New Life Christian Center

09/07/2026

Mon. Sept. 7, 2026
THE LABOR OF LOVE….

It is Labor Day! The weirdest Holiday. A day to celebrate the American worker and laborer….by NOT working or laboring? Does that seem odd? Well, I understand the reason for a day off. It is because all the other days we are “working”. And a day of rest is the best reward for 364 days of work (minus 52 weekends….).

I have found that “labor” is actually something I don’t mind doing. In fact, I have a job that I enjoy most of the time. So I don’t mind doing it or preparing for it or studying to become better at it. Even when I worked in radio as broadcasting announcer 6 days a week on the air… I loved my work. So, it was not a “burden or drudge to bear”.

Doing what you love…. and what you are good at is the perfect combination. You know what else I call that? I call it the “perfect will of God” for you! Why shouldn’t we? We all say, “God loves you”. We have no problem believing that.

We call God our “Father”… and every good parent wants the best for their children. Why shouldn’t God want us to do what we are good at since He gave us the ability to BE good at “that”……and also enjoy doing it, because we are good at it and that is blessing to others.

Laboring for the Lord is reaching out into His harvest field to bring more people “home to Him”! Any good Commander in Chief wants to do well, and that means He will invest time, money and training into His “soldiers” or “reapers”, to make sure they are able to “do WELL” what they are called to do, and enjoy doing.

This is the labor of Love. The Labor of the Lord. It is carried out in prayer and submission. It is released every time we obey His Word. It is quenched when we hold back, walk in fear, doubt our Fathers presence or pleasure at releasing us from bondages or fail to thank Him for His blessings.

You trust God to take care of you, don’t you? Then trust Him and thank Him for also wanting to bless you and reward you for your labor for Him. He pays great wages for those who do! How about, “peace that passes all understanding that keeps your mind sound and centered on Jesus and His will! Or, that His plans for you are for good an not for evil; to offer you hope for your future and many “second chances” for getting things right that you missed along the way.

I think working FOR… and working WITH…God is the greatest reward for being a laborer in His mission. With God as your constant companion, you will not fail. So…….Stay yoked up to Him and with Him when you head back to “work” tomorrow.

And make it all…a LABOR OF LOVE… for God…. for others…. and yourself!

Love never fails!!

P. Scott

09/07/2026

Sunday Service - September 6, 2026

Welcome! Come worship with us in Jesus' Name. Allow the Holy Spiri...

09/04/2026

Fri. Sept. 4, 2026
HAPPY TOGETHER

When God created man, Adam, and put him in paradise on earth, it still wasn’t enough. He said it was not good for man to be alone. So He made a help-mate for him. Because God knows we need company.

The devil knows we need togetherness too. That is why he is working full-time to divide the nation, the churches, to divide and divorce marriages, to keep friends and family apart, and even businesses and commerce, all through forced distancing. It’s all part of the attack of the devil’s kingdom of darkness. Get people out of each other’s homes and into seclusion.

For a society that prides itself on being so inclusive, it is amazing how much we are dividing! We are being conquered by a thief who comes to steal our joy, kill our kind acts, and destroy our dedication to Godly principles for living. (like the Ten Commandments). And church services… “not essential”?

The enemy is targeting our togetherness. Want to know why? The Bible tells us there is power when two believers come together in agreement. We can send enemies to flight! But if we cannot agree, the enemy stays around and causes division and family fights and political squabbles. Divide and conquer. Subtract and seduce. The tactics of the kingdom of darkness.

On the other side, is light. With God, we are adding and multiplying. We are walking in peace, love, and joy, kindness, meekness, gentleness, faithfulness, long-suffering and self control. And when we do it together we release the power of the Holy Spirit into the earth. Only He can truly unite us in these times.

I love what Mother Therese is quoted as saying: “You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together, we can do great things.”

The ability to accomplish God’s plan for our lives is dependent on our obedience to His Word. We must allow The Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts and actions more and more each day. Fuel the fire of faith in your spirit! When we work together under God’s guidance, we can and will accomplish uncommon results.

As John Maxwell wisely says: “Simply put, it is less ‘me’ and more ‘we’' !

So Happy together!

P. Scott

09/03/2026

Thurs. Sept. 3, 2026
The WAY of the CROSS

Back in the 1990’s, I remember being surrounded by the pressure to show you were “successful” as a church and as a “christian”. It was a time of great visibility for evangelical churches. TV programs and Christian television networks were popping up and people flocked to see the shows… the preaching…. and also, the “celebrities”.

