"Blessing Part 1"

 1 Thessalonians 3:11 "Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you."

The camaraderie of the early church is remarkable. Such fellowship and closeness. They truly were a family of God. This letter is from Paul, along with Timothy and Silas. They share together these warm feelings of wanting to have the way cleared for a visit.

Christian friends are essential to a healthy and maturing faith. The common bond is not only based on knowing each other, but rooted in knowing the same Savior. Timothy has brought back a good report about his most recent visit to Thessalonica using words like good news, pleasant memories, longing, encouraged, joy and standing firm. This language is so uplifting. We should be so earnest in our relationships.

We not only learn doctrine and inspiration from scripture, but also examples of how to live out our faith, not only substance but form. We have much to learn from the early church.

In the bonds of His love with you,
Pastor Fred

“Remember Me”

Nehemiah 13:31b "Remember me with favor, my God."

This is how Nehemiah the reformer ends his book. His last reforms were to purify the priesthood, for they had been corrupted; and to reorganize the provision for the firewood and first fruits, for they had been neglected. Things that need to get done just don't happen by themselves.

Somebody has to make and execute a plan. Even if that is a team, somebody has to lead out by example and by direction.

The purification of the priesthood is essential. The spiritual leadership of God's plan must have a pure heart. Not perfect, but at least accountable and conscientious. Then when an organization is implemented, integrity is possible.

For doing this, Nehemiah makes a request of God. He asks His God personally to remember him. Remember him for his efforts, intentions and heart to serve. Not only does Nehemiah ask to be remembered, but specifically to be remembered with favor.

Don't we all hope that God will look favorably on at least the heart and efforts of our intentions to do right. We who serve are far from perfect but often have God's will and purposes in mind, even in our weakness and failure. Lord, do remember us with favor.

In His Service,

Pastor Fred

“Change Your Mind” By Hank Botts

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

Recently, I read an article about what negative thinking does to your brain.  The article cited a study conducted by Bensinger, DuPont, & Associates that found that around twenty percent of Millennials sought out help or advice in the workplace for depression – a higher percentage than any other generation.  It would seem that, more and more, people are gravitating toward negative thought patterns, and becoming stuck in what a friend of mine likes to call “the pit”.  The article goes on to state that “the more that an individual’s thought patterns trend negative and slip into rumination (i.e. “the pit”), the easier it becomes to return automatically to these thought patterns. This can damage the neural structures that regulate emotions, memory, and feelings.”  One suggestion that the author gives in the article for repairing the effects of negative thinking is to meditate.  She states that “meditating regularly can not only help shift negative thought patterns – it helps the brain focus its attention and even slow the loss of brain cells.” –Health, August 2^nd, 2015 Kathleen Toohill

Isn’t it amazing that we are so smart that we keep “discovering” things that the Word of God has been telling us all along?  In today’s passage of Scripture, Paul is encouraging one of the churches he had helped to establish.  He urges them to help each other, to rejoice together in the Lord, and to not be anxious about anything!  He tells them that if they will just surrender all of their worries to God, that He will give them His peace, which surpasses all understanding, and which will guard their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  That’s right!  We can have our hearts and minds guarded against all the negativity that is swirling around us.  I’m sure you’ve seen and heard about it, right?  After all, it’s all over the news and your Facebook newsfeeds! 

Please, I urge you, do not dwell on all of that!  It is a trap and it will steal your peace.  I’m not saying that we can avoid all negativity in our lives.  That is simply not possible.  But we can choose not to focus on it, to ruminate on it, and to allow it to consume the majority of our thoughts.  If you find yourself stuck in this pattern of negativity, Change Your Mind!  Instead, do as the Word says and focus on things that are true, things that are noble, things that are just, things that are pure, things that are lovely, things that are of good report, things that are virtuous, and things that are praiseworthy.  It will make all the difference in the world!

Love in Jesus,

Hank

“Consider”

Proverbs 6 "Consider the ant..."
Matthew 6 "Consider the lilies..."

