The World Needs You

   Good afternoon and welcome to the Panhandle, I'm glad you can join me.  I was reading one of my devotionals the other day, Words of Wisdom: Daily Teachings on Pursuing God – A.W. Tozer. The reading as you will see was on holiness in an unholy world.
   “The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God and the Church is famishing for want of His Presence.” – A.W. Tozer
   But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. (1 Peter 1:15). 
   The world needs God, and the Church must be the beacon of His presence. While we are in the world, we must not become so caught up in it that we forget who’s we are. A lighthouse doesn't blend in to the ocean, sea or lake; it stands tall so that it can be seen even at a great distance. 
   Tozer emphasizes the importance of holiness— not as a moral achievement but as a way to draw near to God and reflect Him to others. 
   1 Peter 1:15 reminds us of our holiness or calling to be set apart in all we do. Not as a bunch of "holier than thou" people, but as a sinful people saved by grace and made a new creation by God. 
   Pursuing holiness is not about perfection but about devotion to God’s will and purpose. Take time today to examine your life and commit to growing in holiness. 

Thanks again for dropping by and may: The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.'   
(Numbers 6:24-26)

Bro. Orden

Varoom, Varoom - I'm Behind The Wheel Once More

   Good morning and welcome to a cool Panhandle. I'd like to start out this morning praising the Lord. Praising Him for His faithfulness even when I get in a hurry and wonder what's going on. Case and point -me being able to drive again.

   As some of you know I broke my fibula and tibia on my right leg. Dr. Riley tried to pin them back together but because I had softening of the bone (Charcot). The pinning didn't work, Dr. gave it a good try, but she had bad bone to work with from the start. I ended up getting infection and Dr. Riley had to take my leg five inches below my knee. The surgery went great and in about a month and a half I was going to Mahaffey Orthotics and Prosthetics. The folks are great there and after a couple of practice prosthetics I was able to get my current prosthetic. 

   After sometime I decided I was getting around well enough to start try and start driving. At first I tried to drive with my prosthetic. That didn't work out well, in our car my foot kept getting hooked under the break and one time trying to park the car in the garage my foot got stuck and I barely got the car stopped before I hit the workbench in the back of the garage. Now I can drive the van with my prosthetic sort of, I have to look down to make sure I'm on the right peddle and I have to lift it between the break and accelerator. Not a long term solution that's for sure. Next I tried to drive with my left foot, and that was a no go. I wear a size 15 wide and I couldn't get my right foot over far enough for my left foot to the accelerator. 

   Since I couldn't drive without assistance I started looking at driving apparatus to modify our car. I found what looked like a good one on Amazon, but when I talk to a local mechanic about putting it on he recommended a different type. The equipment he recommended let my wife drive normally, she wouldn't have to learn to drive with the modifications. My wife and I really liked that idea and so I started looking into it. This was in late March and early May. My sister who had to have some modifications made to their van to accommodate their handicapped son told us about Newby Vance Mobility on S. Shields. I went by to talk to them and after talking to them found out that they couldn't install the equipment until I took driving classes and got a new license. They gave me the names of some places I could call and get setup for the classes.

   I got a hold of Brock at Decisive Drivers and went about setting up a consultation and it was then that he told me about the Department of Rehabilitation Services. DRS is a government agency and also uses some state funds to help people who have disabilities get on with their lives. They help with all kinds of things so a person can get a job or be able to continue doing their job. I've never dealt with a government agency, well that's not quite right; I did try to get food stamps when I was a college student in Ca. but that's another story. When we heard the cost of the classes and the equipment we decided to give DRS at try. The Lord blessed us by letting us find a DRS office in Guymon and a great staff there. Melissa handled our case and was after some time able to send Lisa a specialist to come and look at our car to make sure it qualified. Melissa and Lisa were great to work with and I'm afraid we may have worn them out with our texts, calls, and e-mails. 

We finally got the approval for the drivers classes this pass September and so the scary and fun moments of driving began. 

I had three great driving instructors from Decisive Drives and after three days of classes I was ready to take my driver's test. I gotta tell you I was a bit nervous, I hadn't taken a driver's test in quite awhile. My first test was back in 1976 and then about 6 or 7 years ago I took the test to get a CDL so I could drive a school bus. Parallel Parking - those two words bring a chill of fear to me, I'm not a good at parallel parking. My best friend Kevin, now he could parallel park and not with the little cars like today, but with the big battle wagons we had in the 70s. Sure enough when I tried to parallel park the first time I didn't do so good, nerves and all. When you take the drivers test they start with that dreaded task, but I was shown mercy when I didn't do so good the first time. The second try was picture perfect and the test went smoothly from there, not. When I got ready to turn on to the road and tapped my turn signal bar it flew off and into the tester's lap. When she asked if I wanted to go on or go back and fix it, I said, "I'm stressed enough, we're going on." The rest of the test did go good after that and when I got back I passed my test with a 95. I want to go record thanking my driving tester, she let me know well enough in advance when to turn so that I could let off my hand unit to hit the turn signal in plenty of time to get back on the hand unit and make my turn.

