Year: 2019

It’s that time of year again, the holidays are upon us and life may seem busier that normal. Like clockwork we turn our attention to the issue of thankfulness or at least we should and not to sound too cliché but as a believer, everyday should be a day of thanksgiving.

With that said, consider what Paul writes to the church at Colosse and allow me to take a moment to consider what I’m thankful for. Maybe you’ll feel the same.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be THANKFUL!

What am I Thankful For?

1. That I have been granted the blessing to understand the indescribable reality of God’s love demonstrated through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! (Jn 14:6)

• That through faith in Christ I’m saved and have come to the revelation of absolute truth found in the Word of the Living God. The Bible! The irrefutable truth of scripture informs my thinking and leads me in paths of righteous living before God.

Psalms 107:8

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

• That I was blessed with a wonderful family, a beautiful and intelligent wife, an awesome son, great in-laws and extended family. Riches and wealth are truly measured in terms beyond that of economy.

Luke 12:15

….. for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

• That I have been favored to live in this great nation, not perfect, but far superior to anything that has been or is today. Part of the revealed truth previously referenced is that I’m fully cognizant of the liberty we experience as Americans, a liberty unrealized in any other form of government or ism that exist beyond our shores.

• That God established the Church and saw fit to raise up local congregations where the saints can assemble to worship, pray, serve and hear the proclamation of the Word.

Matthew 16:18

…and on this rock I will build My church,

and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

This only summarizes some on the key blessings in life that I remain eternally grateful for. To remember and recount all the miraculous things God has done for my family and I would require more time and mental bandwidth than I currently possess. David must have grappled with this perplexity when he sang Psalm 40. Why? Because of v5:

Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done;

And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order;

If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.

While the task of recounting in succession all the great things Jesus has done may seem daunting, let us not become idle or indifferent in our Thanksgiving. After all, it’s more than a holiday, more than turkey and dressing with all the trimmings, more than football, parades or shopping. It is the grateful recognition of the sovereignty of our Lord and His Christ and His willingness to demonstrate His goodness to all mankind.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is trigger by a terrifying event, whether experiencing it or just witnessing it. Symptoms may include but not limited to flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. PTSD if left unchecked can lead to a disruption of your everyday life. This includes disruptions with your health, happiness, relationships and fulfilment of everyday activities. If ignored, PTSD can put you at a higher risk of mental health issues, such as; depression, anxiety, eating disorders, alcoholism and issues with drugs, self-harm, and or develop suicidal ideations or actions.

In John 10:10 we read “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Turn on the television or radio and listen to the news or read the newspaper. The number of suicides attributed to PTSD is astronomical.  An average of 20 veterans per day commit suicide. More police officers die from suicide than in the line of duty. “A study found that 103 firefighters and 140 police officers died by suicide in 2017, compared to 93 firefighter and 129 officer line-of-duty deaths” (firerescue1.com).

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” There are many reaching out for help while others are just trying to cope with PTSD on their own. We are limited in our own abilities and need to recognize when we need help and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. Alcohol, drugs, sex, and other destructive ways are not the answer but a demise to our wellbeing and future.

According to an article on verywell.com, “In the United States, more than 40,000 people commit suicide each year…. In a survey of 5,877 people across the United States, it was found that people who had experienced physical or sexual assault in their life also had a high likelihood of attempting to take their own life at some point…”

 Although there is no quick medical fix for PTSD, the Church can and should be one place that can provide a place of patience, understanding, love and support for those needing and seeking for a holistic solution to what appears to be a lost cause to their condition. Aside from Mental health, having family members, church personnel and sufferers themselves trained within the body of believers is a good step toward helping oneself and others. Many believe that PTSD is just a mental condition that can only be resolved through mental health intervention and medications. Although mental health can be and is an important element in treatment. I believe that we are a triune being comprised of Body, Soul & Spirit and therefore, a Bible based Spiritual (holistic) approach to PTSD treatment is an imperative element to the healing of the Spiritual person alongside the physical person as well.

Trauma such as PTSD may very well open doors regarding discussions of profound spiritual issues/concerns of faith, personal beliefs, lack of purpose, individuality, guiltiness, and forgiveness. Pastors and lay leaders should not be worried to tackle these concerns with biblical based solid theological.

In Hosea 4:6 we find these Words: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge….  God’s calls upon His people to be a blessing, a helper, a light, and a resource to those that are lost, in need and hurting. We are God’s people with a purpose and mission. This is why our church, (BSCOG) has launched, “ReBoot, Beyond the Battlefield” Ministry to help anyone suffering from PTSD and equipping others in the body of believers on how to help others with whom they are able to reach out to. Our goal is to help church leaders, family member, friends, etc., from feeling unable to assist when someone is having a PTSD episode.

Approximately 22 veterans each day commit suicide. The numbers are higher for non-vets suffering from PTSD. Many of whom are members of a church. As such, I strongly advocate for church leaders to identify, validate, affirm and reach out to those who do not feel safe. Community of faith is crucial and beneficial for healing. The right thing to do is to get people plugged into the proper resources (in and out of church) that helps them, that doesn’t mean you are turning your back, you are in fact helping/supporting them and being a blessing by having them stay in the faith. Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Come and join us as we venture through the Word of God concerning the biblical principles of combating PTSD and restoring our inner spiritual being. Check our church website for specific ReBoot Seminar dates. This is open to every adult who is struggling with PTSD (military & nonmilitary related) or just want to learn how to help someone struggling with PTSD.

