3-17-13 Sermon

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THE FIVE KEYS TO PEACE OF MIND

Patience, Persistence and Peace of Mind  -  Part 5 of 6

John 14:27

03-17-13 Sermon

John 14:27 (Ph) Jesus:  "I leave behind with you -- peace; I give you My own peace and My gift is nothing like the peace of the world.  Do not be distressed or daunted."

THE FIVE KEYS

1.  Accept God's _____________________________________________

       "Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  Rom. 5:1

       "Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives. . . . You . . . delight to show mercy."  Micah 7:18

2.  Recognize God's _____________________________________________

       "You (God) will keep those in perfect peace whose minds are steadfast on You . . ."  Isaiah 26:3

            ". . . to be spiritually minded is life and peace."  Rom. 8:6

       "God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.  Be still and know that I am God."  Ps. 46:1, 10

3.  Obey God's _____________________________________________

       "Those who love Your laws have great peace of heart and mind and do not stumble . . . so I have obeyed Your laws."  Psalm 119:165-116

4.  Trust God's _____________________________________________

       "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."  Prov. 3:5-6

            ". . . I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."  Phil. 4:12

5.  Ask for God's _____________________________________________

       "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers.  If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far moire wonderful than the human mind can understand."  Phil. 4:6-7 (LB)

            Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God -- trust in Me."  John 14:1

THE FIVE KEYS TO PEACE OF MIND

Patience, Persistence and Peace of Mind  -  Part 5 of 6

John 14:27

03-17-13 Sermon

John 14.  Cover article in Parade magazine called "Stress Busters" -- "Stress is taking a terrible toll in the nation's health and economy.  More than 66% of all visits to physicians are for stress related disorders.  Job stress costs American industry more than 150 billion dollars a year in absenteeism, lost productivity, accidents, medical insurance.  Every week 112 million people take medication for stress related symptoms." 

We're in a stressful world.  Are you under stress?  Quiz:  How well do you understand stress?  Complete these sentences:

                           I'm ready to throw in the.... towel.

                           I'm at the end of my ... rope.

                           I'm just a bundle of ... nerves.

                           My life is falling ... apart.

                           I'm at wit's ... end.

                           I'm about to come ... unglued.

                           I feel like resigning from the human ... race.

        

You are pros at stress!  It's amazing what people try to do to deal with stress.  Therapy, fads, diets, cults, etc. 

The Bible has a different way of dealing with stress.  John 14:27 Jesus said, "I leave My peace with you.  Peace.  I give you My own peace and My gift is nothing like the peace of this world. Don't be distressed [that's the word "stress"] or daunted." 

He says a couple of things here.  First, peace is a gift.  God's peace is a gift.  Circle "gift".  Peace of mind is not something you work for, you earn, you buy, you learn, you search for.  It's a gift.  And God's peace of mind is different from the world's. In the first place, it's not fragile.  In the last 3500 years we've had 286 years of peace.  We don't have much peace in the world.  But human peace is based on circumstances.  If everything is ok, then I'm at peace.  But if everything's in chaos then I'm not at peace.

The Bible says peace is an internal thing.  Today we want to look at how can I be at peace under pressure?  How can I be strong under stress?  There are five keys to peace of mind.  Very simple message.  Just five things. 

The most important one is the very first one.  I want us to spend some time on it this morning.

1.  ACCEPT GOD'S PARDON

Romans 5:1 "Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

You were made to live in harmony with God.  When you're out of harmony with God it causes stress.  That is the greatest source of stress in your life.  When you're out of harmony with God, nothing else clicks.  When the vertical and the horizontal are out of order, your life's a mess. 

The Bible says you need to first accept God's pardon.  The number one source of stress, psychologists tell us, is guilt.  Is anybody perfect?  We all make mistakes.  I don't live up to my own standards, much less God's.  Because we all make mistakes, we all feel guilty and that guilt causes stress in our lives.  The Bible says we need to accept God's pardon.  It says "We're justified through faith".  Circle "justified".  

What does that word mean?  An easy way to think of it:  Justified means Just-as-if-I'd never sinned.  God wipes the slate clean. He washes the blackboard.  Even if there were no such thing as heaven -- and there is -- I'd become a Christian just to have a clear conscience.  Guilt causes stress.  Even Christians who know they're forgiven often don't feel forgiven.  Even Christians who know they're forgiven, don't accept it. 

So we need to accept God's pardon.  It's the number one cause of stress -- guilt.  Dr. Leslie Weatherhead said, "The forgiveness of God is the most powerful, therapeutic idea in the world.  If a person can really believe that God has forgiven him or her, he or she can be saved from neuroticism." 

Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like You who pardons sin and forgives? You delight to show mercy."  Circle "delight".  God is eager to clean your slate.  He wants to.  He's willing.  He's ready to clear your conscience.  There is no peace of mind without a clear conscience.  The word pardon means to release from punishment.  It means to be forgiven.  A man who committed a crime thirty years before kept it a secret.  Finally he confessed it and made restitution.  He said, "I was living in a personal hell for thirty years." 

We could stop with that and think about the fact that God says, "I want to offer you blanket coverage, total forgiveness for every single thing you've ever done wrong."  Do you think that would promote peace of mind?  Yes, it would. 

Settle this issue.  God wants to forgive you.  He wants to wipe the slate clean.  He wants to forgive you of all your past.  He wants you to start over.  It's called being born again.  It's like starting over and that clear conscience produces peace of mind. 

2.  RECOGNIZE GOD'S PRESENCE.

Realize that He's with you all the time.  Focus on Him.  Stress comes when you feel like you're facing everything by yourself. Isaiah 26:3 "You, God, will keep those in perfect peace whose minds are steadfast on You."  Romans 8:6 "To be spiritually minded is life and peace."  Peace is a mind set.  It is determined by what you focus on.  What I want you to learn today is to make your first response to every crisis "Lord, I realize You're here with me."

If you will do that your stress level will reduce significantly. You're not facing anything alone.  God is with you. 

