River of Life Blog
  • Pastor Todd Weston's Blog

RLA Pastor's blog

Anticipation

7/28/2014

 
Anticipation (an-ti’-sə-pā’-shən) is defined as a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen; the act of preparing for something.  Life would be pretty boring without this five-syllable word.  The belief that there is always something good just ahead keeps a person’s life filled with hopeful expectation.

It could be a major event like the much anticipated birth of a baby.  It could be a small but fun event like a family vacation or day at the beach.  It might even be that wonderful annual celebration known as the start of the college football season.  Hallelujah!

But what do you do when it seems life has lost its joy?  What do you do when anticipation has run dry?  That’s where faith kicks in.  I’m talking about the faith to believe that in the midst of life’s monotony and pain, God still has something good for you on the horizon.  

It was Oral Roberts who coined the phrase that later became the opening theme song of his television program, “Something good is going to happen to you.”  The voice of fear says, “Look out!  Something bad is going to happen to you.”  The voice of faith says, “Look up!  Something good is going to happen to you.”  Success in life depends on which voice you listen to. 

As a follower of Jesus Christ, each day is filled with hopeful expectation.  You just never know where God is going to lead you or how He is going to use you in any given day.  And as the old song says, “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”  Life with Jesus at the center just gets better and better the farther along you go.  And when life’s days are spent, we have the great assurance of eternity in the home of the Lord.

So look up in faith today.  Be excited about life.  No matter what your present circumstances might be, you have much to live for!  Experience the strong surge of anticipation again.  As a born again believer in Jesus, you have more to look forward to than you realize!

Pastor Todd Weston

Anniversary

7/21/2014

 
Today – Monday, July 21st – is a very special day for Sheri and I.  Today marks our 30th wedding anniversary.  Thirty-years ago today we stood at Calvary Assembly of God in Brush, Colorado, and exchanged the pledges and vows we would live by for the rest of our lives.

I can remember that day like it was yesterday – July 21, 1984.  Brush is a small town located on the eastern plains of Colorado.  Calvary Assembly of God was a small but significant church that produced some amazing ministers of the gospel.  There is one other special feature about the little church: it had no central air conditioning!  While Colorado has very low humidity, I am here to tell you that hot is hot no matter how low the humidity might be.

So there we stood on that sweltering July afternoon before the pastor and my grandfather who performed the ceremony.  Sheri was beautiful in her white dress, and I was sweating profusely in my black tuxedo.  In spite of the heat we made it through the ceremony and the reception following.  We then drove off into the sunset for a glorious week in the Rocky Mountains.

It’s hard to believe that was thirty years ago.  But three children later, four ministry assignments, and a lot of life experiences; I guess the years do add up.

It’s good to recognize anniversaries.  It’s good to look back and reflect on the things you’ve gone through together, the lessons learned, the hard times endured, and the victories won.  It’s also a good time to plan for the future.  Sheri and I are praying for at least sixty years together, so we are only half way.  And we have determined that as wonderful as the first thirty years have been, the second thirty are going to be more amazing still.  The best is yet to come!

Wow!  It just occurred to me that on our 60th anniversary I will be eighty-three and Sheri will be eighty-one.  Standing arm-in-arm in our golden years will be the same couple that stood together as kids in their early twenties exchanging pledges and vows in a little Colorado church.  What we started together we will finish together, “Til death do us part.”

Pastor Todd Weston



Tombstones

7/14/2014

 
Pastors spend quite a bit of time in cemeteries.  While there they are able to read some of the tombstones and grave markers.  Here are a few inscriptions that have been collected by pastors from cemeteries across the country:

This from a cemetery most likely located in the wild, wild, west:
“Here lies Lester Moore.  Four slugs from a 44.  No less.  No more.”

Seen on the grave marker of a dentist:
“Stranger, approach this spot with gravity.
John Brown is filling his last cavity.”


From an Elkhart, Indiana, professor:
“School is out.  Teacher has gone home.”

Found in Ruido, New Mexico:
“Here lies John Yeast.  Pardon me for not rising.”

From Lee County, Mississippi:
“Once I wasn’t.  Then I was.  Now I ain’t again.”

This inscription is from a grave marker in Ft. Wallace, Kansas:
“He tried to make 2 jacks beat a pair of aces.”

I suppose the greatest epitaph found in the Bible is that of the Apostle Paul.  You can find it in 2 Timothy 4:7.  It tells of a man who was faithful to his God and to his calling.  It reads, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”


It has been said that a good character is the best tombstone.  People will remember the kind of person you were long after epitaphs are forgotten.  So carve your name on hearts, not on marble.

Pastor Todd Weston




Israel

7/7/2014

 
Israel is in the news again.  The recent escalation of violence is a reminder of Israel’s ongoing geopolitical predicament.  Located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea (the “Great Sea” in biblical terminology), Israel is surrounded by a host of not-so-friendly neighbors.

There is Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan on the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, Egypt to the southwest, and the Palestinian territories comprising the West Bank and Gaza strip on the east and southwest respectively.  These are the immediate neighbors.  Beyond them are a host of nations committed to Israel’s demise.

The fact that Israel continues to exist in this setting is a modern-day David and Goliath miracle.  Israel is not a large nation.  It’s about the size of New Jersey (8,522 square miles – the United States is nearly four million square miles) with a population of just over eight million.  And yet Israel holds its own without a friend in the world, save the United States.

But no matter, for the God of heaven fights for Israel (Zechariah 14:3).  As for the capital city of Jerusalem, “The LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; He will shield it and deliver it, He will pass over it and will rescue it” (Isaiah 31:5).  Let the enemies of Israel beware!  The Lord Himself has declared, “I will defend this city [Jerusalem] and save it, for My sake and for the sake of David My servant” (Isaiah 37:35).

Though the anti-Israel crowd seems to be gaining momentum, the best thing the United States can do is to stand unapologetically with Israel.  For the ancient promise made to Abraham still applies, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you” (Genesis 12:3).

So let us, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6).

Pastor Todd Weston




    Pastor Todd

    Lead Pastor
    River of Life
    Assembly of God

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    1 Timothy 4:12
    9/11
    Accountability
    Bible
    Bitterness
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Cheerful Heart
    Choices
    Christmas
    Church
    Church Ministry Center
    Comfort
    Commitment
    Compromise
    Confidence
    Connection
    Courage
    Courageous
    Creativity
    Criticism
    Daniel
    David
    Deceitfulness
    Direction
    Discernment
    Drifting
    Economy
    Elections
    Endurance
    Esther
    Faith
    Father
    Fear
    Fellowship
    Finances
    Forgiveness
    Generosity
    Gifts
    Gospel
    Grace
    Great Commission
    Greatness
    Haiti
    Heaven
    Hebrews 12:14
    Heroes
    Holiness
    Home
    Hope
    Israel
    Joseph
    Light
    Mary
    Media
    Mercy
    Miracles
    Missions
    Moms
    Mothers Day
    Motivation
    Natural Gifts
    New Year
    Obstacles
    Options
    Outreach
    Overcome
    Peace
    Perspective
    Planning
    Power
    Priorities
    Race
    Rapture
    Read
    Renew
    Rla Connect
    Running
    Servant
    Sin
    Sing
    Spiritual Gifts
    Success
    Time
    Tithe
    Trials
    Truth
    Unity
    Variety
    Vision
    Voting
    Wedding
    Willing Heart
    Word
    Youth

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.