Marie’s daily verse: 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

DAILY DEVOTION, June 13, 2022

Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life? (Matthew 6:27).

When I think of worry, I think about these words of Paul. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. ⁷ If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, Living Bible).

Paul contrasts worry with prayer. I don’t think we can worry and pray at the same time. When we worry, we find it difficult to pray. When we pray, we find it difficult to worry. Prayer has a calming influence on our hearts. When we pray sincerely, we enter into the presence of God. He loves us and wants to free us from worry. Are there things we can worry about? Paul says no. “Don’t worry about anything.” What about covid, what about illness, what about the loss of a loved one, what about money issues etc??? Whatever it is that worries you give it to God. Let Him handle your problems.

Why not take a “try it and see” attitude. The next time worry creeps into your soul, stop and pray. Hand the issue over to God. He can handle it infinitely better than you. Let His peace flood your soul. And don’t forget to thank Him for His grace and mercy. When by faith you place yourself into the hands of the Good Shepherd, and you have access to God through prayer. What’s to worry about?

Father, when worry overtakes me, remind me that I am in the hands of Jesus. Remind me that I have access to You through prayer. I believe that none of my worries are beyond Your reach. Thank You for the peace that comes when I trust in You, Amen

Church board meets Tuesday at 2 PM. 

Wednesday Bible Study has been discontinued for the summer. We will be showing monthly Christian films, dates to be announced. 

The annual picnic on June 26 has been moved to the church. Burgers, etc, provided. Bring picnic accoutrements to share.

Sandy Schmitts grief group meets Thursday at 2 PM. 

Tom will be preaching on June 19th. His title is “Father, Pater, Abba…” 

Texts 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Luke 11:11-13; Ephesians 6:4.

On June 26th I will continue the series on Romans. We will be looking at chapters 9-11 with an emphasis on the Kingdom of God. 

May your week be blessed!

Pastor Bowman

Church board meets Tuesday at 2 PM. 

Wednesday Bible Study has been discontinued for the summer. We will be showing monthly Christian films, dates to be announced. 

The annual picnic on June 26 has been moved to the church. Burgers, etc, provided. Bring picnic accoutrements to share.

Sandy Schmitt’s grief group meets Thursday at 2 PM. 

Tom will be preaching on June 19th. His title is “Father, ater, Abba…” 

Texts 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Luke 11:11-13; Ephesians 6:4.

On June 26th I will continue the series on Romans. We will be looking at chapters 9-11 with an emphasis on the Kingdom of God. 

May your week be blessed!

Pastor Bowman

DAILY DEVOTION, June 10, 2022

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come”(2 Corinthians 5:17).

Paul defines a Christian as a person who is “in Christ?” So how do we achieve that goal? The simple answer is “by faith.” John writes, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). When we confess our faith in Jesus, God abides in us. We are “in Christ.” But how do I know if my confession of faith is genuine? There are hypocrites in the church who give lip service to Jesus but do not truly trust Him. Paul writes that those whose faith is real, without hypocrisy, become new creatures. Our old way of living fades away. A new way of living as disciples of Jesus emerges. That does not mean we become perfect. It does not mean we live a life free from sin.

 I believe it means that our life heads in a new direction. Those who are in Christ sincerely want to please Him. When they realize they have sinned, they are quick to confess and repent. The old life of self-centeredness and selfishness has passed away. Yes, at times, we may struggle with faithfulness. Our old selfish ways emerge. But the presence of the indwelling Christ begins to move us in new directions. So I suppose we must ask this: am I aware that my life has changed dramatically since becoming a Christian? Do I sincerely desire to please the Lord? If you can answer “yes” to those questions, it is a sign that you have become a new creature in Christ.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that you enter into a relationship with us. You do not redeem us and then leave us to our own devices. You abide with us and in us. Thank You for the new life You bring to us. Forgive us when we close our ears to You and walk in our old ways. May our hearts ever be open to Your guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen

DAILY DEVOTION, June 9, 2022

And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice (John 10:4).

In the Christian life, we are not primary leaders but followers. Yes, we do provide leadership, but a good leader in the church is a follower of Jesus. Jesus goes before us, and our job is to follow Him. I read about a few people who were saved during the 9/11 attack in New York. Six people were lost in smoke and unable o find their way out. A brave police officer went into the building and called out to the six, “follow the sound of my voice.” The smoke blinded them, but they were led to safety as they followed the officer’s voice.

John says that true believers know the voice of Jesus, and they willingly follow. How do we hear the voice of Jesus today? In two ways. Jesus speaks to us in and through the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit within us speaks the voice of Jesus quietly to our hearts. The more we know the Scriptures, the more we sense the voice of Jesus speaking to our hearts.

Are you a good church leader? You are if you are following Jesus and listening to His voice. If you are a bossy leader, you are not listening to the voice of Jesus.

Father, I want to be one of Jesus’sheep. I want to follow Him, ever sensible to His voice. So open my mind and heart to be always sensitive to His voice. Amen.