Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Article: Veterans Day by Rusty Hilliard
This Tuesday, November 11, as a nation we will take time to remember and recognize the men and women who have served this country in our military. The observance and history of Veterans Day has its roots in 1918. To explain this history, I would like to share a paragraph from history.com.
“On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War, then known as “the Great War.” Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars.”
The interesting side note that we should mention here is that in 1968, congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which sought to insure 3-day weekends for government employees, and moved Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. This practice remained until 1975, when President Ford signed into law a policy which returned Veterans Day to November 11.
As a child, Veterans Day had very little meaning to me, and the majority of those around me. In the small town where I grew up, I don’t recall parades, speeches, and ceremonies honoring the soldiers both past and present. Honestly, though many of my family served in the military, national defense wasn’t something that I thought of much at all. Until one day in September of 2001 changed everything. Of course I am referring to September 11, 2001. On that day all of us became more aware of the amazing individuals who serve this country each and every day. All who give their time, and many who gave their lives.
As I was considering the approach of this national holiday, I thought about Paul’s words to the brethren in Philippians 1: 3. There we read: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” Paul’s message is that at the thought of the brethren, he took time to thank God for who they were, and what they meant to him. We as Americans would do well to model that same mindset in regards to our Veterans. We should thank God for those who serve when we do not, and sacrifice where we will not.
There is one other passage of scripture that I would like to remind us of as this day of remembrance approaches. Jesus said in John 15: 13, “Greater love has no one than this that someone lays down his life for his friends.” Thank you to all who have stood, served, and sacrificed on our behalf.- Rusty
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
Article: Mailing It In by Rusty Hilliard
For those who enjoy online blogs, I highly recommend focuspress.org. Based out of Nashville, Tennessee, this website has a number of very interesting and well-thought out articles dealing with subjects which impact today’s Christian. Recently the authors published an article titled: “MAILING IT IN.” The major thrust of the article is examining different areas of the work of the Lord in which we have stopped working for ourselves, and are instead expecting someone else to do the work for us. I was inspired after reading this to research the phrase “mailing it in.” I came across the following quote which discussed the origins of certain phrases.
“Mailing it in has nothing to do with the mail and everything to do with delivery. The phrase refers to the act of performing a task or job with the minimal amount of effort required to satisfy the person who has hired you to do the work. But that's not all. To "mail it in," there has to be an understanding (express or implied) that the performer of the task is capable of better quality work than what is being delivered. Accordingly, mere hacks cannot "mail it in" the way an A-List Hollywood star or top-selling author can. Indeed, the strange thing about "mailing it in" is that a person has to earn the privilege through status or past, top-notch work.”
I have chosen to highlight the first sentence for a reason. Those first few words contain a great lesson for you and me as we strive to do the work of the Lord here in this local area. You see, it isn’t a problem with the mail (the message), the problem is with the delivery (the messenger.) Folks, God didn’t “mail it in” when it came to our salvation. Instead he gave us all he had to give in the form of his “only begotten son.” (John 3: 16) The question for ourselves is whether or not we are “mailing it in” when it comes to our delivery of the message which he has given to us.
Are you, as the performer of the work of the Lord, “capable of better quality work than what is being delivered?” As Paul stated in Philippians 1: 21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
This verse doesn’t allow for anything less than our best effort. In fact, this verse repudiates the idea of “mailing it in” all together. -Rusty-
Friday, October 24, 2014
Article: Owner of a Lonely Heart? by Rusty Hilliard
Musically speaking, I am a child of the 1980s. Few time periods in music history can match the power ballads of the 80’s. For example, consider the following titles the next time you are feeling alone.
Roxette: “It Must Have Been Love, but it’s Over Now.”
Patti Labelle: “On My Own”
Bonnie Raitt: “I Can’t Make You Love Me If You Don’t”
Bonnie Tyler: “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (If you were a woman named Bonnie in the 1980’s, it appears that there was a good chance that you were sad and alone.)
Heart: “Alone” (Nothing like cutting straight to the meat of the matter.)
White Snake: “Here I Go Again On My Own”
These lists prove a couple of things to us. First, your preacher has a horrible taste in music. Secondly, this list also reveals to us a basic human need for companionship. As people, we don’t like being alone.
One of the first needs which God addressed following the creation of mankind was loneliness. In Genesis 2: 18-20 we read “And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him.”
