Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, once said that just as a physician might say that there is no one in perfect health, so one might say that there is no one who is not to some extent in despair. All of us feel discouragement, perhaps to the point of dismay at some time in our lives over some area of our lives.

If this is true, then how can we help as a church? We can be a Fellowship of Encouragement. We can help jump-start each other when one another gets low.

In our scripture passage from last week’s sermon, you will recall how Paul acknowledged that the believers in Thessalonica were going through a tough season in which their faith was being tested. So Paul said, “We sent Timothy… to strengthen and ENCOURAGE you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials” (3:2-3). (The word unsettled is perhaps best translated as despair). This passage reminds us that in those times when we fall into despair a little encouragement from another is a welcome thing.

As I mentioned Sunday, it is interesting that the Greek word here for encourage is parakaleo, meaning to come alongside someone and speak to them. It’s the same word Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit is at work in our hearts encouraging us, we can walk along with others too and encourage them.

What are some ways we can find to encourage?

• In the things we say

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). Share words to encourage those in despair.

• In the things we do

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing to help, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:15-17). When we say we love, but our actions betray that, then our words lose their power.

• In the spirit about us

“If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol…if I give all I possess to the poor and surrender by body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1, 3). True encouragement comes from a heart of love.

Encouragement is what we should do and a Fellowship of Encouragement is what we are meant to be. This week find someone to encourage…and who knows—you may end up being encouraged too!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

As of this writing, the MLB World Series has begun with the American League Tampa Bay Rays vs. the National League Milwaukee Brewers. Though I have been a Cubs fan for many years, still I enjoy seeing the World Series. I have some favorite stories I enjoy remembering regarding the World Series.

One in particular, that stands out in my mind, was quite a number of years ago when Orel Hershiser was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They won the series and Orel, a dedicated Christian, was named the most valuable player. The TV Network that carried the series showed Orel in the dugout just before the ninth inning start in the final game. Orel was leaning against the wall and his lips were moving. It appeared that he was talking to himself—and TV personalities commented on it, speculating as to what he was saying to himself in that moment.
 
After winning the World Series, Orel Hershiser was a guest on the old Tonight Show and Johnny Carson asked him what he had been saying in the dugout. Orel responded, “I wasn’t saying anything.” Nevertheless, Carson persisted, “Well, then tell us what you were doing.” Finally, Orel replied, "I was singing." So Johnny answered, “You were singing? I didn't know you were a singer." Orel answered, “Aw, I'm not." Well, Johnny pressed on, "What were you singing? Sing it for us now." Orel said, "Nah, I don't want to sing." But by that time the audience was chiming in, "C'mon, sing it, sing it to us!" So finally, Orel Hershiser started to sing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below…" The Doxology! (Which we sing every Sunday). In that moment, Johnny Carson was speechless. The whole audience was dead silent. Then one person started clapping, and soon the whole audience joined in applause.
 
The Bible tells us to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Orel Hershiser was ready for that beautiful moment to give a witness before a national audience. Let us be ready for our own golden moment, perhaps to an audience of one, to shine the light on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And really, that is more important than any World Series!
 
Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

Let’s admit it. Life can be overwhelming at times. Am I right? You know it’s true! When you find yourself in those kind of situations, you must remind yourself, as a child of God, that you are never truly alone, neither are you really on our own.

Push yourself on those dark days to open your heart to your relationship and companionship with God. Here is where you will find God’s presence and His assistance. So the next time you have that feeling of being alone, look up to Him. Draw near to God as He comes near to you (James 4:8). Find comfort in the Lord’s promise to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Indeed, He will always be there for you, and will prove to be true to you.

I like what the psalmist said: “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches…will never slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you…” (Psalm 121:1-5).

Writer Laurie Beth Jones underscores this theme in a poem she wrote:

There is a net under us all.
Sometimes we dance
And sometimes we fall
But there is a net
Under us all.

Dear child of God, your Heavenly Father watches over you and provides for you. He is your help—your safety net. Remember: You are never truly alone, neither are you on your own. God is there for you and He has put a Family of Faith around you. So don’t try to do it alone! Trust always in your Father who watches over you and stay close to your Church Family that is there for you.

The next time you feel lonely, troubled and afraid—think about this my friend: You are never truly alone!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

I have a sign I keep in my Pastor’s office at the church that humorously reads:

“If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving is not for you!

I suppose that is true; skydiving is unforgiving! However, that is not the case with most things in life. Usually when failure throws you down, you don’t have to stay down. You can get up and try again. You can get off your seat and get back on your feet. That which we can do, we should do! This is what Scripture challenges us to do. The Bible says, “For though a righteous man (person) falls down seven times, he rises again…” (Proverbs 24:16).

This verse exemplifies the value and advantage of genuine faith in the Lord. Even though we may have failed and even been the source of our own failure, still the resource of faith will not allow us to stay down but will lift us up and move us forward. This is the nature of biblical faith and the culture of the Christian life. If you have trouble buying this, just look to some of the major failures of scripture (as I alluded to this past Sunday): Jacob, Moses, Jonah, Samson, David, Peter, John, Mark, and Paul. Failures one and all! However, we don’t think of them as such, because they learned from their mistakes and moved beyond failures by faith and God’s power.

