Thank You and Until

I will admit, I am melancholy today.  This blog has been my friend since 2012 and today I bid it good bye.  I have, over the years, discovered a little sanctuary place in my office.  I sit at my desk and I look out my office window to a huge oak tree that is right outside my office.  It has been here years before me and will be here years after me.  I have spent a great deal of time meditating on what I have just read in the Word with my eyes set upon that oak tree. Today, as it prepares for winter it has dropped most of its leaves. As the last of the leaves fall it reminds me that my time at JBC is quickly coming to an end.  It is a great reminder to me that while the tree looks dead, it is none the less, full of life and just preparing for next spring when God will once again bring it’s leaves back to manifest the life it has.  Right now, the acorns drop and seek to give life to new trees.  While I am not sure what God will bring in the Spring for Nancy and I, I am grateful to be full of life and simply waiting on what God will do next in our lives.  Wow, that was pretty sappy, pun intended, but it is an image that will stick with me.  I am truly grateful for that oak tree.
As we close out this blog, we have been sharing our thanks to the many “not in vainers” that God has blessed us with in our lives.  Back when I first began writing this little blog I entitled it, “Not in Vain”.  It was taken from my dad’s life verse, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor is not in vain.”  I Cor 15:58.  I Corinthians 15 is the great chapter about the resurrection.  Paul ends the chapter with this exhortation encouraging us that we should live our lives in this manner due to the fact that this life is not all that there is.  We will be resurrected and we will live eternally and so how we live now, matters eternally.  As I end my time writing this blog I wanted to recognize those who have lived their life in light of eternity and have lived as “not in vainers”.
The “not in vainers” that God has used the most to shape my life have been my family.  Words cannot express how grateful I am for placing me in the family that he did, for giving me the family that he has, and for the extra family God has given me.  My dad, mom, brother, and sister have all been huge instruments of God’s grace in my life.  I am the baby of my family and I have received all the rights and privileges that being the baby entitles you to.  My parents took one look at me as a baby and immediately recognized their need for God and so I was blessed to grow up in a family where both my mom and dad were new believers.  Their growth in Jesus shaped their influence on me.  Their constant involvement in church and in the Word was used by God to grow within me a love for him, his word, and his church. Their decisions to do better than their parents in their marriage and their parenting allowed me to grow up in a home full of peace, encouragement, and love.  Their efforts were not in vain as all of their children have grown up to love Jesus and to serve his bride faithfully.  
God blessed me, again, by giving me an extra family of in laws who also love Jesus and have placed their family first.  My mother and father in law have been amazing examples of the love of Christ in my life. God has chosen to place us near them for almost 40 years.  They have shown me great love and their walk with Jesus and their love for his church have been a great extension to what God started in me through my parents.  All of their children love Jesus and that has given us all a great bond of helping and investing in each other’s lives.
While I pray that my wife and I have influenced and helped shape my children’s lives, I know that God has used my children to shape my life.  In their own way, each of my children have been used by God to draw me close to himself.  Sometimes, I will admit, it was in prayer as I worried about their foolish decisions but he has also used each of them through the wisdom he has given to them. Their confidence and trust in the Lord is a reminder to me of what it means to walk by faith.  As I see my son walk in ministry, or my oldest daughter love on her kids, or my youngest walk by faith I am encouraged to be steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord.
On Sunday my wife and her two fellow church lady friends sang a song about being set free from prison. I could not resist poking a little fun at these three very conservative ladies and them singing about their prison sentence. What prison have they ever been in?  My wife snarked back that she has been in prison some 40 years with me!  I, will admit, it was a great line (even if all the ladies did laugh a little too hard at it).  My wife is, in my eyes, the greatest example of a “not in vainer” and one of the greatest pastor wives I have ever known.  She walks by faith, seeks to continue to be obedient to Jesus, is faithful in prayer and reading the Word, and has been very patient with me.  God has certainly blessed me with Nancy.  While we are constantly reminded of how different we are, God has seen fit to knit our hearts together around those things that are most important in life and in death.  We are knit together with a love for God, his church, ministering to others, and our families.  I know that we both walk towards this next chapter in our lives with some trepidation...all of those hours in a small house together...but I thank God for the gift of my wife and thank her for loving Jesus and for allowing me to love her so imperfectly over the years.
Thank you to those who have read this blog.  I would like to end it the way I began it, by thanking God for not only being a great heavenly Father but for giving me my dad.  He was the greatest example of a man of God. He worked hard at serving others, he continually grew in Christ until the day he went to heaven, and he was always in my corner.  While he was never a pastor, he always gave great advice about ministry and he always pointed me to Jesus first.  He chose to always live his life in light of his life verse, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  His life was not lived in vain and I trust he and my heavenly Father will say the same about mine.  Until.

Not in Vainers

Back in 2012 when I began writing this little blog I entitled it, “Not in Vain”.  It was taken from my dad’s life verse, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor is not in vain.” I Cor 15:58.  I Corinthians 15 is the great chapter about the resurrection.  Paul ends the chapter with this exhortation encouraging us that we should live our lives in this manner due to the fact that this life is not all that there is.  We will be resurrected and we will live eternally and so how we live now, matters eternally.  As I end my time writing this blog I wanted to recognize those who have lived their life in light of eternity and have lived as “not in vainers”.
Nancy and I, from time to time, will take the time to remind each other of the truth that our church family, our friends, worked hard, sacrificed and gave to the Lord.  Their giving was then mainly used to make sure that JBC was able to keep functioning.  One of the main expenses, at any church, is the salaries of those it employs.  That meant that our church family and our friends paid our salary.  Their hard work and sacrifice allowed my family to live.  Their generosity allowed our family to live comfortably.  That is a very humbling thought.  Everything that I have been able to provide for my family is because of the grace and mercy of God.  Almost everything that I have been able to provide for my family is because of the generous people of JBC.  Yes, we worked to earn our keep but the beauty of how God has provided through the free will giving of his people is something that has, and continues to humble me.
To be totally honest, it could also be scary.  To be so dependent on the giving hearts of people can be a scary proposition.  I have heard plenty of stories of big donors who hold their giving over a pastor’s head so that he has to worry about how his children were going to be fed.  Pastor’s preach a message that steps on someone’s toes and those people take their money and their toes and go someplace else. People get riled up because the church votes against an idea they have and so they withhold their offerings.  It can be a scary thought to be so dependent on the generosity and obedience of people.  It is why a pastor must be humbled by the giving of people but keep his eyes fixed on the true provider.  I am so tremendously moved by the blessing God has given Nancy and I to serve in a church where we never had to deal with those kinds of horror stories…at least none that we knew about!  No one ever put pressure on me to back off a sermon or sway a decision.
Looking back on the 43 years of ministry in three different churches, we are grateful for the privilege to have been blessed by the generous, free will giving of the people of God.  There were certain pressures that accompanied this blessing but the privilege of being on the receiving end of this kind of moving of God in the hearts of people has been a true source of joy in our lives.  Every pay check we have received, every extra gift God provided is a gift of grace that reminded us of the generous grace of God.  In each church I served in, there were some lean times.  Times when it was difficult to pay bills and difficult to meet payroll.  In each time, God’s people rallied, sacrificed some more, and made sure that bills and people were paid. A few times, my wife and I were not able to help much and we were the recipients of that great grace.  At other times, we were able to be part of that sacrificial, grace giving and it was a new kind of joy. All of it is for and because of the glory of God.  We thank him every day that we can plan a future.  But we also rejoice in the faithful givers at JBC that have truly blessed us and are faithful ‘not in vainers”.
One of the gifts the church has given us a picture of the church.  We will hang that in our new home as a reminder of time at JBC but also as a reminder of the truth that so much of what we have is because of their faithful to giving to us.  Thank you.

