With Liberty and Justice for ALL

Dear Worshippers,

We are about to begin our preparations for the annual community patriotic musical. This will be our fifth year and God has worked so beautifully through this project. I hope that each of you will consider being a part of this exciting ministry opportunity. Seeing God working through this diverse group is a wonderful taste of heaven.

Having already begun my score study, I wanted to share a line with you from this year’s work that really struck me. In a section which acknowledges the civil unrest and the great struggle of living out our belief that we are all created equal there is this line. “If there is not liberty and justice for all – then there’s not liberty and justice for any.” That is a very powerful word.

It challenges us not to become complacent because things seem to be going well for us. It exhorts us to look around and not only identify but address the needs of others for the glory of God. It shakes us from our apathy encouraging us to work for a better tomorrow, as we long for God’s ultimate “tomorrow”.

There is an element of social justice here from which the evangelical church often shies away. The mainline churches are better about this often than we are, but may be guilty of making it their “gospel”. There is a balance here that adequately reflects the concern of Christ for the soul and the body. May we strive for that balance.

That is a by-product of a project like the patriotic musical. Though it does little to actually put systems in place to promote “liberty and justice for all”, it encourages believers in every walk of life, to pursue those values even as we look forward to God establishing them in the new heaven and earth. Working together with like-minded believers who practice their faith a little differently is a positively powerful experience. I hope you will simply ask God if this year the time is right for you to play your part in demonstrating the unity we have in Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Nahum 1:7

Dear Worshippers,

About 15 years ago a dear friend quoted this verse to me when I shared with him that my father was in the hospital with some yet to be determined cardiac issue. It came to mind again last week in the midst of another similar episode. Most of you probably know by now that my dad had a heart attack last week. He had some damage to his heart and is currently waiting on bypass surgery. I want to thank you for your prayers for him and my family. I truly could sense the lifting of the Spirit as many of you prayed for my dad and mom, me and our family.

I remember having a conversation last week which centered around this verse. I was assuring myself and those around me in that hospital room that God is good and He does all things well. For the believer, we find our refuge in Him when trouble comes at us. This verse affirms that trust.

In case you do not know what Nahum 1:7 says it is this, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him…” When we place our trust in Him He cares for us. Through the trouble. Did you see that? It does not say, a refuge from times of trouble. You know it well, we face troubling times. But God is always there with us, showing His goodness to those with eyes to see. It is not always so easy to see though…

I was pretty composed through most of the day of Thursday. When I prayed with our family around dad’s hospital bed that night I broke down. I broke down again on the phone with a family friend as I relayed the news. I tried later to understand why I would cry at those times. I still don’t have an answer, but it did occur to me that though I do not understand the circumstances, through my tears I could still clearly see the goodness of our God. Even though I was struggling with the thought of possibly losing my dad, I was truly overwhelmed with how good God was to us, and continues to be.

I pray I will maintain that perspective as we wait on the surgery to be scheduled, and for all that will follow. Thank you for your prayers for my family. They are much appreciated.

Next week…With Liberty and Justice for All.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Be Filled with the Spirit

Dear Worshippers,

I ended last week talking about the empowerment necessary to complete the task Jesus has given us to do. That empowerment comes from the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses…”.

I am certain there is much confusion on what being filled with the Spirit means and looks like, because I have talked with many believers. No where else have I read a more simple and succinct explanation on how to go about being filled than the following description written by A.W. Tozer. I trust you will find it very helpful as you consider the filling of the Spirit.

“How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit”

A. W. Tozer

(Christian Publications, Inc. booklet, no date)

• Before you are filled with the Holy Spirit you must be sure that you can be filled. Satan as opposed the doctrine

of the Spirit-filled life about as bitterly as any other doctrine there is.

• You must be sure that it is God’s will for you; that it is part of the total plan, that it is included and embraced within the work of Christ in redemption. (Whenever I use the neutral pronoun “it” I am talking about the gift.)

• You must, I say, be satisfied that this is nothing added or extra. The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity. It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people.

• You must be satisfied that it is not abnormal.

• You must be satisfied…that there is nothing about the Holy Spirit queer or strange or eerie…. He is only the essence of Jesus imparted to believers.

• You must be sure of all this to the point of conviction…. You are convinced that in the blood of Jesus when He died on the cross there was included, as a purchase of that blood, your right to a full, Spirit-filled life.

• Before you can be filled with the Spirit you must desire to be filled…. Do you want to be possessed by Him?... Are you sure that you want your personality to be taken over by One who will expect obedience to the written and living

Word?... I ask you if you desire to have your personality taken over by One who stands in sharp opposition to the world’s easy ways?

Here is how to receive:

• First, present your body to Him (Rom. 12:1-2)

• Second, ask (Luke 11:9-11)

• Third, Acts 5:32 tells us God gives His Holy Spirit to them that obey Him. Are you ready to obey and do what you are asked to do?

• Fourth, have faith (Gal.3:2). We receive Him by faith as we receive the Lord in salvation by faith. He comes as a gift of God to us in power. First He comes in some degree and measure when we are converted, otherwise we couldn’t be

converted. Without Him we couldn’t be born again, because we are born of the Spirit…. I am talking about His coming and possessing the full body and mind and life and heart, taking the whole personality over, gently, but directly and

bluntly, and making it His, so that we may become a habitation of God through the Spirit.

I trust you will find this helpful as you to seek to “be filled with the Spirit”.

Next week…With Liberty and Justice for All.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott