Removing the Mask: From Pride to Freedom in Christ

It still amazes me how powerful conversations can be. Even within the church, some of the most meaningful moments come through conversations centered on Scripture and guided by the Holy Spirit—encouraging, sharpening, and strengthening one another.

Recently, during a gathering of men, we found ourselves talking about pride. As expected, Scripture quickly became part of the conversation:

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” Proverbs 16:18

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” 1 John 2:16

We shared openly about the challenges of removing pride from our lives and our desire to walk in the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ. As the conversation continued, I felt led to share a deeper perspective—one that has shaped my own understanding.

Pride, in many ways, is a mask.

It is something we put on to hide what is really going on inside of us. Beneath that mask, more often than not, is fear. Fear exposes our weakness, and rather than allowing that vulnerability to be seen, we attempt to cover it with pride. We try to appear strong, in control, or unaffected when, in reality, something deeper is stirring within.

Fear has been present since the very beginning of the biblical story. After believing the lie of the enemy, Adam hid from God in the garden. Fear separated him from the very One who created him.

Now, there is a healthy kind of fear—one that protects us. Just like fire can warm us when we are cold, it can also harm us if we get too close. But an unhealthy fear goes further. It keeps us from even lighting the fire in the first place. It restricts us, holds us back, and prevents us from stepping into what God has for us.

Our thoughts and emotions can function the same way.

If fear takes hold of my heart, then when someone comes to me seeking prayer, encouragement, or guidance, I will have little to offer. Fear limits what God desires to do through us. But Scripture gives us a powerful truth to stand on:

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:18-19

The fear that entered through deception and doubt is overcome by the perfect love of Jesus Christ. His willingness to go to the cross stands as the ultimate answer to our fear.
And yet Scripture also reminds us of a different kind of fear—a healthy, life-giving fear:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

“In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and his children will have refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:26-27

“By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.” Proverbs 16:6

This kind of fear does not push us away from God—it draws us closer. It produces confidence, refuge, and life.

I am reminded of my dad’s favorite hymn, which captures this truth so simply:

“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

Trust and obedience in Jesus Christ clothe us in His mercy and grace. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the mask of pride begins to fall away, revealing who God truly created us to be.

So let me ask you:  Are you walking in fear today?  Are you hesitant to share the love of God, to pray with someone, or to step out in faith?

You don’t have to stay there.

Ask for help. Ask for prayer. Bring that fear before the Lord. This journey doesn’t make us perfect, but it does allow us to continue being perfected until the day we see Jesus face to face.  Life will bring challenges, heartache, and moments of pain. But even in those moments, God is at work.  He is removing the mask of pride and reminding us of our need for Him, and as He clothes us with His presence, He replaces fear with peace, and uses our lives to point others to Him.

May God richly bless your journey as you seek Him in every aspect of your life.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan

Crucified Leadership

Leadership is a word that carries weight.

Recently, I was in a conversation that moved from Scripture to current events, and somewhere along the way someone asked me how I view leadership. I laughed and told them it was a loaded question. Especially when we’re talking about church leadership.

If I’m honest, I haven’t always viewed it the way I do now.

In my first few years of ministry, I followed the leadership model I had seen around me. It was what I knew. It was what had been demonstrated. Then one day, about two years into ministry, a pastor stopped by to talk with me. He was weary. Discouraged. Struggling.

He shared how the pressures and challenges of ministry were wearing him down and even shaking his faith. I remember thinking, If this is ministry, I want out now. Save me the trouble.

But I will never forget what he said next:  “Dan, I did not come here to tell you to leave the ministry. I am here to tell you that you need to find out who you are and then be that person no matter what.”

At the time, I thought that sounded simple enough. If I could just “be myself,” surely that would make leadership easier.

I was wrong.

That very evening, I read this verse:

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Something shifted in me that night.  God began to show me that leadership was not something I did. It was who I was — or more accurately, who Christ was in me.

Leadership could not be turned on for a few hours at church and turned off at home. It could not be compartmentalized. It had to begin with personal transformation. It had to flow into my marriage, my family, my work — every breath I take.

There was no separation. No compromise. No pretending.

At the time, it was just a concept. Over the years, it has become conviction.

So how do I approach church leadership now?

1. Leadership Is Serving
True leadership has taught me the joy of serving. Serving creates relationship, and relationship deepens growth. There is something beautiful about growing together — about seeing the fruit of shared labor.  And serving means giving freely, not expecting anything in return. The gift of God is free. When we give freely from the heart, God receives the glory and honor He deserves.

2. Leadership Is Resilience
Leadership has taught me not to be swayed by personal opinions, trends, or the desire to quit when disagreement comes.  It means not always needing to be right — but always standing firm on God’s Word.  It means standing for truth, even when it does not align with the worldview around us.

3. Leadership Is Forgiveness
Leadership has taught me the art of forgiveness — receiving it and giving it.
It means releasing offenses and refusing to let my mind, heart, or conscience harbor bitterness. Even when you are right, you let go and trust God to settle the matter.
It may not be resolved tomorrow. It may not be resolved next year. It may not even be resolved in this lifetime.  But God will settle it — in His timing and in the right way.

4. Leadership Is Loving Deeply
Perhaps most of all, leadership has taught me to love deeply.
And yes, loving deeply means that grief can be heavy. Loss can hurt. Relationships can wound.  But God restores strength and courage in the middle of grief so that we can continue to love long and love well. His grace points the way forward.


Leadership, for me, is not about position. It is not about influence. It is not about control.
It is about being crucified with Christ — and allowing Him to live through me.

My friend, as you seek God, our prayer is that you would discover who you truly are in Jesus Christ. When you find that, leadership — in your home, your workplace, your church — becomes an overflow of who He is in you.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan

Carrying the Vision

As we reach this time of year, especially with Valentine’s Day approaching, our thoughts often turn toward relationships. We think about love, commitment, and those we cherish most. While these reflections are not focused solely on marriage, my prayer is that they still bring value to every relationship God has entrusted to us.

At the beginning of each year, I intentionally read through the book of Proverbs. This year, I found myself lingering over a particular passage:

“Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.  
He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will be thrown down.
He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out.
He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will be thrown down.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.”
Proverbs 10:4–12

Recently, someone stopped by my house and commented on the various construction skills I’ve picked up over the years. They asked where I learned them, and my response was simple: experience is the best teacher. But I didn’t mean learning by trial and error alone.

Growing up on a farm, different tradesmen were often brought in to do work—and I was the “cheap labor.” That may not sound glamorous, but it gave me hands-on training at a young age in plumbing, electrical work, construction, welding, and more. Those early fundamentals grew into confidence, resilience, and a deep satisfaction in seeing something built the right way.

I share this not to boast, but to illustrate something deeper. Those natural experiences taught me two critical lessons. First, how to carry a vision. Sometimes problems demand immediate attention—a burst pipe can’t wait. Other times, the task requires long-term planning, patience, and order, like constructing a building. Second, I learned the importance of regularly assessing progress. Different situations require different responses, but all of them require diligence.

