Jesus was not a stone thrower. In his ministry on earth He reached out to the outcast adn the downtrodden, always reaching out to the human being in need. He was criticized for associating with sinners, but He did it anyway. He knew that when you point at someone, three fingers are pointing back at you.
Yet some off kilter Christians are so judgmental that they forget the great truth: "There, but for the grace of God, go I." They forget the great lesson that Jesus taught in John 8th Chapter, where He stands up for the woman caught in adultery.
We find that Jesus had gone across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?" They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her, "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?"
"No one, Master."
"Neither do I, " said Jesus. "Go and sin no more."
[No matter what our failures, Jesus does not condemn us. He lovingly tells the guilty woman (and to each of us) to "go and sin no more". You can read this passage in John 8: 1-11] Jesus, the only one without sin, the one who could have thrown the stone at the woman, chose not to toss the rock. Jesus does not condone sin. But He is big on mercy and repentance.
All of us should be thankful for that fact. We all deserve hell, but Jesus makes heaven possible. AMEN!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Joseph and Jail -- Hope in the Midst of Sorrow
What follows is a letter I recently sent to a young man in jail. Bad choices led him into that sad place. I pray that good choices will lead him out.
We prayed for you in church last night. We are hoping for the best for you.
I am reminded of a famous speech given in Great Britain in 1941. Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to hear the traditional songs he had sung there as a youth, as well as to speak to the students. This became one of his most quoted speeches.
Churchill stood before the students and said, "Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." Then he sat down. End of speech.
That is my message to you. Jail is a depressing place. Losing your freedom is terrible. But I challenge you to make the best of it. Bloom where you are planted, even in a very harsh environment. I pray you get out soon. But, until you do, hang in there. Do not give up.
There are folks in the Bible that went to prison, including Jesus (for a short time, then they killed him). You find Peter in jail, (Acts 5) and Paul and Silas (Acts 16), and many others. (Heb. 11)
One prisoner who made the best of his situation was Joseph in Genesis. The Old Testament patriarch Joseph was the 11th-born of Jacob's Children, oldest of the two sons of Jacob with Rachel (Genesis 30:23-24). Joseph was to fill a vital role in the history of ancient Israel.
At about age 17, Joseph found himself facing the jealousy and hatred of his brothers - "Now Israel [i.e. Jacob] loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe [KJV calls it the coat of many colors] for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him, and could not speak a kind word to him." (Genesis 37:3-4) The family tension became even worse when Joseph told them of a dream that he had in which he was actually ruling over them, and even his parents (Genesis 37:5-11).
Then one day, when Jacob sent Joseph out to see how things were going with his brothers who were tending the sheep near Shechem, they schemed to get rid of him. Most of the brothers wanted to murder him, but Reuben prevented it. Joseph was instead sold for 20 shekels (about 8 ounces) of silver to a group of Midianite merchants who were passing by. (Genesis 37:12-35). Joseph was then taken away by them in a caravan, going into slavery.
The brothers went back to Jacob and told him that Joseph had been devoured by a wild animal. As "proof," they had drenched Joseph's coat in animal blood to show to their father Jacob.
The Midianite merchants had been on their way to the Egyptian market, and once there they sold Joseph as a slave to Potiphar, "one of Pharaoh's officials, and the captain of the guard" (Genesis 37:36). The Lord blessed Potiphar's house for Joseph's sake, and realizing the source of his success, Potiphar eventually made Joseph overseer over his house (Genesis 39:2-6). After that, he house prospered even more. But Potiphar’s wife looked upon Joseph with lustful eyes.
Joseph's situation was soon to take another turn for the worse when he was falsely accused of improper behavior toward his master's wife (Genesis 39:6-19). She wanted him to have sex with her, because he was young and good looking, but he refused to do it, and so she cried rape. For this, he was imprisoned (Genesis 39:20). Once again however, even in jail, Joseph found favor with those in charge, and actually took part in running the place. Amazingly, he was at the same time a prisoner, and the warden (Genesis 39:21-23).
Joseph's best break finally came when, with the help of God, he correctly interpreted a number of dreams (Genesis 40:1-23, 41:1-40), which accurately included a warning of a coming famine. For this, he was released from prison and given a very high-ranking position in the Egyptian Kingdom. Joseph actually became the governor of all Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:41-44). Joseph was given the name of Zaphnath-paaneah, meaning governor and preserver of life. He married Asenath, the daughter of the priest of On, and they had 2 sons - Ephraim and Manasseh. Joseph was by then about 30 years old.
The great famine happened just as Joseph said it would, but Egypt was well-prepared for it. They had vast store houses full of grain, more than enough for their own nation. They even had sufficient supply to enable them to sell some to neighboring nations, including Joseph's brothers who came to Egypt to buy food. God gave Joseph the chance to show forgiveness and love.
Joseph was not immediately recognized by them, but after a bit of psychological revenge upon them, he revealed his identity (Genesis chapters 42-45). Although Joseph had the power to imprison or even execute them, he forgave them for what they had done to him. Joseph recognized that God had been the author of the entire series of events (Genesis 45:7).
Jacob and his entire family then went down to live in Egypt to escape the severe famine in Canaan. They were settled in the land of Goshen, where they would remain, eventually as slaves, for the next 400 years until the Exodus. Here we meet Moses, and he killed an Egyptian and was in exile for 40 years before the time came for God to use him to free the Hebrew people!
Consider, that prison was a road to power for Joseph, and it was all in God’s plan for his life. Joseph had favor with God and things changed miraculously for him, but it did take time. Still, there is much hope in the story of Joseph, the prisoner who became a powerful leader.
I hope you can take heart in the story of Joseph. We are thinking of you and hoping for you.
IN CHRIST,
Pastor Glenn
Scriptures to Read and Consider : Ps. 91, Ps. 37, Ps. 103, John 10:10, Proverbs 3, Philippians 2:5-11, Philippians 4, John 3.
We prayed for you in church last night. We are hoping for the best for you.
I am reminded of a famous speech given in Great Britain in 1941. Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to hear the traditional songs he had sung there as a youth, as well as to speak to the students. This became one of his most quoted speeches.
Churchill stood before the students and said, "Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." Then he sat down. End of speech.
That is my message to you. Jail is a depressing place. Losing your freedom is terrible. But I challenge you to make the best of it. Bloom where you are planted, even in a very harsh environment. I pray you get out soon. But, until you do, hang in there. Do not give up.
There are folks in the Bible that went to prison, including Jesus (for a short time, then they killed him). You find Peter in jail, (Acts 5) and Paul and Silas (Acts 16), and many others. (Heb. 11)
One prisoner who made the best of his situation was Joseph in Genesis. The Old Testament patriarch Joseph was the 11th-born of Jacob's Children, oldest of the two sons of Jacob with Rachel (Genesis 30:23-24). Joseph was to fill a vital role in the history of ancient Israel.
At about age 17, Joseph found himself facing the jealousy and hatred of his brothers - "Now Israel [i.e. Jacob] loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe [KJV calls it the coat of many colors] for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him, and could not speak a kind word to him." (Genesis 37:3-4) The family tension became even worse when Joseph told them of a dream that he had in which he was actually ruling over them, and even his parents (Genesis 37:5-11).
Then one day, when Jacob sent Joseph out to see how things were going with his brothers who were tending the sheep near Shechem, they schemed to get rid of him. Most of the brothers wanted to murder him, but Reuben prevented it. Joseph was instead sold for 20 shekels (about 8 ounces) of silver to a group of Midianite merchants who were passing by. (Genesis 37:12-35). Joseph was then taken away by them in a caravan, going into slavery.
