I recently heard that one of our new church families had a Christmas party and unbelievably someone went around and swiped the baby Jesus figurines from their nativity displays. While the world obviously has more pressing concerns and problems than a few missing pieces of porcelain, this event does point out the larger general cultural trend of removing Christ from Christmas. From rabid commercialization to Christian apathy to hyper political correctness, the star of Christmas is slowly fading to the background of this increasingly secular and pluralistic society.

The problem with the trend is that the answer to our country’s woes is directly tied to the prominence of Jesus Christ in our nation and individual lives. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” is a promise that cannot be claimed when that Lord is now rejected. We prove we’ve removed Jesus from the throne of our land and hearts when we prosecute people for dog fighting (and I am certainly a dog lover and despise this deplorable crime) and fight for the right to terminate human life (and even make the taxpayer pay for it). Someone recently told me about the horror of forced abortion in China for population control. I remarked that what’s worse is doing this by choice in the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I encourage you to keep the Lord Jesus Christ at the front and center of everything you are and everything you do this Christmas season and throughout the coming year. Christians in this great land need to rediscover their moral compass, their courage, and their voice once again. Speak up and stand up and let’s put Jesus back in his rightful place for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of our future as a nation.

There’s something on you this Christmas…it’s the blessing!

Once again proving that the Maoist regime is bent on suppressing the freedom of religion the Chinese constitution guarantees, party thugs descended on one of the fastest growing churches in Asia without regard for law, life, property, or religious liberty. It is time for our nation to wake from its slumber and pray for the persecuted Church around the world and particularly this day for the Church in China. With the exception of a few “show” churches heavily monitored and controlled by the State, the Body of Christ is thoroughly persecuted and oppressed by the communist regime. It is also time for our government to stop its Chinese borrowing spree and start pushing China in earnest to respect human rights. I encourage you to contact your representatives and demand that our administration get out of bed with this tyrannical government long enough to see what is happening to its people and our brothers and sisters. Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579979,00.html

When our son Tim was only three years old, Kelli began helping him to memorize Psalm 91. Thirteen years later he can still quote this amazing Psalm of protection. Now that he is sixteen and a licensed driver, I am doubly grateful that these seeds have been sown into his spirit (especially with all the “yayhoos” on the road these days).

In the past week I have personally heard of six automobile accidents involving members of Hope Harbor Church. I’ve never been a “demon behind every bush” kind of believer but I can also sense a strategy and pattern of activity on the part of the enemy to come against the people of God. I am actively believing God for your protection as you travel about during the Christmas season. I am also believing for the blessing to work in the lives of those that have been in accidents that in each case they would increase despite the situation.

I want to encourage you to spend some time this week reading, studying, memorizing, and quoting daily this powerful declaration of protection. The way we activate the promise in our lives is to (1) abide in the secret place of the Most High – that is maintain that intimate, close relationship with the Lord; and (2) declare that the Lord is your refuge because confession brings possession. As you read the corresponding promises of protection and deliverance your faith and confidence in God’s keeping power will grow. I’m including the entire Psalm from the New Living Translation for your convenience. I welcome your testimonies of God’s protection in the comments section of this post.

1Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare of the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from the fatal plague. 4 He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day, 6 nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. 8 But you will see it with your eyes; you will see how the wicked are punished. 9 If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling. 11 For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! 14 The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. 16 I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

I love the Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol, because of its redemptive message. So many people are carrying hurts and disappointments in life that literally turn them into a Scrooge in their own right. Through the talented pen of Dickens, Scrooge is guided through Christmases past, present, and future, to help him come to terms with his fears, rejection, and sense of abandonment and discover a transformation, a sudden new found hope, and a kindness of spirit.

Through the use of modern technology and state-of-the-art animation, Disney has produced a life-giving masterpiece from Dickens’ story. I want to invite everyone to attend our brand new Christmas sermon series based on the movie, Descrooging Your Life, this December 6th, 13th, and 20th. Join us as we discover how to learn from the past, live in the present, and look to the future and find our own transformation through the truth of God’s Word. If God can do it for Ebenezer Scrooge he can do it for you too!

The new sermon series will be shared at all four Hope Harbor Church locations. Visit www.hopeharborchurch.com for church locations, directions, and service times. I’m really looking forward to sharing this powerful sermon series with you and God bless us every one.

Tim, Dad, and the Turkey

Thanksgiving time is a great time for reflection in general. One can’t help but notice all the time, effort, and money that goes into preparing and presenting the annual Thanksgiving Day feast. It’s also amazing the sheer joy people seem to get anticipating the joining of friends and family to spend time together and enjoy an awesome meal. Not even the masses of people or long check-out lines at the discount shopping center can dampen the enthusiasm because…we will soon chow down.

I wonder what would happen in all of our lives if we gave the same time and attention to a daily feast for our spirits. 1 Peter 2:2-3 declares, “You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness” (NLT). What if we prepared a feast for the spirit man daily like we do for Thanksgiving? What if we spread out the Bibles, the notebook, the devotional, the teaching CDs or DVDs and ate until our spirits were filled to overflowing…everyday?

As physical strength comes from the digestion of food in the body, so spiritual strength comes from the breaking down of the Word by the Holy Spirit in our spirits. This is how true life comes – the God kind of life mentioned in John 10:10, AMP – “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” We can tell we are feasting well spiritually when we are experiencing the overflowing life of God. If not…we just need to eat some more.

I heard a comedian last year talking about the fact that no matter how great life is in the modern world and no matter how many technological breakthroughs we have, people today are never grateful. I was cracking up as I listened to him describe the fact that people sit on a plane complaining about the two-hour trip when the same journey by rail would take days or they gripe about the very slight delay in powering up a cell phone (he was careful to point out that the signal is traveling to space and back). His presentation is a reminder to all of us that the prevailing ingratitude in the world is not the result of adverse circumstances or insufficiency, but a reflection of the condition of the human heart.

The famine of gratitude in our nation and in our times is actually a direct fulfillment of the prophetic word given to Timothy by the Apostle Paul who wrote, ”BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane (2 Timothy 3:1-2, AMP).

The grateful person is appreciative or thankful for the benefits received from God, for everything we have starting with our forgiveness and restoration is the result of the favor of God. The level of gratitude in our lives indicates our measure of spiritual health. That being the case, some believers should be on life support.

Ungrateful people are complainers or whiners. There’s always something wrong to gripe about. They tend to be lustful and lascivious (and old KJV word that means that these people just can’t seem to find the brakes of restraint). They are typically never satisfied, unable to keep promises (covenant breakers), critical, unfair, adorned with a chip on the shoulder, unmotivated, overstimulated, and selfish. In fact, the root of ingratitude is selfishness.

As you reflect on the goodness of God this Thanksgiving season, consider four reasons we need to cultivate gratitude in our lives. First, gratitude is God’s will. Remember Paul’s command to be joyful always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18). Second, gratitude leads to contentment. Prov. 30:15-16 speaks of the leeches that have a very simple vocabulary. They cry out, “give me, give me.” The leeches in the world are takers and not sowers, but gratitude helps us to be contented and thankful while we wait for our sowing to bear the fruit of increase in our lives. Third, gratitude makes prayer effective. Phil. 4:6 teaches us that we need to add thanksgiving to our petition if we want the peace of God while we are waiting for the answer to prayer to be manifested. Finally, gratitude brings full restoration. We should never forget the lesson of the leper that received healing, but unlike his nine friends, returned to Jesus to give him thanks and praise. The others were healed, but this man received soundness and wholeness in every area of his life. Gratitude is the difference between being touched and being totally transformed.

“Why do you let your emotions take over, lashing out and spitting fire?” (Job 15:12, MES). ”A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones” (Matthew 13:21, MES). ”A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them” (Proverbs 29:11, GW).

The Scriptures are very clear. Being a Christian does not somehow inoculate one from trouble, challenges, and setbacks. We are promised a remedy, help, support, and restoration when we do find ourselves up to our ears in difficulty. John 16:33 says, “in this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I [Jesus] have overcome the world.” Mark 4:17 reminds us, “when (not if) trouble or persecution comes because of the word.” Psalm 46:1 exhorts, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” The trouble often leads us to reacting emotionally in a direction that contradicts the sound counsel of the Word of God.

There are two common responses to trouble and challenges in life: (1) drama – the expression of anxiety, turmoil, doubt, fear, anger, or unbelief through the emotions or, (2) rest – the peace of God that is the consequence of the release of the force of faith from the spirit. Hebrews 4:3 teaches us that we are to labor to enter into that rest through faith.

Drama can include breaking out into tears, pity, whining, complaining, anger, threats, bargaining with God, depression or the putting forth of fleeces before the Lord. James 1:19-21 reminds us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because our anger (or drama) does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Some would say, “why it’s not natural to go through trouble, hardship, and challenges without the drama.” Right, and we are not natural people, we are supernatural, born again, new creations in Christ Jesus!

We need to remember when we’re tempted to yield to an emotional meltdown that drama is not anointed to deliver, heal, provide, or produce. In fact, drama often pushes you right out of the will of God. Emotions become dangerous and a liability when we let them dictate our path or when we begin to believe that drama will actually bring any constructive solution.

Think about some examples from the Bible. If Cain had skipped the drama he never would have slain his brother. If Abraham had skipped the drama he would have waited for Isaac and prevented the impact of Ishmael that is with us to this day. If Moses had skipped the drama he would have entered the promised land. If David had skipped the drama he would have kept his pants on. If Judas had skipped the drama he would not be snorting sulfur right now. Let’s face it. We are emotional beings but the Lord never intended for us to run our lives through the impulses of the emotions but through the peace of the born again spirit.

In today’s article I want to list some consequences of drama:

1.  Drama is unproductive (yields no results).

2.  Drama reveals and indicates unbelief.

3.  Drama postpones the breakthrough in our lives.

4.  Drama drains our energy.

5.  Drama wastes time.

6.  Drama taints and skews our decisions.

7.  Drama influences others negatively.

Be watching the blog for more on “skipping the drama.” I will be discussing how to stop the drama in your life. Remember, there’s something on you – it’s the blessing!

Matt Holliday's Error

If you are a St. Louis Cardinals fan you are sensing a little deja vu all over again given the quality of play overall by the Cards so far in Division Championship play. Chris Carpenter struggled on the mound during game one but Wainwright was nearly flawless through seven innings and pitched himself out of a jam in the eighth inning of game two. The bats and the defense, however, remind me of the painful performance against the Red Sox when they swept the Cards in the World Series.

Matt Holliday, who led his Colorado squad to championship play a few years back and is a big reason why the Cards won their division, drove an early home run over the fence to put the Cards on the board in game two. Later, to the shock and horror of Card fans all over the country, Holliday, no Jim Edmonds, ran up on a fly ball to left field, lost the ball in the lights, at the last minute inverted his glove, missed the ball, and then stumbled to the ground like a little leaguer. What should have been a game ending catch ended up prompting a Dodger rally that completely neutralized the stellar performance of the Cards ace pitcher. The result is the Cards are now down two games to none as they head back to St. Louis for Saturday’s game three of the series. They have to win three games in a row or face elimination from post season play.

