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April 17

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

“My hope is built on nothing less/Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness/I dare not trust the sweetest frame/But wholly lean on Jesus’ name/On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand. When darkness veils His lovely face/I’ll rest on His unchanging grace/In every high and stormy day/My anchor holds within the veil/On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.” (Traditional)

I hate to say it since I am a contemporary worship kind of guy (except for most songs from Hillsong, Elevation, and Bethel), but sometimes the old hymns have it all over the newbies. Whether it is sung in a more traditional way and setting or in a more uptempo style, there is not much more that can be said about what this song is teaching. In his devotion for today, April 17, Paul David Tripp wrote this:

Thankfully, God is not like me. Nothing can thwart His will, nothing can challenge His rule, and nothing can stop the march of His grand redemptive plan. The hope and spiritual security of every believer rest on the fact that our Lord cannot be stopped. His rules rules. (Everyday Gospel Devotional-p.133)

That first phrase strikes a chord in me. “God is not like me.” I cannot even find the words to express my joy in them, other than to say, “I am so-o-o-o-o glad He is not like me.” I make a mess enough of things without doing it on a grand scale. When I am faithless, He is faithful. When I am fearful, He is fearless. When I am blind, He is light. When I am wishy-washy, He is ever true. Nothing moves Him. Nothing overwhelms Him. Nothing overcomes Him. Nothing surprises Him.  He never has to say, “Ooops.” He never has to say, “My bad.” He never does a face plant. He never slaps Himself on the forehead and says, “I should have had a V-8.” 🙂

God is always the same. He never changes. He never waffles. He never has to say, “I forgot about that.” God is my hope. God is my rock. God is never-changing. God is my firm foundation. (Check out this song). This Resurrection season I pray you know that truth because that truth is the anchor for our hope.

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April 16

Wednesday, April 16th, 2025

Unknown people are often the ones we need to learn about the most and take lessons from.

For example, Katherine Wright. Chances are pretty good you may know someone by that name. But not this Katherine. Recently one of the men in the church gave a communion thought on Katherine. You may be more familiar with her brothers-Orville and Wilbur-who invented, built, and flew the first successful airplane in the early 1900s.  Because of their prominence many, perhaps most, have never heard of Katherine. Yet in their successful endeavor of building a “flying machine,” Katherine was vital to their success. While they concentrated on the details that brought them success, Katherine was quietly behind the scenes essential to their success. You may be thinking, “But I’ve never heard of her!” Exactly! That’s my point. She kept their bicycle shop going (her brother’s source of income), left her teaching job to nurse Orville back to health after a plane crash, and managed the details of their growing fame.

Katherine is a perfect example of someone who knows their role and fulfills it. Up front or behind the scenes, it takes all kinds of people to do essential things. In this case helping her brothers reset travel. (Do you think they envisioned air travel today back in their early days? I think not). Anyway, Katherine chose her spot and filled it with grace and service.  We have people like that today who do just that. For every up front people who likes/desires the limelight, there is someone behind the scenes doing the camera work, the script writing, the sound board, the live stream, fixing communion (in a church setting), teaching a kid’s class while the adults are meeting, and a myriad of other tasks. My wife is one of those people. Every week she makes me look like I know what I’m doing by typing and showing the Power Point during my sermons. She has been doing this for more than the 19 years we have been here.  She knows me like a glove and even when I mess up, she covers me. 

She is just like the ONE we celebrate and remember this week as we head  toward Resurrection Sunday. This week is often called Holy Week because it is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. From His entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey to His crucifixion and resurrection one week later, His whole life was one of being a servant. He showed us how to a servant throughout His life; demonstrated it the night He washed the disciples’ feet; then willingly laid down His life on the cross. For all for us. We could ask for no greater example than Him.

Follow in His footsteps. Serve, even if it is in the shadows. “There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

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April 15

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025

“You talk at an audience, but you talk with people.”  (Quote from The Dancing King by Glynn Young-p.131). I’m going to continue with my thoughts that The Dancing King spurred within me as I finished my reread of Book #3 in the series of 5. 

