What do you REALLY believe??

After my last blog, I thought I would share something I read this week from C.S. Lewis in his book called "The Case for Christianity". Remember that our world (including every educational institution that doesnt believe in the authority of the Scriptures) teaches that there are "no absolutes". C.S Lewis argued that the belief that there are no moral absolutes is betrayed by the desire in all people to be treated fairly or properly and by their complaints when they are not.

So, listen to Lewis:

"now what interests me about these remarks is that the man who makes them isnt just saying that the other man's behavior doesnt happen to please him. He is appealing to some kind of standard of behavior he expects the other man to know about. And the other man very seldom replies, "to hell with your standard". Nearly always he tries to make out that what he has been doing doesnt really go against the standard, or that if he does, there is some special excuse...it looks, in fact, very much as if both parties had in mind some kind of Law or Rule of fair play or decent behavior or morality or whatever you like to call it, about which they really agreed. And they have."

We have all seen it (especially if we have ever watched children play!!). Someone who is wronged lashes out against the other person for violating some unspoken rule or law about fair play or basic decency. Lewis argues, and I agree, that this behavior is evidence of an innate sense of right and wrong present within all of us.

Inevitably, some would argue that the presence of evil in the world or disagreements between cultures about this "innate" sense would serve as proof against its existence. Lewis used the reality of World War II, the context in which he gave these lectures, to refute this argument.

Lewis continues:
"They called it Law of Nature because they thought every one knew it by nature and didnt need to be taught it. Taking the race as a whole, they thought that the human idea of decent behavior was obvious to everyone. And I believe they were right. If they werent, then all the things we say about the war are nonsense. What is the sense in saying the enemy are in the wrong unless Right is a real thing which the Germans at the bottom know as well as we do and ought to practice? If they had no notion of what we mean by right, then, though we might still have to fight them, we could no more blame them for that then for the color of their hair."

Of course those who REALLY believe in "no absolute truth" would argue that the actions of Nazi Germany were not wrong (and either was the action of the shooter at Virginia Tech). They would say that they were just doing what was right for them at the time. As I said last time, that is where that kind of thinking has to lead.

I will continue to speak on these issues in my next few posts.

We will continue to try and address some of the crucial issues of our day, such as:
- all religions are basically the same!!
- the most important thing is tolerance!!
- the only absolute is that there are "no absolutes"!!
- the Bible isnt the only holy book, what about all the other religious writings??

These are issues that we must address in order to know what we REALLY believe!!

Biblical Worldview

Saturday, June 16th is the 2 month anniversary of the infamous Blacksburg shooting. If you and I are anything like the media, our thoughts have moved from Virginia Tech on to the lastest breaking news. While we move on, there are many who still grieve and will so for a long time. April 16, 2007 is now known as the deadliest shooting in modern US history. Seung Hui Cho took 32 lives on that day before taking his own life. Before you continue reading this, will you pause and pray for the 33 families that grieve over losing a loved one and the many other students and friends that had their world turned upside down. Please pray that in the midst of chaos and confusion many will come to know and trust that our God is a refuge and a very present help in times of trouble. May all those who were affected by this tragedy "be still and know that He is God".
Read Psalm 46!

As I reflect back on that tragedy, it once again reminds me of our need to teach our children and adults a biblical worldview. What is a worldview? A worldview, according to Francis Schaeffer is "the grid through which one sees the world". In other words, a worldview is like a pair of glasses which enable you to see more clearly. Chuck Colson describes a worldview as "the sum total of our beliefs about the world, the big picture that directs our daily decisions and actions". You see belief will always affect behavior - our beliefs direct our daily decisions and actions! Our children and young people will ultimately act on what they believe. Whatever their worldview is will determine what they do. So, what kind of worldview do most Christians have? According to George Barna, less than 10% of self-proclaimed "born again" Christians in America have a biblical worldview. How can a worldview be tested? What subjects determine who has a biblical worldview and who doesnt? Well, it may vary a little bit, but there are 5 basic elements that determine our worldview. The 5 elements are:
1. Our view of God
2. Our view of Man
3. Our view of Truth
4. Our view of Knowledge
5. Our view of Ethics

The first issue is the nature of God. Our question is not simply 'is there a God?' - 90% of Americans believe in a "higher power". The real question is 'do you believe in the God of the Bible?'. A Holy God who created all things and is over all things and who has made Himself known to us. This is the God of the Bible. We find that most do not believe in the God of the Bible. So, you can see that most of Americans have an Atheistic view and not a Theistic view.