The problem with Holliday’s error is not the fact that he made the error and possibly cost the Cards the World Series (a little too dramatic right?), it’s the fact that the media and sports channels keep replaying the outfielder’s baseball folly over, and over, and over again. I mean, how many of us would like to have our mistakes viewed by millions of people to begin with and then replayed until we are made into a Chevy Chase caricature of ourselves?

Like Holliday, we all make mistakes. The Devil loves to throw it back in our faces over and over again to keep us defeated and to stop our potential and success in the future. The key for Holliday (and for us), is to shake off the mistake, put the uniform back on, get back out there, knock some more balls out of the park, catch the ball next time, and bring home the championship. I’ll be watching and rooting for him just like I know Jesus is rooting for me and you.

I recently ran across one of the best books on leadership I’ve seen in a while – Seven Lessons for Leading in Crisis by Bill George. The book points out the real reason so many leaders in the corporate and financial world failed to effectively lead before and during the recent crisis. He submits that leaders fail when they do not follow their “True North” or the internal compass of their beliefs, values, and principles in the midst of the crisis when the pressure is on.

When a business executive lies to his shareholders and the SEC about corporate profits instead of sharing the reality he has left his true north. When a politician leads by opinion poll rather than by conviction he has abandoned his true north. When a teacher seduces the student instead of maintaining proper boundaries he has forgotten his true north. When a ministry leader tries to win the whole world to Jesus and loses his family he has lost his true north.

No one likes a crisis and we do not enjoy the pressure life sometimes brings in the marriage, family, workplace, or ministry, but as an English proverb says, “A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.” In other words, the training ground for leading in a crisis is the crisis itself. George points out that the Chinese character for “crisis” is made from the symbols of two words, danger and opportunity. Yes there is danger in the midst of the crisis but there is also an unprecedented opportunity to turn the situation around and make the adjustments that can take us to the next level. I hope you will find the following lessons for leading in crisis as practical and encouraging as I do:

1.  Face reality starting with yourself (acknowledge your role in the crisis so you can move on to help solve it).

2.  Don’t be Atlas but get the world off your shoulders (you cant’ go through it alone so reach out and let others share the burden and this will build chemistry and bonds in your team).

3.  Dig deep for the root cause (there are no quick fixes and quick fixes only mask the real problem – to fix the problem we must first understand the root cause and then implement permanent solutions).

4.  Get ready for the long haul (this is probably just the tip of the iceberg so be prepared mentally for a drawn out process).

5.  Never waste a good crisis (the crisis is a wonderful opportunity to make some major strategic changes).

6.  You are in the spotlight so make sure you follow your true north (everyone is watching what you do to see if you will focus on your values or succumb to the pressure to look good or accomplish your goals at any cost).

7.  Go on the offense (focus on winning now rather than on whining, complaining, licking your wounds or blaming others).

There’s something on you and it’s the blessing – you are destined to win so don’t give up in the middle of the crisis!

“If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength” (Proverbs 24:10, NIV).

We’ve been sharing the good news at Hope Harbor Church for several weeks now that God has not given us, his people, a spirit of fear. Certainly the circumstances all around us could tempt us to yield to the fear but in doing so we know that fear hooks us up to the enemy like faith hooks us up to God. When we get attached to the enemy we can expect destruction and devastation to follow. When we get attached to God through faith we can expect the favor of God and this is a great time for an outpouring of favor in all of our lives.

Fear is a perverted form of faith. It is having confidence that harm, adversity, and defeat is coming your way. Job declared that what he feared greatly had come upon him. Fear, like faith, is the product of our inputs in life. Faith comes by hearing but so does fear. If we give our attention to all the issues and problems in life then fear will be result. If we give our focus and attention to the incorruptible seed of the Word of God then faith will be the result. It’s time to neglect and starve that fear and feed our faith like never before.

Be confident that even though times change, bank accounts ebb and flow, people come and go, and we experience ups and downs, the Word, which is eternal, never changes and is not at all threatened by the harshest of circumstances. Fundamentally, the Word does not stop being true because we are going through something that contradicts the Word. The Word is the highest form of truth in the universe and the power in the Word to bring itself to pass in your life is released as you believe the Word and act on it.

Make up your mind today that you are going to walk fearlessly through these times. Decide now and forever that the Word reigns in your life no matter what you see, hear, or feel. Say like Smith Wigglesworth, “I’m not moved by what I see. I’m not moved by what I hear. I’m not moved by what I feel. I’m moved by the Word of God.”

I have been blessed with the greatest parents in the world. They always encouraged and supported all four of their children. They knew what some parents and loved ones do not – showing up to support your kids in their activites communicates love and builds their self-confidence and security.

As we head to the Kentucky State Band Championships with Tim and the Calloway County Laker Band, I can’t help but think about the many times my parents were there to support me.  I remember my parents standing on the pool deck watching me win another race or set another record. I remember my Dad watching every pitch I threw on my way to another baseball victory.  One of my most vivid memories growing up was the daily 5:30 am commute to Carbondale, IL for swimming practice. Dad woke my brothers and me, got us in the front seat of our Chrysler, turned on the heater, handed us a Hostess Ding Dong, and then headed out in to the cold, dark morning so that his kids could participate in a quality swim program.  Fifteen minutes into the drive and the heater was still blowing cold, skunk tainted air.

As a pastor and as a band parent I am sad to say that many kids never have their parents or loved ones show up to cheer them on. Sitting in the bleachers waiting for my son’s band to perform I overhead a band member from another school say, “I wish my mom loved me enough to see me perform.”  I remember thinking, “Every kid should have someone here.” Nothing builds self-confidence and a sense of worth in your children like being there for them. Regardless of the activity, interest, or pursuit, make the support of your children one of your highest priorities in life. No parent can be there for everything, but for your kid’s sake, make that extra special effort to at least attend some of their activities.

[Kelli will be contributing to my blog on a regular basis. I hope you enjoy her inspirational first article. God bless you - Pastor Art]

 WHY I BELIEVE THAT ALL HUMAN LIFE IS PRECIOUS & SACRED TO GOD  

Tim and Mom at Disney

 

One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in the book of Jeremiah.  It says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;” (Jer. 1:5 NIV).  Another favorite passage is found in the book of Psalms.  It reads, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be”  (Psalm 139:13-16, NIV).

 

As I approach my 40^th birthday, I have been looking back over my life.  Have I reached my God-given potential?  Have I accomplished the things that God wants me to accomplish?  Has my life been pleasing to Him? 

 

On November 16, 1968, I was born out of wed-lock to a teen-aged, high school drop-out.  I don’t know the circumstances surrounding my birth, but I do know that it couldn’t have been easy for my mother.  She must have suffered much shame & ridicule for being pregnant, and then choosing to raise me as a single mother.  She never received any assistance from my father.  In fact, I’ve never met the man. 

 

Growing up, I struggled with low self-esteem and feelings of unworthiness.  I always wondered, “God, why did you make me?  My parents didn’t plan me.  Do you love me and have a purpose for me?”  It was when I found these scriptures that I began to realize that God did love me, and that He had a purpose for my life. 

 

You see, God loves each and every one of us.  It doesn’t matter if your parents planned you or not.  GOD DID!!!!!  God has a plan for each of us.

 

Our son’s story is very similar.  When my husband and I got married, we were unable to conceive.  After praying for a child for almost six years, God gave us our son Timothy.  Timothy was born in a similar situation, and his mother lovingly chose to give him up for adoption.  I thank God so much for this self-less young woman.  Because of her, we are able to experience the love and joy of watching our son grow into a mighty man of God.  He is our precious, special, chosen gift from God.

 

As we were following the buses and police escort out of town on our way to the state band competitions this past weekend, I started to cry.  I wasn’t crying from sadness, but from an overwhelming sense of joy and gladness.  My heart swelled with love and pride for my Timothy.

 

No, neither Timothy nor I was planned by our parents, but God had a plan for each of us.  I want to leave you with one last scripture.  It is found in the book of Jeremiah.  It says, “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”  (Jer. 29:11, NIV).

 

As you exercise your right to vote, remember that all human life is precious and sacred to God. 

 

Tim at MSU Festival of Champions

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law”       (Galatians 5:22, NIV).”

Isaiah 51:11 declares that those set free by the Lord will be overtaken with joy and that sorrow would flee! Psalm 30:11 says that our mourning will be turned to dancing. Romans 14:17 declares: “The kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The nature of joy is very different from the nature of happiness. Unlike joy, which is a spiritual force, happiness is simply an emotional reaction to present life circumstances. Joy resides in the spirit, the inner man, of the believer and is deposited there through our relationship with the Lord and our habit of maintaining living contact with Him. Joy can be described as cheerful, calm delight. Christians with joy have learned to habitually rejoice, brighten up, or twirl about – all meanings of the biblical word for joy. Our cheerful, calm delight spills out of our hearts in the form of rejoicing even if nothing is going right or if nothing seems to be changing for the better.

The force of joy is powerful and produces much in the life of the believer. First, joy brings strength. In fact, “the joy of the Lord is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). This verse means that the joy of the Lord is our fortified place, a fort, and a defense. As long as our joy is strong our lives are well defended. When the joy drops, so does our protection.

Second, joy brings restoration. Like many of you, I tend to rejoice after something has been fixed or restored. James 1:2-5 tells us to “count it all joy” when we are facing various challenges. Jeremiah 33:10-11 instructs us that joy has a voice. In other words, it is quite impossible to hide joy because it is expressed verbally as well as sensed internally. We cannot wait until something is fixed or restored to rejoice in the Lord. In fact, Scripture indicates that rejoicing precedes or facilitates restoration (Joel 2:23-24).

There are many biblical blessings available to the believer for the consistent production of joy: (1) God’s grace – the fact that our sin is not counted against us. Celebrate the grace of God and joy will come; (2) God’s word – the entrance of the word into our hearts on any matter brings great joy. Pick up the Bible today and read it; (3) God’s lifestyle – the pure live a life of joy rather than torment and regret. Live your life without compromise; (4) God’s agenda – seeking and saving the lost brings us great joy. Bring someone to Jesus this week; (5) God’s presence – the presence of the Holy Spirit is a wellspring of joy for the believer. Camp out in the presence of God; and (6) God’s answer to prayer – our joy is made complete, mature, and full when we realize our God is a God that answers prayer. Keep on believing and receiving from God through prayer.

Don’t let anything get your joy. It is too valuable and too powerful a spiritual force to live without. The moment you sense your joy level dropping, take some of the above steps immediately and watch God restore your joy and all the benefits associated with joy!

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4, KJV).

“Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17, KJV).

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the 2008 Presidential election and the consequences of the decision of the American people on our future. As an individual American with strong values and convictions I could take this opportunity to decry the western European neo-socialism voted into power yesterday. I could bemoan the even greater threat the unborn will face with a chief executive with radical abortion views and a Senate Judiciary Committee controlled by individuals that are openly committed to picking Supreme Court Justices based on an ideology rather than qualifications. I could express my disappointment that the American electorate once again, like the election of 1992, voted on the basis of perceived economic expediency rather than on moral conviction. Finally, I could rant about the complete and total breakdown of journalistic integrity by most of the media in this nation. The double standard and bias were so obvious that it made me laugh out loud in disgust and talk to my television set on more than one occasion.

