 Ambassador of Christ- Part Two Rev. Richard Clifford
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Testimony Part Two: When I gave my life to Jesus, I was dumb, stupid, and ignorant spiritually. But I fell in love with my Savior and His Word. Like my mother, I went to Sunday School, Morning Worship, Evening Worship, Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting, and Friday Night Cottage Prayer meeting. Peter, the fisherman, also was unlearned and ignorant when Jesus called him and yet he became a vibrant powerful ambassador of Christ. “For I know the plans I have for you!” My Pastor, Paul Hallman, an unlearned brick mason, previously a violent wicked man, was saved through the ministry of Pastor Daddy Hampy, who discipled him, took him to tent meetings, jail services, radio broadcasts, and house to house evangelism. “For I know the plans I have for you!” Even though Pastor Hallman “murdered the King’s English,” he was one of the godliest and well-versed ministers I knew and I sat right up front at church and soaked it all in. I joined the Kappa Ki Christian Club in High School sponsored by Mrs. Ginrich. Her husband was the president of Akron Bible Institute and I was then invited by my science teacher to go to classes there in the evenings. One class I took was on Revelation and I just soaked it all in. Remember, a year earlier I had no understanding of Christianity at all. “For I know the plans I have for you!” Prior to finding Jesus, I had beat up the school bully in my sophomore year. Shortly after my encounter with Jesus, I was full of zeal, but had little knowledge. I strong-armed some of my team mates to get them to church. I took 6 football players to church and 4 invited Jesus into their lives. I bought hundreds of tracts(Christian pamphlets) to pass out. I gave one a day to my football and track coaches. I worked that summer with my brick mason pastor, learning more than a trade. I was being discipled. One day the pastor visited at our home and handed me a junior high Sunday School teachers book and told me I was the new teacher. That was my training. :/ Soon after that Pastor Hallman announced that three of the young people were going to preach in two weeks. He told us to bring him our outlines the next Sunday morning. How did he know that I had the call to preach? God was at work behind the scenes. “For I know the plans I have for you!” My coach took me to his alma mater Ohio University for a weekend. I was football starter and the captain of the track team. I took a pocket full of tracts with me. I was rooming with 3 guys and gave them each a tract and talked to then about Jesus. They got all upset and said I couldn’t do that and that I wouldn’t last 8 weeks doing that kind of stuff. I said that if I came, I would bring a whole suitcase full of tracts. I worked at Quaker Oats for a year and then went to Houghton College, a Christian school. Alice McMillan, Daddy Hampy’s daughter, was my Bible teacher. (Her husband wrote the book None of These Diseases-recommended reading) I got an A in Bible. I had learned well under Pastor Hallman. The adventure as God’s ambassador was just beginning. The plans He had for me were unfolding. I am so glad I said yes to my mother that night she invited me to church. I am so glad I said yes to Jesus when He knocked on my heart’s door. I am so glad I said yes to Pastor Hallman as walked me through discipleship. I am so glad I said yes to God’s call. At 90 years old, I am still having the time of my life serving Jesus! (P.S. Part 3 may show up another time.)
0 Comments
 John 16:33 New International Version
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” After I was asked to write a devotional, these thoughts came to me in the night, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” As I lay there in my bed, I began to meditate on these words and think about our world. So many people have been overcome by the world. Teens, young adults, and even older people are full of anger, loneliness, hate, and utter despair. Yet God has His ambassadors reaching out to this lost world. His church, whether, Nazarene, or Baptist, Wesleyan or Assembly of God, groups like the Navigators, CRU, Prison fellowship International Billy Graham Organization and so many more are reaching out with hope, with the Good News! Over 70 years ago, one of God’s ambassadors called on my home in Akron, Ohio, and led my mother to Christ. She was gloriously saved. She began attending Sunday School, Sunday morning worship, Wednesday night Bible Study, Friday night prayer meeting and any things else that was offered along the way. Our family thought that she was off her rocker, BUT we could not deny that she was so happy, so joyful, so fulfilled in life! Four or five months after that, there were revival meetings in the church. Mother invited Grandad to come. He said, “NO.” She invited Dad. He said “NO.” She invited my older brother, Bud. He said “NO.” By the time she got to me, she was crying. I hated to see my mother cry. I thought, “It’s probably like going to the movies.” So I said I’d go. Grandad said, “If Dick goes, I’ll go.” We went and sat half-way down to the front. Grandad sat on the aisle. The church was crowded. The preacher was like a prophet of old. He preached and pointed his finger at us or so we thought. Me and grandad scrunched down in our pew. We were under conviction. The Holy Spirit was working on us. I did not know that