Interviewing for a job with the king, Jay said the preceding quote to King Michael.  Previous to that quote, Jay said this: “What struck me (after listening to Michael preach) about all of this is that you’re not a brand, but a person, a breathing, living person, and that comes through clearly in the videos and interview, but especially in the sermons. And from what I could tell, you want to talk with people, not communicate at them. Most communications people think of everyone as an audience, and I hate that. You talk at an audience, but you talk with people. And it seems to me that everything I’ve seen and read about you suggests that you want to talk  with people.” (pp.130-131) 

As a pastor, as a speaker, that statement hit the nail on the head. I honestly don’t care about branding (whatever that is and entails). I sincerely pray each Sunday that I am not in the pulpit to impress people or to WOW people. (I surely fail in that).  What I do want to do is plainly and clearly present the truth of the Gospel of Jesus and His love for each and every one of us. To borrow another quote from the book: “God does not ask me to campaign for social justice. He does not ask me to promote cultural pluralism. He does not tell me to promote inclusiveness as the only virtue left in a country that seems to have been stripped bare of its moral virtues (Note: he was speaking of the UK in the book but…). And he does not ask me to promote tolerance, because he knows that my efforts to promote tolerance will actually create intolerance.” (p.330).  And then the coup de grace: “He simply says, find the lost. Serve my people. Preach the gospel. Feed my sheep. Tend to my lambs. Disciple my flock. Watch over my people. Love them as you would love yourself. Love me with all your heart, and soul, and mind. Worship me, your Lord God, and not the false idols you have set up on the altars of your heart.” (p.330)

I was strangely challenged to take stock of my preaching and my love for the people of the church God has asked me to pastor after I read that. I wore a t-shirt Sunday that said, “This Pastor has an awesome congregation.”  I firmly believe that.  I want to be nowhere else and have no desire to be a mega church pastor.  My heart is here.  I am blessed with people who love me and have loved me for over 19 years.  And I thank God He has allowed me to love them back.

So ends my comments on Book #3. I suggest you read the books for yourself. 🙂

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April 14

Monday, April 14th, 2025

Start With Why. That is the name of a book by Simon Sinek that sits on my desk saying, “Read me! Read me!” 🙂 After reading multiple books on leadership for the first two months of the year, I needed to take a break. Sinek’s book was one that hit the “put off till later” batch.  From the back cover are the following words: “Any person or organization can explain what they do; some can explain how they are different or better; but very few can clearly articulate why. WHY is not about money or profit-those are the results. WHY is the thing that inspires us and inspires those around us.” 

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am rereading Glynn Young’s Dancing Priest series. I just finished Book #3 and have started #4. In Book #3 (known as the Dancing King) Michael Kent-Hughes has assumed the throne of England. But not before efforts were made by adversaries to thwart that happening. In Book #2 an almost successful attempt was made upon Michael’s life, as well as his pregnant wife, Sarah, and their unborn baby. We were introduced to Michael’s brother, Henry in Book #1 and saw him take a more active role in Michael’s life in Book #2. As part of what was known as The Violence where the attempt was made on Michael’s and Sarah’s lives, Henry life was also affected. In his effort to know more about his brother, Michael found out Henry had been a practicing homosexual but had taken part in a church’s Exodus Ministry. As Michael learned more, the priest of St. Margaret’s church said this to Michael: “The struggle became worse once the two of you had met. He found that, far from rejecting him, you had opened your arms to him. He described it something like this, that all of his adult life he had people who wanted him for his wealth, for his position, for what they thought they could get from him, or for his body, but that you, the brother he had forced away so many years ago, you wanted him simply for himself. At first, he found it hard to believe. Then you invited him to stay with you in San Francisco. And he discovered that you loved him with a heartfelt, brotherly love, and asked nothing of him other than to be with him.” (p.120) 

All that to say: people know when we are with them to get something or to just be with them for them. The WHY question is huge. I guess I can’t really stop people from wanting something from me, but I can make sure my motives are pure when I am with others. It should not be for what can they give me or what I can get from them, but to simply enjoy their friendship and presence.  I love being with people who want nothing from me but to my friend and visa versa.

