Good day Aspen Grove Church family,

I pray that you are doing well. I hope you are taking care of yourselves during these 100 degree days. Hard to believe that we have started the second half of the year already! A lot of folks went over to Sister Judy Moore’s home and celebrated the 4^th of July at her annual party. A lot of fellowship, great conversation, and some awesome foods were enjoyed by all. On July 5^th, we preached a message titled, "Come Rest on Us" from the Book of Acts 2:1-4. One of the most beautiful worship songs of recent years repeats a simple prayer: "Holy Spirit, come rest on us," by Maverick City Music, a Chrisitan Cotemporary group. The song isn't merely poetic language or song lyrics, but it is a biblical prayer. It is inviting the presence, power, and peace of GOD to dwell among His people. Throughout Scripture, whenever GOD's presence rested on His people, everything changed. For instance: Moses became a leader, Gideon became a warrior, and David became a king. The disciples became world changers when they finally understood what Jesus had been teaching them over the 3 yrs of being with them. However, for GOD to rest on your life, is to have an active relationship with HIM through Faith because… God's Presence Brings Rest. Rest… what an awesome thought, ain’t it? Rest, in the biblical context, is a multifaceted concept encompassing physical cessation from labor, spiritual peace, and eternal peaceful state of rest. It is a divine provision and commandment, reflecting God's own rest after creation and symbolizing the ultimate peace found in Him. Real rest isn't found in vacations, retirements, having money, or hobbies. No, real rest comes from God's presence being intentionally in your life. Today, too many believers are exhausted… not physically, but spiritually, and our bodies are paying for it. God isn't calling us to work harder, but He's calling us to come closer, surrender it all to HIM.   Another thing to consider is when it comes to having GOD rest on us is that… God's Presence Brings Power. When the Holy Spirit rested on the Disciples fear became boldness, subtle doubts became courageous acts of faith, and from hiding in the shadows suddenly became preaching out in the open for all to see and hear. Take Peter for instance, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times around a fire, but after Pentecost... Peter stood before thousands and preached Christ and thousands of lives were saved. The difference? The Holy Spirit rested upon him. Think of like this: A light bulb has all the necessary parts: Glass, Filament, and a Socket, but without electricity... it's useless. The same concept applies to Christians today. We have all the book knowledge that’s out there, but it’s all useless if we don’t have Jesus as our Lord and Savior. God doesn't call us to serve Him in our own strength, but HE empowers those who depend on Him… and why is that?  Because God's Presence in our lives Changes Everything! All throughout Scripture God's presence transforms His people… Abraham became the father of nations; Jacob became Israel; Saul became Paul, & common everyday fishermen became mighty Apostles. The cool thing about all of this is this: As we behold His glory... we too, are radically changed. The goal isn't merely to attend church, but to be The Church! If we truly desire the Holy Spirit to rest on us, we should: 1.        Seek Him daily through prayer (Luke 11:13; Jer 29:13), 2. Live surrendered lives. (Rom 12:1; Gal 2:20), 3. Walk in true obedience. (John 14:21; James 1:22), and 4. Worship with Expectation. (Psa 22:3; John 4:23-24). Today, many churches sing, "Come rest on us." But do we truly expect Him to? God still honors hearts that are truly hungry for His presence. Perhaps you've been carrying burdens that only Jesus can lift. Perhaps you've been trying to live the Christian life in your own strength. Perhaps you've grown cold and distant. Today the invitation remains the same: Come to Jesus; Come to the Father; Welcome the Holy Spirit into your life; and pray as the early church prayed: "Holy Spirit, come rest on us."

On July 12^th, we preached message titled, “Walking by Faith, Not by Sight", from the Book of 2 Corinthians 5:1-8. One of the big, important life lessons that we learned was that life’s plans change quickly. The older we become, the more we realize that life rarely goes according to our plans. Our bodies become weaker, friends move away or pass on, families change, finances fluctuate, and the future can seem uncertain. Yet, God's Word reminds us that the Christian life has never been about walking by what we can see, but it has always been about trusting the One who sees everything. See, Faith doesn't eliminate uncertainty, however it teaches us who to trust during uncertain times. You see, Faith Trusts God's Direction Even When We Can't See the Road. God never promised to show us the entire journey, only the next step. He doesn't reveal the whole road because He wants us to keep depending on Him one step at a time. Our Faith Believes God's Promises More Than Present Circumstances in life. If we think about it, sometimes sight tells us… "I'm getting weaker." While faith tells us… God is still on His throne. Christians don't deny reality; they simply believe that God's promises are greater than their present circumstances. Our greatest ministry today may not be what we do, but how faithfully we trust God while others are watching. So, let’s continue to Walk by Faith and not by sight, let’s be the living example for the next generation, knowing that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Philippians 1:6).

