Dear Friends:

     September.  The kids go back to school.  We begin gearing up for the rush of fall activities at church.  The weather is about to change.  Let's face it, the summer is about to wind down!
     And when the lazy days of summer are over, we'll be "back to work," so to speak.  At church we'll have meetings, special programs, a turkey supper, seasonal services, and the like.  And all of these things are going to take time, effort, and leadership.
     I came across a quote the other day.  Let me share it with you.  Former President Ronald Reagan said, "If we weren't so concerned about who gets credit for something, there would be no limit to what can be accomplished."  And I agree with that.
     Sometimes it's easy to spend time "blowing your own horn."  Sometimes it's easy to share with our intimate friends the things we've done; the things we take credit for.  But in order to stay fully focused on God and on his direction, we can't have the luxury of "taking credit".  The credit for any good thing doesn't rest with one particular person or one particular group.  The credit belongs to God.
     You see, it's God working through us, accomplishing great things.  The successes we see at church are not due to our own superiority, but to the blessings of God.  The successes you've experienced in life are from God.  Maybe if people weren't so caught up with "taking credit", it would be so much more obvious that God was behind us!
     Matthew 6:4, "Your Father who sees in secret will reward you."  Notice that Jesus tells us that our reward for doing a fine job will not come in the form of accolades from other people.  But that our reward will be spiritual.
     But sometimes it's not easy to hear God saying, "Job well done".  Sometimes it's easier to seek the praise of other people.  That's the challenge.  Spend some time listening to God.  Remember that prayer is a conversation, not a monologue!  And when you have accomplished something that was directed by faith, expect a reap of heavenly reward.
     So let's enjoy the rest of the summer.  And when the busy-ness picks up, let's give God all the credit for our successes.  It's not me.  It's not you.  It's God - working through all of us.
     Marcia and I wish you God's peace,
Pastor Jon West