We would do well to look at nature more often. It speaks of God. The whole universe manifests a witness to it's Creator. After the recent 'deluge' (that is what we call 'heavy rain' in So Cal), nature is busy, busy, busy. Take a moment and notice. Things will be buzzing and blooming, crawling and flying. This morning I have noted no less than 10 different types of birds. The parrots, the gulls, the sparrows, the mockingbirds, the owls, the crows, etc. Out in force. We also have ants, spiders, earwigs, flies, with the butterflies and mosquitoes on their way, I am sure.

So what is my point here? The creation is speaking lessons of God. They are illustrated in His Word hundreds of times. But, we are so fixated on the things of man, we can miss it. The ant works hard and plans ahead, the lily does not worry. Man-made stuff won't teach you that. Certainly not as beautifully. So today, slow down, turn off the voices, tune in to the creation.

Consider what God could show you, if you just take time to consider.

Pastor Fred

  

“Establisher and Accomplisher”

Isaiah 26:12 "Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Everything emanates from the Lord. He is the initiator, the prime mover, the beginning and the end. He is supreme. He is the only Creator, sustainer and giver of life. The only true peace comes from Him. Peace is not easy to find nor maintain, but He is the Prince of Peace. Outside of Him, we do nothing redeemable. I pray that the Prince of Peace will establish His throne in your heart and that you will know that all you accomplish is by His power. Lord bring peace, establish it and accomplish it in our hearts, in your church, in this country and this world.

In His Peace,

Pastor Fred

 "A Place for the Lord"

Psalm 132:4-5 "I will not enter my house or go to my bed-- I will allow no sleep to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

Oh how I have prayed that the Lord would go home with me each day and lead me through my front door. I am in and out of our house a number of times each day and I almost always speak to God and try to hear Him before I step on that threshold. Also, as I lay my head down at night I definitely ask God to get between my ears and sort me out. I have almost always fallen asleep quickly. For this I am so grateful.

So for me it is as important to find that place with the Lord at night as it is in the morning. Last night my favorite basketball team lost a tough game in the final minute of play. I remember as I quickly grieved that loss, that it was just a basketball game and that there were so many far more important things to be concerned about. As I got into bed, I laid those truly important things before the Lord, letting go of them and then just resting in the assurance of His grace, I closed my eyes and imagined several pleasant thoughts and a few memories, and then woke up this morning.

He puts me to sleep and gets me up each day. He walks with me as often as I remember and acknowledge He is with me. For this I am daily and eternally grateful.

In Him, 

Pastor Fred

 “The Lord Has Done Great Things.”

Psalm 126:3 “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

So true. In the midst of heartache and trouble, disappointment and tough times, we should definitely count our blessings. I am grateful tonight for His great mercy, grace and love in my life. I am so thankful for my salvation. So thankful for my family and church family. So thankful for the opportunity to serve Him. So thankful for His provision. So thankful for His comfort. So thankful for His Word. Just speaking my gratefulness is filling my heart with joy.

So I encourage us all to count our blessings and let His joy fill our hearts. Or, if you have joy, enjoy it. Bask in it for some long moments. Breath in His presence and goodness. God is so good to us.  He has indeed done great things. 

With Joy,

Pastor Fred

"A NEW YEAR"

I am indebted to my legal assistant (and boss), Donna Cooper, for the following very practical devotional in order to get a fresh start for the New Year:

The first thing to do is to let go of the baggage of the past. 

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”  Isaiah 43:18-19

In order not to dwell on the past, we have to actively “transform our minds”.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  Romans 12:1-2.

We also need to focus on God’s promises:

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;  therefore I will wait for him.”  Lamentations 3:22-24

God makes everything “new”.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’.  And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ “ Revelation 21:5    God is always on the throne and always making things new.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...”  1 Peter 1:3

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”  Ezekiel 36:25-27

Then God will give us a new heart and a new spirit so that we can be strong, bold and victorious!

