Finding Your Calling

Eph. 2:10 ~ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

When God calls us to do something, His call comes in several ways;

1. You feel moved! There’s a moment of certainty when God puts His hand upon you, nudging you toward a certain need, usually an unmet one.
2. It’s confirmed by other people! They will discern that God is at work in your life. People who know you well, watch. They volunteer comments like; You are at your best when you are… You shine when you’re doing that, etc.
3. You’re gifted to do it! With a call comes giftedness to do what the calling asks of us. In your calling you soar in spite of the obstacles.
4. You’ll see Results! God through you will change things touch lives, glorify God.

   All of us are called to do something for God. Find your calling and fulfill it!
   ~ Pastor Turner

Finding Balance in Christmas Celebration

How de we make Christmas joyously special without it either paganizing it or becoming too commercial? I have grown more and more concerned with the question over the years. I am more deeply convinced the denial of Christmas fun is not required by us who share the deepest faith of Christmas!

Our challenge is to find and show the way to a holy and happy celebration of the season. I’ve carried into my Pastoral leadership the conviction that such traditions can be applied without allowing world mindedness to clutter our celebrating. A Spirit led congregation embraces Christmas; rather than embarking on a crusade against it that will do more harm by traumatizing kids & trampling on traditions. This reactionary posturing is worse than “scrooging.”  It does not allow a chance at accomplishing anything lasting, other than breeding bitterness and turning people off toward the church. However, a church family can convert many of our cultural traditions to serve the interest of evangelism and spiritual training.

Therefore, my Christmas prayer for all of us is;

~ The wisdom of God, that we might discern the times and seasons we are living in

~ For the Spirit of celebration (the Holy Spirit) to help us; prophesy like Zacharias, to give like the Wise Men, to shout like Angels, and sing like Mary!

~ That the truth of Christmas becomes liberating and filled with warmth of the love of our “Father’s” family. The church would be overflowing with the joy of Jesus, spreading a Holy contagion over everything we do.

The Winds of Change

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 

We are into October and the weather is beginning to cool off, the leaves are changing color, and eventually they fall to the ground. We know winter is coming with all it’s beauty, but it always brings harshness! Spiritually speaking there’s a change that has already started. The winter of Covid-19 has passed with it’s harshness last year, but the spring came non the less!

I’m expecting a renewed presence of the Lord’s Spirit, as God people open to the opportunities that will be presented to them. I’m seeing His people starting to have an appetite for His word, His presence, and His mission. Please open up your heart and mind to His promptings. The book of revelation says He stands at our door and knocks . If we open that door, He fellowships with us and reveals new possibilities for our now & our future. In Rev. 21:5 the Lord says “behold I make all things new.” Expect change in your life, be open to what the Lord is doing.

~ Pastor Turner

Read Isaiah 6:1-9 ~

Isaiah had a vision of the Lord, and it transformed his life! This threefold vision does not precede revival, it follows it – When we come in contact with God, our lives are never the same. When we come into God’s presence, or experience His presence, we will experience revival.

Isaiah’s vision was threefold:
1 – He looked up seeing God
2 – He looked in, seeing himself
3 – He looked out, seeing others

Sometimes we ask the question why do I need the Lord or why should I come to church? Because when we come together to worship Him we know the bible says He is there in a different way than when we are alone!

Think about this, the best way to show a stick is crooked is to lay a straight one next to it. In the same way, when we stand before God we will see our unworthiness and short comings. As a result, when we see this in ourselves, God can bring His cleansing into our lives. Then God will speak, commissioning us to do His work!

~ Pastor Turner

Jesus’ Gift of Prayer

 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

When we pray in adversity, we may not see the full answer until we come into the peace of Heaven. When we pray in the face of danger, we may not recognize the hand of protection until we are in His care. Unfortunately we often forget to pray in times of prosperity, security, and freedom. Yet this is the most critical time to pray so we don’t become selfish, arrogant, and captivated by the worlds charms.

Prayer has eternal value! Therefore, we’ll never know the full glory of our prayers until we are in the presence of the one who answers them. Jesus is praying for us today right where He is, in Heaven eternal, just as He prayed for us while on earth. We should thank Him everyday for this wonderful and precious gift!

~ Pastor Turner