Perspectives

I had the opportunity recently to attend services for family very close to me that had passed away. I have always been at ease with death and the way we as humans deal with things, but I really enjoyed listening to my families friends speak at their services. The story is meant to make you think about how we deal with the passing of friends and family. I believe it is a true and accurate account of how things will be when I am called by my Lord!

Long ago people used to pray for sailors who were going out to sea. The people at the docks where the ships were leaving would stand at watch as the ships went over the horizon and disappeared from sight. They would sometimes cry, saying, "There it goes". They would be sad for their loved ones that they thought they would never see again. Soon they would be left with the memories of the ones who sailed off in search of new worlds and adventures. This is how we perceive the loss of a loved one, as leaving from our sight and going on another journey.

Now the ship would disappear from view of the people on the docks, but would it really disappear? On a distant shore, there is a person standing on the dock gazing out on the horizon and seeing a big beautiful ship coming into view. They would shout, "Here it comes, look here". As the ship and all aboard would make for the new port and be welcomed by the people they would meet. It just might be that there would be some they knew at this port.

Think about this. When we leave this world, we sail out into the horizon and with God leading us on our journey. We are welcomed home with shouts of, "Here he is, and thank God you had a safe journey". I know that dealing with the loss of loved ones is hard at times and we miss them greatly when they are gone, but I believe we will see them again in our real home. When we too take the great adventure and set sail for God's shore. He will welcome us with a smile and a warm embrace, saying, "Welcome home my child, your journey is complete"

May God bless you and keep you safe on your journey!
Rick

He came to seek and to save us

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."- Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save David Loughmiller!
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save [insert your name here]!

Our Father in heaven sent His Son to live in our shoes here in our
world, the world He created and we corrupted. He came to seek and to
save us. I saw this verse and started thinking about it. It really
has a lot of meaning to it. Think about the fact that if it were ONLY
you who was lost.... He would have still sent His Son to die on the
cross for YOU. He would have done nothing different, if it were only
for you. He came to seek and to save you.

Here we are... Tonight's the show at the Walnut Theatre. The benefit
for Mercedes Compton... If you can make it, we'd love to see you
there... If you can't make it... Please consider contacting us to make
a donation.
Above all... Please PRAY for her! After all, the Son of Man came to
seek and to save Mercedes Compton!!!

Dave L.

Repentance

How often do we say we are sorry for the things God tells us not to do? The only reason there are rules saying not to do something is because God knows it will cause harm to us. He is our Creator, He knows us better than we know ourselves, so He knows whats good and bad for us. I've found that when I'm tempted with sin, if I call it out, I can overcome it so much easier. I even go as far with some of my temptations to give them a name. One of my worst temptations has the name "Sam." There isn't much meaning behind the name other than when I heard about calling a temptation or sin by a name, I was reading in 1 Samual. Back to the point, God knew we would sin, "For all fall short of the the glory of God," but Jesus died to forgive our sins. This doesn't mean it's ok to sin, rather, it means we should try all the harder to repent. I encourage you all to try speaking aloud when you are tempted. And I also encourage those of you who really need a change in your life like I did, give those temptations a name, call them out and say NO. I know it is changing my life daily and making me a better me. With Love, *We Serve An Awesome God* - Tyler

God Will Take Care of You

Psalm 103:2-3 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases." Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." In 1904 a preacher named Walter Martin had a preaching assignment which required him to travel to another town. On the morning he planned to leave town, his wife Civilla woke up very sick and he was ready to cancel his trip. Their child insisted that he keep his preaching assignment knowing that God would take care of them while he was away from home. Walter honored his obligations, and when he later returned home, Civilla handed him the song "God Will Take Care of You" which she had written in his absence. Upon receiving the comforting words of this new hymn, Walter Martin sat down near his organ and composed the music to this new song, which many churches sing today. Many years later, after the Great Depression in 1929, J.C.Penney had fallen into despair and depression after many years of great success in his retail stores. One day while suffering from a painful case of shingles in a hospital, he heard the beautiful words and music coming from the chapel at the hospital. As he listened while that precious hymn "God Will Take Care of You" was being played, something miraculous happened. His deep worry and despair immediately lifted when he truly realized how much God cared for him. After his medical recovery, J.C.Penney returned to work and became known as one of greatest retailers in our history. Dear Friend, as the scriptures have promised, there are many benefits, forgiveness, and healing which can only come from God. Have you put your complete faith and trust in Him? Dave Henry

See you all Thursday!

