Nov. 23rd, 2009

I know that it is Thanksgiving season but as we get closer to Christmas I would like to share  a thought on what Christmas means.  To those of us who believe in Christ realize that Christmas represents the event where Jesus was born into this world. Christmas is about gifts and giving.  I would like to share a thought with you. 

In the church world we spend alot of time instructing our congregations about giving. In fact we teach about the covenant of tithing. Many people believe that tithing is not a New testament doctrine. We like to exhort our congregations about the idea of financially planting seed and expecting a return.  But this week I begin to think of giving in a different light. 

We see several examples in the Word where people gave. We read of the widow of Zarapheth who gave her last bit of flour to the prophet of God and she always had plenty after that(1 Kings 17).  We read of the young boy giving his lunch that day ( 2 fish and 5 loaves). It was his entire lunch(Matt. 14). We read of the lady who gave her last two coins. There were others around her who gave more but when Jesus asked who gave the most He said the lady did (Mark 12). Then I think of John 3:16 that says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him will not perish but have eternal life”

So let me ask a question, If a person who is worth millions gives a million dollars to the church and another person who makes only 100 dollars per week gives the 100 who gives more?

I realize something…it is not the amount that you give that is important it is what is left over. If a millionaire gives a million dollars to the church this isn’t  difficult for him because he still has plenty left to live on. But if someone who makes 100 dollars gives their 100 dollars or even say 50 dollars, it doesn’t leave that person very much to live on. Therefore they must rely upon the Lord. That is the secret…how much are we willing to give of ourselves, not just financially but in every area of our lives. The secret is what’s left over. Are we willing to trust the Lord and give all and letting Him take care of “the nothing”. Did he not create the world from nothing?

I do not know if you realized it or not but in John 3:16 the word says that God gave his ONLY that means there was not another son left. He gave his one and only, nothing left over. Are will willing to trust God to that level with our lives, Give him all and leave nothing. It is not the amount that you give but it is what’s left over that really matters to the Lord.  Give him all your life!

Nov.15th, 2009

Eph. 2:10 says,”We are God’s workmanship created for good works which God has prepared in advance for us to do”. This is a wonderful passage. In today’s world we are told that we evolved from “slugs” and then we became monkeys and then walked upright as a man. Unfortunately this type of thinking demeans who we really are. The scripture shows that we were created by God. The NLT version says that we are God’s masterpiece. An artist has in mind what his final work will be like before he starts. He then creates that masterpiece. It is the same with us.  We are not “accidents”, we did not evolve but God designed us and created each one of us with a destiny and purpose. The issue is… do we know that despite our present circumstances. No matter what the world says about you God designed you. You are the product of his heart and hands. The world may try to damage your or destroy you but if you will know that you were created and designed by God and you trust him with your life you will see yourself as his masterpiece.

Pastor Wes

Nov. 11th, 2009

It has been a long time since I have written anything, I apologize. We had problems with the website.  As I sit here I am thinking about acorns. I spent the day blowing the leaves out of my yard. As I blew the leaves I noticed all the acorns laying on the ground. I love acorns, I always have. You may wonder why. Well when you look at an acorn some may just see an acorn, but I see much more. They remind me of myself or you. An acorn can become a tree and even be the seed to becoming a forest. Within the acorn is the potential. However, it must first fall from a tree to the ground. It has a shell to protect it but at some point in time the acorn must rid itself of the shell. It must break open and then it can root itself in the ground and then begin to grow into a tree. As I was blowing the leaves I saw several acorns being blown by the air of the blower I was using. Every once in a while I would step on an acorn and it would split open. God’s design of nature can show us so much about ourselves. God has such plans for our lives. We have so much potential. You may not see it when you look in the mirror. It takes time, it takes the blowing of the wind(struggles) sometimes it takes being crushed but God’s purpose is that we become fruitful and grow. So when you pick up an acorn don’t just see an acorn see a forest. When you look at yourself in the mirror don’t be discouraged by what you see or what you have done, rejoice in what God wants to make of you. Let me leave you with a scripture that best describes what the Lord wants to do in our lives:

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds” (John 12:24)

 Remember the struggles and difficulties are producing life in you. Don’t resist it but rejoice in what the Lord is perfecting in your life. 

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