Author: Pastor Howie

We often think we have more patience than we really do. The slightest interruption to our schedule, a lengthy wait at the doctor, an inconvenient detour, a co-worker who is obnoxious and we learn that are patience isn’t as robust as we think. Jesus gives us an example of patience in John 11 that even what seem as delays are for our good and God’s glory. That kind of patience in us is only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. How will you display patience this week?

Do you have peace? I mean real, deep down peace that can’t be undisturbed by trouble? Jesus said He has given us His peace. Paul writes that the peace of Christ is to rule our hearts? Do you know His peace? You can! Listen in.

What kind of joy do you have today? Jesus wants you to have His joy to the full. He models what it is to experience hardship and yet endure it knowing joy beyond the cross. You can have His joy deep down in your heart to stay. Ater all, it’s part of the character fruit the Spirit wants to develop in you.

What is grace? We have heard descriptions like God’s riches at Christ’s expense or God giving us what we don’t deserve or unmerited favor. However it is defined, we need to realize that grace can never be earned. If we could do even one thing to earn grace, it would not be grace. For God to bestow His grace, it came at the expense of Christ dying on the cross for us. When we grasp the height and depth of grace, we will better understand how much God deserves our praise. The magnitude of His grace is tremendous. That’s why we sing amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. Praise God!

If I were to venture a guess, I’d say that each of has at many times experienced mercy. Jesus demonstrates it in our passage. Mercy is simply God not giving what we deserve. He withholds what we have coming to us, when He has every right to mete out judgment on us. Yet, as we learn from Lamentations 3:22-23 His mercies are extended so that we aren’t consumed. Why? Because He has compassion that never fails. It is unlimited. Why? Because His faithfulness is great. The blind beggar in this passage asked Jesus for mercy. He received more than just his physical sight. He also received healing from His spiritual blindness because in faith he cried out for mercy. If you are in need of God’s mercy, call out to Him, He hears you.

What is love? Jesus not only defines it as part of His nature, but He also demonstrates it by laying down His life. He says there is no greater love than that and then went to the cross. As the Father loves the Son and as the Son loves us, so we are to love others in the same way Jesus loves us. Jesus loved the unlovable and despised. We are called to love others in the same way. Who do we need to show love to?

Our missionaries, the DeVernas were with us and Daniel brought the message reminding us how important it is to pray. Prayer is the breath of our spiritual life connecting us to God who desires us to communicate with Him. How often do we pray? What do we pray for? Do we urgently and fervently pray for our missionaries? Let’s be serious about prayer.

It’s been said that sometimes you can miss the trees for the forest. I think we can say that about people as well. Amidst the throng of people we can miss individuals. In our passage, Jesus looks at the crowd and sees their individual needs. They came to be healed from physical diseases and illnesses and He did heal them. But Jesus also saw beyond that to their spiritual needs. His compassion moved Him to do something about their needs. He took care of their immediate needs, but then later on when He went to the cross He took care of their spiritual and eternal need. That was why He came: to seek and save the lost. Jesus shows us how to see the crowds, how to feel for the crowds and then act on what He saw and felt. It’s a great lesson for us. Let’s learn to be compassionate as Jesus was.

Are you a worrier? If I was a betting man, I’d wage that most of us are worriers regarding at least one thing. Our passage today gives us three reasons why we don’t need to worry. We don’t need to worry because of our Father, because of our faith and because of our future. No matter what we are facing, we have a God who cares for us. If we leave it in His capable hands, there is no need to worry.

Today’s message is about the heart of the matter – who will you serve? Where will you store up your treasures? Is your heart fixed on God or is it on greed? Jim Elliott once said “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Where is your treasure being stored? It a place where anything can happen to it or in a place that is 100% guaranteed? Where your treasure is, that’s where your heart will be also.