What a day!

It's beautiful outside. Enjoy the day and if you can, come join us this evening at 6:30 for worship.
It could be a wonderful way to end the weekend celebration, with friends and family at Praise Community Fellowship.

The stone has been rolled away and He who was crucified dead and buried now lives eternally. He has given us a path, and the keys to the kingdom. All we need to do is claim them.

Tonight I will "try" and put a tape measure, a jet engine, a gymnast, and a baseball player into a story to help us understand the message of easter.

Hope to see you all this evening.  Love, pastor Kent

Easter Service

Sermon tomorrow evening: "This Changes Everything for Everyone Forever!"

Come join the RTP choir and celebrate with us tomorrow at 6:30pm. All are welcome.

See you then.  Love, pastor Kent

Good Friday?

Why do we call the day Christ was crucified "Good?"

I'm sure most have asked the question, "Why do we call the day Christ was crucified good?"
After researching this question I have come to the conclusion that "Good Friday" like many other terms not found in the bible, has unknown origins and no one really knows why we call it Good Friday.

It is another man made, and somewhat confusing term.  There are people who say that "Good" refers to the goodness God showed to mankind by allowing His son to be crucified for our sins. But there is no official origin of the term that I could find.

 Today we think about the suffering Christ endured on the cross. Though there is really no way to prove the actual times, it appears Christ was nailed to the cross about 9:00am. At noon the sky turned dark and it wasn't until three in the afternoon after suffering for six hours that Jesus cried out and surrendered His spirit.

John 19:30

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Don't let the name distract from the historical event. The significance of the day is not about what we call it but why we observe it. Even the name Easter comes from a pagan holiday and, like good friday, is not found in the bible. But again it is not about the name of the day but the reason we celebrate the day.

This Sunday we will come together to celebrate what Jesus has accomplished for us.

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Are you a friend of Jesus?

God has a great plan for your life. It begins and ends with you accepting His Son Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  

See you Sunday!   Love, Pastor Kent

Reality

A story of confronting ironies.

I consider myself a realist. In other words I am always seeking the truth, the bottom line, the real deal about this life and what it means. I have discovered that love changes everything.
I have also discovered that it is impossible to live your life in a state of love without also living in a state of continual forgiveness.

I have learned that once you can completely accept your own mortality and the mortality of all those you love that there is a huge release of fear in this life. Part of this release is from grasping the reality that there is something beyond this short life. That there is something on the other side of this reality. Something better.

But there are many things that I continue to try and understand. I have said many times before and I am going to continue  stating that, " I am seeking the truth like everyone else."  I do not claim to know "the truth" but  I am moving toward the truth as I continue to study and pray.

The irony.  So I have been praying more than I have ever prayed in my life. One of the things I pray for is the healing of other people who are injured or ill. Yesterday as I was hobbling into the grocery store because of my bad back (snow shoveling), I realized how ironic my situation was. Here I am praying for the healing of some seriously ill people and I cannot even walk straight myself because of my injury.   "Healer, heal thy self" is the thought that came to mind. In one way kind of funny but in another kind of ..... I'm not even sure what to call it.

My thought is, what would a person who has very limited faith think of a person like me who believes in the power of prayer, yet cannot even heal his own back?  Listen, I can understand this kind of thinking because of what I experienced with my son Ben when he was little. I took him to a church where there was a healer. Ben went in handicapped and came out handicapped. That experience affected me, not my faith but it affected my approach toward religion. I knew then that I could not rely on what others told me about God. I would have to find out on my own. Do my own research and experimentation.

I am still experimenting. I know that is not a word that is often used in the church but I found that is exactly how I increased my faith. I would experiment with Gods word and prayer. I have discovered and grown immensely because of my experiments. The bible calls it faith. Step out and do this or pray like this. I call it experimenting. What happens if I really do act on the prompting of the inner voice that says, forgive this person and see what happens?  What would happen if I gave the money I have to this cause when I certainly could use that money myself for other things? 

What would happen if I did something wonderful for someone anonymously who has been vey unpleasant to me?  To me these were experiments, things I read about in the bible and then actually applied them to my life.  The results were miraculous.

As we approach Easter Sunday, a time when some people come to church for that annual dose of Jesus, I wonder how many also see the irony in much of what Christians are claiming?

Where is the hope, the joy, the healing, the forgiveness, the peace that we claim to have?
It is not always an easy thing to answer. But there is something that God is offering all of us. Hope.

