Author: Scott Culver

Winding Down the Riding Season and Preparing for Bind The Strongman

 

 As the riding season is winding down, I reflect on this past year of adventures and I am reminded of Luke 14:23: “And the Lord said unto his servants, Go out into the Highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”   Having ridden almost 13, 000 miles, and 17 states, having witnessed multiple people get baptized in Jesus Name and several receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost makes for a good riding season. This would not have been possible without the season starting in a time of prayer and a successful Bind the Strongman. With March approaching, we need to start preparing for the 2025 riding season and Bind The Strongman 2025. Our goal is to have a Bind the Strongman event in each Region to come together in a time of prayer for this ministry to grow and reach people as we ride in the Name of Jesus. Join me in prayer as we locate the locations for this year’s prayer meeting. I am hoping to have multiple locations to allow for the opportunity for everyone to attend this powerful event. Contact Vice President Jeff Keck and Chaplain Scott Culver, if you are interested in hosting the 2025, Bind the Strongman Event so we can get the locations set promptly to allow for maximum attendance.

John 7:24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement.

As I reflect on June, the events we have been to, and the 2500 miles over 9 states we have ridden, I know what we were doing and how we were presenting ourselves, but what did other people think? Being an Addiction Counselor, when I see people standing on the street corner my first thought is that they are looking to buy drugs, as this is a common way for people to get drug money. I am always convicted with that thought.

It is easy to jump to conclusions about someone based on their outward appearance. However, this is something that we learn not something we are born with.

Nelson Mandela once said,

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

Jesus did not judge people based on their outward appearance. Others were amazed and intrigued at the kinds of people Jesus chose to befriend.

That’s true for us today too. Jesus has never been one to build a clique from the most famous, most popular and most beautiful. He accepts all who open their hearts to Him. We’re a motley crew, however, with His power within us, we can change the world.

This verse (John 7:24) is part of a challenge Jesus made to the religious leaders of Jerusalem. Jesus was teaching that people should not be superficial when evaluating others, but instead should judge based on what is right. This means examining people’s heart, motives, and lives rather than making judgements based on appearances. Jesus believed that to judge rightly his audience needed to know God and have faith in Him. He believed that if they did, they would understand who Jesus was and their evaluation of the situation would be different.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the constant judgements I make of others. Give me Your eyes, so that I may look at people’s hearts, not their outward appearance. Amen.

Who have you judged harshly?

 

The riding season is upon us.  We have our rides planned and our bike serviced road ready.  Our mission is clear and the purpose is  to “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” Luke 14:23.  I want to take this moment to remind each one of us to seek God to:

• Let us always be ready to share our testimony and His Word II Timothy 4:2
• Keep our attitude Christ-like Ephesians 4:2-5
• Protect us and those around us Ephesians 5:15-17
• Give us alertness and quick thinking on the roads Proverbs 3:23-26
• Bring us back to our family with a grateful heart for the blessings of the day Psalm 121:8

As we prepare to meet for our annual prayer meeting I want to encourage everyone to attend one of the 4 locations.  I did not always attend Bind the Strong Man for some reason or another, so I understand if you have thoughts of not attending. But when I started to attend every year I found that I am blessed beyond measure and God has opened doors that I could never have accomplished by myself. Bind the Strongman has been a big part of me growing closer to God and building my ministry. For where two or three gather together in my name, there I am in the midst of them,  Mathew 18:20. I have never felt this to be more true then when I started to attend Bind the Strongman and pray with a purpose with other riders. As we prepare our hearts and minds for the rising season. God blesses us by keeping us safe on the road and placing us in the right place at the right times. 

Lord God, I pray today that you guide us as we ask you into our presence to prepare us for the riding season and whatever ministry opportunity that you may have for us this year. Prepare our hearts and minds and give us a burden for the lost motorcyclist. Lord, I pray that you place a hedge of protection on all as we drive to our respective locations so that we arrive safe. Lord, I pray that You anoint the speakers at each location so that we may hear the word that You have for us all. In Jesus Name, I pray.

What is the Recovery Conference?

This conference is designed to equip those involved, or who desire to be involved, in the Recovery Ministry.

This is also an opportunity to network and connect with others involved in the Recovery Ministry for future collaboration.

