Category Archives: Pastors Corner

Communicating Love

By Pastor Robert Jewett 

Pastor Robert Jewett

Pastor Robert Jewett

You know Valentine’s Day is around the corner because everywhere you look you see Sweethearts® candies. Did you know that every year the New England Confectionary Company (NECCO) sells a little over 8 billion Sweethearts® weighing in at roughly 13 million pounds?  No wonder we see those little conversation hearts everywhere we look.  Since 1866, NECCO has been using candy to communicate a message of love.

You may be amazed at the longevity of NECCO to communicate love for over a century and a half. While this is impressive for a candy company, it does not even remotely compare to the message of love that God has communicated to us through his Son for over two millennia: “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17).

Some people mistakenly perceive themselves to be a good person.  While they may think they are not as “bad” as some others they know, God rightly declares that there are none that are righteous, none that do good, and that all have sinned and fallen short of his glory (Romans 3:10, 12, 23). Yet, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). There has never been, nor will there ever be, a better communication of love. Perhaps the messages on those candy hearts this Valentine’s Day should say “Repent” and “Believe”.

 

Lakeshore City Church meets Sundays at 10:00 a.m. at Circle City Center (formerly Fender Museum), 365 N. Main St. in Corona. For more information, visit lakeshorecitychurch.com.

 

 

 

 

Pastor Rob Norris, The Crossings

All I Really Need

By Rob Norris 

Pastor Rob Norris

Pastor Rob Norris 

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm 9:10

At the very moment Darnly Motter was giving birth to her third child in the delivery room, her husband, Larry, was one floor below having a blood clot removed from his brain.

These are the kind of paradoxes that entered the Motters’ world the day their car crashed on a lonely stretch of South Dakota highway, leaving Larry in a coma with severe brain damage. When he returned to consciousness, he was partially paralyzed and his short-term memory was gone. For all intents and purposes, he was another baby in the Motter household.

There were people who advised Darnly to find Larry a comfortable place to live–to set him up in a nursing home–so that she could get on with life. But Darnly knew she couldn’t do that. Making a home with Larry–even the new Larry he had become–was part of keeping her wedding vows, she believed.

Over the years, she has often cried herself to sleep at night, and she has occasionally succumbed to the heavy undertow of depression. Her lonely walk as the only “adult” in her marriage has left her feeling maddeningly desperate. But when times get the murkiest, she remembers, “I don’t need answers; I just need God.”

That, my friend, is a faith statement–something that people who walk by feelings can’t say, because it demands that they know and trust God enough to be able to handle the challenges He often allows into life. Faith like this brings freedom and peace, even in the midst of the storms of life, known only by those who choose to set their dial and choose to live by the trusted timeless truths of Scriptures.

When life isn’t fair, God is still there–to make sure you have everything you need to hang in there yourself.

 

Money Back Guarantee

By Ed Moreno 

Pastor Ed Moreno

Pastor Ed Moreno

In Malachi 3:10a God says to his people: “Bring the full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple.” (Message Translation)

What this text is telling us is that God’s people are to bring their tithe to the place of worship because the tithe is the primary means by which the work and ministry of the Lord’s Temple/Church is to be financed.  This is also the primary means by which God wants his ministers to be financially supported. (See Numbers 18:21)

There have been those in recent years who have tried to argue that the tithe was for God’s Old Testament people but that it’s not something Christians are required to do.  That statement lacks logical, biblical, and historical support.  And those who make such statements rob themselves of God’s blessing, and they’ll rob you of God’s blessing if you listen to them.  So don’t!

The promise of God, to those who bring him the full tithe (10% of all God enables and allows you to earn and gain) is that he will cause abundance to just flow to your life, and that he will keep your financial base from being “chewed up.” (See Proverbs 3:9, 10; Malachi 3:10, 11)

Every year at New Day I share real life concrete stories of how God has fulfilled this promise, in completely unexpected ways, in my life during the preceding year.  And I share the real life stories of how God kept his promise in the lives of New Day family members who have chosen to trust God and bring the full tithe to the place of worship to underwrite God’s eternal purposes in the world in and through his church.

And every year for 20 years I have told the people at New Day and at the first church the Lord enabled me to plant, that if they give the full 10% for three consecutive months and they do not experience God blessing in some significant and unexpected way – I tell them that we’ll give them their money back!

