Midweek Meditation

By Elder Gregory L. Edmond 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  NKJV Picture, if you will, a line of people. These people are from different backgrounds and families. Only one thing unites them and that is the fact that all are incredibly thirsty. Each of them longs for a cup of cold water. Now, imagine the first in this great line being given a case of ice cold water. With great anticipation, they grab a bottle and begin to quench their overpowering thirst. The dryness and pain that came with the thirst is quickly forgotten as they embrace the refreshing liquid. After enjoying the comforts of the water, the person is then refreshed and ready to pass on this wonderful gift. With great joy, they proceed to hand a bottle of...

By Presiding Elder Rev. Gregory L. Edmond Esther 3:2 "And all the king's servants who were within the king's gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage." NKJV What do you worship? Let me ask it this way, "What or who controls you?"  Chances are that the person or thing that controls you is also the thing you worship. In our "enlightened" society we may not create idols of gold or silver but we still have 50 inch flat screens that we sit in front of for hours at a time. It may not be an object, it may be a person. Husband, wife, child or even a boyfriend or girlfriend could be elevated to the point of our worship. In short, anything we place above God in importance is an idol we are worshiping. In the book of Esther, Mordecai was commanded to worship Haman and yet he refused because he knew it was wrong. He was not going to allow himself to be controlled ...

by  Elder  Rev. Gregory L. Edmond 2 Corinthians 12:10 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." NKJV "I take pleasure in infirmities." This is a very odd statement from the Apostle Paul. How is it possible that we can take pleasure in the hardships and trials of life?  We can take pleasure in these things because when we are being attacked & our strength is disappearing, we can know that the power of God is about to break through in our lives. When we are weak, God is strong on our behalf. When we find ourselves at the end of ourselves, God is there to carry us the rest of the way. He is our hope when we get those bad diagnoses because we know that healing is coming in this life or the next. He is our power when faced with temptation because we know that He will provide a way out. He is our source of love when facing an unloving ...

by Presiding Elder Rev. Gregory L. Edmond   1 Corinthians 12:7 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:" NKJV Can you imagine what it might have been like on the Day of Pentecost? Hearing a rushing wind, you look around to see tongues of fire upon each person assembled with you. Then as soon as you're filled with God's Spirit you begin speaking in other languages. As incredible as it all sounds, imagine what it might have been like hours before. Many of these men and women had seen or heard Jesus and knew of His resurrection. They also were aware of His great commission and were probably wondering how in the world they were supposed to go into all the world and share the Gospel. After all, they were a small group and, it was a big world. The good news is that God did not leave them there to strive in vain. They were not going to have to rely on their own strength to accomplish what Jesus had instructed them to do....