Woodville PHC

Woodville PHC We believe that your life matters. It matters to us but more importantly it matters to God.

05/19/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (ESV)

As we conclude discussing characteristics of the servant of God, let us examine the trait of faithfulness. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, deals with a church destroying spirit, the spirit of disunity. In the church, some claimed to be Paul's followers, others of Apollos, and still others of Peter. In the letter to the Corinthians, we find Paul reprimanding the pride and disunity within the church. Paul, instead, exhorts the church to understand that our first responsibility is to be stewards of the mysteries of God and not followers of men. And as stewards, we must be faithful to the task.

This may surprise some, but God is not interested in our abilities. Any abilities we possess are God given and therefore nothing to boast of. What matters to God is the faithfulness of the individual to use those talents for His glory. But as Paul points out in our text, it’s not even the talents we should be focusing on; it’s the faithful sharing of the secrets of God. So as servants of Christ, let us strive to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, sharing His love with the world.

You are blessed, so live to be a blessing today.

05/12/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

So far, we have recognized that the servant of God embodies humility and selflessness. This week, I would like to highlight another important characteristic: compassion. Merriam-Webster defines compassion as “sympathetic awareness of others’ distress, coupled with a desire to alleviate it.” In Matthew 9:36, when Jesus looked out upon the multitude of people, seeing them scattered and like sheep without a shepherd, we learn that He “was moved with compassion.” He understood their suffering and yearned to help relieve it. It was Christ’s desire to ease the pain and suffering of the lost and dying in this world that motivated Him to take action.

Without action, compassion remains merely a feeling. While it is good to empathize with the struggles of others, if that sympathy is not translated into action, it holds little value. I imagine that the priest and the Levite both felt compassion for the man who had fallen along the road to Jericho. However, their compassion was ineffective because it did not lead to any action. Jesus, on the other hand, not only felt compassion for the lost but also allowed His compassion to inspire action. Ultimately, it was this same compassion that led Him to the cross.

To be a true servant of God, we must combine our feelings of compassion for those who are suffering with tangible actions. Let me ask you a simple question: What form could biblical compassion take in your life today? Is there someone you could show a little compassion to on your journey to heaven?

You are blessed, so live to be a blessing today.

05/05/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

Last week, I began discussing the need for the church to reclaim a servant mentality. When 89 percent of churchgoers believe that the purpose of the church is to serve them, it indicates that the church has drifted far from Christ's call. Even Christ Himself, despite being God, lived as a humble servant. With this in mind, our next step is to recognize that we are also called to be selfless servants. A selfless servant sees the needs of others and prioritizes those needs above their own, seeking no recognition or reward. As stated in 1 Corinthians 10:24, “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.”

Being a selfless servant can take many forms. A little boy giving his bag lunch to serve many. It could be a widow who donates her two mites, which may seem insignificant to the world but is rich in the eyes of God. It might also resemble the Good Samaritan, who, despite being just as busy as everyone else, took the time to help someone in need. Ultimately, it’s never about the size of our giving; it’s about the size of our hearts and our desire to give. When our desire to give stems from recognizing how our Savior gave His all, we truly become selfless servants of God.

You are blessed, so live to be a blessing.

04/28/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:3-7 (ESV)

This passage stands in stark contrast to what the church has become today. According to a Barna study, “half of all Christians now believe pleasure and life enjoyment are the most important values.” In conjunction with that, Win Arn discovered that “89 percent of Christians believe the purpose of the church is to serve them.” The idea of being a servant doesn’t seem to blend with the priorities of the modern church.

So, where do we go from here? How do we refocus on what mattered to the early church and especially what matters to the Lord? I'll try to answer that question in the next few weeks. But for today, I want to impress upon you the need for the church to be, first and foremost, humble servants of God. Only when we submit to the absolute authority of God and His Word will we be able to serve our fellow man. And this is where we primarily miss the mark. We choose to place ourselves as the ultimate authority in our lives. When we do that, God is dethroned, and we live for our own pleasure. This week, focus on your calling to be a servant of Christ.

You are blessed, so live to be a blessing.

04/21/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

“The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.” Isaiah 28:26 (NLT)

God sends strong warnings to both Northern and Southern Israel in the first twenty-two verses of Isaiah 28. The Northern Kingdom was about to fall to the Assyrians, and He wanted to encourage the Southern Kingdom to avoid the same sins. Ultimately, God sought repentance from both nations, but history tells us that neither heeded these warnings.

In verses twenty-three through twenty-nine, God offers a message of comfort amid these warnings. He reminds them that just as a farmer is given wisdom to tend his crops, God, in His infinite wisdom, knows how to tend to His people. While there would be a time of judgment, it would not last forever. Like a good farmer, God understands the needs of His own.

Whatever you need this week, remember that God is watching over you and already knows. You might, like Israel, need a warning to avoid making a mistake or a bit of encouragement to take another step forward, even when it feels difficult. When Jesus spoke about the lilies of the field, He reminded us that worry is not something a child of God should engage in. “So why do you worry…? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Matthew 6:28-29

Spend less time worrying this week and more time resting in Him. Like a wise farmer, He knows exactly what you need.

Have a blessed week.

04/14/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

Jesus desires to bring change into our lives. We see this clearly when He drove the money changers out of the temple. When He entered Jerusalem, the people expected the Messiah to drive out the Romans. Instead, He went to the temple and expelled those who were performing a “religious duty.” Serving God had become a matter of duty and conformity. You had to conform and follow the rules and standards set by men. Jesus never meant that serving Him was a matter of duty or conformity; serving Him is transformational. And sometimes, He needs to turn our world upside down to help us realize that.