Psalm 46:1 & 10 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.  Be still and know that I am God."  The background of this verse is interesting -- 180,000 enemy troops had surrounded the city of Jerusalem.  They were about to destroy the city.  The Israelis were getting uptight.  God said (Frank translation) "Chill out!  Relax.  I'm in control."  Five minutes before they attacked the city, God caused a plague to come down and decimate the enemy and the city of Jerusalem was saved.  God says, "Don't worry.  I'm your ever present help.  I'm always present.  You need to recognize My presence." 

Notice there are two steps to recognizing God's presence.  How do you know that God is with you all the time?

First it says "Be still".  In Hebrew it means "let go, ease up". Pascal once said, "All of man's problems come from his inability to sit still."  Hurry aggravates worry.  The more hurried you get, the more worried you get.  If there is anything I could do for you this week would be to get you to establish a regular daily time where you just sit still.  Most people are so busy. They hit the ground running and they're off!  They come home dead at night, watch a little TV, throw themselves into bed -- no time to be quiet.  If we took a survey right now and I asked "How many of you in the last 24 hours have had at least twenty minutes of stillness where you just sat and did nothing -- no TV, no radio, no phone,  no computer -- twenty minutes of stillness?  You just sat and talked to God in the last 24 hours. There probably wouldn't be too many people."  We need to be quiet. 

People say, "God never talks to me!"  Just sit down and shut up so you can hear Him.  You've got the radio on, the TV on, the iPod on.  You are so busy cramming your mind you couldn't hear God if He wanted to say anything to you.  You've got to be quiet.  Be still.

Then it says, be still and know.  The word "know" in Greek is the word that means the most intimate kind of knowledge.  It's not knowing about.  There's a difference between knowing about God and knowing God.  You can know about God.  You can know facts. You can go to church and know about God.  But you've got to really know Him.  The word here is literally used to mean the most intimate kind of knowledge where the Bible says, "Adam knew Eve."  She had a baby.  Abraham knew Sarah.  She had a baby. Mary knew no man before Jesus was born.  It's the ultimate type of intimate knowledge -- that's the way God wants you to know Him.  Not on a far off basis -- "God, You're on Your side of the fence.  I'm on mine and never the twain shall meet."  But personal interaction and fellowship.  God says, "I want you to know Me."

If you will accept God's pardon, recognize His presence -- that you never go anywhere in life by yourself, that every crisis you face, you're facing it with God's help -- your tension level is going to go down and your peace of mind is going to go up. 

Remind yourself as your first reaction, "Lord, I know You're here with me."  The problem is we know more about everything else except God.  Because you know who you spend the most time with. 

Accept God's pardon.  Recognize His presence.  Then there's a third thing if you want peace of mind on a consistent, regular basis.

3.  OBEY GOD'S PRINCIPLES

Psalm 119:165-166 "Those who love Your laws have great peace of heart and mind and do not stumble.  So I have obeyed Your laws."

The Bible, is the owner's manual for life.  It's not just a book of history.  There are principles in here.  If you disregard the owner's manual, it's your own tough luck.  You buy a car -- you can either follow the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual or you can ignore it.  If you follow it, your car will last longer.  If you ignore it, you just hurt yourself.

There are principles all through the Bible.  There are principles on personal happiness, on success, on how to build strong relationships, on how to build your business, on finances, on health, on marriage, on parenting.  Every different area.  You don't have to listen to this book at all.  You can ignore it, never open it, never read or study it, never obey it.  Who do you think you're hurting?  You're not hurting God.  This is God's gift to us by which we can live the kind of life He says we're meant to live. 

Every rule in the Bible is there for your own good.  It's like a rail road car on a track.  The train's going down the track and saying, "These stupid tracks!  They are so confining. I can only go where the tracks go.  I can't jump off there in the field."  The train can jump the tracks to its own detriment and destruction.  The tracks are made so it can run on and get to its proper destination.  It's what it was made to do. 

You were made to abide by certain principles.  If you ignore them, the result is STRESS.  Stress comes when you ignore the way God has told us to live.  Obey God's principles.  You won't stumble -- you won't make a bunch of dumb mistakes.  They don't restrict you; they're for your own benefit.

What has God told you to do that you haven't done yet?  What has God told you to do that you're still putting off.  When God's told you to do something and you just ignore it, is it any wonder you don't have any peace? 

"... So I have obeyed your laws."  Circle "obeyed".  It's not just enough to know the Bible; you've got to follow it.  You've got to apply it in your life.  The best translation of Scripture is when you translate it into your life. 

Peace comes through obedience.  The more I do what God says, the more at peace I am, the less stressed I am.  The more I ignore what God says, the more stressed out I am.  If I want to have peace of mind, I accept God's pardon, I recognize His presence, and I obey His principles.  And then,…

4.  I MUST TRUST GOD'S PLAN.

I must trust God when I don't understand why things happen the way they do.  Even when it doesn't make sense.  Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."  There are four verbs in these sentences to circle:  trust, don't lean, acknowledge, direct.  The first three are things we're supposed to do and the fourth is a promise that God says He'll do if we do the first three. 

         1.  First it says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart" That means depend on Him.  When?  Even when it doesn't make sense.  Trust in the Lord even when everything's out of your control.  It's not out of His control. 

         2.  Then it says, "Don't lean on your own understanding." This is one of the number one reasons why even Christians don't have peace of mind.  You're trying to figure everything out.  The fact of life is, many, if not most of the things in life you're never going to figure out.  There are some things you're going to ask -- questions that are just not going to be answered.  The most common natural, normal reaction to an illness, or a crisis or a loss, or a death of someone we've loved is "Why?"  Why, God? Why is this happening?” Sometimes you get an answer.  But you probably know by now from experience, sometimes you don't get an answer. 

What do you do with the whys of life?  Why did this relationship break up?  Why was this person struck down in the prime of life?

God does not promise an explanation for everything in life.  He doesn't owe you an explanation.  If you understood it all, you'd be God.  But you don't have to.  You do have to trust.  And the testimony that I've heard from people over and over is "In this crisis, in this situation, in this loss, when I finally stopped trying to figure out why and just started trusting, the peace of mind flooded my heart." 

