The View From My Window Pastor's Weekly Blog



January 22, 2023

God is ever proving Himself to us. That’s pretty gracious of Him to do. Hasn’t He done enough already? Creation, sunrises, sunsets, storms, births, miracles, provisions…all speak of His power, faithfulness, and love. In today’s text, we see Jesus working on both His disciples and a fickle crowd to call all of them into an ever deepening trust in Him. I know He said He is willing to leave the 99 to search for the lost one but He never stops feeding the 99!

As our faith grows, it’s as if we’ve already secured a great treasure but are invited to add to it daily. What we have learned provides a solid foundation for our soul, what we are learning adds excitement to our journey, and what we have yet to learn gives us joy to know this adventure never ends.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

January 15, 2023

Lee Strobel is a Christian apologist who has written a number of best-selling books including, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict”. He and his wife were devout atheists. His wife started hanging out with a Christian and came home one day to make the worst possible declaration Lee had ever heard: she decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Rather than get upset and throw a fit, he decided to prove that the whole of Christianity is a hoax. He studied as much material as he could get his hands on, both Biblical and secular, on the life of Jesus. He discovered that there is more historical evidence for Jesus’ birth, life, death & resurrection than just about any other person’s life in the history of mankind. Having set out to deliver his wife from her faith, he became a believer himself and started sharing what he’d found as evidence for the truth of the gospels.

In today’s text, Jesus Himself offers up proof after proof as to His divine nature and saving power. Then, as now, people were given the opportunity to believe the truth as substantiated by irrefutable facts and then, as now, some did believe but others refused. If you are going to be a nonbeliever, don’t be a lazy one, at least get the facts.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

January 8, 2023

I have a number of friends who love to work. Some people are motivated by money therefore they’re working a lot of overtime, I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about people who enjoy doing things that make life better for themselves and others. They’re not lazy. They’re motivated. They often do difficult tasks that take a long time to complete not only for the joy of the finished project but also for the joy in the process.

Isn’t life odd? There are people who won’t even take care of themselves, let alone others. Then there are people who make it their goal to take care of everyone and everything. What makes one person so productive and another not? There are likely a million correct answers to that question, each as individual as each individual.

One of the keys to working hard is no doubt enjoying what you’re doing. Jesus enjoyed His ministry. It was hard. He was strongly opposed. There were very few personal perks. Yet, He was driven to seek and save the lost much like a first responder on a search and rescue mission. It’s not about how much they’re getting paid or getting their story to go viral. It’s about finding someone before they suffer another moment of fear, loneliness, pain or want. Finding them fills a place in one’s soul like nothing else. Let Jesus work in you, He loves it.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

January 1, 2023

Liberty Bunker will be bringing the word for today! I remember being so embarrassed after my first sermon that I was ready to give up on my call. That’s when I felt the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “If you’re not willing to be embarrassed for My sake, you are not worthy of the call.” Thus, I’ve been embarrassing myself ever since. Libby has shared the word with hundreds of kids and in front of a youth group a number of times but this is her first sermon to a group of adults on a Sunday morning. If she looks your way, look encouraging, smile, nod your head, maybe even break out an “amen!” Think about it: you and I will have the privilege of listening to the first of hundreds, perhaps thousands of sermons she will preach in her lifetime. Most of them will be a blur but this first experience will be forever in her memory along with those of us who cheered her on. Get ready to make history!

-Pastor Joel Everhart

December 18, 2022

I have a number of friends who love to work. Some people are motivated by money therefore they’re working a lot of overtime, I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about people who enjoy doing things that make life better for themselves and others. They’re not lazy. They’re motivated. They often do difficult tasks that take a long time to complete not only for the joy of the finished project but also for the joy in the process.

Isn’t life odd? There are people who won’t even take care of themselves, let alone others. Then there are people who make it their goal to take care of everyone and everything. What makes one person so productive and another not? There are likely a million correct answers to that question, each as individual as each individual.

