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Sunday Sermon - Not One Scrap Wasted

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28Have you ever seen an old quilt up close? Each patch tells a story, stitched together from leftovers—a worn-out work shirt, the faded hem of a dress no one wore anymore, bits of fabric saved by wise hands.These pieces, gathered with care by a grandmother who saw value where others saw only scraps, became something beautiful. She didn’t discard what was broken or used up; she kept each one, believing it could be part of something greater.Some seasons of life feel just like that pile of discarded fabric—messy, painful, and unwanted. The diagnosis that changes everything. The door that closes without explanation. The year you wish you could erase from your story. These moments, raw and real, can seem useless, like scraps left behind after the fabric is cut.Yet, Romans 8:28 offers a stubborn, unwavering promise: “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” God never asks you to pretend the hard pieces are good. Some patches are cut straight from grief, heartache, or disappointment—He knows that intimately. The promise isn’t that every piece is beautiful in itself, but that none of them are beyond the reach of His loving hands. He threads each painful patch into a pattern we can’t yet see, redeeming what we thought was wasted.Paul says, “we know,” not just “we hope.” This is the certainty of someone who has lived through suffering and bears the scars as proof. While we may look at our broken pieces and see only loss or failure, God sees the quilt He is creating—a masterpiece woven from the very moments we wish we could hide or forget.Not a single scrap is wasted in God’s hands, and that includes every part of your story. Whatever patch you bring—joy or sorrow, hope or regret—He is making something to cover you, to comfort you, and to reveal His goodness in ways you may not expect. Trust that even now, He is at work, turning your scraps into a covering of grace.

Have you ever seen an old quilt up close?

The Rich Man May Be UsJesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” — Matthew 19:24Most of us read that verse and immediately think of somebody else.We think of the billionaires, the politicians, the celebrities, the tech giants, and the people whose names show up on magazine covers.But the truth is, compared to much of the world — and certainly compared to most of human history — the rich man is often us.If you have a car, you have more horsepower at your command than kings ever dreamed of.If you have air conditioning, you live with a comfort ancient royalty could not buy.If you have cable, streaming, or a phone in your hand, you have more entertainers available to you than any king with a thousand court jesters.If you have a refrigerator, clean water, medicine, electricity, and a roof over your head, you are already living with blessings much of the world still longs for.The danger is not merely having wealth.The danger is when wealth has us.Jesus was not condemning possessions as much as He was exposing the condition of the heart. Riches have a way of making a man feel self-sufficient. Comfort can make us forget our dependence on God. Abundance can make us blind to our need for grace.So before we point at the billionaires and say, “That verse is about them,” we ought to pause long enough to ask:“Lord, is it about me?”Because the rich man in the story may not be far away in Washington, Wall Street, or Silicon Valley.He may be sitting in an air-conditioned room, holding a smartphone, drinking cold water, and reading this very post.Lord, keep our blessings from becoming our blindness.

The Rich Man May Be Us

A lot is coming at the Mileur family right now, but our eyes are still looking up.Where Does My Help Come From?“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” — Psalm 121:1-2Life has a way of placing mountains in front of us that feel too high to climb and too heavy to move. In those moments, it is natural to look around, searching for help, answers, relief, or someone who can make sense of it all.But the psalmist points us in a better direction.Look up.Our help does not come from our own strength. It does not come from perfect circumstances, easy days, or having everything figured out. Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.That means the same God who formed the mountains is greater than the mountains we face. The same God who stretched out the heavens is able to reach into our situation. The same God who holds creation together can hold a weary family together.He is not distant. He is not unaware. He is not late.When trouble comes, faith does not pretend the mountain is not there. Faith simply refuses to believe the mountain is greater than God.So today, whatever we are facing, we are choosing to lift our eyes. Not because the burden is light, but because our God is faithful. Not because we have all the answers, but because we know where our help comes from.Our help comes from the Lord.Let us Pray - Dear Heavenly Father, when life feels heavy and the mountains seem too high, teach us to lift our eyes to You. Strengthen our family, calm our hearts, and remind us that our help does not come from this world, but from You, the Maker of heaven and earth. Hold us close, guide our steps, and give us peace that only You can give. Amen. Ray's quote, "The mountain may be real, but so is the Maker of heaven and earth." If you would, please pray for my Dad and my sister Joyce.

Where Does My Help Come From?

