“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Living in Florida, we know all to well about heavy rain, floods and storms. June 1st will mark the beginning of the hurricane season and will last through November 30th. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOOA) has forecasted that there is a good chance for 9 to 14 named storms this year. Four to seven could become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5).

What the NOAA stresses is not to focus on the storms but on taking action and being prepared. While hurricanes can be disastrous, they do not come unexpected. Most companies have a Hurricane Preparedness plan entailing the measures that need to take place to protect their employees and secure the premises. There are a series of guidelines such as buying supplies, securing your dwelling place, your pets, etc. in order to be prepared.

In life, we all go through storms. These however usually don’t come with advanced notice. These storms come in all forms… from personal illness or illness of a family member, a sudden accident, loss of a loved one, financial crisis, etc. A series of emotions such as anxiety, worry, fear and doubt have a tendency to creep in during these times. These feelings can exacerbate the situation.

Jesus tells us however in His Word that despite the fact that there will be trouble, we can rest on Him. He helps us to overcome every circumstance, every illness, and every trouble. He is our Deliverer! All we need to do is take action! We need to prepare just as we do for storms of nature. He has given all of the tools we need. Our preparedness plan is a continual plan, not just one we use when the rain comes. The guidelines must entail reading His Word, spending time with the Lord daily, praising Him, trusting Him and fellowshipping with our church body. The plan is rock solid. With Him, we can survive the storms of life!

Have you been through a storm? Share your comments of how the Lord saw you through.

Congratulations to our daughter and new son-in-law, Lt. Derek and Christina DeBruhl on their recent union. Their nuptials took place on May 24, 2009 in the Cadet Chapel of West Point Military Academy. We pray God’s blessing over the happy couple!

Filed under: Announcements, Commentary by Yvetter Gallinar
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“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Hebrews 8:10

Most of us have either purchased or leased a vehicle, a house or an apartment. Those who have know that an agreement must always be signed. Depending on the purchase, there are all sorts of stipulations involved.

Let’s take a car for example. When leasing a car, a decision regarding the terms has to be established. What kind of mileage per year do you need? How many years will the lease be for? Will maintenance of the vehicle be covered? And the list goes on. While the types of stipulations vary depending on the item, there are always decisions to be made related to the terms. Once the agreement is signed, you are bound to those terms. If you default, there are always related consequences.

As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of our money but are we applying the same principles to our covenant with the Lord? Do we make Him promises and then don’t keep them? Are we meeting the terms of our agreement with Him or are we constantly changing them to conform to our schedules, our wants, our needs?

We can be so disciplined for things of this world. However, when it comes to our Heavenly Father we think we can easily alter our terms with Him. The Bible tells us that Jesus established a new covenant with us. He does not make amendments to our agreement. He does not change the stipulations based on what we do or don’t do. The question is have you been changing your terms? Make a pledge today to honor your covenant with the Lord, not just for a short period of time, but continuously and insistently. After all, the benefits are eternal.

Do you struggle with keeping your agreement with the Lord? Share Your Comments.

REMINDERS

1) Tonight we continue with our Couple’s study at 7:30 pm. We are on week 5 and will be discussing “Guarding Love.” Join us for a time of learning, growing and great fellowship!

2) The deposit for the Youth Mission trip is past due. Please contact Hilda for more details.

Filed under: Commentary, Reminders by Yani Avila
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“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

The Bible tells us to let our light shine before men. When others see Jesus through us, it brings glory to our Heavenly Father. It’s an outward declaration that you are a child of the Most High Living God. When you allow His light to shine through, you are proclaiming to all those around you how much you love Jesus and that no matter your circumstance, no matter what’s going on in the world, you are going to praise Him.

Is your light shining? Is it shining bright or has it flickered down? Perhaps you have experienced a situation that has caused your light to dim, almost to the point of turning off or perhaps even has completely diminished. Don’t allow the darkness to overcome you. Take that step to praise Him and love Him no matter what. For when we are with the Lord, walking by His side and serving Him, there can be no darkness. Make a commitment today to shine bright for Jesus for all to see!

Mission Trip

The fundraising for Chosen Generation’s upcoming missions trip to Atlanta is underway. From the looks of the water bottles, the boys have the lead. Please continue to pray for and support our youth so that they can be a blessing to others!

Filed under: Commentary, Scriptures by Yvetter Gallinar
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