The brothers went back to Jacob and told him that Joseph had been devoured by a wild animal. As "proof," they had drenched Joseph's coat in animal blood to show to their father Jacob.
The Midianite merchants had been on their way to the Egyptian market, and once there they sold Joseph as a slave to Potiphar, "one of Pharaoh's officials, and the captain of the guard" (Genesis 37:36). The Lord blessed Potiphar's house for Joseph's sake, and realizing the source of his success, Potiphar eventually made Joseph overseer over his house (Genesis 39:2-6). After that, he house prospered even more. But Potiphar’s wife looked upon Joseph with lustful eyes.
Joseph's situation was soon to take another turn for the worse when he was falsely accused of improper behavior toward his master's wife (Genesis 39:6-19). She wanted him to have sex with her, because he was young and good looking, but he refused to do it, and so she cried rape. For this, he was imprisoned (Genesis 39:20). Once again however, even in jail, Joseph found favor with those in charge, and actually took part in running the place. Amazingly, he was at the same time a prisoner, and the warden (Genesis 39:21-23).
Joseph's best break finally came when, with the help of God, he correctly interpreted a number of dreams (Genesis 40:1-23, 41:1-40), which accurately included a warning of a coming famine. For this, he was released from prison and given a very high-ranking position in the Egyptian Kingdom. Joseph actually became the governor of all Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:41-44). Joseph was given the name of Zaphnath-paaneah, meaning governor and preserver of life. He married Asenath, the daughter of the priest of On, and they had 2 sons - Ephraim and Manasseh. Joseph was by then about 30 years old.
The great famine happened just as Joseph said it would, but Egypt was well-prepared for it. They had vast store houses full of grain, more than enough for their own nation. They even had sufficient supply to enable them to sell some to neighboring nations, including Joseph's brothers who came to Egypt to buy food. God gave Joseph the chance to show forgiveness and love.
Joseph was not immediately recognized by them, but after a bit of psychological revenge upon them, he revealed his identity (Genesis chapters 42-45). Although Joseph had the power to imprison or even execute them, he forgave them for what they had done to him. Joseph recognized that God had been the author of the entire series of events (Genesis 45:7).
Jacob and his entire family then went down to live in Egypt to escape the severe famine in Canaan. They were settled in the land of Goshen, where they would remain, eventually as slaves, for the next 400 years until the Exodus. Here we meet Moses, and he killed an Egyptian and was in exile for 40 years before the time came for God to use him to free the Hebrew people!
Consider, that prison was a road to power for Joseph, and it was all in God’s plan for his life. Joseph had favor with God and things changed miraculously for him, but it did take time. Still, there is much hope in the story of Joseph, the prisoner who became a powerful leader.
I hope you can take heart in the story of Joseph. We are thinking of you and hoping for you.
IN CHRIST,
Pastor Glenn
Scriptures to Read and Consider : Ps. 91, Ps. 37, Ps. 103, John 10:10, Proverbs 3, Philippians 2:5-11, Philippians 4, John 3.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Fighting Evil -- We Have the Victory!
We live in a broken world where evil has much power and influence. But never forget that the One we serve is greater! "You are from God, children ogf God, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4
Don't worry about a demon behind every bush. That is not true. There is a demon behind every other bush! But that does not matter because we have Jesus and He is stronger -- just apply His authority and they must go! Watch your thought life. take captive those bad thoughts and throw them away. Think on the good things (Phillipians 4:8), and do not let a bad thought take up a nest in your brain.
Do not be afraid. Be strong and beleive in the Lord and the spiritual authority that He gives to us as believers. "Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9
Don't live in fear, but instead live in victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that we are fighting unseen powers that influence humans, but they will flee when we resist them -- the demons and devils of hell have no power that matches the Lord's power! “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms,” Ephesians 6: 12.
When someone is under opression from demons, we just need to stand up for the Lord and tell them to be gone in the name of Jesus Christ. Just as Moses stood up to Pharoah, we need to stand up to any spiritual evil that comes against us. “Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. They told him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go,’” Exodus 5: 1.
In the same way, we are called to stand up to the powers of darkness and declare boldly, “Let my people go.” Evil forces have no right to hold God’s people. The blood of Jesus Christ purchased our freedom. As James 4:7 proclaims: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Our power comes from the Lord through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Remember, Jesus is the deliverer. It is His authority. It is His power. He just asks us to believe in Him and to use His authority.
When we experience or witness deliverance in His name, we are witnessing evidence of His power and resurrection. Jesus Christ resurrection witnesses the greatest power in the universe -- the awesome power of the Living God.
Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them,” Mark 16: 15–18.
“They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer,” Acts 2:42
To fight against evil, believe firmly in the Lord and exercise the authority He has given to you. Build yourself up in the Lord by studying His Word and going to church.
1.Expose yourself to as much Bible based teaching as you can get.
2.Associate with other believers and cultivate close intimate relationships with them. Church is always a good place to be -- bind together in the Lord!
3.Participate in the Lord's Supper and be nurtured by it. Have people lay hands on you in prayer. If you are married, make your prayer time your first priority.
4.Pray, pray, pray. Do it from your heart. Just speak as honestly, fervently, and as transparently to God as you can. And make sure you also take time to listen.
David was an excellent prayer warrior and his psalms are a fine example for us to follow. Read them. Remember always, God has placed you in a community of believers. Depend on them, rely on them, cherish them. Be a strong link in God's chain of love.
Don't worry about a demon behind every bush. That is not true. There is a demon behind every other bush! But that does not matter because we have Jesus and He is stronger -- just apply His authority and they must go! Watch your thought life. take captive those bad thoughts and throw them away. Think on the good things (Phillipians 4:8), and do not let a bad thought take up a nest in your brain.
Do not be afraid. Be strong and beleive in the Lord and the spiritual authority that He gives to us as believers. "Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9
Don't live in fear, but instead live in victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that we are fighting unseen powers that influence humans, but they will flee when we resist them -- the demons and devils of hell have no power that matches the Lord's power! “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms,” Ephesians 6: 12.
When someone is under opression from demons, we just need to stand up for the Lord and tell them to be gone in the name of Jesus Christ. Just as Moses stood up to Pharoah, we need to stand up to any spiritual evil that comes against us. “Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. They told him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go,’” Exodus 5: 1.
In the same way, we are called to stand up to the powers of darkness and declare boldly, “Let my people go.” Evil forces have no right to hold God’s people. The blood of Jesus Christ purchased our freedom. As James 4:7 proclaims: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Our power comes from the Lord through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Remember, Jesus is the deliverer. It is His authority. It is His power. He just asks us to believe in Him and to use His authority.
When we experience or witness deliverance in His name, we are witnessing evidence of His power and resurrection. Jesus Christ resurrection witnesses the greatest power in the universe -- the awesome power of the Living God.
Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them,” Mark 16: 15–18.
“They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer,” Acts 2:42
To fight against evil, believe firmly in the Lord and exercise the authority He has given to you. Build yourself up in the Lord by studying His Word and going to church.
1.Expose yourself to as much Bible based teaching as you can get.
2.Associate with other believers and cultivate close intimate relationships with them. Church is always a good place to be -- bind together in the Lord!
3.Participate in the Lord's Supper and be nurtured by it. Have people lay hands on you in prayer. If you are married, make your prayer time your first priority.
4.Pray, pray, pray. Do it from your heart. Just speak as honestly, fervently, and as transparently to God as you can. And make sure you also take time to listen.
