Keystone Church

This past Sunday, we worshiped at Keystone Church, RLA Learning and Conference Center, 850 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066, 724.201.1035, www.keystonechurchpa.com, Lorin Foster, Pastor.

 

Scripture – James 5:12-20 (NIV)

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

 

Bob’s thoughts:

It has been a while since we have had such an uplifting worship experience. There was no question that God led us to worship here.

I was surprised how quickly He put down preconceived notions I wasn’t even aware of. I expected loud and somewhat rowdy music, I guess because that is what we experienced the last time we were at this venue. I was sure God was sending us here to pray over someone; I barely got to do so but instead we were lifted in prayer ourselves by church members.

We were thankful for a great cup of coffee before the service and to be greeted by a brother in Christ from Zambia. He shared knowledge of Malawi and it was wonderful to again hear some phrases in Chichewa. I was overjoyed to spend some time with this incredible missionary bringing Jesus Christ to Pennsylvania.

Sometimes I feel like I did great at prayer and at times more like “Father Jesus”, as mentioned by the pastor in the message. At times I was upset when the answer to prayer for healing didn’t go the way I thought it should, but I came to realize the outcome isn’t up to me and to keep praying. I have been party to some awesome healing prayers.

I have some bullet holes and scars and Agent Orange has eaten some parts, but I am alive and able and overwhelmingly blessed. When prayer doesn’t bring the result I hoped for, I leave it in God’s capable hands and keep praying.

We were pleased to have a few minutes to talk with the pastor after the service and pray over him.

 

Jan’s thoughts:

We saw signs for this church by the road in Cranberry Twp. and opted to worship here on Sunday. I didn’t realize God was orchestrating something special for us.

A gentleman saw us approaching the doors and pressed the switch to open them for us. As we entered, we noticed a large prayer circle, so we stepped aside and had some coffee and conversation with a member. We then found a couch to rest for a moment where two more members stopped to chat.

By then it seemed like time to find a seat for the service, and as we entered the worship area we were greeted by a gentleman at the door. The instant he spoke, I recognized his accent so I asked him where he was from and he responded that he was from Zambia. We proceeded to enjoy a heartfelt conversation about Africa in general and about Zambia and Malawi, and even exchanged a few words of Chichewa. Such a joy!

We sat in the back, expecting the music to be much louder than it was, which was fine. However we both stayed seated due to some discomfort, which meant we were unable to see the words on the screens.

The pastor announced that following the message there would be dedicated prayer time for members to pray with and for others if they wished.

The message was called “The Power of Prayer” and was part of a series on the book of James. The pastor was open about his personal challenges with prayer, which I found encouraging. I appreciated his statement that prayer “requires time and an unhurried soul”. I tend to pray more bullet prayers than perhaps I should, so I heard this as a reminder to be still sometimes when I pray.

The pastor said our prayers identify our dependence on God and we should also pray when we are happy. He said prayer activates our faith, which I took to mean it reminds us of who God is and that He is worthy of our trust. He also stated that confession of our sins is vital to our relationship with God and that unconfessed sin can take a physical toll on us. When we’re weak we must not let the Enemy convince us of anything contrary to what God has told us. We must hang on to our faith in God and wait to see His purpose unfold if and when He wishes to allow that.

When the dedicated prayer time began, we were prepared to sit quietly and pray without disturbing those around us, but when I felt a hand on my shoulder, those intentions fell by the wayside. A kind woman behind us asked, almost as if she knew the answer, if she could pray for us. She offered a beautiful prayer for Bob and me, after which our friend from Zambia joined us and prayed as well. As the prayer time ended we all praised God for each other and for this time.

I was so grateful for the time of prayer as well as conversation following worship with the pastor, his wife, and our new friends.

 

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we are so pleased that Your church is a praying church. We pray Your Spirit will encourage them to hold tight to their faith in You. Amen.

CrossWay Community Church

Yesterday we worshiped at Crossway Community Church, 109 Davis Road, Valencia, PA 16059, 724.898.4600, www.crosswaycommunity.org, Mike Santistevan, Lead Pastor.

 

Scripture – Galatians 2:11-16 (ESV)

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

 

Bob’s thoughts:

We were welcomed by a member and engaged in conversation along with an update on the church. These are things we haven’t been able to enjoy for quite a while.

I appreciated the opening Scripture/prayer. I do wish the side screens were above the emergency lights. I was not able to stand and most times my vision was blocked from all three screens.

It was good to hear one praise song that I was familiar with from youth worship years ago, albeit modified, leaving off the powerful part “My God is an awesome God.”

Really enjoyed the prayer by the pastor; it was well done. The pastor showed a passion to preach. I liked the anecdote about the man going through the windshield in an accident. When I went through a windshield, I only got a headache; there were no seat belts then. But I think God was getting my attention.

The message included context which is frequently left out. We are distracted easily as believers and are led to believe the slight temptations won’t hurt. I thought the sermon’s action points were good ones, especially touch and support each other.

The only thing I would add would be to strive to find the opportunity to pray for others. No one has ever turned down my offer of prayer and it does wonders to strengthen my faith.

I remember visiting this church some years ago for a Father’s Day program. I ended up in the nursery with some of my grandchildren. A special moment for me was when the women wanted to see part of the program and stood at the window, trusting me with all the children. An honor and a joy.

We appreciated the time with the pastor after the service and the members outside.

