Psalm 34:1-7Notes From the Pastor's Desk #notesfromthepastorsdesk 📖Psalm 34:1-7 (ESV) I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 📘Pastor's Note: For me, this is one of the most beautiful psalms found in the book. It's a psalm that boasts about the only thing worthy of boasting about—our Lord! In this psalm of David, he is crying out in praise and worship to the Lord. He can't help but have praise for the Lord "continually" in his mouth. Not only in his mouth but also in his soul, he boasts in Him. From the depth of his soul comes forth praise and boasting in the Lord! David's cry is "Magnify the Lord with me!! Let's exalt His Name together!!" Then he goes on to say why. The Lord is not some mythical creature that cannot be found. When truly sought, the Lord is found and will answer and deliver you/me from all our fears! He is the God that hears when the poor man cries out! Not only does our God hear, but He also takes action upon the one that humbly cries out! "He saved him out of all his troubles!!" My dear friends, what a mighty God we serve that encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them!! Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Have a blessed week. Magnify the Lord with me on this precious day the Lord has made. 🙏I'm praying for you always. ❤️ Pastor Jamie Read the Chapter: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2034&version=ESV Learn more about us: www.mygpchurch.com/whoweare  John 11:35Notes From the Pastor's Desk #notesfromthepastorsdesk 📖John 11:35 (ESV) Jesus wept. 📘Pastor's Note: In this well-known story from John's Gospel, the account is the shortest but perhaps one of the most impactful verses in the Bible. John's dear friend Lazarus had died, and Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, were understandably mourning the loss of their beloved brother. As Jesus arrived in the village, Mary arose, ran out to meet him, and fell at his feet, saying, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Seeing her weeping, the scripture notes that Jesus was "deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled." He wept with her, fully aware that He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. He could have said, "Stop your crying and watch what I'm about to do!" But He didn't; He wept with her. There's a lot to this story, but let me simply point out that Jesus joined her in weeping because of His great compassion. He empathized with her, feeling the distress of her broken heart and crying with her. That's compassion. That's what it means to mourn with those who mourn. Do we show this type of compassion with others? Do we shed tears when others shed tears? Compassion involves bearing the pains of someone going through a difficult time. How great is it that we serve a God who not only sympathizes with us but literally weeps alongside us, having compassion on us! Today, look for an opportunity to show Christlike compassion to someone. 🙏I'm praying for you always. ❤️ Pastor Jamie Read the Chapter: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011&version=ESV Learn more about us: www.mygpchurch.com/whoweare  Colossians 2:1-3Notes From the Pastor's Desk #notesfromthepastorsdesk 📖Colossians 2:1-3 (ESV) For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 📘Pastor's Note: This letter, written by Paul, specifically these verses of scripture, speaks to me and demonstrates Paul’s heart for God’s people, His church. The word “struggle” means to strive for, to fight for. It paints the picture of forceful, almost violent effort on behalf of the saints of God. This is the heart of a shepherd. His main concern, second only to his relationship with the Lord, is the flock of God. All a shepherd wants is to encourage and knit together one another in love so that they reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of Christ. I feel Paul’s heart. I believe as a pastor, this deep love and desire for God’s people to know Him more, to grow in their faith, to be transformed by the washing of His word is at the heart of a shepherd’s calling. For me personally, much of my time is spent in prayer, that I will “struggle” for the flock God has charged me to care for. Sometimes, I ask myself, do I struggle enough for them? Does the flock know how much I truly love them? Do I care for them well enough? Maybe those are questions that further spur me on to struggle more and more for those that belong to Him. Pray for me and all pastors that have this calling on their lives, that we will “struggle” well in our service to the Lord, caring for His people. 🙏I'm praying for you always. ❤️ Pastor Jamie Read the Chapter: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%202&version=ESV Learn more about us: www.mygpchurch.com/whoweare  Mark 1:16-17Notes From the Pastor's Desk #notesfromthepastorsdesk 📖Mark 1:16-17 (ESV) 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 📘Pastor's Note: Following Jesus redefines our purpose in life. The once lowly fisherman, whose efforts were focused on catching fish, now casts his net to catch men. Our new purpose is rooted in our identity in Christ, as we live to make His name known to a lost world so that others can be saved by believing the Gospel. It shouldn't escape our thoughts that the first disciples Jesus called were lowly fishermen. The King of glory calls, saves, and uses common vessels to accomplish His divine work of proclaiming the good news of salvation. The depth and breadth of God's knowledge and love are profound. What a wonderful friend and Savior we have in Jesus! Have you ever asked God, "How can You use such a lowly person as myself?" Well, I'd say that your question is a good starting point to understand that He came to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. Today, I encourage you to cast your nets! Have a blessed week. 🙏I'm praying for you always. ❤️ Pastor Jamie Read the Chapter: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201&version=ESV Learn more about us: www.mygpchurch.com/whoweare  |
AuthorPastor Jamie Payton 
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