David was an excellent prayer warrior and his psalms are a fine example for us to follow. Read them. Remember always, God has placed you in a community of believers. Depend on them, rely on them, cherish them. Be a strong link in God's chain of love.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Psalms, John Calvin, and the Question "Why?"
This past week I received some news that knocked me out of my chair and right down to my knees. It was one of those moments that is the hardest for a pastor.
One of our church members, a wonderful woman who has worked hard all her life, came down with cancer last year. But she beat it back with prayer, Bible reading, courage and determination, coupled with the best medical treatment available in our area. Day after day she and her family drove to the major hospital sixty miles away for treatment. And all the while our church, and many other good Christians in the area prayed fervently.
Then we got the news that the cancer was totally gone! We rejoiced with this lady. She told her testimony in the congregation and she and we gave God all the praise and glory.
Last week we heard that the cancer had returned, in less than a year, and there were spots on her precious brain. It was a shock to us all, and as I hugged the lady and prayed with her, the tears in my eyes reflected the collective sadness of our church body.
A real trouper, the lady has mustered a positive attitude and is again in treatment for the cancer, with her dear family giving support, and the church praying daily. The dear woman is right with God and her eternal destiny is firmly placed in the hands of Jesus Christ. But we beg for her to have more time here. And. yes, we are still asking "Why?"
One outstanding feature of the book of Psalms, in the great thologian John Calvin’s estimation, is that they cover the whole range of Christian emotions and infirmities, exposing our hearts to the searching eye of our Father in heaven and calling or drawing us to self-examination. “I have been accustomed,” writes Calvin, “to call this book, I think not inappropriately, The Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul”.
He explains the reason for this insightful title:… there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn … all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.
So it is that I searched the Psalmas and I came across Psalm 88 in my prayer time:
1 O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.
2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.
3 For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? 12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death; I have suffered your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
"Why me, God? It isn't fair!" Life certainly seems to be a cruel joke at times. We wonder if there is any sense to anything in those times when we feel thoroughly crushed, when we don't know if we can bear the pain any longer, when there seems to be no hope at all. And it is in these times that we are tempted to wonder if God really cares.
Psalm 88 clearly expresses the anguish of death approaching and let God know about it. Day and night he cried out to the Lord about his plight and his sense of being forsaken and alone and without escape. And what answer does he get from God? Nothing.
"Lord, why dost thou cast me off? Why dost thou hide thy face from me?" (v.14) The psalmist knows of God's reputation for working wonders and of God's steadfast love and faithfulness and saving help (vs. 10-12) but where is God now?
That the psalmist laments is understandable, but what is amazing is that he continues to appeal to God. Even in his despair, (or perhaps, because of it), the psalmist displays an extraordinary trust in God. It is a trust that holds God accountable to his promises of love and faithfulness.
We too seem to be in a situation similar to that of the psalmist. We too can justifiably complain to God. We can wonder where God is. We can ask, "Why me, God?" The psalmist does not find any answers, nor do we find any simple solutions. But do we have any grounds for such trust as the psalmist expresses? Unlike the psalmist, we stand at a point in history where we have seen God revealed in Christ. We have seen Christ forsaken on a cross. Is this any answer, or does it raise another question: "Why did Christ have to die?'
Indeed, we have no easy answers. So what do we have? The psalmist had a God in whom he could trust even in his greatest despair. We do too. O God, we need your help! May we serve you with our lives.
One of our church members, a wonderful woman who has worked hard all her life, came down with cancer last year. But she beat it back with prayer, Bible reading, courage and determination, coupled with the best medical treatment available in our area. Day after day she and her family drove to the major hospital sixty miles away for treatment. And all the while our church, and many other good Christians in the area prayed fervently.
Then we got the news that the cancer was totally gone! We rejoiced with this lady. She told her testimony in the congregation and she and we gave God all the praise and glory.
Last week we heard that the cancer had returned, in less than a year, and there were spots on her precious brain. It was a shock to us all, and as I hugged the lady and prayed with her, the tears in my eyes reflected the collective sadness of our church body.
A real trouper, the lady has mustered a positive attitude and is again in treatment for the cancer, with her dear family giving support, and the church praying daily. The dear woman is right with God and her eternal destiny is firmly placed in the hands of Jesus Christ. But we beg for her to have more time here. And. yes, we are still asking "Why?"
One outstanding feature of the book of Psalms, in the great thologian John Calvin’s estimation, is that they cover the whole range of Christian emotions and infirmities, exposing our hearts to the searching eye of our Father in heaven and calling or drawing us to self-examination. “I have been accustomed,” writes Calvin, “to call this book, I think not inappropriately, The Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul”.
He explains the reason for this insightful title:… there is not an emotion of which any one can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn … all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.
So it is that I searched the Psalmas and I came across Psalm 88 in my prayer time:
1 O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.
2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.
3 For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? 12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death; I have suffered your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
"Why me, God? It isn't fair!" Life certainly seems to be a cruel joke at times. We wonder if there is any sense to anything in those times when we feel thoroughly crushed, when we don't know if we can bear the pain any longer, when there seems to be no hope at all. And it is in these times that we are tempted to wonder if God really cares.
Psalm 88 clearly expresses the anguish of death approaching and let God know about it. Day and night he cried out to the Lord about his plight and his sense of being forsaken and alone and without escape. And what answer does he get from God? Nothing.
"Lord, why dost thou cast me off? Why dost thou hide thy face from me?" (v.14) The psalmist knows of God's reputation for working wonders and of God's steadfast love and faithfulness and saving help (vs. 10-12) but where is God now?
That the psalmist laments is understandable, but what is amazing is that he continues to appeal to God. Even in his despair, (or perhaps, because of it), the psalmist displays an extraordinary trust in God. It is a trust that holds God accountable to his promises of love and faithfulness.
We too seem to be in a situation similar to that of the psalmist. We too can justifiably complain to God. We can wonder where God is. We can ask, "Why me, God?" The psalmist does not find any answers, nor do we find any simple solutions. But do we have any grounds for such trust as the psalmist expresses? Unlike the psalmist, we stand at a point in history where we have seen God revealed in Christ. We have seen Christ forsaken on a cross. Is this any answer, or does it raise another question: "Why did Christ have to die?'
Indeed, we have no easy answers. So what do we have? The psalmist had a God in whom he could trust even in his greatest despair. We do too. O God, we need your help! May we serve you with our lives.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Pray Against Drugs, The Devil's Tools
Last week I went to see two people from one of my churches, who were in jail because of drug related charges. The father and son, 36 years old and 18 years old, are both remourseful and repentant.
It is very sad for them, for their families, and for our church family. While they had not come to church much in recent years, they are a part of us, and we love them, even though they have stumbled greatly. Since their arrest, they have reaffirmed their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord for that sacred fact.
But they both remain locked up behind bars as I write this, two weeks after their arrest. Affected by their bad choices, they are two more statistics in a very sad chapter in American history. Drugs, mainly illegal ones, but also, to an extent legal ones, are destroying America, case by case. In our area, there is a terible outbreak of drug use with the drug crystal methamphetimene, which is a drug from the pits of hell.
Crystal Meth is certainly a drug that the devil has used to destroy people and nations. Methamphetamine, (also called crank), was first synthesised from amphetamine in Japan in 1919 by Akira Ogata (1887-1978). In 1932 Smith, Kline and French marketed Benzedrine, an over-the-counter bronchial dilator and inhaler with nearly one-third of a gram of methamphetamine to treat nasal congestion. By 1936, Benzedrine was the standard treatment for 39 disorders ranging from asthma to depression, but by the end of the decade abuse of the inhalers had reached such alarming proportions that methamphetamine was replaced by the weaker stimulant, propylhexedrine.
