Greetings, Brethren –

I pray everyone had a blessed Easter season. It was certainly a joy to share the sunrise with the folks from the Delta Christian Church this year. We gathered at the East Side Cemetery and worshipped our risen Savior, Jesus Christ who reminded us to go and tell others He’s ALIVE!

Congratulations to the Swan family, Harold, Mesenda, and Skai, Kathy Arbegas, and Joe Saresky on your baptisms! Not only have you received Christ into your hearts but you wanted to be baptized to show us all publicly what already had taken place inside of you. We rejoice with you and are so excited that you chose this body of believers to minister and worship with!

I also want the church to recognize that the following families and individuals joined with me for four weeks to learn more about what it means to be a member of Christ’s church. Joe Saresky, Lee Daniel, Larry & Lee Ross, Poodie & Chris Utterback, Josh & Melanie Dekleine, Dru & Misty Glandon, Harold & Mesenda Swan, Austin Bringman, and Linda who watched toddlers in the nursery. In June, I will be starting another church study that I hope will answer the question, “Now that I’m a member, what’s next?”

Finally, I want the church to be aware that the Deacon’s and Deaconess’s have begun a family care outreach ministry. At this point each of us who gather together here at Sigourney Christian are being prayed for and cared for daily by a deacon and deaconess. The following servants, Dan & Deb Clarahan, Keith & Donna Epperson, Harrison & Jill Moore, Deb Schauf, Bill & Kim Meier, Larry & Lee Ross, John & Carol Stutzman, Jack Winfrey, and Austin Bringman have each adopted four or five families to pray and care for. If you have not already, I am sure you will be contacted by your deacon and deaconess soon.

Christ’s peace be with you all,

Pastor, Jim Bringman 

What's in Your Wardrobe?

"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of my Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from on high."

Greetings brothers and sisters in the name of Christ Jesus!

            Spring is here and I'm sure many of you are thinking about adding some new clothes to your wardrobe. The activities you enjoy will play a big part in what clothes you'll want to purchase. We may be camping, fishing, skiing, swimming or boating. There will be baseball, softball, and soccer games to enjoy. Each of these activities, and a host of others, requires a certain type of outfit. Retail stores have anticipated the consumer's rush for new clothes and have already laid out the latest fashions and styles to meet all the summer needs.

            This example of fitting clothes for the season reminds me as a Christian what I need to put on to be successful for the Kingdom of God. Unlike the consumer who goes to the store to pick out what outfit they think will be appropriate, God asks the Christian to wait until He clothes them with what He feels is important; in this case it is the Holy Spirit. This isn't a new fashion or a fancy outfit that will draw attention and popularity to us, but rather it is clothing that will draw attention and popularity to God.

            The Christian will have to walk in paths of humility. I hope you have the garment of humility in your closet along with some or all of these others; compassion, kindness, gentleness and patience. These outfits are for all seasons and work perfectly for the many activities the Christian will find themselves in. They're not trendy, so they won't go out of style. They're not made out of fancy material so they will be everlasting. They are designed by the Master Creator and are available to anyone who is willing to wait upon the Lord.

            Christian, as you go to your closet in the morning, take a good look at your wardrobe. Do your clothes match the needs of the world or do they match the needs of the  Kingdom?

Christ's peace be with you,

Jim

                

