I usually do this on Sunday night, but just couldn't get it done last night. What a busy 24 hours it was for the Ballards. Three graduation parties and two worship services...but we survived. I know many of you have been on a similar circuit. Its a busy time of the year. I was really impressed at the crowd at church last night in spite of all of the busyness. Even most of the band and the choir was there at 5:00 pm. You are a great bunch of folks. My prayer today is that the Lord refresh you and give you strength.
Corina did a wonderful job putting together yesterday's grad appreciation service. The church presented each high school grad with a beautiful leather student New Living Translation Application bible. Each college grad received a very nice journal and pen set. We are proud of all of our 2010 graduates and we look forward to how God will use them in the future.
Yesterday's services were wonderful. Last night's service was more of a prayer and praise service. It was great to see prayer groups spend so much time sharing and praying. I think its spiritually healthy to not get in a routine and balance our worship services with prayer and the preaching or teaching of the Word of God.
Please remember Christine Blanton today in your prayers. Have a great week!
-Pastor
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Camp Meeting Report
Just wanted to check-in and post my status. We will head to Olivet today for freshman orientation. Wow, have we got a busy schedule until Sat. afternoon. Back in the covered wagon days when I was at Lee, parents just showed up with the student and dropped him off. Now they have orientation week for parents too..in June of all things instead of a few days before classes. Oh well, things change!
Camp meeting was great Tuesday and Wednesday. I was honored to preach the ordination service yesterday along with two other pastors. My topic was the Word of God. It was great! I enjoyed all three messages. Tonight and Friday night's services are at Princeton Pike with Tim Hill preaching. Please try to go. I know you will be blessed.
Well, I may not get a chance to check in with you until Sunday. Everyone have a great weekend. I will see the KP folks Sunday morning. Please keep us in your prayers.
-Pastor
Camp meeting was great Tuesday and Wednesday. I was honored to preach the ordination service yesterday along with two other pastors. My topic was the Word of God. It was great! I enjoyed all three messages. Tonight and Friday night's services are at Princeton Pike with Tim Hill preaching. Please try to go. I know you will be blessed.
Well, I may not get a chance to check in with you until Sunday. Everyone have a great weekend. I will see the KP folks Sunday morning. Please keep us in your prayers.
-Pastor
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
A Powerful Word from the Lord...
The following is a word for today's church from a obedient brother after God had showed him a vision. My spirit bore witness to it. I thought I would share it with you today.
The church sits in self-fulfilling comfort, yet in darkness. We have made the church about us, our comfort, our desires, and left Him, His will, His plan, and His command to carry out the great commission out of the picture. As a result of this, the church is in great darkness.
This enables the enemy to approach us unrecognized and unchallenged. He comes boldly and with him the spirit of this age. The spirit of this age is attractive and often looks no threatening. We do not recognize this because we are not on guard. We are not ready to do battle. With the spirit of this age comes an attitude that causes us to be self-serving, spiritually lazy, and leaves us wide open to spiritual attack.
The enemy attacks through the back doors of our lives...the unguarded areas. He is attacking the church through the Internet, through the media, through our family, through our recreation, and through situations that may appear harmless, but lull us to sleep.
The enemy has entered, gained a foothold, and is not impressed when we tell him to leave. We don't have the power to make him leave and he knows it. We go through our religious motions and might even say, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus," but our lackadaisical Christian lives causes our words to have the same effect as the seven sons of Sceva. He might as well say, "Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you?"
We grab our familiar weapons, shout loudly that we are going to defend ourselves, but they are of non-effect for two reasons.
First, we don't know how to use them. In fact, the Word is all too often used wrongly rather than for the proper purpose. Used wrongly, it often does more harm than good.
Second, we are paralyzed by fear. We do not take charge because of fear. We do not witness because of fear. We do not take the gospel into the world because of fear. The enemy doesn't fear us because we ourselves are paralyzed by fear. Even when we confront him, the attack continues because we function by fear rather than faith.
Even when we don't see the hand of the enemy, we know he's there, yet we are gripped with a feeling of helplessness.
This is the church of America. This is us. God has focused on our lives and says we have come up wanting.
What must we do?
