Merry Christmas

by Tim Howard

Some folks like to use the phrase Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas. This suggests that many people love to celebrate the season, yet do so for a variety of reasons. I personally like the phrase Merry Christmas because it keeps the name of Christ prominent and helps me remember that He is the central reason for all our festivities. After all, it is His birthday we are celebrating.

How did you do with regards to your Christmas shopping? Did you purchase something for your children? Did you frantically look for that perfect gift for that perfect someone in your life and finally find it? What about your friends and co-workers? Did you run from store to store or check out the online prices to find a great gift for a great price? In all your activities, have you come to Christmas day ready to Celebrate or ready to Collapse?

This year I personally decided to make a change and joined the ‘Advent Conspiracy.’ I conspired with others to find a way to celebrate the Advent of Christ without yielding to the spirit of consumerism that is very much alive in our culture. Allow me to quickly add that I’m not implying we should spend nothing! It’s not about being stingy, miserly or acting like a scrooge. Share nothing, have nothing or give nothing. NO! It’s all about giving gifts BUT giving gifts that mean something and make a real difference. Spend less and give more! Sounds impossible unless you realize that the greatest gifts we can give people cost nothing at all in a monetary sense.

Three of the greatest gifts came to us through the birth of Jesus Christ and you can give these three gifts to others. He came to reveal the Father’s love. He came to give you joy and He came to bring hope by extending forgiveness and freedom from your past.

A Doctor by the name of Luke makes mention of these three gifts by recording the announcement of Christ’s birth in the Bible. He says in Luke 2:10 -11, “the angel of the Lord said to them, ‘…behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” His presence among us brings hope and joy and is good news to the ears of those who will believe.’” Did you notice that Jesus came for everyone and not just a few? The very fact that God decided to live among us reveals His great love toward us. That’s not only good news, that’s great news!

Unfortunately, many who were caught up into the spirit of consumerism this season enter Christmas day ready to collapse rather than celebrate. Christmas day can too often becomes a burden to endure rather than a blessing to be experienced.

I invite you to make three decisions today. 1. Decide to celebrate God’s presence rather than focusing on the presents you receive. 2. Decide to love each other by serving those with whom you gather. 3. Forgive those who have hurt you and they will experience great joy - So will you! Many gifts can be given to people on this day we call Christmas but Love, Joy and Forgiveness are among the best.

If you make these three decisions and act upon them, you will honor God by exalting His son Jesus Christ and that’s extremely important since it’s His Birthday. He is the reason we say: Merry Christmas!

The Gift that No One Wants

by Andrew Cromwell

As we enter the Christmas season much of our attention is focused on the gifts we will be giving to friends and family. Whether you are the type of person that wakes at an ungodly hour to crash the stores on the day after Thanksgiving or the person that waits until the last minute to fight for parking spaces and wait in line, all of us want to match up the right gift to the right person.

And each year we both give and receive a myriad of novelty gifts — the tie that blinks and sings, the chachki that was oh so carefully selected in the dollar aisle, the dreaded and much lampooned fruitcake. No one wants these gifts. And yet we continue to give them because we feel obligated to go through the ritual even if the gifts have long ago ceased to be significant.

Do something different this year! Break the mold, save money, and instead write a card or a note. Take that five or ten dollars and give it to charity in the name of that person who would normally get a junk gift. Our church has helped people do this for the last couple of years and we have discovered that people LOVE to receive these types of gifts. You can find out more info on what we are doing this year at our website at kcfchurch.org.

There is one gift that no one wants, but we all need. This is a gift that communicates true love and concern but is one of the most difficult to give. It costs no money. It involves no trips to the mall. You don’t even have to wrestle with the scotch tape and wrapping paper.

It is the gift of honest conversation.

