It was great having Lynn and Dori Cazier with us Sunday to share about their missionary work in Kenya. FYI their transmission went out yesterday and the local shop cannot get to it for several weeks. They will pick up a loaner car in Sedalia on Wednesday so they can get to their daughter who is expecting. Thank you for your generous offering for the Caziers. They will be needing it!

A reminder that Bible study will start at 3 PM on Wednesday. Please remember the time change. We will continue our study of church history. The theme this week is “Post Reformation Growing Pains.”

The series on the Ten Commandments will be interrupter Sunday to focus on the July 4th theme “God Blesses Faithful Nations.” We will examine the 10th commandment on July 11th. On July 18th I will be sharing some final thoughts regarding the Ten Commandments. Then I will begin a new series from the Book of Proverbs.

May God’s love and grace surround you this week.
Pastor Bowman

DAILY DEVOTION, June 28, 2021

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

When I was a teenager, my family moved from the only city I had known, Peoria, Illinois, to Minneapolis, a strange new place. I can remember my first day at Ramsay Junior High, a place where I knew no one. In time, I adjusted and have fond memories of Minneapolis.

Death can be a scary thought. We are familiar with this world, but what will it be like when we leave this world? The Bible gives us a glimpse of what we will experience in the next life. In our verse, Paul expresses confidence about what we experience when we are absent from the body. When we breathe our last breath and soul and body are separated, what then? Paul says we are in the presence of the Lord.

Paul was pleased to think about his death because he knew he would see Jesus. What could be better than that? The Savior who died for us and secured a place in heaven for his disciples will be there to greet us when we take leave of our physical bodies in the hour of death.  Then follows an eternity of joy and peace. Yes, death is a significant change, but to be with Jesus is a big improvement!

Father, I thank You for the gift of life. I thank You that when I was living contrary to Your will, you still loved me and sent Your Son to redeem me.  As the years pile up, I realize that my time on this earth grows shorter each day. I anticipate being in the presence of Jesus. I pray You will keep me in true faith until graduation day. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, June 25, 2021

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31).

We continue yesterday’s theme on the importance of the Bible. John explains why he wrote his gospel. He wrote so that the reader might come to faith in Jesus, that He is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God. That belief is the foundation of our faith. Those who read John’s Gospel with an open mind are drawn to faith in Jesus. His grand miracles and profound teaching lead to an inescapable conclusion: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

The good news is that when we believe in Him, we receive life – – – eternal life. If you believe in Jesus, one thing is certain; you have eternal life. How great is that? If you feel weak about your relationship with God, I suggest reading John’s Gospel with an open mind. Can a Christian know for sure that he possesses eternal life? Absolutely! Faith in Jesus brings confidence to our hearts about heaven.

Gracious Father, I thank you for John’s Gospel. As I read it and believe what it says, saving faith is born in my heart, and I have the assurance of eternal life. John clearly leads me to the Savior and salvation. I thank You for Jesus and for those apostles who wrote of Him. I have never seen Jesus, but I encounter Him in the sacred writings. Thank You, Thank You, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, June 24, 2021

From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:15).

How important is the Bible? Timothy’s mother and grandmother (Lois and Eunice) thought it was of utmost importance. When Timothy was a child, they began to pour into his young mind the teachings of Scripture. The only Bible they had was the Old Testament. As Timothy read and learned, he encountered a coming Messiah. He would appear in history as the Savior. Timothy looked at the Old Testament prophecies and saw how Jesus fulfilled them all. He saw Jesus revealed in Psalm 22 and over and over in Isaiah 40-66. When Jesus arrived on the scene because Timothy was saturated with the teachings of the Old Testament, he concluded, “Jesus is the promised Messiah.” Faith came fairly easily because of his thorough Bible knowledge.

Timothy not only recognized the Messiah because of his Bible knowledge, he also became very wise about every aspect of salvation which Jesus brought. He had an in-depth understanding of Jesus. He was not only a Christian; he was an intelligent Christian.

That is what the Scriptures do. They turn us into wise Christians. And we have an advantage over Timothy. We have both the Old Testament and the New. Do you want to have a strong faith that will not wilt under pressure? The more you learn the Scriptures, the stronger your faith will be.

Father, I thank You for Your Book, which is able to make me wise unto salvation. May I cherish it always. I want to become so saturated with Your Word that I think and act more like Jesus. I seek a deeper understanding of my faith, and I thank You for providing the means for me to achieve that goal. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen. 

Lynn and Doris Cazier, missionaries to Kenya, will be with us on Sunday, June 27. They will make a presentation during the Sunday School hour in the sanctuary, and a brief video during the morning worship service. Our church has supported the Cazier’s for many years. This is a good time to hear firsthand about their ministry in Kenya.

Wednesday Bible Study at 3:30 will continue our review of church history, Our focus will be on the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther changed the church and the world forever.

The sermon Sunday will be on The Ten Commandments, # 9, on the importance of being honest and truthful. The following Sunday is July 4th so I will interrupt the series on the Ten Commandments to deal with the liberty theme. July 11th we will return to the Ten Commandments, #10. The series ends on July 18th with a summary sermon. Then I plan to begin a new series from the Book of Proverbs.

I pray you will all have a blessed week,
Pastor Bowman