But then Crystal Meth was used by Nazi troops to stay awake and to fight longer and harder during World War II. Indeed, from 1942 onward, Adolf Hitler had regular "treatments" of methamphetamine, which surely severely affected his judgment, but limiting temporarily his need to sleep and eat. The drug is terribly addictive and prolonged use leterally rots away a person's body. But people have not learned through the years, even though many people lose their teeth and become walking cadavers with constant addictive use.
The Methamphetamine Problem is an epidemic of addiction that is sweeping this nation. The drug is called methamphetamine, an extremely potent form of “speed” that is ravaging our youth and young adults. Meth is the most addictive drug on the planet. Even just one dose can destroy the self control section of the brain. It is cheap and easy to make. Methamphetamine addiction is destroying homes and abandoning children by the thousands in communities just like yours all over America.
I saw a presentation by law enforcement recently that left me shuddering at the threat this drug is to our society. It is a living hell for the children, in a big way.
The addicted mother’s mind is racing. She doesn’t prepare meals because she is never hungry. She doesn’t put the children to bed because she is never tired. There are no clean clothes to wear and the bathtub is full of chemicals used to make meth.
As addiction deepens parents become abusive and violent. They abandon and abuse their children. Addicted parents leave the children locked in their bedroom for hours, even days, while they look for drugs and party. They expose their children to toxic chemicals while they ‘cook’ their dope. The addicted father's mind is just as jumbled, scrambled by crank, again and again.
Often, the methamphetamine residue coats the countertops and carpet. The ‘stash’ is left out where little one’s find it. Over 35% of the children removed from meth abusing homes test positive for drug exposure. Children raised in drug abusing homes are subjected to severe neglect and abuse. A first grade teacher noticed that one of her students smelled like dog food. “The child had been eating what the neighbors left out for their dog.” There are many pictures on the internet of the savage impact of methamphetamine on children and families under images of addiction.
Abused and drug endangered children grow up to be drug abusers themselves. They have seen first hand how to make a buy, fix a pipe and get high. They have seen their parents do it thousands of times. The cycle is endless and relentless.
Please pray against this hellish drug and the ones who make it and sell it. May they repent, and get right with God, and begin to build up this country, instead of tearing it down. Those who sell and use illegal drugs are, perhaps unknowingly, kinds of terrorists against the American way, because what they do is destroying the country from the inside out.
It is very sad for them, for their families, and for our church family. While they had not come to church much in recent years, they are a part of us, and we love them, even though they have stumbled greatly. Since their arrest, they have reaffirmed their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord for that sacred fact.
But they both remain locked up behind bars as I write this, two weeks after their arrest. Affected by their bad choices, they are two more statistics in a very sad chapter in American history. Drugs, mainly illegal ones, but also, to an extent legal ones, are destroying America, case by case. In our area, there is a terible outbreak of drug use with the drug crystal methamphetimene, which is a drug from the pits of hell.
Crystal Meth is certainly a drug that the devil has used to destroy people and nations. Methamphetamine, (also called crank), was first synthesised from amphetamine in Japan in 1919 by Akira Ogata (1887-1978). In 1932 Smith, Kline and French marketed Benzedrine, an over-the-counter bronchial dilator and inhaler with nearly one-third of a gram of methamphetamine to treat nasal congestion. By 1936, Benzedrine was the standard treatment for 39 disorders ranging from asthma to depression, but by the end of the decade abuse of the inhalers had reached such alarming proportions that methamphetamine was replaced by the weaker stimulant, propylhexedrine.
But then Crystal Meth was used by Nazi troops to stay awake and to fight longer and harder during World War II. Indeed, from 1942 onward, Adolf Hitler had regular "treatments" of methamphetamine, which surely severely affected his judgment, but limiting temporarily his need to sleep and eat. The drug is terribly addictive and prolonged use leterally rots away a person's body. But people have not learned through the years, even though many people lose their teeth and become walking cadavers with constant addictive use.
The Methamphetamine Problem is an epidemic of addiction that is sweeping this nation. The drug is called methamphetamine, an extremely potent form of “speed” that is ravaging our youth and young adults. Meth is the most addictive drug on the planet. Even just one dose can destroy the self control section of the brain. It is cheap and easy to make. Methamphetamine addiction is destroying homes and abandoning children by the thousands in communities just like yours all over America.
I saw a presentation by law enforcement recently that left me shuddering at the threat this drug is to our society. It is a living hell for the children, in a big way.
The addicted mother’s mind is racing. She doesn’t prepare meals because she is never hungry. She doesn’t put the children to bed because she is never tired. There are no clean clothes to wear and the bathtub is full of chemicals used to make meth.
As addiction deepens parents become abusive and violent. They abandon and abuse their children. Addicted parents leave the children locked in their bedroom for hours, even days, while they look for drugs and party. They expose their children to toxic chemicals while they ‘cook’ their dope. The addicted father's mind is just as jumbled, scrambled by crank, again and again.
Often, the methamphetamine residue coats the countertops and carpet. The ‘stash’ is left out where little one’s find it. Over 35% of the children removed from meth abusing homes test positive for drug exposure. Children raised in drug abusing homes are subjected to severe neglect and abuse. A first grade teacher noticed that one of her students smelled like dog food. “The child had been eating what the neighbors left out for their dog.” There are many pictures on the internet of the savage impact of methamphetamine on children and families under images of addiction.
Abused and drug endangered children grow up to be drug abusers themselves. They have seen first hand how to make a buy, fix a pipe and get high. They have seen their parents do it thousands of times. The cycle is endless and relentless.
Please pray against this hellish drug and the ones who make it and sell it. May they repent, and get right with God, and begin to build up this country, instead of tearing it down. Those who sell and use illegal drugs are, perhaps unknowingly, kinds of terrorists against the American way, because what they do is destroying the country from the inside out.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Eternal Power of Kind Words
One of the things I come across on a daily basis is the power of words in the lives of people. Words do have power. God made them that way. God framed the world with His words. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:3 Today I want to focus on the great power of kind words.
The wonderful Catholic nun Mother Teresa once said, <"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." Kind words have the power to heal and to lift. Speaking kindly shows that we care about the person we're talking to. We all feel good when we say kind things to others and when kind things are said to us.
On the other hand, when we're spoken to harshly, it is easy to lash back defensively and speak unkindly. Along with harsh words come unpleasant feelings, such as anger, sadness, and regret. Sometimes our words, spoken too quickly and without thinking, can be hurtful even when we do not mean them to be. Hurtful words can leave psychic scars for a long time. Watch what you say and how you say it. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your speech and help you choose good words to say.
When we speak negatively it focuses our attention on what is wrong with our world and our circumstances. It doesn't help improve things, it makes our life worse.
An unkind remark to another person can range from seemingly harmless to truly hurtful. The truth is, however, whether we're being simply sarcastic or intently cruel, the effects are similar. Both types of remarks leave the giver and the receiver feeling negative and critical. The reverse is also true.
When we speak kindly of others it focuses our attention on their goodness. When we speak kindly of our circumstances it turns our thoughts toward gratitude for what we have.
Kindness is one of the characteristics of God's people. It's in the Bible, Colossians 3:12, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Kindness is at the very roots of the God's nature. And His Spirit is maturing the Father's kindness in our character. So when you speak kind words, you are doing God's work in the world.
The wonderful Catholic nun Mother Teresa once said, <"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." Kind words have the power to heal and to lift. Speaking kindly shows that we care about the person we're talking to. We all feel good when we say kind things to others and when kind things are said to us.
On the other hand, when we're spoken to harshly, it is easy to lash back defensively and speak unkindly. Along with harsh words come unpleasant feelings, such as anger, sadness, and regret. Sometimes our words, spoken too quickly and without thinking, can be hurtful even when we do not mean them to be. Hurtful words can leave psychic scars for a long time. Watch what you say and how you say it. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your speech and help you choose good words to say.
When we speak negatively it focuses our attention on what is wrong with our world and our circumstances. It doesn't help improve things, it makes our life worse.
An unkind remark to another person can range from seemingly harmless to truly hurtful. The truth is, however, whether we're being simply sarcastic or intently cruel, the effects are similar. Both types of remarks leave the giver and the receiver feeling negative and critical. The reverse is also true.
When we speak kindly of others it focuses our attention on their goodness. When we speak kindly of our circumstances it turns our thoughts toward gratitude for what we have.
Kindness is one of the characteristics of God's people. It's in the Bible, Colossians 3:12, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Kindness is at the very roots of the God's nature. And His Spirit is maturing the Father's kindness in our character. So when you speak kind words, you are doing God's work in the world.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Share God's Grace with Others -- Be Graceful Toward Them
There is a need in the church for us to share God's Grace with others -- to be graceful toward them, to really turn the other cheek, to model forgiveness and to know the truth in the statement -- "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
Yes, we need to share the gospel with everyone, but we do not need to beat them senseless with it. The Word of God is a two-edged sword to be used against the devil, but it is healing balm to bring restitution to those humans who have been attacked and deceived and used by the evil one.
As my mother used to warn me -- be careful when you point your finger at someone -- remember that three fingers are pointing back at you. This is something Christians, especially new Christians, need to learn real good. There was a reason Jesus hated the Pharisees ways -- they were way too judgmental. And yet we have Christians who would rather be like the Pharisees than like Jesus.
As God continues His work of restoring the Church and purifying the Bride of Christ, He is moving to rid His people of one of their deadliest sins. THAT SIN IS JUDGMENTALISM. I cannot think of a single problem that has brought more heartache, dissension, disease and destruction upon the Church than this sin.
The prophets asked, "Who will judge thy people?," and they raised a standard toward Zion (Jeremiah 4:6). No one has the right or privilege to take the place of God's Word and make himself a judge over a brother or any person in the world.
Jesus speaks clearly on this point. "Do not judge," (Matt 7:1). He said even the Father does not judge anyone, but that He has committed all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). Later, He lets it be known that He Himself does not judge. It is the words He speaks that will judge in the last day (John 12:47-48).
Judgment must be left to the Word of God. If Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save it, then we have no authority or right to judge. We can be fruit inspectors (Galatians 5th chapter) and encourage others to be filled with the Spirit. But judgmentalism and holier than thou attitudes are murderous to the church and the Christian cause. "There but for the grace of God go I" is the proper attitude -- one of humility, love and respect.
The consequences of judgmentalism can be devastating. People can be crippled emotionally and psychologically for life. Many are turned off to the Church and never know the love of God because of it. Others are kept in cruel bondage under the law, works, guilt and traditions of men.
But the devastation of judgmentalism does not stop with those who are judged. It rebounds against those who pass judgment, heaping misery and destruction upon them, too.
"Do not judge, lest you be judged yourselves," Jesus said. Then He went on to elaborate on the phrase, "LEST YOU BE JUDGED:" for in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you" (Matt 7:2).
When you pass judgment upon another, that same judgment comes back upon you. By judging, you speak wrath, condemnation and death upon your own head.
Immediately following His model prayer, often called The Lord's Prayer, Jesus delivered a devastating pronouncement on the subject of judging. Expanding on one of the themes of the prayer - "and forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors:" - He said: "For if you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you".
"But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions" (Matt 6:14-15)
To refuse to forgive simply means to continue to judge. If you continue to judge others, Jesus is saying, God will continue to judge you. Every believer should ponder those words carefully. They say that, when you judge someone else, you are refusing to extend the grace of God to them. And when you you refuse to extend the grace of God to others you do not receive His grace for yourself. Rather, you receive the full impact of the law of God.
FORGIVENESS IS NECESSARY
People caught up in judgmentalism try to make forgiving sound impossible. But Jesus gives us both the ability to forgive and a demonstration of how to do it. "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained," (Jn 20:23). Clearly, Jesus is placing the power to forgive in the hands of the believer.
"But," some ask, "when should you forgive?" The answer, based on Jesus' demonstration of forgiveness: The moment you have been offended.
"But what if they did it on purpose?" some ask. The answer: Forgive them on purpose! "But what if they haven't repented?" Answer: Forgive them anyway.
What is the demonstration of forgiveness that provides all these answers? Jesus' forgiveness of those who were crucifying Him. In the midst of that terrible offense, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Lk 23:34). Were they doing their foul deed on purpose? Of course. Had they repented? Certainly not. Yet, Jesus pleaded for their forgiveness.
The Lord was teaching us something of vital importance with that illustration. He was demonstrating the fact that, WHILE GRACE CAN'T BE RECEIVED UNTIL THERE IS REPENTANCE, NEITHER CAN GRACE BE RECEIVED BEFORE IT IS OFFERED.
Let's lift a standard toward Zion and love one another, leaving judgment to almighty God. Love is all the law fulfilled in one word (Galatians 5:14).
Yes, we need to share the gospel with everyone, but we do not need to beat them senseless with it. The Word of God is a two-edged sword to be used against the devil, but it is healing balm to bring restitution to those humans who have been attacked and deceived and used by the evil one.
As my mother used to warn me -- be careful when you point your finger at someone -- remember that three fingers are pointing back at you. This is something Christians, especially new Christians, need to learn real good. There was a reason Jesus hated the Pharisees ways -- they were way too judgmental. And yet we have Christians who would rather be like the Pharisees than like Jesus.
As God continues His work of restoring the Church and purifying the Bride of Christ, He is moving to rid His people of one of their deadliest sins. THAT SIN IS JUDGMENTALISM. I cannot think of a single problem that has brought more heartache, dissension, disease and destruction upon the Church than this sin.
The prophets asked, "Who will judge thy people?," and they raised a standard toward Zion (Jeremiah 4:6). No one has the right or privilege to take the place of God's Word and make himself a judge over a brother or any person in the world.
Jesus speaks clearly on this point. "Do not judge," (Matt 7:1). He said even the Father does not judge anyone, but that He has committed all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). Later, He lets it be known that He Himself does not judge. It is the words He speaks that will judge in the last day (John 12:47-48).
Judgment must be left to the Word of God. If Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save it, then we have no authority or right to judge. We can be fruit inspectors (Galatians 5th chapter) and encourage others to be filled with the Spirit. But judgmentalism and holier than thou attitudes are murderous to the church and the Christian cause. "There but for the grace of God go I" is the proper attitude -- one of humility, love and respect.
The consequences of judgmentalism can be devastating. People can be crippled emotionally and psychologically for life. Many are turned off to the Church and never know the love of God because of it. Others are kept in cruel bondage under the law, works, guilt and traditions of men.
But the devastation of judgmentalism does not stop with those who are judged. It rebounds against those who pass judgment, heaping misery and destruction upon them, too.
"Do not judge, lest you be judged yourselves," Jesus said. Then He went on to elaborate on the phrase, "LEST YOU BE JUDGED:" for in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you" (Matt 7:2).
When you pass judgment upon another, that same judgment comes back upon you. By judging, you speak wrath, condemnation and death upon your own head.
Immediately following His model prayer, often called The Lord's Prayer, Jesus delivered a devastating pronouncement on the subject of judging. Expanding on one of the themes of the prayer - "and forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors:" - He said: "For if you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you".
