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The Penny

1/29/2018

I came across this excellent article that I would like to share with you.

A rich man was observed by friends to repeatedly pick up any penny he found on the street. This behavior was quite intriguing to his friends for the condition of the penny wasn’t an issue. It could be a shiny and new penny, or a dull and dingy one. It never seemed the rich man was too busy or distracted to find a penny, and it is doubtful a penny ever missed his gaze. For the rich man, finding a penny was a high priority in his day. Furthermore, friends noticed the rich man was joyful with each new find. He seemed to cherish each penny found as much as his millions in investments.

Finally, curiosity ran its course and a friend asked the rich man, “You are rich beyond measure. Why do you stop whatever you are doing or wherever you are to pick up a penny? Why would a man with your wealth care so much about a single penny?”

The rich man replied, “Each penny found reminds me of my true worth as a person. Many people during my life viewed me much like a penny. I was often discarded, passed by, left in the change tray, or seen as having little value. Then one day a rich man found me on the street feeling worthless and isolated. Unlike others, he viewed me differently. He saw in me great worth and potential. He promised to give me all he had to make me rich. I truly sensed this man cared for me and was telling me the truth. I believe he wanted to put me back into circulation, so I placed my trust in Him. He engraved on my heart what others like me believe today. They are the same words you see engraved on this penny I found in the street, “In God We Trust.”

The penny serves as a constant reminder during my day that my true worth is not in riches, but in the One who made me rich. My value is not in my possessions, but in the One who possesses me.

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 8:9 underscore the lesson of the article, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor; that you through His poverty might become rich.” Thank God for His amazing grace!

Pastor Todd Weston

The Ten Commandments

1/22/2018

About 3,500 years ago on a remote mountain in the Sinai Peninsula, God delivered to Moses the Ten Commandments. These are ten rules for successful living given by the Creator Himself! The first four bind our hearts to God. The last six strengthen our relationships with others.

In spite of the fact that these laws for living came about in such a powerful way on Sinai (read Exodus 19:16-25), it’s obvious that many fail to grasp the significance of the Ten Commandments. Many see them as options, not obligations. Others see them as a source of inspiration, kind of like the singing of the National Anthem before a ball game. Still others view them as archaic; irrelevant to modern society.

While there are those who would strip the Ten Commandments from our public institutions, they cannot be extricated from the fabric of society or the DNA of the human race. The Ten Commandments define how life was designed to be lived. Break them and they will break you. Keep them and they will bless you (Psalm 119:1).

I believe God had a twofold purpose in giving the Ten Commandments. First, they reveal God’s standard. In Leviticus 19:2 God said, “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” The Ten Commandments reveal the holiness of God in practical terms. Because God is holy we must not take His name in vain. Because God is holy we must not commit idolatry or adultery. Because God is holy we must not lie or steal. Humanity needs a standard by which to live. The Ten Commandments provide that standard.

Secondly, they reveal our sin. In setting the standard of holiness very high, the law (another name for the Ten Commandments) reveals our human inability to measure up to the standard. The flaw in the law is that while it reveals human sin, it is powerless to remove it.

This is why Paul said in Galatians 3:24 that the law was like a guardian that pointed us to Christ. What the law could not do, God did! He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, and the Holy Spirit to live within us. With our sins forgiven, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to obey. By the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, we can keep the commandments and live holy lives.

As we conclude our series on the first four commandments this Sunday, remember that while God’s standard of righteousness is very high, we have been equipped with the Holy Spirit who enables us to do all that God has commanded.

Depend completely on the Holy Spirit. Keep the Ten Commandments and be blessed!

Pastor Todd Weston

The Power Of Influence

1/15/2018

During my recent trip to Costa Rica, this story was shared with me by one of the team members named Ken. The story is about a boy named Jimmy. Jimmy was a poor kid living in the projects of a large southern city. He began attending Sunday School when a nearby Assemblies of God church started a bus ministry in his neighborhood. Before long, Jimmy not only attended Sunday School but stayed for the church service as well.

That’s when Ken’s father spotted Jimmy, just a poor kid from the projects. Ken’s father began reaching out to Jimmy, even inviting him home for dinner with the family. Then one Sunday during the altar call, Ken’s father slipped an arm around Jimmy and said, “Son, today is your day.” Jimmy was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit that morning with Ken’s father standing at his side.

Many years later, Ken was serving as the minister of music at a church in Alabama. A guest speaker was scheduled to speak at the church one particular Sunday — a Dr. James Brown who was an Assemblies of God evangelist and president of Southeastern College (now Southeastern University) in Lakeland, Florida. Dr. James Brown, who as a boy went by the name…you guessed it — Jimmy!

At this point Paul Harvey would say, “And now you know the rest of the story!” But wait, there’s more.

As Dr. James Brown stood in the pulpit that Sunday morning he told the congregation about the goodness of God. Pointing to Ken, the minister of music, he said it was Ken’s father who loved a poor bus kid from the projects enough to lead him to Jesus. Dr. Brown then pointed to the pastor of the church who was saved as a teenager in one of his evangelistic crusades.

