Pastor Don Terry

Scripture: Psalm 37:1–18 

Scripture: 139:1-12

Scripture: Psalm 40:1–10

In Psalm 89, God says, “I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him.” That word anointed is powerful. It means chosen with purpose. Empowered for faithfulness. David was not anointed because he was perfect, but because God was faithful. That same faithfulness shows up again in Jesus. In Acts 10:38, we read, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power…(and) He went about doing good.”

Psalm 72 gives us a beautiful picture of God’s reign. It’s not about power for power’s sake. It’s about justice for the poor, peace for the land, and mercy for the vulnerable.

Have you ever noticed that Joseph never says a single word in the Christmas story?

Have you ever had a moment when your faith felt shaky—when you wondered if God was really working, or if you somehow missed something along the way?

In Matthew 3, John the Baptist steps out of the wilderness with a bold message: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.”John isn’t talking about building roads—he’s talking about clearing the clutter in our hearts.

What time is it? According to Romans 13:11-14, it’s time to wake up. Paul says the night is fading and the day is already here—meaning God is inviting us to step out of the shadows and into His light.

There’s this moment in Genesis 32 where Jacob spends the whole night wrestling—body, mind, and soul. He’s wrestling with fear, with his past, with the unknown future… and ultimately he realizes he’s wrestling with God Himself.

Ever feel like your world’s falling apart? The job’s uncertain, the news is bad, the future feels shaky?

Have you ever felt like you just can’t seem to rise above the pain, the loss, the struggles of life?Zacchaeus was tired of the struggle too. He climbed a tree just to see Jesus — but he didn’t know Jesus was already looking for him. That’s the power of grace: before we ever call His name, He already knows ours.