Life’s Little Enjoyments

Life’s Little Enjoyments

I was reflecting on some things that I really like in life. The things we do that can be called “let’s make a memory” time. Here are some thoughts about these times.
One of the things that I enjoy very much in our life is the fact that we have somewhat of a family get together on Sunday after church almost every Sunday. We have our children, that are around the area, here for a meal and fellowship, along with a few other friends from time to time.
This is an important part of our life because we came from families that did not do this to much. It gives us a great sense of bonding and understanding of love for one another. As a pastor I see that this kind of bonding is missing from so many families. People used to sit down together for a meal at the table. The table was a place for conversation and interaction with the family and others. The communication with each other gave a sense of being important enough to be heard. Many life lessons were shared there and many life lessons were handled there without having to seek outside help.
One of the things that happens when you have this kind of family time is traditions are made for your family. Another is there is always an open door where questions can be asked and answered. Yet another is that the family cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers in-law and sisters in-law etc all know each other face to face and can build lasting relationships with each other.
When I (pastor Kitner)was young we all went to my grandpaps cottage and we had a great time. This was good until my grandfather died. Then it all ceased and people went their separate ways. I guess I am trying in my own small way to re-establish this as our family tradition but I want it to continue long after I am gone if the Lord tarries.
Let me know what some of your family times involve that make good memories for you.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Teachability is a Must! - - click here

If a person is to teach others they themselves must be teachable. So many people want to teach others but they are not teachable. We all need to be life long learners so we can be life long teachers. Click on the title above.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

This church actually voted against The Great Commission!

Think about the mindset of the church and what is the guiding principle for what the church does and should be doing. Question for you: Who is the owner of the church?
Your church board or Jesus Christ the one who declared in Matthew 16:18 that He would build His church. Bricks and mortar is not what matters people do.

Matthew 16:13 - 19 (NIV) 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

See the following from a sermon entitled “Living the Resurrection Life” by Rocky Henriques

I was talking to a pastor friend the other day, who teaches a small seminary extension class. These are men and women who either are now or will be serving a church in some paid staff position. They were discussing in their class the issue of the church reaching out to people who are different from those in the church. My friend warned the class of a very sobering truth: that some of them would be fired from their churches if they actually did reach out to others, the way Jesus taught and commanded.
One of the students is a pastor. He told the class that some in his church were actually reaching out to others who were different—socially, ethnically, economically. And some of those people began to attend his church. But then some of the more influential church members began to be “concerned” because of these people who were attending “their” church. So the pastor said, “Well, folks, this is what The Great Commission says that we are to do.” He was saying to them, “This is our mission. This is our responsibility.” He received such opposition to the whole idea that he put The Great Commission to a vote in his church! Do we support it or not? And that sounds a little comical to us.
But then this pastor told his stunned classmates that the church actually voted against The Great Commission! Can you imagine? I heard my friend telling this and I just shook my head in disbelief. But then I realized something: there are churches who call themselves “Christian” all across our great land who have already voted against The Great Commission by their inactivity, by their apathy, by their nonchalant attitude toward anything spiritual. There are people who call themselves “Christian” around the world, starting right here in our own community, who have already voted against The Great Commission by their don’t-care attitude regarding our responsibilities for service in the Kingdom of God.
May God revive our hearts and empower us to obey Him in doing what He tells us to do. – by Rocky Henriques

Thinking Related to Relationships

This is another section from John Maxwell's book "Thinking for a Change". I suggest that you get the book and read it from cover to cover. There are a lot of good principles on "thinking" given for your help.
When you think about something reflectively, ask the right questions.
Important questions that help you stay focused and keep you moving to improve on your life and actions.

Thinking Related to Relationships: Part II

3. Inner Ciccle: Have I spent enough time ith my key players? What can I do to help them be more successful? In what areas can I mentor them.

4.God: Have I spent time with God? What is He teaching me now? Am I learning? Am I obeying?Have I continuallytalked with Him Today?

See John Maxwell's site

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Thinking Related to Relationships

This is another section from John Maxwell's book "Thinking for a Change". I suggest that you get the book and read it from cover to cover. There are a lot of good principles on "thinking" given for your help.
When you think about something reflectively, ask the right questions.
Important questions that help you stay focused and keep you moving to improve on your life and actions.

Thinking Related to Relationships: Part I

1. Marriage and Family: Did I communicate love to my wife and children (or others) and grandchildren today? How did I show that love? Did they feel it? Did they return it?

