Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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“It’s almost Christmas…” When we were children, that phrase filled us with hope and excitement as we counted down the days. For most adults today, those same words tend to fill us with stress and anxiety as available time and money grow short and our to-do and to-buy lists become ever longer. Part of the problem might be focusing on the many things that we, and everyone else, wants, instead of recognizing that what we truly need has already been given to us. At our Christmas services, we often read the beautiful prophecy from Isaiah 9:6, wh...
Jesus Christ is very important for Christians. That’s not really a surprise, since it’s in the name. Without “Christ,” a Christian would just be “-ian!” That’s pretty nondescript. Of course, people who are outside of Christianity may not always understand just how central Christ is, or in what ways he is central. And even Christians can be distracted. A little piece of cardboard isn’t very significant, but if we hold it in front of our eyes it can block out the sun. In the same way, a lot of things that are smaller than Christ and peripheral...
We will face many troubles in our own lives. Maybe you have lost a loved one. Maybe your health is declining, you are in chronic pain, lost your job, relationships have broken, situations of suffering and trial. The most troubling time for the disciples was when Jesus told them that He was going away to where they could not follow before His crucifixion (John 13:33). Jesus gave the disciples and all Christians five reasons to not be troubled. The Way. The first reason we should not be troubled is because we know the way to heaven (John...
Do you still remember that special Christmas gift you received as a child? I remember receiving a BB gun and footballs and baseball gloves and toy soldiers. As a kid I had so much fun with those gifts. In 2nd Corinthians 9:15 Paul says, ”Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” It is speaking of an indescribable gift. Paul was so thankful for the gift that God gave to mankind. No words can truly express the greatness of this gift. This gift is truly too wonderful for words. This indescribable gift is God’s only begotten Son, the Lord...
What does it mean to be thankful? During this season we are reminded of Paul speaking to the church in Thessalonia when he states: [BEGIN ITAL]“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”[END ITAL] 1 Thessalonians 5:18. And although this is a perfect scripture for this week, we still, as only we can do, struggle with giving thanks in difficult times. He proceeded before this moment to tell the church to “Always be joyful,” which is an interesting statement to make when you follow that with “be t...
If you're like me, you may get used to certain things in life and come to take them for granted. For example, we assume that when we open a faucet, water comes out or when we flip a switch, a light comes on. On the recent mission trip that I went on, it reminded me that in many parts of the world those things don't always work like that. Upon arriving home, I suddenly felt very fortunate to have a comfortable home, plenty of clothes to wear and an abundance of food to eat. I realize that there are plenty of areas in our own country where that...
We’re counting down to the end of the year, and we’re in what should be the best two months of the year! November and December have the most holidays, generally excellent weather (in our area anyway) and great food. What’s more, everything from school lesson plans to community activities in November are focused on gratitude, and in December on joy and peace. It should be amazing! Yet many of us are too stressed out and exhausted to take a walk in the cool, crisp air or to enjoy the great opportunities to gather with friends and family. It’s har...
I’m writing this article before the election takes place, but you’ll read it only after Election Day has come and gone. I can’t see into the future, and don’t know how the election will turn out (or what the reactions to the results will be). Is there any perspective from your past that makes a difference in ignorance of the results? I believe there is, and especially from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. Daniel was given more detailed previews about the future flow of events than any other prophet. The visions in Daniel cover major eve...
It’s almost time again for Election Day as excitement, political pressure and intrigue reach their height. We all have been bombarded constantly with political ads, calls, mailers, news and interviews all aimed at influencing our vote, which will impact our city, our county, our state and our country. It is a good time to review what the Bible says about politics and Christians. First, beware of the cult of politics. Politics has the tendency of becoming all consuming, like a religion. And 24/7 media coverage in our time has not helped. News f...
1 Samuel 7 tells an interesting story of what sometimes happens when we get serious about obeying God. Obedience to God always brings blessing – that is a truth proven throughout the scriptures and in so many lives throughout history. But sometimes we twist this idea to mean that submitting completely to God will mean we have no more problems, no more struggles and that a blessed life is an easy one. 1 Samuel 7:2 ends with an interesting declaration, “… then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.” They had decided to live God’s w...
To the editor: This letter is written in support of Measure D. As a retired industrial arts teacher, work experience coordinator and adjunct professor of drafting technology I appreciate the improvements Measure D would bring to the technical education program at Wasco High School. I played basketball in the Wasco High gym in the late 1950s, so the remodeling of the gym should bring new excitement to the game. Bud Engel Alumni, Shafter High School, 1960...
Your ability to encourage others is the support and hope that they need. Paul spent a lot of his time doing just that, encouraging his fellow believers through the places he visited and where he was headed to. In fact, Paul tells us in Hebrews 10:25 (New Living Translation), “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Church is a critical component to the encouragement of believers; however, it goes well beyond the walls of a church. Pau...
When our mail came recently, there was a flyer for a product I've seen on TV quite a bit, "Leaf Filter." It's designed to fit over rain gutters to keep leaves and other debris from clogging up the gutters and downspouts on a home. Although we don't need it for our home, the flyer did spark a thought: How is the filter doing that that keeps my mind, and life, from being clogged with thoughts that can be destructive? The Bible is very clear that we are faced with three distinct enemies of our souls; the world, the flesh and the devil. Each of...
