Our Journey

By Pastor Hartman

We are on a journey, a spiritual walk toward our heavenly home. Sometimes we get weary and want to rest. That’s the time to stop and reflect on the most important things of life. It is then we realize that we are not alone. There are others, our brothers and sisters of the faith are on the same journey. There is our Savior, Jesus Christ, who walks along the path with us.

We will come to obstacles that seem insurmountable. Our faith will be tried. The enemy, Satan himself, will attempt to plant thoughts in our mind. That’s the time to stop and read the Word of God. The Scriptures provide spiritual strength for the journey. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

God’s plan for your life may include pain and suffering. But know this, it also includes peace and joy.

Reach out a hand to the One who loves you more than you could ever imagine. He’ll walk with you every step of the way. “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

Keep going! Keep your eye on the prize! You can make it! Heaven’s your destiny! We can make it together!

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Weather Predictions…

By Pastor Hartman

How many children (and adults) looked out their window this morning expecting to see snowflakes falling down? Before I left work yesterday a co-worker said her little girl was so excited: “Mommy, will we build a snowman tomorrow?” Her retort: “Baby, we’ll have to wait and see.”

As we chatted about weather predictions, she spoke of her daughter’s disappointment if she didn’t get to see snow and build that snowman. I told her she ought to crush some ice and put it in the freezer for her daughter. She said she was thinking about doing just that!

Will it snow in Savannah? Only God knows. We won’t know until we see snowflakes falling. Weather predictions are given to prepare us for conditions that may or may not happen. Not a bad idea to make preparations for any destructive storm that is anticipated. We tell our hospice patients and families that they must have a evacuation plan in place just in case emergency warrants an evacuation.

As we look to God and read His Word we read of end time predictions. Prophets in the Bible were not stoned to death just because their predictions didn’t come to pass immediately, but many people did hurl stones at God in the form of insults concerning prophecy. Take for example the predictive warning written in 2 Peter 3:4-7, The Message:

3-4 First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they’ll mock, “So what’s happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed.”

5-7 They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God’s word. Then God’s word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world. The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire. God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics.

If God said it, believe it. It will come to pass! End time destruction won’t be like a few snowflakes falling to the earth. In fact, it will be the worst destructive force that we have ever witnessed in our lifetime. It’s imperative that we heed Biblical warnings and prepare ourselves that we may take the only evacuation route available to mankind. We know that route to be through faith in Jesus and obedience to God’s Word.

It’s not a day to be haphazard in our lives regarding our eternal destination. Pray, seek God, be faithful in all things He commands of us. If we are faithful to him, he will be faithful concerning His promises to the us. Take for example 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And where do our sins go? He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). As far as the east is from the west,so far hath he removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12).

We have so many promises in God’s Word. I want all of the good ones, not the ones that relegate the unbeliever to destruction!

So, when is He coming? No man knows, but God does! Let’s prepare ourselves today for tomorrow’s forecast. God does not lie! Wrath and destruction will be coming for the unbeliever and Jesus is coming for the believer.

Be ready! Be prepared! A friend passes on the warning!

No Regrets!

By Pastor Hartman

Could’a – Should’a – Would’a.
Three unhappy Twins.
Their last name is Regret!

When men talk with men, the conversation will more than likely center around work.
It is no wonder; we get a lot of satisfaction from our jobs. Many times we define ourselves
by our work and accomplishments.

I don’t know how many times in conversation when I mention my military career as an Army Chaplain, I hear regrets. They go like this: “I wished I had stayed in the military. I would not have retired so many years ago, but I didn’t.” Sometimes I hear other say, “I thought about going in the chaplaincy, but I’m too old now.”

Sounds like regrets to me. And the regret I’ve heard from new converts, “I wish I had known about God a long time ago.”

There was a man who was a hard worker, but he had the wrong priorities. Jesus talks about him in Luke 12:16-21:

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do:I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Let’s continue to work. Let’s prioritize. Let’s not waste our lives on our own ambitions. I don’t want to live the rest of my life with regrets. I don’t want The Lord to say to me, “Thou Fool…” I want to hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful Servant.”

Live with no regrets!