Sorry we missed you!

There is no devotion for this week because Pastor Robbie is busy with his wife Shaney, celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.

Happy Anniversary you two!

Wednesday devotions will be back up and running next week.

Pastor Bob's Midweek Devotion: June 17

Good Morning Church!

I hope you had a good night's sleep and your dreams were sweet!

But if you're like me, sometimes that's not the case. Have you ever been awakened by a dream that seemed so real you wondered if it really happened? Or have you ever been in the middle of a tough situation and wished it was only a dream?

In Mark 4:35-31 we see that, whether real or imagined, no problem is too big for Jesus.

One night, Jesus was sleeping in a boat when his disciples frantically woke him up because a storm had arisen and the boat was in serious trouble...it was going down!

Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and [his disciples] woke Him up and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

Aren't you glad Jesus did not roll over and tell his disciples to go away and just pray about it? Jesus got up and dealt with the storm. He said, "Hush, be still."

What's your storm today? Jesus, who "is the same yesterday and today and forever" wants you to come to Him. He will miraculously hush the raging worries, pains, disappointments and fears in your life if you just come to Him.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Is there a storm in your life that you need to ask Jesus to take charge of?

Let me know how I can pray for you!

Pastor Robbie's Midweek Devotion: June 10

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."
Acts 23:11

After every dark night comes the light of day...

Paul had just been through a long day. He'd been arrested, beaten, and thrown into a dungeon. Like most of us in that situation would, I think Paul must have been wondering if he was really doing what the Lord had called him to do. Unsure of what was ahead of him, Paul got an unexpected visit that would change his outlook on what was to come.

And if we take notice of four important things in this verse, it can change our outlook as well.

#1. The Lord stood by him.

The Lord was not in front of Paul, pulling him, or behind Paul, pushing him. He was beside him. Step by step, walking with him.

#2. The Lord encouraged him.

"Be of good cheer."

In the Greek, the phrase means, "Exercise courage." Like a lot of us, Paul needed to be reminded to push through his fear. Just like with physical exercise, there comes a time when you want to give up, when your body says, "No more." It's at that point when we have to refuse to give in to our flesh and work through the pain, the fatigue and the discomfort if we want to reach our goals. It's the same way when it comes to fear. We have to face it, walk through it, take it on. And knowing the truth of 1 John 4:18b, we can -- "But perfect love drives out fear."

#3. The Lord called him by name.

Here, Jesus calls Paul by His name. I like that. He knows our name. He knows everything about me, from the hairs on my head to the tears from my eye. He even knows, as the Psalms say, that I am but dust.

#4. The Lord reminded him of what was true.

"...you have testified"

In Acts 1:8, Jesus said we would be His witnesses. Despite how we may feel about our witness, the reality is that God is going to use it for His glory. Here, I think Paul may have been thinking that he had blown the chance to really be a witness and to show the love of Christ. Yet in the Lord's eyes, he had done a great job.

My hope for you today is that you will be reminded that He will use whatever we are willing to give, no matter how great or how small.

Pastor Bob's Midweek Devotion: June 3

Good morning church!

I woke up this morning with a prayer on my lips for a brother I talked to yesterday. He shared an all-too-common problem facing so many today: he had been laid of from his job two weeks before and is now facing a financial crisis. After listening to his woes, I had the privilege of lifting him up in prayer to our "Great High Priest" (Hebrews 4:14).

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God said:

"If my people, who are called by my Name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Brothers and sisters, take note of the "if" and the truth that we are His people. The Greek word for church is "EKKLESIA" which literally means "the called out ones." As the church, as His people, we have been called out to pray.

My challenge to you for the month of June is to practice 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Financial woes are upon us. Will we look to the government to bail us out? Or will we look to Jesus, our Great High Priest?

In Him, we have our example of how to pray and fast, and what a privilege it is to follow His example! Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights to spend time in prayer with His Father (Matthew 4:2). The people of Ninevah also fasted when they were convicted of their sin (Jonah 3:5). Fasting for the purpose of prayer is a spiritual discipline we often see in the Bible. And while most of us know how to pray, do we know how to fast and pray?

There are many things that occupy our time and our thoughts...food, tv, the computer, etc. By choosing to go without one of these things for a time, we give ourselves an opportunity to focus on prayer. Tuning out something that consumes our attention allows us to tune in to our conversations with our Father. Fasting for the purpose of prayer is both our privilege and our responsibility.

So for the month of June, let's follow the example of Jesus as we ask our Heavenly Father to heal our land.

How can we pray for you? Let us know!