Notes of Faith December 6, 2025

Notes of Faith December 6, 2025

A Life Evergreen: The Wreath

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life

John 3:16

Do you put a Christmas wreath on your door? So do people around the world. In Eastern Europe they are decorated with fruits and nuts. In Mexico you’ll see colorful wreaths of paper flowers. In Poland the wreaths are often made of straw with ribbons and dried flowers. The residents of Hawaii make many of their wreaths out of tropical flowers, palm leaves, and seashells.

Everywhere the meaning is the same. The shape of the wreath—a circle—represents the endless and eternal life Jesus came to bring us. The Gospel of John, though it doesn’t really tell the story of Joseph and Mary, has the most to say about our limitless life in Christ. In the New King James Version, John uses the word eternal ten times and the word everlasting another eight times. In John 6:47, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”

This season when you spot a wreath, let it remind you to thank the Lord for endless days!

If Jesus were born one thousand times in Bethlehem and not in me, then I would still be lost.

Corrie ten Boom

John 3:3-17

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

9 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

16 "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. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Let’s not just remember the birth of our Savior Jesus this Christmas season but consider if we are like Nicodemus, knowing about God without truly knowing God and needing to be born again spiritually! Lord, fill us to overflowing with Your Spirit this Christmas that we might live for You and declare the truth to all that You put around us to bring You glory!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 5, 2025

Notes of Faith December 5, 2025

A Holy Nation

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9

Did you know there’s a country in the world named for Jesus? The name of this nation is: THE SAVIOR. In Spanish, it is El Salvador. Interestingly, recent reports of spiritual revival are bubbling up in this sometimes violent country.1

The real country where Jesus wants to reign as Savior and Lord is your heart. The Lord wants to make us into His “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). Even Mary, the mother of Jesus, needed Jesus to be her Savior. The first words of her song of praise in Luke 1 say, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).

Have you allowed Jesus to become the King of your heart? One day every knee will bow, and every tongue confess He is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). How much better to install Him on the throne of your heart now! If Mary herself needed Jesus, whom she bore, to be her Savior, how much more do we!

Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.

John Newton

1Audrey Jackson, “In the Land of ‘The Savior,’ Bibles Are Welcomed,” The Christian Chronicle, July 16, 2025.

Is Christ Jesus sitting on the throne of your heart? Have you submitted your will to His? Is He not only your Savior but also Lord? Let Him reign in your heart and mind and you will receive blessing upon blessing now and eternal reward when He calls you into His presence! Lord Jesus, we ask for more grace and mercy and power from Your Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to You. May we allow the Spirit to have control of our thoughts and actions, to live righteous and holy before You. We ask this for the glory due Your name!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 4, 2025

Notes of Faith December 4, 2025

Full Surrender

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

Luke 1:38

Marty Robinson was a tattooed, bearded punk rocker in Australia who “came to the end of his tether” due to alcohol addiction. Today he’s serving Christ with the Salvation Army as a prison chaplain, and his ministry is changing lives every day. He surrenders himself to Christ each day by beginning every day saying to Jesus, “Use me however you want.”1

That’s essentially what Mary said when Gabriel told her she would give birth to the Messiah. The J. B. Phillips rendering of Luke 1:38 says, “I belong to the Lord, body and soul…let it happen as you say.”

The world around us doesn’t grasp the idea of full surrender to the will of God, but only full surrender brings full victory. God’s wisdom is greater than ours. His plans are better. His guidance is perfect. Even when the pathway seems hard or the task uncertain, we can say, as Mary did, “I belong to the Lord, body and soul. I am willing. Let it be to me according to Your Word.”

All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.

Judson W. Van DeVenter

1Lauren Martin, “‘Full Surrender’ Sends Marty to Prison to Serve as a Chaplain,” Salvos Online, August 13, 2024.

