Category: Uncategorized

Our country mourns as we watch our screens and read the stories of how someone could murder 17 people and injure so many more. The hurt goes beyond the physical hurt, but this will affect us in so many other ways. In trying to find a “silver lining” to such a dark, tragic event I also see…

The heroism of a high school coach, Aaron Feis, who shielded students from being killed, taking the bullets instead of the students he wanted to protect. Instantly, I am reminded of a verse, “No greater love than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Coach Feis is a reminder of the courage it takes for us to move forward and heal especially in the worst of tragedies.

A geography teacher, Scott Beigel, was killed when he opened a door to allow students to get into one of the classrooms. Unfortunately, he was unable to close the door fast enough and he was shot by the gunman. A selfless act he should have never had to perform, but it cost a family their husband and father.

Acts like these are what I wish our media would highlight. Instead, I go to major news sites and see a huge picture of the murderer. We have seen to many faces of murderers and my prayer is that we focus on the victims, their families, and the heroes who gave their lives so others could live. A school shooting reminds us how dark sin is and how destructive it can be. May we learn from the lives of these heroes, and pray for the families of those who lives were taken.

We are all so busy. We try to save time every where we can, and we should. Time is a precious commodity. They aren’t selling “time” at your local Walmart. The older we get the more you realize how valuable time really is.

Recently I read something from one of my students concerning Abraham and God’s call on his life to go to a country “I (God) will show you” (Genesis 12). The student commented that Abraham “wasted no time” and did what God asked of him. Abraham didn’t waste any time and obeyed, how true that is! How many times has God asked you to follow Him closer and you push against it? How many times has there been a clear leading on your life to enter into a new ministry, but you stall.

Couldn’t it be said that all of the time that passed between His calling on your life and you finally being obedient to Him was “wasted” time. Instead of being involved in what God had planned, you were to busy with the plans you had for your life. Eventually, as believers we (hopefully) come to our senses and realize His plan was always best. We begin to regret the time we wasted on our own foolish endeavors.

From this time on, may we always be about God’s calling on our life, and use “His” time, wisely. “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)

If a toddler asked you to move your car, you probably could disregard the request. If a police officer asked you to move your car then your next question is, “Where do you want me to move it?” Many times the request we pay attention to is based on the respect, or the authority, we see from the one asking.

What does it say about us and our respect (or lack of) for God when He tells us to be a part of His plan of reaching the world with the gospel, and yet the priority of our life reflects a totally different priority? Can you push Him aside like you would the toddler? Have we truly forgotten who is asking?

The One who is asking is the King of the Universe. He is the Creator, all-powerful, self-existent, and everywhere present. Around His thrones are countless angels who worship night and day, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD God Almighty!” Can you afford to ignore this God? Can you push Him aside? Don’t forget who is asking.

The scene was dim, and a dark cloud of sadness was hovering over the room. Jesus had just told these his disciples, these men who had given up everything to follow Him, that He was going to die. Adding to their confusion was watching Jesus, the Son of God, doing the work of a common servant by washing their feet, and then finally, Jesus reveals that someone in the room would betray Him. For the disciples, it probably couldn’t get any worse than this.

Jesus understood their angst and wanted them to know something, and I believe He also wants you to know this as well. When life is difficult, and you don’t understand why negative circumstances keep happening in your life listen to what Jesus has to say, “If you ask anything in my name, I will give it to you.” If Jesus tells us something one time, you can put your life on the line for it, but what if He says it 5 different times! Yet, that is exactly what He does. In case you missed it the first 4 times, Jesus repeats again, “If you ask anything in my name, I will give it to you.”

The Apostle John was in the room that night and many years later (about 60 years) he wrote a letter, we call it 1 John. As he looked over his own past years of ministry he wanted to encourage his friends and in 1 John 5:14 he writes,

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (15) and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

I would love to have seen John’s face as he remembers the countless times in his own ministry where he turned to this promise only to see Jesus come through for him again and again. So much so, that John with “confidence” wants you to know this promise works. When you are alone, afraid, lacking direction, and in need of help turn to Him and ask for the peace, the wisdom, and strength you need for any and all the trials this life offers, and watch as God gives you those things that you ask for.

Isn’t it amazing how sometimes you can’t remember where you were last week, but you can remember with crystal clarity where you were years ago? I couldn’t tell you where I was last month, but I will never forget where I was 37 years on Thursday, January 28. My (step) mother was very sick. She had been fighting cancer for over 7 months. My Dad knew her time was about to come so he sent me and my sisters to family. That Thursday morning the phone rang and my life, and my family’s life, was about to change, drastically.

The morning she died my Dad told me that he and the pastor were with her. As she laid in the bed that she had been unable to get out of for the past month, the pastor asked how she was feeling. How she answered amazes me even today, “It has been a battle, but a glorious day is coming, and I’m ready.” I was 12 years old then, and I’m almost 40 now, but I will never forget those words. The words of someone who found peace with God even as they were going through the “valley of the shadow of death.”

It’s been a battle, but a gloriuos day is coming, and I’m ready!

Even though Wanda may have occupied a small chapter in my life, her testimony has made a huge impact. Life is a battle, it is a struggle, but every believer has the hope of a glorious day that is coming. A day where there is no more sorrow, pain, separation, and no more sin. Jesus is coming as He said, “Are you ready?”