Many have taken me up on this “money back guarantee,” but no one in over twenty-years has ever asked for their money back.  Why?  Because God keeps his promise.

Are you bringing God the full tithe at the church where you worship?  If not, you are robbing yourself of the abundance that God wants to cause to just flow to your life.  Bring God the full tithe!  You’ll be glad you did.

 

 

Debt of Love

By Pastor Dennis Morales Dennis Morales X-ORIG

 “Owe no one anything except to love one another…”   -Romans 13:8

Though we hear some debt is good to build up credit, we try our best to part with it.  Did you know according to the Bible there is debt in relation to love?  This is a debt we are called to pay into daily.   Jesus said loving one another is a mark of knowing Him.  Knowing Christ transforms our thinking (Romans12:1,2).  Jesus said “Love one another as I have Love you” and people will know that we belong to Him (Jn 13:35)..  This command extends to all people. In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), Jesus showed that the command “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18) extends even to strangers in need. It applies to people whom we may not especially like and to those who have wronged us. We do not necessarily have to like them, but we do need to love them and forgive them.    As you read the famous love chapter (1Corinthians13), we see words in our language that qualify as descriptors or adjectives, but in the original Greek language, these are words of “continuous” action.  John 15:13 says “greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  God, with love in action, sent His Son.  Jesus actively loved us by sacrificing His life for us (John 3:16), so that we can have the hope of Heaven. We needed forgiveness.  So Jesus, out of love, came to pay a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.  Pay some of that debt down today. Calvary Chapel Eastvale meets Sundays 8:30 & 10:30 am, Wednesdays at 7pm at Clara Barton Elementary School (7437 Corona Valley Ave, Eastvale).  Visit their website at www.calvaryeastvale.org.

 

New Year, No Fear

By Pastor Mark LeeMark Lee New

Many artists believe that a blank canvas is a beautiful, yet terrifying sight.  While the empty space is full of immense potential, the creative process itself can be time consuming, uncertain and intense.  The same could be said about any new venture.  Whether you are beginning a painting or starting a project, the excitement for what could be is often mixed with some anxiety for what lies ahead.

As we enter a new year, it is easy to understand the opportunities and challenges that a blank canvas brings.  Ahead of us lie twelve months full of possibility.  The next 365 days can bring us everything from increased professional success to a more physically fit body.  However, on the flip side, the new year could also bring unexpected heartbreak.

While many people have started 2017 with renewed hope, others can’t help but feel dread.  Perhaps last year did not meet their expectations.  Poor health, surprising losses or other disappointments have left them less than enthusiastic about the future.  At the same time, the current political turmoil, global unrest, and changing social climate is enough to make even the most optimistic people feel a concerned.

So, what should we do if we find ourselves frightened by the blank canvas of 2017?  The answer is simple:  fear not.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  God holds the future in his hands, so it is not ours to worry about.  After all, every masterpiece has to start as a blank canvas.

VantagePoint Church meets at Roosevelt High School on Sundays at 8 a.m., 9:15 a.m., and 11 a.m

 

 

 

 

It’s Time for Our Biblical Resolution

By Pastor Robert Jewett 

Pastor Robert Jewett Word of Truth Community ChurchCan you believe it is 2017?  It seems to me that the older I get, the faster the years go by.  This causes me to slow down and consider how I should be living every moment of every day.  With the New Year comes many newly made resolutions…or recommitments to previously failed resolutions.  A recent poll determined that about 60% of Americans make a New Year’s Resolution.  I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear that polls also show that only about 8% of Americans succeed at fulfilling their resolution.

So, where do we start? Should we start exercising and eating healthier? Should we start a new budget and see if we can live without using any credit? Or should we commit to less screen time and more time with people face-to-face?  While each of these are worthwhile to strive towards, there is still a greater resolution that would fuel the success of each of these resolutions.

Scripture encourages us “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). What if we focused our attention on fully pleasing God? Think about how many different areas of our lives would be affected?  The great news is that when you strive to bring God glory, it “is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Thus, our resolution is empowered by God and we no longer have to be part of the 8% success rate.

This New Year, resolve to bring God glory in all you think, say, and do!  For a more in depth biblical study on this topic, visit our webpage and listen to our New Year’s teaching.

Lakeshore City Church meets Sundays at 10:00 a.m. at Circle City Center (formerly Fender Museum), 365 N. Main St. in Corona. For more information, visit lakeshorecitychurch.com.

