Hello Folks,
This past week-end we celebrated Memorial Day here in the U.S. and over the past few years I watch as our nation honors our fallen warriors. All those individuals who gave up all of their tomorrows so that we could enjoy the freedoms that we have today deserve the honor that we can bestow upon them. May our nation never forget the great price that was paid so we could have free speech, freedom of religion and all the rest of the freedoms that many nations do not have. Thank God for our Founding Father's who believed that freedom was worth all that they had. May we constantly remember that ourselves.
But we would be foolish if we forgot that Jesus fought the battle against death and sin so that you and I could have freedom from sin and freedom from the fear of death. What a wonderful Savior He is to all who would bother to come to Him. How can our world forget the fact that God sent His only begotten Son to this earth to die for us! Can we celebrate the warriors of our nation and forget the battle that raged on Calvary and in the grave? Jesus is the Victor over it all and because of that you and I can live life in Him with the freedom that he made possible. Thanks be to Him.
May this week be filled with the reminders of His marvelous grace. Have a great week.
HGRudd
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Hello Folks,
Sometimes I wonder if we as Christians reveal to the world around us that the message of Christ is important. Maybe it would be more appropriate to ask that question of myself rather than you. You see it appears to me that it is very easy to go through life just doing the things we do that are normal for us without ever giving any indication that God or His Word have any real impact on how we do anything. Now, I know that life is busy and, sometimes, difficult and we do not have to stand on a street corner and shout to those around us that Jesus is Lord. But it would seem to me that Jesus would mean more to us than a mere Sunday excursion to a building somewhere to sing songs and hear a sermon. It also seems to me that if he does mean more to us in our lives then it would be revealed by our words and our actions.
This world that we live in is filled with all kinds of things that people can give their lives to and if we are not careful we can be so caught up in those things that we fail to raise Jesus for others to see. Or, more importantly, we can be so caught up in everything we do that Jesus just becomes another thing that is added to our lives. Can it be that we make Jesus a small segment of our life and not the central person of our lives?
I am not sure that everyone struggles with this question and maybe it is more of a "pastor" question. You realize that we see people who proclaim Christ as their Savior but they are so sporadic in anything that is common to being a Christian that it makes pastor's wonder about them. But then I ask if maybe we as pastors are not doing the same things. While we may go to church all the services, of course we have to be there as the pastor, are we living the message in our daily lives?
Just some questions that I have.
Have a great one,
HGRudd
Sometimes I wonder if we as Christians reveal to the world around us that the message of Christ is important. Maybe it would be more appropriate to ask that question of myself rather than you. You see it appears to me that it is very easy to go through life just doing the things we do that are normal for us without ever giving any indication that God or His Word have any real impact on how we do anything. Now, I know that life is busy and, sometimes, difficult and we do not have to stand on a street corner and shout to those around us that Jesus is Lord. But it would seem to me that Jesus would mean more to us than a mere Sunday excursion to a building somewhere to sing songs and hear a sermon. It also seems to me that if he does mean more to us in our lives then it would be revealed by our words and our actions.
This world that we live in is filled with all kinds of things that people can give their lives to and if we are not careful we can be so caught up in those things that we fail to raise Jesus for others to see. Or, more importantly, we can be so caught up in everything we do that Jesus just becomes another thing that is added to our lives. Can it be that we make Jesus a small segment of our life and not the central person of our lives?
I am not sure that everyone struggles with this question and maybe it is more of a "pastor" question. You realize that we see people who proclaim Christ as their Savior but they are so sporadic in anything that is common to being a Christian that it makes pastor's wonder about them. But then I ask if maybe we as pastors are not doing the same things. While we may go to church all the services, of course we have to be there as the pastor, are we living the message in our daily lives?
Just some questions that I have.
Have a great one,
HGRudd
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Hello Folks,
Do any of you ever wonder if your decisions and actions are making any difference in the lives of people you come into contact with in life? Well, as a pastor sometimes I wonder if I am doing the things that God desires so that men and women will be changed for Him. I am so thankful for people who seem to grow up in Christ--it is watching people like that that enables me to realize that my time is not wasted.