When God gives you another chance, as He usually does, then do your best and trust Him for the rest. Seize the opportunity! Expect the good things of God in your future! Look forward to great days ahead of you! Moreover, always be grateful for second chances! Can I get an Amen?!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

Some days it rains. There seems to have been a lot of those lately. Have you noticed? Frankly, it may be my fault. The sprinkler system went out at my house and the installation team for the new system has delayed in coming for a while. I am waiting patiently for them. However, I have also prayed earnestly for a lot of rain so that I don’t have to water my yard manually. Prayer has been working! So I am good for now!
 
Okay, I’m jesting—sort of! But it is true on a deeper level that storm clouds will gather in our personal life. When that rain begins to fall, come down hard, and continues to come, we sometimes fear the worst. Have you ever felt, in some stormy season of your life, that more than a fair share of hardships is raining down on you?
 
If so, here is what you need to remember: God frequently uses those storm showers to bring to us His best. Therefore, this becomes a matter of trust. I like what one author said in the devotional classic Streams in the Desert—
 
One day I sat on the side of the mountain and watched a storm as it moved through the valley. The skies were filled with darkness, and thunder began to shake the earth. It seemed as though the lush landscape were completely changed, and its beauty gone forever. But the storm passed quickly and soon moved out of the valley.
 
If I had sat in the same place the following day and said, “Where is that intense storm and all its terrible darkness?” The grass would have said, “Part of it is in me.” The beautiful daisy would have said, “Part of it is in me.” And all the other flowers, fruits, and everything that grows in the ground would have said, “Part of the storm has produced the radiance in me.”
 
Have you ever asked the Lord to make you like Him? Have you ever desired the fruit of the Spirit and prayed for sweetness, gentleness, and love? If so, then never fear the fierce storms that even now may be blowing through your life. Storms bring blessings, and rich fruit will be harvested later.
(Henry Ward Beecher)
 
That’s a good lesson to remind us of the process by which God blesses us. There is a reason for the rain! We must trust in Him who sends the rain knowing that, “Surely God is good…” (Psalm 73:1). Yes He is!
 
Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

I do not know whether you have noticed or not, but the Bible says a lot about perseverance. For example—

•  “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith… (Hebrews 12:1-2).
• “We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:3-5).
•  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

This is just a sampling of verses, but there are many that cover the subject of perseverance (or endurance). I suppose there is something in us that is prone to quit when the going gets tough. This is probably a sign of spiritual immaturity. So God reinforces this idea of persevering to get us through those times and beyond this tendency. Evidently, we need to be urged toward spiritual maturity.

The mark of a mature Christian is to persevere, despite the pressures, in the practice of faith day after day. The promise of scripture is that perseverance pays!

When you persevere, it causes you to mature. Once again: “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete…” The Greek word for mature (teleos) here in James 1:4 means like a rose budded to completion. Or to use another illustration: It is like an acorn that grows to become a great oak tree. Simply put, it is through perseverance that you fulfill your purpose.

I would add one more thought to this: Perseverance enriches your life so that you are “not lacking anything” (v. 4). Specifically, it means lacking nothing that God intended for you. You come to realize that you are rich! That is why you should not resent trials. Trials come to enrich you, not rob you. With perseverance, this is what they mean to you. Perseverance pays! I hope you get it…

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom” (Isaiah 35:1).
 
A little girl walking in a garden noticed a particularly beautiful flower. She admired its beauty and enjoyed its fragrance. “It’s so pretty!” she exclaimed. As she gazed on it, her eyes followed the stem down to the soil in which it grew. “This flower is too pretty to be planted in such dirt!” she cried. So she pulled it up by its roots and ran to the water faucet to wash away the soil. It was not long until the flower wilted and died.

When the gardener saw what the little girl had done, he exclaimed, “You have destroyed my finest plant!” She said, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t like it in that dirt.” The gardener replied, “I chose that spot and mixed the soil because I knew that only there could it grow to be a beautiful flower.”

There is a lesson here. Sometimes we dislike the circumstances into which God has placed us. However, we may fail to realize that God is using this place with its pressures, trials, and difficulties to bring to us a new spiritual beauty. Contentment comes when we accept graciously what God is doing and determine to bloom in the soil where God has planted us. The prophet Isaiah teaches us about the joy that is ours when the Lord’s streams bring refreshment to our parched lives causing us to blossom in beauty (Isaiah 35:1-2).
 
Yes, indeed. God is up to something beautiful in your life—do not pull away from it but, instead, rejoice in it!
 
Devotedly Yours,
 Pastor Ron

“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

This is, undoubtedly, one of my favorite verses in scripture. I think about it almost daily and meditate on it regularly. I suppose we all get the value of this admonition spiritually. However, perhaps we often forget the biblical context in which it is given. In the verses that precede it (v. 8-9), the psalmist pictures a battlefield after the hostilities have ceased and the weapons of warfare are left strewn about the field of battle like litter. Silence is the only sound. The scene depicts the idea that God has brought this war to an end. Now he says literally in the Hebrew, “Cease striving, be still and know that I am God” (v.10). The verb translated “Cease striving” carries the idea, “you do it – you stop striving – you quit worrying and relax.”

