John 4:39-42 says, "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did.'  So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.  And because of his words many more became believers.  They said to the woman, 'We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.'"

I imagine for two days, the Samaritans in that town of Sychar experienced heaven on earth.  Jesus touched the heart of the woman at the well and through her testimony many came to Jesus.  Jesus must have spoken the same way to them because they said they have "heard for themselves."  They heard so much from Jesus they understood His true mission - to save the world.  He would save not just the Jews but the Samaritans and many others also.

This unexpected town of undervalued and underappreciated people now had great value and felt undeniably appreciated because they spent time with the Savior.  Father in Heaven, who can I show value and appreciation to today for Your kingdom's sake?  I want to be about Your awesome work today and every day.

Pastor Michael Brackett

Luke 5:27 says, “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.”

Tax collectors in the gospels were hated people. They were Jews working for the Romans collecting taxes from their fellow brothers and sisters. Many times, they would collect more taxes than were needed, to enrich themselves. They were seen as thieves, liars, and traitors.

In his painting above, Pieter Brueghel captures well how tax collectors enriched themselves at the expense of others. You will notice that one woman is paying with eggs, another person with a paper slip, most likely a deed to his land. Another man is paying with a bag of money, which is contrasted with the multiple bags of money hanging on the walls. When we look at the faces of the people, we can see frustration, anxiety, and grief. 

I imagine that this was not too far off from what it was like in the gospels. And yet, it's a Levi, a tax collector, who Jesus invites to follow him. As I reflect on this story, and this painting, I am reminded that the invitation and welcome of Jesus is wider than I expected. This story reminds me that if there’s room for Levi, there’s room for me. There’s room for you. There’s room for us all in the kingdom of God.[1]

-Pastor Evan Davies

[1] I have adapted this devotional from https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-5-27-32-2022/.

“He replied, ‘...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing is impossible for you.’” Matthew 17:20 (NIV)

Mountains have been seen throughout generations as a barrier, a trial. Snow capped giants made of jagged cliffs and sharp rock, the things that countries point to and say, “This is our border.” The largest tactile obstacle on Earth, that is what God says we will be able to move with faith.

But that is the point, is it not? With faith. We can’t do it on our own. We can’t shove our  backs against the mountain side and scooch Everest out of our path. No, we are too weak. By ourselves we would be forced to climb until our legs gave out and our lips froze. But we are not alone – not if we have faith. 

With God by our side we can scale our biggest obstacles, cross barriers and climb the cliffs of struggle without fear of falling. We can step out onto icy paths knowing that He will be there to catch us. At times we will falter in the face of fear and doubt, God never said any of this was easy, but He did say that it was possible to get through.

Though the mountains of trial seem insurmountable, faith gives us the strength to shove through and come out victorious. Victorious with God. Sanding tall, staring evil in the eye and smiling because we are backed by the strongest being in the world. 

So, don’t be afraid to step up when you are called. Instead of doubting yourself, saying that you are not good enough, not talented enough, not tough enough, trust that God knows all your shortcomings even more than you do. Despite all of them, nothing is impossible. God is standing with you, giving you the strength you don’t have on your own. Through Him you can move mountains.

Janelle Clouse (Junior - Columbia Adventist Academy)

What do you want more of this year?  Today's culture gears us up for getting more.  It's hard to turn down anyone who offers us more of anything!  We especially want more of the good things of life.  We want things that bring fulfillment and peace and lasting happiness.  I want more in 2024!  How about you?

I believe Jesus is offering us more of everything we never knew we always wanted.  He is unique, counter-cultural, and wonderfully surprising.  I believe Jesus gives us more than we ever bargained for in ways we might initially believe would bring us less.  Here are just a few examples of what He can go:

• Greater happiness from serving instead of being served.

• Greater happiness through humility instead of self-exaltation.

• Greater happiness from sacrifice instead of abundance.

After Jesus warned His disciples of the hardships He was about to endure with the cross He gave a principle for all His followers to be ready to do the same.  He said in Matthew 16:24-26 says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"

Jesus prescribes more of Himself for our greatest gain.  This past Sabbath we started a new sermon series entitled "Less Us; More Jesus."  If we really want more, let's go find it!  No one offers more than Jesus.  It may initially seem like more of Jesus will bring us a more difficult life, but Jesus is always full of awesome surprises.  Ultimately with Him we will experience eternity.  And forever with Jesus will be a forever that is absolutely worth everything!

