Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Pastor Tim's "We Care" Message

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Pastor Tim's "We Care" Message

Pastor Tim's "We Care" Message

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Anniversaries and Ministry are Opportunities to Bl...

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Anniversaries and Ministry are Opportunities to Bl...: Isaiah 60:1-22   Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the  Lord  has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cov...

Anniversaries and Ministry are Opportunities to Bloom and Blossom!

Isaiah 60:1-22 

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. ...

This Monday morning as I sit in my office and celebrate two years as minister at Benton FCC, ministry that takes root and blooms is my focus of thought. As we enter two years in ministry together, I feet the best way to express my thanks and my vision is by planting beautiful flowers in front of the church. 

Why flowers? 

1. Flowers are a beautiful expression of love, and are an expression of love that I have for the body of believers at FCC Benton. Additionally, flowers are an active expression of love that we as Christ's followers have for others.
2. Flowers that are beautifully blooming show God's activity in His creation as well as His ministry at FCC Benton.
3. Flowers in bloom are an expression and symbol of good seed that has been planted in rich soil, just as our ministry is gathered in good soil with good seeds.
4. Flowers without good sun and nutrition will surely wither and die, likewise ministry without the Son and constant nutrition in God's Word will surely whither and die.

As we enter a new season of ministry together, let us think of Isaiah chapter 60 in the thought of the Israelites coming out of darkness and entering the season of light. When flowers bloom in the sunlight and are well fed and watered beautiful flowers are seen. Likewise, when God's people are exposed to the light of God, the people of God will grow, flourish and bloom.  We are told in Isaiah that God's presence will transform the Israelites . Just like flowers that are protected and valued bloom, so do God's people in the fact that by faith we are protected and valued.

My prayer for us all this week is that we will seek out God's protection and grace in the understanding that we are God's flowers that can only rise and bloom in the light of the Son.

Look How Beautifully You Bloom!

Pastor Tim

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay...

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog:

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay...: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends". John 15:13 As I write this blog on this M...

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends". John 15:13

As I write this blog on this Memorial Day 2013, I was praying for inspiration and the following thoughts came to mind in reference to the word forgotten. As I looked for pictures of my dad's ship that he served on in Korea, I was amazed at the number of pictures I found online. As I looked for ideas and inspiration for a Memorial Day benediction I came upon a benediction that was written by a Priest, yet it was accidentally left out of the observance it was written for.  Ships made by man, never forgotten but prayers not included in ceremonies. 

As history moves on and this world keeps turning, have we forgotten some of those that have given the last full act of devotion for our freedom? Have we replaced these memories with memories of days off from work, that are filled with BBQ memories? 
As a society do we walk past the homeless veteran who is living on the street, or the aged and lonely veteran that sits alone tormented by vivid images of past battles that will not clear their thoughts? 

The finest example that we can think of this Memorial Day is the saving act that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did on that cross. He laid down his life as to save ours from hell and damnation. This Memorial Day 2013 is a day to embrace and remember those that laid down their lives for our freedom. 

The Greatest generation grows smaller everyday and soon will be only part of our memory, our job is to never forget and to learn from them while they are still physically with us. Likewise, embrace our veterans and never let them feel forgotten. If we can have a Memorial Day without forgetting the days meal, rest assured we can have a Memorial Day that includes paying homage and respect.

Lest We Forget
Pastor Tim

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: We Never Stop Learning. Thanks Dr. Longden!

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: We Never Stop Learning. Thanks Dr. Longden!: Rev. Dr. Leicester Longden Proverbs 18:15   ESV  An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. ...