Tag: god

Spring Update 2026

                                                                                    April 2026

Dear Friends,

            God has given fruit in the past few months.  We have seen people going on in discipleship, churches encouraged as the Lord has been working, and we have been busy with whatever the Lord sets before us.  This year, we plan to report to supporting churches and share God’s working and leading.  We are trying to put together a schedule for that.  God has been good to us.

            So far this year, I have been able to go to the Refresh Conference at Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny IA.  I saw friends and made new ones.  It was a beneficial time.  I had the privilege to also go to the board meeting of the FBFI in AZ with Pastor Estes and Pastor Stringfellow from our home church.  I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people that I have known over the years.  The meetings were a blessing.  I look forward to seeing how God grows the FBFI fellowship.  There are good things happening in it that will be a blessing to pastors and churches.

            Recently, I was able to go to WA for weekend to be at Chewelah Baptist Church in Chewelah.  On the way up and back, I was able to meet with pastors and a friend.  The new pastor at Chewelah is Chris Robertson.  God is working through him and his wife, Elizabeth.  I am excited for them and the church.  Good things are happening.

            This month, we will be in Thayne WY at Friendship Baptist Church where Dan Patrick is the pastor.  We will be there for Sunday through Wednesday night meetings.  Pastor Patrick is new to the work there as of the first of April.  Pastor Jay Sprecher was able to step down and is still doing ministry through NWBM.  Jeneen and I look forward to meeting with the new pastor and wife to get to know each other better.  We are excited for the church as they take this step of faith.  We look forward to seeing what God is doing.  In May, we plan to go to AZ but have not finalized that trip yet. 

Prayer requests –

  • Please pray for churches without pastors.
  • Please pray for a couple of churches dealing with serious issues. 
  • Please pray for God’s working in the meetings and work.
  • Please pray for Jeneen and me as we set up schedule for the rest of the year.
  • Please pray for health as we continue to do what the Lord sets before us.

May God work greatly.  Jeneen and I are busy in our home church too.  We look forward to what the Lord has ahead for us throughout the summer.  Thanks for praying.

Backpackers – We are planning a trip for July 27th through the 31st.

The Need for “God with Us”

“His name shall be called Immanuel, which means, God with us.”  What is the reason for the birth of Jesus?  What motivated God to do this?

The greatest reason for God coming to be born as a babe was His love for us.  “God so loved the world that he sent his son…”  God wants a relationship with us.  The problem is sin for all have sinned.  There is no perfect human being.  Wrong actions, reactions, or thoughts keep us from a relationship with God.  The core of the matter is that we are all sinners and the penalty for sin is eternal separation from God.

The sin penalty must be paid before we can have a relationship with God.  We, in our arrogance, desire to make ourselves good enough for God.  Mankind cannot pay the penalty for sin, no matter how many good and religious things we do.  The penalty for sin is eternal separation from God.  When a person dies without God’s salvation, they must suffer the judgment.  An eternity of suffering will never pay for sin.

Someone outside of mankind had to pay the price.  The penalty, being death must be paid.  Immanuel, God with us came, took upon Himself the likeness of man in order to pay the price for our sin.  God could not do it without becoming human.  God cannot die so Jesus humbled Himself and came, born of a woman, to die for sin.  Jesus came as the spotless Lamb of God to sacrifice His life for our sin.  He was born the Babe, a perfect human being while being fully God.  He is the God-Man.

Being the God-Man, qualifies Him to be an adequate Savior.  He needed to be human in order to die because God cannot die.  He needed to be God in order to make that death a satisfactory payment for sin.  Only a sinless person can pay the price for someone else’s sin.

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.  He was buried.  He rose from the dead three days later according to the Scriptures.  This proves the penalty for sin was paid in full.  There is no more needed to satisfy the judgment against mankind.  His sacrifice is complete and sufficient.

Does this mean that all of mankind is saved?  No, because it requires each person to decide whether to accept or reject what Jesus has done for us.  It’s personal.  God has provided the means for us to be saved from the penalty of sin.  We must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. 

Jesus was born to save us from our sin.  God became the God-Man to pay the payment.  If you haven’t accepted Him as your Savior, you need to do so.  If you have, you have peace with God, no fear of condemnation, and can now experience a relationship with God the way He intends for you.  We can experience a life of meaning and purpose.  He provided everything needed for a relationship with Him.  Now, it’s our choice what we do with what He has freely offered and enabled.  Immanuel – “God with us.”

For Further Study – John 3:16-18; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Matthew 1:18-23; and so much more.