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Extraordinary – Amazing Love!

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Psalm 103:11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him – 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,

Part of the mystery of God’s love is that His love stretches beyond our horizon. We celebrate, sing about how God loves us – no matter what we have done. But His love is also eternal -loving our children, our grandchildren our neighbors and even our enemies. God’s love is more than just passionate emotion, it is a dynamic power stirring everything and everyone it touches into action. God’s love forms planets and feeds the hungry. The love of Jesus transforms water into wine and murderers of Christians, like the Apostle Paul into messengers and martyrs for the faith. With Ash Wednesday, being this week often we consider what things we will give up for Lent. Maybe we should consider not what we will give up, but what we will give. What we will dare in order to express the amazing, unfathomable and powerful love of Jesus Christ?

I hope you will enjoy this recording of Amazing Love from the Keswick Convention 2019 as much as I did. – No special effects – just lots of pretty ordinary people singing their hearts out about the extraordinary and amazing love of Jesus! Have a wonderful week everyone and a blessed beginning of Lent!

Am I Early or Late?

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

I don’t know about you but waiting is far from my favorite things to do. Yet surprisingly this verse is one of my favorites because it is written as if God could read my mind. (Oh wait…Yes He can!). You see when I go to the grocery store I need a list. First I have to write the list. Then- on the good days when I remember to bring it- I read the list and check off items while I am shopping.

This verse it written like that. Wait for the Lord it begins – then after we employ the courage God gives in the battle God reminds us on the way home -you still need to wait. Our job is not over. But the most important thing for us to know about the waiting is that we do not have to wait for the Lord because He is late. He asks us to wait because we are early!

Joy Unspeakable

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Years ago we lived in a small upstairs apartment and the only telephone was on the wall in the kitchen. It may be hard for young people to imagine but then the ringing of the phone meant an important message and everyone in the family ran to answer it. Around midnight when we were all sound asleep, the phone began ringing. Concerned that it must be terribly important my wife shook me by the shoulder, ” Honey! Wake up! You have to get the phone!” she called.

Obediently I stumbled to the kitchen still half asleep without bothering to even flick on the light. By the time I picked up the receiver my mind couldn’t focus any longer and so I just mumbled something incoherent and hung it back on the hook. Then shuffling back across the dark apartment I plopped back in bed.

“So who was it?” Nancy asked.

Who was what?” I answered and fell fast asleep! This last year of the Covid-19 crisis reminds me of that phone call. Everything is dark and is seems like everyone is calling us to action but we are exhausted. Even when we do pick up the phone we no longer have the energy to hear what is being said. But God has great news for all of us fighting this invisible enemy that has sapped our strength. He has an unspeakable joy to give us that is full of glory. In fact the Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength!