Notes of Faith April 16, 2025

Notes of Faith April 16, 2025

Wealthy in Christ

I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich).

Revelation 2:9

The Christians in the ancient city of Smyrna were materially poor. Generally speaking, that meant not having food for the day at the beginning of the day. When Christ said to them, “I know your…poverty,” the word for “poverty” was one that meant “near destitution.” But in spite of their severe poverty, Christ said they were rich.

Smyrna was a rich city in the Roman empire. But the Christians in Smyrna were marginalized by the Romans for their unwillingness to worship the emperor and by the Jews for their newfound faith in Christ. Thus, the Christians existed at the bottom of the economic ladder. But Christ encouraged them in His letter to the church, reminding them that they were spiritually rich even if materially poor. This was consistent with what Paul would later write concerning God’s provision “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Make sure the riches you focus on are heavenly riches, not earthly ones. As you go about your day, focus first on His Kingdom, remembering that all else will be added to you (Matthew 6:19-21, 33-34).

Matt 6:19-21

19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Whatever we gather in earthly wealth, it is temporal, eventually it will not exist. But the things of God are eternal and if we seek them we know that we are indeed rich, whatever our circumstances in this life. There are always unexpected things that come up that cost us money. Money is an easy place to focus. But we must pray, trust God, knowing that all things belong to Him, and all that we have is on loan for a short period of time. Be secure in your faith, trusting God to meet every need. He abundantly supplies faith even in times of severe poverty.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 15, 2025

Notes of Faith April 15, 2025

Passover

When we celebrate Passover or when we take communion, we’re not there to learn new things. We are there to remember the things that were done. You know, if there’s one thing that is interesting in regard to Passover it is that the Jewish people did not have any calendar until the day they left Egypt. The Lord said to Moses, “Moses, I want you, from now on,” in Exodus 12:2, “this month shall be your beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.” In other words, “From now on, the history of the Jewish people will be recorded in a calendar. And this event will mark the beginning. And I want you to celebrate it every year. Every year, you must remind your children and all of you as a nation remember the day I took you out of Egypt.”

And then came 2000 years later and Passover in the upper room, and Jesus is telling the disciples, “This thing do in remembrance of Me.” Yes, remembrance. We’re here to remember and not to forget because if there’s one thing that God always warned the people around the world and the people of Israel, “Do not forget. I’m the one who took you out of Egypt. I’m the one who led you through the desert. I’m the one who had you entering into the promised land. I’m the one who fought for you. I’m the one who sustained you. Do not forget.”

The Power of Remembrance

As we enter the Passion Week there are a myriad of things we ought to remember. The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the Olivet discourse which was taught during this week. Jesus’ arrest, mock trial, beating, and finally His death on the cross are all things to remember this week and always.

There is also another reminder birthed from the Passover Celebration. Just as the slain lamb allowed the death angel to pass over all who marked the doorposts and lintels of their homes with blood, so too the death and resurrection of the Lamb of God has allowed for the second death to pass over all who accept the blood of Jesus for the atonement for their sins.

The Jews marking the start of a new year at Passover is not without meaning either. A new year for them brings about a new beginning. For all of those who are in Christ, the last Passover, when the Son of man gave His life for the sins of the world, made the following passage possible:

2 Corinthians 5:16-19

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

When someone surrenders their life to Christ “from now on”, they are new creations. They are filled with the Holy Spirit and no longer ruled by the flesh. All things are new, like the start of a new year. Because of this, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation, which is the telling to others how they can be reconciled to God.

During this week of remembrance, let’s not forget that our “new life” began when we came to Christ. We became a new creation in Him, and, from now on, we can live the “free indeed life” Jesus died to bring us.

In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul mentioned that the Lord had revealed to him the details of the last supper, or the Passover meal. He mentioned that the bread and the cup were to be received in remembrance of Him.

1 Corinthians 11:26-29

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

It is important to note that Jesus didn’t say, “Do this often.” He said, “As often as you do it, do this in remembrance of Me.” This proclamation of the Lord’s death is not to be taken flippantly or casually like some kind of ritual. It is sacred and to be done in sincere remembrance of Him.

This week we will remember the great cost Jesus paid which allows the second death to pass over us, giving us new life in Christ. This is the life we proclaim through communion, until He comes.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus

This coming Friday, “Good Friday”, we will be celebrating a Passover Seder with teaching by a dear friend. It is good for us to learn from the Scriptures and the celebrations that God ordained to understand why we believe what we believe. What an exciting time to be alive, recognizing Scripture fulfilled in the past and having a confident hope in the fulfillment of God’s promises yet to come!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 14, 2025

Notes of Faith April 14, 2025

Expect Testing

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

The city of Smyrna was on the west coast of Asia minor. It was a beautiful and sophisticated city, loyal to Rome and the emperor. The leaders of Smyrna petitioned Rome for permission to build a temple to honor the deity-status of Emperor Tiberius—permission which was granted. Smyrna had a “crown of porticos,” a collection of beautiful public buildings encircling Mount Pagos like a crown.

The emperor-worshiping Roman population, along with a hostile Jewish community, made life as a Christian difficult in Smyrna. But Christ told the church in Smyrna they would receive a “crown of life” if they would persevere through their persecution—in contrast to the pagan “crown of porticos” of Smyrna. Paul had reminded the churches in Asia Minor that entrance to the Kingdom would only be through tribulations (Acts 14:22).

Entrust the troubles you are currently experiencing to Jesus, the One who knows what you are going through for His sake.

Persecution...is one of the marks of a converted man.

J. C. Ryle

We all face tribulation, trials, temptations, and even serious hate, yet we are told to persevere in these relatively short circumstances to receive the crown of life that is eternal.

John 15:15-18

"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 "This I command you, that you love one another. 18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

Rom 8:18

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.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 13, 2025

Notes of Faith April 13, 2025

Could This Be the Son of David?

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest Heaven! — Matthew 21:9

Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem is not a quiet affair. He is met by crowds of people who begin spreading garments on the road. According to 2 Kings 9:13, it was not uncommon for people to lay their garments in the road for a leader to ride over. They did this as a sign of their respect and to indicate their submission to his authority.1 Additionally, branches were cut and spread onto the garments that lined the streets. John 12:13 names the branches as “palm branches,” which were symbols of salvation for the Jews. And salvation was the word on their minds and on their lips. Collectively, the multitude cried out,

The Hebrew word hosanna is a plea for salvation: “Save us now!” The people were at the right place, but for the wrong reasons, participating in the wrong feast day. Palm branches, cries of hosanna, and shouts of “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” are all elements associated with the Feast of Tabernacles.2 But this was the Passover, a celebration of a different kind.

The title the people spoke, “Son of David,” was a common messianic title. It indicates that the people believed Jesus to be the Messiah they had been waiting for.3 The shouts of hosanna allude to Psalm 118:25-26:

Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.

Simply by saying hosanna, the people were declaring to God that they were tired of their oppression, through with their corrupt leaders. They were asking for liberty, for victory.

Unfortunately, the bystanders were not interested in salvation from their own sins, but in salvation from the Romans. What the crowds missed was an understanding of why Jesus had come. He had not come to offer them a military victory over Rome. He came to establish a heavenly kingdom on earth and to conquer the age-old enemies of Adam’s children — sin, death, hell, and the grave.

Jesus was fighting a cosmic battle, bringing rebellious children back into the family of God by making peace with God, not war on Israel’s current national enemies.

In case we are tempted to judge them for their short-sighted focus on freedom from Rome, we should consider how common it is to look for human leaders to deliver us from our own problems. A quick look at American politics will show that we are no different from the Jews in this regard. We would be wise to refrain from throwing proverbial stones at the Jewish people for their misunderstanding of Jesus’s ministry! In fact, they had good reason to think the way they did. Many prophecies of the Old Testament point to a messianic time of vengeance aimed at Israel’s enemies. The people were understanding the scriptures correctly; the Messiah will come at some point to bring judgment. But He had another mission to accomplish first. God’s own people needed to be saved from the consequences of their sin.

1. Kings 9:13 (CSB) states, “Each man quickly took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. They blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, ‘Jehu is king!’”

2. See Leviticus 23:33-40 for a detailed outline of the elements incorporated.

3. The Pharisees proved this in Matthew 22:41–42.

Excerpted with permission from The Forgotten Jesus by Robby Gallaty, copyright Robert Gallaty.

