All For His Glory

As we end this year of 2008 and set our goals or resolutions for 2009, I am encouraging and reminiding myself of this one simple phrase as I prepare for 2009: It's All For His Glory. Simply stated, I am keeping in mind that everything I do is to always be for God's glory. Why should we have this mindset? The answer is simple.
Our salvation is for His glory:
Eph 1:11-12 (NIV) In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.
His created works are for His glory:
Psa 19:1 (NIV) A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Miraculous works were / are done for His glory:
John 9:1-3 (NIV) As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
Our good works, which we do only with His help, are for His glory:
Phil 1:11 (NIV) filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.
In fact, all we do is to be for His glory -- that can be a scary thought, Don't you think?
1 Cor 10:31 (NIV) So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
EVERYthing is for His glory:
Rom 11:36 (NIV) For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Let your life, actions, deeds and words be All for His Glory....God bless.

It's a Rough Start To the Week

Well I am home sick today and dealing with a cold and I am coughing and sneezing and taking cold medicine and cough syrup. I am hoping I feel better tommorow. I hope you all have had a great weekend and your week is off to a better start than mine. God bless.

Visiting Family in St. Louis

I am spending the weekend in St. Louis with family as we celebrated Christmas last night and will be visiting with family today and tommorow. I have had the chance to see my new niece Alia Noell and also meet my sister's new boyfriend Brent. It has been good to see everyone. We will be heading home Sunday afternoon and I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed weekend. I will check in next week. God bless.

Christmas Greetings

From my family to yours I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and may God's richest blessings be realized today as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you are traveling today or this week, be safe and enjoy the time with family and friends and remember, Jesus is the Reason for Christmas. God bless.

Jesus Our Hope

One of my favorite preachers is Dr. Tony Evans and he wrote this excerpt from his book Totally Saved , "We have lasting hope through the salvation we have in Christ ... Hope means that even when it looks like it's all over, it's not all over yet. That's why the Bible says we can rejoice even in our tribulations. God is working in our hard times to produce proven character and hope in us."
The Bible tells us in Psalm 33-22"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you." (NIV). For millions of people, the Christmas season means nothing more than parties, gifts, decorations, and time off work. For Christians, however, this time of year is a happy reminder of the hope we have because of Jesus Christ. Before Jesus came, God seemed distant, hidden in the Holy of Holies in the temple, accessible only to the high priest. Worshippers wondered whether their sacrifices were acceptable. They doubted their salvation. Christ means hope—to the person out of work, to the struggling single mother, to the dying believer. Even if you're just slogging your way through the disappointments and problems of life, if you have Jesus, you have hope. And he is not a false hope, a childish fairy tale that we wish will have a happy ending. When Christ rose again from the grave that ended the argument. Our hope in him is solid and it is real. Christmas is a renewal of that hope. It reconfirms it for us if our vision has grown dim. It was settled long ago, so we don't have to doubt any more. Jesus is the fulfillment of our hope, our deepest longings come true.

Celebrate the Birth of Jesus at Christmas

"And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:9-11)

Monday Morning Cup of Joe

I hope everyone has had a great weekend and here in Indiana, it is extremely cold. The temperature is in the single digits and the wind chills are horrifc (10-20 dgrees below zero). I am home today with my kids who are now officially on Christmas break until January 12th. They are really excited about Christmas coming up this week and they are looking forward to Santa Claus coming to our house. I am going to be traveling this week with my family out of town but I will check in this week from time to time with some entries so eveyone have a great week and Happy Holidays to all. God bless.

Toy Drive Giveaway a Great Success

Today has been a great day. We had a wonderful Christmas program and communion service and this afternoon we had our Community Toy Drive distribution and giveaway. We helped over 800 children recieve toys this year and our church once again was blessed to be able to provide for the needs of our community. .

