Send your own ElfYourself eCards
Watch the video - check the blog post below!
Jim
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Rutherford Cousins - Elfed!
The Rutherford Cousins Elfed - Hip Hop Style!
Jim Rutherford (me), Katie Rutherford, Drew Rutherford, Parker Gene Ayers & Savannah Snyder.
The cousins - Drew & Parker - were down to visit this week-end from Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO!
They came to hear me preach at God's Shining Light on Friday (and Sheila & Broken Yoke do Praise & Worship). We are SO sad that this is probably their last visit before semester ends and they head to California to continue their education!
I have SO much enjoyed getting to know Drew & Parker - and I very much hope this in not the end of our friendship!
I do wish them the very best as they make career decisions and preparations over these next few years, but mostly I hope they always place themselves right in the very center of God's will, purpose and calling for their lives!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wishing You a Merry Christmas!
From our "elf"ed family to yours -
First a little song, then a little dance -
to wish you a Merry Little Christmas!
(Jim, Sheila, Savannah, Katie & Houston)
BE SURE TO WATCH BOTH VIDEOS!
Jim
Sunday, October 18, 2009
I Am Second!
No matter what college football team you pull for - no matter what college team you hate - Sam Bradford, QB for the Oklahoma Sooners, has the perspective on life we should all have!
Who is in 1st Place in your life?
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Who is in 1st Place in your life?
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?
Ever wonder why and all-powerful, all-loving God allows bad things to happen?
Watch this and you'll never ask that question again.
No more explanation needed - check it out:
Watch this and you'll never ask that question again.
No more explanation needed - check it out:
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sheila - More Precious than Rubies!
Happy Birthday, Sheila!
Today, July 13 is Sheila's Birthday. Today is also the anniversary of the day I asked Sheila to marry me. She said, "Yes."
Although not a day goes by that I don't think how fortunate I am that God brought Sheila into my life, I am especially mindful of it today.
A person could not have a better friend and a man could not have a better wife!
There is no question that I married up in life.
If you know Sheila, then you know how truly wonderful she is! She is loving, caring, compassionate! She is very wise and really smart! She is way funny, always quick to smile and laugh and a joy to be around.
Everyone loves Sheila, but nobody loves her more than I do!
Sheila is incredibly talented! She manages a good sized law firm. She handles all the financial stuff and all the HR stuff and everything else that makes a law firm run, so that the lawyers just have to worry about practicing law. On her job, she ministers to people and she is a constant witness to people, with her life and with her words.
Sheila plays keyboards. Took classical piano from age 4-19, winning many, many awards!
At age six, she started playing piano for and singing with her family, The Singing Hambricks, and did that for 30+ years. She turned down offers that would have made her both rich and famous, because she loved her family and she loved the Lord and those two things were far more important to her than personal fame or fortune. The Hambricks won many, many souls to Jesus!
She has a servant's heart!
Sheila is currently the Praise & Worship Pastor at God's Shining Light Church in Tulsa. OK. She has a band called Broken Yoke. I think I am being very objective when I say that I've heard many of the most renowned worship leaders of our time and Sheila is better than any of them. The Lord has placed an anointing upon Sheila to lead people into worship which is unmatched - and anyone who has been in a service she has lead with testify to that. I can barely make myself listen to Contemporary Christian radio, because Sheila and Broken Yoke do all the songs so much better!
Personally - Sheila is the love of my life. She always treats me with respect. She supports me in ministry, evangelistic work, our business, prison ministry - you name it! Sheila, to my knowledge, has never said anything about me to anyone, except to praise me. A man could not ask for a better wife!
Sheila is a wonderful mother to our two children, Houston and Savannah, that she brought to our marriage - and to Katie, who I brought to our marriage. She treats Katie like a mom treats a daughter, not like a step-mom treats a step-daughter. She gives wonderful and wise advice and is quick to show her love and support in so many ways.
When Solomon wrote in Proverbs 31:10 "A wife of noble character, who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. (11) Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. (12) She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." I'm sure he must have been writing about someone exactly like Sheila! She is of noble character and worth far more to me than all the world's rubies.
It was 8 years ago today, that I asked Sheila to marry me. We didn't wait long. We were married on Sept. 5th. July 13th and September 5th of 2001 are two of the very best days of my life!