One of the keys to working hard is no doubt enjoying what you’re doing. Jesus enjoyed His ministry. It was hard. He was strongly opposed. There were very few personal perks. Yet, He was driven to seek and save the lost much like a first responder on a search and rescue mission. It’s not about how much they’re getting paid or getting their story to go viral. It’s about finding someone before they suffer another moment of fear, loneliness, pain or want. Finding them fills a place in one’s soul like nothing else. Let Jesus work in you, He loves it.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

December 11, 2022

Trying to do what we cannot do only leads to a great deal of frustration, or worse. Jumping off a building trying to fly can be deadly. There are a lot of people who make it sound like we can keep ourselves from ever getting sick or injured, and if we do, we can heal ourselves by following some faith formula. Others have a magic potion that eliminates toxins or releases enzymes or whatever that cures everything from the common cold to cancer.

Many of these people are well meaning; a few want to cash in on you buying their product or advice. Any one of them can make you feel like you aren’t doing enough to help yourself. Not only are you hurting, now you feel guilty.

Today, we meet a man who was doing his best to help his own cause when Jesus happened by and changed everything. “Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry. While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by.”

-Pastor Joel Everhart

December 4, 2022

  Humans suffer from “social inertia”: the propensity to keep doing what we’ve always done, heading in the same direction we’ve always headed unless or until acted upon by some force. Many people don’t even consider God until they encounter a problem they’re not equipped to handle. That consideration grows into a search when all other conventional means of approaching said problem prove helpless.

The Lord graciously meets us at the point of our need. We find Him compassionate, able, and willing to help us. Many sink right back into their old patterns after receiving help from God. Others, however, are forever changed by the encounter. Such was the case in today’s study.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

November 27, 2022

There’s such a fine line between love and hate. Our own Civil War divided families that otherwise would have gotten along fine. Politics today do the same. Imagine, a thought or ideal, only one among millions of points of agreement can turn people against one another.

The Jews and Samaritans of Jesus’ day were closely related genetically and geographically but were miles apart socially. Jesus started a new dialogue that reached into the future rather than referenced wounds from the past. Philip would later walk in His footsteps and a revival broke out. Like it or not, we’re all related. Every human being on earth came from the same parents: Adam & Eve. Don’t let the world dictate to you how you should feel about people from other races, religions or political parties. Let love build a bridge where others have planted land mines.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

November 20, 2022

Obviously, we have a lot to be thankful for, but have you ever thanked God for you? You are a unique blend of gifts and characteristics. You are a God-send to the people who love you. You make a difference in this world. There are some things you’re not very good at but others you do very well, even good enough to make a living at. You may have lost a few abilities along the way but gained others. Chances are you’re more patient than you used to be, are probably better at praying and have better priorities than you used to have. All those things are of immense value. Did you know that God values the ability to suffer well? Peter wrote a lot about that in his two epistles. So, even if you aren’t going to win any races, just improving your attitude will brighten your life and make God proud. Not only does God love you because He loves everyone; He loves you because you are you.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

November 13, 2022

If you are a football fan, you are familiar with quarterback competitions. Once a signal caller establishes himself as “elite”, the team usually eliminates any competitors so he can play unincumbered by the stress of being replaced. However, getting to that place is extremely stressful. The difference in salary alone between a starting quarterback and a backup is tens of millions of dollars a year. Understandably, said competition can get nasty.

When John the Baptist began his ministry in Israel, he didn’t fit into any of the popular schools of theology or doctrine; Pharisees and Sadducees being the two most prevalent. Those groups did not see him for what he was: a fresh breath from heaven but saw him as competition for the attention of the masses.

Then Jesus begins to teach and do miracles. He created a whole new threat to the intrenched systems of religion. In order to confound both John the Baptist’s ministry and that of Jesus, the religious leaders of the day tried to create jealousy between John’s camp and that of Jesus. John and Jesus, knowing they were on the same team, working toward the same goal, each defused the enemy’s plan by responding humbly to the situation. When the world expected them to “defend their territory”, each simply supported the other. No competition here, just mutual support and love.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

November 6, 2022

The wife and I were planning on meeting our kids and their families in Massanutten, VA for this weekend. Unfortunately, Barb isn’t up for the trip. She hasn’t been feeling very well for a very long time but recently, her health seems to be getting worse. We sure appreciate all of your prayers on her/our behalf. Hopefully, we’ll get a little extra rest and get to see the kids soon.

-Pastor Joel Everhart

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