When I reflect on these verses in Proverbs, I see how clearly they apply to my own life. Without training, my life was a mess. Even with some effort, my success was limited. It wasn’t until I fully surrendered my life to Jesus Christ that everything changed. For the first time, I caught a vision of who God created me to be. I began to understand that the choices and responses I make today shape the outcome of tomorrow.

An outburst of anger may feel momentarily relieving, but its long-term damage is real—for me and for others. When I bring that “burst pipe” to God first, the outcome is entirely different. Peace replaces chaos. Confidence replaces fear. Healing, wisdom, and understanding begin to flow—just as Proverbs promises.

The most powerful truth in all of this is that I cannot take credit for the change. God alone deserves the glory. Our lives, marriages, churches, communities, and world are in desperate need of this kind of surrendered living.

May God bless each person who chooses to rely on Him in every situation.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan

A Well-Watered Garden for 2026

Welcome to 2026. Whether you are stepping into something new or continuing the goals God placed on your heart long ago, we pray blessing and encouragement over you, your family, and all those you touch. Here at New Life, current ministries will continue by the wonderful grace of God and the faithful commitment of people who serve together well. At the same time, we believe there are new things waiting to be discovered as we deepen our relationship with God and with one another.

As a pastor, I’m sometimes asked surprising questions. One that recently made me smile was, “How do you think up the things you preach and teach about?” My first response was simple: it comes from God. But as the conversation continued, I shared that preaching is never meant to just pass along information. God desires it to encourage all of us to grow in deeper dependence on Him.

There is a verse on our refrigerator that continually speaks to my heart:

“And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”
Isaiah 58:11

A well-watered garden—what a promise. Yet any farmer knows that water alone does not produce fruit. Growing up on a dairy farm taught me that a healthy crop requires prepared soil, good seed, fertilizer, and the removal of weeds. Jesus spoke about these very things when He taught about the condition of our hearts.

I like to gather all of this under what I call the vulnerability value. Simply put, it is the recognition that I can do nothing on my own. I am fully dependent on God. I cannot even guarantee my next breath. Scripture tells us that Adam and Eve were unaware of their nakedness until sin entered the picture—an indication that their focus was not on themselves, but on God. Their value and security were entirely found in Him.

Fast-forward to today. A 2025 survey reported that six out of seven people do not hold a biblical view of sin. While there isn’t space here to fully unpack that, Scripture teaches us that the Holy Spirit lovingly reveals areas in our lives that need repentance—not to condemn us, but to draw us closer to God and bring real transformation. True repentance replaces selfish desires and compromised beliefs with God’s absolute truth.

As we accept and live by God’s Word, our vulnerability value increases. We begin to see God’s worth, not our own, as central. The soil of our hearts becomes rich and ready. God’s truth takes root. The Holy Spirit nurtures it, and the rain of God’s mercy and grace brings growth. The result is a visible transformation—one that produces resilience, perseverance, and a desire to serve not for recognition, but out of love and compassion for others.

As Scripture reminds us:

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.”
Proverbs 11:30

May your life in 2026 be a well-watered garden—rooted in truth, nourished by grace, and overflowing with the fruit of God’s love.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan

The Unseen Revealed: When Our Hearts Speak Louder Than Our Words

There are moments when we watch someone react with frustration or anger and think, Nothing I could do would satisfy them. Over the years, I’ve noticed that many of our toughest reactions come from letting our emotions make decisions for us. Proverbs, in its practical wisdom, speaks directly to this.

Just the other week, I went to help someone fix a problem at their house. The moment I stepped into the garage, I could see—and hear—what the issue was. But before I could get a word out, a wave of anger, disappointment, and long-stored frustrations came pouring out. For ten solid minutes, I listened to stories of other technicians who failed them, family struggles, and burdens that had nothing to do with the small repair at hand.

In just a few quiet moments after the rant, the problem was fixed. No thank you, no acknowledgment of the emotional storm that had just passed. As I got back into my truck, one Scripture rose quickly to mind:

“As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.”
Proverbs 27:19

This wasn’t a moment of judgment—it was a moment of compassion. I know what it feels like when emotions get the best of me. And I was reminded of the truth Hebrews gives us: Jesus felt every emotion we feel—fully, deeply—yet without sin.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.  Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ”
Hebrews 4:15–16

So what do we do with our emotions? Do we deny them? Stuff them? Pretend they don’t matter?

Someone asked this in one of our grief groups. The answer is no. God designed our feelings with purpose. They can protect us, alert us to danger, and draw us toward safety. But more than that—they help us grow in compassion, first for ourselves, then for others. They bring discipline, joy, and meaning to our decisions.

But this only works the way God intended when Jesus is our guide. Paul encouraged the church in Colossae with these words:

“For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.”
Colossians 2:5

It’s okay to say, “I’m struggling today.” It’s okay to pause before you react. God is never surprised by what you feel—but He always has a better response than the one your emotions want to give.

When we leave the outcome to God, and respond from His purpose rather than our feelings, the situation no longer controls us. God does. And that builds a different kind of character—one shaped by love, not judgment; by peace, not resentment.

May this bless you today:
“The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.”
Proverbs 16:23

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan

The Source of Life: Finding Joy in the Journey

Where does your source of life come from?

I’m not talking about what sustains your body, but what sustains your soul. So much of my writing and conversation comes from a deep desire to be in relationship with God and with others. As a pastor, counselor, and certified mental health coach, I often see how vital it is to know what truly nourishes our spiritual and mental well-being.

The Bible gives us this wisdom:
“The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made both of them.” — Proverbs 20:12
“He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see?” — Psalm 94:9

These verses remind me that God is both the giver and sustainer of our ability to see and hear—not just physically, but spiritually.

I often say, “I don’t love you for what you do, but for who you are.” That truth challenges me personally in two ways.

First, my whole approach to life is centered around my relationship with God. Because of that, my view of the world can be complicated at times. I want to respond to every situation with a “God response”—through the lens of His grace and truth. I don’t always get it right, but I’m always learning to reflect Jesus more fully.

Second, I’ll admit—my age makes some of today’s modes of connection a challenge. (Yes, you can smile at that!) As a baby boomer, I’ll always prefer face-to-face conversation. While technology can connect us in seconds, it can never replace the sacredness of being present with one another.

Now, back to that proverb. I believe the writer wasn’t simply speaking of physical eyes and ears, but of our moral and spiritual center—the part of us that perceives and understands truth. The Apostle Paul told Timothy:
“For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” — 1 Timothy 4:8–9

Our “eyes” symbolize our source of life—the reason we were created. In Scripture, the eye is often seen as a fountain or spring, a channel through which we receive life and understanding from our Creator. To truly see, we must know the One who formed our vision.

Our “ears,” likewise, represent our ability to listen, learn, and discern how to respond to the world around us. Through our relationship with God, we begin to build healthy response systems in our mind, will, and emotions—reflecting the nature of the One who made us.

