Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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This past week we have seen a vast change in the landscape alongside Central Valley Highway between Lerdo and Central Avenue, with the removal of the green belt of trees and grass planted a number of years ago by the city. That area was originally the Santa Fe Railroad yard, where the depot formerly stood, as well as tracks for loading and unloading equipment and produce, railroad maintenance equipment and a railway bunkhouse. The rails uplifted this last week were manufactured in 1911. When the city purchased this property from the railroad...
On Nov. 8, the United States will have its midterm elections. The midterm elections have been the main issue on talk radio programs and nightly news channels. We have heard the candidate’s arguments on policies, and we have heard their promises to you and I. I know one thing, when this election is over and no matter who wins, I will still be serving Jesus Christ. He will still be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I saw a button pin the other day that said "I vote for Jesus. " I thought it was interesting, and began to think why someone w...
Over these past several years I've enjoyed being part of a "Zoom Cohort," comprised of pastors across the country. These groups are organized by our US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, and in the past, I've even had the privilege of leading one of them! One of the cohorts I was recently in spent time reading and discussing a book together by Eugene Peterson, "Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work." It's an interesting study of various Old Testament books and how they relate to pastoral ministry. One of our discussions revolved around...
Everyone in the world is on a quest for success. Many successful people in history accomplished great things; none more so than King Solomon (990-931 BC). Proverbs is where Solomon wrote divinely revealed wisdom for skillful living and success. Reading Proverbs regularly and repeatedly will bear the life-changing fruit of being able to live righteously and skillfully in this fallen world to the glory to God. Every person seeking to accomplish anything needs motivation that goals can be attained and hope that success will result. All around us...
Have you noticed that it’s that season again? The season I am referring to is the silly season we refer to around here as election season. Every two years we go to the polls – except here in California where we mail our ballots – and we decide who we want to represent us and which of the 20 million propositions that end up on the ballot we want passed. The wonderful thing about our country is we have the freedom to choose who we want to represent us at the local, state, and national level...
It’s always nice to be able to make and stick to plans. That isn’t always reality, though. If a flight gets canceled, we wind up making new arrangements on the go — sometimes with considerable disappointment. Since it happens to all of us, you would think people would understand. But when the Apostle Paul’s plans changed, some in Corinth took that as an opportunity to criticize him for being a fickle and unreliable person. He had said he would come to them when he passed through Macedonia (1 Cor. 16:5), but then he changed his mind (2 Cor. 1:...
2nd Timothy 1:12 says, For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. This world is a dangerous place. Carjackings, smash and grab, and assaults are an everyday occurrence in this world. Violence in major American cities continues to rise. Where can a person find shelter from this storm of violence and danger? Jesus Christ is the shelter for our souls. In him is the safest place you can be. Psalms 46:1 says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in...
When I was in college at Biola University, I remember making a statement to my roommate that went something like this: “I can live out my faith by myself and really don't need others to do that!.” Wow, was I wrong! In my zeal to live out my faith at that time, I was more "conformed to the pattern of this world" that Paul speaks of in Romans 12:2 and needed to be "transformed by the renewing of my mind" by the Holy Spirit. Essentially, I was thinking more like an American citizen than a citizen of heaven. I appreciate the many "individual rig...
How many of you know what a tattoo is? Before anybody gets defensive, I’m not preaching against tattoos. It is your body. If you want tattoos, more power to you. I don’t. But that’s me. Anyways, do you know how a tattoo is applied? The tattoo artist takes a torture device, a needle, and he runs ink into your skin with it to leave an image on your skin. How long does the tattoo stay on your skin? [BEGIN ITAL]It is permanent!![END ITAL] It stays forever. As long as you have skin, you will have...
The book of Ecclesiastes has a number of texts that make us scratch our heads and wonder a little. To give just a few examples: “In much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (1:18). “Therefore I hated life” (2:17). “A time to hate” (3:18). “I praised the dead who were already dead, more than the living” (4:2). “Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise”(7:16). Statements of this puzzling kind come up so much that I’ve reached the conclusion that it’s deliberate. Ecclesiastes means to make us stop and thi...
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10b) Yet many Christians have lives that are anything but blessed, flourishing and abundant. They live below the level of blessing Jesus promised. They live with lack, sometimes financial lack, but more often a spiritual and emotional lack of love, joy and hope. There is a story in Samuel 9 of a young prince, who in spite of his royal blood, lived with lack. He was the grandson of Israel's first king, Saul. Unfortunately, after his father and...
Hebrews 10:23 says, Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised. In this world that we live in we are going to need spiritual endurance and stamina. We must hang onto the Lord and His Word. The Bible tells us to fight the good fight of faith. We are living in uncertain and perilous times, but God is faithful! Deuteronomy 7:9 says, He is the faithful God. That is his character – faithfulness. Scripture teaches that no matter what, He stays faithful. Psalm 89:8 says Faithfulness is all around t...