I was praying the other day for more grace, more power in my Christian life, and more of the Spirit’s presence in my life when God interrupted my prayer. You would think He would be happy with such a prayer, but yes, He literally stopped me and told me that I was praying a useless prayer. Before I had time to get upset with this interruption, I decided it might be a good idea to listen. I have a history of talking over God because I know the “spiritual” answers to most problems, but His interruption seemed very purposeful.

Phillip, (only God and my Mom call me this)

You have asked for more grace, but I have given you all the grace you will ever need. “My grace is sufficient for you…” (2 Corinthians 12:9) When you are weak, it is when I am stronger in your life. More grace is not what you need. You think that since you have no emotional feeling that you lack My grace. My grace is not an emotional feeling, instead, it is undeserved blessing that I give to you everyday.

You have asked for more power in your life, but you already have all the power that you will ever need. “My divine power has given you everything you need for life and godliness…” (2 Peter 1:3). You think that since you have failures in overcoming sin that it is due to Me withholding my power from you. Unfortunately, your failure to overcome sin is due to you ignoring the power I have already given you. You fight these battle in your own strength, and as you have noticed, this will always end in defeat and discouragement.

You have asked for more of My Spirit’s presence in your life, but you already have all of my Spirit within you. “You are My temple and My Spirit lives within you.” (1 Corinthians 3:16) You think that you don’t have all of me, but I have already given you all of Myself. You are my son, and there is nothing you can do to be more of My son, and nothing you can do to be less of a son either. “My Spirit has sealed you until the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

Lord, I will trust in your grace, rest in your power, and abide in your Spirit. Without you I can do nothing (John 15:5). I will stop (indirectly) blaming you for my failures in overcoming sin and instead, live in your victory. Thank you Lord for a great interruption.

It has been said Jesus said “Follow Me.” about 23 times throughout the New Testament. I am sure “Follow Me” can mean a lot of different things to different people, but I think we can all agree that the command to “follow me” will require us to move. To be a follower of Jesus assumes you are going somewhere.

Unfortunately, all to often believers are not moving. I see it in myself at times. I don’t move because the destination seems unsafe, maybe it requires risks, or there are just too many unknowns. Maybe I’m just really comfortable where I am. I’m sure there a lot of excuses we use for not moving forward, but at the end of day, excuses are all we have.

One scene recorded in John 21 shows Jesus asking Peter to follow Him. Peter had just denied Jesus 3 different times. Peter was in a place where he currently couldn’t be used. He knew it, and so did Jesus so Jesus asked Peter to move, Follow me. Peter I can use you to do great things, but you can’t do it where you are, Peter if you follow me, and move where I am, you will preach sermons where thousands will follow me. It only takes one step in my direction though, Follow me.

Do you expect that God is going to use you right where you are? Chances are, God wants you to move into a deeper relationship with Him. He wants you to move from fear to faith, from faithlessness to devotion to Him. Are you ready to move? There is a an unbelievable world waiting for those who follow Him!

If you hadn’t been here to see it for yourself, then you might find it hard to believe where our church has come from, and where it is today. A year ago, one of our deacons told me that this church had gone almost 4 years without seeing one person baptized, this Sunday we will celebrate seeing our 12th person being obedient in baptism. At the beginning of the year, our average attendance was around 35 people, this past week we had 85. To say that God has been good to us is an understatement of biblical proportions.

Should anyone ever ask us how our church has been able to accomplish such a transformation, there is only one word I can give, Prayer. Our success isn’t attributed to a music program, preaching, popularity, or money. Our success is, and will forever be, attributed to our ability to reach God, and ask for His blessing in the life of our church.

We truly thank and praise God for all He has done, but we will not simply live on past victories. We will build on what God has done in 2017, and allow those victories to propel us into the new future He has for us. Our mission will not change. Our vision of being “A place where people come to feel love, acceptance, and find God’s will for their life” will not change. We do, however, want to change the world with the gospel of Jesus. We would love for you to join us in that endeavor. Who knows where our “little” church will be at the end of 2018! Come and see for yourself…

The story of Christmas doesn’t begin in Matthew and Luke, but it actually begins all the way back in Genesis. In Genesis 3, God promises to send a Redeemer, but in chapter 13 the story begins to pick up and God makes a promise to Abraham. You will be a great nation, and all of the families of the world will be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). If you don’t have the benefit of history, this promise will seem absurd. Abraham didn’t have even 1 child, so a whole nation of people is a stretch to say the least. Bless the world, Abraham didn’t even really know how big the world actually was.

This promise of being a great nation and blessing the world wouldn’t be fulfilled in Abraham’s lifetime. To be sure, most people thought it would never be fulfilled. For the next 2,000 years Israel found themselves enslaved to other nations, fighting in battles and wars, and most of the time simply fighting to stay alive. Be a great nation? Blessing the world? There weren’t many people preaching this message to their families for fear of being laughed at.

After Malachi (the last book of the Old Testament) finished his book, God doesn’t directly speak with anyone for 400 years. 400 years of “silence.” Does all of this sound a little too familiar? Did it seem like God promised you would be a blessing to others and you now think how will that be possible, when I can’t even get out of bed?

Galatians 4:4 reads, “At the fullness time (or the appointed time) God sent His Son into the world, born of woman…” I know we might think God should have showed up a long time ago in the middle of our worst times. First of all, you should know He has always been with you, even in the “silence.” You should also know that in the absolute right time, He will show up. In the darkest of times in Israel, Jesus was born and so were the hopes of Israel. He will do the same for you as well. “To those who wait on Him will have strength renewed; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).