God is more interested in comforting you than explaining things to you.  Some things you're just never going to figure out why. "Lean not on your own understanding."  One of the things I'm slowly learning in life is that I don't have to figure out the why, the how, or the when God does what He does, in order to have peace.  I just have peace about it because I trust Him. 

         3.  The third thing it says you do -- "You acknowledge". You admit some basic facts.  You acknowledge God is a good God, God is a loving God, God knows all about my problems, God is in control, God has the power to change my problems, God knows what He's doing, God has a plan and purpose, God does not make mistakes, He has no flops, no flubs, no fiascos.  God never says, "Ooops!" 

You affirm these things and that brings peace of mind when you have to trust God's plan. 

         4.  The result when you trust and you don't lean on your own understanding and you acknowledge God's goodness and His power, the result is God says, "I will direct your paths."  That will bring peace.  One of the chief causes of stress is indecision. "I can't decide.  Which way do I go?  Do I go this way?  Do I do this or that?  Do I hang on or let go?  Hold on or give up?  What do I do?"  When you acknowledge, you trust, and you don't lean on your own understanding, then God will direct your paths and that brings peace.

Philippians 4:12 Paul says, "I've learned to be content whatever the circumstance."  That's what I call a person of complete peace.  How can you upset a guy like this?  You can't.  He's learned to be content no matter what the situation.  You know God's in control.  You can be rich.  You can be poor.  I can be healthy.  I can be sick.  I can be up.  I can be down.  I can have plenty.  I can have nothing.  I've learned to be content in every situation because I trust God's plan.  That is peace of mind.  Learning to be content, not always having to have more.

5.  I ASK FOR GOD'S PROVISION.

When I need something, I simply ask for God's provision and that brings peace of mind.  The great destroyer of peace of mind is worry.  We worry a lot.  Many of you may be professional worriers. "What if I don't have the time?  What if I don't have the money? What if I don't have the energy?  What if..."  You're What if-ing yourself.  We fear that we're going to lack something. 

Worry is the exact opposite of peace of mind.  They're in conflict with each other.  When worry comes in the front door of your mind, peace of mind goes out the back door.  Worry stays in your mind until you invite peace of mind back in the front door. The root of the word for worry is the word "to choke, to strangle".  Have you ever been strangled by worry?  You feel like it's choking out your life. 

Here is God's antidote for worry, Philippians 4:6-7 (Living Bible), a very well known verse, "Don't worry about anything..." I think that is the most difficult verse in the Bible to obey.  I don't know about you, but I've blown that this week.  It says, don't worry about anything, nothing, zip!  God flat out says it ‑- Don't worry about anything. 

Whenever God gives a negative, He always follows it up with a positive.  "Don't worry about anything.  Instead pray about everything." 

You have two options in life.  One brings stress.  One brings peace of mind.  The two options are panic or pray.  Those are your options when you're facing crisis.  Panic or pray.  You can worry or you can pray.  If you're not praying, you're worrying. If we'd pray more than we worry, we'd have a lot less to worry about.  The point is this:  Turn your cares into prayers.  That's the antidote.  Don't worry about it.  Worry never solves anything.  It's a totally useless thing.  Instead pray about it because God can do something about it.  Prayer is a tremendous stress reliever. 

Here’s another verse that’s not in your outline and a question;  Ephesians 6:14-15 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

And the question is:  are you wearing your killer shoes?  Will you turn to the person next to you and ask them, What in the world is he talking about now?

Well, Paul is talking here about the armor of the Roman soldier and if you ever saw the shoes of a Roman soldier you would want to make sure that you didn’t get in his way where he might step on you!  The roman soldiers didn’t wear tennis shoes or normal shoes, they wore killer shoes!

Here in this passage Paul says that every believer needs to be clothed with the shoes of peace.  I realize that this sounds like a passive peaceful part of our spiritual armor, but these were actually killer shoes.

The shoes of the Roman soldier were vicious weapons.  They began at the top of the legs near the knees and extended down to the feet.  The portions that covered the knees to the feet were made of metal and were specially shaped to wrap around the calves of a soldier’s legs.  They were uncomfortable, but essential for the safety of the soldier’s legs. 

The shoes were made f heavy pieces of leather or metal.  The bottom of the shoes had sharp, dangerous protruding spikes and the front of each shoe had two sharp spikes that pointed outward. 

The metal that covered the legs was to protect the soldier’s legs from rocky or thorny terrain.  It kept him from getting gashed and cut by the environment.  If an enemy tried to hit the soldier in his shins to break his legs, the soldier would be uninjured. 

The spikes on the bottom of the shoes were intended to hold him in place during battle.  His opponent might try to push him around, but the spikes made him immoveable.  Plus the spikes on the bottom and front of the shoes were also killing machines.  One good kick or stomping with those shoes and an enemy would be dead. 

Notice that Paul connects these killer shoes with peace.  Why?  Well, just as the leg protection of the shoes protected the soldier from the environment and blows of the enemy, the peace of God protects and defends you from the hassles and assaults of the devil.  Our enemy, the devil, may try to disrupt you, distract you and steal your attention by causing all kinds of negative events to swirl around you, but his attempts will fail because the peace of God, like a protective weapon, enables you to keep marching forward.

And just as those spiked held a roman soldier securely in place when his enemy tried to push him around, the peace of God will hold you in place when the devil tries to push YOU around.  And as the soldier used those spikes to kick and kill his opponent, there is no need for you to ever stop moving ahead just because the devil tries to block your path.  If he is foolish enough to try to get in front of you, just keep walking.  Stomp all the way!

Paul uses this illustration to tell us that we must firmly tie God’s peace on to our lives so it will not come off when the road or the battle gets rough.

The Bible teaches very clearly that peace of mind is to be the normal Christian lifestyle.  It's the normal way to live.  It's not God's will that you be uptight, that you be pressured, irritable, tense, nervous, stressed out.  God's plan for your life is a peace of mind lifestyle. 

Peace is not problem free living, because you're always going to have problems.  Peace is not absence of conflict, because you will always have conflict.  Peace is not having everything go your way, because it won't.  Peace is never having any deadlines or pressures.  You will have deadlines and pressures. My life is filled with deadlines, constant appointments, deadlines and responsibilities. 

