A glimpse at Sunday services
and messages in 2022
December 18, 2022
Christmas Is Coming!
In fact, next weekend there are three Christmas services scheduled at Good Shepherd—on Saturday (Christmas Eve) and Sunday (Christmas Day).
The early service with children’s pageant for Christmas Eve has been outdoors the past two years, but the forecast calls for temps below freezing all day, so even with firepits we are likely to move that one inside.
Christmas Weekend Schedule
Christmas Eve early—4:30 p.m.
Christmas Eve late—10:10 p.m., candles and communion
Christmas Day—10:10-11:00 a.m., simple Christmas celebration
For this Sunday, the final lead up to Christmas, please don’t miss our big and powerful Christmas music (including some surprises from young musicians), and our ongoing journey into Isaiah.
Even in the dark years and prophecies of chapters 1-39, there are rays of unmistakable light and hope. See chapter 12, and ask yourself before worship: What is my strength and my song?”
See you on Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this cold and dark December morning as he explores Isaiah 12.
December 11, 2022
Friends of the Shepherd
“Friends of the Shepherd” is actually a very meaningful greeting. If indeed the shepherd is the Good Shepherd, then it is He who has come to those who are like sheep without a shepherd—wanderers going their own way—and to His own who know His voice and He knows our names. The Shepherd brings light into our darkness and also brings life from what seemed dead.
On Sunday, we will hear of the Shepherd from the testimony of Isaiah 11. Last week, we left off stumped. This week, we will proceed into life from petrified wood. And I promised an opening note from Shel Silverstein’s classic children’s book, The Giving Tree.
Sunday is another story time in which we find hope and encouragement. I invite you all to gather!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s laundry room talk as he dives farther into Isaiah.
December 4, 2022
Ponder the Prophet
This Sunday in worship we will arrive at week two in the book of Isaiah. Remember the narrative versus normative exploration from the Route 316 series? If not, Isaiah 6 offers us a glimpse into the narrative of an incredibly rare moment of human entry into the throne room of God. It is both humbling and terrifying, and yet also encouraging. It is by no means normative in terms of what we might expect personally.
Join me as we see where Isaiah’s call to communicate originates. What are we called to communicate—humility and hope, fire and fear? There is actually a hot-coal moment, but the fire and brimstone is deeply personal, and it brings humility and honor at the same time.
The passage concludes with Isaiah’s saying to the Lord, “Here I am, send me.” This reminds me of another humble servant of the Lord called to a perilous journey. Mary says to Gabriel in Luke 1: “May it be to me as you have said.”
Can we respond to the Lord like that? If not, what is the cost?
Come alongside on Sunday, December 4 to learn more!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this crisp December morning.
November 27, 2022
The Power of the Pause
I know, I know—I feel it too. Christmas is practically here. A mild mixed wave of delight and panic and nostalgic nudges is upon us. But before you go there, please pause with me.
Can you imagine a 400-year pause? Actually that’s an absurd question. None of us can, but we ought to look back at that span of time when God was quiet. Those were the decades and centuries between the last words of the prophets and the arrival of the Messiah.
Pausing is important, and pondering in the pause has great power and value. For December and beyond, we will look into the writings of the prophet Isaiah.
The Word is life, and light and has come to dwell among us. Walk in it. Wait upon it.
In preparation, please view this overview of Isaiah 1-39 on YouTube.
See you Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s laundry room talk on this chilly morning in late November, for the first of many dives into Isaiah.
November 20, 2022
John 3:16—Last Stop of Route 316
Based on my arithmetic, this is week 22 on Route 316. I did not plan a 22-week sermon series in 2022, but it’s kind of cool to me!
We began on June 26 with 2 Timothy 3:16, which says, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”.
And in these 22 weeks, we have explored much, but not all scripture, and I hope that you have found, as I have, that God’s Word is way more of a love letter of rescue and redemption than a rule book of legalistic forced behaviors.
God’s Word is God’s Son Jesus, and what was Jesus’s plan for His mission to the World? His mission is captured in the granddaddy of all 3:16 verses:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NIV)
This Sunday, we will explore the that whoever believes of John 3:16. My hope is that you will find a destination here and not distraction in the heart of the Gospel.
As you prepare, please take 10 minutes to watch this YouTube video. It is an amazing presentation of this famous verse in the Bible.
Sunday’s coming—let’s gather!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk, which begins with Ephesians 3, on this late-November morning.
November 13, 2022
The End of the Road Is in Sight
We are coming down the home stretch on Route 316. But don’t get off the road just yet.
The last two weeks in this series are straight from the heart of the Lord and the pen of the apostle John. Apostle literally means messenger, and he writes a love verse both in his Gospel and in the three letters that bear his name.
In John 13, where Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, the love of the Lord is fully expressed but comes with a cost. For us to express this love to others, we will bear a cost as well.
Where am I going with this? The better question is, what is John’s message to his readers?
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:16-18 (NIV)
Clearly, there is a lot to talk about in three simple verses and a biblical mirror to hold up to ourselves. Come and see this Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
November 6, 2022
The Journey Continues
Good morning, COGS families and friends. Including today, we have three more weeks on the long journey of Route 316. Today we go down a personal memory lane in Colossians 3:12-17. It’s personal, because it was read at our wedding in 1985.
So, does that make this truth and counsel and love letter obsolete, like my tux from that era or my cassette tapes or VHS or land line? If anything, the Word is richer now than ever!
This is an election week, and Thanksgiving is around the corner. So, going into these battleground moments, do we as Christ followers put on battle gear or enter a defensive and negative posture?
