Friday Countdown

Well, the Friday Countdown begins until Sunday. I trust you have had a great week and are anxious for the weekend.

Today, I was in Indianapolis spending the afternoon with my mom. Annette and I both spent the afternoon with our moms since we can't be with them on Mother's day. I picked up an Indianapolis paper at a restaurant and my eyes automatically went to the subhead under the headline of the front page which read, "Rise in suicide rates in state and Indianapolis coincides with despair over financial situation."

As I continued to read the article, the author wrote about how this generation's middle class has never experienced times like this before. Many are losing their jobs (some 347,000 this compared to 177,000 last year) and many others are losing their homes. Suicide help telephone lines are busy day and night with people most of which mentioning the loss of a job, a home, or both, as reasons for the suicide thoughts.

Reading this really saddened me. I hurt for people who lose their jobs and/or lose their homes. I can imagine the despair must be great. However, I have faced a few major crises in my life and I have certainly pastored many people through major crises. I know by experience that God's Word is sufficient to get us through the worst of times. The Word of God guides, strengthens us, empowers us, and prevents us from making messes of our lives when we trust it and obey it. Jesus warned us as human beings not to put our trust in material things on this earth. This is why He said in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Jesus went on to say in Matthew 6:25-34, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Suicide is the absolute worse option that anyone could ever choose. I sincerely believe that there are demons that drive people to take their lives. God help us as a generation look to Him in our time of despair.

-Pastor Randy

The Key to Keep From Falling Away From Christ

When I got serious about serving Christ at right around twenty years old, I prayed, "Lord make me want to pray and make the Bible come alive." It didn't take long before the Lord answered both requests. That first year I worked at becoming disciplined in prayer, bible study, and evangelism. Disciplines are addictive, and something like prayer and Bible study, if pursued with diligence, will feed the soul, fill the spirit, and quench the heart in such a way that spiritual hunger pangs soon result if the diet is forsaken. I was witnessing to everybody and experiencing a joy in being used by the Spirit, a joy far surpassing anything from my hedonistic years. And not only prayer, Bible study, and evangelism, there was fellowship. And, I do not mean the "sitting in a pew on Sunday only to act like everyone else during the rest of the week" fellowship, but truly the "clap your hands, laugh yourself silly, walk together, overthrow the deeds of the devil" fellowship.

The first lesson that I learned was that nobody who consistently practiced the disciplines of prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and evangelism fell away from the Lord. These practices didn't earn God's favor, but allowed the grace of God to strengthen and encourage the new believer to grow strong enough to resist the flesh and defeat the evil one. Later on, I was filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and it only empowered me more to practice these disciplines. A few months later I received my call to preach the gospel. That was 28 years ago, its been a great ride. I've had a few tough times. But never, never, have I thought about turning back. I thank God that early on in my walk I learned the importance of prayer, bible study, fellowship with believers, and evangelism.

In the last days, the scriptures states that there will be a great falling away among believers. The reason for that is because so many have never learned the disciplines of the faith. What about you? Are you praying? Are you feeding from God's Word daily? Are you connected to believers in the body of Christ in intimate fellowship? Are you sharing Christ with others?

If you are not, pray now that God will help you to begin to practice these things daily. I promise you your faith and your very life will come alive and you too will come to the place that falling away from Christ won't even be a option.

-Pastor Randy

God Breathe On Me

2 Kings 4:32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out upon him, the boy's body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, "Call the Shunammite." And he did. When she came, he said, "Take your son." 37 She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

Have you ever read this story? Its a great story of a prophet God used to bring forth to life a dead boy. Actually, the above scene is the second time that Elisha laid on the boy. The first time, it didn't work. But he persevered. He had faith in God and he believed that nothing was too great for God. He believed that God took delight in answering prayer and that God's favor was upon him. We too, must believe that nothing is too great for God. And not only that, but we need to be convinced that God loves us and wants to bless us.

The other day I was mowing the yard and it was getting late in the afternoon. The rain began to fall and I begin to talk to God while on my mower. I told him that I am your child and that I need to mow this yard more than He needed to water the plants in the area of which I live (at least that was my opinion...it had rained a lot the day before). I asked God to move the clouds around me so I could finish mowing. Do you know what happened? It start raining harder, and harder. However, I continued mowing while persevering in my faith. I even thought to myself "I hope my neighbor's not over there watching me while I am praying and the rain coming down. But about five minutes later it stopped. I literally watched the clouds as they split and not only did it stop raining for good but the sun even came out for the rest of the evening.

I am telling you if you are an obedient child of God, He really does like and love you enough to "give you the desires of your heart" even if it means moving a few clouds out of your way.

One more thing about this story...notice Elisha gave the boy mouth to mouth. What's that about you ask? Elisha breathed the breath of God into the boy. Elisha was God's representative. Elisha's breath was God's breath breatheing life into that child. Did you know God desires to breath life into you? The word "inspire" in the Bible means "God breathed." When you receive God's word you let him breathe life into you. Jesus breathed upon the disciples before they received the Holy Spirit in the upper room. Those in Acts 2 experienced "a rushing mighty wind" that was the very breath of God's Spirit breatheing "duanamis" power into the 120 that had gathered there to tarry for the Holy Spirit.

You and I need the breath of Almighty God. Not just once or twice, but daily. Let God breathe His life into you today!

-Pastor Randy

Tuesday Night Wrap Up

We concluded the "Discerning the Times" series tonight with just an awesome, timely message that I sincerely believe needs to be heard by everyone. We will have copies available Sunday of both the dvd (video) and cd (audio). I encourage you to get one for your friends and family and give them away. If you can get them to watch or listen to it, I really believe it will impact their lives - add some prayer and fasting too.

Pastor-Evangelist Scott Kazee's ministry is a needed ministry today. It is a prophetic ministry that has been missing in the church too long. For the most part, the American church has preached and taught a comforting, encouraging message. We have neglected the important ministry of a "correcting" word that is so needed in the church along with the comforting and encouraging words. As a father, there are times that I need to encourage and build up my son, but then there are times I must correct and discipline him. So it is with our our heavenly Father. God says in His word, "he chastens or diciplines those He loves" (a paraphrase). Please keep Brother Scott and his family in your prayers.

Please join us for Mother's Day this Sunday. I will not be preaching a traditional Mother's Day message. Matter of fact, we will have gifts for the ladies and a ladies choir, but for this year we are choosing to play down the mothering emphasis in our Sunday service but we encourage you to honor mom in every way you can at home in your families. So I will be preaching a Holy Spirit inspired message this Sunday that I really believe will be a "rhema" word for all of us. Please come out and join us...and bring Mom too.

-Pastor Randy

Monday Night Wrap Up

What a great service tonight and good crowd too for a Monday. Just a very powerful word tonight. I loved it! God has really Pastor-Evangelist Kazee a tailor-made, fit word for "such a time as this." If you missed the service tonight, you definitely need to get the cd or dvd. We will have the entire series available Sunday.

Just one more night left. Pastor Scott will be preaching on the rapture Tuesday evening. Don't miss it. Hey, if you are reading this blog and your church doesn't talk or preach about the rapture, please come join us tomorrow night. It might make the difference between you going or not going when Jesus comes back for His church.

Well, I gotta get ready for my cell group in the morning. Also, Annette wants me to do some painting tonight. We are still working on our house. It's turned inside-out right now and we got to keep at it. Hope to see everyone tomorrow night!

-Pastor Randy

Sunday Wrap Up

Two great worship services today and good crowds. Evangelist-Pastor Kazee has done a powerful job preaching God's Word. Highlights today include four people saved this morning and six children received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Both the AM & PM services can be seen on our website later on tonight. We will also make the series available on dvd and cd next weekend.

Special thanks to all of our children's ministries workers who went to kidsfest. Debbie is blessed with a great staff that she and Lori have trained and equipped over the years.

I really don't have a lot to write about. I am very tired and going to hit the sack. Good night and have a great week!

-Pastor Randy

Friday Countdown

Tonight begins Kidsfest at Kings Island. This is a great annual conference where churches children's ministries from the midwest come together for worship, fellowship, and a fun day at Kings Island. Even the adult sponsors come away blessed. Kidsfest goes through Sunday afternoon.

The swine flu pandemic looks to be getting pretty serious, especially throughout the southwestern part of the country. God's people really need to be praying about this.

Sunday begins what should be some great meetings with Pastor-Evangelist Scott Kazee. I am anxious myself to hear these messages. More than ever, people should want to know what's going on. As Christians, we cannot afford to put our head in the sand and pray that Jesus comes soon and delivers us out of this mess. Jesus said in Matthew 16:3, "And early in the morning you say, 'It is going to rain, because the sky is red and dark.' You can predict the weather by looking at the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs concerning these times!" You and I can be prepared for whatever happens. Please join us for this very important teaching series.

See ya Sundsy!

-Pastor Randy