The second issue is the nature of Man. Although there is much to discuss on this subject as well, I will narrow it down to two simple question: what do you believe about man, is he/she basically good or sinful? The Bible is very clear on this subject. But which worldview does most of our world adopt? Almost everyone believes that man is good and it is only the world that corrupts him. The second question refers back to our view of God as Creator - do we believe that man has been created by an Intelligent Design or do we believe that man has evolved?

The third issue is our view of Truth. Is truth relative (what's good for you isnt necessarily good for me) or absolute (true for all people, at all times, in all places)? I hope you realize that almost the whole world believes that there is no absolute truth. In fact, a recent study says that 85% of Christian teenagers do not believe in absolute truth. This is where we are losing the battle and I will come back to this issue.

The fourth issue is our view of Knowledge. How do we know what we know? Is it because of revelation from God or only through naturalism? A biblical worldview says that we gain our knowledge from God's revelation in creation, God's revelation in His Word, and finally by God's revelation in the Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ.

The fifth issue is our view of Ethics. Are ethics "timeless and absolute" or "cultural and negotiable"? Who determines what is "right and wrong", man or God?

The two basic worldviews are Secular Humanism and Christian Theism. Here is how the two look in comparison to one another in these 5 categories:

Secular Humanism
View of God - Atheism
View of Man - Evolution
View of Truth - Relative
View of Knowledge - Naturalism
View of Ethics - Cultural

Christian Theism
View of God - Theism
View of Man - Special Creation
View of Truth - Absolute
View of Knowledge - God's Revelation
View of Ethics - Absolute

Just by a quick glance, you can see what our world teaches. This includes a high academic institute like Virginia Tech. Although this sounds harsh, the reality is that the shooting at Virginia Tech is a product of the very teachings that go on at Virginia Tech and almost every other "higher learning institute".

I guarantee that at Virginia Tech the school's view on truth is not absolute but relative. Which is often defined as "what's good for you isnt necessarily what's good for me". Which basically means that we all have the right to do whatever pleases us. So, what if what's good for me is to fly planes into towers and take many innocent lives? What if what's good for me is to walk into a campus dorm and classrooms and take 32 innocent lives? If we do not believe in absolute truth, than what gives anyone the right to say these killings are wrong? What standard are we using to determine what is right and what is wrong?

You see that kind of teaching and logic doesnt make sense! Throughout all the media coverage of the VT shooting, there was one thing that I never heard - I didnt hear anyone say 'would you leave the shooter alone, he did what felt good to him'. Isnt it interesting that everyone seems to know that what he did was wrong! You see no one really believes in "no absolute truth" - because it doesnt work logically!

When our children and young people believe in a Secular Humanist worldview which consists of: no Intelligent Design but instead we just happened to evolve - that we are just here by chance without any real purpose - that there is in reality no right or wrong but everyone can do whatever is right in their own eyes and whatever pleases them - is it any wonder that the behavior that comes with that belief system is one that devalues life?

