Kevin's Kolumn as seen in our weekly bulletins.

Kevin Lough

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11/22/09

THANK YOU LORD!

     Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes; we have plenty of food to eat. Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry; we have plenty of nice clothes to wear.
     And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds; they were so warm and comfortable last night.  I know that many have no bed. My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the spattered mess, the soggy, grimy towels, and the dirty lavatory; they are so convenient.
     Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly; it has served us faithfully for many years.  It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers for two or three meals. Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today; it has baked so many things over the years.
     The whole family is grateful for that tall grass that needs mowing and the lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy the yard. Thank you, Lord, even for that slamming door.  My kids are healthy and able to run and play.
     Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me say, “You have richly blessed my family.”  I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully.
     Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings, thank you Lord that I can hear.  There are many who are deaf. Although I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible; thank you Lord that I can see.  There are many who are blind.
     Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising, thank you Lord that I have the strength to rise.  There are many who are bedridden.
     Even though the first hours of my day are hectic when socks are lost, toast is burned, tempers are short, and my children are loud, thank you Lord for my family; there are many who are lonely. Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in the magazines and the menu is at times not balanced, thank you Lord for the food we have; there are many who are hungry.
     Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous, thank you Lord for the opportunity to work.  There are many who have no job.  Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest, thank you Lord for LIFE! Author Unknown

Have a most blessed thanksgiving and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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11/15/09

Proven Faith

1 Peter 1:3f “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ…
Our faith; our trust; our hope needs to reside in our acknowledgement of what God has done for us through Christ Jesus. We cannot hope without having something or Someone to hope in! When we have genuine faith, we acknowledge God for who He is; Creator and Sustainer of all that is, all that ever has been or ever will be. There is a variety of ways we can express our faith. We can use our speech, our actions, and even our prayers to help develop our faith. Remember, we don’t have more than one faith (Eph. 4: 5), we need to develop the faith we currently possess! One of the greatest ways we can develop greater trust in God is through the avenue of prayer. How has your prayer life been lately? How often to you speak to God and then allow God to speak to you through His Word? The last two elements I wish to share with you regarding faith are perseverance and consistency. Our children will watch closely to see if we model what we preach. They want to see if we really depend on God when trouble comes our way. Lean NOT on your own understanding, but in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM! As we live out our faith in a visible way, we’ll be passing on something far more valuable than gold or silver! Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 21:13 “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power.”

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11/8/09

Wasn't it nice to come to worship this morning?

When was the last time you paused to think about all those in the world who would love to be able to enter a building surrounded by folks who have the same drive & desire to worship God just as you do? When was the last time you paused long enough to thank all those who protect our freedom to worship God without fear, without molestation, and without terror? When was the last time you thanked God for all those who serve & have served our nation in times of peace & war without allowing politics to play a role in how you expressed your prayer? If you enjoy any or all of these freedoms, find a veteran and thank them. If you enjoy any or all of these freedoms, recite this prayer in such a way as to show God just how much each and every service man & woman needs to be thought of each and every day.

A Soldier’s Prayer
Lord, wrap Your arms around me
In this hostile, brutal place;
Let me draw peace and comfort
From Your restful, sweet embrace.
Help me do my duty
To uphold what is right;
Give me strength and courage
Each day and every night.
Lord, hear this soldier’s prayer
To You in heaven above;
Protect me with Your power,
And sustain me with Your love.
By Joanna Fuchs

Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

1 Chronicles 29:13
"Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.”

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11/1/09

Money Matters

The Lord wants us to make wise decisions based on sound principles. But choices that follow His will aren’t always compatible with the world’s way of doing business. Some people may be surprised that the foundational concept of God’s financial plan is to give rather than to save or invest. It’s not that we don’t save…but the first element in handling funds the way God instructs us is to give sacrificially. When the average person decides how much to donate toward charity, he considers his income versus his expenses. He chooses an amount that feels comfortable. In contrast, a sacrificial offering can mean a believer follows the Holy Spirit’s leading to pledge resources beyond his means. Initially, some Christians may feel worried about exercising their faith in this way. But thankfully Philippians chapter 4:19 says God has promised to meet His children’s needs. We need to be reminded that God is totally trustworthy. Also, give compassionately. Psalm 24:1 tells us all resources belong to God. Believers with a generous spirit hold their material possessions loosely. They desire to use their share of the Lord’s wealth to spread His blessing. A missionary, charity, or preacher does not have to beg them to part with their money. God’s financial plan differs from any we’ll see in the world. But His principles have proven effective. The Bible and church history have both shown this to be true for thousands of years. His followers have chosen to give from a compassionate heart and a sacrificial spirit. And He rewards them with increased faith and enough material goods to meet their needs. It all works hand in hand. God isn’t focused on our pocket books as much as He is our hearts. When our hearts are where they need to be, everything else will follow, including our finances. Are we as Christians to be frugal? Absolutely! Are we to store up money during the good times so as to live during the lean times? Of course…Joseph did, why wouldn’t we? But, never forget to seek first God’s kingdom. He promised us that everything will be added unto us only after we prioritize!

Have a most blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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10/25/09

Thank you for coming…

In all sincerity, I cannot thank you enough for deciding to spend this day with us. It’s an absolute pleasure to see each of you this day; to share a laugh, to converse, to relax and lift up the Name of the One we both owe so much to. We “do” Friend Day twice a year and each pale in comparison with the one before…we simply seem to bring folks in that we’ve never met before. And we think this is wonderful! If you’ve never been to the Whitehall church before, we say “thanks for coming”. Regardless as to whether or not you’ve been here before, please come downstairs after our morning assembly and get to know us better. We’ve got some of the same issues going on you do…we simply choose to lean on Christ Jesus and His body to overcome these issues. We’ve come to the understanding that because life is so hard on people it’s best not to go it alone. As the minister for the Whitehall church, I desire to impress upon you what I believe to be matters of utmost importance. The following article is one I’ve had in my possession for some time, but I cannot remember the original author. Please reflect on the thoughts contained in this message and ask yourself a serious question; when I’ve come to the end of this life, what is really going to matter more than anything. “Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear. So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant. So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured? What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave. What will matter is not your success, but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. What will matter is not your competence, but your character. What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone. What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what. Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters. As I’ve already stated, we’re thrilled you’re here and we welcome the opportunity to not only get to know you better, but to share with you why we never hesitate to lean on our God & each other. Thanks for coming…

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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10/25/09

Friend's Day is upon us!

We’ve only got one week to ready ourselves for our Fall Friend’s & Family Day! We’ve got so much to do and only a few days to get it done! Have you invited your friends yet? Have you asked that family member to accompany you to church? Sometimes we hesitate to talk to others about Christ because we may think they’ve already heard all of it before. Other times we practice restraint because we don’t want to push them away or offend them with our beliefs. Scripture reminds us to go and make disciples (Matt 28: 18). Verse 20 says, “Teach them to observe all things Jesus commanded”. If you’ve been led to believe that your teaching skills lack what’s needed to show them the message of Christ, invite them to church. Modeling your Christianity is one of the greatest ways others can see what’s most important to you and your family. We’ve got one more work day scheduled for this coming Saturday (the 24th). I prayerfully hope you can clear your schedule to help us make things look nice for our visitors. Remember, first impressions are lasting impressions. No, we’re not all that concerned about aesthetics, but isn’t it nice to walk into a nice, clean, crisp building to pay homage to our God? We also ask that if you are able, please park in the back parking area so our visitors can enjoy “top-level parking”. The more we do to make other’s feel welcome, the easier it will be to open doors of opportunity to share the gospel with them! Also, there will be covered dish fellowship following our AM services, so break out those recipes and start creating! Remember, this is the church family which claims visitors become family…let’s show them we mean what we say!

Have a most blessed day, and remember Who gave it to you!

Kevin

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10/11/09

Gaining an appreciation for our faith

Faith in Christ is really multi-dimensional. Knowledge of who Jesus is and what He did must come from confidence. We need to know the facts are true and apply to us. We must start by realizing that we have broken God’s law and because we’ve broken God’s law through disobedience we’ve become sinners. To practice faith, we acknowledge none of our efforts can earn His favor. We also agree “Jesus died for me.” He paid for all our sins, no matter how terrible they are in the world’s eyes. Next, we believe Jesus’ death is sufficient payment for our wrongdoing. We must accept He paid our penalty and endured the Father’s wrath in our place. Finally, we accept by faith that we’ve been adopted into God’s family on the basis of Christ’s (sorrowful) atoning death and our obedience to His death in our willingness to be immersed into His body through baptism. The invitation is for the world, but not everyone has true conviction. Too many people see these facts as “information” rather than life-altering truths. Once we’re convinced Jesus is our Savior, trust is demonstrated through action. As “new creatures,” we’re no longer who we once were. Second Corinthians 5:17 says there are different values and priorities for us to embrace. Jesus, our Lord, has authority over our lives. He alone deserves to be our top priority. He knows what pleases the Father. Jesus has sent His Spirit to live in us and teach us. Take time to examine yourself for evidence of knowledge, conviction, and trust. If one area is lacking, ask the Father to help embolden your faith.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 21:13 “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power.”

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10/04/09

I missed my bed…

This past weekend my family and I enjoyed the time we had as we visited the Church of Christ in Mentor Ohio. It was a weekend of challenge, encouragement, and fellowship. Both OVU Ambassadors & Express were present to entertain and challenge the teens to reach to greater spiritual heights. Mary, Nicholas & I got to hear Caleb sing with Express at the Mentor Civic Center on Saturday evening. It was great fun & a tremendous blessing! Breakout sessions on Saturday targeted topics I shared with teens over the course of the weekend. We sang, fellowshipped, studied, prayed, talked, laughed, ate…and slept (some slept better than others). The task of housing the visitors was the responsibility of the families of the Mentor congregation.
As it was, Mary & I had opportunity to stay at a motel near the church building. I should have learned by now to take my own pillow with me when staying out of town. It never fails, the times I bring my pillow the motel ends up having decent “head props”, but each time I forget to pack my “Perfect Pillow” with memory foam, the motel we stay at ends up possessing pillows that (at best) resemble handfuls of lumpy feathers stuffed in an over-sized pillow case. ( Yes…yes, I know, I’m spoiled! I so much appreciate the Whitehall Elder’s willingness to let me speak at this rally. I also greatly appreciate Darrell & Gary’s willingness to occupy the pulpit in my absence and for Darrell’s decision to teach my Sunday morning bible class…it’s nice to know I can go out of town and know that all the bases are sufficiently covered back home! Just as with any trip…it’s nice to go but it’s great to come back home…and I must say, I really did miss my bed.

Thanks to all for offering up prayers on our behalf.

Kevin

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9/27/09

Lord, grant me patience!