then. Then they gave an invitation. They were asking us to come to the altar. A distinguished older man was leading the song. He saw my grandad and thought this is that old man’s last shot. He walked down the aisle and stopped by my grandad, “Dad,” he said gently. “How is it with your soul?” Grandad quickly responded, “Ask Dick how it with his.” I squirmed and wriggled and wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. My mother came up behind me and added, “Dick, why don’t you give God a chance?” I don’t know how it happened. But somehow Grandad got out of the way and I walked down and knelt at the altar. But I had no idea how to pray. I knelt there with my heart beating like a tap-hammer. A backslider ran down and prayed for forgiveness. He prayed so fast. I just poured out my heart saying, “God what that man said, do it for me too.” Suddenly peace filled my soul. I was still dumb and stupid about spiritual things, but the peace was there. The pastor came over to me and led me in the sinner’s prayer. I felt like I was a helium balloon floating on air. That began the greatest adventure of my life. It also began my truest vocation as an ambassador for the Lord. Even at the old age of 90, the words of Jesus still ring true, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And through Him, you and I overcome the world and can enjoy His peace, no matter what we see or hear around us. And this message is not for us alone. We are now His ambassadors that others may know His peace and overcome by the power of His Spirit within. Still having the time of my life serving Jesus, Rev. Richard Clifford  Have you heard the term “Hen Fruit” used to describe an egg? The egg is the ultimate convenience food containing 18 vitamins, minerals and protein. If you heat it, beat it or whip it the protein content enhances whatever you are using it in, binding the mixture and enriching the flavor.
WOW, how fantastic it would be if we could be like an egg in everything we do as a Christ follower. We could bind our lives with others to enhance and enrich the world around us for Jesus Christ. Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:12-13) If we merely let our life sit on hold, it becomes like an egg that sits and becomes rotten. With little use a rotten egg becomes a terrible stench, only good for fertilizer in your garden (is that what makes stinky flowers?) or you can throw it in a campfire for fuel (maybe the smell will drive away mosquitos or others). Regardless of how we use an egg, if it is not used it is of little use. As the text noted, if we ask the Father for an egg, He won’t give us a scorpion. No, our heavenly Father desires to give us the Holy Spirit. But there is a simple act of faith that we must do to receive what the Father promises, that is to ASK. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2) I don’t know about you, but I have little desire to sit idle only to become a rotten egg, or only be the shell of what God desires for me to become, or to be as Job spoke against being “the tasteless white of the egg”. Our desire must not be to merely conform to the political landscape or worldly norms, but to renew our mind in Christ and Christ alone. Simply by ASK-ing the Father to give us the Holy Spirit. That one simple word, one simple step of faith; ASK. May God Bless you in your faithful walk with the Lord. He loves GOOD EGGS! Pastor Jerry  “We Will Serve the Lord”
“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15 It was the winter of 1969. We were living in St Paul, Minnesota. We had just moved there the summer before from Amarillo, Texas. Arnie and I hadn’t been Christians very long. We had come to know Christ through Arnie’s boss in Amarillo. The only people we knew in Amarillo was his boss and his family and the people in the little Baptist church there. We were very new Christians with a lot of baggage from the past. It wasn’t too long after that when we had the opportunity to move to St Paul where his family was from, so we jumped at the chance to be near family. We couldn’t find a Baptist church in St Paul that we really liked so we decided to try the little Nazarene church not too far from where we were living. We started attending there and really liked the people, especially the young couples that had families like us. Being around family was great but not the best influence on a couple that was not grounded in their faith. Arnie came from a family that enjoyed their drinks and their parties. It was hard to say no to his cousins when they kept inviting us to their activities. So we soon found ourselves bar hopping or partying on Saturday nights and going to church on Sunday mornings. We had talked about this a lot and really didn’t know how to say no to the things that we knew in our hearts was not what we should be choosing. One night we had been invited to his cousins to play cards. We had been caught up in their parties before and we really didn’t want to get involved again, but to be loyal to family we accepted the invitation believing that we were the only ones getting together. We arrived at his cousin’s house a little late and pulled up to the garage. We were relieved that there wasn’t anyone else there. We hadn’t been there too long before people started arriving and coming in with their booze and cartons of beer. Things got pretty wild pretty fast. Arnie came to me and said, “We need to leave now.” I agreed and he told