He Will Hold Me Fast: The Story Behind The Song
New Words Written by Matthew Merker/Arr. Phillip Keveren This Sunday we will sing “He Will Hold Me Fast” in worship. This is still a relatively new song in our worship vocabulary but rich in meaning! Often in our faith journey we are quick to give “Sunday School” answers to questions that need deeper reflection. My […]
“When” Not “If”
Trouble, disappointments, disasters, sickness, pain, and the loss of someone close to us, will come at some point. If you have escaped such calamities at this juncture in your life, celebrate your blessings, and recognize it is only a matter of time until unwanted pain will come your direction. Scripture bears this out in many […]
Courage
God tells His people, over and over, to be courageous. Eastern Hills, we are on the cusp of a new year, and no one knows what it will hold. I can tell you this, whatever the year brings, life or death, feast or famine, prosperity or ruin, we, the church must stand courageously. We are […]
The Christmas Star
May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you trust in Him, so that you may OVERFLOW with the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful blessing! Wouldn’t it be great if we were overflowing with Hope, Joy and Peace? I have so many friends who […]
Desiring the Greatest Treasure
Recently something spurred my thoughts to a classic movie I recall from childhood. The movie, though probably lesser known than some, made a lasting impression upon me and painted images that I can still envision through the closed eyes of my imagination. It is entitled “It Grows on Trees,” staring Irene Dunn, circa 1952. As […]
The Magic of Christmas
I remember as a child, how magical Christmas was. We were always so excited as we counted down the days to Christmas. It seemed like it took forever as the days went by so slowly. On Christmas Eve we were so excited that we could hardly sleep. Then came the rush of Christmas morning. We […]
Gratitude for Our Fallen Saints
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” — Hebrews 12:1 The author of Hebrews tells his readers to look upon all the faithful people […]
Give Thanks Unto God
Give thanks to God, for He is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 107:1 Its really hard to pick out my favorite verse. This is one of them. In this entire Psalm, the writer is thanking God for all that He has done for Israel. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We have had […]
Hope Amidst Uncertainty!
“Uncertainty” is a great word to describe the happenings of 2020. Procedures, activities, and social protocols we learned from childhood have been upended. The rules of the game, even the game itself, seems allusive these days. Deep inside we yearn for men and women of integrity; virtuous leaders who stand for truth, always taking the […]
Give Thanks!
As a young child, about eight years old, my third grade school teacher encouraged us to memorize scripture. She had a chart on the board that recorded each of the verses that we were to memorize, and we would place a star by that verse when we had it memorized. One of the passages that […]