How about you?

{There is more coming from Book #3 but you really ought to read the whole series} 🙂

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Burning Hearts – April 13

Friday, April 11th, 2025

I talked a little bit about the life of David last week. This week I’m going to take a deeper dive into his life. In fact, last week I compared Saul to David-the arrogance of Saul vs the humility of David. (You can catch that sermon on YouTube). Last week was a really strange week due to having to cancel in person services because of the flooding in our area and the county commissioners putting us on a RED travel alert. A RED meant only emergency personnel were to be on the roads.  Since I live 2 miles from the church building and it is all highway, I was able to come to the office and prepare for a live stream. But we chose to err on the side of caution and ask people to stay home.

This week will different. Not only will be meeting in person-Lord willing- my main focus will be on David. I’ll start by looking at Psalm 139 (a fantastic passage that blows the abortion advocates out of the water that the baby is just a blob of tissue), then move onto specific actions in David’s life. I’ve titled the sermon Hero and Zero because David was both. Specific actions in his life show him as a hero; specific actions show him as a zero (not worthless but a mistake-maker).

One of the things I like about the Bible is that it paints people as people-warts and all. No whitewashing. No skipping over the bad parts. David is no different from me. I’d like to invite you to join us in person at 9:00 and 10:45 AM. If you are unable to, please join us via our live stream via our Facebook or YouTube channel. You can send a request to join our Facebook Group at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship or view our public page at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship-Spencer, In. Or you can watch via YouTube at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship. I look forward to seeing you or hearing from you online. And let me ask you to do me a favor: please let us know you are watching and then feel free to comment-yay or nay. If you have any questions, please ask and I will get back to you. Thanks. And thanks for praying for us.

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April 10

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

“God doesn’t really care.” If I have heard that once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. (It may or may not have slipped from my lips a time or two in the past. Just sayin’) 🙂

Last night during my Wednesday Night Conversation class, this was the topic of discussion. Everyone there acknowledged what I just said: they had heard (or used) it before.  We also came to realize that much of the belief in that lie is too many think that God is just like we are. He has failures, limitation, and weaknesses…just like us. We sometimes give off the idea that God is prone to doubt, questioning His actions, and even prone to regrets that He could/should start all over again. Here’s truth: God is not like me. God is not like you. He is God, and I am not, neither are you (even though we act like it sometimes).

With that in mind, let’s take a look at what God is like. I called these 3 non-negotiables + one:

God is Omnipotent. God is all-powerful. He can do everything-possible or impossible. He is not limited. He never gets tired. He never forgets. Take a moment to pick up a Bible and read Psalm 115:3 or Isaiah 40:28.

God is Omnipresent. This is an easy word to figure out. God is all-present and everywhere present. He cannot be confined, either in heaven or on earth. He is not confined to a building, nor is He removed from our lives. Wherever you are He is there. Psalm 139:7-12 will blow your socks off.

God is Omniscient. He is all-knowing. He knows all that can be known. He knows all thoughts, all desires, every unuttered secret (hence my mom’s words: “You can’t hide, Bill. God knows what you are thinking.” (Thanks mom for keeping my “guilt alarm” on high alert!)

God is Omnibenevolent.  Yeah…I know it isn’t a word. God is all-loving. He loves perfectly and is full of love.  His love never runs out and never lessens. He doesn’t need us to feel satisfied, but we need Him to be fulfilled.  “For anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (I John 4:8 NLT)

So what does this all mean to me, to us?  Four things:

  1. God has proven Himself.  He has nothing more to prove to anyone.
  2. God always keeps His promises. Take that to the bank.  What He says, He will do.
  3. God has come and will come again. The first time He came as a baby; the next time He will come as conquering King.
  4. God’s presence always brings a presence of peace. In spite of the circumstances, His presence will being peace and calm.

