Brandon Porter

Reading Through the Bible in 2012, week 2

2012-01-09T17:23:00.000-08:00

This week's reading of Genesis 22-36 and Psalms 9-14 offer some honest views of struggle, fear and depression. Sometimes we fall into the trap of believing that true Christians never feel these sorts of emotions, but, thankfully, God gives us real pictures of His people struggling throughout His Word. As you read these stories and psalms learn from the faith of those enduring pain and find areas where you can grow in your dependence on God through your struggles.

Praying this week's readings are a blessing to you!

Reading Through the Bible in 2012

2012-01-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

Our church is taking on the challenge of reading through the entire Bible in 2012. Here's a link to our website that offers this week's reading list and some notes that I wrote to use as a reading guide. Join us in reading through God's Word this year!

Tripping over Traditions

2011-10-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

In Colossians 2 Paul warns Christians to be careful to guard against being carried away by human traditions. Those early Christians were being influenced heavily by those that wanted to enforce traditions and customs from the Law and the rule of the Jewish Priests. Even if it isn't from Jewish priests, today we face the same challenges. If we aren't vigilant we can make our own human traditions, personal preferences or personal opinions to be doctrine rather than just our druthers.

What are some traditions or preferences you have that can sometimes challenge even your dependence in Christ? Have you ever considered the influence of your preferences to this degree? Paul wants you to. And that means God wants you to since He inspired Paul to write this challenge to the Colossians (and to all Christians).

Which traditions, preferences or opinions tend to cause you to take your eye off of Christ?

What Do You Need?

2011-10-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have a friend that has a running joke with his wife and it goes like this: Whenever one of them asks for something or says, "I want...", the other responds with, "and that's all I need..." The joke is funny because it is so true. We try to convince ourselves that the next object of our eye or heart will bring the satisfaction we've been searching for all of our lives. In the second chapter of Colossians, Paul is encouraging Christians to realize all they need is Christ even though shallow philosophers are trying to convince them otherwise.

Christ is sufficient because He supplies what we need and works to keep from us what we don't need. When we turn to Him we will find a great source of satisfaction as we learn to rest in Him and His provision. To the unbeliever that sounds strange, to the believer it sounds right, but difficult. Indeed, it is a challenge to walk away from a philosophy of self-provision, but there is great joy to be found resting in the Savior's care.

Can you identify your "one more thing"? What falls in the category of "and that's all I need..." in your life? How has this thinking deceived you in the past? How could it deceive you in the future?

How could you turn to Christ for greater wisdom and satisfaction today?

God's Glory Matters Most

2011-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

I grew up attending Baptist churches in Georgia and Kentucky. God graciously brought me to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ at the young age of five. I have had the privilege of serving in Baptist churches in Alabama and Kentucky over the past 18 years. Thankfully, I have grown up in and around the church.

Yet, a few years ago I found there was something I was missing. While attending Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama I had the opportunity to hear John Piper preach. The two messages he preached were unlike anything I had ever heard and they greatly changed the course of my life.

To begin to understand that the Gospel was not all about me and my need, but to see that the chief aim of the Gospel, and, therefore, my life, was to glorify God changed the way I viewed my relationship with God, the way I studied the Bible, the way I saw the church and the way I handled relationships. Yes, God does love me (and all of humanity) very much, but there is something He treasures even more and that is His glory.

Although the message on this video was delivered in December 2009, it is a great summation of the messages I first heard in Birmingham in 1998. I pray it will be as great of a help to you as it has been to me.

Is Meditation for You?

2011-05-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

Recently on ABC's World News Tonight there was a clip on mediation and its benefits. I've embedded the clip here.

This clip immediately made me think of Dr. Donald S. Whitney who has done a tremendous amount of work on meditation and the Christian life. As you see the benefits of the clip from ABC, think about how much more beneficial mediation would be if you align it with God's Word.

You can read more about meditation from Dr. Whitney's website, BiblicalSpirituality.org.

What is The Gospel?

2011-04-23T18:58:00.001-07:00

What is the Gospel? Here's a short video where John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, offers an explanation.

I'm Afraid of Being Nice

2011-04-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid of being nice. It's not that I don't want to be kind or helpful to you. The fear is rooted in being misunderstood. There is no doubt that I should be nice because you are neighbor, friend or family member. But I should be nice for a greater reason. I should be nice because you are a fellow citizen, driver, shopper or thinker. But I should be nice for a greater reason.