“...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  Ephesians 4:22-24

“He has put a new song in my mouth - Praise to our God; Many will see it and far, And will trust in the Lord.”  Psalm 40:3

So, as we start 2017, my prayer for all of us is that God will help us to not worry about tomorrow, but rather help us fix our eyes (and our hope) on His promises and the good plans God has for us as we eagerly await what is to come. 

“‘For I knew the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

God bless!

John Adams

“The Work of God” 

John 6:28-29 "Then they asked Him. 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.'"

We are tempted by the minimum requirement. What is the least I must do to get by? We must do whatever God wants. How much does God want? He wants it all. Every part of us, every moment of us, every breath of us, every beat of our hearts. In theory, we accept this is true. In practice, not so much.

We really want to know what little thing do I have to do, so I don't get in trouble. So I can scoot by. We live in a minimalist mentality world where God is trying to maximize our potential for His purposes. 

Today Lord, help me to be available for your plan. Even if it changes mine. Let me start by truly believing in you. By letting you be my scheduler, my day planner, and the Lord of my moments, breaths, and opportunities. Lord, maximize my potential for your Glory.

In You,

Pastor Fred 

“Have A Talk With Yourself”

Psalm 43:5 "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."

David does something very healthy here. He has a little talk with himself. You may wonder if I am suggesting that talking to yourself is always healthy. Not always. But, from time to time we should ask ourselves a couple of questions. David is questioning why he is troubled. I understand this. At times, though, when I know everything will work out, or be o.k., I still wonder if it really will. When this happens I do some soul-searching and try to focus on my faith and my trust in God. Almost always this seems to turn me around.

So I recommend that when you are down, or worried, or anxious, or just a little blue or despondent... ask yourself why. Maybe the Lord will speak to your heart about putting your hope in Him. Maybe count your blessings. Maybe start with being grateful for your salvation. Maybe praise the Lord anyway. So, next time this happens to you, take it from me, or David, and talk to yourself a little bit and see if you can get that turned around. Just writing this has improved my current outlook. Hope this blesses someone especially today.

In Him,

Pastor Fred

“Stick With Love

Romans 10:12 "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, the same Lord is Lord of all, and richly blesses all who call on Him."

Martin Luther King said, "I have decided to stick with love, for hate is too great a burden to bear." Martin Luther King has been one of the most influential people in my life. I was only 18 when he was assassinated. I was greatly touched by his mission, message and method. His death was heartbreaking for me. He so exemplified what I believe a Christian's Biblical view of race relations should be. God is clear in His Word. There is zero tolerance for racism. 

My father raised me to understand that. My faith reinforced that and my heart knows that to be true. God indeed is Lord of all regardless of anything other than their openness to receive Him. We miss the biblical and clarion voice of Dr. King in the cacophony of agendized ranting today. He truly understood what this verse means when it says "the same Lord is Lord of all".... period, exclamation point!! We can still dream you know. 

So we must put the hate speak away and cling to love. Only Jesus needed to bear the sin of all that, because the burden is indeed too heavy for anyone else.

Reflectively,

Pastor Fred

Daily Devotional  

By Charlotte Adams 
 
“How Well Do We Wear God Each Day?”

One of my recent devotionals from my “Jesus Calling” Sarah Young Devotions talked about how we need to start each day seeking God’s face.  How do most of our days start?  Well, we wake up, get out of bed, shower, and get dressed to start our day. But, if we think about it, we aren’t really fully ready unless we’ve also sought out God and communicated with Him to prepare us for what the day holds.  If we don’t  do this first thing, we might think we’re fully dressed and equipped to handle the day, but if we haven’t added the protective layer of God’s presence, it’s  scary to think that we are starting the day on our own power.  