Not in Vainers

Back in 2012 when I began writing this little blog I entitled it, “Not in Vain”.  It was taken from my dad’s life verse, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor is not in vain.” I Cor 15:58.  I Corinthians 15 is the great chapter about the resurrection.  Paul ends the chapter with this exhortation encouraging us that we should live our lives in this manner due to the fact that this life is not all that there is.  We will be resurrected and we will live eternally and so how we live now, matters eternally.  As I end my time writing this blog I wanted to recognize those who have lived their life in light of eternity and have lived as “not in vainers”.
Today I want to say thank you to those who co-labor with me in the teaching and preaching of the Word of God.  I know that in my quest to say thank you to many, that I will forget some.  I pray that these blogs bring encouragement and not pain.  Over the years there are hundreds of people who have shared the teaching privileges with me here at JBC.  Barry and Sue spent decades teaching our children.  Kim has done the same.  Brian, Penny and Dominic taught with me in KNO. Rich, Kevin, Dale, and many others helped in Adult Bible Fellowship. Jim has taught many times on Wednesday Evenings.  And there have been many more.  Each adding to the full cup of God’s Word that we have enjoyed over the years.  God has truly blessed our church with many teachers.
Today, as they are presently serving beside me, I want to say thank you to Mark, Josh, and John.  Mark’s gift of knowledge is a true blessing to all those who are able to hear him speak.  His dry sense of humor is a constant source of joy for my wife.  Earlier in my ministry I had often prayed for someone like Mark who would come and be a source of help and encouragement to me.  I am thankful that God has provided Mark to JBC and that we could serve together as we have.
Josh has been a great source of encouragement and support.  God has truly gifted him with a great mind and ability to understand and communicate deep and meaningful theological truths.  I have often, in my pride, agreed with Josh and then later had to look up exactly what he was talking about.  Couple that kind of mind with a heart bent towards truly ministering to people and you have a great gift to JBC. I truly enjoy sitting under his ministry of the Word.
John and I have been serving together since the Flood.  John has a great love for God and for his Word.  While I see and remember principles, John is gifted in seeing the logic and order of Scripture.  I often lean on John in Eschatological issues as he keeps those truths in his mind way better than I do.  He  consistency and faithfulness has been a great asset to JBC.  God has given him a great ability to ministers to all kinds of people in ways that I fall way short in.  I appreciate our years together.
These men have been a great source of encouragement, insight, and strength, for me and for JBC.  What I love about our relationships is that we do not all agree on every theological point. Yet, there is mutual respect and humbleness that assures that our people are not put in the middle of two egos clashing.  Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus keeps us fixed on what is most important.
Thank you to all who have labored with me here at JBC.  What a privilege it is to serve in the Kingdom of God.  What a joy it is to know that we have not, and are not, laboring in vain.

Not in Vainers

Back in 2012 when I began writing this little blog I entitled it, “Not in Vain”.  It was taken from my dad’s life verse, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor is not in vain.” I Cor 15:58.  I Corinthians 15 is the great chapter about the resurrection.  Paul ends the chapter with this exhortation encouraging us that we should live our lives in this manner due to the fact that this life is not all that there is.  We will be resurrected and we will live eternally and so how we live now, matters eternally.  As I end my time writing this blog I wanted to recognize those who have lived their life in light of eternity and have lived as “not in vainers”.
Here at JBC we recognize two church offices that, we believe, the Bible recognizes.  The first is the office of the Elder, Pastor, or Overseer.  All three titles referring to different responsibilities of the pastoral position.  The second office is that of Deacon.  The term Deacon comes from a Greek word that means “to serve”.  The Deacon is called to serve the Lord, the church, and the Pastor.  They are to do the work of the ministry so that the Pastor is able to spend his time studying and ministering to people.  All of the men who have served beside me in this role at JBC have served faithfully and with great honor.  In many ways, they are the unsung heroes of JBC.  I wish I could name everyone who has served as a Deacon but I know that I would miss some.  These men have kept JBC functioning and have allowed all of the Pastors to keep their eyes fixed on the Word of God and Jesus.
So many stories and men come to my mind.  These men, over the years have taken care of my family.  They have made sure that all of the buildings were well maintained and were welcoming to new people. They have kept an eye on the finances and have proposed budgets that demonstrated a fiscal responsibility and a vision for growth and ministry.  They have built buildings, paved parking lots, rebuilt trailers for homes, cleaned up flooded basements, and moved thousands of chairs.  They have faithfully and generously given away hundreds of thousands of dollars to those in need.  I cannot remember one idea or vision that I have had that they did not support and make sure that we had all we needed to fulfill the ministry.  They have spent countless hours in meetings and have read thousands of emails.  They have prayed, cared for, and visited many of our members.  They have faithfully and reverently set up, served, and cleaned up hundreds of Lord’s Suppers.  
I enjoy sports.  A good sports game is one where the teams are able to compete and the refs or umps do not get in the way.  If you do not see those making sure the game is played fairly and by the rules, then they have done a good job.  Deacons are kind of like that.  If you are able to come to service and not notice the buildings, the Pastors are not all frayed at the edges, and you are confident that your giving is being used wisely...then you know that the Deacons are doing a good job.  We have had 35 years of that kind of ministry at JBC.  Men who quietly and faithfully serve.  Men who allow the Pastors to function fully in their gifts.  Men who do not demand recognition or praise.  Men who walk into the service and are immediately told that the toilet is clogged up or the railing is loose or…   Thank you to all the men who have served faithfully over the years.  Thank you to their wives who have also served alongside of them and who have put up with the five minute meetings after the service that last a bit longer.  
Deacons, may you know that your reward is the fact that JBC has been used by God and that Jesus has been lifted up.  May you look forward to heaven where God shows you all the ways your service has been used in the kingdom.  May you always know how much I have appreciated that you were serving with me.