We know that God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and from his rib he formed woman, and from that day forward we have strove together in love and in life.
As great as it is that we have a partner with whom we can share our lives, we Christians sometimes act as though we are serving God from inside our own personal box. In fact, when Christ began to call His disciples to follow Him, it is interesting that He didn’t call them one-by-one, but in Matthew 4: 18-22, He called them to come work together.
“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”
Just as Jesus called these disciples together, so we should work together for the cause of Christ. When we refer to the “CHURCH”, we aren’t speaking of the building, rather we are talking about the body of Christ that is composed of each individual Christian. We have those around us upon whom we can lean for help and support, let’s come together in the vineyard of the Lord.
Rusty-
Friday, October 17, 2014
Singing & Picnic Oct 18 in Bartow
Semi Annual Picnic and Sing at Mary Holland Park in Bartow, FL at 11:00 AM - ? Saturday. Sponsored by Polk County area churches of Christ. Bring a covered dish,a chair and a good singing voice and enjoy God's beauty and wonderful fellowship.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Article: Callouses by Rusty Hilliard
Anyone who has ever played guitar will tell you that there is a very painful process that all guitarists must experience on their way to becoming the “NEXT BIG THING.” When you first pick up a guitar, be it electric or acoustic, following your first few times playing your fingers will hurt and be painful to the touch. There are a couple of solutions that can be tried in order to help the struggling student survive the pain.
First, you can apply Apple Cider Vinegar to the tips of your fingers both before and after playing. When trying this method, you might also want to ice your hand for a few minutes along with the vinegar. Secondly, you can adjust the action on the strings of your guitar. The action on a guitar is the distance between the frit board of the guitar, and the strings. If the action is set too high, it will make the guitar harder to play. Finally, coat the tips of your fingers with clear finger nail polish. It offers enough protection to allow the player to still move around the strings with ease, and yet avoid the pain which have stopped so many through the years.
However, the best advice for a burgeoning guitarist is to play through the pain. You see, the more you play, you begin to develop callouses on the tips of your index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers. These callouses form a hard protective layer of skin over the fingers which you use to play, and this allows you to play longer and longer.
With guitar, callouses are a good thing, but when the conversation turns to the heart of the child of God, far too many of us have formed callouses where they shouldn’t be. Nehemiah 2:17, reads: “Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.”
By the time that this speech is made by Nehemiah to the children of Israel, the walls around Jerusalem have been gone for 125 years. In fact, the remnants of the nation which God had chosen as His own have been living in the rubble heap for some 10 years at this time; they’ve seen the destruction that is Jerusalem. So, why then does Nehemiah bring up the devastation that is obvious? He does it for a very simple reason: the broken walls, the burned gates, the devastated city was normal, and had formed a callous over their hearts. Therefore, before the rebuilding could take place, Nehemiah had to break through the protective coating on the hearts of the Israelites.
How many of us have become calloused to sin? We see God’s Word being violated, burned, misapplied and twisted each day, yet we just say that this is the way of the world. Folks, that is your calloused heart speaking. As children of the living God, we need to break through the hard coating that is over our hearts, and stand against the “wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6: 11) We should remove the politically correct tag that so many of us have placed upon our chest as a badge of shame, and go to war against the darkness which threatens our families, country, world, and even our Father’s house. (1 Timothy 3: 15, Numbers 32: 6)
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Columbus Day, October 12, 2014
Columbus Day
Look just beyond the yellow slide on the playground and draw a line in your mind 522 miles southeast toward the Atlantic- flying over Fort Pierce and then Freeport, you will come to the small Bahamian island whose original name was Guanahani. Lush and green split by a lagoon, twelve miles long, five miles wide, it was the scene of an inevitable miracle.
In 1485, 34-year-old Genoa native Christopher Columbus proposed to King John II of Portugal a voyage to discover a short cut to the Orient. Abounding with spices and gold, it was widely theorized that the far away East could be reached by going west. He was rejected. In 1485, he tried again and failed. Dejected, he made one last attempt and appealed to the new, united Spanish monarchs. Queen Isabella I was impressed but a committee scoffed, it was impractical.
