"Be Gentle"  Colossians 1:5 "Let your gentle spirit be known to all men." This encouragement from Paul is a call to action, not words. Everybody ought to be able to see by our words and actions that we are gentle, so we don't need to say anything about it. Our reputation should be one of gentleness. We often tell children to be gentle... with babies, with friends, with the elderly, with animals, with nature, with toys, with all things breakable. We learn to be gentle. How to softly touch, softly speak. Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. Evidence of the presence and working of the Holy Spirit. That Spirit is in us who believe and have received. We just need to consider that before we speak and act. I pray we will be known by this and that He will be glorified by that. Gently, Pastor Fred

"Right In The Middle" 

Lamentations 3:19-25 "Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, therefore I have hope in Him. The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him."

Right in the middle of Jeremiah's lament in the most sorrowful book of the Bible is this beautiful gem of hope. When Jeremiah lifted his thoughts from the ashes and threw open the window of his mind, he thought again about the person and character of the Lord and hope rushed in. May we remember to do the same in our hours of need. There is a lot to learn from Lamentations. Jeremiah, "the weeping prophet" is able to objectively experience and grasp both God's righteous judgment and perfect grace simultaneously. Please reread these wonderful seven verses and receive God's grace over you.

In His grace,
Pastor Fred

"Don't Believe Everything" 

Proverbs 14:15 "The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps."

Seems like l am believing less and less of what l see, hear and read. This reminds me of how very reliable, real and refreshing His Word is to me. l am exasperated by clickbait (the word bait must mean someone is trying to hook me) partisan rhetoric (not just political stuff, but even in sports trash talk and religious/Christian doctrinal writing also). I am tempted to be catty and shallow about how catty and shallow almost all talk is getting. Oh, how refreshing straight, positive, respectful words are these days. Seems like innuendo, put-down and sarcasm rule. Plus, the bawdy, suggestive and downright nasty stuff is so common.

So my point today is read carefully and thoroughly and consider the source. Pray about it all. Do not regurgitate the crass, inappropriate and shallow tidbits about anything or anybody. Lord help us not to be naive and to be sensible. Trust God in everything.Do not presume you know His heart, ask afresh for His truth. Certainly, do not act on anything brashly or quickly or speak to it either. Lots of prayerful consideration in all things. Lord make us wise and forgive our haste and naivete.

Reflective,
Pastor Fred

Friday Devotional:  Our Weaknesses Should Force Us Call To Call Out to God – Help!

My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect

in weakness.  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about

my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2Corinthians 12:9 NIV

Today’s devotional title suggests that we should call out to God for help when we find ourselves in situations that seem overwhelming or without a solution.  But, do we do that, or do we continue to keep trying to fix them ourselves because to do otherwise might mean that we are failing at something that we believe we should be able to figure out and handle ourselves? I don’t think that any of us have to take some type of test to help us identify what our weaknesses are, but the “good news” (God) is that they do not have to define or defeat us. Or, perhaps you may be one of those rare creatures who doesn’t have any weaknesses that you know of or will admit to.  Raise your hand if that’s you.  Just so you know, I’m not raising my hand because I’ve experienced lots of situations where, despite my best efforts and the best of intentions,  I’ve failed or wanted to quit and give up, and thus felt weak and not so good about myself.  However, since we are mere human beings, and not God, I think that we frequently are too hard on ourselves, feeling that we are weak if we are not able to get something accomplished.  But on whose strength and power was I relying on to get it done?  I think if I’m being honest, I might have been trying to do everything by my own measly power and strength.  With that as the formula for our undertakings, we are most likely not going to be very successful.  We are weak (not a fatality), but He is strong (always), and by His power (unending), we can do anything “if “   we let go and let God handle it.  He invites us to do just that because, as the verse quoted above plainly states, God’s strength and power “is most effective”  in our weakness because He works best when we get out of His way.

I believe that God wants us to know that the only power that giving into that feeling of weakness has is the power we give it.  Instead of considering our weakness in certain instances as failures, we might be better served to view them as providing God with opportunities to do His best work.  God’s grace, strength, and power is there for the taking.  He said it, and I believe Him, so I’m going to give this a try the next time (or times) I’m feeling that God has given me more than I can possibly handle.