Not in Vainers

Back in 2012 when I began writing this little blog I entitled it, “Not in Vain”.  It was taken from my dad’s life verse, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor is not in vain.” I Cor 15:58.  That might be a little of the Ed Hlad translation as I wrote it as I memorized it.  When I began my ministry I chose that verse and asked the Lord to shape my ministry around those exhortations and I asked him to be faithful in reminding me that my labors, in the Lord, were not in vain.  When my son began his ministry I was able to give him a cross stitched plaque (hand crafted by my mom) of this verse that I had hanging in my office for many years.  It was my hope and prayer that his ministry would be marked by those same exhortations.  It was also my prayer that this blog would be a help to others in their quest to be steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord.  As I begin to wrap up this phase of my ministry, I want to take the time to write these last blogs honoring people.  I am unable to say these things publicly due to my blubbering, emotional nature.  So write them.  I know that for many of you this may not be too relevant as you are not association with Jacobstown Baptist Church but this is something that I believe will be a fitting end to this blog.
The first two people that I would like to honor as “Not in Vainers” are Betty and Marilyn.  I have written about them before but they are the last of those who were here before I came to JBC.  In fact, you have Betty to blame for playing a key role in bringing me here to JBC.  They have faithfully helped, and still help, lead our worship on Sunday mornings as they play the piano and organ and pick the songs that we will be singing.  They are the epitome of what a congregant should be.  They use their talents and gifts, never calling attention to themselves, but always serving the Lord as they serve JBC.  They truly play with their hearts and souls and I have never once seen them act or react out of selfishness or ego.  When someone new comes in with the talent to play piano, they make room and enjoy the help.  When the band or guitarists wanted to lead on Sundays, they stepped aside and worshiped and enjoyed as others served the Lord.  When others were scheduled to lead and found out they could not, Betty and Marilyn were always ready and willing to fill in.  In my 35 years they have never murmured, complained, played the diva, or made any kind of stink.  They faithfully serve the Lord and allowed Jesus to be the one lifted up.  Whatever we have needed them to do, or more importantly...not do, they did or did not do graciously and in service to the Lord.  Through loss, injury, Covid, and all kinds of change, they have been faithful, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord.  Proof of their always abounding has been their role in the choir, work with children, and there faithful service in our Living Nativity.
I know that my memories of Betty and Marilyn will include seeing them behind the keyboards but the memory I hold most dear is when I see them walking together as I walk into Prayer Meeting and they are walking towards their service in AWANA.  Their cheerfulness, friendship, and joy as they go to work with other’s children is always a great example to me of what being part of a church is all about.  In the coming blogs I will not mention too many individual names for fear of forgetting some but Betty and Marilyn were JBC before me, will be JBC after me, and the Lord will not allow their labor to be in vain.  So publicly write, what I cannot say, thank you for serving with me these past 35 years.  I pray your next pastor realizes how blessed he is to have you two as part of his flock.

Grace Giver

I have been overwhelmed by the truth that my whole life is lived by the grace given to me by God.  Every breath that I breathe, every gift supplied to me, every strength to accomplish anything, and every person brought into my day are graces given by God.  What I have been meditating on lately is the question of if I am being a conduit of that grace to other people?  Two verses have been mulling around in my head:
“Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”  Eph 4:30
“As each has received a gift, (a grace!) use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”  I Peter 4:10
Each day, in each interaction with others, “How am I giving the grace that God has given me and pouring it into the lives of others?” When I speak to them, “Am I listening intently so that I am able to speak words that build them up and thus ministers grace to them?” “Am I aware, each day, of the spiritual gifts that God has given me to use in the body of Christ”?  “Do I actively observe, listen, and get involved in others lives for the express purpose of giving those gifts to others?”  It truly has been a humbling mediation as I realize how much of my day is used for things for myself.  Each day God is pouring his blessings into my life each day, sustaining and providing for me, and I suck those gifts up and mostly keep them to myself.  He seeks, each day, new ways to show me mercy and grace and I keep my eyes so inwardly focused.  While it is good to keep your nose to the grindstone and persevere in faithfulness, our eyes also should be looking outward as we seek to bear fruit from the blessings he gives us.
Certainly the pressures and stresses of life turn our eyes inward.  Being sick keeps us inwardly focused.  My wife and I are in transition and it seems to take much of our focus.  Issues of the heart often distract our eyes from others and point them to our own pain.  But we must work hard to keep our lives ready to be givers of grace to others. We must see the blessings of God given to us each day and then truly see others as people whom God desires for us to give grace.
One hindrance to giving grace that I have been focusing on is, “How much do rules keep me from giving grace?”  Doesn’t the very definition of grace supersede the idea of rules?  So many rules run through my head when I believe the Spirit desires for me to be a giver of great grace.  Rules such as, “Doesn’t the Bible say that to eat you must work?”  “Won’t your kindness give permission for them to act even worse?”  “They made their bed, now they need to lie in it”.  “Didn’t Paul rebuke those who gave and then created a need in their life...or did he praise them for it”?  I am finding that God motivated, abundant, grace giving often breaks what we believe are common sense rules.  I am not advocating to be foolish but even as I write that I wonder of that is one of the rules that grace should break?  Maybe in giving grace it is ok to be what we consider foolish?
Be a giver of grace today.  Not a giver of what is easy but a giver of true grace.  Grace that costs you something.  Grace that is according to the blessings God has given you today.  Notice, “according to” not “out of”.  Have you been the recipient of truly amazing grace today?  Then pass on amazing grace.

Heart Check

Hopefully you have a few minutes to meditate on something.  I read something this week that caused me to stop and allow the Spirit to plow my heart and I wanted to share it with you.  The Bible speaks of how sinful our hearts are and how they are deceitful to us.  It is good to allow the Spirit to do his work in our sinful hearts so that we can learn to live in the new creature that God has created within us. Hopefully this is helpful.
God’s grace is full and free.  We do not, in any way deserve or earn grace. That is something that we find hard to grasp.  Is anything really worthwhile, truly free?  Yes, his blessings and gifts cost Jesus much but they are offered to us freely and abundantly.  We are pretty OK with the abundant part, although, this side of heaven it is hard to imagine the immensity of his blessings. It is the free part that we often buck against.  We want to earn grace.  We want to, in some small way even, pay for grace.  It is almost impossible for our sinful hearts to accept that which God offers for free.  In our minds we somehow give something or earn grace in some way.  Why do we do that?  Well, if we are seeking to make ourselves look good we say we do that because we like to earn what we get.  We are not free loaders.  Ok, but think about that again.  Why do we want to earn what we get?  Here is what I had to allow the Spirit to plow my heart about.  I want to earn what I get because I can then control what the giver of the grace asks of me.  If what he gives me is truly free then he can ask of me anything and everything and the correct response would be, “Here am I, send me, Lord”.  If I somehow earn, even a little bit of the blessing, then I can limit what is asked of me.  How rotten am I that I try to diminish the amazing grace of God because I want to determine my own life?  I want to limit the omniscient, all wise God, in determining the course and direction of my life so that I can hold on to the allusion of control in my life.  It is the same attitude I find I have in prayer.  I want to tell the all wise God what I want him to do in my life rather than submitting to his wisdom and love in my life.  I want the allusion of earning grace so that I can reserve the right to be like Jonah and say no to the calling to obedience in my life.  How did that work out for Jonah?  How has it worked out, ever, in my life when I chose to walk my own path?
Lord, continue to make me fully submissive to your all wise will for my life.  Help me to truly trust in your love and goodness for me life. Help me to revel in the joy of grace and to not try to earn what is freely and lovingly given.  May I rest in your loving arms today as I fully give myself to you.  You will never let me down.  You will never disappoint.  You will always do what is best.