I. Turn on the light.
A. Let God illuminate our lives.
B. Hear what the Spirit says.
Revelation 3:1-6 “Write this letter to the angel[a] of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit[b] of God and the seven stars: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
4 “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
6 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
C. What is God saying?
1. I know all
2. You’re not as alive as you think.
3. Wake up
4. Strengthen what remains.
5. Go back, repent
6. If you don’t, I will come suddenly as a thief.
II. We have to learn how to fight right.
A. We have ignored the Word too long.
B. We love to sing, shout, dance, and all the fun stuff.
C. But we don’t know how to use the Word. It’s just not been that important to us.
D. As a result, even when we try to use it, it carries no depth in our lives. It doesn’t live within us.
E. We have to learn how to use the weapons.
II Corinthians 10:3-6 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
III. We are bound by fear.
A. We fear the devil when he should fear us.
B. We function by fear rather than faith.
C. We are paralyzed when we should be moving.
D. As a result, our threats to the devil are meaningless, because our fear is saying, “I don’t really believe what I’m saying.”
E. Do we really believe that no weapon formed against us shall prosper?
E. Do we really believe that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world?
F. Do we really believe that we should be pulling down strongholds?
G. Then where is the evidence? Where are the victories?
IV. Why does God give visions?
A. For warning
B. For correction
C. For instruction
V. What shall we do with this?
A. We can hear and forget it?
B. We can hear and say, “Maybe we need another program.”
C. We can hear the meaning and say, “It’s for the other person, not for me.”
D. We can hear and let it sink in and transform our lives and thinking.
E. Or this vision can be the beginning of the turnaround.
1. The light is on. The Holy Spirit right now is moving in your heart. What will you do with this vision? What will you do with this prophetic word.
2. I am in the army of the Lord. I will recommit myself to the study of the Word both privately and corporately, The teaching and preaching of this Word. The application of this Word. The walking out of this Word in my life. I have all too long let it be a religious charm rather than the very food of my soul.
3. I will not be bound by fear. What replaces fear? Fear must be replaced by faith and confidence. That comes with a relationship. That comes with trust. That comes with a hands on walk in which you go into the enemy territory and put yourselves out there for the kingdom of God.
F. What might happen?
1. Our TV’s might not be on as much.
2. We might be more tired until we get into shape.
3. Our favorite activities may be replaced by something much more exciting.
4. God might call upon us to do things that we’ve never dreamed.
G. The strong man will be bound.
H. The devil will fear us.
I. The gospel will go forth.
J. His kingdom will come down.
K. How will you react to this?
It's time to get on our faces before the Lord!
-Pastor
The church sits in self-fulfilling comfort, yet in darkness. We have made the church about us, our comfort, our desires, and left Him, His will, His plan, and His command to carry out the great commission out of the picture. As a result of this, the church is in great darkness.
This enables the enemy to approach us unrecognized and unchallenged. He comes boldly and with him the spirit of this age. The spirit of this age is attractive and often looks no threatening. We do not recognize this because we are not on guard. We are not ready to do battle. With the spirit of this age comes an attitude that causes us to be self-serving, spiritually lazy, and leaves us wide open to spiritual attack.
The enemy attacks through the back doors of our lives...the unguarded areas. He is attacking the church through the Internet, through the media, through our family, through our recreation, and through situations that may appear harmless, but lull us to sleep.
The enemy has entered, gained a foothold, and is not impressed when we tell him to leave. We don't have the power to make him leave and he knows it. We go through our religious motions and might even say, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus," but our lackadaisical Christian lives causes our words to have the same effect as the seven sons of Sceva. He might as well say, "Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you?"
We grab our familiar weapons, shout loudly that we are going to defend ourselves, but they are of non-effect for two reasons.
First, we don't know how to use them. In fact, the Word is all too often used wrongly rather than for the proper purpose. Used wrongly, it often does more harm than good.
Second, we are paralyzed by fear. We do not take charge because of fear. We do not witness because of fear. We do not take the gospel into the world because of fear. The enemy doesn't fear us because we ourselves are paralyzed by fear. Even when we confront him, the attack continues because we function by fear rather than faith.
Even when we don't see the hand of the enemy, we know he's there, yet we are gripped with a feeling of helplessness.
This is the church of America. This is us. God has focused on our lives and says we have come up wanting.
What must we do?
