We're starting a new class this morning: “Laugh your way to a better marriage”. If you or someone you know could benefit from this class, see me for details! This year’s theme is “CONNECT”. There are a variety of things we’ve been discussing in regard to what we connect to. Because January was depression awareness month, we discussed the subject of connecting with the healing God provides. February is considered by many as being the month of love. We shared messages with you on the subject of connecting with our mates. March was finances month! Because Easter falls in April, Joel and I have been giving messages on appreciating and embracing a Christ-centered life. In May we will be dealing with connecting with who we are in Christ Jesus: God’s original design for His creation and our purpose in rediscovering who we are in Jesus. In June the subject matter will be: “Today, tomorrow & forever”. In July we will be sharing certain truths in regard to evidences relating to where everything originated from. It’s a study in apologetics or evidences as to why all things exist as they do. In August our sermons will discuss the subject of generations in relation to how God uses each of us (throughout all generations) for His glory. Because September is back to school month, we will be connecting with the importance of using the Word of God as our guide. We hope to share some practical truths with you in regard to how to study the bible. November we are excited to share with you “Kingdom” concepts. We speak often of Christ’s church, but how often did Jesus share with us truths about the Kingdom of heaven? And December will round out 2017 with the subject of “God’s present to mankind”…the birth of the Christ child. We hope you’re able to be a part of this year’s theme: Connect. If you’re visiting with us today for our Friend’s & Family Day, we’re thrilled you decided to stop by. We hope to see you more often!
 
Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!                                       
Kevin

Years ago Rick Warren published the now infamous book, “The purpose driven life”. It was a springboard for other books written in that series of understanding and appreciating our purpose. It was also a best seller. Rick is a man of integrity. Of the fortune he gained from producing the book, many of the proceeds went to pay back the church (where he preaches) a lump sum total of his wages from the time he’d been employed at Saddleback church. Regardless as to how you see his view of scripture, none can question his motives. Speaking of purpose, we need to understand when the fall occurred in the Garden of Eden, it wasn’t that man fell from his union with God, primarily. In the garden, God walked with man in a relationship unhindered by sin. Even though he walked with man, he did not reside in man. It wasn’t that Adam fell from the salvation God offers us through Christ. It was more the understanding that when Adam fell, he fell from purpose, hence why Warren’s purpose driven books have received such attention. When Adam fell, he fell horribly short of what God had created him to be and to do. He lost all ability to bear in himself God’s intended testimony and to abide in his created purpose. In other words, he “fell short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Remember, Adam and Eve didn’t fall from God’s grace because they touched something with their hands. They fell from his grace because they had first accepted something into their heart. Man’s fall came when he swallowed Satan’s lie. The sad truth of man’s fall brought on a new perception Adam had never experienced before. Now he was Self-aware, Self-consumed, and SELF-condemned. Satan had permanently altered and had entirely corrupted the way they viewed themselves and their Creator. They changed their God-given perspective (the perspective that would have given them purpose) substance and life for their own purpose and perspective. Truth was compromised and self was promoted. Sounds like the world we inhabit today, does it not? The way, the truth and the life still have their origin in God. It’s now in Christ Jesus, our Savior. Give your heart to Him today and embrace the purpose for which you were originally created.
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Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!                                                       
​Kevin

​I enjoy watching football. I especially enjoy watching football when the team I like comes out on top. Currently we are in “no-game” land…where the only football I’m able to watch are reruns of games already played. I think back to this year’s Super bowl. For those who aren’t aware, the Patriots won. I’m sure it was rigged somehow. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Interestingly enough the Patriots engineered a masterful comeback after being 20+ points behind toward the end of the game. It was considered the greatest Super Bowl comeback of all time. And, then, the unthinkable happened.  The star quarterback’s smelly jersey disappeared. Interestingly enough, after this incredible feat of football brilliance, the jersey was now worth a whopping $50,000! Believe it or not, NFL security, the New England Patriots and even the FBI were searching for it! Now that’s one important piece of dirty laundry. The jersey was stolen and carted across the Mexican border since the Super bowl took place in Houston TX. The Mexican tabloid La Prensa identified the suspect as Mauricio Ortega, the newspaper’s director. Houston Police Chief Art Acevado said he would “fully anticipate charges being brought,” and that the charges could include transporting stolen goods across state lines and out of the country. This story would be hilarious were it not so sad. While I see the importance of placing the jersey in a glass case alongside other memorabilia reminiscent of glory days gone by, it amazed me as to how much time, effort and toil was spent returning it to its rightful owner. Honestly, there are folks less interested in returning human beings to their rightful owner! Think about it. We’ve been created in the image of the Almighty God. We chose to live a life of sin. Jesus came to ‘find us’, reclaim us, wash us and display us for the world to see. But, you’ll fail to see the importance of folks giving their life to Christ in the headlines. It’s just not that interesting, is it? Personally, I wouldn’t have given you $100 for the jersey, unless I could have made a huge profit, which I’m certain it could have. But I’d sure like to see folks redeemed from their sins. News like that need to be tomorrow’s headlines.
 
Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!                                                        Kevin