Monday's Are Made For Being Made Anew

As I drove into the church parking lot this morning, I could not help but notice the results of last nights rain storm. Previously the grass had started to turn brown from the extended heat and drought conditions that have been with us. But when I drove into the church parking lot I noticed that yesterdays brown grass had begun to turn green once again.

Yes, we have been praying for rain and last night God responded. It may not of been enough for some of us, but our prayers continue for enough rain to save our crops and to fill our water supplies. This green grass reminded me of my baptism in Christ Jesus and in the fact that through the life saving waters of Christ, I was made anew.

Our baptisms transformed our once burnt up and damaged lives into new blades of life restoring grass that constantly reach to the Son (sun) for strength and growth. The same opportunity can be done every Monday when we return to the beginning of our week, in the fact that God has given us a new opportunity to start the week anew and refreshed.

So as we begin our week let us go to our baptisms and start our week anew, just like that rain refreshed blade of grass that is soaking up the life restoring waters of our creator God. This is an opportunity to remember the words that your preachers spoke yesterday, and the opportunity to incorporate his or her message into your Monday.

May Your Monday Be Refreshed

Pastor Tim.

It's Hard To Be Humble When You Are Perfect in Every Way !

Here in Western Kentucky we have a radio station that plays nothing but the golden oldies of county music. As I was driving down the road the other day listening to Willie 102 FM, a song came on that I have not heard in years, it was Mac Davis Singing: "O Lord It's Hard To Be Humble When I'm Perfect In Every Way." This song speak or sings about someone that is very conceited and believes that they are God's gift to humanity. What a perfect way to roll into the text from 2 Corinthians 12: 2-10 in which the Apostle Paul talks about people of faith being humble. Brothers and Sisters, the Apostle Paul talks about us boasting through our weaknesses and imperfections. 


The Apostle Paul states in verse seven:  Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan,to torment me. The Apostle Paul is trying to tell us that those that boast and brag are not doing the true ministry of God and that a thorn will be sent to throw a persons conceitedness off the cliff.  The gift of imperfectness is in the fact that we serve a God that loves us so much that his strength is sent to us in and during our lowest moments.


Brothers and Sisters, my prayer for all of this week is that we will listen to the following words of Christ" "My grace is sufficient for you , for my power is made perfect in weakness." Beloved, be strong in your faith and in the fact that we are not perfect, only God is. The strength that we take is the fact that God sent his   Son to die for we imperfect beings that are weak. God loves us so much that his strength is manifested to us when we are at our lowest and in our deepest darkest places. 


So as we go forth, maybe we should change the words of the song to: "O Lord it's a blessing to be humble and know that God is perfect in every way."


Wishing you a very blessed and safe Fourth of July.
God Bless America

Being humble is more important than being wise, because God doesn't need a proud mouth that speaks much, but a kind heart that listens.


Pastor Tim.

God Bless America

Timing and Expectations

One morning while sitting in my office checking e-mail and of course Facebook, I learned of a trailer fire that occurred in our county. I drove out to the scene and looked at the devastation first hand, and looked in awe at what fire can do to a family dwelling. While I was thankful for God's protection in the fact that no lives were lost and that physical hurt did not occur, I wondered what I could do and why God had called me on that day?

Even though I didn't know these folks, I  understood that they are linked to me as fellow members of God's creation and that God linked us to each other outside of denominational affiliations. What is it like to lose everything? What would it be like to walk in their shoes? These are questions that we must ask ourselves.

Mark 5:21-43 tells us of a woman that had been bleeding for twelve years and of a family whose daughter had passed away. Both of these situations must have felt hopeless to those incurring them and only one thing drove them to healing and resurrected life: The healing and life giving touch of Jesus Christ!

Why did the woman have to wait twelve years to be healed? Why did the the girl live twelve years, only to die? The answer to these questions is unknown, but the healing occurred in God's timing and God's love, that defy expectations and rules that this world tries to place on itself.

Why did this families trailer burn down and why did  they lose everything, why did God place me here at that time and on that day. Maybe it was to be the body of Christ to those that were like the bleeding woman and the young girl who died. Brothers and Sisters God places us in situations at different times and places in God's time as to show them the body of Christ, and to let them know that in their deepest and darkest moments, God has not left them.

So next time God calls you and places you in a position to help those in need and dispear, don't ask why me, just know that God has selected the place and the time for you to be his witness, his servant and his church to those that need him at that very time and that very moment.

Remember, God calls and places us on his time, and never our.

Pastor Tim

Identifying God's Vision For You.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom. 12:1-2)


What is the difference between being and doing? This is a question that most of us have asked ourselves at one time or another. Are we OK with the status quo, or do we feel that God is calling us to new and different expectations in or lives? In attempt to answer these questions, we often attempt to vision and dream about what God desires for us and his kingdom. 


The Apostle Paul tells us that to vision we must understand what God has done for us, and what the Spirit is at work doing for us. Understanding that we are a creation that God is constantly working on is the key to understanding that the status quo does not exist in those that are created by God!

One of the definitions of vision is the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be, but the key to visioning is understanding how God's visions for us are received. Brothers and Sisters as we seek God's wisdom in transforming our lives, we must understand that these visions can only be received by having a heart that is open to them.

Discerning God's will for our lives can only occur through open communication with the Father. We of faith have been taught that this communication is done through prayer, and relationship to the Father, The Son, and The Holy spirit.

Beloved, my prayer for you this week is that you open your hearts and minds to the visions that God has for your lives. Embrace the fact that the Spirit is at work in you and that all of us are a work in progress. 

God truly has the vision for our lives, go to him in prayer and open your hearts and minds to the true vision that God casts for all of his children.

Pastor Tim.

Worshiping in Community

⁷ Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. ⁸ For now we really live, since you are standing firmin the Lord. I Thessalonians 3:7-8


Today's society is a society that is ever so busy and always on the move, often we make worshiping in church lower on the "to do" priorities list. People have said to me: "Pastor Tim I don't need church when I can go out and worship outside in God's creation". I would agree with this in the fact that one can truly communicate with God in these places, but this still does not replace worshiping with other believers at church. In his book "Life Together" Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote the following: "The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer". Bonhoeffer went on to speak about the Apostle Paul in the fact that he longingly called to Timothy to come see him in prison in the last days of his life. 
Brothers and Sisters, we need other Christians around us in our life to keep us ever walking in the light and away from the darkness that the Devil is constantly attempting to draw us into. My prayer for you is that you always have that quiet one on one time with the Lord, but that you attend the worship service of your choice as to be emboldened, comforted and encouraged.


As you make your activity choices in this life, never lower our delete the corporate worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ out of your activity selections.


Thanks for the company
Pastor Tim.

June 17, 2012 is Fathers day and as you remember your dad, we invite you to bring him or memories of him to church with you at First Christian Church in Benton Kentucky. We will celebrate our dads and memories of our dads, by celebrating and worshiping our Heavenly Father. Our address is 2515 South Main Street (across street from the Save-A-Lot). Church school 9:45 AM and Worship at 10:45 AM. Love your dad or your dads memory by sharing the Heavenly Father with him, or if you are a dad, share the Heavenly Father with your children. To God Be the Glory.