 Our Living Hope
Webster's dictionary defines hope as: “to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment.” Hope is a belief or expectation that something will happen. If it doesn’t, we may experience discouragement, depression, or even despair. In this world of constant challenge and despair, how can one remain hopeful? First, we must remember the reason for our confidence: our relationship with Jesus! As redeemed believers, we are reborn into a living hope in Jesus’ resurrection victory. In Jesus, we are new creations, no longer prisoners to this world of sin and death. With the promised Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we are co-heirs with our living Savior and our true eternal home is in heaven with Him. Second, we must spend time in God’s Holy Word! Romans 15:4 says the Bible was written to give us encouragement and hope. When the world presses in on you and dims your hope, the Psalms are a good place to turn. The Psalms, express the writers’ feelings and can provide us comfort and hope. Finally, always remember and rely on the Lord’s faithfulness. Trusting in God will always turn out for our good, always! Our God has given us a living hope in Jesus and He also gives us grace for each day of our journey. As the redeemed, we shouldn’t react to our trials as the world does. Instead, we are to live by faith in the “confidence in what we hope for” (Heb. 11:1). Friends, when this fallen world or our circumstances begin to overwhelm us, focus on Jesus. Look for encouragement in God’s word and remember God’s promises to us in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:3-8). Jesus promised to be with us to the end of the ages, for He alone is our living, eternal hope! Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+
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 Love Refreshes Hearts
The Apostle Paul is writing from prison to his close friend and believer Philemon, who was thought to be a wealthy leader of the Colossian church. Paul’s purpose for this letter was to convince Philemon to forgive his runaway slave (Onesimus) and to accept him back as a brother in Christ. He starts this short letter acknowledging and praising Philemon for his faith and its impact on others. Imagine your pastor or maybe your boss saying to you in front of others “Your tender and compassionate love, affection, and support have given me great joy and encouragement because you have refreshed (revived, lifted up, encouraged) the hearts of others (family, friends, coworkers).” What a kind and motivating compliment that would be! As Christians, we should strive to be loving, compassionate, encouraging, and supportive to all. As a Pastor, I often have to address conflicts and other personal issues in people’s lives. Daily I pray for God’s grace and ask Him to help me love and encourage others. Specifically, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me “walk in love as Christ loved us” and show me how to refresh the hearts of others. I also ask the Holy Spirit to help me manage my emotions so I do not allow them to lead me outside God’s circle of love and to be silent when I am upset, frustrated, or angry. I also ask God to help me be sensitive and empathetic towards others at all times. I’ve come to realize far too often as leaders, teachers, or parents, we often fail to refresh and lift up the spirits of others. Dear friends, ask God to speak to you about any relationship in your life that you can become a source of love and compassion. Look for ways to refresh the hearts of others and recommit to live and work in the “Circle of Love,” and then watch as God changes you and the world around you. Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  Dealing with Doubt
Have you ever doubted God? At some point we probably all have. Doubts often come creeping in when our expectations aren’t met. Usually when we believe God will act a certain way, but He doesn’t. Then we start to question His love and wonder whether He truly has our best interest at heart. How should we deal with doubt? Here are some sound principles for dealing with doubts! First: discern the cause of your doubt. Is your doubt being caused because God isn’t behaving like you think He should in your life. It’s a big mistake to think of God as a genie or a divine bellhop who responds to our every beck and call. Our loving God is not like that, He says “my ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9). Second: share your doubts with another mature Christian. When we are separated from others and feel all alone, our doubts become larger and more ominous. That’s why it is so important to be in church and not just be a spectator but be engaged with other worshipers who can help you and encourage you whenever you stumble or falter in your faith. That is the value of being a part of the body of believers, we must never forget “iron sharpens iron” as Proverbs 27:17 tells us. Finally: view your doubt as an opportunity to grow. James 1:3 says that “the testing of your faith produces endurance.” That is also true about doubt. If you respond to doubt the right way, then it can actually make your faith stronger. Remember that our doubts never diminish God’s love for us. Friends, even when doubts creep in, or when your faith flounders and you struggle to believe in God, He still believes in you, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2Tim. 2:13). Remember these comforting words when dealing with doubt! Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  Keep Calm and Carry On
