Pastor’s Ponderings: What’s Your Fixed Point?
The following article was sent by Pastor Jim on 1/19/15…. Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (NIV). PLEASE READ: Psalm 102:27 “But you remain the same, and your years will never end” (NIV). Those verses of holy Scripture noted above are so powerful. What an amazing thought: Jesus Christ is the same, He doesn’t change. Isn’t that good to know that in this turbulent, stormy,...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Study the Playbook
Pastor Jim submitted the following thoughts on January 24, 2015… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing rightly handling and skillfully teaching the Word of Truth” (AMP). As we’re well aware the Super Bowl is in one week. Players from both teams are investing time and energy in...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Love is Victorious
The following thoughts were submitted by Pastor Jim on 1/20/15… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: 1 Thessalonians 5:11a “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,” PLEASE READ: Ephesians 4:29 “Watch your talk! No bad words should be coming from your mouth. Say what is good. Your words should help others grow as Christians” (NLV) Although snow is in the forecast for South Jersey for tomorrow [Wednesday 1/21/15], I am excited that Spring Training...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Part Time Christians?
The following thoughts were submitted by Pastor Jim on January 16, 2015… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Mark 12:28-31 One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, “What is the most important commandment?” Jesus answered, “The most important one says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ The second most...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: The Scriptures
The following thoughts were submitted by Pastor Jim on January 15, 2015… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God’s servants to do all kinds of good deeds” (CEV) PLEASE READ: Joshua 1:8 “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: What Makes One Weak?
The following thoughts were submitted by Pastor Jim on 1/15/15… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Luke 18:1 “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (NIV). PLEASE READ: Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (NIV). PLEASE READ: Acts 1:14 “They all joined together...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Who is John Wesley?
Pastor Jim submitted the following thoughts about John Wesley and the persecutions Wesley endured in order to spread the Gospel. PLEASE READ: Matthew 5:11-12 (Jesus said) “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (see other cross references below which may have been an...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Who is Francis Asbury?
Pastor Jim submitted the following thoughts about Francis Asbury on 1/11/15… Our Methodist tradition is filled with many wonderful men and women who served God faithfully. They leave a legacy of faith and we certainly owe our ancestors a great deal of thanks for what they have preserved and passed along to us. One such great saint of the Methodist Church is Frances Asbury. Asbury traveled thousands of miles by horseback and was a true circuit riding Methodist preacher. Asbury spent a...
Read MorePastors Ponderings: My Christmas Wish
The following devotional was submitted by Pastor Jim on December 19, 2014… Greetings Friends: Below is a poem I actually came across many years ago. I recently found it again and feel led to share it with you. It really sums up what this season and our lives are all about. I pray that all of us will be blessed. PLEASE READ: Matthew 2:9-11 “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: By Being Born, He Let Love Into the World
The following devotional was submitted by Pastor Jim on December 18…Greetings Friends; PLEASE READ: John 1:1-5, 10-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…. He was in the world, and though the world...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Keeping Your Spiritual Blades Sharp
The following devotion was submitted by Pastor Jim on November 28, 2014… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Ecclesiastes 10:10 “If the ax is not sharp and he does not make it sharp, then he must use more strength. Wisdom helps one to do well” (NLV). The past couple of days I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic and for some reason I recalled cutting the grass when I was a boy. Back then we did not have a motorized lawn mower. Dad used to have one of those manual...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Called to Dive into the Corn Field!
The following devotional was submitted by our pastor, Rev. Jim Bolton (11/14/14). Last night (Thursday 11/13/14) we experienced our first sighting of snow for the season. The temperatures dipped low enough for a thin coating of snow to cover parts of our gardens and decks… ————————————————– Greetings Friends: What a wonderful treat with the snow fall last evening! PLEASE...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: The List is Cancelled!!!
The following devotional was submitted by our pastor, Rev. Jim Bolton (11/13/14)…PLEASE READ: 1 John 1:7-9 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” There is a story that one...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Help is Only a Prayer Away
The following devotional was submitted by Pastor Jim… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray….,” Some of you may have seen the Walt Disney movie “Snow Dogs.” It tells the story of a dentist whose name is Ted Brooks, who inherits a cabin and a dogsled team in Alaska. His efforts to master dog sledding are recorded in the film as...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: God Knows You by Name!
Have you ever felt that you’re just a number? Customer, student, employee, patient, client… but not known as a person? Pastor Jim published the following devotional on Oct. 3, 2014… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: John 10:25-30 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Nowhere to Hide, Nothing to Fear
Greetings Friends:I just realized as I am writing this that 3 months from today is Christmas!!! I pray that all will blessed by this humble offering.PLEASE READ: John 20:19-21 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be...
Read MoreFace it: God Really Does Love You!
The following devotional was provided by Pastor Jim… PLEASE READ: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16 was the very first Bible verse I memorized as a child. I was only 5 years old and it was during a 2-week Vacation Bible School. I earned a red book mark which had all of the books of the Bible written on it. I remember being so proud and how proud my...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Just Another Day…
The following message was provided by Pastor Jim… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” As we go through a typical day, it is easy to become frustrated, disappointed, or downright angry when things don’t happen the way we think they should. Yet the Bible teaches us that God is sovereign We would agree...
Read MorePastors Ponderings: Make a Joyful Noise
Note: With the resumption of the choir season and the first rehearsals later this week (Thursday 9/18/14), this devotional from Pastor Jim seemed especially appropriate… PLEASE READ: Psalm 98:4 ” Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” In 17th century Italy, in the town of Cremona, lived a young boy named Antonio. Antonio was often sad because he lived in a town that was famous for its music, but he could neither...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Cheer Up!!!
The following devotional was submitted by our pastor, Rev. Jim Bolton, on 8/30/14… Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” We live during very intense times. There seems to be pressures everywhere we go in life. The culture just seems to be so serious, so detail oriented, even lamenting about so much, that the Biblical mandate of being joyous is forgotten (see Psalms 100:1, Psalms 98:4, Psalms 98:6, John 15:11, John...
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