Heb 6:13-16 “For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, " I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you." Because Abraham was taught to wait in regard to God’s promise to bless him and multiply his descendents, Abraham eventually obtained God’s promise.” It would have been a great epitaph to place on his tombstone that he believed God to the point that he never tried to take matters into his own hands, but this would be untrue. Just like Abraham, patience is a hard lesson for us to learn. We don’t like patience. We don’t have time for patience! Life is fast, time’s running out, and we’ve got to get this show on the road, right? This is clearly how most of us act, even if we don’t express it. Perhaps that’s why Scripture includes so many examples of godly patience and reward. Over and over, we see God the Father making promises to His children, only to have them wait years, sometimes decades, for the promise to be fulfilled. But the result of that patience is always blessing. Consider Abraham. At age 75, he was given God’s promise of a son. 10 years later, he was still waiting. Fifteen years passed, then 20, and still no son. Finally, when Abraham was 100, a quarter-century after God had made the promise, baby Isaac was born. Surely Abraham had times of doubt during those 25 years. Doubt likely led to Ishmael’s birth through Hagar. Yet he continued to trust God and kept watching for the fulfillment of that promise. There are plenty of other examples. As a young man, Jacob met the girl of his dreams, but he worked many years before making her his bride. Joseph had a God-given vision of blessing at age 17 but languished 13 years in slavery and prison before receiving the reward. David was anointed King of Israel as a teenager but spent the next 14 years or so running for his life before taking the throne. Shortcuts never lead to where God wants us to be. The long road, however, is filled with faithful servants. Are you waiting on the Lord today? Be encouraged. You’re in good company!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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9/20/09

Jesus, a Friend of Sinners

Matt 11:19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." Rom 5:6-11 “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Regardless as to how tender our expressions of affection can be, human love pales in comparison to Jesus’ divine love, which He demonstrated by dying on the cross to save us. Jesus lived a perfect life—one which was sinless and fully pleasing to God. He had no unrighteousness for which He owed payment (Romans 3:23). But we do. Until the Savior intervened, our destiny was fixed: we were headed for eternal separation from God. The Lord cared so much that He willingly set aside His divinity and became a man to live among people whose hearts were far from the Father. In fact, He even came to die on behalf of a world that rejected Him. Romans 5 verses 6-11 describes the mystery of an innocent person dying in place of a guilty one. He questions who among us would volunteer to take on the justly deserved punishment of someone else. Perhaps we’d consider helping a righteous person, but Jesus was willing to help the guilty. He voluntarily became our substitute— taking on our sin-debt and enduring the penalty we deserved. God’s wrath was poured out on Him for all our sins. The Savior died on the cross so that we might enter God’s family and live with Him forever. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, our status has been changed from outsider to child of God, from enemy to beloved, and from stranger to friend. No one could care about us more deeply than that. Jesus is truly our loving friend!

May the grace of God give you the peace of God to instill within you the power of God to exhibit the goodness of God!

Kevin

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9/13/09

A Father’s Influence

Listen to what Paul has to say in 1 Tim 6:11-13 “But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” God designed fathers to be influential in children’s lives. Dads can have a big role in training their sons and daughters in godliness. This is demonstrated through love, support and modeled behavior. 2nd Peter says Christian fathers have access to all they need for shepherding children. A father’s most powerful influence is his own walk with the Lord. Preschoolers have impressionable minds. These young children will remember seeing us read our Bible. They’ll remember us praying on our knees. These young children will remember us worshipping with other believers.
When children are in elementary school, we can talk to them about why we pray and read the Word. They’ll notice how we look in the Scriptures for answers to life’s problems. They’ll see how we receive divine guidance in response to prayer. When they hear us express our confidence that God has a plan for them, their own trust in Him will grow. As teenagers, they’ll watch to see how well our lives match our words. Since we’re not perfect, we’ll stumble at times.
Handling our mistakes in a righteous manner and making necessary changes will speak volumes to them. This will teach them about the Lord’s forgiveness and transforming power. And our influence doesn’t stop there. It continues even when our children are grown. God did not plan for fathers to accomplish this alone. Moms, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and friends all have important roles in teaching and modeling godliness. Working together under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can watch our children love and serve Jesus with their whole heart.

Have a most blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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9/6/09

Practice makes perfect!

For believers to obey the Lord, daily meditation upon Scripture is essential. But, some Christians try to live the will of God while opening the Bible only at church. This practice is similar to playing in a football game without attending any practices. It results in a lot of penalties and frustration. The Bible’s purpose is to shine a light on God’s true nature. It teaches believers His principles and commands. This equips them to make decisions that are pleasing to Him. If we find ourselves skipping reading God’s Word we soon find out what non-meditating believers experience. In so short a time, we get “rusty”. Out thinking becomes clouded. Our attitude begins to suffer and eventually our heart grows cold toward God. Daily meditation keeps us focused upon our Father. Learning about the Lord will not do us much good if all the knowledge remains in our head. Meditation’s a tool that encourages believers to use godly principles in the world. The practice of reflecting on Scripture involves reading a passage and then asking ourselves some questions. After doing a thorough study of the contextual aspect of a scripture we need to ask ourselves, “What was God teaching in these verses?” “How do His instructions relate to MY heart and MY life? How can I apply these words today?” In keeping with the football analogy, we can think of the Bible as our playbook for a successful Christian life. We don’t want to be unprepared team members. If we’re going to follow the Lord’s will and please Him, we must read and meditate on His Word regularly.

Have a great day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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8/23/09

The purpose behind the message

As with any topic of discussion, there are always a select few who question why a certain subject is being addressed from the pulpit. Such has been the case during the course of my series of lessons on the Christian Home. It has been suggested that such a topic could be given during the Sunday evening worship services or that even a special class could be offered to address the issues which have been outlined on Sunday morning. Both of these practices have been used in times past. I delivered a sermon series on the topic of the Christian Home on Sunday evenings soon after Mary and I first came to Whitehall in 2004. I also conducted a Sunday morning bible class on the topic of “Magnificent Marriages” back in the summer of 2006. While both achieved nominal success, neither the Sunday evening sermons nor the Sunday morning bible classes have had the impact these Sunday morning sermons have had on our church family.
For those who would question why I’m so passionate about the issues surrounding the Christian Home, allow me to give a brief reply. Although I was asked by some of our concerned Shepherds to address the topic, and although I was spending numerous hours trying to help some of our young couples deal with various issues plaguing their marriages, and although it was apparent Satan was working hard to attack us through our Christian homes, none of the above reasons were the main thrust behind our Sunday mornings messages. The main reason we need lessons on how to have better marriages, more solid Christian homes and various “overall” instructions behind what can be done to make our lives a little more peaceful in such a crazy world, is because of the two most important commandments given in all of scripture: “To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves.” EVERY other instruction/command given in scripture hinges on these two important principles.
How can we love our God if we so choose to dishonor the person to whom we’ve wed? How can we show the world around us that the God-designed institution of marriage is sacred to us if they fail to see any difference in our homes as opposed to their own? Where else are our families going to receive the instructions they need on how to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?
For those who believe their marriages to be solid even to the point of needing no more instruction on how to make things better, I would encourage you begin looking around. There are hurting people all through our church family who could use some good solid mentoring by those who’ve weathered many a difficult storm. If you’re relationship is everything God would desire it to be reach out to those who are struggling. By giving of yourself, lives will be blessed, hearts will be touched and God will be glorified.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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8/16/09

The purpose behind the message

As with any topic of discussion, there are always a select few who question why a certain subject is being addressed from the pulpit. Such has been the case during the course of my series of lessons on the Christian Home. It has been suggested that such a topic could be given during the Sunday evening worship services or that even a special class could be offered to address the issues which have been outlined on Sunday morning. Both of these practices have been used in times past. I delivered a sermon series on the topic of the Christian Home on Sunday evenings soon after Mary and I first came to Whitehall in 2004. I also conducted a Sunday morning bible class on the topic of “Magnificent Marriages” back in the summer of 2006. While both achieved nominal success, neither the Sunday evening sermons nor the Sunday morning bible classes have had the impact these Sunday morning sermons have had on our church family.
For those who would question why I’m so passionate about the issues surrounding the Christian Home, allow me to give a brief reply. Although I was asked by some of our concerned Shepherds to address the topic, and although I was spending numerous hours trying to help some of our young couples deal with various issues plaguing their marriages, and although it was apparent Satan was working hard to attack us through our Christian homes, none of the above reasons were the main thrust behind our Sunday mornings messages. The main reason we need lessons on how to have better marriages, more solid Christian homes and various “overall” instructions behind what can be done to make our lives a little more peaceful in such a crazy world, is because of the two most important commandments given in all of scripture: “To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves.” EVERY other instruction/command given in scripture hinges on these two important principles.
How can we love our God if we so choose to dishonor the person to whom we’ve wed? How can we show the world around us that the God-designed institution of marriage is sacred to us if they fail to see any difference in our homes as opposed to their own? Where else are our families going to receive the instructions they need on how to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?
For those who believe their marriages to be solid even to the point of needing no more instruction on how to make things better, I would encourage you begin looking around. There are hurting people all through our church family who could use some good solid mentoring by those who’ve weathered many a difficult storm. If you’re relationship is everything God would desire it to be reach out to those who are struggling. By giving of yourself, lives will be blessed, hearts will be touched and God will be glorified.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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8/9/09

You can’t love others without loving yourself!

Although a number of places in the Bible contain the command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19; Galatians 5:14), Christians often overlook the “as yourself” part. But no one can fully love the Lord or anyone else unless he loves his own being. This means reverencing oneself as a child of God, created for fellowship with Him. All people are valuable to the Lord; even those to whom we think a mother couldn’t even love. But the Christian’s self-worth is rooted in the fact that we have a relationship with God. We are to care for ourselves, based upon the fact that He has provided for our salvation, given us the Holy Spirit, and developed a unique plan for our life. Love of self is essential to God’s plan for every believer. He desires that we exercise care for our own person, which helps us relate to Him. If we dislike ourselves, we may feel unworthy of God’s love and refuse to approach Him as Father. But love teaches us to see ourselves the way the Lord does—as available vessels, each with unique gifts and talents. Then we can offer greater usefulness to the kingdom. Using us to the fullest extent of our God-given abilities is the Father’s goal, and if we have a righteous love for self, that will be our goal too. Whoever you are and whatever your circumstances may be, I can tell you something about yourself. God has a special plan for you. But He cannot set you on the path to achieving His goals for your life until you recognize your worth and learn to love the person He created you to be.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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8/2/09

Honoring Father and Mother

Eph 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” NASU. God’s commandment to honor parents included a promise. He told the Israelites, recorded in Exodus 20, to treat parents with respect so their “days may be long upon the land” that He was giving them. This did not guarantee that respecting authority would necessarily mean survival till old age. The words “days” and “long” seem to imply productivity, strength, and satisfaction rather than a certain number of years. That divine promise still applies. Sadly, our chaotic world prizes independence over obedience and youthful opinion over the wisdom that comes with maturity. It appears that today’s society focuses primarily on being isolationists. We tote our electronic devices everywhere so as to communicate with those we’re not around. What ever happened to communicating with those of whom we’re with?! In today’s climate, we see children of all ages rebelling, but they often seem to escape discipline. This has led to two dangerous attitudes. One says people don’t need to accept responsibility for their actions. The other attitude permits neglecting the greater good of the child in favor of personal goals. To build a Christ-honoring community which resides in a worldly culture, believers should instruct children to honor parents, and then discipline any failure to show respect. One important way to teach this lesson is by modeling honor. Our families should see us treat our own parents with care and consideration. Honoring Mom and Dad is not a suggestion. The Lord has placed these important people in our life. Whether or not we feel they have served well in that capacity, we’re to obey God by offering them care and respect.