I had the privilege of covering the Childrens Summer Theater production of “Seussical” over the weekend. It was a great show, and the kids did such a great job with it. It reminded me of a few years ago when I covered Dr. Seuss’s “Horton Hears a Who” at Shafter High School. It really hit me in a way that I didn’t expect. I ended up writing an editorial about it a couple of weeks afterward. Unfortunately, the sentiment still seems the same today, as it was a few years ago. The play is about an...
Life often presents us with choices between two options: good or bad, right or wrong, wise or foolish. Not every choice is black and white, but biblical wisdom proposes that most of life falls into two categories: living wisely or foolishly. Two paths are presented in Proverbs 1:7: [BEGIN ITAL]“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”[END ITAL] “Fear of the Lord”’ is not being terrified and running away from God; rather, it means reverential awe, humble respect and obedient submissio...
My wife and I just returned from two weeks in the Frazier Park mountains for our church organization’s youth camp. The kids arrived at camp with anticipation of seeing friends they haven’t seen in a year, all the activities that have been planned and, of course, the amazing food at the camp snack shack. As campers and workers have all returned both tired and refreshed, it reminds me that the end of youth camp is the unofficial sign that summer is soon to be over. Back to school shopping wil...
Although a big chunk of the book of Genesis is devoted to Abraham's life, there is a great deal we don't know. For instance, 13 years go by between the end of Chapter 16 and the first verse of Chapter 17. The history in the Bible leaves out a lot. There must be a principle of selection, a way of determining what was significant in Abraham's life for later readers. One suggestion, made by the late Noel Weeks in his book Gateway to the Old Testament, is that Genesis is highlighting the promises made to Abraham, but also how many of the...
In Acts 17:30, the Bible tells us that God once winked at the ignorance of men but now (this day and time) “Commandeth all men everywhere to repent!” What does this word “repent” mean? Does it mean we must be sorry for our sins? Yes, it does, but that is not all it means. There are many people who are sorry for the wrong things they have done. They tell themselves, “I will stop doing wrong.” They may be sorry because they are now facing the consequences of their wrongdoing. They have been found out. There are others who are sorry for doing w...
As the days go forward the world gets more vicious and crazy. 2nd Timothy 3:1 says in the last days perilous times shall come. God said that if we humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, He would hear us and forgive us and heal our land. It is righteousness that exalts a nation. Sin is a reproach to any people. To get this country going on the right track, the Continental Congress called for a day of prayer. Once when a critical moment arose during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln asked the nation to f...
2nd Corinthians 1:3-4 says: "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; who comforts us in our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort where we ourselves are comforted of God." God is our strength and comfort. If a people and a nation ever needed God’s comfort, it is I now. Our nation is in mourning as we pray and weep with the families in Uvalde, Texas. Jesus said, Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will...
The Bible is very blunt about the fact that life in this world is quite difficult. Genesis explains that Adam and Eve, by their rebellion against God brought death into the world and the necessity of hardship (Genesis 3:8–24). The book of Job illustrates that life is harsh through the story of a man, who lost everything. The reality that life is short and full of frustration is the background for everything Ecclesiastes says. And in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul takes the hardships of life for granted when he says, "For our light afflicti...
It feels like we just move from one crisis to another these days, doesn’t it? For the record, that feeling increases if you regularly watch the news on television. Remember, news programs get more viewers and sell more advertising when there is “major news,” or in other words, some kind of “crisis.” So, be aware that every news organization loves a crisis and is willing to exaggerate everyday problems or situations to create them daily. The problem is that all this media-crisis surfing, on top of the daily struggles of life, has a lot of pe...
Proverbs 31:10 says, "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." It speaks of a woman that is strong in moral principles. This woman in Proverbs is a strength and blessing to her husband and children. She is clothed with strength and honor and she loves God. Godly women are a strength and a stability in this chaotic world, as they exhibit hope and trust in God. Some of the most godly women I have met were moms and grandmas in the church where I pastor. Many of them have went on to be with the Lord, but what I gleaned...
Has anybody noticed the price of gas lately? I realized that I am now paying close to double what I used to pay to fill my gas tank. Have you been to the grocery store lately? Have you seen the price of bacon? I know we are all feeling the pinch of higher prices on everything we need to survive. As far as I know, we are not being chargeD to breathe the air, but I hear plans may be in the works to change that (just kidding, kind of). Regardless of how you and I are being affected, this is by no...
It was a sad day recently when the city of Shafter, especially the community at Shafter High, saw the passing of Charles Rekosh. Rekosh was an invaluable part of the history of Shafter High, contributing to the rich tradition of the school. Rekosh began his career at SHS in 1974. Charlie and his wife decided that they would like to raise their kids in a small-town environment, so he transferred to Shafter High. Rekosh taught, coached, counseled. He eventually would serve as dean of students,...
Several times recently we’ve dedicated Couch’s Corner to programs designed to help the homeless and disadvantaged in our community. This week, I thought we’d provide an update on one of those programs, Laborers of the Harvest. In the past few months, LOTH has been awarded three grants and is implementing a first of its kind program that I hope we can replicate throughout the county. The key grant, as far as I’m concerned, is the one that uses state job skills training funds as funneled through...