As it moved along, all the pressure was on to be bigger, better, performers of our “craft”. We literally sold our souls to conform to the world and fit in with the big networks etc. I know first hand. I worked for years as part of a major ministry, that today is falling apart the seams, full of corruption and heresy, fostered by a pastor/leader who sees himself as something of a “super prophet”, untouchable, because he is “anointed” above all others. He is to be worshipped and respected with unquestioned obedience.

This…… is NOT the WAY OF THE CROSS! This is not the ministry of Jesus Christ! This is a “false Christ”….. an “Anti-Christ”. It is deplorable. Detestable. Deceived. It grieves the heart of God. The True Holy Spirit has long since departed from the midst of that ministry.

In contrast…. Today I sit in my bedroom office watching a bird that God made pull leaves from the bush outside to take to his nest. I envision it to be a bouquet of green leaves and twigs to offer his wife and children and brighten up their day. I find it calming, stabilizing, …. just “REAL”. It makes me smile and I feel God’s presence in my office.

MATTHEW 16:24 tells us what a true ministry looks like and what a true Biblical minister should be doing: FOLLOWING JESUS.

“Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciples must DENY THEMSELVES and take up THEIR CROSS and FOLLOW ME.”

There is great joy in following Jesus. There is also great sacrifice. And they work together, as I have recently taught in our Sunday services. The JOY of the Lord is a strength to us, not just in battle against the enemy, but also to trust and rest at the ponds of obscurity. In places where “NOBODY” knows your name!

Sometimes… actually oftentimes.... I want to go there.

Sacrifice…. a “LIVING sacrifice” means surrendering all to Jesus. Tuning in the voice of the Holy Spirit and following His leading; no one else. No applause needed. Just assurance I am on His path and He is walking beside me. That is enough.

When you can walk away from the limelight and the spotlight and the big money and fame…. (none of which Jesus ever followed), ….and simply take the time to give “YOURSELF” away, you are on the right track. Use your time to help a friend through trouble, feed the hungry, heal the sick, listen to a person pour their heart out and just be there for them… not for YOU to be “THEIR ANSWER”. Jesus is their answer and supply. We get to introduce them to Him. And that… is enough.

Little sacrifices, led by the Holy Spirit….. offered in faith and trust … with no fear or selfishness in our actions…. That… is Biblical Success! That… is the “Way of the Cross”.

How might you bear His burden today?

P. Scott

09/02/2026

Wednesday. Sept. 2, 2026
LET THERE BE LIGHT

“Let there be light”!

The first words we have recorded spoken by God our Creator. The result was light. The life of the universe! And it is still expanding and lighting the darkness today.

I learned a scientific biological fact that is amazing. Medical doctors have been able to capture the very moment of conception, the beginning of life, by using fluorescence microscopy. When they did this they discovered that at the exact moment a s***m penetrates an egg, the egg will release over a billion zinc atoms which happen to emit….. light! The very miracle of conception then is a replication of God’s first four words!

This is the power of God’s voice! Or is it the power of His Word? Or… is it both?

I choose “door number 3” ! Can you see the power of God’s Word when it is spoken with purpose and in faith. We had four words at our Genesis account of creation and it set in motion an expanding universe measuring at least 93 billion light years in diameter!

So.. if God can do that with four words….. what do you think He can do with 66 books!

The Bible contains the Word of God, spoken to men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this down “for our admonition”. That means our benefit and also our understanding. The Bible is literally a universe in itself, waiting to be explored. And inquiring minds like mine, want to go there!

Whatever situation you are facing in life right now, God has a word for it. He has spoken to that need; that conflict. If you are disappointed or fearful, He has spoken to that. And when God speaks… He speaks life into your situations. A billion atoms emitting light into your life right now!

What do you have to be worried about? ................
..............Exactly.

Read God’s Word. The entrance of His Word…. Brings light!

P. Scott

09/01/2026

Tuesday. Sept. 1, 2026
YOUR VOICE

I am sure most of you are familiar with the TV show “The Voice”. Contestants come on a stage and sing a song while four celebrity judges are in chairs facing away from them and they make a decision to judge the voice they hear and if they want that singer on their team they hit a button and their chair turns around and then they see for the first time what “the voice” looks like.

It’s a popular show. And the contestants that make it on teams have to continue to sing and develop their voices with their celebrity coaches. The goal is to eliminate all other voices except your own, so in the end you are the winner of the competition show. You are “THE VOICE”!

