RELIGION

For more religion visit peoriatimes.com

Peoria Times.com /PeoriaTimes

The power of one decision is ready when you are

CHURCH-COMMUNITY CONNECTION Pastor Ed Delph

Peoria Times Columnist

I imagine every reader in newspaper land will relate to this story.

A friend promised his 8-year-old son, Bobby, that he would take him fishing on Saturday. The boy waited eagerly for the day to arrive, but rain spoiled their plans. Bobby grumbled all morning, moping about the house. The rain ended by 3 p.m., and they went fishing. They caught a boatload of fish.

At supper, Bobby’s mother asked him to say grace. Bobby did so and concluded his prayer with, “And, Lord, if I sounded grumpy earlier in the day, it was because I couldn’t see far enough ahead. Thank you for the fish.”

I like Bobby’s prayer. “It was because I couldn’t see far enough.” Are we seeing far enough? Saying “thank you” is a great way to end the day for our life here on earth, but what about heaven and our eternal life? If you are ready to think God is a reality, you can believe that there is life after death. And the way to get into heaven is through His Son Jesus. We have talked about Him in these articles since November 2004.

Look at what God says in The Message version of the Bible in Romans 10:9-10 about Jesus.

“The word that saves us is right here, as near as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest.” It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God — “Jesus is my Master” — embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what He did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it.

You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting Him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being, you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between Him and me.”

There is a prayer that embraces what these Bible verses say. I prayed when I was 24 years old in March 1974 on a snowmobile at 3 a.m. in Pinetop. Before that prayer, I had never considered my future. But that night, I looked far enough into the future and decided for Christ. Afterward, I said, “Thank you.”

I’ve never been the same since that moment. I’ve found that God is reliable. I’ve found that God is who He says He is. I’ve found that God does what God says He will do. As I said a few weeks ago, “God’s not dead. God’s dad.” I found a new life through Jesus, and I’ve never turned back, nor do I want to turn back. I discovered the power of the one decision that matters most.

It’s not weird, like some religious stuff. My life is just the way I know you would like yours to be — normal yet supernatural. So, look over the prayer that follows and, if you are ready, go ahead and pray it if it ex-

Harvest CHurCH

8340 W. Northern Ave. Glendale, AZ 85305

Information 623.334.9482 Dr. Ron G. Rockwell – Pastor Sunday: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.

Nursery Provided Wednesday: Family Night 7:00 p.m. www.hcaz.org

101 Freeway91st ave.

Harvest CHurCH 8340 W. Northern

Northern Ave.

Shepherd of the Desert

Lutheran Church - ELCA

11025 N. 111th Ave., Sun City/Youngtown • Worship Saturday 4pm, Sunday 9:30am • Holy Communion both services • Pancake Breakfast 8-10am

Last Saturday Every Month

Drive-Thru Only • In-Person Bible Study

Wed 6pm

Handicap Bus - Call for pickup

(24hrs in Advance) 623 340-8232 Pastor Phil Gustofson, Interim Pastor

623-933-1359 shepherdofthedesertelca.org

presses what you want God to do for you. No pressure; it’s just God and you.

Here’s the prayer. “God… I receive your Son Jesus into my heart. Even though I don’t understand it all, I say by the faith Jesus is Lord, and I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, which is what God will do for me. Thank you for making things right between You and me. I thank You that I have a new start.”

If you prayed that prayer and meant it, welcome to a bigger world. Welcome to what God created for you. Welcome to the family of God. God has lit the candle of your life. You are in right standing with God, already producing the light that God has called you to. You have discovered the power of one decision.

Now for the rest of us, I hope that this article has inspired you, equipped you, and made you more aware of the God you can know. My sincere desire is that you could say after reading this artcle, “Ed, you and God have touched me, and I have grown.”

I hope God, through my writings, has shifted your thinking a bit from unaware to aware, unconcerned to concerned, and from uninterested to interested in knowing more about the God you can know. I pray that you are closer to God now than when you started reading these weekly articles. I also hope your heart and mind are open to considering the possibility of God. That would be a win-win for you and heaven.

My purpose in writing this article is to put things “God’s way, but nicely” and truly. I desire to see you unencumbered. I wish you would be free from the ghosts of the past and prepared for opportunities in the future. The wel-

DECISION FROM PAGE 24 come mat of this article is always here for you. And we’ll leave the lights on for you.

Don’t forget, the power of one decision is ready when you are. If your decision is for God, remember gratitude gives you a confident assurance about the future.

God loves you, and He approved this message. PT Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. He may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com. For more info, see nationstrategy.com.

GET A TAX CREDIT BY SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL NONPROFIT BENEVILLA.

Your $800 donation (or $400 if filing single) to Benevilla can get you a dollar-for-dollar tax credit* on your Arizona State Tax Return. Your donation will directly support older adults, adults with disabilities, and families in your local community. Donations for the 2021 AZ State Tax Credit can be made up to April 15, 2022.

Please call 623-584-4999 to donate or visit www.Benevilla.org to give securely online.

Benevilla’s Qualifying Charitable Organization code is: 20493 *Consult a qualified tax advisor on your personal tax situation.

www.fsbcg.org 10250 N. 59th Ave. 623-937-9216

Sunday Services:

Bible Study (All ages) ...................9:15 am Morning Worship ........................10:30 am Youth Discipleship ........................4:45 pm

W ednesdays:

Adult Bible Study & Prayer ...........6:00 pm Children/Youth ..............................6:30 pm

Dr. Mark Mucklow, Pastor

10935 W. Olive Ave. Peoria 85345 Phone (623) 972-8479 office@westolive.com www.westolive.com Sunday Bible Study 9 a.m. Worship 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Wednesday Bible Classes for all ages - 7:00 p.m. Everyone Is Welcome!

16000 N. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City AZ 85351 Tel: 623-974-3611 IN-PERSON WORSHIP SUNDAYS - 10 AM

Music Begins 9:50 AM Live-Streamed at www.scfaith.org SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Cowboy Sunday

Willow Creek Band Dress regular, or dress Cowboy style.

Revs. Mike and Sheryl Campbell “An inclusive, welcoming, caring community, serving Jesus Christ”

Inspire The World Publish Your Book TodayBook Today

Your book made available at all major secular and specialty Christian bookstores including: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and many more.