President’s Club members give at least $100.00 per month to support Golden State Baptist College. Obviously, the financial needs of our ministry are great. We are not funded with any government monies, and because of our strong biblical beliefs, we have chosen not to seek accreditation. We consider the avoidance of the outside influence that is attached to accreditation to be one of the distinctives of our institution. Because of our decision, our students are not eligible for governmental assistance. We do everything we can to put this opportunity for ministry training within reach financially for our students, and so we need a strong President’s Club to help underwrite our expenses. Your gifts help make it possible for young people to prepare for ministry service.

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Last night as he was preaching, Dr. Trieber made a powerful statement that statement captivated my thinking. He said, “Love is a commitment to meet needs.” As I pondered this statement, I considered the fact that love is an action word.

Yesterday we celebrated Father’s Day. A father who loves his children is committed to meeting their needs. He will do something about the needs of his children. A husband who loves his wife is committed to meeting her needs. A pastor who loves his people is committed to meeting their needs. A teacher who loves his students is committed to meeting their needs. True love sees a need and fills it.

No matter what our role in life, it is important that we love people. If we truly love them, we will be committed to meeting their needs. We will look for ways to help them reach their goals. We will find ways to make their lives better.

To hear Dr. Trieber’s message from last night, go to www.nvbc.org.

The 26th Annual Western National Youth Conference begins here at North Valley Baptist Church this evening.  Our staff and our people have put a great deal of effort into this event and we are excited about what God is going to do in the lives of these teens. For more about Youth Conference go to http://nvbc.org/YC/09/index.html.

I was reading this morning in I Kings 19 where Elijah was fleeing Jezebel’s revenge. After travelling forty days, he was alone on Mount Horeb and God asked him what he was doing. Elijah told God that he was the only one left in Israel who still served Him and that he was running for his life. God sent a strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire before speaking to Elijah in a still small voice. God gave Elijah some specific instructions and then He said, “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel.”

Elijah thought he was all alone. He felt that he was the last one who was serving the Lord. Have you ever felt that way? It is easy for us to feel a little bit like Elijah when we look around us and see all that is happening. However, we need to realize that Elijah had it much worse than we do right now. Ahab and Jezebel were hunting down and killing God’s men. It seemed that there was no one left to stand up to them, but God was still on His throne, and His judgment was eventually meted out this wicked pair.

Elijah thought he was all alone in serving the Lord, but God knew that there were many others who still loved Him. There is a whole host of people today who still love God, and it will do us good to realize that they are there. I believe that this is one of the reasons that we are commanded to be faithful to church. It helps us to spend time with other folks who share our faith. This is one of the things I love about Youth Conference. Next week, this place will be teeming with young people who love God, love the Bible, and love to hear good preaching. It is so encouraging to look out at that sea of faces and realize that we are not alone in serving God. There are thousands of others who have not bowed the knee to Baal.