All of these teachings and beliefs are a result of what the Bible describes as the depravity of man. Although man was created in the image of God with inherent dignity and value, through Adam all mankind is under the curse of sin. The Bible says that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; that there is none that doeth good, no not one; that there is none that seeks after God; that we have all turned to our own way. Even though God has revealed Himself and pointed each of us to the Way -the Way is Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for us. 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God". This is the whole purpose of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ- TO BRING US TO GOD. Christ became our sin bearer so that we could have our sins forgiven. Apart from the redemptive work of Christ, man remains in his sin. We are all dead (spiritually) in our trespasses and sins and our greatest need is to be made alive spiritually. We must be born again. This is the greatest need in the world today - not education, but salvation. Turning from our sin to the Living God in repentance and faith for new birth. But for many, instead of turning to God as He has revealed Himself in Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, people are doing exactly what Romans 1 says:

For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

I hope this topic will burn in your hearts as it does in mine. I believe God wants us to be very intentional about teaching our children and young people a biblical worldview. If God is burdening you with this issue, may I recommend a few books for further reading:

How now shall we live - Chuck Colson

Worldviews in Confict - Ronald Nash

The Gagging of God (Christianity confronts Pluralism) - D.A. Carson

Total Truth - Nancy Pearcey

Also, if you would like to add to this recommended reading list other books that you have found helpful on these topics, please feel free to post them.

Christianity Explored starts Sunday!!

I am very excited about our summer ABF series called "Christianity Explored".

This is a video series put out by Rico Tice. Two weeks ago we showed a trailer about this series before the worship service and last week we viewed a 12 minute summary of the 10 week series.

We hope to see you there beginning this Sunday morning (Father's Day) at 9:30.

Please take a moment today and think of someone you could call and invite. Christianity Explored is a great way for an unbeliever to be exposed to who Jesus is and what He has done and why it matters!!

Hope to see you Sunday!!

Memorial Day 2007

I hope you had a happy Memorial Day yesterday! We were able to spend the majority of the day with my side of the family for a cookout. It is always nice when you are able to take advantage of the different holidays to be with family. Since yesterday was a day to remember those who gave their very lives to defend and protect our country, I think it is only fitting that we would want to spend it with those who are nearest and dearest to us. So, we did what most families do...got together, prayed and gave thanks to our Great God, and ate. We enjoyed one another's presence and then each of us went on our way...looking forward to the next occasion that will draw us together again. If you are removed from your immediate family, I hope that you are able to spend these holidays with church family and friends.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about something else that we did this Memorial Day. I hesitate to share it because these are the kind of things that I like to do without any public acknowledgment. But, I feel that the Lord would have me to share this with you so that you and I are encouraged as the body of Christ to "let our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in Heaven".

For some time now, I have been praying and considering what my wife and I could do to meet our neighbors and be a blessing to them. I believe that it is no accident where God has placed us. In Warren, Ohio at First Baptist Church of Howland. Even down to the house that we live in is part of God's plan and purpose. But, unfortunately, we have lived there for almost 6 years and really havent gotten to know our neighbors much. Although I think many of them know us as the people who live in the "minister's house" and know me as the "minister", that's about as far as it has gone. Wanting to do something to break this down, I told my wife that I would like to use the holidays over the summer months (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, etc.) to do something small to break down the barriers. So, I asked her to pray and think about what we could do. Finally on Sunday, we decided to buy cupcakes and hand them out to each of our neighbors on our street (we have a small street). So, we put 3 cupcakes on a small paper plate and covered them and put a label on it that said:

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!

"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 13:15)

YOU ARE LOVED!

Jerry, Jennifer, Jana, and Josiah Croyts

(at 204 Wheelock)

Now I have one advantage over some of you...I have two children at the ages of 6 and 3. Now it may not seem like an advantage but trust me. Most of the people on my street are in their 50's or older. So, they love to see young children. Most of them are at the grandparent stage now so they love to see children come, visit for a few minutes, and then leave. They are conditioned for that!! So, we put the cupcakes in their little red wagon and down the street we went. Jennifer holding Josiah's hand...Jana pulling the wagon...and me bringing up the rear on my crutches. We went from house to house and thankfully we found most of our neighbors home. Those that were home were so thankful and thought that it was such a sweet gesture. The one or two homes that seemed like they were unmoved at first, later made it a point to thank us. I told them that we wanted to do something small for our neighbors and we hoped that they would enjoy it. It was also a great lesson for teaching our children...it was the opposite of trick or treat. Instead of going from house to house to "receive" something, we went from house to house to "give" something. Jesus says it is far more blessed to give than it is to receive. We had a wonderful time and most of our neighbors introduced themselves to us. In fact, some even asked if we just moved in...that was like the Lord saying "I told you". One house had children the same age as our children and we stood and talked with the father for 15 minutes. Then when we were finished and returning home, he came out and asked if we would like something to drink. So, we took him up on it and it allowed us to visit for a few more minutes. He said that he moved up here from Georgia in the past couple of years and his wife is used to the "southern hospitality" and we all know that you dont find that in Northeastern Ohio. But, maybe the Lord will allow us to show them something far greater than "southern hospitality"...it's what Hebrews calls "christian hospitality" (as long as she brings her homemade lemonade).

