GIVE WATCH

 

Author: Rich Wilkerson

18 Jun

Posted at 20:31h in Weekly Blog

Being a dad is not easy. It takes time, dedication, effort, strength, love, patience, and so much more. Having access to both parents, or having strong parental role models, can be vital to a child’s development. As we approach Father’s Day, we have a special message for all the Dads out there and for those who fill that role for children who need a father figure. Dads Matter! I can’t think of a single part of my life that is more difficult and rewarding than being a Dad. But I wouldn’t trade a minute. This weekend, I would like to ask you to join me as we honor those men who step up and accept the call to be a Dad! In Ephesians, Paul notes that the command to honor your father and mother is the first commandment with a promise. Children honor their parents so “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” As Followers of Jesus, we do not need to be told about the importance of fatherhood. Scripture is filled with dozens of verses on fathers and the responsibilities of fatherhood. Fathers are essential to the well-being of their children. You and I are doubly...

02 Apr

Posted at 18:00h in Weekly Blog

Read Luke 24:1-12 Mornings are a time of renewal. A fresh start. They are the beginning of a new day and as such they bring a new opportunity. I (Pastor Rich) wake up early every morning to do my daily devotional and to spend time with the Lord. It’s how I start my day off right. We read a lot about mornings in God’s Word. Joshua was a man who rose early in the morning. Jesus prayed early each day. Abraham rose early one morning to take Isaac to Mt. Moriah. Jacob woke one morning and built a pillar of stones at Bethel to honor God. Daniel woke one morning in a Lion’s den after a night of heavenly protection. One morning, however, changed the world. Here’s Dr. Robyn’s vision of what that morning looked like. The women were quiet as they walked through the pre-dawn light carrying their bundles of spices and strips of cloth to prepare the body for burial. The only sounds were the occasional sob and the crunch of their sandals on the rocky path. The air was cold, but none of the women complained. They were enveloped in sorrow, numb with the pain of loss. Mary Magdalene walked with her...

27 Mar

Posted at 16:46h in Weekly Blog

As we approach Passover, I want to take just a few minutes to have a heart-to-heart with you about why Passover, and the entire Easter season, is so important to each of us here at Trinity Church. Passover is: • an integral part of our relationship with God • the fulfillment of a promise and a new covenant between God and each of us • a call to obedience and a promise of great blessings if we obey To truly understand what Passover means to us today, we have to look at where and why it began in the first place. God commanded His people to come together three times a year to feast and give sacrifices (Deuteronomy 16:16). They did this even when they were in captivity in Egypt. Leading up to their last Feast of Passover in that country, God promised His children: “I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment” (Exodus 6:5-6). He made it clear that this was to be a time of new beginnings: “This month is to be for you the first...

19 Sep

Posted at 04:06h in Weekly Blog

I am in AWE of God’s blessings to His church. He provides in so many ways both big and small, but most importantly, we, as a church family, are blessed together in Christ Jesus. When we come together as a church and follow the mandates of God, He blesses us because of our faithfulness, and we are blessed with fruitfulness and fullness. Let me explain using Paul’s letter to the Philippians (4:14-16). Paul writes of faithfulness in the church. He talks of their Generosity in verse 14: “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.” The building of the Early Church was no simple task, and all the disciples gave up much, even their lives, to do so. Even then, most of their work would have been impossible without the faithfulness of the churches they built. Paul commended the Philippians’ generosity. They assisted Paul in his times of adversity and supported his work however they could. They were a faithful partner in ministry. Paul writes about the fruitfulness that comes from joint efforts in ministry. In Philippians 4:17 he says, “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.” Paul rejoiced...

11 Sep

Posted at 04:04h in Weekly Blog

I want to dwell at the feet of God. I want to live in awe of Him. Don’t you? So what’s stopping us? While that seems like a simple question, the complexities of life keep getting in the way. The simple answer is nothing. Living in awe of God is a choice. We make it; we do it. But to put aside the obstacles we face and experience genuine awe and a relationship with Him, we need to understand what those obstacles are and how to overcome them. God’s rulebook, His Holy Word, gives us all we need to know. Think about the story of Mary, Martha’s sister. Mary lived in awe of the Lord when others did not and, and she experienced a deep and abiding joy because of that awe. Look at Luke 10:38-42: “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has...