Have a most blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2

Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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7/26/09

Training Your Children

As we progress through our study of the Christian Home, we would be remiss not to point out the importance of raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Proverbs 22:6 states, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Training involves purposeful, consistent, and diligent actions. But one research project found, on average, fathers in America spend five minutes or less each day talking with their children. God has a plan to train children as He intended. Teaching our kids starts with a foundation of love. All people, especially the young, desperately need to feel accepted, loved, and valued. If they don’t find validation at home, they’ll look elsewhere. Children need to hear their parents say things like, “I love you,” “I value you,” and “You have what it takes.” This isn’t false praise we’re looking to give…its sincere praise, and, yes…we can accommodate our children in such ways! A second part of training a child involves the parent’s relationship with God. We can’t share what we don’t have. A person’s relationship with Jesus must be real and exciting. Otherwise, it’ll be impossible to teach our children how to have intimacy with the Lord. You can use two effective training tools with young people. The first one is your testimony. Share what God is doing in your life. The second tool is your example. A powerful lesson is driven home when a child sees his parent admitting fault, asking for forgiveness, or expressing gratitude for God’s mercy. Remember, the stakes are high. If we disobey the Lord and fail to teach our little ones correctly, we make them vulnerable to the world’s teaching. Not only does this harm our precious children; it also hinders the next generation of those of who will take up the banner of Christianity. A daunting task? To be sure! But, it’s the most rewarding of all tasks when we succeed in raising faithful children who love and obey the Lord.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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7/19/09

What matters most

Isn’t it profound how events tend to change our perception on what is and what is not essential? This past week I had the privilege to share some very precious moments with the Rowe family as Maddie passed from this life to the next. It never ceases to amaze me how we as humans can so readily switch gears; one moment being in the ebb and flow of everyday living (thinking about the next schedule, making sure all the bases have been covered, planning, and preparing for what lies next) only to have everything come to a screeching halt when someone we cherish calls on us for help.
My hat is off to the Rowe family for how they loved their mother, their grandmother, their sister, their friend. Of all the years Maddie spent catering to the desires of her “chicks”, her children rose to the occasion when mom needed them the most. I only pray that I’m given the same care, love and concern when my time on earth draws short…and, if I know my youngens, that is precisely what will happen.
Madeline knew her time wasn’t long for this earth. Just as Virginia Carpenter so valiantly did earlier this year, she did the best she could to prepare her loved ones for the inevitable. Maddie knew what her eternal destination would be; she had spent the biggest part of her life making preparation for it. She knew the relationship between her and her heavenly Father was secure and she knew regardless of any doubts, reservations or fears she might have had that her God is faithful. Maddie knew what mattered most; a relationship with her Lord, a strong connection with her church family and an undying devotion to her biological family. What a tremendous example given to each of us who claim Jesus as our Lord, and what a great reminder for us to know what really matters most.

Have a most blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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7/12/09

The Beauty of God’s Grace

One of the most humbling aspects of God’s love is His desire for everyone to know Him personally. The same God who created the Universe—and who interacted with Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Paul—wants us to know Him intimately. Yet so many ignore Him or look the other way, distracted by friends, family, celebrities, sports, careers, and the endless details of day-to-day life. But no matter how distant we may have been until now, the door is open to a relationship with the Lord. 1st Timothy 2:4 says that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Notice Paul doesn’t say God wants “some”—or a certain number—to know Him. No, the Lord wants everyone on earth to be saved. It’s not His desire that any perish; rather, He longs for all to know Him (2 Peter 3: 9). And that includes you. Unbelievers sometimes look at their sins and assume there’s no way God could grant them forgiveness. But the moment a person is willing to acknowledge his wrongdoing, repent of the wrong and submit their life to Christ Jesus through baptism the Lord is there to accept the sinner as His child. Regardless of what you’ve done, whom you’ve hurt, or where you’ve been in life, God is ready and willing to forgive you. Even for those of us who have been Christians a long time, it’s humbling to reflect on God’s goodness. The same grace that saved us is available on every step of our faith journey. Each day, we can move forward, safe in the knowledge that no mistake can ever put us beyond the reach of God’s love toward His children. Whether you see the need to make the necessary commitment to receive Christ into your life or if you’re a long-time child of God, God’s grace spans from eternity to eternity. Take hold of it today!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 150:1-2
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

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7/5/09

The Power of Prayer

Jesus knew the importance of prayer and practiced it regularly. He often slipped away from the crowds to commune with God. Once His mind was cleared of the cares surrounding Him, He would receive the guidance and strength necessary to carry on His Father’s work. In teaching about the power of prayer, Jesus promised that God will answer. He used three words to help us pray effectively. First, we must ask. We are to come to God with our requests. In doing so, we are acknowledging both our need and God’s ability to meet it. Jesus assures us that every request will be granted in accordance with our Father’s best for us and others. Next, we should seek. Sometimes the Lord asks us to get involved in the situation that we’re praying about. We may be petitioning for Him to help us find a new job. He knows that the best way for us to obtain those things in which we’ve requested from Him is to seek His wisdom and guidance. God also wants us to take practical steps to find what is available. When we obey His directions, God promises to provide the answer. And, finally, God petitions us to knock. In carrying out the Father’s plan, we will undoubtedly encounter obstacles along the way. Persistent praying may be required. Knocking implies a level of force being applied so a door will open. Once God presents the solution, we no longer need to ask. When He opens up a path, it should be our faith leading us to the point of walking on it. Prayer engages the Lord in the personal lives of men and women. It is the way we experience oneness with our Father and receive the essentials we need to carry out His work. There are so many issues we need to beseech our God about. Pray for each other; pray for our India work; pray for the Mexican Ministry; pray for our young people; pray for our seniors; pray for our middle aged folks; pray for wisdom, guidance and truth; pray for our Nursery School; pray for our Elders, deacons, ministry leaders; pray for our families…we could go on, but you get the picture. God already knows what we need. He just needs to hear it come from our hearts!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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6/28/09

The best poem in the world…

As with any email correspondence I receive, speculation is present. I choose not to buy into too many things mentioned on the internet because of the questionable content, but the following email I’m sharing with you this morning rings with such absolute truth that I could not help but forward it to each of you in hope that you will appreciate it as much as I did. Enjoy…

BEST POEM IN THE WORLD

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its décor…

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
the alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.

'And why's everyone so quiet,
so somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.'

JUDGE NOT. Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a mechanic. Every saint has a PAST... Every sinner has a FUTURE…that would be me.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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6/21/09

“Only by example…”

Happy Father’s Day to all you father’s out there! This past week I read a story of a farmer who had toiled over a bumper crop of grain - a badly needed crop of grain - a badly needed crop that was going to pay off many creditors and secure the family for another year. But just a few days before it was due to be harvested a freak wind and hail storm ravaged the property, and the harvest was lost. The man stood with his little boy looking over the fields of destroyed grain. The boy expected to hear his father cursing in despair. But instead his Dad began to softly sing: “Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.” Years later that boy, grown into manhood, said: “That was the greatest sermon I ever heard!” His father had shown him FAITH where the rubber meets the road! Some of the most difficult things we deal with are life’s situational difficulties. Our current economic dilemma, accumulating bills, layoffs, struggling mortgages…it all begins to play a toll on those who are subject to these things. Just as the farmer had to learn; just as Job had to learn; just as WE need to learn…God is still in control of everything around us. There are times we simply need to step back and count the blessings He has provided us with. Its one thing to gather together with brothers and sisters of like precious faith to sing about the wonderful mercy of the Almighty…it’s another thing entirely to field the various phone calls of creditors and juggle an already thin bank account while singing “Rock of Ages cleft for me”, and MEAN it! We can’t always change the situations we find ourselves in…but we most certainly can change how we react to our situations!

Have a most blessed Father’s Day…and remember our Heavenly Father who blessed you with it!

Kevin

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6/14/09

How do you handle difficulties?

Problems are an inevitable part of life whether or not a person has pledged their lives to the Lord Jesus. The difference is that once a man or woman becomes a believer, the God strengthens His children through the Holy Spirit to face every difficulty. Our Omniscient and all-powerful God is greater than ANY problem. He knows our future circumstances and prepares our hearts and minds to withstand coming trials. The moment we encounter a problem, we can tap into His omnipotence. At the very second we are dealt a difficult blow, we can cry out to Him in prayer! He promised to meet believers’ needs; therefore, He is under His own divine obligation to give guidance and direction. Our first response should always be to call out, “Father!” Instantly, two things take place: the problem’s growth is stunted, and God’s child is reminded of the unique position given those who trust in the Sovereign Lord. God always provides a solution to the problem. But it’s not as if we’ve nothing to contribute to the difficulty. We don’t simply sit back and wait for Him to work out the details. The Lord usually requires an act of faith from His children to jump-start the process. Let me say that again: THE LORD USUALLY REQUIRES AN ACT OF FAITH FROM HIS CHILDREN TO JUMP-START THE PROCESS. It’s not up to doctors, lawyers, judges or even spouses to determine our happiness…it’s up to our willingness to lean on God when times are good or bad! Experience and trust should tell us that His solutions are always best, but human strength may falter when we hear what He asks of us. Thankfully, the One who gives us endurance also offers courage to act at just the right moment. Long before a crisis arises or any solution is needed, the wise believer will be consistently seeking God. In trouble-free times, we can build a foundation of trust and communion with Him that can withstand any hardship. Problems are unavoidable, but the Father is faithful to solve our difficulties through prayer. Remember He who created you…He’s able to hear, understand and give aid!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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5/31/09

Dealing with Conflict

Conflict is a part of life. It may originate from misunderstandings, a difference of opinion, or deep convictions, however, discord sown in and around various circles often stems from envy, pride, or hunger for power.  We are not able to control the other person’s response to conflict; we’re accountable only for how we handle it. It’s unfortunate that many people have an unhealthy reaction to disagreement. Some repress difficulty, ignoring the issue or pretending it doesn’t exist; still others place blame while defending themselves. These negative responses often indicate one of three underlying scenarios. First, past hurt can leave a person emotionally insecure and unable to handle criticism. Second, a perfectionist sets such high benchmarks that he can never live up to his own standards—then it’s hard to acknowledge mistakes. Finally, pride makes it hard for some people to admit when they’re wrong or ask forgiveness. Unless we respond correctly to conflict, we limit our potential to grow, because we aren’t learning what the Lord is teaching. Also, we develop an unforgiving spirit, which leads to bitterness and resentment. Eventually, such an attitude can destroy relationships. The best example we have to pattern our lives after comes from none other than the Savior. There is a positive way to handle conflict. Luke 23:34 reveals how our Savior responded when He was wrongly accused, unfairly judged, and killed for something He didn’t do. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” We may be tempted to think Jesus was allowing Himself to become a doormat for others, or that He was weak, insignificant and shallow. But, our Savior was NOT weak, NOT insignificant and anything but shallow! He was showing us the picture of true meekness; exhibiting power under control. How do you deal with accusations and criticism? Forgiveness is the only response that will keep you from becoming a victim of bitterness.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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5/24/09

Serving a God of second chances

In John 8, Jesus is confronted with a situation that required quick thinking, a tender heart and understanding. He was approached by a group of people who wanted to see what Jesus’ reaction would be when asked about a woman caught in the act of adultery. When we look toward God, we need to see Him as a Father of second chances. Our God looks at us with love and a desire to forgive. When we trust in His promise of redemption, we receive a second chance at a life free from old hurts. In John 8, John recounts the Lord’s forgiving approach to the woman caught in adultery. Though Jesus rescued her from a threatened stoning, she did not “get away” with sin. John didn’t detail everything that happened between her and the Savior, but I believe they must have looked into each other’s eyes. There, she would have seen love, mercy, and pardon—nothing like the disdain in her accusers’ eyes. She saw Christ for who He was and called Him Lord (John 8:11). And Jesus, who understands all people perfectly, could see her genuine regret and repentance. That’s why He chose not to condemn her! Jesus knew He was the Lamb sent as a sacrifice for the sin of the adulteress. Therefore, He did not compromise with regard to her wrongdoing. Instead, He conquered the woman’s sin by forgiving her of it. Imagine how hope must have overcome her! Having been caught in adultery, she was as good as dead according to (Leviticus 20:10), but the Lord gave her a second chance! God is willing to make-over the most hopeless sinner into a saint. No matter what we have done or experienced, He doesn’t condemn us. Our Father forgives and cleanses so we have the privilege of starting anew and walking in His grace. Are you in need of a second chance? Have you been eager to condemn yourself over something you’ve been released from by your Savior? Remember the words of John in 1 John 3:20 “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” If you’ve truly repented over a past mistake, let it go! God has, now it’s your turn!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Ps 7:17
I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

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5/17/09

Is it that time again already?