This is a lifelong journey of discovery, but it’s one best lived together. The joy of the journey comes through relationships—through time spent in one another’s presence.

We can’t truly get to know one another through social media, emails, or texts. And we can’t truly get to know God that way, either. Relationship takes presence.

That’s where the idea of margins comes in. We can’t simply add God or relationships to an already full life and expect them to flourish. If we treat connection as just another thing on the to-do list, we’ll miss the very thing our hearts long for most.

Change can be hard—but being still, being quiet, and simply being is how we rediscover who we are in Christ.

So, I encourage you:
Set margins in your life. Create space for God. Make time for others. Let your heart breathe again.

When we draw from our true source of life—Jesus Christ—we’ll find that the journey becomes one of joy, peace, and deep connection.

“We pray that you find your true source of life, and may your journey be filled with joy in all your relationships.”

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan

The Little Big Thing

Maybe you’ve found yourself in a conversation that turns into more of a complaining session—at home, at work, or in the community.  I recently did.  Recently, I was in a meeting at a building site, and the talk drifted toward how difficult the world feels these days.  I listened for a while, offering a few small comments, until it all grew a bit too negative.

To lighten the mood I said, “One thing I think we don’t talk enough about is the little big thing.”

That caught everyone’s attention.  Someone asked, “What does that mean?”

I explained, “Have you ever thought about how little time we each have on this earth compared to the thousands of years it’s been in existence? Or how small our individual footprint is within the vast world?”

People chuckled, but they also paused to think.  Then I shared a verse from my morning devotions:  “A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on.” — Proverbs 16:26

Many read this as a statement about physical hunger, but to me the spiritual meaning shines brighter.  I can complain all day about the condition of the world, but the truth is I have the ability—by God’s grace—to make a difference.

The problem isn’t noticing what’s broken; it’s failing to let our lives be used for change. Small moments can have a big impact when they’re done for Jesus.

I’m not much of a social-media person, but I believe simple, face-to-face kindness multiplies far more powerfully.
A smile in the grocery store.
A friendly greeting in the park.
Not everyone will respond, but that should never stop a follower of Christ from trying.

So what makes a little thing a big thing?
The love of God in you—expressed in a timely word or quiet deed—revealing His heart to someone else.

I choose to treat every day as an opportunity for God to work through me for purposes bigger than I may ever realize.  As our work crew wrapped up, someone remarked that we should have conversations like this more often.
I couldn’t agree more.

“The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.” — Numbers 6:24-26

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Dan

by Pastor Dan

Have you ever met someone at their lowest point or during their biggest struggle?  It might be a death of someone, illness, or other difficulty.  I recently met a person whose spouse had a heart attack and needed immediate surgery.  I asked if I could pray for them, and they agreed.  As I ended the prayer, I asked if they were going to be okay, and the response was, “Yes, now that I have received my strength back.”

The Psalmist wrote: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.”  Psalm 28:7  While this verse is prayed over my children and grandchildren often, I can’t help but ponder the emotional rollercoaster I see in individuals today.  Our world needs men and women who can learn what a resilient lifestyle looks like and lives like.  Resilience is simply a successful outcome of adaptation through a difficult experience and is fought in our emotional, mental, and physical arena.  These successes build character, give confidence and competence in and through that experience.  The power gained in coping through those experiences gives us a connection with others who suffer along with a contribution of encouragement to help others through it.  This often builds the sense of community in many small towns across the United States.  

In my life, I have seen incredible resiliency in two groups of people, and it is my prayer that these examples will encourage you as well.  The first group of people is my own family:  my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. I often tell stories of things that I have seen and heard of their life experiences, and I witnessed firsthand the results of their resiliency.  Things like spouses dying in childbirth and at young ages, stillborn babies, drowning, illness, and disease.  What helped to build resiliency in them through all of this?  

The second group of people are those who I have read about in the Bible.  I will pick just two for this article because they are examples of the two common themes of resiliency that I have found help me too.  The first is Joseph.  He was ridiculed and made fun of as a young boy by his brothers and then sold into slavery.  I do not have the space in this article to name everything that happened to Joseph in his life, but each success and failure helped to strengthen his resolve.  This resolve found a voice when he had the opportunity to get revenge on his brothers.  “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”  Genesis 45:5  Do you desire to live a resilient life? Then learn how to forgive yourself and others God’s way.  

The second person in the Bible is Daniel.  Despite all the things Daniel did for the kingdom where lived as a slave, still others hated him enough to put him in a den of lions to be killed.  After spending the night in the lion’s den, the king came to check on Daniel and found him alive and unharmed.  Daniel’s response to the king that morning was this: "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before God; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime." Daniel 6:22  I have seen, learned and put into practice the power of forgiveness by putting my faith and trust in God.

With these examples from the Bible like Joseph and Daniel, along with those that I have known personally, I want to pass on to you that even in a world of hurt and pain, with struggles and heartaches that seem to have no way to overcome, YOU can live a life of resiliency with faith in Jesus Christ through the power of His forgiveness.  Even if we have not yet met, you are already prayed for.  

May God bless you richly.
-Pastor Dan

But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” -- (Luke 2:10-11, NLT)

Learn It
Joy is the deep and abiding sense of happiness and contentment that comes from knowing and trusting in God. Joy is not dependent on our circumstances but is rooted in our relationship with Him. Joy gives us strength and sustains us through life's challenges.

Live It
We live out joy as we focus on God's goodness and faithfulness. Joy is not the absence of suffering; it is the presence of God. During this season especially, we remember that the angel brought “good news of great joy for all people.” (Luke 2:10). The practice of focusing on the goodness of God cultivates a heart of gratitude and celebration for the blessings we enjoy in this life. Engaging in activities with family and friends brings joy and surrounds you with love and encouragement. Because God is trustworthy and keeps every promise, let your joy be evident in all your words and actions.

Give It
We can share joy with others by spreading positivity and encouragement. Be a source of laughter and happiness to those around you. Share your testimony of God's goodness and inspire others to find joy in Him. Create joyful moments and memories with your loved ones.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the joy that comes from knowing You. Help us to find strength in Your joy and to share it with others. Overflow our hearts with Your joy. Let it spring forth from within our souls and flow to those around us; an inexpressible, unexplainable, and infectious joy that comes from You alone. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Weekly Readings:
John 15:11
1 Peter 1:8
Isaiah 55:12
Philippians 4:4
Psalm 5:11-12
Matthew 2:10

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. -- 1 John 4:7 (NKJV)

Learn It
Love is the selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional affection that God has for us and that we are called to have for others. It is the greatest commandment and the foundation of our faith. Love reflects God's character and His relationship with us.

Live It
We live out the love of God by putting others before ourselves and seeking their well-being. God’s love for us helps us to show kindness, compassion, and forgiveness in our daily interactions. We daily and intentionally strive to let our actions be motivated by love and to build meaningful and loving relationships with those around us.

