Do You Have Trials?

Romans 8:18 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." 1 Peter 1:6-7 "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." Recently, my wife suffered an injury to her lower back, which will require follow-up surgery in order for proper healing to happen. Through much pain and irregular sleep, she has certainly endured this trial that has come her way. The physicians have promised us that they will complete the procedure quickly and healing will allow her to have a normal life once again. There are other people, however, that have suffered as well for taking a stand for Christ, when it was not the popular thing to do. The bible has promised us that in the end, when Jesus is revealed to us, the glory that awaits us will be far greater than our present sufferings. Doesn't that give you reassurance and peace and comfort? Dear Friend, are you in the midst of a physical or spiritual battle? God has promised us that eternal glory will come to us if we will endure the present trial faithfully and put our complete trust in Him. He alone is our Great Physican, and our Healer, and our Strength. Take a few moments now and trust God to provide for you in ways that you cannot see. If we are faithful children, he will truly provide as He has promised. Dave Henry

Keep alert!

Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.--1 Corinthians 16:13

Taking a stand in your faith is not always easy. We face daily trials and temptations.
My pray for you today is that you will stay alert when the enemy attacks. Use the
strength you have been given through salvation and be courageous! Don't let anything
bring you down today. Strive toward the goal.

You may be someone's only hope! Share with someone today!

Have a great Monday!

Love you all,
Jonny

As For Me And My House!

Joshua 24:14-15

14"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
What a statement of faith. It seems odd to me now, but not so many years ago, I was like these people not concerning myself with what my Lord had done for me. I was serving the world and living for me. I learned through teaching and reading that it was not me that I should be living for. I was nothing, and the world will end and there is nothing I can do.

Nothing I can do but learn to love the Lord our God, to serve Him daily and know that we are saved from death. My house...me and my house...we will serve the Lord!

In Christ
Rick

Be Still

Psalm 46:10 (NIV) "Be still and know that I am God." Oh what a familiar verse, and I have meditated on it several times this week as I have found a quiet place of rest. For the first few days of vacation, the weather has been far less than sunny skies and calm winds. In fact, it has been very cloudy, stormy, and filled with unpredictable, spontaneous showers. Through it all, I have found many moments of quiet reflection and my soul is overwhelmed with gratitude. The oceans have roared and powerful waves have crashed to the shore without interruption, but in the midst of it all, I have found extreme peace, quietness, and beauty in the slower pace I have enjoyed. The church I visited on Sunday, sang the song "Still" which has been on my mind even before I attended the worship service. How appropriate are the words to this song even now as I glance at the ocean and the waves continue to rock the shore. Here are the lyrics to the song, "Still" written by Hillsong United: "Hide me now Under Your wings Cover me Within Your mighty hand When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with You above the storm Father you are King over the flood I will be still and know You are God Find rest my soul In Christ alone Know His power In quietness and trust When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with You above the storm Father You are king over the flood I will be still and know You are God" Dear Friend, are you enduring a storm in your life right now? The beautiful song displayed above is a great reminder to 'be still' before Him and truly know that He alone is God and is our Sovereign Master over all of creation. He cares for you, will provide for you, and will meet your every need. Find rest in Him today. Dave Henry

You're One Of A Kind

This is my morning meditation from a study written by Ralph Marston. Move away from the need to compare yourself to others. And you will move rapidly toward higher and higher levels of effectiveness and fulfillment. Many of the things you see as limitations and deficiencies in your own life are not really limitations at all. They're created in your imagination when you compare yourself to others. Don't waste your time focusing on what others have that you don't have. Instead, put your time and energy into making the most of the unique and valuable knowledge, skills and resources that you do have available to you. Don't allow your energy to be drained away by worrying about what others will think. Simply be your authentic best, and keep in mind that what anyone else thinks about you is not your concern. It's great when you can learn from others, find joy in being with others, and cooperate with others to achieve mutually beneficial results. Just don't allow your life to become bogged down by constantly comparing its details with the lives of those around you. You are one of a kind. The more completely you celebrate and fulfill that reality, the more satisfying and rewarding life will be. Looking forward to sharing our ministry with the folks from Eastside Christian Sunday August 29th @ 10:00 am I pray that everyone realizes today that they are truly one of a kind.  Hand made and hand picked!  Take your walk closer with God today and watch the amazing things that can happen. Have a great Monday! Love you all, Jonny

God Is Our Covenant Keeper!

