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 

Knights of the Road

“And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.”Ezekiel 34:26Today, I would like to lift up the American Truck Driver. I salute the men and women that deliver the goods that this world desperately needs to survive. I was blessed growing up with a Father and Step-Father who were both truck drivers. You could say that I grew up around the sights and smells of diesel smoke.People like my fathers drive the interstates and back roads of this country often without the recognition that they truly deserve. These professional drivers traveling all hours of the day and night, in any weather conditions are the lifeline of the flow of goods and services in this country. What we learn from Ezekiel is that the people Ezekiel spoke of were a different breed. Yes, they were like all people, they were people of God as well....but they were a bit more. The people that Ezekiel spoke of were those of purity, those that dispensed justice.We see this in the American truck Driver as they deliver the best goods that this world can make, as they deliver them to be dispensed.  Ezekiel tells us about blessings being dispensed. Likewise, today I ask for God's continued blessing on the American Truck Driver as well as our Truck Drivers all around the world. God makes the world go round and gives us through the Body of Christ, the ability to bless others. Likewise, as God makes the world go round, He created the Truck Driver to deliver the goods to bless a world.Thank God for our Knights of the Road.Soul of a Trucker

The ever present sound of a 
diesel
Going through its gears
Is the steady beat and constant 
rhythm
He’s known for many a year
And it’s the lullaby that late at 
night
His mind still longs to hear
He still can see those highways 
With his inner eye
He can’t forget the visions 
Of those unpolluted skies
He still can feel the wind
And hear its tender sighs
Those memories stay inside 
and linger
And will until he dies
They’re part of what he’s made 
of
They’re forged into his soul
They come from years of 
trucking
And they’re what have made 
him whole 

©Annette Keller
11/1997

The Steak House vs the Waffle House

The Calling of Matthew

…10Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.…

In my life i have been blessed to eat and fancy high end restaurants and I occasionally dine at the more common Waffle House. Yes, the Waffle House has a reputation for people and diners from the lower end of the Socioeconomic spectrum.  But, as much as I love fine dining, I have never had a bad meal at a Waffle House. Additionally, I have had great times of fellowship and witness at the Waffle House. 

One of my favorite Jazz Artists is Gregory Porter and one of his songs is titled "Take it to the Alley". Gregory sings the fact that when Christ returns for His kingdom, you will find Him in the alley. Gregory sings the following: 

Take me to the alley

Take me to the afflicted ones

Take me to the lonely ones
That somehow lost their way

Let them hear me say
I am your friend
Come to my table
Rest here in my garden
You will have a pardon

In the Gospel of Matthew 9: 10-12, we see Jesus eating with what the rich and educated people believed to be the wrong kind of people, the poor, the unclean, those that they considered to be sinners. We read in this text that Jesus states: "It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick....

Beloved, where else should we as people of God be? Who should we welcome to God's Kingdom? Who should we tell about Jesus Christ? Have you ever been to the Waffle House in the middle of the night and eaten with those that are homeless, those that are spending time drinking coffee as to get out of the cold, because they have no home, no shelter? Have you spoken to those sitting in the Waffle House in the middle of the night, because they are stranded and looking to move farther down the road? 

Yes, where is the emergency room of Jesus Christ needed? In the restaurant of $50.00 -$100.00 steaks or in the all-night diner, with the coffee pot always on? Matthew is telling us that Christ is for all, and that we are His Gospel Paramedics that need to be available to calls and God's Body of Christ presence in the alley, the mission, the Waffle Houses, and the yes, the fine dining restaurants. 

Enjoy your fancy meals but go to the diner every so often. You will be glad that you did.  You will know that God exists there as well, and that He has called you for the lonely, the poor, the homeless, the addicted, and those that enjoy a good waffle and a cup of hot coffee.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Pastor Tim. 

Jogging in Bluejeans!

Ephesians 2:10 English Standard Version (ESV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The first time I saw the man jogging in bluejeans, and winter coat, I thought about how he was dressed for physical fitness activity. As I thought about it, I thought about writing about this observation. 

On the next day while driving into town I saw this man jogging again as he rounded the corner of Walmart. Again he was in blue jeans and what one would consider daily clothing. To me the Holy Spirit said, "Preacher this is a learning and a teaching moment!

You would think that this man would be in the latest running outfit, jacket, pants, and of course just the right running shoes. But I began to think that no matter how he is dressed, he is still reaping the rewards of physical fitness. 

Likewise, what does the follower of Christ need to be spiritually fit? Does a follower of Christ need a fancy bible, a fancy suit of clothes for worship, praise and relationship with God?

Beloved, what we must come to accept is that we go to Christ voluntarily and when we do, He takes us as we are. Our text tells us that we don't equip ourselves, rather it is God who equips us through the good works of His Son Jesus Christ. God's Word tells us that He has always been prepared to equip us for our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Just like the man running in bluejeans still gets the exercise, when we come to Christ, we reap the rewards no matter who we are, where we are, and how we are dressed.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim

Oh, We Thought Your Were Somone Important.

First of all, this picture is not of me!

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

Recently when entering a local restaurant, I happened to be wearing a nice shirt and tie, and dress slacks. As I approached the counter, I stated my business. The young lady who was nice as could be, stated to me: "Oh, when you entered we thought you were someone important!" 

