Even in a dry place, David chooses worship. Why? Because worship fuels intimacy. It lifts our eyes off circumstances and puts them on the One who satisfies. Have you ever been in the  middle of situation, a difficulty, or a problem and just start praising and worshiping then Lord? It changes the atmosphere, changes our perspective and how we see things. 

When we worship, especially when we don’t feel like it, we affirm that God is our portion. Intimacy doesn’t grow only on mountaintops—it deepens in valleys. Let’s pray  together Heavenly Father, teach us to worship in every season. Let our lips sing even in the wilderness. You are still worthy—and still with us. In Jesus Name Amen ! 

And Remember Jesus loves you and so do I.

Pastor Will 

The Power of Daily Pursuit

Psalm 63:2–3 – “I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”

After David reveals his heart’s desire and longing for God, he reflects on moments in worship where he has seen God’s beauty and glory. These memories fuel his present hunger. They remind him of Gods awesomeness and his power and glory. When we find our present circumstances, in a physical desert or spiritual one, it is good to remember Gods past faithfulness. These memories can help reassure us of God’s goodness. It is this type of fuel that helps us to praise God and give him glory despite the diagnosis, the financial setback, the broken relationship.  It’s where we find our joy, our completeness in Him. 

You See, intimacy grows through daily pursuit. Not religious obligation, but rhythm—showing up, lingering, remembering. When we make space for God, we become aware of His nearness. Do you have a daily habit of remembering?  Do you have a gratitude list? What daily rhythm reminds you of God’s love? Is it reading the Scriptures? Maybe in sitting in stillness? How about when you take time to worship? My prayer for us is this, May God remind us of His goodness.  Let my pass encounters with Him and His people stir in me a present devotion.  May God help us seek him today with a fresh passion. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

Always remember, God loves you and so do I.

Pastor Will 

When David wrote this psalm, he was in the wilderness—not only physically, but spiritually. Yet even in the dryness, he didn’t cry out first for relief or rescue. He cried out for God. Maybe today you find yourself in the same type of wilderness. Are you all put together on the outside, but on the inside are you in a dry and barren land, is your soul in need of a refreshment that can only come from spending time with Jesus? This is where David was, and he knew exactly who to cry out to and what to cry out for.  He didn’t cry out for relief from his current circumstances, he cried out for God himself because David knew that God is the answer for everything. Temporary solutions would last only for the moment, but our intimacy with God, God himself would sustain us no matter what the physical or spiritual landscape we are going through. That was what David desired more than anything else.  

Is this what you desire? 

Intimacy with God begins not with performance, but with desire. Do you have a holy hunger for Him? Do you crave His presence more than a solution? God invites us into a relationship that satisfies our deepest thirst. He’s not just a means to an end—He is the end.

Let’s pray together,  Lord, awaken in me a deeper thirst for You. Help me seek You not for what You can give me, but because You are enough. Help us to walk in deeper intimacy with you. May we be transformed by your presence and walk as the city changers you are calling us to be.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Remember, Jesus Loves you and so do I. 

Pastor Will 

Psalm 43:2–5 (NIV): 

      2 You are God my stronghold. 

         Why have you rejected me? 

         Why must I go about mourning, 

         oppressed by the enemy? 

      3 Send me your light and your faithful care, 

         let them lead me; 

         let them bring me to your holy mountain, 

         to the place where you dwell. 

      4 Then I will go to the altar of God, 

         to God, my joy and my delight. 

         I will praise you with the lyre, 

         O God, my God. 

      5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? 

         Why so disturbed within me? 

         Put your hope in God, 

         for I will yet praise him, 

         my Savior and my God.

Fear is our greatest enemy. Our soul is downcast because of the unknown and yet our hope is in God. The writer of Psalms reminds us to run to God who is our stronghold. The Lord is faithful and my joy and delight needs to be found in Him. He is the praise of our hearts and the one who is always faithful even in the face of the unknown. Oh my soul, why are you so downcast? Remember the great acts of God. His promises are true and his mercies are evermore. Rejoice in the truth and trust in His ways. 

Pastor Aaron

Psalm 119:9–16 (NIV): 

      9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? 

         By living according to your word. 

      10 I seek you with all my heart; 

         do not let me stray from your commands. 

      11 I have hidden your word in my heart 

         that I might not sin against you. 

      12 Praise be to you, LORD; 

         teach me your decrees. 

      13 With my lips I recount 

         all the laws that come from your mouth. 

      14 I rejoice in following your statutes 

         as one rejoices in great riches. 

      15 I meditate on your precepts 

         and consider your ways. 

      16 I delight in your decrees; 

         I will not neglect your word.

Many a missionary memorized Psalms 119 and spoke it to themselves as comfort in the challenges of their day. William Wilberforce who fought slavery in London and was largely responsible for its downfall wrote in his diary in the year of 1819: “Walked today from Hyde Park Corner, repeating the 119th Psalm in great comfort.”*

Take time to know God’s Word that it might be a lamp unto your feet and a light to your path as shared with us in Psalms 119:105. His Word is a treasure and not a burden. It is one so great that we would trade the world for and hide in our hearts.

