Pastor Mark Stripling ~ Just Thinking

That Was Different

2012-01-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

The last several Sundays have been really different for me. I had to spend several days in the hospital and then for several weeks I could not preach. Since I started ministry in 1983 I have always been in church, in ministry, except for 5 Sundays I can remember. God has truly been good to me! I had to sit and watch, via the internet, worship services at church. They were great! One of the services was the Sanctuary Choir's Christmas Worship Service! I was also able see the Christmas Day service and hear my daughter and son-in-law sing! Brother Phil Whiteaker preached an excellent message. I sat on my sofa and watched but it was NOT the same as being there. I am a dogmatic supporter of the local church. When I was in the hospital none of my favorite radio or podcast ministers came to see me. None of them sent be a card or made a phone call to ask how I was doing. I did not have any of them deliver a meal to by home. But I did have a church family who prayed, visited, and supported me through it all! All of us will face difficult and trying times in our life! God, through His Son Jesus Christ, ordained the local church to help us through this life! If you are not a part of a caring, thriving local church-Find one! Come to ours! The local church is just another way God has provided for His children. THANKS to First Free Will Baptist Church of North Little Rock!

Traveling

2011-09-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

I enjoy traveling most of the time. I do not care if it is my car, bus, plane, boat or even running. Most of the time things go smoothly if you plan well. If I was driving my Dad always taught me to have the oil changed, tires rotated, replace old belts and hoses, and clean the car before I left on a trip. When I fly I have learn to carry on as much as you can and go through security screening with as little on as modesty will allow. (that sounds scary). Debbie and I have been on several trips out of the country and one thing we have learned is you MUST have your passport. The reason being it is easy for you to get out of the country (especially into Mexico) but the problem is getting back in the USA if you do not have your passport. If you have traveled out of the country you know that one of the best feeling you have is when you arrive back in the US the customs agents says, "Welcome Home". Can you imagine what it will be like that day when Christ welcomes His children home? I hope you are looking forward to that day! As with most vacations, they are too short. Our time on earth is short compared to eternity with Christ. Do what you have to do to make it HOME! Have your passport (Christ) with you, He is the only way to get HOME!

Left Field

2011-04-17T06:13:00.000-07:00

Have you every heard the old saying "That came from left field!"? It means that you were not expecting whatever just happened. There are times in life that you can see something coming and other times you get blindsided. The times you don't see something coming are usually the hardest to deal with. I believe that is when we see the depth of our faith and commitment come into action. This may be a little hard to understand but in sports, baseball especially, you practice constantly to teach "muscle memory." You teach a player how to swing or throw so that in crucial situations in a game he/she does not think about what to do, it becomes a natural reaction. Nerves or doubt in their abilities never come into play, they just do what they have been taught.

Applying this to the Christian life is simple. I learn to trust Christ everyday, even with the simple things, so that when I am "blindsided" my "faith muscle memory" takes over and I still trust Christ. His Word and promises are still true no manner the circumstances. The only problem is we never "practice" our faith enough to gain the memory that it needs and when the difficult times come it our life we either begin to doubt or place our trust in something else besides Christ.

So my advice today is to get out and practice your faith! Trust Christ with everyday-especially the good ones- so that when the tough ones come along you are prepared to trust Him as well.

Seeing the Beginning from the End

2011-03-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Have you ever jumped to the end of a book to find out how it ends? You are about half way through the book and you cannot stand not knowing how it ends so you turn and read the last chapter. Have you ever wondered how your life will end? Will Christ return before you die? Will you die from natural causes or because of an accident? Have you ever made a decision and wished you knew the outcome before you made the decision? If I ask her to marry me, how will our life together turn out? If I change jobs or move my family can we make the adjustments needed? We have been studying the omniscience of God (He is all-knowing). It is amazing that God sees all of time simultaneously. He is never "surprised" by anything. He is sees my life not just from the beginning to the end but from the end to the beginning! He knows what I need, when I need it, and how much I need. He sees my enemies and their attempts to separate me from Him. God's omniscience gives great comfort and peace if I trust Him. Remember God is too loving to be unkind, to wise to make mistakes, and too powerful to have His cause defeated. God wants the best for my life! He will provide what is best based on His omniscience. It is easy for us to trust God with the "whats" of our life but will we trust Him with the "whys"? He knows all! He knows what I need and why I need it. Will you trust Him with the "whys"?

Getting Old

2011-02-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

I guess that I am getting old and grumpy or maybe it is just the cold weather but I more than a little aggravated. Let me first of all say that I love sports! I grew up playing anything that had a ball involved with it and played some things that didn't. I also love watching sports on TV-especially baseball. I also want to make it clear that our church is focused on outreach to our community and around the world. But I refuse to cancel or alter a regularly scheduled worship service so that people can watch the Super Bowl. I do not mind having a fellowship time after the service if the game is still on but I believe that is as far as the church should go! What kind of statement are we making to the world? What kind of statement are we making about God? I have heard the arguments for ......most are empty. If you can clear my thinking on this please let me know. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God....." Isn't the Christian life about priorities?

Relationships

2011-01-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

This month is our Morning worship services we have been focusing on connecting. Connecting with God, with the body of believers, with unbelievers, and with ourselves. The first connection, with God, is the key to all of the other connections. I am constantly amazed at what God does and I am overwhelmed when I think what God could do when we as Christians truly "connect" with Him. We connect with God through His Word, prayer, and worship. I am reminded that if the only day that I worship God, meditate on His Word, and bow before Him in prayer is on Sunday-we are in trouble! Our corporate worship should be a culmination of what has happened all week long in our personal worship. Have you ever been to church and felt like you just did not "connect" with God? Maybe it was not the music, preaching, or fellowship. Maybe it was because there was no "personal worship" during the week! Are you connecting with God? Get into His Word! Pray! Worship! Get connected!

Christmas Sacrifice

2010-11-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

The madness has begun! I watched on TV this morning as thousands of people stood in line to get in a store to buy a gift for someone that they loved. It is amazing the sacrifices that people will make to see the smile on some one's face that they love on Christmas morning. That thought took me in two directions. (1) The sacrifice Christ made to bring glory to His Father and (2) why aren't we willing to make those kind of sacrifices when it comes to our relationship with the Lord? It is amazing people will sacrifice sleep, money, and time to get that special gift but will not do that to draw closer to the Lord. The Lord sacrificed His life to bring us into a right relationship with the Father yet we complain when we are asked to sacrifice anything for Him. What would you do to bring a smile to the Father's face? Would you stand in line to give your tithe at church Sunday? Would you "camp-out" to be the first one in church on Sunday? God gave the greatest gift to you, what have you given to Him?

GROWING

2010-11-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

I have been preaching about the growing Christian. It is obvious that a church cannot grow if Christians are not growing. (I am talking about a "true church"). There are several components of growth. First, GOD must be at the center of all that we do! Next we must be READY to grow by planting the Word in our heart and breaking up the "hard ground" of sin and pride in our life. The third step is taking advantage of the OPPORTUNITIES that God places in our life. We must begin to see every person as a person who either needs Christ or encouragement in his walk with Christ. The fourth step is WORK! It takes work to grow as a Christian and to grow a church for God. This involves our time, talent, passion and resources. The last step is the SPIRIT of God. As "good ole' Baptist" we tend to leave the Holy Spirit out of our lives and our churches-this dangerous! I believe that is why we are weak and our churches are "dead". Are you growing as a Christian? God wants us to grow!! I was just thinking!

The Defeated Christian?

