Life Cycles

Gleanings from the Garden

As a person observes what a garden does, they cannot help but see how everything has its own time for its life cycle or season.

A time to be planted – covered.

A time to spring up – breaking through.

A time to grow – strengthening.

A time to bloom – a fragrance released.

A time to produce fruit (if fruit is a part of it) - productivity.

A time to complete its life cycle – dying.

There is such a thing as the fullness of time when all things are just right to bring forth the plan of God that is locked up within each seed, each plant, each bird, each critter each person and it is just the right time.

Galatians 4:4 says to us concerning Christ, - But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.

If things seem to be in a holding pattern in your life, if nothing seems to be coming together, wait on the Lord. There is that “fullness of time” for your life. Like a seed planted in the ground and out of sight for a while. There are some great mysteries taking place in you until the time that you are brought forth to be seen and enjoyed because of who you have been becoming during the covered over time. Great mysteries make for great reading……God makes everything beautiful in its time………You are an epistle to be read of all men.

Ecclesiastes 3:1(KJV)1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

God bless!
Pastor Kitner

More Encouragement

Scott Rigsby- Do the Unthinkable from Scott Rigsby on Vimeo.

Saw this on Jeff Leake's blog and wanted to share it with you.

You Fit Here

Have you ever felt like a misfit.

My New Church Sign for April 13 - 18
Misfits Fit in Here

Jesus Came with an anointing for those that have problems and the mistreated and the misfits of life.

Luke 4:16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears

Our church ought to be full of the people that Jesus came for. What do you think?

Be Blessed
Pastor Kitner

Ambassadors

2 Corinthians 5:16-21(KJV)
16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When is an ambassador not an ambassador? The answer is that he is always an ambassador. It doesn't matter where he is or what he is doing, he is always an ambassador. As an ambassador he represents always the country for which he is an ambassador. He may not be in the country he represents but he is the country as far as others are concerned.
My Question is this: Why does the church have such a hard time realizing that it is always the church? - we are representing the kingdom of God no matter where we are or what we are doing. We are in the world but not of it. Our lives are not compartmentalized, that is to say what we do is always directly related to who we are as Christians. We represent Christ in the church place, in the shower, at the work place or wherever we are. There is never a time when we seperate what we do from who we are.
You can't continue to do what the church folk have done for so many years by saying worship is one thing and our "jobs" are not connected etc. The church is weak in the world because of this compromising mentallity. We must either be all in or we are all out. Which is for you today?

Be all in Today
Pastor Kitner

I Have Finished My Course

I Have Finished My Course

2 Timothy 4:6-8(KJV)
6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
In order to say that in our lives, several things have to happen.

1. You need to know what the course of your life is – purpose.
2. You need to know how to fight the good fight – warfare.
3. You need to keep the faith – know in whom you have believed.
4. You need to be steadfast – focused

So many people go through life with no goal or target to aim at. Bouncing around in the sea of life like a tiny bobber at the mercy of the currents. They are just tossed to and fro by the waves of life at will.
To finish our course with the idea of being successful in our life we must find our purpose, and know who we are to the degree that it becomes the driving force of our life and faith. This necessitates the giving ourselves to it to the fullest being steadfast, unwavering in our faithfulness to the calling and purpose of God for our life.

Be blessed
Pastor Kitner

Compassion and Greater Works

Matthew 14:14And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

John 14:12(KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

A dictionary definition of compassion. - A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. (definition from Dictionary.com)

Does this describe the church today? Are we moved by compassion to do the same things Jesus did and more?

Blessings On Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Focus, Focus, Focus

For the last several weeks I have pointed toward the need to focus in our life and service unto the Lord. Here is a little acrostic with the word FOCUS.

F - First things first
O - Other things second
C - Cut out the unimportant
U - Unify behind VISION
S - Stick with it

This was from Scott Wilson

Be blessed and be FOCUSED!
Pastor Kitner

Wealth Redistribution

I found this on a blog...made sense in 1931 - How about today?

“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931

This is speaking of a government mandated redistribution of wealth. The church has a mandate to consider the poor already. The Question is what is the church doing?..remember..the church is the people who are saved, not buildings.

