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Thursday 10am - 11:30am Sunday 10am - 11:30am

Hamlin New Testament Church, 2179 Lake Road, Hamlin, NY (2026)

06/15/2026

Yesterday was "Share a Scripture" day at HNTC. We all sat around tables before the service started and took some time to share a verse that God had put on our hearts. It was wonderful, encouraging, and a beautiful reminder of how much we need one another.

I shared 1 Corinthians 12:26, the verse I used a couple of days ago in one of my devotionals: "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." I also shared the fact that everyone is broken to some extent, and how much we need each other.

The truth is, there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who know they're broken, and those who are broken but don't know it yet.

Here's the thing - God wants us to recognize our brokenness. That's why our churches should be no-shame zones, places where hurting people can come just as they are and find grace, hope, and healing. God has blessed each of us to be people of the second chance. But we can't be second-chance people until we realize how great a second chance we've been given ourselves.

Sad but true, too many Christians don't feel forgiven, so they don't let anyone else feel forgiven either. But when we truly grasp how much grace God showed us through Christ, extending that same grace to others becomes the natural response.

Ephesians 4:32 reminds us: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God forgave you through Christ."

Friends, second chances aren't just for addicts and convicts; second chances are for all of us. No matter how squeaky-clean our lives may appear on the outside, the Bible is clear that every one of us has needed God's grace and a second chance at some point in our lives.

And the wonderful news is this: God is still in the second-chance business! Amen?

06/14/2026

Thanks for all the kind words about my mom yesterday. They mean more than you know and bring back some really precious memories.

Both Mom and Dad lived life fully and stayed active for as long as they could, until the day came when they simply couldn't anymore. Their example reminds me that time is a gift, and that's why the phrase "while we still can" resonates so deeply with us these days.

Truth be told - we seem to be using that phrase more and more lately. Although our camping season started off with a few bumps, we're looking forward to all the other trips we have planned. We're also in the early stages of planning an extended trip next year to get away from the snow season here.

Even though these things may seem like plans we can accomplish in our own strength, we still rely on God to make a way for them to happen. I love how Proverbs 16:9 spells it out: "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." (makes me think of all the steps we took in Italy!)

We also need to have His wisdom in our plans. And that's not just day-to-day plans, it's also the plans He has for our lives. Eph. 5:15-16 tells us - "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days."

The truth is, we're nowhere near perfect. There are times in our lives when things simply don't make sense. We think we're doing the right thing, only to watch our plans fall apart. We experience failure, disappointment, and discouragement. And before long, we're wondering if we've somehow gotten off track.

But here's the good news: we serve a God of second chances!

Friends - when we fail in our own strength, God is right there to pick us up, dust us off, and set our feet back on the right path. His grace is greater than our mistakes, and His plans are better than our own. He will continue to lead us and guide us "while we still can." Trust Him again today. Amen?

06/13/2026

It was 20 years ago today. We were at St. Mary's Hospice Center, saying a "so long for now" to our mom. It was one of the hardest days of my life. Yet what an honor it was to hold her hand and let her know it was okay to go and be with Jesus, our father, Norm, and other loved ones who had gone before her. It's a memory I will never forget.

Lois lived an amazing life, and I'm so proud to call her my mom. She and our dad raised us kids pretty well. Are we perfect? Far from it. But I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to be my mom.

During my prayer time this morning, I was praying for our family and many of our friends. One thing the Lord impressed upon me was that every one of us is broken to some extent. That doesn't just apply to my family and friends - it applies to all of us.

Then a song came to my brain: All the People Said Amen by Matt Maher.

"If you're rich or poor, well, it don't matter
Weak or strong, we know love is what we're after
We're all broken, but we're all in this together
God knows we stumble and fall
And He so loved the world, He sent His Son to save us all."

How true those words are. We're all broken in some way, but we're all in this together - or at least we should be. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:26:

"If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."

Friends, there are no perfect people, perfect families, or perfect friendships. Every one of us needs help. Every one of us needs God's love. Every one of us needs people in our lives who will care, encourage, and walk alongside us.

God desires for all of us to come to that understanding. Imagine how different this world would be if we truly lived that way. Amen?

PS - Love you, Mom! Miss you every day!

06/12/2026

Not sure where I first read this, but what a great line: "God will gladly trade our worry for peace, our doubt for confidence, and our frustration for His grace."

One thing we love about retirement is that we don't usually need alarm clocks anymore. Maybe on a special day when we need to get up extra early, but our internal alarm clocks seem to have us awake by 6 a.m. every day anyway! I seriously can't remember the last time we slept in until 8.

But those 4 a.m. wake-ups? They get old real quick.

I think most of us can relate. You know that stage where you're somewhere between asleep and fully awake. Then your brain starts replaying situations, responsibilities, and things that need to be taken care of. Suddenly - BANG! - you're wide awake, and getting back to sleep seems impossible. That's when our defenses are down.

So what can we do?

The answer is almost too simple. We go to God. We go to His Word.

