Message from the Chair

by Cindy Costerison

Life today can be difficult to navigate. We live in a world that is in turmoil, hearing voices that tell us what is right and what is wrong, yet when we see it through a Biblical worldview, these perspectives are proven faulty. We are divided in our towns, cities, counties, states, and our country. We make laws that save baby animals, but end the lives of baby humans. And people are angry. Angry at everything they don’t agree with, and angry with those who have differing beliefs. They march, they protest, and they make a lot of noise. It is confusing and disruptive to our daily lives.

Where does this divisiveness and animosity come from? John 10:10 says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy”, but the good news is, it doesn’t stop there. It goes on to say, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” These were Jesus’ words at a time when there was conflict over His claims to be the Messiah. Jesus explained that spiritual blindness was the cause of their unbelief.

The thief is, of course, Satan. He wants to destroy our cities, counties, country, and our world. He wants to kill our hopes and dreams and our joy. And he wants to steal our belief in a good and gracious Savior. It is critical that we open our spiritual eyes, and filter what we see and hear through the Word of God. His Word is truth and we can trust in it. We must live out our faith at all times, demonstrating, but not preaching to the world, that there is a truth they can believe in, hope in, and trust.

When many people are surrendering to the ways of the world, we must always go to God. When our humanness makes us want to lash out in anger, or participate in divisiveness, we must resist the schemes of the devil and focus on what we know to be true.“

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.” ~Psalm 28:7