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April 17, 2024

Our Word of God comes from Psalm 23:4 and is titled, "Fear No Evil"

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 

In my previous message, "Do Not Be Afraid", with God's guidance I tried to convey the reasons why fear and anxiety have no place in the life of a Christian as long as God is beside us.  And God will always be beside us.  And tonight, with the news we have received from fellow Servant Jim Harmon, I believe God was placing an exclamation point on the end of the previous message.  This world is not our world.  We are merely passing through it on a journey to eternity.  This world is Satan's domain, and in this world, there will always be things that will try to move the Christian away from the Father. 

 

One of the things mentioned in the previous message was a diagnosis received from a doctor.  Well, John received that diagnosis yesterday, but remained faithful in our Lord.  Today, that faithfulness paid off in spades.  Evil tried to creep in and destroy his world, but God was with him and His light shown through the darkness and demonstrated that His light will never leave us.  As Christians, we will never walk in darkness.  The same message King David wrote down in this 23rd Psalm more than a thousand years before the birth of Christ, was delivered again this day through our Father in Heaven.

 

So, as we finish this praise message this evening, let us end it with the same words King David recorded for us so many years ago.  Let us reaffirm what he wrote was true...

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 

Let us pray...  Father, as you provide your words to us on this 17th day of April, in the year 2024, we give thanks that you have reaffirmed the words King David wrote down over 3000 years prior.  Though we may be surrounded by evil in this domain, thou art with us.  And when you are with us, evil cannot control our lives.  Not as long as we allow you to lead us through.  You have proved once again that what you spoke so many years ago is still relevant today.  For this we give thanks in Jesus' name...  Amen... 

 

Pastor Elmer

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April 13, 2024

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Our Word of God comes from Deuteronomy 20:2-4, and is titled, "Do Not Be Afraid"...

 

When you prepare for battle, the priest must come forward to speak to the troops. He will say to them, 'Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them. For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!

 

Tonight, we have prayed for a young man suffering with anxiety and fear.  He most certainly is not the first, and he is likely in company with every person who has ever walked on the face of the earth.  Even the bravest among us have had to deal with anxiety and fear at some point in our lives.  Be it the monster under the bed, the evil that lurks in the shadows, or the diagnosis we have just received from our doctor.  Some people live in places where it is not safe to even walk down the streets.  Many of the elderly live with locked doors, boarded up or barred windows.  Anxiety and fear come at us from a plethora of directions, and it is something we must all face and deal with.  Not dealing with it can consume a person just as easily as any monster, evil or disease.

 

But for the Christian, God is our night light.  When we were small, our parents may have left a light on in the hallway.  As parents, we may have had a night light in our children's rooms to provide them comfort from the monsters too afraid to come out of the darkness.  God is that light!  He is our security blanket that nothing can penetrate.  I remember when I had my heart attack, my wife remained calm because she knew God had this.  Well, God not only has this, God has you!  For you there are no boogie men.  There are no monsters.  And even though diseases can steal your earthly life away, it cannot steal you away from God.  This, THIS, is the message we need to believe about our Father in Heaven.  THIS is the message we should be sharing with others, Christians or not.  THIS is the rock the men of Israel were standing on as they marched into battle against what seemed to be a far superior adversary.  THIS is what they gave thanks to God for as their enemies fell at their feet.

 

If God is on your side, you are undefeatable.  If you are a child of God, nothing can destroy your soul.  God has you and will always be with you no matter the battle that lays before you.  And when death finally claims the body your soul resides in, the body is all death will receive.  Your soul will be riding first class to the promised land we all know as Heaven, where we will live throughout eternity in the presence of our Father.  When the earth, the stars and the universe have all turned into cosmic dust, your days in Heaven will have just begun.  Do not be afraid!  For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!

 

Let us pray...  Father, we give thanks that we need not fear.  We give thanks for all the things you have done for us to become your precious children.  We ask that you write those precious words, "do not be afraid," upon our hearts and minds that we may never know anxiety or fear.  And place them on our tongue as we testify to others of your glory.  In Jesus' name we pray...  Amen...

 

Pastor Elmer

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March 31, 2024

 

HE IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN!!  HE IS RISEN!!!  

 

Praise God, He is RISEN, indeed!

 

Our Easter message comes from Matthew 28:2-6, and is titled, "He Isn't Here"...

 

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. The angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was laying.