For two years, through bouts of frustration, he continually lobbied the royals. They were intrigued but too engaged in the Reconquista of Granada, a war to rid Spain of an Islamic invasion from north Africa. For nearly 800 years, the Muslims were a thorn in the Christian Spain. Innumerable battles kept them at bay, finally, on January 2, 1492, the last Muslim ruler was defeated.
Watching this completion of victory, Christopher Columbus thought of passages from the prophet Isaiah.
42:10 Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise from the ends of the earth,You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
41:9a “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar!
51:5 “My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And my arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust.
Columbus seized the opportunity to appeal to the queen… and was rejected. Thinking his cause was lost, he left town on a mule. Yet, when the king heard of her decision he vetoed it and had Columbus returned to the castle. On the evening of August 3, he set sail.
Five weeks later, at 2 am on October 12, 1492, sailor Rodrigo de Triana shouted “Tierra! Tierra!” (Land! Land!). Columbus led a prayer.
“O Lord, eternal and omnipotent God,
Thou hast, by Thy holy word,
created the heavens, the earth, and the sea;
blessed and glorified be Thy name;
praised be Thy majesty,
who hast deigned that,
by means of Thy unworthy servant,
Thy sacred name should be acknowledged
and made known in this new quarter of the world.”
Upon landing, Columbus named the land after Christ the Savior, in Spanish, “San Salvador.”
Across 522 miles, across 522 years, Christ remains San Salvador. His wisdom, His Word, His wonderful love still guides us through uncharted waters. The isles have heard Him; and in this land of flowers (Florida), we, the inhabitants from the East and all other directions, recognize that our hearts and our prayers point blessedly upward. In Christian love, let’s turn the world upside down. –Jason Goldtrap
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Severo Hernandez baptized on September 18, 2014.
Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Three potential new elders
Three men are being considered to be new elders: Mike Yopp, Burt McKee and Jim Craig. If you know of any scriptural objection to their appointment please contact the current elders: Larry Hall, Laverne Watson, Ted Abercrombie or Bill Windsor.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Friday, September 5, 2014
Article: Let It Flow by Rusty Hilliard
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you have doubtless heard, or seen, the movie Frozen. The basic premise of the film is that a young girl has the ability to turn things around her into ice. Even her friends and family aren’t safe around her, so she sequesters herself away, until a time in which she must come forth and lead the kingdom which her parents had ruled. A popular song from the movie is titled, “Let It Go.”
The song deals with the young girl letting her powers go, and releasing the cold within. There is a Biblical application which we can make concerning this, “let it go”, but we will need to change one word. Instead of “let it go”, we as Christians need to “Let It Flow.”
In John 4: 14 we read: “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” As people, there is something that we need, and a source has been provided wherein we can find it. The need is remission of sins, and the source is the Son of God.
As a child of the living God, I would challenge each of us this week to find someone who needs the hope which springs from this living well. Let’s attack the week, and “Let It Flow.” -Rusty
Friday, August 29, 2014
Perspactacles by Rusty Hilliard
Last Tuesday night, Laney read me an article written by Glennon Doyle Melton, who also wrote the New York Times bestseller: “Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life.”
In the article Mrs. Melton wrote for her blog site momastery.com, she introduces a rather special idea. The article “GIVE ME GRATITUDE OR GIVE ME DEBT.” begins with Mrs. Melton talking about a picture that she had posted on her Facebook page. In the background, you see most of her kitchen. To put it kindly, Mrs. Melton’s kitchen is what you might call “dated.” The floors aren’t modern, the counters aren’t modern, the appliances aren’t modern, and even the coffee maker isn’t..You guessed it, modern. Everything is neat and in its place, but nothing is what you would call “spectacular.”
Once the photo was posted, people made comments; most were offers to “upgrade” her stone-age style kitchen. Glennon states that she was soundly convinced. She hadn’t noticed over the years how far behind the times she had fallen. The more she read, the more she believed that her family were suffering from a complete lack of modernity in their lives.
However, the next morning something changed. Mrs. Melton woke up and decided to try a different approach. She left behind her negativity of the night before, and put on what she called her “perspactacles”.
Perspactacles are glasses which allow the user to put things in their proper perspective. The inspiration for his idea came from Thoreau’s Walden quote: “I say beware of all enterprises that require new clothes and not a new wearer of the clothes.” You need to see things through a new view, before you go making changes.
When Mrs. Melton came to her kitchen with a fresh perspective, she didn’t find it lacking at all. In fact, she noticed some wonderful things for which she was grateful. She points out that she has a refrigerator! In a refrigerator she can produce food for her family, which is a luxury some 16,000 mothers do not enjoy. 16,000 represents the number of children who die each day from malnutrition. Over-all, she considers herself and her family to be well-off in the food department.
Secondly, she notes the water faucet. All she has to do is turn the lever and clean water is given. This privilege is not enjoyed by some 780 million people world-wide.
The final feature she noticed in her “outdated kitchen” is her old floors. The floors don’t look bad, but bring a smile to her face because of the many wonderful memories which they evoke.
The point and purpose of the article was really quite simple. It is time for us to stop worrying over what we don’t have, and those who do have, and instead be grateful for all that God has given to us. When is the last time you looked at your home, your cars, your spouse, or your children and simply said: “Thank you”?
Let’s stop living to please the folks next door, and start living to fulfill 1 Thessalonians 5: 18. There we read:
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
-Rusty
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
We Are God's Chosen People by Jason Goldtrap
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Til He returns or calls me home-
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
- Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
The confident standing of a saved soul is a lifelong process. It would be great to live in a Hallmark Channel world of inspiring moments and happy endings. I like inspiring moments, but what happens when the moment is gone? Who you are and what you will be starts in the waters of baptism and it is finished in the unseen realm of eternity. One of the reasons we come together as a church is to remind ourselves of who we are and what we will be.
We are God’s chosen people in a crowd of babbling religious dogma. We are the saved ones- hands folded in prayer during a riot. We are the ones who practice truth in a tide of trends. We are immovable as we happily refuse to join the fallen world’s carousel race to nowhere. We are the mercy givers to those who do not deserve clemency. We do not forget the friendless, the sick and the homeless. We believe in the Book that turns the world upside down and the One who penned it.
Colossians 2:9-10 “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Praise Our Benefactor for the immeasurable love He shows us daily. Bless us, Father, as we serve Thee only. Amen. –Jason Goldtrap
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Why We Assemble by Rusty Hilliard
One of the hardest things about writing a bulletin article is remembering when it will primarily be read. At Central the weekly bulletin is available at the worship service each Sunday. This is important because of the purpose that draws us here.
In last Sunday’s evening service I spoke about the need for us to understand why we are at worship. As I set here in my office on Thursday, I am struck by the simplistic purpose that will call the saints together on Sunday August 17. The purpose isn’t to criticize the sermon, or the song service, or the length of the prayers, or the eloquence (or lack thereof) of the individual who heads the table. Our purpose in coming together isn’t to hear how well the Bible class teachers have prepared their lessons, or even to enjoy a fantastic meal together. Our purpose in coming together isn’t for parties, plans, pleasure, or any other earthly cause.
As you sit reading this article, before services begin, why are you here? From a Biblical standpoint, simply put, we are here to give praise and glory to God. Ephesians 3: 21 states:
“Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
Folks, when we come here to worship, we need to come looking to give praise, not looking to what we will receive. I want to encourage you, as our service begins, focus your hearts, minds, soul, and body upon giving all the glory to God. -Rusty
Friday, August 8, 2014
Ordinary Moments can be Special Moments by Rusty Hilliard
On September 9 it will be three years since Delaney and I began working with this congregation. Over that time, we’ve been encouraged by a number of things. We’re passionate about our young people. I love the way in which this group of God’s children tells our young people how much they matter to the work in God’s kingdom.
Charles Francis Adams, 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!"
Charles Adams thought he was wasting his time; Brook Adams saw it as an investment. To adults some things seem like a waste of time, but they mean the world to these young people. Thanks to those who help and encourage our young people by the time spent to plan, carry out, financially support, and transport our young people. To those who work with the youth, you are investing both in the future and in the today of the church. In the New Testament, Timothy had been trained for years before Paul came along and instructed and encouraged him. We have a delightful group of kids here at Central who are thirsty for both the work and word of the Lord. As a congregation, let’s make sure that we are satisfying that thirst. -Rusty
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
Bulletin cover July 13, 2014
Friday, July 4, 2014
Bulletin cover July 6, 2014
Note: I could not find a version of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" sung in an acapella, congregational. style; please enjoy this rendition by the Voices of Liberty, the American Adventure Pavilion, EPCOT, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
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