Is Your Cup Half Empty Or Half Full?

John 14:26

English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

As I was drinking my coffee this morning I noticed that I had consumed half of the cup, and I got to thinking how I felt about that. Was I disheartened because half the cup was gone? Was I happy for the goodness of half of the cup that I had already consumed? I decided that what I had was a great cup of coffee that was waiting for me to finish it, as to enjoy this tasty warm brew that was awakening me.

Brothers and Sisters, life is like this sometimes, and we wonder if we should complain or celebrate. Do we need more of something or do we celebrate what God has given us?  The same goes for learning God's Word for our lives, as we study scripture. Do we read the God's Word just enough to believe what we want or do we read it completely to see what God wants for us? 

I am in no way comparing God's word to a cup of coffee, but I am asking us this week if we read our bibles half empty or half full? If we leave our reading of God's Word without it speaking to us and leaving us living and active, have we truly read enough to reveal God's expectations for our lives?

Beloved, God's Word should never leave us half empty, we should approach God's Word in the manner and fact of it's fullness for our lives. So as you drink that cup of coffee, don't worry about it being half empty, consume it's full warmth and goodness, and let it awaken you. Likewise, read the God's Word in its fullness and let it leave you living a life that is full and active, let it awaken God's love and relationship in you now and always.

Pastor Tim Polley

Don't Be A Rotting Pumpkin!

Yesterday as I was unloading a trailer of pumpkins for our church pumpkin sale for charity, I found several rotten pumpkins that I had to dispose of, I mean who could use rotten pumpkins. Brothers and Sisters, as we begin our week, let us make this a Micha 6:8 week.

Micah 6:8

English Standard Version (ESV)

He has told you, O man, what is good;

    and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

    and to walk humbly with your God?

Let us ask ourselves, are we doing what the Lord requires or are we just sitting like rotting pumpkins that are of no use to anyone or anything? Let us do justice, love kindness and walk in humbleness before God. Instead of being rotting pumpkins, let us be fresh pumpkins that are used to display the abundance of God's provision for our lives.

Beloved, being a Christian is all about ministry, and making disciples of God's creation. This can not be done by sitting in the pumpkin patch rotting, it can only be done by displaying God's freshness, abundance and provision. 

Let us make our Micah 6:8 week by letting God use us to His glory and His benefit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Taq43LI-gk

Let someone take you out of your pumpkin patch this week and always.

Pastor Tim Polley

First Christian Church

Benton, Kentucky

40 Days in the Word

Has your Bible been gathering dust? Do you look at the Bible sitting in your pew at church, and never open a page? Beloved, the Bible is a collection of God's love letters to his creation. Learning the Word, Loving the Word, and Living the Word, are what our 40 Days in the Word study are all about at First Christian Church in Benton. How often have you read God's word and asked yourself: "What is God telling me, how can I place this into my daily life?" 

Brothers and Sisters, the Bible is the original witness to God's revelation for his creation, that speaks to all humanity in reference to our Salvation in Jesus Christ. As God's people we are given God's written word as a guide for our daily lives, as we share what God has revealed to us with all who will listen.

This is why First Christian is offering this non-denominational study of God's word, in which we will gather weekly in various small groups in different locations. Our groups will watch videos by Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, and discuss as a small group the emphasis of study for the week.

We invite you to join us, in this study that begins October 7, 2012. If you have any questions, call Pastor Tim Polley at the church office: 270-527-8560.

Until we meet again

Learn God's Word

Love God's Word

and

Live God's Word

Bless God's Holy and Revealed Word

Pastor Tim.

Are You A Murderer?

How often as parents, church members, and friends have we murdered? The murder that I speak of in this message is the killing of someones dream or vision. How often has someone come to us all excited about goals and plans for their lives and ministries, and the first words out of our mouths are murdering words that killed a dream as surely as we would have stabbed it in the heart.

In today's text from 

Philippians 3:14

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Whether it's the vision for someones life calling, or the vision that a pastor or church member has for a ministry, have we truly thought that this goal or vision has come to a person through much prayer and thought.

Often when embracing dreams and goals, the response is viewed through worldly eyes rather then Holy Spirit, God filled and God Blessed eyes. Brothers and Sisters, yes there are times when we must respond to people in love about their goals and visions, but my prayer for you this day is that you consider the persons goals through Christian eyes and not human eyes

If you have killed a dream, God grants you pardon and forgiveness and asks you to consider the person, the prayers and God before brandishing the killing weapons of a dream killer. We know that when we place our trust in God and relinquish human doubt, the world and universe are open to God's Precious and Loving Majesty.

Taking your wanted poster down today

Pastor Tim

The Work Begins Again

Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 
Ephesians 6:6

Brothers and Sisters, it's Monday again and the work week has begun. As we each sit at our work location, contemplate our new work week and consider how we are to perform our tasks, does anticipation of the weekend to come override our job performance? 

Personally, sometimes I find myself worrying about the tasks at hand instead of why they are being performed, or who they are being performed for. Sometimes on the job tasks feel menial, and are often done in repetition rather than thought. 

As we go about our occupations this week let us ask ourselves who we truly are working for, and in what attitude God wants on our hearts as we labor. The same goes in our work communications, in the fact that as God's people we are called to share his love, excitement, and compassion with those whom we work with.

My prayer for all of this week is that we concentrate on the tasks at hand, and not worry about the end of the week. Go forth in the promise, enthusiasm, and commitment, in the fact that the God who makes Mondays, makes Saturdays and Sunday's.

God's kingdom is the prize, keep your eyes on it this week.

Knowing who the Boss is!
Pastor Tim

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Back to Church Sunday. September 16, 2012

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Back to Church Sunday. September 16, 2012

Back to Church Sunday. September 16, 2012