Grace is Dangerous

I remember, a number of years ago, Charles Swindoll was preaching a sermon and one of his points was, and I hope I get this right, that if we preach grace properly, it is dangerous and scary.  Preaching grace properly may result in people acting and responding in ways that might make us very uncomfortable.  They may take the freedom that grace brings and use it in ways that we totally disagree with. Our tendency, then, is to limit our teachings on grace.  We want to add a touch or two of the law in with our teaching on grace so that people are limited.  Of course, we want to be the arbitrators of which laws we want people to obey.  In doing such things, we wipe out the concept of grace.
In a nation, we love the ideas of free speech, right to bear arms, freedom to assemble, etc.  But those freedoms can, and probably will be, abused.  They may even result in harm done to those who promote such freedoms.  Our first reaction may be to then limit those freedoms.  There is wisdom in that.  Our freedoms provided by our constitution or not absolute freedoms.  There are limits to what we can say etc.  But freedoms carry with them the chance that people may choose to use their freedoms in ways that we disagree with or that we believe may be harmful to our country.  Again, our first response will be to then limit their freedom.  In doing so, eventually we end up limiting our own freedom.  So what do we do?  We disagree, we debate, we seek to, by civil discourse, to persuade and win the other person over to our way of thinking.  But, what we often forget, is that in order to understand what we are discussing we must listen to each other first. Rhetoric, accusations, straw men, hyperbole, name calling, etc. does not lead to heart change.  It only leads to misunderstanding that leads to yelling louder, anger, feet stomping, and violence.  It is what we have become as a country.  Our only goal seems to be to shut the other person up.
The answer to the abuses of grace is the teaching of true grace that overwhelms the heart to desire the grace giver.  The answer to the abuses of freedom is love that produces a desire for the one who gives real freedom.  A real love that listens first and disagrees while still loving the one they disagree with.  Jesus, who was hated more than anyone, commanded us to love our enemies.  Love is not a feeling but is an action of respect, patience, and grace.  Retaliation only wins for a short while and it keeps the war going.  We are sinful, selfish people who demand all that we believe is ours. We will never give ourselves the chance to see for ourselves what true grace and true freedom are unless we surrender to the one who gives grace and freedom.  We only surrender to him when he opens our eyes.  Now is the time for those who know Jesus to fall to our knees and pray for him to open the eyes of our nation.

Musings

My mind seems to be active most of my waking hours.  It is rare that I find myself zoning out with nothing on my mind.  I am usually musing about something.  I can’t say it is always about brilliant things, often I find myself having imaginary conversations with people.  I am not sure if this is too healthy but I do know it can create problems when I expect those same people to remember a conversation we never had!  The biggest problem with doing this is that one day I shared my habit with my wife and now she pulls that out every single time she forgets something that we really did talk about...which is a lot lately.  But I digress...squirrel.  
What I have learned to do is to try and occupy my mind with a few thoughts that are worthy to be meditated on.  As long as I take the time to study my answers out in Scripture, I have found this process helpful. Today, I will share one of those musing, even though I have not come to many conclusions about these musings yet.  Here we go, hope I don’t mess up your musings.
Of all the relationships that God could have used to describe his relationship to Jesus, he used the relationship of a father to a son. He also describes our relationship to him as a father to his children.  It is a choice that brings us great comfort and is full of meaning.  One of the hardest things for me as a parent is to see my children going through times of growth and trying to figure out when I should help or when I should allow them to struggle and grow. Often, as parents, we might be able to step in and help our children. Even our grown children.  We may have the financial ability, the connections or simply the wisdom to step in and ease some of the struggle.  To be honest, that is easy to do.  The hard part is allowing the struggle to do it’s work in our children’s lives. To allow God to provide, to work, and to grow our children.  This gets worse when our children are being refined by God and we are unable to do anything but offer support and strength.  We want, so desperately, to take the pain and struggle away but wisdom and sometimes, helplessness, keeps us from stepping in.  I think that sometimes, we struggle as much as our children during those times.
My musing is this:  Knowing the compassion and love of God, I wonder if he feels the same struggle that I feel when I know I could help but believe it is wise not to?  God, in his infinite wisdom, often brings and uses struggles to strengthen us and grow us, but I do not believe he delights in using those in our lives.  I believe, that as a father, he walks in empathy and compassion with us and longs for the day when we are with him and out of these faith growing struggles. Knowing he was going to raise Lazarus, he still wept.  Maybe over the sin and maybe over the hurt it was causing?  Jesus, when looking at the crowds struggled, was often moved with compassion.  I need to do some more study.  But it is helpful, to me, to think that my heavenly father is moved in empathy when he brings struggles in my life to grow me.  He does not delight in my pain and he will not allow it one more second than it is necessary for me to grow.

Emotions

I had a pretty funny, at least in my mind, blog written about turning 65 tomorrow.  The problem was that as I thought through it again something just wouldn’t settle in my heart.  The last few months have been pretty difficult for a number of people I care very much about.  Due to many different circumstances in their lives we have walked with them through times of fear, despair, anxiety, and anger. Each individual had a burning desire to please the Lord and trust in His providential care for them but these circumstances all were and are life changing events.  The range of emotions and struggles that come along with those kinds of events are real and often raw.  The journey toward trusting and hoping in the Lord is often a rocky emotional journey as we seek his help and trust.  If you want proof of that, just read the Psalms.  Sometimes, in our desire to help and give strength we may come across sounding like trusting is an easy choice that simply involves ignoring our emotions.  It is true that we cannot allow our emotions to rule over our lives but turning them off like we would a spigot of water is not possible.  It is a battle that is often fought minute by minute.
So I wanted to write something to remind us to pray for those in the midst of these kinds of journeys.  I wanted to share Scriptures that help lift up weary arms.  There are many beautiful Scriptures that God gives us to make us aware that he knows, that he cares, and that he is big enough. But there is no one answer.  Each journey, while different, is addressed in Scripture but not often will one Scripture speak to all.  So I will simply share what each person has been finding out and has been sharing with me.  Jesus is enough.  In the days when getting out of bed is a struggle the truth of Jesus coming to earth  and struggling with us brings hope.  When our fears become paralyzing the truth of the presence of the Spirit of God gives courage.  When our anxieties begin to run away with our thoughts the Word reminds us that Jesus has gone before us.  Each brother and sister is learning, in new ways, that Jesus is always enough.
Their stories have been encouraging to me.  As my wife and I transition into a new chapter in our lives, as we realize we need to depend on our children for more help, as we look for new daily purpose and meaning, we find battles of anxiety and fear, that we had thought we had won all ready, finding a way to creep back into our hearts. Others examples of Jesus being enough give us great strength as we face uncertain days.  We are learning, again, what it means to walk each step in faith.  We do not know what three steps ahead will look like but we do know, Jesus is enough.  Thank you, to my friends, for being such great examples of that truth.

The Crushing Hand of God

In Isaiah 53 we are given this great passage about the coming Messiah. In verse 10 we read this, “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief”.  While we find in these words the great truth that John Piper speaks of as “sober joy” we cannot help but be taken back, just a little bit, by the harshness of the words.  Yes, the crushing of Jesus was how our sins were paid for and yes, that was the plan of God, but to hear that truth is such stark language kind of stops us in our tracks.  When we meditate on the cross, we meditate on the beauty of the love of God that drove him to the tree.  We meditate on the awesome gifts that result from his death.  We seem to use nicer words than the word crushed.  God desired to crush his son so that we might be reconciled to him.
I believe those words should also sober us when we think of the will of God for our lives.  Yes, Jesus was crushed so that we might not be eternally crushed.  He took our ultimate pain.  But, can we fully discount the truth that God’s will for our lives might include pain and suffering?  God does not delight in bringing suffering but, in his infinite wisdom, does he not know how much good suffering can bring into our lives?  As our heavenly Father, does he not desire our holiness and purity more than our comfort?  Does he not desire to conform us into the image of his Son who suffered while being here as our Savior and example?
I find great comfort in those thoughts.  They give my suffering purpose.  They remind me that my suffering is not by chance but by his choice and therefore it is measured and temporary.  Suffering that is not random draws me nearer to Him.  I cannot bear the thought that my well being is left to chance and then God is tasked with swooping in to fix it and make it good.  I find great peace in knowing that each and every step I take, even if they are difficult steps, are ordered by the Lord.  He both crushed and cared for his Son.  He will do the same for me.

