Welcome to Light of Life.
If we haven’t met, Please stop by! We would Love to Meet You!
Worship on Sunday Mornings at 10:00;
We are currently doing a series entitled: Moses to Malaki; For Such a time as this. We are reviewing the stories of some of the people God used to accomplish His Purpose and reminding ourselves that God wants to use us too.
Bible Study on Tuesday Evenings at 7:00;
We gather on Tuesday Evenings for a table conversation about God’s Word. We are currently gong through Joshua, Judges, Ruth and the Kings.
Address: 780 Boyle Street, Farmington, New Mexico
Email: LoLFarmington@gmail.com;
Phone: 505-327-7056
To our Guests: Welcome to Light of Life!
We are a body of born-again Christians who love God and seek to follow Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit as confirmed through His Word. We manifest this in our worship, discipleship, prayer, service and outreach. We support and care for one another and we empower each other to find and use our gifts for service as we seek to share the Light of Life with our friends and neighbors. We’re glad you’re here – Please come again!
April 7, 2024: Therefore Go!
We are approaching the end of the school year and all across the country high school seniors will head out into the world. Some will go to college, some into a career. Some will go with confidence, others with trepidation. Some will succeed on their first attempt, while others will suffer setbacks. It’s all part of growing up and becoming a contributing member of society.
Just before Jesus left his followers and returned to heaven, he called them together and gave them his commencement address. He had proved to them that all the things he had said about himself were true. Now he gave a decisive statement of the implications of that truth and then he said, “Therefore go….”
We don’t want our graduates to continue to live in our basements. And Jesus didn’t want his followers to live cloistered lives hiding in the shadows. So, he says, get out there! Use what you’ve learned! And teach it to others!.
Today’s Scripture; Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
March 31, 2024: The Lord is Risen Indeed!
Today is Easter Sunday – The day we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior. We will be looking at an overview of the Good Friday and Easter Stories by focusing on the Words of Jesus from Matthew 26 thru 28. We will follow Jesus through the Garden, His arrest, His trial, His crucifixion and His resurrection.
Along the way we will note Jesus’ words and why they are important to us today.
One of those statements is His Cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
That cry was a quote from Psalm 22 and it suggests more than the fact that Jesus was carrying our sin – There is more there… Let’s look at it together.
Today’s Scripture; Psalm 22:14-16, 24, 27 & 31
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.
[But God] has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord…
They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! [It is Finished!]
March 24, 2024: It’s Palm Sunday!
When I was in school, we celebrated two holidays in February; one for Washington’s Birthday and one for Lincoln’s. Eventually they were combined into one holiday – President’s Day. Society got tired of celebrating both. After 200 years, it just got to be too much.
But Palm Sunday has been celebrated for nearly 2000 years!
Why has it stuck?
And what is it anyway?
On one hand, it’s a day set aside to remember a special day 2000 years ago when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the people cheered. Memorials are good, because they help us to remember, and remembering is important.
But what did Jesus’ ride on that day really mean. Let’s dig into it today as we celebrate this Palm Sunday, 2024.
Today’s Scripture; Matthew 21:5-11
“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
March 17, 2024: The Prophets
The Prophets of the Old Testament were a conduit that was used by God to deliver HIS message to HIS people. That message took on lots of forms. Many times, it was a message of accusation when the people were going astray. Sometimes it was a message of encouragement when the people needed to be reminded that God is in control. And some times the message was to inform the people of something that would happen in the future. Today we will be looking at a few of those prophesies as we begin to bend our ear toward Easter.
Today’s Scripture; Isaiah 25:6-8
“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
March 10, 2024: Esther; For Such a Time as This
Do you ever wonder, “What’s the Pont?” What am I here for? Am I Important? Do I Matter? Many people struggle finding meaning in life. And many echo in their own way the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1 where he says, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Today’s story of the life of Esther reminds us that God is constantly working behind the scenes to bring about His perfect plan. We may not understand – I’m sure Esther didn’t understand when her parents died and she was taken as a prisoner of war. And she probably didn’t like the idea of being forced into the king’s haram. But God was at work, getting her to just the right place at just the right time. And as a result, she was able to save her people, the Jews, from annihilation. I am convinced that God has a purpose for You Too! You may not see it now, and the circumstances of your life may not make sense. But God is at work. And when the time is right, He will call you “for such a time as this.” Will you be listening?
Today’s Scripture; Esther 4:9-14
Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
February 25, 2024: Daniel; A Faithful Believer
Daniel in the Lion’s Den is a favorite Bible story. We teach it in children’s Sunday School and we hold it up as the epitome of faithfulness – Both the faithfulness of Daniel and the faithfulness of God.
