As we look forward to our celebration of Good Friday and Easter this week, perhaps more than at any other time in the year, we are reminded that “Everything is going to be alright!”. Our heart yearns to believe such a claim. Disappointments over the years have taught our hearts to be a bit or a lot skeptical about such a claim, but because the redeeming death and resurrection of our Savior are true, it’s true! As God’s children ultimately and factually, everything is going to be alright!

Romans 8:32
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Clearly, there are times when we look at our present or impending circumstances and question His love or commitment to us, but not when we look at His cross. The cross is how much He loves the Father and how much He loves us. Everything ultimately is going to be alright.

1 Corinthians 15:25-28
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

He has already completely defeated our greatest enemies, sin and death. Most things are too hard for us. Nothing is too hard for Him. Everything is going to be alright, really.

1 Corinthians 15:56-58
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

So, it’s not an empty wishful sentiment for the children of God. This weekend you will once again be reminded of His love and His power. He did die…for you. He did rise again. He kept His word. He will always keep His word to you. Take time to find joy in Him this Easter season. See you in church, Lord willing.
In Him,

P. Tim

It seems to me that over the past several months (may be even a year or so) God has been teaching me a very specific lesson, a very specific application of the teaching of His Word to my life. In the past I have tended to view life as a succession of hard times and good times, then hard times and good times. I was to endure the hard times with His strength and certainly grow through them. I would enjoy the good times and praise Him for these seasons of peace and rest. The exact cadence and length of each of these “times” would vary, although the hard times would seem longer. Maybe they just felt longer.

With progressive clarity, God began to teach me that perhaps I should start to look at the hard times/good times as simultaneous rather than sequential. In certain seemingly endless times of hardship I began to realize that I was going to have to find and experience real joy in the midst of my suffering, not just hold on until I can experience real joy after it was over. I have found God allowing me to actually experience, actually FEEL great joy and peace in Him, in His worship, in His service, in His Word, in His people, right in the middle of, during the very same time of some of the greatest difficulty and heartbreak I’ve known. I was reminded again this week as I was reading with some friends that Paul while having “great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart” was simultaneously experiencing joy, peace, and hope in Christ, his “inner nature was being renewed day by day.” While he was experiencing unceasing anguish in his heart, he was and we can “rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and full of glory”. Strangely, miraculously, this anguish and joy are not mutually exclusive. They are not always sequential. They can be and should be simultaneous. Only God could do that.

Church family, I can’t wait to see you Sunday. I love to worship Him. I love to worship Him with you. See you then, Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim

The Lord gave us a particularly joyful day of worship this past Sunday. It was powerfully encouraging watching each other enjoy each other and seeing and hearing each other enjoy the Lord. We prayed that God would help us address our giving deficit and the Lord through His people gave us over 40k dollars over budget! That puts quite a nice dent in the deficit! The worship, the baptism, the giving, the fellowship (even though we all lost that hour of sleep!) was sweet, really sweet. God gave us a great day together. Personally, I just want to say thanks to all of you who prayed, worked, planned, sang, prepared, taught, shared, gave, and cared!

On a personal note, Marilyn and I did drive out to Indiana to see our newest grandson, Isaiah Tamrat McDaniel. While reserving the early mornings and late afternoons for study, sermon prep, and correspondence, we did get to spend most of 2 days with family. It was certainly a new experience. Watching Joe, Sarah, and the kids welcoming this newest member into their lives was quite something to see. I didn’t know exactly how soon I would feel real love for this new little boy, but it was rather instant for Marilyn and me. We had the delight of accompanying him and the other 4 grandkids on a shopping trip Toys Are Us. It’s a fun tradition we have with them each time we visit, but watching Isaiah in his first toy store ever, the wonder, amazement, and joy were priceless to watch. Later that day we had the joy of taking the family to Famous Dave’s Barbeque and watching that little boy devour his food with passion and precision. Needless to say, we had a blast. It was a lot to digest emotionally, but it was awesome, really awesome.

I’m looking forward to our worship and study this coming Sunday. The writer of Hebrews focuses our attention this week on the faith of Moses. I can’t wait. See you then, Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim

Dear Church Family,

Great challenges can either pull a people apart or pull them together in great and powerful ways.  All churches are facing great challenges at this time.  Our church is facing real challenges at this time.  My joy is that I see these challenges pulling us together, not apart.

I have committed and you have committed to stay, to work, to pray, to give, and to stand together for the Gospel.  I am challenging each of you to put these great intentions into action by giving above your present tithes and offerings to eliminate our giving shortfall for this year.  We have had a few families move away for work and several are still out of work.  My challenge has been that each of us, who can, give $10 more each week for 30 weeks.  An additional challenge, for those of you who are able, is to do the same for a family in our church who is out of work or struggling financially.

This Sunday we are going to receive a sacrificial offering where you can give that “weekly” extra giving or give it all at one time.  My family and I have been doing that on a weekly basis, but this Sunday we will be giving the full amount for the rest of the year for our family and for another family who can’t give at this time.  Will you join with me in taking action to support the work of the ministry of Calvary that reaches our church, our community, and all over the world?  Are you in?

Your pastor,

Tim

My heart is full. This past Sunday we had a wonderful day of worship and fellowship. God certainly blessed in our morning worship and then our first attempt at what we called “fellowship feasts” went extremely well. We had a very high level of participation. We heard by word of mouth, email, facebook, and twitter, many, many glowing reports of great fellowship and new fellowship among our church family. It really is greatly refreshing to hear and read about our people enjoying each other’s company, buzzing all about good things and God’s great blessing.

Since my last posting our daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Joe, did get home from their intercontinental journey to pick up their new son, Isaiah, and bring him home. One big challenge has been overcome, with many more to come. In trying to be sensitive to what would be the best time for Marilyn and me to meet Isaiah, we suggested a few dates and situations. The long and the short of it is, they feel that going out to meet him next week would be best. So, with great anticipation we are quickly “reorganizing” our schedules to make the trip and meet our new grandson. I certainly do encourage you to continue your ministry of prayer on their behalf.

Please pray for Charlie Wambold and his family. I visited with Charlie yesterday and he is fading quickly. It was just a few weeks ago he still made his weekly trip to camp as a part of the Craftsman for Christ ministry. It was just a couple of weeks ago he was able to be in church. The disease has moved quickly. He is at home in the care of his family, being assisted by hospice care. He’s is sleeping most of the time and quite close to heaven at this point, so let’s keep him and his daughters and their families in our prayers. God is good.

In Him,

P. Tim

Wow, what a week…great joys, great heartaches, great news, hard news, many answers to prayer…some that I love, other’s that I accept knowing He loves me. As for the great joys, first of all today…Lord willing…our daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Joe, are getting on one of several airplanes to travel from Ethiopia to Indiana with their new son Isaiah Tamrat McDaniel. Wow, what a long journey and miraculous answer to prayer. We are all filled with emotion and awestruck with God’s grace in this. So, sometime soon, Marilyn and I will be sneaking away to see our new grandson!

More great news, 3 more new believers from our Bible study are getting ready to get baptized and join with our church family. What a great joy to see them transformed by the gospel. What a great joy to see the indisputable work of Christ through His Spirit in their lives! Only God can do that. Another great joy…after we observe the Lord’s Supper together this Sunday, we are (for the first time for us) going to have close to 500 of us have dinner together in a variety of homes spread all over our community. What a great opportunity to get to know each other better and share in the joy of discovering what God is doing in each of our lives. Pastor Troy and those helping him have done a great job in getting this organized. I’m really looking forward to the fellowship, particularly hearing each brother and sisters “story”, their story, His story.

See you there, see you then, Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim