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Thursday, April 29, 2010

WHY ARE THERE FOUR DIFFERENT GOSPELS?

"John's gospel is designed to bring you to your knees in wonder, love, and praise.

Luke's is meant to make you sit up and think hard about Jesus as Lord of the whole world.

Matthew's is like a beautifully bound book which the Christian must study and ponder at leisure, steadily reordering one's life in the process.

Mark's is like a hastily printed revolutionary tract, stuffed into a back pocket, and frequently pulled out, read by torchlight, and whispered to one's co-conspirators.

You need all four.  You never know when you are going to have to call on them."

(N. T. Wright, The Original Jesus).

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Gospel Meeting 2010 Lessons with Trey Morgan

Passion for Christ Series-

Other messages of the series and previous years at

http://highlandgospelmeetings.podomatic.com/

Hope you enjoy these and share with your friends.

Kevin Rayner
Tecumseh, OK
Highland Church of Christ

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Bible

Now this is the Living Bible:

His name is Bill.. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college.

He is brilliant.. Kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair.. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.

The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.

Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.

About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.

How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.

The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him.. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.

And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone.

Everyone chokes up with emotion.

When the minister gains control, he says,  'What I'm about to preach, you will never remember.  What you have just seen, you  will never forget.'

'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!'

Friday, January 29, 2010

Meaning of Flag Draped Coffin

Meaning of Flag Draped Coffin
 
All Americans should be given this lesson. Those who think that America is an arrogant nation should really reconsider that thought. Our founding fathers used GOD's word and teachings to establish our Great Nation and I think it's high time Americans get re-educated about this Nation's history. Pass it along and be proud of the country we live in and even more proud of those who serve to protect our 'GOD GIVEN' rights and freedoms.
I hope you take the time to read this ... To understand what the flag draped coffin really means ... Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many widows and widowers.

Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? 
Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day! 

The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.

The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world. 

The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.' 

The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that They pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America , and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. 

The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded. 

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their nations motto, 'In God We Trust.' 

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today. 

There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why. 

Share this with the children you love and all others who love what is referred to, the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom.'

MAYBE THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD READ THIS EXPLANATION BEFORE THEY RENDER THEIR DECISION ON THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

Friday, January 22, 2010

3 Bullets

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat.

He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner.

As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it.

The rabbit ran away.

Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it.

The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.

As he went further, he saw a large wild 'Tom' turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining.

A voice spoke to him and said, 'Pray first, aim high and stay focused.'

However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill.

He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brough t the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.

Still, the voice said again to him, 'I said 'Pray, Aim high and Stay focused?'

So, the man decided to listen to God's voice.

He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer.

The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it.

And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.

When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his family.

The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.



Moral of the story:

Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.

Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that, the past ..

Live every day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear.

Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.

Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Real vs. artificial

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

ReBaptism

Baptism is a significant issue in the God's plan as revealed in the Bible. People have researched and discussed this vital topic for centuries. In the restoration movement that have been thought provoking things written in an effort to come to a better understanding. Recently I cam across some article that calls for some consideration.


James A. Harding & the "Design" of Baptism


J. W. McGarvey: What is Valid Baptism?


Rebaptism Reviewed ... David Lipscomb





Hopefully we can all come to realize the proper place of immersion into Christ and its place in God's plan.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Teens and Internet

MINISTRY QUESTION:  In an earlier posting we received the following question:

I am seeking some resources to help with a problem we are experiencing with our teens and the internet, specifically with things like Facebook and the like. It would seem some may have posted inappropriate images and commentary. Our elders are concerned that this may be part of a larger problem relating to the general coarseness of young people coming from the influence of school specifically and culture generally. We are looking for some resources or suggestions concerning a addressing the parents, children and the congregation generally. Gary Selby (Raleigh, North Carolina)

Here are the responses we have received so far:

Joe Chase, Missionary to Jamaica, Denton, Texas:

Beth Robertson has some really good materials out regarding safeguarding children.  Some of the stuff she has written will scare you to death.  You can download a good bit of her presentation from the Preston Road church of Christ web site.The Web links for Beth's presentation are:
http://www.prestonroad.org/images/stories/Sermons/part1.mp3
http://www.prestonroad.org/images/stories/Sermons/part2.mp3

I believe every eldership ought to give this a listen and order the materials she has put together from her research.  No child will be safe until we are all proactive in making them safe.

Vic Pruett, White House, Tennessee:

I found that Dr. David Fraze ( David.Fraze@rhchurch.org ) is a great resource on adolescents & culture.  He is our best (C of C) person when it come to answering questions and giving advice on how to navigate things such as face book, my space, youtube, texting, and all things postmodern.  Just don’t tell him I said that.

I actually have a face book account and it allows me to interact with young people in a very unique way.  Teens are all about dialogue, for some reason they can share so much of themselves (their passion, faith, sin, fear, struggles, etc) on the internet (facebook, myspace) and yet be closed mouthed in Sunday morning Bible class.  They will talk to me on facebook about very deep issues and yet be closed to the idea of talking to me at my office or at McDonald’s over a coke.  I’m not saying this is a good thing, but it is an opportunity to reach our teens.  We can take Jesus into this post modern marketplace (of face book, myspace, youtube)  and find out what they are really up to (which is scary).  Young people are open to this new form of dialogue, we should take advantage of it. 

One more thing.  I am always outing kids to their parents about improper behavior (I’m not breaking any confidentiality rules since they are talking about it publically on these internet postings).  You don’t have to spend a lot of time on face book to do all of this (I spend no more than 5 min a day on that stuff).

Also  I remind parents to check their children’s accounts, I do this from the pulpit every now and then.  I don’t know if any of this was helpful, thanks for listening.

James Guy, University church, Monroe, Louisiana:

Like most things, the internet can be used for good or bad.  Our youth group and college group both use Facebook as probably THE primary source of sharing information, inviting friends to events, communicating with one another (next to text messaging), etc.  It has helped our kids be more “connected” (in modern terms) throughout the week when they probably wouldn’t see or speak to each other otherwise.  The good thing about Facebook and Myspace is that friends can see what other friends have on there. 

My wife and I both have Facebooks and are our kids friends, and we also require our kids to provide us with their logins and passwords, and we check them ever so often to see what is on there. We also see what some of their school friends have on there, and have had them remove 1 or 2 from their friends list because of things that were on their space.  I think that is how it should be dealt with.  Encourage parents to check up on their kids (that’s still legal in most states), and if you see one of your church kids with something on there that shouldn’t be, I would suggest dealing with it with them directly and with their parents as appropriate. 

I would also add that the internet allows for more open viewing of the “general coarseness” of what your kids are probably doing and saying at school or with friends when you don’t hear and see them.  In that respect it is a plus.  The main thing I think is to be aware of what your kids (and perhaps church kids) have on their, and encourage and teach their parents to do the same.  Facebook and Myspace are not that hard to use for that purpose even if you are not so computer literate.      www.universitycc.net

Kent Jobe, College Avenue, El Dorado, Arkansas:

In regard to Mr. Selby's request, I would suggest www.syncswim.com   This is a seminar presented by the Church and Family organization through Harding. 
 
Although I have not personally participated in the seminar, it comes very highly recommended and I know they have put in a lot of time and effort in their presentation.  I also know that they are really trying to keep their presentations current and relevant. 
 
Brandon Tittle, Assistant Director,  Church & Family, Harding University:

I was forwarded an email you sent with questions from various ministers. Our office, The Institute for Church & Family, has an experience that might help Gary Selby. It is called SyncSwim, and it is designed to help parents, teachers, grandparents, etc. understand youth culture and how to help teens "swim."
Feel free to send him my contact information:  501-279-4660       www.churchandfamily.net

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Youth Minister Friends

I have a few friends who are good youth ministers that are looking for youth ministry jobs. They are all coming to it from different perspectives and situations, but if you know of someone who is looking, please let me know.

Kevin Rayner
Highland Church of Christ
Tecumseh, OK
otchurch@hotmail.com

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

THE HEART OF THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE HEART OF THE LORD’S PRAYER

Hallowed be Thy name....The PRAISE of God
Thy kingdom come....The PURPOSE of God
Thy will be done....The PLAN of God
Give us bread....The PROVISION of God
Forgive us our debts....The PARDON of God
Lead us not into temptation....The POWER of God
Deliver us from the evil one....The PROTECTION of God

--Elmer L. Towns

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Love Letters

"Love Letters in the White House"

Did you know that former President Harry Truman was a dyed-in-the-wool romantic? He pursued his wife, Bess, for many years before she agreed to marry him. He first asked her in 1911 and they were finally married in 1919. But once he married her, Mr. Truman continued to romance his wife. When he was away from her, he wrote love letters. And when Bess Truman died in the early 1980s, more than 1,200 letters from her husband were discovered in her home. Harry never stopped courting Bess.

—Rick Atchley

Monday, June 04, 2007

The Trouble Tree

Great Link

The Trouble Tree.

or
http://www.thetroubletreemovie.com/

Kevin
My Podcast
http://raynerresources.mypodcast.com/

Friday, March 31, 2006

Wolf

The Wolf

Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is grisly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin.

"First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood.

"Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder the wolf licks the blade in the arctic night.

So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his OWN warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more--until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!"

It is a fearful thing that people can be "consumed by their own lusts." Only God's grace keeps us from the wolf's fate.

Wednesday, February 14, 2001

Scars of His Love

"SCARS OF HIS LOVE"

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.

In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His mother, in the house was looking out the window, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother.

It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two.

The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived.

His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs.

And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mommy wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic. But, the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret.

But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go.

In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you. If you have Christ in your life, you have become a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way.

But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-o-war begins, and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful.

He did not - and will not - let you go. Time is a very precious gift of God; so precious that it's only given to us moment by moment.

Think about it warmly,
Kevin Rayner
2/14/2001