HOW GOES THE RACE?

This has been beautiful weather to get out and run. The Bible has a lot to say about life being like a race. Life is not a dash or a short race for speed, but is more like a marathon. If you are going to run you need to get rid of anything that will distract you. If we are going to run in this race we need to get rid of some distractions.

1. We need to get rid of WORRY. Worry will hinder us in the spiritual race. The more we worry the more it will slow us down spiritually! Proverbs 12:25 (NLT) "Worry weighs a person down." We need to get rid of worry and we can only do that by giving it to the Lord, in prayer. Psalm 55:22 NCV - "Give your worries to the Lord and He will take care of you."

2. Let go of your WOUNDS. There will be many things in life that will wound us emotionally. People will let us down, failure, rejection, betrayal, divorce, gossip etc. Too many times we allow these kind of wounds to hinder us in our spiritual race. We need to get rid of them by forgiveness. Psalm 37:8 - "Let go of anger and leave your rage behind. Do not be preoccupied. It only leads to evil." I want to encourage you to let go of the wounds that are hindering you in the race of life.

3. Let go of your WRONGS. If we want to run a successful race spiritually, we need to let go of our sins, mistakes, regrets, and failures. 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us run the race as easy as possible! Enjoy the run!

WHAT IS GOD DOING IN YOU TODAY?

I am thankful that God is working in our lives each and every day! Sometimes we are so close to the situation that we do not see what God is doing!

I was reading in Philippians 1:6 - "And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again."

How many times we forget that the God who was working in our lives when He knit us together in our mother's womb, is the same God that is working in our lives today. The God who was working in our lives even before we came to Christ and was living in sin, is the same God that is working in our lives today. The God who was working in our lives at the moment we confessed our sins, and He came into our lives, is the same God that is working in our lives today. The God who is working in our lives today, is the same God that has all the details of my life and He will bring it to pass. He will finish the GOOD WORK in me that He has started as long as I walk in faith and obedience to Him!

He is doing a good work in you and me today!!!

TURNING 50!

As I turn 50 on Monday, that is even hard saying and believing that I will be that old! People have been saying it is only a number, but I have been doing some reflecting over the first 50 years of my life. I am also looking forward to the years that I have left, and what will the future hold in store for me. I know one thing, that I want to live with significance, and purpose in the years that I have left.

There are certain events in life that cause us to reflect and review your life. I am thankful for my parents who brought me up to know the Lord. I am thankful for my heritage. I am thankful for the call of God when I was a teenager. I am thankful for my years at Valley Forge Christian College. I am thankful for my wife Emma and that she is my best friend. I am thankful for all those who have invested in my life when I was a young minister. I am thankful for over 28 years of ministry in different places, and the many friends that I have made over these years. God has been very faithful to me in the good and in the difficult times!

I am praying that I will always walk in the God's will for my life. A verse that I memorized early in life, is one that I want to still follow as I turn 50. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."

Turning 50????

CONNECTING WITH GOD

I was reading in Ephesians 3 this morning and in verses 14-21 we see Paul's prayer for the Ephesian Christians. I want to focus on verses 19-20 that says - "to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we ask or think, according to His power that works in us.

If we want a close and personal connection with God then we need to know, apply, live in the love of Christ for our lives. How many of us battle guilt, fear, failure that God is disappointed with us, and that He could not love someone like me. I am thankful this morning that God loves me in the good days and the bad days. We need to learn to live daily in His love.

We also need to allow His power, His spirit to work in our lives and realize that He is working in us daily. His word tells us - "He that began a good work in us, will bring it to the day of completion."

This morning every one of us can connect with this God of great love and power!
What an awesome God we serve!

SIGNS OF THE TIMES!

Tomorrow I will start a new series on the Book of Revelation for 9 weeks, that will deal with the Signs of the Times! How can we live with faith and hope in the world that is falling apart all around us! Even the world is realizing that this world cannot last the way it is going. Many of the new TV shows, movies are about the world coming to an end! I am so thankful that as a Child of God we have hope in that Jesus is coming again!

The old chorus says it best - "Because He lives I can face tomorrow..."

Invite someone to come to church tomorrow with you!!! Let us help people to have hope in these last days!

ONE MORE

I am so thankful for being able to connect with people on a daily basis. Last night we had a new believer in Bible Study and they are interested in growing spiritually! That encourages me because one more is coming to Christ!

PRAYING FOR YOU

I am praying for you this morning, that God will bless your lives. In Ephesians 1: 16-18 - we read - "I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised to those He called...."

What a powerful prayer that Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus. He prays for God's people to have spiritual wisdom and understanding to know God. How many of us need wisdom and understanding in our daily lives. I pray that God will give each of us wisdom and understanding to know Him, to love Him, and to make wise choices. Then Paul prays that their spiritual hearts would be flooded with light, truth, guidance. I am so thankful that God gives His children light, truth and guidance in our daily lives. Why so that we can have hope and and faith in the world today! God still has a wonderful future for His children! We are going to spend eternity with Him! You cannot get any better than that!

I want to encourage you to be with us on Sunday as I start a new series from the Book of Revelation called - "Signs of the Times." May God bless you today!

Connecting with you,
Pastor Ron

MISSING OPPORTUNITY

There are times in life when opportunities come our way, and once we miss them they are missed opportunities and may never get them back. God's presence has been in our Revival services.

I want to encourage you to come tonight, if you are going through a storm. Greg is going to minister on the Storms of Life. If you know people that are facing a storm, invite them to come out with you tonight!

Let us believe for Jeremiah 24:7 - "I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart."

Connecting with you,
Pastor Ron