Give It
We can share love with others by serving them and meeting their needs. Volunteer your time and resources to help those in need. Show love through acts of kindness and generosity. Be a source of encouragement and support to those around you.

Prayer:
Father, we thank You for Your unconditional love. Help us to love others as You have loved us. Overflow our hearts with Your love so that we pour it out into the world. Remind us daily that following You means loving others as You love us. Make us a blessing as we share the gift of Jesus Christ, Your greatest gift of love, to the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Weekly Readings:
John 13:34-35
John 16:27
1 John 4:10,16,19
Ephesians 2:4-7
Jeremiah 31:3
John 3:16

…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. -- Philippians 4:7 (NKJV)

Learn It
Peace is the tranquility and calmness that comes from trusting in God's sovereignty and His control over all circumstances. The word “peace” in Hebrew is “shalom,” which means completeness or well-being. Peace is not the absence of trouble or chaos but the presence of God in the midst of it. Peace guards our hearts and minds, keeping us centered on Christ.

Live It
To live out peace, we must surrender our anxieties and worries to God through prayer and thanksgiving. Living in peace involves practicing mindfulness and focusing on God's promises rather than the chaos around you. Peace is perfected in our lives as we cultivate a heart of gratitude and trust in God's perfect plan for our lives.

Give It
Share peace with others this week by being a calming presence in their lives. Offer a listening ear and a comforting word to those around you who are troubled. Pray for others and encourage them to trust in God's peace. Create an environment of peace in your home and community by embracing and lifting up the Prince of Peace!

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Help us to trust in You and to experience Your peace in every situation. Fill our hearts with Your peace and use us to bring Your peace to those around us. Though we live in a not-so-peaceful world, let peace rule our thoughts and tongue as we place our trust in You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Weekly Readings:
Isaiah 9:6-7
Philippians 4:4-9
James 3:16-18
John 16:33
Isaiah 26:3
Psalm 4:8

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -- Romans 15:13 (NKJV)

Learn It
Hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised, and the strength of hope is in His faithfulness. Hope is not mere wishful thinking but a firm, unshakable assurance in the promises of God. Hope anchors our soul and gives us stability and strength in times of uncertainty.

Live It
We live out our hope by trusting in God's promises and remaining steadfast in our faith, even when circumstances seem bleak. This means daily reminding ourselves of God's faithfulness and His plans for our future. We live out our hope by regularly engaging in prayer and meditating on Scripture to keep our hope alive and vibrant. We fill up on hope by consciously welcoming each day with a hope-filled heart!

Give It
Share hope with others this week by being a source of encouragement and support. Speak words of life and blessing to those around you. Ask God to provide an opportunity to share a testimony of God's faithfulness in your life with another. Take this week to help someone in need, showing them that there is hope even in difficult times.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the God of hope. Fill us with the hope of Christ as we trust in You. Help us to wait in great expectation of you Your light to shine in this world for all those who are living in darkness. Help us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to overflow with the hope that light will triumph over darkness, love will conquer evil, and Jesus will save those who come to Him in faith. Give us the courage to boldly share this hope with others. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Weekly Readings:
Romans 15:13
1 Peter 1:3
Ephesians 1:16-20
Acts 2:25-28
1 Timothy 4:10
Romans 8:23-25

by Pastor Dan

A few weeks ago, I was watching my grandson, and he says, “Grandpa, can we play hide and seek?”  “Of course we can,” I said.  He looked at me and said, “I will start counting.  You go hide.”  As I ran off across the yard to find a place to hide, I heard the start of his countdown.  I went around the building and found a place to hide, and suddenly a small breeze and full sun hit my face.  At that moment, I was thinking about the dark blue sky, the sunshine, a cool brisk fall day, and I felt a sense of peace.  While I was alone in those moments, I realized that I was not alone at all.  

Jesus often pulled away from the craziness of life to pray, and in those moments of solitude, he heard the voice of God.  He found peace, comfort, guidance, and wisdom.  My mind started spinning with all these wonderful thoughts and how they helped me even during trials, even amid struggles, and even in the busyness of life.  There really are moments of solitude where Jesus wants to have our attention.  I was so lost in the moment, I never heard the end of my grandson’s countdown or even the words “I am coming to find you, Grandpa.”  The next thing I knew, I heard the words, “Grandpa, I found you.”  Proverbs 8:17 popped into my mind:  "I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me will find me.”  I could see the excitement on my grandson’s face that he had found me.  His face reminded me of how it must make God smile and be excited that we seek Him.

Sometimes I think the church has missed the mark a bit.  We try to change our services.  We try all that we can so that we can be what is known as a seeker-sensitive church.  To me, the question is not whether a person or visitor that walks into the church is seeking God.  The greater question is:  Am I willing to seek out those who need God?  Am I a sensitive seeker?  Am I willing and prepared, asking God to challenge me to grow in the courage and confidence that only God can give to me?  I find that in times of solitude, I intentionally draw away from the people I love dearly so that I can hear from God because, ultimately, then God asks me to draw near to those that he places around me.  

So this article could really be, in some ways, for two different groups of people.  The first group of people would be those whom God has sought out and who have allowed Him to find them.  Maybe it was through experiences and tough challenges or just in everyday life.  For me, it was that God put a set of experiences in my life that brought me to the place of finding Him, and I realized that the Lord made those experiences happen so that I could find Him.  The other group of people that I would like to speak to in this article would be maybe those that have not found Him yet.  Do you know that He is looking for you?  Do you know that He is seeking you?  Do you know that the countdown has finished, and He is seeking to find you?  For both groups, what stands in front of us is courage and strength to seek relationships so that Christ can be shared in the world around us.

“Seek the Lord and His strength, Seek His face continually.” Psalm 105:4
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6

May God bless you.
-Pastor Dan

by Pastor Dan

If you have read some of these articles before, I am sure you have noticed that a lot of them come from real-life experiences. I recently had a conversation, and it turned into what I could describe as a life within a life.  You know, we meet and talk to people every day, and on the outside, they may look like they have it together, but it still amazes me the depth of pain and unforgiveness a person can carry inside and still function to some degree in the world.  I have great compassion for people in this situation, most likely because I was one of them.  Whether we like it or not, believe it or not, every person has a spirit being within them that is made by God.  Every person has a choice on how to nurture that part of their being - it is who they are.  When I decided to nurture the spirit part of me, it meant turning over control of that to the original maker of it, God.  "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

While there can be a lot of changes in a short period of time, this also is a lifelong process.  So if this sounds so simple, why does it seem there are people who say they are nurturing the spirit within them but still live in fear and struggle with unforgiveness?

Some might be reading this and say I am totally crazy.  Some might say, “Have more faith.”  Or some might even say, “I tried that, and it does not work.”  In my life, I have been at all three places.  I know that I cannot convince or demand people to think differently.  Any persuasion must come from the one who made you - God.  