Cant stop thinking about the benefit coming up this Thursday for the
little girl from north clay middle school. What an awesome way for
the community to reach out and help. As we work together to put on a
show to raise funds for the family. My thoughts still wander off
thinking "What if this were my child"? What would I do? How would I
react? How would I feel? How could I help? I encourage everyone to
come out and support this event. It will be life changing. God has
prepared the hearts to hear what will be said, and has prepared the
eyes to see what is going to happen. One of our songs just popped in
my mind. "Come to the father". In this song we have a verse that says
"Don't you wait, and hold it all in". Don't wait! You could be
someone's only hope. You could make a difference that could save
someone's life. You could be the reason! When you feel that little
tugging at your heart. React! Let God work through you. You will be
blessed!

Lord, I pray for those who come out and support this event, I pray
that their minds and hearts will be open! Pull the blinders away from
our eyes! We will welcome your presence Lord. You are holy! We fall
at your feet, and lay our burdens down. Lord, have your way with this
event. Move us forward! Thank you for all you have provided. We
praise and honor you Lord.
In Jesus name,
Amen

See you all Thursday!!
Jonny

My Soul Wells Up With Hallelujahs!

(NIV) Psalm 104:24-24 "How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works- he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD." What a beautiful selection of verses for today! As I am typing this message, my ears can hear the constant, rhythmic pulse of the ocean waves as they crash to the shore. Within 30 minutes the sun will rise again in the east. As another day is quickly upon us, we have the choice of how we will spend our time today. The following song "Hallelujahs" written by Chris Rice contains words that are merely an echo of praise to God for his wondrous creation! "A purple sky to close the day I wade the surf where dolphins play The taste of salt, the dance of waves And my soul wells up with Hallelujahs A lightning flash, my pounding heart A breaching whale, a shooting star Give testimony that You are And my soul wells up with Hallelujahs Oh praise Him, all His mighty works There is no language where you can't be heard Your song goes out to all the earth Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Oh cratered moon and the sparrow's wings Oh thunder's boom and Saturn's rings Unveil our Father, as You sing And my soul wells up with Hallelujahs Oh praise Him, all His mighty works There is no language where you can't be heard Your song goes out to all the earth Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah The pulse of life within my wrist A fallen snow, a rising mist There is no higher praise than this And my soul wells up, oh my soul wells up Yes my soul wells up with Hallelujahs Oh praise Him, all His mighty works There is no language where you can't be heard Your song goes out to all the earth Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Oh Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!" Dear Friend, take a few moments today to reflect upon God's beautiful creation. If you know the song, sing it as a praise offering to the God of our salvation. He loves us so very much, and has created a beautiful world for us to enjoy. We have everything we need if we will only trust Him. Can you say that your soul wells up with Hallelujahs? Dave Henry

I Want My Joy!

Life is a short series of trials and temptations. It seems like it just keeps piling on. Too many of us think life should be nothing but fun and joy, joy, joy. Jesus teaches us that this life is meant to be a learning process for the eternal life with God. He wants us to learn to be loving, forgiving, compassionate, peaceful, and understanding. This doesn't mean that we are to be miserable and unhappy, on the contrary. The Lord wants us to live our lives everyday in the joy and peace of His understanding. How do we do this? By considering the few things I mentioned above and to give your heart to the Lord who died to give you life! Your Father wants you to be happy and know that He is with you. In your life trials, He is there. When you think you can't go one more day dealing with all the stuff the world and all the craziness that it possesses, you have the Rock. Jesus is the Rock that we stand on when we think we can't take another step. He is the Rock that provides us the footing to walk on in the slippery down pour of sin and sadness. He is the Rock that we pull other to when they are sinking in sand of despair and hopelessness. If you stand on the Rock on Christ, you will not stumble, you will not fall. You will be strong and help others climb up on the Rock with you and together we will praise the name on the Lord forever! Be filled with the joy of the Lord and love each other as the Lord loves you! Then you will know the joy, joy, joy that you are looking for.

May the Lord bless you and keep you
May He make His face to shine upon you.
And may He give you His peace now and forever!