But I’m going to resist that temptation and take this opportunity to help believers respond biblically to the reality of the election of an administration that does not represent their values or interests. First, we should all be glad that racism has taken a huge punch in the face during this election cycle. From Obama’s Democratic caucus win in Iowa to the support he received among white voters from Maine to Colorado to North Carolina in the general election, it is clear that Dr. King’s dream that individuals be judged by their character and not their skin color is much closer to being realized than ever before. Second, we should all be thankful for the amazing way this nation transfers power. Come January, one administration with access to unbelievable resources and influence will peacefully and deliberately hand that power over to a new administration. This special transition, literally the envy of the entire world, is cause for all Americans to be very proud of their democracy. Third, regardless of who we voted for, the Scripture is very plain. We have the responsibility to “honor” our leadership (even though the previous President has been shown contempt beyond comprehension) and pray for those in authority. Our job now is to pray for the new President and believe that he will act in the nation’s best interest and in a manner consistent with the wisdom of the Scriptures. Our ability to live quiet and peaceable lives and achieve success in our primary mandate to share the gospel depends on true Christians in the United States standing in the gap for our leadership.

Don’t get me wrong though. When this administration veers down a path of contempt for the laws of God I will raise my voice through any means available to challenge that direction. I will not sit idly by (nor should you) if the new Department of Education attempts to nationalize the use of pro-homosexual materials in our nations elementary schools. I will speak up against the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion used erroneously in the name of the mother’s health and the expansion of abortion in this nation in general. I will not hold my peace if our State Department moves to alienate and pressure Israel to accept yet another false peace brokered at the expense of even more covenant land. After all, I did not surrender my citizenship the day I gave my life to Jesus Christ and I have every intention of doing my civic duty to bring some moral accountability to an administration that will have unprecedented political pressure to govern from the extreme left.

James 1:19 admonishes the believer to be “slow to take offense.” Notice that offense doesn’t just come on us out of nowhere. Offense is something that we have to allow to rise up in our hearts and we receive it, or take it.  Proverbs 19:11 says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” In other words, it is to a man’s great benefit to handle offense correctly and biblically.

The problem with offense is that the consequences are so severe for the believer: it stops our revelation; it stops our healing; it stops our sowing and reaping; it stops commitment; it stops teachability; it stops effective prayer; it stops our development and our fruit bearing; it stops the anointing; it stops our influence; and it stops our blessing.

We see the impact of offense clearly demonstrated in the ministry of Jesus when he returned to his hometown. The people responded with a familiar spirit (an attitude that does not honor the gift of a God in a person because the person was known before the gift began to manifest) saying, “Isn’t this the carpenter. Isn’t this Mary’s son…” (Mark 6:3). The result was that “they took offense” at him and the Bible says, “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith” (vv. 3-6). The taking of offense is directly connected to unbelief and that offense stops the flow of God’s life-changing anointing.

I’ve discovered that more and more people are becoming aware of the destructive impact of offense in their lives and are allowing the Lord to work in them to root out its influence whenever it rears its ugly head. I’ve discovered that there are varying levels and degrees of offense taking. The important thing is that we identify where we are today and keep moving forward in the Lord to the point where we can live offense free.

The first level of offense (and our ultimate goal) is “no tolerance for offense.” This mature believer has learned to walk in love, mercy and forgiveness. They understand the value of not allowing offense to take root in any area of their lives. The second level of offense is “resistant to offense.” Still growing, this person has realized the problem and they resist its presence in their lives. The third level is “yielding to offense.” This person might sense the problem and danger but ultimately (and consistently) yields to offense in the end. The fourth level is “quick to take offense.” This is the person that is easily hurt and offended over every little thing that comes down the pike. People like this are often up to their ears in offense, anger, and recrimination before they realize what’s happening. I find a lot of people in the body of Christ like this. the fifth level is “looking for offense. This individual seems to almost relish the idea of offense not understanding what they are giving up for the luxury of being mad. They scan the horizon, the workplace, the church, the living room looking for a reason to go off on someone (and they frequently do). We will always find a reason to get offended if we are looking for one. The last and almost comical level (if it were not so sad) is the “manufacturing offense” level. This person looks hard for a reason to get offended, but cannot find anything legitimate to take offense over so they do what any totally defeated person would do – they create or manufacture a reason to be offended.

1 Peter 4:8, says that “love covers over a multitude of sins.” As believers we should be manufacturers of love and mercy rather than anger and offense. You will always have many opportunities throughout the week to get offended. I recommend you not take them. I encourage you to shut down the offense factory in your life for good. When you see the great benefits of walking consistently in love and mercy you’ll be glad you did.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, NIV).”

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life” (Philippians 4:6-7, MES).

The word “worry” comes from the German word wergen, which means, “to choke.” Many people in our nation are literally choking under the pressure and weight of anxiety and worry. Anxiety disorders are said to be the current #1 health problem for women and #2 health problem for men in America. Nearly thirty million Americans claim to be stressed out and eighteen million are currently using antidepressants like Prozak.

The Bible promise of peace stands in stark contrast to the emotional and mental turmoil so many live with daily. Peace is a general, abiding sense of well being in our lives. It is tranquility, serenity, and rest of spirit, soul, and body based on the consciousness of a right relationship with God. Peace, then, comes from the inside out and overflows out of the heart to impact the rest of our lives. Peace is more than just the absence of strife, war, or turmoil. The spiritual fruit of peace is real spiritual power to produce genuine whole-ness in one’s life-nothing missing, nothing broken-soundness in every area of life.

The development of the fruit of peace in our lives will lead to great Bible promises such as victory (John 16:33); stability (Philippians 4:7); direction (Colossians 3:15); health (Proverbs 14:30); and prosperity (Job 22:21). We all know what it is like to live life without the peace of God. We can develop of farm this powerful and precious fruit of the Spirit by making to profound changes in our lives:

First, we need to change what we have been living for. Isaiah 9:6 describes Jesus as the “Prince of Peace.” The Lord himself is the giver of peace. He said in John 14:27, LB, “I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”  There is no way to tap into Bible peace without making Jesus the focus of our lives-the one we live for daily. Many people call themselves Christians while actually living for themselves, some carnal goal, or for some other person. The only way to walk in this great peace is to walk with the key to true peace-Jesus!

Second, we need to change what we have been thinking about. Our lives tend to go in the direction of our most dominant thoughts and meditations. Colossians 3:1-2 exhorts, “Let haven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.” The Bible promises perfect peace for people that keep their minds focused on God (Isaiah 26:3) and great peace for people that love the word of God (Psalm 119:165). Our peace (or lack of it) is directly affected by the quality and content of our thought lives. Real Bible peace comes when I learn to habitually think the thoughts of God.

So Excited About My Birthday

I used to tell Kelli that by the time she turned 40 she would have been a wife for 21 years, a mother for 15 years and in full time ministry for 20 years. Keep in mind that this was a “far piece” down the road then. Now, it’s just around the corner (Sunday the 16th of November).

With just a few days before Kelli’s 40th birthday, I want to share a little bit about her extraordinary journey. She married me at 18 (after all this is Kentucky) and followed me to graduate school. I worked 40 hours, carried 12 graduate hours, and Kelli worked at Burger King and other places to help make ends meet. The first night she came home from the BK job I let her know she smelled like a Whopper. Our tax return that year showed that we grossed just over $3,000 but we would have told you we were rich and having the time of our lives getting ready for future ministry.

Amazingly she was only 20 years old when we accepted our first full time assignment in ministry serving as youth and associate pastors in Savannah, Georgia. She was only 22 when we assumed our first responsibility as senior pastors in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The ladies from that church said they wanted to lock her up in a cage because they were concerned that folks would “eat you alive.” She was just 26 when we moved to Murray to serve in our present capacity. Only the grace of God and Kelli’s phenomenal love for God and character could explain how someone so young could handle the complexities and pressures that come with modern pastoral ministry (let alone the challenges of dealing with type “rabbit” pastor husband).

After we moved to Murray, Kelli decided to return to school to pursue her degree at Murray State University. Immediately after completing her bachelors in public relations she began pursuing a masters in organizational communication. It’s never easy for a non-traditional student to return to college. It’s even more difficult to pull this off while being a wife, mother, and while serving in full time ministry. Since then she has served as a workplace trainer and college lecturer teaching courses in public speaking and group processes.

I’m very proud of her accomplishments and so very thankful for her partnership in this ministry. She has served the Church in the most profound ways but most of all by ministering to me and my son. Thank you for joining me this week in wishing her a most blessed birthday. I would like to open the comments on this posting for you to share an encouraging word for her. I know that would mean so much to her. Kelli, Tim and I love you and appreciate you more than you will ever know. Happy [blessed beyond measure] Birthday!

 

The Christmas season is a time of great joy and a time that much of the world’s population pauses to reflect on the gift of God to the world, Jesus Christ and what he would accomplish on the cross for the world. It’s easy for the simple message of redemption and reconciliation to get lost in the hyper commercialism and secularization of Christmas. In fact, the agenda of the agnostic, atheist, and humanist to force Christmas to the background of American life is more prevalent today than ever (including a bus advertising campaign by the humanists that challenge the observer, “Why believe in a god…just be good for goodness’ sake”). The problem is that without a standard for goodness (the Lord and His Word) there is no way to define what is good. That’s why belief in God translates into practical goodness. [See the foxnews story at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450445,00.html]

It started years ago with the introduction of more and more secular images of the season: talking reindeer, likable animated snowmen, and jolly Santas showing up in schools, in storefronts, and all over the television set. The collective result of this flurry of secular images in our culture is a population that has become so detached from the reality of Christmas that “X” has replaced Christ in the greeting “Merry Christmas” and in schools and department stores the phrase is almost treated like profanity (the wonderful contribution of the politically correct thought police). They prefer to say, “Happy Holidays” and they now call Christmas Trees, “Holiday Trees” (barf). I just want to remind you that the correct greeting is “Merry Christmas,” and I encourage you to say it often. Say it in faith. Say it in joy. Say it to everyone you can. Remind your community that Christmas is about the coming of the anointed one.

Still, Christmas is one of the greatest outreach opportunities of the year. This year we will be presenting our Living Christmas Tree featuring a cast and crew of over 100 people. I invite you to volunteer to help with the set construction or tear down, or help with hospitality one or more nights of the production. Also, please help us spread the word to our community. With your help and the blessing of God we will see many come to Christ this December 5-7 and help make this their best Christmas yet. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, NIV).” “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. Patience and encouragement come from God” (Romans 15:4-5, NCV).

Patience is a spiritual force and consequently is of a spiritual origin. We will never be able to muster up enough patience in the natural to deal with life’s challenges and opportunities. Patience, like the other fruit of the Spirit is developed through the word of God and through living contact with God through prayer. God is the both the source and example of patience.

Patience literally means “long-tempered.” The patient person does not become easily angered. When the patient person does become angry, it is always a controlled anger. Patience is not merely a passivity and resignation to the inevitable, but a source of power to maintain a word based confidence and cheerful endurance while waiting for a breakthrough or a turnaround. Since patience is a spiritual force and not just something we use to “grin and bear it” when times are hard, it accomplishes much in the life of the believer.

