Many of our everyday lives are busy and we don’t have much time to spend with God. There is nothing like too much time with God. God treasures our time with Him.

​Bible says clearly in
1 John 5:21
Dear Children, Keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

Take some time and assess your hearts and see what is that thing that is taking you away from God. Where are we spending our thoughts, energy, time and money?

Are we working overtime to impress our supervisors or putting lot of money in the retirement account or buying stuff to impress others or watching TV shows non-stop or spending time on social media or have thoughts that are not pleasing to God. Is it replacing spending time with God? Then let it go and let God take over.

Pray and ask God to multiply your time, talent and treasure that glorifies His name. Use that time to help and encourage others, and pray for others. Invest your talents and treasures for His kingdom. Nothing is in vain when you spend time with God. You are saving treasures in heaven when you invest in Godly endeavors. It might look like foolishness to the world. But God blesses us above and beyond through His presence. When we spend time with God, we have Peace, Joy and Love, that nobody can take it away from you. And btw you can’t buy them from this world. And His word says all these things will be added unto you when you seek His kingdom(Matt 6:33). We will always have more than enough when we seek Him. More importantly we will be experiencing piece of heaven. So always put God first, spend time with Him and seek Him with all your heart.

God has a plan for each one of us. Life is like a race that is marked out for us. A few years ago I started running small races, each time I run a race, God speaks to me through His word and encourages me to run the race that is set before me, especially when I wanted to give up.

1. I was always reminded that I can do this by God’s strength (Philippians 4:13).
2. Sometimes I needed to encourage myself in the Lord, how David encouraged himself in 1 Samuel 30:6. Also by the fellow believers around me who understand what kind of Christian race I am running (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
   
3. Constantly I needed to focus on the race and overcome all the stumbling blocks that was hindering me. And let go of the baggage that was heavy so that I can focus (Hebrews 12:1).
4. Most importantly I needed to finish the race strong because that is the goal that is set for me by the Lord. (1 Timothy 4:7)

We all have our own races to run, each one of our lives are different. Let us run this race with perseverance and do it with excellence so that the Lord our God will be glorified through our lives and we can be a testimony to others.

This is what the Lord says… “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
Sunday, September 9 was a momentous day in the life of this church. We had the amazing opportunity to celebrate a new beginning as we welcomed our new pastor, Rev. Tim Campbell and his family on their first day at Cedar Road Assembly of God. This celebration was the culmination of a transition process that has been orchestrated by God in every way. We have seen God’s hand at work and we are amazed. God is doing a new thing among us. He is taking us from the past into the future He has for us. He is moving us into a new season. Are we ready?
Jesus said, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” Mark 2:22 (NIV)
What was Jesus talking about? Wineskins stretch as the wine ages and they get to a point where they can’t stretch anymore. They become inflexible and useless and can’t be filled with new wine or they will burst. New wineskins are flexible and can stretch as the new wine ages. God wants us to become flexible new wineskins again so He can fill us with His new wine — new power, new fire, fresh anointing. As we walk into this new season God has for us, let us seek to become new wineskins that God can fill with his spirit and use for His glory. Instead of dwelling on the past, let us come with a moldable heart and a teachable spirit. And as He fills us with new wine, let us be willing to give, to serve and to pour it out again so that many others may come to know Him. Is your wineskin ready for new wine?

Sunday, Sept 2, 2018
Since Pastor Ben announced his transition out of senior pastoral leadership over a year ago, our family has been going through a season of “lasts” in our ministry together. Last Live Nativity, last Christmas Eve Service, last Easter, last baptism, last academy program, last worship & prayer service, last communion… And today, last sermon, last time leading the worship service together as a family at Cedar Road Assembly of God. After 30 years at this church and 117 combined years in ministry, my parents, our pastors, have finally reached their last “last.”
Truthfully, a season of “lasts” is not nearly as exciting as a season of “firsts.” We cheer for the firsts… first words, first steps, first day of school, first kiss, first car, first job, and on and on. But we grieve for the “lasts.” We often forget that the “last” comes before a new “first.” Something has to end in order to start a new beginning. Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 4 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” As we walk through this season of “lasts,” we sometimes find ourselves weeping and mourning. And sometimes it seems that God is far away, that He has forgotten us. But when we see that the ending is just a prelude to the exciting new beginning God has for us, we find joy and laughter once again. And we realize that our times are truly in God’s hands and we can trust that His ways are perfect.
As we honor Pastors Ben and Roberta on their last day of Sunday ministry at Cedar Road, it’s OK to grieve the ending. But let us also rejoice that God has a new beginning, a new season for them and for this church. I am so thankful that they can truly say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Today, we honor them for fighting the good fight, for finishing the race, for keeping the faith and not giving up. We honor them for their faithfulness to God and the ministry He called them to. We honor them for their faithfulness to shepherd our church and minister to those in need. We honor them for the Godly example they have set for us and the strong foundation they have built for the future of this church. We honor them for their love for people and their heart to serve. We honor them and thank them for their leadership and their friendship, for being there when we needed them, for putting others before themselves, for the sacrifices they have made to love, protect and build our church, for their desire to give to our community and for the way they have opened their hearts and welcomed all who have come. We thank them for being obedient to God and following his leading as they led us. We thank them for faithfully praying for us and believing for miracles in our lives. We thank them for making room for the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit among us. We thank them for their vision of a diverse congregation of people from all ethnicities and walks of life  worshiping together as one. We thank them for pursuing that vision and bringing it to reality as they worked to build the beautifully diverse congregation we have today.
Pastors Ben and Roberta, may God bless you abundantly in this new season beyond your wildest dreams. May he reward you greatly for your faithfulness to serve and give sacrificially. May he grant you new vision to see this transition as a bright new beginning. May he replace your mourning with dancing and your grieving with laughter. May he renew your strength and fill you with new joy and hope for the future. Always know that you are loved, you are honored and your legacy will live on in those of us who remain. We will never forget all that you both have done to bless us, bless this church, bless this community and bless many from around the world.