Pastor's Message - December 2013

Dear Friends,

It is with gratitude and humility that I write to you! I am, along with my wife and family, so grateful for the opportunity to serve all of you here at the Liberty Street Church of God. It is with humility that I feel to think that God would place the call on our lives to be here at this time in the life of our congregation. He has blessed us all in ways we can’t even explain and ways we can’t completely understand with respect to fulfilling His purpose here in Clarion. What an awesome God we serve.

I read a quote recently that really inspired me and you will probably be hearing it a lot in the future.

E.M. Bounds said, “What the church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more novel methods. She needs men (and women) whom the Holy Spirit can use....men (and women) of prayer, men (and women) mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through men (and women).....He does not anoint plans, but men (and women)...men (and women) of prayer.”  (Parenthesis added)

We have experienced what prayer can do and how God moves through prayer. Our Church Body has experienced that first had. We have seen God do great things in our midst.

I hope that we continue to seek God and to stay out of His way. We just simply need to follow Him where ever He goes and where ever He takes us.

Having just experienced Thanksgiving it gives us all pause to look around and be understanding of how blessed we are. Not based on material possessions, but the blessing of being a child of the King.  Also the blessing of friends and family, and the blessing of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. What a significant part of our lives to be a member of the Family of God. We are given the birthright through the rebirth in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, the Lamb of glory, the great I AM, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End! We are saved by the blood of the Lamb!

Now on to Christmas! WOW, it’s hard to believe that we’re here. Preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior, our Messiah, and God in flesh. I hope and pray that all of you will have a blessed time or celebration. He is worthy of our worship and praise!

When the announcement was made to the shepherds the Scripture says, Luke 2:11-14 ESV For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  (12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."  (13)  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, (14) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" We can say it over and over again, “GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD!!!” Praise His Holy Name.

On behalf of the Wilsons, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. You are never from us, you are in our hearts and that is where our love for you is, in our hearts.

God bless you as you continue the journey.

Pastor Bruce