Be My Valentine
C. Hayden 2-12-18

As we approach one of the Hallmark Corporation’s favorite of holidays, Valentine’s Day, we are reminded of the opportunity to once again show our love to that special person or persons closest to us.  Yes, we can view Valentine’s Day as another shameless attempt of corporate America at getting us to rush out and spend money on flowers, chocolates or any number of gift ideas trying to prove our love to our spouses or significant others (a thought for the overly cynical mind). But maybe there is a lesson that can be applied surrounding this mysterious holiday that most believe is based on the mixture of Roman pagan fertility deities and our own St. Valentine who was martyred around 270 A.D.  For the Christian ingredient of this mixture, there exists the story of a Catholic priest named Valentinus or Valentine who was martyred for defying the Roman emperor Claudius II who banned marriage for fighting age warriors.  The emporer believed that unmarried men made for better soldiers.  Valentine saw this as an injustice of power and burden on couples in love. In consequence, he married these young lovers in defiance of the emperors orders for which he was martyred.  Well Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
So what is the lesson we can take from Valentine’s Day.  For the answer, let’s gp to the scriptures, shall we!  The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:21-26, 33 (NLT), “And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of His body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.  33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” In other words, both husband and wife should love each other in the same way that Christ loves us all.  The practical lesson is this.  Christ loved us so much that He gave his own life to meet our greatest need…the need for salvation from the effects and consequences of our own sin.  In the same way, we should love our spouses and significant loved ones to the extent that we say no to our own wants and desires for the purpose of giving our all to meet the need of those we love – especially those we are closest to.  Christ gave all to meet our need, should we do less for our most beloved?

Be blessed even more and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!!

Pastor Chris

Hope For the Hopeless
C. Hayden 1-25-18

David Crowder, a contemporary Christian music artist and worship leader (one of my favorites I might ad), performed a song at Winterfest (a Christian concert-a-palooza held at the Coliseum each year) a couple years back singing several of his songs that have been chart toppers.  One of those songs performed is entitled “Come As You Are”, a moving hymn of worship that lifts the spirit of a person to the heights.  One stanza from that tune sports these words, “There’s hope for the hopeless, and all who have strayed, come sit at the table, come taste of the grace.  There’s rest for the weary, rest that endures.  Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t cure”…then to the chorus, “So lay down your burdens…”  I get goosebumps everytime!
This song illustrates an absolute truth, that God cares for those burdened and broken who dare humble themselves and bring their cares to him.   I particularly like the   beginning where the songwriter informs all that “There is hope for the hopeless.” That even when we experience disappointment and depression, heartache and hurt, God is greater than anything this world or the devil throws at us.  And when we are weak, and there are times we are, Christ is always strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-11)!
In the Scriptures, 1Peter 5:6-7 says this, ‘Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” Did you get that?  He cares for you!  Let me say it again, HE CARES FOR YOU! When God is on your side, the mighty giants, while they may be intimidating at first glance, shrink in the light of the King of Kings.  Just as David slew the unGodly Phillistine, Daniel faced the carnivorous lions, and Moses delivered Israel from the ‘apparent” onslaught of Egypt, our God will bring you through the trials of life that threaten you as well.  God has a special place in His heart for all of us, especially those who have had enough of themselves, broken and desiring to turn to Him.  Jesus says this, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, take My yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:28).  Now that is “Good News!”

Be blessed even more!!

Pastor Chris

Merry Christmas
C. Hayden 12-12-17

At this time of the year we want to take a few moments and wish everyone a very, Merry Christmas!  This can be an extremely busy time for many as we make preparations to provide a most wonderful Christmas for our children and for immediate and extended visiting family members.  Even so, our hopes and prayers for you would be that you not only enjoy said family but also find time to rest and relax personally; refueling and retooling for the upcoming new year.  Also finding time to spend with the Lord and carve out space to reflect on the real reason for the season.  That meaning being illustrated in so many of the Christmas Carols that we sing each year.  One of the more popular being “Joy to the World.”  The first lines of that joyous hymn says so much, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.  Let every heart prepare Him room…”  This precious song dovetails with one of the most well known Scriptures, “For God so loved the world that He gave (the original Christmas gift) His only begotten Son (Jesus) that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting Life” (a wonderful gift indeed).
As you enjoy the wonder of the Christmas season, and as we embark on a New Year, may we also reflect on our relationship with the Lord for whom this celebration is supposed to truly be about.  While we enjoy reminding our children to be good for Santa Claus (Saint Nic-Claus) who is always watching, let us also spread the good news of the most important person who is always with us (Immanuel) and who died for our sin that we might have the gift of eternal life.   Christmas time is such a wonderful time of the year, but what makes it so blessed is when we are reminded of God’s love for us and what He has done on our behalf.
Linus from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was absolutely right when he quoted Scripture.  Here is the true meaning of Christmas:  9 “And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 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!” (Luke 2:9-14)

Be blessed even more and have a wonderful, Merry Christmas!!

Pastor Chris