Far from it. Paul writes that the peace of Christ can and should rule, and he offers marching orders to set our hearts and minds, not on earthy matters, but on things above. Above all, Paul implores us: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Yes, he goes to meddling, but it’s meddling that matters and is a mandate.
Hop on board with worship this morning at 10:10 a.m., and/or with the garden talk, which actually was from my garage.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk from his garage on this glorious November morning.
October 30, 2022
Rough Road Ahead
On the road of life, there are certain stops that shouldn’t be avoided. In the west, we should see the Grand Canyon. Near the Great Lakes, we should see Niagara Falls. In New York City, we should see Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State Building.
On Route 316, we have to stop in the book of Romans, but the verse 3:16 reads, “ruin and misery mark their ways.” Dad, can’t we just drive by this historical marker?
A month or so ago, we went down the gravel road and did not camp at Mt. Misery. That was a tale of trials beyond our control. The Romans road is a path of our own choosing.
Let’s gather on Sunday and talk about detours!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk from his back porch on this chilly October morning.
October 23, 2022
Revisiting the Difficult Roads Traveled
Sometimes on the road of life, there are places we want to stop again. We go back time and again to the places we love to be, like a favorite vacation spot or a particularly exceptional overlook. Sometimes, though, we have to revisit places out of necessity, to address wrongs or to help us heal.
This week, we will revisit Acts on Route 3:16 through God’s word. We will see that when we re-walk the painful stretches of our journey by telling our own story to others, we are better able to see where God was by our side during times we found especially difficult. We will also see that we can make peace with the “beautiful” beginnings that didn’t look quite so good when we were trudging through them the first time.
With God’s divine timing and His perfect plan in each of our lives, we can make sense of the valleys that we all walk through at some point. Sometimes, by looking back, we can better recognize God’s redemptive power and grace at work in us.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: You can watch a video of Leah Moore’s teaching testimony and song that she shared at today’s service on the COGS Facebook page.
October 16, 2022
Knock, Knock
So, the Lord is calling you, if you haven’t figured that out yet. But, how to answer and what He wants are perpetually perplexing. As with much of life, we tend to make things more complicated than they are or need to be. God’s primary call is simply to get up off our mat and follow.
For consideration this week, let’s look at a young man named Samuel and his story with the matter of call. Lest you think I have lost my way, the passage in 1 Samuel reads:
Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
1 Samuel 3:16 (NIV)
A couple of other teaser tidbits from the narrative are:
In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
1 Samuel 3:1 (NIV)
The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.
1 Samuel 3:19 (NIV)
In between is a wonderful account that will give us insight.
Yes, we are in the final month of route 316 Sundays. Let’s finish well!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s backyard chat amid the calls of wildlife.
October 9, 2022
Swords or Plowshares?
Just to avoid confusion, a plowshare is the primary cutting blade of an antiquated tool used by farmers for tilling soil. Now that the definition is clear, let’s consider some curious references to swords and plowshares in the Bible.
The 3:16 passage for tomorrow comes from the book of Judges. The reference is to a leader of Israel named Ehud, who takes a double-edged sword strapped to his thigh on an aggressive mission of national importance.
Fast-forward to the book of Hebrews, and we hear its writer comparing the word of God to a double-edged sword. In the book of Isaiah, the prophet suggests a day when swords will be no more and plowshares will be the only use of sharpened iron.
So, which is it—sword or plowshare? What if it’s both? What if God chooses to use his word as a sword or a plow to till the soil of hardened hearts and barren lives?
It has been my observation that far too often, followers of Christ take up the sword as a bludgeon or a weapon against those for whom Christ died and we are called to love. Ephesians does tell us that the word of God as a sword is part of our full armor. I acknowledge this can be a bit confusing.
Let’s explore the concept of this double-edged sword tomorrow in worship. I hope you can join me live or online!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this chilly Sunday morning in early fall.
October 2, 2022
How Do We Hear From God?
As you continue your journey of life, how do you hear what you need to hear? Are ear buds in too much? Is the volume on your device too loud? Do you fear what you will hear when it gets quiet?
On our Route 316 road trip through Scripture, we arrive at Ezekiel 3:16 on Sunday, October 2. The verse simply says, “The word of the Lord came to me on the seventh day.”
How do we read and receive this? Is this normal or narrative? In other words, is this how it works for everyone, or, just for Ezekiel at this moment?
Jesus says, “They who have ears to hear, let them hear.”
Elijah was told to listen for God and His “still small voice.”
James said, “Be quick to listen and slow to speak.”
Let’s learn how to listen to the Lord.
See you on Sunday.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
September 25, 2022
An Oasis on Route 316
I have nothing against truck stops. The traveling Martins have needed the three Rs often over the years:
Refueling
Restaurants (preferably with indoor playground)
Rest rooms
On our travels though, wouldn’t we rather stop at an oasis? We are coming up to one in 2 Corinthians 3:16-17. It’s such a rich retreat that it made The Sign!
This Sunday, come to COGS to hear about:
A turn or return to the Lord
A veil or shroud that was lifted
A liberty realized
The forecast for the weekend will correspond to the text!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
September 18, 2022
God Is Big Enough for Your Gripes
So, this week the meandering journey on Route 316 takes us down a gravel road. But not just any gravel road. This one is potholed with (see Lamentations, chapter 3):
Affliction
Aging
Bitterness
Darkness
Predators
Roadblocks
Silence
Traps
This 18-verse list of grievances is in the Bible, and the author attributes all of the blame on God!