Now, we didnt get the chance to share Christ with any of them yet. But, in a way we did!! We have been teaching Jana about "giving a cup of cold water in His Name or for His sake". This was a chance to put these teachings in action. Now, I am praying about what to do on the 4th of July. My hope and prayer is that eventually we will be able to invite some of our neighbors to a "neighborhood bible study" with the purpose of seeing unbelieving people become passionate followers of Jesus Christ.

I share all of this with you for 2 reasons:

1. to encourage you to think outside of the box...there are many ways to show Christ to our family, friends, and neighbors. the important thing is that we are being led of the Lord and being obedient to Him.

2. to ask you to share any "ideas" or "suggestions" that you might have for outreach, especially in our neighborhoods.

Please post any thoughts or ideas...maybe some that you have tried and worked or some that you are thinking about.

"There is no greater place to serve God than where He has placed us down"

May God use us right where He has placed us!!

In Christ,

Pastor Jerry

Continue steadfastly in prayer!!

This morning in reading Colossians 4, we come to the foundational subject of prayer.

Colossians 4:2-4 says,
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison - that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak".

Obviously this passage is about prayer but it is also about sharing the gospel. Paul talks about both subjects here:
1. Speaking to God on behalf of people
2. Speaking to people on behalf of God

First, prayer can be defined as "speaking to God on behalf of people". How much of this have you and I done lately?? We are constantly made aware of people and their needs. Every challenge in life is an opportunity to pray. We often pray for health issues and we should but we also need to be praying for God to "open a door for the word" in people's lives.
Then we can "speak to people on behalf of God". Notice the order. Someone once said it this way, "you can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but not until you have prayed". Let's be people of prayer first. Asking God to do what we cannot do! To take the blinders off of people who are still in darkness. To prepare their hearts for the receiving of the gospel. Only God can do these things - so we must pray! Then after we have prayed, let's speak to people for God. We must go and tell the good news. Be intentional about sharing the gospel with the people around us. Our family, our neighbors, our co-workers, and everywhere else God gives us opportunity.

Paul knew that He needed people praying for him so that "a door would be opened" to speak of Christ. He also knew he needed people to pray because he had the challenge of "declaring the mystery of Christ" in such a way that it would be "clear". I am still amazed by the fact that God allows us the privilege of taking what is a mystery and declaring it to others. It is a mystery to so many people around us: who Christ is and what He has done. So, please, pray for one another. As God puts you on my mind, I will be praying that God will open doors for you and that you will speak the mystery of Christ in a clear way. When God puts me on your mind, please pray along these lines as well.

In conclusion, Paul makes mention of Epaphras in verse 12 of Colossians 4. Here is what he says of him:
"Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Jesus Christ, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God".

He describes Epaphras as someone who is "always struggling on your behalf in his prayers". This is a true "Prayer Partner". Someone who is constantly lifting you up in their prayers. And he describes his praying as "struggling" or "wrestling". This is not a short, flowery prayer but instead this is something similar to what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Do you have anyone who is praying like that on your behalf?? Are you praying like this on behalf of someone??

As the church of Jesus Christ, let us pray one for another!!

Since we are on the subject of prayer - may I remind you that our next focused time of prayer as a church is Saturday, June 2nd at 8:00 am. May I encourage you to come and join our prayer partners and church leadership as we "speak to God on behalf of people".

