Thursday, June 30, 2016

Now Is The Time

It was the first sentence I ever typed: "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country." The sentence was used by my tenth grade typing teacher to help us learn how to find the correct keys without looking. What I didn't know is that the sentence has been used by typing instructors all the way back to 1889. That's a really old sentence. And a really old typewriter.

This Sunday, we celebrate our great country, and pay tribute to all those men and women who have come to the aid of this great nation. Join us as we give thanks for God's blessings He has provided our nation, and join our prayer that we use these great blessings for His glory.

See you Sunday!

Hear this message at NHBC Media

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Good, Better, and Best

I used an online service to print some digital photos and was presented with three options for the quality of the print: Good, Better, and Best. In the product description, "Good" provided a photo of "great clarity;" "Better" provided a photo of "optimal color;" Best provided a photo of "unmatched quality." I decided to use a different company, one that didn't make me choose.

We often face choices in life, sometimes between choices that all seem reasonable. In this week's message, we will learn what David learned: the importance of choosing the best, especially when it comes to forgiveness (2 Samuel 9).

See you Sunday!

Hear this message at http://nhbcspringfield.sermon.net/main/main/20707168

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

When the Answer is No

I had a lifelong dream of being in the Olympic games. Well, lifelong until I was twelve. That's when I tried out for the junior high track team. I wanted to run the hurdles, so the day came for the coach to pick hurdlers. Ten seventh graders lined up to run down the track hurdling to the best of our ability, with our coach timing each of us individually.

At the end of my tryout, the coach pulled me aside and told me, "You have great form going over the hurdles. If only you could run between them a little faster...." Apparently the actual time it took me to get to the finish line was more important than how I looked going over each hurdle.

I didn't make the team. My Olympic dreams dashed, I thought my life was over. Fortunately, our life is not determined by our success or failure in the seventh grade. God was still good, even though the only gold medal I would ever win was the participation medal I got in Cub Scouts.

God told David he would not fulfill his life dream of building the temple. It was not, however, a defeat in David's life. This week, we will learn how to win by saying yes when God says no (2 Samuel 7:25-26).

See you Sunday!

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Best Seat in the House

One of the best parts of being pastor is that I get the best seat in the house every Sunday morning. While everyone in the congregation is looking at me (please accept my apologies for the green tie), I get to look at everyone in the congregation. I have seen it all, from an elderly deacon chasing a duckling down the church aisle (yes, you read that correctly), to a child ducking under a pew to escape mom's grasp (excellent downfield technique; I think he's a running back now), to the occasional "Sunday Morning Siesta" pose (head back, open mouth). The great thing about it is the variety of people who gather for worship each Sunday. It's a blast praising God!

David knew well the enthusiasm of worshiping the Lord. Even when some others around him did not get it, he could not wait to give praise to God (2 Samuel 6:21-22). Join us this Sunday as we learn the priority of worship.

Hear this message at our NHBC Media website

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Mismatch?

Reese's peanut butter cups were created by a man who was struggling to support his growing family. After working sometime on a dairy farm run by the man who owned the Hershey Chocolate Company, he became inspired to create his own chocolates in his basement, as a means of providing a little extra money for his family. Initially, the two didn't seem to go together at all. Why would PEANUT BUTTER be put in chocolate? But of course the rest of the story is that enormous growth came out of that pairing.

Sometimes when trials come, we think there must be some mistake. This doesn't go together. We're a Christian, shouldn't our path be smooth? Why are we hurting, when we're striving to live a Godly life. Has God forgotten us? Isn't He noticing??

But eventually, we can see in the rear view mirror that what God ALLOWED in our lives, combined with our trust in Him and His perfect will, created growth and more than we even could've dreamed. God never has a mismatch.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Grudge Match

Sportswriters use the phrase frequently: grudge match! Whether it is a boxing rematch between two grizzled fighters, a football game between rival teams, or a pitching duel between two baseball powers, a grudge match represents more than just a game. These teams are settling an old score.

We might think that would make life more exciting. Unfortunately, it does the opposite. Grudges in real life only make things worse. David discovered a secret we can all use. Mistreated by Saul in every way, David finds a way not only to forgive him, but to celebrate the good God had done in his life (2 Samuel 1:27). Learning how not to hold a grudge is important for us everyone.

See you Sunday!