2.Friends: Have I been a good friend this week? To Whom? What did I do? Is there something else I need to do? Is there another friend who needs me?

more to come.....

See John Maxwell's site

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Reflective Thinking Part III

This is another section from John Maxwell's book "Thinking for a Change". I suggest that you get the book and read it from cover to cover. There are a lot of good principles on "thinking" given for your help.
When you think about something reflectively, ask the right questions.
Important questions that help you stay focused and keep you moving to improve on your life and actions.

Thinking Related to Values: Part III

5.Physical Health: Did I exercise at my optimal heart rate for thirty-five minutes today? Have I exercised at least five times in the last seven days? Did I stay on my low fat diet today?

6. Personal Faith: Did I represent God well today? Did I practice the Golden Rule? Have I "walked the second mile" with someone?

This ends the section on "Thinking related to values". We will begin a look at other thinking in regard to relationships and experiences tomorrow.- Check back

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

See John Maxwell's site

Reflective Thinking Part II

This is another section from John Maxwell's book "Thinking for a Change". I suggest that you get the book and read it from cover to cover. There are a lot of good principles on "thinking" given for your help.
When you think about something reflectively, ask the right questions.
Important questions that help you stay focused and keep you moving to improve on your life and actions.

Thinking Related to Values: Part II

3. Teamwork: What did I do with someone else that made both of us better? Would the other person agree that it was a win/win? Can we do something else together to continue our mutual Success?

4. Leadership: Did I lead by example today? Did I lift my people and organization to a higher level? What did I do and how did I do it?

More to follow tomorrow....

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

See John Maxwell's site

'Hate crimes' bill - bad news for believers - click here

Reflective Thinking Part I

This is from John Maxwell's book "Thinking for a Change". I suggest that you get the book and read it from cover to cover. There are a lot of good principles on "thinking" given for your help.
When you think about something reflectively, ask the right questions.
Important questions that help you stay focused and keep you moving to improve on your life and actions.

Thinking Related to Values:

1. Personal Growth: What have I learned today that will help me grow?
How can I apply it to my life? When should I apply it?

2. Adding Value: To whom did I add value today? How do I know I added value to that person? Can I follow up and compound the positive benefit he or she received?

More to follow tomorrow....

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

See John Maxwell's site

What an Inspiration

Sunday we had a group from Valley Forge Christian College minister in our church. The name of this group is "An Audience of 1". They are a group comprised of young people with a lot of energy. They give their testimonies and do human videos. These videos preach the Gospel through the Bible accounts and music. I brought them to our church to, hopefully, inspire some of our young people. God used these guys and gals as they depicted Jesus as the answer for the sin of our lives, as the resurrection and the life, and as the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus is the answer for life.
I was a little sad when some of our young people were not there to experience the power of the Lord released through those young people. They do an awesome job and they are truly an inspiration for all who want to serve the Lord.

If a pastor would see this and want a group to minister to either the youth group or their whole church contact Valley Forge Christian College or me for information to have them minister in your church.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Threats to our government - may include you! - click here

Check this one out and see if you are a threat to our government.

Pastor Kitner

Clergy in the crosshairs - click here

Resurrection Sunday

Up from the grave he arose!
Thank God. Because Jesus lives I live also.
As He arose to newness of life and so did I.
Thank you Lord!

Blessings on you all!
Pastor Kitner

This Story is About Life! - click here

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Cricifixion - A medical doctor provides a physical description:

A medical doctor provides a physical description: The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement.

The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed.

The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain - the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet.

Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them deep relentless, throbbing pain.

With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe.

Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint wrenching cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation,
searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber.

Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level-the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues and the tortured lungs are making frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues...Finally, he can allow his body to die...

All this the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him", (Mark 15:24).

What wondrous love is this? Many people don't know that pain and suffering our Lord, Jesus Christ went through for us...because of the brutality, crucifixion was given a sentence to only its worst offenders of the law. Thieves, murderers, and rapists would be the types of people who got crucified. Yet, here Jesus is being crucified between two hardened criminals...What did Jesus do? Did he murder anyone? Did he steal anything? The answer as we all know is NO!! Jesus did nothing to deserve this type of death, yet he went willing to die, in between 2 thieves, so that we might be saved. And there, in between the sinners, was our slain savior for our sins.

Rick Warren abandons fight against gay marriage? - click here

Check this one out.

