Pastor's Corner
February, 2010
Fill Your Love Tank
Jesus is calling us one a road trip. 
Our first stop is for fuel. Every trip requires fuel, but no gasoline on this trip. We have a love tank.
A love tank is a lot like a gas tank, but there's no such thing as self-service.  Fill y our love tank by getting to know the most awesome love available and that's through Jesus Christ.  Love Him and He'll fill your love tank so full you'll spill over on others.
Okay, so our love tanks are full. For a moment. We barely pull out of the filling station, which by the way is located in your church and your home and everywhere you meet jesus, when whammy...we hit a chug hole, or maybe even have a wreck. Sometimes we forget to ask for directions, or consult our map (the scriptures). We lose a little of our fuel.
Trials can total us. Some of us deal with fear or guilt. Maybe we are filled with doubt. Or someone has stolen our dream. Your heavenly father can steer y ou in the rifht direction. He holds the road map...His own words for us to live by. Follow God's direction and He'll guide you to safety. He'll fill you back up.
"Oh, what peace we often forfeit" because we don't seek our map. Very few of us will ask for directions until we're lost. We should seek Him before every departure. Our destination is described in detail in the Bible. We're going to meet Jesus. When we plan a vacation we study brochures for months, making detailed plans. Do we spend that much time with the master, sharing dreams, goals, desires, prayers of praise?
Sometimes trouble happens and a tow truck is required. Even when we have a personal relationship with Jesus, we often try to do it on our own. We get buried up to our neck. Hitch yourself to your heavenly father and to people that have a personal relationship with Him and you'll get back on the right road. Tank filled.
You might come to a dead end. A new road might need to be built. Or you might just have to go back where you came from and make a different turn next time; Talk to Him along the way and your love tank will stay on "F".
Besure to brake for rest stops. We all need to rest once in awhile. This is perfect time for refueling. Get your love tank over hauled if necessary. Then get back on the road.
Share y our love and your tank will always be on full.
Enjoy the journey!
Tracey Johnson
January, 2010
The Master Trusts Us
 
Matthew 25 is a les­son about God's trust in us and our per­sonal responsibility as servants. In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells the story of a master preparing to go on a journey and gives three of his servants five talents, two talents, and one talent respectively.
Two things are striking about the opening verses of this parable. One is the statement that the master gave his ser­vants the talents ac­cording to their "ability." The second is the immensity of money given, since one talent was worth over fifteen years wages for a common laborer.
The very magnitude of the resources entrusted to the ser­vants says something of the master's trust in them. God has trusted us with all kinds of gifts accord­ing to our abilities. Rather than being exact copies of one another, we are all gifted differently and because of this are called to different ex­pressions of service according to our gifts.
Just as the master in the parable placed great trust in his ser­vants, God has placed great trust in us as well. As the parable unfolds, the master returns and desires to settle his accounts with the three ser­vants. The first two servants are able to give the master dou­ble what he had en­trusted them with, due to their work in going out and using their energy and knowledge to in­crease their master's resources. The mas­ter affirmed and awarded them for their work.
The third servant, though, who had hid­den his talent in the ground, not only had no increase to give his master upon his return, but actually blamed the master for his inability to re­turn a profit.
Note that the ser­vants who are re­warded in this scrip­ture are not the ones who keep their tal­ents pristine and safe, but the ones who go into the world, engaging their talents in the affairs of business and cul­ture.
Likewise, the talents that we are given are not to be kept hidden and safe, but are to be used in our world, in the midst of need and human struggle.It is also noteworthy that the servant who is repri­manded by the master is also the one who blames someone else for his lack of effective­ness (he claims to have hid­den the talent because of the master's harsh nature). This is a graphic reminder that we are responsible for what God has given us.
I know about living outside of my comfort zone. I'm al­ways pushing myself to the next on the journey. I'm known as the teacher who stretches her students as well. But that's what keeps me stretching...the success that comes from trying and suc­ceeding.
I have to be honest... sometimes I don't succeed. Does that ever happen to you? But the times I do succeed keep me going. I believe God is there with us when we're willing to take that risk.
Being faithful stewards has to do with realizing that God is the giver of our gifts, that we are all gifted differently, and that our gifts are to be put to work in the midst of the world's activity.
 
Tracey Johnson - Co-Pastor


Carl's Comments 
 
January 2010
 
As the New Year begins I thought it might be good to share a couple of ideas I picked up at work in regards to productivity.
Consultant Larry Barkan says, "There is no such thing as 'time management.' I hope that state­ment doesn't shock you who have attended time management seminars, read time manage­ment books or tried somehow to reduce your hopelessly overbur­dened work schedule. We cannot manage time, but we can man­age ourselves with respect to time. Work always expands to meet the time available." There is a Bible verse that says, "Make the best possible use of your time."
Here are some simple things you can begin doing to live more intentionally:
 
First, do one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is a good thing but often we get distracted by one thing while trying to ac­complish another. Focus on what is most important at the moment and get it done!
 
Second, if you feel pressured throughout your work day, then try to slow down. Often we can­not focus because we are trying to work at a pace that prevent us from being effective and produc­tive.