"But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions" (Matt 6:14-15)
To refuse to forgive simply means to continue to judge. If you continue to judge others, Jesus is saying, God will continue to judge you. Every believer should ponder those words carefully. They say that, when you judge someone else, you are refusing to extend the grace of God to them. And when you you refuse to extend the grace of God to others you do not receive His grace for yourself. Rather, you receive the full impact of the law of God.
FORGIVENESS IS NECESSARY
People caught up in judgmentalism try to make forgiving sound impossible. But Jesus gives us both the ability to forgive and a demonstration of how to do it. "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained," (Jn 20:23). Clearly, Jesus is placing the power to forgive in the hands of the believer.
"But," some ask, "when should you forgive?" The answer, based on Jesus' demonstration of forgiveness: The moment you have been offended.
"But what if they did it on purpose?" some ask. The answer: Forgive them on purpose! "But what if they haven't repented?" Answer: Forgive them anyway.
What is the demonstration of forgiveness that provides all these answers? Jesus' forgiveness of those who were crucifying Him. In the midst of that terrible offense, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Lk 23:34). Were they doing their foul deed on purpose? Of course. Had they repented? Certainly not. Yet, Jesus pleaded for their forgiveness.
The Lord was teaching us something of vital importance with that illustration. He was demonstrating the fact that, WHILE GRACE CAN'T BE RECEIVED UNTIL THERE IS REPENTANCE, NEITHER CAN GRACE BE RECEIVED BEFORE IT IS OFFERED.
Let's lift a standard toward Zion and love one another, leaving judgment to almighty God. Love is all the law fulfilled in one word (Galatians 5:14).
Monday, October 15, 2007
Be Still and Know That I Am God!
Often, in our busy, gerbil on a wheel world, with its often meaningless motion and wastes of time, we need to get quiet and still before God. As the Scripture says, (Psalm 46:10)- "Be still, and know that I am God." Make some space to be still before God and feel His presence within you. Remember "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)
What a powerful, yet calming, piece of scripture is Psalm 46:10! "Be still, and know that I am God." The "be still" is so important. We need to make a space for ourselves, a time to be quiet. And we need to realize Who God is -- our Creator, our King, our breath and our being. When you read the whole of Psalm 46 you see a very powerful message: not only am I to be calm and spend time before God in humility and patient quietness, listening to His still small voice within me, but I am also to know that "God is in control."
He is almighty, the controller of every situation. We need to seek a quiet time, and we need to be humble as we consider how great God is and how weak we are without Him. May you enjoy your time alone with God -- and may it bring you strength for the day and the days ahead!
What a powerful, yet calming, piece of scripture is Psalm 46:10! "Be still, and know that I am God." The "be still" is so important. We need to make a space for ourselves, a time to be quiet. And we need to realize Who God is -- our Creator, our King, our breath and our being. When you read the whole of Psalm 46 you see a very powerful message: not only am I to be calm and spend time before God in humility and patient quietness, listening to His still small voice within me, but I am also to know that "God is in control."
He is almighty, the controller of every situation. We need to seek a quiet time, and we need to be humble as we consider how great God is and how weak we are without Him. May you enjoy your time alone with God -- and may it bring you strength for the day and the days ahead!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Let Us Appreciate the Wisdom of the Elders
This past week we had a great Sunday celebration in our church -- "Five Angels Day", celebrating God's faithfulness to the five women in our congregation who are over 90 years of age. Their ages range from 90 to 103 and they are all vital, smart, wonderful women. Their faithfulness to God, in response to God's faithfulness to them, was a remarkable thing to consider.
In celebrating the wisdom of these elders, we were reminded once again of the great resource that older people can be for thier churches and communities. Intergenerational worship is so important to us, and we need to make sure we do not build artificial barriers between young and old. They need each other -- and all the ages in between.
When I lived in Kake, Alaska the Native people taught me to revere the elders. One of the great things about Native culture is their deep appreciation of their older men and women.
Other great thinkers have agreed that age is something that does not need to hold one back from continuing to contribute to church and community.
As President Abraham Lincoln once said, "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." The writer Anais Nin wrote: "We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations."
Ashley Montagu put it well when he waid, "I want to die young at a ripe old age."
Robert McAfee Brown said. "How does one keep from 'growing old inside'? Surely only in community. The only way to make friends with time is to stay friends with people…. Taking community seriously not only gives us the companionship we need, it also relieves us of the notion that we are indispensable." And Billie Burke said, "Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese."
In celebrating the wisdom of these elders, we were reminded once again of the great resource that older people can be for thier churches and communities. Intergenerational worship is so important to us, and we need to make sure we do not build artificial barriers between young and old. They need each other -- and all the ages in between.
When I lived in Kake, Alaska the Native people taught me to revere the elders. One of the great things about Native culture is their deep appreciation of their older men and women.
Other great thinkers have agreed that age is something that does not need to hold one back from continuing to contribute to church and community.
As President Abraham Lincoln once said, "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." The writer Anais Nin wrote: "We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations."
Ashley Montagu put it well when he waid, "I want to die young at a ripe old age."
Robert McAfee Brown said. "How does one keep from 'growing old inside'? Surely only in community. The only way to make friends with time is to stay friends with people…. Taking community seriously not only gives us the companionship we need, it also relieves us of the notion that we are indispensable." And Billie Burke said, "Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese."
Monday, October 01, 2007
Church is Important! Please Be an Active Part!
"I worship God better at home. I am in the Word all the time and I listen to Christian music all day long." "I can feel the presence of God right out in my fishing boat." "I have my church right out in the woods when I go hunting." Such are some of the statements I have heard as a pastor over the last two decades. God and me, not God and we.
I first became a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1986, preaching from the pulpit and pastoring a small congregation. I took a year off in 1994, directing a Christian camp. but returned to pastoring in 1995 and have pastored in every year since, so I am in my 21st year of being a pastor for my Lord and Savior. And I have heard a lot of folks say that they did not need church, that they could do it on their own.
But I always remind them that the church needs them. They are blessed to be a blessing -- and they can bless others in church. Think of God and others first -- do not think only about yourself. And don't think that you know everything -- God has lots more to teach all of us, and one of the primary ways He teaches people is in the local church.
Well, the Bible clearly points us to worshipping God TOGETHER in a worshipping community. There’s no such thing as the Lone Ranger Christian. Worshipping God is an interactive experience. It’s meant to be shared with others. Even if you can’t understand everything or if you can’t find the Book of Malachi if your life depended upon it — spending time in church teaches you that God’s family is a whole lot bigger than your own. Get this: Heaven is gonna be packed with all kinds of people praising and worshipping God. Church is a good place to prepare. What’s more, our church family keeps us accountable.
Going to church plugs you into God’s truth. It does not matter how much you read the Bible or listen to Christian TV, you will probably get something from your pastor that is even more powerful, because the Holy Spirit is leading him or her to preach it. We need to focus on God. Face it, we encounter a lot of distractions during the week — at school, on TV, in the computer games we play. Too many things can pull us away from God. Sunday mornings give us a spiritual ZAP — and get us back on track.
Church gives you a fresh chance to be fed from God’s Word. Now you might say, "But, Pastor, I can do that by reading the Bible; can’t I have a day off?" And I would ask, what if your Mom had used that approach in cooking meals? "We feed you six days every week. Why don’t you take a day off from eating?" I don’t think you’d be amused. And church is a special spiritual meal -- it is the time the family dines together at the table of the Lord!