The truth is that most Christians surrender “some”. We still have secret sins in the closet or somewhere else we think that we won’t be seen. But God sees all things all the time. We will not have the best that God desires for us until we surrender like Jesus did to His Father… “Not My will but Yours be done”! May this be our hearts desire as we strive to love God and love others.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 3, 2025

Notes of Faith December 3, 2025

Available and Faithful

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make [Mary] a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.

Matthew 1:19

Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, continued a tradition of God using ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Joseph was a carpenter in Nazareth and was part of the Davidic ancestral line. We also know he was a “just” (righteous) man. Though we know little of his life after the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:41), it appears he may have been alive at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (Matthew 13:55) but died by the time of the crucifixion (John 19:26-27).

Consider what Joseph went through when he discovered Mary was pregnant before they were married! His first impulse was to do what was best for Mary by saving her from public humiliation. Then when he discovered that her Child was of God, he married her and established a family in which the Child would be loved and nurtured. He taught Jesus the skill of carpentry (Mark 6:3) and apparently raised Him “in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Luke 2:41-52; Ephesians 6:4).

We don’t need to be famous to be used by God. Like Joseph, we only need to be available and faithful.

It is better to be faithful than famous.

Theodore Roosevelt

All of the Apostles chosen by Jesus to continue His work on earth, to establish the church, were ordinary men, empowered by the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary work for God.

May we, the less than famous, be faithful and fruitful for the glory of God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 2, 2025

Notes of Faith December 2, 2025

He Understands

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15

Most parents of teenagers have heard the following in a moment of tension: “Mom/Dad, you just don’t understand!” It’s not just adolescent hormones or immaturity that produces such frustration. Even as adults we sometimes think that no one could possibly understand what we are experiencing or feeling. Ironically, when teenagers think their parents don’t understand, they forget that their parents were teenagers once themselves and probably felt the same levels of frustration or loneliness.

It is easy to forget that Jesus experienced every temptation and feeling that we experience. True, He didn’t go through the exact same circumstances that we do. But the feelings those circumstances create—frustration, confusion, anger, loneliness—are universal. In His humanity, Jesus Christ went through all the ups and downs of human experience, “yet without sin.” So regardless of what we are feeling—especially when we are tempted—He understands.

Knowing that He can sympathize, take your questions and feelings to Him.

Christ understands loneliness; He’s been through it.

Paul S. Rees

God chose to save us from our rebellion and sin. Because of His love for us, He sent His Son into the world, to take on flesh and live the life of human experience. But the sacrifice for our sin would bring about His death. Our sin had to be paid for with a perfect, flawless, sinless sacrifice. There was none but the Son of God, who willingly gave His life that we might be saved through faith in Him. We are created in the image of God, to reflect the glory of God, that the world might see Jesus and the truth of His Word. We are NOT God, nor little gods, and have no way to reconcile to God without a perfect sacrifice…the God-man, Jesus! He does understand everything that we experience, knows ahead of time what is coming our way, and is there as we go through it, and promises to take us to His eternal home in His perfect timing. Let us give praise our heavenly Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…One God, providing life for us, and that eternal

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 1, 2025

Notes of Faith December 1, 2025

A Marvel!

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

Spider-Man, the Marvel Comics superhero introduced in 1962, is about a teenager who was bitten by a radioactive spider in a laboratory. The boy became a person with two natures—he is both human and spider. He can operate in both realms. But Spider-Man is fantasy. A person can only have one nature. We are humans.

Jesus Christ goes beyond our imaginations. He is God-Man. He is the only person who possesses two natures in one personality. He is Son of Man (human) and Son of God (divine). He is both God and human. It’s not a laboratory accident. It was God’s perfect plan for becoming one of us so He could atone for our sins by His suffering and death on the cross.

We can never fully understand the marvel of what Jesus did for us, but we can enter each day—including this one—thanking Him for it!

How necessary it was that Christ the Mediator, should be both God and man; for unless he had been man, he would not have been a fit sacrifice; and unless he had been God, that sacrifice would not have been of sufficient virtue.