Pastor Kitner

"Thought Provoking"

"Thought Provoking" by Pam Geller of Atlas Shrugs

I am a student of history. Professionally, I have written 15 books in six languages, and have studied history all my life. I think there is something monumentally large afoot, and I do not believe it is just a banking crisis, or a mortgage crisis, or a credit crisis. Yes, these exist but they are merely single facets on a very large gemstone that is only now coming into a sharper focus.

Something of historic proportions is happening. I can sense it because I know how it feels, smells, what it looks like, and how people react to it. Yes, a perfect storm may be brewing, but there is something happening within our country that has been evolving for about 10 - 15 years. The pace has dramatically quickened in the past two.

We demand and then codified into law the requirement that our banks make massive loans to people whom we know could never pay back? Why? We learned recently that the Federal Reserve, which has little or no real oversight by anyone, has "loaned" two trillion dollars (that is $2,000,000,000,000) over the past few months, but will not tell us to whom or why or disclose the terms. That is our money.. Yours and mine. And that is three times the $700B we all argued about so strenuously just this past September.

Who has this money? Why do they have it? Why are the terms unavailable to us? Who asked for it? Who authorized it? I thought this was a government of "We the People," who loaned our powers to our elected leaders. Apparently not.

We have spent two or more decades intentionally de-industrializing our economy. Why?

We have intentionally dumbed down our schools, ignored our history, and no longer teach our founding documents, why we are exceptional, and why we are worth preserving. Students by and large cannot write, think critically, read, or articulate. Parents are not revolting, teachers are not picketing, school boards continue to back mediocrity. Why?

We have now established the precedent of protesting every close election (now violently in California over a proposition that is so controversial that it wants marriage to remain between one man and one woman. Did you ever think such a thing possible just a decade ago?). We have corrupted our sacred political process by allowing unelected judges to write laws that radically change our way of life, and then mainstream Marxist groups like ACORN and others to turn our voting system into a banana republic. To what purpose?

Now our mortgage industry is collapsing, housing prices are in free fall, major industries are failing, our banking system is on the verge of collapse, Social Security is nearly bankrupt, as is Medicare and our entire government. Our education system is worse than a joke (I teach college and know precisely what I am talking about.) The list is staggering in its length, breadth, and depth. It is potentially 1929 x 10. And we are at war with an enemy we cannot name for fear of offending people of the same religion who cannot wait to slit the throats of your children if they have the opportunity to do so.

And now we have elected a man no one knows anything about, who has never run so much as a Dairy Queen, let alone a town as big as Wasilla , Alaska . All of his associations and alliances are with real radicals in their chosen fields of employment, and everything we learn about him, drip by drip, is unsettling if not d ownright scary (Surely you have heard him speak about his idea to create and fund a mandatory civilian defense force stronger than our military for use inside our borders? No? Oh, of course. The media would never play that for you over and over and then demand he answer it. Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter and $150,000 wardrobe is more important.)

Mr. Obama's winning platform can be boiled down to one word: Change. Why?

I have never been so afraid for my country and for my children as I am now. This man campaigned on bringing people together, something he has never, ever done in his professional life.. In my assessment, Obama will divide us along philosophical lines, push us apart, and then try to realign the pieces into a new and different power structure. Change is indeed coming. And when it comes, you will never see the same nation again.

And that is only the beginning.

I thought I would never be able to experience what the ordinary, moral German felt in the mid-1930s. In those times, the savior was a former smooth-talking rabble-rouser from the streets, about whom the average German knew next to nothing. What they did know was that he was associated with groups that shouted, shoved, and pushed around people with whom they disagreed; he edged his way onto the political stage through great oratory and promises. Economic times were tough, people were losing jobs, and he was a great speaker. And he smiled and waved a lot. And people, even newspapers, were afraid to speak out for fear that his "brown shirts" would bully them into submission.

And then he was duly elected to office, with a full-throttled economic crisis at hand [the Great Depression]. Slowly but surely he seized the controls of government power, department by department, person by person, bureaucracy by bureaucracy. The kids joined a Youth Movement in his name, where they were taught what to think. How did he get the people on his side? He did it promising jobs to the jobless, money to the moneyless, and goodies for the military-industrial complex. He did it by indoctrinating the children, advocating gun control, health care for all, better wages, better jobs, and promising to re-instill pride once again in the country, across Europe , and across the world.