We will miss you!!

At the end of the service this past Sunday, I announced that a dear couple in our church is moving to South Carolina. As many of you know, I am speaking of Chuck and Sandy Buchanan. Chuck is taking a new job in the same line of work that he was doing here in Trumbull County. Chuck is moving down to South Carolina this week. Sandy is the owner of New Beginnings Christian Bookstore on Elm Road in Warren. Sandy isnt moving until the bookstore and their house is sold. I bring this to your attention so that you will be sure and pray for them! I consider them to be good friends and they have been such a blessing to me since God brought them here a little over a year ago. There are some people that are easy to preach to - because you can tell by their demeanor that they are actually hungry for the Word. Chuck and Sandy fit this description. They have always been an encouragement to me and I will miss them.

There is always a part of my selfish nature that doesnt want to see people like this leave. We would love to keep them as close in proximity as possible. But, just as many of you have learned with your own children, God has something else in His purpose and plans! While I may joke about them being "out of God's will" if they are not here, we must realize that God's will is not limited to a church, a state, a job, or a home. I am reminded that there is no greater place to be "than where God sets you down". So, for Chuck and Sandy, there is no better place for them to be than South Carolina.

God bless you both and you will be missed!!

Love,

Pastor Jerry and First Baptist Church of Howland

Prayer Requests

I wanted to take a moment to ask our church to pray for a few individuals today:

a. Glenn and Barb Haake and family - Glenn's mom, Harriet Fry, passed away over the weekend. I was able to visit with the family some yesterday. I will be doing the funeral today. The calling hours are from noon-1 and the funeral is at 1:00pm at Carl Hall Funeral Home. Please keep them in your prayers. They have a close family and it was great to see them all there together. Glenn is a deacon in our church. Please let him know that you love him and appreciate him and his wife.

b. Sara Volinchak is at Northside Hospital. She was to have her tonsils removed but when she went in they found a problem with her electrolites (I think I spelled that right).

c. Debbie Ambrose. Debbie has taken another turn for the worse. She is in a hospital in Pensacola. Pray that she will be able to go home to Orlando where the majority of her family is.

d. so, keep the Starchers in your prayers. Debbie is Lois' sister and Sara V. is Ron and Lois' daughter. they have had alot of trouble to deal with.

Also, thanks to Ron Starcher for such a wonderful exposition of God's Word yesterday. I was blessed to sit back and listen to the Lord speak through His Word and through His Servant.

If you have any comments regarding the message or service yesterday, feel free to post them.

God bless,

Pastor Jerry

My First Surgery

Yesterday I went to the Southwoods Surgical Center in Boardman to have my ruptured achilles tendon repaired on my left foot. I made sure they marked the correct foot!!

We know that everything that we go through is for a reason. I have been trying to listen to the Lord and make sure that I grow through this process. I do believe there are some things that He is going to teach me and us (as a church) through this. One thing I have gained already is a better understanding of how people feel going into surgery. Since this was my first surgery, I never could have said that before. Even the simplest of procedures bring some anxiety and nervousness. Although I knew that I was in "good hands" - with a surgeon who I felt very good about and even more importantly I knew that he was in "good hands" because ultimately our Sovereign God is in control. Even with all of these truths, you cant help but worry!! So, we are told, instead of worrying or being anxious about something - we are supposed to pray. So, I did that. And I just kept telling the Lord what His Word says. In Romans 10, Paul teaches about salvation. There are many verses that we know well from this chapter. Listen to His Word:

Rom 10:9-10
"if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead , you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."
Rom. 10:13-15
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed?? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have not heard?? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?? And how are they to preach unless they are sent??

And here is the verse that I was praying back to the Lord yesterday morning!!