William Ames

Too many people believe that they can do good deeds and earn their way to heaven, access to God, perfect peace. Only God can deal with our sin. I know that you try to be obedient to God…so do I…and we still sin. One day He has promised to do what we cannot…take away our sin…even better, sin will not exist! We do need to strive to be holy as God commands, perhaps by His grace succeeding in various areas of our life, but the battle of the flesh and the Spirit remains until we are taken to be with God forever. Look up, for your redemption, transformation and perfection draws near!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 30, 2025

Notes of Faith November 30, 2025

The Astonishing Gift

I am the Word that became flesh. I have always been, and I will always be. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. As you think about Me as a baby, born in Bethlehem, do not lose sight of My divinity. This baby who grew up and became a Man-Savior is also God Almighty! It could not have been otherwise. My sacrificial life and death would have been insufficient if I were not God. So rejoice that the Word, who entered the world as a helpless infant, is the same One who brought the world into existence.

Though I was rich, for your sake I became poor, so that you might become rich.

No Christmas present could ever compare with the treasure you have in Me! I remove your sins as far as the east is from the west — freeing you from all condemnation. I gift you with unimaginably glorious Life that will never end! The best response to this astonishing Gift is to embrace it joyfully and gratefully.

No Christmas present could ever compare with the treasure you have in Me!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. — John 1:1, John 1:14

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. —

Hebrews 1:1-2

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. — 2 Corinthians 8:9 NASB

Excerpted from Jesus Calling for Christmas by Sarah Young, copyright Sarah Young.

God came to earth because of His love for His creation – mankind. He is the Creator, Savior, Lord and King of eternity. He is coming back to take the people that belong to Him, those that believe in Him, His work for them, and those who are obedient to His Word. Our lives should be more intimate with God. We love Him because He first loved us. Let us love Him more each day that we are given and prove that love with obedience.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 29, 2025

Notes of Faith November 29, 2025

Living a Great-Full Life: How Great Is Each New Day

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

In the 1993 romantic comedy movie Groundhog Day the main character gets stuck in a time loop in which he relives February 2 day after day. He wakes up every morning knowing exactly what is going to happen that day, unburdened by the things that happened the day before.

Imagine waking up every morning burdened by the mistakes you made the day before. Since we make mistakes nearly every day, their accumulated burden would soon become intolerable. Thankfully, that is not the case! The Bible says that God’s mercy and compassion are new every morning. Instead of being consumed by the judgment of God, we are gifted a great new day. That doesn’t mean that our sins and mistakes are insignificant. But it does mean that God’s mercy and compassion keep us in His care in spite of our failures. Forgiven, we are free to live every day without the burden of yesterday’s sins.

Let this truth be your last thought at night and your first thought in the morning. And praise God for each and every new day!

Christianity is getting older every year. Yet it is also new, new every morning.

John R. W. Stott

Watching something being consumed is a powerful display of judgment. Grace and mercy are ours because of God’s love. His faithfulness extends to all generations! Let us praise Him for our salvation and tell the next generations of His great mercy, compassion, love, and faithfulness toward them too!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 28, 2025

Notes of Faith November 28, 2025

Always With You

“Look!” [King Nebuchadnezzar] answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Daniel 3:25

There is great comfort in the truth that God is with us in our troubles. What He does about the trouble is up to Him, but the promise is that He is always there. Three stories from Scripture illustrate this truth.

First, Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a fiery furnace in Babylon (Daniel 3). When the king peered into the furnace, not only were the three men unharmed but also a fourth man was with them—one “like the Son of God.” Second, when Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee and a storm came up, Jesus calmed the storm (Mark 4:35-41). Third, when the disciples were struggling to cross the Sea of Galilee due to a contrary wind, Jesus came to them, walking on the water, and calmed the winds (Mark 6:45-52). The promise of God is, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

If you are in a fire or a storm today, never doubt that God is with you. Trust Him to resolve the matter according to His will.

The more terrible the storm, the more necessary the anchor.