2010-09-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have posted for several reasons. It has been a busy Summer and the Fall does not look any slower. In a recent sermon I made the statement "You cannot have victory without surrender." I am sure that I read that somewhere but I am not sure where. In the last 25 years of ministry I have dealt with many "defeated Christians". Many of those deal with the same sin or "issue" throughout their walk with Christ. I have come to the realization that you cannot have victory over something in your life just by confessing that sin. You will have forgiveness but I do not think that is where it should stop. Repentance of sin has to with the "passion" for that sin. We must ask God to remove the desire (passion) for that sin in our life. This is where surrender is involved. This is an act of the will. Have you ever surrendered that "passion" to Christ? Not just the act involved in that sin but the desire for it! Read James 1:14. I was just thinking.

2010-07-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

The last several months have been amazing! God has guided several families to our fellowship, we have seen young and old alike accept Christ as their Savior and our Outreach Ministries are changing lives all across the city, state, and world. It is just amazing to work for the Lord and then to see Him bless people far beyond what they imagined or hoped for. It is sad that so many people miss out on what God wants to do for them and through them. I know that you are busy, it is hot, and you are tired at the end of the day but what God has in store for you is worth your time, energy, and effort. Why would you want to miss what God has for you? God is the giver of ALL good gifts! Don't you need something good in your life? GOD IS GOOD...ALL THE TIME! I believe you can find His good gifts at His house! In HIS presence! Don't miss Him!

The Summer

2010-06-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have often wondered what it would be like if God decided to take a vacation one day. Not only would our personal lives be in chaos but the universe would be as well. I know that we all need time away from our jobs and other responsibilities but I wonder with just a little bit of extra planning and a little sacrifice if we could be in our churches on Sunday. I have a passion for the local church. I guess it may be strange to some but I believe it is the local church that makes so many avenues of the Gospel ministry possible. I was won to Christ in a local church, trained in a youth ministry at a local church, went to a college supported by my local church, and have served in a local church for over 25 years. It is the membership of the local church that helps those when they lose love ones, rejoices when children come into families, and pray for the strength and salvation that many need. It will be the local Pastor that visits you in the hospital and you will call him when tragedy strikes someone you know. The local church needs you and YOU need the local church. The benefits of belonging to a good local church far outweigh the sacrifices or work that it asks from it members. If you are looking for a church that will love you and encourage you-we are here. Remember Pastors are not perfect but most of them will due anything they can to help if you ask. Support your local church this summer!

2010-04-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Easter! It's the most wonderful time of the year! Have you ever noticed how we spend months preparing for Christmas. We celebrate beginning in November (retailers in July) the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love it! But it seems like we cram Easter into one, maybe two, Sundays or weeks. I find that interesting because our faith as Christians hinges on the Resurrection. Last Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday and this Sunday the Resurrection! But I do not want it to stop there, it needs to continue. I believe that the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ demand a response! We hope to share that over the next several weeks. The celebration of the Resurrection and its impact on our lives should not stop Easter Sunday at 12:01. HE IS RISEN- HE IS RIESN INDEED!

2010-03-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

It is always good to see Spring come! For the Christian this time of the year is a constant reminder of the Resurrection and affords us an "open door" to be a witness for Jesus Christ. I hope as you see each flower bloom and each tree put on its leaves that you are reminded of the new life that is in you! I am thankful that God's mercies are renewed every morning and even though I do not deserve this wonderful life and relationship I have with Christ He blesses me with them. Maybe you need a new start in life or just a new start to the day, God is waiting on you to ask. Remember we serve a Risen Savior! Death could not hold Him and Satan could not defeat Him! Just as sure as Spring comes every year God will faithfully supply our needs according to His riches in glory! This is a great time of the year to start over! Do some "spring cleaning" in your life! Join us this Sunday (march 28th) for a wonderful service of praise on Palm Sunday. I look forward to seeing you there!

Snow and Ice!

