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Another great Cowboy Church. I am so thankful for the hardworking folk who put on such a wonderful fellowship time. You bless us all!

Just a reminder - Cowboy church is this Sunday at 6:30 pm

We mourn with Arlen Sloan and his family and friends as Sharon returns to our Lord. We pray for God's comfort, peace at this time.

Summer Fest is here! Join us for LeRoy's Ice Cream Social today - 11:00 am to 1:00 pm! We have BBQ, Hot Dogs, Coney Dogs, Pie, and Root Beer Floats! Yes, you can get ice cream too. :)

I received word this morning that Pastor Kay Steddom passed away on May 1. Please keep her family in your prayers!

Women's Morning Circle tomorrow at 10 am. Our study continues with the dvd on The Early Church by Ray Vander Laan.

Yes, the Lenten study is still on for tonight, but please come only if it is safe. Choir is still on too.

From Hughes Oliphant Old - "The psalms were God's songs, the prayers given to God's people by God's own Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit. We as God's people today pray the psalms because in them God speaks to our hearts so that in our hearts we may speak to him." This week we are looking at Psalm 32. This Psalm is a maskil of David. A maskil is a psalm of repentance. David speaks from experience of how our spirit feels when we come to the LORD with honest and earnest repentance. He shares that experience with us. How light and joyous is the heart that seeks a repaired relationship with God, and knows that forgiveness will be given. While we live and breathe, we are never beyond the LORD's loving forgiveness. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone today.

4th Week of Lent Scriptures to ponder: Joshua 5:1-12, Psalm 32 Luke 15:11-32 2Corinthians 5:1-21

Today's passage: Psalm 63 This psalm is entitled "A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Judea." In it he uses the images of hunger and thirst to express his longing for God: "my soul thirsts for you" (vs. 1); "my soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods" (vs. 5). What will satisfy his soul? In verse 3, David writes that "your love is better than life." But this is not just emotion and a sentimental love--it is the love with which God loves us. The word used describes love, loving-kindness, and an unwavering faithfulness. God makes promises and keeps each and every one! This love brought the people out of slavery in Egypt. It sustained them 40 years in the desert. It follows the people through faithful days and even through the times when God's people turn to other gods. It sustained David through all of his trials, and it will sustain you in the same way. Do you hunger and thirst for God's love and faithfulness? If so, in what ways? How has God been faithful to you in your life?