Today, true believers and followers of Jesus recognize Him as our Lord and Savior of our sin. We still cry Hosanna, for Jesus to return and save us from this sinful world and transform our bodies into a perfect sinless, glorified body as His risen body. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 12, 2025

Notes of Faith April 12, 2025

Spring Into Life: A Renewed Mind

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2

Practical, personal holiness is mental in nature; it’s primarily a matter of our thoughts. Before we sin with our body, we’ve failed in our minds. When we engage in righteousness, it’s because our minds are controlled by the Spirit. The Bible says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5).

That’s why Paul tells us to reject the “old man” with its deceitful lusts and to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:22-23).

The key to victory involves our mental diet. If we feed our thoughts with rotten images and rancid concepts, they’ll be spiritually sick. But if we feed our minds with what is true, noble, just pure, lovely, and praiseworthy, they will be constantly revived and renewed (Philippians 4:8).

What are you feeding your mind today? Make the choice to not fill your mind with worldly things but to be mentally renewed by the Word.

Let the mind of the Master be the master of your mind.

Author unknown

Rom 12:1-2

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Living this life would make us holy and perfect. That is not going to happen until we are released from this body and the sin it carries in it. As believers and followers of Christ we MUST pursue holiness, to live as He did, because He died for us, and rose from the dead that we might live transformed, forgiven of our sin, debt paid, and the power to live righteously placed within our very soul with His Spirit. May we, each day, wake up with a heart and mind to pursue the mind of Christ!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 11, 2025

Notes of Faith April 11, 2025

Weariness

I know your works, your labor…. [You] have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.

Revelation 2:2-3

Have you ever served God to the point of exhaustion? The Lord Jesus did. In John 4, Jesus was “wearied from His journey” (verse 6). In Mark 4, Jesus was so tired He slept during a storm at sea. In Mark 6:31, He suggested that He and His disciples find a quiet place away from the crowds to rest.

Even Jesus grew weary in the work. But He never grew weary of the work—and there’s a big difference between the two. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (NIV).

The church at Ephesus spread the Word of God throughout Asia so that people everywhere heard about Christ because of this dynamic congregation. They persevered in their works and in their labor. Don’t be afraid of encountering some fatigue in whatever work God assigns you. But if you have become weary of the work, ask God to renew your vision and your strength today.

God renews your hope with His comfort. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. God renews your spirit despite your physical troubles.

V. Gilbert Beers

I am not different from many of my workers for Christ. I have wanted to quit often. Satan’s attacks bring discouragement, anger, pain, and suffering. God has always provided His grace, love, and encouragement through His Word and His children that have come along side me to continue the work God has given me.

Do you need renewed strength from God? Just ask and He will provide.

This is one of my favorite promises from God…

Isa 40:31

31 Yet those who wait for the Lord

Will gain new strength;

They will mount up with wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,

They will walk and not become weary.

I am able to do much more than I think I can when it comes to working for my Lord and Savior.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 10, 2025

Notes of Faith April 10, 2025

Remind and Return

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Revelation 2:4

Reminders are a part of daily life. We enter reminders into our phone or computer calendar, we stick notes on the refrigerator or the bathroom mirror and ask others, “Please remind me to...” Re means “again,” so remind means “to call to mind again.”

Just as we are in danger of forgetting practical things in our life, so we are likely, if we are not careful, to forget our spiritual commitments. Christ admonished the church at Ephesus about that very thing—letting their love for Christ fade over time. They had forgotten the love they had for Christ when they first came to Him in faith. He exhorted them to “repent and do the first works” (Revelation 2:5)—the good works, motivated by love for Him, that characterized the early days of their faith. They needed to remind themselves of their love for Christ and return to it.

The same thing can happen to us if we are not careful. We can grow complacent, and our faith can grow cold. We must encourage ourselves and others to continue in the faith until Christ returns (Hebrews 10:23-25). Begin today by meditating on God’s love for you.

It is possible to be so active in the service of Christ as to forget to love Him.

P. T. Forsyth

The life of a true believer is one of intimate communion and love for and with Jesus. The best efforts in being busy for God fall short of the glory of relationship with God. In our falling short of this mark, let us nevertheless pursue relationship above busyness.