2010-01-29T19:37:00.000-08:00

SNOW AND ICE! It is always an interesting couple of months in Arkansas from December to March. The weather changes quickly-almost by the minute at times. I guess that is the way this life is as well. I have been reminded of that this week especially. There have been several of our families who have their lives change so quickly in a matter of moments. At times like that we often ask "God why did you let this happen?" or "How are we going to make it through this?" These are hard questions for a Pastor to answer. After nearly 25 years of ministry you would think I would have some answer to give these wonderful people who are hurting. Here is the what I have to offer: (1) Only God knows what is ahead of us or our loved ones. He always wants what is best for our lives and we have to trust His hand and His heart. (2) God will always give His children what they need to walk the road that is before them. His presence is guaranteed! His grace is always sufficient! His love never ends. Whatever you may be facing today I want to ensure you that if you are a child of God He knows exactly where you are, how you hurt, and the outcome of the situation you are facing. I will remind you once again, God is good! All the time! All the time! God is good!

Free Will!

2009-11-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

This month on Sunday nights Brother Tim Campbell is presenting a series of messages on Free Will Baptist-Who we are and What we believe. Some people do not think it is important to know what a church's doctrine is or why they believe what they believe. I believe this is a plan on the part of Satan to secure shallow Christians so that when challenges come to their faith they fail the test. Our faith goes beyond a conversation about our beliefs and when we come to temptations and trials in our life it is important that we have solid, never changing truths that have been proven to carry us through. There are absolute truths because we serve an absolute God. When people face the end of their life or the loss of a loved one it is important to know that their salvation is sure because of the absolute truths in the Word of God. Do you know what you believe? Do you know why you believe it? Do you know what doctrine your church teaches? You may be Free Will Baptist and don't even know it! Why not come and find out?

Full House Sunday

2009-10-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is Full House Sunday at our church. We have not attempted anything like this since I have been Pastor. We have been working to reach and praying for those that are our friends, relatives, co-workers, and classmates who do not go to church to come to ours on October 18. If you are reading this and you do not go to church anywhere please take this my personal invitation to be my guest. This is not a campaign about numbers it is about leading people to Christ. Daily I am amazed at the number of people I come in contact with that are not living for the Lord! Do you know someone who needs to come to Christ? Invite them to be here at 9:45 am for Bible studies and 10:45 for Worship! Better yet-lead them to Christ and bring them with you.

Revival

2009-09-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

September 25-27 our church is holding services with Brother Terry Forrest. I struggled with what to call this meeting. A revival or Bible conference, maybe a spiritual renewal conference or church growth weekend? Maybe is should be called ALL of these! We started praying for God to do something in us and then through us! Have you ever been a part of something that is so amazing that you knew only God could do it? We need God to speak but we also need to be ready to listen and obey. Will you join with us to pray for these services? Will you join us for these services? Do you want to see God move in your life? Do you want to see God move in our church? Take the challenge! Come see what God can do-----if you let Him!

Shall A Man Rob God?

2009-08-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been like a roller coaster! I enjoyed spending some time with my children and son-in-law, Jacob. I was privileged to attend the National Association of Free Will Baptist and hear Lynsey sing before thousands and her Lord. I am sure her grandfathers, one in attendance and one in Heaven, and grandmothers, one in attendance and one there in spirit, were proud of her. Lynsey is a godly woman who continues to us her talents for her Lord. I was also privileged for the first time to play ball with both of my sons at the National FWB softball tournament. Yes, they are better than their father ever though about. The Arkansas State meeting of FWB was also a blessing. It is always good to meet new friends and see old friends. All of that was the top of the hill and then came the drop to the bottom. In the last three weeks someone has either broken in the church or attempted to break in to steal items. They were successful twice. We are not sure who it is but all of the authorities have been notified. The question that came to my mind immediately was, "Who would have enough guts to break into a church and steal from God?" The thought 0f it brings fear to my heart. But yet I wonder how many Christians do this every week when we do not serve and give the way that we should to God. I hope that the authorities catch those that have stolen from the church, God knows who they are, and they will answer for what they have done but we must remember that we are accountable to God also. "Shall a man rob God? Yes you have robbed Me...." Malachi 3:8

The Battle

2009-05-12T14:47:00.001-07:00

The longer I am in the ministry the more I realize the battle that the church and God's people are in. Satan is constantly on the attack. If he does not think that he can defeat you in your spiritual life he will attack your marriage. If he feels like you marriage is strong he will attack your family or finances. Maybe if all of those things are strongholds with God Satan will come after you in your thought life. The point is-he is coming! In your church the same principle applies. If he cannot attack you spiritually maybe he attacks your finances. If not your finances maybe your numbers, if not your numbers then your doctrine. The point again-he is coming! So....how can we defeat him? We have to be "found in Christ". Satan will then have to battle his way through Christ to get to me. That sounds simple but is hard to do. We want to be connected with Christ-close enough to grab Him when we are in trouble- but we need to be found in Him. This means that every decision is based on my relationship with Christ and nothing else. What I value is based on that relationship! Where I work is based on that relationship! What I wear, listen to, and watch! The list can and should go on and on! Are you in a battle? Are you tired on losing? Are you "found in Christ"? I was just thinking.

It makes a difference!

2009-04-22T16:44:00.001-07:00

I talk with many people who wonder if their life really matters so I stopped and asked myself the question, "Does my life matter?" I am married to one of the most patient and godly women that I know. We have been married for over 25 years. We enjoy spending time with one another and look forward to the day we can share more time together. I believe that my life matters to her. If not, she probably would not stay married to me. I have three children. All of them know Christ as their Savior and are trying to live for the Lord. We had a great time together when they were growing up and now love spending time together when they are home. I believe, if for nothing other reason that I am helping pay for their college education, that my life matters to them. I Pastor a church and have served here for nearly 20 years. If for no other reason than my tenure, my life matter to the congregation. Then the thought came to me what if I had never married Debbie, never had children and never been called into the ministry, would my life matter? Yes it would! It matters to God! It mattered enough to God to send Jesus to die on a cross for me! Your life matters! Never doubt for one minute the love of the Lord and your worth to Him! I was just thinking!

Amazed!

2009-03-10T12:55:00.001-07:00

AMAZED!

God has once again amazed me! He takes the ending of one life and brings life to many! He takes the pressures and struggles that this life places on individuals and families and uses it to draw them closer to Him. What Satan intended for evil God used for good! We often question the hurt and hurdles that comes into our lives without remembering God is in control. He is never "caught off guard" by anything that Satan hurls at us. He does not sleep-He does not slumber. The reason for hurt and heartache in this life is the curse of sin! It is upon us all, even children and godly saints. That curse has been broken by the blood of Jesus Christ. Sin may have its temporary affect on me but it does not have an eternal affect on me. Sin may have a physical affect on me but I do not have to let it have a spiritual affect on me. God wants the best for my life. He is in control. I just need to trust Him. When I do- I will be amazed once again! I was just thinking.

Real Life

2009-01-30T11:39:00.001-08:00

I wish that we lived in a perfect world! I guess that would be Heaven! But until that day we live in a real world. We face difficulties at work, at home and in our personal lives. In February I will be speaking on some of the issues that we face in the "real world". Stress at work, struggling marriages, family relationships, and personal battles are some of the situations most of us struggle with. In February, our church will begin in the Celebrate Discovery program and the more I learn about this program the more I realize that it is for people in the church as much as those outside of the church. We have attempted in our pious mentality to sweep "real life" issues underneath the rug in our churches. My wife, Debbie, is the operational director of the Florence Crittenton Home (an emergency shelter) for children 6-17 years old. With the help of a great staff, they are able to help many children who are victims of the issues that the church has "swept under the rug". Our church has been awakened to the need-it is great! I pray that through the next several weeks God will change us so that no children in our families will face what some of the children in the Home are facing today! God's plan is the best! The principles in His Word are tried and true! Perhaps the best part of His plan is His grace! It does not matter where you are or what you have been through-God can and will help! I was just thinking..... and praying!