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

I told the Lord that He needed to take care of my feet because He said that they are beautiful - and since my left foot was the furthest thing from beautiful, He needed to fix it!! Pretty good, huh!! (Of course, after the Valentine banquet everyone knows that my feet werent exactly beautiful before the injury - but the swelling and the all the ugly colors made it even worse). I dont know if that is exactly what the verse means but I have realized these past few weeks how even my feet are important to preach the gospel. I love the privilege of preaching the good news and am so thankful to God that He would allow me to have so many wonderful people to share the Word of God with each week. I am going to miss preaching these next however many weeks as I follow my doctors orders and take it easy but I am thankful that I didnt have to "miss out" on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday!

So, in conclusion, I thought that this may be the best way for me to let you know that my surgery went very well and I am thankful for your prayers. I am home and resting. I am following my doctor's orders and I have a post-op visit this Thursday. I am pretty heavily medicated with pain medicine - so all is well!!

Thanks again,

Pastor Jerry

Happy Resurrection Day!!

First of all, I wanted to praise our Father for sending His Son to be the propitiation for our sins and for raising Him from the dead for our justification. It is through the resurrection that we know that our preaching, our faith, our whole lives are not in vain. If Christ had not risen, we would be the most miserable of people. Paul says in 1 Cor. 15, that we should be pitied if Christ has not risen. But, since He is risen and is alive forevermore, we have found all of our needs met in our Suffering Savior and Living Lord!!

We have found that our sins can be forgiven and that we, like Christ, will also never die but instead we will live forever in glory! It is in Christ, that we find our purpose in this life too! Our lives are not futile or wasted when we are serving our Risen Savior. That's why Paul ends his 1 Cor. 15 by saying, "therefore (because of the resurrection of Christ) my beloved brethren, be stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord because your labor in the Lord is not in vain".

I thought the song that we sang to end the service summed it up so well! It is called "The Wonder of Your Cross". Here are the lyrics:

The wonder of Your cross
Shall be our meditation
To gather in that shadow
When the sun went down
To weep with those
Who thought that You were leaving
You were leaving Jesus
The humble King
Who never wore an earthly crown

To steal away at night
When they took down Your body
With love and tears
To leave You in a borrowed grave
To go with Mary to the place they laid You
Where they laid You Jesus
And in the morning find the stone was rolled away

Were heaven's praises
Silent in those hours of darkness
Your Holy Spirit brooding
'Round that empty throne
Until the declaration He is risen
You are risen Jesus
He is not dead
Behold He lives for evermore

And I love the chorus!

Chorus 1
The cross O the wonderful cross
What glory what vict'ry I've found
I'll come to the wonderful cross
And my whole life I lay down

This sums up the teaching of Paul the Apostle in 1 Cor. 15 and in many other places - at the cross, what glory and what victory I have found! And it is at the cross where we gladly lay down our lives. It is at the cross where (as another song puts it) He bids me to come and die and find that I may truly live!!

I pray that my ministry is helping people to constantly "meditate on the wonder of the cross"!!

Also, I wanted to thank you for your constant prayers and support. So many mentioned that they would be praying for me as I have surgery on my ruptured achilles tendon tomorrow morning! I am truly blessed to be your pastor. You are so gracious to me - constantly giving me what I do not deserve! I see each and everyone of you as a gift from God to me!

Finally, I am so thankful for my family. Today, I was able to spend time with my "in-laws". So many of you have asked about my brother in law Jeremy. He has improved dramatically and actually went back to teach at Mt. Union this past week. It was such a blessing to see him and his family in the service this morning. My mother in law also is recovering well. Continue to keep her in your prayers but we are so thankful for her progress. My mom and sister in-law and nephew were all in the service as well this morning. My mom's faith has always been an inspiration to me. My sister in law Laurie is always so kind and compassionate. She has been an amazing mother - raising her son Jeffery by herself since my brother's death. My two other brothers are my "best friends" and I was so blessed to grow up with 3 older brothers (and no sisters!!). But God has given me sisters in-laws and they are all very special people who are very sacrificial and who love their husbands dearly. I am thankful for my father and how my relationship with him is growing and becoming more meaningful as we each get older. And last but certainly not least, I am so thankful for my children and my beautiful wife. My children adore me (they dont know any better yet) and my wife has always made me feel that "after Jesus Christ", I am her life! I couldnt ask for anything more.

