Hope

Asleep in the Storm – 2

/ pastorpete51 / 8 Comments 
For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’. Acts 27:23-24 NLT

I had meant to write part two to this series sooner, but with our last two days filled with evacuating and setting up forty miles inland, things have been a bit busy. But as we await the arrival of hurricane Milton, I thought of the Apostle Paul who weathered a storm so long ago. Paul’s storm experience, unlike Jonah’s was not because of disobedience. He was there because of the decisions of others. Yet, in that storm, even as a prisoner chained below deck in a Roman ship, Paul continued to trust God. Meanwhile, topside, even the sailors were in desperation. They had battled through that tempest, without even being able to see either the sun or stars for two weeks. Yet when all hope seemed lost to everyone else, God sent an angel with a message for Paul, “Don’t be afraid Paul… God has granted you safety!”

To me one of the most amazing and wonderful thing about this message is that the deliverance that Paul was promised included even the very people who had put him in that storm! And even though it may feel frustrating being thrust into problems that you didn’t cause, God has a plan for good, and not only for you. Maybe that is you today. Your problem, your storm, and your dilemma has stuck you in a corner that you cannot get out of. But the good news is that we don’t need to figure a way out: God in HIs grace already has! Yet, in spite of the fact that God is going to do all the miraculous stuff that only He can do in our storm, He has given us something to do. “Don’t be afraid!”, or in the words of Jesus from John chapter fourteen, “Don’t let your heart be troubled!” God will do all the saving we need in any storm, but we must do the trusting. Jesus will calm the highest strongest winds and highest waves, but our part is to believe. Jesus has promised to be with us even to the end of the world. He will be by our side through this hurricane and by yours in whatever storm you are facing. Even if like Jonah, you brough this storm on yourself, God still has a way out and a way back to Him. Or if like Paul, others have made decisions about things that are out of your control, God has grace enough to help both you and them, if we will simply trust Him, encourage one another with His message and then do the small things that He asks for us to do.

Finding Peace

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

As many of you know our Daughter-in-Law, Melinda passed away on Sunday and this morning we are leaving to drive up to be with our son and grandson. So I will not be posting much over this next week. Here is one last thought.

Years ago, our pastor began his sermon by taking a 20 dollar bill from his wallet, asking, “Who wants to come up and take this?” We adults all wondered what kind of trick he was trying to pull, but a 12 year old boy, never hesitated. He ran right to the front, snatched it and stuck it in his pocket, pausing only long enough to say thanks!

The message that day was on how God wants us to receive His gift. In the same way, when Jesus knew, His disciples would soon be witnessing his arrest, torture and  brutal execution He wanted to prepare them. So instead of saying, “Cheer-up, everything is going to be okay.” (though that was true),  He offered them a gift: His peace. That peace was what had enabled Him to let go of His exalted place in the Heavens, and humbly come to a manger in Bethlehem. It had guided Him step by step as He grew up in the poor village of Nazareth and along the path of His ministty. Jesus never hurried, strove for power or accumulated worldly possesions, because He was always at peace. Knowing His Father was with Him, allowed Him to even sleep on the boat in the storm. Now He offers that same peace to us. It is not something we can earn. It is His gift for anyone who will race to the front, put it in their heart and say thank you!

As He Died to Make Men Holy

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This past Sunday, we closed out the July 4th weekend with the classic songs, The Battle Hymn of the Republic and God Bless America. This weekend about 80% of our crowd came in from the memory care wing, and even though they don’t remember everything the way they once did, they do know all the words to these hymns. They sing with such joy that their voices give joy and hope to everyone who hears. They remind me of Bartimaeus who If there was anyone who should have given up hope, it would have been him. He was a blind beggar and, no one would have recommended this guy to be a motivational speaker on hope. First off, his hope of a career, a family and a comfortable lifestyle were unreachable in the society of his day. On top of that, he must have had neither friends nor family, so He simply sat alone by the side of the street begging. Yet despite all that was stacked against him, Bartimaeus had hope in one thing: the mercy of Jesus. He was sure that if he could get Jesus to listen, that there was still hope. So Bartimaeus began to shout out above the noise of the crowd, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Soon the unhelpful bunch of folks around Bartimaeus told him to shut up and sit down. “Have you met any of them lately? Maybe you hoped they would be the ones to help out, but instead, these were the ones telling you to give up. You’re too old, too young, too weak, too stupid, and on and on. Oh, they might even be a bit more kind than Bartimaeus’ buddies, but in essence they are thinking the same thing, “Why doesn’t this fellow just give it up. There is no hope for him!” But don’t throw up your hands and walk away. Our God is the God of ALL HOPE and just as Bartimaeus was about to discover, He hasn’t ignored your cry for help. Jesus is listening. Jesus is calling you and wants to fill you with all hope if you will simply throw off all your doubts and fears and come. He is waiting for you today!

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 
Mark 10:47 NIV