What do you think? Is griping to God okay? Is there grace in the gravel?
Drive over on Sunday and let’s explore these questions.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s Saturday evening message recorded from the beach.
September 11, 2022
Hitchhiker or Trusted Friend on Route 316?
Tomorrow at Good Shepherd, we will pick up Joel and let him say his piece. Is Joel 3:16 his piece or our peace?
With any reading of God’s Word, we need to ask the question: Lord, what is the truth in this account that You want to impart or impact my journey and soul?
The Lord will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;
the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.
Joel 3:16 (NIV)
The Lord will roar …
The Lord will be a refuge …
The Lord will be a stronghold for the people …
Joel, as we will see, is a well-read traveler. As we share our morning drive with him, what is the heart of what he is saying?
Tomorrow is also 911 Sunday. Where is God when we call 911? Does Joel have part of the answer? Much to unpack.
Come and see—10:10 a.m. on Sunday at COGS.
Pastor Jay
P.S.: One of our COGS family sent both of these images today. Someone else is onto the 316 thing, don’t you think?
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message on this date of calamitous memories.
September 4, 2022
Rest in Truth and Love This Labor Day
If you have been remotely connected with Good Shepherd worship this summer, you will be all too familiar with our road trip down Route 316.
Back in June, we started the journey with the only known destination being John 3:16. And yes, for God does love the world enough to give His only son that all who receive and believe would not perish.
Since then, you and I have listened to other voices from antiquity bring fresh and new angles on the journey. We have also explored their content, context and character to gain wisdom and understanding of how big, how merciful, and how intimately present the Lord is on all roads of life.
This Labor Day weekend, we are going to hear from the other three gospel writers, who cry out from their respective perspectives, “what about us?”
In Luke 3:16. John the Baptizer sees cousin Jesus approaching. He tells the gathered crowd that Messiah is here, and that he, John, is not even worthy to untie his sandals, and that Jesus will baptize with fire.
In Matthew 3:16. Speaking of baptism, when Jesus is baptized, Matthew notes the explosion of fatherly love that echoes from on high: “This is my Son.”
In Mark 3:16. Jesus is now baptized and catalyzed after his 40 days in the desert, and he selects the first 12 disciples.
And the mission begins. Come on over on Sunday to COGS, and see how these three accounts of Good News tie together and still matter!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message about the continued journey on Route 316.
August 28, 2022
On the Road Again …
Good morning, Good Shepherd faithful. Summer travel is winding down, but our Route 316 journey continues (without Willie Nelson).
Today we revisit ancient Babylon, where our cast of four enslaved Hebrews are stuck for decades with no apparent way out. And yet, they are faithful to their God and ours, and God is their defender even in exile.
Psalm 18 is a wonderful encouragement on the pattern of devotion to one who can and does defend and deliver, and the corresponding moment of need in which God shows up:
I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
Which moves to:
He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
Psalm 18:1-3, 16-19 (NIV)
Are you in exile of sorts, under attack, but not right now? You will be—take the time to ready yourself relationally with the God, who defends and loves you and delights in you.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
P.P.S.: Prayer Post Script
Continue to pray fervently for the Hamblin family, as last Sunday Jan was diagnosed with a mass on her brain and had subsequent surgery on Monday. She is awaiting pathology and next steps moving forward.
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message for fellow travelers from his garden on this final August Sunday.
August 21, 2022
Split Decision
What informs the decisions you make every day? Do some come back to haunt you?
The Lord—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—made a love decision from the beginning of time that our redemption from sin and death was worth the sacrifice of a son, an only son.
This week on our Route 316 journey through God’s word, at exit 9 we take an ancient path through 1 Kings chapter 3. There we meet Solomon (widely considered the wisest king of Israel) and are led through a brief narrative of a marriage, a prayer, and a moment of life-or-death discernment.
The final verse in the chapter reads, “When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.”
Back to my question at the top, “What informs your decisions?” Are you ready for a split-second call? Let’s explore the Lord’s provision here and how we get there.
Can’t wait for another morning together at the feet of Jesus!
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message about Kings highway from his garden on this sultry August day.
August 14, 2022
The Family Road Trip
What do these words call to mind? Recently I heard a distinction made between a vacation and a family trip—while both are good things, one is draining and the other renewing. Is that your experience? Route 316 through the Bible is no vacation, but it is renewing and energizing and equipping.
This week, Jesus’s brother, James, offers up this nugget of truth:
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
James 3:16 (NIV)
Not to be outdone, Wisdom in Proverbs gives this accolade:
“Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.”
Proverbs 3:16 (NIV)
Notice that Wisdom in Proverbs is given the female gender.
Both of these 3:16s once again call us to consider content, context and character.
Do you seek wisdom? Do you desire riches and honor? Do you want to avoid disorder and every evil practice? My guess is yes to all of the above.
Then—come with me on another family road trip at COGS this Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he returns to his garden on this glorious August day.
August 7, 2022
Welcome to August!
My hope and prayer for you and me is for hope in our journey through these sweltering days, where the crisp feel of a 60s morning feels so, so far away. So rather than slog through the swamp of summer life in the south, let’s take a …
Road Less Traveled
The Route 316 summer journey through scripture fast-forwards to Revelation this week, and the curious and disgusting declaration of the Lord that He will spit or vomit out of His mouth a church that He finds neither hot nor cold. A pot hole passage for sure!
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:16 (NIV)
Well … Jonah was spit up on the beach, and the Lord loved him anyway. What are we to do with this messy message?
Come on Sunday or tune in on Facebook livestream to find out.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
July 31, 2022
Working for Peace?
