“Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:2-4)
Dear Friends,
For those who are looking towards heaven, it might not matter that we have had one of the coldest and snowiest January’s on record. I for one though hope the ground hog will not see his shadow predicting an early spring.
I am growing weary of stepping out of my door as if I am stepping into a walk-in freezer. I also can’t stop thinking about those who have no shelter and are sleeping out in this weather. I can understand why for many people, heaven is a trip to Florida in these cold winter months.
There are two books that I am thinking about. The first if Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, “The Promise of Heaven: 31 Reasons to Get Excited About Your Eternal Home.”
Just as there may be a sense of anticipation about winter coming to an end, so we should have a sense of anticipation of what is awaiting us when our time on earth ends. Please though I hope none of you are in a rush to get there
Knowing what lies ahead encourages us in our day-to-day trials and tribulations. Life becomes sweeter when we know that when the LORD calls us home, we have an idea of what we will find there. More importantly, knowing what awaits us in heaven gives us a road map for living our life in this world. A phrase attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us that it is not the destination; it is the journey. Maybe Dr. Jeremiah’s book will find its way into our worship experience this summer.
Our journey this year began with digging deeper into the attributes and character of God through the “God is Like…” series. What I have noticed is that there are overlaps of attributes we associate with God, that are fulfilled in Jesus. For instance, God feeds our hunger as he did when the Hebrews were in the wilderness, and Jesus is known as the Bread of Life, feeding the five thousand, and nourishing our souls through the Word of God. That is why we will move from the “God is Like…” series to the “I am…” statements made by Jesus as we begin the season of Lent.
The second book that I will be using is the book written by Rev. John Pennylegion entitled, “I Am: The Statements of Jesus.” I believe that exploring the different attributes of Jesus during Lent will be essential as we journey towards the cross this year. Like the different sides of a prism, taking a close look at the 7 “I am” statements of Jesus will reveal a different aspect of who Jesus is. As we may know already, Jesus was a multifaceted person. In turn, we may also realize that we too are multifaceted when we consider the many ways, we describe ourselves.
Upon looking at the book, “I Am” it appears that this Lent we will get a good understanding of heaven as we study the One who came down from heaven and who returned to prepare a place for us.
May our journey through Lent cause us to cast our eyes toward heaven.
I thank God for you,
Pastor Kathy Nealand
Series Title: The 'I AM' Statements | Who Are You?
This is a sermon series on the "I AM" statements of Jesus from the Gospel of John. Each message dives into one "I AM" statement to reveal aspects of Jesus’ identity and the impact of those truths on our lives. Explore the seven "I AM" statements of Jesus and discover how each truth can deepen our relationship with Him and transform our daily lives.
The Lenten Series "I Am..." is as follows:
- Sunday, February 15, 2026 - "God is Like...The Word Made Flesh", John 1:1-14; John 6:25-35
- Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - Ash Wednesday - "Who Do You Say He Is?", Mark 8:27-30
- Sunday, February 22, 2026 - "I Am... the Door", John 10:7-10
- Sunday, March 1, 2026 - "I Am... the Light of the World", John 8:12-30
- Sunday, March 8, 2026 - Youth Sunday
- Sunday, March 15, 2026 - "I Am... the Good Shepherd", : 10:11-18
- Sunday, March 22, 2026 - "I Am... the True Vine", John 15:1-8
- Sunday, March 29, 2026 - Palm Sunday - "I Am... the Way, the Truth, the Life", : John 14:1-6
- Sunday, April 5, 2026 - Easter - "I Am... the Resurrection and the Life", John 11:17-27
And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. Exodus 3:14
A Christmas version of 1 Corinthians 13
“But the angel said to her, “ Do not be afraid , Mary; you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:30.
“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness. I have taken you by the hand and kept you, a light to the nations, “ (Isaiah 42:5-6 NRSVYE)
“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and each will receive wages according to their own labor. For we are God’s coworkers, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NRSVUE
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
“So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!’” (Acts 5:38-39a)
"We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer, we develop endurance, 4 which shapes our characters. When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. 5 And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love.” Romans 5:3-5(The Voice)
“So, here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
“ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20