1st Samuel 12:14 tells us to fear the Lord and serve and obey Him and continue following Him, then the Lord would bless His children. Samuel’s ministry was coming to an end and he urged the people to continue on following the Lord, and they would be blessed. Even when things do not make sense, continue on following the Lord. Sometimes life does not make sense, but I will continue on following the Lord. The Bible speaks of some who died in the faith, not having received the promises but they continued on. Jesus told the disciples in John 8...
A few years ago I was at the bedside of a woman who was very near death. She could no longer speak and could barely move, but she was very thirsty. Most of my last visit with her was spent spooning water from a cup into her mouth. Was there any value in giving water to someone on the edge of eternity like that? I doubt that it prolonged her life. I have no reason to think it made any big difference to her thoughts or feelings. In the moment, I mostly went on with that because I didn’t really know that there was anything else I could do. As I l...
Hebrews 6:19 says, ”Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” It’s a present hope that the Christian has. The text said [BEGIN ITAL]”which hope we have.” We have hope right now, and it’s not some cross-your-fingers-and-wishing-it-works-out. My hope is in the Lord. He is the anchor of my soul. My hope is in Jesus Christ. In this mixed-up world that we live in, the Lord is my all-sufficiency. In Him, we live and move and have our being. "Hope is an expectation with certainty that God will do what He has said." Hebrews...
I am in love with the story of the loaves and fish. We see this moment with Jesus and the disciples feeding the five thousand, and we look at the miracle that was performed at that moment, asking ourselves, "How can it be?" But when you take a little time to dive into this story you may find a very interesting twist to what we know. Matthew 14:15: "That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the...
I don't need to tell you that we live in a pretty fast-paced culture. Whether it's getting from one place to another, receiving or sending information over the internet or simply trying to keep up with the latest news, it's fast! Sometimes the pressure of trying to "keep up" in some way can really wear us down. The culture that Jesus was born and raised in was much different from the U.S. in many ways. It tended to be much more rural, transportation was either on foot or on an animal, and communication was either handwritten or face-to-face. Bu...
Shaken by loss, frightened by illness, worried about family and finances, and pulled by a million demands on our time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Add on social media’s tsunami of information about others’ real-life dramas, alerts to potential future dangers and millions of invented “crises,” and facing life can feel impossible. As pastors, we frequently counsel people to stay off social media (and turn off the news) to avoid added stress. Our own lives already have enough drama. But the truth is, focusing on our own problems instead...
Sometimes you’ll hear people talk about being godly, or godliness. Maybe it’s more frequent to hear something called “ungodly.” These words are rarely used, and it’s likely that sometimes even the people using them don’t really know what they mean. The basic idea of godliness is being like God. You can see it in the parts of the word: god…li[ke]…ness. People who believe in God usually see that as the best thing you could hope to be, for good reason. In the Bible, we find God saying: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Levitic...
The Word of God is rich with truth that speaks into our souls when they become downcast. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (Psalms 42:5) The Psalms alone have around fifty laments expressing grief, sorrow, fear, anger, contempt, shame and guilt as prayers to God, requesting and receiving solace and deliverance (Psalms 13, 42, 43, 77, 88). The Bible is full of examples and situations of suffering and loss leading to despair (Job, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ). Anyone can develop a downcast or depressed soul. A downcast sou...
In 2nd Timothy 4:7, Paul said, ”I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Paul had faced many troubles and trials, and now the time of his departure had come. It was time to lift anchor and set sail to be with the Lord. He had fought a good fight and he finished his course strong. He had given his all in the word of the Lord. Don’t quit, finish strong. The Bible says there will be a departure from the faith in the last days. We are on the final lap, finish strong. Galatians 5:7 says, ”You did run well,...
I find it interesting how time passes. In some ways it feels slow, like waiting for a train to pass or water to boil. In other ways it seems fast, like I was just in high school the other day (I graduated in 1976)! Maybe like me, you relate to time in much the same way. It may feel like you never have enough for the things you love or wish it would pass for the things you don't enjoy. Either way, time is going to pass, and it often causes us to reflect upon life. As I do that, I've come to the conclusion that the most rewarding parts of life re...
Philippians 1:21 tells us, ”For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” For Apostle Paul to live is Christ. Everything in the life of Paul was controlled by Christ. Jesus was everything to Paul. Jesus is everything to me in prayer. No matter what I face in life I can go to the Lord in prayer. He hears our every cry. In the time of suffering you can call upon him, and he will be an ever present help in your trouble. John 14:14 says, ”If you ask anything in Jesus name, he will do it.” He is a miracle prayer answering God. As long as I can pra...
The book of James tells us about an amusing scenario: a man who looks in the mirror, carefully considering his own face. But once that man steps away from the mirror, he promptly forgets what he looked like! All the scrutiny of his own features didn’t leave them in his memory (James 1:23–24). In this little scenario, we can see a problem that is very widespread among human beings, that is, a lack of self-awareness. Robert Burns, in his poem “To a Louse,” wrote these lines: Oh, would some Power the gift give us To see ourselves as others see us!...
