Pastor Doug's May 2016 Newsletter

"Help me forgive"

When rage and fury overwhelm my heart,

It's time to look to God's own Holy Word.

I search the Bible for His good advice,

My will to His commands must be deferred.

In Romans, God reveals His love for me.

In all things, God works only for my good.

He gives me blessings I cannot understand. 

I'd be peaceful if I'd only do the things I should.

Jesus forgave so much: Why can't I?

I want to mold my life after His own.

I pray, I try, but my sinful nature wins. 

Lord help me, I cannot do this thing alone.

In Colossians, I read about the peace of Christ;

Oh how I long to feel it in my heart. 

All I have to do is to forgive,

But Lord, it seems I don't know where to begin.

I need to walk a mile in others' shoes;

They're doing what the think they have to do.

I know some problems are blessings in disguise,

But Lord, I feel so doggone blue.

Ephesians says; "Forgive as the Lord forgave you";

Get rid of anger and every form of malice."

I'd love to just let go and release it all,

But my heart is a wound that's become a callus. 

I'll keep praying, Lord, no matter what;

I'm determined to let go, and relinquish blame.

Some day I'll say, and be truly sincere; 

"I forgive it all, in Jesus' precious name."

(Romans 8:28, Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:31)

By Joanna Fuchs

Pastor Doug's April 2016 Newsletter

Should Ever Love Be Lost

In a world where little matters

In a place where lives get lost

There is something to believe in

For it comes to you, no cost

In this world where little matters

Where to get ahead, you kneel

There's a common bond between us

With a kiss, no need to seal

In this world, there seems a purpose

For never can we know

Where lasting love will find us

Or when that love may go

Is here, a place to bring your heart

Forgetting not the cost

Is here, I wait to share your pain

Should ever love be lost

Psalms 26: 1-2

God Looks At Your Heart

Henry Blackaby tells a story of a very self-righteous man who prayed; "Lord, there;s something wrong. I read the Bible, pray regularly, attend church faithfully, and always give to charity, yet I don't have much. My brother doesn't do any of these things, yet he's got tons of money. How come you've given him so much, and me so little?"

After a pause, a voice said; "Because you're a sanctimonious pain in the neck!"

The Bible says, "God looks at your heart's intent. He judges your motives. You can sit in church with a heart that is far from God." 

The Israelites did it. (See Isaiah 1: 10-17) 

You can help the needy, and still be greedy. Judas did. (John 12: 4-8) 

You can proclaim your love for Jesus, yet be influenced by the devil. Peter did. (Matthew 26: 31-35) 

You can make sacrifices, yet still be living in disobedience. King Saul Did. (1 Samuel 13: 7-14) 

You can pray with the wrong motives. Some folks in the New testament Church did. (James 4: 3) 

You can even be a Pastor who loved crowds, but has no tie for individuals."

Check your heart! The Good Shepherd left His 99 sheep to look for the one who was lost. Then He carried it home on His shoulders, rejoicing. "Motives are weighed by the Lord." God sees your heart. Everything you do must be motivated by love for Him, and for others. So look beyond your actions to what lies beyond them. Ask God hiow He sees. 

Pastor Doug's March 2016 Newsletter

"It Was a Man Sized Cross"

A visitor to a Church conference ground observed, with admiration, the large bronze Cross erected on the hilltop. Coming more closely to it, on impulse, he stood with his back to the Cross, and stretched out his arms along the cross-beams. 

A shudder surged through him as he suddenly realized, "This Cross if big enough for me!"

Too often we see the Cross as a bit if jewelry, or on an altar. Seldom do we realize that it fits us; it is man sized, and woman sized. It is too big for us, in that we can scarcely comprehend the tremendous sacrifice of Christ upon it.

In another sense, the Cross is like the "yoke" of which Jesus spoke. If we take it up with loving loyalty and obedience, it is "well fitted". It will not crush us, for He will give us the strength to carry it. 

The Cross is big enough for all of our pain, our anguish, our grief, and yes, for our hopes, our dreams, and our joys too, so that we can jubilantly sing "In the Cross of Christ, I glory!"

Just a mere cross is not enough, This Cross is special because of He who was hung upon it, suffered, bled, and died there, and He who brings salvation as we, through Faith, receive Him. 

Three crosses stood on Calvary's hill. Only one, the central Cross on which Jesus hung, was the saving Cross. 

My material offering in the Easter Offering Plate can "pay" for nothing, but as a free will, loving gift, the outstretched arms of Everlasting Mercy will bless, heal, and restore. 

Pastor Doug's January 2016 Newsletter

The Bible:

"In the poorest of cottages are books: is one book, wherein for several thousands of years the spirit of man has found light, and nourishment, and an interpreting response to whatever is deepest in him."

Thomas Carlyle

"What is a home without the Bible?

'Tis a home where daily bread

For the Body is provided,

But the soul is never fed."

