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For Your Heart and Mind
“The Power of the Word”
Encouragement from Pastor David on what God is doing

It’s been an eventful week. It began in prison.

One of our faithful Free Church constituents who works at one of the nearby, maximum security prisons made the connections to permit me a tour. I had the privilege of 4 hours in a place where, yes even there, the power of the word could not be imprisoned.

The tour included meeting separately with three offenders. Each was on a journey of faith in our Lord Jesus, though admittedly each at different stages. Understandably, they all were eager to finish their required time. Eager for their next opportunity for release and a fresh stage of freedom.

Yet what impressed me in each of them was a conviction that the way they had been thinking – which led to actions leading to incarceration – needed an overhaul. And what needed to do the overhauling was God’s word, the written Scriptures. Read. Reread. Tumbled over in one’s thinking. Meditated. Memorized. Prayed over. Applied.

This should not surprise us. Scripture consistently promises such a renewal if we only will take the time to give our minds soaking in its wisdom and revelation.

Psalm 119:15-16 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways; I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 4:20-23 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self,[f] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

If you read these scriptures carefully, you heard a repeated theme. The Word’s impact on the heart is revolutionary. It can restore a ruined life. It can craft the character of a woman or man of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Walking through a maze of impenetrable metal doors, shatter-proof glass and unyielding bars, I remember Paul’s victorious declaration: I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 2 Timothy 2:9.

Take a moment, won’t you, and pray for God’s word to released more of those incarcerated around us into the freedom of Jesus and the life-changing power of His Word.

Our Staff, Search Team, and Elder Board met on Tuesday and Wednesday (May 2-3) with Keith Twigg (Cody, WY) of the Slingshot Group. We sensed the Spirit of God guiding these interactions, along with the training received, in these meetings.

Please PRAY for Keith Twigg as he summarizes the information he received and observations he made about our ministry, as he formulates a Ministry and Area Profile the potential, qualified candidates will review when our pastoral opportunity is posted.

Pray as well that the Spirit will prepare the hearts of our Search Team members to be ready to review and eventually interview qualified candidates.

Finally, pray for Jim Watson, our Search Team chair, as he gives wise and timely leadership to both interacting with the search firm and Keith, as well as guides the work of the Search Team.

We sense God’s provision in all of this every step of the way.

This Sunday at the Free Church

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