Our life has not always been roses - there have been a few thorns. There have been good times and tough times. Ups and downs. But, I would not trade one moment of life with Sheila for any moment of life without her! I know that she is a better wife then I am a husband - but she always loves me anyway!
All in all, I think we make a great team! An inseparable team!
I can't really remember what life was like without her - and most certainly, I don't every want to be in that position again!
On this, your birthday, Sheila - and on this day that is the anniversary of you agreeing to marry me - I say "Thank you! I love you - so very, very much! I hope this year is your best yet - and our best yet! And, I will do everything I can to be the husband you deserve!"
Because - (Proverbs 31:29) Many women do noble things, but you, Sheila, surpass them all!
To my wonderful, fantastic, incredible wife, Sheila - I love you! Happy Birthday! Thank you for being my wife!
Your very devoted husband!
Jim
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Today is Father's Day!
My Dad - James K. Rutherford - A Genuine Hero - standing next to a statue of some actor!
Dad - an OU fan - headline on paper doesn't look so good!
My Daughter, Savannah - 12 going on 20!
Dad - Almost 60 years of preaching! Many souls in the Kingdom as a result!
My Daughter - Katie - Senior Picture - Currently on European trip - in Venice today.
Me - Uncle Shan Rutherford (youngest of the brothers, preaches in Greenwood, Indiana) - Dad (World's Greatest Father) - Uncle Dean (middle brother, Outreach/Evangelism Pastor in Clovis, California - my Brother Joel (preaches in Langley, Oklahoma.)I had the privilege of preaching today at First Christian Church in Langley, Oklahoma - filling in for my Brother, Joel, who is in Alaska, with his family, where his wife's sister is getting married.
It was wonderful to preach on Father's Day with my Dad in the audience. He even stayed for both services! His wife, Eva Jo, was kind enough to take the both of us out to lunch after the second service!
I love my Dad and am so grateful for his example of a minister, a father and a man that I had growing up.
Dad turned 79 just a couple of weeks ago. He spent almost 60 years preaching the gospel as a pastor, evangelist, church planter and more. He was a tremendous one on one soul winner!
I've learned so much from Dad - and could have learned so much more, if I'd just paid better attention.
I love you, Dad! It was great to spend part of this Father's Day with you. I hope there are many more to come!
I did miss my daughter, Katie, this Father's Day. I've spent every Father's Day with Katie since she was born more than 18 years ago - except for this one! Katie is on a trip to Europe. She went with her American Sign Language Class and her mother went as a sponsor and arranged for she and Katie to take an extra couple of weeks, just the two of them. They have visited France, but have spent most of their time in Italy. Today, Father's Day, they were in Venice. Katie did call to wish me a happy Father's Day. It was good to hear her voice, but I sure did miss not spending at least part of the day with her. I'm thrilled that Katie has been able to see so much of the world already - China for almost a month last year - and now France and Italy for three weeks! But, I still missed her today! As a Dad, I am so proud of Katie and the fine young woman she is becoming - and the goals she has for her life - to work with deaf children - maybe on the mission field.
I did have Savannah - in person - to wish me a happy Father's Day! As it says by her picture, Savannah is 12 going on 20. I can't believe that Savannah is going to be in the 7th grade this year! She is a basketball player and will get to start playing volleyball this year! She is small, but very quick and very tough! She is also very smart! When I'm not preaching, I usually run the sound and video at God's Shining Light, but when I am preaching, Savannah takes over for me! There are not many 12 year olds who are sharp enough and could be trusted enough to take care of the sound and video projection at the level we run it at God's Shining Light, but with Vanny in charge, I don't even worry about it when I'm off preaching. I know it will be done perfectly. Of course, she did learn from the best!!!
It was, I guess, a Father's Day of mixed emotions! But, life is like that, I guess.
Another Genuine Hero - Joe Hambrick - Sheila's Dad - World's Greatest Father-in-Law!I am also thankful on Father's Day, that my wife, Sheila, had such a wonderful Christian Father!
