Faith

PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Rex Petty, Faith Tabernacle Church, Liberal

One day a staunch Republican was asked whether he would vote for God if he ran on the Democratic ticket. He replied he would not ever have to worry about that because God would never run as a Democrat. Abraham Lincoln once said that we should never claim that God is on our side, instead we must ask ourselves whether we are on God's side.

PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Rex Petty, Faith Tabernacle Church, Liberal

There are all kinds of road signs on the highway, but perhaps the most aggravating one you sometimes see is a bright orange neon sign with large black print that says, "ROAD CONSTRUCTION AHEAD." Oftentimes this means you must slow down, stop, and possibly groan while you impatiently wait.

PASTOR’S CORNER, Jeremy Harris, First Southern Baptist Church, Liberal

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. ~ Romans 6:12-13

Chuck Norris has to register his hands and feet as weapons of mass destruction. However the rest of us have probably not ever considered ourselves as weapons. Paul in his letter to the church in Rome makes it clear that our bodies and even parts of our bodies are being used (with our permission) as either weapons for UNrighteousness or as weapons of righteousness. Some translations use the word instrument here, but the greek word Paul uses literally means weapon.

PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Jason Toombs, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Liberal

The Church is not the world. The world is fickle. The world is flaky. The world is lit up with fireworks. We have quickly kindled a love of celebration for freedom by lighting off fireworks, or at least hearing them, but the Church is more somber in Her celebration.  While the world set aglow and is filled with “LOUD NOISES!”, the Church quietly celebrated the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her relative, Elizabeth, to see the glad tidings that God bestowed upon Zechariah and Elizabeth, as well as the gladder tidings which the angel Gabriel brought to that lowly maiden, Mary.  All this is found in Luke 1:39-56.

After they shared greetings with one another, just as we might, the baby, John who would be baptizing people in the Jordan in the years to come, leapt in the womb of Elizabeth at the greeting of Mary as his Lord, Jesus, was upon the scene.