We have been blessed with some much needed cooler temperatures lately and a little rain. Of course we could use much more. God sees and knows of our needs and will provide according to His will and purpose. We can depend on that for sure. I gave up on my garden several days ago. Maybe next year! I did receive a big gift from one of our master gardeners this past week: 188 ears of sweet corn. It was a great pleasure to meet him out in his garden and push the wheel barrow as he picked the corn. We put up 18 quarts of corn in our freezer. Another master gardener brought us several tomatoes. We boiled, skinned, and put them in the freezer for some delicious stews and soups later on this winter. Cindi and I are so very blessed. We thank God every day for the church of Christ at Enola, for your care and support for us as we work with you toward heaven. Can you believe that I have been the minister at Enola for one year this month?

Our Sunday morning series continues this Sunday – “Repentance – A Command for All for All Time.” Last Sunday we looked at the Meaning of Repentance. To repent means to regret, to turn, to change, and to relent. “Repentance” has always been God’s plea to mankind. This Sunday we will follow that sermon with a look at the Motivation to Repentance. What is it that leads a person to repentance? You might be thinking: What can I say to my son or daughter that would help them see their need to repent? What can I say to my parents to show them that unless they repent, they will perish? What cay I say to my friends to help them understand just where they will end up unless they repent? We will answer these questions right from the Bible. We might think that a good whipping from God is the best way to bring someone who is in sin to repentance. Now, don’t get me wrong. God sometimes chastens us. You can read Hebrews 12:3-13 to see for yourself that God often disciplines us. But, when it comes to the best way to motivate one to repentance we find that the goodness of God, His longsuffering, His love, His promises, His instructions lead people to repent. We would do well to come to a better understanding of this fact. The goodness of God leads us to repentance. What about us? If we would like to see others repent, let’s show them the goodness of God, His compassion, His love, His promises, and His instructions.

On Sunday evenings at Enola we are studying about the love of Jesus. Jesus loves us, this we know, for the Bible tells us so. The love of Christ is our motivation to serve. The love of Christ is our reason to obey. There may be many reasons to obey the gospel of Christ, but the greatest and best reason is love. Do you love God? If you do, obey His instructions. Jesus said it this way in John 14:15; “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” How can you say you love God when you are not obeying His commandments?

Remember our VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at Enola; scheduled for Sunday evening, July 29 and continuing through Wednesday evening, August 1. Our theme is “The Treasure of the Forgotten Island.” I hope you will be here for every session. Adults: We will have a very special series of studies on the same topics as well. We will study the following lessons:

Sunday - Listening to Instructions and Discovering Truth

Monday - Avoiding Foolish Behavior

Tuesday - Living God’s Way

Wednesday - Gaining Wisdom