Definition of peace:  "A sense of order that comes from ordering my life according to God's will."  

What's got you uptight this morning?  Your kids, a problem at work, your finances are going down the toilet, your health isn't very good, you've got a relationship that's on the verge of splitting up.  What's got you uptight today?  Does Jesus Christ have anything to say to you today?  Yes, He does. 

John 14:1 Jesus says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God.  Trust in Me."  The antidote is a person.  Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.  You will never have ultimate peace in your life until the Prince of Peace is invited in to become the resident president of your life.  When the Prince of Peace becomes the president in your life, it flows out of your lifestyle.  And you're just not at the same level of stress anymore.  Trust in God.  Trust in Christ.

Often in the middle of a storm there is a center that is quiet. While everything else is blowing apart, there's that quiet center.  You can have that kind of peace.  It is available.  But you must do these five things.  First, accept God's pardon.  If you haven't done that, do it.  Don't wait, do it.  Open your life to Christ today.  Say, "Please come in and forgive all the things I've done wrong.  I want You to be number one in my life."  He wants to make you justified -- just-as-if-I'd never sinned.  Wipe the slate clean and walk out of here with a clear conscious.

Number two, say "God, I want to start recognizing Your presence on a day by day, moment by moment basis.  I'm not in this by myself.  You're with me.  I want to obey Your principles.  I want to get into the Bible.  I want to spend some time being quiet every day.  I want to trust Your plan, when I don't understand and it doesn't make sense.  I'm going to quit trying to figure out why everything is happening and start trusting in You and lean not on my own understanding.  Then I'm going to ask for Your provision when I have a need instead of panicking I'm going to pray."  And peace of mind will flood your life.

God makes this optional.  You can walk out of here having heard this and do absolutely nothing about it.  If you're living under stress, it's your choice.  God did not mean for you to live that way.  Peace is not a problem-free, deadline-free, conflict-free life.  Peace is a sense of order in my life when I order my own life according to God's will.  There is freedom and peace I can have under pressure in spite of stress. 

Go in peace.  And if the devil comes to try to steal your peace, stomp and kick him to shreds!

     

3-10-13 Sermon

We all have either had or will have disappointments so today's sermon will help anyone who listens/reads it. To listen to today's sermon, click here.

HOW TO DEAL WITH DISAPPOINTMENT

Patience, Persistence and Peace of Mind  -  Part 4 of 6

Exodus 15:22-27

03-10-13 Sermon

²² Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. ²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.^[a]) ²⁴ So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
²⁵ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. ²⁶ He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.  Exodus 15:22-27

THE TRUTH ABOUT DISAPPOINTMENT

1.  Great successes in life are often followed by ______________________________ .

       "Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur.  For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water."  v. 22

                        Marah:  "bitter"  v. 23

            ". . . there the Lord tested them."  v. 25

2.  Great service in life is often followed by ______________________________ .

            "So the people grumbled against Moses saying, `What are we to drink?'"  v. 24

            What to do with disappointment:

                        *            Don't ______________________________ it.

                        "Bless those who persecute you; bless and don't curse!" Rom. 12:14

                       

*            Don't ______________________________ it.

              "To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish thing to do."  Job. 5:2 (GN)

              "Get rid of all bitterness . . . anger, and slander, along with every form of malice."  Eph. 4:31

                        *            Don't ______________________________ it.

              "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."  Eph. 4:26-2

                        "You are only hurting yourself with your anger!"  Job 18:4

                        *            You ______________________________ it.

              "Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood.  He threw it in the water and the water became sweet."  v. 25

                        *            Let God ______________________________ it.

                        "You intended to harm me but God intended it for good . . . "  Gen. 50:20

3.              Great shortages in life are often followed by ______________________________ .

            "Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs. . ."  vs. 27

       "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit."  Ps. 34:18

HOW TO DEAL WITH DISAPPOINTMENT

Patience, Persistence and Peace of Mind  -  Part 4 of 6

Exodus 15:22-27

03-10-13  Sermon

We all experience disappointment.  We are disappointed by things, by events.  But most often we're disappointed by people.  Moses was an authority on how to deal with disappointing people.  We're going to look at him this morning.  No man put up with more complaining.  It was the favorite past time of the Israelites.  It was the sin that kept them out of the Promised Land.  They were very quick to criticize their leader. Their philosophy was "When in doubt, criticize the leader."  They questioned his motives, doubted his decisions, challenged his leadership.

The Israelites were always having a problem with water.  First there was too much water at the Red Sea.  Then there was not enough water -- they were in the desert.  Then they came to bitter water.  v. 23 "Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the desert of Shur.  For three days they traveled into the desert without finding water.  When they came to Marah they could not drink the water because it was bitter.  That's why the place is called Marah."  Marah means bitter. 

This is no small problem.  They've got three million thirsty people and a million thirsty animals and there's no water in the desert.  Notice it says, "three days".  Circle that.  What had happened three days earlier?  They had just come through the Red Sea.  It was a great spiritual victory. 

1.  GREAT SUCCESSES ARE OFTEN FOLLOWED BY FAILURES. 

They're here and they're wondering what's going wrong.  Why did God lead them to Marah.  v. 25 "There the Lord tested them." 

God's character is revealed in the big crises in life, but your character is revealed in the little crises of life.  God showed His power at the Red Sea but at Marah where the water was bitter, it showed what the Israelites were really like.  And it said God led them there to test them. 

How many of you have been going through a test recently? Disappointments are tests.  They are testing our character. They're testing what we're like really inside.  Notice it doesn't say this about the Red Sea experience.  At Marah, the Israelites failed the test -- they complained.  It says they griped. 

What does disappointment reveal about you?  What's your Marah this morning? 

Your Marah is anything that is distasteful to you.  It's that thing that once was sweet but has turned bitter -- a job, a relationship, a problem.  Great successes in life are often followed by failure. 

