From the desk of Pastor Edd

  Scripture: Galatians 5:16 I just want to remind us to live our lives in the ways of the Spirit.   Title: Living in the Ways of the Spirit   Galatians 5:1 The reason Jesus set us free is so we could live in freedom from slavery to the Law. So, we need to believe in our freedom and not become subject to following the Law.    From Paul’s perspective, after his conversion to Christ, life without Jesus is a life of slavery to sin and if we are trying to overcome our sin without Jesus it is a life of slavery to the Law.   In Galatia, the people were being influenced by teachers who wanted them to go back to the Jewish Laws and be obedient to them. Paul is arguing that it is an either-or proposition. Either you seek to be justified with God by obeying the Law or you follow Jesus. And he reminds people often that we cannot be justified by obeying the Law unless we obey it perfectly every moment of our lives; which no one can do.   Grace...

  Scripture: Galatians 5:25 If we say we desire to live by the plan of the Holy Spirit, then we must walk in the ways of the Spirit.   Title: Walking in the Spirit   1 We all arrived safely to shore on this island called Malta. 2 The people of the island kindly reached out to us, building a large fire in the midst of the rain and cold. 3 Having picked up some wood, Paul put it into the fire. As he did, a snake running from the heat, latched onto his hand. 4 The islanders made the comment, "This man is a murderer. Justice has been done since he escaped the sea." 5 Paul removed the snake, put it back in the fire and felt no reaction. 6 Expecting him to swell up and die, the people saw no reaction and changed their minds, saying he must be a god. 7 The head official of the island, Publius, owned a home near the beach. He invited us up to his home and took care of us for three days. 8 Paul visited Publius' father who was suffering from a fever. He placed his hands...

  Scripture: Acts 27:34 “I am confident that we will all make it safely to land.”   Title: In the Midst of the Storm, Seek to Help Others   Acts 27:1 Julius, a centurion who was a part of the Imperial Regiment, escorted Paul and other prisoners onto a ship bound for Italy. 2 The ship was from Adramyttium and was planning to stop at ports along the southern coast of Asia. Some of us went along on the trip including Aristarchus, who was from Thessalonica in Macedonia. 3 We landed in Sidon the following day and Julius allowed Paul to visit some friends who had additional provisions for him. 4 Our next leg of the trip took us past Cyprus. 5 We landed at Myra in Lycia, after we crossed the open sea. 6 It was there we found a ship from Alexandria heading for Italy and Julius took us all on board. 7 The trip was slow because of the winds, and many days later we arrived off the coast near Cnidus. While we wanted to go towards Italy, we altered the course to the southwe...