The View From My Window Pastor's Weekly Blog



May 19, 2024

“Hey, how ya doin?” It’s a common greeting these days. No one really wants to know how you are doing, they’re just trying to sound polite, if not uneducated. I would like to know how you are doing in reference to becoming more like Jesus. Does that even concern you or do you think that’s for other people to consider?

It’s easy to become discouraged & give up your pursuit of holiness. The good news is that we’re not expected to become perfected overnight. Little by little, step by step we inch closer to what Jesus is like and away from our personal tendencies. The key is to not give up. There will be stretches where you don’t feel like you are making any progress, times when you actually digress, but if you stick with it, you’ll be amazed at how much you can achieve.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

May 12, 2024

“I want my mommy!” It’s a common expression. I remember that my brother, sisters & I used the term, “Mom” so often in a day that my mom would say, “Stop calling me mom, from now on my name is Sam, call me Sam.” Mom knew where everything was. Mom was our connection to the outside world. If we needed a resource for school, clothes for gym class, if we got hungry, if we weren’t feeling well, the expression was always the same: “Mom!” Then after a successful science project or win on a field of athletics we’d say, “Look what I did.” Clearly, mom deserves a slice of every victory pie.

Mom always seemed close to a nervous breakdown until one of us needed help. Instantly, she was transformed into Wonder Woman. Always she knew what to do. There wasn’t a spider or hornet that could scare her away when her child was in danger. Add strangers and monsters to that list too.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! You’re the best.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

May 5, 2024

You might think, “Isn’t saying the ‘lost prodigal’ redundant?” Aren’t all prodigals lost? That’s what I thought until I looked up the term. A prodigal is a reckless spendthrift. You don’t have to run away from home to fit that description. You can ruin your life right in your own backyard or living room for that matter. Please, PLEASE, don’t allow yourself to get sucked into these online gambling sights or the lottery ticket machines at the grocery store or offtrack betting or a free bus ride & dinner at the casino…

Find another way to entertain yourself, one that doesn’t endanger you or your family’s future. Do something safer like bull riding or skydiving or rugby. You might come out with a few broken bones but at least your finances will still be intact. If you are a prodigal, repent & run home to common sense today!

-Pastor Joel Everhart

April 28, 2024

In the Old Testament, Moses gave us the 10 commandments. Here in Matthew, Jesus gave us the Beatitudes. Moses taught us to be afraid of violating God’s law. Jesus teaches us how to live a blessed life. In fact, Jesus turns conventional wisdom on its ear telling us that the way to be happy is to take the hard road. Be humble, grieve, make peace, get persecuted…seriously? That’s the way to be happy? It sounds counterintuitive because it is. These are secrets only those who truly trust Jesus would dare implement.

When was the last time you blessed someone who was cursing you? Is your heart clean, even toward those who have wronged you? Love, forgive & serve, that’s the Sermon on the Mount in a nutshell. Keeping up?

-Pastor Joel Everhart

April 21, 2024

Sometimes, even though Jesus did great things, people asked Jesus to leave. He is the greatest human being of all time, yet some people didn’t like Him. On the other hand, or should I say, on the other side of the lake, people loved Him! Try to remember that the next time someone fails to see how utterly delightful you are.

No one is universally loved. Some people hate us just because of the color of our skin or our nationality or our profession or where we live or… You get the picture. We can’t control who loves us, but we can choose to love everyone else. I know, that takes a little more effort for some than others, but its a good exercise. It will strengthen your connection with Jesus. It will give you an opportunity to shine the light of Jesus on others even if they don’t deserve it, but then again, who does?

-Pastor Joel Everhart

April 14, 2024

If you are a history buff, you know why history itself is divided into two parts: 1) what happened before Jesus came & 2) what has happened since. The birth, life, death & resurrection of Jesus Christ has had an undeniable, life-altering effect on this planet. It is rightly said that God gave Jesus to the world.