Genesis 9:12-17 (NIV) And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." Yesterday was the first day of my vacation, and as I prayed my usual prayer for God's protection on the flight and other travel on the road, I also asked God to reveal himself to me in a very special way this week. As our flight was descending and we were perhaps 20,000 feet above ground, I looked out the window and saw a beautiful rainbow. It was so beautiful and my immediate response was filled with joy and admiration, and it was so difficult to remain silent! Within seconds, many passengers had the same response to notify the others of the beautiful sight on the right side of the plane. Several hours later on the same day, just moments before the sunset, another beautiful rainbow appeared over the ocean. I quickly ran out to the shore to get a few pictures, and many people were joyously doing the same thing! Dear Friend, I know that God has answered my prayer already to reveal Himself to me this week. Take a few moments right now to seek Him and ask Him to reveal a special blessing to you. Our God is a covenant maker and is certainly a covenant keeper, and He is always ready to listen to His precious children, especially when our desires are in line with His wonderful, matchless promises! Dave Henry

How Much The Cost...

The cross was heavy, the blood was real, and the price was extravagant.

It would have bankrupted you or me, so he paid it for us. Call it simple. Call it a gift.

But don't ever call it easy.
(Max Lucado)

Have you ever borrowed something from someone, not really wanting to do it but knowing that you needed to? Have you ever not been able to pay that debt back, and had the one who paid it for you say don't worry about it, this one is on me?

That is what Jesus did for us, bought our sins and sorrows for his price in blood. It took everything he had, but he paid it willingly, happily, lovingly. The least we can do is say thanks. Every day when you sit down to eat…thank Jesus. Every day when your kids are on your last nerve…thank Jesus. When you have had a day like no other…thank Jesus.
It's all he wants us to do. Talk to him and thank him for paying for our forgiveness. What an awesome friend we have.

In Christ!
Rick

Trust Only In God

Psalm 62
Trust Only in God
1 I find rest in God;
only he can save me.
2 He is my rock and my salvation.
He is my defender;
I will not be defeated.

3 How long will you attack someone?
Will all of you kill that person?
Who is like a leaning wall, like a fence ready to fall?
4 They are planning to make that person fall.
They enjoy telling lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.

5 I find rest in God;
only he gives me hope.
6 He is my rock and my salvation.
He is my defender;
I will not be defeated.
7 My honor and salvation come from God.
He is my mighty rock and my protection.

8 People, trust God all the time.
Tell him all your problems,
because God is our protection.

9 The least of people are only a breath,
and even the greatest are just a lie.
On the scales, they weigh nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in force.
Stealing is of no use.
Even if you gain more riches,
don't put your trust in them.

11 God has said this,
and I have heard it over and over:
God is strong.
12 The Lord is loving.
You reward people for what they have done.

In Christ
Rick

Control

I picked up my Ipod the other day and realized that I had let my fish starve, my plants wither, and my zombies die!! I have all of these applications that require you to log in and use them so many times a day in order to keep everything working right. Well I didn't dedicate the time needed to keep everything in line and I had to stop and think. God does this with the entire world everyday. It's sort of like a Farmville game or something similar because he feeds and waters us daily. He takes care of the plants and animals of the Earth daily and provides everything they need to live. How much greater is our God to manage all of this perfectly and in His plan than to miss a day and allow everything to fall apart and die! It's such a simple concept of taking the time required to make everything work as it should. I thought this was really neat the more I took the time to realize it's not as easy as we take it to be sometimes like when we ask God for something and expect it to happen instantly or to make everything better because we don't want to deal with it. God is in control and He has everything planned out perfectly! *What an Awesome God We Serve* - Tyler