Another week—another detour off of Route 316. This week, we survey a lovely sentiment of thanks from Thessalonians:
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
Isn’t that beautiful? A bit of a walk-off verse, right? Peace at all times and in every way, and the Lord is with us all. How does this work out, though? All times in every way?
Speaking of work: Does work destroy our peace or contribute to it? Didn’t Genesis 3:16-17 record work as a curse? As the Beatles once sang, it is a long and winding road.
Take a detour on Sunday for a broader look at 2 Thessalonians 3, and the promise of peace in a very counterintuitive way.
I love sharing this journey with you all.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to guest pastor Peter Hartwig’s sermon on this final morning of July 2022.
July 24, 2022
Route 316: EP (Extended Play)
Back in the 20th century, the abbreviation EP stood for extended play record. Do you remember this? I am guessing most of my readers here are over 40. An extended play record could handle eight tracks or songs and was played at a different speed. Life now seems to run at a another speed: SP, short play or speed play.
In our biblical journey through the Route 316 passages, we sometimes take the scenic route, and other times the “autobahn”, where we go as fast as possible.
On Sunday, we are going to EP—slower extended play, and also Ephesians and Philippians 3:16s and surrounding verses. See what I did there? EP? This is not just to be clever.
Philippians 3:16 says, “Let us live up to what we have attained.” In other words, live up to your resume, do what you have prepared to do. That sounds like the sort of things that parents or bosses would say. Maybe you bristle at such direction?
That’s where the E of EP comes in. Same author, just two pages back in my Bible. Ephesians 3:16 says, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you through His Spirit in your inner being.”
The directive of P 3:16 is supported by the fuel of E 3:16.
The takeaway: The Lord never tells us to do anything that He has not equipped us to do!
Come on Sunday and learn more.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message on this sultry July morning.
July 17, 2022
The Highway of Love: Next Exit on Route 316
Is the path to love risky or rewarding? Is it paved or potholed? Is your answer “both”, “it depends” or “neither”? The short and simple and overused word love in the English language warrants regular and far deeper consideration.
This Sunday at Good Shepherd we will look at 1 John 3:16 and the content, context and character of the passage.
It was, after all, authored by the disciple whom Jesus loved—John. Travel over on Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message about 1 John 3:16 and surrounding verses.
July 10, 2022
The Journey Begins:
From Garage to the Highway on Route 316
Over the past two weeks, we have cranked up our study engine for a journey through the 3:16s of the Bible. Our first two overlook passages reinforced the sufficiency of God’s word for faith, practice and the power of Jesus’s name for healing and wholeness.
Those first two exits on Route 316 have been refreshing rest stops. The next one, at the beginning, is more of a crash site on the journey through the biblical narrative.
Genesis 3:16 is in the center of the narrative of what has been called “The Fall” of man. That verse describes a curse in raising children and in marriage as a result of the rebellion of Adam and Eve, who fell prey to the crafty serpent.
What do we do with this story in the bigger biblical witness? Come alongside and let’s explore the wreckage and the plan of redemption!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message recorded on this drippy July morning from his garden.
July 3, 2022
Grace, Peace and Hot Dogs Lie Ahead on Route 316!
This weekend, Church of the Good Shepherd has many components and opportunities to gather, to mourn, to celebrate, to worship and to feast. Please take time to process.
Thursday, July 1: We had a service of witness to the resurrection of Sam Murray, a follower of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, July 3: We visit Acts 3:16, and the power of the name of Jesus, at the second exit on the Route 316 series of messages through God’s word. Do some pre-trip planning—no $5.00 gas required for this journey!
Note: Click the image to the right to view it in a new browser window, or, click here, and then zoom in to read about the biblical account of 3:16. You can also download the image.
Monday, July 4: We invite all church family to a Griffin’s Beach hot dog cookout. Bring a side and casual wear for festing, fellowship and frolicking on the Pamlico River, thanks to the gracious invitation of the Lee family.
Gather at the beach at 11:30 a.m. Lunch follows at noon. Tents, tables and toilets provided.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message recorded on this cool and serene July morning from his garden.
June 26, 2022
Announcing a New Summer Message Series: The 3:16s
Okay, this will date me because if you are younger than 40 you may not remember the “rainbow man”. This fellow seemed to be omnipresent at every major sporting event, with his trademark multi-colored wig, sign “John 3:16”, and T-shirt “Jesus Saves”. See the photo for a refresher. And you know that verse, right?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NIV)
End of story, yes? Well, yes, and so much more to encourage and ponder. In the 66 books of the Bible, there are many chapter 3s that go at least 16 verses, and many of them are rather profound and others more troubling.
For example, at the beginning:
To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”
Genesis 3:16 (NIV)
In the end:
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:16 (NIV)
In the middle:
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
That’s more what we want to read, right? My temptation, and I would guess yours too, is to linger longer in God’s word, which makes us feel good. There are other places, however, that we believe are true, which we are responsible to read and grow from.
My goal this summer is to take on eight to 10 of those 3:16s, and to help one another with context, and let the fullness of the word and the presence of the spirit open the eyes of our hearts.
We will start with Paul’s second letter to young spiritual son Timothy, in which his 3:16 reads:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
See, I added verse 17! We need context and not just a verse here and there.
Come on out and let’s take highway 316 through God’s word.
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message recorded on this cool June morning from his garden.
June 19, 2022
Why Is Father’s Day Just Another Sunday?