It's illogical to say that you are merely part of the worldwide, universal church, yet refuse to gather with the segment of that universal church that exists in your geographical area. It would be like claiming you have a car, when the right fender is in Des Moines, the engine is in Algona, and the wheels are in Mason City! You don't have a car; you have the beginning of the inventory for a junkyard. It just won't function until the pieces are put together. Likewise, the church must be together to carry out many of its purposes.
The Bible tells us that we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25). Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32). For a church body to function properly, all of its "body parts" need to be present (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). Likewise, a believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without the assistance and encouragement of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:21-26). Showing God's love,wives and husbands should always to attend worship services with their spouses and children, if at all possible. Your family's love witnesses of His love!
The local church is important because God chose to make it important. If it is important to be children of God and to be saved from sin, then the church is important, for these are the people in the church. If the purpose of God is important, then the church is, too, because the church is a fundamental part of God's eternal plan.
If Jesus' death is important, then the church is important, because Jesus died for the church. If worship and gospel preaching are important, then the church is important, because these are what the Lord established the church to accomplish.
The church is important because of its relationship to God and to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The church is the family of God, the body and kingdom of Christ. The church fulfills the purpose of God. The church was purchased by the blood of Jesus. The church exists to worship God and preach His message, witnessing and making disciples for Him. To attend the church is a way to exalt God and respect His almighty will.
I first became a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1986, preaching from the pulpit and pastoring a small congregation. I took a year off in 1994, directing a Christian camp. but returned to pastoring in 1995 and have pastored in every year since, so I am in my 21st year of being a pastor for my Lord and Savior. And I have heard a lot of folks say that they did not need church, that they could do it on their own.
But I always remind them that the church needs them. They are blessed to be a blessing -- and they can bless others in church. Think of God and others first -- do not think only about yourself. And don't think that you know everything -- God has lots more to teach all of us, and one of the primary ways He teaches people is in the local church.
Well, the Bible clearly points us to worshipping God TOGETHER in a worshipping community. There’s no such thing as the Lone Ranger Christian. Worshipping God is an interactive experience. It’s meant to be shared with others. Even if you can’t understand everything or if you can’t find the Book of Malachi if your life depended upon it — spending time in church teaches you that God’s family is a whole lot bigger than your own. Get this: Heaven is gonna be packed with all kinds of people praising and worshipping God. Church is a good place to prepare. What’s more, our church family keeps us accountable.
Going to church plugs you into God’s truth. It does not matter how much you read the Bible or listen to Christian TV, you will probably get something from your pastor that is even more powerful, because the Holy Spirit is leading him or her to preach it. We need to focus on God. Face it, we encounter a lot of distractions during the week — at school, on TV, in the computer games we play. Too many things can pull us away from God. Sunday mornings give us a spiritual ZAP — and get us back on track.
Church gives you a fresh chance to be fed from God’s Word. Now you might say, "But, Pastor, I can do that by reading the Bible; can’t I have a day off?" And I would ask, what if your Mom had used that approach in cooking meals? "We feed you six days every week. Why don’t you take a day off from eating?" I don’t think you’d be amused. And church is a special spiritual meal -- it is the time the family dines together at the table of the Lord!
It's illogical to say that you are merely part of the worldwide, universal church, yet refuse to gather with the segment of that universal church that exists in your geographical area. It would be like claiming you have a car, when the right fender is in Des Moines, the engine is in Algona, and the wheels are in Mason City! You don't have a car; you have the beginning of the inventory for a junkyard. It just won't function until the pieces are put together. Likewise, the church must be together to carry out many of its purposes.
The Bible tells us that we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25). Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32). For a church body to function properly, all of its "body parts" need to be present (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). Likewise, a believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without the assistance and encouragement of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:21-26). Showing God's love,wives and husbands should always to attend worship services with their spouses and children, if at all possible. Your family's love witnesses of His love!
The local church is important because God chose to make it important. If it is important to be children of God and to be saved from sin, then the church is important, for these are the people in the church. If the purpose of God is important, then the church is, too, because the church is a fundamental part of God's eternal plan.
If Jesus' death is important, then the church is important, because Jesus died for the church. If worship and gospel preaching are important, then the church is important, because these are what the Lord established the church to accomplish.
The church is important because of its relationship to God and to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The church is the family of God, the body and kingdom of Christ. The church fulfills the purpose of God. The church was purchased by the blood of Jesus. The church exists to worship God and preach His message, witnessing and making disciples for Him. To attend the church is a way to exalt God and respect His almighty will.
The Need for Every Family and Every Person to Come to Church, And for Some to Come Back
When someone stops coming to church, it grieves the heart of a pastor. A thousand questions go through the pastor’s mind – Why? Was it something I did? Or was it someone else in the church family, perhaps not even knowing that they may have offended someone. Or is it some other reason that can be prayed about and pershps worked out together? How can this break the fellowship of the church be repaired? How can a shepherd help the sheep back to the flock?
A pastor wants to make it right, to bring the person back into fellowship with the rest of the church. Perhaps the pastor personally misses the person, but it is much, much bigger than that – if the person was called to join the fellowship, and if the church saw that calling and welcomed them in, then the fellowship is less than it could be without that missing person or family being a regular part of the worshipping community. It is a spiritual thing of the highest importance. Unity in the body is prologue to power (Ps. 133, Act 1)
People leave churches or stop participating in God's mission for many reasons. But often they do not let the pastor know what the real reasons are, so that they might be dealt with in the right way – talking it out and seeking understanding and reconciliation. Certainly, some people are easily offended, even if it is not the correct Christian path in many cases. The Bible shows us that some people will always of necessity be offended by the churches of Jesus Christ, it is sad to say.
The gospel is a stumbling block to the Greeks and an offense to the self-concerned. And our current American society is every egocentric, rather than Christocentric. It is often all about me, while Christ calls us to be all about we – and not just Him and me, but Him and we – our families and our church families! To paraphrase President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what the church of Christ can do for you, ask what you can do for the church of Christ!”
The key to faithfulness is being offended by the right things, and forgiving others for their slights and mistakes. And the right things to be offended by have nothing to do with personal preference. Christians should only be offended by the things that offend Jesus Christ. If the Lord is not offended by something, then neither should His people be. But when something offends the Lord, His people should also be offended. The Lord is not offended by our personal preferences, unless such preferences lead to or are driven by unfaithfulness and/or sin. Accepting others as they are and helping them to grow is what Christ does, and we are to serve him in that process. As we are led by the Spirit toward unity, healing comes!
People are called to love Christ more than they love themselves, and to love His church and His people as much as they love themselves. Forgiving and loving others is a hallmark of the Christian life, and that life is lived out in our family life and in the life of the particular church He calls us to be together in.
People are blessed by God to be a blessing for others in His behalf. And, yes, you can worship God at home, or in a boat, in a car, or even on a golf course. But it is not the same as assembling together and praying for others in a church service, in person. And television pastors, no matter how telegenic or articulate, are no match for a Spirit-led pastor in a real life church service.
So pray for those who may not be coming to church services anymore. May they return to fellowship, so that the church may strive to pray in one accord (Acts 2) and seek God’s face as a congregation together, and in fullness. Without them, we are less than we can be. Without us, they are less than they could be. Together, with God, the sky is possible.
There is a story about a wealthy man, who was quite old, who, several centuries ago, admired a little mountain village in Switzerland and told them he wanted to build them something special before he died. The village council asked him to build them a church, since they had been meeting in the town hall for many years. So it was that the old man hired the best builders and had a church built. But to the puzzlement of the town people, his beautiful church building had no windows. It could only be lit by oil lamps hung along the walls of the church.
