Bless our Missionaries

Greetings Y'all

As many of you are aware, we decided at LHF during this Christmas season
to bless the missionaries that we are connected to with a Christmas love
offering. Our goal is to collect $3,000 and send $1,000 to the Bansods
in India, $1,000 to the Bassons in South Africa and $1,000 to Reici &
Karen Acevedo in Paraguay. We are blessed to be connected with such
godly followers of our Lord Jesus and they are fully committed to the
work of the ministry. Please pray and ask the Lord if He would have you
participate in blessing them this Christmas!

* All gifts must be turned in by this Sunday December 15th, in order for
the families to get the gift before Christmas.
* Checks should be made out to LEADS USA and dropped in the offering
plate or delivered to Kerry Major.

Be a Blessing!
Pastor Chris

Fwd: Church mowing-Playground

Chris Shepherd sent this out to last years mowing team.

I have forwarded it with the hopes that many will contact him and asked
to be added to the list to mow at least one time this summer. Women are
also welcome. Please let him know asap as he is in the process of
building the summer schedule!

In addition; Most of the playground construction has been completed. We
still need 4-5 men to help set the slides and final stair platform. If
you would be willing to help please contact Brother Chris. As soon as
we have enough guys to help I will coordinate a time.

Blessings
Pastor Chris


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Church mowing
Date: 12.4.2018 19:05
From: Christopher Shepherd <shepbat@yahoo.com>
To: Bro Chris <chrisrieber@lhfellowship.com>,
jonny7toes@lhfellowship.com, "Jonny Liston jonny7toes@hotmail.com"
<jonny7toes@hotmail.com>, "rayomept@windstream.net"
<rayomept@windstream.net>, Dennis Swanson <dennis.swanson17@gmail.com>,
bill.forker@twc.com, Robert Coffey <robocoffey@insightbb.com>, Kerry
Major <kerrymaj@us.ibm.com>, Tim&lynette Walker <to.lmwalker@yahoo.com>,
amoose399@gmail.com, Royce Bugg <royce.bugg@parker.com>

List will be updated in a week or so, the mower is ready to go,

I started mowing tonight but there was large group using ball field and
I ran out of daylight, if anyone can finish tomorrow there should be
enough fuel.

If you cannot be added to rotation let me know, Kerry and Tim are
alternates. If you know anyone else interested have them contact me.

Thanks

Shep

Thanksgiving

Grateful for the basics!

 

We are blessed each year in this country to celebrate Thanksgiving.  In different places you will see turkeys, corn stalks, pumpkins and Pilgrims in costume as reminders of this holiday.  This holiday has come to focus on many things.  People will gather just to party and give little thanks for anything.  For them it is simply a family gathering day.  Others will go fishing or golfing because for them it is a day off work and little more.  Still others have a bit of a chip on their shoulder.  Because of a tough year of hard things and a bad season in life, they are not only thankless, they are down right bitter at God for not handling things the way they thought He should.  Then there is that early Christmas group who are so excited about Christmas starting that Thanksgiving gets drowned out in plans for the next holiday.  Or, maybe that group is just more keenly aware of "who"should be the focus Thanksgiving and they are getting an early start on offering Jesus the thanks He is due for being the greatest gift ever given to the world. 

 

Without a doubt, focusing on Jesus at Thanksgiving is awesome but I want to also bring to remembrance how this thing all started.  There were these people who had come to a new country on the other side of the ocean.  They had faced incredible hardships, lost many lives, fought many battles with Indians (maybe justifiably), faced starvation, endured harsh elements and almost completely lost hope many times.  Finally, another spring had come.  Crops were planted.  Some Indians who had become friends were helping them adjust and learn what grows in their part of the country.  The crops had grown and the bountiful harvest was amazing.  It was a bright time in the midst of a long time of hardship.  The people were overcome with the goodness of God for the simple things they had taken for granted.  They were simply Thankful for the simple things.  God had given them some new friends, God had blessed them with a good harvest.  God had helped them endure and they were now reaping some benefits.  They knew the best thing they could do is give thanks to God for these basic things in life. 