And it’s no wonder. The story reads like a Hollywood Plot. There’s the innocent victim, the jealous villains, and the witless king who gets tricked into doing what he doesn’t want to do. And then, when all hope seems lost, God steps in for the rescue. Yes – a wonderful story.
But let’s not forget that the story of Daniel does not begin in chapter 6. There is a lot that went before this story; all the little things. Daniel lived into his 80’s; that would be about 30,000 days. Of those 30,000 days we are only told about ~10 of them. So, what happened on the other 29, 990 days.
Daniel was Faithfulness in the little things – He was a Faithful Believer. Are You a Faithful Believer. Are You Faithful in the little things.
Today’s Scripture; Daniel 4:10-12
When Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.
So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
February 18, 2024: The Weeping Prophet
Jeremiah is frequently referred to as the Weeping Prophet. There are two reasons that Jeremiah wept:
One reason was because he was severely persecuted. At one point the religious leaders of his day had him imprisoned in a muddy cistern. That would be enough to make anyone weep.
But another, and perhaps more significant reason for his tears is that the people just refused to listen to his warnings. God said that if they did not change their ways, He would allow them to be conquered and carried away into captivity.
Jeremiah warned the people, but just wouldn’t listen. And that also brought tears to Jeremiah’s eyes.
What can we learn from Jeremiah? Let’s look at it together today.
Today’s Scripture; Jeremiah 1:4-10
The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
February 11, 2024: Who’s Hezekiah
Who’s Hezekiah: Last week we talked about David – the Shepherd King. Everyone knows about David. Even people who know next to nothing about the Bible could tell you about David and Goliath. Today we are going to look at someone less well-known. He was the King of Judah during a critical time in her history. He is another person that God prepared in just the right way and put in just the right place at just the right time “For Such a Time as This.”
The Northern Kingdom of Israel had just been defeated by the Assyrians. And now the Assyrian Army was outside the gates of Jerusalem, demanding that they surrender or be wiped out.
Hezekiah’s response can teach us a lot about dealing with the challenges we face. And God’s response can teach us a lot about the God we serve.
Let’s look at this interesting character together.
Today’s Scripture; 2 Kings 19:14-19
Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord:
“Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.
“It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.
Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.”
February 4, 2024: David; The Shepherd/King
We all love the Bible stories about David. How he was called from the pasture and anointed to be the next king. His victory over Goliath. Saul’s Jealousy and how David had to flee for his life. His opportunities to kill Saul, and his refusal to do so. His victories, his Mighty Men, his family issues. All of these stories come together and bring to life one of Israel’s greatest leaders.
There are so many lessons that we can learn from David, and today we will point out a few, but one important lesson is that “The Battle is the LORD’s.”
All too often we see an issue and we want to fix it; to make it right. David reminds us that we are part of God’s Plan. We need to trust Him in the midst of chaos and join HIM in HIS Plan.
David was referred to as “A Man after God’s Own Heart.” Are we willing to yield our heart of stone to HIM and let HIM give us HIS Heart?
Today’s Scripture; 1 Samuel 16:6-7 & 11-12
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
…So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
January 28, 2024: Samuel - Speak LORD - I’m Listening
Samuel was a little boy, living in the temple with a dysfunctional family. And suddenly God called him by name. The idea of God speaking to him was so foreign to him that he didn’t realize it was God. But when he finally made the connection, he responded “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Samuel listened to God when He spoke and Samuel obeyed. As a result, he became one of Israel’s most important leaders. He led the Israelites from the dysfunction of the Judges to glories of King David. It is a tremendous story of how God used the man, Samuel, to achieve HIS Purpose.
We too live in a dysfunctional family. No – I’m not talking about your parents, brother, sisters, or children. I mean this Human Family. Humanity is a mess. We are violent, cruel, abusive, selfish and conniving – all those things that we wish other people weren’t.
Are we willing to believe that God will speak into our mess?
Are we willing to believe that HE might want to speak through us?
Today’s Scripture; 1 Samuel 3:6-10
Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
1The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
January 21, 2024: Naomi, Ruth & Boaz;
The Kinsman-Redeemer
Ruth lived during the time of the Judges; when “everyone did what seemed right in their own eyes.” There was violence and immorality all around. Life was difficult. And life was particularly difficult for Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth. Both of them were widows; their husbands had died and they were all alone. But into that bitterness steps a man named Boaz. Boaz redeemed the lives of Ruth and Naomi by making Ruth his wife and taking Naomi under his wing. Boaz is referred to as their “Kinsman-Redeemer” and the women of the Bethlehem said, “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer.”
