“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28 (NIV84)
My mom died a few weeks ago. We didn’t expect it. It happened suddenly.
Without a doubt, death is never easy. Grieving the loss of a loved one is not something we look forward to. Neither would we describe such experiences as “good.” They are really hard. They hurt.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” —Revelation 3:20 (NIV84)
A few years ago, while on vacation in Maine, my wife and I went to a Bean Supper at a little church. We’d seen the sign on their lawn advertising “Bean Supper. All are welcome!” How could we pass that up? We arrived early, but soon realized we weren’t really welcome at all. Folks (who obviously knew one another) occupied every seat. No one acknowledged our presence or greeted us. Indeed, no one seemed to care. As a result, we left without eating a single bean. (I probably had to eat lobster … again!)
After that experience, we felt:
Unwelcomed and unwanted (awkward and out of place)
Unvalued and unaccepted (fell short of expectations or rules)
Unsatisfied (we were still hungry)
I know many people who feel unworthy after a bad church or religious encounter. Perhaps, that’s you?
Maybe you felt:
Unwelcomed and unwanted (awkward and out of place)
Unvalued and unaccepted (unable to meet expectations or rules)
Unsatisfied (still hungry for God)
If that’s you, I have good news for you. God has an invitation for you. He wants you to attend the most extravagant celebration ever imagined — the wedding feast of the Lamb. When you arrive, Jesus will eagerly meet, greet and seat you. Certainly, He will serve you as the guest of honor.
“Will you accept His invitation? Will you repent of your sins, humble yourself and come to Jesus?” You can then feast on His mercy, grace and forgiveness. Jesus is inviting you. However, you must come to the table. (Click here to find out more).
“Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.” — Deuteronomy 3:22
Most of us go through each day without giving a second thought to the reality of the spiritual dimension around us. However, the Bible frequently gives us glimpses of this unseen realm. Certainly, that should cause us to take notice.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
I recently gave a message called “Living for God”. As I prepared for it, I was reminded again of how critically important a proper understanding of our identity in Christ is. (Pastor Bryan recently wrote about our identity, also. Seems like God has something He wants us to be thinking about.)
Hi, Rock Church ~~ We had an amazing Easter celebration last weekend! All three services were full, there were 17 salvations, 20 baptisms and tons of new people! Celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus together was an incredible blessing.
I have a quick COVID update for you. As you may know, Governor Cox (and the Utah State Legislature) recently passed a bill that will eliminate any mask requirements in the state of Utah (as of April 10, 2021).
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” — 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
Can you believe it? Winter is over and spring is already upon us! It seems as if this time of year brings new and exciting opportunities for us to labor hard for Jesus (and for me to start preparing my garden).
With the goal of keeping you informed, we wanted to notify you that yesterday (March 25), we became aware of six people who have tested positive for COVID-19. They were in attendance at church on Saturday, March 20. At the time of that church service, these individuals were not showing any symptoms of infection. They all wore masks during the service, when they were unable to social distance.
Lately, I have had a real boost in my quiet times and it’s because I have been using S.O.A.P. Not the soap you use to wash with, however. It’s a Bible study plan — let me explain.
“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” — Luke 10:19-20 (NIV)
This past year has been extremely challenging for most of us. We’ve struggled with hard things and suffered in many ways. We’ve needed encouragement. I’d like to remind you that if you are a Christian, you do have that encouragement — a reason to rejoice. You are going to heaven. Furthermore, He wants us to reach out to others with the Gospel. Consequently, you’ll be glad to hear that over the past few weeks, several people have gotten saved through the ministry of our church!
During my devotional times this past week, I’ve thought a lot about the amazing love of God. I am amazed as I consider how much God actually loves me! It says in 2 Thessalonians 3:5, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” God gave me two thoughts regarding this verse. First, my heart can be directed. And second, it should be aimed toward the fact that God loves me. Seems simple, but somehow it was profound to me.