God's Word for Today

God Cares About Our Pain

In Matthew 5:4 Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. We all suffer grief. Sometimes it's the excruciating pain of losing someone we are very close to, whether through death or a move or just a loss of the relationship. Sometimes it's a change in a relationship. It might be a job loss, the loss of a pet, or a failure of some sort, which is the death of a dream. Whatever our pain, we need to remember three things:
1.God understands.
2.God cares.
3.God can bring us through it and even make something beautiful out of it.
God empathizes with our pain. His own Son, Jesus -- Who is God -- suffered grief. I think readily of one example. John 11:33-35 (NRSV) When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
Of all people, Jesus certainly knew about Heaven. He knew that Lazarus wasn't suffering. But He also knew that it hurt, to lose him. Even though we know someone is suffering less, or something is for the best, God doesn't expect us to just act like nothing has happened, or say "Well He is with Jesus praise God," and go happily on our way. It is wonderful to keep an eternal perspective. However, God has built grief into us as a normal emotion, and we need to allow ourselves to feel it and work through it. God cares about our pain. He knows everything, including our emotions, but He wants to hear from us. Psalm 62:8 (NRSV) Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
He wants us to pour out our hearts to Him. He wants to hear our hurts. He isn't a God who distances Himself from what we are going through. He is a loving and compassionate God, a Shepherd, a Father. Those of you who are parents -- think about how you feel for your children when they are grieving, over a friend who has moved, a beloved pet who has been killed.
And our Heavenly Father loves us even more than we love our children. Imagine how much more than that even, He cares for us in our griefs! But the ultimate perspective we have does need to be eternal, as well as God's glory and purpose even now. And we often find God has taught us valuable lessons from our pain. I think of two valuable insights I have gained through pains I have encountered:

1. I can now better understand others' pain.
When we are hurting, and afterwards, we need to ask God to use this for His glory and to help his other children.
2 Corinthians 1:4 (NIV) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

2. I cherish now the relationships that I have.
I realize how short life can be, and that we need to tell people now how much we appreciate them. We need to take time for the family and friends God has blessed us with. Remember them during this Holiday Season and all throughout the year.

It's Cold Here In Indiana

I hope everyone is having a good start to their week. I woke up this morning and it was a frigid 13 degrees outside and windy and COLD. It took me nearly twenty minutes to warm up my car and I don't think I thawed out until this afternoon. It should get warmer this week but it is going to be cold, some snow and not real pleasant. Hopefully we have too much of an arctic blast. God bless and everyone have a blessed week.

God's Word for Today

Signs of the Times

I think this sign says it all.......Have a blessed weekend.

The True Meaning of Christmas

"And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid ... And the angel said unto them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord." "And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men." "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." - Linus Van Pelt

Being a 24/7 Christian

Mahatma Gandhi was once asked, "What is the greatest hindrance to Christianity in India?" He replied, "Other Christians." Gandhi was referring to the hypocrisy that the non-believers were seeing in the inconsistent behavior of the Christians around them. As a Pastor, the more I speak with people who will have nothing to do with Christianity, the more I hear the words, "Why should I believe? You Christians are no different than us." Some of my own experiences with Christians in a local church left me disillusioned and confused, and I have been a pastor for eleven years. The same people who were teaching on Sunday morning, the same people that were shaking hands and talking a good game, were the ones who were lying, cheating and doing unethical business deals on Monday. In the gospel of Luke, John the Baptist called the religious of his day, a “brood of vipers.” John's harsh words for the people of his time could equally be applied to "church" people today. Some see church as a necessary place to go to on Sunday. It is something to check off the to-do list, or a way to make the boss happy and perhaps a place to acquire new clients. But come Monday, all the church stuff goes in the desk drawer. The Bible tells us in 1 John 1:6-“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” The Bible also teaches and instructs us with these words in James 1:22-“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James is saying, "Don't just be hearers of the Word; but do what it says and teaches!" John's verse says we are liars if we go on living in our old ways. When we put on the uniform for Christ, people watch us. Christians are by no means perfect, but we can strive to be better each day. We can strive to live in a way that gives people incentive to say or think, "I want what you have. Your life seems better -- your actions are different, and I like what I see. Tell me why you are different." If you are in a management position, are you using Biblical values to determine how you treat your employees? As an employee, are you a clock-watcher, just doing enough to get by, or are you doing your work for your Ultimate Boss -- God? Teachers and students, are you displaying Christian characteristics at school? If you are a student, are you complaining about assignments and doing just what you have to, to "get by" -- or are you giving it your best, eager to learn? And at home, are you reflecting Christ in your behavior? I encourage you this week to begin trying to be more like Christ in every area of your life. Let's strive to be Christian 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. It will make a difference in your life as well as the lives of those around you.

