The View From My Window Pastor's Weekly Blog

The Bible tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It also teaches that the lack of money is often the result of living foolishly. Blaming the economy or other people when we neglect the wisdom given to us through God’s Word to develop marketable skills, tithe our income (giving 10% of our earnings to the Lord’s work), spend sparingly, save & invest consistently, and give generously is the roadmap to financial ruin. The Lord Himself promises to put holes in the pockets of those who disobey His directives and to increase the savings of those who obey.

Personally, I’m amazed at how much money people are unable to live on. I’ve counseled a number of couples through the years who make two or three times as much money as I do who have nothing but debt to show for it. As disastrous as their disobedience to God’s Word has been, most of them just can’t take that “leap of faith” in order to land in the Lord’s secure arms. Remember, the 1^st step to getting out of a hole is to stop digging. Turn your finances over to the Lord and start reaping a harvest instead of losing your shirt.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

Monday, December 27, 2021 was our first measurable snowfall of the season. We’d just finished prayer, Cheryl looked up and said, “It’s snowing!” Ray, Cheryl, and I stood there enjoying the scene as though we were all ten year old’s. Large flakes fell from the sky and quickly covered the ground. In no time at all it was a winter wonderland. So much in life comes to us as a surprise. Even with all our technology, experience, and know-it-all-ness, it’s the simple, unexpected delights that fill us with wonder and awe.

When will it snow? When will you graduate, get a promotion, get married, move, retire…? It’s nice to know when but it’s also nice to be surprised. Waiting is a key ingredient to receiving all the good things God loves to pour out on us humans. We, of course, want to know when those blessings will come. The Lord reserves the right to bless us in His own good time. It is for us to follow His will; it is for Him to choose how and when He will reward our faithfulness. Here’s a hint: it always takes longer to get rewarded than we think it should but no one ever regretted waiting on the Lord.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

The other day I walked my dog to the park and back, about 1½ miles through residential neighborhoods and along a few busy streets, without putting her leash on her. She’s not one to “heel” but she will obey when I tell her which way to go or to stop. She enjoys being off the leash but her freedom is directly linked to her obedience. My commands are for her safety. Disobedience could be disastrous. Therefore, I’m careful not to allow her more independence than she can handle. Yet, the more trustworthy she proves herself to be, the more freedom she enjoys.

Our freedom in Christ works much the same way. His commands are for my safety. The more I prove my faithfulness to follow His will, the more He enjoys leading me through joyful experiences. Some believers need strict laws and harsh discipline lest they ruin their lives through sinful actions and attitudes. If you let The Master be your Master, if you trust Him, if you obey Him, you’ll find a life worth living filled with many delights along the way.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

Every birth has a story: where the mother was when her water broke, how far it was from the hospital, how long labor took, complications, etc. It makes you wonder why anyone ever has a 2^nd child. But then there’s the child. Apparently, they’re worth all the pain, inconvenience, and drama. Going home from the hospital with a new baby is a joy few things in this world can match.

Always when we come to the Christmas story we talk about the journey to Bethlehem, birth in a stable, the shepherds, angels, Magi, etc. and rightly so. But dare we forget that before the night was over Joseph and Mary held baby Jesus in their arms? What’s that worth? How cool is that? Even after a lifetime of drama and having her own soul pierced with sorrow at His death, I believe Mary would tell us it was a privilege to hold Him, to raise Him, to love Him.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

It’s interesting that today before we install a pastor into office they have to wait until they complete some sort of a degree, then they have to wait until they receive some kind of credential hoping to one day be ordained. We wait for countless things & reward accomplishments of many kinds but where is the waiting on God? The Lord doesn’t have a set time table: wait four years before you do this or two years before you do that or a decade… His ordinations can come suddenly or take a lifetime. His credentials don’t need the backing of a denomination or bishop. Do you know Him? Do you know Him? Are you familiar with His voice? When was the last time you took time to seek His face, His will, His presence?

One of the very basic formulas we find in Scripture is that power follows time spent with Him alone. Public ministry is fueled by private prayer. Find new ways, new times to connect with the Lord. Wait on Him and the power will come.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

Life is hard. God is good. Clearly, we need more of God in our life. We spend far too much of our lives expecting God to tag along as we navigate the seasons of our years here on this planet. He’s supposed to protect us from enemies, cause our efforts to be successful, inspire us to become great, and prosper our finances as we do what we want to do.

We’ve often heard that we need to vacate the driver’s seat but I think a better analogy might be to use GPS, God’s Positioning System. We’re still doing the driving, making the choices, doing the walking, talking, etc. but only as directed by Him. In order for that to happen we need to INSTALL the right software then adjust the volume so that we can hear His directives.

If the Holy Spirit’s voice has become too faint for us to hear, we need to spend more time seeking God. Soaking in His presence, not just visiting His church is necessary. Nothing replaces time alone with the Lord. He’s speaking; are we listening?

-Pastor Joel Everhart

Are there any people in your life you consciously work at saying as few words to as possible? Talking to them never ends well. Some of them are argumentative and object to whatever you say even if it is clear and evident. Others take your words, twist them then pass them along causing others to get a bad attitude about you. Then there are those who don’t hear a word you say anyway, so why bother talking?

Don’t be like any of these people when it’s the Holy Spirit doing the talking. Open your ears, shut your mouth, humble your heart and follow His instructions. He is speaking; are you listening? Do you know more than He does? Do you realize you really need to hear what He has to say?

Ask God to speak to you, to direct your life, to be your Friend, Partner, Coach… “Lord I need You, Oh I need You…” Seek Him out, listen for His voice, be careful and faithful to follow His commands.

Are there any people in your life you really enjoy talking to? They’re good listeners, they have encouraging things to say, they’re bright & attentive, they’ll help you figure things out… They have a good attitude and talking with them makes you feel better, you can sense how much they care. Be that person when God speaks to you.

-Pastor Joel Everhart