First, we can obtain Christian maturity and character through patience. James 1:3-4 teaches that patience produces perfection or maturity in the life of the believer. As we allow patience to under gird our faith, we begin to experience growth in the vital area of character formation.

Second, we can obtain a life of peace with other people through patience. The Bible teaches that we are to “be humble, gentle and patient…” (Ephesians 4:1-2). The believer is commanded in Scripture to stay out of strife with other people (2 Timothy 2:24). Believers that stay in strife also stay in defeat. It is impossible for our faith to produce results when we are violating the rule of love. The force of patience gives us the strength to stay in love even under direct provocation.

Third, we can obtain divine assistance when we are in trouble. The Psalmist said, “I waited patiently” and “the Lord heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1-3). Divine assistance such as deliverance, stability, and joy are made available to us when we maintain the fruit of patience in our lives.

Fourth, we can obtain the promises of God through patience. Hebrews 6:12 reminds us it is through faith and patience we inherit what has been promised. Many apparent “faith failures” are in actuality “patience failures.” Faith was never designed as a stand-alone spiritual force. Without the support of patience, many times people just simply give up on the promise ever coming to pass. They believe, but they have no patience to stabilize their faith for the long haul. We have the assurance that if we stand we will “receive all that he has promised” (Hebrews 10:35-36).

Finally, with patience we can obtain our life dreams. The prophet Habakkuk declares, “But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed” (2:3, NLT). Godly dreams require godly pathways-and one of those pathways is patience. Patience will keep us steady, firm, and confident while we are waiting and working for our dreams to come true.

Max the Gladiator

Pet owners understand something that people without pets cannot understand – our pets literally become part of the family. So when a precious pet goes missing it’s quite traumatic for the family and particularly that member of the family that most identifies with the animal (Tim’s Bambi likes to stress everyone out by charging through any open door and bolting like a convict during a prison break – but we always find him wandering blindly and aimlessly two doors down). The Klotz family has been believing God for the safe return of Max (Maximus Decimus Meridius) from “gladiator” fame who, as I understand it, has been missing for a couple of weeks. Having been raised with an adventurous tabby colored tom cat, I knew when I heard about Max (and saw his feline wanted posters all over the neighborhood) that he was probably out trying to sharpen his fighting skills and conquer the south end of the city of Murray. 

Max made his way home today to the delight of a very appreciative family (and a certain man of the house). I felt the same way when Tiger returned home after weeks and weeks of prowling around. I remember looking every night for Tiger to show up. I always thought he was alright but I could never be sure. Then one day he came prancing up the driveway, apparently laying waste to every rival cat in town that would dare challenge him (neighbors would tell me later that my cat was a bully to the other cats in the neighborhood – I can’t help it if they raised wimpy cats).

Following the Max saga reminds me of how the Father feels when one of his kids goes missing. The story of the Prodigal Son reveals the heart of God that longs for the return of his child. The return of a family pet pales in comparison to the exuberance and pleasure it brings the Lord when we get tired of catting around and return home where we belong, but thanks Max for reminding us of the Father’s love.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life],” Proverbs 18:21, AMP

Gas Prices Fall 60%

One of our faith-filled Hope Harbor kids heard a lady say this week how glad she was that the gas prices have come down. He made sure she knew it was “because of Hope Harbor Church.” Stunned, the lady didn’t know what to say.

Well, we know what he meant. He understood that as a church we began to put faith pressure on the oil and gas situation with our words (as other churches have done throughout the country). So many people, including Christians, got into the really bad habit of talking about how bad prices are and how things are going to get worse. We just made the quality decision to speak faith-filled words and command those prices to come down in Jesus’ name.

We know now that God has honored the faith of thousands of believers and the gas prices just continue to plummet. In fact, our original faith goal of $2.89 by Christmas has been amended several times. In fact, the price has been dropping faster than we can declare a new price (but that’s just a coincidence).

Remember in challenging times to continue to speak the Word and not the circumstances. Remember that words are powerful and that we will rise or fall to the level of the confession of our mouths. Remember that your tongue is the deciding factor in your life. Change your words and you can change your life. No matter how fierce the storm or how serious the problem, your tongue can turn it. No storm or challenge or difficulty is so big that you, as a believer, cannot overcome it with God’s Word in your mouth. Your confession will control your ship in any storm, including an economic one.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, NIV).”

“Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jeremiah 9:24-25, NIV).

The concept of Bible kindness comes from Hebrew words such as hesed which means to bow the neck in courtesy as to an equal; to be gracious; to be sweet in disposition; to be loyal to covenant obligations; to be merciful and good. Without question, our God can be described as kind: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV). Psalm 30:5 says, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime” (NIV). God shows his covenant loyalty to us consistently and regularly.

It is important to note, however, that God expects this same type of covenant loyalty to be displayed to others. For example, God expects us to show kindness to the poor and the needy (Proverbs 14:31; 19:17). We should also show kindness to our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Ephesians 4:32). Believe it or not we are to show this same kindness even to our enemies (Luke 6:35; Proverbs 25:22). Finally, in a sweeping statement, Paul told Timothy to be kind to everyone: “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone” (1 Timothy 2:24).

The story of the Good Samaritan really sheds light on what kindness means to God. There are three keys I want to share with you from this touching story about a man mugged on his way to the city of Jericho that will help us become a consistently kind person.

First, we must overcome the fear of involvement. The priest and the Levite in this story no doubt were concerned about the pronounced danger on the notorious road to Jericho known as the “bloody way.” They chose to close their heart to the need. They might have also been concerned about becoming “unclean” by interacting with the victim they saw there. Perhaps they were afraid of getting in over their heads. Regardless of the reason, we need to overcome the fear that keeps us from reaching out to the hurting and the lonely in this world with covenant kindness.

Second, we need to see through the eyes of compassion. Some people see hurting people as objects, impediments, or detours. Other people can see the need like Jesus. They are not detached, distant, or indifferent to the pain around them. A kind person cares about people. I urge you to never repress that urge to be kind. It did not come from you, but was the prompting of divine love by the Holy Spirit. Look through the eyes of compassion and you will want to take the time to be kind to hurting people when you become aware of the needs.

Finally, we need to take action and pay the price. The least likely to stop and help of the three that past along the way near the hurting man, the Samaritan, was willing to pay the price of inconvenience, time, effort, property, and money to make a difference. He shows a very different attitude than the previous two religious individuals. They reasoned: “what will happen if we help him?” The Samaritan reasoned wisely: “what will happen to the man if I don’t help him?” Let’s be willing to pay the price to show covenant kindness to others. After all, Jesus was willing to pay the ultimate price to show the covenant kindness of our heavenly Father!

[I found this awesome article written by Chaplain Kevin Traughber, Western Baptist Hospital. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.]

Thank God for children saying grace! Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads, he said, “God is good; God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!”

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, “That’s what’s wrong with this country. Kids today don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!” Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, “Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?”

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, “I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer.”

“Really?” my son asked.

“Cross my heart,” the man replied. Then in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), “Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.”

Naturally I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember for the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, “Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already.”

God help us to come to you as little children. Replenish our hearts and souls so that we might provide a little “ice cream” for others whose hearts and souls hurt. Amen.

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, NIV).”

Goodness is the quality in a person who is ruled by and aims at what is good. It is the propensity both to will and to do what is good. Goodness speaks of goodness in character and actions. Good is basically the absence of defect or flaw and presence of complete wholeness.

Our example and model of goodness is of course the Lord. Jesus was once called “good teacher” (Mark 10:17-18) to which he replied “no one is good except God alone.” But God has made a way through the ministry of the Holy Spirit to develop the goodness in his people. In this week’s article I want to share some key principles that foster the development of the fruit of goodness.

First, we need to learn the difference between good and evil. Isaiah 5:20, NCV says, “How terrible it will be for people who call good things bad and bad things good, who think darkness is light and light is darkness, who think sour is sweet and sweet is sour.” We are living in a cultural environment in this country where evil is accepted and good is lampooned. The believer must be careful not to buy into this distortion of reality.

Second, we need to realize that no one is good without God: “all have turned from God; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one!” (Psalm 14:3, NLT). The truth is, we are all natural born sinners. Any good in our lives is the result of the grace of God. To become good in any measure, we must have a fundamental change in our nature. This is only accomplished through faith in Jesus Christ and the life changing power in his shed blood.

Third, we need to fill our heart with good things. Everyday we have a choice what to put in our hearts through our eye gate, mouth gate, and ear gate. Psalm 119:9-11, NCV gives great insight into living pure and good lives in a dirty world: “How can a young man person live a pure life: By obeying your word.” If we allow evil in, it should be no surprise when evil comes out. “The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his evil storehouse flings forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35, AMP). Let the words of D.L. Moody encourage you to fill your heart with what is wholesome: “The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.”

Fourth, we need to imitate the example of our heavenly Father. God is good and what he does is good (Psalm 119:68, NIV). Psalm 34:8, KJV declares the fundamental goodness of God: “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” God’s nature, behavior, decisions, actions, and motives are good all the time. God does not and will not do anything that he has revealed to man is morally wrong. Paul declared, “Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1, NIV).

Finally, we should develop the habit of doing what is good daily. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” God has ordained, appointed, and anointed his people to do what is good. He planned for us to do good all the days of our lives-that is to be consistently good. Remember that God’s grace is available to help us develop the habit of doing good: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, KJV).

Amanda and Quinlyn

When long term Hope Harbor Church member Owen Moore headed out on an ambulance call October 29th he was shocked and surprised to find his 27 year old daughter-in-law Amanda collapsed at work and in cardiac arrest. Amanda was resuscitated and taken to Murray-Calloway County Hospital and later life flighted to Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. After evaluating her grim situation, the doctors determined that Amanda was suffering from an enlarged heart that on rare occasions manifests at the end of a pregnancy or up to five months after delivery. In a coma dealing with kidney failure and a heart with only 10% injection fraction (the amount of blood expelled from the heart muscle when contracting), the prognosis in the natural was not looking good. According to Owen, less than 1% of patients resuscitated outside of the hospital survive cardiac arrest.

Thank God we are not bound to the natural in situations like this. God’s people began to pray all over the country. The family even got word that someone placed a prayer for her at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. The turn around in Amanda’s situation is so amazing that personnel from the hospital have been popping into her room wanting to see “the miracle girl.” Today Amanda’s kidney function is normal and her percentage of blood expelled from the heart chamber is now at 50% (55% is considered normal). She is now in rehabilitation and has some hurdles to overcome but God’s mercy in her life is obvious.

I want to encourage you to believe God as well when you or someone you love is facing a health crisis. Remember the powerful words of the Psalmist: “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2-3, NIV). We serve an amazing God who is still doing miracles today. Just ask the Moore family! I also want to encourage you to continue to pray for Amanda’s complete recovery and restoration. For more information about Amanda, please visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amandamoore.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, NIV).”

“Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel! The Lord has filed a lawsuit against you, saying: There is no faithfulness, no kindness, knowledge of God in your land” (Hosea 4:1, NLT).

Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit produced in the life of a yielded believer by the Holy Spirit. Faithfulness can be described as fidelity, loyalty, reliability, and dependability. Those that are faithful are dependable and can be trusted to be there in a pinch. They are like the North Star burning bright, burning constant, but unlike a shooting star that burns brightly for a while and then burns out. The faithful person obeys the word of God and Holy Spirit closely. They maintain a firm and unswerving loyalty to anyone united to them by promise or commitment.