 

They were thankful for life, for loving relationships, for food, for survival and for God's presence found in all these.  They were Thankful for the basics!  This Thanksgiving I am sure we all have a lot to be thankful for.  Even though we may have had some hardships He has "brought us through".  Let's be careful this year to remember to give thanks for the basics.  Most of all let's give thanks for God's presence in our lives through Jesus which enables us to enjoy the basics, even the breath we just took.  This season may you find Him in the hardships and in thankfulness for the basics!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pastor Chris

 

 

When He "moves"

What a blessed time we had at our Worship Meeting yesterday.  As several have said, "The Spirit was thick".  I am always amazed when we have a special visitation of the Spirit in our meetings.  I would love for it to be that way every time we meet.  Over the years I have wondered at why we sense His presence more than at other times.  With out a doubt He is always with us.  Whether we ascend to the heights or descend to the depths He is there, says King David.  So I know He is always going to be "there".  On these special days I am not preparing more that others.  Truth be known, many times over the years when "The Spirit was thick", my sermon prep time was less that normal.  Maybe I should study less on a regular basis :).  The worship leadership was great.  I do believe when worship or preaching leadership is "off" in some way that the Spirit can be quenched but I know we have had many times that both were not "off" in any apparent way and yet the powerful presence of the Lord was not "produced" like yesterday.  I do not believe we can produce God's powerful presence.

 

Then there are the unknown factors.  Maybe more prayer was going up through the week.  Maybe there was a greater sense of desperation in crying out for God's power to change our lives.  Maybe there was a greater sense of expecting to meet with God and so we were more aware of the presence that is always there.  Maybe we showed God the attention and focus that is necessary for one who is in the room to move from being a bodily presence to being the focal point of the crowd. 

 

Whatever the reasons, I know I want more!!!  I long for every meeting at LHF to be a time when the powerful presence of God is knocking down strongholds, where the people are in awe of who God is and what He is doing among us, where we come ready to deepen our love for Him and are willing to change whatever necessary to be used more by Him.  Don't you want it too!!  Join me in being fully committed to the unknown factors as well as offering our best in the known factors. 

 

Oh, God we desire you to be the focal point of all that happens at LHF.  We want more!!  We want your powerful presence to consume us everyday of our lives!!

Oh, what now?

This past week I preached on the promise of God that righteousness exalts a nation.  Over this past generation we have seen many principles of righteousness erode from the fabric of our country as a whole.  Once upon a time our country understood that the greatest assets our country had was a traditional family (marriage between one man and one woman), where kids overwhelmingly develop a stronger sense of fair play, morality, work ethic and patriotism.  It is still commonly understood that the traditional family provides the most stable foundation for raising productive children.  None the less our country as a whole is embracing an any thing goes approach to family life.  There was a time when life was so precious in this country that we would do all we could to help a young lady who found herself with child outside a family structure.  In this past generation we have made convenience or embarrassment more more valuable than life and allowed 50,000,000 babies to be put to death by abortion.  With the new policies in ObamaCare this number is sure to grow rapidly.  I could go on and on about the concerns I have about our nation abandoning righteousness and the impact that will bring on all our lives.

 

The real question is; "Oh, what now?"

Let me remind you of one of my favorite verses of scripture. 

Psalm 42:5 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.

We do still have a Hope!  We have a Living Hope!  As for me and my house, we will put our Hope in God!  Have you ever considered that there is nothing that goes with out notice by our God?  He is very aware of all that is happening around us.  He is using all of it to bring about a perfect plan laid in place since the foundation of the world.  Many Bible scholars agree that before our Lord Jesus returns, things will get much worse in this world.  Though heartache comes with unrighteous acts, that should not bring fear or despair upon those of us who have our Hope in God!  Today, we can walk out the doors of our houses and know that Light still shines greatest in darkness.  We can, should and will be the Light of Jesus to the world around us.  Should the Lord tarry, though I doubt it, our place as Christians is to allow righteousness to exalt the nation of the Kingdom of Light which is comprised of our individual bodies and spirits. 

