Pastor Rileys Blog

Good Morning,

“As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us”
Ps. 103:12

They say that confession is good for the soul. I guess that’s because confession does for the soul what preparing the land does for the field. Before a farmer sows the seed he works the acreage, removing the rocks and pulling the stumps. That’s because he knows the seed grows better if the land has been prepared. Confession is the act of inviting God to walk the acreage of our hearts pointing out a rock of greed, or a stump of guilt. So the Father and the Son walk the field and the Spirit points these things out in our hearts. Together they begin pulling and digging, preparing our hearts for the planting of His grace.

Confession invites God to work the soil of the soul. Maybe that’s what you need to do today to have the peace you seek.

All In with confessing

Good Morning,

Miss me yesterday? Internet woes.

“He took our suffering on Him, and felt our pain for us.”
Isa. 53:4

Jesus knows how you feel today. Are you nervous about a meeting? Would you rather just stay in bed? Are you pumped to get the day started? Are you under a lot of pressure at work? Jesus knows how you feel. Do you have more to do than is humanly possible? So did He. People take more from you than they give? Believe me, Jesus understands. Your teenagers won’t listen? Your students won’t try? Yes, Jesus knows that feeling.

But you are precious to Him, so precious that He became like you so you would come to Him with these feelings. When you struggle, He listens because He’s been there.

Stay All In and He’ll always be there

Good Morning,

“Lord don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work?”
Lu. 11:40

And “Lord had you been here my brother Lazarus would not have died”. Mary, Martha, Job, Habakkuk, David, the list goes on and on. They even wrote a hymn to express these feelings. Do you remember the song “Does Jesus Care”? “When I’ve said good-bye to the dearest on earth to me, and my sad heart aches, till it nearly breaks, is it aught to Him does He see?”

Early Friday morning Janie Poole’s husband James died of a massive heart attack. At 9:00 Saturday night Janie Poole’s daughter died of brain cancer. She went to funerals on Monday and Tuesday. She hugged my neck at the graves both days. She came to revival service Tuesday night.

I never once heard her wonder aloud if Jesus cared. I can’t imagine how hard that weekend was, losing husband and daughter within 36 hours. And, a son who is so estranged that he didn’t come to either funeral though he lives in the same town. But again, not one time did Janie question it all.

Now how can that be? She’s not a theologian, doesn’t have any college education, probably can’t quote a lot of scripture verses. What she is, is a woman of faith. In spite of all the hurt and loss, she still believes she has a loving heavenly Father, who sees and cares and loves, and somehow has it all beneath His providential care.

Your life, today, Jesus cares, trust Him.

All In with a God who sees and cares

Good Morning,

“God will always give what is right to His people,
who cry to Him night and day,
and He will not be slow to answer them.”
Luke 18:7

Have you ever wondered why God waits, at least from our perspective? Why does God wait until the money is gone? Why does God wait until the sickness has lingered? Why does He choose to wait until the other side of the grave to answer prayers for healing?

I don’t know. I only know in my heart that His timing is perfect, always right. I know He will only do what is best, what is right.

You may not hear Him, but He is speaking. You may not see anything, but He is moving. Everything happening in your life He intends to use to bring you closer to Him.

All In and Holding On with Both Hands of Trust

Good Morning,

“For we have no superhuman High Priest to whom our weaknesses
are unintelligible; He Himself has shared fully in all our
experience of temptation, except that He never sinned.”
Heb. 4:15 J. B. Phillips

Are you ever tempted to think, “God’s it’s easy for You up there in heaven. You don’t know how hard it is down here.”? Look at the wording of the scripture verse again.

“He Himself”, not an angel or an ambassador, but Jesus Himself.

“shared fully”, not in part, not almost, not nearly, but entirely, completely.

“in all our experiences”, every hurt, each ache, all the types of stresses and strains, no exceptions.

Why? So He could know exactly how you feel. He cut no corners becoming our Advocate with the Father.

He was All In, so am I

Good Morning, and Happy New Year!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, I press toward
the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.”
Phil. 3:13-14

I read a magazine article where a man listed his seven goals for the New Year. They’re pretty good so I thought I’d share them with you. Maybe you’ll see one you like too.

“I want to consistently start each day with prayer”

“I want to consistently face life’s battles with the Word”

“I want to know God for myself”

“I want to be a shining light for others.”

“I want to honor, respect and uplift others”

“I want to live in the atmosphere of God’s peace, regardless of circumstances”

“I want to live in eager expectation of His return”

Not bad, huh? Might help you stay All In for 2012

Good Morning,

“God has given a Son to us . . . His name will be Wonderful Counselor,
Powerful God . . . Prince of Peace”
Isa. 9

We read these words every Christmas, or at least we should, for they are an important reminder. That if our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent a great economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, He sent a Savior.

Just a reminder why we’re All In

Calling hours for Kathy Dixon, today 3-7 in Outreach Center

Funeral, 10:00 tomorrow at the Palace
I know that we will want to show the community how supportive our church is of its family.

Good Morning,

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Ps. 23:6

I recently read the book “Killing Lincoln” which of course is a historical novel about the assassination of President Lincoln and subsequent apprehension of his killer John Wilkes Booth. The book described the chase to find Booth as one of the greatest manhunts in the history of the world. The Union Army, police departments from all the surrounding cities, private detectives, all chasing down one man. He never really had a chance to escape their reach.

There is a much greater manhunt.

The God who pursued us.

Chasing us, tracking us down, following us with goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. He began by looking for Adam and Eve who were hiding in the bushes. Gen. 3:9 tells us of God’s voice ringing out upon the earth “Where are you?” Thus the beginning quest for the heart of man, until finally He sent His Son, who later sent His Spirit. A relentless search it is. Amidst all the lights of Christmas, if you quiet the songs of the season, you will hear Him still, “Where are you?” calling the ones who have not yet been found.

All In for the Search

Good Morning,

“I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens.”
Phil. 4:11

Wow! I am soooooo not good at that. It’s not even 8:00 in the morning and I’ve already sent two e-mails asking why there’s no steel erected yet. Now I am satisfied with what I have in terms of material goods. But satisfied with “everything that happens”?

Another translation of that verse uses the word contented rather than satisfied. I think those are two different words. If I’m satisfied then I just accept whatever and move on, I’m okay with it, makes no real difference to me. But if I’m content, I can deal with it knowing there is a greater, deeper good which in the end will sustain my peace. Maybe I’m playing word games. Maybe I’m trying to justify my impatience. Maybe I hate that translation above.

I don’t know; I certainly don’t know me as well as God knows me. I am satisfied with that, and I trust that He will complete what He began in me.

So I guess I’ll stay All In

Good Morning,

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

Really??? Do you remember the song, “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth”? Karen asked me what I wanted for Christmas and my response was “nothing really”. When I asked her the same question, as you can imagine, she had a very different answer.

Zion Church Builders told me this week that the outer structure of our new building will be up by the end of December. That would be a great Christmas present.

Several sources are reporting that Urban Meyer will be announced as the new Buckeye’s football coach next week. That would be an exciting Christmas present.

President Obama, aka the Grinch, says he will put America back to work. That’s a great Christmas present for all of you who still believe in Santa Claus.

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” If He comes in unexpected ways, sudden appearances, startling realities, what a great Christmas it will be!!!

I pray you will be “All In” the Spirit of Christmas this year