Proverbs 4:5-9 “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”

Did you know that one of the Church of God Doctrinal Commitments is tithing and giving?  We are presented with more than a few Scriptures on this topic: Genesis 14:18-20; 28:20-22; Malachi 3:10; Luke 11:42 ; 1 Corinthians 16:2 ; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 ; Hebrews 7:1-21.  My favorite of course is Malachi 3: 10, which says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”  I am always so excited to see how God can take something small and turn it into something miraculous.  After all, He is in the miracle business.

So, what is the tithe?  A tithe is 10% of the income you receive.  That is of course the most simplistic definition.  Early writings report that among the Greeks and Romans tenths were frequently dedicated out of a man’s substance to their gods, sometimes as lasting obligation, sometimes only on particular occasions; but it was customary to dedicate the tenth of the spoils of war to Jupiter Praedator, to Mars, and to Hercules.  The Persians gave to their gods the tenth of war spoils.  The part of this that fascinates me is how all of these had so much dedication to paying their tithes to gods that were not even real.  It brings us to think of the Scripture in Acts 17:23, “for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you.”  Paul was addressing the Church of Thessalonica when he saw this altar and was perplexed that they did not know who they were exalting.  Those historical people paid tithes to the gods that did not exist and did not personally know, in contrast, we know our God!  We know that He is real!  And, we know that His Word instructs us to bring the tithes into His storehouse.

the CFO here at BSCOG, I often see the blessing attached to giving in connection to those that regularly tithe.  Working in the finance department within the church can be a difficult task; one sees who regularly gives and those who may not.  My prayer is that people would trust God more with their finances and they would see the miraculous happen in their life more often.  The Bible tells us, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ~Luke 6:38 NKJV.”  I often wish people would use larger measuring cups in their giving and see what happens. When we pay 10% of our income to the Lord, we always receive more than we give.  Though many times we receive spiritual blessings for paying tithes & offerings, sometimes the blessings are temporal. I like what Randy Alcorn wrote, “..tithing isn’t something I do to clear my conscience so I can do whatever I want with the 90 percent–it also belongs to God! I must seek his direction and permission for whatever I do with the full amount. I may discover that God has different ideas than I do.”
― Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, Eternity.

When Edward Stokes Rich was 12 years old, he worked at night for a local newspaper to help his single mother earn money for his family. Whenever Edward received money, he gave it to his mother, who’d pay tithing on it.  One time his mother said, “Edward, I know that you have no overcoat, and you must walk many miles to and from work each night. With winter coming soon, it’s going to be very cold when you walk home at four or five o’clock in the morning. So, I’ll give you your tithing money and you can either pay your tithing or buy an overcoat. I’ll leave the decision up to you.” Edward hurried to the Bishop’s house and paid the tithing.  The next week Edward’s Aunt Mary came over and gave Edward a coat her sons had outgrown.  It fit him and was better than any coat he could have bought.  Since then, Edward’s decided to always pay a generous tithing.

This is just one story where God worked through a person’s giving.  There are thousands more and each time we see God being God.  He tells us in His word to test Him on this concept and that we are to be a cheerful giver.  With that said, why not test Him on his return? Get your largest measuring cup out and get happy by paying your tithes to the church you are a member of or attend, and watch the miracles come forth!

Hello friends, this is my first ever blog and I’ve chosen an unconventional topic considering I’m a Lead Pastor. One would think this blog would be some great insight into a particular passage of Scripture or biblical doctrine or prophecy, and the list goes on; but it’s not. I’ve chosen to share about our new and improved website and why we chose to step up our game in our online presence. But first, let me say how I’m proud and appreciative I am of those who have labored diligently to help our church in this endeavor, without them this would not have happened.

Change is never easy, but more often than not, it’s necessary. I’m from the Gen X world, I remember wall hung rotary phones and black & white TV’s. Used to be, if you needed to do research, then off to the local library you go or find a full volume of Encyclopedia Britannica, not anymore. So here we are, some of us fighting to retain some vestige of the past, others fully embracing everything this new technological frontier has provided. As a pastor and a church, we hope to utilize the best parts of the web to connect with and influence our church and community.

Let me start at the beginning. My wife and I began to pastor Boyette Springs Church of God in the fall of 2015 and one of the first goals was a website upgrade. Of course, as with all we attempt to do for God and His people, it was done with excellence and purpose; it was a great site. But times have changed, technology moved forward, and it seemed prudent for us to move with it. RELAUNCH!!!

We hope that our new website reflects the value we place on technology and the part it can play in our ability as a church to connect to as many people as possible. The purpose, as always, is to share the Good News of Jesus and inform our community as to who we are and what is happening at BSCOG. There are several new additions on our site, BLOGS are just one.

While there are similarities to the old, we hope that you will find in our upgraded platform a more visually appealing and functionally interactive site. Our desire is to provide a place where individuals and families will find resources, encouraging words, a clean and easy way to give, and a community of shared values. This is just the beginning, something we can build on.

Blessings in Christ!