Therefore, the proper response to our inevitable daily conflicts and concerns is, “Do not worry…relax” (v. 10). Let go of the worries. Learn this: If God can bring an end to war, then He can help you with your conflicts and concerns. So the psalmist is urging us not to strive, worry, or panic. Let go of your worries. As Peter said, “Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Does this mean that when faced with problems that we should do nothing? No! It means, first, be still and trust Him, and then face the situation without panic and worry. God will show you how to act clearly & confidently. But first you must trust Him completely. Worry will add nothing to your situation. Learn to trust first and then obey next. If we are going to practice all of this—where do we begin?  – “Be Still” (v. 10).

Finally, at the end of this section, you see the word – “Selah” (v. 11) which is a “rest” in Hebrew Poetry and it means, “pause and think about it.” The pause follows the description of three troublesome situations and the prescribed proper reactions to those situations. Finally, in the end, he says once again “Selah” – pause and think about it. Maybe we just need to do this…Think about it!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

Today I am writing about the subject of guilt…Do you ever feel guilty? Personally, I hate that feeling! How about you? I suppose we all live with a bit of guilt, real or imagined, and like anxiety, we have to come up with a plan of what to do about it.

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit convicts us of guilt (John 16:8-11). But the guilt God gives us is an expression of His grace to us. He will not sit back and allow us to continue in sin until we destroy ourselves. God’s guilt is designed to draw us back to Himself and to bring us to a healthy life. It’s true; God is trying to help you. God said, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

According to scriptures, when you feel guilty (because you are guilty), you must be willing to confess it. In the Old Testament, after David sinned, he admitted his sin and it was only then that he felt forgiveness for his sin. In Psalm 51, we find the record of David’s painful experience of confessing it. But Psalm 32 was written sometime after David had experienced and internalized the forgiveness of God. Relief and release from guilt are found all through it. Here is a sample—

“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the (one) whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit…I confessed my sin to you and did not cover my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’ – and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:1-2, 5).

The thing is—God is watching everything and everyone—including you! This is not to make you feel guilty but because he loves you. His desire is to remove your guilt and to help you to be good. His joy is to bless you and fulfill you. That is something you will discover for yourself if you will come to Him with your guilt. That is a good reason to do so!

So, unless you enjoy feeling guilt, come to Him and find forgiveness, along with release from your guilt (1 John 1:8-9). You can thank me later!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

We have giants we need to face and battles we need to fight. In recent weeks, I have been writing about our spiritual battle from Ephesians 6:10-18. Today I want us to think about How to get the edge in spiritual warfare.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). This means to pray in harmony with His will while seeking to live constantly in His will. The Bible speaks often of hindered prayers when our lives do not reflect a serious walk with the Lord (1 Peter 3:7). The Bible speaks of unanswered prayers when our lives reflect a sinful walk before the Lord. For example, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of (wickedness); wash and make yourselves clean” (Isaiah 1:15).

Have you ever had the feeling that your prayers were not going past the ceiling? As a result, you think prayer doesn’t work. But listen— unanswered prayer is not God’s fault, nor is it the fault of prayer. I think the fault lies elsewhere. It could be your prayers are not answered because you are not living consistently or it could be that you are not praying correctly. You could be praying selfishly. The book of James says, “When you ask God, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:2-3). James is saying, Don’t pray selfishly!

If you are going to succeed in spiritual warfare, you must learn how to do prayer. That means you must commit to praying correctly while living consistently. That is what it means to pray in the Spirit and all this we do by God’s grace.

How often should we pray? Here Paul says, “Pray…on all occasions” (v.18b). Later he says, “Always keep on praying…” (v.18d). Add to that what Jesus said, “(We) should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). So every concern of life should be dealt with in prayer—from common praying to crisis praying. We should always be praying—without giving up. This is how you get the edge in spiritual warfare! Pray about it—you have a battle to fight!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

We have giants we need to face and battles we need to fight. In recent weeks, I have been writing about spiritual warfare from Ephesians 6:10-18. You will recall how this teaching begins with Paul, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…” (v. 11). You must be fully dressed for battle! Let’s continue with pieces of our armor that we must wear daily—

Shield of Faith (v. 16)
 
When Paul uses the word “faith”, he is talking about faith in God. The “shield” refers to a large shield, about 2 ft. in width and 4 ft. in length, which would allow the soldier to crouch behind it and it would cover his whole body and protect the person. The enemy would take arrows, wrap the tip in cloth, dip in pitch, set on fire, and shoot. If a flaming arrow penetrated a soldier, usually it meant he would die. The pain would cause him to rip out the arrow point causing more damage and the pitch would create an infection leading to death. The Roman soldier would kneel behind the shield. The arrows would hit the shield and be extinguished by the wooden shield overlaid with leather.

The devil shoots arrows of discouragement, temptations, doubts, guilt, despair, etc. We meet the flaming arrows of the enemy by raising up the shield of faith in God.

Learn to speak the language of faith in times of adversity. Rehearse the good things God has done. Recall the faithfulness of God. Recite the Word of God. Do this consistently and it will extinguish the fiery arrows shot at you by the enemy. Above all, know that you are not alone in doing this; we link together our shields to make us stronger. Together we are stronger!

