Proverbs 25:25 ” Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” Well, there’s nothing like good news. I love good news, don’t you? While life surely has its share of bad news, good news is really sweet, like…hearing your children are coming home for Christmas, like hearing the car doors open and close knowing they’ve arrived safely, like hearing that your plans are working out just like or even better than you hoped and prayed, like hearing you’re going to get to see an old friend you haven’t seen for a while, or like hearing an “all clear” medical report about a friend or family member.

But (and I know I shouldn’t start a sentence with a “but”)…But, there’s no greater news than that announced by the angels on that first Christmas, Luke 2:10-11
” And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” This news is so good, so unbelievably good, that it should eclipse all of the junk, the struggles, the aches and pains, and the great variety of disappointments. It should give us an irrepressible joy.

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”

So, just a heads up…You’re all invited to our Christmas Eve service tomorrow at 6pm. It will start on time and end before 7pm. The music will be great. See you then or Sunday morning as we study what the Bibles says about heaven.

In Him,

P. Tim

Psalm 119:64-68
^‘The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! ⁶⁵ You have dealt well with your servant, O LORD, according to your word. ⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. ⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. ⁶⁸
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.’

It would seem logical that over the years of learning and growing we would eventually be able to say “I don’t know” much less often, but in fact that while this may seem rational, it’s just not real. The longer I live and serve, the more frequently I have to say, “I really don’t know” to people who expect and feel they need an answer and that I should have it. “Pastor, what does this mean? What are we going to do? How is this going to turn out? When will things be better? (Actually, I do know this one…heaven!). People expect you to know. You expect that God would let you know since you too think you should know…but, often He just doesn’t let us know.

So, in the middle of so many things I don’t know, one centering, stabilizing thing I do know is that no matter what is happening, what is not happening, or what may happen, “…You are good and do good…” God IS always good and He always does good. Life is great. Life stinks. Life never changes. Life always changes. God is always good, period.

This next Sunday our “topic” is “What does the Bible say about Hell?” We will preach on it in the morning and do a Q&A on it in the evening service. Please pray and bring a friend! See you there, Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim

Well, Thanksgiving is over and we’re rushing towards Christmas. God gave our family a wonderful time of fellowship up in the mountains over Thanksgiving. There was as always a lot of food, a lot of noise, a lot of kids, a lot of fun, a lot of laughter… a lot of love…very precious…very, very precious. I came back for Sunday, taught an ABF, preached the morning service, taught the Jr. High Bible Study Sunday night, then headed back up to the mountains. Monday was the first really nice day for an opening day of deer season in quite a long time. It was beautiful. God gave us safety. We killed some deer. It was great. I love Thanksgiving.

As most of you probably already know, God has called Frank Taylor to become the senior pastor of a church south of Chicago. They voted to call him back on Nov. 14 and he accepted. Please pray for Stephanie and Frank as they try to make a quick move…sell their home…pack their stuff…and head west sometime in January or early February. His departure leaves a big “hole” in the team, big in both size and importance. Please pray for me and the leadership team as we pray, search, and wrestle with how we adjust here, who will replace Frank, and how do we restructure things. We have a lot of questions and only a few answers at this point, but we are praying, meeting, talking, networking, and doing all we can to do what we can do, while waiting for God’s clear and perfect direction in these things. I am fervently praying that He will make His way plain in the next four weeks. Please pray along with me…please.

Please pray for the neighborhood Christmas parties this Sunday after the Lord’s Supper. Even if you’re not attending one or sponsoring one, you could (you should) get together as a family or with a few friends and spend some serious time in prayer as the gospel is shared with many unbelieving neighbors all over our community. What a glorious way to begin the Christmas season. See you Sunday, the Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim