I have a Riddle for you!
James 5 gives an unconditional promise of healing for those who call on the elders of the local church and are anointed with oil. So the question is, "Why don't all believers get healed"? Could it be because the believer doesn't have enough faith, or could it be that the prayers of the elders don't have enough faith? Perhaps the anointing oil went bad or the local church is at fault, or we have the wrong group of elders and they don't really know how to pray, right?
Over the years I have heard many attempts to explain this dilemma and some of the explanations can be quite humorous! Some try to say James is NOT giving an "unconditional" promise of healing, yet the text clearly doesn't support that suggestion! James 5:14-15 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. The text seems pretty clear, so what is the answer to this serious question?
Let me encourage you to join us this weekend, as I will be giving a biblical explanation to this riddle as we prepare to close out and celebrate this great Book of James we have been studying, with our finale the following week, when we meet the person of Elijah as our special guest, September 20th and 21st.
Update on Pastor Steve Moving to North Idaho
I am getting to talk to many of you about our move and here is what we know so far. Our new home in Idaho is set to close the last week of this month and everyone is excited about the adventure God has prepared for us in a new part of the country. Linda, Debbie and their 5 children including our miracle baby Gabriel will be leaving next weekend (Lord willing), with Rob flying back here and the caravan headed up to the homestead with 3 Penske trucks on Saturday the 20th. This works out to one truck for Rob and Debbie, one truck for mom and dad and one truck for Linda and I. Mom and dad will be flying, as their health doesn't really allow them to make the drive.
I will be staying behind to take care of selling the house and furniture, hoping to join them as soon as the house is finally sold, for which I earnestly covet your prayers!!!! As long as God has me here in San Diego, I hope to continue to be an asset in the pulpit and helping SDBC in any way I can!
WE COULD ALL USE SOME HELP if you have a few hours or even an hour or two this next week, as we finish packing boxes and especially on move day, Friday the 19th of September and maybe the morning of Saturday the 20th, but only if absolutely necessary as the caravan hopes to be on the road Saturday morning! We are having a fire sale on our home if you know anyone interested just hoping to get out what we invested in the home at this point ☺. I will let you all know when God sells our home and when my last day will be as soon as I know, but I intend to maintain an ongoing relationship with SDBC and each of you even though God is moving us up north a bit and know that I love every one of you whom God has allowed me to be a part of your life and you a part of ours!!!!!!!!!
Update with our Search Committee for "PastorNEXT"
The committee is formed and doing a great job moving things forward so SDBC will discover the man who is to be the NEXT Senior Pastor of such an amazing flock. We have lovingly called this process, "Searching for PastorNEXT" and are truly excited to be in the midst of the Lord's work! This is an exciting time as our committee of 10 works together to follow God and a great time also for each of you to be a part of God doing such a huge work within our church! Please pray for this process and please pray for the committee!
Their first task was to come up with a job description for PastorNEXT, which is now posted on the front page of our website. Their next job was to see if any of our superb pastors on staff met the job description they had come up with. After a lot of prayer, discussion and commitment to follow the Holy Spirit's lead, they each collectively determined that at this time and for this role, the man God has in mind for PastorNEXT lies outside of our current church walls.
The committee is already getting resumes' from pastors and the team will be busy prayerfully examining each and every potential candidate, keeping a sharp eye out for the Lord's leading and direction as we move forward as a local Body of Christ. Again, this is an exciting time in the life of SDBC and one I pray you will stay committed to and keep in daily prayer! There will be more updates to come and remember - YOU will have the final say in what happens with PastorNEXT and the future of SDBC! Only after the committee discovers the man they believe is called to this position will they present him to the body of SDBC for consideration. This process may take a season of 6-12 months and when I leave we will most likely enjoy an amazing interim pastor (More to come on this soon).
Once again, only after an opportunity to meet the selected potential pastoral candidate in person and hear him preach from the pulpit of SDBC on two consecutive weeks, will the potential PastorNEXT be brought to YOU for a vote. The vote must be by unanimous congregational affirmation to ensure God has chosen this NEW Senior Pastor to be your New Senior Pastor. I'm excited for the future of SDBC and I hope you are too as we all move forward together following Jesus with a clearly defined process!!!!!
