Suppose we went to Mexico City, or Tokyo-the two largest cities in the world. We go downtown. It's rush hour, and there are thousands of busy people in the streets. What is our first impression likely to be? We will probably just see a great mass of faces that all look alike.
If we were to stay awhile in one of those cities and came to know and love certain people there, and understood their culture, they would no longer all look the same to us. We would see them as individuals and begin to see their individual needs. 
The more you know about any subject, the less you think in general terms and the more you think in individual terms. God knows everything about every one of us. He is the source of all knowledge and truth. He does not see us as just a sea of   God has been challenging me with that quite a bit just this week.  He sees us and loves us as individuals.
Jesus saw Bartimaeus and cared about the poor beggar's blindness. He called for Bartimaeus to come to Him and Bartimaeus responded in excitement. He threw off his cloak and came to Jesus. "What would you ask of me?" Jesus asked him. "Restore my sight," begged Bartimaeus. And Jesus answered, "Your faith has healed you."
Our faith can heal those of us who are sitting by the side of the road today.  Would you eagerly "throw off your cloak" and come to Jesus? Can you believe that the God of this huge universe cares about your needs and will see you through whatever crisis you are dealing with? There is healing in faith like this.
When Jesus wanted to illustrate the love of the Father, he pointed to a tiny sparrow and asked, "Are you not of more value than they?"  We are of infinite value to the Father, and we need to be reminded that He cares about us as individuals. All that we need to do is open our eyes and see Him as He works in and through us.  (Read Mark 10:46-52)

Pastor Dave

God always wants more for us than we want for ourselves. 
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12 (NIV)
If we believe Jesus is who He says He is, and we take Him at His word, why shouldn’t we expect to see the things that happened in Scripture happen in our time?  Why wouldn’t we believe God can start and grow a movement like the church the same way He did in the book of Acts?  What’s stopping us from asking God to transform entire communities, like the Brainerd Lakes Area?  Why can’t we believe God will perform modern day miracles?
Most of the time, our biggest obstacle is us.  Maybe we’ve stopped SEEING Jesus for who He is because of our own fears. Or, maybe we’re refusing to SEE what God wants to do through us because we fear that God’s reputation might be at stake.  God’s reputation is fine.  It’s our reputation that we fear taking a hit.
Fight the urge to maintain the status quo. Instead, do everything possible to advance the cause God placed in your heart. Stay focused on what could be, rather than trapped in a fear that keeps you blinded to what God created you to be about.

I am looking forward to what God has in store for us on Sunday as we allow Him once again to open our eyes so we can see His light as He leads us.

​Pastor Dave