Deuteronomy repeats the command to love the Lord your God, sometimes saying with all your heart and soul, sometimes including might or strength, sometimes including the mind… Mark’s gospel includes them all…

Mark 12:30-31

30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'

Our lives will conform more to the will of God when we focus on doing this command!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 9, 2025

Notes of Faith April 9, 2025

Light of the World

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Revelation 1:20

The first few verses of the Gospel of John mirror the beginning of Genesis 1—the entrance of light into a dark world (Genesis 1:3; John 1:4-5). Jesus identified Himself as the Light of the World (John 8:12) but only while He was in the world (John 9:5). Preparing His followers, Jesus said that they would be the light of the world in His absence (Matthew 5:14-16).

This was reaffirmed in the vision John saw on the isle of Patmos. Part of that vision was Christ standing in the midst of seven lampstands—sources of light (Revelation 1:12-13). In His words to John, Christ identified the lampstands as seven churches in Asia Minor, representing all the churches that were and that were to come. The implication of picturing the Church as a lampstand is obvious: The Church is to be the light of the world until Christ returns.

Reflect Christ’s light today by saying a kind word to a stranger or meeting the need of a neighbor.

The light of a holy example is the gospel’s main argument.

R. L. Dabney

Being the light of the world is difficult while still carrying a sin nature. Human beings will do and say things that are not holy, do not build up, encourage, or seek the kingdom of God simply because of that nature within. Still, we must fight against those sinful urges and seek to bless and continue to reach and teach the people that God places around us of the truth of who He is, the truth of His Word, and strive to be the people that God has called and chosen us to be. The churches of Revelation had issues because they all carried that sin nature too. Today, the church suffers with the same problem. Seek Christ Jesus and His kingdom and all other things will fall into place. May you be overwhelmingly blessed as you seek to do His will.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 8, 2025

Notes of Faith April 8, 2025

In the Midst

I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man.

Revelation 1:12-13

People think the book of Revelation is hard to interpret because of all the symbols. But the writer, John, interprets many of them for us. For example, the seven golden lampstands in chapter 1 represent the seven churches to whom this letter was originally addressed (Revelation 1:20). Jesus is walking among His churches on earth; He is in the midst of them.

Let’s consider two implications of this. First, the Lord is present—through His Spirit—whenever His people meet. He said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Remind yourself of this as you prepare for church this weekend!

Second, this also pictures the desired fellowship Jesus longs to have with us. He wants to be in the center of His Church and the center of our lives. Imagine how hard it would be to ride a bicycle if the tires were off center, if some of the spokes were shorter and some of them were longer! As you go about your day, let Jesus be central and supreme in all that you do.

Christ does not exist in order to make much of us. We exist in order to enjoy making much of Him.

John Piper

I chose my email ID from Matthew 18:20 changing the number three to “or more” because He is in the midst of all gatherings…even those that are just you and God Himself! He lives within the true believer in Christ and is in the midst of everywhere that you take Him. (Something to consider for those who seem to sin easily). He is in the midst of spiritual conversations between two or three over lunch, as I do with our other elders, and elders of other churches. He is in the midst of congregations of all sizes. How then should we act in holiness and righteousness since God is always in our midst?

The inhabits the praises of His people! He loves to hear our worship and praise! May we live every moment realizing that God is always with us everywhere we go!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith April 7, 2025

Notes of Faith April 7, 2025

What a Difference!

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.

2 Peter 3:10

Maria Grever, a Mexican-born composer, wrote more than one thousand songs, starting when she was four years old! Her career began at age eighteen when she composed “A Una Ola,” which sold three million copies. Her best-known song, “What a Difference a Day Makes,” was recorded by the likes of Dinah Washington, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, and Tony Bennett.

Think about what a difference it will make when the day dawns for Christ’s return! It could be tomorrow. The Bible says His coming will be unexpected by multitudes of people. Those of us who love Him will be amazed but not totally surprised. When our hours are weary and our hearts are low, we should think about the difference that day will make. When we’re sick and suffering, we should visualize His return. When the arrow of disappointment cuts through us, we should console ourselves with contemplations on our everlasting life in heaven.

Jesus is coming again, and He will be victorious. When you feel discouraged today, meditate on His soon and sudden return.

We are supposed to meditate on His return…. You have no idea what good this does the soul until you give it a thorough try yourself.

John Eldredge

Jesus will return soon. He said so!

2 Peter 3:8-9

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

It has only been a couple of days since Jesus was here…

Rev 22:20

"Yes, I am coming quickly."

Amen. Come (quickly), Lord Jesus.

Wait patiently, yet expectantly for the return of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Pastor Dale