In the kingdom of God, it is not about competition. It’s about completion. God has given everyone a voice in this world. To say something. To “do something”. And He wants each of us to find our voice. But the voice He gives us is not a song to sing. It is a message to minister!

It all starts with each of us learning to hear God’s voice first. We listen to Him and He speaks His will into our hearts. Our mind is renewed to His thoughts and ways. He not only speaks into our lives. He ultimately wants to speak THROUGH our lives!

So, finding your voice starts with hearing His voice!

I’ve shared before that listening is an art. It takes time and discipline. And if you want to hear God’s voice so you can develop your voice, you have to be willing to listen to everything God says to you, not just what you want to hear or what you think you need to hear. You have to trust that God is for you and not against you.

That is what prayer is for. Getting acquainted with God. He is the shepherd. We are the sheep. He is the potter. We are the clay. And He has things to say to us each day. And the things He has to “say” are sometimes things He wants say “THROUGH’ us … to others! Others who are not in a relationship with God and can’t hear him yet.

Looking at it that way, your voice matters a lot doesn’t it?

Listen to God today. He will talk to you in many ways. The Bible. Your circumstances. Other people. Challenges. Even pain. The prophet Samuel in the Bible had the right response to hearing God’s voice: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” And then he was told to share with the people what the Lord spoke to Him.

Go and do likewise!

P. Scott

08/31/2026

Mon. Aug. 31, 2026
LIVE FOR WHAT MATTERS

Today is the last day of August. Last day of a month. This “August” will never “be” again….. In a few hours it will fade away into a barely packaged memory of a time once remembered. How fleeting are the days of our lives.

Okay…. It sounds like like the opening of an old daily soap opera. But there’s truth in this. Our days are numbered. We have a “measured” time of life on this earth. Only God knows our days from the our first breath to our last. That is why it is so important to stay in close relationship with our Creator. Our times are in HIS HANDS! There is no safer place to be.

My routine every Monday morning is the same. It is about “rest” and “recovery”. The past week is over and, being a pastor, Sunday is my business day, my most emotionally exhausted day, and my my most spiritually draining day. It is wisdom to take time, like David, and find my “harp”. (For me… guitar, or penny whistle, or just a quiet visual on my laptop that shows a morning stream side campfire with coffee heating up and the sun just rising on the horizon.

I love the freedom for a few hours from the pressure of “having to get things done”. For a few hours, I take things at my pace. The most important thing to DO now… is hear from God. Nothing else is high priority. I love my sheep, but if I do not spend time with the Master, I will not be able to shepherd the flock in the hours, days and week to come.

My devotional that I read today was called “Time for Fleeting”. A weird title. But I understand it. Nothing moves faster in our lives than “time”. It is measured by seconds. We have many of them to live out, but it seems so short in the expanse of eternity.

What matters most to you in our life, should be the focus in your times of withdrawal like this. Never give up these times, for they also center you into what you were made for. It’s check-in time with your Creator too. God loves to meet with us. I find Him each Monday morning, in my mind’s eye, sitting down with me while I have a cup of steaming hot coffee and mostly, we just “sigh” a lot together.

He knows what burdens I bear. He cares about each person I know that share them with me too. It is helpful to be in close contact each week with the one who made me and has ordered my days. This is a safe place. Also a meadow of inspiration and reflection.

I’ll give you a line of thought to ponder today while you take your time…

“Consider what you can do less of and what you can incorporate more of…. To get more in line with your values”.

Take stock of your life this morning for a few minutes….What do you value most? Clue: It’s usually what you can’t live without. How about “God”? God is the Spirit of wisdom. That means He knows what you need to do with what you value. Follow His lead in your conversations with others. Be kind and patient with everyone you meet today. Breathe deeply and speak with loving intention; not a word of criticism today. See what unfolds….. Tomorrow, is “September”!

Live for what matters.

God and you.

P. Scott

08/31/2026

Sunday Service - August 30, 2026

Welcome! Come worship with us in Jesus' Name. Allow the Holy Spiri...

08/28/2026

Fri. Aug. 28, 2206
THE PATH OF TRUST

One of the most well known and quoted verses in the Bible is Prov. 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

With good reason, this verse starts more successful days than any other. Today I want to bring some insight as to why that may be. It has to do with the definition of “trust”. Let me take you to another verse in the Old Testament. Psalm 37:3 “TRUST in the Lord, and DO GOOD; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.”