Rick

1 Hour

I know this is a little late, but none the less, its worth the wait. What would you do with your life if you knew you had exactly 1 hour until Jesus came back? Would you talk to certain people in your life to make sure or try to persuade them to be saved? Would you change anything about yourself? Who would you spend the time with? What would you do? As my youth pastor asked me these questions tonight, it really got my brain flowing. If I had only 1 hour left on Earth, I know without a shout of a doubt that I have some family and friends to be calling. My best friends from high school have all taken a different route than me since graduation. I don't know that any of them are still on the right track with the path of God, and I blame myself for that knowing that I see a lot of them on a regular basis and I let it slip away every chace. Also, I would have some family that to talk to in this hour. My grandparents especially because I don't spend enough time with all of them to know where they are on their walk with God or if some of them even have a walk. As horrible as this sounds, won't you ask yourself, is there anyone in your life you feel may need some talking to if Jesus were coming back in an hour? After these phone calls, I think its also important to think about those who you already know are saved also. One person tonight said they would instantly find the closest pastor and get married. As I thought about this to myself, I think that marriage is definitly something I want in the future, but if I knew that I only had 1 hour on Earth, I would rather enjoy the time with that girl just her and I counting down the last couple of minutes. As I thought about it more and more, the marriage just would not be important to me, I know the reason they suggested that was to be able to have sex and it not be sin, but I don't feel for myself that it would be that important to make sure and cross sex off my list of things to do before I die rather than just spending the last few minutes with them. So all in all, I've been in a lot of thought lately about how I'm living my life. Aside from us spending time with that one special person in our lives, are we spending our time wisely? Are there people in your life you care enough about to make sure they are on the right track to heaven? I've found that through this question I have a lot of work to do and a LOT of important people in my life that I want to know are going to take part in the same reward I am going to take part in after life on Earth. Please take this to heart and talk to those people in your life as I am going to do because you never know, that last hour may have already started ticking down. *I Serve An Awesome God* -Tyler

I Can Do All Things Through Christ

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." What a familiar verse for many Christians. Last weekend I was on a flight and quickly became friends with Jean, the saintly senior sitting next to me. Off and on throughout our flight we had numerous conversations about family, work, and life. I sensed the sweet, gentle, Godly spirit of Jean and I asked her to share her favorite bible verse with me. Without hesitation she quoted today's verse. She said that no matter what happens in life, we must put our faith and trust in Him and we will always have enough strength to accomplish our tasks. She told me that there is no need to worry about anything as long as we trust Jesus to be our guide throughout life. What an amazing inspiration for me as I listened to her speak with grace and confidence! I learned so much during that 2hr 10 min flight, and would have truly enjoyed another 2hr and 10min. I was reminded of the verse in 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) that says,"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." Dear Friend, can you affirm that your strength comes Christ? I challenge you to memorize today's verse and to be able to share it with someone who asks you for your source of hope and strength in life. Dave Henry

Benefit

Amazing service yesterday. The pastor spoke about many things, but
the one that sticks out in my mind is the way he addressed the
congregation with the importance of being in the word. Spending time
in the word will change your life. It will change your perspective on
all things around you.

We have an opportunity coming up that will be life changing for many.
The benefit for the girl from North Clay will bring many people to
hear and see what God is doing in our community. The excitement and
activity of God will bring the peoples hearts to an overwhelming
moment. My prayer is that we the community will be ready to move
forward when God shows us the direction. We will follow God's
direction and move forward with Him!

Look forward to seeing everyone on the 29th at the Theater!!!!

Have a great week!

Jonny

God’s Workmanship...

If we don't acknowledge God, we are flotsam in the universe. At best we are developed animals. At worst we are rearranged space dust.

With God in your world, you aren't an accident or an incident; you are a gift to the world, a divine work of art, signed by the Master.

Think about this, you receive an autographed book of your favorite author. There is nothing spectacular about the book itself; it is one of hundreds or thousands just like it. The thing that makes it unique is it signed by its creator.

The same is true with us. In the scheme of nature, we are not unique. We aren't the only creatures with hair and flesh and blood and hearts. What makes us special is not our bodies, but the signature of God on our lives! We are his works of art. We are created in His image to do good deeds. We are significant, not because of what we do, but who He is.

Who has more reason to worship than the astronomer who has seen the stars? Than the surgeon who has held a beating heart? Than the oceanographer who has explored the depths? The more we know, the more we should be amazed!
(Devotional Bible, Max Lucado)

I stand amazed, how about you?

Rick

What are you worried about?

