November 28 2025

Friday November 28

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat today! Yesterday I mentioned that we were going to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a family reunion with three of my siblings along with their children and grandchildren in Lynchburg Virginia at Thomas Terrace Baptist Church. And also have a memorial service for my oldest sister, Lynda Smith, who went to be with the Lord on November 6^th of this month. We had a wonderful time together all afternoon, watching the cousins play, with the adults fellowshipping and catching up!

Mark, still recovering from his by-pass surgery he had this month, was able to attend both the meal and participate in the memorial service. The cerebration of life service for Lynda was a beautiful time of reflecting on her life. We had great music led by the grandchildren, and all the siblings shared tearful and happy memories of her love for us growing up. Lynda’s two children, Justin and Kristie, along with some of their family members, were able to attend by livestream. It was a great time as we gave thanks to the Lord for all His awesome blessings He has bestowed on our family over the many years.

We all want to give special thanks to my nephew Chris and his wife Amber for organizing and preparing everything for this first official family reunion that we can remember.

I wasn’t able to record a Pastor’s video chat for today, so I went back to this very day two years ago and found this chat on Psalm 107 that I posted. I trust it will bless and encourage you today. In it I mentioned Luke’s surgery at that time. He has had many more since then and we are so thankful for all your prayers for him over these past three years. 

He Calms the Storm

Psalm 107:23-32

Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, They see the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits' end. Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.

Psalm 107 begins with these words: “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!” Then at least four more times here in Psalm 107 we read these words: “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31). 

Psalm 107 is a great reminder, that no matter where we are at in life, or in the world, when we call upon the LORD in our trouble, He will be there and deliver and bring us out of our distresses. We might be wandering in the wilderness of sin looking for hope and our way in life (vv. 4-9).  But when we cry out to the LORD, He will show us the Way, the Truth, and the Life in Jesus Christ and will find our eternal “city to dwell in”.

We might have rebelled against the words of God, despising His counsel and find our ourselves in bondage with no one to help us (vv.10-12). But again, when we cried to the LORD, He brings us of the darkness and shadow of death and breaks in pieces the chains that hold us and sets us free (vv. 13-14).

We might even go deeper into our sin and find ourselves living a foolish life addicted to drugs, alcohol, immorality, and pornography, so that we have lost our appetite for food and are even at the gate of death (vv. 17-18). But again, when we cried to the LORD, He sent His Word and healed us and delivered us from our destructive addictions and habits (vv. 19-20).

Now in verses 23-32, we go even further away from God and seek to find satisfaction in “business” on the great waters of materialism. But we soon find ourselves in the worst storm of life where we lose all hope of being saved and are at our wits’ end (vv. 23-27). Again, when we cry to the LORD in our trouble, He brings us out of our distresses, He calms the storm and stills the waves and brings us into our desired haven of rest, which is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!

Today, Jesus still calls out, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give your rest” (Matthew 11:28).

God bless