his cousin that we needed to leave. His cousin told him sorry you can’t get your car out, everyone is parked behind you. Arnie told him very nicely again that we were leaving and he kept refusing to move the cars. Final Arnie got angry and told him to either move the cars or he would just push them out of the way with his car. His cousin finally had the people move their cars and we left. The next night we had been invited to get together with a few couples from the church. We decided to go and we had a really great time playing cards and laughing until our sides hurt. There was no drinking, no foul language, no dirty jokes, just good clean fun. We left there that night with a totally different outlook. It had started to snow and as we were driving home the snow started to really come down in big flakes. As we were driving all of a sudden I saw a pair of hands in the windshield. Hands that were palms up and I could see the nail scars in the middle. I heard a voice in my spirit say, “I showed you two choices. One of the world, that will lead to disaster and one of Me that will lead you down the road I have for you. Which is it going to be? You need to choose.” I realized then that Arnie had pulled the car over to the edge of the road and was sitting there like he had seen a ghost. I looked at him and he looked at me and he said, ‘Did you see what I just saw?” I told him what I had seen and he had seen the same thing. We both knew God had given us a choice to make. Right there in that 57 Chevy station wagon be both made the choice to follow Christ and His way. We never attended another party with his cousins and began to really grow in the Lord in that little Nazarene church. It wasn’t long before God sent us back to California where we began the ministry at the Nazarene Church there as youth directors, which has led us to where I am today. We made a decision back then to serve the Lord and we have never looked back. God has blessed our lives in so many ways over the years of serving Him. I don’t know where you are today in your walk, but I do know God has a plan for your life. If you are struggling with what He might be wanting you to do, just be assured that He will never ask anything of you that He won’t equip you to do it. I know He has always equipped us to do whatever He has called us to do. I also know that if He hadn’t met us on that snowy night and offered His hands to us, I wouldn’t be where I am today! As for me and my house we have and will continue to serve the Lord! Pastor Fran  1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” When we pray to be sanctified, are we prepared to face the standard of these verses? We take the term sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared for what sanctification will cost? It will cost an intense narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our interests in God.
"For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is--
Are we prepared to say –
The one and only characteristic of the Holy Ghost in a man is a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ,
Pastor Dick  Submission
1 Peter 2:11-3:17(Common English Bible) April 25, 2021 Bottom Line: As followers of Christ, one of the distinguishing characteristics of holiness is submission to one another. · This is not your HOME. · Live above REPROACH. · Holy lives are marked by SUBMISSION. · Holy submission allows an unbelieving world to see CHRIST. Submission 1 Peter 2:11-3:17(Common English Bible) April 25, 2021 Bottom Line: As followers of Christ, one of the distinguishing characteristics of holiness is submission to one another. · This is not your ____________________________. · Live above _____________________________. · Holy lives are marked by ___________________________________. · Holy submission allows an unbelieving world to see ___________________.  As you can imagine we have some real knock down drag outs at our house sometimes. Usually over toys. We can give our boys two of the same thing and they’ll still find a reason to fight over it.
Our youngest can be a bit of an antagonist and our oldest tends to go zero to ten in nothing flat. So it’s really fun for my youngest to take things from my oldest just for the reaction. Cue the screaming, crying and tug of war. We’ve been working really hard on using kind words to ask him to stop, or to ask him to give the toy back. It’s the strangest thing, when my oldest responds in screaming, crying and trying to jerk it away my youngest holds on tighter and fights back harder. If it’s approached with kind words however, he will give it right back, no fight. I think we all too often go straight to the fight. My mom always said “kill ‘em with kindness.” Is there someone you seem to constantly have a struggle with, someone it’s hard to find kind words for? “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Proverbs 16:24 NLT Kindness is an offering of love, our greatest commandment. The prayer of St. Frances says “Lord make me an instrument of your peace Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.” I pray the Lord will use you today to be an instrument of peace. Pastor Delinda  Sometimes we find ourselves praying the same prayer over and over again. We know God hears our prayers. We know our prayers matter. We even know that God has a plan for us based on his wisdom and knowledge. Yet the same prayer is prayed over and over again. And we keep waiting for him to reveal his answer.