There are some things that hold true across generations and times.  When I was 13 years old, I sat in a church pew and listened to my great-grandfather preach his last sermon at the age of 99.  There are many times since then that I wish I would have listened more carefully with less fidgetiness.  But one thing is certain through what he spoke.  I can know the one who created me, I can find purpose for my life, and find the joy of living.  “The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.” Proverbs 15:14  The mind of the intelligent is God, and if I seek Him, the result is learning to know Him.  Or how about this verse: “The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15  Wisdom can come from those that seek God.  And, finally, what about these verses:  “The Spirit” (meaning the Holy Spirit of God) “also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:26-28

I understand the struggle in this world is real.  I understand the challenge to know how to respond to the pain of this physical life, but I also know the joy in this life of seeking and knowing My creator God while living it.  The joy it brings even in the suffering, the peace I am learning even in not understanding it all, and the blessing I get to pass it on from this life cannot be fully expressed in words.  I am forever grateful to those individuals who took the time to help me learn these things so that I can live this life to the fullest and have the freedom to be myself – to be the very person God created me to be.  The greatest question I can ask is:  Have you or are you willing to start the journey?

May God bless you.
-Pastor Dan

by Pastor Dan

Here is a phrase to ponder:  “Wisdom is gained through the courage to love.”  This phrase has shown up in my journal many times throughout the years.  At one point in time, I even wrote up an outline for a book with this as the title, which I never took time to finish.  

It is interesting to have grown-up conversations with your grandchildren as they move into adulthood.  Recently in one of those conversations, I was talking about how it was 49 years ago when I had my first date with my now wife.  Back then, it had to be a double date that was required from her parents.  As I relayed this story to my grandchild, I snapped my fingers and said this is what the last 49 years have seemed like.  Even though it seemed to go by very quickly, if I would close my eyes and rest my thoughts for a moment, there would be many moments that I would ponder the blessing of this statement.  

James 1:5 says, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  So often, we want to teach, preach, or talk about the content of wisdom, but the content of the wisdom is not the most important part.  The most important thing to talk about when it comes to Godly wisdom is the context and the conduit of it.  Please note that James says that those who seek wisdom should ask of God.  In what context do you ask of God?  I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but in the context of asking God, there must be a relationship, and there must be a context in which that transfer of information is given.  The wisdom that we seek is beyond the wisdom of this world.  The wisdom of this world is limited, but the wisdom of God is unlimited.  To tap into that unlimited wisdom, I believe that there must be a context of relationship that is based on love, and the greater the love, the better understanding and revelation there is of wisdom.  In the context of a believer in Jesus Christ and their relationship with Jesus, we come to an understanding that we are imperfect especially in love, and God is perfect.

Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.”  The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3:14, “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

So if that is the case, then our gaining wisdom comes out of the depth of God’s love through our life experiences with Christ leading us.  In that context, we then gain wisdom through the love of Jesus Christ in our experiences in life that are less than perfect.  The Apostle Paul said it well when he said that he finds the power of Christ through his weaknesses.  While living in this context of a love relationship with Christ and realizing that wisdom is gained through it, we now begin to think, act, and speak differently.  We have now been given the most wonderful opportunity to be a conduit of this God-infused wisdom to others.  

Solomon realized his need for this as he became King.  He asked God for wisdom when he sensed his need for help in leading the people.  God granted him wisdom not because he simply asked for it but because Solomon was looking out for the best interests of others.  Even today, we have the blessing to read the wisdom God gave to Solomon by reading the Bible.  Just as important, we can speak and listen to God today in the context of relationship and gain insight and wisdom that will encourage others.

Do you have a desire to share the wisdom of God with others?  Then deal with your context and conduit, work on your relationship with Jesus Christ, and learn how to communicate and listen to him.  Then live out that relationship in front of others with grace and humility, looking out for the best interests of others even above yourself.  If you get the context and conduit correct, God will take care of the rest and make it impactful and useful for the encouragement of others.  

Blessings to you,
-Pastor Dan

by Pastor Dan

Many of these articles are written out of conversations or experiences in my life.  When we look at the recent experiences in our lives in the political landscape, we know that this is an ever-changing thing.  Maybe you have even had an experience in your life that has made you realize that life itself can be ever changing?  Many times when this happens, we can lose hope in something or wish things could be different.  For me, hope is something I need, and so my goal is to base my hope on something that I know does not change.  Now, I must admit that sometimes it is hard to focus on the unchanging when life is swirling around me so fast that I have trouble keeping up with it.  As I was sharing this with a group of people recently, the question posed to me was:  Where in the Bible can we find passages that refer to this?   Well, I am glad you asked!   I turned to Psalms 33.  We read it together, and I post it here for you to read:  “The king is not saved by a mighty army; a warrior is not delivered by great strength.  A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.  Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness, to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.  Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.  For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name.  Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in You. (Psalm 33:16-22)

As we were reading this, the word “fear” became the highlight of the conversation.  Fear -- not afraid, but in awe of or in reverence to.  I am not afraid of God but instead, through experiences in life, I have come to trust, to wait, to look beyond myself and even my circumstances.  To be honest with you, the times I do get caught up in my circumstances, I find myself asking the following question:  Is there anything in my life I am not properly seeing that is taking away from my awe and worship of God?  As we were sharing together, there were things we realized that we needed to find, once again, our awe and worship of God, who does not change.  We look deep inside and understand that there is a longing in the depths of our heart to seek the unchanging.  It will give us strength to deal with the things that do change in the world around us.  Secondly, this longing is fulfilled in Jesus Christ because we find peace in the middle of the chaos.  In the peace, we find wisdom and courage to face the chaos and uncertainty around us, which in turn gives us hope.  When our longing finds peace, we gain hope in the unchanging power of God.  That is when trust comes to the forefront, just as the Psalmist said, “because we trust in His Holy Name.”  

May we never forget that “some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7)  May God bless you.

Blessings,
Pastor Dan

by Pastor Dan

I have been around the car scene almost my whole life.  Truth be told, I have always enjoyed making something louder and making it go faster.  When you talk to others in the car scene, you will find a variety of interests.  Some like to restore to original, some like hot rods, and some like what is called a rat rod.  Cars can be restored or made to fit all kinds of budgets.  Why do I say this?  Well, I remember when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, God used restoration to communicate to me His plan for my life.  God knew the language He needed to get my attention and to help me understand my purpose.  

One of the first verses that God showed me came from Psalms 51:12-13:  “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.”  As I read and tried to understand these verses, it made me realize that God had done something amazing for me:  He restored me!  Now I can see that He restored me instantly, and then day by day continued His restoration, and I am looking forward to the final restoration when I pass from this life to the next and final one.  As I am being restored daily, I can only do that through the power of the Holy Spirit because Jesus sustains me and builds in me a willing spirit.  I know God gave me these two verses because God does not want me to just keep this to myself.  It was very clear to me that I was at a similar place that the Psalmist was in His life.  Now I have a sense of wonder and awe of the restoration God has given to me, and I want to share that with others.