“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29). We live in a broken world where sin is rampant, injustice is common, and anger and violence rage all around us. This growing trend can also cause us to fall into sin and anger. Struggling economies and widespread fear cause frustration, but these difficulties with people can present challenges on a more personal level. Although we cannot change the situations around us, altering our responses to them is possible. When hurt by someone else’s words or actions, we might be tempted to hurl a sarcastic reply or harbor resentment. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to model his life: “When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23). Today’s verse from the book of Proverbs emphasizes the value of being slow to anger. This is especially important when facing verbal attacks. Quiet listening protects us from speaking rashly and offers us the opportunity to seek God’s help as Jesus would. A calm gentle reply can defuse most tense situations, but without taking time to process what was said, few of us will be able to answer wisely. When we are slow to anger, we can gain an understanding of the situation and the hidden motives that a hot-tempered person can’t objectively comprehend. Such a calm response is unnatural, but that shouldn’t surprise us since the one who modeled it was Jesus. As Jesus followers, our priorities must mirror his. Love and understanding must overrule our need to defend our opinions. Preserving civility must at times replace safeguarding our need to be right. So, Keep Calm and Carry On, with Jesus as our defender and protector it's always possible. Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  Lack Follows Separation!
“After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.” The parable of the Prodigal Son provides many life lessons. We learned that as long as the wayward son lived in his father’s house, he lacked nothing. But not long after he left, he was broke. Then the famine (economic downturn) came and he was in serious need. This Kingdom Principle of Separation and Lack was born in the Garden of Eden. Before Adam and Eve disobeyed God, lack didn’t exist on this earth. They lived in rich abundance and had everything they needed. Like the father of the Prodigal Son, God provided for their every need. When they chose to rebel against the Lord and disobey, sin came into the world and separated them from His presence. Lack, difficulty, and death soon followed. This Kingdom Principle of Lack and Separation can be broken down into three simple but proven steps: (1) Rebellion and disobedience lead to sin; (2) sin leads to separation from God, His protection and provision; (3) separation from our loving Father leads to lack, need, spiritual bankruptcy and insufficiency. Are you living in a state of lack and spiritual separation from God today? If so, I encourage you to come to your senses, repent and come back to our Father’s house! Like the Prodigal Son, commit to living life with God in abundant fellowship today. It was after all, God’s original plan. Remember friends, “the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John10:10). Jesus came so we could have life and have it abundantly in this broken world today, and in heaven forever. Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  Live Victoriously!
"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1Cor. 15:57-58). It seemed like Satan was victorious in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and at the Cross. God, however, turned Satan’s apparent victory into defeat at the empty tomb. Knowing Jesus has overcome death and the grave provides us victory over our fear of death and should affect the way we live and serve today. Paul tells us that because of the resurrection nothing we do for the Lord is useless or ever done in vain. At times believers can become apathetic in serving the Lord because we don’t see the results we expect or hope for right away. As believers, we must not let our defeated enemy discourage us or cause us to doubt the work we do for God’s Kingdom, be it great or small. As Paul says in (Romans 12:11), you must “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” When you face challenges and obstacles, remain fixed and firm, abounding in your work for the Lord. Believe in His promises, trust Him and stand firm on His Word, He will provide you holy boldness, power and unshakable faith. Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, so be steadfast and live victoriously! Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  Seeking in Humble Adoration
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Eph. 3:14-16). How satisfied are you with your prayer life? Most of us know we fall short in this important discipline. Even the most mature believers recognize their need for improvement and one method for improving is to examine the prayers of others in scripture and use them as a model. Many of Paul’s prayers are recorded throughout the epistles and they provide some very good insight on how to pray. In today’s passage, we see two fundamentals for powerful and effective prayer. First, we see Humble Adoration. Paul’s posture of bending his knees serves as a reminder of his submissive position before God. He knew there was nothing in him that would cause God to hear and respond. He knew that he had access to almighty God only through his relationship with Jesus. Of all the pictures from our childhood, today I cherish this old photo of me and my brother on bent knees humbly seeking the Lord just as we were taught. Second, we see Paul’s Focus on the Father. The foundation of his prayer life was the Trinity. Paul understood that God the Father adopts all believers into His family for eternity and that there are glorious riches found through God the Son, and that God the Holy Spirit has endless power. The prayerful petitions Paul made for the Ephesians was based on God’s unlimited abilities, resources, and power. As Gods children, we too can confidently approach His throne of grace at any time but we must also remember that we are but servants and that He is our Holy God, so always seek Him in humble adoration. Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  The Power at Work Within Us
