Preaching February 12th, Pole Line Rd. Baptist Church

I'm so excited to be preaching at Pole Line Rd. Baptist Church in Davis, CA.

It's been years and years since they left the SBC and went independent. The church objected to the controversies between so-called conservatives and liberals in the SBC in the 1990s, especially over the objection, if I'm remembering correctly, to the ordination of women hospital chaplains and prison chaplains. However, I remained friends with the church and their pastor, Exter Hardy, over the years.

Exter is retiring and moving. We wish him a great time in this new chapter of life. ##

https://www.polelinebaptist.org/

The Storms of Life

Luke 8:23-25

...and as they were sailing he fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger. They came and woke him up, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to die!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him!” ---from the Christian Standard Bible translation

Storms happen. The Lord Jesus is Lord over the storms of life. He calms a storm because He is indeed Lord of all. He is the creator of the Universe. And here we see Him sleeping like a baby during a dangerous, scary storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus rebuked the weather and it obeyed Him! For many this seems unbelievable, but not for me.

There are natural storms. And there are figurative storms that happen when things go bad or things go wrong in our lives. We must hold to our faith in all types of storms. I believe Jesus was training the Apostles to trust Him in any situation, whether it is happening to us in the natural world, in the turmoil of daily living, or whether it is happening in our Spiritual journey.

The question Jesus asked, "Where is your faith," is one applicable to all followers of Jesus. Whatever our difficulty, whatever the storm is in our own life, we must cling to faith in the Lord Jesus.

I look back on the events in my life and see them--the storms of life--and reflect on the results. I see that I was made stronger in faith and in the confidence of being under His guiding hand.

Some storms are real storms--like the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Some storms are financial. Some storms are ministry and job-related. Some storms happen in family life or in friendships. Some storms come to us from the conflict of war or a nation's economic issues. Yet in every situation, Jesus still asks the question: "Where is your faith?" ##

Available to Preach

I enjoyed preaching New Year's Day for pastor Gary Howard at Colfax Baptist Church in Colfax, CA. My sermon was entitled "Tribute to Joseph," Matthew 1:18-25.

I'm tentatively scheduled to preach at Pole Line Road Baptist Church, Davis, CA, on February 12 at 8:30 am and 11am. Pastor Exter Hardy has retired and is moving back East. They left the SBC a few years ago and joined another fine Baptist denomination where I have old college friends serving.

I do hope your New Year has started with hope, joy, and many blessings. ##