He did it with a compliant media - Did you know that? And he did this all in the name of justice and . . . change. And the people surely got what they voted for. (Look it up if you think I am exaggerating.) Read your history books. Many people objected in 1933 and were shouted down, called names, laughed at, and made fun of. When Winston Churchill pointed out the obvious in the late 1930s while seated in the House of Lords in England (he was not yet Prime Minister), he was booed into his seat and called a crazy troublemaker. He was right, though .

Don't forget that Germany was the most educated, cultured country in Europe . It was full of music, art, museums, hospitals, laboratories, and universities. And in less than six years - a shorter time span than just two terms of the U. S. presidency - it was rounding up its own citizens, killing others, abrogating its laws, turning children against parents, and neighbors against neighbors. All with the best of intentions, of course. The road to Hell is paved with them.

As a practical thinker, one not overly prone to emotional decisions, I have a choice: I can either believe what the objective pieces of evidence tell me (even if they make me cringe with disgust); I can believe what history is shouting to me from across the chasm of seven decades; or I can hope I am wrong, close my eyes, have another latte and ignore what is transpiring around me.

Some people scoff at me; others laugh or think I am foolish, naive, or both. Perhaps I am. But I have never been afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what I believe - and why I believe it. I pray I am wrong. But, I do not think I am..


(What do you think? Send in some comments and let me know.
Pastor Kitner)

About the author via Google...

Pamela "Atlas" Geller began her publishing career at The New York Daily News and subsequently took over operation of The New York Observer as Associate Publisher. She left The Observer after the birth of her fourth child but remained involved in various projects including American Associates, Ben Gurion University and being Senior Vice-President Strategic Planning and Performance Evaluation at The Brandeis School .

After 9/11, Atlas had the veil of oblivion violently lifted from her consciousness and immersed herself in the education and understanding of geopolitics, Islam, terror, foreign affairs and imminent threats the mainstream media and the government wouldn't cover or discuss.

How Loud Is Your Faith?

How Loud Is Your Faith?
By Scott Harrup | April 3, 2009

Our home in Sierra Leone was built of concrete block and had a roof of corrugated aluminum sheeting. During the wet season, that metal roof amplified the pounding rain like a giant drum on many a thunder-filled afternoon and evening. If you wanted to really ramp up the decibels, you could walk upstairs into the attic that ran the length of the house. There, each deluge was deafening.

And yet, the noise was also strangely comforting. I think, because the house was built well and the roof was firmly anchored to the rafters, that the tin din served as a reminder that the storm was “out there” and we were warm and dry “in here.”

Sometimes life’s noise can feel deafening. Stuff is coming at you—on the job, in your home, from your family and friends and unfriendlies—so fast you can hardly hear yourself think. That’s a good time to breathe a prayer and remember that God won’t abandon you. His love waits for your faith to call out to Him.

“Turn your ear to me,” the Psalmist pleaded. “Come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me” (Psalm 31:2, NIV).

In other words, “God, please remind me that You really are standing there between my circumstances and me.”

With that reminder, the rain can pound all day.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

What is your problem?

I saw this on another blog and thought you could use some inspiration here.



What is your excuse for not doing things?

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Stop praying about it...???

Here is a good word from a new blog that I have included in my Blog List.
Shawn Lovejoy

Stop praying about it...
One of the lamest excuses I hear people use is: "I'll pray about it." Yes, the Bible says we should pray about everything (Phil 4:). However, Paul was talking about praying about things as opposed to worrying about things. In other words, trusting God when we go through uncertainty, rather than worrying about it.
Praying about it doesn't mean, however, that prayer can be an excuse for procrastination and disobedience! So often, today, when I hear people say: "I'll pray about it"it's just an excuse to delay or disobey what they know God already has told them! Hear are some examples of things we don't need to pray about because God's will is already clear about it!

Whether or not to forgive someone:
Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT) 14“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Whether or not to get a divorce:
Matthew 19:8-9 (NLT) 8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9And I tell you this, a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”

Whether or not to have sex, even though you're not married:
1 Corinthians 7:2 (NLT) 2But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

Whether ot not to serve in a position we're asked to serve in at church:
1 Corinthians 12:5 (NLT) There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving.

Whether or not to go on a mission trip:
Matthew 28:19 (NLT) Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Whether we should give ten percent of our income back to God through His church, or not:
Malachi 3:10 (NIV) Bring the whole tithe (tenth) into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

My question for you today: Are you going to obey God? or pray about it?
God blesses people who obey Him, not those who use prayer as an excuse for obedience.
Did I beat around the bush too much today?

By Shawn Lovejoy

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner