Notes of Faith September 18, 2026

Notes of Faith September 18, 2026

Circle of Influence

Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh.

Jonah 3:6-7

The Bible has numerous examples of people who had great influence upon kings and those in authority. Joseph served in the courts of Egypt. Daniel influenced the king of Babylon. Esther saved the Jews in Persia by her request to the king. The apostle Paul influenced King Agrippa with his personal testimony. And Jonah brought a prophetic message to Nineveh that caused the king to repent before God.

It is easy for us to discount the influence we may have for Christ with those in our circle of influence. We may not have the opportunity to speak before kings and rulers, but God can still use us to bring a godly influence into the lives of others. That was Jesus’ point when He said that we are to be salt and light in the world—that others may see our good works and ultimately give glory to God.

(Matthew 5:13-16).

Pray that God would give you the opportunity to be salt and light wherever you go.

Jonah 1-3

The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. 5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep. 6 So the captain approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish."

7 Each man said to his mate, "Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, "Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" 9 He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land."

10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. 11 So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?" — for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. 12 He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you." 13 However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. 14 Then they called on the Lord and said, "We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man's life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased."

15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah's Prayer

2 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said,

"I called out of my distress to the Lord, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. 3 "For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. 4 "So I said, 'I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.' 5 "Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 "I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. 7 "While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 "Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness, 9 But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord."

10 Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

Nineveh Repents

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you." 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days' walk. 4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and he cried out and said, "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown."

5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. 7 He issued a proclamation and it said, "In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. 8 "But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. 9 "Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish."

10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

When God calls you to speak truth and judgment upon those who do not believe in Him nor follow in His ways, do not tarry, hesitate, or judge yourself whom you have been called to speak to…rather, move quickly, and in urgency and haste make known the truth of God speaking exactly as He told you to speak.  Then you will see the power of God working unto salvation!

The greatest of miracles that God would reach out to a sinner such as I and offer Hise grace and forgiveness to the repentant heart.

Let us pray for all mankind, and reach out to those in our sphere of influence concerning things that are way beyond the issues of this world to share the hope of eternity in heaven with Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 17, 2026

Notes of Faith September 17, 2026

Personal Revival

Then [Jonah] cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.

Jonah 3:4-5

“Gipsy” Smith was a British evangelist who preached in Great Britain and America for more than seventy years. He is famously known for this formula for bringing about revival: “Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself. There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within that chalk circle.” That is, there can be no corporate revival (renewal) that does not begin with prayerful, personal revival.

God sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach a message of impending judgment if the city did not repent. Thankfully, the city listened to Jonah’s message and repented before God. But that corporate repentance only happened because Jonah repented first of his personal sins and submitted to God’s direction for his life. The awakening in Nineveh was the result of renewal in Jonah.

Be in prayer for revival in your family, church, city, and nation. But pray most fervently for revival in your own heart.

Waiting for general revival is an opportunity for enjoying personal revival.

Stephen Olford

Preaching a message from the Word of God always starts with God preaching to His messenger.  My heart has been broken many times as God spoke to me.  I cried and confessed my sin, asking God to help me help the flock to understand their need for a Savior and forgiveness, and for them to boldly share the same truth with others in need.  But it all started with a personal intimate relationship with God.

Do you cry out to God for the sake of the world?  Do you want to see even the worst of sinners (the Apostle Paul) come to Christ in faith and have a new life that glorifies God, sharing the “good news” with everyone who will listen that they might through God’s grace also receive saving faith to believe in and follow Jesus?

It must start with you!  Your relationship will influence others for good or evil.  How do you see yourself?  How do others see you?  Lives are transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit!  Pursue the heart of God and be renewed daily by His Word (your Bible).  You will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as you seek Him while He may be found!

The relationship that you have with God can help lead others to eternal life in Christ!

Rom 10:14-15

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!"

  GO! Be the church!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 16, 2026

Notes of Faith September 16, 2026

Imitate God

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

Matthew 5:43-44

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus corrected a faulty reading of Leviticus 19:18. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jewish scribes had added these words to that verse: “and hate your enemy.” But Jesus corrected that tradition by saying, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.”

When God chose to withhold judgment on the city of Nineveh, the demonstrated enemy of Israel, Jonah became angry. He had readily received grace and forgiveness from God for his own disobedience but could not reconcile the idea of God forgiving the Assyrian people. Jonah was violating the eventual New Testament principle of grace: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God” (Ephesians 4:32–5:1). What God has done for us, we are to do for others.

