November 1, 2024

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Our Word of God comes from Psalm 27:14, and is titled, "Wait? Really?"...

 

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

 

One thing most people in this world are not very good at is waiting. We have to have everything, "RIGHT NOW", and when we don't get it we are very upset. But "RIGHT NOW" is not something that occurs very often when we deal with the Lord. And just think about it. Back at the time when King David wrote this Psalm, things didn't move near as fast as they do now, but still he found it necessary to use 8 words, out of a total of 14 words in this verse, to emphasize the necessity for everyone to wait for the Lord.

 

God is not like a fast-food franchise where you drive up to a speaker, tell Him what you want and then drive up to the window and pick it up. God lives in eternity, and He has already identified our needs and taken steps to provide what we need, not what we think we need. He will give us what we truly need, but that may take a little time for Him to arrange it. Yes, some things He can do with the snap of a finger. After all, He created this world in six days, a task that even Elon Musk must be impressed with, but when it comes down to the fragile human, not only does He have to fix our problem, He also has to teach us how not to get ourselves in that position again.

 

God is not someone to be rushed. Because God can answer yes or no, it may not be such a good idea to push Him for an immediate answer. We may not like the answer we get. This amazing group of Servants have been working with God for what will soon be two decades. Since our creation we have prayed for many people and for equally as many things, and God has answered both yes and no to our prayers. From behind this keyboard, I have seen us urgently pray for a widowed father of, I believe, three young children, who was told he had to have emergency surgery the next morning to remove 5 brain tumors. And in true God fashion, the next morning as he was being prepped for surgery they performed an MRI to identify exactly where they needed to go in, only to find the tumors were gone. Then again, I have witnessed a member of our group survive a deadly disease only to have her life lost because of a mistake a doctor made in her treatment for something else. I prayed last week for a Christian neighbor who after spending 3 weeks on a mission trip, took a week-long cruise and died after snorkeling. When we pray, we must always remember that God can answer yes or no, and He will always choose the answer that is best for those we are praying for. But the most important thing is that we pray, and WAIT on the Lord. Really!!!

 

Let us pray... Father, help us to realize that a big part of our faith in you, is knowing and accepting that your response to our prayers is, and always will be, the correct response for those we pray for. It definitely will not always be the answer we desire, but it will always be the right answer. We only know what we desire. You know what is needed. Give us the compassion to pray, the patience to wait and the knowledge to accept your answer. Because we too should only want what is best for those we lift up in prayer. We ask in Jesus' name... Amen...

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Pastor Elmer

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October 29, 2024

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Our Word of God comes from Ephesians 4:14, and is titled, "Deceitful Scheming"...

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Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

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​There is a reason why we need to study the bible.  Not all who speak of the Lord are doing so at the bequest of our Lord.  Many do so for their own gain or for their own glorification, not for the glorification of the Lord and not for the Lord's children.  Not only are they deceiving themselves, but they are also taking a chance of deceiving the person who has come to the church to seek the Lord God.  So not only do we have to be on guard for ourselves, but we must also be on guard for those who have yet to find the Lord.  Through the Apostle Paul, God tells us in Romans 16:17-18, I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.  They play a very dangerous game.

 

 

​I remembered when I was first asked to step in as District Chaplain for the West Missouri Optimist District.  Although I was honored to be asked, it was also a bit frightening.  Although the District Governor and present District Chaplain felt I was capable and the man for the job, it was also a bit frightening.  First off, God had not called me to do this.  I was being called by men.  Still, I accepted, and fortunately the next day later I received my calling.  Still, it was a bit frightening.  Not because I would be standing up in front of people to deliver a message, I was comfortable with doing that, but the reason why it was so frightening is because I realized the responsibility I was taking on.  As a Pastor, you are not only responsible for your own soul, you are also responsible for the souls you preach to.  Fortunately for me, God allowed me to fail on my first sermon.  Though He had provided me with the topic right out of the bible; "The Power of God", God allowed me to create the message.  The topic was God's, but the words were mine.  After that day, I allowed God to provide the message and I have done so ever since.  When we allow God to provide the message, we will never fail, but when we insert our own ideas about scripture, we are walking a treacherous line.  The bible is the inerrant word of God and when someone preaches something else, they are saying they know more than God and they are in danger of not only losing their own soul, but the souls of those who listen if they do not know the bible well enough to recognize a false prophet.   

