Hamburgers

Yesterday Chris and I cooked up a bunch of hamburgers for the Youth Groups at Lake Erie Metro Park. We had a ball with the teens!   At one point, I flipped a burger, the grease exploded, and a few drops painfully landed on my ankle.  It made me realize that we need to keep alert to attacks from Satan, the author of evil, who is always trying to steal our joy. -Pastor Mike

Follow

Do you sometimes listen more to your own doubts than you do to God's voice?  Do you ever compare your life to others in order to weigh who is more devoted to Christ?   Jesus replied to Peter, when Peter asked him a question about John, "What is that to you?  You must follow me." -John 21:22b  God has a plan for us all.  Listen and follow! -Pastor Mike

The Peru Song

I was listening to Lewis' song and felt the heart of God in it.

To draw near to God is to sense where God's heart is.

Listen to it and tell me what you hear or feel.  

T & T

Trust in the Holy Spirit and thankfulness for what Jesus has done for us are two attributes that we need to practice each day.  Trust allows God's peace to flow through us and thankfulness lifts us above our curcumstances.  "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation." - Psalm 95:1. -Pastor Mike

Gifts

In Psalm 21, David describes all that he has as gifts from God.  "Rich blessings, a crown of pure gold, long life, splendor, and many others" were all blessings that David used to give glory back to God.  How about you?  Do you take credit and proudfully proclaim all that you have and do?  Or do you say, "praise God", and give him the honor? -Pastor Mike

Thanks

We need to thank God daily for filling us with his Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit provides us freedom from sin and condemnation (Romans 8:1).  "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." -2 Corinthians 3:17.  I am thankful that I do not have the burden of trying to earn my own freedom from sin, because I would fail! -Pastor Mike

Not Guilty

The whole human race is on death row, justly condemed for repeatedly breaking God's law.  By turning from sin and accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, he has declared us not guilty, free from sin, and gives us the ability to do his will.  "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." -Romans 8:1.  Praise God, we are free! -Pastor Mike

Trust

The toughest thing for someone who has been deeply wounded is to put their trust in another.  We often worry that the person will let us down.  Jesus wants us to trust him.  "Therfore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 7:34.  Depend on Jesus. -Pastor Mike

Challenges

Every day we face new challenges.  We can accept them and solve them through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or we can ignore them and let them pile up until they smother us.  God will direct us if we ask him, just as he helped Joshua lead 2,000,000 people into Canaan.  "...I will never leave you or forsake you" -Joshua 1:5b. -Pastor Mike

Strength

Are you into body building?  No, me neither.  While I do keep in shape through running each day, I never was one to working on becoming massive.  God has always been my strength, ever since I turned my life over to him.  Dependence on God is where I shed my weaknesses.  "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13. - Pastor Mike