A Word of Encouragement

Dear Bella Vista Church Family,

I want to take a moment to encourage everyone to spend time reading your Bible for yourself. It is vital for every child of God and follower of Jesus to set aside time each day to be with Him in prayer and in His Word. That is where our strength comes from.

The busier life gets, the more we need to seek Him first and make Him the center of everything we do. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The Lord has been teaching me that truly following Him means surrendering my own plans and trusting His. When I get caught up making my own plans and filling my schedule, I find that my peace begins to fade and my faith grows weaker. But when I start my day with Him and make Him the center of my life, even when the storms of life come, there is a peace that sustains me, a peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

This week we also talked about Psalm 19, which reminds us that the Word of God is perfect, trustworthy, and life giving. “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” (Psalm 19:7-8) The psalm goes on to say that the Word of God is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. When we allow His Word to fill our hearts, it revives our soul, gives us wisdom, and brings joy and light to our path.

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Obedience is not about perfection, it is about relationship. It is choosing to walk in step with the Spirit each day (Galatians 5:25) and trusting that His way is better than ours.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) This means our love for God should overflow into love for one another. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, we are to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)

So let us be intentional this week to draw near to Him, to spend time in His presence, to listen for His voice, and to let His Word guide our steps. As Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Trials in life will come, and the book of James tells us to “consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3) That kind of joy does not come from comfort or ease but from knowing Christ deeply. It grows as we spend time with Him and allow His Spirit to shape our hearts.

It is one thing to know about Jesus, but it is another to know Him personally, to walk with Him and to trust Him as our Savior, Shepherd, King, Lord, and Friend. As we grow in that relationship, our faith is strengthened, our love is deepened, and our hearts are filled with His peace.

When we make Him our priority, everything else begins to fall into place, and we discover that peace, strength, and hope are found only in Him. Let us continue to love God with all that we are and love one another as He has loved us.

Serving Jesus with you,

Pastor Timothy Anderson