The Rooster That Crows Isaiah 53: 4-6; John 18: 15-27 The story of Jesus’ arrest, trial (if you want to call it that) and execution is starting to ratchet up the tension. Last week we saw him arrested in the garden known as Gethsemane. Today he goes to the high priest. That particular part is a bit confusing, but we’ll unravel that. Today’s passage switches the focus between Jesus’ confrontation with Annas and Peter’s experiences. It opens as Peter and another disciple were following Jesus (at a safe distance, most likely) to see what the authorities would do. Perhaps they thought that Jesus would find his way out of their clutches—who knows? Peter is with someone who has an “in” with the high priest, so he can go around with him in (we can safely assume) in relative safety. But the “other disciple” might also be one who has standing with the Sanhedrin, and there is evidence to suggest that this is John himself! But there is some confusion as to who is the high priest—is it Annas, or his son-in-law Caiaphas? The answer is “yes!” Let me explain: Annas was the one who was the high priest until the Romans deposed him. He was appointed for life, but the Romans probably found his son-in-law to be more cooperative, so they placed him in the position. The Temple guard troops who held Jesus did not see Caiaphas as the true high priest, and so they took him to Annas. The likelihood is that Annas had a great deal of influence over his son-in-law, and as Caiaphas knew full well who the true high priest was, he had to play quite a careful game: he had the Romans’ ears, but Annas had the real control of the high priest’s office. Caiaphas in effect is Annas’ mouthpiece! So, Jesus goes to Annas to be tried, but he must also go on to Caiaphas so that the Romans can be persuaded (when the time comes) to execute this troublemaker. So Peter has followed Jesus to the high priest’s house, but he isn’t allowed inside at first. The “other disciple” speaks to the girl at the door, and Peter is allowed inside, into the inner courtyard of the high priest’s house. But first, she hears them speak and sees their faces, and she asks him, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” Peter’s reply: “I am not.” Can you hear that rooster crow yet? Peter hasn’t—but soon he will . . . The cold has drawn him to the fire that the servants have kindled to keep themselves and some officials warm. You wonder if Peter is still cold, despite the crackling flames. Meanwhile, the “trial” continues. Annas and his henchmen question Jesus about his teachings and his disciples. Jesus is not intimidated by this (which is their intent, no doubt). He replies that he has taught openly in Temple and synagogue. Nothing that he has said at any point is a secret. “Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” Jesus’ point is clear: if they have objections, or if they think he has spoken blasphemy or taught what is not true, bring witnesses as the Law demands. The Law of Moses required the testimony of at least two witnesses, and preferably three. Jesus is demanding that witnesses be brought. He receives for his trouble a blow to the face. This isn’t really a trial, of course. It’s more of a hazing, an opportunity to torment him. Once again, we see that Jesus is very much in control of himself. He tells them to produce a witness to tell him what he said wrong, and their answer speaks volumes: they send him to Caiaphas. Again, this is not really a trial—it’s just an opportunity for them to present him to the high priest to pronounce the sentence to which they have already arrived. In truth, they arrived at that sentence long ago. Peter is still in the courtyard, and he is beginning to attract attention. He is a stranger, and strangers always do. You can almost see them glancing sideways at him. He looks familiar; finally someone else who is huddling close to the fire asks the same question as the girl at the door: “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” Peter answers again: “I am not.” Each denial is a little more vehement, and a little more desperate. He no longer recalls his boast to his Master that he would follow him to death if need be. He is alone with his fear and his betrayal. Can you hear that rooster yet? Peter soon will, for one of the other servants recognizes him. He was there in the garden, and his relative, Malchus, had his ear cut off by the rash outburst of this Galilean. “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” Peter is desperate—he denies it, and Matthew and Mark report that he begins cursing and swearing as he does so! John simply reports the denial—and the crowing of the rooster. Now, even Peter can hear it, and the words of his Lord that he would deny him—once, twice, three times—before the rooster crowed. Luke tells us that he went out and wept bitterly. How could he not? There is no more bitter pain than the pain of betrayal. You know it; I know it; and Peter knew it. Impulsive, bull-in-the-china-shop Peter, who was certain that he would never, could never, betray his Lord and Master. He, who would follow him down to death itself, crumbled when it came down to the wire. When confronted, he denied Jesus—but Jesus had always known that he would. We will not see Peter in the story again until Jesus has risen from the dead, but think of what Peter must be thinking and feeling! Jesus named him “the Rock” (which is what “Peter” means) and now the “Rock” has crumbled. The name really indicates what he will become, but Peter doesn’t know that yet and it would not comfort him much if he did! He has done what he was sure he would never do, and words can’t express how low he must feel. The crowing of that rooster was his lowest point—but Jesus will lift him up again in time. In my early ministry, I heard of Good Friday services in which worshipers wrote their sins on paper which they would then nail to a cross asking forgiveness. I haven’t employed that in recent years, because some people find it to be too much. Most believers know their sins. Some mistakenly believe that they have committed unforgiveable sins. There is only one unforgiveable sin, the sin against the Holy Spirit, and I’ve never met anyone who committed that. But when we do sin, it’s almost as if we too hear a rooster crow. It’s not, of course; it’s really the Spirit living inside us, convicting us and calling us to repent. But that rooster crows inside, you might say. It alerts us that we have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. For Peter, that rooster crowing seemed to be the death knell, the end, the point of no return. But with Jesus our Lord, there is no point of no return! We can always turn away from our sin and turn toward him! Peter will, in the course of John’s gospel, learn that wonderful truth. But we already know it! If you didn’t, now you do! The only time he won’t forgive is when we intend to commit that sin again, or when we intend to continue in that sin. He cannot forgive then because that would make him a part of that sin, and that can never be. But so long as we can still turn away from it, the situation is never final. He will never forsake his own; he will never leave us to our sin. He will always give us that rooster that will crow inside us to tell us that we need to turn away from our sin and turn back to him. Peter will be restored. Peter will again be the “Rock” and will do great things for his Lord. Jesus will confront him gently, and he will once again be close to his Lord. It will not be an easy road for him. When we have to walk that road, it is not easy for us either. But the one thing that we can be sure of is that it is worth every step because it brings us back to his side, just as it did for Peter. We can always come home again to Jesus. He does all this because he loves you, sisters and brothers, and so do I.

Week 3 of Lent Isaiah 55:1-13, Psalm 63, Luke 13:1-9 1Corinthians 10:1-13

Psalm 27 ends with "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" What wonderful words to remember when all around us it seems like the sky is actually falling all around us. In only 14 verses, David reminds us of powerful truths that God has promised us. Can you list them? Write them down on a 3x5 card and keep them close to you this week. When you feel down, or feel like the world is lost, or that evil is winning, pull out this card and remember that the Lord is our light and our salvation; whom should we fear? May our Lord continue to bless and keep you this Lenten season.

Today I'm looking at Isaiah 55: 1-3, a part of the Lenten readings for this week. Isaiah invites us to "come to the waters," to quench our thirst. I think of John 4: 13-14 when Jesus speaks of the "living water" that he gives. Our "thirst" is really a desire for what he offers us, and Isaiah speaks of more than just thirst--he speaks of "wine and milk" (vs. 1), the staples of the diet in his time. But then he says something else: "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" He's talking about something other than food! He's talking about spiritual feeding, about the things that bring us closer to God and that bring us God's love and mercy. For what do you hunger and thirst, down deep inside? What do you seek that doesn't really satisfy? How might you move away from those things? May you be blessed this day! In Jesus' love, John

One of the scripture readings for this is week is Genesis 15:1-20. As you read this passage look for and reflect on the following: Abram is confiding to God what is near and dear in his life. What is it? What are some of the promises that God tells him? What is Abram doing when he prepared the animals? There is a prophecy during Abram’s deep sleep. What is it? God speaks about the Amorites. What is he talking about? Who are the Amorites that He is talking about? What does God promise at the end of this passage and why is it so important?

Please pray for all our friends and family that are facing possible flooding.

It's not too late to read the 1st week of Lenten Scriptures. Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Psalm 91, Luke 4:1-15, Romans 10:1-16