TRINITY SUNDAY (MAY 31ST) ...Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Revelation 4:8 Holy, holy, holy Lord, God Almighty Early in the morning, our song shall rise to Thee Holy, holy, holy Merciful and mighty God in three persons, blessed Trinity Holy, holy, holy Though the darkness hide Thee Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee Perfect in power, in love, and purity Holy, holy, holy Lord, God Almighty All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea Holy, holy, holy Merciful and mighty God in three persons, blessed Trinity The Story Behind "Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty"

PENTECOST (MAY 24TH)--THANK YOU HOLY SPIRIT! MEMORIAL DAY (MAY 25TH) ---THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY! Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Ephesians 5:14 The Story behind "Awaken Us Today" Awaken Us Today (Lyrics) … From the oceans, through the valleys From the mainland to the shore Let Your Kingdom be awakened In the hearts of men once more Call Your children into freedom Captive souls to liberty Come awaken, Holy Spirit! Come awaken us today! … Love unending, grace unyielding Tender mercies from thy throne Brings the lost soul into families Calls the wayward sinner home Bring salvation, Great Redeemer Holy fire fan to flame Come restore us, come revive us Come awaken us today! … I will serve Thee, Precious Jesus Unto Thee I give my all Lay my hands unto thy service And my heart unto thy call Perish every fond ambition Lay aside all selfish gain All forsaken for thy glory Come awaken us today! … Wake, O sleeper, from your slumber! Saints awaken, come to life! Christ will rise and shine upon you In His heav'nly light divine Like the sunrise in its dawning Breaking darkness with new light Rise upon us, King of glory Come awaken us today! For Your Kingdom, For Your Glory Come awaken us today! A modern hymn (in the style of Colonial Hymns) from the movie "The Great Awakening" (A story based on true events surrounding the friendship of George Whitfield and Benjamin Franklin)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrew 12:1-2 Be Thou My Vision (Lyrics) Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me save that Thou art. Thou my best thought by day or by night; Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true Word;I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord. Thou, my great Father, and I Thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one. Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight; Be Thou my armor, be Thou my true might. Be Thou my soul's shelter, be Thou my strong tower; Raise Thou me heavenward, great power of my power. Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise; Thou mine inheritance, now and always. Thou and Thou only, the first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art. High King of Heaven, Thou heaven’s bright sun, Grant me its joys after victory is won. Heart of my heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, Oh Ruler of all.

But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. ~Luke 24:29 Abide With Me (Lyrics) Abide with me, fast falls the eventide The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide When other helpers fail and comforts flee Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away Change and decay in all around I see O Thou who changest not, abide with me I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if Thou abide with me Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me Abide with me Abide with me The Story Behind "Abide With Me"

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.     John 11:43-44 Years ago, I taught Sunday School to middle school kids. One Sunday morning, we studied the passage about Lazarus. With parental permission, I took the kids to the cemetery on the hogback. I narrated the story of Lazarus and then instructed them to yell at the graves, “Rise up!” As you can imagine, no one rose from the dead. The key takeaway is that only through the power of God can anyone rise from the dead.  It’s truly awe-inspiring to contemplate the resurrection of Christ and the miracle of Lazarus.   Last week, I was deeply moved by Pastor Jesse's sermon, when he encouraged us to rise up! It’s a powerful message for all of us. However, some days are incredibly challenging, and when we rely solely on our own strength, we inevitably fail. According to the scripture reading last Sunday, when Jesus entered the room where the disciples were hiding, they gained the strength they needed to continue unafraid. History proves this to be true because most of them were martyrs for their faith. May our lives and worship be under the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the one who helps us rise up, just as he did for Lazarus and the disciples! Lazarus overcame the grave, and the disciples overcame their fear and discouragement. Praise be to God for the victory we have in Jesus! Can you say Amen?  The Gaithers sang a song called “Rise Up (Lazarus).” I think the lyrics of the chorus make this point: Come on and rise up, take a breath, you're alive now Can't you hear the voice of Jesus calling us Out from the grave like Lazarus You're brand new, the power of death couldn't hold you Can't you hear the voice of Jesus calling us Out from the grave like Lazarus Rise up, rise up, rise up Out from the grave like Lazarus

Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 A sign of spring is when I clean the wood-burning stove inside out. Throughout the winter, we use it as our primary source of heat. As part of our routine to keep our home warm, we get up in the night and fan the flame using the billows. Sometimes, we have to rekindle it because we slept too long. I must admit, my husband is the one who keeps the night fire most nights. I enjoy the warmth of the fire when I wake up early in the morning. Caring for the fire is a constant job, and when it goes out, the house gets cold. Then, it becomes a big task to build a new fire. What is Paul conveying to Timothy in the scripture above? I find the word “into” particularly intriguing. When you fan a flame, you must position the billows close to the source of heat, which could be a tiny spark or a coal. Proximity is crucial for the spark to catch fire. It’s remarkable how that small spark can transform into an all-consuming fire that burns wood and provides warmth.   Our primary source lies in the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to be bold, loving, and self-disciplined. He transforms our timid nature into a powerful force. If you haven't, seek someone to pray for you, releasing the divine gift within you. Paul exemplified this by laying hands on Timothy and praying for his gift to ignite.  Fan into flame the Gift of God which is in you!  Be bold in the Spirit! Ignite! Imagine worship in our church if we all were consumed by the Holy Spirit's Fire!

Easter celebrations are over, but it’s a good time to reflect on not only the forgiveness of our Lord towards us but also our own forgiveness towards others.  Unfortunately, we’ve all been there—suddenly, an unexpected offense strikes, and we may smile outwardly, but deep down, we’re hurt. If we let it simmer, it turns into anger; if we continue down this path, it becomes resentment and bitterness. Unfortunately, this can damage relationships, even if there are no words to express it. We avoid the person, stop spending time with them, and end up miserable. The scriptures offer plenty of teachings on forgiveness. For example, when Peter asked how often to forgive, Jesus said, "Seventy times seven." He made it clear how important it is to forgive our debtors in the Lord’s Prayer.  Also, in Matthew 18:21-35, a parable shows what happens when we don’t forgive. A man asked the king to forgive him for a huge debt, but the man couldn’t forgive someone who owed him a little, which led to his imprisonment and suffering. In addition, Jesus’s forgiveness extended to the soldiers who pierced his hands and feet on the cross serves as a profound example for us. These are merely a few instances that illustrate the significance of forgiveness towards others, a fundamental principle that is not only commendable but also commanded by our faith.   I firmly believe that worship will become more powerful and God’s presence more evident as we take His command to forgive very seriously.  Let me ask you a question: Is there any unforgiveness lingering in your heart? Take some time to seek God’s guidance and ask Him to reveal if there is. Don’t rush the process; let the Holy Spirit speak to you about this matter.  Another consideration is whether you have knowingly offended anyone. If so, reach out to them and make amends, as scripture instructs. Prioritize this matter immediately. Avoid being the source of unforgiveness in someone else. This courageous act may bring healing to both of you. Lastly, are you like the man in the parable? King Jesus paid a tremendous debt for us, which cost Him immense suffering and death on the cross. Can we take this into perspective and recognize that our brother or sister's debt is insignificant compared to the debt we each, personally, owe the Lord?  Forgiving others is also an expression of love for our Lord, who died to forgive.   Let us worship God and be free and overflowing with love for one another, as we remember what Christ has done for us!

He is risen! This amazing assertion has been recorded by all four Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. For example, in Luke’s Gospel, he writes the following account: On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. ( Luke 24: 1-8 ) Seattle author, speaker, liturgist, and co-founder of Mustard Seed Associates, Christine Sine expressed it best of our utter joy when she penned these words: Hold your head high, Christ has risen. Rejoice and shout, Christ has come calling us home. Home to the heart of God, Home to God’s living presence, Home to God’s banquet feast. Hold your head high, Christ has risen. Death has been conquered, Christ has come calling us home. All that was broken has been made whole, All that was dislocated has been set right, All that was oppressed has been set free. Hold your head high, Christ has risen, Bringing God’s healing, Christ has come calling us home. Redemption is complete, God’s eternal world has begun, Love reigns over all, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Christ has risen calling us home. Indeed, because of our Risen Lord, we as Christ-followers can hold our heads high and rejoice and shout! We have been set free in the deepest sense, and all has been made right. May this Easter be a day of blessing, hope, renewal, and joy! Warmly in Christ, Pastor Jesse

He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified, and, on the third day, be raised again. Luke 24:6-7 This powerful worship song elevates the name of Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb who was slain and now reigns eternally. Sing along and worship. Draw near to God. In His presence, proclaim: Holy, holy, holy Worthy is the Lamb Hallelujah to the King May this song inspire you to engage in personal worship, lifting your voice in praise and bowing your heart in reverence before the One who deserves all glory, honor, and power. On Resurrection Sunday, come and gather together at church and rejoice, proclaiming: He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed!

