Micah Klutinoty's Blog

So, for the last 7 days our little girl, Callie has been stuck in the hospital due to E.Coli found in her blood. She will be here a total of 14 days...and yes, through Christmas:(. My wife hasn't really left the hospital, I've been here everyday and multiple nights, our 2 year old has had to come up daily for visits only to cry as she leaves mommy once again, and Callie is attached to a line pumping medicine into her veins, that allows us to move about 1 foot.

I don't know if you have kids, or if you've been through medical stuff with your kids, but there honestly is nothing worse for me. Seeing doctors and nurses hold your little girl down to put IV's in and do spinal taps and whatever other tests is terrible! Honestly, I really struggle with anger in the moment. And no one probably hates it more than Callie herself, as she fought and screamed to break loose from the sharp jabs and cold hands...

I hate it, but I let it happen. Callie hates it, but the outcome is hopefully good. Through the terrible affair, Callie received a line directly to her blood, where the infection could be killed at the source!

You catching the parallel? As my wife and I were trying to process all this the first day, my mother-in-law painted a good picture.

Our life with God is much the same. Sometimes, we go through some of the hardest, most painful, uncomfortable circumstances. Like Callie, we hate it and fight to get away from it...but it's no use! And if that wasn't painful enough, God, the one in charge, let's it happen.

This whole experience is giving me a good perspective on God. Though He may let the trial, or painful circumstance, or chastening happen, he doesn't stand by saying, "Boy you deserved this" or "yep that'll teach you." God loves me! God is my Father! Just as it hurts me to see Callie go through these things, it hurts God when His children suffer! But, just as I let the doctors work on Callie, God lets "work" happen on me, because the outcome is good!

1 Thessalonians 4:3 says:
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from..."

The passage above goes on with a laundry list of worldly sins that we are to abstain from. Each listed, are the very "infections" that caused us to once walk in darkness and still tempt our eyes, flesh, and pride. As God seeks to make us more Holy through His divine process of sanctification, he has to allow "surgery" to happen. It can hurt His children, make them mad, cause them to ask why, and all the while God feels that pain, but let's it happen for He knows the outcome is a killed "infection" and a better person.

Concluding, like my daughter is in the process of being physically "sanctified," I think I'm in the process of being spiritually sanctified. Not sure from what yet, and honestly, it sucks bad! But I'm thankful that I have a Father who looks on my struggling with love, and who knows what's best for His child concerning the outcome. I'm thankful that He loves me to much to leave me where I'm at, and that he's willing to love me when I'm angry, hurting, or questioning, because He knows what's best. I know that God is for me, even when it hurts.

God is good!

Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Got some family pics taken recently. To be honest, with a sick little girl and a new baby, this session was one of the biggest tests ever of my salvation;) Working on the old patience:/

But, the few pics I've seen this far turned out great! More to come.

My wife is pregnant.

My wife is 4 days past her due date.

My patience is lessening. Her patience is lessening.

I mean...COME ON ALREADY!!!!

It's crazy how life can feel like it's on hold during a time of waiting for your new child to arrive. Like, being  a Pastor at a church, there are a lot of things throughout the week to be responsible for, but when the baby decides to come I drop everything; SO....do I not plan a lot this week, which I didn't, but the baby hasn't come yet; SO...do I start getting stuff done for next week, but what if the baby doesn't come then...AND what if the baby comes right before something really important, like Sunday morning; AND WHAT IF THE BABY JUST NEVER COMES!!!

Haha...See what my brain has been like lately?

But, above all of those anxieties and thoughts, I am thankful for the hope that I have in Jesus. I am thankful that His ways are not my ways. I am thankful that the Lord knows my new child, what he/she needs, and when the perfect timing to send her into our world is, far better than I do.

Also, waiting for baby #2 has made me thankful for baby #1. It has been an incredible (almost) two years with my little girl, Reese. And lately, I have grown to love her more and more as I see her personality more and more.  She is hilarious! She is such a beautiful, energetic, personable little girl, and I cannot wait to see how she will be used for the glory of the Lord someday!

It is hard to imagine having another kid, and loving it as much as I love Reese. I mean she is all I know, and she's had all my wife and my attention for the past 2 years! But, I'm confident that the Lord is only giving us another blessing that will only make our family better, grow us closer together, and make us more of a force for the Kingdom of God!