I hope this encourages you today.

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April 9

Wednesday, April 9th, 2025

As a parent, I think one of the hardest things to endure is a child disengaging from you, and the worst case scenario, the faith you raised them in. I’ve had occasion recently to read of two such incidents in the Bible where this happened. Each time the son went off the rails.

I worked on a sermon recently where I studied about Hezekiah, the father, and his son, Manasseh. Hezekiah was a good and godly king who brought much-needed reform to Judah. His major glitch happened after a sickness that was to kill him was healed, after he begged God to let him live. (Okay, he whined). He lived 15 more years. During those 15 years Manasseh as born, but it was also when Hezekiah allowed his pride to get in the way and he opened up the temple stores to brag about his wealth to visitors. When he died, Manasseh took over and the Bible says he was one of the most wicked kings ever. 55 years of ungodly practices, witchcraft, sacrificing children to a foreign god (including his own son), and much more. If Hezekiah had lived to see that he would have probably rued the day Manasseh was born. His life was totally off the rails, unlike his father’s in every way, especially in his faith.

The other is Absalom, the son of David. He avenged the rape of his sister by Amnon, his and her half brother. I get it. David did nothing to punish Amnon. N.O.T.H.I.N.G. A father should defend the honor of his daughter. What David didn’t do, Absalom did. The result was banishment from the kingdom and even after Joab convinced David to let him back in, David refused to talk to him. For two years! Eventually, Absalom rebelled against his father and David went on the run. In time, Absalom gets his hair got caught in a tree and Joab makes sure he never breathes again. David hears about Absalom’s death and only a father can sense the anguish in his cry, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Sam. 18:33 NLT) There is some debate as to why David was this remorseful, especially when he banished him and then ignored him. I simply take it as a father who loved his son and missed him, maybe lamenting the way he treated him. I know plenty of fathers who fit that last statement.

Not always does life, or people, turn out the way we planned or wanted. All a parent (or relative/friend) can do is to ask God to help them leave a legacy behind that is worth seeing. I have a daughter who will soon be 50 and another who will soon be 46. I have a grandson who is 18 and a multitude of people who call me pastor. I pray I have left a godly influence and my legacy says I had a heart for God.

And you?

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April 8

Tuesday, April 8th, 2025

A very common thought, especially in today’s culture where there seems to be very little boundaries, is “How much can I get away with and not get caught?” or “How much can I get away with and not pay any consequences?”  

For example, a young Christian couple gets too close and play with fire and she ends up pregnant. Horror and remorse sets in, let’s suppose, for both. They tell their parents. Decide to put the baby up for adoption (or to keep it). They repent and ask forgiveness for their sin. They are assured they have received God’s forgiveness. Does that take away the consequences of that sin? The answer is, obviously, no. She didn’t suddenly become un-pregnant. The baby didn’t miraculously disappear from her womb. The evidence of their sin will be obvious over the next 9 months or so. The forgiveness and grace of God will also be evident as she and he heal from the recklessness they exhibited.

I know that seems like an extreme example to use, but it isn’t really. All you need to do is go to 2 Samuel 11 for a real life example in the Bible. Two names: David and Bathsheba. The story is pretty well known. David sleeps with Bathsheba and she tells him she is pregnant. David takes it a step further. He has Uriah, her husband, murdered by having Joab, his general, pull back while in battle. That left Uriah unprotected. It was also supposed to give David a clear view of being with Bathsheba. But the prophet Nathan told him a story that fried David and Nathan pointed his finger at David and said, “You are the man!” David was contrite. He fasted and prayed when his son got sick and died. He wrote Psalm 51, a penitent psalm if there ever was one.

But one thing it didn’t change was Bathsheba’s pregnancy; his guilt and shame over Uriah’s death; and the prophecy that a sword will be in his family forever. It found its fulfillment in the rape of his daughter, Tamar, by her half brother, Amnon. Such ugliness from sin. And yet, David prayed and asked forgiveness. David received that and more. But the consequences!!

