MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTOR

“Always be joyful and never stop praying. Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, CEV

An article in the June 1922 edition of the Today in the Word magazine, someone wrote: “In one area of Africa where Christianity began to spread, converts were zealous about daily devotions. They would find their own spot within the wild thickets and pour their hearts out to God. After some time the spots became well-worn, and paths were created. Soon, one's prayer life was made public. If someone began to neglect his or her devotional life, it would soon be noticed by others. Believers would then gently and lovingly remind those in neglect, ‘The grass grows on your path.’"

Sometimes even with the best of intentions, we find ourselves spending less time with our prayer lives and more times dealing with the issues of this world. Then after a time we’ll notice that our issues have overwhelmed us and our joy is no where to be found. As difficult as it may sound, our happiness is not predicated upon simply the good verses the bad things that happens to us. As believers in Christ, it is predicated upon our knowing the grace and the mercies that we have received from God. We can take comfort in knowing that God is always good in keeping his promises to us. Most of us within our hearts know and understand, that even on a rainy day the sun still exists behind the clouds. Therefore, we take comfort in knowing that no matter how much it does rain, that one day the sun will reappear from behind those clouds.

The Apostle Paul’s message within this particular part of his text encourages us to remain joyful no matter how much it rains, and to continue to pray and be thankful in spite of and even during the rain; because in spite of the gloominess that we feel during those times, even the rain in its own way provides a blessing for us.

When things are difficult we have a tendency to lose our joy and stop praying. However, God wants to commune with us, to fellowship with us, to encourage and strengthen us and our faith. He can do this through our prayer lives if we let him. Our prayer life is more than simply us speaking to God; true prayer also allows God to speak back to us within our own spirit. Some of you maybe thinking, “Pastor, you just don’t know how busy I am, and I just don’t have time now to pray.” Well the truth is, if you’re simply too busy to pray, then truly, you’re just too busy period. Not only should you make prayer time for God in your day, in fact, prayer time should be the very first thing that you do in your day. Start off with a one minute prayer, thanking him for what he’s done for you. You’ll soon find that when you make time for God in you day, that your day will have more joy in spite of the issues. So don’t let the grass grow on the path to your prayer life.

I love you,

Rev. Harold Evans, Pastor