Our Father knows our needs and concerns. He hears our hearts and responds in his perfect timing. Jesus reminds us of this. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-11) As a Dad, I love to give my kids what they ask for. However, sometimes I know what they need better than they do. I know what they can handle. I know if they are ready to receive it. So if our human parental instincts are loving and generous, then our heavenly Father’s must be beyond our imagination! God always wants what’s best for his children. We may not get what we ask for, but we always get what’s in our best interests. Today, remember that your Heavenly Father loves you and will give you what you need. -Pastor Michael  The year was 1992. Stella Liebeck went to the local McDonalds drive thru and ordered a hamburger and a cup of coffee. By her own admission she was inattentive when pulling the lid off of her coffee cup. When she went to take a drink, the coffee was hot and she dropped it into her lap. Stella, who was 79 years old at the time, sued McDonalds for 3 million dollars. She would eventually be awarded $640,000.00 by a jury.
Think for a moment; at 79 years old she had quite possibly consumed thousands of cups of coffee. She ordered hot coffee, the coffee burned her and it was not her fault! Stella is not alone in the world of not accepting personal responsibility and their accompanying consequences. It almost seems second nature in many to blame others for their burns of irresponsibility. Winston Churchill said, “Accepting personal responsibility is the price of greatness.” Supreme court Justice Lewis Brandies (1916-1939) said, “Responsibility is the great developer. It builds your character. It’s what helps you to grow.” We have all known a Stella Liebeck, the person who would rather accuse and excuse than accept responsibility. Self-centeredness coupled with entitlement mentality will always thwart personal spiritual growth. Today, take a fresh new look at your surroundings. Are you where you want to be? Are you growing in Godly wisdom and character. Remember, the God that loves you without reservation desires His best for you. Never become comfortable with anything less! Pastor Holmes  “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22, ESV
Ah, here it comes! The weather is warming up; the birds are singing; the sun is shining; the orange cones and barriers are popping up everywhere. It’s officially construction season in Kansas. Every street you travel on is pocked with holes, and the city/county/state is trying valiantly to fix them before winter comes again and we have to start all over. And it’s human nature to blame the city/county/state for not taking better care of the roads. But in reality it’s just part of living in Kansas: the hot summers and cold winters cause stuff to happen. And it’s construction season again. Really, aren’t our lives just like that? Things occasionally get out of whack, and we want to blame our family/friends/job/church/blah, blah, blah, for life not being what it ought to be. But that’s just life! We do something we shouldn’t (or don’tdo something we should); then we do it again, and again, and the first thing you know we have a habit that has taken us away from the center of God’s will. And we didn’t see that there was a problem until thump! our tires are a little flat and our undercarriage a little battered from the spiritual potholes that have accumulated. Maybe it’s time for construction season on our hearts. Using the Bible as a mirror, maybe I should take a look and see if I’m living according to the Word, or just reading it. And maybe I need to take the time to do a little work on my heart, even if that slows me down or creates an unwelcome detour. It will be worth it in the long run. God bless you! Nell Ritchey  As new creations in Christ, I believe each of us is given a ministry that involves reconciliation of the lost to the one true GOD (2 Corinthians 5:17-19). Many of us quote verse 17—we like to be new creations! Unfortunately, we tend to stay there. But we must move on – we are saved for good works ordained by God (Ephesians 2:10).
This walk we are called to will not always be pleasant, yet we are to pursue it obediently. Blessings follow obedience, they do not precede it. As we walk in obedience through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit, we will appear as “lights in the world” to this “perverse generation.” (Phil. 2:15). As children of the one true King, how we behave reflects directly back on to how the Kingdom of GOD is seen by others. According to 1 Peter 2:9-12, we are “A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIEST HOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that (we) may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called (us) out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Did conviction about your old life draw you to Jesus Christ, or did the example of His joy and peace that you saw in believers? For me, it took a combination of both. The joy and peace of one believer in particular became part of the conviction that drove me to finally reject the darkness dominating my life and accept the salvation freely offered through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Is His light shining through you? Who needs you to show that Jesus Christ is the Light of the World? Please remember, light dispels darkness. May His peace reign in your life. Pastor Bill  April 18, 2021
Shedding the Old I Peter Chapter 2 The One Thing: Salvation leads to discipleship or dysfunction! · Growing is a natural response to birth! I Peter 2:1 Reality: The redeemed of Christ can retain some dysfunctional qualities! · Always go for the good stuff! I Peter 2:2-3 We could call it a replacement theory. · Christ followers are both a finished product and a work in progress. I Peter 2:4-6 · Why is discipleship important? April 18, 2021 Shedding the Old I Peter Chapter 2 The One Thing: Salvation leads to discipleship or dysfunction! · Growing is a ____________________ _______________________ to birth! I Peter 2:1 Reality: The redeemed of Christ can retain some ________________________ qualities! · Always go for the ____________ _________________! I Peter 2:2-3 We could call it a __________________________ __________________. · Christ followers are both a __________________ ____________________ and a work in ____________________________. I Peter 2:4-6 · Why is ____________________________important?  Jackie Robinson was the first player to break the race barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. After the talented third baseman made an error that cost the Dodgers the game, fans along the third baseline began booing Robinson. In that tense moment, infielder Pee Wee Reese, born and raised in the South, came up to him and put his arm around him. The booing stopped and Robinson later referred to that moment as a turning point in his professional career.