William S. Plumer

Jesus is the anchor to which we must be attached. He will hold us firm through any trial or storm! I am thinking of and praying for all of you who are in the midst of a difficult time. May you trust in the Lord with all your heart and receive His peace today.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 27, 2025

Notes of Faith November 27, 2025

Thanksgiving is here! Let's pause to consider two of the greatest spiritual blessings we should be thankful for as Christians. These two spiritual blessings should fill our hearts with gratitude each and every day. And, they both relate directly to Bible prophecy and God's plan for the future!

1. Salvation By Grace Through Faith

The first spiritual blessing that we should be most grateful for is the one that sets Christianity apart from every other religion in the world—salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Every other religion in the world teaches the satanic concept of salvation through good works. "Do!" Christianity alone teaches that we cannot be saved by good works. Our only hope is the righteousness of Jesus applied to us when we put our faith in Him. "Done!"

The biblical foundation for grace can be found in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Likewise, Romans 3:23-24 reveals, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."

Therefore, we should be thankful that the forgiveness of our sins cannot be earned. It's a free gift of God! Jesus completed all the work necessary for salvation by sacrificing His perfect life for our sins and then beating death by resurrecting Himself from the dead. We can then have confidence that our eternal destination is Heaven because our going there depends solely on Christ's finished work, and never on our performance.

Salvation by grace through faith has a prophetic connection. This salvation was prophesied throughout the Old Testament. For example, in Isaiah 53:5-6 we learn, "But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed... But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all to fall on Him." The cross was to be the centerpiece of God's prophetic plan from the very beginning.

2. The Rapture of the Church

The second spiritual blessing has yet to take place. It's based on God's promise found in John 14, 1 Corinthians 15, and 1 Thessalonians 4. It's called the Rapture of the Church.

What is the Rapture? It's that glorious day when Jesus will appear in the clouds and call His Church out of this world and up to Heaven. As 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 reveals, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

The return of Jesus Christ can be considered a two-stage event. The first stage of Christ's return is the Rapture. Jesus suddenly appears in the clouds. Believers in Christ are caught up (raptured) to meet Him in the air. And this will all happen in "the twinkling of an eye." The Rapture is considered an imminent event, in that it could happen at any moment, with no signs that need to precede it.

The second stage is called the Second Coming. Seven-plus years after the Rapture, Jesus will return to the earth at the very end of the Tribulation with His saints. Jesus will first touch down on the Mount of Olives. He will merely have to speak, and the armies of Satan will melt before Him. Once Christ's enemies are vanquished or interred, King Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom on this earth.

We can know that the Rapture will happen before the Tribulation because the Church is promised deliverance from God's wrath. As 1 Thessalonians 5:9 confirms, "For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." We can see that, when reading the book of Revelation, the Church is absent from chapters 4-18, which cover the Tribulation period. Only then, in Revelation 19, are believers shown to return with Christ, and to rule and reign with Him over His Kingdom.

Because our Savior and Lord will be victorious, and so too as His children, we will also be victorious through Him, then the Rapture should provide us with a great source of thanksgiving as we await our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13). Paul concludes his explanation in 1 Thessalonians 4:18 with an exhortation to "comfort one another with these words."

Hearts Filled with Gratitude

These two blessings should transform how we view our current circumstances. When we see the signs of the times, such as wars, natural disasters, moral decline, the regathering of Israel, and many more, all converging around us, we should not despair. "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28). These very signs point to the fulfillment of God's promises.

Whether this Thanksgiving finds you surrounded by the embrace of family or facing seemingly insurmountable challenges all on your own, remember that if you belong to Jesus, you have every reason for thanksgiving. Your salvation is secure, having been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Your future is bright, having been guaranteed by God's faithfulness. And, your hope is imminent, in that Jesus could call His children home at any moment. These are the eternal realities that should fill your heart with gratitude, not just on one holiday, but every single day.

So, until Christ comes, keep looking up and giving thanks, for our God is faithful, and our redemption draws ever near.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Pastor Dale