One Body, One Lord“There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” — Ephesians 4:4–6My friends, there is no liberal or conservative church in the Kingdom of God.There is no black, brown or white church before the throne of Christ. There is only one Church, one Body, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one Savior — Jesus Christ.The world loves labels. It divides people by politics, race, class, opinions, backgrounds, and preferences. But the cross tears down the walls that sin and pride keep trying to rebuild. When we come to Jesus, our identity is no longer rooted first in party, color, culture, tradition, or tribe. Our identity is found in Christ.That does not mean we all think alike, look alike, worship with the same style, or come from the same background. It means we belong to the same Lord.The Church is not called to reflect the division of the world. The Church is called to reflect the unity of Christ.When we place political identity above spiritual identity, we have lost our way. When we value race, tradition, preference, or personal opinion above the blood of Jesus, we have forgotten who bought us. Christ did not die to create competing camps. He died to redeem one people for Himself.There may be many congregations, but there is only one Body of Christ.And if Jesus is Lord, then every label must bow before Him. Let us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us for the times we have allowed worldly labels to divide what Christ died to unite. Teach us to see one another through the blood of Jesus, not through politics, race, pride, or preference. Help us remember that there is one Church, one Body, and one Lord. Make us faithful witnesses of Your love, Your truth, and Your unity.In Jesus’ name, Amen. ray

One Body, One Lord

Fish Out of Water When the Soul Refuses the Living WaterText: John 4:13–14“Jesus answered and said unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.”A soul separated from Christ will always struggle for breath, but the soul that drinks from Jesus, the Living Water, will live.A fish out of water is a desperate thing to watch.It flips. It flops. It gasps. It struggles.Not because it forgot how to live, but because it has been separated from the very thing that sustains its life.That is what spiritual dehydration looks like.Too many people are trying to live outside the presence of Christ and wondering why they are exhausted, anxious, bitter, weak, and worn down.The tragedy is not that the water is unavailable. The tragedy is that the thirsty refuse to drink.I. The Soul Was Created to Live in the Presence of GodA fish was made for water. The human soul was made for God.When we are separated from Him, something in us begins to dry out. We may still function. We may still work, talk, attend church, keep a schedule, and appear busy, but inwardly we are gasping.Key point: Movement is not the same as life.A fish out of water may still move, but it is dying. In the same way, a person can be religious, active, and busy, but still spiritually dehydrated.Application: Ask yourself honestly: Am I walking with Jesus, or am I just flopping around in dry places?II. The World Offers Water That Cannot SatisfyJesus told the woman at the well, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.”The world offers many wells:Distractions. Entertainment. Opinions. Busyness. Approval. Politics. Material things. Even religion without relationship.But every earthly well eventually leaves the soul thirsty again.The woman at the well had tried to satisfy her thirst in broken relationships, but Jesus knew her real need was deeper than water in a jar. Her deepest thirst was spiritual.Key point: The wrong water may wet your lips, but it will never satisfy your soul.III. Spiritual Dehydration Shows Up in the LifeWhen the soul refuses the Living Water, symptoms begin to show.We become anxious because we are not resting in Christ. We become bitter because we are not being cleansed by His grace. We become weak because we are not being strengthened by His Spirit. We become exhausted because we are trying to survive in our own strength. We become dry because we are neglecting the presence of God.Key point: A dry soul will eventually produce dry fruit.You cannot neglect prayer, ignore the Word, avoid worship, and starve your spirit — then wonder why you have no peace, no joy, and no strength.IV. Jesus Offers Living WaterJesus does not offer a temporary sip. He offers Living Water.The water Christ gives sustains the soul. It strengthens the weary. It cleanses the heart. It guards the mind. It restores what the world has dried out. It gives eternal life.This is not self-help. This is not positive thinking. This is not trying harder.This is Jesus Himself.Key point: The answer is not to flop harder. The answer is to return to the water.V. We Must Drink DailyThe Living Water is freely offered, but we must come and drink.We drink when we open the Word. We drink when we bow in prayer. We drink when we lift our voice in praise. We drink when we sit quietly in His presence. We drink when we surrender instead of striving. We drink when we return to Jesus instead of running to dry wells.Spiritual dehydration is not fixed by a Sunday sip. We need a daily walk with Christ.Key point: Yesterday’s drink cannot sustain today’s soul.VI. Stop Flopping in Dry PlacesSome people are exhausted because they are trying to survive where God never called them to live.Dry relationships. Dry habits. Dry entertainment. Dry religion. Dry routines. Dry places that drain the soul and pull the heart away from Christ.At some point, we must stop flopping in the dust and return to the Living Water.Closing Challenge A soul separated from Christ will always struggle for breath.But the soul that drinks from Him will live.So come back to the water.Come back to the Word. Come back to prayer. Come back to worship. Come back to the presence of Jesus. Come back to the One who alone can satisfy the thirst of your soul.The Living Water is not far away. Jesus is still offering it.The question is not whether the water is available. The question is whether we will drink.Invitation Maybe today you are tired, dry, anxious, bitter, or worn down. Maybe you have been moving, making noise, and staying busy, but inside you know your soul is gasping.Jesus is not asking you to flop harder.He is calling you to return.Come to Him. Drink deeply. Let Him refresh what the world has dried out.Closing Prayer Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us for trying to survive without staying close to You. We confess that we often run dry because we neglect the very water You freely offer. Draw us back to Your Word, Your presence, Your Spirit, and Your grace. Refresh our hearts, restore our strength, and teach us to drink daily from the Living Water. Help us stop running to dry wells and return fully to Jesus, the only One who can satisfy our souls.In Jesus’ name, Amen.