Jesus brings hope. That is where the real spiritual journey begins. People start the journey if they can be given the message of hope. My back hurts, but I have hope. My son Ben is still handicapped but I have hope. Everyday I am one day closer to having my journey end on this earth, but I have hope. I pray for the sick, for the hurting, and for the broken because I have hope.

Here is the irony. We as Christians have something that will change peoples lives for the better now and for eternity. It is the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. We just forget ourselves sometimes how wonderful the gift is. 

Lets come together this Easter and remind each other of the Hope we do have in Jesus.

God has a wonderful pal for your life. Start sharing it!   Love, pastor Kent

Finding God in your Daily Routine

It is easier for me to stay in tune with God now that I am a Pastor. But for many, keeping God in your day to day routines can be a challenge. I mean when you are in the thick of your day at work with all the challenges, pressures, and demands, it is not that easy to be meditating on God.

A thought.  We live in New Testament Times. That means the Holy Spirit lives within you.

Remember the Trinity! Make a trinity with everyone you deal with. You, God, the other person. Everyone!  Allow God to become the third person with every conversation. If you begin picturing all relationships this way, no matter what type of relationship it is, I find it much easier to hear Gods prompting in all situations.

Make yourself a conduit for Gods actions and wisdom. Tune in. God is always trying to get our attention. Allow Him to begin guiding you in all that your daily routines.

A good question to ponder. "Are you willing to do whatever God leads you to do?"
If your immediate answer is, "It depends."  You are still missing what God has for you.

I have used this example in a sermon but here is what I am talking about. When I owned a landscape company I was prompted, in my inner spirit, to but a bicycle for one of my employees children. He had  a little girl and did not have the money to buy her one.   I convinced myself that if I bought the bike,  it may cause problems with my other employees so I forgot about it...(or so I thought!) That was 27 years ago and I am still thinking about it. I missed being a blessing and I missed receiving a blessing by being obedient to Gods prompting. How often do we do this?   I know in my life I have done that too many times. I let my own reasoning, which will almost always lead us away from God, interfere with the prompting of God.

The bible speaks plainly on this in this story. Here Jesus directly told a young man what to do.

Matthew 19:16-2 

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

¹⁶ Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”

¹⁷ So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸ He said to Him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ¹⁹ ‘Honor your father and your mother, and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

²⁰ The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

You never know what God might have to say to you or me. Just be open and obedient.

Hope to see you this Sunday. God has a great plan for your life. Listen closely and then begin the journey.  Love, pastor Kent

Easter Service

This Sunday Praise Community Fellowship will celebrate Easter. The RTP choir will be singing, we will be sharing communion and worshipping our Lord and Savior. Please come join us at 6:30pm Easter Sunday.

What does the rest of the year hold for Praise Community Fellowship?

Rusty will be appointing a committee to look at all the possibilities for our next phase of growth. This will be a transitional year for us at Praise Community Fellowship. We have a goal of finding a new location for services in 6 months. We have been blessed by Esic Baptist church by being so welcoming to us but they too are planning their future and will soon be hiring a new pastor. I spoke with Gary Dollar a couple of weeks ago and we both agreed that with the progress of both our churches it would be a good time for us to begin planning for our new location. 

At this point there is no plan in place as to where we will go, that is why it is vital for all of us to take this to God in prayer to see where He will lead us. We will probably have to go to another interim location until we are directed as to what God has planned for us.

This weeks schedule.

Wednesday evening prayer meeting in the sanctuary.
Thursday evening is Maundy Thursday. Esic will have a service at 7:00pm all are invited to attend.

On another note. While shoveling snow yesterday I threw my back out and could certainly use some healing prayer. Currently I am very crooked, cannot straighten up. I will be going to see Dr. Coy today.

Near the end of the Last Supper, after Judas had departed, Christ said to His disciples, "A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

God has a wonderful plan for your life! You are actually in it right now. You may be on hold, you may be in training, or you may be deliberately delaying it, but there is a plan for your life.

Hope to see everyone Sunday.  Love, Pastor Kent

Need Help

Below is a message from Terry Coy.

Children's Home and Aid has a youth service client who is a young mother that needs assistance. Please see her story below and let me know if you or someone in your community might have some of the items she is in need of. The items can be used.

·         A crib for her baby-she has outgrown her bassinet. 

·         an exer-saucer

·         summer clothes (female) size 3-6 or 6-9mths.

·         summer clothes (male) size 4T and shoes size 9 toddler

·         dresser/chest of drawers for baby’s clothes

·         double stroller

·         twin bed and mattress for the mother

·         A dresser for mom (a long dress would be best for the room but anything will be better than the one she has now)

You can reach Terry at terrycoy@gmail.com

Sincerely, Pastor Kent

"ESTABLISHING OUR FAITH IN GOD EVEN WHEN THINGS LOOK IMPOSSIBLE!"

