I met an amazing man on Saturday, 11/14/2009 – Rick Della Valle and his wife Lucyah.  This man is taking a 3300 mile walk across America, 100 miles for every year of Jesus’ life on earth.  That is an amazing witness for the Lord, especially in a time where men, women, boys and girls are staggering, there is hopelessness and everything seems to be going wrong.  Somehow in our daily walks we have forgotten Christ.  If you have an opportunity, visit his website at http://www.walkacrossamericaforchrist.blogspot.com/. 

After prayer and consideration, if the Lord leads you, make a donation to his work for Christ.  I know that Shirley and I will be doing that from time to time.  Nick and Lucyah are missionaries spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an unusual way right here in America.  WE NEED THAT.  More people who are willing to say that they serve a true and living God.

Psalms 119:1-2 says “Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. “  These verses let us know what happens when we have personal revival in our lives. We are blessed. As we enter into the fall season, look at what you did this summer. Were you blessed this summer? Did you walk of the law of the Lord? If you stumbled, repent and get up and start walking in the law of the Lord. When we walk in the law of the Lord, a deep repentance occurs and we get rid of the clouds in our lives. We must confess our sins to the Lord. A while back, my wife bought the 6 week body makeover. In it there was a six day mini makeover. The aim of the makeover is to reduce weight. That is the same thing that repentance does in our lives. It removes the weight that bounds us.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”   Deep repentance is like taking soft winter wheat and bleaching it so that it can be transformed into cake flour. The texture of cake flour is not like soft winter wheat. It has a softer texture, smooth feel and produces cakes with a tender crumb. This is exactly how we are transformed, when we enter into deep repentance. Once we totally confess our sins, we become as a tender crumb, ready and willing to submit and be qualified for the next step of our personal revival journey.

When you confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior to the world, you will be blessed.

Until we talk again,

Pastor Thad

It’s back to school time all across America, whether you are going to college, high school, junior high, elementary school, kindergarten or vocational school. Each year in Okmulgee, Oklahoma we sponsor an event for students returning to school called “Praise in the Park”. We sponsor this event during the same weekend as the National Black Rodeo which draws thousands of individuals into the area. Our event this year was a success. We fellowship and feed anyone in attendance along with having water sports and other outdoor activities. We do this to encourage young people returning to school. We want to put forth the message that “Failure is not an option”. Students, concentrate and focus this year. Do good in school. In fact do better than good. Have a desire for excellence in all that you do. Your educational accomplishments will be recognized for years to come because you are gaining knowledge that will help you through life socially, financially and above all spiritually.

In our Sunday service on May 24, 2009, we celebrated the graduation of 6 individuals. All across America, people are attending graduations. This is a time of celebration. I reminded the individuals in our church not to forget about God during this time and as they moved forward for the remainder of their lives. For those of you who are graduating from high school, this is a time for you to do some searching. You need some additional training in order to get to the next level. You are in somewhat of an in-betwen state. Don’t stop now! Trust in the Lord! Listen to wise counsel! and you will make it to the next level. You will see what your real purpose is. We take steps on life and you have been making baby steps. Now, though, are are taking a giant step. For the parents of these young people, encourage them to go on. Build them up spiritually, socially, and emotionally so that they will know how to face the challenges that lie ahead.

To you who have received your Associates and Bachelors, I congratulate you. Two years ago, we sat in the stadium of University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS and watched our son as he walked down the aisle. He graduated in the top 5% of his graduating class. We were and still are proud parents. So parents I know what you went through, how you prayed and how you stayed with your young adult as he or she went through college and received that degree. So I not only congratulate the college graduate but the parents, grandparents, guardian or other mentor of that college graduate to help him or her stay focused on what life is all about.

To those of you receiving your Masters, Doctorate, JD, MD or other higher eduation degree, you have accomplished much and you have done great. Society is expecting great things from you. Education has given you the knowledge and because of the grace of God and you seeking the Lord in your life, you will be given the wisdom to affect and change the course of not one, but many, lives. My wife, Shirley, and I hope in May, 2010 to see our son graduate from University of Oklahoma’s law school. We are pressing and have pressed for that day.

Again graduates congratulations and to those who prayed for all graduates across America, I thank you and applaud you for trusting in the Lord. Now graduates, your graduation day was not an end but a beginning to a new course in your life. Cherish that day and be thankful but recognize that if you do not falter, God has so much more in store for you.