So, may I encourage you to think of how blessed you are. Please make sure that you take time to be with your family and never see them as a hindrance to what you are trying to accomplish. God has called us to "show and share" His love with everyone and our family is the closest people on the earth to us. They, more than anyone, should benefit from the transformation that Christ has made of our lives!!


You are loved!!

Palm Sunday

I was so blessed yesterday by our worship service. The music was so worshipful and having communion together is always a precious time to me as your Pastor. I love looking out over the congregation and seeing all the different (and I mean different) people!! To see every age from 1st grade to senior citizen, male and female, so many different backgrounds all united because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross! It brings tears to my eyes to look out and see so many lives that have been "bought back" from the possession and control of the Evil One and now brought into the marvellous light! It is an awesome thing and I count it a great privilege to be your Pastor. God has a deep, deep love for each and everyone of you and He has placed His love for you into my heart as well!

I already mentioned the music but I wanted to return to the songs that we sang yesterday. Worship music is so important in the life of a believer - it helps prepare our hearts and the biblical words can be memorized and sung all day long. The words minister to us also as a counselor to our soul.

I thought I would share with you the title of the songs and the author. In case you would like to find more worship music that helps you "fix your eyes on Jesus".

Opening song - "Hosanna" by Paul Baloche
Offertory - "Mighty is the power of the Cross" by Chris Tomlin
Congregational song - "How deep the Father's love for us" by Stuart Townend
Special - "The power of the cross" by Keith Getty
Closing song - "The wonderful cross" by Isaac Watts and new lyrics by Chris Tomlin

We will be opening a small bookstore in the near future which will make good books and good music available to you. It may start out as a "bookshelf" but we hope it will grow into something that not only our congregation uses but even the community. We want to be putting into your hands as much "cross centered" material as we can.

If you have any comments regarding the worship service, these songs, communion, etc. please feel free to post them.

God bless,

Pastor Jerry

The God of all comfort

Today I am reading in 2 Corinthians 1. Listen to this Scripture:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort."

The God of our comfort has brought comfort to us in our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.

We must remember that God will use our trials and sufferings for our good and His glory! We know that no matter what trial we go through, our God is in the midst of it. He walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. We do not have to fear because He is with us. And when we have come out of the trial, we are more equipped to be used of Him to bring comfort to someone else. Notice the verse says that we which have been comforted in all our afflictions can then be used to comfort those who are going through any affliction. I find this very interesting. We often think that we can only comfort someone who is going through the same kind of trial or suffering that we have been through. But, the Scripture says if we have been through an affliction, we can comfort others who are going through any affliction. So, if I have lost a loved one to cancer, I can comfort others and not only people who have or are losing a loved one to cancer. I am also a prospect to help someone who is going through marital problems. How does that works?? Well, the bottom line of all pain and suffering is that it hurts. So, you and I that know pain know what it means to be "lying on our backs" and have no place to look but up! That is the best thing we can bring to others who are suffering - the experience that we have of hitting rock bottom and finding that God is a God of mercy. Paul in 2 Cor. 1 goes on to say that he "was so utterly burdened beyond his strength that he actually despaired of life itself". But he says that this was to make him not rely on himself but on God! All trials and suffering are opportunities that God uses to turn us to Him and help us to trust Him more. As I look back on my life, I recognize that the trials and pain are what caused me to grow the most.

A.W Tozar put it best when he said "it is doubtful that God ever used anybody greatly without first hurting him deeply". That is an amazing statement and I have found it to be true. Think of the great men of the Bible who we long to emulate. Joseph, Daniel, Job, David, the Apostle Paul and on and on.

On Sunday evening, I shared a story about a Pastor who went to visit and pray with a family who had just gotten some difficult news. So, he stood next to the family and prayed "Dear Lord, give this family strength...may they know Your grace and comfort...would You wrap Your arms around this family" and as he prayed those words he put his arm around the father. When he finished praying, the man quickly looked up and said "oh, its just you". When the Pastor questioned what he meant by that, the man replied "Well, you prayed for God to wrap His arms around us and for a moment I thought I felt His arm, but it was just your arm". The Pastor quickly responded "it was God, He just used the arms that were closest at that time!"