Some twenty-five summers ago, I found myself in Brother T’s church outside Montego Bay, Jamaica on a mission trip with my youth group from Tennessee. I have told this tale time after time, but that’s what dads do, right?
Father’s Day 1997 was filled with surprises. Surprise one was the expectation that any visiting pastor would have a word for the whole flock. I was the visiting pastor and was a bit more timid than I am today. When called upon to speak, I blanked and said something like, “Grace and peace, and Jesus loves you, for the Bible tells me so!”
Second surprise was the Sunday school superintendent, an impressive and commanding woman who spoke after me and took all the absentee dads to task for being infidels. There was a bit of culture shock blended with truth about which I still think regarding many men and a disconnect with faith and the Father.
On Sunday we are going to look at an often-overlooked aspect of Jesus’s teaching on the Lord’s prayer—the opening greeting, “Our Father”. Why do we race for the goodies of provision—bread, pardon, forgiveness, and protection from temptation—and not stop to spend time with dear old dad?
A surprising song for Sunday speaks to this disconnect in the now in the lyrics of Cat’s in the Cradle. A bevy of worship songs invites us to run to the Father, not from Him, and to consider what the Father’s world is really all about.
It will be a classic all over-the-map COGS Sunday, but I can’t wait.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message on this Father’s Day blessed with uncommonly spring-like weather.
June 12, 2022
Let’s Keep SWIMming, COGS!
You will be on board if you have been following this stream of messages regarding the four pillars or essential components of the abundant life of a Jesus follower. If not, scroll down on this webpage to catch up. It will take you less than ten minutes, I promise.
This Sunday we dive into the waters of the “IM”, which is swimming shorthand for “individual medley”. In IM, an individual demonstrates prowess in all four major swimming stroke disciplines, or, a team of four alternates strokes for the good of the whole—like the various attributes given by the Spirit and outlined in Romans 12.
On Sunday, the message is on the essential nature of IM—Investment by Me—in our faith journey with the Lord!
You have heard me speak often of the unsatisfying practice of a pastor’s giving the flock one Chick-Fil-A nugget on a Sunday morning, and expecting the sheep to be healthy and have their fill. In like manner, getting fed on the truths of God’s word for 20 minutes once a week will leave you starving, or in the case of swimming, drowning at the deep end.
This week I had the honor to speak at the memorial service of local legend, Dot Moate. At the time of her Easter on May 31, Dot had read ahead in her devotional material through July 22. She had binged on God’s word. You all know how rare that is.
My prayer is that you are all open to an invitation to Invest more deeply in the richness of a daily discipline of diving into the depths of the divine.
Come or tune in this Sunday for more.
Pastor Jay
June 5, 2022
SWIM Meet at COGS Today
Have you gone for a swim in the river yet this summer? I have not but am ready for the water given the run of 95-degree days this week. But, there are gators in the Pamlico, right? Does that change anything?
SWIM has been our acronym the past six weeks: Serve, Worship, Invest, Meet. These are foundational pillars of the church.
So, are we swimming or do we fear the gators in the swimming hole?
We will look once again at the ‘M’ of SWIM—Meet. Sometimes meetings are inconvenient or even scary. Scripture has a relevant account in Daniel 3, where three friends are thrown into a blazing furnace, and yet they met. They also trusted the God who is powerful enough to save them from the fire and floods and predators of this world.
Do we know that there is strength in circles of followers who gather?
Leah Moore did a great job with this topic last week, and we will continue to reinforce that message on Sunday.
Come and gather!
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he continues his exploration of the church’s foundational pillars.
May 29, 2022
Why We Gather
This Memorial Day weekend we gather to remember, or at least we should gather to remember. But don’t we often fall into the trap of rat-race pace during which our busy lives leave us barren and lonely? Sorry to cast a cloud over the day but—Uvalde, Texas?
I don’t need to remind you of the darkness of discouragement and evil that is ever so real. Where do we find strength under the sapping heat of such horror? We gather and encourage each other!
The theme of the message on Sunday, May 29 is to remember that we need Christ-centered friendships in small groups to:
Listen to others’ interpretation of scripture and/or Bible study questions that shed new light and deepen our understandings of God’s presence and plan (and therefore our relationship with Christ).
Support and encourage (prayer warriors on call).
Become comfortable talking about Jesus in small groups, which better equips us to minister/share the gospel both one on one and in larger groups. When you’re used to bringing up Jesus in casual conversation with Christ-centered friends, it is easier to bring up Jesus in all situations and conversations.
To prepare for Sunday, look at the early church and what was important:
The Fellowship of the Believers
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
May 22, 2022
Sink or SWIM?
In the realm of self-help platitudes, “It’s time to sink or swim” makes the top ten, don’t you think? And yet in God’s economy of grace, He dove into the deep darkness of our distress so that we wouldn’t drown.
If I go up to the heavens you are there, if I make my bed in the depths you are there.
Psalm 139:8 (NIV)
Sunday at COGS we continue with a series of messages built around the acronym SWIM: Serve, Worship, Invest, Meet. We also celebrate high school graduation for a handful of young women and men at a crossroads and about to dive into some deep waters of their own.
My dual challenge to them and to you and the full flock will be built around the question, “Are you going to SIM or SWIM?” To SIM I will assert, is to simulate a walk with the Lord, without the W of worship of one who is worthy.
How does a worshipful life look? Jesus’s brother, James, thought this:
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
James 1:27 (NIV)
Paul says this in his epic letter to the church at Rome:
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
Come together tomorrow to worship and walk with these young graduates and assure them together that we who follow Christ are never alone!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message for this glorious spring day.
