July 2023 Pastor’s Note

I was listening to a short video clip online yesterday and the preacher made an interesting point. He said, “too many today have one foot in the church and one foot in the world.” The problem is “they have just enough of Christ in them to not enjoy the world and have just enough of the world in them to not fully engage in serving Jesus.”

It really made me think about our commitment to Christ as His followers.

The apostle John tells us, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).

Satan is the ruler of this “world.” By the simple definition that the word world refers to a world system ruled by Satan, we can more readily appreciate Christ’s claims that believers are no longer of the world—we are no longer ruled by sin, nor are we bound by the principles of the world. We are being changed into the image of Christ, causing our interest in the things of the world to become less and less as we mature in Christ.

Believers in Jesus Christ are simply in the world— physically present—but not of it, not part of its values. We should be set apart from the world. We should conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ. It is a daily commitment. Understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those who are not believers see our faith in action and know that there is something “different” about us.

Being “in” the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship and service of Jesus Christ.

I am blessed to be your pastor! I love to see the excitement of those who fully engage in worshiping and serving Christ. Continue to love others to Christ!

God Bless,

Pastor Jeff