This is Palm Sunday. It commemorates when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed Donkey. People got word that Jesus was coming into town and hundreds ran out to greet him laying their garments and cut palm leaves on the road in front of Jesus as he rode into town.

Jesus was making a public statement that He was their King and Messiah with his ride into Jerusalem  He did this to fulfill the old testament prophecy

Zechariah 9:9

The Coming of Zion’s King

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

However, the people who came out to greet Jesus as He entered Jerusalem had a different concept or belief of the situation they were witnessing. They thought Jesus was the one who was going to liberate them from Roman domination. They thought He was going to be the leader that they had been praying for, the one who would lead a revolt against the Roman government.

In other words they thought He was coming to meet their expectations. They misunderstood the meaning of His entry as the Messiah who was ushering in Gods Kingdom.

That is why many of the same people who cheered Him as He entered Jerusalem ended up being the same ones yelling crucify Him a week later.

When you look at the whole picture of Him coming in slowly on a borrowed donkey instead of a mighty chariot pulled by a team of horses and wearing a common robe instead of a shield of armor and carrying a sword you wonder, “How did the people miss it?”

·      "People see what they want to see and they hear what they want to hear."

Jesus was coming to them slowly, quietly in peace and love and the crowds were hailing Him King and deliverer. He was a deliverer, but in a different way than they expected. Thus they turned on Him.

When He was brought before pilot and was slapped and accused  he wouldn’t respond to most of the interrogation. He disappointed what the crowd expected.

Now here we are over 2000 years later and not much has changed. Many are still creating a Jesus as they want Him to be which leaves them disappointed and sometimes leaving the faith.

As a practicing Christian you are going to be called on to answer some pretty tough questions. I think one of the toughest questions we have to try and answer is the Why of suffering.

There are some religions that are still teaching that if you have enough faith, and you say the right prayer, that God is going to zoom down and rescue you every time and in all situations. And if He doesn’t then you must have not had enough faith, or maybe you didn’t pray long enough or hard enough or maybe your just not good enough.

There is a funny story about a young man who was raised in a religion where he was taught that sickness was not real. This particular religion had an irrational worldview that suffering does not exist. Suffering was only an imagined state brought on by wrong belief.

So a young man who had an extremely ill father went to the practitioner of this religion and asked him to pray for his very ill father. The practitioner said  “Son your father only thinks he is sick.. Tell him to have more faith and believe he is not sick, but well.”

The boy went home and did what he was told. The next day the boy comes back to see the practitioner and the man asks the boy how his father is doing. The boy responds, “Now he thinks he’s dead.”

Several members of our congregation have gotten personally involved with a couple of tragic situations over the past month.  I am very proud and happy about their willingness to step into these difficult circumstances because that is what we are called to do as Christians. Where there is hurt, sorrow, pain, suffering we are called to be the healing ointment.

Unfortunately illness does exist in this world. Sorrow, pain and suffering are all very real. These conditions are as real for Christians as they are for non-Christians. That is the reality of the fallen world we live in.

When you start living your life as a practicing Christian, you are going to get your hands dirty and have to deal with these situations. God is going to place you into circumstances where you are going to have to choose to get involved or walk away. As a practicing Christian You are going to be confronted many times with the stuff in this world that we would rather not see or hear about much less get involved with. That is the essence of what being called to serve God is all about. It isn’t going to be all fun and games.

Look at the life of Jesus. He was surrounded by lepers, crippled, blind, poor, hungry, the rich but unhappy, the deceived, the downtrodden. His ministry was a demonstration of Gods love by getting involved in the brokenness of mankind and offering hope, healing, and love. 

Anyone claiming to be a follower of Jesus and yet not willing to get their hands dirty is fooling themselves. I want you to understand the cost of discipleship and the great reward of discipleship.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

I was asked to join a couple of our members this past week to go visit a young person with stage 4 cancer. I went to pray, and offer spiritual support and our mission team is helping this person in anyway they can.

When I left this young persons home that night I had this heaviness on my heart. I went to God and asked Him “God, what are you trying to teach us with this situation?”  Help me with this one because I am expecting a miracle, I am praying for you to fix this situation and bring back this persons health and restore their life here on this earth. Because the suffering I see is great and I don’t see the reason for it?  Help all of us involved here to know your plan.