For a close friend or loved family member, an honest conversation can be the most difficult and yet the most rewarding gift that you can give. The truth is, honest conversations are uncomfortable. They usually involve talking about things that we would rather not bring up. It might involve talking about the person’s bad behavior or their inability to see the way their actions are damaging to others. It might mean telling a spouse the way you really feel and revealing a part of your heart that hasn’t been shared in a long time. For all of these reasons and more, honest conversations are usually avoided at all costs.

And yet, when we avoid having honest conversations with the people we love, we actually keep our relationships from growing deeper and more significant. We avoid talking straight with people because we are afraid of hurting their feelings and damaging our relationship with them. But when we do that we actually refuse to believe that a deeper relationship is possible.

What we forget is that honest conversations are the key to growth. We need each other to speak truth so that we can get better. The question is, do we love someone enough to tell them the truth? I believe if we all took time to have some serious conversations this Christmas, we might actually learn something and grow deeper.

The pastors in Kings County would love to get a chance to help you have an honest conversation with Father God. When is the last time you two talked? Grab your family and get in church this weekend, there’s no better time than the present.

God's Ultimate Gift

by Tim Howard

In the early years of my marriage I did a lot of foolish things and I wasn’t a very good husband to my wife. I could blame it on youthfulness since I was only 22 years old, immaturity, stress, difficult times or I could simply acknowledge the truth. I was self absorbed and totally selfish! In 37 years of marriage we have had our share of bad times! The word divorce has crossed our minds but one word has proven to be more powerful than the desire to go our separate ways. That word is FORGIVENESS!

The Bible tells us to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God forgave you in Christ.” Forgiveness is the foundation for everything God does in our lives. Jesus offers forgiveness to those who choose to follow him. He offers forgiveness to those who fail and choose to do unwise things. He even offers forgiveness to the ones who hate him, choose to rebel and don’t believe He is God.

You cannot have a long lasting, growing, ongoing, in-depth, healthy relationship without forgiveness. Something will happen, your relationship with stall, something will take place, someone will do something unintentionally or intentionally, it will break down, and the relationship will end. And when it does, more often than not, forgiveness is the one thing and sometimes the only thing that will get you going again.

Forgiveness cuts the cords to the past and gives you the possibility of a bright future. It’s one of the top five tools you need in your toolbox in order to maintain a growing relationship. Un-forgiveness locks a person into the past and provides a great environment for bitterness, resentment, hatred and anger to flourish but forgiveness is the key that sets you free.

The issue of un-forgiveness or forgiveness comes into play and becomes prominent when we experience hurt. Everybody hurts! We hurt physically. We have our cuts, scratches, bumps and our bruises. We hurt emotionally. That's a little more hidden and may be more difficult to deal with than physical pain. Fear, worry, anger, guilt, shame and depression are all expressions of emotional pain. We hurt relationally. The most difficult type of hurt to deal with is the hurt that's caused by other people. When this happens forgiveness is one of the best tools we can use to bring about healing and restoration.

It seems natural to become angry and un-forgiving, however. Have you noticed how easy it is to get angry and stay mad for long periods of time when you’ve been hurt by another person? Have you recognized how easy it is to nurse a grudge and how difficult is it to offer grace and mercy? If you keep putting wood on the fire by focusing on the negative, playing the DVD of past hurts over and over again, the fires of hate will continue to burn brightly.

Forgiveness is definitely not the easiest choice to make but it is the best! Holding a grudge, getting even, remaining bitter and choosing to walk in resentment may feel good and right for a season but it will ultimately destroy you. These remedies don’t work and only make things worse.

God demonstrated His love toward us by offering forgiveness through Jesus Christ. He is our example for the relationships we have with each other. As you work your way through the month of December and celebrate the Christmas season remember that forgiveness is the ultimate gift to give someone. It will be more valuable than any material item you could purchase.

You're That Good, Really?

by Andrew Cromwell

I am constantly amazed by how much time and effort we spend at trying to convince others and ourselves that we are good people.

You might believe you really are a good person and that you have put others at the center of your life. People are always telling me, “I’ve always tried to be a good person and I’ve never done anything really bad.” And while I don’t doubt that, I also know that it is beside the point.