Here is a freebie I just read...let it stomp on your toes and remind you of some great truths...

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I've been wrong about church changes before.
Pastors without ties? I was against it. Praise songs instead of hymns? Hated the idea. Coffee in the sanctuary? Borderline heretical. Now, though, I can't imagine going back to any of the "old ways" I once defended so passionately. So when I started getting bothered by people consistently showing up late to worship services, I had to ask myself if I was being a cranky traditionalist again.
I don’t think I am. This time, it's not about my preferences but about something deeper.
I'm not the only pastor wrestling with this issue. Last summer, J. D. Greear, lead pastor of The Summit Church and TGC Council member, addressed this problem with his congregation. In a sermon that went viral, Greear expressed his concern with members who come to worship services late or leave five minutes before the congregation is dismissed. His concern wasn't primarily about people missing part of the service but about how such behavior reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of what church is. As he put it, "You treat church like it's a religious show instead of a welcoming family that you're a part of."
Greear's observation about treating church like a "religious show" hits at the heart of the issue, and it raises crucial questions about how we understand corporate worship. When we consistently arrive late to our worship services, what message are we sending about the nature and importance of what we're gathering to do?
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Imagine your congregation is an orchestra. Every week, the members gather to play and God himself is their audience. Picture the conductor raising his baton to begin the music, but a quarter of the musicians haven't even shown up yet. While the first movement is being played, three violinists are trying to squeeze past others to get to their chairs, and the woodwind section is walking in and saying hello to the percussionists trying to keep the beat.
What would such actions reveal about how we think about our fellow musicians? What message would that send about how we view God and the concert we're supposed to perform together?
This scenario might sound absurd in a concert hall, but it perfectly captures what happens in many churches every Sunday morning.
There are legitimate reasons, of course, why some people might be late on occasion. Parents may struggle to get their kids ready on time, traffic might be heavier than normal, or public transportation might run behind schedule. Life happens, and grace should abound in these situations.
But when large segments of our congregations show up right when service begins, that's not a series of individual emergencies—that's a church culture problem. And it's not just that people arrive a right on time; many arrive several minutes late. Some people seem to treat the first 15 minutes of the service like the previews at the movies, as an optional part that isn't essential to the main show.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: We might have unintentionally communicated that the first 15 minutes of the worship service don't matter, so it's probably fine to show up late. Over the years, some of those newcomers have become members, and because "it's just the way things have always been," it's what we all keep doing. We've collectively created a culture that undermines what we've gathered to do.
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When we consistently show up late, we're treating Sunday morning as an individualistic spectator event rather than as a corporate, participatory gathering of God's people.
Embodied presence is necessary for us to worship corporately. The church's singing, praying, and preaching depend on the congregation being present to participate. These are the primary reasons we need to gather rather than just worshiping God on our own in private. But embodied presence requires that we gather intentionally rather than just eventually show up.
How do we know when and where to gather? We schedule a time and place to meet. But we're not just scheduling a time to meet together; we're scheduling a time to meet together ???? ???. Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." We have a standing appointment on our calendars to meet every Sunday morning with each other and with the God of all creation.
Unfortunately, it's often the case that our members keep God and our congregation waiting.
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If we believe the service is primarily about what we can get out of it—uplifting music, an encouraging sermon, fellowship with friends—then arriving late makes sense. After all, we can still catch most of the "good stuff."
But if you understand corporate worship as something we do together as the body of Christ—if you see it as our collective offering of praise to our Creator—then showing up late takes on a different meaning entirely. We're not just showing up late; we're missing the opportunity to fully participate in something the Lord has designed to form us as his people.
When we treat the opening songs as optional warm-up acts, we're misunderstanding their purpose. These aren't entertainment to help us transition into a "spiritual mood." They're our corporate declaration of God's worth, our unified voice lifted in praise. Every voice matters. Every presence matters.
Our punctuality—or lack thereof—also affects our witness to visitors and newcomers. When people visit a church and are among the only people in the sanctuary at the stated start time, what are we teaching them about our priorities? About the importance we place on corporate worship? About our respect for one another and for God?
We inadvertently communicate that this shared practice which we claim is central to our lives—gathering to worship the living God—isn't important enough for us to show up on time. That's not the message we want to send, but it's the message we send nonetheless.
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If we truly believe corporate worship is a vital expression of our faith and that gathering in Christ's name matters, then our actions should reflect those beliefs. This isn't about legalism or creating burdens. This is about aligning our theology and our practice.
The good news is that this is a problem we created together, which means we can solve it together. It starts with each of us prioritizing punctuality as an expression of our commitment to corporate worship and to one another.
The God of the universe has scheduled time to meet with us each Sunday. The least we can do is show up on time.
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How can we build churches that challenge our neighbors to stop and think about the foundations of their lives and connect it all to the gospel of Jesus Christ? In our ‘How to Build a Culture of Evangelism in Your Church’ cohort, Daniel Strange will explore five themes emerging from the Bible’s understanding of human beings, that consciously or subconsciously, all people in every culture live out in everyday life. Registration closes October 15; don’t miss your chance to learn how to apply these themes to call non-Christians and Christians alike to stick to Jesus as they attract others to him: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/.../culture-of.../

Shameless Plug

Today I would like to shamelessly plug the offering for Jackson Ford this coming Sunday.  One of the responsibilities of the church is to encourage our young people as they seek to determine what the Lord would have them do with their lives.  While we seek to encourage all of our young people, we especially want to encourage those who desire to use their lives and gifts in service to the local church on a daily basis.  Yes, I understand that every young person should view whatever they choose to do as in service to the Lord and to the church.  I am not trying to diminish that in any way.  I just believe that those young people who are seeking to serve the Lord through the local church should be encouraged by the local church.  Given the chance this summer to serve our church through our Wednesday Evening Prayer time and working with our young people, Jackson jumped at the chance to serve.  He has done an excellent job, has been faithful, and has been eager to learn whatever he could.  His goal in life is to become a Pastor of Youth and we believe that God has not only given him this desire but has gifted him in this way.  His role this summer shows his desire to be used by God in any way that he can serve others.
Our job, as a church, is to help mentor him and to encourage him in his desire to serve.  One of the ways we do that is to reward his step of faith.  He chose to not receive any stipend for his time of service but to trust his church family to help with his expenses through a love offering at the end of the summer.  No one should go into church ministry expecting to get rich.  It is not the career you choose if you have dreams of becoming independently wealthy.  When you choose church work you realize that you will be dependent on the Lord to move the hearts of church folks to support you faithfully.  It is an awesome privilege and sometimes, a scary proposition.  We have the opportunity to build Jackson’s faith by giving to him generously this coming week.  A first time lesson and reminder to not worry about being provided for...the Lord and the church have your back!!
I know that many who read this blog do not attend our church.  Thank you for being patient and reading this far.  I do not believe I have ever asked for money before but...there is always a first time.  If you are willing to give to Jackson, simply go to our app and to the giving section, they have put up a button or something like that. You will be able to give to Jackson directly through the church.  I just think that this first gift to Jackson may be used by God to carry and strengthen his faith all through his future ministry. Thanks.