The very same God who gave us the commandments such as "Do not commit adultery, do not murder" also said, "Do not worry."

It is a violation of our relationship with God to question His authority by worrying.
Has any good ever come from any worrying that you've done? Worry only compartmentalizes us and makes us unable to do what we set out to do. If you are worried about a problem, what you need to do is simple. Trust the Lord and do good!

The word "worry" comes from a word that means to divide. When you worry, you divide your energy. Do you worry? I worry about you if you don't worry at all! All of us worry, but we shouldn't. Jesus tells us half a dozen times, "Do not worry." When we worry about a situation, the problem gets us instead of us getting it!

Jesus is not afraid of the things that cause us fear. He never said, "Don't bring your fears to me; I'm too busy." Instead He says" I am not afraid of the things that cause you fear. Bring your fears to me."
(The Inspirational Bible, "Worry")

Deuteronomy 31:6-8
Joshua 1:5-9
Matthew 6:25-26

Don't worry about your day to day things, they will soon pass. The only thing we need is the Father. He takes our fears and cares from us so we can serve Him!
Like my friend Tyler says, "We serve an awesome God!"

Rick

Time with God

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that
has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not
understood it."
1 John 1:1-5

This verse came to me as I am trying to commit myself to spending more
time with God. We are called to talk to God and spend time reading
His Word. I know this is a basic message, but we all get caught up in
the busy times of our lives and families and I feel we need to
reiterate this point every now and then. We need to keep ourselves in
check.

I will commit to spending an extra 30 minutes a day with my God, will
you join me? Feel free to comment below!!

Dave L.

God Will Prepare the Way for You!

When God prepares a way for you to accomplish something.  He makes all things possible.  He sets the path for His will to be done. He gives the opportunity.  He provides all the tools to complete the task.  He prepares the hearts.  God wants you to be successful.  He wants you to move forward. God wants you to be great.  We must know......  We cannot stay the way we are and go with God! If we do not follow Gods direction we will not be spiritually happy.  Take a look at all the opportunities that God has provided for you.  Did you speak your heart with your partner today?  Did you take the opportunity to tell your children you love them.  Did you share Gods love with a friend today.  Did you do what God wants you to do?  God wants you to take a step of faith today! Looking forward to seeing you all soon!  Catch our next show and see what God has done with RideTheWind.  Some very exciting things are going on with the band.  Jonny

How Great Our God Is!

How great is it to think that no matter what each of us are going through, our God knows each us individually and loves all of us equally! He is omni-present and all knowing, everything we could ever need is already provided for by our God...amazing! To think that my parents have a big enough responsibility taking care of me by providing food, shelter, clothing, etc....our God does that for everyone on this Earth!! How much greater is His task and yet it does it because He loves us. For He loved us so much that He GAVE His son, that whoever believes in Him may live forever!! Amen! *We Serve An Awesome God* -Tyler

Prayer for Today

Precious Father in Heaven, another week is quickly passing. At the start of this beautiful day, we recognize our weakness and rely on your strength to carry us through each and every hour. May this day be filled with blessing others, not cursing. May this day be filled with strength and energy, not laziness. Our prayer for today is that you would allow us to cross the path of just the right people, so that we may share a kind word to a hurting, stressed world. We know that you love us and care for us every day, and may that be evident in our words and in our actions as we interact with others today. And before our mealtimes today, cause us to have hearts filled with thanksgiving for the blessing of your amazing provision in our lives. As we go about our daily duties, may we take a few moments to be truly thankful for the beautiful creation of your mighty hand. And most of all, Dear Father, at the end of the day, long before we close our eyes in sleep, may we realize and also take time to reflect on your goodness to us once again. We love you, honor you, and thank you for being our Provider, our Healer, our Friend and our Lord and Savior. Amen. Dave Henry

How Great Thou Art

(NIV) Isaiah 45:18 For this is what the LORD says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other." Dear Friend, when I read these verses today, I was reminded of the beautiful words in the song, "How Great Thou Art" written by Carl Boberg in 1885. I have been asked to play this song on my harp at churches, funerals, concerts, and other gatherings. Take a moment to reflect on and sing the inspiring words of the first verse in this song in your time with God today. "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, Consider all the worlds thy hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed." "Then sings my soul, My Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Then sings my soul, My Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thout art!"   Dave Henry

