Randy's Ruminating

George Daigh is such an incredible example of a se...

2010-05-17T13:48:14.701-05:00

George Daigh is such an incredible example of a servant!

It was a really fun time. We had many FBC people o...

2010-04-26T11:11:41.819-05:00

It was a really fun time. We had many FBC people on Sunday also. You all worked so hard on Saturday, we were only there until about 2:30 on Sunday. Then we went over the million and ran out of rice!

Pastor Randy: I thought it was interesting that L...

2009-12-17T16:39:29.795-06:00

Pastor Randy:

I thought it was interesting that London left off music. All 3 of our kids participated in team sports and learned many lessons as a participant. It was their choice and we encouraged them in sports to suit their gifts. I was just surprised that music wasn't a category, maybe there is not enough thought of others ~ music can be more individualistic.

Pastor Randy, That is encouraging, Our adult kids ...

2009-11-17T20:33:04.099-06:00

Pastor Randy,
That is encouraging, Our adult kids are a good example. They insist we have family dinner every Sunday night if possible. We have been doing so for over a year now and it is a highlight of our week and theirs. We feel blessed that this was their idea not ours.
The seeds we plant often take years to cultivate.

I find the fourth paragraph especially interesting...

2009-09-22T14:27:36.154-05:00

I find the fourth paragraph especially interesting. I look forward to the next installment.

This is very good. Just this week I read a quote ...

2009-05-17T21:42:00.000-05:00

This is very good. Just this week I read a quote on Ray Ortlund's blog: "Staying angry is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die." What a great analogy.

Thanks, RandyYou are so right about our worship to...

2009-04-09T08:54:00.000-05:00

Thanks, Randy
You are so right about our worship together being a calm place in the storm and a source of energy. We need it now more than ever.

Thanks, Randy. This is a very thoughtful post. W...

2009-01-27T17:22:00.000-06:00

Thanks, Randy. This is a very thoughtful post. When people disagree with a president, it's easy to demonize him, forgetting that he is not the enemy, only perhaps the a victim of the enemy (if his platform contains un-Biblical policies). It's important to pray for him, and see him through God's eyes.

Pastor Randy,Thank you for this post. The past 6-8...

2009-01-26T09:12:00.000-06:00

Pastor Randy,
Thank you for this post. The past 6-8 years have been hard to take in that many have disrespected our president who did not agree with his policies. I would hope those of us who call ourselves Christians would not behave in that manner and would demonstrate for all to see the difference Christ can make in our lives. God has a purpose that we cannot always see and we should look for every opportunity to use this for good.
Bill

Thanks for your challenge to live lives that honor...

2009-01-03T12:15:00.000-06:00

Thanks for your challenge to live lives that honor God and exalts a nation. This should begin with Christ followers. Unfortunately, when we look at the moral state of our nation, we tend to point fingers at others. Your challenge is critical to the solution. I need to look at my own life and submit to Jesus for transformation. I believe that the best apologetic of all is a life well lived. One that reflect the heart of God.

Randy Gauger! I am so glad to find a way to come ...

2008-12-27T08:39:00.000-06:00

Randy Gauger! I am so glad to find a way to come in touch with your family! I have been wanting to reconnect with Christy in the worst way. This is Beth Ann Fisher (Souder) from Topeka. I would love to know a way to get in touch with her. Is there a website for your church or anything that would have an email address I could use to send you my contact information that you could pass on to her, or where you could give me hers? Thank you so much and Merry Christmas to you and your family.

this is one of the saddest picture i've ever seem,...

2008-10-08T18:19:00.000-05:00

this is one of the saddest picture i've ever seem,most of us go through life the picture of health unaware of the sufferering that people are going through in the world that WE live in.i want to make a difference i aim to make a difference but i can't do it alone we should all work towards making our world a better place.God has blessed us with what we have not only for ourselves but to give to those who have none.

AIG debacle has been in the works for a while.Imag...

2008-09-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

AIG debacle has been in the works for a while.
Imagine you're praying over being ripped-off by an insurance company. Imagine that you have a unique gift so that God's voice often sounds audible to you, such that you can write down stuff that you hear word for word. How strange would it sound to be interrupted during your prayer to have God rant about how insurance companies are going to fail and the bigger they are the harder they will fall? Imagine again, that all of this happens years before anyone has heard of the looming financial crisis that is unfolding before our eyes. Well, as amazing as that all sounds it happened to a friend of mine, Timothy, on May 18, 2005 and it is published for anyone who is interested:

http://trumpetcallofgodonline.com/index.php5?title=The_Giants_of_This_World_Will_Fall...Stand_Not_in_Their_Shadow

**Excerpt**:
"The Giants of This World Will Fall...Stand Not in Their Shadow / Timothy, be wary of things of dishonesty and greed in nature of those in whom you have dealt. Those in whom you have dealt, greed is at the heart of that which they do. Nowhere is help or compassion found.You are a number, a mere sign of your dollar. They will fall and come to nothing. ... If I come and remove and destroy all things, which are and lead My people into vanity, what is left?...Your life and your free will to choose, to save it or lose it. Blessed are those, who lose their life in this world for My sake...they have their reward. Woe to those, who lose themselves in this world to keep their life...they are lost. Therefore, out of love, I will remove all obstacles from their path, so they may see Me clearly and run to Me, for I wait with arms open.
All must crumble, all must be shaken.
All must be removed, all foundations broken, all must be moved from their places.
All will be done as it is written, all will be divided.
All will stand naked before their Creator so they may choose...
choose life and love, My people!"
**end-o-excerpt**

Timothy did not know what to think of this at the time, but recent news has shed light on what he was told back then.

More recently, this letter has a few more details of the collapse:
http://trumpetcallofgodonline.com/index.php5?title=Recompense

My husband and I graduated into the last big reces...

2008-09-22T08:04:00.000-05:00

My husband and I graduated into the last big recession, and it took us a while to get our feet under us. Now our children have the same thing to face. The good thing is, we can tell them from experience that they will get through it, somehow, and that God truly does provide in amazing ways.

This is not new. I attended a conference in 1997 t...

2008-09-18T22:37:00.000-05:00

This is not new. I attended a conference in 1997 that discussed many of these same issues. It was my first exposure to the term Post-Modern. It was pointed out that the original church was birthed in an antagonistic, actually life-threatening, culture (certainly not "home court") where it thrived and grew phenomenally. Acts 2:42-47 describes this. I think the main difference is commitment level and the fact that those people lived out their faith in a winsome way. Many of today's church attenders have a consumerist mentality, not the heart of a servant following Jesus. We need to do a better job of living out our faith, actually following Jesus even when He leads us in less than comfortable places. And, yes, as Bill mentioned, create an environment that encourages honest questions and honest seeking. To explain the basics of who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him in a language a "foreigner" can understand. Mainly, I think we need to open ourselves to being transformed into something that more closely resembles the Jesus we say we follow. To develop hearts that break over the same things that move Him. To acknowledge our own struggles: that we even have struggles, temptations and failures but are fortunate to have found a source for forgiveness and redemption--Jesus.

I have actually thought about this a lot the last ...

2008-09-15T10:18:00.000-05:00

I have actually thought about this a lot the last few years as I have seen more and more people who are unchurched in my workplace and even in my family. There has been so much negative press about Christianity through the failings of different high profile people or from the fringes. I also wonder if we have a good mechanism for teaching people as adults what we think they learned or should have learned as children. Perhaps we need more basic beginner Bible study classes? Ones where people who are unfamiliar are not made to feel bad about their lack of knowledge and where we don't assume knowledge?
I think a lot of people are afraid to admit how little they know. It will be a challenge for us to reach out to these people.

I've always thought that we should pray before we ...

2008-09-10T10:30:00.000-05:00

I've always thought that we should pray before we enter the voting booth. Even though I usually agree with a certain party's platform, I usually wind up splitting my ticket, at least at the local level, because I tend to vote more on character than anything else.

It's interesting to see the Catholic candidates this year having to wrestle with their church leaders over what they are promoting in Congress. So often people think it is only Evangelicals that must place the values of their faith first.

Each approaching election fills me with a nervous ...

2008-09-09T08:14:00.000-05:00

Each approaching election fills me with a nervous anticipation. I want to make the best choice I can which means I have the responsibility to do my homework on the candidates.

I appreciated your comment about being the light. It seems like I often end up voting after work which in Nov. means in the dark. Perhaps now I won't grumble as much as I cross the parking lot to vote.

Whether we agree with the outcome or not, we are so privileged to be able to cast our ballot.

Pastor Randy- I think that is why Bible Study Fell...

2008-09-04T15:12:00.000-05:00

Pastor Randy- I think that is why Bible Study Fellowship had such an impact on my life, each week you are challenge to let the scripture change your life in some way and each week you are asked how it did change your life the previous week. Calling you to action and change puts God in the Kingship role.

Thanks for posting this and giving us something to...

2008-08-28T16:03:00.000-05:00

Thanks for posting this and giving us something to think about.

Robin

My soul whole-heartedly agrees! Charley said just...

2008-08-18T07:30:00.000-05:00

My soul whole-heartedly agrees! Charley said just the other day - "there should be so many of the 'go to them' (opportunities challenged to us as a church fellowship of believers) that I feel guilty if I don't." It is a sad, but true observation that most of us (myself included) are so busy - so wrapped up ourselves, that we don't make time for 'going to them'. We placate our need to 'do God's work' with busy-ness in our church system. Lord - take us OUT into your hurting world...

thanks for the inspiration (ref i dont want to for...

2008-08-12T16:57:00.000-05:00

thanks for the inspiration (ref i dont want to forget) it inspired me to make this short film

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E2ZWDfmhZxE

i definatley wont ever forget and will endeavour to make sure others dont forget

thank you once again

john portsmouth england

What a good, clear definition Meigs gives! I hope...

2008-07-21T15:46:00.000-05:00

What a good, clear definition Meigs gives! I hope a lot of people read this post, Randy.

I agree, but more workers are needed.

2008-05-23T22:48:00.000-05:00

I agree, but more workers are needed.

Looking back, I can see so many times our church h...

2008-05-22T17:06:00.000-05:00

Looking back, I can see so many times our church has been generous. Remember the Katrina relief? We colected a lot of money first, then a couple of weeks later we helped families in the church who were housing refugees (mostly relatives), then we have had people go down and help rebuild. That was a whole package of generosity.
We've helped Restoration Urban Ministries, too, as well as the ones you've named, with not just money, but volunteers.
I think you're right; this is part of our DNA.