If things get worse in this old world we live in, and they will, put your Hope in God and remember these next verses as well!

Psalm 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident. 4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to meditate in His temple. 5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. 6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

grateful

Have you ever been overwhelmed with appreciation for something or someone?  I have in the past and I am at the present.  For the past ten years I have been walking in a faith walk with the over all best group of Church folk I have ever known.  In these ten years, by the grace of God, we have had no unresolvable problems as a church family.  There has been as sense of unity, family and humility between us all since day one.  Personal preferences have been laid aside by many, time and time again, for the good of the whole Body.  That is Biblically as it should be!  Hardships have been faced with faith.  Tasks larger than our numbers have been approached with faith.  Care for staff and respect of Elder leadership has been continually exhibited.  With amazement, flexibility has permeated all we do.  It is my joy to say as a Pastor that even though we may face challenges from time to time as a fellowship, I am convinced that the heart of this fellowship is to meet any challenge with love, humility, and a sincere commitment toward resolution and reconciliation!  Do you know how many Pastor's long for such an experience in the Church where they serve?  Oh, how I know that I am blessed!

This past week I enjoyed the "icing on the cake".  Though it is not necessary to know that I am loved, it is always a blessing to receive comments, notes and gestures of kindness from the fellowship you are seeking to serve.  Let me say a resounding "Thank You" to all who shared notes and comments of appreciation during this past "pastor appreciation month".  Connie and I especially want to say thanks for the gift of the Church enabling us to get away together for a few days.  We are working on the plans and hope to accomplish this in the month of January.  You know how busy it is in the holiday season.  Thanks again!

If you are not a member of LHF, I hope this blog note will encourage you to reach out to your pastor.  Let him know that God is using him in your life.  Remember he is God's servant whom you have an opportunity to bless.  

As for this pastor I say "THANK YOU" for your kindness.  In the words of one of God's great pastors, Peter Lord, "I am blessed and very much so".

back from India

As most of you are aware, we are back from India. Once again God did great things in the country I have come to love. It certianly is not the country I love, but the people. This year the ministry amoung the pastor's was more challenging. The Christian witness in the area of Amravati has been attacked by the army of our spiritual enemy. The churches, about 150 of them in the regional area, are experiencing very low attendence. Some of these churches are more than 50 years old. Many pastors have lost credibility in the community and are simply going through the motions of thier responsibilities. Several churches are without pastors. As a result it was challenging to get a real good attendence to the conference and revival meetings. The conference was scheduled to have 125 pastor and the revival was expected to have between 500-600 in attendance. Instead there were about 75 pastors and maybe 150 or so at the revival (with 50 of those being the pastors). The second night of the revival I preached on Sampson loosing his power in the lap of Deliah and that he was willing to pay his life to know the power of God one more time and to restore the testimony of the name of his God. God used it as Shudi called for committments and many responded to the call. That night I was overcome with intercession for the pastors in Amravati. I could not sleep much. The next morning I was in grief for the witness of Christ in a world where the power of your God is determined by His impact on your life, and there was little visibility of Christian power in lives of most of these pastors. During the day I spoke on doing everything by faith and Kerry hit a home run on challenging the pastors to serve with excellence. That evening I preached on restoring the heart of a failure (one of my favorite scripture lessons from the life of Peter). There seemed to be a breakthrough. In the last pastors meeting our topic was on Experiencing the power of God through the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives. There were many positive comments and several came to confess thier committment to begin to pray with other pastors for a renewal of the work of God in the Amravati area. If you are led by the Spirit to do so, please consider praying for the pastors and the Christian witness in the Amravati, India area!

By the way, it is awesome to be home, I love this "country" and its' people!!!