2.  GREAT SERVICES IN LIFE ARE OFTEN FOLLOWED BY FORGETFULNESS.

v. 24 "So the people grumbled against Moses saying, `What are we to drink?'"  The Israelites had a short memory.  What happened three days earlier?  The Red Sea.  Three days later, they've forgotten it. 

Isn't that typical?  Isn't it typical that when we come to a problem, we forget all the things God's done for us in the past? Isn't it typical that when you're facing a difficulty right now you think, "God's not going to help" and yet how many times has He helped you in the past? 

It's amazing how quickly people forget.  It's human nature. "What have You done for me lately?"  Children forget parents. Bosses forget employees.  Spouses take each other for granted. Great service.  You're going to do things for people in life and they're going to forget it and you're going to be disappointed.

What do you do:

         1)  Don't curse it. 

Romans 12:14 "Bless those who persecute you.  Bless and do not curse."  When you retaliate, God says, "OK, it's up to you. Either I get even or you can get even.  You can either settle the score or I'll settle the score.  When you're disappointed with people, don't ever retaliate.  Let me do it."  He says, Bless the people, don't curse them. 

Moses didn't say, "You guys can forget it!  Have fun finding your own way back to Egypt.  I'm going on to the Promised Land." 

What do you do when you're offended by people?  Sometimes we're at our most creative when we're offended.  Sometimes we can be downright ingenious at ways at getting back at people.  The Bible says don't do that.  Don't curse it.  When you retaliate, God stops acting on your behalf.  He says, "Bless them don't curse them."  That person who's irritated you at work, who's let you down at school, that friend who's betrayed a confidence, don't curse them. 

         2)  Don't rehearse it. 

Job 5:2 "To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish thing to do."  Ephesians 4:31 "Get rid of all bitterness, anger, slander along with every form of malice."  Have you noticed that every time you review a hurt, it gets bigger?  The more you think about it, the bigger it gets.  It gets blown out of proportion.  When you're disappointed with somebody, don't curse it, don't rehearse it.  It's an extremely dangerous habit because you can become very addicted to it.

         3)  Don't nurse it. 

Don't take it personally.  Don't have a pity party.  Don't allow it to make you negative.  Ephesians 4:26-27 "Do not let the sun go down while you're still angry.  Do not give the devil a foothold."  When you go to sleep angry, you're giving the devil a foothold. 

Anger is not always wrong.  Sometimes it's an appropriate response.  Jesus got angry.  God got angry.  So anger is not a sin.  There's right anger and wrong anger. 

But something that is always wrong is when you hold on to anger, because holding on to anger turns into resentment and resentment is always wrong.  It always hurts you more than it hurts the person you're angry against.  It gives the devil a foothold. Don't do it.  Job 18:4 "You are only hurting yourself with your anger." 

Some of you may have had a tough week, a tough month, a tough life. You're disappointed.  You've had some experiences where you feel like you're a victim.  Some of you may be continuing to allow people from your past to hurt you in the present.  That's stupid!  They can no longer hurt you unless you choose to hang on to the hurt.  Choose to say, "I'm not going to be a victim any more.  I'm going to let go of it. I'm not going to rehearse it.  I'm not going to nurse it.  I'm not going to curse it.  I'm going to get rid of it.  I'm going to let God settle the score." 

Don't nurse it.  "You are only hurting yourself with your anger." It's human nature, when we get disappointed, to say, "I'm going to pull in, build a high wall around myself.  I'm not going to let anybody else hurt me.  I'm going to build walls.  Never again will I allow anybody to hurt me."  That's not living, that's just existing. 

Can you imagine Paul doing this?  Paul was disappointed by many people.  Lots of folks all the time let him down.  But you never see him giving up.  One of the marks of leadership is you expect to be criticized, misunderstood. 

Can you imagine Jesus doing this?  Can you imagine Jesus going back to heaven ahead of schedule and the angels saying, "What happened, Lord?  How come You're here?"  And Jesus saying, "I had a bad experience! Somebody really let Me down.  Not everybody liked Me.  Actually I was criticized more than a little bit.  They didn't appreciate Me." 

Trying to please everybody is asking to be hurt.  You're going to be hurt.  Just about the time you get Crowd A pleased, Crowd B gets upset with you.  Once you get Crowd B excited and happy, Crowd A gets upset with you.  You can't do it.  One minute you're going to be a star and the next minute you're going to be a scapegoat.  It's a fact of life. 

The greatest successes are often followed by failures.  The greatest services are often followed by forgetfulness.

What do you do?  You don't curse it.  You don't nurse it. 

         4)  You disperse it.

This is what Moses did.  Give it to God.  Let it go.  "Cast all your cares upon God."  You don't hang on to it.  v, 25 "Then Moses cried out to the Lord and He showed him a piece of wood. He threw it in the water and the water became sweet."

Notice the first half of the verse:  "Moses cried out to the Lord."  He didn't write a letter to the editor.  He didn't say, "I'm upset."  He didn't start a chain of gossip in the office to talk about how somebody had mistreated him and he'd been passed over for promotion.  He didn't try to line up people on his side or tell people at the church.  He didn't try to build a case for himself.  He went right to the Lord. 

Instead of holding a pity party, instead of gossiping in the office, instead of lining up people on your side, pray and tell God about it.  Disperse it.  "He cried out to the Lord." 

What's your Marah this morning?  What is bitter?  What is distasteful and you don't like it?  It may be a physical Marah -- an ailment, an illness.  It may be an emotional Marah.  It may be something at your job.  It's something that just hasn't turned out the way you thought it would.  Maybe your marriage. 

Give it to God.  Pray about it.  Say, "Ok God,  I'm crying out to You.  Telling other people doesn't do any good.  I'm going to tell You."  When you do that, then you can do the fifth thing:

         5)  Let God reverse it.

If there is anybody in the Bible who had a right to be bitter it was Joseph.  Joseph had a dream as a young man.  His brothers didn't like his dream.  They threw him into a pit, started to kill him then said, "No, let's sell him into slavery."  He's sold into slavery.  He's accused of rape.  He's put in jail. 

