From the desk of Pastor Chris Noland

God is good, all the time! Once again we have seen the providential care of God in our lives. I am amazed at how God works in such wonderful ways that cause us to simply give Him all the glory! I really believe that the opportunity that I have to serve as your pastor was orchestrated by God. I see now how God has been preparing me over the years to carry the gospel to the state of Maine. I believe that at Spruce Head Community Church we have the opportunity and potential to do amazing things for the kingdom of God and His glory. God has also prepared Spruce Head Community Church for such a time as this to carry out His desires and His plans to reach the state of Maine for Jesus. I am honored to serve as the pastor of Spruce Head Community Church and I look forward to seeing God work through Spruce Head. I believe that discipleship is the key to church growth. Over the next several months our focus will be on discipleship. Starting in October we will begin 'back to the basics' during our Sunday evening worship services. 'Back to the basics' is a Bible study that the Lord has given me to encourage believers in the basics of the Christian faith. We will address such topics as: The Bible, God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, Salvation, and more. To continue our discipleship journey we will also study through the 'survival kit for Christians' in the spring of 2011. This study will also be held on Sunday nights and will also serve as a training opportunity for discipleship mentors. The goal in mind is to have indviduals who have gone through the 'survival kit' as discipleship mentors. These people will work to disciple those who come to know the Lord through the ministry of Spruce Head on a one on one basis. My prayer is that all current memebers of Spruce Head will become discipleship mentors. Over the first year of ministry I also hope to get to know each of you on a personal level. Our family is very excited about getting to know each of you and to learn of your dreams and desires for Spruce Head Community Church. The future is bright and I believe that if we stay true to God's Word and as we obey Him, we will see God do things that are beyond anything we could ever imagine. To God be the glory!!

Comments (0)     

A question was addressed to me the other day concerning just exactly what is 'blaspheme against the Holy Ghost.' Very little preaching is done these days concerning this subject. However, it is important that we understand what it means. In Matthew 12:31 Jesus says, "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men." There is essentially only one sin that will send a soul to hell and that is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. So, what does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Ghost. One of the primary purposes of the Holy Ghost is to draw us to Christ, to convict of us our sin and our need for Jesus. When an individual turns away from the drawing and convicting of the Holy Ghost and refuses to give their life to Christ, they have blasphemed against the Holy Ghost and they cannot be forgiven. Basically, the one sin that sends a soul to hell is the sin of failing to give ones life to Jesus for salvation. If the Holy Ghost is convicting you and compelling you to trust in Christ, do not turn away. God is a merciful and loving God, He will continue to convict you in His own time and sooner or later that conviction will cease and there will be no hope for you. When the Holy Ghost convicts you to accept Jesus as you Lord and Savior, don't run, but give your life to Jesus, lest you are quilty of blaspheme against the Holy Ghost.

Comments (0)     

We all have things that we worry about from time to time. Often times I will worry about whether or not I am raising my children right or spending enough time with them. Some people worry more than others but we all worry to some degree. We live in a very stressful time. There are dangers lurking around every corner. Our nation is on the verge of financial ruin. The threat of another world war is growing greater everyday. Truthfully, we have alot to worry about. But the Bible tells us that we don't need to worry. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Here Jesus tells us that we should not worry about the cares of this life. Instead of focusing on the problems and the needs we should simply focus on what matters most, our realtionship with Jesus. Verese 33 tells us, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." We need to get our eyes off of the circumstance and get our eyes on Jesus. The other day I was reading a devotional that was talking about worry and it showed some practical steps that we can take to keep us from worry: 1. Make a worry list. Write down all the things that bother you and that cause you to worry no matter how big or small they may be. 2. Turn your worry list into a prayer list. Begin to pray everyday for the things that worry you. "Cast your cares upon Jesus, because He cares for you." 3. Turn your prayer list into an action list. Don't just sit there, but do something about it. If you have financial worries, then do something. Work hard to get out of debt, perhaps another job, or less spending would do the trick. Whatever it may be, do something! Jesus does not want us to sit around and think about all the problems of life. His desire is that we focus on serving Him daily and He will provide our needs. After all, this world is our temporary home. Our lifetime compared to eternity is nothing. So, why worry?

Comments (0)     

There are many debates today on what worship is all about. The real battle seems to be with styles and personal preferences rather than on what true worship is. Worship is more than just singing a song of praise, it is a lifestyle. We are to live a life of worship. The purpose for which God created us is to glorify Him. Often times we think that we as mankind is the center of God's creation and that everything revolves around us. The idea that man is the center of everything is a false concept. This world and all that is in it, including man, is designed for one purpose and one purpose only, to worship God. In essence, we are made to worship! If our purpose in life is to worship God, then we can conclude that our ability to live and our power comes from fullfilling that purpose of worship. Psalms 118:1-9 speaks of why we must praise the Lord. First of all, we must praise the Lord because praise sets us free. The Psalmist was in much distress and trouble, but when he praised God, he was rescued. In Acts 16:16-30 we have the account of Paul and Silas in prison. They were in chains. When thay began to sing praise to God the chains fell and they was set free. No matter what is troubling you, no matter what you are going through, just praise the Lord and you can be set free. Secondly, praise conquers the enemy. The Psalmist realized that his protection comes from God. When he praised the Lord, his enemies run. Satan is our enemy. He is out to destroy your life. The best way to overcome the attacks of Satan is to worship God. This is why we are to be in a constant state of worship. Every moment of every day we are to offer our lives, everything we do, as acts of worship to God. When we do this our enemy cannot touch us. Finally, praise brings comfort. When we praise God it comforts our souls. There is nothing more refreshing, more joyous than singing songs of praise to God. Whatever you fear, whatever troubles you, just praise the Lord and those fears and troubles will vanish away. I am reminded of that old song: "It's amazing what praising can do...I don't worry when things go wrong...Jesus fills my heart with a song..it's amazing what praising can do!. Praise is a very valuable tool. Are you praising the Lord?

Comments (0)