We are the Lost and Found Department for God!

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

There is a story of a man that was watching his young son play on his Speak – and- Spell computer. He was concentrating intensively, typing words into the computer so the computer would repeat back the words.

The young boy punched in the word God. To his surprise, the computer said, “Word not found.” The young boy tried again with the same result, and with great disgust, he stared back at his computer and told it in no uncertain terms, “Jesus is not going to like this!”

Brothers and Sisters, in today’s world there are many places where God is not mentioned and many people that don’t know what you are talking about when you mention God’s name.  My good news for you today is in the fact that for those who know God, God is already present and at work.

For people that need to know who God is, we are needed to make the introductions and assist that person at looking towards God who has been looking at them the whole time. It is not God who is lost, but rather those that have never heard the name of Jesus Christ, that are lost.

My prayer for you all today is that you will go out naming and proclaiming the name of God through His Son Jesus Christ. Help others this day and every day to seek out God with all their hearts and minds, so when they shout out his name they will never hear back: “God not found!”

This is the day that the Lord has made.

The Lifestyle of Following Jesus

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever. John 14:16 (ESV)


Recently I had an opportunity to do ministry with a family that revolves around the charity of that persons work. When I asked the family about their work and doing things on their supposed days off, I was told that the career of the husband is not just a job but a lifestyle change and commitment for the whole family.

The same goes for us that have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in the fact that our relationship with Christ is not just from 9-5 or on Sunday mornings. When we accept Christ into our lives we are forever changed and everything that we do in this life must revolve around Jesus Christ, in the fact that the old is gone and our lives are made anew in Him.

What Lifestyle are you leading? Is Jesus a part of your life from waking till sleeping, from day begin to day end, from sunrise to sunset? Beloved, my prayer for you this day is that you remember that it is not you that live in Jesus, but rather the fact that Jesus lives in you. Jesus is not to be turned on and off like a light switch, but rather always kept in the on position. Only is this way can you truly be Christ's shining light to the world for all to see.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

The Discomforted Heart of a Missionary

Mark 16:15 ESV

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

There is a story of a missionary who went to Africa when he was eighteen years old. Upon his arrival he was told that his sleeping quarters were in the church, so he went into the church and placed his cot in front of the pulpit and went to sleep for the night.

Within minutes, several people had slipped into church. The missionary lay motionless on his cot, only able to stare straight up. Could it be? Yes, there was a service that night and the church was packed.

Finally, the pastor arrived, went behind the pulpit, and started the service, graciously ignoring the missionary. The youth ensemble came forward, formed a half circle in front of the missionary, and began to sing.

Soon the service ended. The missionary realized there was nothing that he could do, so he sat up wearing only his pajamas and greeted and shook the people hands as they departed the church.

Beloved as I speak of having the heart of a missionary this day, understand that God often puts his people in positions that are uncomfortable. Through this discomfort and unpreparedness God truly touches the heart(s) of those in ministry and mission, and is where the strongest of relationships are forged.  

My prayer for you this day is that you will seek out your areas of discomfort and make them your place to have the heart of a missionary. Through your discomfort, the bonds of Christ centered relationship will truly be born.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Recapturing the Joy of Memories

Philippians 1:3-5 ESV I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

The other day I was going through some of my things when I came across something that a good friend had given me. When looking at this object I began to think about this person who has gone to be with the Lord, and several emotions came over me.

This year I have lost close friends as well as close relatives and often I will look at a picture or an object that makes me think of them. As much as I miss them I thank God for the opportunities to look back on the relationships with happiness and joy.

Beloved, we are only on this earth for a short time and in human form we are finite. My prayer for you this day is that you will look back on those that you have lost, not just in sorrow, but in joy. Remember the good times, the happy times, and the blessed times in the joy and thanksgiving that God placed you together in relationship.

Look back in joy in the fact that as Christians we believe that our friends and loved ones that have passed are residing with our Savior Jesus Christ, and the fact that eternal joy is theirs. Remember those precious ones in your prayers and thank God for the salvation offered by His Son Jesus Christ.

As you review the lives of loved ones passed, take the joy of their memories into building new relationships that are founded through love and faith as presented in the gospel of Jesus Christ. May you thank God for the joy of relationship this day and every day.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim.

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Staying Spiritually Nourished

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Staying Spiritually Nourished: Galatians 5:7   ESV You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? There is a story about a foolish farmer th...

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Staying Spiritually Nourished

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: Staying Spiritually Nourished: Galatians 5:7   ESV You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? There is a story about a foolish farmer th...

Staying Spiritually Nourished

Galatians 5:7 ESV

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

There is a story about a foolish farmer that concluded one day that the oats he had been feeding his mule for years were simply costing him too much.  So the farmer began to mix a little saw dust in with the oats, and then a little the next day, and a little more the next day. The mule didn't notice the gradual change in the feed, but after time the oats were gone, replaced completely with saw dust. After eating nothing but saw the mule finally fell over and died.

This is a silly story but serves as a parable for those that have become back-sliders in their faith. As a Christian moves further and further away from God through un-repented sin and neglect, we know that our spiritual souls cannot survive on eating only spiritual sawdust.

We may well convince ourselves that a little sin and neglect won’t hurt too much, and a little less spiritual food won’t be missed. Then, over time the proportion of sawdust increases while our spiritual oats begin to disappear. Before long the change is complete, and our starved sawdust-stuffed spiritual life has collapsed.

Beloved, my prayer for you this day is that you continue to feed your spirit the food that it needs to stay healthy and that you stay well nourished in God’s Word and the Good News of Jesus Christ this day and every day.

This is the day that the Lord has made.