Pastor's article 06-02-24

What are some of the best things or parts of your life? If I had to make a list of greatest assets in my life, it would be my family, my health, my calling as a pastor, and, of course, the number one would be my salvation and the relationship I have with Christ. There are so many blessings in my life and I am sure you could say the same. As you know, we must be very careful not to get our priorities mixed up and to carefully live based on biblically prioritized commitments. In other words, we cannot let emotion or outside worldly influence dictate what we give top priority to. We are responsible for leading our lives as we will be the ones who answer for what we gave the greatest value to day by day. It would be easy to love those precious grandchildren more than you do the Lord, due to the fact that you see them, hold them, and have an emotional connection with them, but we know that God is to be at the top of our lists. We are to love Him with all of our heart, soul and mind. This is not based upon a feeling but a deep-seated conviction and commitment to leading our heart instead of following it. It doesn’t mean that you don’t love others; it simply means that you obey and follow God, and are more committed to walking with Him than you are with anyone else.
We know how to love because of our love relationship with God. This keeps us from forming a dysfunctional idea of love. For instance, some people abuse those they say they love because they have a warped idea of love. We know love when we love God, and learn what true love is based on how He has loved, and does love, us. We know from God that true love has discipline, sacrifice, purity and longsuffering as parts of it.
Idolatry is not only sin, but it also takes us off course in our lives to the point of living for the wrong things and with the wrong priorities. Then you wake up one day realizing that you went a long way in life, but in the wrong direction. You can be really committed in life but if your commitment is misplaced, at the end of your life, you lose. Examine your life today and make sure that you are not living in idolatry, and that there is nothing more important to you than God!
Rev. Wayne Marcus