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Pastor's Page
Pastor Lynn Willamson
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From the Pastor’s Desk:
Benjamin Franklin once said, "'In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." That means, among other things, that there are a lot of things in life that are uncertain. When you have a loved one in the hospital and they are running extensive medical tests, the outcome is uncertain. And even when the doctors have all the results, the prognosis can still be uncertain. When your boss calls for a meeting with all the employees, you wonder if your job is certain for tomorrow. It is certain that bills are coming in the mail, but it is uncertain whether you will have enough money to pay them all. Your son or daughter is leaving home for the first time and there is uncertainty in their eyes and in their voice. You want to do everything for them, but you know they must handle some things on their own and face an uncertain world.
Allow me to give you something else besides death and taxes that I think in certain. I am certain that there is a God in Heaven and that He is concerned about you! I am not going to go into all the things to prove that God exists, so let’s just say that He exists as a matter of faith. (Say it with me) I believe that there is a God in Heaven and He is concerned about my welfare.
When God is giving the children of Israel the Ten Commandments (not the Ten Suggestions, by the way) he first tells them that “I am the LORD your God.” There is no doubt in that statement. There is no “I want to be the LORD your God”, there is no “I could be the LORD your God.” It is very exact as He says He is The LORD God.
He encourages Joshua during just after Moses has died and Joshua becomes the leader, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) When facing the unknown and the uncertain remember that it is God who is in control and He is the one who does know and it is certain that He will be with you, no matter what!
Jeremiah writes, “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope.” The most important thing to remember about God being in control is that we need to live according to His plan and not ours. God is not out to destroy us, but because He loves us He wants the best for us. He gives us a future and a hope for tomorrow. “I do not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”
We do not know for sure what Paul’s thorn was, but we can be sure it was related to an uncertainty in his life (health, life situation, relationships, or just circumstances). When Paul asked the LORD three times to remove the thorn from his side, he received an answer he was not expecting. God told Paul that His grace was sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Whatever your uncertainties, you can be certain that His grace is sufficient for you!
I hope that these certainties bring you encouragement, strength, and peace in all your uncertainties of life.
See ya Sunday,
Pastor Lynn