In a day of broken covenants and promises throughout the world and even in the church, it is vital that true believers learn once again to develop the powerful force of faithfulness in their lives. The believer can be ever increasing in the revelation and practice of faithfulness by coming to three realizations about faithfulness.

First, we must realize how faithful God has been to us. God is the standard, the model, and the example of faithfulness for all of us. The Scripture says that “the unfailing love of the Lord never ends…great is his faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NLT). Psalm 33:4 declares, “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” God is boldly revealed in Scripture again and again as faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9; Psalm 25:10). The question is not whether God is going to be faithful and true to his word and character. The question is whether his people are going to follow his example. Fact #1 about faithfulness: God expects me to be faithful too!

Second, we must realize how rare faithfulness is these days and strive to be different-apply ourselves to being what is sorely lacking in the world and church today-constant, diligent, faithful. Proverbs 20:6 says, “Many a man claims to unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?” The word of God describes what it is like to depend on an unfaithful person: “Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble” (Proverbs 25:19, NIV). Faithfulness is a primary indication of spiritual maturity and lack of it indicates that a person is not growing up in the faith. We are to be faithful in prayer, dying to self, giving, serving, obeying God-we are to be faithful to our families, to our churches, and to God. Luke 8:18 sums up the heart of God on the dearth of faithfulness in this world: “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Fact #2 about faithfulness: Others depend on me to be faithful!

Finally, we need to realize how much God values and honors faithfulness: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you” (Proverbs 3:3, NIV). The Parable of the Talents teaches us that faithfulness is one of the keys to promotion in the kingdom of God. Paul admonished the Corinthians, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2, NIV). Proverbs 28:20 declares, “The faithful man will abound with blessings” (KJV). In fact, God promises his favor, empowerment, blessing, protection, revelation, and promotion to the faithful person-and since God is faithful to his promises, if we are faithful, we will be blessed. Fact #3 about faithfulness – We will be rewarded for our faithfulness!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, NIV).

“It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from within you-the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit that will never be destroyed and is very precious to God” (1 Peter 3:3-4, NCV).

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, NCV).

There is a direct correlation between walking in the fruit of gentleness and finding real rest. The more you develop gentleness the more rest and inner peace you will enjoy. Don’t bother trying to manufacture peace without first developing gentleness in your inner man.

Gentleness is to be even tempered, tranquil, balanced in spirit, humble in spirit. It means to, like Moses, possess power and strength with control. This individual will have passions that are under control. It is not weakness, but force handled responsibly. The gentle person knows when to react and how to react. The Greek indicates that it’s like a wild animal that has been tamed or a racehorse that has been disciplined to do exactly what the rider commands.

The development of gentleness in your life will prevent strife (Proverbs 15:11), increase your peace (Psalm 37:11), help you access God’s guidance (Psalm 25:9), increase your joy (Isaiah 29:19), stir revival in your heart (Isaiah 57:15), and mark you for favor and promotion (1 Peter 5:5-6).

One of the hardest things to do as a believer is to remain gentle when someone is always trying to push your buttons. When that person comes around I want to encourage you to: (1) Keep your mouth shut and do not react. Button pushers often criticize and attack out of their own insecurity and jealousy. Gentleness will enable you to remain quiet and not get in the way of God’s solution; (2) Let the Lord defend you to the button pusher. We don’t always realize it but every time you are unfairly attacked, God is aware of it and as a covenant keeping God will help if you will keep your big mouth out of it. I love that Scripture that says, “When a man’s ways are pleasing to God are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him (Proverbs 16:7); and (3) Pray for the welfare of the person. Only a truly meek and gentle person would pray for restoration for that person (instead of for vindication). Remember the promise of Scripture for the truly gentle believer: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”

The world Jesus came into was not all that different from our own. People are people and they haven’t changed much in two thousand years. At the time of Jesus’ birth, Israel was occupied by a foreign power, there was political intrigue and upheaval, the people faced economic hardship, there was a national identity crisis, cultural confusion, and serious and overt religious suppression.

We could easily pull the same description from today’s newspaper or internet headlines. The world has always known how to spread and recycle hopelessness (lacking optimism and expecting disappointment – desperate, despairing, and bleak in its outlook). Fortunately, our hope is not in a government, a man, or an ecomony. No, our hope is in the person of Jesus Christ who builds into every heart an inner image of a white hot expectation that with Him we can expect great things ahead of us.

First, with Jesus we have hope for a fresh start. Who hasn’t made a mess of things from time to time. Lamentations 3:22-23 promises that the mercies of God are new every morning. This means that God never tires of helping his people out of messes that they create. It means that his commitment to alleviate our distres will never run dry. Every person that comes to Christ soon experiences the joy of a new positive outlook and fresh start in life.

Second, with Jesus we have hope for new strength. This world has a way of sapping even the strongest of us (and being a Christian does not shield us from growing weary and getting tired). The promise of Isaiah 40:31 is that if we will wait or hope in the Lord he would renew our strength. If we will learn to wait upon the Lord in his presence our strength, vigor, and vitality will be soon restored.

Third, with Jesus we have hope for a great future. Every believer should become familiar with Jeremiah 29:11 which reveals a God that is not for our hurt or destruction but for our well being. He truly has a futue and a hope for each of his children. It’s up to us to seek the Lord in prayer and his Word to discover the path he has for us in this life. But be sure he has a wonderful plan and path just for you!

Finally, with Jesus we have hope for His soon return. 1 John 3:2-3 explains how believers are purified as they long and expect the soon return of the one that came so long ago as a babe. That child grew in wisdom and stature with God and with man. That man – the God man – fully God and fully man – taught and ministered on this earth in great wisdom and power – he died for our sins, was raised from the dead, and ascended into heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father and waits for the command of the Father to return to this earth again in victory and total dominion.

I encourage you this Christmas season to call out to the Lord if you’ve never met him or if you’ve made some mistakes and you find yourself feeling distant from God. He will accept you, brush you off, heal your hurts, restore your hope, and reveal to you the wonderful and bright future he has planned for you from the beginning of time.

We’ve been told by other dog owners that dogs will begin to ingest things like grass when they either have an upset stomach or if they are missing something vital from their diet. I can certify that PeePoo is well-fed and well-kept but she still enjoys strange and adventurous additions to her diet.

She started with grass and no matter how many times she throws up she returns to the same practice if left alone in the yard for more than a few moments (she kind of watches for us out of the corner of her eye so I know she knows better). Her suspicious eating habits then progressed to eating tinsel (her own special reason for liking Christmas). After a few dozen strands taken directly off the tree while standing on a stack of Christmas packages, she commenced with that oh so familiar sound  (a mixture of a choke and a gulp) and that familiar sight of Princess in the frog position abdomen ballooning until the tinsel ball came roaring back up.

She graduated to the big time recently when she discovered a bag of candy and chocolate on Tim’s bed and proceeded to rip open the bag to enjoy some Hershey’s Kisses (one of her favorites).  We were obviously concerned because unlike the pleasant buzz given to people after eating chocolate, the same chemical in chocolate poisons a dog. We confessed the blessing over PeePooh while I tried to ram my finger down her throat to induce vomiting. It seemed like whatever went down was going to stay down. Then in the middle of the night the chocolate bit back and I rushed to get her off the bed so she could once again pay the price for putting the wrong thing in her mouth. She threw up the chocolate (together with green foil and the little Hershey’s paper stem in the mix confirming and convicting her of the food crime).

I’ve often thought that Christians do the same thing. Despite the good food of the Word of God we insist on loading various poisons and toxins into our hearts and then wonder why we stay so sick and anemic spiritually. This year, let’s do things differently. Let’s be more careful about what we ingest spiritually. Let’s make sure that those thoughts and inputs square with the Word of God. Let’s have the discipline to walk away from the shiny and seemingly sweet philosophies of the world rather than swallowing what they think and promote. We really are what we eat and I encourage you this New Year to eat well!

I’m sure there will be more lessons from this six pound toy poodle in the future.

It’s that time of the year. You know what I’m talking about. We get all fired up and motivated to change the world and decide to start with ourselves. Every wellness center and health club operator can tell you that the worst time to join the gym is the first couple of weeks in January when the resolution crowd pops in for their few days of exercise for the year. They’ll also tell you to just wait a few weeks. The masses will clear out just as fast as they came in.

The reason people never seem to follow through on their resolutions is because people know how to make resolutions but they do not know how to make quality decisions of dedication. There is a vast difference between making a quality life-changing decision and making the annual knee-jerk, heartless resolution. The term “resolution” itself indicates nothing more than the formal expression of our intentions. Intentions. Quality decisions of dedication, on the other hand, are about follow through and action. If you would like to convert your resolution into a quality, life-changing decision that will produce real results, follow these tips:

First, a quality decision is limited in scope. It’s impossible to fight on multiple fronts and expect success. It’s probably not a good idea to try to recover your high school weight, change your career, meet someone and get married, up your level of education, quit smoking, stop gossiping, become the next Billy Graham or Joyce Meyer, and get delivered from wii all in the same year. We need to limit our changes to 1-2 key areas and focus our faith and energy on bringing them to pass this year. It’s better to have victory in one or two areas than to experience defeat in ten areas.

Second, a quality decision is Word-based. John 1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word and that the Word was God and with God. This powerful truth that reveals the nature and eternity of Jesus Christ also reveals a very important life principle. If we are going to start anything in life, start or begin it with the Word. Find the place in the Bible where that area is discussed. You’ll be surprised how many life issues and challenges are actually addressed directly in the Word of God. Why is this so important? Because you need to approach substantial life change with faith in your heart and we know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. When you feel like quitting, the Word that has the power to bring itself to pass in your life will spur you on.

Third, it is the action that separates the intentions of the resolution from the results of the quality decision. If you are truly serious this year and want to make the change you’ll need to understand that quality decisions require diligent action. The individual making the resolution may initially exert some energy or action in the direction of the resolution, but more often than not the enthusiasm wanes and he or she just drops the ball. Quality decisions require diligence and diligence is steady application toward any endeavor. It is constant effort exerted to accomplish something. Notice that diligence is continuing to work toward the goal day in and day out regardless of feelings or pronounced change.

Finally, a quality decision is one from which there is no retreat. You begin the journey with the mindset that quitting or throwing down the goal is not a possibility. A mindset (the resolution mindset) that says I may or may not complete this goal is doomed to failure from the beginning. You have to decide from the very beginning that you are going to see this thing through to the end regardless of the nature of the decision. If you limit the scope of the decision, base the decision on the Word, apply diligent action, and make up your mind that retreat is not an option, you’ll find yourself changed by this time next year.

It’s hard to express just how thrilling it is to see Hope Harbor McCracken County coming together. We are now meeting on Wednesday nights at the Country Inn and Suites off of Interstate 24, Exit 4 in Paducah. I’ve been meeting with the team for months going over our vision and values and sharing principles of leadership in the multi-site church context. We’ve been blessed with an extraordinary team and I’m so pleased to be a part of it.

