Current Thoughts

Christmas Trip

December 22, 2017 Filed Under: Christmas Stories, Current Thoughts

-Carols on the radio and the family sings along
-Laughter
-MacDonald’s coffee steaming in the cup holder
-Colored lights in the growing darkness
-Soft talking between your parents in the front seat
-They tell you it’s much longer than it probably is
-You fall asleep to the sound of weather and carols on the crackling AM radio
-You wake up drowsy when the car comes to a stop in a small town
-Lights in the countryside whizzing past the window
-Frost on the window and snow pushed back
-Cars passing with packages pushed up into their back window
-A red Jeep Cherokee with a festive wreath wired to the grill
-A candle in every window
-A driveway full of cars from different states
-Red bow on a golden retriever waiting by the mailbox
-A Christmas tree made of last years Christmas cards
-The smell of turkey roasting in the oven

It’s Christmastime: Advent Series (Bethel Church Video)

December 14, 2017 Filed Under: Current Thoughts

https://youtu.be/OsTef_Po0Ok

It’s Christmastime: An Advent Series

Christmas is a Time for Hope

Chistmas is a Time for Peace

Hope is Alive

December 8, 2017 Filed Under: Christmas Stories, Current Thoughts, Read Aloud Stories

Jeswin Thomas

Hope is alive in the world tonight
It’s Christmas time again.
The bell tower rings
The organ sings
And hope takes wings
It’s Christmas time again.

Hope is alive in the world tonight
It’s Christmas time again.
The home-fires glow
Joys overflow
And hope can grow
It’s Christmas time again.

Hope is alive in the world tonight
It’s Christmas time again.
Though much is wrong
We have a song
And hope is strong
It’s Christmas time again.

Hope is alive in the world tonight
It’s Christmas time again.
When heartaches wane
The King will reign
Hope will remain
It’s Christmas time again.

by Ken Pierpont

Pastor Sears Christmas Gift

December 5, 2017 Filed Under: Christmas Stories, Current Thoughts

When I look into the eyes of our grand children my soul longs for peace on earth.

Edmund Hamilton Sears was a New-England pastor who lived through the Civil War. As the horrifying conflict approached he used a phrase from the angelic announcement of Christ’s birth to appeal for peace among humankind. The theme is especially clear when you read the second verse, which is usually not included in our hymnals.

Once again in America, a land blessed with a powerful Christian heritage, blood flows in the streets and bitter hatred darkens the hearts of many. Like never before we need to rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing their song of peace on the earth, goodwill to men. Enlightened souls crave the age of gold that will come with the ever-circling years in the reign of Christ on earth one day.

Quietly meditate on the beautiful poetry of this poignant Christmas carol. It was pastor Sears enduring Christmas gift to millions.

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
‘Peace on the earth, good will to men,’
From heav’n’s all-gracious King.
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing!

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long,
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love song which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing!

Still thro’ the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurl’d;
And still their heav’nly music floats
O’er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hov’ring wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

All ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look, now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

For lo! the days are hast’ning on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing!

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
December 2017

David Jeremiah’s Dad Knew My Dad

November 30, 2017 Filed Under: Current Thoughts

Recently I was reading one of my Dad’s sermons published on his web-site and stumbled on an anecdote that warmed my heart. It’s a gem and shows the character of my Dad and the Dad of Dr. David Jeremiah who has been so powerfully used of God. Dr. James T. Jeremiah was the president of Cedarville College when my dad was a student there. I was born while Dad was a student there.

Here is the story in my Dad’s words:

“My friend and classmate in school had a young family and needed a loan of $75 to stay in school. The loan company would loan it to him if he had a co-signer to cover their loss in case he defaulted. Dave (a pseudonym) knew I had a job and asked me if I would stop down to the loan company and co-sign his loan.” Ken, I’ll pay it off. It’s only about $7.50 a month for a year or a little more.” I readily agreed. Dave was from New York and had a young family like ours.

That was the least I could do, I thought. Dave and his family attended Emmanuel Baptist Church where I was Sunday school superintendent.

Some weeks later, the day came when word spread that Dave had moved out of his apartment in the middle of the night, and had dropped out of school and had gone back to New York.

I began to think about the loan: “Let’s see, I make $0.75 an hour and get home with just under $30.00 a week. Our groceries are about $9-10. Then there’s the rent of $65 a month, and gasoline and the school bill… and our tithe. Oh boy!”

The loan company sent me a letter. So, I tried to work out a payment.

That week, the school office notified me that Dr. Jeremiah, the president, wanted to see me. After my last class I came to his office. He had me come in and take a seat. He was at his desk. “Mr. Pierpont, I understand that you owe the loan company downtown some money as a co-signer for a loan on a student who has dropped out.”

“Yes, sir, I did sign for him. And I’m going to do everything I can to see that they get their money.”

Dr. Jeremiah opened his Bible and looked at me. “I want to read you Proverbs 11:15. Do you know what it says?”

“No, Sir. I don’t think I do.”

Then he read these words: “He that is surety for a stranger will smart for it.” Did you know Dave very well? You didn’t did you?

“No, Sir. But he needed the money,” I said. Then, trying to sound brave I said: “But I still think should have helped him.”

President Jeremiah gave me a kindly look and smiled. “I see. Well, an anonymous donor has paid this loan off for you. I called you in to tell you that.”

I was stunned and rose and thanked him over and again.

Dr. Jeremiah could tell that I was a brash young man. He probably wondered if I had learned anything. He could have lectured me on my lack of judgment. Instead, he gave me a smile and a gentle hand shake and allowed me to go on my way.

Only later did I realize that, in all probability, the president himself, may very well have been that donor.”

So, you see, My Dad knew David’s Jeremiah’s dad and was blessed by him. These men are the kind of man I want to be by the grace and help of God.

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
November 30, 2017