel all alone. This is a difficult place to be in. Why do we sometimes feel this way? Because we live in a fallen world; because we face challenges; because plans do not always work out, we sometimes feel all alone.

The good news about Jesus is one of the names applied to Him is, Emmanuel. Matthew 1:23 says "She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” This is what Christmas is about! It is about God coming to live with us. We never have to be alone. Yes, there are times when we feel alone, but it does not mean we are alone. God is with us, through the Presence of His Son Jesus. May the Holy Spirit make the Presence of God so real to us.

I love the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:16-17. Paul is in prison and he was scheduled to appear before the judge and he was all alone. Listen to what he says: "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: ... Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me;" The Lord was there with him.

Remember, Christmas is about Jesus, Emmanuel, coming to us so that we would never have to be alone again. Rejoice in the Lord and remember His goodness. And remember, God is with us!

This is today

Pastor Gary

Early Will I Seek You

Psalm 119:142 NLT declares: "I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words." Have you ever had something weigh heavy on your mind and you could not sleep? Have you ever simply laid in bed and stare at the ceiling and toss and turn? The next time this happens, try getting up and find a place to get alone with God. Possibly the Lord is stirring your heart for a particular reason, if for nothing else than to spend time with Him.

The Father desires to spend time with you. He wants to speak with you, converse with you, He desires for you to ponder and think on Him. There is something about the early morning hours. The air is crisp and there is a stillness that fills the night sky. I have often found the Lord to be most precious during these times. Possibly more so because I could concentrate on Him and nothing else. Early in the morning there are no dead lines to reach, no phone calls to answer, no interuptions. No, just you and God, contemplating on the goodness of the Lord. It is sweetness indeed!

The Father has a message, a word for you today. Take the time to be with Him and discover the riches of His mercy and grace. He invites you to relax in His presence and find the strength you need for the journey. I would like to challenge you to "rise early, before the sun is up ..." and discover the treasures the Father has awaiting for you.

This is today,

Pastor Gary

What is your passion?

Is your passion for Jesus or is it for something else? Many say it is for Jesus but is it really? There is a simple way to find out what your passion is. Just answer the following two questions and then you will identify what you are passionate about. Question one: Outside of work, what do you spend the majority of your time on? Question two: What subject dominates your conversation? What ever your answers are is what you are passionate about. If Jesus, His word, or His work is not in either of these two answers then maybe we are not quite as passionate about Jesus as you thought.

When you are passionate about something you talk about it. You read up on it. You are consumed with gaining more information.

We all are passionate about something! If we become passionate about Christ as we are about so many other things, then there is a natural desire the Holy Spirit places in us to "know Him and the power of His resurrection" (Phil 3:10).

If your passion for Christ has been waining lately, ask the Holy Spirit to re-ignite a holy passion for Jesus. After all, Jesus is passionate about you and me.

This is today,

Pastor Gary