Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
5/23/04

In August 1983, Russell Stendal was taken hostage into the jungle of Columbia, South America, by a band of guerrilla soldiers. For nearly 5 months he learned what it really means to love one’s enemies. He wrote a letter home, saying, “I am in danger only of losing my life; they are in danger of losing their souls.” Through kindness, Russell befriended his guards. One day the commander told him, “We can’t kill you face to face; we like you. So we will have to kill you in your sleep.” God enabled Russell to forgive, but for the next 10 days and nights he couldn’t sleep. A submachine gun was repeatedly thrust in his face under his mosquito net, but the guards couldn’t bring themselves to pull the trigger. On January 3, 1984, Russell was released. When he said goodbye, tears filled the eyes of some of his captors. (Our Daily Bread)

If Russell were here today I think he’d have a thing or two to teach us about loving our enemies.

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
5/16/04

D.L. Moody once said,

“Show me a church where there is love, and I will show you a church that is a power in the community. In Chicago a few years ago a little boy attended a Sunday school I know of. When his parents moved to another part of the city the little fellow still attended the same Sunday school, although it meant a long, tiresome walk each way. A friend asked him why he went so far, and told him that there were plenty of others just as good nearer his home.

“They may be as good for others, but not for me,” was his reply.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because they love a fellow over there,” he replied.

If only we could make the world believe that we loved them there would be fewer empty churches, and a smaller proportion of our population who never darken a church door. Let love replace duty in our church relations, and the world will soon be evangelized.” (Moody’s Anecdotes, Page 71-72)

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
5/9/04

A mother put her son to bed on the eve of his fifth birthday. She was trying to communicate that birthday idea to him. “John,” she said, “this is the last night of your fourth year. Do you understand that?” John was ready to communicate with his hands. For a full year, he had shown people four fingers for his four years, and now he was ready to add a thumb. Seeing his four fingers, his mother nodded, and said: “When you go to sleep tonight, you’ll still be 4-years-old. But do you know how old you’ll be in the morning, when you wake up?” John nodded enthusiastically, added his thumb to his four little fingers and said, “Tomorrow, I’ll be a handful!”

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
5/2/04

Last weekend Carolyn and I had the privilege of attending a parenting conference and it was refreshing to hear solid Biblical principles explained that help us in our role as parents. The main speaker at the conference is a former pastor and also served as the state representative for many years for churches in our fellowship in the state of Indiana. He has a great deal of Biblical counseling experience and now heads up an organization that trains pastors and lay people to counsel Biblically. He mentioned how one time when he was counseling a mother seeking guidance, she made the statement, “I love my child too much to spank him.” His reply to her was that, “someone is lying—either you aren’t telling the truth or the Bible isn’t telling the truth. He then showed her from God’s Word Proverbs 13:24.

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
4/25/04

Catherine Booth was the “mother” of the Salvation Army. “Wherever Catherine Booth went,” said G. Campbell Morgan, “humanity went to hear her. Princes and peeresses merged with paupers and prostitutes.”

One night, Morgan shared in a meeting with Mrs. Booth; and a great crowd of “publicans and sinners” was there. Her message brought many to Christ.

After the meeting, Morgan and Mrs. Booth went to be entertained at a fine home; and the lady of the manor said, “My dear Mrs. Booth, that meeting was dreadful”

“What do you mean, dearie?” asked Mrs. Booth.

“Oh, when you were speaking, I was looking at those people opposite to me. Their faces were so terrible, many of them. I don’t think I shall sleep tonight!”

“Why, dearie, don’t you know them?” Mrs. Booth asked; and the hostess replied, “Certainly not!”

“Well, that is interesting,” Mrs. Booth said. “I did not bring them with me from London; they are your neighbors!” (Source Unknown)

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
4/18/04

You’ve heard the saying, “in order to love others you first have to love yourself.” We’re often told that we need to “look out for number one.” We’re bombarded with messages from our society that you have to put our own interests first. Advertising campaigns are driven by the message that you ought to put yourself first. Slogans like, “you deserve a break today.” “Have it your way.” “Because I’m worth it.” “Be all that you can be.” All of these are pleas for you to do what’s best for you and in so doing to buy the product that will make you feel better. The message is clearly sent to us that we need to love ourselves.

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
4/4/04

A couple of weeks ago we began a series of studies based on Matthew 22:34-40. We’re calling this series, “Loving God, Loving People.” Let’s look again briefly at the scripture that is the basis for this series.

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
3/28/04

Richard Wurmbrand, who spent fourteen years suffering in a Communist prison, recalled the following true story:

“A Christian was sentenced to death. Before being executed, he was allowed to see his wife. His last words to his wife were, ‘You must know that I die loving those who kill me. They don’t know what they do and my last request of you is to love them, too. Don’t have bitterness in your heart because they kill your beloved one. We will meet in heaven.’ These words impressed the officer of the secret police who attended the discussion between the two. After he told me the story in prison, where he had been put for becoming a Christian.” (Michael G. Moriarty, The Perfect 10: The Blessings of Following God’s Commandments in a Post Modern World, pp. 141-142)

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Kevin A. Pierpont
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
3/21/04

We’re beginning a new series of studies today called “Loving God, Loving People.”

We’re going to discover that real Christianity drives a believer to love God with everything—with his whole life.

An understanding of Matthew 22:34-40 will help us see that at the root of our effectiveness as Christ’s Church is our level of faithfulness in Loving God and Loving People.

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