 

Congratulations, my fellow Servants, life eternal in paradise is yours.  Made possible by someone who loves you very much.  Someone who loves you so much He was willing to die for you.  So, what are you willing to do for Him?  Since I didn't even get started in this Christian life until I was 44 years of age, I am certainly not going to sit here at this computer and pass judgement on what you have done, and are doing, for God.  And as I look back on the 27 years since that day God called me to Himself, all I have done in service to God wouldn't even fill a thimble when compared to what He deserves of me.  Serving God is kind of like the old question, "what do you give a man who has everything?"  Anything and everything I have ever done, or ever will do, would be enough for the God, the Lord, the Savior, who saved me from eternal damnation.  But you know, I believe God feels like any other father of any other child, everything we do is very much appreciated.  Not because we have done it, but because we have done it without expectation.  We have done it out of love.  But I digress.

 

As I sit here, nearly 2,000 years from the time Jesus walked out of the tomb, I feel blessed to know my Father in Heaven.  I feel blessed to know my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I feel blessed to have His Holy Spirit alive and living inside of me.  I feel so blessed because I love my Lord.  Now, imagine how blessed you would feel 2,000 years ago when after having watched Jesus die on the cross, to return to His tomb and find the tomb empty, with an angel of the Lord telling you, He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.  Just two days ago, Jesus died on the cross as an atonement for our sins.  Sins He played no role in us committing.  Sins He held no obligation to redeem on our behalf.  Sins He suffered for that we might receive forgiveness from our Father in Heaven.  Sins for which He was killed and buried, though no evidence of guilt was found in Him.  He did that for us!  But He was not finished.

 

On this third day, Jesus rose from the dead and walked out of the tomb.  No one called Him out as he had done for Lazarus.  No, Jesus rose from the dead of His own accord and walked out of the tomb; proving that death had no hold on the righteous.  And He was righteous, unlike you and I.  But what He had done two days before by paying our sin debt in full, was to make us righteous too.  Giving us, who were not worthy, the opportunity to defeat death as He had done and live eternally in the presence of our Father in Heaven.  In three days, Jesus demonstrated more love than all the people of all the earth, for all times past, present and future.  And to receive these amazing gifts of love, all we had to do was confess our sins, ask forgiveness and accept Him as our Lord and Savior.  That in itself would make His gift to us the greatest thing anyone could ever wish for.  But again, He wasn't finished.  Also included in this deal we received the ability to speak directly to God and ask for His help for ourselves and for others.  And because He loves us so much, Jesus sits at the right hand of God to intervene on our behalf.  I've worked in a lot of positions over my years on this earth, and in every position, I have heard people complain about "nobody listens!"  But when you become a Christian, your voice will always be heard at the top.  And none of your deeds will ever be overlooked but appreciated by your Father.  Happy Easter, fellow Servants...

 

Let us pray...  Father, the true sign of love is to give someone something they do not deserve.  You have done that for us, your children.  You have atoned for our sins!  For us you have defeated death!  Then, on top of all that, you bless us richly by hearing our voices and answering our prayers.  What we do seems so miniscule by comparison.  But by sharing the love you have given us; we have kept your ministry alive.  Certainly not as magnanimous a gift as what we have received, but it is the gift you hoped for when you called us to service in your ministry.  In all things, Father, thank you for loving us.  Our praise we give in Jesus' name...  Amen...

 

Pastor Elmer 

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March 29, 2024

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Our Good Friday message comes from Romans 5:6-8, and is titled, "God's Last Hope"...

 

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

 

Long before I became a Christian, and even for a few years after receiving my salvation, I never understood the celebration of Good Friday.  Why on earth would we celebrate the day our Lord was crucified?  Later, I would understand why we set this day aside in honor of our Lord who died for our sins.  His sacrifice paid a debt that we could not possibly hope to pay if we spent the rest of our lives doing good deeds.  Jesus saved us from ourselves.  But then another question entered my mind.  Why would God die for someone the likes of me?  What put all this in motion that God, our Creator, would take human form, suffer all He suffered as He was turned over to the authorities, suffer the rejection of His own people; the people He pulled out of slavery, and then suffer the immense pain of crucifixion to save all sinners?  Not just the Jewish people, but all people from all nationalities and all races, whether they were/are worthy of being saved?  Why would God do that for us?

