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Friday, April 24th, 2026
For the past two months I have been preaching a series I called The Road to the Other Side. It started in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and encompassed events in the life of Jesus surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection and beyond. This Sunday is the last in the series and the topic is the ultimate: death and eternal life (heaven). I, personally, have relished focusing on Jesus the past two months as I looked at the Lord’s Supper; the crucifixion; the resurrection; the command to His disciples to “Go!”; the rise of the church; the impact of the church; and this final one on death and heaven. What better end can there be than heaven…if you are a follower of Christ? My Scripture will 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Ezekiel 1:4-28; and Revelation 21.
I start a new series next week I am calling The “Perfect” Christian and it will be a two month series on James. I’m looking forward to preaching through a book. I’ve already been working on the sermon and it is exciting to me. I’ll keep you posted as I move into the series. I can already tell you the first sermon is Troubled by Trials and the second is Tripped by Temptation. 🙂
Anyway, thanks for putting up with my rambling in this post. This coming week I hope to share some of the thoughts from this week’s message in this blog. Until then, I would love to have you join us in person at 9 and 10:45. If you are unable to do so, please join us via live stream at the same time on our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. We would be honored if you would join us. And please, leave us a note saying you were there. If you can’t do any of the above, please pray for us.
Posted in InTheShadow | 2 Responses »
Tags: Death, God's Plan, Heaven, Opinion, Reflection, Sermon Series
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026
“I can do it myself.”
Ever heard a toddler say those words? It’s not unusual hearing those words from one is it? That toddler is trying to exert himself and his independence. It’s not too far off to say we will hear those words from stubborn teens or cranky adults who don’t want assistance or help from anyone. They are basically saying, “I don’t need/want your help. I can do it myself.”
This Lone Ranger mentality is, at times, a good thing. We want people spreading their wings and doing tasks on their own. But at the same time it can be a dangerous attitude. It can lead to isolationism, and even trouble.
In Exodus 17 we find two stories. One is Moses striking the rock to bring forth water. (This is the not the one that got him in trouble with God). The other story is when the Israelites fought the Amalekites. During battle Moses went to the top of the hill overlooking the battlefield. With him were Joshua and Hur. As long as Moses held up his staff the people of Israel would be winning; drop his arm out of fatigue and they began losing. In Moses’ hand was the staff of God. Eventually, Joshua and Hur each held up an arm and the Israeli army prevailed. While Moses could have said, “I can do this” (thankfully he didn’t), he needed Joshua and Hur to hold up his arms.
We all need Joshua’s and Hur’s. The power of the Israelite army was not just because Moses held up his arms and they saw he was there. The staff may have inspired the Jewish army, but more importantly, the staff “spoke” to them of God’s presence.
We may be stubborn and think we need no help. Nothing could be further from the truth. We may even win a skirmish here and there, but in the long run success in battle comes from living and trusting in the presence of God. “It is not by force nor by strength, but my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (Zech. 4:6 NLT)
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, God's Presence, God's Strength, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Scripture look, Story
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026
Gathering a few (not so) random thoughts from the last chapter of This Was Never the Plan by Vaneetha Rendall Risner (subtitled: “Walking with God Through the Heartache of Divorce”).
On waiting: “God’s timing is precise, not random, and He will not let us wait even a moment longer than necessary.” (p.139-140). My take: God is seldom early, but He’s never late.
On Satan’s influence: “Satan’s goal is always the same: to push us from God.” (p.141). My take: Satan’s goal has been and always will be to get us to stumble, thereby, destroying or hindering our testimony.
On permission: “God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.” (Quote by Joni Eareckson Tada-p.143). My take: God’s purpose is the opposite of Satan’s (see previous thought). God’s goal is to always bring about good, not evil.
On finishing: “God’s story never ends up ashes.” (Quote by Elizabeth Elliot-p.146). My take: God is an expert at taking the ash heap of our lives and making something beautiful out of it.
One final one: a writing by ulli-Kaye called fires.
