Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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If you're like me, you may get used to certain things in life and come to take them for granted. For example, we assume that when we open a faucet, water comes out or when we flip a switch, a light comes on. On the recent mission trip that I went on, it reminded me that in many parts of the world those things don't always work like that. Upon arriving home, I suddenly felt very fortunate to have a comfortable home, plenty of clothes to wear and an abundance of food to eat. I realize that there are plenty of areas in our own country where that...
When our mail came recently, there was a flyer for a product I've seen on TV quite a bit, "Leaf Filter." It's designed to fit over rain gutters to keep leaves and other debris from clogging up the gutters and downspouts on a home. Although we don't need it for our home, the flyer did spark a thought: How is the filter doing that that keeps my mind, and life, from being clogged with thoughts that can be destructive? The Bible is very clear that we are faced with three distinct enemies of our souls; the world, the flesh and the devil. Each of...
I don't need to tell you that we live in a pretty fast-paced culture. Whether it's getting from one place to another, receiving or sending information over the internet or simply trying to keep up with the latest news, it's fast! Sometimes the pressure of trying to "keep up" in some way can really wear us down. The culture that Jesus was born and raised in was much different from the U.S. in many ways. It tended to be much more rural, transportation was either on foot or on an animal, and communication was either handwritten or face-to-face. Bu...
I find it interesting how time passes. In some ways it feels slow, like waiting for a train to pass or water to boil. In other ways it seems fast, like I was just in high school the other day (I graduated in 1976)! Maybe like me, you relate to time in much the same way. It may feel like you never have enough for the things you love or wish it would pass for the things you don't enjoy. Either way, time is going to pass, and it often causes us to reflect upon life. As I do that, I've come to the conclusion that the most rewarding parts of life re...
For many years our family has enjoyed vacationing in Cayucos. We're usually there about a week and as our family has grown, so have the activities! A couple of my favorite things to do on the beach is either fly kites (I have four of them) or ride the waves on a boogie board. Whether I'm on the beach watching the waves or actually in the waves on my board, I never get over the beauty and power of them. As I observed them several years ago, they reminded me of God's grace; beautiful and powerful. Beautiful in its "unmerited favor" of extending...
Prior to the expanding spread of covid-19, the Shafter Community Task Force hosted a group from Kern County, "Waste Hunger, Not Food," in our church dining room. They gave an inspiring presentation of a food recovery program that had been started in Bakersfield in order to feed those who struggled with "food insecurity" issues. As it was discussed at our Task Force and plans were being prepared, unfortunately, covid-19 put a stop to all of it. However, those plans have been revisited over these past several months, and I'm excited to let you...
This time of year is one of my favorite seasons. The colder days of winter begin to pass, the dormant trees push out their blossoms and the days get longer for a variety of outside activities. I find it somewhat facinating how plants of various kinds produce new growth in their environment. This time of year also make me think about what contributes to "spiritual growth" in my life and the lives of others. Let me suggest several things the Bible would encourage us to do in order to provide a "rich environment" for growth: • Bible study, p...
I'm sure you'd agree that it doesn't seem possible that another Christmas Day is drawing near! All of the preparations of shopping for gifts, purchasing and cooking meals, planning the day with family or friends, and that's not to mention attending Advent services leading up to Christmas Day. Have you ever wondered what you'd do if it wasn't true? What if Jesus was nothing more than an invented figure to rally the people of his day? For bestselling author and former investigative reporter Lee Strobel, those are the kinds of questions he asks an...
Just as I was beginning this article on communication, I received a text message! I don't need to tell you the many forms of communication that are part of our world today, such as text messaging, email, social media, phones (cell and landlines), etc. Of course, actually having a face-to-face conversation is still the best form of communication. Good communication is critical for many things, but is especially critical for good relationships. Whenever I do premarital counseling, one of the first topics I discuss with engaged couples is...
If you were to do a search for movie titles that contain the word "kingdom," you'd end up with well over 1,000 to choose from! I believe that everyone is looking for something or someone greater than themselves to believe in and to follow. As I'm beginning a study through the Gospel of Matthew, I've entitled the series "The Kingdom" for good reasons. The greatest and longest-lasting kingdom is the Kingdom of God, found through faith in Jesus Christ. Let me offer just few highlights from the Gospel of Matthew regarding the Kingdom: • We...
May is one of those months that sees the weather get warmer, the end of the school year get closer, and we celebrate Mother's Day! Although not all of us are moms, we certainly all had one at some point in our lives. I know that many of you have lost your moms or realize the days you have together are far less than what have already passed. Let's also admit that we can sometimes take our moms for granted, so perhaps having at least one day per year to honor them, reminds us to do that more often! Let me suggest a few ways to do just that, even...
I probably don't need to tell you that Easter was celebrated this year on April 9. Sanctuaries were decorated, choirs practiced, meals were planned and served for family gatherings, and some of you may have even gone shopping for a new outfit just for that special day! Most importantly, of course, was the opportunity to gather with other believers and celebrate the living hope we have in Jesus! Periodically, I'm asked the question, "How do we know it's true?" In the world of Biblical studies, that would fall into the category of apologetics,...