Vacation Bible School is quickly approaching and this year we have many slots that need to be filled! Our VBS will begin in 28 short days! This year’s VBS is scheduled for Sunday, June 14th- Wednesday, June 17th. The picnic will be Thursday evening on June 18th at the Castle Creek Park in Grafton. We will meet each evening from 6:30-8:30 pm. (This includes picnic times as well). Because we have so much to do in such a short period of time I thought I would put a “bug” in your ear about our up and coming VBS meeting. We will meet on Tuesday evening, May 26th at 7:00 pm to make final preparations for our fun-filled week. Have you thought you would like to help in times past but never signed up because you thought you’d be keeping someone else out of the picture? Wait no longer! We need volunteers to help with registration, group leaders for various classes, folks who’ll do various activities, janitorial staff who will help ready the building for each evening, and volunteers to play different bible characters. This year’s VBS will run with a different format than in years past. We’re working hard to make VBS easier for everyone, but it still takes volunteers to bring everything together. Also, make sure your children know about our monthly scheduled Bible Trivia. We’ve not had Bible Trivia for the last two months because we’ve not had any children attend. TONIGHT is Children’s Bible Trivia @ 5:30 pm. Also, mark your calendars for the 4th Sunday of this month. We will be recognizing the accomplishments of our graduating High School seniors on Sunday evening, May 24th during our regularly scheduled evening service times. An ice cream social hall will follow immediately afterward in our fellowship hall. We’ve scheduled a church picnic for the 31st of this month and there will be NO formal services that evening because of an afternoon devotional we’ll engage in after the picnic. I’ll thank you in advance for your willingness to participate in whatever way you can! Thanks so much, church family. Works don’t save us, but they sure help show where our heart is!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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5/10/09

Which hat looks best on me?

Today’s ladies are required to wear many hats. In one instance they’re expected to be the mother, wife or woman God has called them to be…to their husband they are expected to be Martha Stewart in the kitchen and Heidi Klum in the bedroom. To their children they are expected to be “Supermom”; able to leap large grocery carts in a single bound with the ability to fix any boo-boo which comes along. As Jesus came into a certain village, we’re introduced to Mary and Martha according to Luke 10:38-42. “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." But the Lord answered and said to her, " Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." We may believe the Lord was chiding Martha for her assumed role in making preparations for the guests, but we need to recognize Jesus’ instruction here. Martha’s personality is that of a doer. She runs around cleaning, making the meal, and operating in a whirlwind of activity. Mary, however, is more concerned with simply being. She wants to be near Jesus so she can absorb every moment of His presence. Neither sister was necessarily wrong in her response. Martha is often looked down upon in this scene. But, the truth is, she was simply concerned with meeting the needs of her Master. Martha ministered, while Mary engaged in worship. In His rebuke of Martha, Jesus never said Martha was wrong for her actions (Luke 10:41-42). He said only that her busyness wasn’t the best thing at that moment. The church has room for all personalities; Mary’s Martha’s, Paul’s, Barnabas’, Luke’s, etc. The key is not looking down on someone else because they don’t possess the same characteristics WE may possess.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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5/3/09

There is much to do!

Often we sing a song during our worship services to God which express a truth we sometimes wish wasn’t so! Our calendar is so full of up and coming events that we can be guilty of exasperating ourselves to the point of not enjoying anything. I pray this is not the case. I pray we never grow weary in doing the work of the Lord here at Whitehall. Our Nursery School students will be graduating soon. Our high school seniors have reached a pinnacle in their lives as well and will soon be going on to new and exciting challenges. We’re making final preparations for this year’s Vacation Bible School. Mother’s Day is right around the corner; (Just a reminder for us men who have a tendency to forget things like this). J We have ministry leaders’ meetings in the future, elders meetings, visitations, Sunset classes, and weekly bible classes and home bible studies (Outside the walls) as well as various ministries all coming together to keep the family here active and involved. I know we have much going on right now, but I want you to mark on your 2010 calendars for an incredible workshop we will be hosting at the Whitehall church. The India Missions Workshop will be hosted by the Whitehall Church of Christ in the month of April of 2010. We have much work to do to ready ourselves for this tremendous event. We will need volunteers to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for 3-4 days straight. Dianne and I will be sending out mailings throughout the year inviting various sister congregations to participate. We will need volunteer drivers to drive to the Clarksburg airport to pick up missionaries coming to the workshop. We’re going to need folks willing to do janitorial work, folks willing to make paper copies, folks who will help ready the building for the weekend, etc and so on. As you can see, it will take all of us working together to make this a success. Whenever we are tempted to walk away because of growing weary, remind yourself of all the new brothers and sisters in Christ we have in India. Think of their families, their children and their children’s children reaping the benefits of Christians coming together to develop new ways to reach the masses all for the cause of Christ. Indeed, never, O Lord; never let us grow weary in doing good!

Have a great day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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4/26/09

Forever Friends

In Eph 6:7-8, Paul states, “With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.” That’s a great promise; rendering unto others…knowing that whatever good we pass on to someone else, we’ll receive a portion back from God! As you read this insert, the teens and I are getting ready to depart Pikeville Kentucky and the 2009 Youth Rally at the Main Street Congregation to head back home. Please pray for our safe return. Your children are forming friendships that we pray will last a lifetime. Friendships with others who love the Lord are some of the most cherished relationships we as Christians have to enjoy. Quality companionships; those who laugh with us in the good times and weep with us through the bad require shared commitment, time and energy. Honest friendships have a transparency about them which can only be appreciated by those of whom open themselves up to another human being. Transparency that is tied to accountability can also help make each individual a better person. A solid relationship allows each party to gently point out errors in the other’s life and offer loving correction. Genuine friendship takes time to develop. We must be willing to put aside other obligations and give priority to moments spent together. A generous portion of our time with each other should be spent talking about our thoughts and desires and also asking questions to prompt our friend to open up. Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Expressing thanks when friends are helpful will remind them that we’re grateful to have them in our life. Being a good friend is a way to serve the Lord. He designed us to be in relationship with others, so we should give our best to every companion God places in our life.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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4/19/09

Two roads diverged in the woods…

Robert Frost penned his famous poem years ago about two roads diverging in the woods. He had a choice to make…a choice that was going to make all the difference in where his ultimate destination was going to be. Jesus gives us a picture of two roads as well. Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Like many people today, the Israelites in Jesus’ time believed they were destined for heaven. They mistakenly thought that to join God’s family, good works and an intellectual faith were all that He required. They believed their heritage was sufficient for acceptance into God’s Kingdom. To help us grasp the truth about entering His Father’s kingdom, Jesus described two roads, which lead in opposite directions. One is a broad highway, where most people travel. It’s an easy journey, requiring few commitments and allowing all kinds of philosophies. Because just about everything is acceptable, people are free to be self-indulgent and choose what they each think is best. The broad path promises to give us whatever we desire, but in the end, it delivers nothing of everlasting value. Jesus described the other road as narrow. It has a small entrance, because there is only one way to be reconciled to God—through faith in Christ. Traveling on this path requires a commitment to the Savior and a lifestyle of dependence, sacrifice, and trust. Once we are added to the Lord’s church by our obedient desire to be immersed into Christ’s blood, the Holy Spirit indwells us and empowers us for everything we need to stay in tuned to the desires of the Father. He convicts us of sin and the understanding that if we’ve deviated from our original course, we can turn around and begin down the narrow road once again. Are you in need of a ‘detour’ this morning?

Have a most blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Ps 9:2 “I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”

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4/5/09

Are you a worrywart?

I remember hearing this phrase growing up: ‘I’m just such a worrywart’. My grandmother was one of the world’s worst worrywarts. Grandma lived in the house directly behind ours and whenever we would take her to the doctor or even in town to run some errands, I would be sent by my mother to help her down the hill into our car. I remember vividly as a child grandma checking the stove three (3) times to make sure all the burners were in the ‘off’ position before she would leave her house! Grandma’s gone now, but sometimes I wonder if her genes were passed down into me! Matthew tells us in his sixth chapter, “Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” How many of us have this mastered? In this day and age of economic uncertainty and upheaval, it’s easy to take our eyes off the promises of God and to start our journey down the path of worry. Listen to what Joe Barnett has to say about worry in his article entitled: ‘You can conquer worry’. According to one study, 40% of the things we worry about never happen, 30% have already happened, 12% are about health, and 10% are about trivial things. If my math is right, that leaves only 8% of our worries which may be considered legitimate. Think about it! Forty percent of the things we worry about never happen. Montaigne, the French philosopher, declared, “My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.” Worriers have the puzzling talent to put two and two together and get seven-or seven hundred. If the thing you are worrying about never occurs, you have lived through the misery of it anyway—worrying about it. If it does occur, you have lived through it twice. Barnett concludes his article by asking three questions: 1) What am I worrying about? 2) What can I do about it? 3) When am I going to start? He encourages the reader not to just think about their answers but to write them down. Have you done that lately, or will you read this article, think it to be helpful, lay it aside and forget about it 10 minutes from now? The choice is yours. You can deal with it now, or wait till later. If you choose to deal with it later, make sure your Maalox is handy!

Have a blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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3/29/09

True intentions of one’s heart

Sarah was 90 years old when God told her husband, “I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her” (Genesis 17:16). Abraham considered this so unlikely that he laughed! But God was faithful to His word.  Today, just like it was in Bible times, God, our Father always keeps His promises. Yet some people become discouraged because they fail to see results after asking for His assurance. We can avoid frustration by understanding how Scripture teaches us to claim His promises.  First, we need to be aware that some pledges are limited to a certain situation. God told Abraham he would have a son. Genesis 17:16 is not a promise we can claim for ourselves, as it was meant specifically for this great man of faith. Second, many promises are intended for all believers, such as God’s assurance that He’ll never leave us, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Third, some promises are conditional. For example, the guarantee of Psalm 37:4 requires obedience: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When evaluating a biblical promise, we should ask ourselves: Am I asking for this promise with a spirit of submission to the will of God? Might an answer to my petition harm another person or interfere with God’s will for his life? Does the Holy Spirit bear witness to my spirit that God is pleased by my request? Does it contradict the Word of God? Will my desire further my spiritual growth? If we claim the Lord’s promises with a right spirit and pure motives, we will honor Him, receive what we ask, and grow in intimacy with our loving Father.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 51:15, "O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise."

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3/22/09

We’re glad you’re here!

Today is a day we have affectionately labeled as our ‘Friend Day’. You have been invited to spend this particular morning honoring our Creator with us, and we’re glad you chose to come. You may be wondering what kind of people you’ll come into contact with today. Well, you’ll find pretty much the same spectrum of folks you’ll find most anywhere. You will find traditionalists and you’ll find some who prefer anything new over everything old. You’ll find those who mistake our traditions for absolute truth, and get pretty bent out of shape when they’re tampered with. And you’ll find those of us who are a bit smug at having been liberated from tradition. You’ll find folks hanging a bit to the left and others content to be on the right…and others somewhere in between. You will find happy people…and maybe even a grouchy one, if they overslept or got cut off in traffic. Friendly people…and those who may seem unfriendly. People who are learning…and people who already know everything. We are a diverse group, coming from varied backgrounds, and at different stages of knowledge and spiritual growth. We don’t know everything…we don’t do everything right. We don’t always treat each other as we should because we’re still on our journey; we haven’t arrived yet. Why such as wide variety of folks? Why such diversity in our unity? We’re not brought together by any illusion of our perfection or righteousness. We were brought together by our recognition that we are sinners in need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, our Savior. That’s the reason we can worship together, stick together, and with God’s help, accomplish some things that make a difference. You won’t have to look very far to find our failures, but I can assure you…you’ll never find a more dedicated people who love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul and mind like the Whitehall family does, nor will you find those of whom try as best they know how to love their fellow man as they do themselves. Again, we’re glad you’re here. And we pray you consider making the Whitehall church your permanent place of worship. Let us know what we can do to see that become a reality.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Psalm 21:13 “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power.”

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3/15/09

Aruba?! Are you kidding me?