Let's make 2024 the year for more Jesus.

Pastor Michael Brackett

Here we are at the beginning of another calendar year—2024! What will this new year bring? It will bring good things, new discoveries, and experiences, and it will bring challenges and difficulties. But when we look at 2024 from God’s Perspective, it will enable us to step forward into this year with confidence in Him because He knows the future and has promised to journey with us through all the ups and downs of 2024.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

God is inviting us to perceive the new things that He is going to be accomplishing for us in 2024. You may be facing health circumstances that seem impossible to overcome, or financial difficulties that seem like they have no solution. But God says that He can make “a way” where there is no way. He can bring flowing rivers of water into the desert, so we need not fear the future, when have God with us making 2024 a year of new possibilities for faith to grow and hope to carry us through to the end of this new year.

Our little church in Ellensburg, Washington was built during the difficult years following the depression and there was very little money to build a proper church building. But God somehow provided materials from other church building projects around the Upper Columbia Conference and volunteers were available to provide the manpower to raise up a little church building for God.

But by the early 1980’s the little church was very inadequate for the purpose of being an attractive place of worship. The women’s bathroom that was built under the exterior concrete landing of the upper main floor over the daylight basement, would leak and drip through the concrete into the bathroom whenever it rained, or the snow and ice would melt on the landing above. Also, the classrooms were small, and the pews were built from pew kits, and they were very uncomfortable. What could we do to have a new church?

So, at prayer meeting, the two or three people who attended, began praying that God would provide a miracle for a new church. One day, the pastor’s wife of the church our church rented to, told us of a very nice newer church that had been sold to a man who was going to remodel it into four rental apartments to provide income for his daughter’s college education. This pastor’s wife said to us, “That church was dedicated to God to be a church, not an apartment building. Why don’t you go and talk to the new owner of the building and see if he would be willing to trade his church building for your church building plus whatever cash you have saved for a new church and maybe borrow some extra funds to close the deal.” And that is what we did. We traded buildings and by the summer of that year, God had provided a nicer, larger, and more modern church building for our congregation to worship in.

God’s perspective of the future had plans in it we didn’t even know was a possibility. But He prepared our hearts to see His power, and He worked a miracle for us to have this new church.

In this new year, 2024, God has new beginnings for you, too. Trust Him to provide a new thing for you to experience and your faith will grow as you allow Him to lead you successfully through 2024!

--Pastor Ben Moor

We used to love to watch Extreme Makeover:  Home Edition.  I bring this up hesitantly, because it’s never quite flattering to talk about watching TV, but this show, in my humble estimation, is worth talking about.  Ty Penningon’s show won two Primetime Emmy Awards as it showcased families in need who were gifted a home makeover, often times completely renovating their dilapidated homes.  There were many happy tears shed by the humbled families.  Often times they were sent to Disney World while the renovations were taking place.  Everything about the show seemed to touch the heartstrings of Americans, creating good vibes on a weekly basis for all to enjoy.  Giving glorious gifts like a new home resonates with almost everyone.

God’s gift of Jesus Christ into the world resonates worldwide still today.  Christmas is celebrated by committed Christians and even non-Christians.  Giving glorious gifts to others still touches heartstrings today in every corner of the world.  Yet Christmas wouldn’t be the same, wouldn’t be as popular, wouldn’t have gained such fame had it not been for Jesus.  He is the reason for the season and for a very good reason at that.

Jesus alone gives the gift of eternal life.  John 3:16 explains that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.   God loves to give glorious gifts to the men and women of earth, and sending Jesus was the most glorious gift He could have ever given.  Better than completely renovating our homes, Jesus can completely renovate our hearts.  On top of this He is building us an eternal home! 

As Christians today, can we touch the heartstrings of America and the world by showing more of this side of God today – the God who loves to give gifts to others?  This New Year I’m praying God will help me do this every single day.  Who will join me?  Let’s create more good vibes by giving glorious gifts.  Jesus, please shine through us even more this year!  We want to show the world You are the most glorious gift anyone could ever receive.

Pastor Michael Brackett