On the day of the dedication of the building, the old man explained that God had given him the idea for the building’s design. “Each family will have a lamp to hang in the sanctuary at each service,” the old man said. “If a family misses the service, there will be less light than there would have been if they were there. Only when everyone is in God’s house will the potential light be seen and experienced.”
We now have electricity, and lots of electric lights in our day. But the wisdom of this story may be even more relevant in our time. We need everyone to be in church and a part of church in order to accomplish the mission of God in our time and place.
A pastor wants to make it right, to bring the person back into fellowship with the rest of the church. Perhaps the pastor personally misses the person, but it is much, much bigger than that – if the person was called to join the fellowship, and if the church saw that calling and welcomed them in, then the fellowship is less than it could be without that missing person or family being a regular part of the worshipping community. It is a spiritual thing of the highest importance. Unity in the body is prologue to power (Ps. 133, Act 1)
People leave churches or stop participating in God's mission for many reasons. But often they do not let the pastor know what the real reasons are, so that they might be dealt with in the right way – talking it out and seeking understanding and reconciliation. Certainly, some people are easily offended, even if it is not the correct Christian path in many cases. The Bible shows us that some people will always of necessity be offended by the churches of Jesus Christ, it is sad to say.
The gospel is a stumbling block to the Greeks and an offense to the self-concerned. And our current American society is every egocentric, rather than Christocentric. It is often all about me, while Christ calls us to be all about we – and not just Him and me, but Him and we – our families and our church families! To paraphrase President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what the church of Christ can do for you, ask what you can do for the church of Christ!”
The key to faithfulness is being offended by the right things, and forgiving others for their slights and mistakes. And the right things to be offended by have nothing to do with personal preference. Christians should only be offended by the things that offend Jesus Christ. If the Lord is not offended by something, then neither should His people be. But when something offends the Lord, His people should also be offended. The Lord is not offended by our personal preferences, unless such preferences lead to or are driven by unfaithfulness and/or sin. Accepting others as they are and helping them to grow is what Christ does, and we are to serve him in that process. As we are led by the Spirit toward unity, healing comes!
People are called to love Christ more than they love themselves, and to love His church and His people as much as they love themselves. Forgiving and loving others is a hallmark of the Christian life, and that life is lived out in our family life and in the life of the particular church He calls us to be together in.
People are blessed by God to be a blessing for others in His behalf. And, yes, you can worship God at home, or in a boat, in a car, or even on a golf course. But it is not the same as assembling together and praying for others in a church service, in person. And television pastors, no matter how telegenic or articulate, are no match for a Spirit-led pastor in a real life church service.
So pray for those who may not be coming to church services anymore. May they return to fellowship, so that the church may strive to pray in one accord (Acts 2) and seek God’s face as a congregation together, and in fullness. Without them, we are less than we can be. Without us, they are less than they could be. Together, with God, the sky is possible.
There is a story about a wealthy man, who was quite old, who, several centuries ago, admired a little mountain village in Switzerland and told them he wanted to build them something special before he died. The village council asked him to build them a church, since they had been meeting in the town hall for many years. So it was that the old man hired the best builders and had a church built. But to the puzzlement of the town people, his beautiful church building had no windows. It could only be lit by oil lamps hung along the walls of the church.
On the day of the dedication of the building, the old man explained that God had given him the idea for the building’s design. “Each family will have a lamp to hang in the sanctuary at each service,” the old man said. “If a family misses the service, there will be less light than there would have been if they were there. Only when everyone is in God’s house will the potential light be seen and experienced.”
We now have electricity, and lots of electric lights in our day. But the wisdom of this story may be even more relevant in our time. We need everyone to be in church and a part of church in order to accomplish the mission of God in our time and place.
Potlucks are Spiritual Events!
Potlucks are more than a way to have a grand buffet of home cooking specialties. Potlucks are extremely spiritual events, based on Biblical models and Scriptural truths.
We had a potluck in our church yesterday. Over 160 people came and it was a remarkable day in the Lord. What a time of joy and celebration it was. We honored our five members who are over 90, (wonderful women, ages 103, 96, 92, 92 and 90), and our five confirmands, all youth in their early teens. It was a special time in the church service and the potluck. We had a great feast and God taught us a great deal.
The great feast we had was a glimpse of heaven, where Christ will call us to a great feast together. Luke 13:29 says,"People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God." That is something for which we can look forward with great expectation.
Certainly, the Bible talks of feasts on occasions of domestic joy (Luke 15:23; Gen. 21:8); on birthdays (Gen. 40:20; Job 1:4; Matt. 14:6); and on the occasion of a marriage (Judg. 14:10; Gen. 29:22). And feasting was a part of the observances connected with the offering up of sacrifices (Deut. 12:6, 7; 1 Sam. 9:19; 16:3, 5),and with the annual festivals (Deut. 16:11).
It was one of the designs of the greater worship and ritual of the festivals, to feast together, which required the attendance of the people at the sacred tent, that the oneness of the nation might be maintained and cemented together, by congregating in one place, and with a oneness in taking part in the same religious services.
They came to present themselves before him as one body, because God is the author of community and the inventor of church and all its predecessors in the life of the Hebrews, and in the life of Christians. The great feasts were in thier own nature a binding of the people of God, in fellowship with God, and with each other, and a tangible reminder of the people's covenant with God. The feasts helped to keep the people's consciousness alive to God's love and faithfulness, to revive, strengthen, and perpetuate their allegiance to God, and to each other.
Likewise, a big church potluck does this for a church. We get a glimpse of heaven and we get an opportunity to serve God by loving our church family, which is important to God> So the next time you hear the word potluck, know it is much, much more than just and opportunity to eat good food. It is a new change to love and be loved, to be blessed and to be a blessing!
We had a potluck in our church yesterday. Over 160 people came and it was a remarkable day in the Lord. What a time of joy and celebration it was. We honored our five members who are over 90, (wonderful women, ages 103, 96, 92, 92 and 90), and our five confirmands, all youth in their early teens. It was a special time in the church service and the potluck. We had a great feast and God taught us a great deal.
The great feast we had was a glimpse of heaven, where Christ will call us to a great feast together. Luke 13:29 says,"People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God." That is something for which we can look forward with great expectation.
Certainly, the Bible talks of feasts on occasions of domestic joy (Luke 15:23; Gen. 21:8); on birthdays (Gen. 40:20; Job 1:4; Matt. 14:6); and on the occasion of a marriage (Judg. 14:10; Gen. 29:22). And feasting was a part of the observances connected with the offering up of sacrifices (Deut. 12:6, 7; 1 Sam. 9:19; 16:3, 5),and with the annual festivals (Deut. 16:11).
It was one of the designs of the greater worship and ritual of the festivals, to feast together, which required the attendance of the people at the sacred tent, that the oneness of the nation might be maintained and cemented together, by congregating in one place, and with a oneness in taking part in the same religious services.
They came to present themselves before him as one body, because God is the author of community and the inventor of church and all its predecessors in the life of the Hebrews, and in the life of Christians. The great feasts were in thier own nature a binding of the people of God, in fellowship with God, and with each other, and a tangible reminder of the people's covenant with God. The feasts helped to keep the people's consciousness alive to God's love and faithfulness, to revive, strengthen, and perpetuate their allegiance to God, and to each other.
Likewise, a big church potluck does this for a church. We get a glimpse of heaven and we get an opportunity to serve God by loving our church family, which is important to God> So the next time you hear the word potluck, know it is much, much more than just and opportunity to eat good food. It is a new change to love and be loved, to be blessed and to be a blessing!
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