 

 

 

A New Legacy

Pastor Rob Norris, The Crossings

Pastor Rob Norris, The Crossings

By Rob Norris

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
Joshua 1:8

As a people, we are healthier but not happier. We are drenched in knowledge but parched for wisdom. Materially we are wealthy, but we suffer a profound poverty of the soul. The longer I live, the more I see that our nation needs a spiritual reformation in its inner spirit.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the state of the family. The biblical values that built our great nation – once passed on from each generation to the next as a national treasure – are being questioned and dismissed. As a result, never before have we seen such deterioration in our homes:

Never before have so many children grown up in broken homes. Never before has the definition of marriage been altered to allow for two people of the same sex. Never before has the marriage covenant been viewed with such contempt by a generation of young people. Never before have parents been ridiculed for seeking to raise children with biblical values. Never before have so many Christians laughed, shrugged their shoulders or did nothing about adultery, divorce and sin. Never before has materialism been so flagrantly embraced over relationships. Never before has the family been in such need of a new legacy.

The pivotal national issue today is not crime; neither is it welfare, health care, education, politics, the economy, the media or the environment. The pivotal issue today is the spiritual and moral condition of individual men and women, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, and families.

Nations are never changed until people are changed. The true hope for genuine change in the heart lies only in the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. Through Him, lives can be rebuilt. Through Him, families can be reformed.

Live It:
How has the deterioration of our homes affected your family?

Pray: That change in our country will begin with change in your lives and home.

Meeting @ 10:00 at River Heights Intermediate School 7227 Scholar Way, Eastvale CA.  Join us for family month in October.

Trusting and believing with you,

Pastor Rob

His Voice

Dennis Morales X-ORIGBy Pastor Dennis Morales

John 10:3  “The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep recognize His voice and come to Him. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.…”
We lost one of our sons at a crowded amusement park once.  Absolutely, not a good feeling.  Our family began shouting his name.  This went on it seemed for about 1 or 2 minutes.  Then I jumped in at the top of my voice and shouted my son’s name.  A few seconds later, I was relieved to see a security attendant coming over holding my son’s hand.   She explained that my son went to her and said he was looking for his papa.  All of a sudden he began to say “Papa! Papa!”   He then quickly took her in the direction of my voice.  Out of a crowd of thousands, my son heard my voice.  When God says something, it’s for good reason and worth obeying.  When he calls, it may be to say “stop,”  “go this way,” or it may even be “not that way!”  His voice is one that calls us, guides us, and protects us.  God spoke audibly to some such as Moses and Abraham, but God also speaks clearly through the pages of the Bible.  There is a lot of noise in the world that can get in the way.  The noise can be in the form of social media, TV, or even politics.  But the more you read the Scriptures, the more readily you will know when God is speaking.  The word “leads” in this verse speaks of “leading out.”  He has the way and He is ready to lead you out of whatever you are going through and into His green pastures (Ps 95:7).  “If you hear His Voice.”

Calvary Chapel Eastvale meets Sundays 8:30 & 10:30 am, Wednesdays at 7pm at Clara Barton Elementary School (7437 Corona Valley Ave, Eastvale).  Visit their website at www.calvaryeastvale.org.

 

The Paradox of Giving

Pastor Robert Jewett

Pastor Robert Jewett

By Pastor Robert Jewett

Have you ever noticed that the most generous people are often the most content people?  How is it that when given the opportunity, to give or to keep their resources for themselves, those who give are the most blessed?  The same questions hold true for the exact opposite.  How is that the people who are not generous are often the ones in constant want?  How is it that they never seem to have enough to get by?

For the believer, the answer is simple.  Jesus said that our entire lives, everything that we are, should be in whole-hearted devotion to God.  He said that our primary focus is to love God with everything that is in us.  Jesus continued and said that we are also to love our neighbor as ourselves. By satisfying these two commandments, all of God’s Law is fulfilled (Matt. 22:37-40).

So what does this have to do with giving or not giving?  When we love God whole-heartedly, we put him above everything else…including material gain.   We willingly use our resources in areas that matter to God.  We invest in things that have eternal value.

The amazing thing is that when we obey God and give freely, we are blessed in return.  Whereas, when we are greedy and do not give freely, we are constantly in want (Prov. 11:24). The apostle Paul puts it this way: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6).  You see, in God’s economy, you can never out-give him (Prov. 3:9-10).