I try to start each day reading from several devotional books that have been given to me as gifts, or that I’ve purchased, because they are fairly short and can be read quickly with accompanying scriptures.  Despite my best efforts, though, I have to admit that some days I get distracted by doing something that I think demands that it be taken care of first rather than sticking with my usual routine of starting with the reading of God ‘s Word.  I also have to admit that when this happens, my day just doesn’t seem to go as well because something seems to be missing.  That something is that I have not clothed myself with God’s presence to start my day.   Not only should I do that as some sort of routine, but  I think that I need to do this, so that how I conduct myself and my actions throughout  the day will be more like Him, and not me, on my own, without Him. 

Don’t just take my word for it. Take God’s Word because He knows what’s best for us all. When you said “Seek My face”, my heart said to you, “Your face Lord, I will seek.” Psalm 27:8; Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Romans 13:14;  Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12.

I’d like to leave you with you a Helen Steiner Rice  piece from one of the Christmas cards we received  that so touched my heart that we prominently displayed it to share for the entire holiday season.

Bless us, Lord, this Christmas with quietness of mind.Teach us to be patient and always to be kind. Show us that in quietness, we can feel Your presence near, filling us with joy and peace throughout this coming year. Have a very blessings-filled weekend and week.

We welcome you to join us Sundays at Grace Harbor for Children’s School and Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. and Worship Service at 10:00 a.m 
 
Love In Him,
Charlotte

Pastor Fred wanted to share this devotional with you –source unknown.

Ephesians 2:8-9
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

“Salvation is a Gift, Not a Reward.”

How often men become confused when considering,

“What must I do to earn a way to heaven?”

Unfortunately, there is no religion or creed

nor, can we depend upon our good deeds

to earn a way to heaven

Confessing sin does not guarantee

that our trespasses are all washed clean

or earn a way to heaven

Church membership will not help us gain

a foot into heaven’s domain

or earn a way to heaven

Sacraments and rituals may be good

cannot, if they only could

earn a way to heaven

Our hope happened that sacred day

not by us, but by the way

JESUS BOUGHT OUR WAY TO HEAVEN

One of our Lord’s final words

“It is finished” was clear to all who heard

JESUS BOUGHT OUR WAY TO HEAVEN

He died for you and me,

He just wants us to believe

JESUS (GOD) BOUGHT OUR WAY TO HEAVEN 

"Effective and Productive Qualities"

1 Peter 1:8 "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I must admit that I am often more knowledgeable about spiritual matters than I am effective or productive about them. I wish ignorance were my excuse rather than laziness, weakness, attitude or flat out rebellion. The Bible always answers its own questions that it often raises if we read and study in context. 

The qualities referred to in this verse are listed in the preceding verses. So if I want to be effective and productive with what I know to be true about my faith I must make myself a list of the qualities that make that more possible and probable. Here is a checklist of the qualities from verses 5-7. These work like building blocks, meaning we are supposed to keep building them on one another. Starting with faith we then add...

□ goodness
□ knowledge
□ self-control
□ perseverance
□ godliness
□ mutual affection
□ love

This list has kept me busy for a lifetime thus far. The more I focus on these qualities and how they work together, the more effective and productive I am. A little food for thought today. Now, as for me, back to the list.

Working on it with you,

Pastor Fred

“Our Precious Faith”

2 Peter 1:1 "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours..."

These are the first words of Peter's second epistle. A lot is revealed here. Here are a few reflections:

• Calls himself "Simon Peter", a reminder of his personal transformation.

• Says he is a "servant of Jesus Christ" first, even more important than being an apostle.

• "to those" (this is us) through the righteousness of Jesus, not our own righteousness.

• "God and Savior Jesus Christ". In case we ever forget, Jesus is God.

• "Have received a faith as precious as ours." Our faith is equally precious to God. God gives each of us faith. Peter's faith is not more precious than yours or mine.

May we slow down enough when we read, so that we can receive, led of His Spirit and more truth from His Word. The Word of God is living spiritually, and so are we, therefore our spirits are fed by His Word. No need to starve today. Feed on Him and let His Word nourish you with truth and guidance. Your faith is precious, nurture it.

In His Word,

Pastor Fred

“Relief”

Psalm 4:1 "Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress, be merciful to me and hear my prayer."

My notes on this passage went as follows....