It's Okay to Say Merry Christmas

I have noticed in the past few years that each year at Christmas time, many retail and department stores have changed their greetings from "Merry Christmas" to "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." I know that corporate department and retail stores have the right to promote Christmas however they wish, but to take away the words "Merry Christmas" from your stores promotion and greeting of the Christmas season is not being respectful of the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus is the reason for the season and we should remember that and I for one will continue to say "Merry Christmas" and if the stores I frequent this Christmas season don't say "Merry Christmas" then I will simply take my retail business elsewhere and I am sure that there will be another store that will be happy to say "Merry Christmas" and accept my money and purchase. Just some food for thought. God bless you and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Why I Love the Christian Book Store

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

Habakkuk 3:17 &18 - "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall no herd be in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (KJV)
On of my favorite characters in the Bible is Job. There are lots of people who talk about the "patience of Job", and yet there was more than just patience at risk. One after another, messengers brought news, "While he was still speaking....". And yet, after losing his herds, his home, his servants, and finally his family, he still praised God. Satan's one desire is to break us Christians, troubles and trials are always coming our way! It seems that sometimes the more we follow God's plan for our lives, the harder things get. And yet, God is the God of circumstances, too. No matter how bleak it seems, He is in control. How we face the trials and troubles that come our way determine whether we win or lose the battle. The war is already won, but the battles are ours. It's easier to face today when we know that God has promised us tomorrow. Isaiah 64:4 says, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him." Fight the good fight of faith and remember that our God reigns, He has already determined the outcome. Hold fast, and keep your eye on tomorrow, and Praise the Lord.

Signs of the Times

I absolutely love this church sign. It's a timely message that will speak to everyone and the message is very clear. Jesus and His gift of salvation is for everyone. God bless and have a great weekend.

HOPE

Christmas is a holiday full of hopes - hopes of family reconciliations, hopes of picture-perfect celebrations, hopes of getting certain presents. Some of our hopes are fulfilled; others are not. But hoping in God is always a sure bet; people will let us down, but He never will. Let's look at what the word of God has to say about hope.

(Psalm 33:18 NNAS) "Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,"

(Job 13:15 NNAS) "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

(Psalm 71:5 NNAS) "For You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth."

(Psalm 130:7 NNAS) "O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption."

(Proverbs 23:18 NNAS) "Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off."

(Jeremiah 29:11 NNAS) "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."

(Romans 8:24-25 NNAS) "For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it."

(Hebrews 6:19-20 NNAS) "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

(1 Peter 1:13 NNAS) "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

(1 John 3:2-3 NNAS) "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

Just a Thought From a Pastor

Isn't it strange how a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?

Remember that Christmas is a time for giving and as we give gifts to others make sure we don't forget to give back to God, a portion of what He graciously gives to us each day of our lives. And thanks be unto to God for his unspeakable gift, His Son Jesus Christ, whom he sent to earth to die for the sins of mankind.

My Favorite Christmas Movie

"No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!"

I hope everyone had a good weekend. It's still snowing here in Indiana and I am sure that my kids will make another snowman this week if the snow doesn't melt. This weekend was a good one as I spent time with family and enjoyed a wonderful Holiday Dinner with my church family. My kids and I last week watched one of our favorite Christmas movies, "A Christmas Story". I still laugh at Ralphie as he struggles to try to convince his parents that he needs an official Red Rider BB gun. You probably know how the story ends and I hope you get a chance to watch your favorite movies this holiday season and I hope you have a blessed week.