Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I often wonder what my life would be like if certain things hadn't happened in my life. Would I be married, would I be a pastor, would I be alive? Those are just some of the questions that pop into my head. As of late though, when I start thinking of these questions, among other things, I stop and tell myself, "But it didn't happen that way. By the way, guess what? That's a good thing."

While the road of my life has helped turn me into the man I am today, nothing that I've done in the past defines me. And this is good. Because if my past did define me, I would have no hope, no peace, and no life.

This is why there has to be something out side of us to define us, otherwise all is lost. This is how you are defined now: You are a baptized child of God. This baptism defines you as a member of God's family as the heirs to His Kingdom. This birth from above defines you as a freely forgiven and justified child of God. In baptism Jesus declares to the world and Satan that you are His, no one else's but His most prized treasure.

Therefore, if you are struggling, if you are anxious or depressed, if you are suffering any affliction, run to the Cross – the new tree of life – and see all those misgivings conquered by Christ's all atoning sacrifice. For you are defined not as a lost, wandering, condemned person, but as a new, holy and pure creation of God. He worked hard to make you His, in fact He knitted you together in your mother's womb. That's how special you are to Him. God did everything that He did through Christ for you, because He loves you and calls you His own. Christ has declared it is so, and nothing can change this – no, not anything... Thanks be to God it is so. Therefore, live free, live boldly because you are defined to do so.

The Peace of the Lord Be with You Always,
Rev. Jonathan Holmes

The full newsletter can be found here:
http://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2016/2016-09-Newsletter.pdf