Pastor's Message - November 2014

Dear Friends,

When you read these latest ramblings of mine I, along with several others will be in Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic. Soaking up the sun, but working however. I will struggle with the issue of what we have verses what the Dominicans and Haitians do not have. I think it is an age old struggle. I would like to think that we are a blessed people, but I think all too often we equate our material possessions as blessing. More about that later.

I want to thank all of you who has given us cards and gifts for Pastor Appreciation. You are a great blessing to Judy and I and our family and we are privileged to serve you here in Clarion.

I want to also say how grateful I am to have Pastor Angela and her family here with us. She is already in the trenches and I look forward to great things happening in the life of our Church Family.

I shared something with you on Sunday, October 19 that went like this, “When religion has said its last word, there is little that we need other than God Himself. The evil habit of seeking God-and effectively prevents us from finding God in full revelation. In the “and” lies our great woe. If we omit the “and” we shall soon find God, and in Him we shall find that for which we have all our lives been secretly longing.  (A.W. Tozer, “The Pursuit of God”) I have been pondering this thought in my own life and have been challenged by it. I have always wanted to be the person God wants me to be and I know that many times I fail when it is me “and”. I know it is difficult for us to take out the “and”. We are bombarded with life in the fast lane so to speak. I used to think that life in the fast lane was reserved for only certain people, but I believe that almost everyone fits into that category now days. We are stuck on living life and that translates into, our family life and our children and their activities, our jobs, our leisure, our hobbies and so on and so forth. Before and after the sermon that I preached on Exodus 33:18 when Moses said, “Lord, show me Your glory” I have had to do some of my own soul searching. I know that in the business of doing ministry, I don’t take the time to seek to see the glory of God. I keep telling God that I am going to be more disciplined and be better at time management, but in reality, I don’t make the changes necessary to be where I believe God wants me to be spiritually. Will you pray for me? I want to make a commitment to God that I will be in His word more and more and that when I get back from the DR that I will indeed do better.

Finally, please continue to pray, support and labor for the Kingdom of God here in our sphere of influence where God has us. The work is important, your support is important and us laboring together in unity is important. In fact, without God none of what we done amounts to anything. Just remember, “Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man.” (Ephesians 6:7 ESV)

Let’s keep plowing the fertile fields of Clarion!

Pastor Bruce