“and if you have ever been abandoned, be a constant. if you have ever been wrapped up in nights so dark, you could not find your way back home, be light. if you have ever fallen apart in a thousand, fractured pieces and wondered where on earth everyone has gone, be present. if you have ever felt unworthy. unbeautiful. unseen. unknown. unheard. be love. i tell you the truth. some of the most precious things we learn, are from the fires we’ve endured.” (p.137-138) {Note:written exactly as she wrote it}
I hope these thoughts stirred your heart this morning. They did mine last night. Which one touched you the most? (I highly recommend this book-divorced or not. For the one who is or has been it will be a game changer).
Posted in InTheShadow | 4 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, God, Grace, Humility, Jesus, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Random quotes, Reflection, Story
Tuesday, April 21st, 2026
“Do as I say not as I do.”
We see it all the time. I read Romans 2:17-24 this morning: “You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth. Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, ‘The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.’ ”
I know this is a long passage, but it speaks of something I have trouble with-both with myself and others:
HYPOCRISY. OF. THE. HIGHEST. ORDER.
Now, I realize contextually Paul is speaking to Jews who don’t keep the Law they preach about, so please understand I am using this text as a “jumping off” point to make a point. I’m not trying to spiritualize a text to make it say what I want it to say. What Paul is writing about is hypocrisy. Those who say, “Don’t! but then “Do.” It’s like they are saying, “The Law says, ‘Don’t steal,’ so don’t you steal! But it’s okay for me to steal.” It’s like the father who says, “I am a Christ-follower” but then uses some of the most vile words (“F” word) about his daughter and calls his son the “p” word, all to show his superiority or express his anger. He instead shows his smallness and lost condition. Paul says the Jews’ hypocrisy gave “permission” to the Gentiles to blaspheme God’s name.
It’s no wonder! How can we expect others to honor God and revere His Name when we ourselves don’t? The same goes for human fathers and their children. How can we expect them to respect us and honor and revere God’s Name when we put them down with vile words and use His name in vain? May I suggest that the next time you speak, consider what you are saying? You may call me narrow-minded (and that’s okay with me), but such vile language has no place in the Christ-follower’s vocabulary.
Yeah…hypocrisy of the highest order. As Paul says elsewhere, “These things ought not be.” Avoid it with everything in you.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, God, God's Word, Humility, Hypocrisy, Kindness, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Sin, Speech, Vile words
Friday, April 17th, 2026
I know. Weird title, especially for a sermon. 🙂 I went old school and tried to alliterate my titles with using an “S” description of “Savior.” This one was a tough one to figure out. Why? Because this is about the church. My thoughts:
Almost 2 years ago I preached a series I entitled Feels Like Home. It was a series of a dream of mine: that OVCF, the church I have pastored for almost 21 years (November), would always feel like home to people. I am planning on preaching that series again (with some slight changes) in September and October. (October is our church’s anniversary. We will be 22 years old). I have several reasons for preaching it and the main one is we hopefully will be in our new addition and it concerns me that we would lost sight that people need a home and they need to feel like church is a home.
The message this Sunday is about the church being a family, one that presents a beautiful picture to those outside our four walls. We are not islands. We are not lone rangers. We need each other and the passage in I Corinthians 12 highlights that fact. I’m going to shape the message around the church as a frame and then as a beautiful picture within that frame. I hope you will join us in person if you are able to. Our service times are 9 and 10:45. If you are unable to come in person, please join us via live stream on our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. We would be honored if you would join us. And please, leave us a note saying you were there. If you can’t do any of the above, please pray for us.
Posted in InTheShadow | 4 Responses »
Tags: Church, Friendship, Opinion, Reflection, Sermon Series
Thursday, April 16th, 2026
I have to be honest this morning: I wasn’t going to post anything. After the heartbreaking decision on the child I wrote about yesterday, and after another visit to the mother and grandparents at the end of my “work day” yesterday, I was numb. No…I am numb. Still. I just have to keep in mind that God knows the truth and that ultimately the truth will prevail, pray the judge will make the right decision for the child, and I/we will be able to look back and see His purpose and plan.