On July 19^th, we preached a message titled, “For Times Such as This,” coming from the Book of Esther 4:13-14. Every generation faces defining moments. There are seasons when God's people must choose between comfort and courage, silence and speaking, fear and faith. As we reflect upon our lives, something that we learn over time is that… God Places Us Where He Wants Us. Esther did not choose to become queen simply for luxury.  God had been positioning her long before the crisis ever came to light. Likewise, God has positioned every believer in a certain place for a specific reason. As to what that reason is… well to glorify the LORD in ALL circumstances of life. You see, God is never surprised by world events. He knew the challenges that we face these days and yet, in His infinite wisdom, He still chose for us to live today. Something we may not realize is that GOD allows Crissies in our lives to Reveal Our Calling. Esther became queen before she understood why, but the crisis revealed her purpose… to save GOD’s chosen people. God often allows difficult seasons in our lives, not as punishment, but to accomplish eternal purposes for the Kingdom of Heaven, and I believe the reasoning is because the problems become platforms for God's power to be displayed for all the World to see. Because God Calls Us to Courageous Obedience. You see, Faith will always require action. When we face a crisis, we need to stop asking, "What will happen to me?", and instead, we need to be asking, "What does God want from me?" You see, the world needs more Christians to be obedient and are willing to act upon GOD’s calling on their life. We are called to stand for truth, love people, share the Gospel, encourage younger believers, and remain faithful until Christ returns. Sometimes the greatest danger that we face is not persecution but remaining silent when GOD has called for us to speak up. The enemy doesn't mind us being comfortable Christians, going to church, or even reading the Bible. Instead, what he fears are committed Christians to the faith. Like Esther, you may not have chosen the circumstances of your day, but you can choose how you will respond. The question is no longer, "Why am I here?" Instead, the question becomes, "Will I answer God's call for such a time as this?" So, let’s all start being intentional and Stand firm, let our light shine brightly for all to see, and to serve faithfully because God has placed us.

On July 26^th, I did a devotion instead of a full sermon because we had a business meeting to follow. The title of the devotional was titled, “With Everything,” coming from the Book of Matthew 22:34-40. One day, Jesus was asked a simple but profound question: "What is the greatest commandment?" The religious leaders expected Him to choose from the 613 laws found in the Old Testament. Instead, Jesus brought everything down to one simple truth: Love GOD with everything you have, and love others as yourself. GOD isn't asking us for our leftovers. He isn't asking for a few moments on Sunday morning or a prayer before meals, but He desires our entire lives, our entire worship, and our entire praise. He wants us to love HIM intentionally with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our souls. If we do that, then loving people is so much easier. Because how we treat others is a direct reflection of how we view GOD. As we know, GOD is love. I ask quite often of myself, “Do you realize that you just might be the Bible they will ever read?” People may never read the Bible, but they read our lives every day. If you will for just a moment, imagine yourself holding a cup filled to the brim with water. Then something happens and it bumps that cup and causes what's inside to spill out. Our lives are just like that cup. When the pressures of life come, whatever fills our hearts spills out. If our hearts are filled with bitterness or anger, they will come out. If they're filled with worry, worry comes out. But if they're filled with the love of Christ, His love will overflow into every relationship and every circumstance. That's why Jesus calls us to love Him With Everything. When He fills our hearts, our lives begin to overflow with His presence. As we grow older, our strength may diminish, our pace may slow, and our abilities may change, but GOD has never asked us to love Him with what we no longer have. He simply asks us to love Him with everything we have today. Whether we are 18 or 88, wholehearted devotion is always the greatest gift we can offer our Savior.

Sadly, this will be my last letter to my Aspen Grove family. GOD has a purpose for why things happen and GOD has called us in a different direction. I love each and everyone of you and I pray that regardless of what happens in this world, that you continue to dive deep into GOD’s Word and allow it to transform you into who GOD has called you to be. May the Love of GOD continue to pour out over you, bless you, and keep you until He calls us all home. Sincerely,

Preacher Sonny