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

Let It Be

“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and

precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to

be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus

Christ.”

1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with

God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the

apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the

whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And

in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by

his Spirit.”

Ephesians 2:19-22 NIV

As you read these verses, you might notice that both Peter and Paul reference the

fact that you and I, as Christ followers, are part of something much bigger than

ourselves. We are living stones being joined together by Christ. We have been

brought together for a purpose. Part of that coming together involves worship and

Peter states clearly that as we worship, we are fulfilling the role of priests and he

introduces the idea of the priesthood of the believer. You and I don’t need someone

to present us to the Father or to pray for us so that our sins might be forgiven. In

Jesus we have gained access to God the Father and can boldly approach the Throne

of Grace. In realizing this we are exhorted to worship with thanksgiving and praise. I

received a note from my mother recently which said “Sometimes emotions take you

places you don’t want to go. Hesitate, Think, and Pray. Life and sorrow don’t

match.” She ended her note with Psalm 13:5-6 –

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation, I will sing to

the Lord, for He has been good to me.”

Paul and Peter also describe our community as a Spiritual house, a dwelling in which

God lives by His Spirit. This suggests to me that we, individually and collectively,

are a place of peace and sanctuary and can be a comfort to the troubled souls all

around us. What happens when you walk into the room? Are you an ambassador of

peace or drama? Yield to peace. Claim your inheritance. Embrace His in failing love.

LET IT BE

Pastor Brian