However, today’s faith fact is: God gave Jesus to me. It’s very important that you make that leap from recognizing the greatness of Jesus in a general sense to receiving Him as a personal gift to you. Welcome Jesus into your life. Talk to Him daily, if not continually. Study God’s word as if it were written just to you. Take the commands, promises and encouragements personally. Be “Born Again”, become a child of God and follower of Jesus Christ. After all, part of the reason He came to earth was to save your soul and adopt you into His Family.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

April 7, 2024

Every time I go to the airport, I stand in awe of the reality that those huge airliners can actually fly through the air. Empty, a 747 weighs 201.5 tons; fully loaded, up to 437.5 tons. I know what the eggheads tell us about wing shape, lift & thrust but I’m not sure they really know what they’re talking about. 201.5 tons of steel carrying 236 tons of cargo, passengers & snacks screams down the runway then jumps up into the sky. If it can fly, why can’t I (I mean without an airplane)?

I have a lot more faith in God than I do Boeing. Yet, I’ve strapped myself into a seat on several of those behemoths & trusted that it was going to catapult me across the country. Isn’t it time we really strap ourselves into following the Lord? What are you waiting for? Obey what He says about finances, how to treat your enemies, what to value, how to use your mind…

-Pastor Joel Everhart

 

March 31, 2024

A few years ago I wrote a story about how I thought Stinky Levi would have experienced that first Passion Week. I read the story to the congregation & got some very good feedback on how it brought a very personal touch to the Easter account. This being the last Easter I’ll be here as your pastor, I thought it fitting to read this story once again. I hope the memory of Stinky Levi, Leah, David & Benjamin (I almost forgot to mention the donkey – I wonder what he’d have to say about that!) & their adventures will stick with you for a very long time. Happy Easter my dear friends!

-Pastor Joel Everhart

March 24, 2024

With election time drawing near we are reminded of the disparity between how people in our cities vote as opposed to those of us who live in more rural areas. How often we’ve seen entire states lit up in red except for a few little squares in blue that represent how the people in metropolitan areas voted. Sure enough, all the electoral votes in the state go to the party in blue!

Apparently, even in Jesus’ day there was a difference between city people and country folk. In Matthew 21:10-11 the people from Jerusalem asked who Jesus was and the crowd from all the rural areas was able to answer their question. Clueless city people!

-Pastor Joel Everhart

March 17, 2024

The story of Esther is so iconic because we find a young lady elevated to a wonderful position only to find out it put her in the crosshairs of a very volatile situation. How true to life! You got married to live happily ever after only to find out marriage brought along a number of challenges you never anticipated. The day your child was born was one of the happiest days of your life. Lately, your child has been on a rebellion kick. The job of your dreams has turned into a nightmare…

The good news is that this is not how your story ends. This is just the prelude to a wonderful deliverance. God’s not done writing your story. If Esther hadn’t faced such a terrible threat we’d never have heard of her. As it is, her life still speaks thousands of years after she finished her journey. Esther inspires us to keep our faith glowing even when it gets dark all around us. Disaster turned into deliverance because she put her faith in the Lord. Trust God with your marriage, children, job, health, finances…

-Pastor Joel Everhart

March 10, 2024

When I first started playing racquetball at the Y there was a fellow who only played on

Saturdays. He often talked about coming in during the week at 4:30 a.m. to play but never did. I could tell he liked playing against me because he always won. That trend continued for about a year. After that we became quite competitive. Once I had the upper hand he quit coming. I found it interesting how his personality changed as our skill levels crossed paths. He was much friendlier as a winner.

Maybe you’ve had the experience of getting along wonderfully with your coworkers until you got a promotion. Suddenly, you’re not one of the guys (or gals) anymore. Position changes people. That’s the case in today’s text. Daniel was a good, godly man but his success turned former friends into rivals who went to great lengths to have him eliminated. Fortunately, Daniel had Friends in high places. He secured their protection through prayer. God listens when we pray.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

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