Last night (Wednesday, January 7), Kelli and I joined the team in Paducah to focus on team building. Together with new couples interested in the McCracken County work, our team listened to Kelli enthusiastically teach about teamwork and communication in ministry. The group is truly coming together and I fully expect immediate growth and development of this new church site.

The highlight of the evening was watching four teams try to best each other in putting together a child’s puzzle – a simple illustration of how quickly team dynamics come into play in any human endeavor and how we all need to work together to get the job done. The natural born leader will rise to command the other puzzle pushers. The detail person will be busy making sure the pieces are put down just right. The easy going team member will just comment on how much he likes the colors or the picture. Then there’s always one person that just smiles politely as if to say, “what’s up with the puzzle?”

Piece by piece the new HHC site in McCracken County is coming together and we expect the impact on the community to be truly amazing. As we progress in our multi-site efforts I want to remind everyone that there’s room on the HHC team for you. You just might be that missing piece we’re looking for. Thank you for stepping up to help us git r’ done in McCracken County and beyond. There’s something on you…and it’s the blessing!

 

 

I enjoy getting down on the floor and messing with the family pets. I’ve tormented Tim’s dog Bambi (aka Bam, Granbam, Hazobam, Bamalam, Bamster, you get the picture) for years trying to grab his feet while he tries furiously to withdraw the paw. He’s amazingly agile (even with diminished eyesight, although Kelli thinks he’s just a big faker – he seems to be aware of things he wants to be aware of – kind of like the listening skills and habits of teenagers).

I also enjoy tormenting Peepoo. She loves for me to grab an old sock (she’s a really cheap date) and let her chase after it, back and forth, back and forth until she’s so exhausted she just drops, red tongue hanging from her mouth. This past Christmas Kelli bought her and Bam a goody stocking filled with dog sized toys. One of Peepoo’s favorite toys is a blue and white rope, approximately 1. 5 inches think, knotted with tassels on the ends. I do basically the same thing with the rope that I do with the sock. She loves, however, to bite into the rope. I then begin to twirl her around and around letting the knot pivot between my thumb and index finger.

I’m amazed that she is able to hold on to the rope no matter how many times she twirls and no matter how dizzy she must be – such discipline and such dedication! I noticed that if I throw the rope down the hall after she finally lets go, she’ll chase the rope running sideways down the hall until she finds her prey and then she prances back  for more like royalty in a parade.

The other day we were doing the Peepoo rope twirl and chase when she set off to retrieve the rope. This time, however, her gait was more staggered than usual (impaired by excessive twirling) and with a thud and pathetic yelp she failed to negotiate the corner of the hallway. Dazed, she turned around as if to say, “what did you do to me?” Now, even though she still likes to play with the rope and even twirl a bit, she is extremely reluctant to follow anything I throw down the hall.

That’s just like leadership in general. It’s all about trust. If the people you lead believe that you genuinely have their best interests at heart even though their toes get stepped on occasionally and they too manage to hit the wall sometimes chasing dreams, they will follow and do their best to fulfill their part in God’s redemptive mission. As all of us accept God’s mandate to reach the unreached and tell the untold, and as we all strive to grow in our own leadership, let’s remember to look out after the Peepoos of the church when they tear down the hall running sideways with enthusiasm. Let’s prepare them properly and be available to sound the alarm when things are going sideways.

There’s something on you…it’s the blessing

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, NIV).

“You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control…” (2 Timothy 3:1-3, NLT)

To have self-control is to be in control of oneself. It is restraint exercised and control over one’s emotions, actions, and desires. A person with self-control possesses a dominion, might, power, and strength that only comes from self-discipline.

Without the fruit of self-control in our lives we are vulnerable and unprotected, destined to strike out in a foolish manner, disqualified for the blessing, defeated, anemic in prayer, and sowing toward a harvest we really do not want: “A man’s harvest in life depends entirely upon the seeds he has sown” (Galatians 6:7, PT). In fact, every failure to apply self-discipline is a seed that will produce adverse circumstances later in life.

We can consistently walk in a greater measure of self-control by increasing our personal knowledge of God, by taking charge over our feelings, by studying and applying the Proverbs daily (I recommend reading one Proverb every day), by resisting the urge to control everybody else, and by letting the Holy Spirit direct and guide our lives. The Bible very clearly teaches that if we will walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Romans 8:1, 9).

With the Lord moving at every site of Hope Harbor Church in unique ways (Trigg County and the drama Last Chance, Henry County with its new building project, and McCracken County now meeting at the Country Inn in Paducah) it’s also exciting to see the fresh, bold things happening right in Murray. The auditorium upgrade is nearly complete (see photo) and being made ready for services and for television broadcast.

I am thrilled, after believing God for almost eight years, to announce the time and day of our first broadcast on WPSD TV serving Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois. Make sure you tune in this Sataurday, February 21st at noon (right after all the cartoons – probably a good place for me). Pray with me for the touch of God’s Spirit on the broadcast and on the hearts of those that will be watching. Our first program must be complete (edited with intro and exit) and delivered to the station by Tuesday morning (February 17th) so there is much to do to get ready for this exciting day.

Please believe God with me for a regular broadcasting time slot for the Hope Harbor Show. We would particularly like to have a Sunday evening time slot to minister to folks as they are unwinding from the weekend and getting ready to get back to work. We have so much to thank God for HHC!

Some of us are technologically challenged. The extent of our computer savvy is turning on the machine and opening up an email program or web browser together with a few choice programs. Since we produce the Hope Harbor Radio Show in house, I’ve had to grow a little bit in my understanding.

Today, rather than running a CD of the program down to the radio station or dropping a copy in the mail, we simply upload the program on to our computer server and then the station logs in to download the programming for the week and then puts the show on the air. Occasionally, I will log in to upload the program and I’ll get a message that lets me know that the computer is laughing at me right now and completely unwilling to comply with my gentle mandate to receive the program even though the station is probably looking for it by now.

When all else fails around HHC from a technology standpoint, give John a call (even early in the morning – he loves that). The advice of the day from our computer sage – unplug the router and then plug it in again. Unplug the router and then plug it back in again? That’s the advice? That’s the counsel? To my amazement, shazam, it worked!

Perhaps we all can learn a little from our temperamental computer equipment. When we don’t seem to be working very well, unplug, power down, and spend some vital time with the Lord. Then when we plug back into the business and fray of our daily lives and ministry, we’ll be able to function with excellence and precision. Before we upload to the world we need to make sure we have properly downloaded what the Master wants us to receive.

I love computers….that’s my confession and I’m sticking to it.

Once again we have the opportunity as a ministry to make a real difference in one of the communities we serve. This March 1-3, 2009 we will be hosting and presenting the life-changing drama, Last Chance, featuring a cast and crew of 50 and some very unique stage and lighting effects. The drama examines the consequences of the personal choices we make to serve or not serve the Lord as we head into the last of the last days.

This Saturday (February 21st) the Trigg County will be meeting at HHC Trigg County building at 9:30 am to prepare to go into the community to distribute thousands of invitational tickets for the three night drama. I want to ask you to pray for the team and for the drama each night and also ask you to come over if you can to Trigg County this Saturday to help get the word out about this amazing evangelistic tool.

Also, if you enjoy using your acting or stage hand talents for the Lord, please email the church at h.harbor@mchsi.comand let us know of your interest. We’ll send you all the details about the big weekend. Thank you for helping to make this outreach a success and helping HHC Trigg County reach the unreached and tell the untold of their community.

“Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone” (Colossians 4:5, NLT).

Ephesians 4:15-16 reminds us to “redeem the time because the days are evil.” The Amplified Bible says, “buying up each opportunity.” If the days are evil (and they are) then we need to definitely give some thought about how we are using our time. To “redeem” means to buy back, pay off, recover, discharge, make up for, make amends for, offset, or to obtain restoration. The goal of all believers should be to make the most of their lives or time. Consider three questions to help you evaluate your life and begin to truly make the most of every opportunity.

First, what if Jesus came back today? Romans 13:11-12 says, “Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah). The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light” (AMP). If Jesus came back today (yes, think about it…if he truly came back today), would you be ready? Would you have completed your assignment on the earth  and done everything you were to do? Would you have gotten around to telling your family about Jesus, asked forgiveness for your failures, and made it a practice of forgiving those that have hurt you? The first key to making the most of your life is to discern the time. We must come to realize that we are in the last of the last days and as Jesus taught, since we can discern the natural seasons and the weather patterns, we must discern the time we are in and make the proper adjustments.

Second, what if you found out you were terminal? When people find out that they have a terminal disease they tend to rearrange their priorities and chart a different course for their remaining days. Some turn to carnal and natural pleasures and pursuits while others ponder and reflect on the eternal impact their lives have had. The truth is we all have a terminal disease and that disease is called sin. Unless we are on the earth when the rapture occurs, we will all go by way of the grave. Even though we believe and should strive to live and strong (see Psalm 91:16), we will still die at some point: “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then it vanishes” (James 4:14, NIV). What are you trading your precous time for and do these  time transactions impact eternity or only the here and now? The second key to making the most of our lives is to treasure the time because we can’t truly redeem the time or make the most of it if we do not know the true value of time. Unlike material things and even money itself, time cannot be borrowed from others, bought in a store, or manufactured in some factory.

Third, what if every person in the church was like you? Ouch! We are exhorted in 1 Timothy 4:15 (ESV) to “practice” and “immerse” ourselves in the things of God like the setting a good example, devotion to the Word of God, exhortation and teaching, and the proper stewardship of our spiritual gifts. What would the church look like and how would it function if each member of the church was just like you? What if they were as faithful as you and attended church like you? What if they served at your level, invited people to church like you, gave of their resources like you, worshipped like you, prayed like you, shared their faith like you? Honestly, how healthy (or unhealthy) would the local church be if the average believer was like you? The reality is that the Church is built one believer at a time and the quality of the believer affects the quality of the whole. The third key to making the most of our lives is to invest the time because we cannot redeem the time if we do not learn to give it away as an investment in the Kingdom of God.

Let’s make a decision from this day forward to truly redeem the time and make the most of our lives by discerning the time we are living in, by treasuring the time we have because it is limited, and by investing our time into furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ through the mission and ministry of our local churches. Let’s make the most of every opportunity and buy up opportunities to make a real difference for Jesus. What if we all learned to discern, treasure, and invest our time?

Last Saturday marked a milestone in the ministry of Hope Harbor Church as we began broadcasting the thirty minute Hope Harbor Show on WPSD Local 6, the NBC affiliate. We are thankful to God for the opportunity to present the uncompromised Word of God to the market served by WPSD (around 900,000 people). The broadcast is airing on Saturdays at noon following the Saturday morning cartoons (yea, I know). You can also view the broadcasts by going to our website www.hopeharborchurch.com  and clicking on the “HHC Media” tab. The broadcasts will be archived by broadcast date.

Reports have been coming in from around the area including of course the greater Paducah area, Calloway County, Christian County, Trigg County, Marshall County, even a Wal-Mart break room in Princeton, Kentucky. My prayer is that the revelation of what Jesus has done for all of us would explode in the hearts of every person viewing the broadcast. I thank you for your prayers as we launch out into this ministry. I know the Lord has great things to do in us and through us.

