The Pastor's Perspective

   President Theodore Roosevelt  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 suff...

  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...