What does this word restore mean anyway?  Well, in the Old Testament, it often means reverse of direction, to turn around.  The picture here is that we are moving towards a place of refreshment.  In the New Testament, it often means the removal of a weight, such as lifting an anchor so a boat can be moved; however, it also is described as happening in a specific moment and time.  I love this picture as it reminds me that my restoration happens as life happens.  The great joy to me is that Galatians 6:1-2 gives further explanation of how to live out Psalms 51:13 that I mentioned earlier.  “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.  Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”  This says in the same way God is restoring me, I am to offer this restoration through Jesus Christ to others, with the same patience and grace to which I was and am being given.  Unlike our limitations that we have to build or restore something here on this earth, God spared nothing and gave all to express His love for you, and He desires to restore His relationship with you.

My hope and prayer is that you will find this restoration available to you no matter where you are today.  If you have already received this great gift in which God paid all for you, join the Psalmist, Apostle Paul in Galatians, and myself in sharing in the restoration of others for the joy of the Lord.  May God bless you.

Blessings,
Pastor Dan

by Pastor Dan

It still is of great interest to me where thoughts and ideas come from.  Recently shared in a group conversation about grief and loss, I made a comment about how finding a way to heal from a loss took me on a journey of finding my worth or value.  In Matthew 13:46, Jesus talks about a man finding a pearl and then selling all he has to go and buy it.  My mind flashes back to when I was a young and angry man.  Back then, the thoughts of my value or worth had become diminished to a point that I was no longer any value to anyone.  When I found the pearl Jesus was talking about, which was Jesus Himself, my value instantly changed.  Now, it took quite a while for my thoughts and attitudes about myself to change.  In the Bible, this is called transformation, which comes from the Greek word metamorphosis.  This process has some things attached to it that I find very interesting.

Hope is the beginning part of this – hope not just that things will get better or that the pain will go away but that there is a deeper purpose in it.  It may be that you can help another person through the same or similar challenge.  It may be that you find strength and a resilient spirit which you did not see in yourself before this.  Maybe you realize that you need a better support group around you to live life in peace or with greater joy.  

I love Psalms 3:3.  It says, “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.”  Hope also can give you wisdom and insight into life that you did not have before.  Proverbs 4:8 speaks of this when it talks about the wisdom and knowledge that comes from knowing Jesus Christ:  "Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.”  The Apostle Paul shared these words when talking about the worth he found in wisdom and knowing Jesus Christ:  “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”  (Philippians 3:7-8a)  Even in the suffering and loss, Job was trying to make sense of the pain life had caused him.  He grappled with whether he wanted to live or die but said something very important:  "Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.”  (Job 28:12)  Job did not mean that he had to die to find this hope.  He meant that those things in this world that he once had did not bring him hope; hope could only be found in Jesus Christ.  

So we can say we need to find hope to work through our pain and loss in life, but what does that really mean or what does that look like?  This is often a lifelong process.  There are two words I want to share with people as often as I can:  worth and beauty.   Webster’s Dictionary says that worth is “the value of something measured by its qualities or by the esteem in which it is held.”  We do not have the time or space in this article to fully express this value, but there are two things here for us in hope and healing.  One is the quality of your life.  God placed such a high quality on your life that Jesus left heaven and came to earth and gave up His life for the pearl (you and me).  The second part of this value is what God thinks of you.  When this becomes a reality in our hearts and minds, not only do we begin to understand our worth to God but also the worth of others - an attitude we need more of in this world.  

The second word is beauty.  Beauty is the reflection of the worth that is in us from this hope.  Beauty is the bounty or fruit that is produced when we find our worth through Jesus Christ.  Many of us enjoy fruits and vegetables and other foods that plants and trees produce.  They give us energy to live and love life.  That is a natural example of a spiritual produce that happens through hope in finding your value or worth.  Your loss or pain can, through hope, produce value and worth to reflect and encourage another.  That is life’s greatest opportunity.  
I close with these words given to Timothy from the Apostle Paul:  “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.  It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.  For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”  (1 Timothy 4:7-10)

Blessings,
Pastor Dan

by Pastor Dan

It is interesting the conversations that arise in everyday life.  Twice in different conversations over the last two weeks, I was asked the same question.  The question was:  How do I know what God’s will is for my life?  Both times, my initial response was that you can’t.  Part of that response comes from my years in pastoring when people want to either know what to do or want to be told what to do.  Neither one is what a Pastor is there for.  Pastors are there to help your journey of discovery in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  

But I am not writing this article on that subject, so back to the question at hand.  This is the first verse that comes to my mind:  “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2  Joni Eareckson Tada, writing about her life in “An Unforgettable Story” says this: “Only God is capable of telling us what our rights and needs are.  You have to surrender that right to Him.”  While I cannot predict what is going to happen tomorrow, I can prepare my heart today for the proper response tomorrow.  

Here at New Life, we do a short weekly video called “Wednesday’s Word of Encouragement” to help us grow in our grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Some of this article comes from the video that we posted on April 24th where I shared three things about God’s will in your life, but I will share a fourth with you in this article.

If you would have told me 10 years ago what I would be doing today, I would have thought it crazy, but I also realize that over the last 10 years, God has been preparing me for today.  We read in Psalms 139:  “Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my anxious thoughts, and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” So how do we answer the question:  How do I know what God’s will is for my life?

First, in order to find the answer to that question, you need to know the person who gave you the question to ask.  God longs for a one-on-one conversation with you moment by moment in your life.  When I got married 45 years ago, I set out on a journey to discover who my wife really was.  While I am still learning that today, that journey has a large part to do with conversation.  Some are general and everyday logistics while others are humorous or romantic in nature.  Some are questions to understand her better.  All are important.  Just like a marriage, you can get to know God better by reading the Bible and by having conversations with Him, for example, through prayer.  Just remember that prayer isn’t always you unloading all your problems to God.  You also have to listen to what He’s saying to you as well.

Second is serving.  You need to start somewhere.  Do something, even if there are things you don’t like to do or you think don’t fit you.  Find ways to serve others in their time of need or simply help others.  Now, be careful you don’t do these things for your own healing or to pat yourself on the back or be noticed.  You do them to have a greater understanding of how God wants to develop you as a person in His likeness and image.

Third is to surround yourself with people who can help you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ.  I have had a life coach for years that has helped me a lot.  Some people came into my life for a season of life, and some came into my life for defining and refining a certain part of me.  Some I did not invite - God sent them.  Some I went to myself with the purpose of asking them to help me.

And the fourth thing is that this is something you, as an individual, must pursue.  While living out the first three areas that I have written, you will begin to realize your need to seek what God has for you in your life.  As you do this, you can hone in on something that God has gifted you to do, and it will bring joy, peace, and contentment in your life, and the result is it will be a blessing to others.

If you need help or encouragement in this area, we here at New Life of Currituck are here to help you answer this question through discovery.  We leave you with one final quote from Joni Eareckson Tada:  “Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God's strength in you.”