Joe has served the Lord for many years and passed that servant's heart along to his children. Joe is a black and white sort of guy - not much gray! What's right is right and what's wrong is wrong! Joe is a man's man, a wonderful father, a loving husband, a terrific grandfather - and, as I said, the World's Greatest Father-in-Law. Joe and his wife, Bonnie, live right across our long private drive (officially, Hambrick Hill Road) from Sheila and I. Between us, we have 8.5 beautiful acres. I'll bet there are not too many people out there who would want their in-laws living right across the street, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Joe is the heart and soul of Hambrick Hill - as well as the Hambrick family. I know this - I would not have the wonderful, loving, Christian wife I do, were it not for Joe Hambrick! Thanks, Joe!
I love you, Dad! I love you, Katie! I love you, Vanny! I love you, Papa Joe!
Happy Father's Day to all of you!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Friday, June 19, 2009
Becoming a "Mega" Church
I saw this article in MinistyToday, and it really struck a cord with me.
Far too many denominations and churches are declining in membership and attendance today and I have long believed the primary cause is that so many are afraid to see the supernatural power of God at work in the church, yet it was the expression of that power which caused the New Testament Church to grow. At God's Shining Light, we see the kind of things Maloney talks about on a regular basis and it is because we are reaching those which most of society and, most unfortunately, most of the church rejects - the addicts, alcoholics, the homeless, those just released from prison. Maybe we, as the church, need to be reminded that these were the same type of people to which Jesus ministered.
Take a look at this article and let me know what you think!
"Recovering Great Power and Great Grace"
God often has a different plan for churches becoming ‘mega’
by James Maloney in MinistryToday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my early days of pastoring, I would sometimes complain to God, “How am I supposed to build a big church for You, Lord? Oh, God, please don’t let something weird happen today. Just let it be a normal service, please!” And invariably, some witch (and I mean a bona fide witch) would show up and start gagging and screaming during the praise and worship time. Yeah, that’ll make a good impression on the visitors.
I’d spend 15 minutes ministering deliverance to her; she’d roll around, foam at the mouth. The devil would go out and God would go in, and the witch would get saved. I’d bumble through the rest of the service and the moment the benediction was given, visitors would fly out the back doors, the windows; it was terrible. And I’d complain: “Lord, how can I grow You a big church if You let stuff like that happen? I can’t get people to stick around when we’ve got somebody foaming at the mouth!”
To which God would reply, “Well, you’ve got one new member.” I wanted the doctors and the lawyers; but He wasn’t interested in my desire to have the largest church in Small Town, USA. He was interested in a church that would turn that witch into a testament of His miraculous dominion.
Acts 4:33 says, “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” Megadunamis (“great power”) is that explosive supernatural, miraculous power released in the church on a mega scale. Megacharis (“great grace”) is where we get the word charismatic—“God’s grace freely given [manifested] in the ordinary course of people’s lives.” As with Antioch, God is establishing a church today with great power and great grace. The apostolic spirit creates a grace-filled congregation that operates with impressive authority. God is creating a church that is attractive, involved, reproducing and multiplying.
Why people will come, stay and grow in your church will correlate directly to the level of mega-grace and mega-power that operates in your services. It’s not just about your community outreach programs (and, yes, those are vitally important!); or your rockin’ praise and worship (keep it up!); or your carefully constructed, three-month membership program (don’t stop that either!). Ultimately, working with all of the above, it’s your desire to permit the prophetic and apostolic anointing to have pre-eminence in your services. It becomes your passion to maintain a legitimate expression of God in your meetings.
God must peel off the exterior of your church and reveal the muscle underneath—that is His power moving apostolically and prophetically through the body. You must want to get back to the rawness of the Holy Spirit moving like a rushing, mighty wind. This only comes from church leadership having a sense of security in God. They know He won’t lead them astray, so they permit Him to move as He sees fit.
When that kind of operation is permitted, your congregation gains a level of recognition. The glory they receive in church rubs off on the people around them, at work, at home, at the grocery store. Powerful Christians become extremely attractive to the outside world. It’s divine magnetism, where people are drawn to them saying, “I want what you have!”
And sure, you might have to put up with a little foaming at the mouth at first as these new people come in. But once they’re set free, some of them become the greatest movers and shakers for the Lord. I don’t know about you, but I want those kinds of people.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Maloney is president of The ACTS Group International and author of The Dancing Hand of God.