   This last week after dealing with Jeff and Sam, both great guys and a lot help we got the new equipment installed in our car at Newby Vance and I was able to drive really drive for the first time in almost 16 months. My wife still drove on the highway, but I drove the rest of the way home after we got off the interstate.

   And so an adventure that began in the last of March and the beginning of April came to a close here in January. And again I praise God for His hand in all of this. He put all the right people in our path to help us along the way. Just as He has done since I broke my leg. Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15).

I know my story is a bit long today, so thank you for stopping by and for reading it. And when the road seems long and you start to grow weary: Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. Selah

Have a blessed day,

A Panhandle pastor 



   
  

              

The Greatest Christmas Gift Ever

 Good evening and welcome to the Panhandle,  I'm sure glad you dropped by. It's Christmas time and I wanted to take a minute to look at Advent. On the first Sunday traditionally a purple candle is lit to signifies Hope. The second week another purple candle is lit to signifies Peace. The third week a pink candle is lit to signifies Joy. The fourth candle to be lit is white to signify the Light of the World. One site calls it the "Christ Candle." We don't light the candles at our church but we do celebrate Advent.

What is Advent? Is a season observed as a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus's birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, often referred to as Advent Sunday. The name comes from Latin adventus ('coming; arrival'), translating the Greek parousia from the New Testament, originally referring to the Second Coming. 

On this the 13th day of December let's remember that what started in a manger led to a cross, and to an empty tomb. And someday it will culminate with the return of Jesus Christ. This is the hope that all who know Him as Lord and Saviour can bank on. In this sometimes overwhelming season and all year long for that matter, it is Jesus Christ who gives us peace: And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7). Joy - joy is more than just being happy, it's more just being in a good mood. Joy is more a state of being than an emotion; joy is a choice. You get to choose to be joyful. The "Christ Candle" Jesus Christ was born under the light of the Christmas star, why? Because He is the light and life to a dark world: In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:4-5). Jesus said of Himself in John 8:12: Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 

Jesus is the hope, peace, joy, and light to all who will seek Him and start a personal relationship with Him. You can do this by first admitting your a sinner, don't worry your in good company because you see we are all sinners even those of us who are Christians. The only difference is we have admitted we are sinners and ask Jesus Christ to forgive our sins. The next thing you need to do is to believe that Jesus is God and that only He can forgive your sins: that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10). Finally ask Jesus Christ into your life by asking Him to become your Lord and Saviour. Do this and you will receive the greatest Christmas gift ever. Eternal life with God: and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4). 

Merry Christmas to you and yours. And - The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’ 

Bro. Orden - a Panhandle pastor

 

Celebrate! God's Got Ya Covered

 Good morning and welcome to the Panhandle, I'm glad you were able to stop by. Well, here it is just two days until December and I don't know whether to write about Christmas or the end of an old year and the beginning of a new year.
   People almost all around the world celebrate Christmas in some form or another. They may not celebrate the birth of Jesus, but they do celebrate. Isn't it funny that as humans we will celebrate just about anything just so we can come together and have a great time. 
   I guess that's a rabbit to chase some other time. Or maybe not. People celebrate Christmas without understanding the great thing it represents. Or maybe they do and don't want to admit it. Maybe that is why they have changed the name to "Winter Celebration" or "Winter Holiday" or just "The Holidays." In truth it is none of these; it is a celebration of a birth that would change the world. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.(Luke 2:10-11).
   So whether it happened in December or not, doesn't matter. We don't celebrate the day, we celebrate the birth, the life, the death, and the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
   Because we celebrate what Jesus has done for us then we can look forward to the New Year. Why do I write this? Because I know that God is already there, Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2). And listen to what the writer of Hebrew says - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8). 
   The great thing about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is they are all present, all powerful, and all knowing. What that means to you and me is that God can never be surprised, never taken off guard, and there's nothing that He can't handle. So while we may have a tough time of it, God will have our back, and He will go before us. The God who spoke all creation into existence, who was, is and will be; loves us so much He sent His Son so that we can face tomorrow, and next year, and so on until Jesus comes back for us. And He is coming back! Until then Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And may, The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, 
And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.'        (Numbers 6:24-26)