Blessings,
Pastor Dan
 

by Pastor Dan

A few weeks ago, I received a call from someone who was struggling with something in their life.  After listening to the issue they were dealing with, I said, “Would you please ask me a question and I will see if I can answer it.”  Their question was a common one:  “What would you do if you were in my situation?”  I answered it with this statement:  “I would counsel myself.”
It is interesting to me sometimes how people look at the world around them and how they see themselves in that picture.  For me, sometimes I know that I must counsel myself every day.  Here is what the Bible has written in the Psalms: “How long, O Lord?  Will You forget me forever?  How long will You hide Your face from me?  How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day?  How long will my enemy be exalted over me?  Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.  But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13
The Psalmist, while struggling with life, discovers that the words he tells himself in the midst of his struggle do not help or encourage him at all.  He then goes to God and waits for an answer to his situation.  There are three words that he uses to counsel his soul and to be encouraged.  They are trust, rejoice, and sing.  
The battle that I often find myself in is the battle between who I am as a person in Jesus Christ and who I was before I became a Christian.  Because of this, the battle between my soul and my spirit is alive and well even today.  Even in the morning when I get up, I have to encourage or “counsel” myself to take on the day no matter what comes my way.  I began to share with this person how important these three things are in the counseling of myself with Jesus Christ, my counselor.
Counselor is one of the names that the prophet Isaiah in the Bible gave to Jesus.  In fact, he even used “Wonderful Counselor” as the name for Jesus.  “Wonderful” is an amazing word that means that a marvelous thing has been done that is beyond our own understanding.  Miracle is the word that is often used in this same context. 
So here are the three ways we can counsel ourselves as we receive counsel by Jesus, who is our Wonderful Counselor.  Trust in God’s love towards us.  Whether we know it or not, we need the help Jesus gives in every aspect of our lives.  When we go through difficulties and sense that we do not have the mental or even physical strength to make it through them, we can always trust on the lovingkindness of God.  Our trust in Jesus says that even though we don’t understand, He does.  Not only does He understand but He also knows what is best for us.  If we do not understand and allow Jesus to guide our thoughts, actions, and responses, then and only then can we have peace through the situation…and we can also have peace with the results of it.  Look at the results that come from that trust by what the psalmist says:  “My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”  The very situation that brings you pain, disappointment, or challenges now, through the peace of Jesus, can bring happiness in your heart.  Read what the psalmist says in Psalms 27:14:  “Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”
Finally, look at what happens when we trust Jesus and let him fill our heart with peace.  We now see how Jesus has blessed us even through a difficult and challenging part of life.  Even as the Apostle Paul in the New Testament neared the end of his life and reflected on the numerus times he experienced this process in his life, he said this: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”  2 Timothy 4:7-8
So today, are you going through something challenging in your life?  Join with me in learning to trust Jesus, rejoice in all things, and sense the power of God’s love.  May God bless you richly.

Blessings,
Pastor Dan

It is interesting to have stories in your mind that bring up memories in your life.  I have heard stories of the generations of my family before me and have studied them.  When looking at the past, there is what I call a nostalgic struggle.  To some, there is a look back with fond memories and maybe even a hint of longing to return to such a memorable time in their life.  To others, a look back is filled with fear and anxiety because of the hurt or trauma that occurred either to them or around them.  The younger person listening to them has no idea what is happening inside the head of the person who is remembering the past because they are living in the present.  The younger person can begin to understand by asking questions and learning from the past. 
I was recently told that in the last 65 years of my life, I have seen more changes than in the previous 65 years of the generation that preceded me.  That is interesting to me because I have heard stories from my great grandfather of what it was like growing up in the late 1800s.  He passed away at the age of 97, when I was 13 years old.  Now, even in my lifetime, I could tell you many stories of houses and commercial buildings that have swallowed up farmland and destroyed family businesses that fed their community for the sake of progress and money.  Now, this is not a complaint session; it is simply a realization that generations tend to see things differently based on their life and experiences.  
The same thing happened in the book of Ezra.  They had lost their temple, the place they gather to worship because of God correcting them and desiring to restore them to a relationship with Him.  A king during that time of suffering and pain decided to let Israel rebuild the temple to gather once again to give glory to God and to encourage one another.  Although they came up against some opposition while building the temple, they did not give up.  When the actual foundation was finished, those of the younger generation wanted to celebrate that stage of the work completed.  Here is an excerpt from that celebration:
“They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.’  And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.  Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.”  Ezra 3:11-13
Did you see the nostalgic struggle come to life in this story of the foundation being built?  There is something very graceful and dynamic about bringing the past and the present together.  I am not talking about an event; I am talking about a relationship.  When Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sin, He also died for everyone else’s sin, putting everyone at the same place to make a choice to receive this free gift of eternal life.  Jesus built the foundation for which we can build our life on.  As my family grows, I want my children and grandchildren and beyond to share in this building of a life with gratitude and joy which provides wonderful memories of life, love, and joy even during struggles and trials.  
So now it’s me bringing stories of the past, my children bringing stories of the now so that my grandchildren will make stories in the future, and they all point to the same foundation.  Jesus can redeem your hurtful past -- he did mine -- so no matter whether the shouts are from the tears shed in the past or the joys that are in the present, they sound the same because of the relationship with Jesus Christ and others.  You can start your journey today.

Blessings,
Pastor Dan

Sometimes I get upset about the times that I am living in and the things going on in the world around me that I don’t take time to stop and think of what God's plan and purpose is for my life.  So often, we forget that individuals that we read about in the Bible had to come to terms with God's purpose, which was greater than the actual times they were living in.  In fact, it is the times we are living in that should inspire our soul to search to make a difference.  However, the difference we might be inspired to make needs to have a God-view of things, not a world-view of things.  This requires the mind and heart to ponder and discern the things that are on God’s heart.
Noah saw a vision to build a boat without ever seeing rain.  Daniel and Esther had visions of changing the world around them by being involved with the reigning government officials.  The Apostle Paul had a vision to communicate the wonderful new birth of the church everywhere he went.  Abraham left his family and started a whole new life to remove himself from idol worship and move into worship of the one true God.  These are just a few examples that might inspire us to stop and ponder what God is saying to us today.  When you read the following verses, I pray you are inspired to stop, pray, hope, and activate a Holy Spirit passion for the world around you through a heavenly perspective.
“Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish.  And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?’"  Esther 4:13-14
Just like Esther, as a believer in Jesus Christ today, I am not immune to problems and challenges that are a part of living in the world.  I have also been ridiculed because of my belief.  The fact that I am part of a church does not protect me from those problems.  So I can identify with Esther that there are many times in my life that I am living at a time in history that God has prepared ahead of time for His purpose which He planned for me.  What about these verses?
“But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.  Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials.”  “Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar.  The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they entered the king's personal service.  As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.”  Daniel 1:8-9, 18-21
Daniel made a connection for himself and his health to his being able to build his communication skills of hearing and discerning the purpose that God had for him.  His friends made that choice with him with the same results.
With all this said, we pray you are inspired to stop, pray, hope, and activate a Holy Spirit passion for the world around you through a heavenly perspective.  We encourage you to take a two-point approach to this.  One is to take a personal inventory of your life and passions.  Two is to find a church with people you can surround and encourage the God-inspired spiritual growth in you.
Today, I leave you with this verse as well:  “’For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.’”  Jeremiah 29:11-14