 

I think the possible reason, aside from the fact that He loves us so very much, is tied to the title of this message.  I believe it was God's last hope for mankind.  The human race has never been what Paul identified in his scripture above as being, "especially good".  Something that would never escape a God who is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.  But like all children, none of us like being told what to do.  We want to do our own thing, be our own person, whether it is right or wrong.  Something most of us tend to grow out of as we age, and some never do.  But from the day God molded man from the earth and breathed life into his body, at our best we have been a disappointment to our Father in Heaven.  But He, like the vast majority of us who identify as parents, does not simply turn off the love He has for His children.  Even when our children have done bad things.  And clearly, mankind had given Him every reason to call the whole project quits.  

 

I do believe that the Jesus project was God's last hope for His children.  And though it required rejection, flogging, beatings, humiliation and death on the cross, He was willing to see the project through to save mankind.  Fortunately, the Jesus project was a success.  The ministry that He began nearly 2,000 years ago, with a couple of handfuls of people, has continued on and grown ever since.  It was by no means a perfect project, but of the 8 billion people who presently inhabit this floating rock in space, 2.38 billion of them identify as Christians.  Now some may not consider a little over 25% as being a success, but had God found 25% of the populations of Sodom and Gomorrah to be righteous, He would not have destroyed them, as per the promise He made to Abraham.  In fact, the promise was for far less than 25%.  His last promise to Abraham indicated that He would not destroy them if He found 10 righteous among them.  The only ones found righteous among them was the family of Lott and they were taken out of the city before the cities were destroyed.  In Matthew 24:34, Jesus told His disciples, Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.  Perhaps the success of the Jesus project is why we are still here some 2,000 years later.  Perhaps God's last hope for mankind ended up creating a new hope in His heart.  One identified in 2 Peter 3:9... The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  Perhaps this is God's new last hope for us...

 

Let us pray...  Father, nearly 2,000 years since His crucifixion on the cross, we celebrate the day our salvation was made possible through Christ's sacrifice.  This day we express our eternal gratitude and give thanks that you gave us one last chance, through your last hope, and we pray your servants will continue to dedicate time to preserve and grow the ministry you began so long ago.  You proved that even a rebellious generation could change if given hope.  Now, with hope in our hearts, we look forward to the coming celebration of Easter, when Jesus defeated death, for us, by walking out of the tomb.  May all praise and glory be to God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  In Jesus' name we pray...  Amen...

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Pastor Elmer

 

 

March 21, 2024

 

Our Word of God comes from 1 Peter 3:15, and is titled, "What's Your Answer"?

 

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

 

How many times have you heard people talk about not wanting to have God "crammed down my throat!"  Words my brother and sister-in-law spoke to my mother at times, because I'll tell you right now, Vivian Warren was going to talk to you about God.  Much like her son, Elmer, does now.  I believe this is why God had Peter place the words, "But do this with gentleness and respect." in his writings.  For those of you who did not receive the Lord in youth at church or as it was in earlier years, in your schools, you may have come across someone who was cramming God down your throat.  Since I did not come to the Lord until I was 44 years old, I had many people talk to me about God.  The difference with me is that I always believed in God, so I always listened to what they said.  Now what they said never led me to the altar to seek forgiveness, but because I listened and was willing to talk about God, I think a lot of people thought I was a Christian.  In fact, when I told my boss at work that I had received my salvation, he told me that he thought I already had it.  But I never had anyone "force God down my throat."

 

But there were some I noticed along the way who got the bug and were out to convert the world, regardless of what it took.  They wanted to save people's souls, an admirable quality indeed.  Something I myself would love to do.  But the old saying, "you can catch more bees with honey than you can with vinegar," has always been a very useful tool throughout my careers in the military and in manufacturing.  Nobody wants to be forced to do something!  That's why there are so many arguments in marriages.  Marriage is a two-way street and works best when each person respects the other's right of way.  I can't force my wife to drive down my side of the street and she hasn't been very successful getting me to drive down her side.  But by respecting each other's right of way, we have managed to work through our marriage for nearly 50 years.  The same is true for believers and non-believers.  You can force people to the altar of the Lord for salvation if they are fighting and screaming all the way.  Their fear of not being able to meet God's standards in life is too often greater than their fear of His wrath.  But there is a different kind of fear we as Christians can use to bring them the altar.  One of the greatest fears in the world in our present time.  It's called FOMO; Fear Of Missing Out!  

