30 Days of Thanksgiving

With this being the month of Thanksgiving, I have set forth a challenge to our folks at Kendale Acres called the 30 Days of Thanksgiving. The challenge is to record something that they are thankful for each day of the month. By the end of the month we will have at least 30 things that we are thankful for. Honestly, we spend much time complaining about life, and little time being thankful. This will help us next time we are tempted to grumble, we can pull this list out and see how much we truly have to be thankful for. Would you think about joining in this challenge with us. God is so good and if we would just take a moment, we would find how much we truly have to be thankful for.

We have been in revival this week with Rev. John Johnson, Associate Pastor at Parker's Chapel FWB Church.  What a blessing these meetings were to my heart.  As a preacher, I spend my time in the word of God regularly, but it does not take the place of hearing the word of God preached.  I just pray that our people were as challenged as I was.  Something that Bro. John said that really stuck with me through the week was "God is the God of an open hand not a closed fist".  So many see God as this harsh dictator that is just waiting for us to mess up so He can punish us.  That is not the God we serve.  God wants a relationship with us.  Jesus says in Rev. 3:20 that He is standing at the door knocking wanting to come in and fellowship with us.  It is up to us to open that door and let Him in.  Do you have that fellowship?  If not, open the door today and let Him in.  It is a decision you will never regret.

Gettting Back to Normal

April 16, 2011 just before 3pm, the lights began to dim rapidly off and then on and an eerie feeling filled the air. Something wasn't right and in just a few moments it was obvious what that was. An ef3 tornado had Kendale Acres Church and our surrounding community in its cross hairs. I hunkered down in the bathroom and after about 30 seconds of listening to things pound against the parsonage and the sound of a freight train going overhead I emerge to find the landscape of our small community forever changed. Homes reduced to piles of rubble, others stripped of roofs and siding. I have never seen anything like it in all of my life. As I stepped out on the porch all I could smell was the scent of pine from all of the trees that were snapped in half just like toothpicks. We rushed from home to home to make sure everyone was ok and God's grace became more and more evident as homeowner after homeowner was accounted for. Many with scrapes and bruises, but all alive. Our neighborhood had been destroyed, but our faith was standing strong. In the days to follow we were able to see the community pull together in a way such as never seen before. As a church we found ourselves as the central outreach center for our area in the relief effort. It has brought us closer to our neighbors and it has allowed us to put our faith into action in a very new and real way. This event has not only changed the landscape forever, it has changed my outlook on our church forever. My prayer is that the Lord will help us be a community church, not just a church in the community. We ask you to please keep us in your prayers as we help our neighbors get their lives back to normal.

Wonderful Fellowship / Great Lesson

We are a week removed from our annual Bar-B Q fundraiser here at Kendale. As always it was much work, but also much fun. I enjoy the time of fellowship with our people, whether it is chopping barbecue, out on the town, or a dinner here at the church. There is just something about when God's people get together. To see the unity as we try to accomplish one common goal is always a blessing. This year we opened it up to deliveries and with over 600 plates going out for delivery, most with in the same hour, we certainly had to come together. The lesson I pray we all took home is that we can do it when we work together. If we can come together to distribute the physical food then we can come together to deliver the spiritual food of God's Word. Our church theme this year is 'Send Me'. It is our goal to provide opportunities throughout the year when we as a body can come together and answer that challenge. We have been sent by God to reach our community and our world for Him, and we can have a greater impact if we do it together. Take some time and come together with God's wonderful people. Until next time, may God bless you as you seek and serve Him.

Exciting Times

I am not sure what is going on at Kendale Acres, but I must say I like it. We have had some of the most spirit filled services so far this year. God is moving in many ways. We have seen some new folks visiting and coming back. We have seen some that we have not seen in years find there way back. We have had people on the altar after every service. To God be the glory for it all. Our theme for 2011 is "Send Me", and my prayer is that God will continue to energize the church and we will begin to see the excitement in the services roll over into the neighborhoods, families and work places. I look for God to do great things in us and through us as we focus on Him. If you have not stopped in to see us in a while, come join us for a service. If you are looking for a church, please consider us here at Kendale Acres.

All Things New

This past weekend we finished up all of our "Christmas Time" with family. When we left Sanford, there was still snow on the ground from our Christmas weekend snow storm but when we returned it was all gone. Part of me was glad to see it gone, but part would have liked it to hang around a little longer. I love looking out first thing in the morning after a good snow. Everything is peaceful and so "clean" looking. It does not take long however between the traffic and all of the people out playing to remove that fresh look. It reminds me of the life of a Christian. When we get saved, Jesus cleanses us as white as snow. (Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.) All our sins are washed away. Do you know what ruins that cleansing? The same thing that ruins the fresh look of the new snow fall, man. As man gets out and about on his daily activities, the fresh look of the fallen snow becomes worn. The same is true for the Christian, though we get up from the altar, our sins white as snow, it does not take long back in the hustle and bustle of the world to have that newness marred. We have a sin nature and it will not take long before the battle between good and evil begins in that new Christian. I hate to say it, but no matter how hard we try evil will win sometimes and that fresh white cleansing will give way once again to the filth of sin. The good news, is it does not have to stay that way. God in His infinite wisdom provided a way that we could once again regain that fresh cleansing. The answer is found in 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We do not have to look long to realize we are continually sinning, the question is are we continually confessing. I am not trying to provide an excuse to sin, Paul covers that in Romans 6. What I am trying to show is that even though we have to wait for another winter storm to see the newness of a cleansing snow outside, we can have the newness of God's cleansing inside anytime we are willing to confess our sins and call upon His name. Why not accept the path God has given you to Himself and make all things new? Until next time may God bless you as you seek and serve Him.