Friends are an instrumental part of experiencing God’s caring touch. A friend who calls on a lonely night, who brings a meal when we are sick, who prays with us when we are discouraged, is inseparable to God’s encouragement. There are times when we simply must go to the Lord for our refreshment, but there are also many times when we need a smile or word from a friend. How about being a friend to someone this week. Keep Looking Up, Pastor Holmes  My family just went on a trip to Louisiana for my nephew’s wedding. We drove, leaving on a Thursday and coming home the next Tuesday. We drove through Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana to get where we were going. Every time I make that drive, I am amazed at the beauty in nature that can be seen through a car’s window. As I was enjoying the scenery, an old hymn came into my head:
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands have made// I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed// Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art, how great Thou art! Romans 1:18-20says this: “For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.” I’m always in awe of the fact that the Creator of the universe, Master of all that is both seen and unseen wants to pursue a relationship with us! Who are we, that God should even bother caring about us, let alone love and pursue us, yet He does exactly that. God’s thumbprint and the proof of His love for us is all around us, we need only to open our eyes and see it! Pastor Jared  The Rewards of Faithfulness: A pondering by Holly Woodbridge
1 Peter 4 Being Faithful to God 4 Christ suffered here on earth. Now you must be ready to suffer as he did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning. 2 It means you have turned from your own desires and want to obey God for the rest of your life. 3 You have already lived long enough like people who don’t know God. You were immoral and followed your evil desires. You went around drinking and partying and carrying on. In fact, you even worshiped disgusting idols. 4 Now your former friends wonder why you have stopped running around with them, and they curse you for it… 7 Everything will soon come to an end. So be serious and be sensible enough to pray. 8 Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins. 9 Welcome people into your home and don’t grumble about it. Glenda was an addict. She lived a lesbian lifestyle. She did what she wanted. She spent what she wanted. But it wasn’t working. She was angry at the world. And she had come to a place in her life where she just wanted to end it all. Jean Carson was an alcoholic. She had spent time as an army nurse. She had seen things and done things that pushed her to a place of utter despair. Her marriage and family were falling apart. Louise Clifford was a petite pastor’s wife with a great big God. She knew no fear. She had met Jesus when she was five years old and had decided she would love Him with her whole heart and share His story with the world. So she did. Glenda’s neighbor attended Louise’s church and told Louise about her. Louise knocked on her door. Jean’s sister, Judy, attended Louise’s church and asked for prayer for Jean. Louise introduced herself. And then she introduced them to Jesus. Louise walked these women through tremors, set-backs and the difficulties of recovery. She didn’t know how to give up. So they didn’t. Jean became a pillar of the local church. Her humility and generosity was a light to many. Glenda had to move in with her brother and sister- in-law because of a terminal illness and she lit up that little basement apartment with the love of God. There are many more lives touched along the way. That little pastor’s wife became known as their tree, but she knew she was just a branch. Louise, that’s my mom, turns 95 today. She has lived a life of faithfulness and fruitfulness all because of a decision she made when she was five years old. She chose to be faithful to her faithful God. There is nothing more precious to her than her relationship with Jesus. Take a moment today and search your own heart. Do a faithfulness check-up. First Peter 4 continues in verse 10: 10 Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. 11 If you have the gift of speaking, preach God’s message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen.  1 Peter 1:(14-19)
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. There was a famous preacher who once said, “the world is my parish.” For my Daddy, the world was his fix-it shop. He would find these old objects all over the place. He would find stuff in junk shops. He would find things at garage and yard sales. He would find stuff at the city dump. He would even find things on the side of the road. They were the kinds of things that most of us would consider as done in or useless. My Daddy had a whole different way of seeing things, and each of these things (wood, plastic, rubber, etc…) would become a piece of the putting together of my Daddy’s plan. You see my father wouldn’t collect these things just to clean them up or polish off a few scratches here and there. He always had a plan to take all these old useless creations and repurpose them into a new creation of his own design. We always had so much fun receiving these new creations at Christmas time. What was even more