Just because you have tried to be good, doesn’t mean that you actually are good. What’s more, just because you don’t go around killing, stealing, or generally being a thug, that doesn’t mean you are not a self-centered, self-obsessed, royal jerk. It just means that you are good at comparing yourself with someone else whose behaviors are more “over the line” than yours.

We give ourselves far too much credit for not doing the “bad stuff” while at the same time giving ourselves a pass for bad behavior that we believe was justified. Very few of us have been tested to the breaking point so we don’t really know what we are capable of.

We are proud that we haven’t stolen anything, but we have never gone hungry or watched our children go hungry. We feel good that we are not hooked on pain meds, but we have never suffered from chronic pain.

And somehow we find a way to excuse ourselves when we do something wrong. We tell ourselves that we deserved that little indulgence or that anyone in our situation would have done the same thing.

Let’s just be honest, none of us are that good. Scripture says, “No one is good, not even one.” All of our attempts to be good are just that—attempts. Even the best of us, if you look closely enough, wither under scrutiny.

My point is not to make you feel bad about how much of a jerk you are (although you are). Rather, it is to simply remind you that when we go through life trying to “be good” we miss the point. God isn’t looking for people who are trying to “be good”—if that is your goal, not only will you fail, but you will also simply become proud at the few times when you do succeed.

Instead, God is looking for people who recognize that they aren’t good and are unable to be good and so they turn to Him for help. Romans 3:22 says, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” Our own goodness won’t get us anywhere, but God’s goodness sure will. When we allow Him to shine through our weakness, our self-centeredness and our excuses, we discover that His power to love others and to live rightly is the only way to truly succeed.

This weekend, the pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to help you get past the “but I’m better than...” comparisons and step into a new power to walk with God and live according to His purposes. Don’t knock it until you try it.

Please and Thank You

by Tim Howard

Growing up, I remember my parents always celebrating Thanksgiving Day by inviting family and friends to a common meal with all the traditional items plus a whole lot more. I never cared for the turnip or squash but my mother had rules and one of them required every child to try a bite of every item. If you didn’t obey, you didn’t get dessert. At the time I felt this was child cruelty but regardless of my twisted thoughts, I followed her orders. And by the way, the dessert was worth it! Even though I disliked certain things about the meal, the yearly celebration was a highlight for everyone and the month of November still brings back fond memories.

The concept of thanksgiving, however, was something our family taught year round. It wasn’t relegated to a once a year event. As soon as we were old enough to speak, our parents saw fit to teach us two words that are still a part of my vocabulary. ‘Please and Thanks.’ It’s amazing to see how quickly things change when these two words are not activated on a regular basis.

A simple request for someone to “Please pass the turkey” can change into a demand when you remove the word ‘Please.’ When the word ‘Thanks’ or ‘Thank You’ is removed from our conversation people feel less appreciated and taken advantage of. We also plant seeds that grow an attitude of ungratefulness. Romans 1:21 reveals what happens when people fail to give thanks: “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their views of life, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Giving thanks will guard you from a spirit of entitlement and help you to stop taking things for granted. Giving thanks will cause a demanding spirit to leave and help you see life with a new perspective. Giving thanks will cause people to appreciate in value rather than depreciate. Maybe that’s why the Bible is full of scriptures like Psalms 107:1 “It is good to give thanks to the Lord....”

Thankful people are fun to be with! They bring a fresh perspective because they focus on what they have and don’t worry about the things they have yet to obtain. They bring joy because they choose to fill their mouths with praise rather than complaints. They create an atmosphere of levity because they accentuate the positive. A thankful heart expressed through thankful words and demonstrated with acts of love will change the atmosphere around you. Just like a thermostat that changes the climate in your home, a grateful person will influence others for the good.

Our country has set aside one day a year to remind us of the importance of thanksgiving. I personally think we should be thankful 365 days a year but THANK GOD we at least have one day still on the calendar as a reminder.