Pastor Aaron

*From a sermon by Philip Harrelson, A Clean Life With a Hidden Deposit, 5/14/2012

         2Worship the LORD with gladness; 

         come before him with joyful songs. 

      3 Know that the LORD is God. 

         It is he who made us, and we are his; 

         we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 

      4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving 

         and his courts with praise; 

         give thanks to him and praise his name. 

      5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; 

         his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100:1–5 (NIV)

Thankfulness is the opposite of selfishness. The selfish person says, “I deserve what comes to me! Other people ought to make me happy.” But the mature Christian realizes that life is a gift from God, and that the blessings of life come only from His bountiful hand. (Source: Warren W. Wiersbe in “A Time To Be Renewed” Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 17.)

Have you ever received a large gift and the first thing you thought was, “Darn, I thought it would be more.” Our hearts are never satisfied. We want bigger homes, newer cars, and more money. One of the things I practiced before having children was taking a week and backpacking through the great outdoors. One of the reasons besides connecting with nature is that when I returned I felt like a King with a shower, a hot meal, and sleeping in a bed. Nevermind you that I was working as a youth pastor at the time and receiving very little compensation. Yet, I felt like the wealthiest man on earth at that moment because I was reminded of all I did have after not having much of anything camping in the outdoors. 

We are not inclined to be grateful people. We have to teach ourselves gratitude and we do this best by practicing it. Start a gratitude journal. Spend time singing and saying prayers of thanksgiving to God and to others. Everyday consider one thing that you are grateful to have in your life. The more you practice gratitude, the more it will begin to change your heart. 

Pastor Aaron

     1 Have mercy on me, O God, 

         according to your unfailing love; 

         according to your great compassion 

         blot out my transgressions. 

      2 Wash away all my iniquity 

         and cleanse me from my sin. 

      3 For I know my transgressions, 

         and my sin is always before me. 

      4 Against you, you only, have I sinned 

         and done what is evil in your sight; 

         so you are right in your verdict 

         and justified when you judge. 

      5 Surely I was sinful at birth, 

         sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 

      6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; 

         you taught me wisdom in that secret place. 

      7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; 

         wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:1–7 (NIV)

Do you have a Sally that sits on your shoulder at night and says, “Remember the duck”? Some of us continue to carry the guilt of our past on our shoulders with the whisper of “Remember the…”. We may not forget but we need forgiveness. We need the forgiveness of the one we have offended, we need to forgive ourselves, and we need the forgiveness of God. Our sin is always before us even if forgiveness is extended. We are not washed of it until we receive the forgiveness that is being extended to us.

Pastor Aaron

But neither one could seem to go to sleep. They both tossed & turned until late in the night. Finally, the little boy asked, “Daddy, are you looking at me? Because if you are, I think I can go to sleep.” And the father answered, “Yes son, I’m looking at you.”

The little boy started at last to rest & finally fell asleep. After he was asleep the father got out of bed, walked over to the window & pulled back the curtain. He looked up into the starry sky & said, “Father, are you looking at me? Because if you are, I think I can rest & be at peace.”

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— 

         where does my help come from? 

      2 My help comes from the LORD, 

         the Maker of heaven and earth. 

      3 He will not let your foot slip— 

         he who watches over you will not slumber; 

      4 indeed, he who watches over Israel 

         will neither slumber nor sleep. 

      5 The LORD watches over you— 

         the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 

      6 the sun will not harm you by day, 

         nor the moon by night. 

      7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— 

         he will watch over your life; 

      8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going 

         both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:1–8 (NIV)

Some of you are trying to live life under your own strength. Though you sleep, you are never still. Always worried for the next day and always a thought of what next needs to be accomplished. We are reminded in this Psalm that we belong to the Lord. Our Father is watching us and our way. We are never out of His sight and we are never forgotten. 

May the Lord keep you and watch over you, may His face shine upon you, and may you feel His peace as you remember your Father is watching.

Pastor Aaron

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Before His Ascension, Jesus gave His disciples a bold mission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Despite their flaws and doubts, He trusted them with this great responsibility. And He didn’t just send them out on their own; He promised to be with them always, to the very end of the age.  In the same way, He calls each of us to continue His mission on earth individually and together as the Body of Christ.  He did not leave us alone, orphaned on this journey.  He sent the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete and Comforter to remain with us and sustain us in this mission.  

Reflection:

Just as Jesus entrusted His disciples with the mission of sharing the Good News, He now entrusts each of us with the same mission. No matter where we are in our journey, Jesus calls us to share His love and truth with the world. And He promises to be with us as we step out in faith.  How wonderful that our Lord assures us that whether we are in a period of confusion, complacency, joy or grief, working through the mundane tasks of life or starting a new adventure, the Lord is walking right beside us offering his mercy, love, peace, hope and purpose.

Reflection Question:

What does it look like for you to live out the Great Commission in your life right now? How can you take one step toward sharing the love of Jesus with someone today?

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for trusting me with the mission to share Your love with the world. Empower me by Your Spirit to boldly live out this calling, knowing You are with me every step of the way. Amen.

Cecilia Carroll

Director, Advent Square