Note how David praises God when he petitions Him (Praise the Lord).

Note how David surrenders his need for relief to God (Let go and let God).

Note how David owns responsibility for his own distress (No blame letting).

Note how David asks for mercy (Always remember, mercy is not getting what you deserve).

Note how David humbly and respectfully desires most just to be heard (God hears us best when we listen).

The relief of knowing that His Word is so revealing is very relieving.

I pray you too, find relief in Him. 

Pastor Fred 

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." - 1 John 4:11-12 (NIV)

Written by the apostle, in 1 John he reassures Christians (even us today) in their faith and to counter false teachings. I was definitely reassured and also encouraged when I read this passage of Scripture today. Not only did God love us, but He "so" loved us - John uses that little word for a reason and it's true. God loved us so much that He gave His only Son, to pay the penalty (death) for our sins - something we could never pay because of our evil desires, sinful behavior, even our thoughts; our very nature is to be against God - because Jesus was perfect, flawless and loved us so much He would make it right between us and God by doing so. Hard to believe, I know. We often ask why or even how, and the answer from John (above) tells us because "God loved us so..." that's how much God truly loves you! 

But sometimes we can ask the question - if no one has ever seen God, how can we ever know him? John in his Gospel said, "God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." (John 1:18) Jesus is the complete expression of God in human form and he has revealed God to us. When we love one another, the invisible God reveals himself to others through us, and his love is made complete. This is one of the reasons why He gave us the Holy Spirit. He lives in us so that He would be made known through us. 

We know it's not easy loving people. Some people simply enjoy being with others, some don't. Some make friends with strangers easily and are always surrounded by friends. Others not so much. People are shy or reserved, and even uncomfortable talking with people they don't know or mingling in crowds. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We don't need to become extroverts in order to love others. John isn't telling us how many people to love but how much to love the people we already know. Our job is simple - love faithfully the people God has given us to love, whether that means just 2 or 200 of them. When God sees that we are ready to really love others, He will bring them to us. So no matter how shy we can be, we don't need to be afraid of the love commandment. God always gives us the strength to do what He asks us to - AMEN! 

Keep loving people, 

- Brandon

Idolatry

1 John 5:21 "Dear children, keep yourselves from idols."
As the Apostle John got older he more and more saw believers paternally. Our tendency towards spiritual immaturity is self-obviated, but John's simple words illustrate some simple truths about idolatry, and how to deal with it.

As I came across this verse it seemed like an inspired afterthought of John's as he is warning about sin, the world, and the enemy in the previous verses. He knows our base weaknesses so he finished his theme with an edict about our behavior. I got a few bullet points from this.

• God loves us dearly
• Idolatry is immature
• We must 'keep', meaning make an effort to maintain our distance from anything idolatrous.
• This effort is our own personal responsibility
• There are many idols and they are not all made from wood or stone. In today's world they can be    conceptual, emotional, social, intellectual, and entertainment.

Anything that we choose over God or distracts us from God or tempts us away from God is an idol. I once heard it said that whatever you think about most is your God. Scary thought, huh? Let us keep God central to and more important than anything and everything else and encourage each other to keep Him first and foremost. As His dear children, let us keep ourselves from idols.

In His grip,
Pastor Fred 

“I Sought The Lord”

Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears."
Oh how true this is. There are times in our lives when we must seek Him exclusively, personally. Just us and Him. Alone. Not necessarily in prayer specifically, not even necessarily in His Word. Not through the counsel of others, or in devotionals, or in worship or church or by any other means other than spirit to Spirit, heart to Heart, mind to Mind. Without words, without formula. Just being in His Presence and listening. Aware of Him. In awe of Him.

When I get to this place or state I can assure you that my fears disappear. I am delivered from them because in His presence His perfect love casts out all fear. He wraps me up in His everlasting, ever loving arms and no matter what it is, it doesn't matter. He has got me and that is all that matters.

 Hope you know this place or state. It is beautiful.

 Pastor Fred