The older I get it seems that I think more about the things that are of importance. We pastors deal with the matter of numbers--numbers where attendance and dollars are concerned. As a matter of fact most congregations measure their pastors using those statistics and I would think that it is a part of what is important. If congregations do not grow numerically it is obvious that they will cease to exist in time. But if those things are the only things that really matter then we have failed to grasp the really important issues. It seems to me that Jesus is more concerned with the question of whether we are making disciples than anything else. Remember that at the death of Jesus very few people were holding on to Him--they really wanted to keep some distance due to his situation.
So as I watch people in the church I often wonder if they are being changed by the message of Christ. Are they really growing in Him? Do they live in a manner that is markedly different than anyone and everyone else in this world? Is that not the real question for all of us?
HGRudd
Do any of you ever wonder if your decisions and actions are making any difference in the lives of people you come into contact with in life? Well, as a pastor sometimes I wonder if I am doing the things that God desires so that men and women will be changed for Him. I am so thankful for people who seem to grow up in Christ--it is watching people like that that enables me to realize that my time is not wasted.
The older I get it seems that I think more about the things that are of importance. We pastors deal with the matter of numbers--numbers where attendance and dollars are concerned. As a matter of fact most congregations measure their pastors using those statistics and I would think that it is a part of what is important. If congregations do not grow numerically it is obvious that they will cease to exist in time. But if those things are the only things that really matter then we have failed to grasp the really important issues. It seems to me that Jesus is more concerned with the question of whether we are making disciples than anything else. Remember that at the death of Jesus very few people were holding on to Him--they really wanted to keep some distance due to his situation.
So as I watch people in the church I often wonder if they are being changed by the message of Christ. Are they really growing in Him? Do they live in a manner that is markedly different than anyone and everyone else in this world? Is that not the real question for all of us?
HGRudd
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Hello Folks,
Ruth and I were at Pastor's Fellowship in Winchester, Ky this past Monday and Tuesday. On Monday morning I was part of the Steering Committee meeting starting at 8:30 a.m. and going until noon. Then at 1:30 preaching started and we left that night at about 9:30 p.m. getting back to the motel at 10:30 p.m. The next morning we started with worship at 9:00 a.m. and concluded the day at 5:00 p.m. after 4 preaching services and one informational meeting. We then ate dinner with some friends and got on the road at about 6:45 p.m. getting home last night at 10:30 p.m. It was a long 2 days but was filled with the presence of God and I am thankful that I could be there. It takes place every year on the first Monday and Tuesday of May and is open to anyone who might want to attend. There were 10 people from our congregation, counting Ruth and me, at it this year. If you would like to hear the sermons I hope to have them on the website here in a couple of weeks. If you like to hear some great sermons about the doctines of the Church of God Pastor's Fellowship is the place for you to go.
This past Sunday Morning the Lord was very present in our worship. I am thankful to the choir for their participation in the sermon by preparing and singing songs that worked with what I said. They were actually helping me to preach the sermon and God used us all. It is a real pleasure to me to be the pastor of this congregation. The people here allow me to just be me and to seek God's presence with me as we worship. I am thankful that He sent me here.
Have a great day.
HGRudd
Ruth and I were at Pastor's Fellowship in Winchester, Ky this past Monday and Tuesday. On Monday morning I was part of the Steering Committee meeting starting at 8:30 a.m. and going until noon. Then at 1:30 preaching started and we left that night at about 9:30 p.m. getting back to the motel at 10:30 p.m. The next morning we started with worship at 9:00 a.m. and concluded the day at 5:00 p.m. after 4 preaching services and one informational meeting. We then ate dinner with some friends and got on the road at about 6:45 p.m. getting home last night at 10:30 p.m. It was a long 2 days but was filled with the presence of God and I am thankful that I could be there. It takes place every year on the first Monday and Tuesday of May and is open to anyone who might want to attend. There were 10 people from our congregation, counting Ruth and me, at it this year. If you would like to hear the sermons I hope to have them on the website here in a couple of weeks. If you like to hear some great sermons about the doctines of the Church of God Pastor's Fellowship is the place for you to go.
This past Sunday Morning the Lord was very present in our worship. I am thankful to the choir for their participation in the sermon by preparing and singing songs that worked with what I said. They were actually helping me to preach the sermon and God used us all. It is a real pleasure to me to be the pastor of this congregation. The people here allow me to just be me and to seek God's presence with me as we worship. I am thankful that He sent me here.
Have a great day.
HGRudd
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Hello Folks,
This past Sunday we had a sister who serves in Eurasia with our congregation sharing in our a.m. worship about the ministry that she is involved in and has been for over 25 years. Working with the Muslim world necessitates that I be vague about who she is as it could produce many problems for her and, possibly, grave danger of life. We in the church here in the U.S. usually do not have to deal with that kind of possible danger for declaring the message of Jesus but when we spoke about her ministry it humbled me to think that here is a woman who is literally putting her life in danger for our King. I ask you to pray for her and the ministry that God has made possible for her. Also pray that you and I would remember what responsibility we have because of the opportunities we have available.
Next Sunday I plan on going to Winchester, Ky to Pastor's Fellowship if the Lord is willing. I look forward to this time each year as it has been a place where I can hear very clear and distinctive doctrinal sermons preached that bring us God's truth. Maybe it is a matter of my age but I hear very few people preach biblical truth where holiness, sanctification, the second coming and other such doctrines declared. I wonder if the younger ministers even know what we have proclaimed, and believe, to be true? Pastor's Fellowship has been a place where these messages can be heard and I am thankful that God has provided this for me. The first time I went to it was in 1980 and I have only missed 2 or 3 times in those years. What a glorious blessing it has been and I would encourage all of you to attend if you have the opportunity. It is always the first Monday and Tuesday of May--make plans for next year if you cannot go this year.
Ruth got back home yesterday and I am always very happy to have her back with me. The kids and grandchildren were doing fine and she had a good time with them but I sure missed her. We have been married over 41 years and she has been a wonderful help meet in my life and my ministry. It is good to have her at home.
HGRudd
This past Sunday we had a sister who serves in Eurasia with our congregation sharing in our a.m. worship about the ministry that she is involved in and has been for over 25 years. Working with the Muslim world necessitates that I be vague about who she is as it could produce many problems for her and, possibly, grave danger of life. We in the church here in the U.S. usually do not have to deal with that kind of possible danger for declaring the message of Jesus but when we spoke about her ministry it humbled me to think that here is a woman who is literally putting her life in danger for our King. I ask you to pray for her and the ministry that God has made possible for her. Also pray that you and I would remember what responsibility we have because of the opportunities we have available.
Next Sunday I plan on going to Winchester, Ky to Pastor's Fellowship if the Lord is willing. I look forward to this time each year as it has been a place where I can hear very clear and distinctive doctrinal sermons preached that bring us God's truth. Maybe it is a matter of my age but I hear very few people preach biblical truth where holiness, sanctification, the second coming and other such doctrines declared. I wonder if the younger ministers even know what we have proclaimed, and believe, to be true? Pastor's Fellowship has been a place where these messages can be heard and I am thankful that God has provided this for me. The first time I went to it was in 1980 and I have only missed 2 or 3 times in those years. What a glorious blessing it has been and I would encourage all of you to attend if you have the opportunity. It is always the first Monday and Tuesday of May--make plans for next year if you cannot go this year.
Ruth got back home yesterday and I am always very happy to have her back with me. The kids and grandchildren were doing fine and she had a good time with them but I sure missed her. We have been married over 41 years and she has been a wonderful help meet in my life and my ministry. It is good to have her at home.
HGRudd
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)