Riding the Wave of God - click here

I have ridden a God made wave and had begun to be downcast because the wave dissapeared but have begun to look for the next wave that is the wave of God for now.

Blessing on Ya! as you wait on your wave from God.
Pastor Kitner

Reality or Imagination - click here

This is a good reflection on the way our digital world revolves around what is sometimes imagined.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Your Mouth

People today just don't seem to care what comes out of their mouth. Trash and profanity seem to be the norm even for young women. They do not realize how bad they look and sound using the language that spues forth from their mouth. What comes out of your mouth says a lot about what is in your heart! Matthew 12:34 - 35 (KJV) 34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Set good priorities for yourself. Matthew 6:33 (KJV) 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Guard your heart for out of it are the issues of life.

Blessings on Ya Pastor Kitner

What's the Big Deal About Cohabitation? - click here

In todays society the thought is that if you think it is alright to do something it is alright to do it. That is also without regard to what is established as right in times past or according to God's Word. The attitude is who is God anyway?
If everyone does wrong it still doesn't make it right only accepted and that is where the world is today on moral issues as I see it. Sad to say even "church people".

What do you think?

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Tweens Talk - click here

Let me know what you think of this article. Thank you.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Life Changing Question - click here

What would you do if --- ?

Think about what it is that you would do if you knew that you couldn't fail. Now - What is stopping you from doing it?

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Marriage Advice

We can all use some advice in our relationships, especially our own marriage. Click on the title above and see the advice that is given.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Filmmaker or Critic - which one for You? - click here

If you want to be a leader then know this, you will be Criticized. When this happens don't let it stop you.

Husbands, Love Your Wives

1 Peter 3:7 (NIV) 7Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

I Made my wife dinner of Angus NY strip steak, Broccoli in cheese sauce and a sweet potato so when she came home from work today, dinner was ready to eat and she only had to sit and enjoy it. She loved that.

I really enjoy doing things like that and cleaning up the kitchen and even running the sweeper. My wife works outside the home so I try to help her out some at home.

Ephesians 5:24 - 25 (KJV) 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

Concerning Prayer in School - click here snopes

Here is an e-mail someone sent to me today. It is true and the idea conveyed in it is important to us and our Constitutional rights. It also shows the moral decline in our nation.
Blessings on ya!
Pastor Kitner

I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL CAN SEE THE PROBLEM, BUT OUR SOCIETY CANNOT.
Subject: Tennessee Football !

This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School , Kingston , Tennessee , by school Principal, Jody McLeod

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country."

Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex.." If someone is offended, that's OK.

I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable! Means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem...

I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology.."

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment.."

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated..

This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.
Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS Commandments.

Nevertheless , as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.

For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.

"However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM, in the name of JESUS, to Bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.

They prayed in the stands.. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box!

The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under GOD."

Somehow, Kingston , Tennessee Remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains!

JESUS said, "If you are ashamed of ME before men, then I will be ashamed of you before MY FATHER.."

By the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God

2 Corinthians 1:1 - 6 (KJV) 1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

In the trials and tribulations of life, what have you come through? How has God comforted you and enabled you to be of some comfort to others?

I have been through a major heart surgery - a quad bypass and major cancer surgery as well and all in one year. God gave me the grace and a Word that sustained me through everything even to this day after all the surgery and recovery time. That is why I am making myself available to go to whomever necessary to help people understand that God is with them. And that He is able to bring them through the roughest rapids of life that there is and still take them forward in their journey of this life. God comforted me in so many ways and I want to share how He did it with me and encourage others that He will do it for them also.
Let me challenge you also to share, with someone else, what God has done for you in your time of needing comfort and help. There is a blessing waiting to happen in your life.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner

I can be contacted at sonforu@verizon.net

How to improve your life in the Lord. - click here

Quote of the Day from Life's Healing Choices

Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.

The Holy Spirit is at work producing in you what only He can produce. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in you. This is the very character and nature of Christ. I must decrease and He must increase.

Galatians 5:22 - 6:1 (KJV) 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 1Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Blessings on Ya!
Pastor Kitner