Lakeshore City Church meets Sundays at 10:00 a.m. at Circle City Center (formerly Fender Museum), 365 N. Main St. in Corona. For more information, visit lakeshorecitychurch.com.

 

Snuggle Up

By Tim Eaton 

Tim Eaton

Tim Eaton

Fall is in the air.  The kids are deciding on Halloween costumes, you are sipping on pumpkin spice something, apple cider suddenly sounds appealing, the frantic pace of fall sports has begun, and for a few days the temperature has finally dipped below 90 degrees.

One of the great comforts and escapes of the fall season is to snuggle up with a great story.  It’s a great time to share a love of reading with your kids, engaging their imaginations and making memories.  This fall can I make a suggestion?  Read a great story; “THE STORY.” That’s right.  THE story.  A true story.  A really great story about how important you and your loved ones are to the one who made everything.

This fall at Edgewater we are diving back into THE STORY.  This fall we will see real accounts of deliverance, of strong men and women facing horrific odds, of sometimes-weak people being used by God to accomplish great things.  It’s a story that can change your life forever.  If you don’t read it with us, I hope you will read it with those you love.  Join us Sundays starting October 16th.

Edgewater Lutheran Church meets Sundays at 10 a.m., worshipping at Harada Elementary, 12884 Oakdale Street, Eastvale, CA, 92880; http://www.EdgewaterLutheran.org.

 

You’re Not Too Far Gone

Pastor Ed Moreno of New Day Christian Church, Eastvale

Pastor Ed Moreno of New Day Christian Church, Eastvale

By Pastor Ed Moreno

In the movie “The Godfather – Part 3,” there’s a famous scene called The Confession.   In this scene Al Pacino’s character says to a Catholic Cardinal: “I’m beyond redemption.”

Sadly, many people believe this about themselves.  Even many Christians, who fall into serious or habitual sins, will arrive at the conclusion that “they have gone too far,” “they’ve sinned too much,” and now they fear that God will no longer forgive them.

Friends, the Bible makes it clear that there is only one unforgiveable sin, and that’s blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  By the mere fact that you are reading this article strongly suggests that you have not committed that sin.  So any sin(s) you have committed are forgivable.

I know this can be hard to imagine, but once we’ve accepted Jesus, confessed our sins to God and have expressed genuine remorse for our wrongs, we enter into a state of ‘perpetual’ forgiveness.

On the cross there was something of an exchange that took place.  All the evil that you and I have committed, and that we ever will commit, was transferred over to Jesus, while all of his righteousness was transferred over to us – so as to make us holy and acceptable to God.

Now, God’s will is for us to obey him but he knows that we will never do that perfectly in this earthly life.  That’s why I John 1:9 says to Christians that if we confess our sins to God he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  It’s because Jesus already paid for our sins – the ones we committed before we became a Christian, and the ones we commit after we become a Christian.

Our badness is never going to overpower God’s grace and goodness.  Our sin will be never be bad enough to make God unwilling or unable to forgive us.  The truth is, God can and will forgive us when we sincerely ask him to; when we confess our sin to him; and when we genuinely feel remorse over the wrongs that we’ve done.

It is the spiritual enemy of our souls who wants us to believe that “we’re beyond redemption.”   Don’t listen to Satan!  Do not believe him!  Rather believe what God says.  Satan tries to ‘trick’ us into focusing so much on our shortcomings that we stop focusing on the sufferings of Jesus and what he fully accomplished for us on the cross through his sufferings.  Namely that all our sins – past, present, and future ones – were paid for!  Embrace that, dear ones.  There is redemption for you!

New Day Christian Church meets Sundays at 9:30 and 11 a.m.  They are located at 7155 Hamner Avenue, at Schleisman Road, next to the Fire Station.  For more information, call (951) 278-8367, or visit http://www.newdaycc.net.

