It goes almost unnoticed when people read through the Gospel, but in His teaching regarding prayer Jesus says, “When you pray” (Matthew 6:5, 7;compare verse 9 where He says, “Pray then like this”). The Master does not say, “If you pray”; He expects those who are truly His disciples to pray! Of course, when Jesus made this point, He was talking about real prayer. Read more…
Posted on July 1st, 2010 by Pastor Larry
Filed under: Elim Refresher Newsletter, From the Pastor’s Pen
For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:4-7; emphasis added).
Two months ago I wrote emphasizing the power and exclusivity a bold, straight-forward Gospel message has concerning salvation. As opposed to relying on various ineffective methods. Pastor Pauley, who has been expositing through the 13th chapter of Acts, recently taught that Christians ought to focus on the Lord of the work, and not the workers of the Lord. Read more…
Posted on July 1st, 2010 by Robert
Filed under: Elim Refresher Newsletter, From the Pew
Our book review this month is Ashamed of the Gospel—When the Church Becomes the World, by Dr. John MacArthur. This is an updated version of his classic work with a lengthy new introduction and a couple of new chapters. Still, however, the overall message of this new publication issues a warning against pragmatism (where the ends justifies the means). Read more…
Posted on June 1st, 2010 by Scott
Filed under: Elim Refresher Newsletter, From the Church Library
This is priceless.
A seasoned Christian who attended his church prayer meeting faithfully always spoke the same things during the time of public prayer. His prayer never varied: “O Lord, since we last gathered together, the cobwebs have come between us and Thee. Clear away the cobwebs, that we may again see Thy face. ” One day an exasperated brother called out, “O Lord God, kill the spider! ” Read more…
Posted on June 1st, 2010 by Pastor Larry
Filed under: Elim Refresher Newsletter, From the Pastor’s Pen
Recently in a sermon Pastor Pauley cited Matthew 16:16-18 and then declared Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church. I could not say “amen” fast enough! I contemplated on how powerful and indispensable the Bible is to Christians. For in the Bible, the only Word of God, we have a sure foundation of God’s revelation. I was particularly enthralled by v. 18a, where Christ declared “…on this rock I will build My church…” For centuries this verse has been interpreted in a variety of ways, even by Christians. Read more…
Posted on June 1st, 2010 by Robert
Filed under: Elim Refresher Newsletter, From the Pew
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers…And all who believed were together and had all things in common…And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:42, 47b–emphasis added).
Pastor Pauley is currently expositing chapters 13 through 28 from the book of Acts. In his first sermon he provided a brief overview of the first 12 chapters. During that overview, I was significantly awe-struck as I read chapter 2, Read more…
Posted on May 19th, 2010 by Robert
Filed under: From the Pew
Our book review this month is Improving Your Serve, by Dr. Charles Swindoll.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
Dr. Swindoll uses this verse as a contrast to what the world around us would lead us to believe. In our author’s typical satirical fashion, he comments that philosophers are people who talk about something they don’t understand, and then they make you think it’s your fault that you don’t understand them! Read more…
Posted on May 1st, 2010 by Scott
Filed under: From the Church Library
Maybe you have been “keeping score” and maybe you have not, but over the past several months this column has been considering the topic of prayer as Jesus taught. And, in these brief exhortations we have found that we are called to pray with developed guards upon our hearts and minds. For instance, we learned that we are to pray with humility, for the Master commanded in Matthew 6:5, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. According to the Savior, such people “have received their reward,” and so their prayers avail nothing. Read more…
Posted on May 1st, 2010 by Pastor Larry
Filed under: From the Pastor’s Pen
Last month’s From the Pew article talked about God’s reconciliation of us. This month, I felt compelled to expand on it and share what the Lord has taught about how God’s reconciliation ought to impact our lives. It is only because of God’s reconciliation that we are entitled to have citizenship in heaven. Read more…
Posted on March 1st, 2010 by Robert
Filed under: From the Pew
What a privilege we have to be able to assemble freely to praise, worship and glorify our God! And by those same freedoms we are granted, we have the freedom to assemble together to lift each other up before the throne of our Father in Heaven. Read more…
Posted on March 1st, 2010 by Steve
Filed under: Prayer Notes, Uncategorized