The First Step is the Hardest to Take!

10 You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint. Isaiah 57:10

This morning when the alarm went off, I found the bed to comfortable and a dog lying next to me that did not want to get up either. I am sure that on a Monday morning after a long weekend, many felt the same as I and my pet kid Tuffy.

Whether getting up out of bed and entering a new week, or beginning a new project or endeavor, the hardest step in the first step. Usually after the first splash of water in our face or the first cup of coffee, we find ourselves having made at least one initial step. Some people may feel this way in their wanting to ask Jesus into their lives, in the fact that often that first step of surrendering one’s self to Christ is the hardest.

The passage from Isaiah has God summoning the Hebrew people who have not found him, or who have turned away from him. We learn that those that continue to take the first and many steps in sin, will never find the true path for their lives. Only those that take the first step towards God and His Son Jesus Christ can find their true path in life. We also learn that those that make their first and many steps towards God, will not weary but will constantly be renewed and refreshed.

Beloved, my prayer for you this weekend is that you get up and take your first steps in prayer and seeking the Father. Beds are comfortable, but only in waking up and taking our first steps can we be prepared to face the world. Likewise getting up and seeking God not only prepares us to face the world, it renews us and prepares us to face all tasks, challenges, and even joys with God present with us.

This is the day that the Lord has made, be renewed.

Tim's Topics: The Truth Shall Set You Free

Tim's Topics: The Truth Shall Set You Free: Proverbs 12:22   ESV Lying lips are an abomination to the  Lord , but those who act faithfully are his delight. Recently America an...

The Truth Shall Set You Free

Proverbs 12:22 ESV

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

During the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, America and Americans were captivated by the events of American Olympic Swimmers Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz. Reports of their being robbed at gunpoint. As the claim is further investigated we find out that the story was made up, it was fabricated. No, what it is, is a LIE!

Recently while watching a video from the NBC Today Show, one of the hosts began to use many words to describe the untruthful comments by American swimmer Ryan Lochte. Show Co-Host Al Roker stated in every case that the words used actually meant lie, and that society should not lesson the lie by using softer words.

Many often use softer words to describe the fact that a person actually lied, because it sounds so angry and accusatory to say someone lied. But the true case is that when someone fails to tell the truth, they have lied. Scripture tells us that when we lie, it is an abomination (greatly disliked) to the Lord.

John 8:32 tells us that the truth shall set us free, because when we lie, we place ourselves in bondage and burden. With each lie that we tell the bondage and burden begin to get heavier and heavier until we can no longer carry it.

Beloved, my prayer for you today is that you always tell the truth, and that if you tell an untruth, you understand that it is actually a lie. My friends, set yourself free this day, this week and always by ridding yourselves of the heavy baggage of lying. 

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Pastor Tim.

Tim's Topics: God's Customer Service Department

Tim's Topics: God's Customer Service Department: Philippians 2:1-4   ESV / So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any...

God's Customer Service Department

Philippians 2:1-4 ESV /

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

For me, customer service is key. Lynne and I are sitting here talking about how some business representatives treat their customers. Sometimes how I’m treated by a business has the potential to override their price point. This means, if I feel valued and treated nicely at a business, I may even pay more money for the item I am looking for. I remember living in another area and not purchasing a vehicle from a car dealership because they did not seem to care if I bought from them or not. With this lack of care and concern from the car dealership, I went and purchased a brand new vehicle elsewhere.

The same goes for when we represent God to the world. Do we as the Body of Christ offer good customer service? Do we welcome strangers when they visit our worship services? Do we portray ourselves as the people of the cross, people of the empty tomb, and people of the promise? Yes, there is a cost for poor customer service on the part of followers of Christ. When we fail to represent Christ we have failed to share the good news of Christ, and have opened the possibility of a person taking their souls elsewhere. When a person takes their soul elsewhere, it truly opens up evil to take hold over that person as to make them its new customer.

Beloved, when we fail to welcome, to love, and to share in the name of Jesus Christ, we are doing a disservice to our Savior. When we fail to care, when we fail to feed, when we fail to clothe, and when we fail to invite, the Devil laughs and begins his own customer service campaign. Yes, God does have competition and it is darkness, and hate, and eternal damnation.

We are the Customer Service Department of the Light of Christ, the love, and the eternal peace and happiness. When we fail in our jobs (ministry), we fail to bring others to Christ and we fail to become the Soul Savers that we are meant to be.

Our words of encouragement are to be: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.  And Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim.

Tim's Topics: Never Be Afraid to Dream BIG!

Tim's Topics: Never Be Afraid to Dream BIG!: Ephesians 2:10   “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” ...

Never Be Afraid to Dream BIG!

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” 

When I was a small boy I remember watching our small black and white television in awe as man first landed on the moon. For my generation, landing on the moon was a source of inspiration and empowerment. 

Yes, we could do anything that we put our minds to. We understood that anything was possible with hard work and dedication to the task at hand.

With all the strife going on in today’s world and with violence towards our fellow inhabitants of this planet, I wonder if we have become a people that have lost our ability to dream big?

Beloved, when we become united in a common task in which all will reap the rewards of the endeavor, we cease to fight one another as to see the bigger dream become reality.

Brothers and Sisters, we have been saved by the marvelous grace of God in the sacrifice of his son on the cross. We serve a God and are loved by a God that does great big things, and if we are made in his image, we should not be afraid to dream big and do great things for the Kingdom of God.

When we dream big it must be for God’s glory and never ours, and when we dream big it should benefit the poor and homeless, those that are in the most need. My prayer for all of us this week is that we recapture the ability to dream big. 

May we like those that have gone on before us, never be afraid to reach for the stars. And when we reach the stars, our first action should be thanking God for his grace.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim.