Monday Morning Funnies

Good morning everyone! I have a few good jokes below. Make it a great week!

-Pastor Randy

A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. They were always getting into trouble and their parents knew that, if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons were probably involved.They boys' mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergyman agreed, but asked to see them individually. So the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the clergyman in the afternoon.The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?”They boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open, wide-eyed. So the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God!!?" Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "WHERE IS GOD!?"The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"The youngest brother gasped for breath and replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time dude. God is missing and they think WE did it!"

A new pastor was visiting the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door. Therefore, he took out a card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door. When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, Genesis 3:10." Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid, for I was naked."

3 kids are sitting on the curb, the first one says" guess what? my dad is so talented he writes stuff down on paper calls it a poem and they send him $100 for it!" the second kid says "oh yeah? my dad is so talented he draws squiggly lines on a notebook calls it art and they give $300 for it!" "that's nothin" the 3rd kid says," my dad writes some words down calls it a sermon,and it takes five guys to collect all the money!"

Sunday Wrap Up

Hello everyone! What a great, great day we had today together in worship! This is one of those Sundays that I feel sorry for people that did not attend our services...both services! The Sunday morning service was just a beautiful time of worship in celebration of the freedom we enjoy as American citizens and believers in Christ. Our veterans really blessed us all with the color guard, the pledge of allegiance to the flag, and their pictures in the background. And then the children's choir, the videos, and the praise & worship was wonderful! And wow, I really appreciate the church giving to the churches in Indiana that incurred flood damage. I haven't seen the total but the response was beyond my expectations. Thank you so much!



Speaking of the churches in Indiana...check out the picture below. After flood waters had totally destroyed the inside of my uncle's (Pastor Jerry Ballard) church in Columbus, Indiana, this is what they found as they went into the building to look at the damage. The table in the center of the picture was originally in the foyer but was found in the sanctuary with everything in place. Only God could have done that! Just a reminder that He truly is there in the midst of our storms.


The prayer and praise service was wonderful tonight. God honors it when we join together in unity and intercede for our nation. Tonight, great things were accomplished in the spiritual realm that we will never know until we get to heaven. Again, I appreciate all the KP people that showed up and especially James Garrett, Richard Aker, Adam Johnson, and Revelee Beavers; all whom led us in prayers tonight. Great job! And thank you Brian and the choir ensemble., as always you did a beautiful job!


It was just a great day of fellowship, worship, and ministry. And I am not exaggerating. I am glad I was privileged to worship my God today!



-Pastor Randy

Saturday Insights

Good morning! I hope you enjoyed your July 4th! We had a wonderful day. Gabe end up working six hours while Annette and I rested and did some stuff around the house. In the evening, we went to a holiday party and had a wonderful time with lots of precious folks, most of them church family. And that was our 4th!

Enjoy the following inspirational patriotic video entitled "Remember the Sacrifice." Have a great day. Come ready to worship tomorrow. See ya in God's house!

-Pastor

Friday Countdown...Happy July 4th!

[see the powerful video following the blog article]

Good morning everyone! I hope that you have a wonderful July 4th today. Please remember to thank God for the freedom that we enjoy in America today. Furthermore, let's also remember to pray for our great nation today as well.

Gabe and I went up to my brother's Wednesday evening for his citywide block party in downtown Marion, Indiana. It can be classified as an inner-city church even though Marion is not a big city. The police had blocked off the street in front of their church for the block party. They enticed and encouraged people to come with lots of free food, games giving as much as $100 to the winners, children's bouncy games, music, a martial arts ministry, a dunking booth, drawings giving away four bicycles and a car, and a big fireworks show to conclude the night.

My brother did not think anyone would show, but only over 1,000 people came. People were everywhere. I got in on helping with the basketball shooting contest and I had children and teens hanging all over me anxious to participate. Anyway, the evening closed with the sharing of the gospel. Nearly 25 people came and received Christ and repented of their sins. Hundreds of others heard the gospel presented in a powerful way and many seeds were planted in lives. I praised the Lord that I was able to be a part of such a powerful ministry. Whether we live in a rural area, or the suburbs, or in urban areas of cities; we must do whatever is necessary to reach people with the gospel!

By the way, you know that car that my brother's church (Downtown Tabernacle) gave away? That next morning he was called to a little elderly lady's house who gave him the keys to a one-owner Buick Roadmaster with only 88,000 miles on it. She freely gave it to the church to do whatever they wanted to do with it.

Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Well, I could share a lot of other great things with you but I will reserve the rest for Sunday morning. Again, don't miss our great Independence Day celebration this Sunday at 10:35 am. Invite your friends and family. They will thoroughly enjoy it!

Hey, enjoy the video below. It's pretty powerful! God bless you!

-Pastor Randy

Our American Legacy, Part III

Yesterday, I introduced at the very end of my blog another group like the Puritans that infiltrated America around 1650, slightly after the Puritans – the German Pietists known as Pietism. This was a renewal movement in German-Lutheran churches led by Jacob Spener.

Pietism had become an ordthodox religion and had lost “Its heart religion” (the love for God has declined). God used Jacob Spener mighly. It was said of Spener, “His words were like thunder, because his life was like lightning.” A preacher named John Wesley came out of Pietism. He called for “churches within churches.” They were small groups within the church to encourage devotion and discipleship.

From 1703 thru 1758, the First Great Awakening in America occurred led by Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield, and others. Whitfield alone was called the most single influential person in America before the Revolution. He is believed to have preached 18,000 times to possibly 100 million people throughout Europe and the New World. It was said that his meetings were full of “great conviction.” The conviction was so great that he could say “Mespotamia” and people would begin to shed tears. His meetings were known for bold responses, people fainting, and great wailing in prayer.

The Puritan and Pietist movements helped form the foundation for the vast Christian influence upon the founding of America that shaped its government, commerce, morals and values, families, and how individuals viewed and interacted with Almighty God. This was not just some short-lived revival or effect upon a mass group of people. Listen to what the Supreme Court said about Christianity’s influence upon the USA in the last part of the 19th century:

For decades, members of the U.S. Supreme Court openly embraced our nations Biblical foundations. In an 1892 decision, the Court stated, “Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian. This is a religious people. This is historically true. . . . This is a Christian nation”(Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 1892).

President Calvin Coolidge acknowledged, “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” Coolidge understood that if the foundations are destroyed, our nation won’t just cease to be moral, it could very well cease being a nation at all.

The two quotes above came from the Supreme Court and a former U.S. president who recognized that the framers of the Constitution believed that religious freedom was supremely important. Any true study of colonial history shows that the primary reason English settlers came to America was for freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

The assurance of religious liberty was the very intent of the two separation clauses placed back to back in the First Amendment of the Constitution known as the “Establishment Clause” and the “Free Exercise Clause.” The Establishment Clause states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. . . .” The “Free Exercise Clause” reads, “…or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
America’s forefathers adopted the separation clauses for the clear purpose of promoting religious freedoms. Most Americans today have been indoctrinated with the idea that the First Amendment contains language requiring a wall of separation between church and state, when, in reality, such language cannot be found anywhere in the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights or the Federalist Papers. The language of a wall of separation between church and state was taken from a letter penned by Thomas Jefferson several years after the Constitution was written. Sadly, Jefferson’s phrase has been distorted and taken out of context by those advocating a rigid separation between church and state.

Our American Legacy, Part II

[Hey check out our new sermons by clicking on "sermon downloads." Tell others!]


From 1959-1603, Queen Elizabeth occupied the throne in England. The King before her, King Edward was a devout Calvinist. His sister, Mary, was a devout Catholic. Queen Elizabeth established a “middle of the road” faith. She was self-described Protestant with a Catholic view, but did not buy into radical Calvinism. THIS CAME TO BE KNOWN AS ANGLICANISM. IT WAS KNOWN AS A MORE MODERATE TYPE OF PROTESTANTISM.

So this is where the PURITAN PROTEST began. Who were the Puritans? They were made up of men and women in English churches who believed that Elizabeth’s Anglicanism were not pure enough.

They did not think she conformed the church enough….still clinging to too many Catholic practices (i.e. – the set prayers, Apocrypha books, the prohibitions). The Puritans did not think the Anglicans’ preaching was scriptural enough. They said the Anglican preachers were “illiterate.” They pointed to the immoral condition of the Anglican clergy. They complained that there was an increased importance on sacraments and garments (on the outside look).

WHAT DID THE PURITANS WANT TO SEE HAPPEN?
1. They wanted the church to have a Calvinistic doctrine influence
2. They wanted a Sabbath observed
3. They wanted a return to biblical standards in the church away from catholic
tradition.
4. They called for education of clergy and laity
5. They believed in a “Covenant with God.” They believed that both tables of
Law should be obeyed 1) Love God 2) Love one another.

But of course, the Anglican church refused to be influenced by the Puritans. The division became worse and in 1620 the first group of Puritans (called Separatists), known as Pilgrims landed at PLYMOUTH ROCK. They separated themselves from the Church of England.

They went to Holland for 12 years before 101 pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower which was a 65 day journey (56 adults, 14 servants, 31 children). They originally intended to go to Virginia. The first winter, one-half of them died. William Bradford was the first Governor of Plymouth Rock and served for 30 years. IN 1691, Plymouth was assimilated into the Mass. Bay Colony first founded in 1621. By 1643, some 20,000 Puritans had settled in Mass Bay.

When the Puritans came to the new world, they believed that England was modern day Babylon. They saw themselves as the New Israel. A city on a hill. Their vision was to be the model Christian society. They were going to complete the reformation that Martin Luther started. The Puritans theology centered upon the following:
#1 – Christ is universally Lord. Christ is King.
#2 – Christ is prophet. His was the true doctrine.
#3 – Christ is Priest – they practice the Sacraments.

The Puritans believed in a strong work ethnic. Max Weber wrote, “The Puritan – Protestant work ethic is the 'spirit of capitalism.'” How did they worship?
1) They worshiped as a family.
2) The practiced devotions with their children.
3) Their church buildings were very simple…usually contained one wooden pulpit
and some benches.
4) The father would read scripture to the children on Saturday evening in
preparation for Sunday worship.
5) The church sang Psalms.
6) Every preacher preached an hour…expository sermons only, no application.

In 1701, the Puritans founded Yale University which was committed to provide for its students a rigorous education of Calvinism. They also established it as a protest against Harvard University which they considered a liberal college founded by New England church for the purpose of training pastors.

Briefly, let me mention another group like the Puritans that infiltrated America around 1650, slightly after the Puritans – the German Pietists known as Pietism. This was a renewal movement in German-Lutheran churches led by Jacob Spener.

More tomorrow...make it a great day!

- Pastor Randy

Our American Legacy, Part I

The purpose of my series "Our American Legacy" is because so many today in our culture have become ignorant of who we are as a nation and where we came from. Why are these things important to know and to remember?

The apostle Paul wrote, “For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid” (1 Corinthians 3:11,GNB).
_________________________________


In his recent book, David Aikman, a former Time magazine Beijing bureau chief, begins the first chapter by quoting a scholar from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), one of China’s premier academic research institutes. This particular scholar was the evening guest lecturer speaking to a group of American tourists as they were concluding a long day of touring Beijing.

“One of the things we were asked to look into was what accounted for the success, in fact, the preeminence of the West all over the world,” he said. “We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you had more powerful guns than we had. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic system. But in the past twenty years, we have realized that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. That is why the West has been so powerful. The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don’t have any doubt about this.”

The apostle Paul wrote, “For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid” (1 Corinthians 3:11,GNB).

If you would ask most people what do you know about America’s Christian heritage? Or if you would ask them to explain to you where our Christian heritage came from? Some might point you to George Washington and how he was a praying man. Some might mention that our founding fathers, those that signed the Constitution took time to pray and how some were known as deeply religious men. But really this is not the beginning of Christian heritage at all. These men were products of a Christian legacy that began 150 years before what they did made them famous.

America’s Christian heritage actually began in Europe in the middle part of the 1500’s which was comprised of five main Christian movements.

1) THE CATHOLIC FAITH – was the majority faith (Italy, Spain,
Austria, and Portugal)
2) LUTHERANISM – Germany, Norway, Sweden, Prussia
3) CALVINISM (REFORMED) – Switzerland, France, Poland, Scotland
4) ANGLICANISM – England (English Protestanism)
5) ANABAPTISTISM – Netherlands, Bavaria, Bohemia (opponents of infant baptism)

WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS THEN?
1) Doctrine of “Sola Scriptura” – scripture alone is the highest or supreme
authority.
2) Doctrine of “Sola Fide” – faith alone (without cooperating good works)
3) Doctrine of “Sola Gratia” – we are saved by “grace alone.”
4) Priesthood of all Believers – protestants said all Christians are called serve as priests to one another (pray and minister to one another)

...continued tomorrow. Go out and make it a great day in Christ today!

- Pastor Randy