As I approach Thanksgiving Day scheduled for November 25, I’m going to invite family and friends to enjoy a common meal with all the traditional items plus a whole lot more. I won’t require every person to try a bite of every item but I will ask every person to give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His loving-kindness never ends. (Psalms 136:1) As you celebrate, don’t forget to give thanks to God and others. And btw… don’t forget to say please!

God Gives You Space

by Andrew Cromwell

One of the arguments that I hear frequently against God’s existence sounds something like this: If God exists and He wants to have a relationship with us, then why doesn’t He simply show Himself? There are a whole bunch of things wrong about this argument, but my guess is that you have heard some version of it many times. Sometimes it is used when people are angry because they feel that their life has somehow been unfair and “if God were real, why would He let this happen?” Other times, people use it as a way to supposedly prove that God isn’t out there.

And while this argument is very common, it is just not a very good one. The reason God doesn’t frequently appear in visible form just to prove His existence is because, God gives you space.

Here’s the deal. If God wants to have a relationship with us, an authentic, real, two-way relationship, He has to give us the ability to say “no.” For us to be able to say “no” to an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving Being is pretty difficult if He is standing right in front of us. Frankly, that would be nearly impossible. Even if we wanted to say “no”, we would find it extremely difficult.

You can see the way this works in the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Before they ate of the forbidden fruit and sin entered into the world, the Scriptures tell us that they walked with God and that they were “naked and unashamed.”

But when they sinned and ate of the fruit, an interesting thing happened. Adam and Eve hid from God. It’s a little comical because, after all, how do you hide from God? You can’t! That is, unless God allows you to. And that is exactly what we see happen. God called out to Adam and said, “Adam where are you?”

You see, God was giving Adam space. He was allowing Adam to hide because something had entered into their relationship that separated them. No longer was there free and open communication without any shame. Adam’s relationship with God had been changed by his sin.

And so in our world today, it is the same way. God calls out to us and asks, “Where are you?” It is up to us whether we answer Him or not. He wants to have a relationship with us, but He has decided to not force Himself upon us.

The question we all have to answer is not “where is God” but “where are you?”

This weekend the pastors in Kings County would love to help you reconnect with the Father who calls out to us. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating how much difference a real relationship with Father God will make in your life.

One Another

by Tim Howard

In the Bible, the New Testament records 50+ scriptures that include the phrase “One Another!” Here’s a sampling: People are told to “Be devoted to one another”, ”Honor one another above yourselves”, “Accept one another”, “Care for each other”, “Serve one another”, “Don’t judge one another”, “Be patient with one another”, “Forgive each other”, “Encourage one another”, “Confess your sins to one another”, “Pray for one another”, and the list goes on…

One of the verses found in John 13:34 is the overarching statement that Jesus gives to his disciples and could be used as a summary for all the other teachings. It says: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you…”

This statement wasn’t new in the sense that it had never been spoken before but it was new because it was founded upon and motivated by something totally different. In the Old Testament this commandment was based upon the Law. It was something required and mandated. Something you had to do, ought to do and should do. As good as that may be, the new commandment Jesus gave was based upon gratitude and not duty. People were encouraged to love each other because Jesus had loved them. They could extend mercy, grace and kindness not because it was mandated but because they were recipients of God’s mercy, grace and kindness. They freely received so they could freely and gratefully give.

A Biblical Commandment is like a road map. It provides information that will lead you to God’s provision and protection when you follow it. For you and I to experience a full flow of God’s life, we can’t divorce ourselves from this commandment, which involves loving people. If you say you love God and yet treat people like dirt, you deceive yourself. In actuality, your spiritual progress will be revealed in the way you relate to others. Not just your immediate family but also those you encounter on your daily journey.