I know it’s hard to believe, but you all can now say you’ve actually seen me speechless. I had no idea our church family had been working to put a vacation package together for me and my bride. I still can’t get beyond the shock. All I can say is: “Thank you!” I’ve found myself this past week daydreaming about scuba diving and sea fishing (yes, I will take Mary fishing with me). As much of a shock this gift was, as incredible as this trip will be, as much fun as we’re going to have, I still can’t get over what happened before our incredible surprise. To be approached by a mother in regard to her eleven year old son who wanted to commit his life to the Lord will have to be the highlight of this past Lord’s Day. The four others who came forward beseeching prayer, asking forgiveness, and simply calling on the Lord for help proved to be overwhelming. I cannot put into words the inexpressible joy Mary and I get from serving this congregation. I knew God would bless me in our ministry but I had no idea just how MUCH! Paul said it best in: Eph 3:20-21 “ Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” To all who had a hand in our anniversary get-away, we say “Thanks”. To Lynn and Melissa, we say, “Wow”. To Cole, we say, “We’re here for you every step of the way. To all those who came forward this past Sunday, we say, “May God give you the peace to sustain even in your toughest of times”. To the Lord’s church at Whitehall, we say…
May the grace of God give you the peace of God to instill within you the power of God to exhibit the goodness of God.

Kevin

Psalm 21:13 “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power.”

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3/8/09

Seeking advice from another

When we face a challenging situation, it’s natural to turn to family and close friends for help. Sometimes, the kind and encouraging words from a loved one prove to be the catalyst that turns us back to God. It is important, however, that we carefully examine advice offered by those closest to us. Their input may be genuine and motivated by love, but if a suggestion is inconsistent with God’s Word, we should politely disregard it. Just because we may hear what we want to hear doesn’t mean this advice is what’s best for us! In Genesis 16, Sarai urged Abram to have a child with her servant Hagar. Though this recommendation contradicted the divine promise of a son through Sarai, Abram chose to follow his wife’s advice. It’s possible that after he had waited so many years for the fulfillment to come from God, he probably considered her suggestion reasonable. But because of the unwise decision not to trust God, Abram faced many difficult, painful trials. Today, Middle Eastern nations continue to pay for this ill advice from Sarai. The descendants of Ishmael constitute the warring factions we see in many of the Eastern provinces of the world today. The next time some one offers you advice, ask yourself: “Is this something I want to hear or something I need to hear?” As we consult our loved ones for help with momentous decisions, it’s important to distinguish between our fleshly desires and biblical truth. Wise counsel is always consistent with the Word of God. Remember Abram’s example—not all advice is necessarily good advice. The next time you seek an opinion from friends or family, take a moment to compare their input with Scripture. If there are inconsistencies, trust in the Bible and God’s willingness to carry you through any difficult situation you face.

May the grace of God give you the peace of God to instill within you the power of God to exhibit the goodness of God!

Kevin

Ps 7:17 “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”

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3/1/09

The Problem of Pride

Pride is a condition that is common to all mankind. Poverty, age, gender, ability, position and even experience don’t protect us from it. Think, for just a second about Saul, Israel’s first king. The prophet Samuel publicly revealed that Saul was the Lord’s chosen leader. First Samuel 9:2 describes him as “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites.” Certainly, this description seems fitting for the nation’s first king, doesn’t it? In his new position, Saul was to follow God’s instructions for the role of a national leader. He was promised that the Holy Spirit would come upon him in power and help him. (1 Samuel 10: 6-7). In retrospect, God treats us in a similar way—He’s chosen us to belong to His family. He has a plan for our lives and special work for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Sometimes we miss the point of v. 10. Our works don’t save us, the blood of Christ does. When we focus more on our abilities and less on Jesus’ saving blood, we’re missing the entire point of the saving grace of Christ. We need to remember what God’s role is and what our role is in all of this. The Holy Spirit dwells within us so He can guide and empower us to carry out God’s divine plans. Our part is to obey. To be successful, Saul needed to remember several things. Any authority he had came from the Lord; an element he forgot along the way. His responsibilities included executing God’s plan, leading the people by example, and obeying divine commands. Like we sometimes struggle understanding today, Saul acted as if he were in charge rather than the Lord. He allowed the pressure of the situation to take precedence over obedience. Because of pride, he broke God’s law and exercised priestly responsibilities which were not rightly his. Our Father wants us to deal with our pride by humbling ourselves before Him, confessing our sin, and seeking his help in overcoming it. May God help all of us to combat the problem of pride.

Have a great day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

Ps 7:17 “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”

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2/22/09

What about those who’ve never heard?

An obvious question some have had in regard to salvation being extended to certain parts of the world might be, “What about those who’ve never heard about God?” It’s true that in many countries, the gospel can’t be shared freely. Repressive governments and religions stop Christians from telling others about Jesus. However, we need to remember that God is mightier than oppression. Where human messengers can’t carry the good news, the Lord is revealing Himself to those whose hearts are open. 1st Timothy chapter two says God wants everyone to come to a saving knowledge of Him. Romans chapter 1 shows He is holy and just, but He can’t overlook man’s sinful condition, which renders all guilty and without excuse. He will not admit people into heaven unless they’ve acknowledged their need for a Savior. But, our Father is also fair and merciful. He makes His presence known to every person so each one may choose to recognize His sovereignty. The Lord does this by revealing Himself to all mankind in two ways: through conscience and creation. First, He has imbedded His basic moral guidelines in the human conscience. In other words, at some point in life, every sane person has an innate sense that certain actions are right and others are wrong. Secondly, the Creator displays His power and divine nature through what He has made. The complexity, variety, order, and beauty of the world all point to an Intelligent Designer. We can’t pinpoint every method the Lord uses to reveal Himself, yet we can be sure nothing will stop Him from reaching out to people who follow conscience and creation to the logical conclusion… the existence of a Loving and Sovereign God!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you! Kevin

Ps 111:1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly.

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2/15/09

Cease Striving

It doesn’t seem to stop, does it? Whether it’s a freak storm with severe winds, lack of power with downed trees, temptation, trials, or even physical, emotional or spiritual suffering…we’re surrounded by difficulties every day we live on the earth. We’ve all experienced them. Even as Christians— and sometimes specifically because we’re Christian—we must endure pain, whether through loss, bankruptcy, unemployment, or even a broken relationship. While no one is immune to hard times, Christians are empowered through the Holy Spirit to endure difficult times. The greatest question I hear is, “HOW do I endure them?!” People don’t want to be told what to do as much as they want to know how to do it! Psalm 46:10 says, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” The King James Version uses the expression “be still,” indicating that our best response to disappointments is to trust in God. How humbling it is to know that God’s children have a direct communication line to the Father, even in the midst of trouble. We don’t have to respond like the world, with anger, depression, and revenge. Nor do we have to fix everything in our own strength. Sure, we will still be tempted by the flesh. But as we “cease striving,” we’ll learn to trust in Him more each day. The truth is: hardship doesn’t form character; hardship reveals character. One of the most common responses to difficulty is anger. In moments of frustration, we run the risk of making impulsive decisions that could impact the rest of our lives. Church, instead of getting caught up in emotion let’s learn how to be still and trust in the One who can work out everything for our good. (Rom. 8: 28) In this world, troubles won’t vanish, disappear or even appear to fade sometimes when we wish so badly they would (John 16:33). But when storms are brewing on the horizon, buckle up and trust God to guide you through. Only in Him can you can truly “cease striving”. Only in Him can we really come to understand grace for the hour and mercy for our time of need. Most importantly, remember…He loves each of us so much He willingly gave us His Son.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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2/8/09

To know the Father, we must know the Son

Over the course of the last several weeks, we’ve been developing a theme on understanding how God is the audience for all that we do. Although many people know God and call themselves ‘Christians’, they don’t believe in Jesus Christ, or in the fact that He is indeed God’s Son. A person can’t know the Father and be His child unless he or she has received Jesus Christ by entering into a personal relationship with Him. Because Jesus is the doorway to our salvation (John 14: 6) it’s not enough for us to “know God” by simply realizing there’s a supreme being. Jesus said without faith in Him, it’s impossible to come to God, the Father. Since God is holy, He cannot tolerate sin in His presence. The bad news is: all people are sinners. We needed a Savior, a bridge, a way back to a Holy, Righteous God. Jesus died in our place to pay our sin debt. His death bridged the gap between impure man and Holy God. Anyone, who receives Jesus’ sacrifice for sin through immersion into His Son’s blood, is forgiven. When one makes a commitment to the Father through Christ Jesus, this person is declared righteous. Jesus becomes the doorway to discovery…He takes on the role of the earthly representation of His Father in heaven. Christ’s life among men provides the most complete picture we have of God the Father. Through the Son’s actions, choices, and teachings, we learn how God thinks, feels and acts toward mankind. Listen to the words Jesus declared to Philip in John 14: 9-10: "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?” Omitting Christ from religious beliefs or practice leaves people with a narrow and inaccurate view of their Creator. There’s NO WAY to know the Father without knowing the Son!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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2/1/09

When your huts on fire

Oh, how I love the modern conveniences of email. I can sit in my chair and communicate to folks about certain things without ever having to leave the comfort of my home on a cold, snowy evening. Such is the case with the following email I received from Kenny Cottrell this past week. It’s a really good story with a great moral at the end. Hope you enjoy it! The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, “God! How could you do this to me?!” Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied. The Moral of the Story: It’s easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn’t lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, especially in the midst of pain and suffering! Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God! (Rom 5:3-5) We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Have a great day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

P.S. Remember to meditate on 2009’s theme: Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

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1/25/09

Some of God’s greatest blessings

We may be tempted to believe that if we just listen and obey God, He’ll give us more and more of some of the things we like most. We tend to think of blessings as new benefits He gives us to enjoy. We might praise God for the extra blessing of a salary increase. We may thank Him that He has blessed us with a new relationship. In our minds, the term “blessing” has become synonymous with “gift”, hasn’t it? However, some of us may be surprised to hear that God often blesses us by taking things away. We may be tempted to think; how can God benefit me by giving me less of what I enjoy? This way of thinking reveals a problem with pride. It’s easy to assume we know what’s best for ourselves. Our logical conclusion is, if I enjoy something, then it must be good and proper. As such, the Lord’s blessing should give me more of that, right? Wrong. God brings things into our lives that He knows will bless us. Our shortsighted perspective keeps us from seeing the whole picture, but He sees all from beginning to end. He knows whether a particular relationship or more money would ultimately be a blessing or a curse and so, in some situations, the best thing He can “give” us is to take something away! The Lord isn’t some kind of a cosmic Santa Claus. There are instances where, in His wisdom, He chooses to “bless with less.” Can you remember a particular loss or disappointment that caused you to question whether He was acting in your best interest? With time and perspective, have you been able to see God’s loving-care for you by Him taking something away? Think about it. Some of God’s greatest blessings are found in His desire to take something (even some things we don’t think we can do without) away. Could it be that He knows too many things can distract us from focusing on things of a much greater value?