If you've ever watched a TV show or movie involving the military, you've probably heard the phrase "carry on" used a few times. The phrase apparently came from the British Navy several hundred of years ago, where it was given as a direction to keep going on the same course and not change. Over the years, it's been adapted in many settings to say essentially the same thing to a group of people. When I think of the beginning of a New Year, I sometimes wonder what the Lord might say to us? Although the phrase "carry on" isn't found in the Bible...
It's a little hard to believe that we're already in the Advent Season again as we move into the weeks leading up to Christmas Day! I've begun an Advent series with our church, "The Promised One," as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The series is based on Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 and is focused on Jesus as the: –Mighty God –Prince of Peace –Light of the World –Immanuel Each of those four titles are significant in identifying and defining who Jesus is. One of the unique challenges of the Advent Season is that we may tend to focus o...
Over these past several years I've enjoyed being part of a "Zoom Cohort," comprised of pastors across the country. These groups are organized by our US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, and in the past, I've even had the privilege of leading one of them! One of the cohorts I was recently in spent time reading and discussing a book together by Eugene Peterson, "Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work." It's an interesting study of various Old Testament books and how they relate to pastoral ministry. One of our discussions revolved around...
When I was in college at Biola University, I remember making a statement to my roommate that went something like this: “I can live out my faith by myself and really don't need others to do that!.” Wow, was I wrong! In my zeal to live out my faith at that time, I was more "conformed to the pattern of this world" that Paul speaks of in Romans 12:2 and needed to be "transformed by the renewing of my mind" by the Holy Spirit. Essentially, I was thinking more like an American citizen than a citizen of heaven. I appreciate the many "individual rig...
Whenever I think of the month of July I tend to think of the word "freedom" due to the July 4th holiday (fireworks too). We certainly enjoy and hopefully appreciate the many freedoms we have in the United States, not just on July 4th, but I'm sure throughout the year. The Bible speaks of freedom too, but not so much in the political sense as we recognize with our holiday. The freedom found in Jesus is in many ways much deeper and more freeing. For example, the Bible tells us that through faith in Jesus: • We are free from the penalty of sin w...
Spring is one of those times of year that has a certain "fresh start" to it, perhaps similar to the New Year feel in January. It's a time of year when we begin seeing more flowers, bees, longer days, time change and a general feeling of newness. In a far greater way, the Lord provides a "spring-like" newness anytime someone places their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. For example, in John 3:3 Jesus speaks about the need to be "born again" in order to see the Kingdom of God and in II Corinthians 5:17, the Apostle Paul writes about how we...
For the past couple of weeks there have been "dense fog" alerts on my phone's weather app. With that in mind, each morning I've looked out the window of my home to see if it's foggy or clear. Although many mornings have been clear, there have been a few with pretty thick fog for our area. As we look back on this past year it may feel like we've been living in a "fog" since the first changes happened due to covid-19. As many medical experts shared their insights concerning the pandemic, after awhile we probably all thought the same thing; they...
For the past 11 summers we’ve had the privilege of hosting SMBC Sports Camp for sports such as volleyball, wrestling and basketball. I don’t need to tell how big sports are in our culture and are a great “connecting point” into our community. Every camp is followed by a theme that we talk about each day. Our theme last year was “TRAIN,” taken from I Timothy 4:7-8: “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, hol...
I don’t need to tell you that 2020 is an election year. As the field of contenders for president has narrowed down, as well as other offices of various kinds, we’ll see more and more airtime devoted to supporting a particular candidate. I believe it’s important for each of us to participate in the process of voting and the freedom we often take for granted. But I also believe in the importance of praying for our elected officials at every level of government. With that in mind I’d like to encourage you to consider a resource I’ve been usin...
As the month of September is getting closer, our thoughts often go to the “normal” events of the fall season, such as school, gathering around a table of food with family and friends at Thanksgiving, football games galore, and, hopefully, a good dose of an attitude of gratitude! This time we’re in right now has certainly changed our perspective on the time of year and the normal events we enjoy. Although it’s hard to duplicate special seasons and days like Thanksgiving, we can certainly try to be thankful all year long. According to the wor...
Like many of you, I enjoy the outdoors, and one of my favorite things to do is hiking and backpacking. Our church has an annual backpacking trip each summer in the Kaiser Wilderness to an area called Twin Lakes. Along the way we see some beautiful country, but are also reminded how heavy a backpack can get! In many ways life can be the same way. There are times it feels like a “walk in the park” and other times like an “uphill climb” while loaded down. The Apostle Paul uses a similar illustration in Galatians 6:1-5 when he instructs the bel...
By the time you read this I’m hopeful that we will be on our way in the final stages of reopening our nation and world! Who would have ever thought the entire world would go through what we have been in recent months. I can’t help but wonder what lessons we’ve all learned through this, but here are a few that come to mind: --Planning ahead is a good thing but ultimately the Lord is in control (Proverbs 16:9). --Worry can sometimes be god-like in its power, but prayer reminds us of who is really God (Philippians 4:6-7). --Relationships at churc...
Wow, how quickly life can change! Not that many weeks ago we heard about “COVID-19” on the news, and now we’re a part of that news. Like you, I’ve been observing a variety of reactions throughout our local area, nation and the world. In some ways it has brought out the best in many people but in other ways the worst. I also find it interesting that this is all happening around Easter, when believers in Christ celebrate the “living hope” that is found in Him due to his resurrection. Whether it’s a pandemic like the current one, weather-relat...