May 15, 2022
Worship
Our pastor, Jay Martin, will be away this Sunday enjoying friends and family. He’s asked me to speak on his behalf. What an honor! The topic is worship. Pretty broad, right?
The Lord has put on my heart to ask these two questions: 1) How does worship look in our lives as individuals and as a church; and, 2) What impact does it have on heaven?
If you’re curious, if you’re on the fence, if you show up on Sundays but really don’t know why, or if you don’t want to hear about a Jesus who has never done it for you, come to Good Shepherd this Sunday at 10:10 a.m. I’m telling you this because I feel like it’s a topic that has really hit home for me, and I believe that you may hear something that sparks an interest. Come to the table!
Blessings,
Leanne Lee
May 8, 2022
Moms on a Mission
This Sunday, May 8, we engage week two of an eight-week series of messages built around the broad topic of, What is Church?
Last Sunday, COGS’s own mom on a mission, Caroline Collie, shared her insights on the areas of unmet expectations and our response to disappointments with the dragon within. She shared personal accounts of our Lord’s bringing peace as we are tempted to surrender to the temptation to succumb to the traps that a broken world sets for us.
The mission of Jesus was to enter into that broken world and achieve victory over the dual curses of death and sin. He came as well to bind up the broken hearted, give sight to the blind and set captives free. Having modeled that life of relational rescue, His command was, love as you have been loved.
Tomorrow as Mother’s Day, we won’t take a break from this series, but rather, will lean into the nature of motherhood as a mission that goes well beyond biological birthing.
The mission of a mom is the message of sacrificial servanthood.
Come worship and celebrate tomorrow at Church of the Good Shepherd.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message for Mother’s Day.
May 1, 2022
What Is Church?
Is it a place to go, a people to know, a performance or show?
A church built on the foundation for which it was intended has four pillars on which it lives and thrives.
Church is a way and a gathering for giving worth to something bigger—the Lord. Church is community and is plural—we meet in circles not just rows. Church is a walk in which individuals must feed on spiritual food to keep pace. And, church is a life-giving station from which we go to serve the world—it is not a club.
Over the next eight weeks, we will ponder these pillars two weeks at a time. You will hear from pastor and people in the COGS community whose witness and ability to communicate trustworthy truth will bless and build us up to be more faithful to our shepherd Jesus.
Come alongside and find strength!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
April 24, 2022
The Gospel and John
This week at Good Shepherd we will celebrate the love and life of Jesus in a founding and foundational friend of this flock—John Hobbs.
John had his Easter earlier this year at the robust age of nearly 80 years, but to his last breath had a passion for introducing friends new and old to Jesus and to his “daddy”. John was a lawyer, pastor, evangelist, son, husband and father to many who came to faith by means of his witness.
One of John’s contemporaries, Ken Hesler, will be in town to share a few tales of his adventures and encounters with John in ministry and being an ambassador of grace.
This is another Sunday you do not want to miss!
For an epic eleven-minute John Hobbs moment, please listen to the narrative story of the “Woman with the Rose Tattoo”.
See you on Sunday!
Pastor Jay
Update: In lieu of Jay’s morning message, view “A Father’s Heart”, a 30-minute YouTube video message that John Hobbs delivered two years ago.
John Hobbs
April 17, 2022
Brilliant Light From the Deepest of Darkness
There was what seemed to be a brutal end to the Jesus movement. In the dark there was an arrest, a brutal beating, a mock trial and an unjust sentence. The cries of “crucify him” split the pre-dawn calm of Jerusalem. There was the walk, the nailing, and the suffering death.
And then the wait, but for what? His disciples and even his mother seemed to have no hope.
We must face this darkness to value the light. We must arise to embrace the impossible reality that redemption has come, the veil of separation has been torn and that a resurrected life is the plan.
Come and gather on Sunday morning at Griffins Beach off River Road for sunrise service by the fire at 6:30 a.m. Easter celebration worship follows at 10:10 a.m. and a feast at 11:30 a.m. (chicken and barbecue provided).
He IS risen.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
April 10, 2022
The Cup Is Deep—Be Glad
If you circle high and holy days on your church calendar, Sunday should make your top three!
Palm Sunday is rightly remembered as the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly on a colt to the loud Hosannas of the throngs of followers on hand for the Passover feast later in the week. Hosanna is generally translated “praise God”, but a more thorough rendering is “praise the God who saves us”.
In ancient days, it was customary for a conquering king to enter a capital city on a stallion with a report of the victory over the oppressors that he and his army had won. He had saved his people.
With Jesus, the crowd seemed to look past the small stature of his steed, but still embraced a misguided expectation of military conquest. Surely this king will save us by conquest as well?
Was Jesus intentionally deceptive? Not in the least—His approach to Jerusalem was a sign of a much larger conquest than the crowds could even imagine. The victory over the dual oppressors of sin and death would be thorough and complete and everlasting. And … this conquest would come with the greatest of cost.
A full understanding centers around the depth of the cup of Christ. A cup of suffering became a cup of salvation.
Grasp this with me and never drink the same way again.
See you Sunday.
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message recorded from his home about the cup of Christ.
April 3, 2022
Child-like or Child-ish?
Do you remember the story? Jesus rebukes 12 grown men, full of themselves as His disciples, for keeping the children away from Him. He then issues this radical proclamation: “I tell you the truth, until you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Rarely does this combination of words come from the Lord’s mouth, “Until you change … you will never”.
My concern in interpretation is that we are pretty good at being child-ish, but greatly lacking at being child-like.