A great verse to memorize is 2 Corinthians 10:5: "Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." It's a short but powerful truth to recall when those early-morning worries begin to creep in. It helps put things back into perspective.

And here's another one from 2 Corinthians 5:7: "For we live by faith, not by sight."

The truth is, we usually can't actually see our problems at 4 a.m. We can only imagine them. And when we start trying to solve them in the middle of the night, we often create worst-case scenarios that never happen anyway. We picture the worst and then work backward from there.

What we really need is a change of focus.

Friends, it might be worth writing these verses down and placing them on your nightstand. Then, when those anxious thoughts start bombarding your mind, you'll have God's truth close at hand.

And maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to trade your worry for peace, your doubt for confidence, and your frustration for His grace. Amen?

06/11/2026

I'm still amazed that, after all these years, Lee Lee still gets a kick out of me. I can still make her laugh, make her smile, and even get a belly laugh out of her from time to time. And in just 15 short days, we will celebrate 50 years of marriage! I'll say it again and again - I'm a very blessed man!

And there are times when she knows exactly what I'm thinking. In fact, I think she pretty much always knows what I'm thinking. Not too long ago, we were in a parking lot and spotted a little old lady struggling to separate two shopping carts. We saw her, parked the car, but by the time we got out, someone else had already stopped to help. From the moment I saw her, though, Lee knew what I was thinking - I wanted to help.

I guess I'm the type of person who genuinely enjoys helping others. And I know there are a lot of us out there. And that's awesome!
Truth be told, when we give, that giving doesn't stop with us. In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul talks about the cheerful giver:

Remember this - a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”(2 Cor. 9:6-9)

It's a little like paying it forward, but it's more than a single act of kindness. When we consistently give to others, it becomes a lifestyle. It becomes part of who we are. It becomes automatic - or at least it should.

Friends, here's a wonderful truth: there is no way we can ever outgive God. I challenge each of us to go ahead and try. As we pour out kindness, generosity, encouragement, and love, we'll discover that God has already poured so much more into our lives.
And remember, He loves a cheerful giver, and He always keeps His promises. Amen?

06/10/2026

I'm so thankful that the "summer" switch has finally been turned on. I remember just a couple of weeks ago sitting around a campfire bundled up in our winter weather gear!

Lately, we've been able to get a lot of "pro-jects" done around the house. Yesterday included two oil changes and my first attempt at making Pork Belly Bao Buns! I was grateful they turned out so well.

Later in the afternoon, it was time to relax. We love taking the opportunity to sit outside, either on the front patio and watch all the activity in the neighborhood, or on the back patio, where it's usually very quiet and restful.

So, here's the question of the day: When was the last time we intentionally took the time to sit and not do much at all? It's so refreshing and reinvigorating!

It got me thinking about Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. There was certainly plenty to do, for sure - just ask Martha!

While Martha was busily preparing a meal for Jesus, Mary wisely recognized that this was a unique opportunity. Instead of helping her sister in the kitchen, she sat at Jesus' feet, hanging on His every word.

Of course, Martha grew increasingly frustrated because there was so much work to be done. Finally, she came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair. . . Tell her to come and help me..." (Luke 10:40).

Jesus simply replied, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better. . ." (Luke 10:41-42).

The moral of the story is that there is a time to work and a time to worship. There is a time to be active for the Lord, and there is a time to sit quietly at His feet.

Friends, here's the final question: Have we become so consumed with the tasks of daily life that we've forgotten to make time to simply be with Jesus?

Take a few minutes today to sit at His feet. Open His Word. Spend time in prayer. Listen for His voice.

Because if we want to see the face of Jesus, we must first learn to sit at His feet. Amen?

06/09/2026

I don't know about you, but I love to drive. Lee Lee? Not so much. That actually works out pretty well for us!

One of my most unique driving experiences was many years ago when I got paid to drive the Zamboni at Lakeshore Rinks in Greece. How cool was that? At 19 years old, I thought I had one of the greatest jobs in the world, cruising around the ice on that awesome machine.

Since then, I've driven just about everything - from tow trucks and semi-trucks to box trucks, buses, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, and plenty in between. But one thing I really miss is driving a stick shift. Since Lee Ann can't drive a standard transmission, we're an "automatic" family.

From time to time, we use driving analogies in our conversations. We talk about "flying along in fifth gear" or feeling "stuck in neutral." Unfortunately, that second one can sometimes describe our relationship with God as well.

A friend of mine once told me he felt like he was stuck in neutral spiritually. He said he thought the problem was that he didn't love God enough. I told him I wasn't sure that was really the issue. I suggested that perhaps the problem wasn't that he didn't love God enough, but that he didn't fully understand how much God loves him.

After all, love is always a response to love. The Bible tells us, "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). When we find ourselves struggling to love God, it may be because we haven't fully grasped the depth of His love for us.

To understand our purpose and calling in life, we must begin with God's nature. God is love. Love is not merely something He does; it is who He is. The only reason love exists in this universe is because of Him. Ants and snails don't love, but we were created in God's image, and therefore we have the capacity to love.

Zephaniah 3:17 paints a beautiful picture of God's heart toward us:

"The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."