Far too many denominations and churches are declining in membership and attendance today and I have long believed the primary cause is that so many are afraid to see the supernatural power of God at work in the church, yet it was the expression of that power which caused the New Testament Church to grow. At God's Shining Light, we see the kind of things Maloney talks about on a regular basis and it is because we are reaching those which most of society and, most unfortunately, most of the church rejects - the addicts, alcoholics, the homeless, those just released from prison. Maybe we, as the church, need to be reminded that these were the same type of people to which Jesus ministered.
Take a look at this article and let me know what you think!
"Recovering Great Power and Great Grace"
God often has a different plan for churches becoming ‘mega’
by James Maloney in MinistryToday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my early days of pastoring, I would sometimes complain to God, “How am I supposed to build a big church for You, Lord? Oh, God, please don’t let something weird happen today. Just let it be a normal service, please!” And invariably, some witch (and I mean a bona fide witch) would show up and start gagging and screaming during the praise and worship time. Yeah, that’ll make a good impression on the visitors.
I’d spend 15 minutes ministering deliverance to her; she’d roll around, foam at the mouth. The devil would go out and God would go in, and the witch would get saved. I’d bumble through the rest of the service and the moment the benediction was given, visitors would fly out the back doors, the windows; it was terrible. And I’d complain: “Lord, how can I grow You a big church if You let stuff like that happen? I can’t get people to stick around when we’ve got somebody foaming at the mouth!”
To which God would reply, “Well, you’ve got one new member.” I wanted the doctors and the lawyers; but He wasn’t interested in my desire to have the largest church in Small Town, USA. He was interested in a church that would turn that witch into a testament of His miraculous dominion.
Acts 4:33 says, “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” Megadunamis (“great power”) is that explosive supernatural, miraculous power released in the church on a mega scale. Megacharis (“great grace”) is where we get the word charismatic—“God’s grace freely given [manifested] in the ordinary course of people’s lives.” As with Antioch, God is establishing a church today with great power and great grace. The apostolic spirit creates a grace-filled congregation that operates with impressive authority. God is creating a church that is attractive, involved, reproducing and multiplying.
Why people will come, stay and grow in your church will correlate directly to the level of mega-grace and mega-power that operates in your services. It’s not just about your community outreach programs (and, yes, those are vitally important!); or your rockin’ praise and worship (keep it up!); or your carefully constructed, three-month membership program (don’t stop that either!). Ultimately, working with all of the above, it’s your desire to permit the prophetic and apostolic anointing to have pre-eminence in your services. It becomes your passion to maintain a legitimate expression of God in your meetings.
God must peel off the exterior of your church and reveal the muscle underneath—that is His power moving apostolically and prophetically through the body. You must want to get back to the rawness of the Holy Spirit moving like a rushing, mighty wind. This only comes from church leadership having a sense of security in God. They know He won’t lead them astray, so they permit Him to move as He sees fit.
When that kind of operation is permitted, your congregation gains a level of recognition. The glory they receive in church rubs off on the people around them, at work, at home, at the grocery store. Powerful Christians become extremely attractive to the outside world. It’s divine magnetism, where people are drawn to them saying, “I want what you have!”
And sure, you might have to put up with a little foaming at the mouth at first as these new people come in. But once they’re set free, some of them become the greatest movers and shakers for the Lord. I don’t know about you, but I want those kinds of people.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Maloney is president of The ACTS Group International and author of The Dancing Hand of God.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
You are God's Masterpiece - Excellent!
I just saw this video today - EXCELLENT!
Check it out!
It says/shows what so many of us struggle with day in and day out.
Most of the time we try to just ignore the areas of our life where we fall short, but when we really look at our lives and we see all the areas of failure and shortcoming and it can be overwhelming to the point that we begin to believe that not only could God never use us, but that God could never even love us.
NOT TRUE!
God loves us even when we fail, even when we sin, even in our apathy.
We - YOU and I - are special - we are, and always will be God's Masterpiece.
We just need to yield ourselves to Him fully and completely, so that He can chip away all the junk we've collected and to make us into the Masterpiece He created each one of us to be.