I. Turn on the light.
A. Let God illuminate our lives.
B. Hear what the Spirit says.
Revelation 3:1-6 “Write this letter to the angel[a] of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit[b] of God and the seven stars: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
4 “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
6 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
C. What is God saying?
1. I know all
2. You’re not as alive as you think.
3. Wake up
4. Strengthen what remains.
5. Go back, repent
6. If you don’t, I will come suddenly as a thief.
II. We have to learn how to fight right.
A. We have ignored the Word too long.
B. We love to sing, shout, dance, and all the fun stuff.
C. But we don’t know how to use the Word. It’s just not been that important to us.
D. As a result, even when we try to use it, it carries no depth in our lives. It doesn’t live within us.
E. We have to learn how to use the weapons.
II Corinthians 10:3-6 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
III. We are bound by fear.
A. We fear the devil when he should fear us.
B. We function by fear rather than faith.
C. We are paralyzed when we should be moving.
D. As a result, our threats to the devil are meaningless, because our fear is saying, “I don’t really believe what I’m saying.”
E. Do we really believe that no weapon formed against us shall prosper?
E. Do we really believe that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world?
F. Do we really believe that we should be pulling down strongholds?
G. Then where is the evidence? Where are the victories?
IV. Why does God give visions?
A. For warning
B. For correction
C. For instruction
V. What shall we do with this?
A. We can hear and forget it?
B. We can hear and say, “Maybe we need another program.”
C. We can hear the meaning and say, “It’s for the other person, not for me.”
D. We can hear and let it sink in and transform our lives and thinking.
E. Or this vision can be the beginning of the turnaround.
1. The light is on. The Holy Spirit right now is moving in your heart. What will you do with this vision? What will you do with this prophetic word.
2. I am in the army of the Lord. I will recommit myself to the study of the Word both privately and corporately, The teaching and preaching of this Word. The application of this Word. The walking out of this Word in my life. I have all too long let it be a religious charm rather than the very food of my soul.
3. I will not be bound by fear. What replaces fear? Fear must be replaced by faith and confidence. That comes with a relationship. That comes with trust. That comes with a hands on walk in which you go into the enemy territory and put yourselves out there for the kingdom of God.
F. What might happen?
1. Our TV’s might not be on as much.
2. We might be more tired until we get into shape.
3. Our favorite activities may be replaced by something much more exciting.
4. God might call upon us to do things that we’ve never dreamed.
G. The strong man will be bound.
H. The devil will fear us.
I. The gospel will go forth.
J. His kingdom will come down.
K. How will you react to this?
It's time to get on our faces before the Lord!
-Pastor
Monday, June 7, 2010
John Wooden Quotes
I loved John Wooden. In case you don't know who he is, he was the legendary coach of the UCLA Bruins who led them to ten national NCAA basketball titles. But he was more than a great coach. He was a great Christian man who was a leader of men. We will miss him here on earth, but heaven now is his gain. I have listed below some of his well-known quotes. Read these...you will be a better person as you put them to practice.
A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.
John Wooden
Ability is a poor man's wealth.
John Wooden
Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.
John Wooden
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
John Wooden
Be prepared and be honest.
John Wooden
Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.
John Wooden
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden
Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.
John Wooden
Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.
John Wooden
I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.
John Wooden
If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
John Wooden
If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.
John Wooden
It isn't what you do, but how you do it.
John Wooden
It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.
John Wooden
It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
John Wooden
Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.
John Wooden
Never mistake activity for achievement.
John Wooden
Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.
John Wooden
Have a great Tuesday!
-Pastor
A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.
John Wooden
Ability is a poor man's wealth.
John Wooden
Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.
John Wooden
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
John Wooden
Be prepared and be honest.
John Wooden
Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.
John Wooden
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden
Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.
John Wooden
Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.
John Wooden
I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.
John Wooden
If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
John Wooden
If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.
John Wooden
It isn't what you do, but how you do it.
John Wooden
It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.
John Wooden
It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
John Wooden
Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.
John Wooden
Never mistake activity for achievement.
John Wooden
Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.
John Wooden
Have a great Tuesday!
-Pastor
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sunday Wrap Up
What a fun day of worship! The "white out" Missions Sunday was great. Everyone looked great in their shirts. We are getting a lot of people (believers from other churches)enquiring about our shirts. Maybe we can get more and more believers to wear them. Its about planting God's Word that won't return void...even when it is read off of a t-shirt.
My mom and brother did a wonderful job this morning and so did Arlene Miller. Thank you to everyone who gave today and made faith promises.