Is there someone to whom you can extend the same grace that God has extended to you?

Matt 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

23 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.  24 "When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  25 "But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.  26 "So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'  27 "And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.  28 "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.'  29 "So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.'  30 "But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.  31 "So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.  32 "Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  33 'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?'  34 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.  35 "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

Surely there is someone that you have not forgiven, that you dislike or even hate.  Think long and hard, or maybe you don’t have to, and imitate God, grant them grace (even when or especially when they don’t deserve it).  Forgive them as your heavenly Father has forgiven you.  Perhaps we will have eternity together should God bring us together into His family. 

Love God!  And love all other of mankind!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 15, 2026

 Notes of Faith September 15, 2026

Nerves and Knees

He's so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!

1 Samuel 25:17, NLT

According to a 2024 survey, 85% of all employees have had an experience with a coworker who annoyed them, and 41% wish they could tell their annoying coworker what they think about them.1

When David was a young man running for his life, he encountered an ill-tempered man named Nabal. David almost went to war against him. Only the intervention of Nabal’s wife, Abigail, kept the two men from bloodshed. God gave her the grace to be a peacemaker.

What do we do with people who get on our nerves? First, we have to look at ourselves and ask if we are the cranky and irritable one. Sometimes fatigue can create friction, and neglecting Bible study can cause our love to ebb. Second, we have to look at the other person and see if they have a need behind their nuisance. We are to consider their souls and remember that we are all children of God.

When people get on our nerves, we should get on our knees.

We are all in relationships, we all face conflicts, and we all have to learn how to navigate them so that we, and our relationships, can truly thrive.

Gary Chapman

Be alert and on guard for the spiritual warfare that “gets on your nerves”.  The spiritual battle is the one that we need to fight, standing firm in what we know to be true from the Word of God.  Praying to God in trying and difficult circumstances asking for His Spirit to empower us to handle conflict, disagreement, annoyance, will allow us to be an example of the heart of Jesus and possibly be used by God to change another’s heart and mind!

Eph 6:10-17

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Look at the things that cause you trouble and consider if there is warfare going on behind the scenes to keep you from living a godly life.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 14, 2026

Notes of Faith September 14, 2026

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:8

What do you do about people you simply don’t like? It may be the person you sat beside on the airplane last week, but at least you won’t have to see him again. But what if that person is your relative? Or a coworker? Or someone in your church? They may be nice enough, but something about them rubs you the wrong way. It’s like the old nursery rhyme, “I do not like thee, Dr. Fell; the reason why I cannot tell.”

These are the very people God wants us to love, to pray for, to bless, and to serve. Their personalities might be different from ours. But remember how Jesus managed to love people of every temperament, in every place, at all times, and under all circumstances.

It comes down to a little prayer: Lord, give me Your love just now. It’s as simple as that. When we confess that our human affection is insufficient to care for a certain person, we must ask the Lord to give us His love, and then we have to act on it.

Jesus never fails to help you love others, even Dr. Fell.

Love is service rather than sentiment.

John R. W. Stott

Matt 22:36-40

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'  38 "This is the great and foremost commandment.  39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'  40 "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

Gal 5:22

the fruit of the Spirit is love,

1 Tim 1:5

the goal of our instruction is love

1 John 4:8

8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love

1 John 4:16

God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1 Cor 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love is indeed the greatest of actions/deeds in heaven and on earth.

John 3:16-17

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Love sacrifices greatly to manifest itself. 

We are commanded to love God and love those God created in His image!

Let us learn to sacrifice self, to die to self, to pick up our cross daily and be a reflection of God to all the world through love.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 13, 2026

Notes of Faith September 13, 2026

Come Openly to Him

It is one thing to feel loved by God when our life is together and all our support systems are in place. But what happens when we sin and fail, when our dreams shatter, when our investments crash, when we are regarded with suspicion? What happens when we come face-to-face with the human condition?

God calls us to come openly to Him.

God is the Father who ran to His prodigal son when he came limping home. God loves who we really are — whether we like it or not. God calls us, as He did Adam (Genesis 3:8–9), to come out of hiding. No amount of spiritual makeup can render us more presentable to Him.