Father - Make me YOUR Masterpiece!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Guilty or Not Guilty
The nephew of some very dear friends of ours, was on trial this week. He had been charged with a very serious crime which he did not commit. We all want to have faith in our American System of Justice - that every crime will be punished and every innocent person be set free. Unfortunately, our justice system is NOT perfect. Sometimes criminals go free - even worse, sometimes innocent people are found guilty.
Sheila was in court with the family these last few days, but I was not able to go to the trial, except today for closing arguments. In this case, justice was served and this young man was found not guilty.
We all wanted to believe that would be the outcome. We felt the defense attorney did an exceptional job in his handling of the trial. But, when that jury goes out and begins to deliberate, you cannot help but be extremely concerned about what they will decide.
As I sat in the courtroom today, I was reminded of the couple of times when I have stood before a judge and a jury, with my future at stake, awaiting the reading of the verdict, never knowing for sure what the outcome would be - Guilty or NOT Guilty.
I was reminded, too, that one day each one of us will stand before God Almighty and it will not be just a few years or even the rest of our life which hangs in the balance, but our eternal future will hang in the balance. Only there will not be a jury, there will be no prosecuting attorneys and no defense attorneys. There will be no questions about the facts entered into evidence - no defense - no argument. God and God alone will decide the verdict. Our life will be reviewed, laid open, and the verdict read. And we will be forever and eternally either Guilty or Not Guilty!
No appeals, no probation, no parole.
God, as judge, cannot be anything other than just. And, the Bible tells us that the wages - the reward - the verdict - for sin is DEATH!
But, God is also LOVE! And He does not want anyone to be found guilty and to die, but He wants everyone to be found NOT guilty and to live eternally in His presence.
John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world (that includes me and that includes YOU) that He gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that who ever believes in Him might not perish, but have eternal life."
But, here is what many people don't understand - when we stand before God on that Day of Judgment. The verdict has already been decided!
John goes on to say (3:17) "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned ALREADY because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
When you and I stand before God for Judgment - the verdict will have already been decided - and WE are the ones who make that decision!
You see - we are ALL GUILTY - but in God's great love for me and in His great love for YOU, He sent in one and only Son to this earth, to be born as a baby, to live a sinless life, so that He could take the punishment of all of your sins and all of my sins upon himself and die on a cross 2000 years ago in your place and in mine - so that we might be found not just Not Guilty, but INNOCENT on that Day of Judgment - IF - and it is a big IF - we have believed that Jesus was the Son of God and we have asked Him to be our Savior and we have allowed Him to become the LORD of our life.
Really, it is that simple!
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, and NO MAN comes to the Father, except me.
Are you ready to face the Judgment?
Are you prepared for the Verdict?
If you've never accepted Jesus as your Savior and made Him the LORD of your life, then you need to do that TODAY!
It is the most important decision you will every make on this earth, because it is the only decision which has eternal consequences.
If you want to be forgiven of you sins, to have Jesus be your Savior and Lord, to receive God's Spirit to live in your life to help you become the unique and special person God made you to be and to know absolutely and for sure that when you stand before God you will stand INNOCENT, just follow the instructions on the right under How to Find Jesus!
And then let me know of your decision!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Sheila was in court with the family these last few days, but I was not able to go to the trial, except today for closing arguments. In this case, justice was served and this young man was found not guilty.
We all wanted to believe that would be the outcome. We felt the defense attorney did an exceptional job in his handling of the trial. But, when that jury goes out and begins to deliberate, you cannot help but be extremely concerned about what they will decide.
As I sat in the courtroom today, I was reminded of the couple of times when I have stood before a judge and a jury, with my future at stake, awaiting the reading of the verdict, never knowing for sure what the outcome would be - Guilty or NOT Guilty.
I was reminded, too, that one day each one of us will stand before God Almighty and it will not be just a few years or even the rest of our life which hangs in the balance, but our eternal future will hang in the balance. Only there will not be a jury, there will be no prosecuting attorneys and no defense attorneys. There will be no questions about the facts entered into evidence - no defense - no argument. God and God alone will decide the verdict. Our life will be reviewed, laid open, and the verdict read. And we will be forever and eternally either Guilty or Not Guilty!