Tonight's service was good. Awesome testimonies tonight!
Remember Southern Ohio's camp meeting this week. Services Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Columbus Potter's House. Thursday and Friday nights at Princeton Pike in Hamilton. Hope you can go. I know you will be blessed!
Have a wonderful week.
-Pastor
My mom and brother did a wonderful job this morning and so did Arlene Miller. Thank you to everyone who gave today and made faith promises.
Tonight's service was good. Awesome testimonies tonight!
Remember Southern Ohio's camp meeting this week. Services Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Columbus Potter's House. Thursday and Friday nights at Princeton Pike in Hamilton. Hope you can go. I know you will be blessed!
Have a wonderful week.
-Pastor
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
What's Bothering You?
God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is (Genesis 21:17).
Needy miners and settlers in British Columbia, engaged in stripping abandoned Fort Alcan of lumber, electrical appliances, and plumbing, made an amazing discovery. While dismantling the jail they found that though mighty locks were attached to the heavy doors and two inch bars covered the windows, the walls of the prison were only patented wallboard made of clay and paper, painted to resemble steel. A good heave against any of the walls would have burst them out.
Nobody ever escaped from the jail at Fort Alcan by breaking down a wall because all thought it impossible. Many are prisoners of fear and doubt when a push of faith would bring freedom.
Hagar, Abraham and Sarah's banished maid, wandered in the desert and despaired for the life of her child. When her meager supply of water was exhausted, she placed the young boy under a shrub and went some distance away to weep so that she wouldn't witness his death. God's question, "What aileth thee, Hagar?" let this troubled mother know that He was aware of her problem. As soon as her eyes were opened she saw that He had already provided the solution -- life-giving water. Now His promise assured the future of her son.
What aileth thee? What is bothering you? Why are you troubled?
Put away your fears. Your problem has not taken God by surprise. There is a design in your present difficulties.
Open your eyes and you will see that God has a solution.
Rest your future in His hands!
Needy miners and settlers in British Columbia, engaged in stripping abandoned Fort Alcan of lumber, electrical appliances, and plumbing, made an amazing discovery. While dismantling the jail they found that though mighty locks were attached to the heavy doors and two inch bars covered the windows, the walls of the prison were only patented wallboard made of clay and paper, painted to resemble steel. A good heave against any of the walls would have burst them out.
Nobody ever escaped from the jail at Fort Alcan by breaking down a wall because all thought it impossible. Many are prisoners of fear and doubt when a push of faith would bring freedom.
Hagar, Abraham and Sarah's banished maid, wandered in the desert and despaired for the life of her child. When her meager supply of water was exhausted, she placed the young boy under a shrub and went some distance away to weep so that she wouldn't witness his death. God's question, "What aileth thee, Hagar?" let this troubled mother know that He was aware of her problem. As soon as her eyes were opened she saw that He had already provided the solution -- life-giving water. Now His promise assured the future of her son.
What aileth thee? What is bothering you? Why are you troubled?
Put away your fears. Your problem has not taken God by surprise. There is a design in your present difficulties.
Open your eyes and you will see that God has a solution.
Rest your future in His hands!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Its a Big Week!
Just a few personal items before I hit the bed tonight. We did Larry "Buddy" Rhoades funeral services today. I want to thank everyone who came out and helped serve and also to those who brought food. Once more, Hazel and here benevolence ministry did a beautiful job. Also, it was great to see both Larry and Jon's cell leaders and their respective cell members come out and support them. Its times like this where you really see the value of belonging to a small group.
Will be spending a few days this week getting ready for Gabe's grad party Saturday. His grad night is Friday and we have family coming in then as well. And, of course, Sunday is Missions Sunday which is always a big day too. So its going to be one busy weekend. Of course, camp meeting is next week and we have to go to Olivet at the end of the week for Gabe's freshman orientation. Crazy! By the end of next week, I will be feeling my age...45.
Everyone have a great Wednesday!
-Pastor
Will be spending a few days this week getting ready for Gabe's grad party Saturday. His grad night is Friday and we have family coming in then as well. And, of course, Sunday is Missions Sunday which is always a big day too. So its going to be one busy weekend. Of course, camp meeting is next week and we have to go to Olivet at the end of the week for Gabe's freshman orientation. Crazy! By the end of next week, I will be feeling my age...45.
Everyone have a great Wednesday!
-Pastor
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