August 9, 2011 by Worship Director.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. - Psalm 119:105

Sun scorched days were quite common in sizzling Texas.  Welcoming a cooler night, Amy Sanders headed home from work. Uncomfortable darkness seemed to be waiting to grasp Amy in every tree and bush.  Something seemed amiss and for the first time she sensed danger lurking within close proximity. Passing her nonsense off to watching too many scary movies, she scrambled for her keys. Unable to shake off her fear, she wished she could walk straight through her door to the safe comfort of her home. Remembering she had a battery operated light in her purse, the bright light calmed her fears as she entered her cozy home.

Heaven’s welcome mat is far away and many will have to trudge through life for some time before they reach it. Human nature makes us fear our future, provisions, death and the list goes on. Learning to trust God is certainly not embedded into our daily walk.

One of the benefits of being a child of God is much like having a light in the dark. His word provides the nourishment to our souls in our time of needs. When you spend time focusing solely on Him, fears, past hurts, anger and sorrow all dissipate leaving room for joy. This action is not by our power but by our willingness to seek God and let Him harvest comfort in our lives.

 by Ann Reilley

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August 5, 2011 by Worship Director.

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Mark 2:17

Julie Andrews captured attention when her beautiful voice echoed, “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.” Smiles gleamed with the grand finale of, “When I’m feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things and then I don’t feel so bad!” How about you? What are your favorite things? Is it a cool breeze after a gentle rain or the fresh smell of pine trees in the hills? Perhaps family visits on the porch, grandchildren giggling or spectacular sunsets? Human nature tends to keep us searching for ways to bring satisfaction to our emotions. When we’re hurt, we tend to put a band-aid on our wounded souls. Though we know band-aids merely cover, we never stop trying.

What’s the answer then? Our Creator, the great Physician, knows how to heal you personally. He loves you like no other.  He knows your needs and is willing to help you rise above. Why doesn’t He take the initiative? We must make ourselves go to the earthly doctors; likewise we must make ourselves go to God. A simple daily reading in the Bible is a good start. There are fascinating stories and far more fascinating works that the Lord will open your eyes to; soon you will see the healing begin. Everyone who has experienced this joy can tell you that it’s one trip to the doctor you won’t regret.

by Ann Reilley

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August 3, 2011 by Worship Director.

Headlights were introduced to drivers in the late 1880s and fueled by acetylene or oil. Acetylene was more popular because the flame was resistant to wind and rain. Though a certain necessity in darkness; oncoming headlights can deter your safe driving skills. Like a deer, our first instinct is to look into the lights. Our advancement in the auto industry has been remarkable in all aspects but one. We still have a time with the oncoming headlights.

Liken this to advancement with Christ. Are we conforming to his remarkable likeness as commanded? Are you in the drivers seat or are you being Spirit led? When we venture out on our own, our presentation of God’s love and promises can be like headlights in someone’s eyes. Granted that God’s word can penetrate for the good of all, we must be prayerfully careful on our approach. In order to run smoothly, we must be in tip top shape both spiritually and physically. Obedience in staying in tune to God’s word daily is easily done with a maintenance schedule.

You will be surprised how well your day will run if you start out reading and studying God’s word. However, looking to the true Light to benefit our life is definitely not instinctive. We tend to run instead. Saying no to the triple chocolate brownie on top of creamy vanilla ice cream, smothered in hot fudge topping is on the most difficult list. Saying yes to exercise instead is completely absurd for many. However, tuning our bodies in all aspects will makes us winners in the race of life. What’s your choice today?

 by Ann Reilley

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July 6, 2011 by Worship Director.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  - James 1:17

Treasure hunting in the insect world for the spectacular Sunset Moth, is well worth the time invested. From different angles, shifting positions, its movement displays an array of fascinating colors. However, the wings of a Sunset Moth don’t actually have any pigmentation. The colors are a refraction of light from micro-ribbon in the wings. When we take time to explore our world from the microscopic to astronomic, we begin to comprehend God’s extensive imagination.

In further thought, God didn’t leave us living in a world where we just sat in wonder and amazement of His completed works. He gave us the gift of imagination. Where would we have been if Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and many other great inventors chose to hold on to their gifts?

What are your gifts? Can you teach? Would your talent be the foundation in Christ that a young leader needs? Are you gifted in prayer? Are you the answer to the hope of those in need? How about encouragement? Are you the light in someone’s dark world? These are simple gifts, but important seeds. Will someone in the future refer to you as their seedling of success?

- Ann Reilley

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June 16, 2011 by Web Admin.

Psalm 51, tells us what to pray when we realize that we are sinners as we hear what the word of God says to us:

HAVE MERCY ON ME, OH GOD, ACCORDING TO YOUR UNFAILING LOVE,
ACCORDING TO YOUR GREAT COMPASSION,  BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS.
WASH AWAY ALL MY INIQUITY AND CLEANSE ME FROM MY SIN.

For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.  Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.  Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.  Cleanse me …and I will be CLEAN, wash me and I will be WHITER than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness. Let the bones you have crushed REJOICE.  Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

- By Annie Lopez (Berry)

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June 10, 2011 by Worship Director.

Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.  How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.  The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,  while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. - 1 Corinthians 12:14-26

It is a distinct pleasure when God opens the eyes to beautiful surroundings. The stillness of a lake, vibrant sunrises that take our breath away, single flowers blossoming from tangled weeds and many more treasured sights. On one such outing I watched a mother duck and her ten rebel ducklings. They had strong willed minds and scattered paths of their own. Mama duck flapped her wings and quacked incessant warnings. She ran around the boat rental building chasing a few while others busied themselves in every other direction. Frustrated, she flapped her wings at the water’s edge and boisterously called the young back into formation. Once afloat with order seemingly restored, one poke-a-long hopped about trying to catch up. Mama never looked back. Somehow she instinctively knew her baby would catch up.

