PASTOR'S BLOG
BRIAN ELMER
STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
As I look at the world today, I see leaders here in America and in other nations meeting and proposing plans and policy that they believe will bring needed change. Change that will be for the good and benefit of all. At times we sit back and hope that our leaders are acting on behalf of the
Read MoreADMITTING INSUFFICIENCY IS ESSENTIAL
Per my usual, I was recently reading, and the author mentioned how God had created man for relationship, then added that the Creator desires for His creation to be dependent on Him. As we have heard many times before, when Satan tempted Eve in the garden, he raised questions about whether or not we can trust
Read MoreAM I ‘OTHERS-ORIENTED’?
As we have seen in the current sermon series on the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was a man that was quite different than we are. He was unlike other teachers and prophets that had come before Him. Since He walked on this earth, there still has been no one quite like Him. As we have
Read MoreTAKING GOD AT HIS WORD
As I finished 1 Kings and moved into 2 Kings, I recently read through chapter 5. The chapter tells the story of the commander of King Aram’s army, Naaman. For Carmela and I, this story brings back a time in our lives where God used this story to give us a word about obedience. It was the
Read MoreGOD HAS THE FINAL WORD
We are near the end of 1 Kings. Chapter 21 contains one of the last recorded assignments from God that Elijah carried out. Again, we are reading about King Ahab who was amazed at God’s display on Mt. Carmel that resulted in Him bringing rain and an end to a three-year drought. He saw the
Read MoreTHE “BATTLE” OF THE GODS
Many of us are familiar with this passage of scripture. You know, the one where Elijah challenges King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. Elijah’s initial meeting with Ahab was interesting. 1 Kings 18:17-18 (NLT) “When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?” “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah
Read MoreMAN OF GOD 101
The country was divided. Opposition had risen against the house of Solomon after he died. Depending on who was king, God was either honored or evil was the rule of the day. In 1 Kings 16:29 we are introduced to Ahab, son of Omri, who was king of Israel for 22 years. The scripture says in verse 30
Read MoreTHE FOOLISHNESS OF CHOOSING OUR OWN WAY
When just recently reading through this section of 1 Kings, a statement I had heard at one time came to mind – ‘When we make our own rules, we go our own way. That always leads to disaster’. It is what we see in our own lives when we choose to follow our own selfish
Read MoreWHATEVER YOU WISH
Do you remember the television series “Extreme Makeover Home Edition?” The show aired its first episode in 2003 and by the second season over 15 million viewers tuned in each Sunday night to watch. The basic premise was taking the home of a family who had gone through difficulty or hard times, and totally remodeling it. Led by
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