I want to say a special word of thanks to John Barrett our Associate Pastor for Creative Arts and Technology Pastor and Bill Barger our Associate Pastor for Multi-Site and Facilities Management for their leadership preparing our facilities and equipment to begin this broadcast ministry. I also want to thank our entire technology and maintenance teams for the outstanding work they have done to make this ministry a reality. You guys rock!

In the near future we will be looking to secure a regular time slot Sunday evenings to broadcast the Hope Harbor Show. In the meantime, thanks for watching on Saturdays and tell your family and friends throughout the region to watch. You can also catch the radio Hope Harbor Show on 89.7 FM, 88.1 FM, 90.1 FM (at 7:30 am M-F) and on 90.5 FM (at 6:30 am M-F) and on our website. You can also download the radio broadcast from our webstie.

I am also excited to announce that 24 hour internet radio is coming soon to our web ministry. Our internet radio programming will feature the finest in faith-filled teaching, in house teaching, and awesome music. Be watching your enews for more details on this exciting venture to get the Word of God out on yet another voice.

Believe with us as we endeavor to get the good news out on every voice available to us as a ministry and remember there’s something on you…it’s the blessing…you are at the tipping point for a chain reaction of the blessing that when started cannot be stopped!

Hope Harbor Church Trigg County in Cadiz, Kentucky hosted the life-changing drama, Last Chance the first weekend in March. Around 50 individuals raised their hand to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. We are praising God for the impact of this ministry on the Trigg County community and on the volunteers who gave of their time and resources to make this powerful event a reality. Trigg County will never be the same. Thanks for your servant heart and thanks for praying for those who accepted Jesus that they will get plugged in to a local church and that they will grow in their faith and in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Great job HHC TC and thanks to the volunteers from the Murray and Paris sites for lending a helping hand!

I’m excited to announce the launch of our 24 hour a day internet radio station, Hope Harbor Radio. Hosted, programmed, and produced by Tim Heinz, Hope Harbor Radio features the best in praise music, contemporary Christian music, inspirational devotions, interviews, and faith filled teaching. Your heart will be encouraged and your capacity to believe God will increase every time you listen. Hope Harbor Radio is available 24 hours a day no matter where you are in the world. How awesome is that?

Check out our internet radio by going online at www.hopeharborchurch.com and clicking the media button. Look for the internet radio tab and you’re there. Let us know what you think. You can request prayer, music, and even teaching topics by writing to Tim at theinz@mchsi.com. Hope Harbor Radio…all faith…all the time.

I’m still rejoicing over all the amazing testimonies from the service last night at Hope Harbor. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We need to hear the word of God taught and preached but we also need to pause to reflect about how God has shown up and shown out to manifest what has been preached. When Jesus identified himself in Luke 4 as the anointed one mentioned by Isaiah, he emphasized that the anointing is for the purposes of (1) preaching about what God wants to do, and (2) demonstrating what has been preached.

It’s obvious that the anointed one has been busy and active in our midst. Individuals shared stories of supernatural provision, healing, emotinal restoration, and personal spiritual growth. Let’s all remember that we are all overcomers and we are taught in Scripture that we overcome (1) through the blood of the lamb – our covenant with the Father through the blood of Jesus Christ, (2) the word of our testimony – bearing witness to our personal salvation and the various ways that salvation impacts our lives, and (3) loving not our lives even unto death – living as though we were dead to self and allowing Jesus to live through us daily.

Keep those testimonies coming. Feel free to leave your comments here and tell us how God has been showing up and showing out in your life. God is good and we want to rejoice with you!

There’s something on you…you know…it’s the blessing!

In anticipation of moving North to establish our first Hope Harbor site in the State of Illinois (we wont hold the recent governor woes against them), we have begun broadcasting the Hope Harbor Show on WSIL TV channel 3 in Carbondale, Marion, and Harrisburg. Residents in Western Kentucky can also view the broadcast on that station. Our current broadcast time is 6:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings and has the potential of reaching several hundred thousand homes with the uncompromised Word of God. What an opportunity to reach the unreached and tell the untold that God is good and has goodness stored up for them (Psalm 31:19). Thanks for joining with us in prayer for God’s blessing on the outreach of television in Southern Illinois. God has great plans for this area and for Harrisburg and Saline County in particular. Our strategy is to use televison as a tool for launching new Hope Harbor sites, to provide a sense of connectivity from site to site, and to minister to the hurting with the hope that can only come from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

These are exciting days in the ministry of Hope Harbor Church. Nearly 18 months after the launch of HHC Henry County (Paris, Tennessee), we have secured a permit to begin the renovation of our miracle 7200 square foot ministry facility just off Highway 79 North in Paris. The church in Henry County, averaging nearly 80 people each Sunday morning, has become a source of hope and inspiration to many in difficult and troubled times. Because the renovation is limited to the interior, we are hopeful that the construction process can be completed for an early fall celebration and dedication.

Thank you for your continued prayer and for sowing financially into this amazing church planting effort. If you have a construction skill and would like to volunteer some time to help make this dream a reality please call Bill Barger at 270-753-6695. Hope Harbor Church…One Church in Many Locations!

Just yesterday, it seems, this same kid was watching Barney and Winnie the Pooh videos and picking up dirt clods while he was suppose to be paying attention in the outfield of a tee-ball game. Tim was only two when we came to Murray to pastor. I’m at a loss for words trying to describe the feeling that all parents feel when they realize that years have just disappeared in front of their eyes. One day you wake up and your kid has turned 16 and has a driver’s permit (that’s why he’s smiling).

Like all parents who truly treasure their children, I would love to have slowed down the years a little but I’m glad about one thing. I’ve tried from the beginning to find the balance between ministry responsibility and the preeminent priority of being a husband and father. I’m so thankful I took the time to do the really important things with Tim like toss the baseball, throw the football, watch the Cards live (go Cards – sweep the Cubs), chase barracudas in the sea, torment the dogs, battle it out with air soft guns, play at Chuck E Cheese’s, and gorge ourselves on junk food on “bubby night.” 

I thank God Tim is a great son and excellent student, but most of all, he loves Jesus with all of his heart and strives to please Him daily. So, in the category of yet another milestone in the life of a teenage boy, Tim is currently working on his mandatory 60 hours driving time that would allow him to acquire a restricted driver’s license. Remember those years truly do fly by so enjoy every second and remember also that I warned you about Tim being on the road .

There’s something on you – it’s the blessing!

Livingston, Illinois is typical of the thousands of small towns that dot the Midwest. When your neighbor says he’s going to the store he means just that – he’s going to the store because there probably isn’t more than one. My Dad grew up in this old coal mining town northeast of St. Louis, Missouri where the favorite pastimes were baseball and baseball. His uncle John (Jocko) Urban was a great ball player. He was known to be able to plant his foot up against the center field fence and throw the ball perfectly to the catcher without a bounce. His son Johnny was a prospect for the Minnesota Twins organization. 

During World War II, Livingston gave up its share of young men to the war effort and some, like Jocko, made it back alive after multiple battles and firefights. Jocko liked his beer and on one occasion while frequenting the tavern a young deputy decided Jocko had had enough to drink and approached a well-juiced WWII Vet to tell him so. In a flash this battle hardened American warrior had disarmed the officer, placed the gun to his temple and said something like, “Son, I’ve already killed dozens of men in battle. One more is not going to mean that much to me.” One can only imagine what Jocko had been through and what led to his strong reaction in the bar that day. Needless to say, the deputy stood down and Jocko went on drinking and today he is one of the oldest living WWII Vets alive in that area.

Our cities and towns are filled with men like Jocko who went to the front lines to defend our freedom, our interests, our values, and our way of life. We can only imagine the hardships and atrocities they had to endure and even if they physically survived the war, they still returned with mental and emotional scars that haunt them until they join their brothers in arms in death. This Memorial Day, find a Vet and give him or her a hug, handshake, or “thank you” for what he or she has done for this nation. And Jocko, thanks for serving your country with honor and distinction.

Acts 2:42 reminds us that the early Church was devoted to the teachings of the Apostles. Literally they could not get enough of the Word. The word “devoted” in the New Testament can be translated “addicted” meaning that they were addicted to the teachings of the Word of God. So many people today are addicted to the world (and the things of the world) and allergic to God. We should be addicted to the things of God and allergic to the world. With that it mind, I hope you enjoy this email I received from Teressa Poole Hill:

“I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts What if we used it as we traveled? What if we used it in case of an emergency? This is something to make you go…hmm…where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don’t ever have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill! And no dropped calls!”

The Lord is literally pouring out revelation on The Blessing in our time. To understand the blessing we have to turn back to the pages of Genesis where we find the very first words ever heard by the human ear. Think of that – the very first words the Lord would ever say to the man and woman he just created. Whatever those words would be, they would be really, really important. And of course they were important. God pronounced his blessing upon his people and also declared their authority and dominion over his creation on his behalf. And if it was his will to bless his people then, it’s his will to bless them now.

The blessing is the empowerment to succeed, to prosper, to bear much fruit, and to have longevity. The curse, introduced as a result of sin in Genesis 3, was the power to fail. It is noteworthy that the Lord immediately alludes to the plan to restore the blessing to his people (Genesis 3:15). When Jesus went to the cross, he not only paid for our sins (that  compromised the blessing and introduced the curse), he restored the blessing to those that would believe on him as Galatians 3:14 declares, “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ…”

Now we have the opportunity to walk in the blessing purchased for us through the blood of Jesus Christ and we also have the mandate to share the truth of the blessing with others. As Abraham was blessed to be a blessing, so we too have been blessed or empowered so that we can bless or empower others. In other words, we have been made ambassadors of Jesus Christ with a mandate to spread the truth about the redemption we have in Jesus and specific aspects of that redemption like the restoration of the blessing in our lives. We are, therefore, ambassadors of the blessing. Let us go forth reaching the unreached and telling the untold of the amazing provision we have been given through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There’s something on you…now go out and share it with others!

HHC MC Auditorium Space

I can’t count how many times I made the commute from Southern Illinois to Murray, Kentucky as a Murray State Student. Every time I crossed over the Ohio River bridge I would sense something in my spirit about Paducah and McCracken County. I’ve desired to see a life-giving church established in the Paducah area for years and now we are on the verge of launching the McCracken County site of Hope Harbor Church.

I had the pleasure today of signing a lease for a 12,000 square foot building that is perfect for our initial needs as a church plant. Once again the Lord Jesus Christ has affirmed our direction by providing us with suitable space to serve as a base for reaching the unreached and growing an awesome body of believers. Once again the Lord has provided a partner for this ministry that is as excited to have us coming as we are. Once again the Lord has given us a tremendous deal financially.

Our Paducah team has been meeting together for over a year now preparing their hearts for this awesome adventure. Please join the team in prayer as plans are finalized for the renovation of the building, outreach, and the Sunday morning launch time line. Praise God for this new life-giving church in McCracken County!

P.S. There’s something on you…it’s the blessing!

My family and I attended the West Coast Believer’s Convention recently in Long Beach, California. There’s nothing like sitting under the uncompromised Word of God from morning to night for an entire week. There is never a time that I do not receive life-changing revelation as I sit diligently listening to the Word and the voice of God speaking that Word to my heart. Once you receive the awesome revelation of the goodness of God and the reality of the blessing, you can’t help but want everyone to know about the possibilities through Jesus Christ.

