Today in service, we pay tribute to teachers, instructors and educators. Sis. Terri Sones is our guest speaker today. She brings a heartfelt message about reaching into the heart of a child to unlock the potential inside.

Today in service, we pay tribute to teachers, instructors and educators. Sis. Terri Sones is our guest speaker today. She brings a heartfelt message about reaching into the heart of a child to unlock the potential inside.

Our text is perhaps more relevant now than when it was penned. Our world is busier that ever and yet there is a increase in frustration in our efforts. It has been said that we have to start well to end well. Often lost in that sentiment is that we have to finish in order to finish well. We all grow weary in our journey. There seems to be times that no matter how hard we strive with good work, we cannot see the success of our labor. Being weary in our work is not far from any of us. Paul knew this truth so he warns the Galatian church to not get tired of doing right. As humans, if we do not see results, we are want to give up. Paul warns us to continue our efforts even when we seem to be making no progress. If we look around our world and see men who are not living right seem to prosper while those who live right do not. This attitude speaks to our faith. It takes faith to continue when our effort seems to make no difference. We become weary because in our human existence we look for success in the short term. God's definition of success is not limited by time. Even if we do not see the success we seek in our lifetime, we must press on so that God's purpose is served. In our outreach or in our services, our human nature is to judge the results by how many people show up. Bro. Hughes shares a story of a young preacher who did that, but missed what God was doing. Reaching even one can have an affect on hundreds. The bible says to sow the seeds, and God will provide the increase. We get weary because of our narrow view of life. Things do not happen as quickly as we thing that they will. God works. He will work more slowly than we expect, but he WILL work. If we will endure, we will reap. There are times that we grow weary because there is a lack of appreciation for our efforts. No one sends a thank you note. No one acknowledges what we are doing. Jesus Himself healed broken bodies and cleansed leapers but received no gratitude. Jesus was not doing it for them, but to bring Glory to God. It is no different for us. No matter what we put our hand to, we do it for God. Human nature is to be critical. We can get weary when the only acknowledgement we get is criticism. Criticism: it happens at home, it happens on the job, it happens in church. We can grow weary when we misunderstand God's way. None of us would have chosen the path our lives have taken. The truth is that the trials and issues in life lead to the blessing that we all seek. God's way is not easy to understand but the bible tells us that if we stay faithful, we will reap the reward that He as for us. In due season we will reap if we fail not.

Our text is perhaps more relevant now than when it was penned. Our world is busier that ever and yet there is a increase in frustration in our efforts. It has been said that we have to start well to end well. Often lost in that sentiment is that we have to finish in order to finish well. We all grow weary in our journey. There seems to be times that no matter how hard we strive with good work, we cannot see the success of our labor. Being weary in our work is not far from any of us. Paul knew this truth so he warns the Galatian church to not get tired of doing right. As humans, if we do not see results, we are want to give up. Paul warns us to continue our efforts even when we seem to be making no progress. If we look around our world and see men who are not living right seem to prosper while those who live right do not. This attitude speaks to our faith. It takes faith to continue when our effort seems to make no difference. We become weary because in our human existence we look for success in the short term. God's definition of success is not limited by time. Even if we do not see the success we seek in our lifetime, we must press on so that God's purpose is served. In our outreach or in our services, our human nature is to judge the results by how many people show up. Bro. Hughes shares a story of a young preacher who did that, but missed what God was doing. Reaching even one can have an affect on hundreds. The bible says to sow the seeds, and God will provide the increase. We get weary because of our narrow view of life. Things do not happen as quickly as we thing that they will. God works. He will work more slowly than we expect, but he WILL work. If we will endure, we will reap. There are times that we grow weary because there is a lack of appreciation for our efforts. No one sends a thank you note. No one acknowledges what we are doing. Jesus Himself healed broken bodies and cleansed leapers but received no gratitude. Jesus was not doing it for them, but to bring Glory to God. It is no different for us. No matter what we put our hand to, we do it for God. Human nature is to be critical. We can get weary when the only acknowledgement we get is criticism. Criticism: it happens at home, it happens on the job, it happens in church. We can grow weary when we misunderstand God's way. None of us would have chosen the path our lives have taken. The truth is that the trials and issues in life lead to the blessing that we all seek. God's way is not easy to understand but the bible tells us that if we stay faithful, we will reap the reward that He as for us. In due season we will reap if we fail not.

