“The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 This past weekend was such a wonderful surprise and a time of affirmation for Pam and me. In case you didn’t know, the elders secretly arranged for a special recognition in the worship service and then an all-church picnic in celebration of our 15th anniversary at Grace Life Community Church (May) and our 25th wedding anniversary (June). Maybe it’s their military background, but the elders…
“…and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 I love the Christmas season, especially the gift giving and receiving. Not the excess, stress and materialism that Christmas has come to represent for so many, but the simple demonstration of care and thoughtfulness that a well chosen gift represents. It’s as if for one brief moment every year, people everywhere pause to embrace God’s Spirit…
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 Medical doctors have long known that a positive mental attitude (PMA) is good for your health. Those who see the glass as half-full have lower levels of stress, depression, and anxiety than those who see the glass as…
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18 This past weekend, Pam and I were down in Montego Bay for the annual Jamaica Link Ministry board meeting. JLM is the mission organization we have partnered with for the last 10…
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) “Dad, let me do it!” It was the week before VBS, and it was a blazing hot day in…
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 As many of you know, part of my own spiritual disciplines for this year is the daily devotional reading of “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. I try to read it in the mornings or at night before I…
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 My farmer dad had a saying that he would frequently use when engaging in long-term projects that involved a high degree of complexity, skill and commitment. It wasn’t original to him and I’m sure you’ve probably heard variations of it. Here it is: 3 steps forward, 2 steps back. So, when putting on a new roof on a building…
“… I will build my church and the gates of Hell will not overcome it!”Matthew 16:18 “OK team, gather around.” Coach Williams emerges from the locker room onto the basketball court. The other team has already huddled up and the referee stands ready, twirling his whistle. His team jogs over and quickly gathers near the bench. “Trevor, what is that helmet you are wearing? This isn’t football, dude! And Sarah, you brought a volleyball? Really? Lance, take off the baseball…
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29 Have you noticed how Thanksgiving is becoming a “non-holiday” in our culture? Our local Lowe’s home improvement warehouse has had artificial Christmas trees on sale since Halloween. Years ago it seemed like communities and retailers would hold off on putting up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. In fact, as a…
So we had a rough morning at the Benedict house the other day…OK, maybe it was this morning. In a household of six, it is not uncommon for someone to “get out of the wrong side of the bed,” but it’s fairly unusual for ALL of us to cross over to the dark side at the same time. Here’s the situation. Pam teaches piano lessons on Wednesdays and Thursdays. So on Tuesday nights, she simply asks that we pick up…