INTENTIONALITY!

Just a liitle update - the air conditioner was fixed Friday on the car - a sensor had burnt out and a little low on freon. Hallelujah, not the compressor!

Now then, tomorrow I will be preaching on what it means to be intentional about our faith development. You've heard the saying, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Well, I would like us act upon our intentions, not just talk about them. But who will hold us accountable? Ah, that might be the question.

Let me ask you all a question to ponder or to comment if you'd like. How intentional are you about growing in your faith in Jesus Christ. Said another way, what are doing to see that you are becoming more and more like Jesus? Bible study, men's group, women's group, Sunday School, etc?? What have you learned and applied to your life in the last month that reflects your growth in Christ? What would suggest that compared to a year ago, others would definitely notice that you have become more Christ-like?

Something to chew on.

Let's talk!

STILL HOT AND MUGGY!! (Finally, a new bog)

M.L. and I left for Salina yesterday and got 20 miles out of town only to have our air conditioner give out. Needless to say, it was a hot drive. We did stop at Hays to see Marcellee at the hospital and thankfully the air conditioning worked there. Whew! We then stopped and got a strawberry milkshake and a cold drink and endured the rest of the trip to Salina. And guess what? The humidy hasn't left. It's still here from when we left 7 years ago.

Now you have to understand that I don't like hot and muggy. And to drive 3 1/2 hours without a/c is not my idea of a leisure Sunday afternoon drive. I started to gripe to M.L. and then realized, "what good will complaining do?" So we rolled down the windows and made the best of it. After all, there are a lot worse problems out there than me being without a/c.

Changing the subject, I officiated at a funeral service for the wife, mother, and grandmother of some good friends of ours in Salina. The service went very well and it was good to catch up with many of our friends in the Salina area - especially the Payne family. Condolences to them. Also, our prayers are with the Fruechting family. Gloria passed away and her funeral was today as well. M.L. and I were supposed to sing help with the music at her funeral but were obligated to the service in Salina. (Too many friends losing them moms lately). Praise God for the hope of the resurrection.

We went and saw the house Todd and Melissa are buying - very nice. We will help them move next week. They are really looking forward to it and we are very happy for them.

While we are here in Salina we feel it our "duty" to spend some time with our little grandson Owen. After all, someone has to do it and it might as well be us. He's doing great. Eating well, sleeping well, and keeping his grammy and gramps happy.

I met a man who lives next door to where Todd and Melissa are moving. I introduced myself and he said, "Oh yeah, I remember you from all the football games at Salina Central". I wonder what he meant by that??

VBS 2008

VBS 2008

It's play time!!

Moving on to the next station!

Yes, we're tired but we're going to make it!

We are currently in the middle of the 4th day of the community VBS held here at the church. It has been a great time so far with 109 kids attending yesterday ( don't have today's count as of yet). The theme has focused upon the power of Jesus in our lives that we might be thankful, helpful, brave, assured of eternal life by faith, and empowered to tell others about God.



I truly appreciate VBS because it was when I was a kid attending Bible school in a little Baptist church in Marion, Kansas that I responded to the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. That is the intent of our VBS, to offer to these kids the life changing power of Jesus Christ in their lives. It's more than having fun and eating snacks, it's about responding to the great love of God through his son Jesus Christ to live life to its fullest - for now and eternity. I encourage you to pray for these kids and to offer a prayer of thanks to the many who gave of their time to be leaders for the week. What a blessing!

SUITING UP!

After a couple weeks of observation and reflection it is obvious to me that Satan is alive and well and is seeking to do all he can do to destroy people's lives (or at least disrupt them). I see it in the lives of our youth. I see it in the lives of parents. I see it in families. I see it in the erosion of commitment to Christ and His church. I see it in the exchange of priorities to where God is placed upon the back burner because of things seen as more important. Meanwhile - Satan smiles.

And this is not just on a local level. I've been in contact with many clergy and laity from other places and many can relate to the spiritual battle that we face. So what do we make of it? Is it a sign that God is at work and so the devil is working that much harder to defeat what God seeks to do in and through us? Or is it because we have disarmed ourselves, perhaps lost our focus, maybe even become lukewarm as it pertains to our passion for Christ? You can be sure Jesus has not lost his passion for us.

Whatever the answers to these questions are, I would like all who are reading this (local or otherwise) to seriously consider some of the following questions:

What is my priority as it relates to the Lord's Day?

How intentional am I regarding spiritual discipline? (Prayer, reading Scripture, meditation, attending worship, praise, etc.)

If a parent - what do my kids see in me that reflects Jesus as my #1 priority in life?

What do our neighbors or community have to say when it comes to our Christian witness?

Am I listening for God's voice on a daily basis?

How have I been obedient to the Lord this past week?

Have I reached out to others in love this past week?

There are more questions but these should get us to thinking. If these have not been a part of your reflective process, you can be sure the devil will replace these with other thoughts, other "things to do", other priorities.

Let me encourage you to be "strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Eph. 6:10-11). It's a battle out there. Let's be reminded that our victory is in Jesus. But we may need to make a few adjustments to be victorious. Onward Christian soldiers!!