“Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’” (Neh. 8:10, NKJV).
Pennsylvania Conference
“‘The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you’” (Deut. 7:7–8, NASB).
When I was 7, I had been in and out of hospitals multiple times trying to find answers on how to correct severe congenital birth defects that affected my hands and feet. Now I was on a stage at a major university medical center, complete with spotlights and about 30 adults around me wearing white jackets—presumably doctors, researchers and interns. A professor got up and listed the great qualities I possessed. Good grades in school. Socially well-adjusted. Loving home. Then the show really started, at least for me.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1, NASB).
Jesus’ teaching in John 15:1 illustrates our dependence on Him: “I am the true vine,” He says. How often have we tried to be the vine, but produced sour grapes—the ugly works of the flesh? We have tried to find holiness and love for others in ourselves, which we will never find. “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature” (Rom. 7:18, NIV).
Jesus, the true Vine, will produce the fruit of the Spirit as we allow Him to live in us. “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live” (Gal. 2:20, KJV). Paul, who was crucified with Christ, was not the vine, vainly trying to do his best. He was the branch, whose self-confidence was broken and dependent on the Lord.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11, NKJV).
“The term ‘armed to the teeth’ originated in Port Royal Jamaica in the 1600s when pirates were constantly looking for ships to loot and their guns were very primitive. As a result, pirates could shoot only once before a long reloading process. Consequently, they needed to carry a gun in each hand, and perhaps in each pocket. For extra power, they would also hold a knife between their teeth. To be ‘armed to the teeth’ means to carry the maximum number of weapons possible.”*
Story by Tamyra Horst
God is on the move in powerful ways across Pennsylvania—in lives, in churches and in schools.
During a recent virtual town hall meeting, Gary Gibbs, president; Will Peterson, vice president for administration; and Carlos Charnichart, treasurer, shared reports on the impact God has had on mission.
To watch these reports, along with “Testimonies of Faith,” a series of stories by members and pastors who share how God is moving in their lives and communities, visit paconference.org/godisonthemove.