“Come to Me now,” Jesus says. “Acknowledge and accept who I want to be for you: a Savior of boundless compassion, infinite patience, unbearable forgiveness, and love that keeps no score of wrongs. Quit projecting onto Me your own feelings about yourself. At this moment your life is a bruised reed and I will not crush it, a smoldering wick and I will not quench it. You are in a safe place.”

~Brennan Manning

God’s Words for You

Just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. — 2 Corinthians 1:5

Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. — Romans 8:18

We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. — Romans 5:3–4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. — James 1:2–3

For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. — 2 Corinthians 12:10

The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. — Psalms 34:19

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. — James 1:12

You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. — Isaiah 25:4

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. — Romans 8:26

In the day of trouble, He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. — Psalm 27:5

You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. — Psalm 61:3–4

All my longings lie open before You, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you... Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior. — Psalm 38:9, 22

To start and end the day in the loving arms of our Father, who receives us because of the work of His Son, Jesus, and empowers us to live the full length of each day through His Spirit is the richest of blessings on earth!  May we rest in comfort and peace and bring glory and honor to His name in all that we say and do!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 11, 2026

Notes of Faith September 11, 2026

The Church That Fights For Life

Pro-life activists around the US celebrated when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. After almost half a century of federally sanctioned abortions, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization seemed like a massive victory, finally promising to honor the unborn as image bearers.

Four years later, however, the fight against a culture of death continues. In the past, Roe v. Wade gave pro-lifers a common, united enemy. Dobbs hasn’t eliminated this enemy; instead, it has unleashed chaos among the states and fractured the battlefield into a decentralized conflict. Christians can no longer hold out for federal solutions. With the end of Roe, the war moved from Washington, DC, to our communities and backyards.

Culture of Death at the State Level

My home state of Minnesota has become one of the clearest battlegrounds in this fight. It is radically pro-abortion, ranking alongside New York and California in its policies. Minnesota has a constitutional right to abortion (Doe v. Gomez). In 2023, the Minnesota governor signed the Protect Reproductive Options Act into law, which further enshrined abortion access and limited the state’s regulation of abortion. Minnesota even provides protection for out-of-state abortion seekers, serving as an “Abortion Access Island” for the Midwest.

Future generations will be dumbfounded that we rationalized our way into murdering children in the womb. It is a sad world that accepts the killing of more than sixty million unborn children. It is a sad world where mothers and fathers permit the destruction of the very children entrusted to their care. The cost of abortion is immense. The guilt and emotional scars endure for a lifetime. Even if laws change, a greater danger remains present: the devaluation of vulnerable life made in the image of God. The problem is not merely what we permit but who we are becoming.

In the midst of such evil enshrined by the state, what are Christians to do? How do those committed to protecting life respond? How do we not lose hope and continue to labor for life when efforts across the country have fragmented?

Age-Old Battle

Although the battleground has changed, the struggle to protect vulnerable life is as old as time itself. Satan has wielded infanticide as a tool from the beginning. Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill all the newborn males to slow Israel’s growth (Exodus 1:15–16). When this failed, he ordered all the people to cast every newborn baby boy into the Nile (Exodus 1:22). Imagine the terror of such state-sponsored infanticide. Pharaoh effectively deputized an entire nation to destroy Israel’s sons, seeking to extinguish God’s people before his promises could unfold.

Even God’s people were not immune to killing their own children. God repeatedly judged Israel for child sacrifice. Whether they sacrificed children to Molech (Leviticus 18:21) or burned their sons and daughters alive (Jeremiah 7:31), Israel participated in a culture of death, staining their own hands with innocent blood.

“Pray for a day when we remember abortion as a tragic chapter of history, and a culture of death gives way to a culture of life.”

In Jesus’s day, the violence continued. Herod the Great channeled the wickedness of Pharaoh, ordering the murder of boys two years old and under in his attempt to eliminate the newborn King (Matthew 2:16–18). The callous killing of children has occurred from the beginning, often to eradicate God’s people and short-circuit his promises.

But nothing — not even the aims of the bloodthirsty — can thwart God’s will.

Five Ways We Fight for Life

It is easy to grow weary and discouraged when the laws, institutions, and momentum are moving in the wrong direction. Yet the God who prevailed over the plagues in Egypt and protected his Son from Herod’s sword still reigns over our statehouses and legal books. How do churches in pro-abortion states cling to this truth? How do we not lose heart and grow weary of doing good?