The truth is, God wants to change hearts, and He works through the church to accomplish this. We are, after all, His hands extended. But He cannot use us if we conform to the world or even to religious duties. Here are a few verses that remind us we are meant for a transformed life:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” ~ Romans 12:2

“Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord.” ~ 2 Corinthians 6:17

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” ~ John 17:14-16

Change is good, especially when it transforms us into the image of Christ. So, instead of resisting the change Jesus brings, embrace it.

Have a blessed week!

04/07/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

“But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

May I remind you today that God uses the weak and broken people of the world to confound the wise. Abraham was old. Elijah was suicidal. Joseph was abused. Job lost his health and wealth. Moses had a speech problem. Gideon was afraid. Sampson was a womanizer. Rehab was a pr******te. The Samaritan woman was divorced. Jeremiah was young. Jacob was a cheater. David was a murderer. Jonah ran from God. Naomi was a widow. Peter denied Christ three times. Martha was worried about everything. The disciples fell asleep while praying. And Paul had an aggravating thorn. What do all these people have in common? They were weak and broken, but God used them to show this world His strength and glory.

You and I are a part of a long list of individuals who sometimes feel broken and worthless. But in the hands of the master potter, He can take the ugly, cracked, and discarded vessels and make them something new, beautiful, and useful. It reminds me of a yard sale; someone is always willing to pay for what we consider junk. What a sobering thought; what we consider junk is treasure in the hands of God. So, Lord, today, take what is in our lives, those things we consider junk, and use it for your glory, in Jesus’ name!

Don’t fret, for you are blessed.

03/31/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ~ Matthew 6:21

In verses 19 & 20, Jesus warns us against earthly treasures. The problem with earthly treasures is that they will decay or can be stolen. To give them too much attention is a waste of our time. The apostle John reinforces this idea by reminding us, as little children, that everything in this world is passing away, including its desires (1 Jn.2:17). The desires of this life are what Jesus refers to as earthly treasures. John identifies three things that fall into this category: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn.2:16). In the Book of Revelation, he even reminds us that a time will come when all things will finally pass away (21:1).

Given this reality, it's no surprise that Jesus encourages us not to let our hearts be consumed by the things of this world. Since these earthly treasures are temporary, we should place our treasure where nothing can harm it—namely, in heaven. John ends his thought in 1 Jn.2:17 by stating that whoever does the will of God abides forever. And isn’t that the heart of the matter? Jesus doesn’t care about our material possessions. Why would He care about something we can buy on Amazon again? He cares only about us, which He only makes one of. His concern is our relationship with Him, one that lasts for eternity.

You are blessed.

03/24/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

“Be still, and know that I am God.” ~ Psalm 46:10

Have you tried that lately? During a daily battle or an ongoing struggle, have you taken a moment to meditate on the thought that He is God? Have you attempted to sit still and contemplate that He is God and that whatever you are facing, He is big enough to handle it if you let Him?

The circumstances that led the Sons of Korah to pen this Psalm may not be known, but their struggle is all too familiar for those who live for God. Whether in a time of siege, like Israel often was, the Psalmist's words remind us that there is no situation that is too difficult for Him to bring us through. Whether the mountains are moving beneath our feet (v.2), or the seas roar against us (v.3), God is a very present help (v.2).

If you’re going through a tumultuous time in your life right now, sit down with Psalm 46 and reflect on the greatness of our God, not only in your life but also in the world He has created.

Have a blessed week.

03/17/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

God told Moses in Exodus 30:34-35, to make a special incense for worship in the Tabernacle. It was not to be made for anyone’s personal use. If used in any other way but the prescribed way, the offender would be “cut off from his people” (v.38). This seems like a harsh sentence for making a little incense. But as with all things, God has a purpose and a plan.

Like the incense made for the Tabernacle of old, our lives are formed the way He wants and are for His use only. Like the incense, we too are crushed so that our lives offer a beautiful aroma to God and those around us. And just as it was used to usher in the presence of God, so the aroma of a broken and contrite heart, ushers in the presence of God.

God has a purpose and a plan for your broken heart. Just as Mary anointed Jesus with that very costly oil of spikenard filling the house with a beautiful fragrance, Jesus just days later would pour out his life offering the fragrance of salvation for all. And as Jesus’ life provided a lovely fragrance when broken and poured out, so does yours. In the breaking and crushing of life, we offer the pleasing aroma of God’s love. It is never easy to go through a crushing experience. But when we allow ourselves to be used as God intended, the outcome will be a sweet scent, an inviting fragrance that will invite His presence.

Have a blessed week.

03/10/2025

Monday Morning Meditations

Looking out my office window on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, I could still see smoke lightly drifting off the old nursing home structure. It’s hard to believe it was still intact at 7am. By 2pm, there were only the skeletal remains of what used to be.

As we stood there watching, Chris told me he remembered when he and others used to go in and sing for the residents. As I talked to our neighbor, she remembered a more pleasant time when things were livelier, and neighbors were more neighborly on the street. Funny how a fire can bring out such fond memories and at the same time remind us of the present painful circumstances we are in. That’s because our past memories are often scrubbed clean of the painful moments we would rather not remember. There was a specific time that I looked back on with fondness. This week I cracked open one of my old journals and found it was more painful than I remembered.

Hebrews 11 reminds us of a host of saints who lived by faith and have now obtained a better land. Those very saints are the ones who remind us that we must let go of the things of this world that are fleeting and forge ahead in the race that is set before us. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). Don’t let the weight of the world keep you down today, let hope lift you up instead.

Have a blessed week.

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123 Nursing Home Road
Hertford, NC
NC

Opening Hours

11am - 1am

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