Category: Study

Read Matthew 5:5

Jesus says, “blessed are the meek.” Some in society would translate this to weak, but that is not the case at all. What Jesus is speaking to here is humility. The powerful, the dominating in society, seek to establish their own kingdoms which will not last. Jesus tells us that those who are humble and respectful of others help to grow the Kingdom of God. These are the people who will inherit the earth, because what they create has a lasting impact.

As we explore the Bible’s teachings on humility this week, let us ponder those areas in our life where our pride has led us to building our own kingdoms rather than seeking to build Gods.

Let us pray that God will help us recognize those idols in our life and give them up to Him.

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Read Matthew 7:24-29

We’ve all watched the news and seen beach-front homes consumed by storms in a matter of hours. God uses this rather simple metaphor to ask us on what foundation we have built our lives. I’ve had the pleasure of walking with people through some of the most difficult times in their lives, cancer, divorce, disease, betrayal, job loss, and death of loved ones. I’ve watched how their secure foundation in Christ weathered even the most difficult storms. Faith doesn’t mean we will never have storms in our life, but faith does mean we’ll always have Jesus walking through those storms with us.

Whatever storm you may be facing, pray for God to walk you through it and know you will be stronger having faced the storm with Jesus by your side.

Brett Spalding, Pastor

                                       Luke 10:27

God’s desire for our lives can be fully explained in these two commands.  Some have even narrowed it to four words; Love God, Love People.  Zig Ziglar said: “You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough people get what they want in life.”  We were created by God for just this kind of life, for just this kind of relationship with God and our family, friends, and neighbors. 

Pray for the opportunity to serve others and in so doing, serve God.

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Read Psalm 27:4

God said that David was a man after God’s own heart.  When we look at David’s life we see someone very faithful but also broken by sin as well.  Despite failures in his life, David maintained a desire for God that is some would say is unmatched in the Bible.  David expressed his desire to see God’s beauty and to worship God every day.  Some even describe this as David’s obsession.  What a joy to be obsessed by God’s beauty! 

Pray today to be obsessed with the faithfulness to know and see God’s glory that David had.

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Thursday, March 12                                       John 3:16

“For God so loved the world…” How great is God’s love for us that He would sacrifice His Son for us?  I know how much I love my children and I can’t imagine the love it would take to ask my children to give their life for someone I love.  God loves us enough to do just that, and Jesus loves the Father and us enough to say yes and to make that sacrifice.  God loves us that much!  How beautiful is that and how beautiful does that make our God!

Pray today for the faith and courage to share with others the love God lavished on us.

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Read 1 John 1:1-4

John seems to be speaking for all the disciples here when he testifies to the source of all life which they have seen.  Take time if you have it to read the first fourteen verses of John’s Gospel as today’s scripture is like an echo of that passage.  All the disciples did when they were on the road was preach their story, what they had experienced and what Jesus taught them, during the three years they traveled together.  This letter, just like the Gospels, seeks to tell their story, the story of Jesus to us.  Jesus is the source of all life; without him we live in darkness and we would certainly die; with Jesus there is no darkness and we will never die. 

John said they wrote to make their joy complete.  Perhaps in sharing the gospel we too will find our joy complete!

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Read Mark 4:9-12

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  I mentioned earlier, my grandfather often said to me, “God gave you two ears and one mouth, use them in proportion.”  I guess that also goes along with Psalm 46:10; “Be still and know that I am God.”  God wants us to talk to him, but He also wants us to slow down and listen so He can talk to us as well.  This week we will focus on the Gospel, which is the Good News of Salvation found in Jesus Christ. 

Remember to take time to read scripture and meditate on it and allow God to speak to you.

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Read Romans 10:14-15

Are your feet beautiful?  That would be a very strange question if not asked in the context of today’s passage.  We are sent to preach the Good News of Jesus.  Why?  Because we believe in the promise of eternal life that He has made to us.  Jesus anointed us to do just that.  This calling is not just to pastors or elders, but every single person young and old and in between. This call is to all who know Jesus and have confessed their faith in Him.  Some say the future of the church is with the young.  The truth is, in God’s eyes we are all young.  The future of the church, the Kingdom of God is the truly the next person who confesses their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Read Matthew 28:18-20/Mark 16:15

Ever been in a locker room right before a game, the coach is giving the final instructions, the pep talk?  Normally the coach emphasizes one specific teaching point that’s been emphasized many times in practice.  The coach has equipped the players and now he must turn the game over the players.  He or she can’t play and they use this last minute to encourage the players before sending them out.  This is exactly what Jesus does in our passages today.  This is what I want you to do.  This is your number one assignment above all else!

Let us follow Jesus’ instruction.  Let us go and preach the good news and in so doing make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Brett Spalding, Pastor

Read Psalms 67

David reminds us in this Psalm that the harvest begins with the praise and worship of God.  Faithfulness by believers will result in all people experiencing God’s blessing and salvation.  When we worship and praise God, when we seek God’s blessing and praise Him joyfully, the land will yield its harvest.  

Want the church to yield a great harvest (want the church to grow?), then make worship a priority every Sunday!  David did, as did Jesus!  Pray for the strength and energy to worship God always, each and every day of our lives.

Brett Spalding, Pastor