United Church of God - Portsmouth,OH

06/05/2026

Hello Brethren,

I hope you are doing well this evening. This week seems to have flown by, at least for me.
I thought that we might have a little fun with cliches in the bible tonight.

There are several that we could look at, but I thought I would just mention four of them.
Enjoy!
1. "The writing on the wall"
Daniel 5:25
The Context: King Belshazzar of Babylon threw a massive, decadent banquet and drank from sacred vessels stolen from the Temple in Jerusalem. Suddenly, a disembodied human hand appeared and began writing mysterious words on the palace wall ("Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin"). The prophet Daniel was brought in to translate it. He told the king it meant God had weighed his kingdom, found it wanting, and that Babylon’s destruction was imminent. That very night, the city was overthrown.
Modern Meaning: A clear sign of an approaching disaster, failure, or end.
2. "A drop in the bucket.
Isaiah 40:15
The Context: The prophet Isaiah was describing the immense, overwhelming power and scale of God compared to the nations of the earth. The KJV text reads: "Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance...
Modern Meaning: Something so tiny and insignificant that it makes absolutely no difference to the overall outcome.
3. "Fly in the ointment"
Ecclesiastes 10:1
The Context: King Solomon used this vivid chemical analogy to explain how a small mistake can ruin an otherwise great reputation. The verse states: "Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour."
Perfumed oils and ointments were incredibly valuable in the ancient world, and a single rotting insect would spoil the whole batch.
Modern Meaning: A minor drawback or small annoyance that spoils an otherwise excellent situation.
4. "Bite the dust."
Psalm 72:9
The Context: This Psalm is a prayer for a reigning king, asking that his rule be successful and absolute. It says: "They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust." While the KJV says "lick the dust," the literal imagery of defeated enemies falling face-first into the dirt eventually evolved into the exact phrase "bite the dust" in later English literature and translations.
Modern Meaning: To fall defeated, fail spectacularly, or cease to function.
Sometimes it kind of neat to look at the language of the bible and see how it relates to our language today. Even though we are years apart from the bible times, we certainly can understand what people were thinking and saying all down through time, as God inspires!

I hope you all get some rest and look forward to seeing most of you tomorrow.

Take Care,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky

06/01/2026

https://youtu.be/U2B56gqSBYg?si=XGA4qWVa3d8SC9xr

Life can be incredibly exhausting at times. Dealing with anxiety and feeling overwhelmed is sometimes all that we experience. We fall into times of our lives...

05/22/2026

Good evening, Brethren,

I hope you all had a good week. The Sabbath is just a few hours away, and I'm ready for it. There are many things in life that we anticipate. The coming of the Sabbath is certainly one of them. This got me thinking about the word "Anticipate" in the bible.
In the biblical sense, anticipation isn't just "wondering what will happen"; it is confident expectation based on God's character. Don't we have a "Confident Expectation" of the Kingdom of God?

While the word "anticipation" doesn't appear frequently in older English translations like the KJV, the concept is woven throughout the entire Bible under terms like hope, waiting, and watching.

Wait
In Hebrew, the word often translated as "wait" (qavah) actually carries the meaning of being bound together or tension—like a rope being pulled tight.

Isaiah 40:31: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength...
Psalm 27:14: "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart..

God views anticipation not as wasted time, but as a period of spiritual "strengthening" where our roots grow deeper while we wait for the fruit to appear.
Hope
The Bible often uses "Hope" as a synonym for anticipation. Biblical hope isn't a "wish"; it’s an anchor.

Hebrews 6:19: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.

Proverbs 13:12: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."

God acknowledges that waiting is hard (it can make the heart "sick"), but He promises that the fulfillment of that anticipation brings a unique kind of life.

Watch
In Greek, one of the most powerful words for this is apokaradokia. It combines three ideas: away from, the head, and to stretch. It literally describes a person leaning forward, turning their head away from everything else to focus entirely on one thing coming in the distance.

God reveals that even the earth itself is in a state of active, intense watching.
Romans 8:19: "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God."
That phrase "earnest expectation" is the Greek word apokaradokia. God is telling us that the whole world is "craning its neck" to see the final act of His Restoration. If the earth is that excited, we have every reason to be, too.
Jesus spoke often about "watching" in a way that feels very personal—like a servant waiting for a master they actually like, or a bridegroom waiting for a feast.
Luke 12:37: "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching."
This kind of watching isn't about fear or "checking a list." It’s about relationships. You don't watch the clock for someone you love because you have to; you do it because you can't wait for them to arrive.
Anticipation is the heartbeat of the Gospel, (Tomorrow, we will talk about the Gospel),' then our job is to live in the apokaradokia—that the King who won the victory is actually coming back to finish the restoration He started.
I hope you all have a wonderful evening, and I look forward to seeing most of you tomorrow.

Take Care,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky

05/09/2026

Good evening.
As you know, the GCE met last weekend, and the CoE finished up yesterday. It is always a good thing to meet together and work toward a common goal of enhancing skills for the church.

One subtopic of the weekend was that of dealing with conflict. That is not something we usually think of in a church environment, but it does occur. Interestingly, one of the speakers brought up that conflict occurs for one of three reasons....lack of information, difference in values, or just not wanting to get along with someone.

It's kind of interesting to think about...consider a conflict that you've been in recently. Does it boil down to one of the three reasons listed above? What are we supposed to do when in these situations? Are we taking a godly approach to resolution? Do we submit to authority even when we don't want to? Are we trying to be better every single day?
These are all personal questions and require personal answers—just something to think about over the next several days.

Services will be at 11:00 in Paintsville and 1:00 in Portsmouth.
Have a peaceful upcoming Sabbath.

Kevin
--
Take Care,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky

05/01/2026

Hello Brethren,

I hope you are enjoying the day. The last few days have been a bit cooler, but we must remember that it is just now May.
I hope that you all are doing well and have had a good week.
As some of you know, Debbie and I bought the house next door to ours. The plan is to fix it up and rent it in some form. The key word here is "fix up".

This house has been unattended for the last five years, and to say that it needs some work is an understatement!

I think that most of us get the fact that in construction, the most critical part of a building—the foundation—is buried underground. You don't see it, but it determines how high the building can go and how much pressure it can withstand.
Our spiritual lives work the same way. Our foundation must be strong and solid, and we can't leave anything unattended, or it will deteriorate quickly. If not caught in time, it will be completely lost.

Let's look at a few thoughts:

The Hidden Foundation
The Problem: We often focus on the "visible" parts of our faith—our public service, our reputation, or our "Kingdom contributions." These are the "walls" and "roof" of our lives.

The Trap: If we build walls higher than the foundation is capable of supporting, the structure will eventually crack under the weight of life's pressures.

The Spiritual Truth: Our public life is meant to be a result of our private devotion. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:6, the Father who sees in secret is the one who rewards openly.

A good reference scripture is:
Luke 6:47–48
"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them... He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock."

The "Solid Ground" Correction
When we find ourselves feeling "shaky" or overwhelmed, it’s usually a sign that our "output" (the visible structure) has outpaced our "input" (the hidden foundation).

I think a verse in Jeremiah speaks well to this thought.

Jeremiah 17:7–8

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit."

All this is just food for thought.

Tomorrow is the GCE in Cincinnati, and some of us will be there. Services will be a cyber-cast from Cincinnati beginning at 2:00 PM. Please, everyone, be in your seats by 1:50 PM so Dad can cover the local announcements.

I hope you all have a wonderful Sabbath.

Take Care,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky

04/24/2026

Good evening,
I hope that you are all doing well, and are enjoying the beautiful weather we've had the last couple of days!
This evening I would like for us to think about the word "integrity". When you think of this, what comes to mind? Maybe having strong morals, doing the right thing no matter who is around (or not around), or telling the truth.
Aren't all of these examples things that we need to be doing as Christians?
Jesus Christ had integrity, and we are to become more like Him.
Living with integrity protects us against people being able to prove bad things about us. It helps us be viewed as good examples.
A life lived with integrity helps us be able to stand before Christ when it is our time.

Proverbs 11:3"The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perverseness of the unfaithful will destroy them."
Proverbs 10:9 "He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known."

Proverbs 20:7 "The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him."

Doing the right thing is critical to our lives and those around us. Is this what you are known for?

Services tomorrow will be at the usual times of 11:00 in Paintsville and 1:00 in Portsmouth. Have an enjoyable Sabbath.

--
Take Care,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky

04/17/2026

Good evening, Brethren,

I hope that you are doing well and have had a great week. One of the common questions going around right now in the Church arena is, Where are you going to the Feast?

What a great question. This certainly requires us to make a well-informed decision. It's sometimes a hard choice, and we can even get a little frustrated in trying to make that decision.
The bible has a lot to say about making any decision in our lives.
I thought that I might share some principles of decision-making with you, just in case you are struggling with where to go to the Feast, or any choices that you need to make, for that matter.

Most of you know me and know that I like points, so here are a few to consider:
1. The Principle of Wisdom (The Ask)
Wisdom is the ingredient that fuels the best decisions that we can make. If we feel like our decision-making ability is stalled because we don't know which way to turn, the Bible gives a direct command: just ask.

James 1:5: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

Proverbs 2:6: "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

2. The Principle of Trust (The Foundation)
One of the most famous passages on decision-making warns us not to rely solely on our own "fleshly wisdom" or limited perspective.

Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

The "Sober" Reality: Our own hearts can sometimes be "leavened" by emotions or pressure. Stepping back to trust God’s blueprint ensures our path is straight and narrow.