As I wait, I am thankful for what God has given me in baby #1. He could not have been better to us! My prayer for Reese is that the Lord would truly break into her life at a young age, open her eyes to her sinful, rotten, prideful self, break her of that sin, lavish His love upon her, and allow her sweet personality to not just come from an outward appearance, but to stem from an inward love for Jesus.

God is faithful. God is God. God is good.

My church bought out an entire showing of the new movie Courageous on Saturday. Together, my wife, me, and 167 other Harvest peeps gathered to watch and support this new film that is in theaters everywhere.

Let me tell you a little about it:)

First, let me say, I don't like "Christian" movies. I find them cheesy and mediocre. I come across negative when I talk or joke about past "christian" films. But I really do appreciate the hearts behind these films; particularly the ones coming out of Sherwood Pictures (like Courageous and Fireproof).

So...I joked and jested a little about this movie, and parts of it seemed like a drawn out spiritual soap-opera, but overall it was a movie worth your time. Here's why:

#1.
I am a Father. A father of 1 beautiful little girl, and a second child of unknown gender any moment/day now. This movie highlights Fathers and challenges them to quit being sissies who "do enough" for their kids. It is a call for men to be men, and to courageously stand up and lead their children. But not just lead them! Lead them in the ways of the Lord. It models holding high standards for your kids, taking time to do hard things to win the hearts of your kids, and setting an example for your kids through integrity, leadership, and godliness.

#2.
I am a husband to an awesome wife. I am a provider for an awesome family. I've been blessed with a job I love and that keeps me busy. This movie challenged me not to take my family for granted when I'm wiped out. Go the extra mile to always say goodnight and pray with my daughter before bed. Talk and listen with my wife rather than just veg out in front of the TV. Always take the time to spiritually LEAD my family towards Christ.

#3.
When I hear about a "Christian movie" I usually judge it early thinking it will have someone who believes in God and a scene in church, so that deems it "Christian." I was really pleased to hear the real elements of the Gospel in this nation wide theatrical movie! I'm talking the: you are a guilty sinner, underserving of God's grace, but He as a merciful, righteous judge gave his son Jesus Christ to die in your place and if you repent and believe you will be saved Gospel! AMEN! (I let an "amen" fly in the movie, and my wife told me to shut up). Cheesy or not I'll support that:)

#4.
Not only did it target fathers, but I would say men in general. I appreciated the conviction caught by the main character and how he asked his friends to hold him accountable. And they ended up having him hold them accountable. Men need other men, but not to be drinking buddies and family relief! Iron sharpens iron. Don't be too pansy to talk to your brothers about spiritual life and spiritual leadership...thats what I got anyway.

#5.
This movie made me thankful for my Dad. Within this movie I saw a lot of the good things modeled in my Dad as I've grown up. He took the time to show me he loved me. He made time for me. He modeled Christianity and the Gospel, and didn't force it down my throat, which led me to want what he had rather than run from it. In the movie, a character is asked to lie at his job about inventory...I remember my dad facing those situations at His job, and because of His conviction for Christ, he had integrity and stood for truth. My Dad loves Jesus with all His heart, soul, and mind first, and then his family, and that has spoken loudly in my own life. God absolutely used my Dad to pursue my own heart, and for that I am forever grateful.

#6.
Finally, despite my mockery, they really did do a good job on this movie. Good story line, some action, some laughter, some tears, and the acting was even pretty good. Everyone in this movie is a part of a church, and they did a fantastic job on this film. Plus, it's way better and more uplifting than the garbage movies the world finds entertaining. Go see it. Support it. Take an unsaved friend that a door might be opened to share the Gospel with them.

P.S. And all I can do since seeing the movie is shout the line from Casting Crown's theme song, "WE WERE MEANT TO BE COURAGEOUS..." :/

We had a really cool night last night at Harvest Youth. AND God had to teach me something again through my attitude.

So one of my youth leaders came up with the idea of doing a night called "worship out of the box," where basically, rather than the leaders doing everything for the students, the students prepared the entire evening, then presented the service to one another. Let me explain. The entire goal of this challenge was to give the students a real understanding of the importance of handling God's Word and the humbling opportunity to lead God's people. Every element of a service should be done with intentionality, creative thought, and Christ-centered faithfulness.