A few months back, I was speaking to a group of people about different seasons in our lives.  Different seasons tend to find different places in our hearts and in our minds for how we are to share our lives with others.  These different seasons require a transition that is generally marked by something.  Now, for some of us, maybe there is a thing called retirement where there is a mark of a change.  For some of us, it may be an injury or some sort of physical or mental limitation that has happened in our lives that creates a mark where something must change.  Or maybe we can no longer do the things we used to be able to do.  I know at times, there are other marks.  Maybe it's a lost or changed job where there is a job description that is completely different than the previous one, and that transition has a mark on it.  I don't know whether you have children or not, but the birth of a child can put a mark on your life where things change.  Another way that I have seen different marks in life is through the loss of a loved one; whether that was expected or unexpected, it's still a mark.
The Apostle Paul speaks of a mark when he was writing to the Philippians, and he said this:  “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14.  For the Apostle Paul, one mark for him was recorded in Acts Chapter 9 when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Paul's life changed dramatically because of that one mark, so as he writes this to the Philippians, it makes us recognize and wonder a bit about the meaning of this mark on Paul's life.  
“I press on toward the goal.”  Now that's an interesting statement, isn't it?  What Paul is saying is that he sees something ahead that he wants to walk towards.  But in walking, Paul is not just talking about the path but walking in a direction with a purpose.  Purpose.  Now that is an interesting word.  In the New Testament, we find it quite often.  If I could put that in simple terms, it is this:  God designed and made you for a specific purpose.  The discovery of that purpose had to come through different marks of time.  The word “purpose” means that before you were even born, God knew you and set the time of your birth and death and everything in between.  God’s hope is that through theses marks in your life, you would come to recognize and choose His plan for your life and not your own.
The Prophet Jeremiah wrote what God said about him:  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5  Even in my own life, I have had to recognize different seasons and have had to learn to adjust my thoughts and actions to try and enjoy the seasons of life.  Every book in the Bible from Romans to Revelation shares about our lives being for a purpose, and the guide and example of that purpose is Jesus Christ.  I think Peter said it best when he said: “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9
Even as I write this, I am entering a new season of my life, one that I did not see coming nor expect, but it was sparked through an event that has never happened to me before.  While it has been a very difficult experience, it is leaving within me a hope that in this season of life, I can be generous and encouraging, not angry and hurt.  The power of forgiveness is the key to the beauty in Christ Jesus that will make this season exactly what Jesus wants it to be through me, that of encouragement and generosity.

Reflection.  When you hear that word, what does that mean to you?  We see amazing pictures of nature that are reflected by water.  We see incredible pictures that reflect the scenery of the beautiful places around the world.  But here’s another thought on reflection - God wants us to look in the mirror and see a reflection of his beautiful creation in you! 
This time of year, we get so caught up in details of Christmas parties and work and family outings or even travel.  What does it look like to create a culture within yourself and within your family to have a time of reflection?  Maybe that reflection is where you have come from.  Maybe it’s from a tough time in your life that God has brought you through and into a place of peace, comfort, and joy.  Maybe it's a time of reflection where you look at your family and you see a blessing of being in a relationship with them.  Maybe reflection is a time of thinking about the mistakes you've made or the times that you really felt like things were not going your way.  One of the greatest joys we have at this time of the year is a reflection of God.  This reflection remembers and celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at this time of year.  But do we really see it?
I would like to share a few verses from the Bible that can help us remember, build desire within us, and remind us to live with purpose.  Psalm 77:11 says, “I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”  The last part of that verse says that I will read and be reminded of the things that God did as written in the Bible and even the stories told to me by the generations before me.  The first part of the verse is your story - what has God done in and for you?  These stories need to be shared and celebrated as a part of your life.  The next verse we find in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”  This verse has built in me, and I hope encourages you, to seek a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  As God reflects Himself in our lives, we remember what He has done, which creates a desire to see more.  
To be effective and encouraged, we need to remind ourselves of the places in our lives that are reflecting Jesus and the places that are not.  Proverbs 27:19 reminds us of this by saying, “As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.”  While this has been helpful to me, I find myself needing other individuals to encourage and challenge me to be a better reflection of God to my spouse, family, Church, and world around me.  
I will leave you with this verse in Hebrews 13:7:  “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”  Our prayer is that you will take time to reflect on this beautiful gift, the very presence of God which is the present of Jesus Christ who reflects God to us to reflect to others.
May God bless you richly in all things according to His purpose and plan for your life.

But the angel reassured them, “Don’t be afraid!” he said.
“I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!
The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been
born tonight in Bethlehem the city of David!”
(Luke 2:10-11, NLT)

Christmas is a party!  Specifically, it’s a birthday party for Jesus – and birthdays are meant to be celebrated.  It’s ironic that at many Christmas parties, the Person whose birthday we’re supposed to be celebrating is completely ignored and never mentioned.  But the very purpose of Christmas is joyful celebration!  We learn this from the angel’s opening statement to the shepherds of Bethlehem when he proclaimed, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people!” (Luke 2:10)

The good news of Christmas joy is worth experiencing and celebrating for three reasons:  It’s personal (“I bring YOU”), it’s positive (“GOOD” news of great joy”), and it’s universal (“for EVERYONE”).  It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or where you’re headed – this news is for you.

The joyous news of Christmas is not that man has approached God but that God has approached us.  The joyous news of Christmas is the certainty that Christ was born among us and will return one day to gather us together with Him for all eternity.  The joyous news of Christmas is not seasonal or situational but a spontaneous, authentic response to what God has already done and continues to do.  The joyous news of Christmas is worthy of a celebration; a celebration that God has given us His greatest gift, Jesus the Redeemer!

The greatest gift we have this Advent season is not found under a tree but was nailed to a tree. He has become our Emmanuel -- God with us, and in our lives.  The glorious gift of “God in us” is the gift we will enjoy for all eternity.  That truth is certainly worthy of joyful celebration!  Merry Christmas!

Prayer:
LORD, let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy!  Teach us to pray with joy.  Help us to daily trust in You and rejoice in Your goodness as we seek to share with others Your gift of love that has transformed our lives.  May we always be filled with Your unspeakable, inexpressible, and glorious joy!  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Week 4 Daily Reading:
Mon:    John 15:11
Tue:     1 Pet. 1:8
Wed:   Isa. 55:12
Thu:     Phil. 4:4
Fri:       Psa. 100:1-2
Sat:      Luke 1:46-56