Have a great day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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1/18/09

Our Bridge to God

Listen to the words of Jesus as found in John 14:1-6: “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. "And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” In John 14:6, the Lord makes a powerful, unequivocal statement. Jesus clearly says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me.” People have fought that statement for 2,000 years. Some say the Lord didn’t mean for it to be taken literally. Others categorically reject His authority to make the claim at all. But, as believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we must take what He says as truth. So let’s think for a moment about the word-picture in that passage. When Jesus calls Himself “the way,” many people imagine a one-way street. They take this to mean that there are lots of roads, but He is the only one that leads to the Father. That’s a good image, but I think we can do even better. I like to think of Jesus not as a road, but as a bridge, our bridge to God. Consider the apostle Paul’s warning in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  The picture here is of a great (divide, ravine, gorge, crater) chasm between us and God, and we cannot make it across. Unable to bridge the gap, we fall. So, what is the only way across a chasm? A bridge, of course. And that’s what Jesus is for us. He stands in the gap, providing safe passage across the void and into the loving arms of the Father. Do you have that hope? Have you made the commitment to make Jesus the Lord of your life? Failure to acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life will lead to ruin and ultimately eternal damnation. Cross THE Bridge today! Give Him your life!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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1/11/09

How to honor God with your work

The following excerpt was taken from Max Lucado’s book, “Cure for the common life”. Heaven’s calendar has seven Sundays a week. God sanctifies each day. He conducts holy business at all hours and in all places. He un-commons the common by turning kitchen sinks into shrines, cafés into convents, and nine-to-five workdays into spiritual adventures. Workdays? Yes, workdays. He ordained your work as something good. Before he gave Adam a wife or a child, even before he gave Adam britches, God gave Adam a job. “Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15 NASB) Innocence, not indolence, characterized the first family. God views work worthy of its own engraved commandment: “You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest” (Exodus. 34:21 NASB). We like the second half of that verse. But emphasis on the day of rest might cause us to miss the command to work: “You shall work six days.” Whether you work at home or in the market place, your work matters to God. And your work matters to society. We need you! Cities need plumbers. Nations need soldiers. Stoplights break. Bones break. We need people to repair the first and set the second. Someone has to raise kids, raise cane, and manage the kids who raise Cain. Whether you log on or lace up for the day, you imitate God. Jehovah himself worked for the first six days of creation. Jesus said, “My Father never stops working, and so I keep working, too” (John 5:17 NCV). Your career consumes half of your lifetime. Shouldn’t it broadcast God? Don’t those forty to sixty hours a week belong to Him as well? The Bible never promotes workaholism or an addiction to employment as pain medication. But God unilaterally calls all the physically able to till the gardens he gives. God honors work. So honor God in your work. “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labors are good. (Eccles. 2: 24 NASB) Here is the big idea: Use your uniqueness (what you do). To make a big deal out of God (why you do it) Everyday of your life (where you do it). At the convergence of all three, you’ll find the cure for the common life: your sweet spot.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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1/4/09

Do you keep a journal?

When taking English classes, whether in high school or college, I was often instructed to keep a journal. There were times I would have to remind myself to make an entry because my lack of continuity to the project. There were even days I would make numerous entries just to bring it up to date! Recently I’ve made suggestions to folks who’ve been struggling with their faith. One of my suggestions was for them to keep a prayer journal. By listing our prayers, we are able to re-visit them again and again. Once God answers the prayer, we can check it off our list and move on to other requests/petitions we might have as we present these things to God with thanksgiving. (Philippians 4: 6-7). How often has the Lord done a mighty work on your behalf when all seemed lost? He is actively involved in our lives today. Sadly, we frequently thank Him in the moment but then forget what He’s done for us. Later, when we are fearful again, it’s hard to remember how He has already proven Himself in our lives. This is why every believer should keep a journal, a written record of the Lord’s faithfulness. During times of helplessness, we want encouragement not just about how God has worked in history or in the world, but about how He’s worked in our own lives. It may take some time to establish the discipline of journaling, but the rewards are tremendous. You may say, “Well, I don’t have time for that.” Let me encourage you to make the time. When you record blessings, you begin to view God’s work from a new perspective. You’ll start to see how He’s weaving the individual “threads” of your life to create a beautiful tapestry for His glory.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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12/28/08

As we begin again…

As each New Year comes and goes, we as adults find ourselves contemplating the brevity of life. Time picks up its pace and we find ourselves wondering what we can do to hand down lasting values to our loved ones. The most valuable “possession” believers can leave to family and friends is faith in Jesus Christ. While loved ones must choose to trust in the Savior, Christians can and should share biblical truths with them. Faith has many essential beliefs. The first found in Acts four is Salvation. Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ. From an early age, children should be taught the most important relationship in their life is with the Lord. Believing in Him and obeying Him is vital. Next, our faith means we believe everything that exists was created by the Lord. He owns it all. We’re managers of our resources, not owners. We’re to invest in God’s kingdom and not just spend our time and money on personal pleasures. His priorities are to become our own. Another way we can pass down faith is by sharing God has a purpose for each of us. Ephesians 2:10 says discovering our purpose is very important. We can look for opportunities to share what we’re learning about God’s plan for our life. In the process, our family will become curious as to what His purpose is for them. Finally, as we pass on our faith, it’s important to know God will provide whatever we need to carry out His plan. Our Heavenly Father gives us talents and spiritual gifts to achieve His purposes. He has promised that we’ll have what’s necessary to live a life pleasing to Him. The best time to share your faith is right now. Each day offers new opportunities to speak of our Savior. Think about those of whom you can pass this precious possession to in the New Year!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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12/7/08

A fruitful life

Over the course of the last few Sunday evenings, we have been examining the various fruits of the Spirit. Listen to what the writer of Proverbs has to say in Prov 3:1-4 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart so you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.” Jesus told His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit” (John 15:5). As we carry out the Lord’s plans through the power of His Spirit, our lives will have significance, and two characteristics will become increasingly evident…1) Treasuring God’s Word in our hearts. When we value something, we think about it often, study it regularly, and learn all we can about it. By studying the Bible, we learn many important things about our God, including His character, plan, and promises. Regular Scripture meditation develops our ability to think biblically and deepens our relationship with the Lord. One of the indications that we treasure His Word is a change in behavior— decisions will increasingly be guided by His principles, and actions will reflect the fruits of Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5: 22-23 and 2) Adorning ourselves with kindness and truth. These two virtues are to be our constant companions on the Christian walk. God’s truth has the power to expose ungodly attitudes and behaviors. When this happens, the presence of kindness helps to protect relationships from damage as well as preventing discord and division in churches. The Lord wants us to speak the truth to one another—but to temper it with loving compassion. The Christian life is a journey filled with temptations, obstacles, and difficulties that are common to man (1 Peter 4:12). At the same time, it is to be characterized by the fruitfulness that comes from following our Guide and by allowing the Holy Spirit to exhibit the fruits characteristic of God’s people.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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11/30/08

Joyously thankful

Listen to what the apostle Paul had to say in Colossians 1:11b-14, “Joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Paul states that we should “joyously" give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light”. When was the last time you joyously gave thanks to God? How often do we get excited over a movie, television program, or sporting event, and yet remain silent about the many blessings God sends our way? As God’s children we ought to make joyous thanksgiving to God a daily priority! Remember, God chose to display grace to us. He sent His Son to die as a substitution sacrifice—Jesus took upon Himself the penalty that we owed for our sin. He gave us a purpose for living and delivered us from ruined, meaningless lives. And He offered us hope, not only for our earthly lives, but also for eternity. Doesn’t He deserve our thanks everyday? What about you? Do you live in gratitude for God’s precious blessings, remembering to thank Him for more than just His material provisions? After all, the Lord didn’t place us on earth simply to accumulate possessions and wealth. He provided us with the gift of life so we could glorify Him and reflect the Savior, Jesus Christ, to the world. At this time of the year (after just celebrating the Thanksgiving season) lets be reminded that Thanksgiving isn’t just about ‘Black Friday’ shopping, great deals at local retail stores or super Christmas bargains. Our Thanksgiving begins at the cross where Jesus Christ made it possible for us to enjoy an incredible relationship with our Maker!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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11/23/08

Battling the desire for instantaneous results

Because our culture is one based on an “instant” society; because of inventions like the computer and the microwave, we’re used to quick results. A fast pace isn’t necessarily bad, but we should guard against becoming so set on immediate fulfillment that we can’t wait for God’s timing. This problem existed long before the computer age. In Genesis 15:4-5, God revealed to Abraham that though he and his wife Sarah were too old to have children, a great nation would come from him. Abraham believed God but soon decided to handle matters himself. He took Sarah’s servant Hagar as his wife so she could bear the promised son. Abraham probably rationalized his decision, figuring the Lord wanted him to have a son. Since it seemed impossible any other way, surely this must be what God wanted him to do! But it wasn’t. Abraham had to deal with the consequences of his actions, including jealousy and resentment between Sarah and Hagar. These problems in turn created further difficulties, both in the short term and throughout history. The Lord was faithful, though. 14 years later, Sarah gave birth to Isaac. But, the consequences of Abraham’s decision to step out of God’s plan are still with us. The two boys grew to become the fathers of nations which are in conflict to this very day. Like Abraham, we might believe God’s promises but prefer immediate results. Or we may just want things done our way. Instead, ask the Lord to lead you. Then wait for Him. His way may not be what you think you want, but it is always best.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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11/16/08

Suffering Alone

If friends vanished while you were facing a personal crisis, perhaps you’ve forgiven them for abandoning you in a time of need. But that doesn’t mean they’ve come back to offer support. In situations like this, it’s important to remember the One who promises to be there for you. When Paul was suffering from a “thorn in the flesh” the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for (My) power is perfected in (your) weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) In other words, he was saying, “I’ll take care of you.” During our most trying moments—when we have nothing left to sustain ourselves—we CAN find strength in God. He doesn’t set aside a reserve of grace and assistance to help us six months from now. We get exactly what we need WHEN WE NEED IT! He has said, “I will never forsake you…I will never fail you…I will never abandon you.” (Hebrew 13:5). Our heavenly Father has NO intention of breaking that promise. We might never know why God allowed friends to forsake us in times of need, but there is one possibility: He just might be trying to teach us how to depend more on Him. Sometimes the only way we can learn to depend on God is by coming to the realization that all our other supports have been removed. At some point and time in our lives, we will experience feelings of being abandoned by others, but one thing is certain—Jesus Christ will be standing by our side to strengthen and deliver us in our time of need (and God’s timing is ALWAYS right on time!) One day we’ll have the privilege of looking back over our lives and seeing just how He providentially exhibited His faithfulness to us time and time again. What we need to do in the mean time, however, is to trust Him and to remember His promises that He still listens, He still comforts, and He still provides what we need when we need it.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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11/9/08

Lord, I want patience, and I want it now

Patience is a hard lesson for us to learn. We don’t like patience. We don’t have time for patience! Life is fast, time’s running out, and we’ve got to get this show on the road, right? This is clearly how most of us act, even if we don’t express it. Perhaps that’s why scripture includes so many examples of godly patience and reward. Over and over, we see the Father making promises to His children, only to have them wait years, sometimes decades, for the promise to be fulfilled. But the result of that patience is always blessing. Consider Abraham. At age 75, he was given God’s promise of a son. 10 years later, he was still waiting. Fifteen years passed, then 20, and still no son. Finally, when Abraham was 100, a quarter-century after God had made the promise, baby Isaac was born. Surely Abraham had times of doubt during those 25 years. Yet he continued to trust God and kept watching for the fulfillment of His promise. But, then, he wasn’t completely patient, was he? Didn’t he agree with his wife to lay with her handmaid to procure a son? If you haven’t noticed, a lot of turmoil goes on in our world still because of the birth of Ishmael. There are plenty of other examples of patience in the bible. As a young man, Jacob met the girl of his dreams, but he worked many years before making her his bride. Joseph had a God-given vision of blessing at age 17 but languished 13 years in slavery and prison before receiving the reward. David was anointed King of Israel as a teenager but spent the next 14 years or so running for his life before taking the throne. Shortcuts never lead to where God wants us to be., The long road, however, is filled with faithful servants. Are you waiting on the Lord today? Be encouraged. You’re in good company. Remember the thought text we used a couple of weeks ago in our Sunday morning sermon? Read the words again…slowly. Read Isaiah 40: 30-31.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!!