C.D. Meigs

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Psalm 119: 105

"The stars, that in their courses roll,

How much instruction given;

But Thy good Word informs my soul,

How I may climb to heaven."

Isaac Watts

"The Bible is a book of faith, and a book of doctrine, and a book of religion, of special relevation from God; but it is also a book which teaches man his own individual responsibility, his own dignity, and his equality with his fellow man."

Daniel Webster

How to read the scriptures

1) Set aside a little time, if you can, every morning and every evening for this purpose.

2) At each time, if you have leisure, read a chapter out of Old and one outt of the New Testament. (If you cannot do this, take a single chapter, or part of one)

3) Read it with a single eye, to know the whole will of God, and a fixed rresolution to do it.

4) Have a constant eye on the analogy of faith, the connection and harmony there is between those grand, fundamental doctrines; original sin, justification by faith, the new birrth, inward and outward holiness.

John Wesley

May God's blessing be upon you. See you next month.

Pastor Doug

Pastor Doug's December Newsletter

Discovery

"They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary, His mother."  Matthew 2: 10-11

How domestic! How ordinary! The magi follow a wonderful star until it stops over "the place where the child was", (Matthew 2:9) and what was that place? A house. That's all, just a house. The magi discover the Messiah, the Son of God, in an ordinary "house". They find Him in ordinary circumstances, with an ordinary looking mother, much as they might find any other child.

How often do we go looking for Jesus in places that are not ordinary; such as on top of a mountaintop of one kind or another? This can sometimes be good, but not if we forget that the most likely place to find Jesus Christ is in ordinary circumstances. We find Him in our homes, in our workplaces, and in gatherings of friends and relatives.

In other words, the holy is in the ordinary. That's one of the most basic meanings of the Christmas season, The Son of God entered human history in everyday circumstances, and that's still where we're more likely to find Him.

Lord Jesus, thank you for being present, always, in all of the ordinary times and places of my life. 

Pastor Doug's November Newsletter

The Touch of he Master's Hand.

T'was battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste so much time on the old violin
But he held it up with a smile."
"What am I biddin', good folks?" he cried.
"Who'll start the biddin' for me?"
"A dollar? A dollar? Then two! Only two?"
"Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"
"Three dollars once. Three dollars twice;
Going for three ....", But no,
From the back of the room, far back, a gray haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tighteing the loose strings
He played a melody oure abd sweet
As a caroling angel sings

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who will make it two?"
"Two thousand! And who will make it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice;"
"And going going, gone" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite ununderstand"
"What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply
"The touch of a Master's hand"

And many a man with a life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like a cheap violin.
A "mess of potage",  a glass of wine;
A game ... and he travels on.
He is "going" once, and "going" twice
He is "going" and almost "gone.
Buth the master comes in and the foolish crowd
Never can understand
The worth of a soul, and the change that is wrought.
By the touch of the Master's hand.

May God bless you and keep you, until next time.

Pastor Doug's October Newsletter

The Christian Alphabet:

A: Always I will praise You Lord. You bring true happiness.
B: Because You save my immortal soul, and promise me a place in Your kingdom.
C: Considering all of Your righteous ways, You alone are worthy of praise.
D: Deliver me, God, from sin and shame, for You alone are able.
E: Every day, from morning to night, I will prase Your Holy name.
F: Faithful are You to deliver all who call on You in Jesus' name.
G: Great are Your works of power in heaven and on earth.
H: Happiness is mine, You deliver me. Your promise I have claimed.
I: I will tell others of Your great love, and the redemption Jesus bought for me.
J: Just a broken and contrite heart is all You require of me.
K: Kindle within my heart a fire of love like the love Jesus has for the world.
L: Love and happiness fill me heart, Oh God. Thank You for delivering me.
M: May You always hear my prayers for the lost, for while I was lost, You heard prayers for me.
N: Never will I turn from your commands, as they have all become precious to me.
O: Open my heart to Your Holy Word. Let me hear what should be heard.
P: Prepare me, please Lord, whatever it takes, that I may, liek Jesus, serve others.
Q: Quiet my will, help me Lord, I pray. I want all things to go Your wat.
R: Reach out and touch others through me, Lord. Kee me sensitive every step of the way.
S: Send me Your Spirit. I want only to obey. Let me never do anything to lead others astrat.
T: Teach me in Your loving and faithful way. Instruct me in everything I say and do.
U: United in You, through the blood shed by Your Son, Jesus Christ, my risen Savior.
V: Vast are the gifs You have given me, though I am not worthy of even one.
W: Without fail, You keep Your promises, and one is that Jesus will return.
X: X-Ray my every thought, dear Lord, I want to think like Jesus.
Y: You alone are righteous, dear God, You alone can deliver.
Z: Zealous for Your righteousness am I, my dear Lord, my Savior, my God, my creator. You alone bring happiness to my soul, for You alone can deliver.

Have a great October! See you next month!