Helmet of Salvation (v.17)
 
This protected the head. A soldier might battle without other pieces of the armor, but he would not go to battle without the helmet. (Goliath is the poster-child for this).

The helmet of salvation represents an absolute assurance of salvation. This protects the mind from anxiety, fear, doubt and uncertainty. This is the calm assurance that we will win in the end!

Sword of the Spirit (v. 17)
 
This is the only offensive weapon. It represents the Word of God and we must use it in our own spiritual warfare. In your personal battles, use it as Jesus did in Matthew 4. When the devil attacked the Son of God, Jesus quoted scripture. We must do the same. This is why we must become knowledgeable and familiar with all of scripture. The word of God is an awesome weapon in the hands of a devoted believer.

Finally, always remember that you are in a battle so prepare daily to do battle! Next week I will share with you how to get an edge in the battle…

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

We have giants we need to face and battles we need to fight. In recent weeks, I have been writing about how to fight. Our inspiration for spiritual warfare comes from Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 6:10-18. Paul begins by saying, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…” (v. 11). So you must be fully dressed for battle! What are the pieces of armor required for battle? We began last week with the first one—The Belt of Truth (v. 14) and we move on today to the second and third pieces of our armor—
Breastplate of Righteousness (v. 14)
 
This is not referring to positional righteousness, but practical righteousness (Matthew 5:6, Romans 12:1-2). Paul is speaking of living with personal character. It is always striving to live rightly. The breastplate on the soldier covered the heart. When we leave a chink in the armor of our character, it leaves our heart exposed to the devil. So many Christians allow a break in their moral character, and before long they seem to lose heart in their lives. Do not let some area of personal moral defeat leave your heart exposed. When you allow unconfessed sin to remain in your life, you give Satan a foothold in you. Confess your sins—deal with them before the devil takes advantage of your weakness and steals your heart from God. Then Paul adds another piece of the armor—

Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Good News of PEACE (v. 15)
 
Roman soldiers wore sandals with hobnails (spikes) so they would be sure-footed in rough terrain. This was not like loose-fitting flip-flops. They consisted of a piece of leather with spikes underneath and strings of leather that were brought from the leather base over the instep and around the legs three or four times. The shoes gave the soldier sure footing and enabled him to stand firm when fighting the enemy.

Paul says, “Put on the “good news of peace.” As Christians, we are given peace with God but it is the peace of God that allows us to stand firm (regardless of what is happening around us). Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you might have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). This peace delivers us from instability and enables us to be sure-footed in the rough places of life.

Dear Christian, let this series of articles remind you that spiritual warfare takes place every day and you must fully dress for battle if you would live victoriously. Put on the full armor of God…

Devotedly yours
Pastor Ron

In recent weeks, I have shared a series of messages to remind you: We have giants we need to face and battles we need to fight. Over the next few weeks, I am sharing with you how to fight. Our inspiration comes from Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Many Christians are taking a beating in the battles of life. There is a reason for it. It is called spiritual warfare. We learned last week that the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. There is a battle to be fought and we are warned in this passage to stand our ground:

> Take your stand (v.11)
> Be able to stand (v.13)
> Stand firm (v.14)
 
Against evil in this world, God expects us to stand firm. No running, no retreating, no surrendering! You are in a Battle! So the Key thought: Prepare to do battle.

But how? The verses explain how—The key is to wear the full armor of God. Paul says you are under attack so “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…” (v. 11). Paul says, “There’s an armor to be worn” and the emphasis is on the full armor that is to be worn… Paul says it in verse 11 and once again in verse 13. So this is important—
 
Here’s why…it only takes a small crack in the dam to bring it down…a tiny leak in a boat to send it to the bottom. That is all Satan needs to do the same to you. So you must be fully dressed for battle—no cutting corners! What are the pieces of armor required for battle? We begin today with the first one—
 
Belt of Truth (v. 14)  
 
This was a wide belt worn by the Roman soldiers for support, and to secure the other pieces of the armor. A soldier would put on first a tunic, a square piece of cloth with holes for his head and arms, covering front and back and tucked underneath the belt. The belt held together the other pieces of the armor (the breastplate and sword were attached to the belt) and thus the belt was essential, fundamental, and foundational.
 
He is saying: The thing that holds things together in our life is truth. Truth, as such, is the word of God. The idea here is of embracing the truth with our life. It means to live the things we embrace as truth. It is the idea of sincerity in embracing the truth of God’s word. It is an absolute refusal to allow a gap between the truth I believe and what I actually live. A life of sincerity is the opposite from a life of hypocrisy. None of us live perfectly the life we believe in fervently. But the idea is to close the gap between what we know is true and what we actually do.

In your life, are you trying to root out inconsistencies? Are you sincere in accepting personal responsibility? Are you expecting of yourself personal morality and accepting the idea before God of eventual accountability?

When we embrace the truth of God’s word, it enables us to hold things together in our life and protects us from the wrong thinking that would war against our soul. We begin our battle against evil by embracing the truth of God’s word in our lives.
 