Freely You Have Received

Matthew 10:7-10 And as you go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. There are 3 things that we can learn today from these few verses. First, there is the lesson of following God's instruction for our lives without worrying about the physical comforts. The disciples were commanded to to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons, all in the power of Jesus' name. Isn't that awesome?! How quickly we forget to minister to others as we consume ourselves in the minor details of life. Also, I realize that this must have been an exercise of their faith in God that He will provide for them. He said that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. There was a lot of work to do to spread the gospel, and there was no time to worry about the physical comforts of this world. Responding quickly to the command to go is simply a demonstration of faith that God will truly provide for your physical needs. Finally, there is the lesson to avoid being caught up in material things. Our world has quickly confused the difference between 'needs' and 'wants'. Matthew 6:30 says, "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" Dear Friend, are you doing your part to spread the Gospel? The bible tells us that you have freely received, and you should freely give without worrying about the material things of this world. Won't you trust Him today to take care of all your needs, so you may better serve Him? Dave Henry

Don't be a Stranger in the Mirror!

I'm a stranger to the man in the mirror,
My biggest fear is to be alone.
Everything I touched I've broken,
And I don"t even have a home.

Don't know what to do,
Don't know what to say.
Everything is falling apart
Wrap your arms around me,
And Show me your love!!
Show me your love!!

I am working on a new song.  This has been stuck in my head since we
played at the house of hope.  After speaking with some of the people
living there.  It is amazing how much we take our daily life for
granted.  Over looking all the little things that God does for us each
and every day.  Don't be that stranger in the mirror. Don't let
yourself fall.  Find peace in our Lord and Savior!  Find comfort in
His arms. Don't do or say anything!  Let God wrap His arms around you
and show you His love!!!!

Close your eyes!  Feel what God has for you!!!

Smiling??? =)

Love you all,

Jonny

Self-Control

How easy it is to sin when we have little self-control? No matter who you are or what your situation is, Satan feeds on little self-control. Proverbs 25:28 - Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. As the scripture says, if we have no control over ourselves, we might as well be a city with no defensive walls. We are completly open to attack from enemies. Whether its the media presenting an attractive girl, someone that gets on your nerves, stress that makes you say things or do things you wouldn't normally do, etc...Satan has many weapons to conquer your "city". So therefore, be strong in the Lord, let Him be your defense as well as your weapon to defeat the enemy. Read God's Word everyday, join a Bible study group, find some accountability buddys, and most importantly...pray to God often, especially in times of trials and temptations. He will deliver you, it just takes the strength and courage to stand and say NO to Satan!! Amen!! *We Serve An Awesome God* - Tyler

I Know My Redeemer Lives!!

This song has a special meaning for me, I pray it does for you also!

I Know My Redeemer Lives!!

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning
Who told the ocean you an only come this far?
Who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

The very same God that spins things in orbit
He runs to the weary, the worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory

Now I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer, He lives

To take away my shame
And He lives forever I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
But now He's alive
And there's an empty grave.

And I know my Redeemer, He lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

Beneath the Cross of Jesus

While visiting my parents in Fort Wayne today, I had the wonderful privilege of attending a Good Friday service with them at noon. The first song we sang was "Beneath the Cross of Jesus" written by Elizabeth Clephane in 1872 and music by Frederick C. Maker. The following words to this beautiful song are so very powerful, especially today! "Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand, The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land; A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way, From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day." "Upon that cross of Jesus mine eyes at times can see The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me; And from my stricken heart, with tears, two wonders I confess: The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness." "I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place; I ask no other other sunshine than the sunshine of His face; Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss, My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross." Dear Friend, take a few moments today to reflect on the importance of the cross. For without the cross, we would not have victory over sin today. Do you truly know Him? Are you living your life for a Savior who loves you so very much? Easter weekend is a wonderful time to come before the throne of mercy and grace, and to invite Jesus to be the Lord and Master of your life. Dave Henry

Busy Lives

Time is really moving fast.  The days are flying by.  Spring break is here, and summer soon to come.  
As we prepare for the season ahead with all the yard work, softball, baseball, YMCA events, and cook 
outs.  We all have really busy lives.  Lets all take a break this weekend.  Take our families to church and
enjoy the relationship we have with each other.  Thank God for what He has done for us.  Take a moment
for yourself as well and spend it with God.  Let God show you what is in his will and follow Him.  

Truly enjoy this holiday weekend!!!!

God Bless you all!

Jonny