HAPPY HOLYDAYAs I sat down to write this article, I couldn’t help but think how ironic it is that the Christmas season which should be a time of peace and joy seems so often to be anything but that. I’m not quite sure why that is. But it is all too often like that. The first Christmas was no different. The trip to Bethlehem had to be stressful. Not finding a room when Mary was about to give birth was certainly even more so. Getting dumped in a stable probably was off the charts, but God always knows best. On that cold dark night when everything seemed to be going wrong, God actually provided the perfect spot, away from the drunken tumult of an overcrowded inn. It was the perfect spot to give birth in privacy, the perfect spot to receive the outcast shepherds. It was--the perfect spot for God’s son to be born.So often we grumble and complain and look at the world through pessimistic eyes forgetting all too often that yes, God is still in charge. If we’ll just stop rushing around and start trusting Him...

What is it that really motivates us to pray? What do we pray for? Jonathan Graf in an article in Alliance Life made the following statement: “Somewhere along the line churches have lost sight of what they should be praying for. Today, most congregations’ prayers are almost exclusively for needs within the Body–that each person’s life will get back to normal. Seldom do believers cry out for the fullness of Jesus Christ to come upon the Body; for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a church....

A number of years ago at the leadership conference that we attended in Portsmouth, NH; Bill Hybels made an impassioned plea for the power of clarity. Among the points he made were: Get the message clear, Get the message out, and Take risks, Experiment, and Fail

A smoke screen by definition is a mass of dense artificial smoke used to conceal military areas or operations from an enemy. However, a figurative sense has come from that usage to indicate an action or a statement used to conceal actual plans or intentions. I’m sure we have all had dealings with people who used smoke screens to conceal their real feelings and it is not at all impossible that we have thrown up a few smoke screens ourselves from time to time.

Have you ever wondered if God recognizes you, when he sees you? That maybe your life is not as consistent or as godly as it used to be? Have you ever done something and when it was over thought “that’s not me” or “I don’t know why I did that.” Do you feel like you are the exact person God wants you to be? What can you do about it?

BEWARE OF THE TERRIBLE TOO(S)



The story is told of two old friends who bumped into one another on the street one day. One of them looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, "What has the world done to you, my old friend?"  The sad fellow said, "Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars." "That’s a lot of money."  "But, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me eighty-five thousand free and clear." "Sounds like you’ve been blessed...."  "You don’t understand!" he interrupted. "Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million." Now the friend was really confused. "Then, why do you look so glum?" "This week... nothing!"

This anecdote is so typical of human nature.  So why is it that we are never satisfied?  Where are our priorities? What is the most important thing to us? Paul Tillich, a twentieth-century American theologian, says that whatever our highest priority is, that priority...

We have had a number of special programs this summer, among them our annual Friend Day which was held at the Stephens Brook School.  We also had our VBS program and the VBS closing program on a Sunday morning.  Following that was the very special evening with Robert Rogers.  How wonderful it was to see the sanctuary packed out on a Sunday evening.  Then came the second visit of Sue Thomas the deaf former FBI agent.  She has a way of blessing us every time she comes.  We now look forward to another “Friend Day.”   On Sunday October 3, at our 9:00 AM service Ernie Couch and Revival will be ministering to us. 

 Did you ever feel like you could handle things better than God?  I have.  One day God showed me that he actually does know better than I what He is doing.

 On Sunday May 16 we will have the wonderful privilege of having as our special guest speaker for the morning service Sue Thomas the former F.B.I. agent.