I’ve been reading This Was Never the Plan (subtitled “Walking with God through the heartache of divorce”) by Vaneeetha Rendall Risner. Since I have never been divorced, but know of many who have been and are, and who often come to my office seeking guidance (not judgment), I decided to read this book, especially after reading some of the recommendations. It has been very helpful and much of what she says also applies to life, divorced or not. In one chapter, Mrs. Risner writes about THE FATHER’S EXTRAVAGANT LOVE. She uses the story of the prodigal son (I call it The Parable of the Loving Father) to drive home her point about needing and giving grace. In Luke 15 Jesus tells the story of the son who took the money and ran. Meanwhile, the older son stayed at home. Eventually the son came to his senses and said, “I need to go home and ask my father’s forgiveness.” He did just that. The father saw him coming and against all Jewish male protocol, hiked up his robe and ran to meet his son, showering him with love and kisses and acceptance and a feast. Meanwhile, back on the ranch the older son gets livid about his father’s show of affection and feast for his brother. He whined about his “faithfulness” to his father and the father’s response was simply, “This son who was lost is now found.” {Story told in my words}
Here is where Mrs. Risner’s words rang the bell:
How easily we fall into the same trap (as the older brother)-believing we deserve God’s favor because of our goodness and resenting his grace when it’s given freely to others. Perhaps the greatest danger for the older brother-and for us-is focusing on the younger brother’s behavior and how undeserving he is, rather than our own need for grace. The older brother needed to repent-not of obvious rebellion, but his self-righteousness and resentment. (emphasis mine)
Both sons needed to repent. One for his blatant sin; the other for his self-righteousness and resentment. We can either turn to the Father in surrender or we can turn away from the Father in shame. Which will it be for you?
Posted in InTheShadow | 4 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Divorce, Forgiveness, God, Humility, Judgementalism, Love, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Sin, Story, Surrender
Wednesday, April 15th, 2026
{Spoiler Alert: continuation of a previously announced controversial post from April 9}
In the April 9th post (you can read that here), I introduced you to Kyla Gillespie. To review: Kyla was unhappy in her own skin. Born a biological female, Kyla had gender dysphoria. After a period of rebellion that included alcoholism, gambling, and failed same-sex relationships, Kyla became Brycen as she transitioned to a male. She took hormone shots, had a hysterectomy, a mastectomy, and has only the “bottom surgery” left to perform the trifecta which would have fully transformed her body to male. For 6 years she lived that way.
But God would not loose His grip on her. As He drew her closer to Himself; as she slowly yielded more and more of herself to Him; she deeply questioned that “bottom half” surgery. Along with the rejection of that surgery, Kyla also knew living as Brycen was a lie. She was not a male; she was a female. So she began the detransitioning process. There is much more to her story in Transformed by Kyla Gillespie.
My purpose for writing, though, is not the right or wrong of trans living. It is what led to Kyla’s surrender to God, and ultimately, detransitioning. It was the same words Jesus spoke in the Garden: “Not my will but Yours be done.” In truth, we are all faced with responding to those words. Will I or will I not submit to those words? I cannot emphasize enough the gravity of “Not my will but Yours.” I write this in lieu of a situation I’m involved in as a pastor of people I dearly love. I don’t understand the judge’s decision when the evidence is so cut and dried. And yet, the decision has been put off again for another month. Meanwhile, a child’s life and mental & physical well-being is at stake. “Woe be that judge.” I wonder if she knows what a millstone is? (Jesus’ words about harming children).
But still…the response required is “Not my will be Yours.” As hard as it is to say AND DO, God wants to hear that from my lips, from all those involved, and yes, from yours. “Not. my. will. but. Yours. be. done.”
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Children, God, God's Plan, Humility, Jesus, Ministry, Opinion, Prayer, Questions, Reflection, Story, Surrender
Tuesday, April 14th, 2026
Waiting. I despise waiting…for the most part.
When grocery shopping with Jo, we invariably find ourselves in a line where the people ahead of us have a cart full of stuff, we maybe have 2 or 3 things, and they not only don’t offer us the opportunity to go ahead, but they end up being chatty-Cathy’s who do nothing but jibber jabber. (Can you tell how patient I am?) 🙂
I live in a small town (Yay!) where traffic jams are almost non-existent (school being dismissed the same time some businesses dismiss is an exception). But I have been in bigger cities where it seems they ought to have signs posted: “Caution! 24 hour traffic jam ahead.” I suspect we have all been in traffic jams on an Interstate. Yeah, fun times.
