Tim's Topics: Standing Up For Will and Ben! Being Advocates Is O...

Tim's Topics: Standing Up For Will and Ben! Being Advocates Is O...: 1 John 3:16English Standard Version (ESV) 16  By this we know love that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our liv...

Standing Up for Will and Ben! Being Advocates: Our Spiritual DNA

As we prepare to host the Missouri State Special Olympics Games in Kirksville at Truman University. 

1 John 3:16 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁶ By this we know love that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Just as Jesus Christ shed his blood out of love for us, we must remember that His blood and His love are sacred. What does that spell out for us that proclaim to be His followers, and His servants?

If some of you do not know, I am the proud father of a young twenty-nine-year-old man named Ben who at the age of four was diagnosed with Autism. My wife and I have been his voice as well as advocates since he was a small child. Whether it was getting him into the right speech therapy program or advocating for him at school as to ensure the correct needs were met for him individually. Yes, we all need advocates, we need those that will stick by our sides and stand up with us and for us, when we are unable to do so for ourselves.

Ben

As I prepared this blog I found a great story on the No Place 4 Hate Web Page: 

Here we see Will, a young man that suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. Will was being bullied, and it took a young man named Jaden to stand up for Will as to get the bullying to cease.

Will

 Hello. My name is Will. I am 14-year-old hiker, runner, and Boy Scout and I was bullied as well. These bullies weren’t as bad as others, but they did traumatize me.

I have a disorder called Asperger’s Syndrome. A minor form of Autism. I think differently from others and find it hard to be social. Since first grade. I have always been known as the nerd with his nerdy friends doing nerdy things. I could have been in the cool kid sports group, but sports weren’t really my thing. I loved video games and YouTube. I’ve had 2 very close friends who were twins. Karen, My best friend and Tarik, My 2nd best friend. Ever since I moved to my new school in 3rd grade. We met each other and had a close relationship. Our Semi popular group was made of 6 people. Me, Kaden, Tarik, Chase, Evan, and Dylan. I loved going to school to see them and even better, having the whole gang come over, play Minecraft, and eat pizza all night. But in 6th grade. That all changed. I was going through the change to adulthood and found different interests. I was done with Lego and Minecraft. But the others weren’t. Then one day. The group just wanted to ditch me right up in my face. I was heartbroken I didn’t know what to do. That was just the beginning. The group of 5 started to torment me. They knew about my Asperger’s and used it to their advantage. They always played the same games I played at recess and always target me to get me out and find a way for me to lose. They called me terrible names. Some curse words, some like Little Miss Boy Scout, Jerk, Stupid, and Nerd and so on. They stole my lunch, ran away and chased me, and spread sexual rumors about me. I was driven to the point of insanity and when I got back from school one day I ran to my room and cried like crazy. My only source of friends, gone. I stayed in my room drowning in tears for what seemed like hours. I then decided to go on Minecraft to calm me down. I remember playing On Minecraft when Chase logged on, bragged about a sleepover that I wasn’t invited to, and said it was my fault. I then talked with my mom, she encouraged me to find a new group, with a few kids. My new best friend named Jaden. He stood up to me when I was bullied and defended me. He invited me to play games and when Kaden and his group came to torment me, Jaden told them to screw off. I finally felt good knowing I had a real friend. I am now in 8th grade with new friends who like me for who I am. Kaden and Tarik moved to a different school. Chase tried to bully me in the beginning of 7th grade. But I got him out of the way. He now hangs out with a group of troublemakers. I barely see Evan and Dylan admitted his wrongdoing and we became band partners. Everything worked out great in the end and that is my story.

Beloved, as followers of the Living Christ, who sacrificed himself for us, we must be his living example by producing and living love for others. We must stand up for the weak, we must stand up for the poor, we must stand up for the addicted, and we must stand up for those living is darkness.

As Christians, standing in love for others is just not something that we do, it is a large make up of our spiritual DNA. Theologian Matthew Henry states that Apostles are to shining examples of that love. As modern Apostles, we too must be shining examples in loving and carrying for others.

Is there a Will in your life, is there a Ben in your life? Is there someone being bullied in your life? The time is now to go to their aid in and through the love of Jesus Christ.  Let us pledge this very moment to lay down the very best of ourselves to those that are oppressed and bullied for their differences. 

