Hillcrest

October: A Word from the Pastor

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All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Scripture is foundational for life and godliness. The importance God gives to His Word emphasizes the necessity of reading the Bible […]

September: A Word from the Pastor

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Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. He alone established peace with God for all for whom He died. God’s perfect justice was propitiated at the cross. The result of this atoning work is perfect peace with God for all who trust in Him. Perfect peace! But what about the turmoil that we sometimes experience […]

August: A Word from the Pastor

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  The hymns sometimes speak of God guiding His people with His hand. For example: “He leadeth me, He leadeth me; by His own hand He leadeth me: His faithful follower I would be, for by His hand He leadeth me” (Trinity Hymnal, #500). The imagery of God leading us “with His hand” somehow captures […]

July: A Word from the Pastor

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  King David gave spiritual advice and counsel to the people of God. He exhorted them never to envy the wicked in their pursuits or their prosperity. The wicked can prosper in life, but they will never prosper with God. Believers should always keep their hearts focused on the Lord. In a number of places, […]

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CelebrationGod deals with us individually in order that we might function corporately.

We come to God as individuals. We see our sinfulness, see the love of God in the cross of Christ, receive the gospel message, and are saved. This is our individual response to the grace of God. God saves us in Christ Jesus; he sets us apart from the world and sets us apart to Himself, and He will one day glorify us completely in Christ. This is all the work of God in us.

And, His work in us results in His work through us.

The Lord calls us to gather together as a church to hear the preaching of the Word and to minister to other Christians. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ – together as a church. We minister one to another. The true body of Christ includes all the Christians in heaven and on earth. But the church on earth is assigned a unique ministry by God.

We are to fellowship together, be fortified in the truth, and then to go out into the world to live for the Lord.

We function as lights in a dark world – witnessing the truth through our conduct and through our speech. We are ambassadors of Christ – sent into the world as living witnesses to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Who is sufficient for such a ministry? No one! But God equips us individually and corporately to go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit and represent Him.

Our faith and trust is not in ourselves or the church, but in the Head of the church – Jesus Christ alone.

Seeing this great challenge, Paul prayed, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory of God (Philippians 1:9-11). It is only by the grace of God and His power that we can engage in the responsibilities that He sets before us. He presents the challenge, He prepares our hearts, He works in our midst – and we go out with His power and His presence.

First His work in us – individually and corporately – and then his work through us.

When we go forth in obedience to Him, we accomplish His work by His power. Christ alone is the sufficiency for our unworthiness and inability. In our weakness we see His power and glorify Him!

-Gary W. Custis

 

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triumph in ChristAlways remember that the kingdom accomplished by Christ on the cross will one day be established by Christ with the crown.

Human history ends with the final triumph of God through Jesus Christ.

He will reign forever as the Savior-King. Always bear this in mind, because the present time is characterized by struggle. We are God’s messengers calling sinners to enter into the kingdom by the gospel of Christ. All must be born again to see and enter the kingdom of God. The apostle Paul was one of the first messengers, and sometimes he stood alone. When writing to Timothy, he lamented, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me” (2 Timothy 4:16a). The messenger of the king stands alone? Everyone abandoned him?

It seems so bleak, and yet, Paul did not blame anyone.

He continued, “May it not be charged against them” (2 Timothy 4:16b). He was not calling for justice against those who let him stand alone. Instead, he observed a more important truth. “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear” (2 Timothy 4:17a). He was rejoicing in the faithful presence of the Lord empowering him to preach the gospel. And, the deliverance was amazing. “And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion” (2 Timothy 4:17b). No one stood with him; no one saved him; no one, but the Lord! And this mighty deliverance greatly encouraged Paul’s heart to expect further victories in the future. “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:18).

The absence of human support caused Paul to rely fully on the Lord.

It is the Lord’s presence and power that enables us to minister in a world of darkness. Our hope is not in man. Our hope is only in the Lord who empowers His message and protects his messengers. Every messenger of the Lord from the apostles to the present has been safely delivered into the kingdom of heaven. No one has been lost. All have been delivered. The work of the ministry continues today with each one of us.

May the words of Paul be a great encouragement to our hearts as we boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ.

-Gary W. Custis

 

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sufferingIt would be nice if Christians never experienced pain – and always enjoyed blessing.

Some people like to present the gospel with this promise of blessing, but it is a false hope.

Scripture never promises Christians a problem free existence in this life. We look forward to such a time when we are glorified, in the presence of Christ, and living in the New Heavens and the New Earth. One day God will wipe away every tear, but for now, Christians encounter suffering. Why?

Why do we suffer?

The simple answer to that question points to the eternal plan of our loving Heavenly Father. He has chosen this way to reveal all His attributes for His eternal glory. Against the backdrop of pain and suffering, God reveals Himself in all His glory. It is in the context of suffering that God displays the fullness of His attributes. In the darkness, God shines the light of His truth. This strategy forever emphasizes the glory of the light in the contrast with total darkness. But, in this eternal plan, God does not abandon us. In the face of suffering, we see Him. We see His love, His mercy, His grace, His faithfulness, and His eternal power. We see all these perfections of God and more! We see the light in the dark, but the darkness never prevails.

God always wins by allowing us to see His glory.

We see Him in the face of our trials – in spite of our trials. We see Him and praise His holy name. The Apostle Paul was humbled by God with a serious affliction. He prayed for deliverance, but the Lord revealed Himself in a different way. The Lord announced, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). It was the Lord’s purpose for Paul to experience the power of God in the context of his personal weakness. In his darkness, Paul saw the light of God’s provision meeting His needs. God could have shown His power by removing the thorn in the flesh. This too would have been a wonderful provision. Instead, the Lord wanted Paul to experience His power so he could say with conviction, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (12:9) – and “when I am weak, then I am strong” (12:10).

The Christian life is not problem free, but it is designed for us to see God and rejoice only in Him.

-Gary W. Custis

 

February : A Word From the Pastor

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Well meaning Christians often think they can accomplish God’s purposes by their own resources. They even think that this is what God requires of them. When facing the task of evangelism, suitable methods are devised to persuade, but not manipulate, the lost to trust in Christ. The problem with this approach is that it overlooks […]