Church guide

Soul Food Continues!! This time, Henry shares a Psalm and a tune called "Life Flows On," We hope it brightens your day! We have more to come as we move forward. Please don't hesitate to let us know what you think in the comments! Heck, if you have a favorite inspirational hymn or song, let us know what it is! Henry might just pick it for a future episode!

Say "Hello" to Soul Food, a new take on an old idea. More information to come as we go forward, but for now... Enjoy!!

In Max Lucado's book " 3:16 The Numbers of Hope" he brings his reflections on John 3:16 to a close with an invitation and a prayer. His encouragement in these words is for us to choose life, to choose God in Jesus Christ. On page 129 we read, " Say yes to him. Your prayer needs no eloquence, just honesty. Father, I believe you love this world. You gave your one and only Son so I can live forever with you. Apart from you, I die. With you, I live. I choose life. I choose you." On Sunday April 21 Easter Sunday we will have a special Table Talk following our morning service at 11:15 until noon to discuss Lucado's book.

In his book "The 3:16 Promise" Max Lucado finishes up the book talking about an invitation from Jesus the One and Only. This invitation s for healing, for purpose, for eternal life and for salvation. Lucado reminds us that Jesus knows God and knows us better than anybody else and so speaks with authority about both God and people. The invitation is for us to focus our attention on Jesus and to learn from him. On page 52 he writes, "Don't we need to learn? We know so much, and yet we know so little. The age of information is the age of confusion: much know-ho, hardly any know-why. We need answers. Jesus offers them. This Sunday Easter Sunday April 21 we will have a special Table Talk following worship to discuss and reflect on Lucado's book. Come and join us for worship and for the discussion.

This game was a blast at Family Night tonight

In chapter 9 of the book 3:16 the Numbers of Hope Max Lucado tells the story of the Hoyt family. A father and son duo who have run multiple road races including an amazing number of marathons. The son being in a wheeled chair or buggy and the father running and pushing him the entire way. Lucado uses this wonderful story to illustrate how we can have faith and trust in God. God prepares and does all the work for eternal life all we need to do is believe. In the gospel of John we are told that Jesus came and lived so that people would believe in God and in the one whom God sent. Believe that God is good. Trust that God can do what is promised through Jesus the son. I will finish the race set before me not by my own power or skill but by offering my faith and belief to God who will then meet me and empower me and guide me over the finish line. I Peter 1: 3 - 4a Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.

In chapter five of Max Lucado's book the 3:16 Promise he writes about life. Life abundant. Life following Jesus Christ. Life come from death. Life patterned after God's character clearly seen in Jesus. I Peter 1: 3 - 4a says " Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead., and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. We are a resurrection people. Not just on Easter but every day. Not just after we die but here and now. My sins are forgiven. I am no longer trapped by the very real grief and shame my actions have caused. I am defined by the love of God and the grace of my savior which overcomes even my own death. God gave. We live.

In Max Lucado's book 3:16 The Numbers of Hope he uses illustrations from his own life as well as good Biblical teaching to speak about John 3:16. Whoever Whenever Wherever are all words that he reminds us are descriptive of God's grace and mercy. on pages 66 and 67 he has a list of whoever's from the scriptures that are wonderful to read and use to remind ourselves of God's desires and intentions for us. I have folks who I have a hard time loving or thinking should be shown mercy or love at times. I want to put conditions and limits on love and grace yet God says whoever. Everyone is included in whoever. Whoever believes. God invites. God loves. God gives and whoever believes is saved. We regularly put our trust into things we can not see or understand to do work we can not accomplish. Jesus invites us to do the same. He lived a life demonstrating that trust and belief in God so we might follow. Keep your eyes on the one whom we can trust with life and death, with right now and with eternity.

In the fourth chapter of his book, "The 3:16 Promise" Max Lucado remembers a time in which he was asked to trust or believe in the person who would be belaying him off the side of a cliff as he rappelled down. "Just trust me." she said. God loves. God gives. We believe. On page 24 Lucado writes, "Jesus' invitation seems too simple. We gravitate to other verbs. Work has a better ring to it. Whoever works for him will be saved. Satisfy fits nicely. Whoever satisfies him will be saved. But believe? Shouldn't I do more?" On page 29 he says this, " He ( Jesus ) offers a unique -to-him invitation in which he works and we trust, he dies and we live, he invites and we believe." God gives. We believe.

In Max Lucado's book 3:16 The Numbers of Hope he writes about the verse John 3:16. In chapter five he goes into the phrase the "One and only Son... " and the chapter is entitled "the only one and only". The connections between the Father and the Son in the gospel of John are a major theme of the entire biblical book. No one knows the Father better than the Son. The Son does nothing or says noting except what the Father has given him to do or say. if you know the Son then you know the Father as well. This them runs through the entire gospel. Here is a quote from page 49, " Jesus doesn't boast in his knowledge, he shares it. He doesn't gloat;, he gives. He doesn't revel; he reveals. He reveals to us the secrets of eternity". The good news is that we come to know the Father through the Son. The great news is that we find a Father who gives and loves and reveals grace and mercy to and for us. Here is a quote from page 50. This quote comes after Lucado has given a wonderful illustration of the authority of his earthly father to repair a damaged kite. The authority comes from the father's ability to create and recreate kites. Here is the quote, " To All whose lives feel like a crashed kite, he says, "We can fix this. Let me teach you. Let me teach yo how to handle money, long Mondays, and cranky in-laws. let me teach you why people fight, death comes and forgiveness counts. But most of all, let me teach you why on earth you are on this earth. ". Get to know Jesus. Keep you eyes focused on Jesus and you also get t know the Father. Chapter Six is about a heart swap. Ours for the heart of Jesus. God takes our twisted, sinful heart bent on destruction and death and replaces it with the heart of the One and Only which is pure, righteous and loving. To have this happen we have to admit that our heart is diseased and affirm that Christ's heart is the one we need. Then we simply live here and now and on into eternity following the heart of Jesus Christ. Easy peasy right? It takes the Holy Spirit, it take the church, it takes our submitting to the procedure to swap out hearts. 2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God".