No appeals, no probation, no parole.
God, as judge, cannot be anything other than just. And, the Bible tells us that the wages - the reward - the verdict - for sin is DEATH!
But, God is also LOVE! And He does not want anyone to be found guilty and to die, but He wants everyone to be found NOT guilty and to live eternally in His presence.
John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world (that includes me and that includes YOU) that He gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that who ever believes in Him might not perish, but have eternal life."
But, here is what many people don't understand - when we stand before God on that Day of Judgment. The verdict has already been decided!
John goes on to say (3:17) "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned ALREADY because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
When you and I stand before God for Judgment - the verdict will have already been decided - and WE are the ones who make that decision!
You see - we are ALL GUILTY - but in God's great love for me and in His great love for YOU, He sent in one and only Son to this earth, to be born as a baby, to live a sinless life, so that He could take the punishment of all of your sins and all of my sins upon himself and die on a cross 2000 years ago in your place and in mine - so that we might be found not just Not Guilty, but INNOCENT on that Day of Judgment - IF - and it is a big IF - we have believed that Jesus was the Son of God and we have asked Him to be our Savior and we have allowed Him to become the LORD of our life.
Really, it is that simple!
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, and NO MAN comes to the Father, except me.
Are you ready to face the Judgment?
Are you prepared for the Verdict?
If you've never accepted Jesus as your Savior and made Him the LORD of your life, then you need to do that TODAY!
It is the most important decision you will every make on this earth, because it is the only decision which has eternal consequences.
If you want to be forgiven of you sins, to have Jesus be your Savior and Lord, to receive God's Spirit to live in your life to help you become the unique and special person God made you to be and to know absolutely and for sure that when you stand before God you will stand INNOCENT, just follow the instructions on the right under How to Find Jesus!
And then let me know of your decision!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Monday, March 30, 2009
"I Love Jesus"
It is not right for a parent to lose a child!
My brother, Joel lost his son, James, last Saturday night.
Joel, I am SO sorry!
His name was James - same as mine and my Dad's and his Dad's, but to most people, he was "Spudd."
I'm not totally sure how that came about, but when he was young and playing soccer, there were several boys on the team named James, to they needed a way to differentiate them and my bother mentioned that they used to call his James by the nickname Spudd - and it stuck!
James was 20 years old - would have been 21 in May.
He was a handsome young man with a tender heart. He was a super soccer player, had been captain of his High School football team, was a track star who qualified for State several years. He played in the band. Spudd was very smart.
He was a nice young man with a great future ahead of him. He was loved by all who knew him.
He died way too early.
He was headed home from Miami, OK about 11:20 p.m. Sat. night when he missed a curve and hit a tree and was killed. We don't know all the details, probably never will - and we really don't even need to know all the details.
The police showed up at my brother's house a little after 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning to tell him his son was dead.
It is not right!
No parent should lose a child! No one should have to suffer that kind of hurt!
James was very much loved - and everyone who knew him will miss him!
He was not a perfect kid, but then none of us are perfect. He was a great son and a wonderful brother - and a great friend to everyone who knew him! He had a good heart and would do anything for anyone.
I preached for my brother on Sunday and will fill in for him again next week. I wish I could do so much more!
I love you, Joel!
The services will be at Pryor High School, Pryor, OK - 1100 SE 9th St. - at 11:00 a.m on Tuesday. I will be there for my brother. My wife, Sheila, will sing. I can't imagine it being anything but very, very sad.
James had a Facebook (doesn't everybody?) and I noticed that by this morning, 85 people had left messages. I was looking at all his pictures - and my favorite is the one posted above.
Joel and James - big OU fans - loved each other far more than either of them could ever express.
Parents should not lose their children! It is just not right!
Facebook is cool, because it gives you a look into someone's life.
James' last comment was made on Saturday afternoon about 3:30. He said "Keep my feet on the ground, keep my head in the clouds."
But - here is the thing on James' Facebook that meant the most to me. In his profile, under Religious Views, James wrote "I love Jesus."
