On the Journey Together

 

What do you do when you are frantic because of a problem which seems to be totally overwhelming? Most of us call someone. We reach out to another person, not because we necessarily think they can solve the problem, but rather we just need someone to hear what we are going through. That alone seems to help. The same is true when we are in a strange place and have lost our way. Even though the person with us is as clueless as we are on how to find the way, still, just having someone there makes it all less scary. 

It's a pretty obvious truth – we human beings need each other. Maybe we need to say that more often today as we are living in a culture which gives the impression that technology has taken the place of human contact; that we can have the best of both worlds, companionship without the messiness of people. Fortunately, we are realizing, it just doesn’t work, especially when life starts to break down. 

The apostle Peter wrote a letter to a group of Christians some 2000 years ago telling his readers pretty much the same thing: “You need each other!” Times were tough. Persecution for following Christ was increasing. The only way those early believers would make it through was to stick together. It’s no different today. A believer doesn’t have to experience persecution for their faith to go through times of questioning, confusion, or suffering. The journey through life can seem agonizingly slow and difficult. We need to be on the journey together. 

If you’ve always wondered about the practical importance of committing yourself to a group of other Christians, join us for one of our weekend services. Your journey just might change for the better – to your surprise. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

Lighthouse

 

For the sailor fighting for his life during a deadly storm at sea, there is no more welcome sight than the glimmering rays of a lighthouse off in the distance. Though the light seems to be only a flicker compared to the immensity of the darkness, it is enough to guide the sailor to safety. 

There are times in life that we feel we are engulfed in a storm of problems and challenges which threaten our very existence. We can’t make sense of anything and as a result become paralyzed by all the uncertainty and doubt created by our ever-changing situation. But for the Christian, there is the Lighthouse – Jesus Christ. No, he does not usually swoop in and resolve our suffering with a wave of a hand. Instead, he gives us the understanding and the guidance we need to day by day, step by step journey through the storms of life. 

The apostle Peter wrote to some believers about 2000 years ago who were going through times of painful persecution. With the strong, soothing words of a grandfather he points these suffering people to the only One who can keep them on the path to their final destination. Peter does not promise easy solutions. But he does assure his readers of the ultimate victory which is awaiting them. 

Whether or not you are in the middle of a life storm at the moment, the day will come when you will feel like the frantic sailor lost at sea. You will ask the questions, “Why is this happening to me? What should I do? How is this all going to turn out?” It will be at that moment you will need Jesus to be your lighthouse to safety. Join us for one of our weekend services. Now is the time to get ready for the storm. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

Courage for the Journey

Some have described human life as a journey. There is a lot to be said for that illustration. Our life journey takes us to many places and through a wide range of experiences, some good, some we would like to forget. There are times when it seems all is well and we’re right with the world. Even when difficulties cast a shadow on our happiness, we still manage to keep singing in the rain. But there are other periods which at times seem endless in which we feel like weary pilgrims, traveling through this world of problems. We’re told that getting old is not for the faint hearted. The truth is, just living takes courage. 

If ever there was a proactive, take charge, get it done guy, it was a man named Peter who was one of the original disciples of Jesus Christ. He was a bulldozer guy who sometimes was very constructive and at others, tragically destructive. At the end of his life, he wrote a letter to Christians in churches located in modern day Turkey. In this short missive he shows how the years had matured him. It’s a positive, upbeat message, but immensely realistic and practical. In short, he says, “You have to be ready for tough times.” But he doesn’t leave his readers in that abyss of the negative. He goes on to describe the courage we have in Jesus Christ as we face the hurricanes of life. 

For the next two months we’re going to be studying Peter’s letter. If you are a person who goes to church and too often leaves asking, “So what?”, wondering what you heard has to do with your day-to-day life, make the commitment to study what Peter has to teach us. It may be the courage you will need to finish your journey well. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

The Reason to Get Up in the Morning

People living two hundred years ago could not even imagine how we are living today. And if they could have seen into the future for a glimpse of our way of life, they would have certainly thought, “I would be happy all the time if I could live like that!” Ironically, just the opposite has happened. In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Professor Liah Greenfield suggests that the United States and Europe are heading for a mental health crisis of proportions never seen before in history. The reason? Oddly enough, she suggests it is our prosperity and freedom of choice. 

“By definition, functional mental illness is illness of unknown biological origins. The constant, systematic increase in its rates of incidence since the 1840s is proof that its origins are not biological. Yet, against all logic, mental-health research focuses exclusively on biology and doesn’t cast a wider explanatory net. The evidence points to a historical and cultural explanation of the increase in incidence rates. Specifically, it suggests that functional mental illness is a characteristic disease of prosperous and secure liberal democracies.” ^{“The West’s Struggle for Mental Health”, Liah Greenfeld, The Wall Street Journal –  May 31, 2022}

 Human beings have always thought that having more material possessions and choices to determine our path to personal happiness is the goal of living. Many have arrived at that point and found the opposite. Instead of thriving, thousands are wondering why they should even get up in the morning. They have realized that the purely material world in the here and now only leads to a “been there, done that” life. We need to be challenged to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. But when we live as though we are the center of the universe, that becomes impossible.

Fifty days after the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, something happened to offer any and every person on the planet the opportunity to step out of themselves and be a part of a movement bigger than human life itself. Christians call that day Pentecost. Without going into detail, it is enough to say that the events which took place constitute God’s most extensive and inclusive invitation to join him in what he is doing in this world. It is an invitation to exactly the opposite kind of life discussed above. It is challenging. It requires sacrifice. In fact, it demands a whole new way of looking at things. But it is eternal. It is good. And above all, it is of God. 

Join us for one of our weekend services. The Pentecost invitation might shake up your life in more ways than one. But one thing you can count on, you will always have reason to get up in the morning. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am