In his book The John 3:16 Promise Max Lucado writes in the third chapter about having a heart swap. We in Alaska know about tire swapping time and its coming up. Lines will be made and tires will occupy back seats and rear compartments so we can go from studs to summer treads. Swapping tires is pretty easy but a heart swap that takes some thought. First one has to admit that the one we have isn't getting the job done. A person has to confess that their own heart has been twisted and damaged by sin. Then one must affirm that the heart of Jesus is the best cure and replacement. God offers just that swap. God gave his one and only Son so that we can become new. Not merely reworked or repaired but new with a heart that is righteous because it belongs to Jesus. II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!

Max Lucado has written two books based upon John 3:16. A nice number of folks in First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla are reading these books. The shorter is called "The John 3:16 Promise" the longer of the two is called "3:16 the Numbers of Hope" I am going to try and comment briefly on these two books every week and invite your comments and reading. Earlier this week I commented on chapter two of the John 3:16 Promise. Here I take up chapters three and four of 3:16 the Numbers of Hope. In chapter three Lucado speaks about the hardened heart. How the Bible has to say about it and how we like many folks before us seem to have an unlimited ability to forget God's gifts and harden our hearts to God's guidance and love. The visual of the can nosed cow I remember well as I once had a sheep with its head stuck in a bucket. We had to chase the sheep down , hold it down and forcibly remove the bucket or it would have died. At times we are the sheep, head stuck in the bucket, going our own way and fearful of any and everything that might help, even God. Lucado writes, " Yet, this is the world God loves. "for God so loved the world...." this hard hearted, stiff necked world. We bow before gold-plated cows; still he loves us. We stick our noses where we shouldn't; still, he pursues us. We run from the very one who can help, but he doesn't give up. He loves. He pursues. He persists. And, every so often a heart starts to soften. " In chapter four Lucado speaks again of the love of God. How it is for all the world. How it is not only for those who seem pretty enough or worthy enough or earn it enough. God's love cannot be earned or lost or since it is a gift for all. It is God's choice to love and that love is beyond all measure and understanding though it is clearly seen in the person of Jesus Christ. Here are the final words of the chapter four beginning with a quote from Ephesians 3: 10 - 19 from the MSG. " Take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives in the fullness of God" "Others demote you. God claims you. let the definitive voice of the universe say, You're still a part of my plan." Peace

John 3:16 is a book written by Max Lucado. A number of folks from First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla are reading it together. Here are some thoughts on chapter two of the shorter version of the book. God loves. "Observe how Christ loved us... He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us" Ephesians 5:2 MSG Lucado writes, "Your goodness can't win God's love. Nor can your badness lose it." Also by Lucado, "Mark it down: God loves you with an unearthly love. You can't win it by being winsome. You can't lose it by being a loser." A song that I learned in Bible School goes like this. This love that I have the world didn't give it to me. 3X The world didn't give it so the world can't take it away. No matter what yesterday brought, or what today brings, not even what tomorrow has in store. God loves the world. God loves you!!!

John 3: 16 Max Lucado has written a book by the title "The John 3:16 Promise". Folks at First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla are reading it between now and Easter Sunday April 21. Henry Woodall will be posting some comments of his own on this page as he reads the books too. You Are invited to join us and read with us or comment on what we share. God loves. God gives. We believe. We live. The above is Lucado's own summary of his book and the verse John 3:16. Lucado also says that this verse is the Hope Diamond of the Bible. I have seen the Hope Diamond and it is very impressive. I have been graced by God's love and with eternal life. I will outlive even the Hope Diamond.

A wonderful story about our Phil Kari...

Almost Annual Entertainment Extravaganza February 17 at 5:30 We will gather for dinner at 5:30 and then the entertainment begins upstairs. We have singer and musicians. We have poetry and storytelling. We have a special guest sharing his talents and about a ministry called "Carry the Cure". Come and enjoy great food and good fellowship with us at First Presbyterian Church in Wasilla this Sunday evening at 5:30.

We missed volunteering last week with “empty guest nest”. Here’s an opportunity if you’d like for next week at Family Promise 561 W Nelson Av, Wasilla. 2/17 and on. Laurie Kari Family Promise Co-Coord

Happy Valentine’s Day!❤️

It’s our turn to host Family Promise families this coming week (2/3 to 2/10). -5:30 pm-9 pm host -9 pm-overnight host (sleep in SS room all cozy) -6 pm bring dinner for families (usually 5 folks lately) -donate some supplies/lunch material (bring to church Sunday if you can) Private message here for early pick of spots. Thank you for your help with our mission to love on homeless kids and their attached adults! Call Family Promise at 357-6160 with questions and ask for me😀

Soul Food Continues!! This time, Henry shares a Psalm and a tune called "Life Flows On," We hope it brightens your day! We have more to come as we move forward. Please don't hesitate to let us know what you think in the comments! Heck, if you have a favorite inspirational hymn or song, let us know what it is! Henry might just pick it for a future episode!

Say "Hello" to Soul Food, a new take on an old idea. More information to come as we go forward, but for now... Enjoy!!

Gerygone & Twig celebrate the Morocks! I think Grace's word was, "I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't had Daulton and Maggie to help me!" Thank you!