One Single Time Is Enough

Week of November 8, 2024

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (Jonah 3: 1-2, NKJV)

          Jonah didn’t like the assignment God gave him. He was to get on a boat and head to Nineveh a place he was not interested in visiting. Jonah was to warn the people of God’s approaching judgment and to tell them to repent. Jonah fled in the opposite direction hoping to escape from God’s command.  God didn’t make a mistake the first time so He spoke to Jonah again. His second message was the same as the first. Though God did not speak to Jonah the second time until he had been in the belly of a great fish for 3 days and 3 nights. He was now ready to hear God speak.

          God also spoke to the prophet Jeremiah two times. “While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: 2 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: 3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ “Jeremiah 33:1-3.  Jeremiah accepted God’s word to him the first time. He spoke to him the second time to give him additional enlightenment of what He had first told him.

          What God says to us next will depend on how we respond to His previous word to us. If like Jonah we disobey His earlier instructions God will give them to us a second time. If we obey His first instructions He will give us a fuller revelation of His will.

          If we are not receiving fuller, additional revelation from God then we need to return to the last thing God told us and examine our obedience. Hopefully we are like Jeremiah and we properly respond the first time.      

God Bless, Pastor Rick

Let Your Vote Be Counted

Week of November 1, 2024

Matthew 25:14-30 is the Parable of the Talents.

In this parable, Jesus teaches us about stewardship. How we manage what God entrusts to us. Voting is one way we demonstrate stewardship. Though the act may seem small your vote is a seed you plant with hope for a more just society.

As stewards, we seek God’s wisdom to use our vote for good, much as we would manage any other resource He’s entrusted to us.  When we consider our vote as stewardship, we recognize that it's not merely for ourselves but for the broader community. We also understand what happens today will affect future generations. Voting is an act of faithfulness- a moment to let God’s principles guide us.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father thank you for entrusting us with influence. Help us to be wise stewards in this election. May our vote reflect your principles. Thank you in advance for your will being done in this election.

In Jesus Christ's name- Amen.

God Bless, Pastor Rick

Don’t Grow Weary of The Wait

Week of October 25, 2024

“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” (Exodus 32:1, NKJV)

One of the most difficult things we have to do is wait. When we don’t we act without guidance.

The people had grown tired of waiting on Moses. Moses had been gone for 40 days. “The man who brought us out of Egypt we don’t know what has become of him.” Other nations had gods they could see and touch. We want a god to live on our level and lead us to our destination. We are tired of waiting around. The result of their impatience was their faithlessness and a golden calf.

Anything we do without waiting for God’s guidance and His timing becomes a golden calf. God had done so much for those people and now it had all been forgotten in their impatience. The same will be true if we don’t learn to wait on God. Actually it’s our full time job. Seeking out the will of God and to act in His timing.

Are you growing impatient? Be very careful; golden calves still exist.

God Bless, Pastor Rick