Greetings, brothers and sisters in Christ and children of God, New Day Sunday school starts at 10AM upstairs. You can drop your kids at 9:45AM.

Forty years ago this week, I came to Las Vegas to see my dad for Father’s Day. He had moved here to further his education in music. The plan was supposed to be temporary, but God had other plans, leading the whole family here to the great desert of Las Vegas. When my plane prepared to land, I saw a part of the world I had never seen. It was an open land of dirt with a few palm trees.  It was like a scene from a movie or TV show, and I thought I was going to have to get off the plane and walk the hot tarmac.  

If you have ever lived in Las Vegas for any length of time, you come to see the beauty in rocks, sand, cacti, and yes, tumbleweeds. Palm trees look beautiful no matter where you are. The desert can be really hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. Once the sun goes down behind the mountains, it can get cold quickly. Las Vegas, also known as the Entertainment Capital of the world, can be an Oasis in the desert that lures many all year round. The city has had its share of dark times. In fact, Nevada became a state in the dark times of war, the Civil War, hence the nickname, Battle Born State.

Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and when they came to the end of their road, God used Moses to extend the road through the Red Sea and lead them to freedom, as they watched the Egyptians, who followed them, perish beneath the waters of the sea. Though they believed all was well, they were faced with a desert before them that brought new challenges. The Israelites did not like the discomfort of the desert or this new journey. They began to turn against Moses, which was to turn against God. Because of their sins, their children would suffer. For the forty days that they had explored the land and complained, they would live in the desert for forty years (Numbers 14:33-34).

Much took place during those forty years, including a change in leadership. But God kept His promise and led the Israelites into the promised land. It was the forty years in the desert that disciplined the children of God. They were not perfect by any means, and they had much more to learn, but in the desert God worked on them, and although He was not done with them and knew they would mess up again, He still kept His promise to bring them back to the land of their fathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A land that would be many nations and would one day be one nation under God; the nation of Israel, “one who struggles with God”.

No matter where we live, we all must walk through the desert. It is our own personal desert that our journey must take. Through the desert we are molded and taught the ways of righteous living. Our faith is often put to the test, and we must endure the harshness of the dry desert as we grow to recognize the Living water that awaits us. We must believe that a father does not seek to harm his child, and therefore the Father of love will not lead His children to harm, but give them life eternal.

We must learn to thank God for the desert, for beyond the desert is our Promised Land.

Last week, the little lambs continued their investigation and searching for clues about God as they learned about the creation of man, Adam and Eve, and that we are descendants of them. This week, they will be looking for evidence of Cain and Abel.

I look forward to worshiping with you and praising the Holy Name with songs of joy and dancing before the Father who gives us life. If for whatever reason I do not see you tomorrow, may the Lord bless you with peace, joy, and an abundant cup of love, and may He comfort you, guide you, and heal you when you are in need.

God bless you,

Your brother in Christ,

Michael (aka Mr. Michael)