So before I get into the details, let me share where the night started with me. I planned things out for the week. Thought I was ready to roll. Went in to gather the last few tools to pull off the night, and realized the sound system was not set up and our sound guy was out of town for the evening. I started to set it up, but quickly got frustrated as time was up and kids were arriving. My attitude went a little south. My only thinking was how lame the night was going to be now. But, the time came to gather the students up and explain what they would do for the evening, so regardless of my attitude, I had to roll with it.

So we broke students up into five groups. One group had to create a creative worship space, one group plan a time of worship, one group plan communion, one group plan the message based on our theme verse Matthew 5:14-16, and one group was in charge of planning some upcoming events to present to the students. Each group had 45 minutes to get creative, plan out there part, and get ready to serve one another through the service.

As this was happening, I oversaw the worship group a little, ran around to make sure people were cool, and sort of mumbled under my breath with a bad attitude. 45 minutes came to an end and we came together for the service.

We walk in to an incredible worship space. Cross-centered, incredibly creative space! The team in charge of worship began to lead, opening with Psalm 96. I've never heard the students sing so loud! Together we worshiped in the presence of God. Out of the singing, the communion group stood up to set up communion. They did so beautifully with explanation, scripture, and prayer. Then the worship team began to play as students pondered the cross. The communion was set up in the back of the room with one light shining on it and benches for prayer all around. Before long the entire room was scattered with students praying out loud as they communed with Christ, and focused on the body and blood of Christ.

Tears. In my eyes. Heart overwhelmed.

So we got back together and the "message group" shared a time in the Word. It was good. They didn't preach fire and brimstone, but they related the passage of being a light in darkness in a biblical, applicational way to their peers. Then, they had a time for students to share ways that they have found they can be a difference, and a light in their schools, jobs, etc...Incredible to hear the maturity of various students who are doing it. So many are actually standing out for Christ. And finally, we ended with the final group sharing some upcoming service opportunities and events that will help our youth group "Be the Difference."

God smacked me in my big, dumb head last night. Sometimes, I put way to much thought and value in the logistics, planning, and elements of things, when none of that contains the Holy Spirit. God met with us last night because his children were doing their best with what they had. Each student there jumped all over their task, and performed their task to the glory of God, and God honored it. Why would I ever want to base the success of a worship service on my fallible efforts toward detail and planning. God moves where He wants to move, and God moves at the humble, self-sacrificing, Christ-centered efforts of His children. Praise God.

I thank God for correcting me last night. And I thanked the Youth for teaching me that meeting with the Lord goes way beyond me. I thanked them for their creative passion and desire to worship their Lord.

God is good. God is God. I am not.

Life change is evident. Disciples are being made. Jesus is Lord!

Watch this short video recapping last Sunday as 11 disciples of Jesus publicly declare their faith through baptism at Harvest Bible Chapel Granger!  It really was an awesome day! The 11 who shared and took the "plunge" in baptism articulated their testimonies very powerfully. It always fills my heart to hear how the Lord began to break into the lives of His children. These 11, beautifully articulated where they were before Christ, the point at which they surrendered, and the process the Lord has began in their walks as disciples. God is good! Celebrate with me!

This past Sunday, we started a new series at Harvest Bible Chapel Granger. The series is called "STAND" and it is a call to stand up for the name of Jesus in high school, or the workplace, or among friends, or in situations that can either dishonor God or honor Him. We are nearing the end of our year of ministry, which was themed "Christ at the Core." As a church we are seeing Christ be put back at the center of our lives, in all that we say and do. Now, we finish the "ministry year" with a call to make that truth known outside of the walls of Sunday morning, and into our daily lives.

Pastor Trent called the church this past Sunday in week 1 to:
STAND UP. STAND OUT. AND STAND FIRM.


People who take a STAND for Jesus:

*Will refuse to need the validation of the world, and will choose to be identified with the people of God.
*Will refuse the expectation of a cost free life, and will choose to love Jesus more than their own life.
*Will refuse the temporary pleasures of sin, and will choose the eternal treasure of pleasing Jesus.

Listen to week one's message here:
STAND: WEEK 1