Tim's Topics: Living and Loving As Christ Loves!

Tim's Topics: Living and Loving As Christ Loves!: 31  When he was gone, Jesus said,  “Now the Son of Man  is glorified  and God is glorified in him.   32  If God is glorified in him, [ a ...

Living and Loving As Christ Loves!

31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, [a] God will glorify the Son in himself and will glorify him at once.

33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:31-35

As I watched the news today, I saw a story about a young girl from Texas that was pulled from her mothers’ arms and kidnapped. To cut to the chase, the girl was located and rescued by the Police. But we must dig deeper into this story in the fact that it took many citizens and a local church to patrol the area as to locate the kidnapper’s vehicle.

When asked why he did what he did, one of the men that located the kidnapper’s vehicle stated the following: “We are called to love others as Jesus loves us”. This text is not only true, but also timely as I preached this scripture in church last Sunday.

As we enter the next couple of weeks that will have many attending graduations around the county, we must also think that Jesus was giving them their graduation message as well as their graduation instructions. Jesus would be leaving them and had taught them all that he could during His time with them. His instructions about loving others was not a question (?), it was a commandment (!).

Likewise, the church members that helped locate this kidnapped child in Texas understood that the search was not a question, but something that God was commanding them to do. After the girl was located, the man being interviewed did not take the glory, but instead gave God the glory.

Beloved, good people still exist and there continues work for God’s people as God commanded. Please take every opportunity to listen for God’s Word and take the opportunity to share the love of Christ, through worship, praising, sharing. Maybe you won’t help rescue a kidnapped child, but you will be sharing your graduation instructions with those that need the love of Christ.

This Is the Day the Lord Has Made,

Pastor Tim.

Tim's Topics: How Is Your Walk Today?

Tim's Topics: How Is Your Walk Today?: Proverbs 28:6  New International Version (NIV) 6  Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse. Ha...

How Is Your Walk Today?

Proverbs 28:6 New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

Have you ever felt that you consider yourself a Centrist, that middle of the road person that often can see both sides of a discussion, or argument? For this blog post I will use the phrase or terminology “Difference of Opinion”. When we face these discussions from the middle, we often find ourselves hit from both sides.

But, how about those that are strong in their convictions of faith, ideas, and ethics, that trade those convictions for profit, whether financial or status. Recently in this highly charged political environment we have seen those from both political parties, give up their convictions when faced with the temptation of power, prestige, and maybe even financial gain.

Our text from proverbs is telling us today is that real strength comes not from power or earthly riches. Real strength comes from sticking to your ethical walk and belief mechanism. Often Bible commentaries tell us that when we go against our ethical and moral standards for earthly gain, the life we are living becomes perverse.

As a person of faith driven morals, we have accepted the call that we cannot have it both ways. We cannot have it God’s way and our way! Things of the world cannot ever satisfy the blessings that God continues to bestow upon us.

At the end of the day can we look ourselves, our children, and our God in the face when we have corrupted ourselves for earthly gain over the heavenly promise?

Whether you are to the Right, the Left, or the Middle, stay true to God’s way of ethical and moral living. It’s OK to be poor! It’s OK to be without power! It is awesome to walk upright with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 55:2 ² Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim.

Tim's Topics: That's the Size of It!

Tim's Topics: That's the Size of It!: 1 Samuel 16:7   ESV  But the  Lord  said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature,  because I ha...

That's the Size of It!

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, 

because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward 

appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

This morning while watching a morning news show, and while browsing social media comments, the daily controversy discussion was in reference to a plus size model wearing a nice bathing suit. The picture was in an advertising commercial for the Gillette company. This controversy was between people saying they were thankful for models that were not ashamed of their size, while others stated that this model was promoting unhealthy body habits.

In today’s society and lexicon, negative commenting on somebody’s body image is called “Body Shaming”. The Dictionary states that “Body Shaming” is the action or practice of humiliating someone by making mocking or critical comments about their body shape or size.

I must be the first to admit that I have been body shamed while working in the corporate world. When it was time to take promotional photos, the thin with good looks were always chosen. When it came time to take promotional photos for a uniform photo, I as the larger framed person was chosen to wear a bulky winter coat and stocking cap.

Additionally, as the father of a special needs child I have witnessed what society considers “normal”, and I have witnessed the love that special needs babies get, and how it disappears when they enter teenage and adult years.

When we address the scripture, we see Samuel being told that God looks at the heart of his people, the content of their character, and never their outward appearance. God communicated that only humanity looks at the outsides of humanity, and often judges others by appearance.

In this commercial we see a full-sized model, doing physical outside activities at the beach which require a bathing suit. Should we hide her in a winter jacket like I was? Should we hide all plus size people and treat them in society as they don’t exist? The Bible is clear on this matter, that it is what is inside that counts in the eyes of God, and it should be the same for us, especially those of us that call ourselves His followers.

In The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King’s August 28, 1963 speech he stated the following: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Let us be the one who portray this dream and go in the knowledge that no matter your appearance you are of value, loved by God, and loved by people.

Let us be the people that understand that.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim. ( A larger guy, known at times to wear a bathing suit).

Keeping God's House in Order.

James 1:17 ESV 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

As I drove into town this morning, I observed a local church building having repairs done to its roof. Likewise, as I arrived at our church we were having a new window put in as to replace the one which had rotted with age.

What does it mean to keep God's House in order? First and foremost we must not confuse the church with a building or a certain space. We as followers of Christ understand that the Church is the people, and with that being said the church cannot be held to one certain location. The Church as the Body of Christ is and should always be mobile and at work in any location.

But.....what does that say about the condition of our worship location, that many of us refer to as "God's House." Our scripture from James tells us of God's benevolence for His people. Likewise, we as the Body of Christ are the physical distribution of this benevolence. 

I often refer to the story of the Catholic Priest that was speaking of the financial needs of the church, when he informed the congregation "The money to meet our financial needs is in your pockets, you need just pull it out." 

What we must understand is that God gave us Jesus and Jesus left us the Holy Spirit to guide us, teach, us lead us, and supply us until Christ returns for His Kingdom. Does the Holy Spirit Guide your financial decisions? Where does the ministry and upkeep of the church ministry take place in our budget decisions, and allocations? 

As we go forward in all our ministries and reap the benevolence of a gracious God, what emphasis has the Holy Spirit placed on our hearts to support and support His gracious benevolence. Often we say "God will Provide", and yes He will....but He works through His Saints to feel His call to assist in supplying that benevolence.

Can the Church of Jesus Christ say today

1. Their pastors and staff are being taken care of, as to be emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy?
2. Are ministry teams fully funded and supported?
3. The facilities in which they worship, are safe, and efficient as to honor God's benevolence? 
4. Does your place of worship have a budget that has more red in it, than the Gospels?
5. Does the Body of Christ share their gifts as God shares His benevolence. 

Yes, if there is no variation in God's awesome benevolence, shouldn't our benevolence as the Body of Christ be as gracious. The woman with the two coins gave all she had, can many of us say the same? Churches need maintained, pastors and staff need fed, and the bills and financial obligations of the church need paid. 

This is the day that the Lord has made. 

Pastor Tim