 

"I have something you don't have, and it is AMAZING!  The best thing that has ever happened to me!"  You would be surprised how many bees you can attract by using FOMO.  The thing is, almost everyone in the world knows that if you do not accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior before you die, you are doomed to hell.  There are even cultures out there killing people who are sharing that very information with people in their countries.  We can do that all day here in America, but not every country has freedom of speech.  In fact, there are people in this country who would like to find a way to keep you and I shut up as well but have yet to find a way to do so.  And even

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

though you and I can tell people that all day about eternal damnation, we also know something more amazing about God than just saving our souls from hell when we die, we know just how truly amazing it is to have God in our lives, "RIGHT NOW!"  Each of us has developed a close personal relationship with God through this ministry.  At least I hope you have, otherwise I haven't been doing a very good job as a Servant of God.  But knowing how amazing it is to be able to pray to God and know, "KNOW", that He hears and answers our prayers, has made a tremendous difference in our lives.  We have experienced something non-believers and some Christians never have.  We have seen God working in our lives because we didn't settle for just being forgiven for our sins.  We became Servants.  We got into God's workshop and have witnessed what He is capable of.  Don't you think that would make someone want to know more about God than just telling them if they don't repent, they are going to hell?  If people have a fear of missing out, let's talk to them about what they are really missing out on when it comes to our Father in Heaven...

 

Let us pray...  Father, we praise you that you called us beyond salvation.  We praise you that you have opened our eyes to the power in your righteous right hand.  We praise you that we know you are real and have witnessed many miracles in your service.  Now, Father, we pray you will place the power of your love and knowledge in our mouths.  We pray you will help us to speak words of love and knowledge to others in a manner that it will taste of honey as it rings in their ears; leaving them with a hunger to learn more that you may guide them to salvation.  In Jesus' name we pray...  Amen...

 

Pastor Elmer

 

 

March 15, 2024

 

Our Word of God comes from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, from the New Living Translation, and is titled, "Comfort"...

 

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

 

Have not all of us received comfort from our Lord and Savior?  Have not each of us experienced troubles in our lives over the years, even as Christians?  I pray that your answer is yes, as is mine.  For if we have not experienced troubles, then we have not had the opportunity to have experienced the comfort of our Lord and God the Father.  For how can we provide comfort to others if we have never experienced it ourselves.  

 

It may seem foolish to believe that God, who loves each of us as He loves His own Son, would have us suffer through troubles, but let us He has.  But again, how would we know that God truly exists unless we have been comforted when we were and are troubled?  How would we know that God answers prayers if we have had no reason to pray?  So, everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has learned that troubles are the path to faith.  They have learned that troubles are the path to not only believing in God, but believing on God and knowing He exists.  (And just for humor's sake, I'll tell you that my spell/grammar check does not recognize "believing on God."  Unfortunately, I cannot tell my spell check how to believe "on God" as I was told in my Christian youth by Pastor Hal Henegar.  You can believe a train can take you to a specific location, but you must get "on", or you will never get there.)

 

Each Christian has learned that what our bible says about God comforting us in our times of trouble is true.  And as Pastor of this amazing group, I have witnessed time and time again how God has answered our prayers and helped others.  Oh sure, that is great for those we have prayed for, but have you recognized what all those answered prayers for others has done for you.  Each time God answers a prayer it is telling us that, "Yes, I am hearing your prayers, and the love you have for your fellow man/woman; your brother/sister, has moved my heart to respond in kind."  Every answered prayer is a blessing!  Every moment of comfort we feel in our hearts is a blessing!  Every time we feel like we must give praise to God, it is a blessing!  A blessing so many never experience because they are not praying for others.  A blessing so many never experience because they are not giving praise.  A blessing so many never experience because they are not turning to God in their times of trouble, but looking only inward to themselves for a solution that may never come.  And they call us stupid for believing in God.  They call us stupid, but I call us rich beyond our wildest dreams.  And believe me, it is far better to be rich in God than it is to have all the riches of the world without God.  The rich may be very comfortable in their wealth, but God is my kind of comfort...

 

Let us pray...  Father, we give thanks for the troubles you have brought into our lives.  For with each one, we have gotten to experience how great the comfort of the Lord truly is.  We give thanks that you have loved us and blessed us so richly.  We give thanks that you have trusted us with the responsibility of being a servant to you and to mankind.  We give you thanks that when we pray blessings for others, you are also blessing us.  In Jesus' name we praise God, our Father...  Amen...

 

Pastor Elmer

 

 

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