God's Wonderful, Amazing Grace

Romans 3:22-24 (NIV) "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Written by John Newton in 1779, Amazing Grace is perhaps the most widely sung and recognized of all the church hymns today. John Newton was blessed to have a mother, who devoted herself to leading him to his salvation at a very young age. It was known that he memorized many bible verses and hymns while still a small child, under the guidance and encouragement of his mother.... At age 7, his mother passed away, and he remembered her loving, tearful prayers for him. Many years after her death, he fell into a sinful life, and had many difficult decisions to make. He joined the British Navy and was later captured. After 2 days of suspense, he considered taking his own life. He later took more voyages and faced many dangers, toils, and snares. On March 9, 1748 at age 23, the crew faced a brutal storm while out on the high seas. The next day, March 10th, John Newton cried out to the Lord to rescue him from his great peril. He said that the Lord came down from on high and rescued him from the deep waters. In the upcoming years, John Newton was known as one of the greatest evangelical preachers in British history, had written hundreds of hymns, and became very outspoken against the evils of slavery. This famous hymn, Amazing Grace, originally had the title "Faith's Review and Expectation" which was based on his own study of 1 Chronicles 17:16-17. There was also a written, but nearly forgotten verse near the end of the hymn: "The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, Who called me here below, Shall be forever mine." Dear Friend, do you truly know God's Amazing Grace? Have you accepted Hiis redeeming power? Can you say that you were once lost, but now you are found, and are wrapped in His tender loving care? Our Savior longs for a deeper relationship with you today. May the words of this beautiful, sacred hymn that say when the sun forbears to shine one day, we will be with our Loving Savior and 'He will be forever mine.' Dave Henry

Keep Strong In Your Faith

Good morning!  Hope everyone is having a great day!  It will be a busy week for RTW with rehearsals and working on our set for some big upcoming shows.
We will be at Eastside Christian Church in Brazil, IN on August 29th, and Horizon Church in Indy on Sept. 18^th for a very special Youth Fest.

Here are 4 ways to keep your faith strong in your daily Christian walk!  Below is the content from my morning devotion, written by Kelli Mahoney.

1. Remember that God is Always There

Even in the driest times, when you just don’t feel God’s presence, you need to remember that God is always there. He does not forget you. True faith is developed even when you don’t feel God.

Deuteronomy 31:6 - “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."

 

2. Daily Devotion

Developing long-term habits is important to maintaining your faith. A daily devotion will keep you in the Word and enhance your prayer life. It will also keep you closer to God even when you struggle in your faith.

Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

3. Get Involved

People become disconnected over time, because they do not feel connected to a church body. Some churches do not offer ways to connect. Yet, there are a lot of activities on campuses and in the community. You can even look into other ministries. The more connected you are to the body of Christ, the more likely it is that you will maintain your faith.

Romans 12:5   “so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

4. Talk to Someone

If you feel separated from God or you find yourself falling away, talk to someone. Try your old youth leader, a pastor, or even your parents. Talk through your issues and pray with them about your struggle. They can offer insight into how they have worked through their own struggles.

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God”


Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Love you all,
Jonny

 

God's Favorite Word?

God's favorite word, it seems is "Come"

"Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be white as snow."

"All you who are thirsty, come and drink."

"Come to me all, all of you who are weary and with heavy loads, and I will give you rest."

"Come to the wedding feast."

"Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

"Let anyone who thirsts, come to me and drink."

God is a God who invites. God is a God who calls. Our God is a God who opens the door and waves us in to a full table.

His invitation is not for a meal, however, it is for life. An invitation to come into His kingdom and take up residence in a tearless, graveless, painless world. Who can come? Whoever wants to come. The invitation is at once universal and personal.
(the Devotional Bible)

Come to the Father.
Don't you wait,
And hold it all in.
Don't you carry,
Those burdens anymore.
Lay it all,
At the Masters feet.
(RTW – Come To The Father)

In Christ,
Rick

Got Faith?

I sit here in the air conditioning, on my comfortable chair, writing for the website and I find myself thinking about the material things in our lives and what they really mean.

My day started out as usual, work then lunch with my wife and son then back to work. During my day I received a call from the dispatcher at the 911 center where I work in the jail. She asked me what my address was. I informed her of the street address and then she said, "Alright, it isn't your house, never mind." I inquired what wasn't my house, and she told me the fire. She then told me the house across the street was on fire. I thought about that statement and informed my boss I needed to go. I made it home in time to see my neighbors house, that they had just moved into approximately two weeks ago engulfed in smoke with flames coming from the attic and roof peak. "Please Lord, let them have all made it out ok!" I saw my neighbors and went to see if there was anything I could do. He informed me that they hadn't even gotten to unpack yet. He also said, "It is all material things. There were sentimental things that couldn't be replaced but that really didn't matter now."

