Good News Church – Yukon, OK Good News Church

Did you know God wants people to not only be whole physically, but also mentally and emotionally? In the book of Job, we read about a man who went through a very difficult period in his life. He lost all of his children, his wife, all of his possessions, and every last thing he considered important. The book of Job is essentially him processing all of this. And yet we see at the end, Job is in better condition in ever, God having restored all these things to him, eventually dying an old man full of days. Job was blessed in the latter end of his life and was able to look beyond what he had suffered. I believe that God can bring this same mental restoration to us for whatever we have experienced.

In Revelation we find a series of letters written to seven real churches at the time, which hold messages also beneficial for us to hear today. In the message to Ephesus, the church is told that they have done well, but also that they have begun to abandon their first love. They had lost the fire that had burned in them early in their days of salvation. It is human nature to want to start out strong but to fail to keep this same fervor. With God's help, we can stay perseverant just as the church of Ephesus was urged to.

God calls us not to burn bridges, but to build them. We are called to restore people and relationships, and the shortest surviving letter of Paul's centers on this concept. Paul had received and ministered to an escaped slave named Onesimus. Upon sending the slave back to his master, Philemon, Paul wrote, urging that Philemon send the slave back to Paul in order that Paul might free him and continue to minister to him. This touchy subject demonstrates the importance of maintaining relationships rather than going scorched earth on those who we disagree with or who practice unbiblical beliefs.

In October 2019, I wrote a journal entry where I recorded how I had asked the Lord what life adjustment I could make to have a greater impact on his kingdom. During the night, I felt God deal with me about the importance of meditating the word. I knew that God was saying if I would meditate God's word regularly, I would be more effective to him. I saw a comparison between a strong engine and the heart that is strengthened by meditation, in that they are both tuned to do what they are intended for. The Bible emphasizes the importance of this habit, and I hope to bring some light to it from scripture to you.

One of the greatest blessings God gave me in this world was an older brother. He in some ways was like a father to me and is someone I truly look up to. Family is a dear thing that God has given us on earth, and nothing is more crushing than the death of a family member. Grief can shadow all of the joy in your life and cause you to temporarily forget the blessings God has given you. Even more hope can be found in knowing that if the family member was a follower of God, they are now communing with him in eternity. A family in our church congregation recently experienced the loss of someone who was a brother, son, and grandson. I hope that my message given from the Word can offer some comfort for them and for others who may experience this difficulty of life.

Each year I attempt to come at the resurrection of Christ from a new angle, and this year I would like to focus on the biblical concept of humility before honor. God rewards humility and a self-awareness in a world that is all about "me". Christ gave the ultimate example of humility in the Passion week - he was whipped, scorned, spit upon, and beaten. And yet three days later, he had risen as the king of kings and lord of lords. The believer may undergo a similar transformation in God's eyes. Although we began as unclean sinners, God has brought us to honor in his sight through the cleansing of the blood.