The original Hebrew word for trust is “batah”, meaning “confident, secure, bold, carefree, and hopeful.” Now… with that in your “pocket” I think any day can be a great day! Much of Hebrew language definitions are progressive… like unwrapping a present with layers of gift wrap.

The point here is that the purpose of TRUST is to DO GOOD. You can’t really “do good”, or do “anything”, for that matter…..without engaging in contact with other people. They are the object and focus of our “doing”. So, the first thing to build a trusting relationship with others, is to do something good for them first. You start building the bridge with every act of God-inspired kindness.

This creates a space to dwell in and build on. This is “dwelling in the land”. The idea here is you move into the neighborhood and become a productive, helpful, kind and conscientious citizen in your town, your workplace, your church, etc.

The way to stay consistent and contribute to the “greater good” of others is to feed on God’s faithfulness to you. This is where having a thankful heart is necessary. You can’t afford to have an eye dropper full of selfishness or bitterness in your heart. You are quick to forgive. Patient with others and with circumstances. You “chill out”. You give and it’s given back to you.

Trusting in God this way creates inward certainty. Confidence that no matter what happens today, God is in control. I have that assurance and I am blessed, as the old hymn says. Thus, living by faith is a companion to trust. So, then, Prov. 3:5-6 shows us the way to live in peace, by trusting the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, thoughts and emotions. Choose to give Him recognition and honor in your daily thoughts and actions.

When you do, He lays out your path to walk each day. And the coolest part of all, is when you look down and wonder what your first step should be on your day’s path, you will see a set of footprints to step into and follow. God’s………..

So, today is a new day. Look for God's path. Discern His footprint…. and start walking in it. The rest is just an unfolding day of discovery and wonder. Enjoy it!

P. Scott

08/27/2026

Thurs. Aug. 27, 2026. COMFORT & CONVICTION

So, you want to hear what God is saying, right? Are you sure? Because I should caution you. The best way to hear God’s voice is to turn off your own voice. That means you can’t decide what God is going to say to you. You have to submit to whatever He is saying. That …. is called “FAITH”!

So, to hear the voice of God you and I have to be listening… in faith. Here’s the simplest way to define this process. Be willing to listen to EVERYTHING God has to say to you… because if you aren’t willing to hear EVERYTHING He says, eventually you won’t be able to hear ANYTHING He says.

I know we want to hear him speak comforting words. Remember Scrooge in “The Christmas Carol”? He encounters Marley’s ghost and is terrified and he cries out the words: “Speak words of comfort to me, Jacob! Speak words of comfort!”

And Marley screeches and then moans in agony. And gives Scrooge his message that he will be haunted by three spirits. But at least there is hope for him if he heeds their message.

God will not screech and moan in agony. But God may brings words of conviction and correction to us. If He does, it is truly for our good.

Conviction from the Holy Spirit is to point out if we are off course. If we are headed for trouble. Or if we are just going to make a bad decision with consequences down the line we cannot see today but the Hoy Spirit can. So, conviction is not a bad thing, is it?

Now condemnation…. that is demeaning and pounding and demoralizing. God does not do that to His children. Only the devil, called the accuser of the brethren, attacks us with thoughts like that. His demon army has that assignment. To condemn and bury us in shame and guilt. To take away all hope of change. To turn us against ourselves and against God. If you are hearing that voice…. I can assure you, it is NOT GOD speaking! Don’t listen to it!

God says in ROM. 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (that is the condition for no condemnation…), who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (that is how we “tune in” and catch what God is saying. This is how you hear God’s voice). We have to walk in the Spirit and then we will not fulfill the desires of our flesh or self without God.

If you want to hear God’s comforting voice you have to also tune in to His convicting voice and tune out the condemning voice of the devil or your selfish flesh without God. Don’t be afraid to get redirected by God. Often what we want to hear the least is what we need to hear the most! God knows exactly what we need. And He can change our “wants” if we are willing to let Him. If we are willing to to listen to everything that God has to say.

The Bible teaches us that God loves us and is for us. We need have no fear about hearing from Him. So, tune in to the frequency of the Holy Spirit speaking to you right now. If He is comforting you, receive that. If He is speaking words of conviction, receive that too. They are both from Him….. FOR YOU… and for your good!

Offer the prayer of Samuel from the Old Testament today without fear: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”

That’s the voice of GOD! Comforting…. and convicting…

P. Scott