But waiting also has its advantages. “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.” (Is. 40:31). “Be still (wait) and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10). “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me.” (Ps. 40:1) So waiting has its advantages.
There is one more. Joseph Stowell, former president of Moody Bible Institute, tells the story of a friend, Ben Wood, who founded Shepherds Home in Wisconsin for boys and girls with developmental disabilities. One time he asked Joe if he knew what the biggest maintenance problem at Shepherds was.
Joe: “No.”
Ben: “Dirty windows. Our kids press their hands and faces against the windows because they’re looking to the sky to see if today might be the day that Jesus will return for them and take them to His home where they will be healed and complete.” (Story in Shepherding the Shepherd-Vol. 2- Lee Eclov-p.50)
We all need to be window watchers patiently waiting for Jesus to return. Now THAT will make waiting worthwhile!
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Anticipation, Christian Living, Jesus, Ministry, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Scripture look, Second Coming, Story, Waiting
Monday, April 13th, 2026
There are many things common among us humans. Besides the obvious, there is one vital part of each of us, no matter how we might argue or put up a stink, need.
WE. ALL. NEED. FRIENDS.
Despite the ’60s song that said, “I am a rock/I am an island,” that simply is not true. I’ve even heard people say, “I don’t need nobody else.” To that I say, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.” 🙂
The tough part of friendship is knowing whom to trust. You want to find someone you can open up to. The betrayal one feels when a person whom you trusted passes along sensitive information cuts deeply. You took a chance by revealing deep thoughts or doubts or actions and then to have that information passed along feels violating. Loyalty is a must for a friendship to flourish.
Friendship also requires honesty. Lying to one another has no place if friendship is to develop and go beyond a surface “Hi.” Pr. 27:6 says, “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” (NLT) Friendships say what needs to be said, even if it hurts.
At the same time there is honesty, there must also be sensitivity. Friends don’t blow off at friends. Friends choose their words carefully. They refrain from gossip because gossip separates the closest of friends. (Pr. 16:28)
Being a friend is not easy at times, but it is essential. We all need someone. I can say Jo is my best friend (and she is), but I also need guy friends. Tragically, two of them passed away within the past two years. I miss them, especially Dave, but I know they were in my life for a reason. They were all the above characteristics. It is important, though, that I become a friend to someone else. Someone who is trustworthy (loyal), honest, and sensitive.
“Lord, who do you want me to be a friend to?”
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Friendship, Humility, Kindness, Love, Mercy, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Story
Friday, April 10th, 2026
After last week’s Resurrection Sunday uplift, this week is a little more down-to-earth. Both the attendance and the sermon! 🙂 We had a one-time opportunity to meet in our new addition, which isn’t close to being completed yet. We still have drywall to be finished, painted, electricity and all the fixtures to be finished and installed, the HVAC to be installed and finished, the bathrooms are far from finished, and the nursery is nowhere close. But it was good to get a taste of what it will be like together as one. We will continue working as God provides the money since we are committed to doing it debt free. And yes, we had a good crowd but I am not going to publish the number lest it be taken wrong.
As for the sermon, it is entitled The Sending Savior from Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1 & 2. There is no doubt we live in a world that is changing. What are we as Christ-followers supposed to do? Live in fear? Curl up into a fetal position and pretend it doesn’t exist? Do we cover our ears saying, “Lalalala” not believing it is true? The answer is NO. We are to live with faith over fear. Jesus once said the gates of hell will not prevail against His church. We have a chance to live that truth…right here…right now. The work for the Kingdom is not done, not by a long shot. It was just beginning when Jesus gave the commission to His followers and it has continued and will continue until He returns. He has sent us to do His work.
I’d like to invite you to join us this Sunday at 9 and 10:45. If you are unable to come in person, please join us via live stream on our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. We would be honored if you would join us. And please, leave us a note saying you were there. If you can’t do any of the above, please pray for us.
Posted in InTheShadow | 2 Responses »
Tags: Church, Jesus, Resurrection, Sermon Series
