La Grande Church of Christ

12/07/2022

12/07/2022

What drives your life? Almost all people are driven by something. What will you choose to drive your life? I pray that it all begins with God’s purpose for you. He created you and has a purpose(s) for you while you are on earth. Unfortunately, many people are driven by things that hurt their life. I’m going to mention five of those forces that drive people and keep them from serving God.
First, many are driven by guilt. They have done something they regret and are ashamed of it. They are manipulated by their memories and are controlled by their past. They keep punishing themselves and end up just wandering through life. God said of Cain who killed his brother Abel, “You will be a restless wanderer on the earth” Gen 4:12. Cain’s shame had overcome him.
Second, many are driven by resentment and anger. They hold onto their hurts and never get over them. They rehearse the pain over and over in their mind and are stuck from moving on. Many withdraw within themselves where their hurt builds up till it explodes onto others, which makes them withdraw even more.
Third, many are driven by fear. Fear-driven people miss opportunities. They are afraid to venture out wanting to stay safe and avoid risk, but they become a prisoner of their own fears. The apostle John wrote, “Perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” 1 John 4:18. We are to fear God’s punishment if we do wrong, but loving God with all we are, and loving our neighbor as ourself (perfect love) takes our fears away.
Fourth, many are driven by materialism. It is the desire to acquire and becomes the goal of their life of always wanting more. Our value isn’t determined by our valuables. The most valuable thing in life isn’t things but a relationship with God our Creator.
Fifth, many are driven by the need of approval from others. Being controlled by the opinions of others makes us miss God’s purpose for our life. Jesus said “No one can serve two masters” Matt 6:24. He’s talking about being driven by money, but other things can drive our life instead of God. God said He is a jealous God and doesn’t want us to devote ourselves to anything else but Him.
Nothing matters more than knowing God’s purpose for our life. He’s written it out for us in the Bible and He wants us to follow it to make our life be the best it can be before spending eternity with Him. May you be God-driven and find His purpose for your life.

11/19/2022

I’m wrapping up a series of lessons on encouraging one another at our congregation. I’d like to add this instruction by the Hebrews writer, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first” Heb 3:13-14. I like this verse, in that it says to encourage each other daily, but then adds “as long as it is called Today”. That’s an interesting way to say “do it daily”. In chapters 3 and 4 it uses “as long as it is called Today” quite a few times. It was used in Psalms to David and also to Joshua. It was to get God’s people to find rest in Him everyday and not just on the Sabbath (Saturday). Possibly, that relates on how often we ought to try and encourage one another. Not just on Sunday’s when we assemble for worship, but throughout the week.
The reason for encouraging and being encouraged is so that we aren’t hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Many get caught up in everything being about themselves, but if they would take time to think of how they could encourage others, their selfishness would diminish. I believe the root of all sin is deceitfulness or selfishness, by giving into our own desires. When we reach out to others it breaks that habit which is so prevalent in the world today. Remember it’s all about Christ and what He has done for us. He died on the cross so that we can be saved from our sins if we love Him and keep His commandments. How did you feel when you first came to Christ and made Him Lord and Savior of your life? I was pretty pumped about being in the Lord and I wanted to do His will by helping others to do the same. In the passage above, it tells the reader to “hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at first”. We need to reach out to others to fire up the faith we had at the first so that our faith will keep growing. So, as long as it is called Today, reach out and encourage others. Brother Doug

11/14/2022

Fellowship with us!!
Join us for our Harvest Dinner!!

La Grande Church of Christ
2107 Gekeler Ln, La Grande, OR 97850
541-805-5070

November 19, 4pm to 6pm

We will be meeting to break bread and to share what we are thankful for. We look forward to seeing you there!