interesting was to the hear the story of how he gathered each item from here and there and then refashioned them into something of greater value. No doubt you can see where I am taking this can’t you? We are entering into this series on First Peter here at Wanamaker Woods. The central word that we find in this first chapter is ransomed (verse 18). It means that we have been bought back like a useless object at a pawn shop. The Father has walked into these places of futility and has redeemed us through the precious blood of His very own son. You, my friend, have been bought with precious currency. You have been set apart as an object of holiness that is to reflect His glory. And so Peter calls us to a life that is so radically different from the way people normally behave. Peter wants to remind us that we have been remade for greater purposes. We are not to return to our old functions of futility. Now you’ve been polished up for a much more admirable use. So be sure you live up to it. That means ‘holiness’: being set apart for God in every part and at every level. I gotta tell ya! You won’t regret living “a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Oh, I can see it almost like it is happening now. The Father will gather His children around the table. They call it the wedding feast of the lamb ya know. Then He will begin to tell the grand story of every piece, and every person who has been bought and brought back into His Kingdom. He’ll rehearse all the interesting details of how He miraculously connected it all together. I can picture it, can you? I’m pretty sure someone will hop on the piano. It might be Brenda or Patsy for all we know. Then we will begin to sing the Father’s favorite song. It goes something like this….. “But His favorite song of all Is the song of the redeemed When lost sinners now made clean Lift their voices loud and strong When those purchased by His blood Lift to Him a song of love Nothin' more He'd rather hear Nor so pleasin' to His ear As His favorite song of all” Pastor Donny  Who’s Tending Your Garden?
I love flowers and flower gardens. Although I am not a landscape designer, I love to work in my flower garden. There is something about working the earth and then watching plants grow and bloom. The colors and the variety of flowers always remind me of God's elaborate handiwork; for only God could create the intricate beauty of a delicate rose. With dedicated care and planning, an artistic person with a green thumb can create the most beautiful breath-catching array of colors and blooms around a waterfall or decorative pathway. However, even the most beautiful, positive, ecologically friendly environmental garden can become a garden of weeds and thistles if not tended to ecologically. Without proper care, proper fertilizer and watering, plants can become dry, turn yellow and drop their leaves. Crabgrass can overtake a garden in a matter of weeks. Weeds such as bindweed, goose grass, and dandelions have strong roots and are very hard to pull completely out. Chickweeds, though very pretty, are very dangerous to plants and can choke out the life of surrounding plants. Weeds like henbit, sandspurs and speedwell spread quickly from seedlings and send out runners that can spread into solid sheets that choke out grass and other living plants. Some weeds, such as the henbit and crabgrass, look for weak bare spots to invade, and sap the very life out of what it invades. The scriptures talk of "weeds" in our spiritual gardens. These can have the same effect on our Christian lives as weeds left unattended in the most exotic arboretum or flower garden. Ephesians 4:3 tells us to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Hebrews 12: 14 tells us, "see to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many" No root of bitterness! Bitterness can have very strong roots that grow deep and are very dangerous to the soul. Just like the crabgrass or henbit. Bitterness seems to invade the bare spots or the weak spots of our spiritual lives and saps out the joy and happiness that once bloomed there. Like the chickweed and sandspurs, bitterness can be very deceptive. Chickweeds, although beautiful when in bloom, turn into burrs that can be very painful if stepped on. Likewise, bitterness that is left unattended can become very painful when it turns into resentment, hatred, rage, malice, jealousy, envy, and selfish ambition. Galatians 5: 19-25 warns us of allowing the "weeds" of the sinful nature to take over our lives and the need to make sure that we tend to the garden of our souls by cultivating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When we don't take the time to tend to our gardens, weeds will sprout forth. The wrong kind of weeds can destroy a garden. But, if we will diligently, deliberately, and consistently pull out the invading weeds, fertilize weekly, water daily, prune and tend gently, we can enjoy the most beautiful breathtaking panoramic flower garden. The same is true of our spiritual gardens: our hearts ... If we will diligently seek Christ and all that He has for us; if we will deliberately and consistently read and study His Word; if we will feed at His table with Christian friends and allow Him to fill our hearts and minds with the Truth of the Gospel; if we will allow Him to prune and gently tend to our souls, that root of bitterness can't take root in our lives. But, left unattended, Satan will come and scatter the seeds necessary that will cause bitterness to take root. How is your spiritual garden? Are the weeds creeping in? Are some taking root in your lives that are sapping out the joy and happiness you desire? Are you full of bitterness and captive to sin? Remember, you can't have bitterness and joy at the same time! You don't have to be ensnared with "weeds" in your heart that choke out your joy of serving Christ. Pray with the Psalmist that prayed, "Create in me a pure heart a God. and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Pastor Fran  April 11, 2021