Perhaps we could learn a few lessons from the duck. If our focus on Christ is lost, we begin to bicker about this and that. One could imagine the Spirit of God flapping about trying to bring us back to order. If we all follow one simple path of busying ourselves on God’s awesome ways, love for Him and one another, not only would harmony be restored, others would follow.

By Ann Reilley

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May 14, 2011 by Web Admin.

Isaiah 55:6-13

6-Seek the Lord while He may be found;call on Him while He is near.7-Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. 8- “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”, declares the Lord. 9-”As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher that your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. 10-As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11-”so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12-You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13-Instead of the thorn-bush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.  This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”

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February 16, 2011 by Web Admin.

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love, Therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you.  -Jeremiah 31:3

How wonderful to know that God loves us with an everlasting  and unconditional love. We love to hear Him and others say “I love you” but when was the last time we said, “I love you Lord” It is easy to get lost in the business of daily duties and forget to pause long enough to talk to God and tell Him how thankful we are for  all He daily blesses us with. His love remains the same even when we neglect to acknowledge Him as the “Giver of Life”, the “Great I Am”, and “Our Savior”. The month of February is usually thought of as the month of “Love”.  Let us remember the God love that sees us through the happy and not so happy times in our daily lives and let us share love and encouragement to all people we come in contact with.  Let us spread a little love around.

How long has it been since you said,” I love you” to the Lord? That’s too long.  Tell Him you love Him today.

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January 6, 2011 by Web Admin.

“The more obstacles you have, the more opportunities there are for God to do something.”
- Clarence W. Jones

 “Expect great things from God. And Attempt great things for God.”
- William Carey

“It’s amazing what can be accomplished if you don’t worry about who gets the credit.”
- Clarence W. Jones

“God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.”
- J. Hudson Taylor

“I have but one passion - it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ.”
- Count Zinzendorf

“A tiny group of believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story.”
- K.P. Yohannan

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December 23, 2010 by Web Admin.

Christmas is definitely a favorite holiday for many and without a doubt the best season of the year. The weather is usually a shade above normal and people everywhere are beginning to look over wish lists and travel to and fro trying to get that perfect gift for a loved one or a special friend. Other times we have a party to go to that suggests that we voluntarily bring a gift for the gift exchange game- whatever the case may be- we get pulled in to the gift giving phenomena. It is during this time of the year that we take notice of the newest and latest fashions or the most updated technology games and gadgets. We want our gift to be one that brings joy and is liked by and useful to the person receiving it.

Let us look closely on “God’s Indescribable Gift”.  Have you ever known of someone who does not like gifts- many of us may tell our family and friends- “please don’t go to any trouble getting a gift for me this year- I don’t need a thing- and when our family or our friends don’t give us a little something- and we receive nothing- we tend to feel left out. The spirit of giving and receiving is so strong during this time of year because God gave the best gift He had-His only son, Jesus and wants us to give Him our heart in return.

Gifts are special when given with a grateful and thankful heart and we should receive them in that way. It is understandable that we want to give gifts that meet the need of the receiver of that gift- God did just that- He knew we were in need of a Savior, a Counselor, a Redeemer, and a Prince of Peace-  He send us Jesus! Today,” Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” We  should want and have use for the special gift that God himself sent you and me years ago- That gift is what Christmas is all about. He gave us JESUS- That’s what this beautiful time of the year is all about.

What a relief and an un-stressful time this  would be if we all received this great and indescribable gift.  2Corinthians 9:15 says this “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! We are to take it, treasure it, and share it with others.  Jesus, Jesus, Jesus- there is something about that name. When we search the scriptures, the Word of God, we learn that not one of us can come close to giving a gift that is as valuable, or as meaningful and worth as much as the gift God gave us and it is free- Yes-FREE- you don’t have to charge it to your credit card, pay interest next year or two to three years later, pay cash, or put it on a lay-a-way plan. It is in fashion today- the Designer is above all others.  He created all others and blesses them all with such creativity but He is the Great Designer of all time and holds all rights. His name should be stamp not on a design label but in the heart of every human being.  It is most definitely way ahead of the latest technology trends.  The satellite signal vehicles are but a speck of sand in comparison to the technical power engine that the creator and owner of all technical rights in the world and in the Universe has under His control. There is no power that travels to us on earth that is not by His permission. There is no air sound wave that travels to earth that are not approved by Him. He must sit on His throne and smile at many of us all day long. I can picture God on His throne saying to himself –“you invented what? When? How? You have the rights to what?

We pat ourselves on the back and boast about this and that and all along it is God who blesses us with gifts and talents that are to be used for His glory and in turn His promise is to bless us.  If we only acknowledge Him and give Him thanks for all  He so abundantly shares with us daily. If we would learn to be grateful stewards with all He entrusts in our hands. Our lives would be free from so much worry and stress.

He loves us. He waits. He cares. He is so patient with us. Wow! At His word everything in this make-up world would cease to exist. It has in the past and will someday. Only He knows when. He waits patiently.

The gift is for the young and for the old person on your list. It is a gift out of this world and no one is left out- everyone can receive this gift. If someone decides to re-gift it-well your heart is happy and content because you have shared it with a giving heart knowing that all other gifts are no match. This is a gift that keeps on giving. Take it- it is yours – You’ll enjoy it for an eternity. Merry Christmas!

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