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Every person out there, be you a Pastor or even a Sunday School Teacher, needs to ask God to give them the message.  For nobody knows scripture better than the one who guided those who wrote it.  When someone delivers a message that does not follow the bible, they're taking a chance of turning others away from God.  And if those souls are lost, I wouldn't want to be the one standing before God explaining why I delivered a message that didn't follow His word.  Unfortunately, there are several people out there, Pastors included, who think they can just go deliver a message that reflects their opinions on the church and the word of God without consequence.  They are wrong.  But just because they are wrong, those who listen and take what they say as gospel, are in danger of losing their very soul.  That is why it is so important that we know the bible.  We simply cannot afford to trust blindly the person who is delivering the message.  We must protect ourselves from false prophets and deceitful trappings...

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Let us pray...  Father, we give thanks for your word and ask you to watch over your servants.  We ask that you protect us and all others from false prophets who seek to teach false doctrine.  Help us to seek only the inerrant word of God, knowing that your word will never lead us astray.  In Jesus' name we pray...  Amen...

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​Pastor Elmer

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October 27, 2024

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Our Word of God comes from Romans 12:6-8, and is titled, "Gifts"...

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​We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then given encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

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I have spoken to you in the past about things that each of us are capable of doing that others cannot, while others are capable of doing things that we cannot.  That is exactly how God's gifts work.  Everything in life, under Heaven, must get accomplished.  In order to get these things accomplished, God distributes gifts/abilities to each of His children.  That is God doing all that is necessary to get us through life in this world and on to our reward that awaits us in Heaven.  The problem is, many people do not recognize the importance of their own gifts, while many others focus too much on, or envy the gifts given to someone else.  They either feel slighted or insignificant.

 

For someone like me, I find all of this so amazing.  I find it very easy to appreciate what each individual is capable of doing.  During my years of service in the military and in manufacturing, I came across many people with different levels of capabilities.  I have had people work for me who no matter the task we're going to accomplish it.  I have had others who were not capable of performing at that kind of level, but they gave me everything they could.  And I needed them all in order to accomplish the tasks our groups were assigned.  Every person, doing every activity, was gifted the ability to accomplish those tasks by their Father in Heaven.  Whether they be Christian or not, every person on this earth.

 

The reason I am cancer free today is because of a gift God gave to someone.  A gift that charged them up with a desire to not do everyday labor, but to do research, day in and day out, to find better treatments and cures for cancer and other diseases.  To be totally honest with you, such an idea never even crossed my mind when I was growing up.  Not that many years ago, a diagnosis of leukemia was a death sentence.  Lung cancer was a death sentence.  But because of the gifts given to those doing the research into these and so many other diseases, many, many people are living longer, productive lives.  Not that many years ago, people who lost limbs during the war or in accidents, were provided wooden limbs which they used to hobble around.  Today, there have been so many advancements in prosthetics that many people can't even tell if someone is wearing one.  God has blessed our lives with these gifted people!  But you know what?  God has blessed them by giving us the gifts to make what they do possible.  To put the food on their table at night, along with the fuel and vehicles they need to get there.  To provide them with the electricity, heat, water, chemicals and materials that make what they do possible.  All God's children, each and every one of us, are actually and truly working together to accomplish His will.  Just as you and I are using the gifts He has given us to lift people up in prayer.  Do you know how many people don't have a clue how to do that?  And do you fully understand just how important it is?  Just how important each and everyone in this universe is to all of us?  That is how amazing each of us are.  Appreciate that.  Appreciate one another...

 

Let us pray...  Father, we give thanks for the many gifts you have given us.  And more importantly, we give thanks to the many gifts you have given others that coincide with ours to make this an amazing world for your children to live in.  An amazing time for your children to live in.  Help us to truly understand just how blessed we are.  Blessed because people are using their gifts for the good of all mankind.  Blessed that we are capable of accomplishing so much.  Blessed that we have a Father who loves us so much that He would give up His only begotten Son to save us.  Help us to truly appreciate that, Father.  In Jesus' name we pray...  Amen...

 

Pastor Elmer

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