Pastor Bob's Wednesday Devotion: "The Test"

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."

James 1: 2-3

Good morning Family!

Thanks for praying for us while we were away last week at our annual "Elder's Advance." We were clearly blessed as we prayed for you and as we heard our Lord ask us, "Do you wish to get well?"

This question comes from John 5:6, where Jesus asked it of a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years. I'm sure you know the rest of the story...Jesus healed him and told him, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk." He passed the test!

As we applied the question "Do you want to be healed?" to WVBC, we received guidance and direction for the new year ahead of us. In the coming months, you'll be hearing about these changes that need to happen if we as a church are to grow in faith. In the meantime, we need to be ready because with faith there always comes a time of testing.

In Genesis 22, God tested Abraham with his son Isaac. And in John 6, Jesus tested Philip when a huge, hungry crowd arrived and Jesus asked him, "Where are we to buy bread so that we may eat?" Philip's response was typical: "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

As you know, Jesus used two fish and five loaves of bread to feed the crowd of more than 5,000 people. What might happen to us, His church, if we are able to pass the test of faith during these tough times we are experiencing? What miracle might we see? These are exciting times because our Lord is still willing to test our faith so that we will grow stronger and gain endurance.

How can we be ready for these times of testing? Look again at John 6...when Philip was tested, he had a "care group" to support him. Andrew didn't necessarily have the answers, but he did find a boy with a few fish and some loaves of bread, and he brought them to Jesus. That's what care groups do. Those twelve disciples learned to grow in faith together as their Master cared for them through their various tests and trials. What an example Jesus has given us!

I hope that you also have a care group like Philip had. If you need a group to be a part of, please let me know.

In His Mighty Grip,
Pastor Bob

Pastor Robbie's Wednesday Devotion: "Pray for Us"

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.

Hebrews 13: 17-18

Good morning WVBC!

At first glance, this might seem like a weird way to start a devotion, but let me explain.

This weekend the elders will be spending a few days away for what we call "Elders Advance." During this time away, the elders ask the Lord for His instructions on how we are to advance His church. It is something I personally look forward to every year, for it is a great time dedicated to fasting, praying, and seeking the Lord on your behalf.

Knowing that some day we "must give an account" for how we are leading WVBC is haunting at times, and this is why we need your support in prayer. We want so much for this body to be open and ready for whatever the Lord would bring our way, so like the writer of Hebrews, I ask you to "pray for us."

Pray that the Lord will give us wisdom with finances, understanding in how we are to grow West Valley Bible Church, and direction for the future.

Pastor Bob's Wednesday Devotion: "The Power of Prayer"

"'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.'"

Luke 22:46

These words were spoken by Jesus minutes before He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. The inner crowd of disciples (Peter, James & John) had been asked by Jesus to support Him in prayer as He found a quiet place in the garden to be with His Father one-on-one. Three times our Lord came to check in with the three disciples, and three times He found them sleeping (Mark 14:41).

I don't know about you, but I can relate with these three disciples. We all say "Amen" when we hear about the "power of prayer," but oftentimes we fail to pray and then wonder why we fall into temptation.

Do you think there's a correlation between prayer and victory over temptation?

Yesterday morning I asked the Lord to give me a "divine appointment" with someone. During the afternoon, I forgot all about my prayer request and was tempted to be self-absorbed as I walked through Costco. But I was awakened from my complacency when a young man with one arm and one leg and a nurse by his side stopped me and asked, "Are you rich?"

As a result of prayer in the morning, I was able to share with these two strangers that I was very rich because I am a child of God and my Lord Jesus is building me a mansion in heaven. (John 14:2).

Now do you think I would've been ready for that question if I hadn't prayed that morning for a divine appointment? No! I would have fallen just like Peter, James and John did when they were with Jesus in the garden.

Oh, the power of prayer! Let's just do it!!

Let me know how I can pray for you.

Pastor Robbie's Wednesday Devotion: "Believing is Seeing"

Good morning once again!

Today I had the privilege of reading John 9 with my girls. You might recall the scene....

Jesus came across a blind beggar and proceeded to spit on the ground, make some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.

