Christmas Miracles

Click here to view Pastor John's Sermon God Answers Prayer and Bro. Larry's Sunday School


We visited some folks tonight who were watching the Christmas specials. They told us they enjoy watching them every year. We liked to hear that because we do too. When we went home we found a really sweet Christmas show on Hallmark and just sat back and enjoyed it. You know the plot...a miracle at Christmas time. The show we watched dealt with broken family relationships and dealing with the grief of loosing a spouse. All this with the help of an angel....with the angel played by the mother from Everybody loves Raymond.

Does Christmas really bring miracles? Well, we know that the first Christmas was a miracle. The miracle started with the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary and her conception of Jesus... Elizabeth and Zacharias had a miracle in their old age and were able to conceive....and finally there is a the matter of a great star announcing the birth of Jesus.

I believe God always wants to do miracles that will show forth His glory. Miracles that will restore relationships, heal bodies and the broken hearted, and draw people to Jesus. Perhaps people are more receptive to believe God during the Christmas season.

The Christmas shows come to a happy ending in 2 hours or less. I like that time frame. Real life doesn't work that way. The movies always have a part where it looks like things won't turn out...I hate that part because it mirrors life....except life usually doesn't resolve itself in the quick time frame the movie does. Mary's miracle might not have seemed like such a miracle when Joseph was upset and threatening to divorce her....Zacharias was mute for the whole time his wife was pregnant and the wisemen had to skirt around Herod to avoid danger both for them and baby Jesus.

Don't discount a Christmas miracle...and don't let the problem part of the "movie of your life" change your faith in God's ultimate victory.

God's Presence in a hectic life

Click here for Pastor John's Sermon "Get Back Up" and Bro Larry's Sunday School Class


It is the time of year when magazines have articles about how to take the stress out of Christmas preparations. We can begin to feel like the stress of everyday life will not allow the entrance of one more responsibility. The past year has brought additional stresses due to the national recession. I'm reminded that the first Christmas had some stresses too. Joseph,traveling with Mary who was due any time, had to find a place to spend the night in a crowded city where finding a room seemed impossible. The God ordained generosity of a harried inn keeper provided the backdrop for the most wonderful birth the world had ever witnessed. In a simple barn surrounded by animals our Savior came into the world.

Are you stressed this Christmas season? Do you find it interesting that the first Christmas was surrounded by the opportunity to allow stressful situations to rule the day? Instead Joseph keep knocking and the inn-keeper opened the door (okay, yeah it was the door to the barn not the inn...but he was filled up to capacity and he did find space). Jesus came in the midst of all of this...He still wants to be the focus of Christmas and give us the beautiful gift of His presence.

Finding His Presence in Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Friends

Click her to take a second look at Pastor John's sermon Stirred Not Shaken and Bro.Larry's Sunday School Class Many of you know my brother Paul is the new General Manager of Denny's which just reopened Sunday night. Here is an interview with Paul....click the video on the right of the page.

My Dad (Bro. Howard) made a statement today in study that is still ringing in my ear. We were talking about praising God in all circumstances avoiding a critical spirit. Dad said, "Complaining is the opposite of thanksgiving" That can be reversed to say, "Thanksgiving is the opposite of complaining."

This year we have all experienced both good and bad things in our life. The chioce we must all make is whether or not we will practice a life of being thankful to God and others even when it is not easy. Israel complained over and over in the wilderness. Looking at the situation we can sympatize with them....wondering how they would have food and water for themselves and their children. So they complained to Moses forgetting the tangible grace and favor of God's miracles in thier midest. We don't have to be thankful for the bad things...we can instead be thankful for God's love towards us and His ability to bring good. Next time you are tempted to complain turn it in to praise.

God's Presence: Staying the Course in Hard Times

Sunday Sermon: You Just Gotta Say it: What Does God want You to Speak over a Situation? and Sunday School with Bro. Larry

There are many things that effect the anointing and presence of God in our lives. Last week we talked about "coming close" by developing a habit of taking time with the Lord. There is a lot more to say on that subject and we'll continue to explore it in coming weeks. My sister- in -law and I were talking this week about the anointing and presence of God in the midst of hard times. That conversation got me thinking about how staying the course increases the presence of God in a persons life.

The Presence of God in hard times.
Believers do not escape hard times...we go through them with the help of our Savior. Attitude is important to our outcome. God desires good for His children and He is not the author of confusion or things that bring pain. Yet in this fallen world we do see and experience painful events. We have two choices when faced with a trial. We can blame God and run turncoat....or we can seek His wisdom through the pain and allow Him to lead us through to safety. Some would say that loving God is a crutch to the weak hearted....the Bibles description would be that such a person reveals strength of character and faithfulness.

Stay the course
Sometime ago my husband and I attended our niece Sarah's wedding. I'll never forget the time of invited prayer at the end. There was and older pastors wife who was praying near me. We were never introduced and I don't even know her name...but her spirit spoke volumes to me. Stay the course...things happen...both happy and sad...but remember God is by your side and He will never leave you or forsake you. It sounds trite I know. Yet if you find yourself near such a person...someone who has stayed the course through good times and bad...through trials that seem insurmountable....you feel something different in their presence. A power, a strength that you can't explain. What is it?