Many people are discouraged by their current situation. No one has a positive inner voice. Most offten our inner voice speaks anything but encouragement. The many voices of life that swirl around us do not reinforce life with positive thoughts. Most often they will paint a bleak picture that plays into our fears and doubts. Fear sees us as not measuring up to the situation. Fear will tell us that we cannot succeed. The voice of fear will tell us that we are too late to face the challenge before us. Unless we are dead, it is not too late with God. These voices will show up when we do something that matters. These internal fears will rise up when we seek to make a difference. If we choose to remain on the sidelines, we will not hear the voices, but if we step out, they will be loud and clear. These voices have been around so long that we have come to believe them. We will never get what we need from God by operating from a place of fear. The best thing we can do with our fears are to bring them into the light of the word of God. Fear hates light. As long as they operate in the darkness they can hold sway, but when brought into the light, we can see that fear is a faulty basis for life.

The story from our text is one that speaks to us of desperation and need. A sick daughter pushes this man out of his comfort zone. He is a ruler of the synagogue, but his situation moves him to fall at the feet of Jesus asking Him to heal his daughter. Jesus doesn't speak to him, but simply turns to follow. While on the way, a woman presses through the crowd and has an interaction with Jesus. This delay must have weighed on Jairus. Time was of the essence, and the delay turned out to be critical. A servant comes and tells Jairus that his daughter is dead. In a moment, Jesus speaks faith into the situation and presents two options: You can live what what your fears tell you, or you can believe. They said "she's dead" but Jesus said believe. What are we goign to believe: what is, or what could be. The world tells us that faith is an escape from reality. They say that it is an unwillingness to deal with what is. Faith is not an escape from reality, it is the believe in a different reality. Just because we do not see an answer, does not mean that there is not an answer. One translation of our text says the Lord heard, but ignored what He heard. With God is involved, anything can happen. Faith can interrupt our life and make us understand that there is an alternate reality. Jairus chose to not to live with what is, but believed in what could be. He pushed down the voices of fear yelling at him, and listened to the voice of Jesus. God is still interested in what is going in our life. If we give Him the option, God will always be better than what we can imagine. If we will but listen to His voice, we will can see a reality beyond that is and look to what could be.

Many people are discouraged by their current situation. No one has a positive inner voice. Most offten our inner voice speaks anything but encouragement. The many voices of life that swirl around us do not reinforce life with positive thoughts. Most often they will paint a bleak picture that plays into our fears and doubts. Fear sees us as not measuring up to the situation. Fear will tell us that we cannot succeed. The voice of fear will tell us that we are too late to face the challenge before us. Unless we are dead, it is not too late with God. These voices will show up when we do something that matters. These internal fears will rise up when we seek to make a difference. If we choose to remain on the sidelines, we will not hear the voices, but if we step out, they will be loud and clear. These voices have been around so long that we have come to believe them. We will never get what we need from God by operating from a place of fear. The best thing we can do with our fears are to bring them into the light of the word of God. Fear hates light. As long as they operate in the darkness they can hold sway, but when brought into the light, we can see that fear is a faulty basis for life.

The story from our text is one that speaks to us of desperation and need. A sick daughter pushes this man out of his comfort zone. He is a ruler of the synagogue, but his situation moves him to fall at the feet of Jesus asking Him to heal his daughter. Jesus doesn't speak to him, but simply turns to follow. While on the way, a woman presses through the crowd and has an interaction with Jesus. This delay must have weighed on Jairus. Time was of the essence, and the delay turned out to be critical. A servant comes and tells Jairus that his daughter is dead. In a moment, Jesus speaks faith into the situation and presents two options: You can live what what your fears tell you, or you can believe. They said "she's dead" but Jesus said believe. What are we goign to believe: what is, or what could be. The world tells us that faith is an escape from reality. They say that it is an unwillingness to deal with what is. Faith is not an escape from reality, it is the believe in a different reality. Just because we do not see an answer, does not mean that there is not an answer. One translation of our text says the Lord heard, but ignored what He heard. With God is involved, anything can happen. Faith can interrupt our life and make us understand that there is an alternate reality. Jairus chose to not to live with what is, but believed in what could be. He pushed down the voices of fear yelling at him, and listened to the voice of Jesus. God is still interested in what is going in our life. If we give Him the option, God will always be better than what we can imagine. If we will but listen to His voice, we will can see a reality beyond that is and look to what could be.

There are three things that all men should consider in their life. First is Christ for us. His compassion does not fail; His love unending and His grace is new every day. The second is Christ is with us. He is an abiding presence who comes along side to encourage and gives strength. Finally we must remember that Christ is in us. That is the real difference. It is not enough to know Him, but we must have Him inside us. Our text can be a difficult one to take in. Our text demands that we look inside ourselves. This passage describes what it looks like if He DOES live in us. There are things that are important to God that require our attention. They may not be important to us, but our priorities must match His priorities not the other way around. There are things that are important to God that are important to our eternity. This text tells us that God will judge by different standards than the world and society judges by. The world looks at success, knowledge and achievement in a different way than God. The world values wealth, talent, popularity as the indicators of success. None of that matters to God. God's criteria is our response to needs. This text is plain in describing that God's interest is not in our social rank, our bank account, or our level of education. He is after what is in our heart. The question is simple: Did we or did we not help someone in need. Did we or did we not give our best to someone who did not deserve it. It is a simple standard that any of us can fulfill: Feed the hungry, be a comfort to the down trodden, minister to the sick. We can all be sensitive to the things that matter to God. The things the the world values and pursues are temporal. Compassion for others is eternal. These are the things that matter.