I went home and I got my bible out and started searching the scriptures for help and understanding in this situation and I came across a verse, in book of Daniel: And it just jumped off the page at me.  That’s when I know God is trying to get my attention. This story is about three characters Meshach, Shadrach and Abed-nego. Do you remember these guys. Man what a story of faith.

This helped me understand more about this life and it’s problems and what God really wants of us regardless of our circumstances.

Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego were believers in God in a time when a Babylonian King named Nebuchadnezzar ruled Jerusalem. He had overthrown the Jewish people. During his reign King Nebuchadnezzar had four Jewish boys brought to him who were to be bright, without blemish, who could serve in the Kings palace.

The 4 chosen were Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego.

They were to eat of the Kings rich food and wine for three years of training but Daniel would not defile himself with the kings rich food and asked his keepers to feed them vegetables and water. God the blessed Daniel and the other three with wisdom and favor.

Eventually Nebuchadnezzar builds a 90ft statue that all must bow down and worship when ever music is played in the land. Meshach Shadrach and Abednego refused. Anyone who refused was to be thrown into a heated furnace.

Daniel 3:17-18

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

When I read and meditated on this scripture, it empowered me. It lifted me up and gave me a new understanding and hope. I had the peace of God come onto me. There is power in the reading of the word of God!

What this said to me was, set your hope, your trust, your entire life in Gods hands regardless of the circumstances or the outcome. God is God and His love for us is absolute. He will not disappoint in His love. The reality of this life is, it is temporary yet our existence is eternal. We cannot imagine the blessing on the other side of this temporary life.

This is the reason we come together as a church, to examine the word of God and then apply it to our lives. God still speaks to us through his word and the Holy Spirit. But you have to do your part. All of you that have gotten college degrees and advanced degrees. It took more than just showing up for class didn’t it?  I mean you had to read and study and go to lectures and then write papers and do projects and pass exams before you were handed a degree.

God’s word will change your life but only if you read it, study it, and then apply it.  If we don’t know it, if we don’t apply it, then how can we expect to have God’s healing power in our lives?

That is my message. The living word of God, is a spiritual message to your spirit. The word of God can and will minister to you and comfort you regardless of what you are facing.

Let me tell you something mysterious and wonderful and very enlightening.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks.

in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Here is the deal. God is going to restore all that is lost in this lifetime however long or short our life may be. All good things that have been corrupted, interrupted, broken, lost, are going to be made right. That is the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And it is only through Him that this restoration is going to take place. That is why this church is so very important. To bring hope and the living gospel to a broken and hurting world.

I want to cry out from the top of this steeple listen everyone in the town of Edwardsville and Glen Carbon, Come to Jesus and it is going to be OK. I don’t care what you are facing it’s going to be ok. I don’t care what you have lost, Jesus is going to restore it it is going to be ok.

James 1:12

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Romans 8:38,39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And finally

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.   AMEN!   

I pray to see you all soon!   Love Pastor Kent

Service Cancelled this Evening!

Please help me get the word out that the Praise Community Fellowship Service has been cancelled this evening due to the weather.

We will all come together next week to celebrate Easter. Stay posted for more updates.

Love, Pastor, Kent

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday

Tomorrow nights service we will be looking at the historical Palm Sunday and how it relates to our lives today. The title of my sermon tomorrow evening is ""ESTABLISHING OUR FAITH IN GOD EVEN WHEN THINGS LOOK IMPOSSIBLE!"

Please lift up Jack Butlers Daughter Annie who lost her home in a fire on Thursday. We have been in contact with Jack and Wilma Jean and although it is a tragedy to loose everything in a fire we are thankful that no one was injured.  It is also a blessing that the insurance company is stepping in and helping them get in a home.

I will keep you posted through the blog "if" the weather becomes an issue for tomorrow nights service. 

Bob and Judi Bertels Bible study will begin on Thursday April 4th at 6:30. This will be a six week program. I have been given the materials to review and this will be a great class for anyone wanting to understand their relationship with Jesus from a new perspective. I think it will be eye opening for those who participate. 

Thursday evening prayer meetings will continue. The prayer meetings begin at 6:30 in the sanctuary.

Welcome new Deacon Board members, Ella Ahrens Darlene Hanks, and Gary Watson.
Rusty Burian is now the new President, Will Bowers is now the treasurer, Jennifer Kuburick remains the secretary. We also approved Jennifer Baugher as our new book Keeper. She will be handling all the accounting for the church.

We are going to start providing child care during the services for those of you who have small children. 

God has a wonderful plan for your life. Open your spirit to the voice of the Holy Spirit and begin your journey.   Love, Pastor Kent