November 25th, 2017 Elevator Dedication "To God Be The Glory!"

Saturday, November 25th, was a milestone in our church history. We had the dedicatory service for our new elevator. Brethren came from around the country to glorify God with us and to rejoice in the miracle. Our Pastor, Rev. J. H. Olson, preached a message titled “To God Be The Glory”. He encouraged us to “Remember The Miracle”. We were privileged to have the General contractor and his wife, along with his 92-year-old father present for the service. The contractor had remarked to us “If you didn’t have the elevator, my father would not have been able to attend.” At one point in the service, the contractor and his family joined Pastor & Sister Olson along with myself and my wife in a symbolic, dedicatory ride from the first floor to the sanctuary. The presence of the Lord was abundantly manifest throughout the service. We were reminded of our precious freedom to worship and most of all God’s amazing grace as “God Bless America” and “Amazing Grace” were sang. The service concluded with heartfelt appreciation and worship as we sang “To God Be The Glory”. Follow @ddevonshire

Tomorrow morning, we continue our series "Next Steps". Beginning a Christian journey is a wonderful experience. We are meant to grow! Designed to be molded into the image of Jesus as we journey to heaven. This series deals with the practical steps to take to get from where we are now, to where we want to be. See you at 11am!

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With God, Nothing, Is Impossible

Sunday morning sermon 11/5/2017 Follow @ddevonshire

The Cure For Grumpiness

Have you ever felt sorry for yourself and stewed in your grumpiness because of unfair treatment that you have received? I’m ashamed to say that I have. This is when the bible shows us it is not an old book with no relevance for today, but a life-giving answer book for modern man.

Consider this: Paul and Silas, two Christian ministers, had gone into a city to help people, to teach them about Jesus. Several women had already been assisted, and one had been set free from a demonic possession. The apostle’s efforts were not well received. Read:

Acts 16:22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Christians face trouble like everyone else, but it is how we are enabled to respond to the trouble that makes us different.

“And the multitude rose up together against them…” Have you ever felt like the world (the haters) are turning on you?

“The magistrates rent off their clothes…” Have you ever felt humiliated? Embarassed? Stripped of your dignity and openly mocked?

“Commanded to beat them…” Have you ever been hurt, physically or emotionally?

“Cast them into prison…” Have you ever felt like you have been cast aside? Forgotten about?

“Thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks…” Have you ever felt like you are locked in to a situation with no way to get out?

These experiences come to all of us in one form or another.  Yet the response by Paul and Silas is the dynamite that blows away the mountains of self-pity!

“At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God and the prisoners heard them.”

In their dark hour, they prayed and praised God! This wasn’t a meek quiet little tune, but one that was loud enough the other prisoners heard them!

Today, instead of concentrating on all the dirty deeds done to you, begin to pray and praise God and watch the chains of grumpiness and sorrow fall to the ground!

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