Where I live people are generally nice. They help one another. They try to put the pieces back together when disaster or tragedy comes. They do caring things. They're nice. It's nice. That's nice.

My fear is that being nice brings some glory to God, but not enough.

I fear it brings some glory to God because it shows we are created in the image of a God that is kind, caring and loving. And our acts of kindness are a reflection of these wonderful traits. That is a good thing.

However, these acts of niceness don't show the full depths of God's love, kindness and care.

When I am nice I am often acting out of sympathy. I feel pity for the situation you're in and will offer some help to bail you out.

Sometimes I am acting out of empathy. I hope you'll do the same for me if I wind up in the same situation.

Sometimes I am acting out of selfishness. I hope you'll realize the mean thing you did to me by seeing the nice thing I did for you.

Sometimes I am acting out of pride. I hope the other people around us will see how nice I am because of what I just did for you.

True kindness is much more than this. And to understand it requires explanation.

The Apostle John said in 1 John 4:7-21, "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Do you see the components of this love? God loves someone that does not love Him. God demonstrates this love with the action of sending Jesus Christ to die to offer us forgiveness. Because the person receiving the display of love does not love God, at least not at first, there is no guarantee that love will be returned.

That is risky. It is love simply for the sake of love. It is not love for the sake of returned love. That doesn't seem very natural to my mind. I mean really, what if the other person doesn't do anything in return? Can I accept that?

So here's where we bring it together.

I'm afraid simply being nice confuses people because I am assuming most people are like me. I'll hold the door for you so you'll hold the door for me. While that is nice, it isn't love. At least not the kind of love God calls us to receive from Him, show to Him and show to others.

And here's the part that isn't very nice.

In your niceness, what is your motive? What are you trying to accomplish? When are you willing to be nice? If your kindness is to resemble that of God's kindness you are being called to a whole new level of living.

How Do You Evaluate Your Love for God?

2011-03-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

Jesus says the greatest love a person possesses is their love for God. He says in Mark 12:28-34 that people should love God with all of their being.

Here's my question:
How do you know that you are loving God this fully?

Post some answers and let's discuss it.

The Church Should Encourage the Church

2011-01-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

Please pray for the 11 members of Immanuel that are traveling to McAllen, Texas to work with Upon This Rock International as we try to strengthen and encourage churches in Reynosa, Mexico. We are thankful for our long time partnership with these churches and this missions organization. May God be glorified by our efforts!

Is God with Us?

2010-12-21T08:24:00.001-08:00

The final Sunday in Advent 2010 reminds us that Immanuel - God is with us. This is something we find encouraging, but challenging as we struggle to understand what this means. Think of the beginning of the Bible. In Genesis 3:8 God comes to walk with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening. In earlier Genesis passages we overhear regular discussion between God and Adam. Before sin entered the world the relationship between God and man was close and intimate.

Sin brought separation. Sin brought stress in the relationship between God and man. Sin causes man to wonder if God cares. Sin causes man to wonder if God is even there.

In Isaiah 8:8,10 the prophet tells us the Messiah will be called Immanuel and the people of Israel must have wondered what this would mean. They were far from God when this prophecy was delivered. Many of them had rejected God and pursued their own gods. They were all facing a time of suffering as a punishment for their disobedience. As foreign armies invaded their villages and took them captive they must have felt alone and isolated from God. We’ve all been there. We’ve felt depressed and cut off. To hear the prophet declare that God would be with them should have brought them hope. To some it did. To many, though, it did not. They were too far from God to care.

The 400 years from the close of the Old Testament to Jesus was an age where the Heavens were still. It wasn’t that God had nothing new to say. Instead, He was calling His people to remember the covenants, prophecies and writings that had brought them to this point in their relationship with Him. All the while He was preparing to fulfill His promises.

One fall night as shepherds were grazing their sheep on a hillside near Bethlehem angels appeared in overwhelming brilliance. It was time for the promise to be fully revealed. Immanuel was born. He was really here.

It was an unlikely birth. In an unlikely place. To unlikely people. Yet the promise was being fulfilled. Immanuel was a reality.

Throughout the Gospels, God was with us. He ate with us. Talked with us. Walked with us. Healed us. Taught us.

Then, one day He died for us. And three days later He rose for us.

There was another promise, though, that told us we weren’t to a place of permanent Immanuel. We read it in John 14. Though He left physically - for the time being - He promised He would still be with us. It was so important He repeated it moments before He ascended back in Heaven. Jesus says in Matthew 28 He will be with us always.

