Many, many times God uses the words of sacred music to speak His truth to my heart. He does it in my life through old gospel songs, timeless hymns, southern /bluegrass gospel, and certain new songs. One such song that God has used frequently and powerfully in my heart recently is the song “Already There.” At times worry and fear can begin to consume me, mainly because I’m looking at life’s challenges and curve balls through my own eyes. Viewing all things through His eyes is obviously a completely different “view” of things. The truth in this song has been an effective blessing in my life. When I think about the next day, the next meeting, the next conflict, the next question for which I have no answer, the next week, month, year, or stage of life, He’s “Already There.” To Him “my future is a memory.” Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

From where I’m standing
Lord it’s so hard for me to see
Where this is going
And where You’re leading me
I wish I knew how
All my fears and all my questions
Are gonna play out
In a world I can’t control

When I’m lost in the mystery
To You my future is a memory
Cause You’re already there
You’re already there
Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side
And You’re already there
You’re already there

From where You’re standing
Lord, You see a grand design
That You imagined
When You breathed me into life
And all the chaos
Comes together in Your hands
Like a masterpiece
Of Your picture perfect plan
When I’m lost in the mystery
To You my future is a memory
Cause You’re already there
You’re already there
Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side
And You’re already there
You’re already there

One day I’ll stand before You
And look back on the life I’ve lived
I can’t wait to enjoy the view
And see how all the pieces fit [x2]

One day I’ll stand before You
And look back on the life I’ve lived
Cause You’re already there
You’re already there
When I’m lost in the mystery
To You my future is a memory
Cause You’re already there
You’re already there
Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side
And You’re already there
You’re already there
You are already there

This coming Sunday morning we studying Acts 17:16-34 watching and listening in on Paul presenting to gospel to the “open minded” intellectuals and religious pluralists. Sunday evening we will be receiving new members and studying Psalm 145: 1-7, focusing on the truth, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” See you there, Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim

Wasn’t Easter Sunday just glorious! God really blessed our fellowship last Sunday, beginning with the sunrise service with our men and culminating in our morning service. The variety and blend of the music was outstanding. The congregational singing, choir, men’s/ladies’ group, and the solo, “I Know My Redeemer Lives” were beyond outstanding. Powerful biblical texts put to great music and sung with excellence, enthusiasm, and humble dependence of God’ Spirit…what a combination! If you can’t tell yet, it all blew me away. It made it “great fun” to preach the gospel and rejoice in God’s great forgiveness of our “terminal condition” of sin. It was a great day.

This coming Sunday we will get back on track with our study of Acts, our text being 17:1-9 describing the birth of the church of Thessalonica. The evening service message will take an additional look at that same church from I Thessalonians 2:13-16, exploring the powerful impact of God’s Word on their lives. Please remember that we need you to be there Sunday evening for a short administrative meeting. Nick will bring a short financial report, then we need to vote on licensing our own Alex Tandon for gospel ministry in a limited access region of the world. Our team of members serving there already is eager and excited about Alex and Bethany joining them. So, please make the extra effort to be there.

Well, see you Sunday, Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim

Over the past two weeks, since I’ve communicated with the church family through three church-wide emails, I decided to postpone the blogging until now. So here we are on Good Friday, looking out at a beautiful cool sunny Spring day, eagerly anticipating celebrating the Lord’s Supper tonight and the resurrection on Sunday. I’m sure every pastor would confess to an annual struggle with just exactly what to preach on such special holidays, especially as these holidays focus on such specific truths. In one sense there are only so many ways you can tell the story of the cross and the resurrection. If it wasn’t for the eternal grandeur of these indescribably glorious truths, if it wasn’t for their absolutely and ultimately essential nature for time and eternity, it might be difficult to get excited about it. So, that’s why I still “love to tell the story”.

One familiar resurrection truth in I Corinthians 15 that has remained on my mind this season is found in vs. 19. I deferred from preaching on it this year for the sake of variety, but it has come to mind often. “If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” This last phrase is translated a few different ways in various translations, such as…KJV, “we are of all men most miserable.” …NIV, “we are to be pitied more than all men.” …and the NLT, “we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.” The words vary a bit, but the meaning is the same…without the resurrection all is lost, all is empty, there is no purpose, there is no hope, none for anyone, anytime, anywhere. How glorious then is vs. 20, “But in fact Christ has been raised form the dead,”. So, there really is living confident hope. There is real, divine, invincible purpose…because He lives.

See you tonight and Sunday, Lord willing,

In Him,

P. Tim