RE: 2009

2009-01-05T09:29:00.001-08:00

The end of 2008 was busy! The New Year always brings me to a time of reflection. It was in January of 1990 that the Lord directed us to come to North Little Rock-that was a year of change for all of us. Many people have asked me how it is that I have stayed at one church for nearly 20 years. I believe it has been because of the goodness of God, the patience of our church family, and commitment. There have been a few times that another ministry has called and asked me to consider coming to serve with them. When that occurs I always ask myself two basic questions: (1) Where does the Lord want me? (2) If I want people to be committed to the Lord and His (this) church why should it be any different for me? I have learned a few things after 25 short years in the ministry-no church is perfect! I was taught that if you see something that needs to be done-no matter where you are-home, church or work- do it! Don't wait for someone else to start the Bible study or encouragement group! Do it yourself! If you see the need it because God has opened your eyes and heart to the need! A wise man told me "The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, but you still have to cut the grass!" I hope in 2009 that we all dig in and begin to work! See a need! Get involved! I was just thinking.

Being Thankful

2008-11-26T10:05:00.001-08:00

I cannot begin to express what God has done in my life. Beginning with my parents continuing with the family (wife and children) that God has blessed me with is truly amazing. To top all of that off He has allowed me to serve in the ministry of the Gospel and with a church that has a passion to share that Gospel across the street and around the world. The daily blessings of God are too numerous to account but life is good. That brings me to the point of this blog. I have come to realize that so many people exist and so few live! The Apostle Paul made this clear in Philippians 1:21, 22- "For me to live is Christ". It was his passion- what excited him, thrilled him, motivated him! What do you live for? Not what are you doing with your life? After all that Christ has done for us should not we "LIVE" for Him? Have a GREAT Thanksgiving! God is good! All the time! All the time! God is good! I was just thinking.

Change

2008-10-28T15:55:00.001-07:00

I am not a person of change. We lived in the same house the entire time I was growing up. My parents bought a new home once I left for college- they may have been trying to tell me something. I like stability. I like to have people around me that I can trust and are not going to find a reason to leave when tough times come. This is such a paradox in a Christian's life. We are constantly changing to become more like Christ. We are constantly surrendering to the will of Christ which usually means change. The great aspect of a Christian's life of change is that Christ never changes. In church changes are hard. Most of the time they are me with opposition. But if we are constantly changes into what Christ wants us to be shouldn't the church be open change! I am not talking about abandoning the Gospel or our doctrinal truth but maybe we should be a little more open to change! Are you allowing Christ to change you-day by day? If you are not-maybe that is why change is so hard for you to accept. I was just thinking.

What A Day!

2008-10-03T09:54:00.001-07:00

Sunday was a special day at our church. We dedicated the new Sanctuary and Educational building to the glory of God. It was an amazing day! We had several guests and many of our church family that have moved in recent days were able to be here enjoy the day. I am thankful for the love and dedication people have for this church whether they are able to physically attend or not. There are some of our senior adults who can not come now because of health reasons and yet they still support the church with their prayers and resources God has blessed them with. Their commitment is such an encouragement. The people here love each other-we are not perfect by any means-but we are a family.I do not get to see my family in Georgia but about once a year. I could not imagine giving up the chance to be with them if I possibly could. That brings me to a question-Why would anyone not want to be with the family that loves them and has supported them many years? Maybe the parallel question is, "Why would I leave my family?" The longer I am in local church ministry the more I am intrigued why people leave a church. I know that many times the decision is extremely difficult-I am not questioning that! Is it a question of commitment? It is a personal preference? Many times God gets blamed for it! I am so thankful for my family at First Free Will Baptist Church of North Little Rock. Share your reasons with me. I was just thinking!