Peter on Holiness 1 Peter 1:1-9, 13-21 (Common English Bible) Bottom Line: As followers of Christ, we’re called to be different from the world. · This is not your HOME. · A faith that has been TESTED is a faith that can be TRUSTED. · Sometimes the greatest obstacle to a genuine faith is the desire to FIT IN. · The problem with “HAPPINESStheology” is that it empowers personal JUSTIFICATION. · HOLY LIVING is not the path to knowing JESUS. Knowing JESUS is the path to HOLY LIVING. · Holiness is not outward BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION. Rather it is inward SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION. April 11, 2021 Peter on Holiness 1 Peter 1:1-9, 13-21 (Common English Bible) Bottom Line: As followers of Christ, we’re called to be different from the world. · This is not your __________________________. · A faith that has been _____________________ is a faith that can be _____________________________. · Sometimes the greatest obstacle to a genuine faith is the desire to ____________________ _________________. · The problem with “_______________________________ theology” is that it empowers personal ____________________________________. · _________________ ___________________________ is not the path to knowing ____________________. Knowing ____________________ is the path to ______________________ _____________________________. · Holiness is not outward ___________________ ______________________. Rather it is inward ______________________ ________________________.  CHOICES
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. Isaiah said it, Moses said it, James said a man is unstable, Joshua put it this way: But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…. but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 Joshua’s warning to us is to make a choice. The decision is yours, for each single person to decide. Choose not the world, not materialism, but choose God. What are you committed to, what choices are you making for now and even more important; for “ETERNITY”? It’s a choice to serve God and live or serve others and die. God’s message has not changed. The knight from the Crusades in the movie Indiana Jones The Last Crusade, had it right; “CHOOSE WISELY”. Are we thankful to God for what He has blessed us with or are we choosing to grumble and roar over what the world has given us? Does Christ have first place in your life or mammon? Do you like a challenge? Then here it is; live for Christ, take up your cross, the cross that Christ carried up Golgotha’s hill for you so you could have life, abundant life, now and even greater in heaven for all eternity. Yes, you can choose wrongly, like Adam in the Garden, from whom we inherited sin. But we, you can choose to have sin forgiven by accepting God’s grace, by choosing Jesus Christ the one who gave His life for you and I that through Him we can have life rather than the way of death. Jesus is the only choice by whom we can go to the Father, by whom sin can be forgiven, the only way to heaven. CHOOSE WISELY! Your good deeds will not get you there, your conscience will not get you there, but by Grace through Faith only in Jesus Christ. Then continue to Choose Wisely to follow Christ in living a new life, a new Christian life, a life you cannot live by your own strength but by the choice to place your faith and trust in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Therein is our power to live in the way and the truth of Jesus Christ. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15 Life is all about choices. How will you respond? Pastor Jerry  "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21
Sin is a fundamental relationship;
fleshly sins,
God made His own Son to be sin that He might make the sinner a saint. All through the Bible it is revealed that
"He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin," and by so doing,
Cross.
 Some of you may have seen a video I shared on my Facebook page. Waist deep in leftover floodwaters some of my sisters and brothers in Christ stopped scooping floodwater and searching for things lost to sing praises. “Hau sei la tauk tan ita nee” they sang (I will not fear because you are with me.) They sang at the top of their lungs. So much to be sad about, so much lost, so much to be scared about and yet they stopped to praise. Many lives were lost in the floods. We have now heard from our family in East Timor, and from our churches, all are safe. All are struggling to find food, some have unimaginable amounts of clean up to do to their homes, others have lost their homes altogether. But they are praising Him through and after this storm.
