Pastor's Ponderings
Springtime? Don't you marvel at this time of year? It
seems as if the whole earth is waking up, and coming alive from a dreary,
lifeless winter. The brilliant colors of green, yellow, red, pink, and blue,
daily being painted over a landscape that a few weeks ago was a drab brown
and gray. The beautiful signs of new life alt around us overwhelm our senses
with the incredible hope of new life... of renewal. Springtime is a season
of RENEWAL! What a wonderful week of worship and spiritual awakening we
experienced during Holy Week. From the palm branch waving children leading
us in a celebration of worship as our Lord was lifted up in adoration on
Palm Sunday, to the soul-stirring Good Friday remembrance of Christ's sacrificial
death on the cross, to the joyous Resurrection Celebration on Easter Sunday,
the Spirit of God awakened our spirits anew to His awesome presence. Renewal
isn't a one time, emotionally uplifting experience that comes crashing down
around us once we reach the spiritual mountaintop. Think about it... after
a few weeks of new growth and brilliant color, the trees don't drop their
leaves, do they? The green grass doesn't suddenly wither and turn brown
in May, does it? Neither does the person who encounters the Living, Resurrected
Lord go back to living life the same as before. Now isn't the time to allow
the heart to grow dormant till the next high, holy season! Once the heart
and spirit have been touched by renewal, it is imperative that we continue
to seek the nurturing touch of God upon our lives. I want to encourage you
to join with me, and journey through this wonderful season of spiritual
awakening and renewal. Allow the Master Gardener to nurture your spirit
into a blossoming spiritual bouquet of peace, purpose, love, and commitment.
And finally, a word of encouragement to those who, for one reason or another,
missed out on God's Easter touch of renewal. Maybe you find yourself in
a season of spiritual hibernation that came about as a result of an overcrowded
work schedule, or illness, or disappointment. Now is the perfect time to
begin again! God has planted the seeds of spiritual renewal in your life.
and is waiting for you to allow Him to cultivate, and nurture those seeds
into a full-blown season of renewal for your life. If you haven't been able
to join us for a season or two... COME BACK and experience afresh God's
touch on your life!
Living In Renewed Hope,
Pastor Joel
LENTEN PREACHING SERIES
April 3: The Road to Jerusalem
"Count The Cost"
Luke 14:25-35
April 10:The Road to Jerusalem
"He Is Waiting"
Luke 15:11-32
April 17: The Road to Jerusalem
"The Stones Cry Out"
Luke 19:28-44
Come and join us each Sunday morning as we follow the Journey of Jesus from
the Gospel of Luke as He makes His way to Jerusalem and the most important
week of events in all of human history. Invite someone to join you on this
incredible journey... someone who is seeking a fresh touch of God's Spirit.