FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART April 22, 2024

It was good to be preaching again Sunday, after a two-week break. We had a wonderful vacation, celebrating our 50th Anniversary in California. Then, it was great to come home from a quick trip to Texas and observe the Lord’s Supper. Yet, I truly love sharing God’s Word with God’s people. The service this week was even more special, as we had the joy of recognizing Bro. Ken and Cheryl Goldsby for 25 years of ministry with us. An added treat was doing it on her birthday.

There is no higher calling from God than to preach His Word. I am still amazed that the Lord called a sixteen-year-old kid from a small town in Central Texas, but He did! As confident as I am that He called me to become a Christian as a young child, I know that God’s call on my life to minister to His people was real. Why He chose me, I may never understand. Yet, I am grateful that He did place a call on my life to not only preach the Gospel, but to be a pastor to His people.

As I often share at funerals, the words of men are limited in their impact but the Word of God has unlimited power. From His Word, we draw comfort and correction, encouragement and enlightenment, hope and help. God’s Word serves as the GPS on our journey through life, offering us Guidance, Protection and Strength. As the psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” It was truly my joy to be able to speak from God’s Word to our CBC family on Sunday.

The sweet spirit of our service continued, as we moved downstairs for a wonderful family lunch. The meal was delicious, but the fellowship was even more delightful. As much as we enjoyed the tasty barbecue, with all the trimmings, and the luscious cake, I am mindful that this meal will not suffice for the whole week. We are all going to need daily nourishment to continue to be strong and healthy. In the same way, the spiritual feast that we experienced in the worship service will not be enough to maintain our spiritual strength and health throughout the week. We also need to daily feed from the Word of God in order to grow in our walk with the Lord. May you set aside time each day to spend in studying and meditating on the Word of God, as you pray for His GPS!

Serving in love,

Bro. Jim