For the first forty years of Joseph's life it's downhill the whole way.  If anybody had the right to be bitter, it was Joseph. "God, this stinks!  God, I don't like what's going on! It’s not right.  It’s unjust.  I didn’t do anything to deserve this." 

But later, he had a chance to retaliate against his brothers. The circumstances changed.  They came to him asking for help and he had a chance to blow them away.  He says in Genesis 50, one of the greatest verses in the Bible, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good."  God intended it for good.                                                 

One of the popular words we're hearing today is the word "victim".  The fact is, there are many experiences in your life that you have no control over.  Some of you have been hurt very deeply, even by family members, by other people, by former schoolteachers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, employees, former husbands, former wives.  And you've been hurt.

I want to say that you can choose to not be a victim.  If I didn't believe that I'd quit the ministry.  God says He has the power to help you overcome any circumstance.  Any circumstance. "We know that all things work together for good."  It doesn't say all things are good.  There's a lot of bad.  Someone gets cancer -- that's not good, that's bad.  Someone gets raped -- that's not good, that's bad.  Someone is verbally abused -- that's not good, that's bad. 

They meant it for bad but God meant it for good.  We can either believe that verse or cut it out of the Bible.  It says that God has a plan and even the things that come into my life that victimize me -- He gives us the power to overcome those situations.  He is working in all things, even the bad things. 

When disappointments come into my life, things that are Marahs, bitter experiences that I don't like, I don't curse it, I don't rehearse it (I don't go over and over it), and I don't nurse it. It is my job to disperse it and let God reverse it. 

That sounds simple but it's not.  Some of you may need to get some professional help to do that.  You need to get a caring Christian counselor who can help you disperse it.  Some of you have been hurt in ways you don't even know about.  It's going to take somebody to help uncover that and help you find it out.  But once you find it out, you disperse it and you let it go.  You'll never see God's solution as long a you're wallowing in self pity. 

v. 25 "Then Moses cried out to the Lord [that's what you do when you're disappointed -- cry out to the Lord] and He showed him a piece of wood and he threw it into the water and the water became sweet."  Moses responded correctly.  He didn't grumble.  He said, Disappointments are His appointments.  God provides the solution to turn the bitter experience into a sweet experience.  Notice it says God showed Him a tree.  Circle "showed".  It doesn't say God created a tree.  It says God showed him a tree.  The tree -- or the solution for turning the bitter experience into a sweet experience had been there all along.  God didn't have to create it, it was there all along.  But if we wallow in pity, we don't see it.  He said, God showed him a tree. 

The answer to your disappointment is within sight.  But you've got to get your eyes on the Lord.  Let Him show it to you. You'll never see it as long as you're looking at yourself or something else, looking at the problem

3.  GREAT SHORTAGES IN LIFE ARE OFTEN FOLLOWED BY FULLNESS.

v. 27 "Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs." The Bible goes on to say there were seventy palm trees and they camped there near the water.  Twelve springs, seventy palm trees -- they're at Palm Springs! 

This is a flat out oasis!  The Sinai is miles and miles of barren desert.  There is absolutely nothing there.  Yet it says, "Then they came to Elim" and there was plenty of water for everybody. And there was even some shade and palm trees which means there was probably dates and things to eat.  In the Sinai this is a paradise, this is an oasis -- all the water they need.

Question:  How far is Elim from Marah?  If you were to get out a map and look at it, you would discover -- remember they had come across the Red Sea and three days in they were complaining about bitter water and God gives them a solution there and then it says, "Then they came to Elim" where there was plenty of water. Elim is five miles from Marah.  They just stopped too soon.  They gave up. 

A number of years ago there was an article about the 747 plane that crashed in the Andes and the horrible things that went on as the people began to die.  They began to cannibalize and eat those who had already died in order to stay alive.  Terrible things. When the rescuers finally came in and rescued those people from the plane crash the people were astonished to find that they had crashed less than six miles from a resort.  They had been there at the crash site about 91 days.  They got stuck!  And they stayed there rather than pushing ahead. 

Elim is just around the corner, a surplus of water.  Yet they're complaining and ready to give up.  The lesson is simple:  We give up too soon.  We throw in the towel.  Don't quit!  The answer may be just five miles away.

Question:  How do you get from Marah to Elim?  How do you get from the place of disappointment to the place of delight?  How do you get from pain to paradise? 

The answer is ... you just keep on going.  Keep moving ahead. Notice it says, "Then they came to Elim..."  It doesn't say God brought Elim to them.  He didn't.  They had to reach it by keeping on going in spite of their feelings. 

Sometimes someone will say, "I'm just so tired.  I don't feel like praying.  I don't feel like serving any more.  I don't feel like coming to church.  I don't feel like tithing.  I don't feel like giving my life away.  I don't feel like reading the Bible."  What do you do when you don't feel like doing those things? 

You keep on reading the Bible.  You keep on praying.  You keep on tithing.  You keep on serving.  You keep on doing the things that are the right things to do. 

Can you imagine calling your boss tomorrow and saying, "Boss, my heart really isn't in coming to work today.  I don't feel like coming to work.  Honestly, Boss, I know you wouldn't want me to be a hypocrite about it.  Since I don't feel like coming to work, I think I'll just stay home, watch the soap operas and eat potato chips." 

Most of the good things in life are done by people who don't feel like doing them.  That's a mark of maturity.  People who live by their feelings are immature.  God wants you to learn to live by commitments. 

God wants to work in your life if you'll let Him.  Face those feelings.  Face those fears.  Face yourself.  Face those experiences in your past and go through them.  Part of the problem is you got stuck there.  And you need to go back and go through them.  You need to go on to Elim.  And get out of Marah.  Don't be stuck there.  God never meant for you to stay at Marah.

Some may say, "You don't know!  If I were to tell you the pain that I've been through you wouldn't understand."

Let me say this, I have not experienced all the pain in life, that's true.  But nothing shocks me anymore.  Having pastored and been in the ministry now for 33 years, nothing shocks me anymore.  I have seen things that you would have thought, "No way could that person come out of that!"  I've talked to lots of people.  The power of God is to bring people from Marah into Elim. 

