Pastor's Blog

"It Starts With Me"

"It Starts With Me"

Memory Verse

“…that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us…” Acts 17:27

Byron Paulus and Bill Elliff relate an amazing story of one man seeking hard after God. “It was one o’clock in the morning when the Lord awakened a young man from his sleep, prompting him to rise from his bed and do business with God.” This twenty-six year old chose to do exactly what God asked. The next night, the same thing happened. In fact, for many months following, God woke this man up and poured His life and truth into his willing heart. After sharing with a local church one night how God was working in his heart, Evan Roberts shared again and again. With no planned program, the Welsh Revival of 1904 – 1905 was underway. In one nine month span, 100,000 people came to faith in Christ. What a great revival!

 Prayer points:

• Lord, awaken my heart to You. I want to confess my sin. I want to hold nothing back. I want You to use me as a catalyst to revive my family, church, and community. To God be the glory!

"The Temptation of Riches"

The Temptation of Riches

Memory verse

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” 1 Timothy 6:9

 The problem described here is not riches, but the eager desire for riches. Therefore, this truth applies to people of great wealth as well as people who are poor. It describes the person who sets his heart on acquiring more, merely for the sake of having more, no matter what their income is. The Apostle Paul is waving a warning flag to those who keep planning to get rich. Then, like a fisherman casting a lure, so the devil will set a trap to cause the one to covet the wrong objects. If we are not careful, we will step into the snare and be entangled as an animal. Beware of the bait of wealth and materialism.

 Prayer point:

• Gracious Providing Father, remind me that all I need comes from Your merciful hand. You are my portion. Help me to grow in what You have given and not desire what You have graciously withheld.

"What is Great Gain"?

What is Great Gain?

“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment…” 1 Timothy 6:6

Our ideas of what it means to have great gain needs to be updated to reflect the teaching of Scripture. Godliness, not wealth, brings great gain. The word “contentment” means to be independent of external circumstances. It is used here to reflect an attitude of mind that is dependent on God alone. Godliness, when accompanied by contentment, does what money and possessions cannot do. Godliness is great gain because in it we benefit not only of being heirs of the world but also of enjoying Christ and all His riches. Psalm 37:16 states, “Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.”

 Prayer Point:

• Gracious Father, help me not to love money and possessions. Help me to understand that Jesus Christ is the source of all the riches of this world. Remind me that if I have Christ, I am full and content.