After the fire was out, I went back to speak to them and they thanked me for what I had done and the lady opened her mothers charred jewelry box pulled out two small wrist bands and told me, "I ordered these right before my mother passed away from cancer, but she didn't get to see them." See handed me the wrist bands that said "Cancer takes UR body Jesus saves UR soul"

I couldn't believe how strong she was, she had an unwavering faith that I would like to thing Job had during his trials. He would not curse the name of the Lord, nor would this young woman. She is a blessing to her family and the family is a blessing to the community. The last thing they told me before I left them for the night was, "Well, we'll see you in about four months. We are going to rebuild right here!

Love your family; love your friends because you never know when this life ends!
In Christ, Rick

From Beginning to End

I've given myself the challange of reading my Bible from front to back in one year. I started in January to make it easy to remember. Whether I make it or not, it's encouraged me to read so much more than I have been in the past. Each night before I fall asleep I try to read about 5 chapters because that's been a good pace for me (I don't like to read). I have to say though, this has kept me on track because it's a goal that I really want to accomplish. Currently I'm in the book of Ezekiel on chapter 13. I may be a little behind or it may work out that I'm right on track. When it gets closer to the end I may have to read a bit more to catch myself up but above all, it has kept me in the Word and dedicated to reaching my ultimate goal, heaven. I encourage everyone to make a goal, if you read faster than me or just like to read more than me, make it 8 months  or 6 months, whatever fits you best. Just having the goal to work towards is a good habit. There are nights I'm really tired and don't want to read. I make myself read at least one chapter even when I'm falling asleep while reading it. It's an awesome way of dedicating yourself to growing closer to God!! *We Serve A Powerful God* -Tyler

Hope in the Lord

Isaiah 40:18-31 "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." At the end of a very busy, tiring day, I reflected on this passage once again. Recently my wife injured her lower back and has been instructed to remain in bed for a certain period of time. I realized very quickly how fragile our health and life can be. I have said to several people since her accident that we sometimes don't appreciate our health until it has been compromised or is completely gone. With God's help, I have committed and invested my energy to assist her, encourage her, and to provide the strength that she needs until she fully recovers from her pain and suffering. According to the dicitonary, the word hope, used as a verb in a sentence means to believe, to desire, or to trust. The verse above says very clearly that those of us who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. To renew simply means to restore and revive. Dear Friend, are you tired and weary today? The bible says that even the youths grow tired and weary. Is your hope placed entirely in Him? He has promised us that if we hope in Him, he will renew our strength! What an awesome promise! Won't you trust our Lord today to take care of your every need? Dave Henry

Press on toward the Goal!!

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called
me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:14

The way to walk a tightrope is to keep one's sight on the goal, not on

the ground or what is behind. The way to walk with Jesus is to keep

our eyes on the goal, his victory waiting for us when he returns,

not on the ground or our failures and not what is behind us.

The goal of the Christian walk is to keep walking toward Jesus until

we walk with him in heaven.

"Oh what a day" - is one of our newest songs written by a very special lady

from Brazil, In. I thank God that I can share my life with her.

Lord, I look forward to the day when you call me by name and walk hand
in hand with me. Until that day, help me fix my eyes on what you want me
to be and not what I've done. By your grace I ask it.

God will lead you to the Promise land!!!

Have a great Monday!

Love you all,
Jonny

Who's Got Your Back?

Who's Got Your Back?

Some people dream grand dreams, and others use their talents and abilities to do great things. The problem lies in the reasoning for the grand things. If you build huge towering monuments or write beautiful sonnets but only do this for your own self ambition, God has something he wants you to remember. Remember that when you try to make a name for yourself and forget the God who makes everything you do possible, you might end up like the people of Babel (Gen.11:3-4) Whatever do with everything you have, but do it also with the Lord. He gave the gifts we use; He gave the songs we sing. Forgetting this would be foolish and detrimental to what you want to accomplish.

Take some well known Hollywood stars. These people are the rich, powerful and some of the most outwardly beautiful people in the world. They are also some of the most depressed, anxious and vain people in the world. I would clarify, not all of them, but most fit squarely into this category. Power, prestige, hunger for achievement, blind ambition, and distorted values plague our society. Our children are bombarded with images that glorify thing that are an abomination to God. How do you fix this?

