Boldly Facing the New Year 

How are we going to face the New Year? Financial, political, physical and emotional problems abound. Yet I left out the most important part. That is the spiritual. Psychological studies have shown people can survive anything if they have a strong “center” to hold them secure. For the Christian that center is God.

The Apostle Paul put it well speaking to the Athenians in Acts 17:28: “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Paul tells us who is the “center” of our lives and then in a powerful ascending scale details how that works.

For in Him
This is proof of God’s nearness, not stoic pantheism, but the real immanence of God as God dwells in us. Paul challenges us to stop and meditate on what it means when he says in Phil 1:21 “For me to live is Christ.” As I start this new year I feel God calling me to dig deeper into the mystery of living in His presence – NOW.

We live
The Gospels abound with the fundamental truth that when we accept Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, he gives us new life (John 3:16). Pray with me that the Lord will apply this stunning truth in our daily lives.

And move
This new life then leads us in the movement of our lives. Colossians 2:6-7 says ” As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him..” Pray that the roots of your faith go deep into Him and His word. Let this be shown in the way we move and talk.

And have our being
The ascending scale reaches it’s climax in our very existence in God. Paul calls us to deepen our understanding of this in Colossians 2:9,10: “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power…” Ask God’s Spirit to reveal this mind boggling truth to you.

We can boldly face this New Year as we meditate and pray about these biblical concepts.

By Pastor Bill Gaube

Do you know where this picture was taken? Of course, Half Dome is the iconic symbol of Yosemite. I took many views of it on our recent trip to Yosemite. In other pictures it looks different. From Glacier Point it looks almost thin and fragile. How Half Dome looks depends on your viewpoint.

From what view point do we view our lives? Our well being depends on it. I remember back when a thirty-something friend grieved he was getting older. (Very funny from my view point.) I asked why he felt that way. He replied that for the first time in his life he walked under a basketball hoop and didn’t want to jump up and touch it. He felt like he was losing something.

Ever grieved that you have lost something in your life? Most of us do. I also remember my mentor in the ministry when he was in his 70′s. He was an interim Pastor and mentioned how he couldn’t run around and do the things he used to. But he viewed that fact from a different view point. He replied that he didn’t need to anymore. He had figured out how to get it done without wasting all that energy.

My mentor didn’t view life as a process of losing but of gaining. Sometimes we are like a butterfly that grieves because he has lost his familiar but confining cocoon. He doesn’t see he has so much more.

The Apostle encourages us to adopt a different view point of our lives. Philippians 1:6 says, “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Christ is leading us in an exciting journey – and it’s successful completion depends on Him! Yes, rejoice in the places you have been, but press on to where the Lord is leading.

By Pastor Bill Gaube

“Patience is a virtue desired by many but possessed by few.” Recovering from my operation has taught me the truth of this old saying. Many of you have reminded me that scripture says “tribulation works patience.” But I want it and I want it NOW!

Although I’m still on this journey towards patience, some over arching truths are emerging from my frustration. Maybe they will help you in whatever place you find yourself.

• Be open to discovering new insights from God. Most of us live our lives in comfortable ruts. Comfortable because we are use to them. Ruts because they blind us from seeing any positive new ways. So God allows unusual, sometimes disturbing situations to come along to get us out of the rut. Patience is teaching me that I am on a journey with God into new territory – trust the leader.
• Bring your expectations in line with God’s. As strength returns, I expand my list of things I expect I can do. They are not bad, just too many. The result is frustration and defeat. Then I remembered a calendar that said at the top: “There is all the time in a day you need to accomplish the will of God.” So to find patience I start each day asking the Lord, what do you want me to do this day.
• Trust God to work all things together for good. We all have physical, financial and emotional limitations. How can any good come out of these? Romans 8:28 (NIV) explains that: “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” God has a goal for each of us and it is good. While His goal is good, not all the things in our lives are good. Yet patience waits for God to pick up all those random strands and weave them together for good.

PEP Club activities for September

Breakfast Club, 10:00 AM every Thursday The every Thursday format gives greater opportunity for more to be involved. We meet at the Waffle Shop, corner Zinfandel and Folsom Blvd. Order what you like and enjoy the fellowship. We’d love to have all those 55+ join us.

Sunday, September 11 we will be going out to dinner at Home Town Buffet, 7028 Sunrise Blvd. Citrus Heights. All those 55+ are invited to join us for an enjoyable good time.

Join us every Thursday for Breakfast Club at 10:00 AM .The every Thursday format gives greater opportunity for more to be involved. We meet at the Waffle Shop, corner Zinfandel and Folsom Blvd. Order what you like and enjoy the fellowship. We’ d love to have all those 55+ join us.

Saturday, June 18 we’ll tour the Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento. It is a world-class tribute to the role of the “iron horse” in connecting California to the rest of the nation. There will be some new exhibits and all the old favorites. Meet at the church by 9:30 AM to carpool. Myrna DeAngelo is coordinating this for us.

Sunday, June 26 we’re going out to dinner at Brookfields after the 11:00 Service. It’s a great place to eat and have a great time to fellowship. We will be in the Patio Room. Rusty Bloomquist is doing the planning and Dean Milton is coordinating.