Blowout…almost…

Can you think of a time when you have been surprised by a close call?

This past week we had a close call and dodged a crisis!

We had noticed a slow leak in the rear tire of our car, so we took it in to get it repaired. It only took a minute for the repairman to notice a small nail in the center of the tire.

A quick plug for $10 and we would be back on the road…and then we saw it….

…a much bigger problem.

The inside of the tire was torn open and looked like it was about to burst.

I asked how this could have happened and the repairman said it looked like we had hit a pothole and it damaged our tire.

If you look closely, there are two big “rips” in the tire and additionally, there is a “rip” nearly around the whole tire…(tried to use the word “entire” but couldn’t get it to work😊).

The tire looked fine on the outside. The only reason we noticed the problem was that we took the tire off to fix another problem.

What if……we had a blowout at night on a road trip…or during rush hour traffic??? That was a close call for sure.

When it comes to life, there are times when people do good works…and from the outside, they look like they are great people attempting to help those around them.

However…deep down, they are motivated by selfish ambition and a longing for affirmation. In time, people who are motivated for good works by their own desires will have a blowout. Unfortunately, “good works” blowouts can create a crisis for multitudes.

This Sunday, we continue our sermon series, “Faith that Works.” We will study from James 3:13-18 about the fact we need godly wisdom to do good works…and godly wisdom is much different from worldly wisdom. However, sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference on the outside.

I really hope to see you at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am, or you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or Facebook at 10:45 am. Additionally, we are also publishing our sermons on Spotify.

Have a great weekend,
Troy  

Coffee and cupcake…

This afternoon, I had an experience…

I’ve been studying for several hours and decided to venture down into the church kitchen for a cup of coffee…and to my absolute enjoyment, I also found a cupcake.

This cupcake literally melted in my mouth…so I had another one just to be sure it wasn’t a fluke…. 😊.

Can you enjoy this with me for a minute…a few hours studying the Bible, a piping hot cup of coffee, and a cupcake that literally has melted in my mouth.

If I could enjoy this flavorful combo every afternoon, I would!

Now imagine with me what it would be like if every time you or I opened our mouths to speak it was flavorful and favorable.

What would our world be like if the words we spoke were described as gracious and seasoned with salt?

This Sunday, we continue our sermon series, “Faith that Works” from James 3:1-12, with a sermon entitled, “Tongue Tester.” We will go into detail about the power of the tongue and the struggles we each have with our tongue. We will also discover we have been given hope for the possibility of flavorful and favorable speech.

I really hope to see you at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am, or you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or Facebook at 10:45 am. Additionally, we are also publishing our sermons on Spotify.

Have a great weekend,
Troy
P.S. We have this same great coffee on Sunday mornings, so come a few minutes early get a cup.

Balance and paddle…

A week ago, our two youngest boys and I went on our annual men’s retreat. There are plenty of fun things for us to do out there, but one of our favorites is to canoe. As a family, we are not “super-outdoorsy” but we do like to get out in nature for a hike or bike ride, and then, during our men’s retreat and float trip and sometimes on a vacation, we will jump in a canoe to enjoy the water.

If there is more than one canoe in the water, we almost always end up racing…even if we make the commitment to simply enjoy the water.

I guess competition is just in our blood.

Last week, the boys asked if they could take out the canoe by themselves…I think this is the first time they went out alone.

I was really glad they had the confidence to go by themselves and even more glad they stayed afloat.

They had a few steering issues….but they made it through their first voyage completely dry…except for some muddy shoes from the shoreline.

Canoeing provides a great example for our sermon theme from the book of James, “Faith that Works.”

For starters, in order to enjoy the water in the canoe, you have to trust the canoe will float. If you have a partner in the canoe, you also have to trust that person won’t tip it over…I have plenty of experience here 😊.

Beyond that, if you simply sit in the canoe….you won’t get very far…you also have to use a paddle to empower and steer the canoe.   

Similarly, in our Christianity, we must have faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. But we must also do good works…not to earn our salvation, but really to experience it.

This Sunday, Pastor Jeff will be preaching a sermon entitled, “Faith is Alive” from James 2:14-26 and you won’t want to miss it. I really hope to see you at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am, or you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or Facebook at 10:45 am. Additionally, we are also publishing our sermons on Spotify.

Enjoy the weekend,
Troy

That’s nice…

A few days ago, a picture of Dallas from four years ago popped into Leigh-Ann’s Facebook memories. She sent it over and I nearly had a heart attack.

Dallas is in a friend’s very nice car…a ClassicCamaro SS…but what caught my attention is how little he looks. Our little guy is becoming a little man…

Since that pic, he has grown into a good little soccer player and Dallas is very fortunate to play for Sporting KC’s Academy. He is a very hard worker and has been able to use his God-given skills to compete at the highest levels for his age group.

Today, he gets to fly with his team to games in Houston and then Austin, TX.

I have observed that people who drive nice cars or those who are affiliated with professional sports can be treated better than someone who slept under a bridge.

Often wearing designer brands or having powerful networks or being rich and famous will earn preferential treatment in our world. While those who look poor or are on the margins can easily get overlooked.

And…. this isn’t a good thing…in fact, showing partiality is a problem.

A very big problem!

This Sunday, I look forward to continuing our sermon series through James. We will study from James 2:1-13. The bottom line is that since partiality is a problem, we must choose mercy over judgment.

There is much more to consider and I really hope to see you on Sunday at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am, or you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or Facebook at 10:45 am. Additionally, we are also publishing our sermons on Spotify.

Enjoy the weekend,
Troy