March 2019
Message from Pastor Tom,
All of us know the old saying, in like a lion, out like a lamb, or vise versa. With the crazy weather we have experienced across the country it
is definitely a wait and see game. Yet each of us can weather the storms or
welcome an early spring if we are prepared for whatever happens. We can bask in
the sun and good times, but we can also weather any storm that comes our way if
we go in prepared for battle. Even if the beast of a lion is waiting to devour
at every turn, trying to leave us in the wake of his destruction, we can still
overcome. How? If we know our enemy and put on the full armor of God, we can
trust and have no worries because we will always be prepared for the spiritual
battle raging around us.
We know this teaching not only through the Scriptures, but
also from our own studies, and our pastors’ sermons on Sundays, which all help equip
us and help lift the scales from our eyes. As Christians we are aware the world
today is full of followers who prefer to go with the flow and let the culture
and world around them influence and form their belief system. Unfortunately,
our society has become very tolerant of all styles of teachings. It has become
the social norm to adopt a culture of tolerance, allowing for the lowering of
our own ethical standards. All too often the same kind of tolerance and anything-goes
attitude moves into the church. As Christians we can never lower our moral and
ethical standards. Our truths are based on fundamental Christian principles,
which are learned through Scripture and it is our moral and ethical duty to lay
this foundation for our children. Christians do not have the luxury of
compromising our morals and ethics to be all-inclusive and believe anything
goes. We are as soldiers in God’s army and are engaged daily in the fierce and
very real spiritual warfare around us. We need to hold our ground and be
prepared, dressed in our battle gear every day. We need to be strong in the
Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can
take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV).
We need to remember this is not our world and we must stand
strong against the evil one that wants to destroy our life with Jesus Christ.
God’s love is immense, extensive and unconditional. There is no doubt we are in
the war, and we need to be the voice of Jesus. The world we live in forces us
to walk a fine line between good and evil. Decisions must be made daily, and
those decisions will invariably be either wise, or foolish. A
foolish decision according to Proverbs 1:7, is one made with a firm resistance to
any type of counseling or instruction. Fortunately, we have the book of Proverbs
to follow, a loving God, a supportive church body, and our Pastors with a
loving heart chosen by God to lead his flock. We have everything necessary
to guide us through any type of life situation.
Therefore, know and trust we can defeat this beast as God
has equipped each one of us with unique and specific gifts to use for the
purpose of advancing His kingdom. These gifts, when put to use, might look
something like: a small act of kindness, a silent prayer, a charitable
donation, or a lending hand. I know none of these things are particularly
heroic by human standards, but by God’s standard they are. God also gave to
each of us the “free will” to choose, and a voice to teach. In Matthew 5:19, God tells us those who faithfully
practice His commands, and teaches them to others, will be called “great in the
kingdom of heaven.” So in this world where self-gratification is highly valued,
and the Christian lifestyle we live isn’t exactly appealing, in order to be
great Christians, we simply need to obey and share the Word of God. The word of
God implores us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and bring everything to the
foot of the cross so that through the most trying of times we will find the
faith we need to press forward, and keep advancing the Kingdom of God.
Heidi and I pray for the Lamb of God to richly bless and
keep you safe from harm. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope as
always it spiritually enriches you.
Blessings from a pastor and his wife.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb
of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1-29