 

A Parent’s Top Five

Pastor Rob Norris

Pastor Rob Norris

Rob Norris

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go; Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Tami and I have not been perfect parents, but when you have children God gives you a few hundred lessons along the way. And from our years of experience, we’ve come up with a list of five non-negotiables that all parents need in order to raise a family God’s way:

  1. Understand the times. In past societies, the culture helped reinforce the values that parents were trying to instill in their children. Not today. That’s why you need to be surrounded with a few like-minded parents who can support, encourage and counsel one another through the choppy waters of life
  1. Have a sacred commitment to each other. Your kids need to see your vows lived out in every circumstance, in times of both peace and conflict. Make it a priority to resolve disagreements with your spouse, to forgive each other, to remain faithful. These qualities of love build a powerful, profound sense of security in children.
  1. Know what you believe. You are the textbook your children read. Your deeply held values about life will influence your interactions with your children. As parents, you need to know what your unshakable convictions are.
  2. Remember God’s perspective on children. Never forget that children are a gift from God. Raising your children is a privilege and responsibility He has given to no one else, and they should be raised to know Him and walk with Him.
  3. Strive for the right goal. More than anything else, your children need to grow to love and fear the Lord. That’s more important than ensuring they have a good education, develop different skills or learn how to succeed in today’s culture. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Live it

Which of these purposes strike the deepest chord in you? Which ones need the most work?

Pray

That your priorities will be shaped by God’s Word and will influence your choices for you and your family

The Crossings meets Sundays at 10 a.m. at River Heights Intermediate School, 7227 Scholar Way, in Eastvale.    For more information, visit http://www.atthecrossings.com.

 

Burn Out

Dennis Morales X-ORIGBy Pastor Dennis Morales

Leviticus 6:12  “And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out.  And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning…”

A first-grader wondered why her father brought home a briefcase full of work every evening. Her mother explained, “Daddy has so much to do that he can’t finish it all at the office.” “Well, then,” asked the child innocently, “why don’t they put him in a slower group?”  I believe there is much truth to this.  We find our fast paced environment creeping its way into our lives more often these days.  We can walk into worship at church lacking energy and being a spectator rather than a willing participant.  This may not always mean it’s time for vacation, but it may be an indicator to at least “slow down.”  The fire on the altar of “burnt offering” was to never go out.  If your time with God is dissipating, you will burn out.  God is calling upon us to burn brightly for Him in our daily lives, but there needs to be fuel for the fire.  The priests would throw wood on the fire every morning to keep the fire burning.  It may be time to prioritize, slow down, and put wood on the fire.  There is no greater fuel for the Christian heart than the Bible.  In Luke 24 after Jesus rose from the dead, he met two disciples on a road and opened the Scriptures to them.  After their encounter with the Risen Christ they proclaimed “did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us?” (Luke 24:32)  Make it a priority to get back into the “daily” practice of reading your Bible and praying.  It will bring fuel to your life.

Calvary Chapel Eastvale meets Sundays, 8:30 a.m. and 10:30am, and Wednesdays, 7:00pm at Clara Barton Elementary School (7437 Corona Valley Ave, Eastvale).  Visit their website at www.calvaryeastvale.org.

God Never Fails, But People Do

Pastor Mark Lee

Pastor Mark Lee

By Pastor Mark Lee

Last year, the public disgrace of an outspoken reality television star made national headlines.  Not surprisingly, the media was quick to point out the conflict between this individual’s grievous wrongdoing and his frequently-professed Christianity.  Soon, it seemed as if everyone was talking about this man of faith and his fall from grace.  For many, his actions were both disappointing and discouraging.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual to learn about the transgressions of Christians.  After all, a faith in Christ does not make you immune to the temptations of the flesh.  Whether it is the misconduct of a public figure or the hurt inflicted by a Christian friend, the sins and mistakes of believers can seem like betrayal.

In reality, even the most virtuous of people disappoint others at some point during their spiritual walk.  It may not be because of some horrible offense, but simply because expectations were not met.   The problem is that people often reject or turn away from Christ because they feel as if they have been let down by Christians.

When you put your faith in friends, family, or even the church, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.  At some point, you will find yourself frustrated or disillusioned by each person you know.  It is important to remember, however, that there will be moments when others are disappointed by you.  The key is to not allow ourselves to be swayed by the disappointment.

When we can look beyond the failures of men and remain focused on God, our faith becomes stronger and more mature.  Psalms 118:8 says, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”  People fail.  It is inevitable.  God, however, never fails.

VantagePoint Church meets at Roosevelt High School on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Help Me O Lord My God

Pastor Robert Jewett Word of Truth Community ChurchBy Pastor Robert Jewett

Have you ever been to the point where you just felt like giving up? Did it seem like no matter what you did, you were mistreated anyway? Perhaps you threw your arms up and said, “I can’t do this anymore!” Take heart, the Lord is faithful to help His children.