Next week we continue with a look at the breastplate of righteousness (v. 14). In the meantime, put into practice what you have learned thus far from the teachings of Paul. Dress for battle!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

This past Sunday, our scripture passage reminded us: We have giants we need to face and battles we need to fight. Over the next few weeks, I am going to share with you how to fight…We will look at Ephesians 6:10-18 to see what Paul says about spiritual warfare. First, look at Ephesians 6:10—

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power…” (v. 10).

Paul begins with the word “Finally” (v.10). It indicates not so much that Paul is running out of things to say but that he has something important to say. It is this: The Christian life is a life of war—spiritual warfare. The Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. There is a battle to be fought. Paul is saying here: You need to be aware that you are at war!

Since we are at war, he says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the devil’s schemes…” (v. 11). In v. 11 & 12, six times Paul uses the word “against” which emphasizes there is something we need to be against. There is no neutrality in Christianity. Paul adds to that the word “struggle” in v. 12 that literally means “hand-to-hand conflict.” This pictures bare-knuckle hand-to-hand action. Paul is saying that the Christian life requires toughness! Dear Christian, we had better learn to fight! But where and with whom?

Paul says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood…but against the rulers… of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (v. 12).

So since we have such an enemy, what are we supposed to do? Paul says, “Take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (v.11). The word “schemes” is the Greek “methodia” which means “cunning methods.” The devil is like an animal stalking its prey. Learn this: the devil is scheming to take us down and he knows our weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

So we must be alert to the devil’s schemes (v. 11). Satan’s strategy is to cause you to feel defeated and hopeless. He will use deception, doubt and discouragement to defeat you. And more… The devil has available several weapons in his arsenal. But take heart for “Greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Ultimately, the victory is ours for we have on our side a triumphant Lord and the battle we wage is against a defeated foe. So we must learn to look to our Lord and trust in Him!

However, we must be willing to do battle daily! Next week I will teach you how… In the meantime, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:7-8).

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

In recent weeks, it has been my privilege to share with you a short summer series called GIANTS.  We have looked at some of the great stories of faith in the Old Testament. This past Sunday we looked at the real life hero Gideon who faced a challenging situation. In it, Gideon discovered God’s strength. Before he fought his enemy, he had to fight his feelings of inadequacy. He had to overcome fear and doubts. Once he did, he discovered a strength he had never known before.

The more difficult your circumstances, the deeper your faith needs to be. The greater your obstacles, the bigger your faith needs to be. When you find yourself in a situation where you need God’s help, then you must learn to put your faith into action. This is when you fully realize, “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). It is then we understand that faith and prayer go hand in hand. Our faith pushes us to cry out to the Heavenly Father who is the One who can give us the help we need.

There was once a young man named Joseph Scriven. He fell deeply in love with a beautiful girl. All he could think of was her. But the day before their wedding, the girl drowned in a boating accident. Joseph was overwhelmed with emotional despair and bitterness. For several months, he questioned God regarding this. He doubted the wisdom and purposes of God.

After a lengthy season of agony and grief, Joseph finally came to realize that he had no one to turn to but God to find comfort and regain his peace. So this he did.

Sometime later, Joseph sat down and wrote these words—

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear,                                      
What a privilege to carry,                                                
Everything to God in prayer.    
                                                 
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,                                                  
Oh, what needless pain we bear,                                              
All because we do not carry,                                              
Everything to God in prayer.

No matter what Giant you may face, remember that God is your help. Turn first to Him! Find comfort and strength in Him! Then fight your Giants!
 
Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

One of my favorite cartoons when I was young was The Flintstones. Remember them? In one scene, Fred said to his sidekick, “Barney, do you have any trouble sleeping?” Barney replied, “No, I don’t have any trouble sleeping. My trouble starts as soon as I get up.”

That’s the way life is. We are seldom free of trouble for very long in our days. Make no mistake about it; there is no escape from difficulties in life. Even the Apostle Paul confessed having thorns in his flesh and we feel thorns in our lives as well. Here is the reality: God allows adversity. It is true from the best of us to the worst of us. No one is immune to the problems of life and none is exempt from tragedy in life.

We all have, in fact, designer sets of troubles all along the way. But our Lord has promised to help us with these troubles. He does not always help us out of our problems but He does help us within our problems. It is because this is true that we are able to say, “My God will meet your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Moreover, we can say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Further still, we should do as Simon says, “Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

When the possibility of adversity gives way to its inevitability, we should respond to it with a humble teachability. The Apostle Paul learned with his thorn, once humbled, that despite his weakness, God’s grace is sufficient and that His strength would be made evident. This knowledge became for him a source of great comfort even as God proved to be a resource of abundant power. What valuable lesson can you learn though your own thorns in life? What strength is yours straight from the throne of God?

Whatever the answers may be, you can rest assured that God knows how to produce awesome blessings in our lives through adverse circumstances. As C.H. Spurgeon wrote, “Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to adversity.” Amen!

