This is the Gospel of the Lord

I love and am encouraged by the Gospel message presented by author, Todd Pepercorn:

Christ came to take away our death.  We really died in the font, not when our body was laid to rest. This means that no matter what terrible thoughts you harbor in your soul, in the midst of your despair, Christ is there. You may not be able to see Him, feel Him, or touch Him, but He is there. You are washed in baptism; you are cleansed in His name. You are His holy child, beloved in His sight. Yes, you suffer.  It is painful. But suffer as the redeemed. For you will come out whole and undefiled in the end.

From "I Trust When Dark My Road," page 83

How to understand God's blessings

No matter how much we might be tempted to read into Holy Scripture, blessings are not a reflection of how well we are doing in this life.  Blessings are not about us; rather, blessings are about God who gives them.  Blessings are exactly what King David asked for: a sign of God's merciful favor.

"Blessed - God's Gift of Love," by Mary J. Moerbe, page 18

From God Nothing Can Move Me

From God nothing can move me

 He will not step aside

But gently will reprove me

 And be my constant guide

He stretches out His hand

 In evening and in morning

My life of grace adorning

 Wherever I may stand

verse one

More than a case of serendipity?

A few months ago I shared with the church that I suffer from depression.  This illness began in my second year of ministry.  It has been troublesome to me since but last fall my depression seemed to greatly increase.  I began cancelling meetings and Bible classes.  Appointments had to be rescheduled.  It put a great burden on our Administrative Assistant, Connie.  Tuesdays were especially hard for me.

Monday is my day off.  It became a day of refreshment, a day to leave behind the pressures of ministry and a day to forget my own expectations of what I think I should be and do as a pastor.  But by Monday evening feelings of anxiety and worry began to consume me.  A dark cloud seemed to descend over me.  By the time the morning rolled around I couldn't face Tuesday.  It was hard.

Interestingly, I made it through Advent and Christmas in pretty good shape.  The time was stressful but I seemed to handle it without too many problems.  But last night the old pattern started.  I had a difficult time sleeping.  I hated getting out of bed this morning.

What woke me up? The pinging sound my cell phone makes when I receive a text message.  When I heard the second "ping" I had to get up.  What if there were an emergency? I couldn't just lay there.

The first message was from one of our members who was letting me know that they were specifically praying for me today.  All day! This member and their family are dealing with their own troubles. But their thoughts and prayers were focused on me.  Such encouragement!

The second message was from another member who was sharing some good news with me.  This person thought that I would want to know that my ministry is not in vain and that it is helping others. Another word of encouragement.

Was all of this a "happy accident?" I choose to believe that God's fingerprints are all over these incidents.

People suffering from depression don't see the glass as "half-full," so to speak.  In my case, I don't even see the glass.  Life in hard.  Doesn't seem to be worth going through the motions.  You retreat into a place of darkness and hopelessness.

But I believe that God knew my heart, knew that today would be a struggle, knew that I needed some encouragement.  I received some this morning through a couple of text message.  I'll receive even more when I open up God's Word of encouragement, the Bible.  And, I pray, that will help me to get going this morning.

Sorry for the long post.  I hadn't intended on sharing about my struggle.  But I couldn't help but tell about God's watchfulness over my life and how He used a couple of His people to give me the encouragement I needed this morning.

A blessed day to you today and may the grace of God dwell with you always.

Not trusting God is like...

Not trusting God for your daily needs is like having a wealthy father who is willing to lavish thousands of dollars on you, yet not being able to trust him for money in an emergency.

Martin Luther, from "Faith Alone," September 13

Let's go to worship

How about tonight at 5 pm? ASU Campus Pastor Greg Fairow will be our special guest speaker for all three services this weekend.

If tonight doesn't work, join us tomorrow at 8 or 11 am.  The Lord's Supper will be celebrated at the 8 am service.

Have a blessed weekend!

Hello! Welcome to 2017!

So how is the new year going for you?

We had a blessed Christmas season with our family.  There was one exception - someone brought a virus into our house and before we knew it, 14 or 18 family members were stricken with it.  Only lasted a day or so but those particular 24 hours were pure misery (I will skip the details).

At church we celebrated with joy the birth of our Savior.  Singing "Silent Night" in a sanctuary bathed in candlelight is always a memorable experience.  And we began the new year by considering a resolution that makes sense - be like Joseph, who heard the Word of God and obeyed it.  Jesus called those who do so, "blessed."  This is a resolution worth keeping.

Today, is Epiphany.  This is a word that means, "appearing."  During this time in the church year we celebrate the appearing of Jesus, who brings light into this world of darkness and sin.  Starting the new year by seeking to walk in the light of forgiveness, love and peace that Jesus gives is what His disciples strive to do.

Our new Christian Life Center is finished but unoccupied.  Apparently, some important paperwork was not given to Maricopa County as was required.  So now we wait while these documents are under review.  Please pray with us that the paperwork is in order and that we will soon receive our occupancy permit.

A blessed new year to you!