Colossians 1:7-8

7 Epaphras, our much loved co-worker, was the one who brought you the Good News. He is Christ's faithful servant, and he is helping us in your place. 8 He is the one who told us about the great love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you. (NLT)

Isn’t this how you would like to be remembered? To be remembered as someone who loved others, someone who brought the Good News of Jesus Christ to others and someone who is regarded as “Christ’s faithful servant.” This is who we need to be to be ambassadors for Christ. This is what we need to be praying to the Lord for, to have the Holy Spirit working in us to have the great love of Jesus Christ flowing through us and to be His witnesses to others. Life is about others not ourselves. We need to be known as followers of Christ because we imitate Christ.

Words of Encouragement will return on April 1st.

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

Colossians 1:1-6

This letter is from Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. 2 It is written to God's holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace.

3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 for we have heard that you trust in Christ Jesus and that you love all of God's people. 5 You do this because you are looking forward to the joys of heaven —as you have been ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. 6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God's great kindness to sinners. (NLT)

As we take an inward look at our lives do we do what we do because we look forward to the joys of heaven or do we do things for ourselves? Our lives are to be solely centered around Jesus Christ. We are to love all of God’s people not those who we pick and choose.

This Good News of Jesus Christ changed our lives and we need to share this Good News so that it continues changing lives everywhere. The lost needs to hear about the Good News of the hope they have in Christ and the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners.

Therefore be always in prayer each other, be thankful for one another and give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

2 Timothy 3:14-17

14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 17 It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. (NLT)

Remain Faithful. Follow the Scriptures for they are true and it is only the Scripture that leads to wisdom. The Scriptures will transform you to be more like Christ every day. All Scripture is from God, by God and for God to mold us into what He originally wanted us to be. It is Scripture that will equip us and prepare us for every good thing God wants us to do. Scripture will wake us up, straighten us out and teach us to do what is right. If you want to know what the right thing to do is read and follow the Scriptures God wrote. Remain Faithful.

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

2 Timothy 3:1-5

You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. (NLT)

What do you love? Is there something that you love more than God? Scripture tells us to “examine ourselves”before taking communion but examining ourselves is something we need to do daily. For in the last days people will be lovers of themselves and think only of themselves because they have not examined themselves to make sure that God is the only true love in their lives. In verse 5 they will even act religious but reject the power that could make them more like Christ because they have made self No. 1. Read this verse again and examine yourself and if anything strikes you, repent, and ask God to forgive you and let His love fill you. Our lives need to be lives that are pleasing to our Father and bring honor and glory to the Son.

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

By Pastor Ruben Lara

WWJD? I remember growing up and these bracelets being so popular. It seemed as though everyone had one. They were a variety of colors: electric neons, green, red, blue, and every other color that you can imagine. Everyone wore them so the whole world could see your bracelet and you could shout out who you were without saying a word. What Would Jesus Do? Like any other "Christian Fad," it came and went.

These days the new WWJD bracelet has changed a bit. It's a tattoo of a fish, cross, or some Hebrew character. I wore the bracelet (many colors too!) and the only reason I don't get a tattoo is because I don't like pain or needles. We tend to want to stamp Jesus or our Christianity on everything. Now, I'm not against tattoos or bracelets or anything that has to do with our ever-loving God, but too many times we get wrapped up using Jesus as a stamp of approval for others making us feel like an Apostle of the 21st Century and we miss the whole point!

Here some news, Jesus's Love and Grace does that for us! When HE lives in our hearts, it begins to seep out and the world begins to see a difference in you. No need for a bracelet, tattoo, or a "Jesus ROCKS" t-shirt. HE immediately begins to renew us. Does that make you perfect? No. Does it mean that you will not fail? No. Does it mean that you’re still imperfect? Yes.

 

Scripture teaches us in 1 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." The OLD has gone and NEW has come. God doesn't erase the past (I wish!) and doesn't give you a super-model body, but you start becoming a new creation. The newness steps into our lives helping us see through the murky waters of this world with a clearer vision of where God wants us to go and who HE wants us to be. My encouragement to you is to focus your eyes on the SON, on HIS Promises, on HIS Word, and on what a wonderful and amazing creation you are and are becoming. Out with the old and in with the new!

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

By Pastor Jim Snyder

Romans 1:28

²⁸People did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So God left them and allowed them to have their own worthless thinking and to do things they should not do. (NCV)

Wow, this passage is so frightening! It suggests that when we don’t really like what we know about God and we start to try to reshape God as we wish he were rather than how he is, he gets disgusted with us and stands there as we walk away. As if God is saying, “Ok, if that is what you want to do than do it. But that is not me and in the end it does not lead to life.”

So the question is,“have I tried to reshape God in some way?” Or,” Is there something about God that I don’t like so I try to twist Him to make Him as I want Him to be?” See in the end I need true knowledge of God! I need to know Him as He is because anything but that is not God at all. The worst part is I could reshape God in my heart and mind and make him less offensive and more palatable and perhaps never discover that the God I have created is actually just a god. I may not even know that I walked away from God long ago.

Father, hear my prayer. I am prone to self-deception. As your word says, “the heart is deceived above all else.” Help me know the real you, even the parts that I may wish were different. I don’t always understand you but I need you!

Amen

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

By Kathy Nelson

1 Corinthians 9:24-25

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

I am not a runner! Actually I despise running. I was the kid in high school that walked the mile run. I thought I could go my whole life without ever needing to run and then I am reminded of this verse. This is not a physical race to see who is the fastest. This is a spiritual race and the prize is eternal. God wants us to exercise our spiritual muscles, so to speak. If a runner does not train then they will be unable to complete the race. So what are you doing to stay spiritually fit so that you can keep on running the race that God has put in front of you? Are you spending time with Him? Are you getting to know Him through His word? Are you serving Him with your gifts and talents? Be intentional about your spiritual life. The payoff lasts forever!

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

By Kathy Nelson

Psalm 56:4

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”

Ever feel like you are surrounded by enemies? Ever feel like life is about to overwhelm you? Well, take heart because God is trustworthy. The God who parted the Red Sea and calmed the storm with nothing but His words is with you. He is still in the business of protecting His people. Does that mean that life is easy as a Christ follower? Nope! What it does mean is that no matter what happens to you or who is against you, God is with you. He may not take you out of a situation, but He will walk with you step by step through it. Ultimately, mortal man can do nothing to harm our eternity with Christ. Follow Him, trust Him, praise Him, and do not be afraid!

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

Words of Encouragement

By Kathy Nelson

Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Are you a “self-beater upper?” What I mean, is do you beat yourself up for every little mistake you make? Well, stop it! You are God’s workmanship and God doesn’t make junk. Now don’t misunderstand, I am not saying that you should not be repentant, but once you have been forgiven then move on. The end of that scripture says, “to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” He made you for a purpose and when you spend too much time obsessing over your mistakes you are unavailable to do the work that God has put in front of you. So look in the mirror and see who you are, God’s workmanship, and then walk out the door and into the work He puts before you.

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ

Ephesians 4:14-16

14 Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. (NLT)

Our goal for our lives is to become more and more like Christ every day. Others should see less and less of ourselves and more of Jesus in us. He is the head of our life, He is the head of the Church and we are to take His directions and not our own. Jesus perfectly puts us together to work in harmony in love to do His work. We are to be a reflection of Jesus and as each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