Pastor's Points

Ever wonder why moths circle light bulbs? Moths, and other animals and insects use lights, both natural and artificial as fixed points for guidance in flight. For instance, keeping the son on your left side during the morning and right side in the afternoon enables you to travel south without roads to follow. The problem with lightbulbs that they are not far off points and the moths using the above principle wind up flying in circles around the bulb. Their confusion is induced by a poor choice of waypoints. Having unchanging fixed waypoints to keep us on track is one of the reasons Jesus commanded us to keep the commandments, read the scriptures and pray. This Sunday we observe the Lord's Supper which serves to remind us of the price of our salvation that we may stay focused on whose we are. 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is MY body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Luke 22:19 (NKJV)

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it." Matthew 9:27-30 (NKJV) Faith is trust and confidence; in our case it is trust and confidence in God. Jesus said that if we asked for anything believing (exercising faith) we would receive it. Receiving or not receiving is totally dependent on our measure of faith. How does your faith compare to the faith of two men who came to Jesus for healing.

"Fishers of men" is what Jesus told brothers Peter and Andrew He would make of them if they would follow Him. ("Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19 (NKJV) God has a life purpose for everyone yet one purpose all believers have in common is that we are to be fishers of men. Jesus makes this abundantly clear in the Great Commission. To be fishers is not a suggestion but a commandment. If you follow Jesus leading men to Christ will become second nature.

What is it that would really make your life ideal? More wealth? Better Health? More knowledge? More what???? It seems mankind attempts to achieve fullness of life by getting things without considering what things are truly of great worth. Solomon, the world's wisest man, sought only to be upright before God and to possess only the things he really needed. This seemingly "simple life" he understood would bring him the riches of life. Peace, sufficiency, family, friends and security. True worth is not measured by what we have but by how we manage it. 7 Two things I request of you (Deprive me not before I die): 8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give neither poverty nor riches--Feed me with the food allotted to me; 9 Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:7-9 (NKJV)

"If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." Mark 5:28 (NKJV) was the conviction of a poor sick woman who sought only to touch the hem of Jesus" garment believing in faith that she would be healed. The phrase "If only" is used in at least a couple of ways. "If only" I'd had more time. "If only" we had more money. "If only" I'd known better. We so often tend to complain or regret our current situations on consequences we could have perhaps avoided "If only" we'd known better or had better "luck". What touched Jesus heart that day was not her hand but her faith. "If only" can be nothing more than wishful thinking or it can be a pro-active stepping out of faith. Is your "If only" merely a self-pitying whine? Her "If only" leap of faith touched the heart of Jesus.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:13-16 (NKJV) Thus was the birth of Jesus! Born to working class parent, in stable with a hay manger for a crib. The night was cold and His first visitors were the shepherds that cared for the sheep that had been reserved as sacrifices for men's sins. Now, the Savior is born and His sacrifice will be the last necessary for mankind's salvation. Hallelujah! The King is born!

A young virgin, betrothed to a just man receives amazing news and is overcome with awe and praise for God. She is to be the mother of the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of mankind! An unlikely scenario, an impossible circumstance; that one should conceive a child by God Himself. The God-Child was to walk among men, lead a sinless existence and reveal God to us. He is Immanuel, "God with us"! 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.  Luke 1:31-33 (NKJV)