God is Always at Work

God is always at work. It falls upon us to see Him working and then to join Him. It could be said that this is no easy task and so for the next weeks both during Sunday morning worship and our Bible study at 11am we are going to attempt to discern just what the Bible says with regards to how we can discern the will of God and hopefully experience Him in our lives. We will investigate 7 basic principles that were developed from the Scriptures by Henry Blackaby. Reading Blackaby’s book and hearing him speak had a transformative effect on my life. I grew in the depth of my relationship with Him. Sometimes God uses the writers of books to give a different perspective of His word, even to those who read the Word daily. Beginning February 2, 2025 at 11am we will study these 7 Biblical principles:

1. God is always at work around you.

2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.

3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit, through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the Church, to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways. This is the meat of the matter!

5. God’s invitation for you to work with Him ALWAYS leads to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.

6. You must make adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.

7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work (in you) and through you.

I would like to invite all of you to join us as we all seek to grow in our relationship with

God through Jesus. If you like you could buy the book Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. It doesn’t matter which edition. We can also begin by doing SOAP together. Reading Scripture at least 15 minutes a day. Observing what the Bible is saying. Applying the passage to our lives and Praying that God will speak to us through His word and then help us to apply it 24/7.

Special announcement: Beginning 2/7/25 on communion Sundays we will celebrate

birthdays and anniversaries during our fellowship time at 1030 am. Please join us as we

have some fun celebrating!

Brian

Seek and Ye Shall Find

It’s a NEW YEAR! We survived another trip around the sun! I hope we more than survived. I hope that each one of you THRIVED! If you didn’t perhaps a few changes could help us all experience growth in 2025.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to

harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

https://bible.com/bible/111/jer.29.12-13.NIV

These verses are filled with encouragement and HOPE. These promises were given to Israel during a dark time for them as a nation, a time of scattering. Previously, God has spoken to them to bloom wherever they’re planted, wherever they’re scattered. He promises to regather them from the nations, back to Jerusalem.

The verses apply to us as well, as we are God’s adopted children. Adopted into His Family by the sacrifice of Jesus our Messiah. We also can find that we are scattered or have drifted away from Jerusalem (church, faith , intimacy with God, etc.) simply by the

busyness and/or the circumstances of LIFE. God wants us to have an intimate relationship with HIM and so HE reminds us that He has plans for us. We matter to Him. He plans for us to prosper. He simply asks that we call on Him. In doing so we express our need for Him and acknowledge that He is the source of blessing in our lives. The Word of God states repeatedly that ANYONE WHO SEEKS HIM, WILL FIND HIM.

OK preacher, I’m in, but how do I do that? Try doing what I do. Set aside 15 minutes a day (or more if you like) and spend time with God.

SOAP.

During this time S- read Scripture. I’ll be presenting you with several reading plans as we move through the year. We can read together. O-Observe, as you read, what the Scripture is saying. A-Apply the Scripture to your life, not someone else’s life. Yes I know that they need it but not any more that you do! P- Pray that God will speak to you as you read the Scripture and Apply your Observations to your life.

Trust me when I say that this simple discipline will radically transform your life.

I’m Hoping that YOU find HIM,

Pastor Brian

Respond to God Joyfully

Prepare to Respond to God Joyfully! This issue of the Beacon arrives at the

very beginning of the Advent Christmas season. Advent means arrival (I’m

sure you knew that) and the season of Advent is a time dedicated to

remembering the arrival of Jesus in His Incarnation and to looking forward to

His, hopefully, soon return. Advent is radically Jesus centered. He came. He

served. He suffered. He redeemed. He resurrected. He’s coming again!

What is our role in this Advent season? How do we respond to this reminder

of the Good News of the Christ’s arrival? WE PREPARE. Most great events

require preparation. Our role in Advent is to prepare our hearts to joyfully

receive the arrival of Jesus. The busyness of this season can overwhelm us,

or creep in and rob our joy. Religious familiarity of the season can dull our

joy as well.

RESIST! I would like to suggest that we be purposeful, not passive.

Intentional, not accidental. Let’s prepare to respond to JESUS, joyfully, this

Advent season. Let’s raise our expectations and expect to encounter HIM in

His fullness. As we gather around our tables let’s make sure that those who

gather with us are reminded of “The Reason for the Season”. Prepare to

Respond to God Joyfully!

Pastor Brian