     Third, evaluate how you are performing your work. Take time to consider steps that might improve your productiv­ity. Michael Duckett says, "Only two percent of the popu­lation in any industrialized na­tion seriously makes signifi­cant improvement toward what they want. In other words, most people are walking, talk­ing and breathing, but are dead mentally and spiritually."

Carl Edgerton - Co-Pastor

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July, 2009

 All of my life people have been incredibly generous to me.  They have provided opportunities to earn a living, contributed to the welfare of my family, shared their resources with me, and blessed my family as friends.  In short, I have much for which to be grateful.

 
The world’s standard is to get all you can, can all you get, and then sit on the lid and don’t share with anyone!  It is selfish and “all about me.”  On the other hand, being grateful for all that we have and having a generous spirit in return is something that few people really understand or strive for. 
 
Every part of an engine has a role to play.  If it does not work correctly then the engine does not work efficiently or breaks down and does not work at all.  One malfunctioning part eventually affects the performance of every other part.  In an organization, some positions seem more important than others, but it is essential that each position be filled with an individual who does a good job. 
 
You have an opportunity to understand that having a job is a privilege and is something for which to be grateful.  There are many ways to show your gratefulness.
  • Thank people for what they do for you and how you have benefited as a result.
  • Learn to express gratefulness immediately when another person benefits you.
  • Express gratitude by being courteous and thoughtful to others, especially family and work associates.
  • Take good care of equipment that is provided you
  • Do not take others for granted.
  • Invest in others without reservation.  Make a difference in their lives.
  • Learn to express your gratefulness by being generous with your own resources, even if you think those resources are few and limited.
Showing your gratefulness encourages others, builds relationships, and opens your life to future benefits.  What do you have to be grateful for today?
 
 
Peace,
Carl

 

April 2009


I was watching a Dr. Phil episode the other day and was struck by a thought I want to share with you.   As I was listening to the people explain why they had done whatever it was that landed them on the Dr. Phil show I realized that he wasn’t really giving them earth shattering advice.   The things he told them were, in most cases, things that most of us would have thought or said as impartial observers.   It was pretty basic, way to live your life, kind of advice.   That’s when it occurred to me!   When we get ourselves into messes and don’t seem to have the right answer to get out it’s because we are too close to the situation.   We are too invested in the outcome.   We can’t see the forest for the trees. What we need is someone or a group of someone’s that we can go to for advice.   For this to work the people have to be Godly people with no ulterior motives, just a desire to help.   We also have to give them free rein to say what they need to say without us getting mad or upset at them.   We have to assure them that we won’t “kill the messenger” if you get my meaning.   This would really work great if we could allow God to be the one we listen to but we aren’t always ready to listen to Him so it probably needs to be someone “with skin on”.  Why don’t you try it and see what happens? I bet you would find that the tough decisions become a lot easier and your life becomes more peaceful.  

 

 

 

 
With love,
Carl



 



January 2009

Here we are starting a new year.    It’s interesting to me that the change of one day on the calendar has the potential to dramatically change our lives.   It seems to me that regardless of what is happening in the world we still look at the changing of the year as a milestone or a threshold to better things.    The excitement and wonder about what the New Year will bring gives us energy and focus.   The real trick is to maintain the attitude we have at this time of year and translate it into a permanent change of lifestyle.   I heard on the radio about a Christian musician that made a pledge to change his life.   He determined to lose 90 pounds this year (90 in 09 is his mantra).   He is not just focusing on the weight loss.   He is approaching his goal with three things in mind - weight, health and worship.   I think any of us that are making changes this year can use this as a pattern for our life. Any change we make should include an element of worship.   There are always ways we can enhance our experience with God. The question is how can I enhance my personal relationship with God this year? What steps do I need to take to become a better disciple?   The search for this answer is the most important quest you can be on this year. Let’s do it together!

 
 
Love,
Carl




December 2008

I have a confession to make. The first thought I have when asked to help someone is usually to ask myself how

much trouble this will be.  I know that sounds, and is, incredibly selfish but knowing that doesn’t stop the

thoughts from popping into my head. Usually the next thing I think about is what happened the last time I

helped when asked.   It has been my experience that I always am blessed whenever I respond when asked.

So, if I respond when asked even though I didn’t want to at first am I being faithful to God’s call?   If I am

blessed after responding and the reason I respond is I know that I will be blessed then the argument could be

made that I am still being selfish even in the response to a need. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?   My

conclusion so far is that I am human.   Because of sin we are constantly confronted with our selfish desires. 

Even with the  knowledge of past experience to guide my present action I (we) are continually confronted with

these selfish desires.  The disciple’s response, I believe, is to acknowledge the sin that is at work in the world

and still hear and do the will of God. It is a difficult challenge and should not be discounted or ignored as

this will lead to a lack of diligence in maintaining spiritual discipline.  The only way through this confrontation

is by constantly seeking God through prayer, meditation, scripture study and fasting.  This will give us the

strength we need to combat our selfish desires and lead us to Godly service.  This Thanksgiving and Christmas

season let us put aside our selfish desires and seek to find God in all we say and do.


With Love

Carl