I don’t know what storm you’re currently going through, or what is flooding your hearts, but I pray when you find yourself passing through deep waters, you will be able to stop like our Timor Christian brothers and sisters and sing praises to Him, our Rescuer, our Deliver and remember He is always with you. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2 Pastor Delinda  A few years back, I taught my kids how to play hide-and-seek. Have you ever tried to teach a kid that game? It can be a joy, but also a challenge. We would play indoors, and in our house, there were very few places I could hide well. One time I “tucked” myself in bed, under the covers. Another time I hid behind some coats that hung on a hook. Both times it took my kids several minutes to find me. They searched but eventually got distracted and either gave up, or found mom to help. Now, I can’t find a decent hiding place anymore. All the good ones have been discovered.
Another challenge when teaching a kid to play hide-and-seek is that sometimes they can’t seem to grasp the fact that silence helps them remain undetected. Often when I finished counting, I would walk into a room only to find them giggling in a corner or under the bed. Sometimes they would burst out from behind the door and shout, “Here I am!” Today they’re much better at hiding, but it took some time and practice. The great thing about God is He loves to be found. God doesn’t play games that make it difficult for us to find. He doesn’t pride himself on hiding well. Rather, when we’re searching for God, He is easily found. We’re told, “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door is opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) God loves to be found. Like a little child who can’t wait for their parent to find them, God loves to burst out and say, “Here I AM!” Pastor Michael  Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14
In Paul’s day, merchants sold pottery under signs which read: sine cere” (without wax). This was necessary because some dishonest merchants would rub beeswax into the cracks of damaged pottery and sell it as flawless. Honest merchants would advertise “without wax” thus inviting prospective customers to inspect it closely. Paul says in II Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.” At times situations arise which can cause “cracks” in our vessels. When this happens we have two options. The first, take it back to the potter (read - creator) for repair. The second fill it with beeswax (read - ignore, rationalize, lie to self or make excuses.) The problem with the beeswax of the world is that it fails to address the cause of the crack(s). Never forget, when God does a work of healing, He makes you sine cere – without the beeswax of irresponsibility. He invites all to bring their brokenness to Him for repair and restoration. This repair and restoration process begins when you take personal responsibility for your cracks and chips. His invitation of restoration is to you. Your answer to Him will decide the condition of your vessel. Pastor Holmes  Easter, April 4, 2021
What Shall We Do? Acts 2:22-24 & 36-38 The One Thing: the resurrection has the power to change you! · Acceptance is easier where authenticity and validity reign! Acts 2:22 · Why am I individually responsible for God’s plan? Acts 2:23 · God’s plan was a necessary remedyfor our wrong and poor choices. Acts 2:24 · To be absolutely certain of something is a wonderful thing! Acts 2:36 · What do you do when you don’t want to do what you know you should do? Acts 2:37-38 The resurrection has the power to change you! Blank Sermon Notes The One Thing: the resurrection has the power to change you! · Acceptance is easier where ___________________ and _______________reign! Acts 2:22 · Why am I individually ____________ for God’s __________? Acts 2:23 · God’s plan was a _________________ ___________ for our wrong and poor choices. Acts 2:24 · To be ____________________ _________________ of something is a wonderful thing! Acts 2:36 · What _____ you _____when you don’t want to _____ what you know you should _____? Acts 2:37-38 The resurrection has the power to change you!  “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.” Romans 8:28, NIV
On February 28, 2012, I had surgery which gave me my life back. For years I had suffered from a condition known as trigeminal neuralgia, sometimes called “The Suicide Disease,” because of the horrendous pain which has driven some people to that unfortunate end. Because of my faith, I was never suicidal. However, I certainly had my share of the pain, which begins intermittently and gradually increases in duration and intensity. The only time a TN sufferer can count on being pain free is when they sleep (for some reason). Although on huge doses of painkillers, I was frequently unable to speak, eat or even drink. I carried a notepad with me to communicate with others. It was not fun. Fortunately, I turned out to be a good candidate for surgery, and (also fortunately) the surgery has now held for nine years. These things are not true for all TN patients. I learned a lot from those years, and mostly I learned to praise God. Every time the pain struck, I reminded myself that Jesus bore greater pain than this – for me. As I concentrated on His great love for me, my suffering became bearable. My favorite song phrase became “Blessed be your Name, on the road marked with suffering, though there’s pain in the offering, blessed be your Name,”and to this day I sing it with tears. I am grateful for this particular trial, as I am for the other trials of life. I know that God worked for my good, increasing my fortitude, tolerance, courage, patience, and compassion for those who suffer from chronic conditions of all kinds. And every February 28 I find some venue for testimony, giving God an extra measure of praise for giving me my life back. Nell Ritchey |
AuthorNotes from the Staff @The Woods Archives
March 2023
Categories |
RSS Feed