Is your faith marked with:
Asking questions like a child?
Loving and pleasing like a child?
Awe and wonder like a child?
Come and gather on Sunday, and we will explore the characteristics of a child of God.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
March 27, 2022
The Lord Is Always Beside Us
Are you fighting your battles alone? I am not so naive as to think that you live in a place of perpetual peace. I certainly live day to day with internal and external struggles. Not surprisingly, God’s word speaks truth and encouragement into the melee and the war within and outside us.
Paul begins chapter 2 of the increasingly familiar letter to the church in Colosse as follows:
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ …
Colossians 2:1-3 (NIV)
The Lord provides community for conflict and friends for the fray! Isolation brings desolation and self-deprecation. The spirit of Jesus brings encouragement to the heart and unity in love.
Want to explore more? Come and see on Sunday at COGS.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message recorded fireside from his home on the struggle and fruit of life in Christ.
March 20, 2022
Fixing Our Fractures
There is a curious phrase in Paul’s letter to the rundown river town of Colosse, to which he dropped the enormous truth of the fulness of Jesus. He says in verse 21 of the opening chapter, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.”
What makes this curious to me is the linking of mind and behavior and our perceptions of God. To be alienated means to have no knowledge or communication. To be enemies in our minds means that we might not be enemies to our perceived adversary.
Does God ever seem to be your adversary? Be honest. What if our behavior has caused this hostility? What if our perceived adversary made the first move toward bridging the chasm? Isn’t that what reconciling is all about?
Give some thought to your relational chasms, and where God might act as an engineer of bridge-building. Would that bring you peace?
Let’s explore more on Sunday.
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message recorded from his garden for the first time in 2022 on this glorious spring-like day.
March 13, 2022
Our Spiritual Head and Heart
Have you heard the phrase, “The most important journey of all is just 18 inches”? Eighteen inches, give or take, is the distance between head and heart.
Romans 12:1-2 talks about how our lives and our hearts are transformed by the renewing of our minds. How much does your head space get in the way of the transforming of your heart and life?
As we dive deeper into the bigness of a small letter to a small river town, we encounter yet another of the huge claims that Paul makes about Jesus in Colossians 1:18-21.
And Jesus is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the first-born from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.
Let’s dwell on this passage on Sunday—the promise and the power of Jesus not just in our head, but also in the head of the body, the church! And in doing so to find peace.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he explores Colossians 1 on this chilly first day of Daylight Savings Time.
March 6, 2022
When the Main Thing Is More Than the Main Thing
As young parents a couple of decades ago, we embraced the wise counsel to present disobedient children with options once they reached an age of even modest reasoning. These conversations became sort of a “truth-about-consequences” chat. And rather than just say “don’t” or “no”, the directive often became, “stay away from this behavior” and instead “embrace this path forward”. Even so, many times “no” just had to suffice!
In his letter to the Colossian church, spiritual father Paul warns against dangerous behavior and beliefs. “Don’t hold onto human tradition and experience”, he says. “Embrace instead the abundant life of obedience to the Word of God.”
The main thing was the truth of God’s word for peaceful living. Beyond the main thing, however, was much more—the man thing. God became man in Jesus while retaining and remaining the fullness of God himself.
Sunday at COGS we will look at Jesus at both the center and at the boundary or frontier of the human journey. Deep waters indeed. But the plunge will pay off.
Come and see!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to the sermon of our guest, Pastor Peter Hartwig, given today at COGS.
February 27, 2022
The Power of Life Together
Perhaps more than any season in our personal histories, over the past two years we have seen the community carnage that isolation and separation bring to the human spirit.
Followers of Jesus: Trust that we were made to gather and encourage, and yes, to live, laugh and love! God in His grace gives us a nudge and a narrative on how to do this gathering.
Small groups of believers are emerging around tables throughout the Good Shepherd flock, and over the eight weeks leading up to Easter, they will be feeding on the Word in addition to the provision for our earthly appetites.
The short, yet potent, letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Colosse will be the main course for table talk.
On Sunday, I will bring before you four verses laden with counsel—Colossians 4:2-6—in which we will fortify and nourish ourselves in a manner worthy of the family of God.
You are invited!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he explores Colossians from the warmth of his home. The ornery marmot was correct about the delayed arrival of spring.
February 20, 2022
Dedication Sunday
Just Thursday I had the joy of praying over the dedication of the library at our local community college. This was to honor the legacy of a lady named Louise Lester, the only sister in a family with five brothers. Louise grew in wisdom and stature and resource before the Lord all her life, and one of her legacies is a major financial gift to bless future learners.
In the beginning was the word after all.
Sunday at Good Shepherd will be an altogether different type of dedication. Three families will dedicate four children to the Lord for his care, for your prayer, and with the sure and certain hope that their lives and the temples of their little bodies will be the place that the Lord abides and remains in love and wisdom.
Come alongside in person or remotely and covenant with these families—the Taylors, McCoys and Comachos—as they chose to invite you, their family of Jesus followers, to walk alongside in the amazing gift of the next generation!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he shares the warmth of the Lord from his living room.
February 13, 2022
The Four-Fold Feast
Truth be told, in our oh-so-busy world, we are grazers and snackers when it comes to our dining habits. Am I right?
One of the grace-filled legacies of my childhood was a table to linger and savor.
Jesus chose the table—that table—the Last Supper to do some of his most profound teaching.
This Sunday we will savor the four courses of that meal. Dare to dine and to dig into the profound power of the table talk. Mark 14:12-26 and 22-26 is our reference point.