Brother Orden

Seasons of Life

   Afternoon folks and welcome to the Panhandle. The air was crisp, the wind was blowing, and the sun was shining, it was a beautiful Fall day. While standing there enjoying the day I was reminded again how our life is like the seasons of the year. 
   For me my early years were like Spring. Life was new like the new grasses, it was scary like a thunder storm, or an earthquake, and it was exciting like the Fourth of July.
   Summer, well that was my life as a teenager and 20 something. These were years of exploring, hiking in the foot hills, heading to the beach, family vacations across the United States. It was in these years that I thought I had found love, on more than one occasion. It was the years of my first date, and yes my first kiss. It was a time of music, and friends just hanging out. It was also when I found the true love of God the Father, and I invited Jesus into my life as my Lord and Saviour. that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10). 
   Fall, that was where I entered my 30's and it is still where I fell like I am now. I finished College, I found the 2nd love of my life and she became my wife. We had children, and have made a great life together. We have faced hardship and loss. We have found that life is still scary and it gets messy sometimes, but we also know God has always been in control. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 
(Mark 4:38-39).
   Winter, I guess that is the part of life where days are short at least here on earth. This is  a time of fondly remembering friends and family and those who have passed on. It is also a time when we know that when death comes it isn't the end, but a new beginning.
   Of course to see Winter turn to eternal Spring you must have a personal relationship with Jesus. I pray you do. 

Thanks again for dropping by and  ‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ (Numbers 6:24-26)

 
 Brother Orden

It Ain't Easy, But It's Worth It!

 Good afternoon and welcome to the Panhandle. With the one year anniversary of our son's suicide I've been contemplative. I guess that comes with the territory. I pray that you will find comfort and hope from today's blog. 

You know some times people think just because they are Christians their lives will be trouble free. But all they would have to do is look at the lives of Christians. Or if they could hear the prayers we lift up they would know that being a Christian doesn't mean a life of ease.

Jesus never promised us an easy life as one of His followers here on this earth. As a matter of fact He did just the opposite: If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (John 15:20). If I ended my post here it would be depressing for sure. I mean with what I have just written who would ever want to trust Jesus as their Lord and Saviour?

But this isn't the end. Sure life is hard like I said, but if you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you have hope. Not just any hope but an eternal hope found in Jesus. Jesus told us that He would be with us and see us through this journey here on earth: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus will dwell with us to the very end of this age and we will dwell with Him in the next age which has no ending. A life in Jesus truly has no end.

Jesus not only sees us through He is right there with us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Look here at this very familiar passage: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30).

Sure we are going to go through some hard times, I'm not going to make light of them. But I know this from personal experience that with Jesus in my life I can make it through. Yes, there will be heartache at times. But at the end of it all when I pass through this life I will arrive in a perfect eternal life where I will see family and friends that have gone on before me and I will finally stand face to face with my Saviour and my God. 

Thanks again for dropping by and  ‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ (Numbers 6:24-26)

Bro.  Orden

A Word of Encouragement

   Good morning and welcome to the Panhandle I'm glad your able to drop by.  I recently took an old tea candle house and painted it some bright colors and wired it to a stand left here by one of the former pastors of the parsonage. Gayla filled it with birdseed and now we have a bird house just out our living room window. It is fun to watch the little birds flit and flutter around it and occasionally one will go down the chimney and chase the other birds out. 
   As I watch the birds I am reminded of that verse: Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26).
   It's easy to get discouraged, to feel like everything is going against you. You just want to cry out, "God, why?" "Why did you take my son?" "Why are you letting my son or daughter suffer?" "Why am I experiencing this now?"
   Maybe you think, "Am I not serving you like I should?" Maybe your saying to yourself, "If only my faith was a little stronger then maybe it wouldn't be so bad." It could be you feel like Job: "I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me." (Job 30:20). 
   I know where your coming from I've been there. I even find myself telling the Lord, "I'm not Job, Father, please no more." And then after that I have called to Him, hollered at Him, begged Him and everything in between.
   Even when we can't find God, or when we think our prayers aren't getting any higher than the ceiling He is there. The promise God made to Joshua in Joshua 1:5, He has made to us: I will never leave you nor forsake you.
   So holler, beg, ask why, cry out to God. Do what ever you need to do. Then look at the birds. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(Matthew 10:29-31).

“‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ (Numbers 6:24-26).

 Brother Orden