04 Sep

Posted at 03:58h in Weekly Blog

What fills you with awe? A perfectly formed flower? Towering mountains? A beautiful day at the beach? Massive storms? Maybe it’s the perfectly turned phrase of your favorite writer or the breathtaking magnificence of a painting in a museum. Some people are in awe of the nuances and grandeur of architecture. Some are in awe of money. Others walk through life and are never in awe of anything. The dictionary defines awe as “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder” or as “an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like.” I hear people use the word awe all the time when talking about people they admire, the beauty of nature, or something that inspires them. I appreciate all of those. I have people I admire. And I love a day out on the boat enjoying the ocean. But my AWE is reserved for my Lord, God Almighty. I am overwhelmed by Him. I am overwhelmed by the detail and thought He put into the creation of each human, flower, plant, and animal. I am overwhelmed by the Grace He shows us and the Love He feels for us. Daniel talks of...

28 Aug

Posted at 03:55h in Weekly Blog

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8) You’ve repented and accepted Jesus as your Savior. You’ve done a water baptism. That’s it, you’re saved, done deal, right? Well, not exactly. What you’ve done is life changing. You’ve taken the most important step to eternal salvation. But it’s not the end goal. Instead, it’s the beginning of a fantastic journey of growing in your relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We aren’t asked to navigate this relationship blindly. God’s Word gives us everything we need to live as followers of Jesus and children of God. The Bible serves as our guide, our rule book, and a special Word from God to each of us. Matthew 7:7-8 speaks of three things we should do as we approach and learn from God. We are to ask, seek, and knock. Our heavenly Father tells us to ask. Isn’t that amazing? He WANTS to know the desires of our hearts! This verse in Matthew is not the only verse that speaks...

21 Aug

Posted at 03:52h in Weekly Blog

I want to talk to you today about living in the present. Focusing on the present. Yes, the future matters, and planning and setting goals is something we should do, but it’s not something we do at the expense of the present. And yes, we need to acknowledge and learn from the mistakes and successes of our past. But once again, we shouldn’t dwell on the past to the extent that it takes us away from the present. Matthew 6:31-34 tells us: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” If we seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, if we pursue a relationship with our Heavenly father, He will provide us with what we need. If we become so focused on our future needs or our past failures and stop living in the present moment, we...

14 Aug

Posted at 03:48h in Weekly Blog

Being a Jesus Follower means obeying His teachings, loving others, and growing spiritually. Our human nature sometimes gets in the way though, and we fight a continual battle with who we were versus who God created us to be. That struggle is exhausting. God's solution for our problems is not just to pray more. Don’t get me wrong, prayer is vital. But we must do MORE. Romans 12:2 offers us God’s solution: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Wow! If we renew our minds, we will be transformed. If we renew our minds, we will understand God’s will for our lives. Philippians 4:8-9 goes on to tell us that God’s peace will be with us if we renew our minds. There are three significant scriptures that talk about renewing our minds:  Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 4:8-9, and Hebrews 3:1. All say YOU when talking about who must renew the mind. None tells us that prayer will do it. None tells us God will do it for us. This is an action we...

07 Aug

Posted at 03:43h in Weekly Blog

I have three words for you that I want you to truly take to heart. Just do it! Did your mother or father every say those words to you when you were young? Mine did. If I questioned an order, they were quick to remind me that I was to just do what they said. The same is true of our heavenly Father. When God gives us a command, we must do what He asks. We can’t step around the issue. As His servants, His loving children, we have to hear His Words and take action. We have to stop the debating, the hesitation, and pretending. We must be strong, show courage, and Just Do It! Don’t take my word for it, though. Scripture is very clear on this point. In Proverbs 4:27, we read, “I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.” Deuteronomy 5:32 says, “So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left.” 1 Peter 4:11 tells us, “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the...