You should've seen my girls' faces when they heard this! (I have a feeling they might be practicing this one on Dayenu one day this week).

Verse 7 of the passage tells us what Jesus did next:

"'Go,' he told him, 'wash in the Pool of Siloam' (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing."

What was it that healed this man?

Was it the spit? The mud? Washing in the nasty pool?

Or was it just his faith, shown by his obedience to do what Jesus asked of Him?

For this man, seeing wasn't believing. It was the other way around...by believing, he was given sight.

Verse 3 of this passage tells us that Jesus said the reason the man was blind in the first place was "so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." When Jesus healed Him, he opened the man's eyes physically and spiritually--he got to see the work of God in his life.

How many of us miss a chance to see the power of God in our lives because we don't follow His directions? I know that oftentimes I'd be able to see a lot more clearly if I would just obey the first time.

Here's a little vision test for you; feel free to share your results in the comments:

How's your eyesight?

A. 20/20 (I obey the first time and get to see God working in my life.)

B. Near-sighted (I only obey when I'm forced and I don't get to see the what God has for me until it's right in front of me.)

C. A Few Blind Spots (I obey when it works for me and I'm missing out on seeing some good things.)

D. Legally Blind (I rarely or never obey and I'm not seeing God's power working in my life at all.)

Pastor Bob's Wednesday Devotion: "Miracles"

Good morning Church!

How are "the called out ones" doing?

After spending some time in Luke 8 this morning, I came away with the reminder that we serve a great and mighty God! Check it out:

Jesus calms the storm for His fearful disciples.

Jesus casts demons out of the man from Gerasenes.

Jesus heals the hemorrhaging woman.

Jesus raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.

Jesus did all this in one day! Oh what a mighty God we serve!

These miracles occurred a long time ago, but I was again reminded that God's Word says in Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Which leads me to ask:

What storms are you facing today?

What demons are bugging you today?

What kind of healing do you need today?

What family members of yours need the truth of Jesus today?

Take a few minutes now and thank God that He has not changed and that He is able to do miracles just like He did in Luke 8. Then ask Him to perform a miracle according to His will for your life today.

Let me know how you are doing and how I can pray for you.

Pastor Robbie's Wednesday Devotion: Lessons from Kids

Good morning WVBC! I hope your week is going well.

The last few weeks, we've been talking about the question "What is the church?"

Today my daughter showed me a great answer to that question.

It started as I was about to leave for the office, and Jubilee came and sat on my lap. She noticed that I have a fever blister, and she asked me if she could pray for my "owie." I told her she could, and she prayed the sweetest little prayer.

Her prayer made me think, why don't I ask people more often how I can pray for them? Am I in such a hurry that I don't even notice other peoples "owies"?

Matthew 18: 2-4 says,

"He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'"

The great thing about kids is that they see everything, and they're not afraid to ask about it. Jubilee, in her innocent way, showed me that she cared about my owie and she knew that Jesus cares too.

As the church, we should be doing the same thing for each other.

So today I'm asking you, what is your owie?

Pastor Bob's Wednesday Devotion: "The Blessing"

Have you received "The Blessing"?

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, Mark records that a voice came out of the heavens:

"You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."

Mark 1:11

God the Father let God the Son know that He had His blessing.

Last Sunday we did not hear a voice from heaven, but we did witness 7 believers being baptized in "God's pool."

Oceanside is a lot different from the Jordan River, but you can bet that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit up above were smiling and saying to each other, "We love those 7 children, and we are well-pleased with them."

If you have received & proclaimed Christ as your Savior, you are one of God's children, and He has given The Blessing to you too. The Heavenly Father loves you and is well-pleased with you!

Have you shared "The Blessing"?

Just as God the Father spoke His approval for His Son from heaven, fathers & mothers need to verbalize their approval to their kids.

They need to hear from us that we love them and we are well-pleased with them.

My challenge to you is to follow the example of how our Heavenly Father blessed His Son...pass "The Blessing" on to your kids.

Let me know how enjoying "The Blessing" changes your week and how sharing it with your children changes theirs.

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

2 Corinthians 5:21