Hello everyone,
Cooler weather is in the forecast again. Our first killing frost has happened, and the end of gardening season has come.
Parts of our country are still recovering from hurricanes and others are dealing with wildfires and drought. My problems seem trivial in comparison. You have heard it said there is always someone in a worse situation than you, and I believe it. In each situation, we need to remember God has a plan, even in hardship or good times.
In the Old Testament God told Moses, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Also, the Lord told Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
God, through the prophet, told his people Israel, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).
As Jesus prepared to leave his disciples and return to heaven, he told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
As we live our lives in the present, and if we have placed our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we need not fear the storms of life or dread the cloudy days. I will close with the words of the apostle Peter.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never spoil perish or fade—kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God’s power” (1 Peter 1:3-5a).
For Him,
Pastor Jerry
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