Hello Cedar Grove Family!

Here we are yet again on a Monday Morning. Yesterday was a great day of worship and digging into God's Word. My thoughts this morning are many. I know we have had a historical week last week in American politics. From my perspective, the effort of protecting the unborn took an emphatic win. Praise the Lord. That brings the question: What if? What if the candidate you voted against won the election? What if policies that impacted the working class continued to hurt? What if our President Elect doesn't hold to his word while in office? I ask these theoretical question because we do not find security or peace in our government or polity. Yes, our secular experience on earth can be made better or worse depending on the administration. Do not receive this email as me being anti-political or empathetic to God-mocking, culture-decaying progressive ideology. One of the greatest civil responsibilities and freedoms is the right to vote. I thank God for our nation's free election process. It works.

However, our hope is not in a president, cabinet, or any of the branches of our government. Our hope is in Jesus. Our hope is Jesus. I believe that we will never see a fully Christian United States. The next fully Christian "society" will be in heaven! That's where I'm a citizen of anyway. I do, though, believe that we can see a great revival across our land. We cannot depend on circumstance to bring this needed revival. We cannot depend on a government official to bring this needed revival. God's people must humble themselves before the Lord, focus on the task at hand, foster a broken heart for the lost, and live out our faith in obedience. Then I believe we will see revival.

So...what if? What if we, as the saints of God, the children of the Most High, the justified, sanctified, to be glorified members of the Body of Christ get passionate about our calling? What if the church quits looking like the world and looks more like Jesus? What if we, regardless of the circumstances surrounding us, good or bad, actively beckon those who are lost to come to Jesus? What if we didn't look over our brother or sister's sin, but biblically restored them in grace? What if Jesus came back today? Last week wouldn't matter, but how you stewarded this life very much so does.

May I reiterate the words of the Apostle Paul as a prayer over you today...

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

I love you Cedar Grove. Let's live the faith out together. We are more than conquerers. We are victorious. We are SAVED! May we spread the good news.

Your pastor and friend, Happy in the Lord, Amen

Jacob Lannom, Buh-Bye

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Eph 3:14–21.