Loving people our way may be attractive but loving people God’s way will always be more challenging. Jesus said it’s easy to love people who are lovable. Anyone can do that! But what about the people, who complain, criticize, whine, talk too much and don’t listen? What about the sarcastic, cynical, crude and intolerant? Here’s where you need an extra dose of grace. It’s not as easy as you may think!

Everyone has his or her own idiosyncrasies, quirks and odd nuances. John Ortberg in his recently published book says: “Everybody’s Normal Till You Get To Know Them.” In other words, we are all difficult to love at times yet we all need to be loved by someone.

To love people the way Jesus loves each of us means we will have to sacrifice something. You may have to sacrifice some of your time to serve others. It may cost you something in a monetary way to help one another like it cost the Good Samaritan. You may be required to sacrifice your opinion or sacrifice some sleep in order to help others but what is that when compared to the sacrifice Jesus made for you on the cross.

What might happen if we all take this commandment to heart? What if our love becomes more than a feeling that is rooted in the emotions? What will happen if we really accept one another - serve one another - stop judging one another and forgive each other? What if Jesus becomes our prime example and we emulated Him on a consistent basis? Why don’t we try it and find out?

The Leader Inside

by Andrew Cromwell

I believe that everyone has a leader inside them. I don’t mean that everyone is destined to lead thousands, but rather that all of us have within the capacity to lead ourselves and influence others. John Maxwell says that leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less. He identifies leadership with influence because everyone has the potential to influence those around us.

The most powerful leaders are able to challenge people to stretch and grow not because they have the authority to hire and fire, but because they have earned people’s trust and have painted a picture of possibility. Think about it, some of the greatest leaders of the last century didn’t hold formalized positions of authority. Martin Luther King Jr., wasn’t an elected official and he didn’t lead a large business organization. Mother Teresa didn’t sign anybody’s paycheck. And Gandhi didn’t carry the keys to any boardroom (I’m not sure he had any pockets in that robe anyway).

Successful leaders first lead themselves and then invite other people to be and do something better too. It doesn’t matter if you have a formalized position of authority or not. All of us live in relationship with others and every encounter that we have with another person is an opportunity to influence their thoughts and feelings.

If you don’t think I’m right about this, take a moment to consider a person you know. I’m talking about that one person who, wherever they go, they just suck the air out of the room. Whenever you talk to them, you find that you are depressed and bitter. When you walk into a room, you know they have been there because everyone in the room is about to go jump of the nearest bridge.

We all know people like this, they are leaders in the area of negativity. They always have the perfect comeback phrase that brings rain clouds to any celebration. They influence people all around them and everywhere they go. But their influence points people in the wrong direction.

But it is a lot easier to be a downer then it is to be an encourager. It takes very little energy and effort to criticize a creative idea. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to calculate how you can destroy another person’s dream.

Encouraging people, on the other hand, takes energy and effort. It is hard work to get someone to see potential in themselves and inspire them to take positive steps. But each one of us can do it.

You see, in any given room the leader is not necessarily the smartest or the brightest. Often, they are not the most naturally gifted. But a leader has a burning desire to see people’s lives improved.

So whether or not you have the title “leader”, you can be a leader. Simply seek to add value to other people. Speak possibility into lives. Don’t raise a complaint, raise the standard. Carry joy around with you and sprinkle it on everyone you meet. Lead yourself first and others will follow.

The pastors in Kings County would love to add value to your life this weekend! Getting yourself and your family in church is a great way to either start or continue your leadership journey.

Stop Putting It Off

by Andrew Cromwell

There are always things in our life that we do not want to do, so we put them off. We tell ourselves that we will do it tomorrow. We think about how the thing is going to take a long time or be painful to do. And in this way another day passes, another week, another month, and another year. And still the thing is not done.

We all have things we put off until a later date. Sometimes these things really are large tasks — getting back in school to finish a degree, painting the house, or tackling that big project at work. Other times, the tasks are actually small, but they feel large to us because they involve emotional investment or the potential for conflict — having that difficult conversation, visiting relatives, or balancing the checkbook.

