updates
Our desire is to keep in touch with all our friends (family) with updated news and devotion from Pastor Al.
Greetings to friends and family,
FAREWELL
WITHOUT RESERVATION IT HAS BEEN MY GREATEST PRIVILAGE AND HONOR TO HAVE SERVED AS PASTOR AT HAVASU BIBLE FELLOWSHIP AND NEW HOPE CALVARY CHURCH (ONE IN THE SAME) FOR THESE MANY YEARS. AS WE LIVE IN THE MOST TRANSIENT AREA OF HAVASU MANY HAVE COME AND GONE OVER THE YEARS, BUT ALL ARE FAMILY.
JULIE AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED AS HAVE SOME OF YOU CHALLENGING TRANSITIONS, BUT GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAITHFUL.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW I HAVE STEPPED DOWN AS PASTOR AND GIVEN THE REINS TO PASTOR RICK CHILDERS OF CALVARY BAPTIST IN HAVASU. ON AUGUST 1, 2024 THE CHURCH OFFICIALLY WILL BECOME THE NORTH CAMPUS OF CALVARY BAPTIST WITH VISION AND RESOURCES. PRAY WITH US THAT THIS TRANSITION WILL REACH MANY WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST; THE WORLD’S ONLY HOPE.
SO MANY OVER THE YEARS HAVE BEEN SUCH A BLESSING, STEPPING UP TO LABOR WITH TIME AND RESOURCES TO THOSE THINGS GOD HAS CALLED ALL OF US TO DO. FOR JULIE AND I IT HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE MADE EASY WITH FAMILY WORKING TOGETHER.
AGAIN TO CHURCH FAMILY WE LOVE YOU AND DESIRE GOD’S RICHEST BLESSINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN HIS GRACE.
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LOVE AND PEACE,
DESERT SHEPHERD PASTOR AL
Shepherd's corner
STUCK IN GRACE
Lately, the gears in my spiritual transmission seem to be stuck in GRACE.
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I used to own a 60s Chevy with a 3-speed column shift that periodically got stuck in first gear. I would have to crawl under that old Chevy and pull the linkage to get unstuck. There are those who do the same with GRACE by shifting into legalism and self-righteousness.
The cross and resurrection should ever serve to remind us it’s always about GRACE. We were enemies of God; “Born in sin and shaped in iniquity.” We had no goodness in us, nothing to offer, and our righteousness was like filthy rags. When we fully see the awfulness of our sin as God sees it we never want to shift out of GRACE. For the wages of our sin is death…but we are saved by GRACE through faith. It is a gift of God, we could never buy or earn.
Sadly, few seem to grasp the full meaning of God’s forgiveness and GRACE and are stuck in gear unable to move in the gifts and callings of God.
Regarding this Chuck Smith writes: “What a tragedy! I know I don’t deserve the blessings of God, but God doesn’t bless me because I deserve it. God blesses me on the basis of His love toward me and of His GRACE toward me in Christ Jesus. That is the basis of the blessing – not my goodness, not my righteousness, and not my perfection. If we could just get this through our tender skulls, we’d start being blessed like we can’t imagine.”
Stay in gear–
never shift out of GRACE.
Pastor Al