The Pastor's Perspective

    Have you ever heard the old saying, "the pen is mightier than the sword"? Well, in this case, it was the words that saved a life!      On October 14, 1912, President Theodore Roosevelt was on the campaign trail, seeking re-election. That same day, an angry bartender fired a shot at him, hitting him in the chest. Most would have expected the president to fall, but what happened next was nothing short of miraculous.      Despite being shot, President Roosevelt insisted on delivering his scheduled speech. He spoke for 90 minutes to a captivated crowd before heading to the hospital. How did he manage to survive such an ordeal, you might ask?      It turns out that the president, known to be long winded, had placed his 50-page speech in his coat pocket. The thick stack of papers significantly slowed the bullet, preventing it from causing serious harm. Instead of a fatal injury, Roosevelt only suffered a cracked rib.  ...

  Jonah's Faithful Prayer in the Belly of the Whale      In the depths of the sea, enveloped in darkness, Jonah found himself in the most unlikely of prayer closets—the belly of a whale.  Jonah 2:1-2 tells us, "From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: 'In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.'"  I don't know about you, but that is not the place I would have picked to commune with God.      Despite his dire circumstances, Jonah exhibited unwavering faith that God would hear and answer his prayers. His situation seemed hopeless, but Jonah’s faith was not anchored in his surroundings; it was anchored in God’s faithfulness. Faith Beyond the Tangible      Jonah’s story teaches us a profound truth: God’s answers to our prayers are not bound by the moment we receive them. Instead, they are secured the mome...

       Sometimes, life can feel like a courtroom drama where we are constantly trying to prove our worth and identity.       This reminds me of the story of a man in India who was accused of stealing a lamb. Both the accuser and the accused claimed ownership, and with witnesses on both sides, it seemed impossible to discern the truth. However, the judge knew the nature of shepherds and their sheep. He devised a clever plan: each man would call the lamb to see to whom it would respond. The true owner’s unique call, a simple "cluck," immediately brought the lamb to him, proving his rightful claim. This story parallels the illustration Jesus used in John 10:1-5, where He says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his o...

          Do you ever find yourself questioning the authenticity of someone's words? We've all been there, wondering if the promises made to us hold any real weight. This age-old phrase, "Actions speak louder than words," reminds us that true intentions are best revealed through what we do rather than what we say.      A remarkable story from 1994 perfectly illustrates this idea. Russel Herman, a man who passed away at the age of 67, left behind a will with grand declarations. He pledged $2 billion to the city of East St. Louis, another half-billion for the national forest system, and a staggering $6 trillion to the federal government to help pay off the national debt. But there was a catch – when Russel passed away, his only asset was a 1983 Oldsmobile.      While we might assume Russel had noble intentions, his lack of tangible assets meant his promises were empty. This story serves as a powerful lesson: nice words mean l...

       Jonah 2:1-10  reads, Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay...

            In the book of Jonah 1:13-17, we read about the prophet Jonah who was thrown into the sea to calm the raging storm that threatened the lives of the sailors. This act of lifting Jonah up and casting him into the depths provides a profound picture of Jesus Christ's own lifting up on the cross, as He foretold in John 12:32: "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."     I want to share with you three things from my personal devotions on this subject that I believe will be a blessing for you today. I:      The Wrath of God Satisfied      Just as the storm ceased when Jonah was cast into the sea, the wrath of God was satisfied when Jesus was lifted up on the cross. The sailors, in their desperation, sought to save themselves by rowing harder, they prayed to there various false gods, but it was only through Jonah's sacrifice that they found peace.     ...

            On May 19th, 1780 the House of Representatives were holding a meeting at Hartford Connecticut While they were holding this meeting the sky grew increasingly gloomy, and dark. As the men looked out of the windows some began to wander if this was the Lords return.       Many of them were wishing for an immediate adjournment to the meeting that they might return home. That is when Colonel Davenport, who was the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives spoke up. He said;  "The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought."      There are many people who love to think about the last days. They research it, listen to messages and teachings about it. They wonder and are interested in the topic. Some even go so far as write books about the subject. This is ...

     There was a man who happened to have an appointment in the early hours of the morning with President Abraham Lincoln. He did not want to be late and so he decided he would arrive for this meeting 15 min early.       While waiting for the appointed time he heard in the next room a voice as if in grave conversation, and asked an attendant standing by, "Who is talking in the next room?       "It is the President, sir," replied the attendant.       "Is anybody with him?" the gentleman inquired.       "No; he is reading the Bible."       "Is that his habit so early in the morning?" the man asked.      "Yes, sir, he spends every morning from four o'clock to five in reading the Scriptures and praying." We live a life full of busyness and worry. Many times we have so  many things that need to get done and we feel like we have so little time to do them all i...

    I am always looking for good funny stories especially if they happen to be true. A few years ago I came upon a true interesting story about the President Calvin Coolidge.      During His presidency there was someone from his home town that was visiting him at the Whitehouse.  The guests had never been to the Whitehouse before and they weren't used to anything fancy. So they were a bit nervous on what they should be doing at the dinner table.      They determined that the best course of action is to keep a keen eye on there friend the president and do everything that he did. If the president used a knife they would do the same. If the president picked up a certain fork they would pick up the same fork as well.      This strategy worked fairly well. That is until the coffee was served. The president poured his coffee on the saucer. The guest thought it was rather odd to do that but given that the president did it and he woul...