We were packing up getting ready to leave Long Beach. I had just emailed the notes to our speakers for Sunday services at the Harbor. I had some time before we had to leave so I walked down the street a few blocks to Starbucks for a quick mocha. On my way back I spotted an elderly homeless man sitting quietly nearby reading the morning paper. He carried all of his worldly possessions in one backpack and one large green garbage bag. I got about a half a block past the gentleman when I heard the unmistakable prompting of the Holy Spirit, “Go talk to this man. He doesn’t have long to live.” After trying to get the wax out of my ears (you know the feeling), I took a few more steps before stopping to wait for the pedestrian sign to change so I could cross the street. I don’t know everything, but I do know when God is speaking to me about an assignment. I turned around, retraced my steps and sat down about ten feet from Emilio.

I quickly learned that this man spent most of his life working hard until challenging economic times forced him out of a job, out of his home, and on to the streets. His English was measured but understandable. He responded graciously to my questions about the condition of his soul and his readiness for heaven. Ironically, he told me that he had been given several Bibles through the years but that they were often stolen from him during the night. Although deeply religious, Emilio admitted that he had never personally repented of his sin or asked Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of his life. He agreed to pray to receive Christ with me and then I asked if I could explain the power of the blessing to change his life while he was still on earth. He listened intently as I described God’s ability and willingness to minister to him in every way including the practical needs of life. He then agreed to let me pray for God’s blessing on his life. I prayed specifically that the Lord would even that day do some amazing things on his behalf to confirm that blessing and the covenant he now has with the Father and I took that opportunity to be the first one to bless him.

The name Emelio means “eager to excel.” The Lord reminded me that day just how eager many people are to hear the good news of the gospel. Many Christians simply do not witness to others because they have believed the lie that nobody wants to hear about our Jesus (in reality they don’t want to hear about some dead religion). I challenge you to find an Emelio every week to tell about the blessing that has been restored through the blood of Jesus Christ. No one can truly excel in life (meaning to go to the the highest level) without the blessing active and operating daily. We have been given such a wonderful trust, message, and mandate. Don’t be surprised when you’re minding your own business at a restaurant or store and you hear the familiar voice of the Holy Spirit urging you to hook up with your own eager Emelio!

Kualoa Regional Park

There’s something special about the blue waters of the State of Hawaii. From the best surfing in the world (board and body) to some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere, Hawaii is a water lover’s paradise.

But this slice of heaven is also fraught with danger. Take for example the crushing waves that toss enthusiastic boogy boarders and body surfers around like rag dolls (sometimes head first causing back and spinal injuries and even death). Consider the pulsating undertow that can take even an experienced swimmer quickly out to sea and literally swallow the swimmer from exhaustion. Or, in the case of my lovely wife Kelli, the lurking danger of floating critters (like the Portuguese Man-Of-War) that come in on the rising tide often landing on and repeatedly stinging any swimmer that happens to be frolicking in the water in its path.

The very beach pictured above was our next stop on a short tour of the beaches on the east side of the island of Oahu. In fact, the very sign pictured was clearly visible when we walked up to the water. I noticed no one was swimming and the three lifeguards were just sitting on the sand shooting the breeze. I decided to sit down on the beach. Kelli and Tim headed into the surf and Tim began to taunt her, “now don’t get stung by the man-of-war.” After just a few minutes Tim became the prophet of the wild kingdom and Kelli began to tell him, “I’m stinging all over my upper body.” He just laughed and brushed it off thinking that she was only saying that in response to his taunting. But she insisted and told him she was getting out. Sure enough, when she came out of the water she had the sphaghetti-like stings across her back, shoulders and arms with part of the animal still clinging to her hair.

Often, we do the same thing with sin. The warning signs from the Word of God, from our conscience, from the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, and even friends and family tell us to stay away from the sting of sin and its consequences. Often we wander on in thinking that “it won’t happen to us” only to find we are left with the obvious impact of our decisions.

The lifeguard told Kelli to go up to the bath house and run the shower on full pressure to rinse away the residue from the sting of the man-of-war. Sure enough, under the pressure of the cold, clear water she immediately began to feel better. There is a remedy for the sting of sin as well – the crimson flow of the blood of Jesus Christ. Heed the warning to stay out of the danger zone, but if you do venture into the ocean of sin, don’t just sit there and suffer. Go to the only lifesaver who can truly wash away sin’s consciousness, condemnation, and consequences.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40, NIV).

I heard a man of God one time compare our love walk to a golden curtain rod. On the golden curtain rod snugly hung every blessing, provision, and promise of God. He saw in a vision the curtain rod being knocked down and the individual hangers with corresponding blessings crashing to the floor. The Lord revealed to him that as Matthew 22:40 indicates, the promises and the prophetic utterance guiding and impacting our lives literally hang or depend on our love walk – first with God and then second with others.

This is why the enemy of our souls works overtime to try to get us to come out of love – to get offended over comparatively small things in life – to choose offense, anger, and lashing out to resting in peace and maintaining the blessing intact in our lives by staying in love no matter what comes our way. How many of us would seriously blow up our houses to take out the house fly buzzing around our noses during dinner? We fare far worse than this when we come out of love and get in the flesh to react to the flies of life. It always seems important to us at the time (to respond inappropriately to the situation) but let’s consider the true cost before we close and seal the deal by knocking down the golden curtain rod and all the benefits with it.

There’s something on you…it’s the blessing…don’t do anything to jeopardize it!

People often ask me how they can know for sure that they have heard from God. It is really an important question because the Lord has established a path for his people and on that path they will discover their destiny and tap into every blessing he has ordained for them. I remember hearing Lester Sumrall say once that if a believer gets off the path of God it is very difficult to get back on course. The best course of action, obviously, is to not allow the “hiss of the serpent” (as Thomas a Kempis described it) to pull us away from God’s best in this life – and make no mistake about it – God’s best is his path for your life.

The following questions will help you determine if you have really heard from God or whether it was just the pizza or Mexican food you had the night before. We can’t afford to spend any time in the back forty because we missed God. Jesus is coming back soon and we need to redeem the time and make the most of every opportunity – and we can’t do that if we are walking down the wrong path.

EIGHT QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TO DETERMINE GOD’S WILL:

1.  Have you thoroughly renewed your mind through the Word of God? You are not in any position to make big, life-changing decisions from a position of spiritual weakness. Before you try to declare, “thus sayeth the Lord,” make sure you have spent the time in the Word so that you are able to adequately discern the voice of the Lord from the voice or the enemy or the voice of your flesh.

2.  Does this line up with the Word of God? We are living in a day when “Christians” are bailing on the express teachings of the Word of God at an alarming rate, giving to carnal thinking and the pressures of a post-Christian culture. If what we think God said to us contradicts the teachings of Scripture we did not hear from God because God and his Word are one.

3.  Will this require faith? We know from Hebrews 11:6 that is impossible to please God without faith. The guidance and direction of the Lord is always going to require the exercise and the releasing of our faith because what He directs is always beyond our ability in the natural realm. Faith looses the believer from the constraints of the natural realm and enables him or her to tap into the supernatural.

4.  Will this take courage to accomplish? Moses was dead and the task of leading the people of God fell to Joshua. With his mentor now gone, the Lord personally reached out to Joshua to challenge him to be courageous (Joshua 1). Courage enables us to press on to victory despite the temptation to yield to fear instead.

5.  Do you sense God’s peace in this situation? Colossians 3:15 exhorts the believer to permit or allow the peace of God to rule in his or her heart. That word “rule” is literally like a modern umpire calling balls, strikes, hits, and outs. When we sense that uneasiness in our spirits we need to pause until the check in our hearts lifts or until that unmistakable confidence from God’s peace manifests.

6.  Is obedience required? When the Lord is speaking there is always a directive. Like Abraham we might be called upon to make a major life transition. Like Isaac, he may tell us just the opposite – to remain in the land, plant in the middle of a famine and reap a hundredfold in the same year. The key is to discern that thing we are to do (or not do) and then be faithful in it.

7.  Does it square with wise counsel? Whenever a believer makes a major life-changing decision without the input from trusted spiritual counsel, more often than not a mistake – a serious mistake is being made. In the modern Charismatic age it is common to hear people say that they only listen to God – no man can speak into their lives. But Scripture tells us to submit to one another and especially listen to the spiritual leaders in our lives.

8.  Will this direction bring spiritual profit? In many ways, the Christian in the United States makes major decisions in life the same way the world does – entirely based on natural, carnal, and financial concerns. Where can I make the most money? What amenities does the community offer? How close is the location to my family? Often, the believer does not consider the impact spiritually until after the move because spiritual matters are low on the priority list. In fact, the impact of the decision spiritually should be the first consideration when making life changes.

I want to encourage you to join us each Wednesday evening for School of the Spirit (SOS) featuring a simple dinner at 6:00 p.m. and a tremendous slate of classes for the entire family starting at 7:00 p.m. In addition to our nursery, kids, and youth classes, we are offering seven powerful adult electives this quarter including The Expanding Church, Men of Victory, Women of Destiny, Adventures in Faith, Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage, Anchor of Hope (for new folks attending HHC two years of less), and the Growth Course. We know it’s hard to deal with school, extracurricular activities, work, dinner and church, so we thought we would make your life a little easier on Wednesday nights by helping you to skip a step and enjoy some fellowship at the same time. The meal is provided for a suggested (not required) donation of $2 per person ($5 for a family of three or more – you can’t even get that at McDonald’s). Please see a member of our hospitality team for more information when you come or call Sue at 753-6695 for more details. Make plans now to join us each Wednesday for SOS – a powerful and life-changing midweek pick-me-up.

There’s something on you…and it’s the blessing!

John Barrett Baptizing Shirley Royal

A few months ago, Shirley Royal went into a catatonic state and coded three times after being brought to the local hospital. No one gave the family much hope for a recovery and any recovery would be marked by residual physical limitations or even brain damage. I remember Mr. Royal standing over her body as we prayed. There was something extraordinary at play that day in the intensive care unit. I sensed God’s hand and I sensed that this women was one tough bird and definitely a fighter.

Not only did she not die, she regained full function, physically and mentally, and she then began to faithfully attend Hope Harbor Church. Last week during the kickoff of our brand new SOS (School of the Spirit) Wednesday night, Shirley decided to join the others scheduled to follow the Lord in baptism and I had the joy of witnessing one of the most outstanding miracles I’ve seen in fourteen years of ministry at Hope Harbor. Shirley had literally been lifted up from the deathbed to make her public profession of faith through baptism.

I want to encourage you that no matter how things look – no matter how much fear is trying to move against your heart – just keep on believing and trusting God. Stay focused on the promise and keep your heart filled with the Word of God and faith. We are in a very interesting season in this nation. I have discovered that a really tough time in the natural is prime time for our God to show up and show out with his power and glory.

Please be our guest at any of our three Hope Harbor Church locations this Sunday morning for the launch of our brand new fall sermon series entitled, Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear. Come discover how to overcome that fear-causing mega storm swirling around your life lately. Invite someone you care about to the Harbor this Sunday.