 

Jan’s thoughts:

Our last visit here was in 2016, when the world was a different place. Life in general has changed dramatically but God is the same, and it was a blessing to worship in community.

I appreciated the signs of welcome such as the gentlemen waiting to open the doors when we arrived, people milling around talking in the foyer, coffee available, and members who stopped to introduce themselves and extend a warm welcome. That’s one of the things I’ve missed most about the last year and a half is general friendliness. There has been so much fear and distance. I hoped churches would be where some sense of normalcy might again be found, and so far, that’s been the case.

We were welcomed warmly, and several folks stopped to introduce themselves. These greetings and conversations felt like a treat, along with the delicious coffee.

We chose seats in the back, as usual, expecting the music to be on the loud side, but the lovely arrangements were soft and pleasant.

The sermon series was focused on Galatians and the sermon title was “Jesus + Nothing = Everything.” The pastor spoke of how we can be out of step with the truth of the gospel and what we believe and what we can do about it when we find ourselves in that situation. He pointed out that social pressure and fear of others’ reactions/responses can cause us, like the Apostle Peter, to forget what we believe and having someone who cares remind us of the truth can help us get our bearings again and remember who we are.

I know at times I have been the one who needed help regaining my bearings and other times I was the one who did (or should have) reminded someone else of what they believe. I was grateful for this reminder that the Good News is for unbelievers and Christians and that Christ’s blood covers my sins before I became a believer and the sin I committed today. This is true for every believer. Praise God.

 

Our prayer for this church:

Heavenly Father, we pray for Your continued blessings on this Your church and its leaders. Help them truly be a beacon on the hill. Amen.

Grace Community Church

Yesterday we worshiped at Grace Community Church, 9160 Marshall Road, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066, 724.779.7997, www.mygcc.org, Matt Kaltenberger, Lead Pastor.

 

Scripture – 1 Kings 18:17-39 NIV

When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”

“I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

“Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

 

Bob’s thoughts:

It was special to be back in a corporate worship service today. So many things about church have changed, so many things are gone and won’t be back. But I believe God is using the changes to move us in a new direction.

Our focus had been more of our overall sense of a church; we tried to communicate what we as first-time visitors experienced. Now from the scare of Covid, the church, His Church, has changed and will never revert to what it was. It is time to cease lamenting what has been lost and rejoice in where Christ is leading His Church.

The message today was from a favorite Scripture, 1 Kings 18. After a prolonged severe drought, Elijah met with Ahab and called him to bring 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel. He let them choose an oxen to cut up to be sacrificed, placed on the wood they prepared, and call on their god to bring the fire. After a day of their pleading and Elijah’s taunting, Elijah called for water to soak the wood and the offering. Three times to completely soak the sacrifice.

When Elijah called up the Lord and the fire from God came down consuming wood, ox, the stones, and water, the people fell to their knees to worship God. Elijah was strong in his faith. It made me think of the Garth Brooks video, “Standing Outside the Fire”…time to be the fire for Christ.

When Christ called me to faith, it reminded me of my childhood. One of my jobs was to shovel coal into the coal bin. I was soon the same color as the coal I shoveled. When Christ claimed me, I became as white as fresh fallen snow, impossible for the filthy coal bin boy I was.

A fair amount of my time in Vietnam I was sweat covered, stinky, dirty, but then the monsoon rains came and I was washed clean beyond my control.

We need to regain the fire of a new Christian. People are quick to try to make us tone down, but we should be as quick to reignite the old flames in them. We cannot and must not hide our light under a basket.

Think of the step of faith to call three times to soak the sacrifice with water during a time of severe drought. We need that faith. Guilty as charged with being less than He wants me to be, but no longer!

I was delighted to spend a few minutes with one of the pastors after the service and rejoice that he is a new grandpa, a joyous title to achieve.

There is a lot of construction going on and people are excited to worship in their new church. I pray they come refreshed and convicted in Christ’s fire, ready to do His will.

 

Jan’s thoughts:

So, it’s been almost a solid year since we’ve blogged. Although the break has been welcome, it’s been a bit of a struggle to get back into the groove.

This morning we decided to start back with Grace. It seems appropriate. Our world has changed so much in the last year and a half that grace is what we all need. I was grateful for the warm welcome when we entered the building.

This church is in the middle of a huge renovation/expansion project, so there were announcements about what to expect next Sunday and beyond. Everything was clean and signs provided clear directions, so it did not feel like an inconvenience to this visitor, at least.

The message was the first in a new series called “Forged In Fire” and focused on one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament: Elijah on Mount Carmel.

But first the pastor asked the question: “Why are we here?” and reminded us that church is not about checking off a box, but having a relationship with Jesus Christ. After establishing that he was talking to those present who had yet to commit to such a relationship, He spoke of the passion believers should have for their relationship with Christ and made four points about conviction and belief:

1 – conviction shapes our conduct;

2 – conviction ignites confrontation;

3 – conviction sparks a decision; and

4 – conviction fuels transformation.

He ended with the question similar to Elijah’s question to the people of Israel: “How long will you waver?”

It was a genuine treat to encounter a friend and have a chance to catch up some. What a blessing!

 

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, bless Your church. Open the ears of worshipers to Your message. Guide them to grow Your church. Help them to be the church wherever they are and come to You to be refilled and encouraged. Amen.