Pastor's Pondering
Read Lead Pastor Duane Mabee's weekly Pastor's Ponderings here!
Reawakening to the Church
by Duane Mabee on January 19, 2022It is common now for Christians to give up on the Church and walk away. Many continue to believe in Jesus Christ, but they are done with the institutional expression of the Body of Christ we call the local church. Some have been hurt by church people. Some are deeply disappointed with the level of worldliness in the church. Some are bored. ...
Read MoreReawakening to the Spirit of Christ
by Duane Mabee on January 13, 2022The Christian and Missionary Alliance is focusing on reawakening to the Spirit of Christ this week as part of the 40 Days of Prayer. The Alliance is praying for a fresh, new awakening like the...
Read MorePrayer and How I See God
by Duane Mabee on January 6, 2022Last week, we began a conversation about prayer that will span about 6 weeks. We’re calling it When You Pray. In the conversations first installment, I asked you to consider three questions. ...
Read MoreA Better Way to Start 2022?
by Duane Mabee on December 30, 2021Beginning on Sunday, January 2, North River will participate with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in 40 Days of Prayer focused on Reawakening. You may register to participate at:...
Read MoreHeart Over Head
by Duane Mabee on December 22, 2021Very many Christians have no sense of the great difference between the Christianity of the mind and the Christianity of the heart, and the former is far more diligently cultivated than the...
Read MoreWhy a Stable?
by Duane Mabee on December 15, 2021You probably know something about the Biblical Christmas story, but that’s not a given. Some of us recently shared the Christmas story with a group of children. They all have some affiliation...
Read MoreThe Great Light
by Duane Mabee on December 9, 2021Isaiah 9 prophesied that God would send a great light to His hurting people. That light cut through the despair and gloom and brought hope – hope for them and hope for us. The light came in the...
Read MoreLight in the Darkness
by Duane Mabee on December 2, 20212020 and 2021 have felt like a season of deep darkness for many. Maybe for you. Let me encourage you.
In many ways the sense of great darkness sets the stage for God’s glorious light. The...
Read MorePublicly Complimenting God
by Duane Mabee on November 24, 2021Last Sunday, I challenged you to publicly give thanks and bless God for all He has done for you. We talked about giving thanks for His amazing plan of salvation and for making it known to you. ...
Read MoreA Great Relationship with God
by Duane Mabee on November 18, 2021What does it take to have a great relationship with God? It might not be what you think. Let me illustrate.
When Karla and I were looking for a new keyboard for the church, we had...
Read MoreHow Do You Prepare for Thanksgiving?
by Duane Mabee on November 11, 2021I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High.
Ps 9:1-2...
Read MoreThe God Who Sees Me
by Duane Mabee on November 4, 2021In Scripture, God is called by a number of Names. Each Name teaches us something about the character of God and helps define what a relationship with Him looks like. God’s personal Names are...
Read MoreSometimes God is OK When We Don't Do it Right
by Duane Mabee on October 27, 2021I came across a story in 2 Chronicles 30 that challenges me. The crux of the story is that sometimes God is OK with us when we don’t do everything right, even though He highly values obedience....
Read MoreHow Do You Pray for the Church?
by Duane Mabee on October 20, 2021How do you pray for North River, both its leaders and congregation? Do you pray for North River? I hope so. We need it.
I am struck by the way Paul consistently prayed for the churches he...
Read MoreUnderstanding the Times
by Duane Mabee on October 14, 2021The first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles aren’t captivating reading. They are a bit like a voting registry from ancient Israel – lots of unpronounceable names. You get a break in chapters 10-11,...
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