Dedication Sunday

2008-09-23T12:34:00.001-07:00

By the grace of God and a lot of hard work by some great church members and construction crews, we will have the dedication of the new Sanctuary and educational building this Sunday, September 28, 2008. There will be an Open House on Saturday, September 27 from 1-4 o'clock. Everyone is welcome! It has been a long journey to this point. There have been many lessons learned along the way about myself and the congregation of this church. I don't know if every Pastor feels this way or not, but these are the best people I could every hope to serve. I have been at this church for about 20 years and together we have been through many trials and joys. During my years as a Youth Pastor I always told our young people that God will never ask you to give something up that He will not replace it with something better! That truth has been proven again! Is God asking you to give something up in your life? He may be trying to replace it with something better! Be patient and when you can't see His hand-trust His heart! I was just thinking.

Time

2008-09-10T15:10:00.001-07:00

The last few week it seems like there too many things to do and not enough time to get them done. We are finishing the building project at the church, the daily ministry needs of our church family that need to be addressed, my love for my own family and marriage and my personal walk with Christ always demands attention. These are just a few of the things that demand my time. You could make your own list and it would be just as important. It would nice not to worry about time! That would take away a lot of stress! Whenever I stop and think about it, it comes down to priorities. I have mention this before in a sermon but it is becoming more practical than ever before to me-God is not my first priority, He is my only priority! Is that true in your life? I have to stop and ask myself that question several times a day. I was just thinking!

RE: Life!

2008-08-27T08:53:00.001-07:00

The older I get the more complicated life gets. I wish that things would remain simple. Can you remember the care free days of being in elementary school? What you wore to school was chosen by your Mom, she fixed your lunch, your Dad made sure your bike was "rode worthy" to ride to school, and even school was not a worry- grades were S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory). My biggest concern was in citizenship. If I came home with a U, I was in trouble. Life was simple. As we get older, the stress of college, career and family tend to weigh on us heavy! For those that know Christ there is help! He told us that we can "cast all of our cares upon Him". When I go to Christ my Heavenly Father takes care of my needs and almost feel like that child again in elementary school. Life is simple- we just tend to complicate it! I must remind you that all of my concerns are not removed from my life by Christ, but at least I know Who is giving me the wisdom and strength to work through them. Is your life complicated? Make it simple-Trust God. I was just thinking! By the way- the dedication for our new church building is September 28, 2008! An open house is planned for September 27th. Keep a check on the website for more information. I hope to see all of you there!

Playing By The Rules

2008-08-18T12:10:00.001-07:00

I know that you have probably been watching the Olympics this past week. An interesting event took place on Monday. Two young ladies tied for a gold medal after a gymnastics routine on the uneven parallel bars. The judges went to a third step tie breaker to see who had won the gold medal. The young lady who lost (from the USA) stated this, "You know the rules going in, so you just play by the rules". I wish everyone thought that way. Many of us want to change the rules when it comes to our lives and our relationship to the Lord. We believe that others should have to play by the rules but not us! God establihsed His rules a long time ago and they have not changed. It fact, they will not change. Most of us know the rules, we just choose to change them along the way. I has a class in Bible College called Biblical Ethics and we talked at some lenght about "situational ethics". It basically means we change the rules when it best suits us. Do you think that God intended for us to live that way? Can you think of a time in your life when God's principles should change to fit your needs? Think what the Olypmics would be like if they changed the rules half way through an event! Chaos and confusion! Does your life ever feel that way? Maybe you need to just live by the rules! I was just thinking.

Just thinking

2008-08-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have ever had a blog. In fact, I am not sure what it means. I think it is just a good way for me to share with our church family. God is good! All the time! All the time! God is good!

If you come to our church you will more than likely hear that phrase. It is easy to say that when things are going well, but it should be just as easy to recognize God’s goodness when things are not going well. We woke up this morning and found part of our bathroom ceiling in the floor! But God is still good! It did not change that fact. It was a little depressing, but God is still good! If you are having a tough day today just remember the goodness of God. It is an absolute truth! He never changes! I was just thinking