With all my love from a grateful heart as we each continue serving our Lord Jesus together,
Pastor Steve
James 5 gives an unconditional promise of healing for those who call on the elders of the local church and are anointed with oil. So the question is, "Why don't all believers get healed"? Could it be because the believer doesn't have enough faith, or could it be that the prayers of the elders don't have enough faith? Perhaps the anointing oil went bad or the local church is at fault, or we have the wrong group of elders and they don't really know how to pray, right?
Over the years I have heard many attempts to explain this dilemma and some of the explanations can be quite humorous! Some try to say James is NOT giving an "unconditional" promise of healing, yet the text clearly doesn't support that suggestion! James 5:14-15 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. The text seems pretty clear, so what is the answer to this serious question?
Let me encourage you to join us this weekend, as I will be giving a biblical explanation to this riddle as we prepare to close out and celebrate this great Book of James we have been studying, with our finale the following week, when we meet the person of Elijah as our special guest, September 20th and 21st.
Update on Pastor Steve Moving to North Idaho
I am getting to talk to many of you about our move and here is what we know so far. Our new home in Idaho is set to close the last week of this month and everyone is excited about the adventure God has prepared for us in a new part of the country. Linda, Debbie and their 5 children including our miracle baby Gabriel will be leaving next weekend (Lord willing), with Rob flying back here and the caravan headed up to the homestead with 3 Penske trucks on Saturday the 20th. This works out to one truck for Rob and Debbie, one truck for mom and dad and one truck for Linda and I. Mom and dad will be flying, as their health doesn't really allow them to make the drive.
I will be staying behind to take care of selling the house and furniture, hoping to join them as soon as the house is finally sold, for which I earnestly covet your prayers!!!! As long as God has me here in San Diego, I hope to continue to be an asset in the pulpit and helping SDBC in any way I can!
WE COULD ALL USE SOME HELP if you have a few hours or even an hour or two this next week, as we finish packing boxes and especially on move day, Friday the 19th of September and maybe the morning of Saturday the 20th, but only if absolutely necessary as the caravan hopes to be on the road Saturday morning! We are having a fire sale on our home if you know anyone interested just hoping to get out what we invested in the home at this point ☺. I will let you all know when God sells our home and when my last day will be as soon as I know, but I intend to maintain an ongoing relationship with SDBC and each of you even though God is moving us up north a bit and know that I love every one of you whom God has allowed me to be a part of your life and you a part of ours!!!!!!!!!
Update with our Search Committee for "PastorNEXT"
The committee is formed and doing a great job moving things forward so SDBC will discover the man who is to be the NEXT Senior Pastor of such an amazing flock. We have lovingly called this process, "Searching for PastorNEXT" and are truly excited to be in the midst of the Lord's work! This is an exciting time as our committee of 10 works together to follow God and a great time also for each of you to be a part of God doing such a huge work within our church! Please pray for this process and please pray for the committee!
Their first task was to come up with a job description for PastorNEXT, which is now posted on the front page of our website. Their next job was to see if any of our superb pastors on staff met the job description they had come up with. After a lot of prayer, discussion and commitment to follow the Holy Spirit's lead, they each collectively determined that at this time and for this role, the man God has in mind for PastorNEXT lies outside of our current church walls.
The committee is already getting resumes' from pastors and the team will be busy prayerfully examining each and every potential candidate, keeping a sharp eye out for the Lord's leading and direction as we move forward as a local Body of Christ. Again, this is an exciting time in the life of SDBC and one I pray you will stay committed to and keep in daily prayer! There will be more updates to come and remember - YOU will have the final say in what happens with PastorNEXT and the future of SDBC! Only after the committee discovers the man they believe is called to this position will they present him to the body of SDBC for consideration. This process may take a season of 6-12 months and when I leave we will most likely enjoy an amazing interim pastor (More to come on this soon).
Once again, only after an opportunity to meet the selected potential pastoral candidate in person and hear him preach from the pulpit of SDBC on two consecutive weeks, will the potential PastorNEXT be brought to YOU for a vote. The vote must be by unanimous congregational affirmation to ensure God has chosen this NEW Senior Pastor to be your New Senior Pastor. I'm excited for the future of SDBC and I hope you are too as we all move forward together following Jesus with a clearly defined process!!!!!
With all my love from a grateful heart as we each continue serving our Lord Jesus together,
Pastor Steve
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