In Spirit and Truth

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

 Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Christ spoke with the woman at the well about true worshipers worshiping in Spirit and in Truth. What do you suppose he meant by this? What might this “worshiper” and way of worship look like? A) Worship is spiritual. Worship in Spirit and in Truth transcends the physical realm, natural man, and involves God’s Spirit testifying to the spirit of born again believers. The spiritual man worships God not the natural man. The flesh wars with God but the spirit within man, who abides in Christ, submits to God’s glory and holiness with praise and service. The woman that Jesus spoke with associated worship with a particular place, (this mountain) very much in the same way people today associate worship with just attending church (this building). But the worship Jesus spoke of was that which happens continually by the way believers submit to God’s direction and advice on everything they say and do. This is true worship in spirit and in truth. It is heartfelt worship, not just lip service or hypocritical religious ceremony. B) Worship in Spirit and in Truth is worship that is God-centered not self-centered. Self centered worship constantly expects things from God. Self-centered worship demands attention is placed upon it rather than upon God. Self-centered worship gathers when it wants to, where it wants to, and how it wants to. God-centered worship is continual, without division or separation and those who worship in this manner are united together with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit once and forever. God-centered worship is timeless; it is God’s time with the believer not the believer’s time with Him. God-centered worship promotes obedience to God and is shared corporately with all those that God has added daily to His church. C) One who worships in spirit and truth adheres to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. The life of one who worships in this manner is always in obedience and submission to the full council of Scripture and not just parceled precepts. This believer, washed by the blood of Christ, holds the Bible gently as if holding the Christ child Himself, kneels in humbleness and eagerness before it as if prostrating at the alter of Christ, receives and responds in fear knowing this divine revelation is of God. One who worships in Spirit and in truth has the Living Word dwelling within. To worship in spirit and in truth is to obediently be led by the Spirit of God that dwells within, allowing its fruit to flow outward to others. This worship Jesus speaks of is a worship that is produced and shared by the redeemed and restored believer in Jesus Christ. The true worshiper in spirit and truth has died to themselves and allowed Christ to live within their heart. Blessings, Pastor, Jim

Lawlessness

Greetings Brethren. The topic of sin is not a popular one today. Many view the concept of sin as archaic and demeaning -- something that needs to be cast aside in light of current " modern thought". Christians however know that there are some things taught in God's word, which will never become outdated. Sin is one such topic that is as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago. Sin is lawlessness. When trying to define sin two or three simple passages in scripture are very helpful in providing the information needed. In the following verse sin is described as lawlessness. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) God has given His commandments and laws to man to govern the way man lives. These laws are for the good of all and are meant to preserve the gift of life, which God has given. When man obeys God's law there is liberty and freedom to enjoy the gift of life with others without fear of future problems. The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; (Psalm 19:7) But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25) So we see that the laws of God are perfect and are given to bless man. When we break God's law we have committed sin and are acting in a way that will be detrimental to our own good and that of our neighbor. Perhaps the whole matter can be summed up in the words of James: Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17) God has given His laws to govern His creation. The point also needs to be made, that these laws govern mans life in the context of the pursuit of God's plans and purposes. God has created and designed this world with specific plans and purposes, which are not to be neglected or rejected. In Genesis it tells us God's original plan for the human family was to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth. And as we discovered in the book of Ruth, this puts the focus of life on the family; husbands and wives raising children in loving families where the truth about God is learned from God's word. Sin has revealed the extensive plans and purposes of God. In addition to populating the human family, God has other plans and purpose to which He calls us. The will of God for our lives now also includes our salvation and sanctification and service for the kingdom of God. However, the important point to realize and accept is that God has not created the human race so that each one could decide for themselves what they will do with "their" life. God has given very specific instructions regarding the plans and purposes for our lives. God's word teaches us that when a person rejects the plans and purposes of God for their life in pursuit of their own they are committing sin. Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, and whose deeds are done in a dark place, and they say, "Who sees us?" or "Who knows us?" (Isaiah 29:15) "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD, "Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin; (Isaiah 30:1) I pray we will all give these verses some thought as you continue your faith journey. May our discernment lead us to Christ, who satisfied the Law for our sake. Blessings, Pastor, Bringman

Immanuel (God With Us)

“Behold, the virgin shall be with Child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” Greetings Brethren! I am overjoyed at this moment to be able to share with you the many ways God continues to surprise us. It is God’s joy to give and His full delight to bring surprises to our lives. How many of us, like Joseph, have worried about how to handle difficult situations? Have you found yourself in a spot where you couldn’t confide in anyone; where you knew for certain, any decision you made was going to affect someone or many others negatively? I have; we all have at one time or another, faced situations beyond our control. It’s in these moments that we often fail to remember that God knows about it. Sometimes, as in Joseph’s case, God is even the reason for the miss-understood dilemma. This is an important concept we must all be aware of! “God is with us!” It is imperative we remember God is sovereign. If He has brought testing to your life, be certain that He will have an answer for your success in that test. We need to learn to depend on God completely and acknowledge that testing our allegiance is something God does continually. The only way Joseph was going to understand his circumstance with Mary was going to have to come from God. Think about this! Not one person in the whole wide world was going to be able to explain this situation and give Joseph counsel and direction in this matter other than God. God always has the answers for us; we just need to learn to listen to Him and only Him. The last thing Joseph expected to receive from this nightmare was JOY! As he racked his brain and thought hard about what to do to keep Mary safe, God intervened. God didn’t provide a solution for Joseph’s assumed crisis, God only pointed out to Joseph that a crisis didn’t exist. In fact, it was a blessing in which Joseph was to be included in. Amazing isn’t it! Certain gloom and doom from our perspective was turned into joy and a promise from God’s perspective, (Immanuel)! God is with us! I pray this advent season, especially if you’re going through a difficult time that you open up your heart and give God a chance to reveal the joy he has prepared for you. It is his delight to present you with joy and surprises! O, come; O, come Immanuel! Amen. Pastor Bringman

