From the Pastor

From the Pastor

Everything is About and For Jesus

Colossians 1:15-18a — 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.…

Positionally right, Practically not yet

Romans 8:29—29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Jesus Christ is God.  It is in His image that we were made and for His followers, it is in His image that they are being conformed.  This is our sanctification.  We call it by several…

Loving the Lord Holistically

Matthew 22:37- 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Jesus speaks the verse above in response to being asked which is the great commandment of the Law.  We know that God sees us as a whole person and that we cannot separate your mind, heart, and soul.  What your heart…

The Lord is near!

Titus 2:11-14—11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to…

Gratitude or Entitlement?

1  Thessalonians 5:16-18—16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. We are told to give thanks in all circumstances.  That sounds a little optimistic when you think of all of the evil in the world and all of our sin in our own hearts.  Our…

Called To Serve

Ephesians 4:11-16 — 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we…

A Reason To Fear

Matthew 6:25-34 – 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.…

United With Christ

Romans 6:4 – 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.   Baptism is a beautiful thing. Paul makes it clear that baptism does not save us. Faith alone (Sola Fide) saves us. Faith that is a gift of God’s grace —faith that…

The Triumphal Entry

Matthew 21:8-9—8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” What a sight that must have been to see Jesus at…

Book of Life

Revelation 20:12-15—12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them,…