Posts with the tag “pastor-jim-cecy”

Acts 15 presents TWO fights in the early church--one corporately and one personally.Fight #1 is The Worthwhile Battle: Grace vs. Law (15:1-35). In one corner are the Legalists: "Faith in Christ is NOT...  Read More

In Acts 11 we are blessed by the evidences of true discipleship. This is where followers of Jesus are first called "Christians" (Greek: christianos = followers of Christ). What are the marks of a true...  Read More

Acts 9 is about the miracle of transformation from Saul of Tarsus to "Brother Paul".It takes us on his dramatic journey...•From breathing threats and murder to breathing prayer and praise.•From laying...  Read More

I especialy love the first three verses of Psalm 5. They present seven principles I often reflect on before my morning devotions. As we engage in these 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, I encourage all o...  Read More

Do you know what an agnostic, dyslexic, insomniac does? He stays up all night wondering if there really is a dog! Yes, it’s an old joke but there is a current sad reality to this.The doubting agnostic...  Read More

I  am reminded today of the many wonderful passages in the Bible showing how accessible our great God is: * God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). * . . . the nea...  Read More

Even if you are not a list person and like to be completely spontaneous (I can’t even imagine such a life!), I still think it is important for all of us to prayerfully and carefully outline and priori...  Read More

I recently read a touching eulogy as a friend spoke of the deceased as a man “on a mission to go from his best interpretation of what the Bible says to his best imitation of how Jesus lived.” Oh, how ...  Read More

In his Gospel, Luke records what happened when the people saw the power of God demonstrated before their eyes. Pastor Jon calls them “God-sightings” and “God-moments.” They can be amazing spiritual vi...  Read More

In Proverbs 16:4 we are reminded that the Lord has made “everything” for its own purpose. Might that also include each of us? Let’s rehearse a few of our purposes for being alive today: • “I am a Belo...  Read More

As I reflect on these verses my mind rushes to a special memory of a dear old friend, John Fischer, singing a song he wrote when we were both starting in the ministry. It is called the All Day Song. P...  Read More

Growing up I wanted to be a singer. The only problem: I didn’t sing well. In my last years of high school, I considered pursuing a career in law. In my first year of college I believed I was headed to...  Read More

“Man overboard! Man overboard! This is not a drill.” I was around twenty years old when I first heard these words, while serving on an attack aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War. Apparently, our s...  Read More

Pastor Jim shared a message from his heart at the beginning of the service on September 13....  Read More

Having substantial reason to be afraid of what surrounds us is not new. Perhaps it’s been a while since you read the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20-21. He wakes up one morning surrounded...  Read More

Do you remember what happened in Exodus 20:18-20? God has just given Moses the Ten Commandments. He then follows it up with thunder, lightning, sounds of trumpets, and a smoking mountain. It's quite a...  Read More

Daily our news reporters insist we have something more to worry about personally, locally, nationally and globally…physically, emotionally, financially, socially, and politically. It feels like an imp...  Read More

A while ago while I was reading a magazine on an airline, I noticed an add that said: “How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking, Flying and Other Phobia in Minutes.” The article went on to boast t...  Read More

It was William Barclay who said,  “Christianity should be characterized by an open hand, an open heart and an open door.” How unlike the American mentality, where our homes are our castles, impregnabl...  Read More

Awaken the DawnOver the years, I have had to discipline myself to become a morning person. Instead of a groggy (and, at times, grumpy) “Good Lord, it’s morning!” I now most often wake early to a more ...  Read More

We live in a world filled with the alarming need for security locks, security doors, security cameras, security lights and security dogs (Does our Dachshund/Chihuahua qualify?). I even put fake securi...  Read More

I did not grow up with any living grandmothers. So, to watch firsthand my wife explode with joy over serving our grandchildren is truly remarkable. A brief visit or a lengthy sleepover at Grammy and P...  Read More

Moses, the man of God, wrote these words to all of us earthlings. Even as an old man, he couldn’t be clearer. No matter how young or old we are today, we must all consider carefully his timeless messa...  Read More

We know that we do not need a building to worship our God. We can worship Him anywhere and anytime. Yet, there is something “lovely” about gathering with the people of God to worship together in one o...  Read More

In Psalm 73 Asaph the Psalmist is complaining about unbelievers and how they seem to have everything going for them, while his life seemed so full of difficulties. He admitted that his complaining had...  Read More

These incredible words from the apostle Paul have been powerfully used to give to us a heavenly perspective on the challenges of life this side of heaven. No matter what happens we can fix our eyes on...  Read More

Certainly applicable in this era of coronavirus, I am challenged by what Martin Luther wrote during the bubonic plague epidemic: "This I well know, that if it were Christ or his mother who were laid l...  Read More

Imagine being able to travel just sixty minutes into the future and watch ourselves. How might that affect our behavior here in the present? We have an all-knowing, everywhere-present God who knows ou...  Read More

Hearing His Voice in the Midst of NoiseIn recent days I have been encouraging people, young and old, to use these days of being “sheltered in place” to get a lot done. However, there is a downside. Fo...  Read More

Such were the painful words of the imprisoned apostle Paul, writing to his child in the faith, Timothy. Oh how they missed each other. I know the feeling! When I was a little boy my parents split up. ...  Read More

Somewhere around the year 125 A.D. a converted Athenian philosopher delivered to the Roman Emperor Hadrian a defense of the Christian faith which included the following description of his fellow Chris...  Read More

Since 9/11 we have been keen on saying to active members and veterans of our military as well as first responders (police, fire and emergency services): “Thank you for your service.” In this new crisi...  Read More

These are such unique days - as unique as any I’ve faced in over 45 years of ministry. But, our God, is not surprised. As your Pastor and your brother in Christ, I want to speak from my heart to a num...  Read More

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “P...  Read More

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to ...  Read More

31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken...  Read More

16 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgot...  Read More

1 Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; 3 and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail...  Read More

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest,...  Read More

12 So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him, 13 and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year....  Read More