Transcript

I grew up in an angry, unsta-ble home. My father was veryangry most of the time, and Ididn’t always understand whathe was angry about. When Iaccepted Christ as my Savior, Itook this experience with myfather into my relationship withGod. I believed God loved meand forgave me of my sin, but Istill had this vague feeling thatHe wasn’t pleased with me andHe was just a little bit angrywith me most of the time.

I lived this way for years

until I finally realized the truth:God is not mad at me!

I believe many people feellike God is mad at them. Oneday I put a post on Facebookthat said, “God is not mad atyou.” Within a few hours, weliterally had thousands of posi-tive responses from people say-ing things like, “That is exactlywhat I needed to hear today.”

Obviously, this is a messagewe need to hear.

Getting to the root of the problem

So where does this conceptof God come from? Maybe it’sbecause of an angry parent whowas difficult to please.

Or maybe it’s due to the painof rejection from parents orfriends who didn’t know howto give unconditional love.

Or it could be the influenceof church and being pressuredto follow rules and regulationsto make us acceptable to God.

We want to be good andplease God, and we may beable to follow the rules for awhile, but when we mess up,we feel guilty and condemnedagain. Because we can’t begood enough and do everythingright in our own effort andstrength.

“But God demonstrates Hisown love toward us, in thatwhile we were still sinners,Christ died for us” (Romans5:8 NKJV). Notice this says“while we were still sinners.”

Galatians 3:10 (AMP) says,

“All who depend on the Law[who are seeking to be justifiedby obedience to the Law of rit-uals] are under a curse anddoomed to disappointment.”

What are you depending onto make you right with God?Are you depending on rulesand regulations that you followor try to keep?

Now I realize you can’t livea healthy, productive life with-out having some guidelines,but this scripture is saying thatwe will have serious problemsif we think our worth and valueas human beings are based onfollowing rules and regula-tions. We are only made rightwith God through the blood ofJesus.

And life is marvelous whenyou know the true character ofGod and who you are in Christ!

That’s when you feel goodabout yourself deep down inyour heart, not because you doeverything right, but becauseyou know you are special toGod and He loves you —unconditionally, constantly,completely.

It seems too good to betrue…but it is true!

I do want to be clear aboutsomething here: Although Godloves us unconditionally, Hedoes get angry at sin, wicked-ness and evil. But He is not anangry God. God hates sin, butHe loves sinners! He will neverapprove of sin in your life, butHe always loves you and wants

to work with you to makeprogress in living a holy life inChrist.

Psalm 103:8 (NKJV) says,“The Lord is merciful and gra-cious, slow to anger, andabounding in mercy.” God ismerciful — that’s His charac-ter. He’s gracious — thatmeans He’s good. And God isslow to anger.

The truth is God created usto have relationship with us. Hewants to love us and take careof us, and He wants us to loveHim. That’s where our walkwith Christ has to start.

We need to be obedient toGod and do the good works Hehas for us to do, but first weneed to understand and believeHe loves us. Then we can havea relationship with Him andlive by faith in Him with thepower of the Holy Spirit in us,giving us the ability to live theway God is calling us to live.

I’m so grateful God openedmy eyes to the truth!

He has taught me to believeby faith that He is pleased withme, not because I do every-thing right, but because Ibelieve in Him and trust Him.And this is just as true for youas it is for me.

If you struggle with feelingthat God is disappointed in youor angry because you don’t doeverything right, I want toencourage you to take hold ofthis truth today and believe it:

God is not mad at you!

SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2015 5A

Join Us In Worship4 lines, approx 15 words, $9 a week

4 week MinimumDeadline 3 p.m. Mondays.

To be included in this directory contact theSiuslaw News at 997-3441, or drop off

information at 148 Maple St., Old Town, Florence.

Join Us In WorshipWATCH! 3 ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK

(3ABN) TV UHF Channel 48. 24 hour Christian TV highlights Bible studies of prophecy, inspirational music, health lec-

tures, healthy cooking and more.

BAY BERRY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPSINGSPIRATION

You are invited to come and sing your favorite old time gospel hymnsEvery Friday night at 7pm • Non-denominational

Bay Berry Square; 101 at Sutton Lake Dr. /milepost 185 N.For more information , please call 541-997-2681

COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418

Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.

CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GODCorner of 10th & Maple –- 997-3533

Bible Study at 9:00 A.M.Services: Worship, 10:30 A.M.

florencecrossroad.org • [email protected]

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - SBC1935 25th St. – 997-7660 • Pastor, Dr. Marvin Owen

Series ‘Through the Bible’ on Wednesdays 6 p.m.A friendly place to worship, vacationers welcome.

Sun.; 11am & 6pm, Sunday school 9:45am.

FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH2nd & Ivy – 997-2961 –Non-DenominationalWorship Service: 9:00 am & 10:30 am

Middle School and High School youth groups meet on Wednesday.

FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST1833 Tamarack Street (two blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)

Service times: Bible Study Sunday 10 a.m.Worship Sunday 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Marvin Aultman • e-mail: [email protected]

FLORENCE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE12th and Nopal –997-9020

Sunday school for all ages 9:15 a.m. • Worship Service 10:30 a.m. Youth Group Wed. 7-8:30 p.m.

Sunday School (for all ages) 9:50 a.m.

FLORENCE EVANGELICAL CHURCH1318 Rhododendron Dr. –- 997-2523 – Worship at 11:00 AM –- Sunday School

at 9:30 AM – Variety of Sunday evening activities - 5 PMWed. Bible & Children classes at 6:00 PM

Call for details.

FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951

Worship on Saturday 10:30 A.M.Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 9:15 A.M.

FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP

N.W. Corner of Heceta Beach Road & Hwy. 101Every Sunday at 10 a.m.

All are welcome. (541) 997-2840

FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCHWorship & Adult Sunday School 9:00Worship & Kids Sunday School 10:30

located at 2nd & Kingwood (541) 997-6025“Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors”

FOURSQUARE CHURCH1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337

Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.Sun. Services: 10:45 a.m., Wed. Bible Study 7 p.m. – Youth Group: Sat., 6 p.m.

Website:florence4square.com

FLORENCE VINEYARD (GOD'S POWER HOUSE)2610 Kingwood, Florence • 541-268-2025

Sunday Worship @ 10:00 a.m., experience the Power of the Holy SpiritPastors: George & Beverly Sisemore

Intercessory Prayer & Worship, Thursday night @ 5:00 pmflorencevineyardchurch.com

NEW LIFE CHURCH-UPC1525 12th St., Suite 24 •541-991-9398

Sunday Services: 10am and 6pmTues. Bible Study 7:00pm

NEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A.21st & Spruce Street – 997-8113

Adult Forum 9 a.m. – Sunday School 10:30 a.m.Worship services; Sun. 10:30am & Wed. 6pm.

[email protected]

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAWTraditional Worship Service 10:00 a.m. , Pastor Steve Knowles

Sunday School and Nursery – Organ and ChoirAll Welcome. Come as you are.3996 N Hwy 101 997-7136

RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH, L.C.M.S.Every Sun., Bible Class 9 a.m., Worship Service 10 a.m.

85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038 DVD of Weekly worship service available.

Dan Wurster, Pastor

ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH2135 19th St. –- 997-6600

The Rev. Georgia C. DuBose, Vicar Sunday Services: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. - Wed, 11 a.m.

Everyone Welcome – Come walk our Labyrinth.

SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE DUNES CATHOLIC CHURCH

Masses: Sat. 5:30 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m.1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312

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2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence(541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475

SS ee ee JJ ii mm ff oo rr yy oo uu rrAA uu tt oo SS aa ll ee ss NN ee ee dd ss !!

CARRY INTO THE NEW YEAR

MAY ALL THE JOY of this holiday season

HAPPY

1355 101

541-997-7121www.opbc.com

2015

Is God angry at you?

Monday, Jan. 5, at 6:30 p.m.everyone is invited to join agroup with diverse spiritualpaths that enjoys discussing avariety of spiritual topics.

This week it will discuss thefact that just about every reli-gion and ancient culture has aform of New Year’s resolu-tions. So this year, in the spiritof all those cultural and reli-gious traditions, the group isproposing a set of spiritual res-olutions to put into practice for2015.

The evening will begin withbowls of fisherman’s soup,fruit, homemade bread andvegetables, followed by theevening’s topic until 8:30 p.m.

The gathering will end withprayers for the requests left inthe prayer pole in the gardenof the Florence Playhouse andthose shared by the group.

Everyone is invited toattend. The Heintz home is at875 Seventh St. For moreinformation, call SuzanneHeintz at 541-590-0779.

Soups On to set spiritualresolutions Monday

Group to gather at 6:30 p.m.

SK Lindsey, owner ofKenneth B Gallery, a uniquecontemporary art gallery fea-turing original art, a communi-ty printmaking lab and filmhouse in Old Town Florence,will be the guest speaker forthe Florence UnitarianUniversalist Fellowship(FUUF) program on Sunday,Jan. 4, from 10 to 11 a.m.

Back in the 1990s, Lindseyacquired approval to travelabroad to continue her artstudies directly with theDogon people of Mali, WestAfrica.

This experience taught herabout the power of art when itis created to support communi-ty as opposed to individualartists. Lindsey will give abrief slide show and discussher experiences livingamongst the Dogon, and thelessons they teach regardingmaterialism, spirituality andsocial justice that sustainsremote villages throughout theDogon region of Mali.

The fellowship is at 87738Highway 101. For more infor-mation, visit florenceuuf.orgor call 541-997-2840.

Florence gallery ownerspeaks at FUUF Sunday

Visit the Siuslaw Newsonline at

WWW.THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM

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