Have a very blessings-filled weekend and week. We invite and would welcome you to join us Sundays at Grace Harbor for Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday Worship Service and Children’s Sunday School at 10:00 a.m.  This Sunday, September 24^th, Grace Harbor is blessed to have our Missionaries from Laos, Matt & Lori Mann, join us for Adult Sunday School and Worship Service, where they will be sharing an update of their Laos Missions Ministry.

Love In Him, Charlotte

"Who Hinders?" 

Galatians 5:7-8 "You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you."

Paul is addressing creeping legalism in the early church here. Paul asks an easy question and then gives a big clue to the answer. Who is the hinderer? My first thought was the one who is the liar, the divider, the destroyer and the accuser. Our enemy, the devil. satan (not capitalizing his name, even at the beginning of a sentence is a matter of personal disrespect). his influence, impact and deleterious effect on humans is disastrous. he wants to steal our joy and ruin our lives. satan loves legalism because he is anti-grace. What would Jesus do instead? Jesus my LORD is truth and the unifier, He is the Creator and forgiver. (Capitalizing His Name is a personal matter of respect and glory.) His influence, impact and redemptive affect on humans are miraculous. He wants to complete our joy and fulfill our lives. Jesus loves grace. If you were running well, go back to obeying the truth. Be persuaded by Him. He cares for you. Be careful who you listen to. He calls your name. Listen.

For Him,
Pastor Fred

"Beneficial Renderings" 

Psalm 116:12 "What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?"

We should all answer this question. I know it has convicted me today. As for David, he shares some of his benefits before this verse and what he will render after this verse. He speaks of God's grace, compassion, preservation, rescue, comfort, and strength to name a few. I know these in my life also. As for His response, he says he will do the following.

Call on the Lord's name
Lift up the cup of salvation
Pay his vows to the Lord
Be the Lord's servant
Offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
Praise the Lord

Consider your benefits today and plan a response. If you are having a hard time with words, use David's. After all, he was after God's own heart, and shouldn't we be? Of course. Praise the Lord! (That one was easy, now on to the rest of the list.)

In His Service,
Pastor Fred

Daily Devotional - by John Adams 
 
DEFEAT WORRY AND FEAR EVEN IN TOUGH TIMES -
PLACE YOUR TRUST IN CHRIST’S POWER AND HIS PROMISES NO MATTER WHAT
 
The Word of God (the Bible) repeatedly tells us that if we are “in Christ” (and He is “in” us), by our faith in Him and His promises, we never have to give in to fear and hopelessness.
 
Amazingly, the Word actually instructs us to have joy, hope, and peace regardless of how grave our circumstances in this world may be, saying:
 
“Rejoice and exalt in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulations, be constant in prayer.”  Romans 12:12 (Amp.)
 
James actually tells us we should “count it all joy” when we are subjected to serious trials and tribulations (James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 4:12), and Paul urges us in “all things...” [good or bad] to give the Lord thanks; for “...this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”!  (1 Thess. 5:16-18)
 
Sounds counter-intuitive; until you realize that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, eternal and already knows everything that is going to happen in every aspect of your future - everything (the good and the bad)!  In fact, He “knew” every detail of your life and wrote it in the Book of Life before you were even born (or the first planet was created)!!
 
Since nothing is impossible for God, and He is 100% faithful to His “Word” (Promises), He has assured us all (His children) that:
 
“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.  I said, ‘You are my servant’;  I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you;  do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.  Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.  Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.  For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear;  I will help you. Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”  (Isaiah 41:9-14 - see also: Isaiah 40, 41 and 43)
 
            And therefore,
 
“If God is for us, who can stand against us?” Romans 8:31 [read all of Romans 8]
 
The answer is no one and no thing in all of creation can defeat God’s will and eternal plan for your life; and that He will see us through until we are with Him in Heaven where there is indescribable, and perfect, love, beauty, joy and peace living directly in His presence and no more death, sin, tears, evil or sorrow forever.  [Rev. 21 and 22]
 
So, let God’s absolute power and promises give you hope, peace, joy, love, and encouragement which “transcends all [human] understanding”, empowering and enabling you to endure and have victory in whatever trials or difficulties are concerning you.
 
As Jesus Himself told the apostles:
 
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33
  
God bless, 
John Adams