King David was completely overwhelmed by his enemies. No matter what he did, they intended to do him harm (Ps. 109:4-5, 26). He would demonstrate love, but they would hurl insults at him. He would do good unto them, but they would do evil unto him. David knew that when his heart was overwhelmed, he needed to go to the Rock (Ps. 61:1-2). At his breaking point, David cried out, “Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love!” Apart from the Lord’s intervention, David was headed down a treacherous road to disaster. God’s amazing steadfast love is such that he never leaves us nor forsakes us (Heb. 13:5). At that point of despair, he is right there waiting for us to call upon him: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

Next time you are contemplating throwing in the towel, cry out to Jesus wholeheartedly like David, “Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to your steadfast love!” As you do, God in his faithfulness, will respond to you and help you walk through the storm.

Lakeshore City Church meets Sundays at 10:00 a.m. at Circle City Center (formerly Fender Museum), 365 N. Main St. in Corona. For more information, visit lakeshorecitychurch.com.

Habits

Tim Eaton

Tim Eaton

By Pastor Tim Eaton

What does a nun wear that everyone has? Habits!

Far too often we simply float along through life.  Maybe we attribute our station in life to fate, or think that our life is just the way it has to be.  Even our daily routine may seem like something we have no control over – it’s just what we have to do.   Perhaps bad habits have taken over and we are not living the life we want to.

Steven Covey has left a legacy of lives changed for the better when people have realized that their life may be more controlled by habit than they ever imagined. That’s great news!  What? How can that be great news?  If bad habits have taken over, we simply need new habits.  And Steven Covey offers up seven powerful new habits you can take on in your life that will positively change it forever.

The first step is to be Proactive.  Take the initiative and seek something better for yourself, your family, and those around you.  The Apostle, Paul, suggested the same in Ephesians 4:22 -24: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Yes, new habits are Biblical, and we invite you to join us in discovering how new habits can restore hope to your life – beginning Sun., Sept. 11, at 10 a.m.  This series will be co-taught with Dr. Trevor Dietrich, an expert in Covey’s Seven Habits. And, you can get started now by reading, and implementing the book!

Edgewater Lutheran Church meets Sundays at 10 a.m., worshipping at Harada Elementary, 12884 Oakdale Street, Eastvale, CA, 92880; http://www.EdgewaterLutheran.org.

 

The Power Of Story

Tim Eaton

Tim Eaton

By Pastor Tim Eaton

Stories are a powerful thing.  They help our children go to bed.  A great love story can inspire romance and hope in our own life.  A movie with a great story can change our societies’ perception of people and events.  A great story can move us to action.  But what about your story?

If you were asked about your story what would you say?  Where would it begin; would you include the good with the bad?  Would you see the causes and effects?  More importantly, where would your story end – have you written the last chapter or is there more to come?

It is very likely that your story is more powerful than any you have read, heard, or watched.  And there is an even more powerful story that yours is a part of.  It begins in Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  Your story begins as a precious creation of God himself.  But more than that, He has incredible purpose for your story, what He knows you can do, and He is writing a much better ending that you might have imagined.

Join us at Edgewater on Sundays and discover your story in THE STORY: the Bible as one continuing story of God and His people.  Visitors will get a free copy of The Story.

 

 

Choosing A Road

Pastor Ed Moreno of New Day Christian Church, Eastvale

Pastor Ed Moreno of New Day Christian Church, Eastvale

By Pastor Ed Moreno

In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus says that there are two gates and two roads.  There’s the wide gate and the broad road, and then there’s the small gate and the narrow road.

It is easier to get through a wide gate, and it’s easier to travel on a broad road. But being easy doesn’t make them the best choice.

Indeed, Jesus strongly advises against that gate and that road.

That leaves option #2, i.e., the small gate and the narrow road.  To ‘whom’ or to ‘what’ do these refer?

Well, in John 10:9 Jesus tells us that he is the gate.  He is the one through whom we get onto the narrow road.  The narrow road is the one where a person adheres to the teachings and commands of God the Father and Jesus his Son, as outlined in the Bible.

You are free to ‘choose’ which of these roads you’ll travel on.  But be aware that, as Jesus says in Matthew 7, the broad road leads to destruction.  The narrow road, on the other hand, leads to life.

Destruction and life refer to hell and heaven.  So, one wants to choose wisely.  Here’s a brief description of both based on a study of the various words Jesus uses to describe each of these eternal destinations.

With regards to hell: Hell is a place where God’s presence, glory, wisdom and purity are completely absent.  Hell is going to be a place where ongoing shame, deep sorrow and regret will be experienced by those who go there. They are going to realize, too late, that they’ve blown it – that they’ve missed their opportunity to accept Jesus, and that now they have to exist for all eternity in a negative place where there is absolutely no hope of things ever getting better.  No good will ever be experienced there.

With regards to heaven:  Heaven is a place that is unrivaled in beauty and in breathtaking sites to see.  Heaven is unparalleled in splendor, radiance, majestic colors, and magnificent sounds.  Heaven is an unimaginable visual and audible feast.  And it is the ultimate positive environment, to which nothing on earth can compare.  In heaven, there will be ongoing and genuine feelings of happiness, security, and sense of wellbeing.  In heaven there will be ongoing peace and stability.  In heaven there will be no sadness, sorrow, arguments, broken relationships, discouragement, sickness, suffering, pain, disease, death, evil, sin, betrayal, hurt or unfaithfulness – and the list goes on!

It’s your choice, but Jesus recommends that you choose the small gate and the narrow road.

 

 

Your Platform

Dennis Morales X-ORIGBy Pastor Dennis Morales

“And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me…” Nehemiah 2:18.

You have a platform.  It’s essentially something that enables you to be heard.  Speakers often stand upon a “soapbox” or a “stage” to be heard and make plain their message to their hearers.   Whether it is adversity, struggle, or triumph, it is a platform for faith.

Nehemiah was in captivity and was the king’s cupbearer.  He used his seemingly ill position as a platform for faith and to bring awareness of Gods plan.  As a result, Nehemiah was given favor with the king and necessary resources to fulfill God’s plan and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah’s opposition was ever present and men sought to discourage his faithful plan, but Nehemiah had faith and trusted in God.  Nehemiah knew God was for him and God turned the enemy’s plot to nothing (Neh 4:14-16).  The people rallied and completed the walls in record time.  God is faithful in adversity.

I am reminded of Bethany Hamilton who entrusted herself to her faithful Creator. She didn’t quit living when she lost her arm.   She gave her life to God. She deposited her life for safekeeping into His hands; and now, God has given her an international platform from which to share her story and bring Him glory.  What is your platform today?  Trust God to give you strength and lead you today (Proverbs 3:5,6).

Calvary Chapel Eastvale meets Sundays, 10:30am, and Wednesdays, 7 pm at Clara Barton Elementary School (7437 Corona Valley Ave, Eastvale).  Visit their website at www.calvaryeastvale.org.

Blind Religion Warning

Pastor Robert Jewett Word of Truth Community ChurchBy Pastor Robert Jewett

 

Adam and Eve’s two eldest boys had dramatically different responses to God (Gen. 4:3-8).  Cain, a farmer, brought the Lord an offering “of the fruit” of the ground.  There was no need to trust God with sharing from his abundance.  On the other hand, Abel, a shepherd, brought the firstborn of his flock.  Abel trusted God to provide for him and offered up his firstborn.

The danger of blind religion is that it is faithless.  We know that it is impossible to please God without faith (Heb. 11:6).  Faithless religion is ritualistic and impersonal.  It is powerless to free a person from the bondage of sin.  Scripture informs us that Cain’s life was full of evil deeds (1 Jn. 3:12).   His blind religion deceived him to believe that his sin was okay as long as he made offerings to the Lord.  The Lord desires obedience more than sacrifices (1 Sam. 15:22).

Even in his sinful state, God gave Cain an opportunity to repent, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?”  God warned that if Cain chose not to do well, sin was crouching at the door desiring him.  Sadly, Cain chose to disregard God’s warning and killed his brother.

Just as Cain came to the crossroads of a decision, you too may have a decision to make.  Has faithless blind religion crept into your life?  If you have found yourself trying to do good deeds to make up for your habitual bad deeds, it is time to repent.  Confess your sins to God and turn from them. We would be honored to assist you as you begin to walk in obedience to Christ.

 

Lakeshore City Church meets Sundays at 10:00 a.m. at Circle City Center (formerly Fender Museum), 365 N. Main St. in Corona. For more information, visit lakeshorecitychurch.com.