Daily book quote;
"More from the Pastor's Desk"

Secondly, I find that - like a potter, God works in us to form us, mold us, and make us into the vessel He created us to be. In my book “Jars of Clay” I wrote about this subject. Some of us are created to be beautiful vases and some of us are created to be jars, and some are created to just be plain old POTS! However we must remember that there are many different kinds of pots, and each has a unique purpose. The story is of course found in Jeremiah 18 - God sends Jeremiah to the potter’s house to learn a lesson as he tells him “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so you are in my hand” God is at work within us to mold us and make us to will and to act according to His good purpose; not ours! While a crystal vase may be beautiful, it can’t strain spaghetti! My point is this; we can only be useful to God if we allow Him to work in us to become what He intended for us to be.

Daily book quote;
"More From the Pastor's Desk"

    Being an electrician, it is easy for me to draw on the analogy of a “light” in the physical sense. One thing I know is that a light needs some source of power. And, if not connected to the right source, the light may be very dim, or not work at all. We, as Christians, have the greatest and most powerful source available to us to make our spiritual light shine like the “stars in the universe”…However, some Christians try to make their light shine by attempting to generate power by some other means…maybe works, or talents, or knowledge, but the key words here are “trying to make” their light shine. We ought to stop trying to make our light shine, and start “allowing” God’s light to shine through us. We are called to reflect God’s light, not try to create our own.

    Paul tells us in our text for today, that it is “God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” the problem is that we don’t always “allow” Him to do so. As I read and re-read this scripture, I asked myself the question - “How does God work in me?” Does the Bible give us some idea of how God works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose? And of course, the answer is yes. So I would like to give you a few of the things I found.

    The first has to do with empowerment; it is found in Ephesians 3:16-20 and it may be very familiar to you; “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with POWER through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have POWER together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and how long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His POWER that is at work within us…to Him be the glory!” Three times he mentions “power” so first of all, God works in us to “empower” us.

Daily book quote;

Many assume the abundant life depends on circumstances, or fate or luck, or their bank account, or their status in life, or their health, and, no doubt these things are highly valued in our lives; but wealth, power, status, worldly pleasure, and even health issues have nothing to do with living the abundant life Jesus came to give.

    As we learn to see what life is all about, we will begin to see all around us many people who are successfully living this "life to the full" inspite of circumstances. These people quietly go about their lives filled with meaning and hope, happiness, satisfaction and vitality, and peace of mind. They enjoy quality friendships, have good, loving, family relationships, and a strong faith in God. Their life becomes an adventure worth living. They do not allow trivial or non-essential matters to control their thoughts and their life! Life is too short to waste time complaining, or arguing, or worrying about such things.

    Don’t expect the abundant life to come easy. There are going to be giants in the way, and obstacles of some sort, but God desires for us to have the abundant life that Jesus came to give, and He will help us all along the way, if we let him.

    The abundant life is much like that small gate and narrow road that Jesus told us about in Matthew 7:13. The reason why so few will find it is because it takes more EFFORT to find it.

    “I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY”. A few years from now, Lord willing, you are going to be a few years older. Either you will be a few years older and enjoying the abundant life, or you will be a few years older and still not get it!