Devotedly Yours,
Pastor Ron

I begin on a personal note—

This past Sunday our 250th Anniversary/Independence Day Celebration Event and Worship Experience turned out to be a Great Day in the life of our church. Though many of our people were out of town, understandably w/ family for the July 4th Holiday, still there was a really large crowd of enthusiastic worshipers and excited participants, along with many family members and viable prospects for our church. I am so thankful for our talented Leadership Team and for so many who made such a solid contribution to this activity. This was a fun day & a meaningful time for all ages…and it gave me the opportunity to remind us of some important things. Such as—

The Strength of a Nation is derived from its devotion to God. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 33:12).
 
Our Founding Fathers possessed an understanding of this and it influenced so much of their words and actions. You see this in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…” They believed God had given humankind certain rights. The government does not grant rights. The government does not have rights to give. God gives the rights. The government protects these rights. But, make no mistake about it, they are God-given rights.
 
Of first importance among these rights was that of Religious Liberty. Thus, the First Amendment to our United States Constitution, in the Bill of Rights, was Freedom of Religion. As I mentioned Sunday, John Leland, a Virginia Baptist pastor, fought successfully for the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, “Congress shall make no laws respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
 
Our Forefathers understood that the expression of Religious Faith is to be supremely regarded and highly protected. So this came first in their list of protected rights because of its utmost importance.
 
George Washington, at the Continental Congress, sat in the balcony and someone famously asked which one was he and the person answered, “When Congress goes to pray he will be the tall one who gets on his knees.” Our nation was born with such reverence to Almighty God and the continuance of our blessings are dependent on our devotion to God. The exercise and expression of such must be vigilantly protected.
 
Our Founding Fathers also understood another important truth—
 
The Strength of a Nation is dependent on the character of its people. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:35).
 
As I reminded us on Sunday, scripture teaches the indispensable importance of character, integrity, and virtue in our lives. The strength of our nation does not begin in the White House but in your house. It begins where you live. It begins with the kind of character you possess in your life and that you instill in your children. On this 250th Anniversary of our nation, we remind ourselves that it is righteousness that exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
 
Remember these things!
 
Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

Happy 4th of July & 250th Anniversary of the USA! Today is a great day for celebration! Enjoy it! But I would like you to pause first and give consideration to the price that was paid and the foundation that was laid for our liberty as a nation…

Paul Harvey, noted radio commentator, wrote the article years ago, “What Price Freedom?” In it, he answered the question: “What happened to those men who signed the Declaration of Independence?” Here is the answer:

“Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army. One of the signers had two sons captured.  Nine of the fifty-six fought and died of wounds or the hardships of the Revolutionary War.

But what kind of men were they, these men who boldly wrote their names to the Declaration that lit the fires of liberty in souls of men throughout the world?  

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated.

Their security, their incomes, and their worldly possessions made them substantially well off. But they signed the Declaration of Independence even though they knew the penalty would be death on the gallows, if they were captured.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes…and their sacred honor. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and his properties to pay his debts and died in rags. Thomas McKean was so hounded by the enemy that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers or both looted the properties of Ellery Clymer, Hall, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge and Middleton. At the Battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr. noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. The owner quietly urged General George Washington to open fire, which was done. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. His grave is unmarked and unknown.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their thirteen children fled for their lives.  His fields and his grist mill were laid waste. For more than a year he lived in the forests and caves, returning home after the war to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Morris and Livingston suffered similar fates. Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. These were soft-spoken men of means, wealth and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight and unwavering, they pledged: ‘For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.’”

So today let us not forget the sacrifice of so many for the freedom we enjoy and the country we so love.

God Bless America,
Pastor Ron

The devotional today is about personal failure. If you have never failed, then this writing is not for you. But, of course, failure is a part of life—everyone’s life—including yours! That we all fail does not make it any easier. Nor does it mean we are okay with it. None of us wants to fail…but we all do. Moreover, we are in good company when we do…

On the threshold of our 250th Anniversary as a nation, you would be interested to know that our first president, and the general who led our troops in the Colonial War, George Washington, earlier surrendered at Fort Necessity during the French and Indian War, pretty much ending his military career…or so it was thought.

This reminds us that failure is not the measure of the person. Even further, failure need not be final! When you fail, what then? This is where Peter comes in…

You will recall that Simon Peter bragged in the Upper Room that he would never fail the Lord. Then they left the Upper Room and walked to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed while Peter slept. When Jesus was arrested, Peter followed the group at a distance, out of fear, to the house of the high priest Caiaphas. While Peter awaited what would happen to Jesus, in the courtyard a servant girl of Caiaphas accused Peter of being associated with Jesus of Nazareth. Of course, Peter denied three times vociferously that he knew Jesus (before the rooster crowed twice, as Jesus had prophesied). Mark tells us, upon recognition of his failure, Peter “broke down and wept” (Mark 14:66-72).

Jesus had known Peter would eventually fail. But He said, “When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). Jesus did not say, “If you fail me, you’re finished.” Jesus knew: Failure does not consist in falling down, but in staying down. Moreover, no one reaches their highest potential without their share of failures. So when you make a mistake, admit it with a view to correct it. Have a change of heart concerning it. Peter did and it would be wise if we all would.

In addition, we must learn that God never wastes experiences, nor time. God will use everything that comes into your life as a child of God to bring about His plan, including your failures. So make your failures a learning experience. Peter learned a valuable lesson in humility…we too can learn this, and much more, from failure.