There are three things that all men should consider in their life. First is Christ for us. His compassion does not fail; His love unending and His grace is new every day. The second is Christ is with us. He is an abiding presence who comes along side to encourage and gives strength. Finally we must remember that Christ is in us. That is the real difference. It is not enough to know Him, but we must have Him inside us. Our text can be a difficult one to take in. Our text demands that we look inside ourselves. This passage describes what it looks like if He DOES live in us. There are things that are important to God that require our attention. They may not be important to us, but our priorities must match His priorities not the other way around. There are things that are important to God that are important to our eternity. This text tells us that God will judge by different standards than the world and society judges by. The world looks at success, knowledge and achievement in a different way than God. The world values wealth, talent, popularity as the indicators of success. None of that matters to God. God's criteria is our response to needs. This text is plain in describing that God's interest is not in our social rank, our bank account, or our level of education. He is after what is in our heart. The question is simple: Did we or did we not help someone in need. Did we or did we not give our best to someone who did not deserve it. It is a simple standard that any of us can fulfill: Feed the hungry, be a comfort to the down trodden, minister to the sick. We can all be sensitive to the things that matter to God. The things the the world values and pursues are temporal. Compassion for others is eternal. These are the things that matter.

In spring things begin to bloom and this time of year gives hope for new life. Easter specifically is a time for new hope, new beginnings and new salvation. The bible tells us that the angel says: He is not here, He is risen. These are perhaps the greatest words ever heard by human ears. The women came that morning to mourn over a death, but the left praising an risen Savior. The disciples did not know what to think on that first Easter morning. They thought that it had all come to an end. They sat contemplating what to do next when word came to them that the tomb was empty. They ran to see. John records that he saw and believed. When he looked into that grave and found everything but a body, he knew that everything that Jesus had said was true. There is a truth that we know will never be altered: There is no body to find, because He is not there. He is alive forevermore. We do not come this morning to worship a body, or a piece of wood, but to worship a risen savior who is alive and living within us. There is no more powerful message in all the world than an empty tomb. Because He lives, our weakness can be turned into strength. Because He lives, our struggles can become victories. Our sorrows can be turned into joy. That same power that rose Him from the dead, flows into our lives. He is alive, undefeated. He has come forth victorious over hell, death and the grave. The resurrection forms a division in human history. Easter is the celebration between what was and what now is. He WAS crucified, but He IS risen. I WAS lost, but now I AM saved. Our lives are forever changed because of the difference between what was and what is. We rejoice over what is not what was. The question this morning is do we want to be judged by what was or what is? God didn't wait for us to clean up our act before He saved us, He came while we were still sinners. The resurrection is God reaching out to that did not deserve it because He loved us so. Because He lives we are saved.

In spring things begin to bloom and this time of year gives hope for new life. Easter specifically is a time for new hope, new beginnings and new salvation. The bible tells us that the angel says: He is not here, He is risen. These are perhaps the greatest words ever heard by human ears. The women came that morning to mourn over a death, but the left praising an risen Savior. The disciples did not know what to think on that first Easter morning. They thought that it had all come to an end. They sat contemplating what to do next when word came to them that the tomb was empty. They ran to see. John records that he saw and believed. When he looked into that grave and found everything but a body, he knew that everything that Jesus had said was true. There is a truth that we know will never be altered: There is no body to find, because He is not there. He is alive forevermore. We do not come this morning to worship a body, or a piece of wood, but to worship a risen savior who is alive and living within us. There is no more powerful message in all the world than an empty tomb. Because He lives, our weakness can be turned into strength. Because He lives, our struggles can become victories. Our sorrows can be turned into joy. That same power that rose Him from the dead, flows into our lives. He is alive, undefeated. He has come forth victorious over hell, death and the grave. The resurrection forms a division in human history. Easter is the celebration between what was and what now is. He WAS crucified, but He IS risen. I WAS lost, but now I AM saved. Our lives are forever changed because of the difference between what was and what is. We rejoice over what is not what was. The question this morning is do we want to be judged by what was or what is? God didn't wait for us to clean up our act before He saved us, He came while we were still sinners. The resurrection is God reaching out to that did not deserve it because He loved us so. Because He lives we are saved.