From The Pastor's Desk
I am the only one
-I Kings 19:10
Elijah felt alone and laid under a juniper tree wanting to die. His life had been threatened by Queen Jezebel.
Many times we feel like we are alone; like we are the only one to experience a certain thing. I have had several people even recently reveal this to me.
Elijah felt that he was the only one standing for God. Unknown to Elijah, was the fact that Obadiah had hidden a hundred prophets in a cave.
So what caused his depression? What was God's response and what should we know?
1. Isolation-I have probably spent more time alone than any two people I know. So I am a pretty good source to address the subject. I never set out to live like this. I wanted to marry a certain girl when I turned 18. Obviously, it didn't happen.
Three Dog Night said two are better one because one is the loneliest number.However, Solomon said it years before in Ecclesiastes. God said it wasn't good than man would be alone. So he made Eve.
There are pros and cons to most things, but the negatives outweigh the positives when being alone.
2. God's Response-God said he had 7,000 that had not bowed to Baal.
Simple as that, and then God gave him something to do. He was to anoint a new king and anoint his own successor in Elisha.
3. The silent listener to every conversation-This past week, I received a phone call from a friend. He wanted Biblical advice on marriage and wanted some personal observations. Unknown to me, his girlfriend was listening to every single word.
God hears everything we say and sees everything we do. I will leave you with that.
Unity Of The Lakes
Come join us for Sunday service at Unity of the Lakes, Warsaw on March 23, at 11am. Rev. Diana Kennedy will share her message on how God is calling us higher, and how we can incorporate spiritual teachings into every aspect of our life. Let’s leave no stone unturned this Lenten season, as we discover and grow together in spiritual community.
Diana is a Unity minister who found the teachings in 1991. She moved to the Kansas City area from North Florida in 2008 and decided to stay in the area after falling in love with the heartland.
Diana serves at Unity Worldwide Ministries, supporting fundraising efforts for Unity churches around the world. She also leads a transformative program for Unity Arts Ministry called FlowDancing: Bring Your Best Self to Life!
Diana enjoys writing, being in nature, hanging out with friends, and learning more about God!
Lincoln First Baptist Church
What a sight to wake up to this Sunday morning. It was a lovely white morning with the snow. Winter is still hanging around. Many were in Sunday school today. Many are having health issues. Lots of prayers are needed. Lisa celebrated a birthday. We are starting bell practice so we can have something ready by Easter. We haven't played for a long time. Many who played are not with us anymore.
Luke 8 :5 was the text for Pastor Jesse's sermon. The Parable of the Sower tells of the different kind of people who receive the word of God. Some forget it, some stay for awhile and some fall on good soil and flourish. Jesus said "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Hearing is important but you also need to listen to what is being said. You don't have to be a preacher to bring forth fruit. Cultivating faith helps. There were not only men who followed Jesus, there were also women. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and many other women who traveled with them. They supported them out of their own means. These women were from different walks of life. Mary was in authority over them.
These women were ministering to Jesus. Their common goal was to minister to Jesus and the disciples. They were serving their Lord and others. We're all here to lift each other up, praise people and build up people. Lift someone up this week.
SUNDAY SCHOOL IS AT 9:30 AND WORSHIP AT 10:30. PLEASE COME AND VISIT US AND SEE WHAT JESUS CAN DO FOR YOU.
Hopewell Baptist Church
In 1 Corinthians 3:10-23 Paul is talking about the church being like a building and the foundation is Jesus Christ. How you build on top of the foundation, matters. Even with the right foundation, building with the wrong materials and what difference it will make. How we do things as a church matters. There was disconnect, even with Jesus as the foundation. They argue over which leader to listen to instead of being firmly planted in Jesus. When Jesus returns, all things will be revealed. Jesus will illuminate all we’ve done. It takes both faith and works, to accomplish His work. If the heart is missing, even if the action is good, we have a problem. Even in the church, it may look good on the outside yet be crippled on the inside if they are not built on Jesus. Why are we doing the things we do. Some churches grow too fast and lose concern if those coming know Jesus.