The story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz points us to another Kinsman-Redeemer – Jesus Christ. Today, Jesus comes to us in the role of Boaz and offers to redeem us. To accept us with all of our failures, issues and addiction, and to make us whole. Are we ready to lie down at His feet? Or will we still insist on doing things our way – doing what seems right in our own eyes.
Today’s Scripture; Ruth 1:1-5 & 4:13-14
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
4:13-14 Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer…
January 14, 2024 - The Judges: “Right in their own Eyes”
After the death of Joshua there was a series of Judges who lead the nation of the Israelites. The Book of Judges records their stories, and their stories are not very pretty. Each time a leader passed away, the people gradually left God and began to follow the gods of this world. As a result, God allowed them to suffer the consequences of their disobedience. They didn’t like that, so they cried out to God, and He sent another leader to get them back onto the right track. The situation is summarized in Judges 21:25 where it says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
The Book of Judges is a commentary on our condition; We want to do things our way; we want to be our own boss; we don’t want anyone telling us how to live. But God says, “Hold on! I know what’s good for you, and you will be much better off if you do things my way.”
Are We willing to do things God’s way?
Today’s Scripture Text; Judges 2:8-16
Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten…. After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.
Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
January 7, 2024 - Joshua: “Be Strong and Courageous”
Moses was a Great Biblical figure! He had seen the Burning Bush, confronted Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea and met God on Mount Sinai. But now Moses was gone, and Joshua was the new leader. He must have felt overwhelmed and inadequate. After all - Who could possibly follow in the footsteps of Moses?
But into that feeling of weakness God spoke. And God said, “Be strong and courageous.” He said, “I will never leave you of forsake you.” and He told Joshua that he would be successful!
Today, many Christians feel overwhelmed and inadequate. We know all about the challenges that this world affords, and we tend to say, “What could I possibly do?” We see what some are doing, but we say, “I can’t do that! I’m not strong enough, or smart enough, of powerful enough.”
But in today’s text God comes to us and says, “Be strong and courageous. I will never leave you or forsake you. You will be successful!”
Are You willing to take God at his Word and Do Your Part?
Today’s Scripture Text; Joshua 1:5-9
No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.
As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
December 31, 2023: “We Have Come to Worship Him”
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem he was visited by some mysterious men who are often referred to as the Wisemen or the Magi. The Magi left the comfort of their homes and made a long and dangerous trip to meet the New King so that they could worship him. This should inspire us to worship.
All too often we demand that our “worship services” be entertaining and convenient. We want the best music and dynamic speakers. We want it to be warm and friendly and comfortable. But is that really worship?
The Magi brought three gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts point to the Kingship of Christ, to his Deity and to the Sacrifice He made so that Salvation would be available to each of us. They Worshiped Him as their King, their God and their Savior.
As we gather to worship today, let’s remember what it means to Worship.
Today’s Scripture Text; Matthew 2:1-5a & 9-11
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied…
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
December 24, 2023
Today’s Theme: And on earth peace…?
When the Angels announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds they sang out, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” What were they talking about? Did Jesus come to bring peace? Was that His goal? If so, many would look around and say that he failed. We see violence all around. Mass shootings, domestic violence, war… This world is not at peace. So, what did the angels mean? Let’s look at it together.
Today’s Scripture Text; Luke 2: 8-15
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
December 17, 2023
Today's Theme: "The Fear of the LORD"
The phases “Fear the LORD” or “The fear of the LORD” occur over 50 times in the Bible. But what does it mean? Some say it means that we should hold Him in high regard – We should respect Him. While I agree that that is part of it, there seems to be more going on. Today we want to look at the concept of the Fear of the LORD in the context of the Christmas Story. We will be drawing from Exodus 19:16-19 & 20:18-20, and Hebrews 12:18-28.
Today’s Scripture Text: Psalm 34:9-14
Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
CHILDREN’S CHURCH
December 17: Jesus is Born, Make room in our lives for Jesus.
December 24: The Shepherds: Told everyone they knew.
December 31: The Wisemen: Seek Jesus.
Memory verse: Isaiah 6:9
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
https://truewaykids.com/jesus-is-born/
December 10, 2023
Today's Theme is "Jesus Brings Hope."
Hope is vital to our existence. Without hope, we would throw up our hands and just give up.
Paul tells us in Ephesians that, apart from Christ we are “without hope and without God in the world.”
But Jesus came to Bring us Hope. In Jesus Christ we can look forward with a confident hope that what He has promised will be brought to fulfillment. Praise the LORD! HE has Conquered Death!
Let's Celebrate our Hope in HIM