 Simon Peter knew Jesus loved him. He renamed him “Rock.” He chose him to be His disciple. However, he never understood the depths of His love until after he denied Jesus. Then he discovered Christ still loved him and still had a job for him, to feed His lambs. Failure is a good place for us to learn of God’s unconditional love for us and the unconditional love we should have for those around us.

Finally, it is interesting to contrast Peter and Judas. Both failed Jesus the same night, but the end was different. One made failure the end of his life; the other made it the beginning of a new life. Peter went on to be the preacher of Pentecost and one of the great leaders in the early church. Peter moved beyond his failure and it is his later success and whole life by which he is measured. We too must move beyond failure! This we can do with God’s help and by His grace!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

 I have always loved this verse for it tells us: God never will let us down, because He is ever-present in times of trouble. We need to know this since there will always be troubles. Jesus said as much…

 Remember, the night before the crucifixion in the Upper Room, Jesus told His disciples three things about facing troubles in the future.

 # 1 – There will always be trouble.
“In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33).

# 2 – You will never be alone.
“I will never leave you...” (John 14:18).

# 3 – You could ever be at peace.
“My peace I leave with you” (John 14:27).

 This serves to remind us that God will not keep us from the troubles, but He will keep us in the troubles and walk beside us through the troubles. This He promises!

 So, if you are:

Troubled – rest assured He is “an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
Burdened – find comfort when He says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Depleted – embrace hope with the words, “And my God will meet all your needs...” (Philippians 4:19).
Feeling unloved – seek assurance here “Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Lacking answers – relax in the words, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God… (James 1:5).
Grief-stricken – receive solace in the shepherd’s words, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death... you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).
 
The bottom line is this: whatever comes your way today, you are going to be okay. The reason? It is because your God is an ever-present help in your moment of trouble and He will never let you down!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

Today I want to remind you of the power of temptation. I think we all understand this, though we may not always be inclined to admit it. However, as the compass needle is affected by magnetic pull, even so every person feels the pull of sin. Temptation can be a powerful force. Consider what Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his book Temptation:

“In our members there is a slumbering inclination towards desire which is both sudden and fierce. With irresistible power desire seizes mastery over the flesh. All at once a secret, smoldering fire is kindled. The flesh burns and is in flames. It makes no difference whether it is sexual desire or ambition or vanity or desire for revenge or love of fame and power or greed for money…At this moment God is quite unreal to us. He loses all reality, and only the desire of the creature is real…The powers of clear discrimination and of decision are taken from us.”

Indeed, this is true! We should, therefore, humbly acknowledge that temptation can be a powerful thing. This strong force in human experience should not be taken lightly. But scripture has good news to encourage us in this battle with our desires that we should remember: “No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God gives us the grace to stand strong against the winds of temptation as we walk close by His side and trust in Him. It’s pretty simple really as you practice this daily: Overcoming sin is learning to have faith in God in times of temptation.

What happens when we do stay strong and make the right decisions in the face of temptation? Here is what Billy Graham wrote:

“There is a sense of achievement that results from victory over temptation that cannot come to us otherwise. Overcoming temptation makes the Christian stronger and causes him to discover power. In times of temptation Christ can become more real to you than ever.”

This achievement is worth our finest efforts and greatest trust. This we can do because faith is stronger than temptation! We can rest assured that in our battle with temptation, trust in God will enable us to be victorious! We can count on this!

Join me in this prayer: Dear Lord, this we pray: Lead us this day away from temptation and deliver us from evil! This we pray to your glory and honor!  

Devotedly yours,

Pastor Ron

I was listening to the oldies channel on Sirius radio the other day and they played a once popular song by The Bee Gee’s. Remember them?  I sang along with them in my best falsetto voice “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.” (I am so glad you did not hear me—I bet you are, too!). Anyway, the song does raise an interesting question: Can you mend a broken heart? Well, the answer is: You can’t! But God can! There are some things only God can fix—and this is one of them!

In fact, the Lord promises to do so—if we look to Him. Jesus said, “He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted…” (Luke 4:18). The psalmist David claimed positively, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). So if you are there and you have been hurt, He is the One who can heal your broken heart.

We need to understand that sometimes our hearts are broken because of circumstances out of our control. In addition, at times, they occur for no apparent reason. Good folks suffer illness, accidents, death, children who break their hearts, loss of a marriage or a child, the sting of rejection, business failures...Things happen! Do not be surprised if it happens to you… Jesus said, “In this life you will have troubles…” (John 16:33).

Other times, we become careless in life and suffer a broken heart because of our own mistakes. The psalmist David, who wrote Psalm 34 about the broken hearted, became careless with his own life and experienced the suffering that comes from a broken heart because of his own misdeeds.