Now I can truly understand what she meant, because maybe I was a bit over dressed for this type of restaurant and maybe the young girl thought I was some type of management.

• What does importance mean in our society, and what does it mean for us as people of Christ?

As we journey through this Advent season, we will see people encounter a poor Jewish couple, a man and his very pregnant wife. We will see King Herod (was he important), who had been told of the coming Messiah. Here we see Herod scared of this coming Messiah, but we will also see three wise men (were they important), come to visit, worship, and bring gifts to the coming Messiah.

Would this Messiah soon to come be born in lavish richness (was He important)? No, this messiah would not be wearing a suit and tie, let alone fancy robes. This Messiah would not be born in richness and splendor, instead he would be born in poor estate, in commonality.

Beloved, whatever we wear, wherever we work, and however much money we have in our pockets, the Messiah came for us all. Rich or Poor, Important or Non-Important. In the eyes of God the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, we are all equal in importance in the Kingdom of God.

My prayer for us all is that however the world sees us, God sees us the same.

• Loved.
• Valued.
• Forgiven. 

All because of a baby boy born in Bethlehem to common people, because of heavenly importance.

"Oh we thought he was someone important!"

He was, He is, and He will always be.
In His Humble Estate, and in His suffering, He will show His importance!

But for me. "I'm not important, I was just wearing my work clothes".

Speech that honors God.

From Proverbs 29:11

A fool vents all their feelings, but a wise man holds them back,

Daily, I send the law enforcement officers that I Chaplain, a daily devotional. Well, today's devotional was one that I believe fits us all.

How often do things get to us, and we want to vent, or blow our verbal stacks? For me, this is a moment by moment issue for me, and I often want to say the first thing that comes to my mind. Whether its social media, the news, or our daily conversations, many of us have lost the ability to hold in our feelings.

Just today, I saw a horrible post on what some people thought should be done to those that are trying to cross our borders. Besides being shocked, I begin to wonder if people that call themselves followers of Christ, actually know what it means to be a follower of Christ?

No, this is not some pastors diatribe against conservative or liberal speech, rather it is about holding the honor and blessing of the one who calls us to be His. We cannot say on Sunday, "love others as Christ calls us", and then say on Monday morning, "kill all the illegals trying to cross our border". The honorable thing would be to say, how can we work with them, or how can we turn them around, feed them, tend to their sick, love them, and work with the world and God in making their homelands a safer and more prosperous place to live.

The generation before ours knew the meaning of honor, loyalty, courage, and commitment, they knew what it meant to live in a way that brought honor to those responsible for them. God, and humanity. Have we in today's society thrown those principles away for the principles of entertainment, social media, and other selfish endeavors?

When we lose our tempers, when we respond without thinking, we take the honor away from God who we claim to profess. Whatever our profession, and whatever the conversation, our speech represents The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

Sometimes when we vent, even when feeling justified, we do a dishonor to the parents that raised us, the pastors that try to teach us, and the God that created us.

Praying for honor over anger.

Pastor Tim.

Just Stop It Already! You Are Driving Me Crazy!

Ephesians 4:1-6 ¹As a prisoner for the LORD, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵one LORD, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Recently I have had the opportunity to witness both those that call themselves liberals and conservatives. Both groups to my embarrassment spew hatred and are unified in it. My take and opinion on these partisan discussions is:

  “STOP IT”!

I have never considered myself the one who has all the answers, if fact I would call myself a working (blue shirt, with a white collar) preacher. I have no dreams of teaching at the seminary or writing the latest or greatest theological primer for the world. I am the product of a working-class union family, that had the opportunity to achieve higher learning.

I have always professed that I am neither conservative or liberal, I am in the middle. All too often I’m in the middle of people that can’t get along, people that often profess to call themselves followers of Christ. Yes, like many people (hopefully most people), I, (we) have had enough of those (even preachers) that profess the world over who Christ calls us all to be .

Beloved, most of the world just wants to get along, work, and raise families in peace, and in the way that they believe. Yes, God wants us to be happy and prosperous, but also wants us to share these blessings with those that have not. Likewise, God wants us work and to share and provide for ourselves, instead of seeking handouts, and instead of seeking ways for others to provide for us.

Many of us want women respected and to have all the same opportunities as men. Many of us want women, men, and children to feel safe from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Many of us want those that have been victimized to feel safe in reporting their abusers. Many of us also agree that false accusations can and will harm the legitimacy of those who have truly been abused. 

Likewise, many of us who follow Christ, can agree on the basics of our faith, things that we all can agree on. We all want to go to heaven and each and everyone of us is doing what we feel is right as to achieve the goal of heaven.

When we spend more time in dispute instead of unity, when we find ourselves so polarized that neither side or group can function, we have truly failed to love others as Christ loves us! My prayer for us all today comes from the Ephesians text:

1.      live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

2.      Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3.      Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4.      There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were call by by God.

5.      One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Just Stop! 

Stop being prisoners of the world, prisoners of political party. Prisoners of I am right, and you are wrong, and our way or the highway. Instead become prisoners of the Lord. Be worthy, be humble, gentle, and patient. Unify in love and peace, through the Spirit of Hope in the name of 

One God, Father of all.

In unity, and in the name of Christ Jesus (who died for ALL).