Disobedience

Some words seem to disappear from a culture’s vocabulary.  I am wondering if disobedience is one of those words.  Maybe it is because I do not have young children anymore.  I would imagine that the word disobedience is used often by parents.  But how often do we, as adults, get called out for our disobedience.  I also wonder who should be calling out adults for their disobedience?  To do so in Christian circles seems to be legalistic.  Maybe friends should do so as they seek to mature together in Christ?  What about family members calling each other out?  Maybe it is not any of our roles to be telling others they are disobedient?  Should we leave that job up to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God?
I honestly am struggling with these thoughts as I see so much disobedience in the lives of believers and in my own walk.  I John 2:6 is so convicting, “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked”.  Come on, who can read that without being convicted?   I do not try and look for disobedience in others, I have enough trouble keeping myself in line, but lately it does seem that we as believers are justifying a great deal of disobedience.  Here is what I believe the problem is...you can call me a grumpy old man, or a Karen...but I say this out of love and concern that we have become our own arbitrators of what is holiness.
I believe that the major issue is that we have taken our eyes off of Jesus.  We are to walk in the same way Jesus walked.  We have become blinded by our own schedules, what we desire, wrongs in the world and we have stopped seeing him as we study our Bibles.  When we take our eyes off of Jesus, we begin to make him just like us.  It allows us to justify our disobedience.  When was the last time you were awed by his holiness?  When was the last time you meditated on his meek and lowly spirit?  When was the last time you were overcome by his compassion?  Have you marveled at his patience or burden for those who do not know him lately?  Have you taken any time thinking about how amazing it is that he loved and sought to live among us?  His love drove him toward people, not away from them.
We justify running from people, thinking the worst of situations and people, being impatient with others, abandoning our spiritual gifts, serving when it is convenient for us, being angry, living unholy lives, because we have stopped seeing Jesus.  His life, his character, his love drives us toward obedience.  Take a few minutes today to reacquaint yourself with Jesus and abandon your pale picture of who you think he is.

Good Day

This morning I woke up a little earlier than normal, showered, and mentally prepared myself to go to the Motor Vehicle Inspection Station.  Long lines, big waits, and grumpy people.  To top it off I got behind a huge tree service truck that had trouble going over 25 mph and I could not pass him.  But today is a good day!  There was absolutely no one in line.  The workers were fighting over which line I should go in.  They were friendly and helpful.  My car passed easily and joy upon joy, the guy put my sticker in straight!  Nothing like looking at a crooked sticker for two years!  Today is going to be a great day.  Isn’t it amazing what can determine a good day or not?  WaWa out of the coffee you want and so you have to wait an extra few minutes.  The hot water almost out by the time you get to take your shower.  Coming out and finding your car covered in blue bird droppings.  Making a light you normally have to stop at. Someone brought donuts to work.  Almost anything in the mornings seems to be able to set the tone for the day.  
That must be why the Word of God encourages to seek the Lord in the morning.

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
“O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.’ Ps 5:3
“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.” Ps 119:147
“But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.” Ps 88:13
“Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!” Ps 57:8
“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Ps 90:14
“But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.” Ps 59:16

Taking the time to look to Jesus, to review the great promises and blessings of the gospel, to recognize your creator and your purpose, or to simply see the beauty of the Lord early in the morning will help set the tone for the rest of the day.  Little inconveniences or bumps in your schedule will be put into proper perspective if you are looking up first each morning.  If you are like me and you can barely find the shower in the morning, then do as I do and use your shower time to wake up while thinking and looking to Jesus.  This morning I was too focused on dreading what I had to do and failed to look to Jesus but it worked out and set a positive tone on the day.  It is not worth losing so many days to the happenstance of good circumstances. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith and rejoice that this is a day that the Lord has made for you.

Leaning

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD God is an everlasting rock.”  Is 26:3,4

All of us react differently to the events in our world.  Often those reactions come because of something that hits close to home, different stressers in our lives at the time, or they come from the empathy in our hearts.  The tragedy of the flooding in Texas, especially, the loss of lives at the Christian camp have been heavy on my heart this past week.  I find myself often praying for the families and feeling burdened for the pain they must be experiencing. You send your children to camp so that they Lord can speak to their hearts, not call them home.  Some of the stories that are being told truly break your heart.

At times like this, for me, I find myself wrestling with that which I know and believe.  I know, at least I think I do, of the hideous of sin and all of the pain it causes.  I know, in a small part, about the holiness of God.  I know this is a fallen world and not heaven. I try to imagine the eternal purposes and plans of God.  I try not to live in the moment but weigh things out in light of eternity.  Yet, I still find myself bothered, not really questioning, but bothered by the amount of pain that people can experience.  I know that the grieving of believers is a grieving with great hope but the thoughts of those children in the flood can be overwhelming.

So here is what I try to do and what I find myself doing these past few days.  I stop trying to theologically explain or put into perspective this kind of suffering.  I stop trying to see the big picture of eternity.  I stop looking for the purpose of God and I try to do what Isaiah encourages me to do.  I place my mind on Him.  I trust Him.  I trust in the promise keeping, covenant keeping, all sovereign Lord who came to earth to rescue sinners and who is on the throne of grace.  I cannot understand all that happens but I do know that he is trustworthy, good, and just.  I do know that dwelling with and on him brings peace and stability.  I do not have many answers but I do have him and that is far more than enough.  He is my rock, my shield, my defender, my protector, my provider, my friend, and my Lord.

Seeing the Good

Hebrews chapter 11 is a testimony to those who lived by faith and were not let down by God.  The names are a Who’s Who of the Bible.  Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, Samson, and David are just a few of the men and women of faith mentioned.  What is not mentioned, are the times when these men failed to walk in faith.  When they took matters into their own hands and were disobedient.  Some of  them committed some whopper sins and were anything but faithful at those times.  And yet, the author of Hebrews, moved by the Holy Spirit of God remembered them as people of faith.
Nehemiah, in chapter 13, of his book records a prayer.  One thing he prays for is found in verse 31, the last verse of the book, “Remember me, O my God, for good”.  He desires that God remember him for the good he did in the kingdom and not for the times he messed up.  I would guess that Nehemiah was just like us.  He was far more able to recall the times he messed up than the times he did well.  It just seems that those times of failure tend to remain more vivid than the times of faithful obedience.  There are several reasons for that.  One is that we understand that when we are faithful it is because of the uplifting ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  We give him the glory and credit he deserves and so we do not toot our own horn. When we fail we realize that it is all us.  That failure, to us, is who we see ourselves as, people who are prone to wander.  Nehemiah prays, and I believe that God answers, to remember the good he has done and to wash the negative away.  It is a prayer answered by Paul in Ephesians 1 when Paul shares that we are, in God’s sight because we are in Jesus, holy and acceptable.  God sees the blood of Jesus and the work Jesus has and is doing in our lives...he does not define us by our failures.
Eugene Peterson had a quote about the church which I have grown to love.  I do not remember it exactly and so I apologize to Mr. Peterson as I butcher his quote but he said, basically, “I have stopped apologizing for the church.  I am not surprised when we fail.  I am just amazed that we ever get it right”.  If you think about that statement enough I think you get the encouragement that it was meant to be.  The church is not different because it is perfect.  It is different because it is the only institution that ever has a hope of getting it right from time to time.  Focus on those amazing times when the work of Jesus in your life comes together and you serve him faithfully, when you are used in the lives of others, when you put God first, or you love like Jesus.  Those times are proof of the work that Jesus is doing in your life.  Those are supernatural times when your new nature in Christ is producing the fruit of the Spirit in and through you.  Those times are gifts from heaven and proof that one day we will be glorified and perfectly faithful to him.  Don’t be amazed when you sin and are unfaithful...be amazed when you walk by faith and know that God remembers the good and refuses, because of Jesus, to condemn you for the failures.