Regardless of the reason for our broken hearts, as God’s children, we can call upon Him and the Lord hears. The promise of scripture is “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them” (Psalm 34:17). That is not all—He also helps. David says, “He delivers them (in) all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17b). But He doesn’t stop there—He also heals. David concluded, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

So if you are brokenhearted, the ball is in your court. What are you going to do? Remember: the Lord promises to draw close to those who are brokenhearted. You and I must choose to confess the hurt and call upon the One who can heal our broken heart. Maybe it’s time to do so!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

This past Memorial Sunday, I reminded us that the freedom we enjoy as Americans came at a price. Someone took a bullet for us. Someone paid the ultimate price for us. That is why Memorial Day is important. It is a day of remembering the ones who died for us. However, in the Sunday sermon, I chose to remind us of the One who died for us. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for humanity; He paid the price for you and me. On Sunday, we remembered Calvary.

Scripture makes a big deal of this—what Jesus did for us. For example—

• “Christ died for our sins…” (1 Corinthians 15:3).
• “Jesus gave himself for our sins (Galatians 1:4).
• “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13).
• “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
• “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
• “This is my body given for you…This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22: 19-20).

Jesus took our place in judgment! He died for us all! Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us! “The LORD has laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

The story is told of a Chinese Christian who understood this point. Before her baptism, a pastor asked a question to ensure she understood the meaning of the cross and about the sinless Son of God who died upon the cross for us. The pastor asked, “Did Jesus have any sin?” She replied, “Yes.” The pastor was troubled by her response so he asked again. She answered the same way again, “He had sin.” The pastor was about to correct her once again when she explained, “He had sin—He had mine.”

Indeed, she was correct! The Bible says, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took on our sin that we might receive His righteousness and thus find forgiveness.

This was Jesus’ life of sacrifice. Jesus died for us that we might now live for Him. So for each of us, this calls for a life of love, devotion and sacrifice to the One who gave His all for us! As Oswald Chambers said, Our Utmost to His Highest!

This we should daily consider and always remember!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron

In Luke 12, Jesus shares a parable and then gives this vital principle:
 
“To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48).
 
Note the use of the word much. This verse says much about how much is required of us who are the recipients of much. We are all the recipients of much! The life we enjoy, the abilities we possess, and even the opportunities we have to give are gracious gifts from heaven. These point to the truth that we are to be faithful stewards of the life we have been given.
 
The Word of God gives us instruction on how we are to practice faithful stewardship. It involves at least three areas of life—
 
The first is our use of Time. Time is an irretrievable value in life that you can only spend once and never capture again. Life is a “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). Therefore, we are urged to “make the most of every opportunity” (Ephesians 5:16). This is true because the use of your time today makes a difference in eternity.
 
Secondly, is our use of Talents—God has given each of us talents by which to bless others and through which we find fulfillment in ourselves. Paul said, “Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source for them all. There are different kinds of service, but it is the same Lord we are serving….” (1 Corinthians 12:4, 5). When we find the special things God has enabled us to do, then we can find ways to contribute to others not only for today but also for all eternity.
 
Thirdly, is our use of Treasures—Jesus spoke of the investment of our financial resources in eternal things: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
 
Indeed, Jesus talked about money. One-sixth of the Gospels and one-third of the parables address the subject of stewardship. Jesus had much to say on this subject. Jesus dealt with money matters because money matters! It may be a surprise to see how much the Bible says about this subject. However, it is evidently because the investment of your money, along with your talents and time, is of eternal consequence. So invest wisely—there is a lot at stake!
 
Let us resolve to practice faithful stewardship in our lives, knowing that—
“To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48).
 
Devotedly yours,
 Pastor Ron

It is likely that there will come a time in our lives when we will question why certain adverse things have happened to us. This occurs even to the most devout among us. We may or may not ever receive an answer for some dreadful trial that comes our way. However, God may very well remind us “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). But what is His purpose in this? Paul tells us in the next verse, “…to be conformed to the likeness of his Son” (8:29).
 
Peter writes about the likelihood of going through seasons of adversity for the sake of God’s purpose when he says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).
 
As difficult as it may be to embrace, the truth remains: God uses the smelting fires of adversity to burn away the dross of moral impurity. His aim is to leave in us the gold of spiritual conformity to the likeness of Christ.
 
It may be our natural tendency is to retreat from adversity. Nevertheless, God has chosen to use our problems to bring about His purposes. If we comprehend this, it helps us know better how to respond to those things that confront us. We can then ask ourselves questions such as:
 
*What is God teaching me in this?
*How is God changing me through this?
*How will I benefit from this?
 
In our lives, the real enemy is not adversity, but our sinful tendency. Moreover, that proclivity is everything within us which stubbornly resists God’s purpose to be more like Christ. Yet, this should be our focus when problems pounce upon us.
 
There is an old story I like—A young girl was sent to a neighbor’s house along a mountain countryside to bring home two geese that had been purchased. She had to drive them through a dark wooded area in the evening twilight. She did not fear the shadows, but along the way was a fierce dog in front of a house. As she walked along nervously, she heard the rattle of leaves and suddenly a wildcat sprang out to attack her. Just before he pounced upon her, the fierce dog rushed to the girl’s defense, and seized the wildcat by the throat with his sharp teeth and killed the wildcat.
 
What the little girl dreaded was what she needed. We dread the dogs of adversity more than the wildcats of our own sinfulness. However, these dogs with sharp teeth serve us as they destroy the things about us that would destroy us.
 
May we learn this lesson well so that we are prepared when the tests of life come our way.
 
Devotedly yours,
 Pastor Ron