Think about that for a moment. The Creator of the universe delights in you. He quiets you with His love. He rejoices over you with singing.

Friends, the reason we are alive is because God created us for a relationship with Him. Before we ever loved Him, He loved us. Before we ever served Him, He delighted in us. Our first purpose is to receive His love, and then respond by loving, trusting, obeying, and serving Him. Amen?

06/08/2026

As Lee Lee and I were enjoying some quiet time yesterday afternoon on our back patio, our neighbor popped his head out from behind the fence and began a conversation with us.

He was excited to tell us that he and his son would soon be taking their motorcycles on a road trip to Vermont. He shared details about where they would be staying and mentioned that the place was located near a couple of ponds.

Wanting to make the most of the trip, he told me he hoped to teach his son how to fish and asked if I had a bobber or cork he could borrow. I told him I was sure I could find something. A few minutes later, I returned with a small tackle box filled with various fishing supplies. He was thankful, and I was glad to help him prepare for what would hopefully become a special memory with his son.

His request got me thinking about our family fishing trips to Black Lake many years ago. We would head out on the water in the morning, fish for a few hours, come back in the afternoon, and then return around dinner time. The kids loved it! Those are memories we will always cherish. And I'm happy to say that we still have the "fishing bug" inside of us.

One thing that made those trips enjoyable was having the right equipment. We had tackle galore, a good boat with a trolling motor, a depth finder, and other tools that helped us find the fish and, hopefully, bring them into the boat.

It's much the same with our calling to be "fishers of men." Jesus made it clear in Mark 1:17 when He said, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

The good news is that He has also provided us with the equipment we need. Studying His Word equips us to share the Gospel with confidence and answer questions that may arise. Prayer helps us seek His guidance about where to go, who to talk to, and when to speak. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom, courage, and discernment along the way.

Friends, not all of us enjoy fishing, but all of us are called to be fishers of men. We're called to cast our nets upon the water and trust the Lord with the results. As we follow His lead, we just might be amazed at the catch! Amen?

06/06/2026

During a visit a few days ago with some friends, we received a brief visit from another friend who brought me a gift. I remember thinking, "How sweet that someone would do something like that."

So, what was the gift? A book entitled The Quotable Fulton Sheen.

Now, I was raised Presbyterian, though I had many Catholic friends growing up. From time to time, I would catch a few minutes of Bishop Sheen's television program, "Life Is Worth Living." I know many of my friends' parents faithfully watched and loved the show.

The book is filled with short paragraphs and observations written by Bishop Sheen throughout his life. One of the authors referred to them as "Sheen-isms." Here's one that caught my attention this morning:

"Christianity does not begin by reforming society; it begins by regenerating men."

The word regenerating means reforming, renewing, or restoring something to a better state.

Titus 3:5 explains that process well: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."

And 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

So, what is the reality here? What's the lesson for us?

We live in a world that desperately needs healing, hope, and change. It's easy to look around and see all that is broken and wish society would be different. But real and lasting change begins one heart at a time.

When we surrender our lives to Christ, He begins the work of regeneration within us. He changes our desires, our attitudes, our priorities, and our purpose. As He transforms individuals, those transformed lives begin to influence families, communities, and ultimately society itself.

The answer to a broken world is not merely better systems or better programs. It is changed hearts through the power of Jesus Christ.

Friends - may we allow Him to continue His work in us, and may others see His transforming grace through our lives. Amen?

06/05/2026

The song in my head on this beautiful morning, as I gazed at the clear blue skies above, was "Lord, I Need You" by Matt Maher.

Here are some of the lyrics - "Lord I come, I confess. Bowing here, I find my rest. Without You, I fall apart, You're the one that guides my heart. Lord, I need You, oh, I need You. Every hour, I need You. My one defense, my righteousness, Oh God, how I need You."

But why do we need Him? After all, we see people living without God, don't we?

Well, first of all, He created us and knew us before we were even conceived. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart."

Truth be told, we need the Lord for guidance, inner peace, and ultimately, salvation. Spiritually, He provides an anchor of purpose. Practically, surrendering to Him helps us navigate life's inevitable challenges, find forgiveness, and experience unconditional love.

Billy Graham was once asked why someone needed Jesus in their life. This was part of his response:

"You need Him first of all because you need His salvation. You see, you aren't here by accident; God created you, and He put you here for a reason."

He went on to say:

"But you also need Jesus for your life right now. You need His guidance and wisdom, and you also need His comfort and hope when hard times come (and they will). You also need strength to avoid temptations that will destroy you, and you need His help to live as you should. By a simple prayer of faith, turn to Jesus and give your life to Him today."

Friends, either we have Jesus in our lives right now, or we know someone who needs Him. But the bottom line is this - we all need Him. Every day. Every hour.

Another Matt Maher lyric says, "We're all broken, but we're all in this together."

The wonderful news is that God doesn't want any of us to perish, but desires that all would receive eternal life through Him. What amazing love, grace, and mercy! Amen?

Hamlin New Testament Church

06/15/2026

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