That same principle applies to me and you. We sin and think no one knows. After all it was done in secret. No eyes saw or witnessed it. Like the embezzler who thinks no one will find out, sin comes to roost. I guess the best thing to do is to not lay the egg to start with. God’s grace is great. God’s forgiveness is matchless. But let’s not take advantage of it nor take it for granted.  

 

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April 7

Monday, April 7th, 2025

For those of you who don’t live anywhere around here, I can just put the weekend into one word, no make that three: RAIN and MORE RAIN. The river in our town is supposed to crest today around 25′. In ’08 it crested at 26.8′. The highest? 28.5 in 1913. The RED travel advisory means Emergency personnel only so we cancelled church yesterday and school is cancelled today while in an ORANGE. Reason? Flooded roads. Like a lot of them. I heard over 50.

So…rather than talk about that, let’s talk about something much more fun and meaningful. Last week I mentioned that I have begun rereading a series by Glynn Young called The Dancing Priest series. I finished #1 and find myself more than 1/2 way through #2- A Light Shining. #1 found Olympic hero, Michael Kent, ordained into the Anglican church and being sent to St. Anselm’s in San Francisco. Across the street from the church building was a warehouse which housed several children, the oldest being Jason, Age 15. He was the “father” to the 6 kids who lived under his care. When Michael decided to do something about it he sat down with Jason, who had just accepted Christ. Following is the conversation which ensued:

J: “So why’d you do it in the first place? Why do you have this class we go to on Sunday’s?”

M: We’re trying to reach out to you.”

J: “Everyone else ignores us, except when the shop people think we’re stealing or the cops decide to hassle us. Why don’t you just ignore us?

M: “Because you matter. You matter to God. And because you matter to God, you matter to us. Jason, God sees you as something valuable. You have great value in His eyes.”

J: “I’m a piece of crap, Father Michael. That’s all I am. I steal when I have to. I’ve done drugs, all of them. I hustle tricks to make money. There’s no value here. I’m a piece of crap.”

M: “That may be what you think. And that may be what a lot of people might think. But it’s not what God thinks. And it’s not what Father John and I think. Jason, you and maybe others see what’s on the surface. And what’s on the surface may be ugly, to you and to a lot of people. But what really matter is what’s inside and what’s in our heart. What God sees is the man He created you to be.” (pp.8-9)

There is more to the conversation. I have edited it to fit the format, but what it does say is that each one of us matters to God. He sent Jesus to die so that we could be forgiven. While a story written by Mr. Young, the conversation is heard all over the planet. Every person has value and merit. Each one matters. We are all sinners, for sure, but we still matter to God. I hope you will carry that with you today.

(May I also suggest you read this fantastic series? It can be found on Amazon. Start with Dancing Priest) 

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Burning Hearts -April 6

Friday, April 4th, 2025

There used to be a show when I a kid called The Dating Game. It was a dumb show. They would have 3 men behind closed doors and one woman (sometimes visa versa) asking questions to see if they were compatible and which bachelor/bachlorette he/she would like to go on a date with.  I guess in some ways that would be considered the ultimate comparison game.

My sermon Sunday is a comparison game- comparing King Saul and King David. It is actually a game of contrast as I contrast the two individuals and their ways of dealing with people and with God.  It is my opinion that we would hard-pressed find two men who are more a contrast to each other than these two. From the very beginning there was something different about them. From their anointing to the choices they made, their attitude showed. Saul’s show his arrogance; David’s show his humility. Saul’s show his reliance on self; David’s show his willingness to submit to God’s plan.

I’m also excited that the group who took the trip to work in east Tennessee over spring break will be speaking about their trip. Expect about 15-20 minutes for live reports and also pictures of the area in which they worked and what they did.  Join us Sunday morning at 9 or 10:45. If you are unable to be with us live, then please join us via our Facebook or YouTube channel. You can send a request to join our Facebook Group at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship or view our public page at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship-Spencer, In. Or you can watch via YouTube at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship. I look forward to seeing you or hearing from you online.

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