Let us understand that all have been made in the image of God, and that God does not make junk, every person is a high-quality production that has been given traits and tendencies as to bless the world and make it a better place.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim.

Tim's Topics: When A Hero Becomes A Falling Star

Tim's Topics: When A Hero Becomes A Falling Star: Romans 12:2   ESV Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discer...

When A Hero Becomes A Falling Star

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As I was watching the news today I saw more information about the charges going forward against Bill Cosby. Growing up, the Cosby show was a staple in our home and many of us wanted to follow the advice of Cosby’s character Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable.  

At the end of the day, we can only understand that Dr. Huxtable was a fictional character.

Many of us in this world lift up sports stars, actors, and political figures up so high that we fail to see the imperfections. Beloved, we live in a sinful world, and we live in a world in which our trust is violated and abused from those that we counted on the most. 

Whether it’s the athlete physically abusing or emotionally abusing a spouse, whether it is a trusted official caught in illegal activities, whether it’s the Hollywood star falling from grace, or whether it is a trusted friend that abused our trust, people will let us down.

Am I saying that we should not trust in this world and that we should not have our hero’s? No of course not, but what I am saying is that humanity is fallible and can and will disappoint us at times.

My prayer is that you seek out a true hero, one that has never let us down. Yes, His name is Jesus Christ, and we are the ones that let him down. Only this true Savior that died for our sins as to restore our relationship with God can be looked upon as a hero and one who our faith and hope can always be relied on.

This is the Day That the Lord Has Made.   

Tim's Topics: Finding the Red Fire Truck

Tim's Topics: Finding the Red Fire Truck: Acts 20:28   ESV Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for...

Finding What They Want, What They Need.

Acts 20:28 ESV

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

At a past congregation I served we had some folks that visited our church and they advised us that they were church shopping. At the end of the worship service they advised us what they were looking for in a church home, and what our church was unable to offer them.

Instead of trying to develop ways to get them to like our particular congregation, we directed them to a local congregation that would be a better fit for them and what they were needing in a church home.

Beloved, we hold no particular hold on people and no mandatory requirement that people attend our congregation. We are called to be shepherds of God’s flock, and sometimes this means shepherding the people to the guidance of another shepherd and their flock.

My prayer for you this week is that we as people of God will attend to the needs of His people before our own. My prayer is that we help others to truly find their way home, and that end up where God wants them instead of where we want them.

Whether or not our church or another church, the main item is that the person gets what they need. And yes, those searching for a church home, those searching for relationship are customers searching for the Father. Our task is to help them find the place that God is leading them to, instead of the amount of people filling pews with us on a Sunday morning. 

This is the Day That the Lord Has Made.

Thank You For Your Help

John 9:1-41 ESV

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

I am a person that is, and has always been an active person. I am a person full of energy, and one who gains strength and happiness in helping others. Recently I fell and broke my ankle, had surgery to repair the damage and found myself confined to the house for over three weeks.

As I my leg gains strength and as I begin to become more and more mobile, I look back to all those help me and who have helped me, visited with me, and blessed me with food, cards, and assistance.

Many of us have things in which we are not good at, and one of my crosses to bare is not being good at accepting help from others. As a pastor, I find much of my time is spent in assisting others, and this is what gives me happiness, what fulfills me, and what brings me closer to Christ. From people carrying me out of the woods on a stretcher, to people dropping meals off at our home, to having people mow our home yard, but most especially your witness for Christ. 

We have been blessed by your love and kindness.

Often I felt embarrassed at needing help, and did what anybody does in these situations and said “thank you”.

Recently I went to scripture and was strengthened by the words of Christ. Christ tells us that people that are in need of help, are God’s way of giving his people ways to express God’s love and grace. Does this mean that God places a person in position of need of help and assistance? Did he have me break my ankle to teach me a lesson? Of course not, but God places the right people at the right time, and the right place to be the functioning Body of Christ to others that are in need.

When we help others we are truly displaying the presence of Christ to others. When we help others, they become the vehicle that God gives us to teach, to love, and to share His love with.

So to all those that continue to help me as my leg heals, I say “thank you” and I thank you for being the Body of Christ that exemplifies His love, His grace, and His peace.

This is the Day That the Lord Has Made.

Pastor Tim.