"Beloved, all of us--and I do mean all of us--desperately need healing. All of us are fragmented. All of us are broken. All of us have been diminished by what took place in the beginning in the Garden of Paradise. All of us need deliverance. All of us need to be loved. All of us … Continue reading Quote of Note #151: The Universal Need for Salvation and Healing
Tag: Christian hope
Quote of Note #140: My Resurrection
Lilac buds; photo by GAC "Thou wilt come to raise my body from the dust, and re-unite it to my soul, by a wonderful work of infinite power and love, greater than that which bounds the ocean's waters, ebbs and flows the tides, keeps the stars in their courses, and gives life to all creatures." … Continue reading Quote of Note #140: My Resurrection
Quote of Note #138: Hope and Help in Christ
photo by GAC "In [Christ] the enslaved find redemption, the guilty pardon, the unholy renovation; in him are everlasting strength for the weak, unsearchable riches for the needy, treasures of wisdom and knowledge for the ignorant, fullness for the empty." Arthur Bennett, The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Carlisle, PA: … Continue reading Quote of Note #138: Hope and Help in Christ
Pastor Note #116: Advent Reflection #2
[Note: This post is the script for a video reflection that I posted to my YouTube channel. To view this particular video click here.] I first began making my “Pastor Gary’s Video Notebook” videos in March 2020 when the coronavirus shutdown came to my community and my church. I had a number of goals for … Continue reading Pastor Note #116: Advent Reflection #2
Pastor Note #109: Living as Hopeful People in Fearful Times
Are these hopeful times or are they fearful times? I write these words on a warm day, after a hard winter of snow and ice. The daffodils are poking up through the leaf litter in my flowerbeds. The crocuses have already begun to bloom. In fact, there are several dandelions in their yellow perkiness smiling … Continue reading Pastor Note #109: Living as Hopeful People in Fearful Times
Quote of Note #100: No Panic in Heaven
"The Lord never makes a mistake. One day, when we are in heaven, I'm sure we shall see the answers to the whys. My, how often I have asked, 'Why?' In heaven, we shall see God's side of the embroidery. God has no problems--only plans. There is never panic in heaven." Corrie ten Boom, He … Continue reading Quote of Note #100: No Panic in Heaven
Quote of Note #99: Worry and God’s Strength for the Day
"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength--carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow--it empties today of its strength. . . . Jesus is stronger than all of our problems." Corrie ten Boom, He Cares, He Comforts: In Sickness and In … Continue reading Quote of Note #99: Worry and God’s Strength for the Day
Quote of Note #98: In Life and in Death We Belong to God
Question #1: What is your only comfort in life and in death? Answer: That I am not my own, but belong--body and soul, in life and in death--to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the … Continue reading Quote of Note #98: In Life and in Death We Belong to God
Quote of Note #97: Comfort in All Times of Need
Question 26: What do you believe when you say, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth"? Answer: That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, who still upholds and rules them by his eternal counsel and providence, … Continue reading Quote of Note #97: Comfort in All Times of Need
Pastor Note #90: The Fearless Church
Fear can be a distressingly common feature of church life across America. The Bible is quite clear on this point. The only proper source of fear for Christians should be God. Nothing else in all creation should cause us fear. Of course, I know what it is to feel fear and anxiety. As do, I … Continue reading Pastor Note #90: The Fearless Church