Lion Loosing

I have not heard or read this quote for a long time and then I read it three times in the past two days.  Being the astute man of God that I am, I figured the Lord wanted me to hear it.  It is a quote by Charles Spurgeon about the power and effectiveness of the Word of God.

“The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.”  Charles Spurgeon

When we read a quote like that and truly take the time to think about what he is saying, it really does take away all of our excuses.  Excuses that we often hide behind.  We do not want to share the Word of God at work or with our friends, not because we are not a Bible scholar and do not believe we cannot defend the Word, but because we do not believe the Word enough to trust that the Holy Spirit will allow its light to shine in the darkness.  I know that is harsh but on some level, I think we need to admit that it is true.  We kind of have our doubts about the effectiveness of the Word when it is placed against some of the arguments that our co-workers are espousing.  It is not that we do not believe the Word, we do.  We just doubt the effective power of the Word to penetrate the hearts of our co-workers.  I get the point that we must speak the Word at the right time but how will we know when the right time is?  Can’t the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, create its own right time to penetrate the hard heart?  How can people hear if we do not speak up?
I also wonder how many times we find ourselves in discussions about “spiritual things” and it is nothing more than opinion vs. opinion.  We may come close to speaking about the Bible but how often do we really share the Word of God?  God, by the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of men, wrote the Word of God in a particular way.  We should trust, a bit more than we trust our opinion, that the way he wrote it is the way he wanted us to share it with others.  I am not saying that the Word of God must be dictated back to people but we must learn to trust that presenting the Word, and not simply talking about it, is a powerful way to share the truth.
I know that as we get older we get out of the habit of memorizing and so it gets harder but it is a discipline we could do better at. Also, I believe the best way to share the Word of God is to be constantly in the Word.  How many times have you found the opportunity to share a verse or two that you just read that morning? What is in our hearts, will come out of our mouths when we speak. Loosing the Word of God is truly one of the most effective ways to bring the light of Jesus into a dark world.  Speak the truth in love. All three are vital.  Speak.  The truth.  In love.

Let It Be Me

I am preaching on James 5:19,20 this week.  “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins”.  We may complicate these verses but they are pretty self explanatory.  Paul speaks of believers having the ministry of reconciliation.  We should be taking the initiative in seeking those who are wandering and point them, lovingly, back to the Savior.
I have been meditating on that truth for a few days now.  Here is what keeps forcing it’s way to the front of my mind.  If someone I love is wandering from the truth I would sincerely pray and hope that where ever they are at, that a church body in their area would be faithfully obeying these verses.  That they would be led by the Spirit of God to cross paths with my loved one and that God would use them to steer those that I love back to the Savior.  The thought that keeps coming to my mind is this, “I wonder if someone is praying for their loved one that I will cross paths with today?”  Am I being faithful to the ministry that God has called me to?  Am I taking the initiative to hear the Spirit’s prompting to speak truth into other’s lives?  Am I so exuding the grace and mercy of Jesus that others are attracted to him?
The burden of wandering loved ones can be great.  Fervent prayers for them are daily.  Asking God to bring someone across their path to speak truth is a plea that comes from the depths of our hearts.  But, do I also have a burden for other people’s children who are wandering?  Am I as willing to be used by God as I want others to be willing?  Just a thought that keeps rattling around in my heart and head.

Labeled

Do you think I spelled “labeled” wrong?  If you do, then you might be from Canada or Great Britain where they spell it “labelled”. To be honest, I had to look the word up to determine the correct spelling.  Sometimes, we can tell something about a person about how they say a word, or how they spell a word, or how they choose to label themselves.  Labels are so effective in pin holing (or is it pigeonholing) a person that they are often used disparagingly.  He is a snowflake.  She is a perfectionist.  They are so self-righteous. People give us those labels because they are annoyed with part of who we are.  I suppose people label us to put us down or to warn others to beware of what they believe is our shortcomings.  As adults, we thought we left that behind when we matured, but we often find that name calling is still popular among adults.
In Acts 11 the Gentiles became annoyed with those who believed in Jesus. So the Gentile is Antioch began calling the followers of Jesus, “Christians”.  It was a term of mockery that meant, “Christ’s men” or “those belonging to Christ”.  These “Christians” were living differently, speaking freely about Jesus, discussing things like peace and forgiveness.  Many people became believers and God blessed their willingness to be obedient by speaking up about Jesus.  They were doing what they were called to do...they were shining spiritual light into spiritual darkness and God changed many people but their boldness also annoyed many people. Those annoyed mockingly called them “Christians”. Those who followed Christ heard the name and realized that if they were to be called something, that was a great name.  The insult became a label they proudly wore. They counted it a privilege to be known as someone who belongs to Christ.
Today, sometimes we may be hesitant to be labeled as a Christian because of the behavior of many who wear the same label.  But it is important to remember what the name represents.  I belong to Christ.  That truth is enough to change everything about who I am and what I do.  Others may distort that, but while they are my brothers and sisters, I do not belong to them, I belong to Christ.  I am his.  He bought me with the price of his shed blood.  He keeps me in the palm of my hand.  He provides everything for me.  He protects and guides me, even through the valley of the shadow of death.  I must choose what I say and how I say it today because I represent Jesus.  He is my King and my Rock. He is my deliverer and rescuer.  He is my purpose and my goal.  I pray today, that I will look so much like Jesus, not simply in my actions and words but in my heart that God will use me to draw many to Jesus and if I annoy someone living in darkness by the love I am living, may they insult me by labeling me a “Christian”.

I Was Right!!

I have been noticing something lately that I chalked up to me becoming a grumpy old man.  I was motivated to do some extensive research (I asked a few people) and they agreed with what I had noticed.  It all began when I read a devotional about giving thanks.  There were tons of verses shared about our giving thanks to God.  That triggered my mind to think about my own habits of expressing thanks to God on a regular basis.  Do I truly say thanks or do I simply assume that God knows my heart is grateful?  Are my prayers marked by the actual giving of thanks?  Those thoughts stuck with me throughout the next several days.  Since they were on my mind, I began to notice how many people really do not express any form of gratitude to others.  It used to be, before email or texting, that a thank you card needed to be mailed out.  Then emails and texts became more and more accepted. Now, it seems, to this grumpy old man, that no expression is acceptable.  That is why I began to ask a few others and I found out that they agreed with me.  I then found the piece de resistance (no accents added).  I came across an internet article that expressed how we as a culture have stopped expressing thanks.  At least that is what the title said, I didn’t have time to read the article yet! But, like many of you, I will use it as proof of my position (please note sarcasm).  
You let a person cut in front of you in traffic – no wave.  You hold the door for someone – barely a nod.  So many small gestures that do not get recognized.  But I have noticed that even larger gifts of service or generosity, if not done in person, go without an expression of gratitude.  Please understand, love causes me to think the best of each situation.  People are busy or distracted by the very pressures that you sought to help relieve.  People are grateful but the hassle of retrieving the information to say thank you causes things to be put off and then the idea of expressing gratitude gets pushed to the background.  I do not believe that people are less grateful, at least I would like to think they are not, I just believe that the social pressures of not saying thank you are less today than they were in my day.  You can be the judge if that is a good thing or not.
So, I have specifically chosen not to use scriptures today.  My goal was not to pound everyone over the head and make this observation a test of true spirituality.  This is a blog.  Not a sermon meant to exegete the Word of God.  It is one grumpy old man, trying not to be too grumpy, making an observation of a habit that I hope we do not continue to perpetuate.  Say thank you to the person who pumps your gas.  Say thank you to the drive through server of your food.  Say thank you to that person who goes out of their way to say hi to you. Fight through the hassle of finding information and write that little note while you are thinking about it.  Say thank you to your teacher, pastor, or boss who shares with you something that is designed to help you.  If you want to be funny, leave a comment about this blog and say “Thanks for the friendly reminder”.  If you are old, yell, “Preach it brother” and forward this email to all those who really need to hear it.

