PASTOR'S CORNER

Matthew 20:1-16 I want to ask you a question! Is God fai r?  Is He fair in His judgements?  Is He fair in His dealings with creation?  Is He fair when dealing with your sin?  Is He fair in who He saves?  Is He fair in your life struggles?  Is He fair at all?  These are legitimate questions that we need to answer! Is God fair?   Deep down inside, we all have moments like this…..thinking that God isn’t fair when it comes to your life, as it compares to the person beside you! This usually doesn’t start until we take our eyes off the prize and begin to look sideways at those around us. My neighbor, friend, co-worker, peer has a bigger house, nicer TV, Xbox, PS3, an IPhone, more toys, nicer clothes, better job, better education, more friends, more popular with the community, a better husband or wife, better children, happier life, they are more spiritual, serves more….and the list is endless. Let’s be serious! We all ...

Matt 18: 21-35 There are some things in life that are easy to ask for but hard to give…… A teenager asking for the keys to your car, Maybe it involves money? How about your daughters hand in marriage, honesty, love! There is also another word that for many people don’t like to give or ask for! It’s a simple word called “Forgiveness”.  This word “forgiveness” is used 143 times in the New Testament. In it’s legal term means “to release” a person from an obligation. In finance it gives the idea of “cancelling a debt”.  In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said these words…… “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matt 6:14-15.  This passage is pretty clear! There are some passages that are sometimes hard to understand. But this isn’t one of them. What Jesus is saying is what Jesus means. No...

Prov 16:2 If you talk to most unsaved people about Jesus and the gospel they will usually say something like this “I don’t need to be saved, I’m alright, what’s wrong with me?”  Or you can hear them say “I’m not afraid…..I’m an honest person, I don’t hurt anyone.”  By our human nature [depravity] we tend to think the problem is outside of us when in reality the problem is in us. We think that we’re ok, but such a pre-mature opinion of oneself is adolescent and smug at best. The person may be far from pure when the Lord weighs the motives. Albert Barnes said “We are blind to our own faults; we do not see ourselves as others see us.”  Remember the words of Jeremiah “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked...” Jer 17:9. You talk to most religious people they will say “I’m alright, we just fine” Ask a Mormon? Ask a Jehovah’s Witness? Ask a Jewish person? Ask a Muslim? Ask an Atheist? Ask an Agnostic? Ask an libertarian? The...

Prov 18:22 I want to talk to the men this morning; but ladies I want you to hear this as well, because it involves you too. God has given us an institution of divine grace! An institution that causes us to leave selfishness and pride at the door. It's the institution of marriage [holy matrimony]. See marriage is beautiful covenant union that God has blessed us with. Not only has He saved us from our sins through the finished work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He has also blessed with the gift of marriage as He gives us His daughters. So my question for you husbands is this! Have you thanked the Lord for your wife lately? Seriously, have you ever stopped and did that? Thank the Lord for your good wife, because He is the one who gave her to you. John Newton had these words to say when he wrote to his wife Polly “It is no wonder if so many years, so many endearments, so many obligations have produced such an uncommon effect, tha...

Prov 15:1 When you think of the word “hot tempered” what’s the first thing that comes to mind?  See the major problem with a hot tempered person is that they like a good fight and they will never back down! They will always insist upon having the last word in every  argument . And the sad reality is that it can be very dangerous for  them-self  and others. There is a poem that my dear wife brought to my attention….. It’s about a dog and a cat that don’t see eye to eye, and neither one of them is willing to back down! And the story is narrated by a Chinese plate after he was told by the Old Dutch clock on the wall. The Duel by Eugene Field The gingham dog and the calico cat Side by side on the table sat; 'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!) Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink! The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate Appeared to know as sure as fate There was going to be a terrible spat. (I wasn't there; I si...