Pastor Thad

During the month of May, 2009, watch the “What is Real Joy?” video message at http://www.todayschurch.tv and let me know if you agree with my assessment of what real joy is.  I love being around joyful people because they can make the best out of some of the most difficult circumstances.  When I see joyful people, I always see them as people with a great faith.  How many times have you been faced with a challenge and yet can find joy through the circumstance.  That requires great courage and as I said earlier, great faith.

Are you a joyful person and do you know what real joy is?

I had someone say to me today that I seem like a person who is desperate because I provide too much information. Well, I am desperate. Why? Because I have a burning desire for individuals to know the Savior that I serve and love and that is Jesus Christ. If that makes me desperate, so be it. The same person that said that I was desperate also looked at their church as a small country church. No church that stands open in Jesus’ name is a small country church. IT IS A CHURCH WITH A GREAT BIG MESSAGE. What these comments told me is that we look at ourselves and see ourselves as small, our accomplishments as small and our future as small. IF I SERVE A GREAT BIG GOD, THEN SOMETHING BIG AND SOMETHING GOOD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME. Stop looking down. Look up. I have found that when I looked down I always lost my way. I when I looked forward and looked up, I could make it through. YES I’M DESPERATE – DESPERATE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN!

Sometimes in the busyness of life, we get offtrack. Well, everyone, I got off track on keeping my BLOG updated. But I am now back on track. Many things have happened over the past few months that I want to share with you and I will be loading some new items each day. Look for it. I appreciate your sharing and posting with me.

On July 5th, I had the opportunity to travel to Rwanda for 8 days.  During this trip I was truly blessed.  I went over with the team at Victory World Missions, Pastors Billy Joe and Sharon Daugherty.  I was able to minister in the prisons and at one of the pastor / leader conferences.

This was truly an experience.  But in light of the genocide that occured in Rwanda, the 800,000+ people who lost their lives in the genocide over cultural / physical trait differences, I was most moved by the testimony of a young girl who had said that when her family was killed, she was 3 years old.  But she encouraged those in attendance at the crusade to forgive those who had done this great tragedy.

It made me think about myself.  I just could not imagine myself in a situation where my entire family is taken and years later I have to ask everyone who had found themselves in that same situation as me to forgive those who had done them wrong.  But I had to think again about how gracious Jesus Christ had been when He asked the Father to forgive them for they did not know what they had done.  I must exercise this same forgiveness in my life.  I know it is very hard to forgive but if Jesus could do it, if this little girl could do it, then I know that because of my faith in Jesus Christ, I can do it. 

So what about you?  Is there someone you need to forgive today but you have been holding on to grudges.  I encourage you today to put those things behind you and press for the mark of a higher calling.  It’s time to forgive.

Again, Rwanda was truly an experience for me.  May God continue to bless you.

Pastor Thad

I don’t know if you have seen the documentary “March of the Penguins” but it is very good.  There are many lessons in life we can learn from this documentary.  One thing that we can learn is that as Christians, we must be determined in our walk of faith.  These penguins walked 70 miles day and night to reach their destination.  How far are you willing to walk in your walk of faith?

I recently delivered a graduation sermon to our congregation titled “Penguin Power – A March of Determination”.  This message encourages us to be determined in all aspects of our lives and not to give up.  It takes determination to make it to and through every phase of life.

Ask yourself, am I a determined individual?  Then look and see what it takes for you to have determination.  And remember with the determination that you develop, learn that through increasing your faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, your level of determination will be heightened by your faith.

Blessings,

Pastor Thad

On Sunday, April 27, 2008 my message will be titled “The House that Jack and Jill Built”.  I know that you have probably read the nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill” from the Mother Goose rhymes which goes something like this:  “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after”.  I read a story once that interpreted this story as a story about King Charles in the 17th century who tried to raise taxes on liquid measures.  He presented his proposal in such a way that even if Parliament defeated the proposal, additional tax would be levied.  Parliament concentrated so much on not passing the law that they allowed taxes to be raised.  So what does that have to do with us?  Well during Jesus’ life, the religious leaders got so caught up with what Jesus did in terms of the law that they overlooked the victory of the resurrection and what the church would be called after the resurrection.

What was Jesus’s church to be called after the resurrection?  Isaiah 56:7 clearly stated that God’s house is to be called a house of prayer and Jesus restated this in Matt 21:12-13.

So by now you have surmised that the house that Jack and Jill built was not a house of prayer. 

I hope that you are having a happy and blessed April.  Springtime is here and it is beautiful in Oklahoma.  How about where you are?  Hope to hear from you soon.

Remember, if you have questions, comments, etc.  please feel free to post them on this blog.

Pastor Thad