Reverend Kirk Lawton
Appears in 155 Episodes
Emmanuel Is His Name
How many different names can you think of which are used to describe Jesus? One person searched the scriptures and found 88 different titles by which Jesus has been ca...
The Fixin’ Man
There is a phrase which is sometimes used, particularly by those of us who may be from the southern area of the United States, which means to repair something that may...
The Man Jesus Made Whole
On this Sunday before Thanksgiving Day, we are thinking about what Jesus did for a man whom Jesus healed, not just from a physical disease, but in a larger sense. He w...
Living All Your Life
It has wisely been said that “some people die at 40, but are buried at 65.” What is implied here is that some people do not get out of life all that they wish to have...
Losers --- Keepers
Do you remember as a child hearing the expression, “Finders keepers, losers, weepers?” On this Sunday after our national election day, there are probably many people w...
The Person I Want As President
With the national election day just ahead, many in America are having feelings of relief to know that we’ll soon be delivered from all the political advertisements tha...
Life’s Higher Values
What is the most important thing in your life? Your family? Your work? Your friends? Your house? Your money? We would all probably agree that all these things have the...
The Providence of God
Many people know and can easily recite what is known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Today we are going to look at the origin of what is more accurately called “The Model Pray...
Personal Preaching
Throughout the years of my pastoral ministry, I have often had people come up to me following the worship service and say something like this:"Preacher, you really spo...
Personal Worth
We begin today by asking a simple, but very important question: “How much are you worth?” That may be answered in different ways. How much are you worth - to your empl...
Prodigals and Pharisees
Last Sunday the sermon from Ocean Lakes was about “The Prodigal Son and the Prodigal Pig.” Today we will take a closer look at two groups of people Jesus encountered: ...
The Prodigal Son and the Prodigal Pig
One of the most well-known parables that Jesus told was the story of the person we call “The Prodigal Son.” We will look first today at that parable, as it is recorded...
A Personal Encounter with God
Last Sunday we centered our thoughts here at Ocean Lakes on the subject "Getting to Know God." Today we're going to look together at an experience which a man had in w...
Getting to Know God
Who is the most important person in your life? Who has had the greatest influence on the person you have become? How did you get to know this person? Is it a family me...
Power in Prayer
If I were to ask "Do you believe in prayer?" probably a great majority of people would answer YES. In churches everywhere there is a lot of talk about prayer, and most...
Yesterday Is a Closed Book
Has there been any way in the past year that you have to look back on and admit you failed in some way? Well, that's a foolish question, isn't it? The hard truth is t...
How Do You Face the New Year?
On this first Sunday in the new year, I will begin the message by asking a very personal question. The question is "How do you face the new year?" Many of us would hav...
A Moving Christmas Story
Today is the one day in the year - and indeed in several years - when we do not have a regular worship service as such. Our founder, Mr. Nelson Jackson, made the decis...
Christmas Potpourri
The word "potpourri" is not in everybody's vocabulary, unless you watch some quiz shows which use the word regularly. However, on this Sunday before Christmas, I want ...
O Hear the Angel Voices
The subject of angels in the Bible has been a fascination for many people, and as we come today to the third Sunday in Advent, we are going to be thinking about angels...
Modern Herods
Last Sunday we began our Advent season by thinking together about "The Other Innkeeper." This was the man in Jesus' parable of The Good Samaritan - the person who oper...
The Other Inkeeper
This last Sunday in November is considered by many churches as the beginning of the Advent Season - a time when we try to prepare our hearts for a meaningful observanc...
The Goodness of God
Thanksgiving Day is only a few days away. What do you have this year for which you are truly thankful? Well, when we stop to think about it, there is no way in which w...
Look at Your Hands
As you listen to the podcast today, some of you may be in your home, some may be riding in your car, some outdoors or at some other place. If it is convenient for you ...
When We Walk with the Lord
There are many times when preachers use language which may well be above the heads of listeners. There are those occasions when we use phrases which may have had speci...
Serving God and Mammon
In the Old Testament book of Numbers we find a statement which has often been used as a prayer for people who are about to end their earthly life. It is found in Numbe...
A Night Visitor
Here at Ocean Lakes Family Campground the month of October each year is a special time for children. This is the month of Halloween, and we have FIVE weeks of festivit...
When Things Go Wrong
Have you ever had those times in your life when everything seems to go wrong? Someone expressed it like this: "Everything glued down is coming loose." Yes, we all have...
The Self-Made Fool
This morning we will continue in what we've been doing for several weeks - looking at the lives of very interesting character from the Bible, both in the Old Testament...
The Night Angels Climbed a Ladder
In the 4th chapter of John's gospel, we have the story of Jesus and a woman who had an interesting conversation together. During that conversation, the woman referred ...