PASTOR'S CORNER

  1 Peter 1:3-5 When Paul was teaching some the heaviest doctrines in Scripture to the church in Rome, it would always cause him to suddenly praise God in doxology (Glorifying words). “ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Rom 11:33-36   When you faithfully study Holy Scripture, it automatically draws you closer in that relationship with God in active worship.  It causes your heart to overflow with joy, and hope; despite what you are presently enduring to look at who, and not the what.  Peter does the same thing here in this letter, as he sends his greeting to encourage the hearts of the preserving Christian.  Christians who are faced with many obstac...

  Romans 16:17-20 James Boice said, “Romans is not the longest book in the Bible, or even the New Testament, but it is long for a letter, and Paul has taken a long time ending it.”  And what seems a bit out of place, Paul has one last thing to say because he loves the people in Rome, and that he hopes to see them soon.  But until he returns he wanted to let the church know how important they are to him by alerting them of something destructive that can, and does harm the body of Christ.  Just as Paul warned the church in Philippi, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” Phil 1:15-17   At the height of the Reformation Martin Luther was challenging the corruption of the medieval church by a rediscovery of sound biblical...