To read our entire August 2020 Newsletter: Click here

Excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article: Give Thanks in All Circumstances

Give Thanks in All Circumstances

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you
in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

These words are part of Paul’s closing to his first letter to the Thessalonian church. They serve as a
reminder of the many blessings we receive from our Lord, not the least of which is the forgiveness and salvation we have through faith in Christ Jesus. That faith, that knowledge, that trust, gives us cause to rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances.

And though this may be what you hope to do, it seems difficult at times to find reasons to rejoice and
give thanks. Every day, there are so many reasons we could fall back on and use as excuses not to find joy. What about this great illness sweeping the nation? Or that jerk who makes your blood boil every time he talks to you?

Some of you have lasting illnesses or pain. Many of you have friends or family that have fallen away
from faith; for some of you, it’s your own children. How can we rejoice and give thanks in these circumstances? Though all of these things affect us in different ways, they serve part of the same goal: to hinder our trust in Jesus. I’ve used this picture a few times in Bible study, and it applies perfectly here. The more and more we focus on the difficulties in our lives, the harder and harder it is to see Jesus.

You -> PROBLEM -> Jesus

God knows that we struggle. He knows our lives are hard sometimes, and without trying to minimize
the importance and impact of these troubles in our lives, God wants us to know there is something far greater than they. In the passage above, Paul wrote, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” He did NOT write, “FOR all circumstances.” Yes, it’s true that God can, and does, bring about blessings through even the darkest events in our lives. In that case, we can give thanks, even for the trouble itself. But what Paul wants us to realize here is that no matter what our problem or trouble is, there is something that overshadows it, something for which we can always give thanks in every circumstance. That is the salvation we have in Jesus.

You -> JESUS -> problem

When we focus on the immense blessing we have as children of God, as heirs of salvation, it gives us
peace and hope in even the most trying times. May God help us always to keep that in the proper focus so that our faith might sustain us in all circumstances, moving us to rejoice always in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) Amen

In Christian love,
Pastor Wolf B. Parsons

To read our entire July 2020 Newsletter: Click here

Excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article: Who Am I, Lord?

Who Am I, Lord?

When God called Moses from the depths of the burning bush, that was Moses’ response? “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11) God was calling Moses to do something quite extraordinary, to be a leader for the nation of Israel, to deliver that nation from the hands of slavery by standing up before Pharaoh and demanding that he release them, and to lead them in the ways of the LORD.

Moses did not feel qualified to do anything so grand. He made many objections. “What if they ask me who sent me?” “I can’t speak before so many people.” “I can’t stand before Pharaoh and make demands.” “What if the people don’t listen to me?” “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

No matter how many objections Moses gave, the LORD would not take “No” for an answer. He as-sured Moses that he could do that task for which he was called because he wouldn’t be doing it alone. First, in answer to some of Moses’ objections, God promised that Aaron would help him speak the message he re-ceived from the LORD. Second, God gave all assurance that this was the work of the LORD, that this was his message to the people. God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israel-ites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ Say to the Israelites, ‘the LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14-15)

He is the same God, the same LORD, throughout all generations, and he has prepared Moses for the task to which he called him. The same is true for you. How often have you asked yourself, “Who am I, Lord, that I should . . . ?” Or even a slightly different focus on this question: “Lord, what can I do?”

Have you ever wondered what role you play in the Church? Or do you wonder if you even have a role in the Church, other than someone who comes to worship? Do you wonder if what you do is as important as the task someone else fulfills? “I can’t speak as eloquently.” “I can’t help the physical, laborious tasks.” “I simply can’t do what so-and-so can do for the Church.” “What’s my role?”
These are the kinds of questions that plague us and make us feel insignificant in the work we do for the kingdom of heaven. But you are not insignificant. God has granted you your own gifts and abilities, and he has blessed you with the ability to carry them out. These gifts look so different from person to person, but the work God calls us to do and has enabled us to do is just as important as that of the next person. A hymn we used recently in worship addresses this point so beautifully.