Whether big or small, rational or irrational, we delay doing these things, and we usually do so to our own detriment. More often than not, the things that we put off are actually important. But instead of focusing on the value of getting these things done and on the (generally) wonderful results which would flow from doing them, we instead fill our time with doing other less important things.

We have all had the experience of finally doing the thing we were dreading for so long. When we do it, we generally discover it wasn’t as difficult as we had imagined. We also usually end up asking ourselves, “Why didn’t I just get this done sooner?” We wasted so much time worrying, delaying and talking ourselves out of it, when we could have just done it.

I remind my kids the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. We would all do well to remember that little adage. Start focusing on what needs to be done and do it. If the task is overwhelming, focus on the first piece. To finish your college degree, you must first sign up for one class. To fix your marriage, you must first write your spouse a note (or take them out on a date). To become the Karate Kid, you must first paint the fence.

We often miss the best things in life because we waste our time worrying about how difficult they are going to be. Instead, let’s focus on doing the things that are going to make a difference in our life.

So what are you putting off? Don’t delay any longer, get started today!

Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.” The pastors in Kings County would love to help you build the One relationship in all of our lives that we must NOT put off. Why don’t you stop putting off getting in church, it might not be quite as painful as you had imagined!

Keep It Simple

by Andrew Cromwell

Have you noticed the simplest things in life often seem the most difficult? Just because something is simple, it doesn't mean it is easy. We all know the mantras: keep it simple stupid, put first things first, measure twice and cut once - none of these things are rocket science, yet putting them into practice sometimes feels like it.

The other day I came across a Scripture verse in Ezekiel that says: "They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life."

It stopped me in my tracks and made me think. The verse is written from Father God's perspective and is directed to the Israelite people when they were on the brink of being destroyed as a nation. God is simply saying to them, "If you would have listened, then you wouldn't be in the situation you are in right now!"

Boy, isn't that often true for us? If only we would have listened - to our parents, to our spouse, to our children, to our boss - things might be different today. We might not have had to go through the pain that comes from bad choices and decisions. But the icing on the cake for many of us is that we failed to listen to Father God.

I think what is interesting about obeying God is that it doesn't only keep you out of trouble, it also gives you life. In other words, something is actually added to your life when you choose to do things God's way. Proverbs chapter three says, "Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well."

When we obey God, His power flows into our life in ways that we cannot experience otherwise. The Bible calls this the blessing of God. Jesus said that those who follow His commandments will live a life that is a higher caliber and quality compared to those around them. He likened it to a river of living water that would flow from within those who walk in relationship with Him.

The funny thing is, following God's commands is simple - it's just not easy. The good news is, God is on your side and He helps those who truly want to follow Him. He makes the impossible, possible. If He can make a dead man alive again, then he can take someone like you and me who can't seem to get it straight and He can turn our life around.

We can't do it on our own, we have tried and we have failed time and again. But we can do it with His life flowing in and through us. And that is true quality of life.

So the next time you are at a crossroads and have to decide which way to go, choose the way that gives life!

The pastors in Kings County would love to help you tap into that river of life. Why don't you get in church this weekend and discover the life that God promises?

Quality of Life

by Andrew Cromwell

Have you noticed the simplest things in life often seem the most difficult? Just because something is simple, it doesn't mean it is easy. We all know the mantras: keep it simple stupid, put first things first, measure twice and cut once - none of these things are rocket science, yet putting them into practice sometimes feels like it.

The other day I came across a Scripture verse in Ezekiel that says: "They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life."

It stopped me in my tracks and made me think. The verse is written from Father God's perspective and is directed to the Israelite people when they were on the brink of being destroyed as a nation. God is simply saying to them, "If you would have listened, then you wouldn't be in the situation you are in right now!"

Boy, isn't that often true for us? If only we would have listened - to our parents, to our spouse, to our children, to our boss - things might be different today. We might not have had to go through the pain that comes from bad choices and decisions. But the icing on the cake for many of us is that we failed to listen to Father God.