Dr. Brown then connected the dots. He said, “Had it not been for the life and influence of Ken’s father, your minister of music, pastor, and guest speaker would not be here today.”

Never underestimate the power of godly influence. And never underestimate the value of one life. River of Life is in the process of buying a bus to start bringing children, young people, even families to church. Don’t overlook them. Remember Ken’s father who cared enough to love Jimmy. Who knows, there might be a future Dr. James Brown among them.

Pastor Todd Weston

A Floating Ax Head

1/8/2018

Whoever heard of a floating ax head? Everybody knows iron doesn’t float. If you don’t believe me, go to your local fitness center and borrow a fifteen-pound dumbbell. Take it to a nearby lake, throw it in and see what happens. A floating ax head is contrary to all known physical laws. But with God, iron that normally sinks can swim.

The story of the floating ax head appears in 2 Kings 6. As the story goes, under Elisha’s leadership, enrollment at the school of the prophets was up and new facilities were needed. So off the students went to a nearby forrest to chop down trees for lumber. That’s when the accident occurred. As one of the students was swinging his ax, the ax head came loose and went flying into the Jordan River. To make matters worse, the ax was borrowed.

Have you ever borrowed something from a friend only to lose it? Not good, especially if what you borrowed was expensive. Iron was a rare and expensive commodity in ancient Israel. To lose an expensive ax head was bad enough. The fact that it was borrowed made it worse still.

Elisha did not panic. He asked the young to man to show him where in the river the ax head sank. Showing Elisha the place, the prophet cut down a branch and threw it into the water. As everyone watched in wonder, the ax head suddenly floated to the surface. Retrieving the ax head, the young man replaced it and went back to work. End of story.

Okay, interesting story. But what’s the point?

In the previous chapter we read about the miraculous healing of Naaman, the Syrian Captain. Naaman was an important official. He was afflicted with the dread disease of leprosy. But at Elisha’s command, Naaman dipped himself seven times in the Jordan and was instantly healed.

Then we turn to 2 Kings 6 and read about some poor, unnamed Bible College student who lost a borrowed ax head and I’m thinking — Really?! The writer takes us from a Syrian Captain with leprosy to a Bible College student who lost a borrowed ax head.

So why is this miracle even recorded in the Bible? Because God wants us to know that He cares about the everyday problems of everyday people. The miracle of 2 Kings 5 tells us there is nothing too big for God. The miracle of 2 Kings 6 tells us there is nothing too small for God.

God cares about the extraordinary, and the ordinary things of life. No matter how big or how small your need might be, follow the direction given in 1 Peter 5:7 and cast all your care upon the Lord, “for He cares for you.”

Pastor Todd Weston

reformation

1/1/2018

I am nearing the end of Eric Metaxas’ book, Martin Luther - The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World. This past October 31st we celebrated the five-hundredth anniversary of Luther nailing his ninety-five theses to the door of the castle church at Wittenberg. Thus began what came to be known as the Protestant Reformation.

Actually, the wheels of reformation began turning long before Luther nailed his document to the church door. It began with an English theologian named John Wycliffe who died one-hundred years before the birth of Martin Luther. Among other things, Wycliffe is known for translating the Bible from Latin to English. Prior to Wycliffe’s day, the Bible was read only by the clergy, and that not very often if ever. Thanks to Wycliffe the common man could now read God’s Word. Though later condemned by the church for his work, John Wycliffe became known as the “Morning Star of the Reformation.”

After Wycliffe, a Bohemian Priest named John Huss took up the torch of reformation. Huss continued to promote the radical idea of the day that ordinary people should be allowed to read the Bible in their own language. His call to believers was as follows, “Therefore, faithful Christian, seek the truth, listen to the truth, teach the truth, love the truth, abide by the truth, and defend the truth even to death.” For his efforts, John Huss was burned at the stake in 1415.

By the time Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany in 1483, the winds of reformation had been sweeping across Europe for more than one-hundred years. It was Martin Luther who would fan the flames of reformation into a raging, unquenchable, purifying fire with the battle cry Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone! At the heart of the reformation was the powerful conviction that the Bible alone - not the church, ecclesiastical council, or religious leader - is the source of absolute authority.

With the invention of the Gutenberg Press and the work of Bible translators such as William Tyndale, the Word of God spread like wildfire. For the first time in one-thousand years, people could own and read a copy of the Bible. The world has never been the same since!

Interestingly, Martin Luther’s rediscovery of God began when he started reading the Bible. Imagine the reformation that could take place if people would just read the Bible! If it could impact Europe and then the rest of the world, imagine the impact it could make on your life and family. Imagine the impact it could make on our church if we all became dedicated readers of God’s Word.

For the past ten years we have given away Through the Bible Reading Guides. Copies of 2018 reading guides are still available at the church. Let’s make 2018 the year of the Bible at River of Life. Recommitment to the Bible will lead to a rediscovery of God. And a rediscovery of God will once again lead to reformation.

Pastor Todd Weston

RLA Pastor's blog

The Penny

The Ten Commandments

The Power Of Influence

A Floating Ax Head

reformation

Pastor Todd

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