Kevin

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11/02/08

Peace with those around us

Listen to the words given by the apostle Paul in Romans 12:14-18 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” One of the hardest things to do is to promote peace with those who treat us harshly. Scripture calls some believers to be a source of encouragement to others. But, most of us know at least one person who brings us more conflict than comfort. Discord can take many forms. Two personalities may not go well together. Different beliefs can lead to arguments. Words and actions might be misunderstood. But through Jesus Christ, almost any difference can be overcome. Those who’ve received Him as Savior have the ability to live a life of peace. Conflict results from living in “the flesh” which is man’s natural desire for self-satisfaction by any means. Believers given the Holy Spirit can act in the Spirit rather than in the flesh. When we give the Lord control, His goodness and grace flow through our life and create harmony.  To have peace with one another, divine grace must first be expressed through prayer. We make it a habit of lifting up the other person to the Father. Next, we honestly discuss with this person the issue in the relationship. It could involve a past wound, incorrect assumption, or unhealthy thought pattern. There’s only one way to uncover the source of conflict. That way is to be willing to share our concerns and listen to the other point of view. Sometimes it’s necessary to get help from a godly counselor to work through this step. Finally, once the root issue is identified, both parties must cooperate in restoring harmony. They agree to confront new issues as needed. God desires His children live in peace, but He knows we cannot achieve harmony ourselves. For that reason, He gave us the Holy Spirit!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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10/19/08

And thus we shall always be with the Lord…

This past Monday, Mary, Jacob and I had the difficult task of attending the funeral services of a dear lady (Kathy Henegar) wife of Perry Henegar, minister of the Central Church of Christ. As I type these words, I’m emotionally exhausted from the events of the day. It was one of the most draining experiences of my life. Although we are celebrating Kathy’s homecoming with her Lord, those left behind to focus on the legacy she left continue to grieve. I was asked to lead the congregational singing for the service (a service which lasted almost two hours). It was hard to sing the normal “three songs” knowing that Kathy had so many favorites. (We ended up singing six). The only thing that kept Kathy from focusing on the pain she had to endure was to allow herself to drift off into the world of music (a trip she took quite often everyday of her illness). Perry would lovingly leave soft music playing so she could hum along when the words escaped her tormented mind. The love and care he provided for his ailing wife should be an example to all husbands everywhere as to just how much Christ loves His church and willingly sacrifices Himself for us. The family of God at Central lifted their voices in sweet melody to honor their Lord as well as a dearly devoted mother, wife, grandmother and mother-in-love (as her son’s wives appropriately labeled her). It was a bitter-sweet day. The singing was beautiful. I couldn’t help but think how grand the reunion will be once we all get to heaven; how special it will be to see those who’ve gone on before us and to celebrate seeing our Creator face to face. The best analogy I could give of this past Monday would be having the ability to eat a Hershey’s kiss knowing that someday we’ll be living in the chocolate factory! All who claim the Lord as their Savior have this blessed hope. Are you one of them? As I saw stated on a sign in front of a local church building this past week: “Don’t miss heaven for the world!”

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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10/12/08

It’s all about relationship

One of the saddest things I would imagine God has to deal with is seeing His creation struggle to find Him through “institutional colored glasses”. Man will devise so many different man-made systems to formulate his idea of God, when it’s really much simpler than we make it. What we have with God is all about relationship and sharing ourselves with Him; something we find terribly hard to do most of the time. It’s easier (we think) to devise institutional boundaries to hide behind so we can assess our connection to God through worlds we have made; when in reality God simply wants us to share our lives with Him. Christ’s church is all about people and life is all about relationships. It’s not possible for us to build any of that; this task is left to God and God alone. It’s sad to see “religion” chew people up and spit them out. It breaks God’s heart to see His creation devour, maim, judge and ridicule each other when love was the primary reason He created us in the beginning. Take, for instance, the sanctity of marriage. Marriage isn’t an institution; marriage is relationship. It’s about understanding that God gave us a soul mate to share our lives with in such a way that institutions, organizations and committees could never begin to understand. Man creates all sorts of institutions, be they political, economical, or religious. In the end, each and every organization devised by man ends up falling short of what God would have all of us to enjoy; relationships. God never created institutions, man did. Why do we become so fearful of the current economic situation going on in our country today? Because we’ve foolishly based our trust on financial institutions. Why do we become so irate about how our governing officials handle world affairs? Because we’ve become so enamored with political rhetoric and false securities that we’ve lost sight of the forest for the trees. It shouldn’t surprise us to know that God inwardly groans when His creation continually turns to outside sources as times of difficultly present themselves to us. God doesn’t create madness to turn our attention to Him; He simply uses our OWN madness to help us see the absurdity of trusting anything other than Him. God help us!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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10/5/05

Saving Troubled Friendships

Isn’t it strange how we sometimes think the Bible is worded? For instance, for the longest time I thought Matt 5:23-24 said, “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that you have something against your brother, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.” Actually, Matt. 5: 23-24 reads this way, “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.” This changes the complexity of this verse entirely! Undoubtedly, when we develop friendships, we intend for them to last. But since two fallen human beings are involved, occasionally our feelings get hurt and unmet expectations are likely. If one or both people simply ignore the offense, the relationship can be damaged. Repairing a troubled friendship requires humility to admit our faults, effort to fix the problem, and time. But the reward is a renewed connection with a valued companion. The process of saving a friendship begins first by acknowledging that damage exists. This takes place the moment you say, “I feel something isn’t right in our relationship. I’d like for us to figure out what’s going on and fix the problem.” It’s helpful to work together to assess how the trouble began. Perhaps it resulted from a misunderstanding, an unresolved conflict, or one person’s preoccupation with other things. After recognizing the problem, apologize for your part in it. Taking responsibility and saying “I’m sorry” shows your love and commitment to the friendship. Remember that an essential aspect of apologizing is refusing to justify wrong actions or blame others. An apology must be followed up with amends. Ask your friend what specific action you both can take to rebuild the relationship. Then commit to follow his or her suggestion while occasionally asking, “How am I doing?” Rather than waiting until their relationship is in trouble, wise friends will go through these steps as soon as they’re aware of having hurt a loved one. Preventative care can soothe minor scrapes before they become serious wounds.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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9/28/08

The Poison of Pride

Pride is a condition that each and every person has to struggle with from time to time. It is a common poison injected into each person by Satan himself; Poverty does not deter it, nor does age, ability, or experience protect us from it.  One only has to consider Israel’s first king. The prophet Samuel publicly revealed that Saul was the Lord’s chosen leader. 1 Samuel 9:2 describes him as “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites.” This description seems fitting for the nation’s first king. In his new position, Saul was to follow God’s instructions for the role of a national leader. He was promised that the Holy Spirit would come upon him in power and help him (1 Samuel 10:6-7).  God really doesn’t treat us any different. He’s chosen us to belong to His family, Christ’s body; the church. He has a plan for our lives and special work for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). The Holy Spirit indwells us so He can guide and empower us to carry out God’s divine plans. Our part is to obey.  To be successful, Saul needed to remember several things. The first thing he should have been mindful of is that any authority he had was given to him from the Lord. His responsibilities included executing God’s plan, leading the people by example, and obeying divine commands. Like so many of us today, Saul acted as if he were in charge rather than the Lord. He allowed the pressure of the situation to take precedence over obedience. Because of pride, he broke God’s law and exercised priestly responsibilities which were not rightly his.  Our Father wants us to deal with our pride by humbling ourselves before Him, confessing our sin, and seeking His help in overcoming the poison of pride. Have you asked God’s help in dealing with the temptation to become proud of your accomplishments? Have you acknowledged the One who has made everything possible for you to achieve in this life? Where does the source of your ability to succeed reside; in yourself or in the One who created you?

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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9/21/08

God’s Definition of Success

When asked how someone defines success, one is sure to receive a variety of responses. How would you define success? A lot of the world considers power, prosperity, and prestige to be the highest of goals whereas God desires a different outlook in the lives of His children. Although God blesses some people with lofty positions or wealth, success from His standpoint means walking in His way regardless of what amount our bank account reflects. The Bible asks in Deuteronomy 10:12, “What does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul . . . ?” It’s important for us to note that God’s desires for our lives mirror the desires He had for the Israelites. He still wishes for us to have reverent fear toward Him; He still desires we walk in all His ways by loving Him more than anything or anyone else. He still asks us to serve Him with every ounce of our being. As we mature in our lives as Christians, the Holy Spirit reveals God’s heart to us, thereby allowing us the opportunity to obey and follow our Father. Beyond pleasing Him, there are many benefits to walking in His way. First, we develop intimacy with Him. When we seek the Lord, He enlarges our ability to understand His ways. Second, we gain a rich prayer life. Third, we begin to operate from His perspective as we see things the way He does. Fourth, we have more patience and find it easier to wait on Him. Fifth, when we face adversity, we’re increasingly stable and steadfast. We can experience peace in the midst of trials because we know God. We trust that He’s in control. Finally, we impact others. All the benefits will be clear to people around us. As they observe our peace, assurance, and strength during difficult times, they’ll see Jesus is real. Before you find yourself saying that the Apostle Paul was a stronger Christian than you could ever hope to be, remember…he was human, just like each of us are. The same Spirit living in him lives in us as Christians. Read Deuteronomy 10:12 again, this time as a prayer. Ask the Lord to reveal one new way you can love Him or serve Him more wholeheartedly.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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9/14/08

How God uses brokenness to accomplish His desires

Humans are born “bent away” from the Lord. Our natural inclination is to please and serve self, which is the exact opposite of a God-honoring lifestyle. When we become children of God by taking His Son on in baptism, our Father begins to bend our will and ways back towards Him. But we must cooperate with Him and yield to the process; otherwise, we are of little use to the kingdom.  The Lord wants to eradicate every thought pattern and activity promoting dependency on anything other than Him. This means that relying on oneself to attain security, salvation, or physical and emotional comfort are outside His will. Actions that advance a person at the expense of others are also ungodly.  In areas where we resist bending toward the Lord, He may break us by allowing pain into our life. As a result, we are driven to Him in surrender. To break a person may sound harsh, but God does this work in love. He sees beyond the hurt to the outcome—we will be more mature and faithful servants for having walked through trial. And our loving Father takes each hard step with us, offering guidance and comfort. Seeing the benefits He has brought about through my hardships, I can honestly thank Him for every period of brokenness I’ve experienced (Romans 8:28).  The truth is that we all have areas of selfishness that need to be bent or broken by God’s hand. When we honestly look inward to discover wrong habits and thought patterns, our heavenly Father will bring them to mind. Then, we must surrender to His work so we can become wise and useful servants. There’s nothing easy about this transition, but it’s necessary in becoming more like Christ. Our desires must be replaced with God’s desires for us because He ultimately knows what’s best for us in every circumstance which surrounds us.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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9/7/08

God Is My Keeper

Because the Lord our God is sovereign, He knows us intimately. Not only is our God sovereign, He is good. When we know this to be true, many believers struggle to understand why painful things happen in life. They wonder, “Why wouldn’t the Lord stop me from experiencing such heartache?”  This question deepens when we read a Bible passage like Psalm 121:7-8: “The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.” Often, people will interpret this to mean that God will keep them from difficulty. But what the words say is that He promises to keep their soul.   The Lord allows pain. Sometimes He even orchestrates it so He can solidify our faith in Him. God understands our hurts, He’s not oblivious to our pain, but He also looks into the deeper meaning of the situation because His infinite wisdom knows that trials often strengthen our faith, make us more like Jesus, and give us compassion for others. At times, God may even use difficulties to keep us from living mundane lives or wasting opportunities. With His help, we profit immensely more from walking through the pain than from avoiding it. When our heavenly Father knows it is best, He doesn’t keep us from the pain; instead, He enables us to endure the hardship by giving us wisdom and strength and when we get to the other side, we can often see—with great gratitude—how His gentle and gracious hand guided us through the whole situation.  We as Christians have tremendous hope, knowing that God will keep us through the most difficult times. Read Psalm 124, and ask the Lord to remind you of its truths when painful situations arise in your life.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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8/31/08