I think what is interesting about obeying God is that it doesn't only keep you out of trouble, it also gives you life. In other words, something is actually added to your life when you choose to do things God's way. Proverbs chapter three says, "Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well."

When we obey God, His power flows into our life in ways that we cannot experience otherwise. The Bible calls this the blessing of God. Jesus said that those who follow His commandments will live a life that is a higher caliber and quality compared to those around them. He likened it to a river of living water that would flow from within those who walk in relationship with Him.

The funny thing is, following God's commands is simple - it's just not easy. The good news is, God is on your side and He helps those who truly want to follow Him. He makes the impossible, possible. If He can make a dead man alive again, then he can take someone like you and me who can't seem to get it straight and He can turn our life around.

We can't do it on our own, we have tried and we have failed time and again. But we can do it with His life flowing in and through us. And that is true quality of life.

So the next time you are at a crossroads and have to decide which way to go, choose the way that gives life!

The pastors in Kings County would love to help you tap into that river of life. Why don't you get in church this weekend and discover the life that God promises?

The Art of Following

by Tim Howard

While driving the streets of Boston, Massachusetts a while back, I became disoriented and irritated. I’m sure Boston is not the only city in the world that is challenging to navigate but it ranks among the top ten in my book. It’s not uncommon to be driving down one street and for no apparent reason the name of that street changes to something else and just when you think you’re making progress, you end up lost. On this one occasion I reached a point frustration and stopped to ask for help. When a man stops to ask someone for directions, it’s proof positive that he’s at the breaking point!

To my surprise, the people were very kind and one man actually said he would show me the way. His exact words were “ Follow Me, I will take you there”. I was very grateful, relieved and hopeful even though I didn’t realize another challenge awaited me around the first corner. It was mid-day and the traffic was horrendous. If you have ever had to follow someone through six lanes, busy intersections, congested streets and honking taxi drivers you have discovered it’s not as easy as it sounds. There is an art to following!

Luke 2 records a story I've read many times and quite frankly, find it a bit amusing. It’s the time when Jesus was a twelve-year-old boy and his parents lost him. How do you lose God? That’s the amusing part! Here’s the story: "After the feast was over where they had gone with Jesus, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company they traveled on for a day, then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find Him they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three days they found Him in the Temple courts sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." From this historical record, I noted how easy it is to lose track of Jesus when you're not keeping your eyes on Him. Jesus is full of surprises and can change directions without warning just like the kind gentleman who was leading me through the streets of Boston. If you aren’t watching closely, you can end up going north on Route 93 while he’s going east on Route 90.

If you are to learn the art of following you will need two qualities. The first is FOCUS: constantly checking to see where Jesus, this dynamic leader is going, never losing sight of His plan and purposes. The second is FLEXIBILITY: knowing He is the God of surprises; you must be willing to make certain adjustments.

He speeds up sometimes and slows down at other times. He goes on one road for a while then He takes another one. He's not inconsistent, fickle or undecided but He is traveling a sure and certain route because He knows the road and you don't.

Jesus' baseline invitation and command to us is: Follow Me! Luke 9:23, "If anyone would come after Me let him take up his cross daily and follow Me."

Believe it or not, God has already been in your future. Psalms 139 makes it clear that He “goes before us.” He charts a path for us and knows where we should stop, when we need to rest and the best route for the journey. All you need to do is learn the art of following.

Stop Trying to Be Happy Already

by Andrew Cromwell

Have you ever noticed that the more you try to be happy, the less happy you are? We do all we can to arrange our lives so our happiness is unchallenged. We avoid challenging conversations, side step important issues and generally insulate ourselves from things that make us uncomfortable. But even though we do all of this, we still find our goal eludes us.

Happiness makes a lousy goal. Think about it this way, if you are a parent and your goal is to make your kids happy...look out! You will be turning cartwheels all day long trying to achieve that impossible goal. You will buy them stuff they don’t need, taxi them to far too many places and ignore their bad behavior way too often. And all of this won’t necessarily make them happy, it will just make them spoiled, miserable brats.