Some of you are in Marah right now and I want to say, You didn't miss God's will.  Marah is on the map.  God knows exactly where you are.  Romans 8:28 applies to you.  And He's leading you through this experience just as definitely as He led the Israelis through Marah.  The greatest successes in life are often followed by failure.  The greatest service in life is often followed by forgetfulness.  But, the greatest shortages in life are often followed by fullness ... if you keep going.  Elim is just a ways down the road.

Psalm  34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and He saves those who are crushed in spirit."  Has something that was once real sweet in your life grown bitter and sour and now you just can't swallow it?  A job, a dream, a relationship?  Quit trying to get even.  Don't curse it.  Don't rehearse it, it only increases the hurt.  Don't nurse it, that just infects you more. Disperse it, give it to God.  Let Him reverse it, He will use it for good in your life. 

Some may say, "I got burned once and never again am I going to risk.  I'm not going to let anybody hurt me."  That's not living, that's existing.  It's interesting that God's solution to a bitter experience was a piece of wood.  Why He chose it, I don't know.  It was a miracle.  But God said, Here's a piece of wood, throw it in the water and it will turn the bitter water sweet.  So Moses did it simply as an act of obedience.  And a piece of wood was used to turn a bitter experience into a sweet one. 

Approximately 2000 years later, God used another piece of wood called the cross to turn your bitter experiences into sweet ones. When Jesus Christ hung on that cross, He was saying, "I am taking all the sin of this world."  You talk about a victim!  Sinless, no reason, yet He took it all on Himself so that you and I could be set free.  That's the Good News.  That's the gospel.  That's what it's all about.

I want to introduce you to somebody who will never disappoint you.  You will be disappointed by your father, your mother, your husband, your wife, your sisters, your brothers, your children. You will be disappointed by your pastor.  You will be disappointed by teachers.  You will be disappointed by all kinds of people because people are imperfect.  But there's one person who will never disappoint you -- Jesus Christ.  He says, The truth will set you free.

Prayer:

      Would you let Jesus Christ heal the hurt and resentment and bitterness that you've experienced at your Marah?  Some of you have an uneasy feeling that "Something's wrong in my life."  You're right.  You need to face it and deal with it and you need to go through it.  You need to remember these principles from Marah.  Some of you feel like you're ready to throw in the towel about a job or experience or relationship.  I want to remind you that Elim is just a few miles away. 

      The prayer I want to lead you in this morning is simple. Would you say, "Jesus, help me to not give up.  Help me to not get stuck in the bitter experience, but to push ahead until I come to Elim."  Many times we don't want to push ahead because we're afraid.  Say, "Lord, help me with my fears.  Lord, I want to claim the verse that says, they meant it for bad but You meant it for good.  I don't understand it all but I know that You have a plan for my life and purpose in it.  I do believe Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good.  I want to declare myself a non victim and with Your power in my life I will be able to change.  Lord, I'm not expecting any instant, overnight miracles, but I want to press ahead until I get to Elim." 

         Thank You Father for Your word.  May it encourage us all. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

March 2013 Newsletter

Forest Grove United Methodist Church 

Happenings

Passionate Worship, Radical Hospitality, 

Faith-building Relationships, and 

Sacrificial Service 

Pastor: Dr. Frank Billman

Lay Leader: Vickie Kegerise

Music Director: Tim Garrett 

Ministers: The Entire Congregation

Sunday School: 9:30 am |  Worship: 10:30 am 

Church Phone: 299-5203   |   Pastor’s cell phone: 428-9253

ForestGroveUMC@comcast.net

Forestgroveumctn.blogspot.com 

MARCH 2013

FROM THE PASTOR:   

Message on a church sign:
Beat the Easter Rush.  Come to church this Sunday!

On Eater Sunday, worshippers entering the sanctuary were greeted by two giant red capital letters—M-T—behind the altar. M-T stood, of course, for “empty,” and the good news of the vacant tomb.  The pastor planned to quiz the children about the M-T during the children’s message early in the service.  When 28 brightly dressed little ones gathered around him on the cancel steps, the pastor asked:  What’s different about the church today, kids?.  After a pause, the pastor’s own daughter, throwing her hands in the air, replied, It’s full dad!  End of sermon.

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After an especially uplifting sermon, a parishioner telephoned her minister on Monday morning and said: Dr. Remington, I have to tell you that your sermon was so stirring that I went home and had a change of life!

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“If we are silent about the joy that comes from knowing Jesus, the very stones will cry out!  For we are an Easter people and ‘Alleluia’ is our song.  Rejoice because Jesus has come into
the world!  Rejoice because Jesus has died upon the cross!
Rejoice because He rose again from the dead!  Rejoice because Jesus has come to set us free!  Rejoice because He is the Master of our life!”
—Pope John Paul II

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TENEBRAE WREATH

The Tenebrae Wreath Service has some similarities with the familiar advent wreath, where a wreath with 4 candles on the outside and one larger Christ candle in the middle is used to celebrate the church season of advent.  With the advent wreath a new candle is lighted each week, symbolizing getting closer to the coming of Jesus, the Light of the world.   With more candles being lit each week there is increasing light.

Tenebrae means darkness.  Many churches have a Tenebrae service on Good Friday evening.  At those services there are readings and singing with a gradual extinguishing of candles symbolizing the coming darkness of the cross.

In the Tenebrae Wreath Service there is a wreath made of thorns, like the crown of thorns that Jesus wore at his crucifixion.  And there are candles around it, black candles symbolizing the nails that were used to crucify Jesus.  There are 6 black candles for the 6 Sundays of Lent but there could also be 3 more, to include Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday and Good Friday.  In the case of the Tenebrae wreath all the candles are lit at the beginning of Lent and one candle is extinguished each week, or at each Lenten service, symbolizing the increasing darkness as we come closer to Good Friday and the cross.  At each service one less candle is lit in the beginning of the service so, at the last service only one candle would be lit and there would be none lit at the end of the Tenebrae Wreath service that day.  The candle extinguishing is accompanied by Lenten readings like an advent wreath service would have.

