January 2020
Message from Pastor Tom:
Happy
New Year! As we start this new year I pray for hope, love, and peace for us all
and we feel the balance our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can bring to us all. In reflecting back on 2019, it’s
hard not to remember some of the horrific things we’ve witnessed in the news, things
happening to our friends, neighbors and in our own personal lives. Yet at the
same time, we have also seen some very positive and uplifting moments coming
from these very dark and tragic events. In God we can always find our hope,
peace and balance as He works so many things around us, as well as in and
through us in His loving way.
This was brought to mind over the
weekend while packing away Christmas decorations. I returned a mobile to its
rightful place of a man sitting in a circle on one end, being perfectly balanced
while suspended beneath a weighted arch, never getting out of balance with
movement. The Holy Spirit found it a good time to remind me to share in my blog,
it is God who gives us balance in our life. If not, we would just
go around in circles and never balance out our lives fulfilling the plans the Lord
has for us. Instead, we would find ourselves always searching for something, or
for answers and never being fully at peace.
I
know you’re probably thinking that sounds great pastor, but how do I balance my
life? You don’t know what I'm living with or what I’m going through! And of
course you would be right. However, I can still answer your question. Jesus gave
us this formula for us to find balance in Matthew 22:36-39, "Teacher, which is
the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, "Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, Love
your neighbor as yourself.’”
What
God wants is for us to manage
our time and treasures for Him so they can be used for His purposes. God
wants our hearts. He wants
us to understand this balance in life is what makes life work at its best. When our hearts are right, we are
attempting to love God with all of our strength. When our minds are in the
right place, we are taking care of ourselves to the best of our abilities. While the world changes
all around us every day, God never changes. We must strive to live as
Christ-like as possible, upholding our Christian moral and ethical beliefs. As
Christians we study the Bible and continue to develop our personal relationship
with God. Our moral integrity grows as the Holy Spirit drives this within us. Our
ethics can be defined by how we act when people are not watching us. Therefore,
our code of conduct should guide us in doing the same thing whether we are
alone or in a group, for as Christians we know God is always watching and we
are never truly alone. God is perfect, He never changes, and consequently there
is no room for inconsistency. We accept the Bible by faith to be the Holy Word
of God, not just parts of it, but all of it. To know God is to trust in Him and
to accept He controls all things. All we need is faith to receive God’s never
ending rewards.
For this New Year, Heidi and I pray
you will know the blessings and presence of the Lord, and for God’s refreshing
over each one of you. To make all things new in balance with your hearts, in
your minds, and in your lives, so each of you will reflect the joy, peace and
hope to a world so desperately in need of God’s presence and healing. I
thank you for taking the time to read this and as always, I hope it spiritually
enriches you.
Blessings from a pastor
and his wife.
No temptation has overtaken you
except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be
tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also
provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1
Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