If however, instead of happiness, your goal is to have healthy, well-adjusted children that leave your home and become responsible, contributing adults, you will treat them very differently. What you will discover is that they might actually experience MORE happiness because you give them stable structure, strong boundaries and a healthy dose of reality (like teaching them the world does not revolve around them).

We get this mixed up all the time. We forget that Father God’s goal for us is not to make us happy, it is to make us into the people He created us to be. It is not that we won’t be happy along the way, it is just that sometimes we need to be unhappy if we are going to learn the things we most need.

Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. God does not get his kicks out of making you miserable, far from it. He is not a cosmic sadist trying to figure out a way to ruin your life. The truth is God will pretty much leave you alone to experience the repercussions of your own behavior if you want Him to. Let’s be honest, we don’t need God to make our lives miserable, we do a pretty good job of that ourselves.

But if we do invite God into the equation, if we ask Him to be a part of our lives, we can be sure He is going to keep on working with us all the way until the end. That is what the Scripture says in Philippians 1:6. He will use ALL of the circumstances in our lives to give us character adjustments and make us into the people He wants us to be.

So stop trying to be happy. Instead, decide to live out your life to the fullest in the way God has designed you. Invite Him to adjust you, you will be better if you do!

The pastors in Kings County would love to see you in church this weekend. And I’m sure it would make Father God HAPPY too!

I Believe In God

by Tim Howard

Everyone believes a multitude of things, but some beliefs like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are pure fantasy. While some believe in the fake, fraudulent and false, others believe in things that are real, genuine and true. I believe in miracles. I believe that our future has not yet been written; that we can make a difference in our world and I believe in God.

Your conviction about God is one of the most important beliefs because your true identity is only unveiled as you discover the truth about God. Since He created us in His image, we pursue a hopeless search for significance if we exclude Him from our quest.

The phrase “I Believe In God,” however, is one of the most meaningless statements a person can make today. Although public opinion polls tell us that 92% of Americans believe in God, the God of the Bible is not who they have in mind.

The Bible distinguishes between many ‘gods’ and the God of all gods. When you read the Bible you encounter a myriad of people who will not embrace and have no desire for the true God found in scripture. Time and again they are found to be in search of other gods. Why? Why won’t we embrace our creator and accept the truth about Him?

Maybe it’s because we want a god who will do what we want, when we want it and how we want it. Possibly we want a god who will tolerate our sin, ignore our behavior and allow no consequences. Could it be that we desire a god who will protect us from all the bad and provide us with only the good? When the true God doesn’t fulfill these desires we are off to find something that will.

When you make God into what you want him to be, you create an idol and serve another ‘god.’ You break the 2^nd and 3^rd commandments and do yourself harm. Psalms 96:5 says: …”all the gods of the peoples are idols but the Lord made the heavens.

Today’s generation often believes in a god of his or her own making. They have combined fragments of Christianity, Buddhism, New Age and any number of notions derived from personal experience and have come up with a god that bears little resemblance to the God of the Bible. Even many modern churchgoers derive their understanding of God as much from popular culture as from the Scriptures.

Here’s a major problem! No other god can rescue, deliver, heal, help or save you. Only Jesus who is the revelation of God to mankind can do these things. When we serve, worship, seek after or make some ‘god’ our first priority, things break down. The true God came and revealed Himself through Jesus in order to preach the good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, free people who are captive to addictions, find those who are lost and help those who are hurting. He and He alone is able to save.

We don’t live in a god-less nation. We live in a god filled nation! Many gods rule our land so be cautious when someone says “I Believe In God”. It may not mean what you think! I can’t speak for anyone else but as for my house, and me we believe in the God who is revealed in the Bible. Why don’t you check out one of the many church families in Kings County this weekend and hear the truth about God.