The candles and crown of thorns are arranged on either purple cloth, a traditional Lenten color, or burlap, a sign of sorrow for sin and repentance.   Another choice would be a combination of purple cloth and burlap.  Palms may be added to the arrangement on Palm Sunday.

FELLOWSHIP DINNER 

This month’s fellowship dinner will be held Wednesday March 6  at 6:30 pm in the fellowship hall.  Everyone is welcome, even if you don’t have time to make something to bring. There is always plenty of food!


DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

Daylight Savings Time starts Sunday March 10
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Don’t forget to turn your clock AHEAD one hour before you go to sleep on Saturday March 9
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EASTER LILY SPONSORS

A sign-up sheet is circulating around the sanctuary on Sunday mornings for people to sign-up to sponsor Easter Lilies to decorate our sanctuary on Easter Sunday March 31.  The lilies will be $8.00 and you can sponsor a lily in memory of someone who has passed away or in honor of someone who is still living.

SPRING CLEAN UP AT CHURCH

On Saturday March 16 the Trustees are sponsoring a Spring Clean Up at the church starting at 9 am. This will be a time to clean up the grounds outside the church and spruce up the inside in preparation for our Easter guests.  Many hands make light the work!

FELLOWSHIP BIBLE STUDY GATHERING

Those interested in a time of sharing, praying, and fellowshipping together are welcome to gather at the home of Henry Procopio on Wednesday March 20  at 6:30 pm.  This is a monthly gathering but anyone is welcome to come whenever they can come. The group is studying the Gospel of Luke.  You can start at any time.  Snacks are provided.

COMMUNION 

We will celebrate Holy Communion on Sunday, March 10th.

   
FILM NIGHT AT THE CHURCH

On March 28th 6:30pm, Holy Thursday evening, we will show Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ in the church sanctuary.  Please note that this film contains an extremely graphic portrayal of the whipping and crucifixion of Jesus that causes the film to be rated R.  Parents of young children are cautioned that this portrayal is not appropriate for them.  Still, it is a powerful film that will move you greatly.

CHURCH CLEANING SCHEDULE

For March 3     Kenny & Trish
For March10    Bev & Tim
For March 17   Jennifer Lee
For March 24   Brenda & Tony
For March 31     Kristy Wehmeyer

WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY

Did you know that the state of Tennessee has made a Will for you, if you have none?  Their laws may not leave your property to the people you wish.  They definitely will not leave anything to your church or any other charity.  Draw up a Will this month and don’t forget your church in your estate planning.  

MARCH SERMON SERIES

Series--Patience, Persistence and Peace of Mind

March 3—  Harry Burger Preaching
March 10—How to Deal with Disappointment
March 17—The Five Keys to Peace of Mind
March 24—Seeing the Positive in My Problems
March 31—Easter Sunday Message

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

Sunday March 24th is Palm Sunday and we will have a palm procession at the beginning of our worship service.

Holy Thursday, March 28th, we will show the film Passion of the Christ in our sanctuary at 6:30 pm.

Good Friday, March 29th, there will be a Good Friday Service at Greenville UMC at 6:30 pm.

On Easter Sunday, March 31st, our youth will provide a special Easter Breakfast and program at 8 am.  Followed by Sunday School at 9:30 and our regular worship service at 10:30.

NAIL POLISH

If you have any nail polish that you no longer like or use [even partially used bottles] you are invited to bring them to church and give them to Peg Billman to go to Brazil.  Shores of Grace Ministries will use nail polish to paint the nails of the girls on the streets as an act of love.
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CHOIR

The Forest Grove choir will practice March 6  immediately following Fellowship Dinner. And then again March 13th to prepare for special Easter music.


INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Anyone called to intercede for each other, our church, our country, our nation, our world is welcome to come once a month. We share needs and then intercede to Father for them. Praying out loud is optional. There’s power in corporate prayer! In March we will meet Wednesday March 27th at 6:30 in the sanctuary.


JOELTON HOPE CENTER –NEIGHBORS HELPING 
NEIGHBORS

The Hope Center is located 212 Gifford Place, next door to the Laundromat.  There are now over 170 client families being helped by our center.  This does not include homeless persons and persons just passing through who are in need. A barrel is in the entryway of the church to receive donations of non-perishable food items, and good used clothing and shoes for the Joelton Hope Center.  [You can also take them directly to the Hope Center.]
 In the two years the Hope Center has been open they have helped nearly 700 people in our area! 550 food boxes have been given out, which is an average of 42 boxes a month. At this time, the Goodlettsville Help Center will no longer help people from Joelton or Whites Creek so they will now all be coming to the Joelton Hope Center. The new Hope Center hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10-4 and 10-2 Saturday.  The Hope Center Board set a goal of being open 6 days a week, so additional volunteers are needed any day Monday-Saturday.   Call the Hope Center at 876-1778 if you can help.

The Hope Center has expanded to occupy the space of two stores so they can offer classes to the community and accept some furniture.  


NEW ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

This DVD series is by Andy Stanley, a pastor, communicator, author and the founder of North Point Ministries in Alpharetta, GA.

Imagine how different your outlook on life would be if you had absolute confidence that God was with you. Imagine how differently you would respond to difficulties, temptations, and even good things if you knew with certainty that God was in all of it and was planning to leverage it for good. In other words, imagine what it would be like to have PERFECT faith. We will begin this DVD study on March 10  at 9:30 am in the sanctuary. There are six sessions:
1. Big Faith
2. Practical Teaching
3. Providential Relationships
4. Private Disciplines
5. Personal Ministry
6. Pivotal Circumstances

This resource will equip anyone who watches it to be a more mature follower of Jesus Christ. Who doesn’t need that!?! We hope you’ll join us!

FOREST GROVE PRAYER CHAIN

Forest Grove has a prayer chain that is called when emergency needs arise during the week needing prayer right away.  To start the prayer chain all you need to do is call Janice Baxter with your prayer request—876-0489.

EASTER IS ABOUT LOVE 

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
John 3:16-18 (The Message)

 God so LOVED you! God so LOVES you! Yes, God loves 

YOU!

CELEBRATE EASTER LOVE – Aleluia! What a Savior!!