This is what God wants us to be - His hands and His feet. May we go where He sends us and may He use us today as empty vessels.

As I finish this entry, I am leaving my office to go and sit and talk with a man that is hurting so badly that he too is "despairing of life itself". I pray that God will use me to help him to "look up"!

God bless!

The Hope of Glory

This has been a thought of mine for some time now...to start a "blog". Not because I think I have so much to say or offer but actually because I just wanted to give our congregation an opportunity to have access to the "daily" life of our church and my ministry. Every day there are things that happen that I would like to share with many but there never seems to be a good way to do it. Sometimes they are prayer requests and other times they are Scriptures or articles that I read. And sometimes they are conversations or even "Divine" appointments that should be shared. So, I have decided to open this "blog" as an open "journal" of my ministry. I hope that you find it interesting and helpful.

I have chosen to title this blog - The Hope of Glory. Without preaching, I would like to explain why I have chosen this title. We have learned and are learning more every day about our purpose and why we exist! The best summary of our purpose is that we are here to "know God and enjoy Him". Rev. 4:11 tells us that we (all things) are made for His pleasure! We are here for Him and not the other way around. He is the Center of everything and everything revolves around Him. We are here to know God (have a personal relationship with Him) and bring Him glory! Our purpose on this earth is to make His Name great. To magnify who He is to everyone around us. To magnify doesnt mean to "make Him bigger than He is" but to bring to light just how big and awesome He really is. Just as we use a magnifying glass - not to make anything bigger, but to make it more visible to us so we can see it for what it truly is! This is what our lives are for - to magnify, honor, and glorify God. But there is a great problem with us achieving our purpose. It's called sin. Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and (therefore) fallen short of the glory of God". Our sin has ruined and tainted everything, including us achieving our purpose. This is a major problem and one that we cannot fix in and of our ownselves. But Corinthians tells us that we see 'the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ'. What God did for us is send His only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came and achieved what we could not achieve. He lived the perfect life! Which means He lived His whole life for the glory of His Father. He always did what pleased the Father. His life was given to us as a substitute. He lived and died in our place! The Bible tells us that we must in repentance turn from our sins and by faith trust in His substituitionary life and death for us. Turning to God is no longer trusting in our own "person" and "works" to appease God but instead trusting in the "person" and "work" of Christ alone to pay the debt that we owed. He paid a debt that He did not owe because I owed a debt that I could not pay!

Now, once we have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ in this manner, the Bible says that we are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). This is the exchanged life. Christ on the cross became sin for us and He gave us His righteousness. This is how we can now stand before a perfect and holy God with confidence. Not because we are good enough. We could never be good enough. We would have to be perfect to be allowed to enter into the presence of God. It is not our own merits or good efforts that gets us in to Heaven but it is the righteousness of Christ that has been imputed (credited) to us. One of my favorite hymns says it this way:

because the sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free
for God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me

So, back to the point of the title. How can sinners live for God's glory?? What could I ever do as mortal man that would bring glory to a Holy and Righteous God? Well, the verse in Colossians gives us the secret.

Col. 1:27 "Christ in you, the hope of glory"

What hope do we have to achieve the glory of God?? This verse tells us that it is Christ in you and Christ in me. The only way I can achieve my purpose of bringing glory to God is through the Spirit of Christ who lives in me.

This is why we have verses like Galatians 2:20
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

So, the title of this blog is dedicated to the purpose of why I (and we) are here and how that purpose is accomplished. Each and every day that we awake I hope that this blog will be used to remind us that we are here to bring Him glory and while that may seem like a daunting task, it is actually possible because of the life of Christ that lives in you and me.

I pray that this blog will be a living journal of the life of Christ living in me each and every day!

For His Glory,

Pastor Jerry Croyts