ACKNOWLEDGE

First, we acknowledge that it is indeed a war worth waging. God calls us to protect life (Exodus 20:13). Life is a divine gift to display God’s goodness and glory. As children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3–5), pregnancy is not a disease to be eliminated but a blessing to embrace. Satan loves abortion because it devalues life and undermines God’s command to be fruitful and multiply. We recognize this is a spiritual battle against the forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, our primary enemy is not our political opponents but the spiritual forces of darkness that blind minds and distort God’s good design. This is a war worth fighting.

PRAY

Second, we pray. We pray as Jesus taught: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). We pray for Christians to stand and fight for life. We pray for abortionists to become former abortionists. We pray for those guilty of abortion to repent, heal, and place their faith in Christ. We pray against a culture of personal autonomy at the expense of vulnerable life in the womb. We pray that people see they exist to glorify God with their lives and bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

Consider gathering your church to pray for the unborn, for vulnerable mothers, against the culture of death, and for those working in pregnancy centers. We pray with hope because God changes hearts.

PREACH

Third, we preach. We preach that every human being — from the embryo to the elderly — is made in the image of God. We preach against the horrors of abortion, euthanasia, and the minimization of human dignity. We show the people in our churches, from the Scriptures, how God views life. We lift their eyes to see their God-given purpose, value, and dignity. In our preaching, we invite those who have had abortions to repent and experience healing at the foot of the cross. We confront visitors and guests with the truth that abortion is evil and forgiveness is possible. We disciple Christians to see the value of life at every stage and age. We preach because truth renews minds.

PARTNER

Fourth, we partner with ministries and people doing on-the-ground work. Churches can partner with pregnancy centers and ministries that provide practical support to women and families. Or we can find ways to be involved in adoption and foster care and to come alongside families facing crisis. Every year, our church passes out baby bottles to support our local pregnancy center. When the bottles return filled with money, these funds provide ultrasounds, counseling, diapers, and life-saving support to pregnant women with few options.

Additionally, churches can celebrate life whenever possible. Our congregation announces births or adoptions to publicly welcome little ones into our church family. This small but significant practice celebrates God-given life. We partner because mothers need tangible support.

ENGAGE

Fifth, engage in the public and political spheres to advocate for life. Petition your local leaders to uphold the value of life. Pray, vote, and consider writing and dialoguing with your legislators so they hear your voice on this issue. We can build relationships with local leaders, attend town halls, write letters, make phone calls, speak persistently on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, and pray for those who represent us. We can make a biblical case for the dignity and sanctity of life and invite others to uphold these principles. We engage because laws teach.

A Vision of Victory

Imagine with me a society that views children not as burdens but as blessings. Imagine a world where no woman fears abandonment. Where fathers gladly embrace their responsibility as protectors. Where abortion clinics go out of business because their traffic has dried up. Where people don’t murder children in the womb but rather view them as gifts from God. Imagine a culture that instructs children to know, love, and treasure Christ. This is the world Jesus is ushering in through the transformative power of the gospel.

Pray that abortion would become increasingly rare. Pray for the church to disciple its members to value and cherish all life. Pray for a world where pregnancy centers have abundant resources to serve their communities, where foster care lists disappear because Christians rise up, and where the gospel takes root more and more within every heart and mind. Pray for a day when we remember abortion as a tragic chapter of history, and a culture of death gives way to a culture of life. And pray for the final day when these former things will pass away, and Christ will make all things new (Revelation 21:5).

Steven Lee (@5tevenLee) is the Pastor of Preaching and Vision at The North Church in Mounds View, Minnesota, where he lives with his wife, Stephanie, and their five children.

Our church in Long Beach, California supported “His Nesting Place” and Robin and I still do.  They created a place for pregnant moms to continue the life of their babies, to seek wisdom, education, employment, babysitting…all of their life’s needs, especially spiritual growth and faith.  We joined with Harvest Church in Eminence, Kentucky and filled baby bottles with funds to serve a similar organization where we now live.  Pray with me, that our nation’s leaders will bless God with that which He creates, His children, and that hearts would become more compassionate and less selfish.  Our battle is with the spiritual realm that hates God and everything that God desires.  Let us love mankind and pray for God to change the darkness of the heart that only seeks it’s sinful desires without care or concern for the heart of our loving God and Savior.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 10, 2026

Notes of Faith September 10, 2026

Happy Birthday Michael! (my son) …I’m praying for you!

Huddle Up and Pray

And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Acts 20:36

Earlier this year an EF-2 tornado tore through the north Texas community of Runaway Bay. What did the people do in the path of the storm? According to the newspaper, they “huddled up and prayed.”1

Have you had an experience like that, when some kind of storm was bearing down on you or affecting the lives of those you loved? What a time to huddle up and pray! In the stomach of the huge fish, Jonah had to huddle up with himself because he was far from any other living soul. It was a lonely prayer, but God heard it.

We are so blessed to have brothers and sisters in Christ who will pray with us and for us and who will bear our burdens to the throne of grace. Though the Lord already knows our circumstances, He wants us to tell Him.  Then, when He answers, we grow in faith, recognizing the power and authority of God to deal with every need of our lives!

Cast your cares upon the Lord today. Pray about your own needs, pray about the needs of others, and pray with others for God’s fresh grace during every unexpected storm.

What if we converted every problem, every opportunity, into a prayer?

Mark Batterson

1.     Tiffany Lou, “‘We Huddled and Prayed,’ Residents Recount Deadly EF-2 Tornado in Runaway Bay,” WFAA ABC8, April 26, 2026.

No circumstance is insignificant nor an immovable mountain to God!  The One who spoke all that is into existence is as active today in sovereign control as He was the day they were created!  God’s greatest desire is to have relationship with YOU, the only thing created in His image, that we might love Him, and the others of mankind that He creates.  May we have great joy in His love and return ours to Him with every part of our being.  May we love those that He places in this world during our lifetime, proclaiming the truth and love of God to them, praying that the Holy Spirit might open their minds and hearts, that they might enter into God’s family through adoption, the same way that we have!

Pray without ceasing and pray about everything!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 9, 2026

Notes of Faith September 9, 2026

Receiving Hope and Sharing Hope

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God…

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

— Romans 15:5-7, Romans 15:13

The purpose of Scripture, Paul says in Romans 15:4, is so that “we might have hope.” He was speaking, of course, of Israel’s scriptures [the Old Testament], but with hindsight the same applies to the early Christian writings [the New Testament].

If that is so, then a prominent purpose of New Testament study ought to be to explain and illuminate the substance of that hope. In fact, we could even say that the mission of the Church is to share and reflect the future hope as the New Testament presents it.

Hope is, in fact, the foundation for the daily workings of a church.

Where the Church Can Spread Hope

Faithful Christian ministry will often take Jesus’ followers to places where hope is in short supply:

places where a sense of hopelessness hangs over a community

where the effects of global financial chaos are still in effect

where there is unemployment and family breakdown

where refugees feel alienated and despised in their adopted homes

where racial injustice is regarded as a kind of ugly normality that we have to put up with, and xenophobia is part of normal political rhetoric

We are called to work with, and for:

people who are one illness away from financial ruin

people who fear for their children’s safety when walking down the street

people who find that cultural elites mock and attack them because they do not signal “progressive virtues”

communities where politics means partisan policies on the one hand and acute apathy on the other

a world in which, while all this is going on, the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer

To such places, and the sad people who live in them, as well as to those who find themselves battered by circumstances beyond their control, the message of Jesus and His death and resurrection comes as good news from a far country, news of surprising hope.

The message of Jesus and His death and resurrection comes as good news from a far country, news of surprising hope.

The Church, in the power of the Spirit, must signal in its life and teaching that there is:

more to being human than mere survival

more than hedonism and power

more than ambition and entertainment

Life… does have purpose; there is comfort for those weighed down by moral injury; narcissism is not the true “normal;” there is something more powerful than economics and bombs.

There really is a different way to be human, follow the example of Jesus.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

The New World God Is Making

There is a new world, and it has already begun, and it works by healing and forgiveness and new starts and fresh energy.

The world will probably raise its cynical eyebrows: can these things really be true?

Yes, answers the Church; and they come about as people worship the God in whose image they are made, as they follow the Lord who bore their sins and rose from the dead, as they are indwelt by His Spirit and thereby given new life, a new way of life, a new zest for life.

It is often pointed out that some of the places most lacking in hope are not the industrial wastelands or the bleak landscapes shorn of beauty, but the places where there is too much money, too much high culture, too much of everything except faith, hope, and love. This is the good news — of justice, redemption, truth, beauty, and above all Jesus — that the Church is called upon to live and to speak, to bring into reality, in each place and each generation.

