The View From My Window Pastor's Weekly Blog

There are brain surgeons who don’t know how to fix a clogged sink. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t want a plumber doing surgery on my brain! The plumber may know some things the surgeon doesn’t but that doesn’t make him smarter nor does it mean either can do what the other can. Every piece of knowledge we have, every skill we’ve developed is a gift from God. Some skills come naturally to us whereas others we’ve worked hard to master. Either way, they’re a gift from God.

We spent a couple hours in prayer the other day and when we went to stand up everyone groaned and laughed as we righted ourselves. I quoted Paul in saying, “Having done all to stand, stand!” Then I added, “The older I get the more challenging that command becomes.” Although we’ve been standing all our lives there will come a time when we cannot stand anymore. That will be a sad day. The same can be said for every other skill we’ve mastered. Therefore, don’t take all these gifts, little and big, for granted. Be thankful for them and use them to glorify God and help others.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

An interesting phenomenon has developed due to the lack of workers. I’ve noticed that everyone has become a recruiter for their company. People who never cared much about the welfare of the business they work for are out looking for new hires. Why? First of all, they’re probably having to work mondo overtime which will only get better once more workers sign on. Second, the future of the company could well be in jeopardy which would put them back out on the street. Employees buying in to the needs of the company while the business itself steps up its efforts to meet the needs of its workers in order to secure their continued help sounds like a really good result.

What motivates you to work harder? What motivates you to live better? What does it mean to “live worthy” as Paul tells us to do in today’s text? That’s what we’ll be talking about today.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

My mother-in-law was one of the most self-deferring, humble persons I’ve ever known. If you took her out to eat, she’d rarely order more than a bowl of soup even though I knew her to have a healthy appetite. If she found out you were going to throw away some left-overs she’d find a way to eat them regardless of how much she’d already consumed because, as a child of the depression, she never wasted any food. She always made sure everyone had as much as they could eat before she’d put much on her plate. She was always more comfortable serving than being served.

It was actually difficult to bless that woman without getting paid back double. All of that goes on her resume for sainthood and I don’t mean to detract from that at all. Ruth Duff was truly a remarkable, godly woman. But even the saintliest of us has a right to exist, to take up space, to breathe the air, eat some food and live a little. It doesn’t always have to be about everyone else.

In fact, God intends to lavish strength and gifts on you so people will not only know you’ve been here but that you’ve helped change their world. Some people are too big for their britches but others of us need to grow up into ours. Find your niche in the Kingdom and fill it, fill it all the way up.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

Have you ever had that feeling like you’re the only real person and everything & everyone else is just staging? You’re not but there is something to be said for being watched by others we can’t see. I’m not talking about Big Brother or the many, many cameras we have running wherever we go today.

Not only will you one day be a trophy of God’s grace; today you are on display as God works His glory through your life. I’m not quite sure how it all works, if there’s a Joel channel, a Tom channel, etc. where those above can tune into at any given moment or not. Somehow, our life is fascinating beyond those brief moments we feel fully engaged and entertained. Its real reality tv. As you go about your life realize you’re not alone, you are on display!

When I was a boy, I had a Johnnie West action figure and one of the highlights of my life was getting his horse, Thunderbolt! My Dad took me to Kmart, we perused the isles through the toy section until we came to the right place; there were only two Thunderbolts left. I grabbed the 1^st box and we were off to the registers. We weren’t long in the car headed for home when I opened the box but what a surprise I got. The horse was inside but none of the accessories, no saddle, saddlebags, bridle, gun case, nothing. Dad turned the car around and we marched right back into the store. Moments later my life was whole again.

Without the saddle Johnnie just slid off Thunderbolt and he’d have to carry his Winchester everywhere he went. Although I eventually lost most all of the accessories, I wanted what I’d paid for and enjoyed them while they lasted.

Our salvation comes with wonderful accessories that make our lives exciting, purposeful, meaningful & useful. Most believers, however, opt for the basic salvation: sins forgiven and a reservation in heaven. Such a waste of time and space! Go back for more. Find out what you were created to do then do it with gusto.