New year's greetings! Our motto for last year was "more of heaven in 2011". The Bible tells us that "every good gift and every perfect gift is FROM ABOVE AND COMES DOWN from the Father of Lights..." (James 1:17). Of course, the greatest of all gifts was the Son of God-----"more of JESUS in twenty eleven". For this New Year----"for the year of twenty twelve, let's SEE BEYOND ourselves". The writer of Hebrews declares, "Now faith is the substance of things HOPED FOR (See Beyond), and the evidence of things NOT SEEN (See Beyond). May the Holy Spirit enable you to SEE BEYOND your present life and circumstances to the GOOD THINGS He has planned for you in 2012. God bless you!.
"Give it all to Him." That's the subject of the 4 sessions of Roundtables beginning this Sunday at Hosanna. The Roundtables begin at 6pm. Most of the time, we think of giving to God in terms of material or tangible things. But there are "internal things" that need to be given to Him in order to follow His will for our lives. Come and learn what they are and how you can experience peace and freedom as you "give them to Him." Scripture thought today: Isaiah 41:10. God bless you! As I prepare this message to you, the New Orleans area, particularly here on the West Bank, is under a stalled storm system which is creating flooding and hazardous conditions. This condition reminds me again of the inability for us as creatures to control the elements of the Creator. Surely, the "earth and all that is in it" belongs to Him. Jesus spoke about the rain, the winds and the floods. He used the natural to illustrate a spiritual truth. The "wise man" (or woman) builds his/her house on the ROCK (Jesus!) and when the storms of life come, the house will stand the test. But, on the other hand, the foolish person who depends on anyone (anything) other than Jesus Christ for the answer is building a house on sand and it will fall. Friend, I hope you are trusting the Lord Jesus for your salvation today. THERE IS NO OTHER! God bless you this week! As I was reading from the "One Year Bible" this week, I marveled at how God intervened and brought hope into an otherwise impossible situation. The amazing part is that God, who knows the end from the beginning had an incredible plan already at work. The Apostle Paul was a prisoner along with 275 others who were ship-wrecked and miraculously found safety on the island of Malta. Bitten by a venomous snake and suffering no ill-effects, Paul was given an open door to pray for the father of the chief official of the island and the Lord healed him. Many others received prayer and were healed as well. Going from a situation of hopeless distress on the stormy sea, the God of Hope spoke to Paul and saved not only all of the lives on board, but the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ was brought to the lost souls of Malta. Are you in a seemingly hopeless situation? Be encouraged! There is a God of Hope who loves you and has a purpose for your life at this time. Call on Him. God bless you! Meditate on Romans 15:13. This Word is for YOU! The "gumbo" was great! I had been missing our Hosanna Cafe` on Wednesday evenings beginning at 5:30 pm. This week, the featured dish was gumbo and potato salad. It was just what "the doctor ordered". I know that doesn't sound too spiritual, but our bodies need good nourishment as well. My soul and spirit need to be fed with the water of the Spirit and the bread of the Word. This Sunday we celebrate Communion together. I invite you to join us as we experience the presence of our Lord in a very special way. "Oh, the Blood of Jesus! It washes white as snow!" Don’t forget your devotional even though it is a holiday weekend. God has gifts He wants to impart into your life. Are you ready to receive His gifts of strength? God may have to speak strongly. Are you ready to listen? Who is really strong in God’s eyes? Do you find the answer in the World’s Strongest Man competition or the grandfather in the nursing home serving the Lord? Think about it as your devotional today. Today’s Scripture is John 20:21. Jesus is speaking to you. He has sent you into the world today—the workplace. Let Him work through you. Share your faith with someone else. Jesus came “into” the world, not to escape from it! Follow the instructions of page 26 in your devotional book. Our new section focuses on “strength in service”. In today’s thinking, being a real man is to be independent and free. But God has a better way. As you “bind” yourself to Jesus Christ, you discover God’s plan for men. Do you feel your strength being drained today. Repeat the words of today’s Scripture (Matthew 11:28). As your devotional says, “He is the Lion of Judah”. He has all the strength you need for today. Rest in Him! |  AuthorPASTOR GEORGE MCLEAN, ArchivesJanuary 2012 CategoriesAll |
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