Pastor's February Encouragement
River of Blessings
Luke 6:38 says “give and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down shaken together, and running over.” This is a picture of the way God wants to bless you, but the key to unlock those blessing is your generosity. The first word of this scripture is an admonition for us to give. Now this is not limited to sharing financial resources, you can give in a variety of ways. The main point is if you want to really be blessed by God you have to become more generous.
My Pastor would often say that one of his prayers was “God don’t let me be a reservoir of blessings, hoarding them for myself, but make me a river of blessings so they can run through me toward others. What would your life look like if you decided to be a river of blessings? What would it be like if every time God blessed you immediately you got to work trying to channel those blessings toward others? You may be surprised how enjoyable it can be to be a blessing to others.
At offering time, we used to sing “you can’t beat God giving, the more you give the more He gives to you.” I have lived long enough to have discovered that this is true. It seems counterintuitive to think that if I want more I should give more, but that is exactly what this scripture says. Trust God and don’t cling so tightly to your blessings, but let blessings run through you. Be a Blessing!
God Bless You,
Pastor Cox
2/6/22
Look What God Has Done
God is so good to you, but when is the last time you reflected on it. When is the last time you thought about all of the things, big and small, that God has done for you? Look at how much progress you have made. Look at how much you have survived. Look at how much you have accomplished. And that is only the beginning. It is so important for us to take time to appreciate what God has done. In some instances, if we are not careful, we can take some of God’s credit. We can think that our influence, intellect, or ingenuity is the sole reasons we achieved success. Those things are certainly factors in success, but where did they come from, and who has been working behind the scenes to ensure you had an opportunity to use them.
But there is another important reason you should keep tabs on your blessings. You should keep tabs on your blessings so you can say “Look what God has done.” Your primary job as a believer is to give God glory. You should be telling everyone everywhere what God is doing in your life. When you do that it reminds people that God is still working. It also inspires people to look for God’s blessings in their own life. So let that be your mantra, your tag line, your favorite phase, your trending hashtag, your lifestyle, “Look what God has Done”
God Bless You,
Pastor Cox
2/13/22
Feel The Wind
John describes the Holy Spirit as wind that “blows where it will.” This is one of the most accurate descriptions in the Bible. You and I cannot see the wind at all, but the invisibility of the wind does not mean it is ineffectual. We see leaves blowing along the sidewalks, we see kites suspended in the air, and we even feel the wind on our faces. This is a picture of the presence of God in our lives. God’s presence is not always as obvious as we would like. If we could physically see God moving on our behalf it would be much easier to know when God starts working. But without being able to physically see God moving we begin question God. Is God there? Did my prayers go through?
The wind reminds us that just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. It also reminds us that just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it is not working. God is the same way. So let me encourage you to know that God is working. There are so many times God has been working in your life and you had no idea. Imagine God working, moving behind the scenes setting the stage for God to get the glory out of your life. So, the next time you see the wind moving things outside your window know that God is moving in your life, behind the scenes and you will be ultimately victorious because of it.
God Bless You,
Pastor Cox
2/20/22
Stand Together
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller
There are so many things that have been accomplished throughout history because people have chosen to stand together. The Civil Rights Movement was a testament to togetherness. But there is a temptation to try to go it alone. Alone feels easier, faster. You need less compromise when you go alone, but there is also less opportunity for growth. When you stand together, you’re able to learn from people who stand with you. You’re able to share what you know with people who stand alongside you. When you stand together it is easier to withstand the attacks of adversaries.
God calls us together. As believers we should always be looking for opportunities to work together. Jesus was a genius at pushing out the circumference to invite more people into the center. We have to do the same. We have to ask ourselves how we can involve more people. We should seek more points of view more involvement. This will give us the chance to experience success and to watch God work through others. Remember the African Proverb “if you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far go together.”
God Bless You,
Pastor Cox
2/27/22