"The Lord your God is with you; the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.”   Zephaniah 3:17 Upon meditating upon this verse, I am deeply moved by the image of God, the Mighty Warrior who saves, and our Father expressing delight and singing, possibly a soothing lullaby over us. Do you recall the comforting songs you would sing to your children when they were afraid? These songs would calm them and bring peace in your embrace. Similarly, God’s heart towards you is akin to that of a father who yearns for you to find rest and solace in His divine love. Our Warrior God is a gentle Father. As we approach Holy Week, I believe it’s crucial to find moments of stillness. Let’s take some time to reflect on the passion of Jesus. Also, let’s remember God the Father’s unwavering love for us. Finally, let’s be still and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts.   Psalm 46:10 says: "Be still, and know that I am God." In the quiet stillness, say nothing...just listen. Be still and allow God to reveal Himself in silence. He takes great delight in you. He loves you and rejoices over you with singing. Prepare your heart for Holy Week, remembering the sacrifice for your sins and the joy that follows. Can you hear or imagine the love song that emanates from God’s heart over you?   Be Still My Soul is a beautiful hymn that reminds us to quiet ourselves before God: Be Still My Soul Verse 1 Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Verse 2 Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake To guide the future, as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below. Verse 3 Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart, And all is darkened in the vale of tears, Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart, Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears. Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay From His own fullness all He takes away. Verse 4 Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on When we shall be forever with the Lord When disappointment, grief and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last. Words: Katharina von Schlegel, 1697. Music: " Finlanda " by Jean Sibelius 1899

"Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." Matthew 25:21 I’ve been pondering meeting the Lord and gazing into His eyes for the first time. What would He say to me? I yearn to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This is a familiar verse, but have you noticed the second part? “You have been faithful over a little: I will set you over much.” Afterward, He says, “Enter into the joy of your master.” We would love to skip over the middle part and simply hear “Well Done!” and then enter into Joy! Being faithful and taking on more can be challenging. The way we live our lives is entirely within our control. We can choose to be faithful to God or disregard His call and squander our lives. I like this quote, “Occupy Till He Comes.” The term “occupy” encompasses the act of filling, utilizing, or gaining control of something. These words possess immense power. Christians are engaged in a spiritual struggle, and God has entrusted us with the responsibility of remaining steadfast in our faithfulness to Him and the Kingdom work here on Earth. My friend’s son, Zach, is a member of the United States Air Force. I would like to extend my prayers for his well-being and safety. Zach’s duties involve fueling aircraft in mid-air, and I can envision him performing his responsibilities with unwavering dedication in the Middle East. He is one of many individuals actively involved in the ongoing military operations, and his faithful execution of his duties is crucial for the safety and success of other service members. While Zach may not be directly involved in strategic planning with generals and admirals, he places his trust in his commanders. Faithfulness is a virtue that our Master Jesus emphasized, and it is essential for our own lives as well. While we may not fully comprehend the divine plan, we can have assurance that God is in control and desires our participation in His grand design. We’re in a spiritual battle, but if we trust Jesus, our Lord and Commander, we’ll hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This song is musically beautiful, and its words are thought-provoking. When it’s all been said and done There is just one thing that matters Did I do my best to live for truth? Did I live my life for you?

Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!  Psalm 98:1. (NLT) “I have that song stuck in my head!” We all complain about this at some point. Music has a way of bypassing our thoughts and taking up residence in our minds, even if we don’t want it to. It has the power to take us on emotional journeys, so it’s important to choose our music wisely. Opt for heavenly songs that draw us closer to God. While earthly songs aren’t inherently bad, choosing songs that proclaim our love and desire for God can renew our minds and lead us into a form of worship. Worship brings us into the presence of God, and raising our voices to sing a heavenly song is a powerful way to express our devotion. Have you ever been singing a song and felt the overwhelming presence of God? People often say that a song is anointed, and there’s truth to that. I believe “How Great Thou Art” has that anointing. Whenever I play that hymn for the people of God, it amazes me how it always raises the roof. People sing to the Lord from their hearts. Songs like “It Is Well With My Soul” and “Amazing Grace” have a powerful impact behind their words and tunes. As I consider modern songs, I think of “Shout to the Lord,” “How Great is Our God,” “Holy Forever,” and “Revelation Song.” It’s as if these songs are set apart from other hymns and worship songs. Let’s thank God for the gift of music. May we lift our hearts in song and draw near to the Lord. May God show us the power of music and strengthen us through it. May every song in our hearts glorify the Lord. Since it’s close to St. Patrick’s Day, I chose a Celtic arrangement of “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” Enjoy!