The Church, because it is the family that believes in the new creation, a belief constantly reinforced by the New Testament, should stand out in every city, town, and village as the place where hope bursts forth. Not just hope that something better lies in “the hereafter;” rather, a belief that God’s new world has been sown, like seeds in a field, and that it is already bearing surprising fruit.

The life of the new world has already been unleashed in the present time, and what we do as a result of that life, that Spirit-given direction and energy, is already in itself part of the new world that God is making.

Where this hope takes root, the story told by the whole New Testament comes to life again and again: through Jesus, and by His Spirit, the new world has been born.

All that we do in the present, in working for justice and beauty, in searching for truth in every sphere of life, above all in speaking cheerfully and wisely of Jesus, is rooted in the scriptures, both of Israel and of the early Church, and is designed to produce hope.

Adapted from The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians by N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, copyright N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, 2019.

HOPE!

Rom 8:18-25

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

1 Peter 3:13-15

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence

Let us trust in and proclaim the promises of God that are a guaranteed HOPE for our future with Him forever!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 8, 2026

Notes of Faith September 8, 2026

How to Avoid Regret (Proverbs 3)

It seemed like a good idea at the time...

How many times have you stood on the other side of a decision and muttered those words with a shrug of disbelief or a sigh of regret?

We’ve all made choices that, in retrospect, we’d choose to change. That’s why Proverbs 3 reminds us that navigating life using only our own ideas isn’t the best idea. God’s ideas, specifically the directives found in His Word, are a more trustworthy guide.

When was the last time you made a decision that left you wishing for a do-over? How did the outcome of that decision leave you feeling?

Proverbs 3

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,

for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;

then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke,

because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed. By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by His knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.

Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you.  Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse anyone for no reason—when they have done you no harm. Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.

For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into His confidence.

The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.

The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.

I can trust God because He is…

What does Proverbs 3:2 promise as a result of aligning our decisions with God’s Word?

Much of Proverbs 3 is written as a series of recommendations paired with results. These imperative statements follow a simple pattern: If you do (or don’t do) this, the result will be that.

Scan through the chapter, and list some of the pairings you see. (For example, verses 1 and 2 are paired below.)

31 Days Through Proverbs

As you glance through the pairings, it’s essential to remember that many of the results refer to spiritual or moral benefits rather than physical ones. The word peace in verse 2 refers to wholeness, internal and external contentment, peace with God, and peace with humankind. The Hebrew word for life could also be translated “fullness of life.” These words paint a picture of meaningful abundance.

Interestingly, Jesus echoed this idea when He announced in John 10:10b,

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. — ESV

Have you ever thought about the way God’s Word adds value to your life? Take a moment to think about this: God created us with a craving for a meaningful life, and then He gave us a way to satisfy that hunger. What a good God we have!

As we move through the chapter, we see a shift in Proverbs 3:5–12 from the concept of obedience to trust. The phrases all your heart (v. 5) and all your ways

(v. 6) call us to place our complete confidence in God’s ways over our own.

What makes it difficult for you to trust God with all your heart and in all your ways?

Let’s admit that one of the things that makes it so hard to trust God is that He just doesn’t do things like we would (Isaiah 55:8–9). He seems to move slower, take the long way around, and even define “good” quite differently than we do. But Proverbs 3 isn’t advocating blind trust in God.

Think of what you know about God’s character—from His Word and your personal experience —and finish the bolded sentence below. (If you need some help, check out these verses: Numbers 23:19; Psalm 18:30; Psalm 116:5; Psalm 145:9;

Isaiah 40:28; Ephesians 2:4–5; and 1 John 1:5.)

I can trust God because He is…

God’s ways aren’t haphazard. They don’t hinge on His mood or change with time. They are rooted in His fathomless knowledge and eternal goodness. Best of all, the same God who dictates the rhythms of this spinning globe is willing to direct your daily path... if you’ll trust Him.

Take a moment and thank God for that.

Excerpted from 31 Days Through Proverbs by Proverbs 31 Ministries, copyright Proverbs 31 Ministries, Inc.

It seemed like a good idea at the time!?  Many times our thoughts and decisions are make in the lust and desires of our earthly nature not our new God-given spiritual nature.  And regret comes quickly!   Let us learn the wisdom of the Word of God, trust Him and be fruitful and righteous in our thoughts and decisions!

I have begun a reading plan that includes reading seven chapters of Proverbs daily. You could join me and I am sure you will be greatly blessed.  Even reading one a day will work for most months!

Pastor Dale