Sessions will include: Understanding Addiction, Genesis Process Facilitator Training, Why Real Recovery is a Process, Creating a Safe Environment for Recovery, Whole Life Treatment Plan, M.A.P. – Mentoring and Accountability Plan, How to Help, Not Enable an Addict, Recognizing Your Role in the Recovery Process, Merging Recovery Ministry with the Church, A Recovering Addict’s Accountability, Networking with Other Recovery Ministries, Program Policies and Procedures, Substance Abuse Prevention, Recovery Management, Lifeline-community/Non-residential Recovery Program, Navigate – How to Facilitate Faith-Based Recovery Meeting, Recovery Tools Workshop, Preventing “Burnout” and Developing Long-Term Stability in Recovery Ministry, and more…..

For More Information Call: Les Cotton – 217-367-5433 Ext: 3

Register today!

Early Registration – Single Rate – $169

Registration includes: All sessions, printed handouts, dinner on Thursday, and lunch on Friday. Drinks and refreshments will be provided throughout the conference.

Early Registration – Group Rate- 3 Or More – $130

To qualify for the group rate, attendees must be from the same organization. Registration includes:  All sessions, printed handouts, dinner on Thursday, and lunch on Friday. Drinks and refreshments will be provided throughout the conference.

After March 30, 2024

Group Rate- 3 Or More – $150

To qualify for the group rate, attendees must be from the same organization. Registration includes: all sessions, printed handouts, dinner on Thursday, and lunch on Friday. Drinks and refreshments provided throughout the conference.

General Registration – Single Rate – $189

Registration includes: all sessions, printed handouts, dinner on Thursday, and lunch on Friday. Drinks and refreshments provided throughout the conference.

Conference Schedule:

Event Starts Thursday, May 2 @6:00pm and Concludes on Saturday, May 4 @1pm

Recommended Accommodations: 

Comfort Suites Urbana Champaign, University Area
2001 North Lincoln Ave
Urbana, IL 61801

Phone (217) 328-3500
Mention “Lifeline-connect” for discounted rate. 

 

Time is getting close for us to gather for the Annual Bind the Strong Man prayer session. This is a time for us to come together in corporate prayer to ready ourselves for the riding season. This year’s event will be held in four locations on March 1, 2024. All Locations will start at 7:00 PM. I encourage you to seek a location that is close to you to attend. You will be motivated, encouraged, and nourished to prepare for the riding season.

1. New Life Church, 825 Bellaire St, Jacksonville TX 75766 Host Pastor Micah Jones
2. Victory Life Church, 1502 Rose Ave. New Haven, IN 46774 Host Pastor Greg Fries
3. New Life Church, 21789 Eastern Vally Rd., McCalla, AL 35111 Host Pastor Greg Brock
4. Clendenin Pentecostal Church, 7602 Elk River Rd., Clendenin, WV 25045. Host Pastor Bill Monk:

     

 

Delayed Gratification:

 

1 Corinthians 6: 1-3

Our appetites can overtake and enslave us. Perfectly good activities can get us into trouble when we fail to practice them in moderation, Or there may be times when we don’t feed our appetites in balanced ways. Then we become so starved that we fall to the temptation of our addiction at the first opportunity.

This happened to Esau. One day he came home hungry he promised his birthright to his younger brother in exchange for a bowl of porridge. We are warned:”Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Hebrews 12:16-17). The apostle Paul wrote: “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

We need to satisfy our appetites in appropriate ways so we don’t become starved and thus more susceptible to temptation. There may be some good things that have such control over us that it’s best to avoid them altogether. If we allow the demands of our appetites to become overpowering, we risk losing things (or people) that we might never get back.

6: 1-6: Taking someone to court, as painful as it may be, is often the easy way out of a conflict. Instead of working out problems out, we hand them over to an impartial judge. Dealing with conflict in such an indirect way usually leads to separation rather than reconciliation. Paul warned the Corinthian believers not to go to unbelieving judges to settle their disputes. If God’s power is at work within us, we can use the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit to settle our conflicts. We need to keep this in mind as we seek to make amends with those we have harmed.

 

 

Bind the Strong Man will be held at 4 Locations on March 1st, 2024. Flyers with times for each location and Hotel information will be forthcoming.

 

1. New Life Church, 825 Bellaire St, Jacksonville TX 75766 Host Pastor Micah Jones
2. Victory Life Church, 1502 Rose Ave. New Haven, IN 46774 Host Pastor Greg Fries
3. New Life Church, 21789 Eastern Vally Rd., McCalla, AL 35111 Host Pastor Greg Brock
4. Clendenin Pentecostal Church, 7602 Elk River Rd., Clendenin, WV 25045. Host Pastor Bill Monk