Words to Live By

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away.”

A Pastor’s Prayer

God’s Word is final! God’s Word is everlasting! What a wonderful promise! What a tremendous gift! How soothing these words are to the heart, soul, and mind.

Where can the respect for God’s Word be found? Where can the respect for God’s Word be witnessed? God’s Word and only His Word is everlasting so where is the oratory, where is the effect of its counsel? Why as Christians do we spend countless hours trying to preserve everything that is going to perish and leave the Word to itself? When Satan shouts through man that God’s Word is ancient, outdated and irrelevant for today’s culture, and that Jesus said He came to put and end to the Old Testament Law, where, I ask is the man God is shouting through saying, I didn’t come to put and end to the Law, I Am the end of the Law, the fulfillment, the culmination of the Law!! I AM the One who lived the Law perfectly. “Not one jot or a tittle shall pass away from this Law.”

Where is a “Paul” to remind us through the Word that the Law is not made for righteous men but for those who are lawless? Where can God’s servant be heard saying, God’s moral law hasn’t changed because God hasn’t changed! Whatever is right has always been right and whatever is wrong has always been wrong! Morality doesn’t change because God doesn’t change? How do we speak to a “religious” culture that has fallen away from the precepts of Your Word? How do we confront the beast that is slowly putting the world asleep?

Satan has men boldly shouting abominations from the pulpit while others, supposedly God’s men, are running for cover; both have innocent blood on their hands! God, where is David to slew the giant? The giant is shouting out abominations to you Father; where can another like David be found to kill this blasphemy? Help us discover Your Word, plant it in our hearts, proclaim it, and boldly apply it in our lives!

Jesus, Advent reminds us that you are coming soon; your Word reminds us that you never left. It is my prayer that in your return you will find us about Father’s business, safe in His Word eternal. Come Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!!!

Amen.

New Wineskins

“No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins”

(Mark 2:22).

Greetings brethren –

It is my desire to write words of encouragement to you that I pray will lift you up and bring you joy as you pursue a life of righteousness and walk daily in your kingdom assignments.

It is a privilege to be commissioned as believers to share the Gospel of Christ with others. Jesus invites us, instructs us, enables us, and trusts us with this assignment that our joy in serving with Him in this endeavor might be full!

            Why is it then, you may wonder, does discouragement often choke out joy, fear challenge our faith, and complacency triumph over action in our calling as disciples???

Jesus, in the Gospel of Mark points out the fact that trying to put new wine into old wineskins is the problem and the very answer to this question. We simply skip the preparation process and the result is defeat! Defeat in a witness to someone, defeat in a Bible study gathering, defeat in prayer, defeat in all things pertaining to God.

            The preparation I speak of is shedding our old wine skins. The spiritual discipline required in this task for every believer is fasting. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to fast away our desire to indulge in worldly pleasures. In fasting we destroy the hunger and thirst for worldly desire and in its place we develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness. As we fast specific practices of sin are revealed and destroyed as confession and repentance bring and end to the old wineskin and a new wineskin emerges in the form of a believer freshly transformed by God with a renewed mind, a strengthened faith, and a softened heart that is ready for new wine, an abundance of anointing by the Holy Spirit.

            Brethren, let Jesus call you into a fast. Let Him have total control of your desire to conform to His righteousness. As your shortcomings are revealed, own up to them, and repent!! Allow Christ to prepare you for new wine, new vision, new understanding, and sensitivity to His discipleship. Walk in the fullness of your purpose as a living sacrifice, a fresh wine skin ready for new wine!

Blessings,

Pastor, Jim