11/10/2022

If you’re like me, I’m concerned about the generation I am living in. I remember as a child being able to run around the neighborhood without any concern from my mother of my being in danger. Now, I wouldn’t do that because I know it is dangerous. Even as my children grew up, we kept them close to home and had an eye on them. So, we tend to stay to ourselves more than people used to. Maybe I’m just getting old. As Christians, we need to reach out to others and help them which is kind of scary. Look at what the writer of Hebrews wrote, “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” Heb 13:1-3. Brotherly love is to show concern and have compassion for others because they are fellow humans created by God. The writer goes on to tell us how to treat others. We are to show hospitality to strangers, people we don’t know, who may be in need. People during the writer’s time would have to travel by foot from one place to another. There weren’t restaurants like today so they may come to someone’s house or tent and would be offered something to eat or a place to spend the night. Of course, it’s different today and we’d be afraid to do this. I remember growing up and hobos (sorry if that’s the wrong term today) would come by our house looking for food. My mother would have them go around to the back and wait while she made up a plate of food. They would sit on the ground and eat it then give the plate back empty. The writer says when this happens, you may be entertaining an angel. That’s an interesting thing to say, isn’t it? Possibly, God is sending an angel to you to see what you will do. Will you help them or not? The writer goes on, we are to treat those in jail and mistreated as if we were there next to them going through the same situation. How is this generation going to change that I am so concerned about? By acting out what I profess to be, a Christian, a member of the body of Christ. Our communities and country will change beginning with us treating others well and helping those in need. It makes a difference for those you help and those who may be watching. It’s not easy, we need to use wisdom, but it will help this generation change for the better. May God be with us all in using brotherly love in our lives. Brother Doug

11/07/2022

What kind of an influence are you on other people? Is it good or bad? I hope it’s good. I want you to see how Paul felt about the people he brought to Christ. The same ones that made up churches that he began all over Asia Minor (Turkey) and Greece. “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” 2 Cor 3:2-3. Look at the encouragement Paul gives to them. It’s like he’s bragging about them everywhere he goes. In the letters he’s writing to them, they’re also a letter to himself, written on his heart. They are letters from Christ with the Spirit of God written on their human hearts. How does this happen among the churches? Paul, or one of the other writers, write a letter (epistle) to a certain church, that letter is then read over and over, then it is copied and shared with other churches. This process happens over and over with many different churches. The manuscripts we have today are of those copies that were made and have lasted throughout all these centuries. The stories of those congregations, are a testimony to us of what they dealt with and the instructions that were given, of how to be more like what Christ intended His church to be. So let me rephrase the beginning question: what kind of an influence/testimony are you to others about Jesus Christ in your life or congregation. Remember, you are influencing somebody, is it for good or bad? Let’s all make our testimony for the Lord be good. May God keep blessing you all, Brother Doug Edmonds

11/02/2022

Sometimes people need encouragement. Even people that care and help others need to be encouraged at times. I think of Job, he was a leader in his community and encouraged others. Look at this passage of Eliphaz, a friend of Job, encouraging Job, "In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn't your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn't your life of integrity give you hope?” Job 4:3-6. Basically, look how you have instructed and encouraged others, and now, since all these bad things have happened to you, what would you tell yourself? Job had lost everything he had; children, house, and livestock. He had been given boils all over his body, from the top of his head, to the soles of his feet. All he had left was a wife who told him to just curse God and die. That’s not good encouragement, but she’s having problems with what’s happened also. Two “friends” came and said he must have sinned and to has confess his sins to God. The problem was that Job couldn’t think of any sins he had committed that would cause God to turn against him in this way. We need to be like Eliphaz and try to help someone who is in real need of encouragement, and help them think through their bad situation. It isn’t God punishing them or all bad people would be suffering. But because of sin coming into the world right after creation, we all suffer in one way or another. Some of us it is really bad and hard to handle. Some of us it isn’t as bad, but we still have problems making sense of it. Make sure you have good friends and family around you. Ones that you can trust and listen to what they say. This is why it is important to be part of a church and have a spiritual family that can encourage you in the right way. God’s way. Brother Doug