We must take God with us in the things we do. We have to ask Him to help us choose our path, our song, our way. Teaching our children that faith in God is not something to cause you to be ashamed. Teach them that living for Christ is not a silly saying or repetitive verse at church on Sunday morning. God has to be in everything we do or it means nothing. Recall the man who built on sand? (Luke 6:47-49) He turned out with nothing. How about the one who built on the rock? I want to be building on the Rock. I want the things I do to be filled with God. Not because I think it is the "cool" thing to do, but because the belief in God and the faith that He is with me in what I do or I will surely fail (or at least be miserable doing it).

The group of guys that make up this band RideTheWind have embarked on a mission. Not for ourselves, but to further God's kingdom. If we do this on our own, it will mean nothing. It has to be from and for God. God has a plan and it is up to us to follow. Otherwise we will fail just like the people of Babel who tried to make a name for themselves and were scattered across the Earth.

In Christ,
Rick

Follow Jesus

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did
not realize that it was Jesus.
He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.
He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will
find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because
of the large number of fish.
John 21:4-6

This is a great example of what happens when we do something on our
own vs. when we follow Jesus. The scripture makes is sound as if the
disciples went out for a whole night fishing on their own and caught
nothing... When Jesus tells them to throw the net in the water, the
caught so much they couldn't get the net into the water... they had to
get into the water and drag it to shore!! Isn't that awesome? The
power of our Lord!

-Dave L.

Patience

Over the last couple of months I've been praying for patience. Boy have I been tested with it. When I pray for something I expect it to happen instantly, but that's not how God works. Patience is probably one of the hardest parts of life in my opinion. It's when we don't have patience that we try to take things into our own hands and take God out of the picture. Obviously this isn't going to work. God has set a plan for each of us and it's patience and wisdom that we should be praying for in order to allow God's plan to unfold as He has intended. He says in His word that He has great plans for us, plans to prosper and grow. But maybe not in the way we expect it to happen. And that's ok, it just requires a little patience for it all to take place. In conclusion, I encourage everyone to make it a daily habbit to pray for patience, the training won't be fun, but in the end when God's plan fully unfolds, it will be worth it. *We Serve A Powerful God* -Tyler

God Be With You

2 John 3 "Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." How often have we heard someone tell us to have a good day? At many retail stores and restaurants, and often times at church, we all have heard those famous words wishing us to have a good day. For many years, I have thought that "Have a good day" is perhaps the most widely overused greeting other than "Hello, how are you?" I have jokingly said that the next time someone asks me how I am doing, I will give them the whole story. When offering farewells to others, as Christians, the loving wish, "God be with you" is a great way to extend and demonstrate our witness. In addition, to add the thought "till we meet again" suggests a sincere desire for continued friendship. Dear Friend, how many times have you uttered those words, "God be with you" with great sincerity? What a great way to reach out and be a great witness to those around us. Dave Henry

Man's Most Innate Need

After the message yesterday my interest was raised on the passage of
scripture that was presented to the congregation. John ch15 v1-17.(
Vine and the Branches) So I continued to read and study this area of
the bible and several devotions created around this passage as well.
This one I found in my study bible and want to share.

"A Man's Most Innate Need" by Patrick Morley
What do you think is man's greatest need? Someone recently mentioned
they would like their tombstone to read, "He made a difference".
Whether we speak of achieving our full potential, or only of surviving
to the next paycheck, men invariably talk about their need to be
significant. A man's most innate need is his need to be significant -
to find purpose and meaning..... The difference in men is in how we go
about satisfying our need to be significant. Some men, eager for the
spoils of this life, pursue significance by gratifying only their own
ambitions. Others, trained by the Scriptures, find it in obeying God.
How we answer the questions, "Who am I?" and "Why do I exist?"
determines how we pursue our significance. Our answers divide us
succinctly into two groups: those who pursue significance in
appropriate ways and those who pursue significance in inappropriate
ways. Our desire to satisfy this need can take us close to or far
away from the things of God.
Authentic, lasting significance is hid with Christ. Jesus said, "I am
the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me an I in him,
he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (john15:5)
That is to say, a man cannot find significance in any lasting way
apart from Christ. So, if a man is in Christ, and submitted to God's
plan and purpose, then he can satisfy his greatest need in a way that
endures.

Chose an appropriate way today to satisfy your needs. He is waiting for you!

Have a great Monday!

We are at the House of Hope Summer fest this Saturday 4pm. Hope to
see you all there!

Love you all,
Jonny