A Peaceful Heart

Listen to the words Paul shared with the church in Philippi: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4: 4-7) Many of us are at war with ourselves and don’t even realize it. Some of us experience inner turmoil because we’ve never made peace with God. That abnormality can be corrected by receiving Jesus Christ as our Personal Savior. Those of us who already have been immersed into Christ may at times feel anxious. True and complete inner serenity comes when we accept who God made us to be. Acts chapter 17:26 reminds us that our Father chose the time and place we would be born. He determined what we’d look like. God gave us our personality, talents, and spiritual gifts. Fussing over what He has chosen for us will continually keep us unsettled. It is important that we understand His purpose for our life. Proverbs chapter 3:5-6 reminds us that embracing God’s unique plan for us will bring satisfaction and peace. We must know that we belong to Him. Feeling disconnected can do nothing more than irritate us! All of us should remember that adoption into God’s family is permanent. It’ll keep us steady. The bible says in John chapter 10:28 says that nothing can change the fact that we are His. It’s imperative, then, that we maintain a clean conscience. When we are headed in the wrong direction, our conscience acts as a warning signal. We feel a sense of guilt or shame that troubles our mind and keeps peace away. Once we confess our sin and turn from ungodliness, our conscience becomes clear once again thereby replacing inner turmoil with calmness. Keep a Christ-centered focus. Taking our eyes off ourselves and steadily looking to Jesus will give us a quiet spirit. A peaceful heart will become a reality when we embrace who we are in Christ, confess our sins regularly, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus constantly!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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8/24/08

Life’s Instruction Book

Listen to the words of the Psalmist in Ps 119:9-16: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.” Think about how many of our purchases come with an instruction book. Whether it’s a gift for a grandchild or a pricey TV, most items have some type of detailed step-by-step guide to help us put together or operate our new acquisition. Oftentimes, though, many of us set that manual aside, opting to use our own instincts instead. After hours of frustrating attempts, we may finally turn to the instruction book, which the manufacturer intended us to use from the start. In life, the Bible is our guidebook. But how often do we place it aside and lean on our own understanding, instead of trusting God’s design for how we should live? The consequences are far more devastating than a few wasted hours trying to build a train set or program a television. Failure to heed the Bible’s instructions can lead to broken relationships, failed careers, poor finances, and a direction-less life in general. The Lord blessed us with this instruction manual for a number of reasons. First, He desires to instruct us on how to live a godly life. Second, He wants us to know Him more intimately. And third, He wants to prevent sin in our lives. Psalm 119:9 says we can keep our way pure by “living according to [God’s] word”. As we read His “instruction book” each day, the Holy Spirit works in our heart, and we grow closer to the Lord. Then, life’s daily trials will seem less daunting because we’ll have the truth of Scripture to guide us.

Have a most blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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8/17/08

Living Beyond Our Limitations

Isa 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  Before pushing athletes to a new level of “personal best,” sports trainers will sometimes have them close their eyes. Being the experts they are, they know people can be limited by what they see. When sight is no longer an obstacle, athletes can often reach beyond what they originally thought possible. In like manner, all of us create limitations in our lives based on personal experiences and limited knowledge. We might dismiss the idea of giving to others, because our finances seem tight. We might allow fear of failure, harm, or rejection to keep us from living fully for the Lord. But, it would do us well to remember that God isn’t constrained by our boundaries. He wants us to be and do all that He has planned. Do yourself a favor; identify what you view as limitations. Is something holding you back from a rich prayer life and intimacy with God? What’s keeping you from sharing the gospel with others or living a Godly life? Perhaps you’re letting personal details, like age, health, or education, hold you back. Release yourself from these boundaries by confessing them to God. Then yield every aspect of your life to His will. Despite our human flaws, God’s power is “perfected in our weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 says the Holy Spirit enables believers with the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead! Romans chapter 8:25 gives us the last step to live beyond our limitations. We should wait expectantly for what the Lord will do. Faith is the belief in what we cannot see. Is your limited sight keeping you from living God’s best?

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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8/10/08

The Blessings of Others

Our lesson today will take us to the city of Ephesus. Paul is received gratefully by those who witness the marvelous works he performs in the name of Christ Jesus. Think for just a second how we treat those around us (especially of the household of faith). If we respond simply out of our natural impulses, we would probably be nice when others are kind to us. At other times, though, we would likely be vengeful, angry, or hurtful if evil is returned for the good we share. Jesus clearly teaches us to love even when those around us seem unlovable. Without fail, He lived out what He taught. Christ loved us enough to die for us while we were still sinners. Surely, out of gratitude for what He did and with His strength, we, as His followers, can love those around us! While it’s hard to respond to unkindness with love, such godly behavior can lead to great blessing. First, our Heavenly Father is pleased. This realization alone should bring us joy, peace, and a sense of accomplishment. Next, believers ought to feel excitement and anticipation to watch how God will move in the relationship. And, of course we dare not forget that there will be an awareness of the Holy Spirit working from within, enabling divine love to flow through yielded human lives. John 13:35 tells of an important benefit. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Since unconditional godly love is uncommon in our world, people will notice. Treating others as we want to be treated is what builds the deep, satisfying connections that all people desire. If you think about it, without significant relationships, life lacks meaning…regardless of how many possessions or acquaintances we have. So think about the people you come in contact with throughout the week. Are you treating them the way that Jesus modeled?

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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8/03/08

Can you hear me now?

Remember the commercial of the telephone employee standing in a remote area asking the question: “Can you hear me now?” Then, after receiving the transmission, he says, “Good!” and moves on to find another secluded, supposed “dead spot” where one might find it difficult to receive calls. The latest email I received from an out-of-state friend reminded me of that commercial, as well as reminding me of how much we rely on our cell phones today. I have to wonder how many trees sacrificed their lives to contain all the text messages my boys sent to their friends. Mary and I receive a list of all the text messages sent by our boys (if you don’t know what these are, ask a teenager; they’ll be glad to divulge this “most important” information!). In one month’s time, we receive enough ‘texts’ on a series of printed pages that quite honestly resembles a “Yellow Page” phone book!! I’m not exaggerating, either! Anyway, I’ll share with you the email…it’s quite convicting. I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bibles like we treat our cell phone. What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts? What if we used it when we traveled? What if we used it in case of emergency? This is something to make you go....hmm... where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. Makes you stop and think: 'Where are my priorities?' And, and by the way, there are never any dropped calls!

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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7/27/08

Home again!

Another year of Mountaineer Christian Youth Camp is under our belts. It was a tremendous week, especially after witnessing two baptisms. Many of the young people made a pledge of re-dedication to the Lord and each and every person felt a surge of God’s power being poured out on His children throughout the week. The Whitehall group was very well represented this year as many of them were recognized for their various skills this past week. Libby Hayhurst received the ‘Rookie of the year’ award; an award given out to first-year campers. (Katy Brand, Rayanna Tonkery, and Libby were our first-year campers this year. All adjusted very well and had a great week of camp!) Kyle Smallwood received the senior boys ‘Greatest Servant Award’. Caleb Lough received the Warner Scholarship Award as well as winning the Bible Bowl held on Friday. Patrick Perkins was elected as one of the ‘All-Star’ Campers. My homecoming is bittersweet. As the boys and I are unpacking, washing clothes and catching up on some much needed rest, Mary is packing and making final preparations for her up and coming week at Camp Winaca (a camp for children suffering the effects of both cancer as well as hemophilia). Please pray for my bride as she readies herself for a challenging, but exciting week. As always, I hear of folks back home experiencing life-changing circumstances while we’re away. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Keith and Lori with the passing of their father. Prayers are also extended to the family of Rose Radcliff (a former resident of Pleasant Acres who also passed away this past week). We all know it’s appointed unto man to die and after this the judgment (Hebrews 9: 27). Wouldn’t it be great if each and every person we hear that have passed from this life to the next did so after committing their life to the Lord Jesus? Sadly, such is not always the case. Special thanks to Jerry and Edwina Summers who came to visit the camper as MCYC on the last night of camp. Special thanks to Darrell for taking care of my Wednesday evening bible study and Tim Jackson for giving the devotional talk at Pleasant Acres this past Lord’s Day. Kudos to all for your prayers, thoughts and kind words as we were away.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!!

Kevin

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7/20/08

When We Feel Lonely

Listen to the words of the Psalmist in Ps 25:15-18: “My eyes are continually toward the LORD, for He will pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Look upon my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.” As Christians, we have a heavenly Father who loves us, cares for us and provides for us. He desires only the best for us. We’re part of a large spiritual family with many brothers and sisters and yet, even when we’re surrounded by so many people, we can still sometimes feel all alone. Ironically, this can happen even when there’s no major crisis in our lives. What is the source of our greatest experiences of loneliness? What’s going on when we begin to believe we don’t have anyone in the world we can turn to in an hour of desperation and despair? True loneliness comes from a separation from God. It takes its root in a spiritual problem and its source is sin. We experience a break in our close fellowship with the Lord when we disobey Him and go our own way. The remedy begins with confession and confession leads to restored intimacy with God. If we refuse to admit our sin, the separation grows worse. Busyness and preoccupation with earthly affairs makes this isolation grow to even greater periods of loneliness! It can seem like a never-ending cycle. Sometimes, in moments of desperation, we push aside time with God to fulfill our temporal obligations. We might be tempted to focus so heavily on daily living that we end up ignoring Him all together! Have you ever noticed that when Jesus was extremely busy, He found MORE time to pray? To overcome loneliness, take a lesson from our Master: spend time reconnecting with God through His Word. Take in the knowledge of His deep, abiding love. Meditate on His great promises. Notice how many times in the gospel accounts that Jesus went to the mountain to be alone. One might think that Jesus was lonely when He would seclude Himself on the mountain. Just the opposite is true! He was perfectly aware that being alone was necessary in maintaining His relationship with God! Being in harmony with God renews our purpose and energy for life causing that sense of isolation to lessen. Hope ends up replacing discouragement. Our focus then turns from “self” to others. Once we’ve connected with our life source, we can then reconnect with people. Start today…connect with your Father, and then look for opportunities to encourage, serve, love, and support those around you. Intimacy with the Lord is both the antidote to loneliness as well as protection from it.

Have a most blessed day, and remember the One who gave it to you!

Kevin

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7/13/08

Home again

Just as with any vacation; it’s good to go and it’s good to come home. My family and I thank you for the prayers given on our behalf while we were at our camp this past week. I didn’t realize how much I needed some R & R until I made it to camp Sunday night, built a fire and just sat watching the embers glow till late at night. Our week was filled with outdoor activities; a 22 mile bicycle trek to Confluence PA where we enjoyed a sit-down meal at one of the local bed and breakfast homes. The next day included a white-water rafting trip down the Yough River where Mary and I were ejected from the raft with the help of our river guide. He kept screaming for me to grab her arm and all the while I’m thinking; ‘She can swim better than I can, help ME out of the water, you madman!’ Megan and Jacob joined us for this trip and we all had a wonderful time. We enjoyed a great fireworks display with the Earle’s on Saturday evening and got to see folks at camp from the Barrackville, Meadowbrook and Oakwood Rd. congregations. The boys and I also cascaded down a natural water slide; an event to which I would just as soon like to forget. The trauma inflicted was too great to speak of it this insert, thus I’ll share all the gory details at a later time. Suffice it to say that I hobbled out of the water while my son and nephew smiled that their 44 year old guardian still has the guts; uh, stupidity to act much younger than he really is. The best part of the trip was simply spending time with my family. Upon returning to the office Monday morning, I had the great privilege of studying scripture with Marie Brand. Marie decided to commit her life to the Lord Jesus by taking Him on in baptism this past Tuesday morning. Like I said, it’s good to go away and it’s good to come home! Once again, thanks for all your prayers and encouragement while we were away and thanks SO much to Darrell Conaway, Dale Lee and Craig Swearingen for filling in with me while we were away.

Have a most blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!!

Kevin

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