Come to the table and be nourished with the bread of His presence.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he dives into Mark and the four-course feast.
February 6, 2022
The Temple of Our Hearts and Souls
Do you have a temple, and who gets to come in? As it turns out, Jesus was rather passionate about His and His Daddy’s house.
As such, He conducted not one but two rather violent spring cleanings, and his concern was not dust bunnies or even animal waste, but rather human abuse of power and access to the grace of God.
Back to the question about your temple. This may seem a strange inquiry for a 21st-century American. I doubt you have a little shrine area that is considered holy, where you regularly bow down to its contents.
Or … do you have a man cave? A kitchen? A den with a 70-inch screen? A mobile space with a console or depth finder? Maybe we have temples after all.
Jesus’s passion runs deeper than buildings or garages or boats. His passion is for our hearts and very souls, and He gives them temple status! None of us wants to invite an unwanted guest into the temple of our home or heart, right?
Let’s continue to know Jesus and the surpassing joy of having Him take up residence.
Mark 11:11-18 will be our springboard.
See you at COGS to explore more!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he explores the truth of temple status.
January 30, 2022
Jesus Is a Ransom
What a friend we have in Jesus. Jesus is prophet, priest and king. Jesus is bread, light, life, door, way, truth and life. But Jesus is a ransom? (See Mark 10:45.)
Ransom is not a word we use or hear on a consistent basis. For me, the movie I think back to is a Mel Gibson thriller of the 90’s or several Liam Neeson films since then. An outraged father does what it takes in a heroic law-breaking vengeful quest to save his child.
God’s ransom note: The living word who is Jesus worked the narrative differently. Even so, I don’t know that we know that He truly gave His son to ransom sinners. Sinners also have this issue with not believing that we even need anyone to break our chains.
Let’s take an honest look at the matter this Sunday.
Fair warning: This is great news wrapped in a bloody package.
Are you ready for delivery?
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he dives into the concept of Christian ransom.
January 23, 2022
Good Morning Good Shepherd Faithful!
As I said in my little video sent to you yesterday: NO GATHERED WORSHIP this morning due to icy roads and parking (sorry to yell in all caps, but I didn’t want anyone to miss this message). You are not the frozen chosen, but you are God’s children dearly loved, and I have a message attached to talk about the journey with Jesus and the intent of interruptions.
In addition to the flow below there will be a Facebook Livestream message from my home at 10:10 a.m. on the Good Shepherd Facebook page.
Before you listen to the fireside chat message, I encourage this progression:
Audrey Assad—”Winter Snow”—video and song of praise.
Three-minute clip from “Groundhog Day”—Bill Murray, 1993. Watch for how he handles interruptions throughout the day after his speech on the square.
And after the message, watch this video, “O Praise Him”. Ask yourselves, when and where were you last interrupted for a moment with the Lord? Were you annoyed or anointed in the moment? Give it time to develop. Also ask yourself if you can connect with the Lord in your daily walk. Even on the streets of a huge city!
Blessings on your day,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he takes on Jesus and the intent of interruptions.
January 16, 2022
The Trap of Faulty Identity
Beloved and brilliant pastor Tim Keller recently asserted, “Modern Western culture tells its school children that they can and must individually choose their identity—they define who they are”.
Our God on the other hand offers this perspective on identity: “How great the love the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called children of God—and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)
Why does identity matter, and is this conflict of who decides who we are a new struggle?
In our ongoing walk with Mark in his Gospel, Jesus in chapter 10 encounters a wealthy young Jewish man, who seeks an answer from this rabbi Jesus. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”, he asks. This has been called the rich young ruler passage. Ironically, Jesus is a rich young ruler in his own right. But Jesus’s riches and inheritance are not what this man understands at the time.
This man had fallen to his knees and Jesus looked upon him and loved him (verse 21). Jesus also answered his question, essentially saying: “Eternal inheritance means you are ready to abandon your earthly treasure”. The identity crisis persisted, and he walked away. Does ours persist as well?
Do we have any grasp of the riches that Jesus offers? Do we assign our value and identity in status and treasure of this world in such a manner as to stifle our eternal inheritance?
Do you want to ponder this more?
Tune in on Sunday, January 16 in person at COGS. Otherwise, if climate, Covid, or convenience keeps you away, listen to the fireside chat version of the message, which will be posted here later in the day. You can also tune into the Facebook Livestream at 10:10 a.m.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he continues to dive into the book of Mark.
January 9, 2022
After the Mountaintop—What Now?
Good Shepherd friends and families, I am so eager to gather with you on Sunday after two weeks away. Week one was in the valley after a Covid exposure, which turned out negative, and week two was literally on the mountain with family, which was most positive!
In God’s perfect economy of timing with His living word, we come in our series of studies on Mark’s Gospel to the account of Jesus on the mountain with an inner circle of three disciples.
As you and I will refresh our remembrance of this moment, predictably one of the three wants to drop anchor in the sea of tranquility and just build houses—literally tabernacles on high.
Jesus would have none of it!
The mountain he teaches and personifies is preparation for and empowering in the valley.
Let’s help one another process the what-now of this highlands encounter.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message about the mountain of the Lord.
January 2, 2022
Happy New Year Good Shepherd Family!
This week at Good Shepherd we welcome back Bo Brooks, one of the many ministers and mentors among our flock, who will speak about Mark 1.
As Bo relates, “In verses 14-20, Jesus says to drop your nets and to follow Him. What ensnares you in the nets of life are what keeps us from following our Jesus.”
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Bo Brooks’s Sunday message, “Drop Your Nets”.