3. The Principle of Counsel (The Safety Net)
The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that we aren't meant to walk alone. Seeking advice from others is a "Divine Logistic" that provides safety. Again, this doesn't only apply to where we should or should not go concerning the Feast. This is a life principle.

Proverbs 15:22: "Without counsel, plans go wrong, but with many advisers, they succeed."

Proverbs 11:14: "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety."

4. The Principle of Patience (The Sacred Wait)
Sometimes the best decision is to tarry until the timing is right. Haste often leads to mistakes. (We need to be aware that sometimes there are deadlines)

Proverbs 19:2: "Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, and he sins who hastens with his feet."

Isaiah 30:21: "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."

5. The Principle of Peace (The Internal Compass)
God often uses an internal "peace" to confirm if a decision is aligned with His will. I think that we are all familiar with that still small voice. Think about this. God usually speaks in a way that requires us to lean in. If He shouted, He wouldn't need our intimacy; He’d just have our compliance.

Colossians 3:15: "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts..."

Philippians 4:6-7: Instead of being anxious about a choice, present it to God in prayer, and His peace—which surpasses all understanding—will guard your heart as you move forward.

These are just a few points that we can consider in every choice that we make. Ultimately, we are responsible for our choices and decisions, so let's get God's help with them and lean not on our own understanding, but on that of God.

I hope that you all have a wonderful evening and see you tomorrow.

Take Care,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky

04/03/2026

Hello Brethren,

As this evening marks the third day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, I hope you are all taking time to meditate on the significance of this seven-day observance.

While Passover marks our reconciliation to God through the blood of the Lamb, these seven days represent our ongoing transformation and the process of walking away from our past into a new life. Below are three key significances we have discussed recently:

1. The Removal of Ego (Leaven)
Leaven acts as an inflator, symbolizing pride and hypocrisy (Luke 12:1). Eating "flat" bread for seven days symbolizes a shift from being "puffed up" to developing a solid character built on sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8).

2. Spiritual Mobility
The Israelites traveled from Rameses to the Red Sea with bread that did not need time to rise, allowing them to move with divine haste. Similarly, an unleavened Christian remains "spiritually mobile," ready to follow God’s lead without being weighed down by past grudges or worldly status (Exodus 12:11).

3. Vigilance and Completeness
Seven is the number of completeness, teaching us that holiness is a lifestyle. As Paul warned, "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" (1 Corinthians 5:6). This feast serves as a spiritual reset, training us to remove even the smallest "crumbs" of resentment before they take root (Hebrews 12:15).

I hope you have a wonderful evening. We look forward to seeing you at services tomorrow. Please remember that the Paintsville congregation will meet at 1:00 PM and will be connected via cybercast.

Best regards,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky

03/28/2026

https://youtu.be/1XIY0HUKkkM?si=4KiK_AkRb9Qsbqit

How many have heard the words "Paid in full"? Did we feel relieved? We must endure until the end. When Christ returns, we will be transformed and that's what...

03/27/2026

Happy Sabbath, Brethren,

I hope your week was good, and the Sabbath is GREAT!

We are very close to the Passover and the start of the Days of Unleavened Bread. I think it is only fitting that we consider yet three more deep soul-searching questions as we move towards these days.
Think about these:
1. Who am I when I have the power?
In the Upper Room, Jesus had "all things put into His hands" (John 13:3). Right after that, He picked up a towel to serve. Most people, when they get power or success, use it to avoid the hard work or expect others to serve them.
Think about this: If I had plenty of money, a great career, and a perfect reputation, would I still be the kind of person who notices a mess and cleans it up without being told?
2. What is my "Nevertheless"?
In Gethsemane, Jesus had a "Cup" (a destiny) He didn't want to drink. He was honest about His desire for an easier way, but He ended with a "Nevertheless." Every person has a "Nevertheless" moment where their personal comfort and God’s calling collide.
Think about this: What is the one thing in my life right now that I am constantly asking God to "take away," rather than asking Him for the strength to "carry through"?
3. Can my character survive being misunderstood?
When Jesus stood before Pilate, He didn't defend His resume or His rights. He knew who He was, so He didn't need Pilate to agree with Him. Most of us burn immense energy trying to "set the record straight" or win arguments to protect our ego.
Think about this: If everyone in my life suddenly believed something untrue about me, would my relationship with God be enough to keep me at peace, or is my "peace" actually built on the approval of other people?

I hope that you all have a wonderful evening and look forward to seeing most of you tomorrow. Remember that Paintsville will be at 11:00 AM while Portsmouth will be at 1:00 PM.

--
Take Care,

Kevin D. Call,
-Pastor-
United Church of God-IA
Portsmouth, Oh - Paintsville, Ky