That pretty much says it all, because that is really the only thing that matters. The Bible tells me that is the key to eternal life. "I love Jesus" was James' heart. And, so when James left this life on Sat. night and stepped into eternity, I know the first person he saw was Jesus. And, you know what Jesus said to James? "I love you, too, James! Welcome home!"
I love you, Joel!
Jimmie
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Real Ministry
A little more than a year ago, Sheila and I became involved with God's Shining Light Church (GSL) in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
GSL does amazing ministry by which life, upon life, upon life has been and continues to be dramatically changed. It is the most incredible church I've ever seen.
I was talking to a local television station manager not too long ago and he saying that he couldn't understand why more churches were not reaching out in the same way as GSL. I told him that the answer was easy - most churches wouldn't want the kinds of people GSL is reaching to ever come to their church.
You see, GSL is reaching drug addicts and alcoholics and men & women just out of prison and the homeless. If you'd ask on any given Sunday how many people used to fit into one of those catagories about 80% of the congretion would stand.
Through a related program, Wings of Freedom, a sober-living environment is provided and through the Sunday service, the Wed. night Celebrate Recovery and the Fri. night service and 12-Step Study, 100s and 100s of lives have been change through love and acceptance and encouragement and accountability - but most of all through the power of Jesus Christ.
Over the next few days, I'm going to tell you more about God's Shining Light and Wings of Freedom and I'm going to introduce you to some AMAZING people - the kind of people that Jesus was thinking about on both side of the equation when he said, "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do it unto Me." At God's Shining Light, it is the former "least" reaching out and ministering to the current "least."
If you live anywhere near Tulsa or ever visit Tulsa - you need to come to God's Shining Light. Sunday service is from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and features a band called Broken Yoke, which happens to be the best Praise Band in America - and maybe the world! Wednesday night, you can come for dinner at 6:00 and stay for Celebrate Recovery from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. And, Friday night, you never know exactly what you'll get, but you'll get it from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. - and you might, on occasion, even hear me preach! The church is located at 9897 East 11th Street, which is about a quarter mile west of Highway 169.
You can learn more about the church at www.gslchurch.com and you can find out about all the other events that are scheduled, like the "Setting Captives Free" Revival May 13-17 and the 3rd Annual Freedom Run motorcycle rally on August 29.
Again, starting tomorrow and for the next week or so, you'll meet some amazing people doing REAL ministry!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
GSL does amazing ministry by which life, upon life, upon life has been and continues to be dramatically changed. It is the most incredible church I've ever seen.
I was talking to a local television station manager not too long ago and he saying that he couldn't understand why more churches were not reaching out in the same way as GSL. I told him that the answer was easy - most churches wouldn't want the kinds of people GSL is reaching to ever come to their church.
You see, GSL is reaching drug addicts and alcoholics and men & women just out of prison and the homeless. If you'd ask on any given Sunday how many people used to fit into one of those catagories about 80% of the congretion would stand.
Through a related program, Wings of Freedom, a sober-living environment is provided and through the Sunday service, the Wed. night Celebrate Recovery and the Fri. night service and 12-Step Study, 100s and 100s of lives have been change through love and acceptance and encouragement and accountability - but most of all through the power of Jesus Christ.
Over the next few days, I'm going to tell you more about God's Shining Light and Wings of Freedom and I'm going to introduce you to some AMAZING people - the kind of people that Jesus was thinking about on both side of the equation when he said, "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do it unto Me." At God's Shining Light, it is the former "least" reaching out and ministering to the current "least."
If you live anywhere near Tulsa or ever visit Tulsa - you need to come to God's Shining Light. Sunday service is from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and features a band called Broken Yoke, which happens to be the best Praise Band in America - and maybe the world! Wednesday night, you can come for dinner at 6:00 and stay for Celebrate Recovery from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. And, Friday night, you never know exactly what you'll get, but you'll get it from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. - and you might, on occasion, even hear me preach! The church is located at 9897 East 11th Street, which is about a quarter mile west of Highway 169.
You can learn more about the church at www.gslchurch.com and you can find out about all the other events that are scheduled, like the "Setting Captives Free" Revival May 13-17 and the 3rd Annual Freedom Run motorcycle rally on August 29.
Again, starting tomorrow and for the next week or so, you'll meet some amazing people doing REAL ministry!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
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