It has been my privilege to attend camp meeting most summers for most of my life. Some years ago I would attend at Lamoni, IA and take my bicycle along for early morning exercise. It was a challenge to keep up with the Amish buggies on the rural roads if I was facing a headwind. One morning I was on a lonely…
By Pastor Steve Gibson We will be rapidly moving from spring to summer in the next month or two. Unfortunately it’s likely to be another deadly summer for some in the deserts of Arizona. A few summers ago, one lady’s death hit closer to home for me. She was hiking a trail I often hike. It’s not a particularly long hike for…
By Pastor Stephen Gibson February tips the scales as the littlest month. We might say it’s the least of the months, but its importance can be measured only in light of eternity. Luke 19 records the story of Jesus’ visit to Jericho and His interaction with Zacchaeus. The tax collector was a little man. This word is often translated least in the…
By Pastor Stephen Gibson Hopefully it would be difficult to find a believer who doesn’t agree prayer is important. Jesus directed His followers to watch and pray. He taught them to pray. He demonstrated what it was to live a life of prayer. His prayer in John 17 is the longest prayer recorded in the New Testament. We would agree on the…
Pastor Stephen GibsonDecember 2022 This year is swiftly passing into the history books. What of eternal value have you seen God accomplish? Have you grown in your relationship with your family? Have you grown closer to the Lord? Have you reached out to someone with the good news of salvation? Have you gained a fresh eagerness to welcome the return of Jesus…
Pastor Stephen GibsonNovember 2022 What is the first record of giving thanks in the Old Testament? Genesis 29:35 recounts the context for the name Leah gave to her fourth son: Judah. His name means ‘I will praise the Lord’ or ‘I will thank the Lord.’ The names of Leah’s previous sons indicate how she was desperately attempting to win her husband’s affection.…
Pastor Stephen GibsonOctober 2022 Jesus said: The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV). Jesus is interested in the harvest, because Jesus is interested in people. He cares whether they are saved or lost. And His vision is for a plentiful harvest. His…
Pastor Stephen GibsonSeptember 2022 This month is the one we associate with Labor Day, a day that ironically many people have a break from their regular work. It tends to mark the end of the summer travel season and the transition to the season of autumn. We recognize some institutions from the Garden of Eden, especially those of marriage and the Sabbath.…
Pastor Steve GibsonJuly 2022 Do you give thanks for being free? Do you savor liberty? What a blessing that there were people who had a dream for this nation to be a place where we could worship God as we choose. And they acted on their dream. We still benefit today from the efforts they invested in valuing freedom. Still, we recognize the…
Pastor Stephen GibsonJune 2022 We drove through the alley, found an open space to park, and climbed the stairs to the second floor of the old building. I held the door for my sister and her children to go inside. I took a deep breathe. Yes, the familiar aroma of spices and baked goods was as inviting as ever. I had been…