Dear Friends:
Another year has come and gone. As always, time has a way of marching on. 2022 has been a good year for me as I celebrated my 31st year as pastor of the church. It has been an honor to be a part of this church as your pastor for the past 31 years. I have been blessed to be a part your weddings, funerals, baby dedications, holiday celebrations and spiritual growth as we worship together. I look forward to being a part of Paynes Corners Christian Church in 2023 as my wife and I celebrate our 32nd year of service on the first week of July.
Some time ago, I finished reading a series of books on the topic of prayer. The volume I read was The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds. The single volume is a compilation of E. M. Bounds' works concerning the discipline of prayer, including: Power Through Prayer, Prayer and Praying Men, The Essentials of Prayer, The Necessity of Prayer, The Possibilities of Prayer, The Reality of Prayer, Purpose In Prayer and The Weapon of Prayer. I hope that we can improve our Christian walk through the discipline of prayer this year. I recommend this book to you. Click here to find the biographical information on the Recommended Reading page.
Prayer is important as we face difficult life decisions in the year to come: sickness, death, marital issues, and financial difficulties as well as continued social unrest. We must think of prayer as a first tool for survival rather than a tool of desperation and last resort. We must pray for ALL things. Prayer will ultimately bring comfort when we see God answer our prayers for ourselves and for each other. I would encourage you to keep a copy of our prayer request list so that you can pray for one another intelligently and lovingly.
It is also our responsibility to pray for President Biden as well as our elected federal, state and local officials, regardless of political affiliation. God is not the exclusive property of either the Democrat or Republican party. The important question all of us, whether Democrat, Republican or Independent, must answer is not whether God is on "our" side, but rather, are we on God's side. I have discovered that it is difficult to pray for someone and experience animosity toward them at the same time. It is impossible to govern with wisdom, compassion, and moral courage unless God directs our national, state, and community leaders. With respect to any proposed legislation... remember that ALL civil laws are based on someone's moral law. In other words, civil laws are ultimately based on someone's moral code. Is this proposed legislation good or bad, right or wrong? Lastly, make an effort to contact your elected leaders about issues for which you have strong feelings. Encourage them to support legislation which conforms to our traditional Judaeo-Christian beliefs. Do so positively and respectfully regardless of party lines or political agendas.
Sincerely,
Pastor Steve
Another year has come and gone. As always, time has a way of marching on. 2022 has been a good year for me as I celebrated my 31st year as pastor of the church. It has been an honor to be a part of this church as your pastor for the past 31 years. I have been blessed to be a part your weddings, funerals, baby dedications, holiday celebrations and spiritual growth as we worship together. I look forward to being a part of Paynes Corners Christian Church in 2023 as my wife and I celebrate our 32nd year of service on the first week of July.
Some time ago, I finished reading a series of books on the topic of prayer. The volume I read was The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds. The single volume is a compilation of E. M. Bounds' works concerning the discipline of prayer, including: Power Through Prayer, Prayer and Praying Men, The Essentials of Prayer, The Necessity of Prayer, The Possibilities of Prayer, The Reality of Prayer, Purpose In Prayer and The Weapon of Prayer. I hope that we can improve our Christian walk through the discipline of prayer this year. I recommend this book to you. Click here to find the biographical information on the Recommended Reading page.
Prayer is important as we face difficult life decisions in the year to come: sickness, death, marital issues, and financial difficulties as well as continued social unrest. We must think of prayer as a first tool for survival rather than a tool of desperation and last resort. We must pray for ALL things. Prayer will ultimately bring comfort when we see God answer our prayers for ourselves and for each other. I would encourage you to keep a copy of our prayer request list so that you can pray for one another intelligently and lovingly.
It is also our responsibility to pray for President Biden as well as our elected federal, state and local officials, regardless of political affiliation. God is not the exclusive property of either the Democrat or Republican party. The important question all of us, whether Democrat, Republican or Independent, must answer is not whether God is on "our" side, but rather, are we on God's side. I have discovered that it is difficult to pray for someone and experience animosity toward them at the same time. It is impossible to govern with wisdom, compassion, and moral courage unless God directs our national, state, and community leaders. With respect to any proposed legislation... remember that ALL civil laws are based on someone's moral law. In other words, civil laws are ultimately based on someone's moral code. Is this proposed legislation good or bad, right or wrong? Lastly, make an effort to contact your elected leaders about issues for which you have strong feelings. Encourage them to support legislation which conforms to our traditional Judaeo-Christian beliefs. Do so positively and respectfully regardless of party lines or political agendas.
Sincerely,
Pastor Steve