The church is supposed to be rooted in Jesus, teaching and encouraging people. We treat church like it’s an entertainment experience. If we’re not rooted in the spirit, what’s the point? Paul says you should take church seriously. Paul is using the image of the church being the temple of God. Where two or more are gathered, that’s church, not a building, but the gathering together of believers, so take it seriously. We do church because of Jesus. We come here to gather with other believers, focused on Jesus. The church encourages us and helps correct our hearts. Some in the church in Corinth were more interested in the division than they were interested in Jesus. Why, because they are selfish. They make the church all about themselves. Sometimes we need a different perspective. Different people coming together, centered around Jesus Christ, is good. Who do we say that Jesus is!
Join us weekly for Sunday School at 10 a.m., Worship at 11 a.m., Children’s program and Bible study at 6 p.m., with Wednesday Bible Study and Children’s Program at 6 p.m.
Warsaw First Church Of The Nazarene
Good morning from First Church of the Nazarene! Author Richard Foster opens his book Celebration of Discipline by stating “Superficiality is the curse of our age”. Superficiality is defined by a “lack of thoroughness, depth of character, or serious thought”. Wow! You talk about cutting to the core but wait. Many children can’t read when they graduate from High School, people do not stay married for extremely selfish reasons, and the various media sources are constantly telling us what to think because people do not want to spend time finding out the truth. Maybe there is some truth in what he is saying. What is the answer to the problem?
Do you know that Lent is a special time for the global church of Christ? We are on a journey to discover how far we are living from the truth given in the holy text. We are called to reflect on the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan before he began his public ministry. Why? Jesus modeled many things for us in those 40 days so we could one day become one with the Father as He was, but we lack discipline. Not punishment, but habits with the sole purpose of revealing the truth to each as individuals and in a corporate body Jesus called His church. God knew we would need to be reminded over and over again about his commandments and ordinances, so He established holy days as reminders. The Father did not stop there for He sent a living message in His Son. Yes, Jesus talked the talk and walked the walk for those who would place their faith in Him.
Let us combine two main points by examining what Foster meant in his book and what Jesus modeled for us. Why? We need believers to move past a surface relationship with Jesus and go deeper and deeper in a faith filled walk—not entirely built on what we see but what the Spirit of God wants us to grasp—the truth (Hebrews 11:1). This is not just for the pastor or super saint in the church body for Jesus calls us all to have joy in freedom of His love as we shift away from slavery built on self-interest and fears.
Psalm 42:7 reads “Deep calls to deep…” Jesus is calling. When we receive the gift of salvation, we receive all of Jesus, and while we are being sanctified, we are learning to give all of ourselves to Jesus. Do you want the tossing waves of life to continually diminish the value God placed in you (Isaiah 57:20)? Who controls the winds and seas (Mark 4:36-41)? Jesus has so much to teach us after the gift of salvation and all we need to do is walk in His disciplines. Many you have read Matthew 7:13-14 ‘“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.’ Jesus would not have made such a statement unless He was planning on showing us the way, the truth and life necessary to enter the narrow gate. Join with other Christ followers by believing we are “led by the Spirit and motivate by love”.
Next week, I will share a few words on the discipline of Spiritual meditation; it’s value, misconceptions, and methods so we can go deeper.
Andy Lavender, Pastor
First Church of the Nazarene
(660) 641-2957 Join us on Facebook for Sunday Service @ Warsaw Church of the Nazarene
Warsaw Christian Church
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! -2 Corinthians 5:17
When we confess our faith in Jesus, something extraordinary happens. The old way of life is gone—-—dead. The new is here! The new birth makes us new persons. We are not only forgiven; we are also made new. The Holy Spirit, our constant companion, dwells in us, and our way of life changes radically. The changes may come incrementally. Slowly but surely, our behavior changes. We do not make ourselves into new persons. Once the Holy Spirit is within us, the changes begin. He makes the changes. We have a new desire to obey Jesus. We become aware of a new attitude. We want to be faithful, and we repent when we fall short.
Of course, we must actively cooperate with the Holy Spirit. We can resist His influence, but that only leads to misery. We must wake up each morning with an attitude that says, “Lord, I belong to You. I want You to guide me today.” He will do His part, but we must also do ours.