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! (Ephesians 3:20-21) Have you ever met or known someone who lives without hope in their life? Someone who feels they will never be able to overcome an addiction, never get out of a bad relationship or always be in a job they dislike, or just seem to think the world is always against them. That person could be you, a friend, a family member, or any downtrodden person searching for change. What a horrible way to live! As Christians, we have a far greater hope than we might ever think possible. That hope is Jesus Christ dwelling within us (Ephesians 3:17-19). The power of Jesus Christ which is working within us is able to do more than we could ever think possible when it comes to our circumstances. Christians are not immune to hopeless thoughts or seasons. These thoughts and seasons can manifest themselves in sins we struggle with daily or the idea that we will never overcome and grow in our relationship with Jesus. The good news is, Christ Jesus is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”. Take a moment to think about this: What is it that you feel will never change in your life or walk with Jesus? Now imagine what it would look like if it changed today. Go ahead and read aloud today’s verse once again. Our God is able to provide even more than you could imagine in our lives. Friends, there is no reason to live without hope in your Christian walk anymore. Seek the power at work within us that can provide “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”. Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  Preserved by Faith
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son” (Hebrews 11:17). The spiritual realm and the physical realm both operate according to certain laws and principles. Fire or heat will raise the temperature of the water and will cause it to boil and produce steam. Stress and physical exertion will raise our heart rate, raspatory rate, and blood pressure. Our human bodies are made up of very complex immune systems designed to defend us against bacteria, viruses and parasites that try to invade our bodies and destroy our health each and every day. In a similar fashion, in the spiritual realm, our spirit is protected by our faith. As Christians, we must realize that when we are tempted, face trials or difficulties, or encounter attacks by the enemy, our faith activates our spiritual immune systems to defend and protect us. The key to having a high concentration of faith and a strong spiritual immune system is the Word of God. Think of it like this, the Word of God produces “faith cells.” Failure to plant God’s Word in your heart and mind reduces your number of faith cells. Small amounts of the Word result in a low level of faith cells. In contrast, high doses of the Word produce high levels of faith cells. Our faith cells operate like the white blood cells in our bodies. They identify and then eliminate spiritual attacks either by attacking them directly or by engulfing them and then causing them to flee. Dear friends, we must develop a habit of studying and meditating on God’s Word and spending regular time in prayer to build up and preserve a high level of “faith cells” and a healthy spiritual immune system. Ask God to diagnose the strength of your spiritual health today. Spend time in prayer and feed on God’s Word daily to ensure your faith is ready to face the endless assault of the enemy. Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+  In the Fullness of Time!
The scriptures tell us that “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There is a time to speak and a time to be silent; a time to wait, and a time to act. But as God’s children how do we know when the time is right? God demonstrated that He knows the right time for every purpose. He sent Jesus into this world at just the right time. He has a plan for this current season and He will not act too soon or too late…but in the “fullness of time.” Friends, God acts in this world and in our lives when all His preparations are complete and ready. We all have prayed about troubles and uncertainties, physical or financial problems or any number of needs in our own lives. We all, likely know numerous people who need God’s help at this moment and when we don’t receive answers, it may seem like God is doing nothing. But we must not be impatient or give up hope! Instead, we must be persistent, keep praying, keep seeking, keep obeying, keep trusting and have faith. We must always remember; God answers prayers and provides for our needs in the “fullness of time.” Only He knows the right time for the fulfillment of His purposes. We must also remember there is a right time for us to act. When God opens the doors for us, seize those moments. When He gives us opportunity, sow seeds from the time, talent, and treasure you have been given. Seek to live your life according to the rhythm and season God prepares for you, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Gal. 6:9). Folks, the Lord always fulfills His promises, in the fullness of time! Grace and peace always, Fr. Greg+ |