A Solomon Warning

Today I read Proverbs 7.  In Proverbs 7 Solomon is urging his son to listen to his words of wisdom.  Today’s wisdom was concerning the dangers of being seduced by the adulteress woman.  I suppose that I should give Solomon the benefit of the doubt.  He had hundreds of wives and concubines but maybe he did not have an adulteress woman.  Or maybe, he learned from his mistakes.  Either way, he gives solid advice to his son.  Avoid the seductress, adulteress woman.  The last verse of the chapter reads, “Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death”.  I do not think the warning in chapter 7 is simply reserved for getting involved with someone who is married. While that kind of relationship certainly brings destruction, any sexual relationship, outside of marriage is fraught with danger. Emotional, physical, and spiritual consequences follow any sin.
Jesus takes this kind of warning to a whole new level in the Sermon on the Mount.  He warns us that mental adultery is just as dangerous. Fantasizing is not an innocent pastime.  It brings the destruction of intimacy and breeds dissatisfaction in relationships.  How wise is Jesus to give such a warning when the internet wasn’t on anyone’s radar?  Visiting sites or chatting up old friends can bring hours of daydreaming that can scratch itches your current relationship is not reaching.  We can find ourselves justifying our actions and trying our hardest to believe that we are not hurting anyone.  These kind of thoughts lead the way to Sheol and go down to the chambers of death.
How do you stop?  You cannot simply stop.  You must stop and then start obeying Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  If you struggle with understanding this, then ask yourself what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worth of praise?  Jesus is!  Learn and think about Jesus.  After you have done well with that, then follow verse 9, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Here is what I conclude from verse 9 and Proverbs 7.  If you are stuck in a trap of wrong thinking or doing – then you are not in peace.  God is not providing you with his presence that brings peace.  So while you may be chasing temporary pleasures, isn’t true peace what you really desire?

A Good Time to Remember

This week is a good time, for me, to remember.  While I think of my dad often throughout my year, for me, it is not a good thing to dwell too long on those memories.  Thinking too long about any loss or any thing we think we lack in our lives, if we are not careful, can pull us into holes that are very difficult to climb out of.  While I find it good to think of the positive impact my dad had on my life and to remember all of the good things he taught me, it could get unhealthy if I dwell on how good it would be for him to be here during my present situations.  But this week, I allow myself to dwell a little longer on him, my nephew, and friends that have gone into heaven before me.  This week I am surrounded by the truths of the first fruits of Jesus’s resurrection.  I am preaching about it, I hear so many songs sung about it, and I see reminders of his resurrection everywhere.  All of those serve to remind me that while I miss those who have gone first, I will see them once again.  I will, one day, be able to catch them all up on those things which they missed.  My nephew and my son, while they missed growing up together, will have an eternity to worship together.  I will, once again, be able to speak with my dad and get his advice about life in heaven.  I will see my mom and dad enjoying each other once again.  While the thought of that brings tears to my eyes, my heart is not overcome with sadness for what is lost but is filled with joy in what is to come.
Thoughts of sadness and loss are powerful emotions that can quickly pull us into dark places.  We must battle them with truths that remind us that they have been defeated.  This week, when we are surrounded by such great truths, maybe we can let ourselves remember just a little more than at other times.  Yes, we always have these truths, I just need to be fortified in them in order to do battle.  This week helps. Praise Jesus for his death and resurrection.

The Gospel Everyday

“Then he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. And he killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Lev 8:22-23

This was the offering of ordination for a priest.  As we look at this ceremony we are reminded that the blood shed always represented the blood that Christ shed on the cross.  We have nothing of value apart from the work of God in our lives.  God only accepts that which is done in the power of the work of Jesus in our lives.  Anything else done, in our own power, is of no eternal value.  This ceremony, although a little strange to us, is a good reminder of how we are to live our lives today.
All that we hear today must be heard through the ministering work of Jesus in our lives.  Hear the Good News from the Word of God, not simply as good advice, but as the precious, inspired Word from God given to his children.  His word, because we have been redeemed by his blood, releases us from the pressures and problems we have in this world.  God has given us instruction and we hear that instruction, because we have been bought with a price, as wisdom from a Good Father who only wants what is best for his children.  We hear what is happening in this world through the blood of Christ and how his redemption is the only true answer.  We hear the sounds that call us to hold too tightly to this world as chains that only weigh us down.  We hear the cries of those in pain and we are moved with the compassion of Christ and we petition our Savior to save them as well.
We live our lives with blood on our hands.  The blood of Christ on our hands reminds us that He came not be served but to serve.  We seek to serve others as Christ’s followers.  Doing nothing apart from the power of his blood in our lives.  As the thumb is probably one of the most useful members of the human body, we seek to be useful and kind to others.  We offer our help as blood bought servants who have been humbled by the work of Jesus in our lives.  We understand that we are servants and slaves who do not seek payment back from others.  We serve, understanding our frailty, walking close to Jesus so that we do not fall.
We walk with blood stained feet.  Asking the one who gave his all for us to guide our every steps and to give us the courage to walk where he leads us.  We take each step in his strength.  We understand that we are only able to effectively take the next step because he provides all that we need to serve Him and to serve others.  Even if our next step brings unexpected trials, we know that He is always with us. May we seek to walk with others in a manner that leads them to Jesus.
Lord, today, may all that we hear, all that we do, and everywhere we step be lived with the joy of knowing that we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Quick Thought
 
Due to some other obligations, I only have 15 minutes to write my blog this morning.  So I will write quick and ask that you read quickly!

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love[f] toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:15-19

There is a ton here for you to meditate on but I my one quick thought is this:  Paul, in praying for the believers at Ephesus, prays that they would understand that Jesus has authority over all other authority and power and dominion.  The people of that time really struggled with the idea of evil spiritual forces and Paul wanted them to know that Jesus was far greater than all evil.  We can use that reminder today as we watch how evil seems to be marching freely through our world.
But then Paul prays that the Ephesians would know that Jesus is also the head of the church.  As much power as Jesus has over the evil ones, he also has power to take care of us.  It is a deadly and encouraging one-two punch...power over all that is evil and power to fully and completely take care of us.  We are in good hands.  Gotta run, have a great day.