Hard times can take us to the throne room.
Hard times or trials drive us to the throne room for wisdom and direction. They chip away at wrong attitudes and reveal the master's handiwork upon our life. It reminds me of the potters wheel story in the Bible. The clay being hard in the master's hand and its need to be softened, the spinning and shaping of the clay upon the wheel, the painted design, and the firing and final touches. In the throne room we find the comfort of His right hand upon our life. The place of refuge is found in the "cleft of the rock" or the secret place where we meet the Lord…the place where we are protected from the storms that the enemy desires to use to destroy us...the place where we are protected by His faithful hand.

Hard times can bring our focus to a walk of Dependence upon God .
It is in the hard times that we remember that we cannot do "it" on our own. I don't know about you, but I'll freely admit that I've gone through seasons where my attitude was, "I've got this all figured out". Thing is although the Lord wants us to use the gifting He has placed within us... His plan is that in these seasons of life we come to the point where we say like Moses...."I don't want to make a step without your presence Lord".

His Presence
Yes, we "Come Close" through time spent with Jesus. Make time this week to soak in His presence (you don't have to copy anyone else’s method)....also take time to ponder what it means to stay the course in hard times...times of decision, times of wonderment, times of pain, times of economic trial, times of national uncertainty, and times of unsettledness of any sort. Staying the course because you love and trust Him brings His presence powerfully in your life.

The presence of God in a Christ Followers life

Pastor John's sermon entitled "Faith Requires Follow Through" really made me think about true faith in God. Here is a link to both the sermon and Sunday School with Bro. Larry.

Lately I've been thinking about the presence of God in the life of Christ followers. The Word is filled with the concept of God's people coming into close relationship with Him. Here are a few basic ideas about devloping a relationship with the Lord.

Come Close
Long distant relationships can be fun and exciting but they can also end in failure if care isn't taken to fuel the flames. You may be thinking I'm simply talking about relationships that span miles and have to be supported by telephone calls and facebook encounters....but in truth some couples or families who live with or near each other can be like ships in the night passing each other once in awhile with no meaningful contact if they are not careful. In the Word it says, ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8, New King James Version) I know it might seem like "works" to some....yet the truth is if we are going to have a relationship that is meaningful we are going to have to invest time and energy into it. We don't have to copy cat someone elses way spending time with God...we can work that out ourselves with Him. My husband did something special on one of our dates this fall....he took me to a State park where we could watch and listen as the waves come toward the shore. He knows that I love that sort of thing. Our everyday life doesn't allow for walks on the beach ,listening to the sounds of waves and watching the beauty of the water scene...the effort of my husband made to find something that we enjoy doing together if only for a few hours is priceless. Simple things can be very meaningful. As you draw near to God...you'll learn His Character ...enjoy what He enjoys, and begin to scratch the surface of the concept that He enjoys spending time with you and desires to bring meaning to your everyday exisitence.

Setting aside time with God is well worth the effort...when you draw near to Him...He comes to you as well. What are some tangible ways you can make room for relationship building this week? Perhaps you'll be encouraged to reach out to others that you've not had relationship with recently as well.

What is in a Sign?

Sunday Service and Sunday School: Faith To Pass On A Generational Blessing.
Many of you know that as a church we have started to save for a new sign which will be placed at the entrance of Purdy Ave. Our current sign is in disrepair. We will be building a temporary sign to be placed until we get our new one. The Bible tells us to ‘write the vision and make it plain on tablets, That he may run who hears it.” If we look at all the physical projects the church has to complete we could get discouraged…but if we take things one at a time as God directs we realize God is well able to help us.

The Sign out front will accomplish two things. First it will help our members to see the hand of God working for our good. When we drive up Purdy Ave. we will see that though we have a long way to go when we trust God and work together we can accomplish much. Each step we take builds our faith. Second the sign says to the passerby that though our building needs work we are working towards excellence. Each step is a testimony to others.

Everyone Needs some help once in awhile

Last week Micaiah Ministries came to our church and blessed us with a Word of Faith and action. I challenge you to listen to these sermons more than once to get the word implanted in your heart. When a word has truly gotten into our heart there is an action that follows that word in our daily live. Click on the LWFvideoblog to hear them.

Scooter woke up at about 4 am...she was panting and afraid... so Pastor John gave her some water...it only worked for a little while so I ended up taking her in the living room and holding her. I gave her her heart pill early around 5 am and took her outside to go potty. She finally began to settle down on the couch. Scooter is usually a good little dog and she sleeps through the night. It could have seemed like an inconvenience to have to calm her and take time with her...but I knew she was just having a bad night and she was afraid. It reminded me that there are times when we humans can be going along our path with smooth sailing only to have a patch where we are unsettled and need that extra comfort. Staying up with Scootie was worth it... as I hear her breathing contently on the couch I'm glad I was patient with her. Maybe there will be someone in your path who usually seems in tact who will need a little extra comfort. .I praise God for people God's put in my path who have been willing to give that to me when I needed it. Well, it is a little past 6 a.m. and I don't usually get sub jobs on Tuesdays so I'm going to get my pillow and settle in near Scooter for a little while. Have a blessed Day.