Immanuel is hard to grasp because Jesus is not taking lunch appointments today. He doesn’t have an office downtown with a lobby where we sit and wait to talk with Him. But still, He is Immanuel.

The Holy Spirit is our Immanuel. Praying with us. Teaching us. Disciplining us. Helping us.

The promise is very much still true. God is with us. Immanuel.

Though it may be hard to understand. It is reality. You can know Immanuel and feel the effects of this relationship. Through His word, His church and His Spirit - God is with us. Seek Him today.

The Great Healer

2010-12-13T13:46:00.001-08:00

The third week of the 2010 Advent season is upon us. This week we are focusing on how Jesus heals the sick, gives sight to the blind, causes the lame to walk, and restores mobility to the lame. There are countless stories in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John of Jesus restoring the health of those that were close to Him, those that He passed by along the road and those brought to Him while He was teaching. The healing ministry of Jesus Christ was a significant part of His earthly ministry.

It was important for two reasons. First, death, decay and sickness are all a part of the curse that rests on humanity because of our rebellion against God. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were escorted outside of God’s close presence because of their disobedience. But the Bible tells us that sin has even more effect on us that separation from God. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8 that all of creation is groaning to be free of this decay and deterioration. In addition, in that chapter Paul says the creation, which includes people, has been subjected to futility that leads to an ongoing cycle of decay in all of creation. Finally, in Romans 6 we learn that the wages of sin is death. When Jesus healed people He was showing His authority over sickness. Even more, He was showing that He has authority over sin and has ability to take away our sin.

The healing of Christ is also important because it shows His character. On more than one occasion we see Jesus very emotional when He was healing the sick or raising the dead. This matters because it shows us that Jesus cares about us. God loves the people of the world and desires to show sympathy to them. Through the healings Christ performed we learn about the love of God.

It was a combination of His power and His love that took Him to the cross. It was there Jesus died as a substitute for us. He took the consequence of our sin upon Himself at the cross as He suffered and died in our place. At the cross He accomplished more than just physical healing, He brought the healing needed to overcome the eternal consequence of sin.

Many people live as if cancer, heart disease or other illnesses are the end of the world. In one sense they can be as they may lead to death. And if this world is all you’re counting on then it will be the end of your world. But the Bible clearly teaches there is more than this life. In John 14 and 1 Corinthians 15 we clearly read that there will be a resurrection of the followers of Christ to be with Christ forever. The resurrection will be ultimate and eternal healing that we all long to receive.

As Christmas approaches, worship the Savior born in a manger that came to heal the sick. He heals the body and the soul.

Change Your Ways

2010-12-13T12:07:00.001-08:00

This is the second week of the 2010 Advent season and this week we focus on the change that God has called us to make in our lives. It is a change from a life of sin to a life of love and dependence upon God. It is a change that only God can enable and, ultimately, only He can accomplish in our lives. Yet, we are called to join fully and wholeheartedly with Him in this change.

The Son of God was born in the manger to bring more than wisdom and moral teaching to the world. As good as those things are, Jesus brought something that is gloriously impossible for humans to accomplish. That is the changing of a human heart so that we live lives that are pleasing in God’s eyes.

When we think of our sin, as mentioned earlier, we need to think beyond just a list of do’s and don’ts. Too often people think of the Christian faith as simply trying to appease God by doing more things that they believe will make Him happy versus what they believe will anger Him. The Christian faith is about much more than this. It is about realizing that God is our Creator and He has made us for a purpose. That purpose is to be in relationship with Him and to find our greatest joy in knowing and loving Him. We confuse this when we simply treat God as if He is the great warden in the sky who will zap us when we disobey beyond His level of tolerance.

What is sin? Sin is placing anyone or anything in God’s place in our life. John Calvin said the heart is an idol factory and humans are experts at idol manufacturing. Idolatry is replacing God on the throne of your life and putting something else there. Perhaps you’ve put yourself there. Maybe you’ve put accomplishments or possessions there. You might have put a relationship in that place. What does your life ultimately rotate around? That is your ruler.

The Bible calls us to a right relationship with our Creator, which includes Him being the Lord of our lives. To come to this point we need to repent of our idol work. Repenting is more than saying we’re sorry, though. Repenting is seeking God’s forgiveness and turning away from our wrong attitudes or actions. We turn toward Christ. It is through faith and dependence upon Him that we are able to live a life that is pleasing to God. The Bible says God will punish our sins. Jesus took the punishment for those that will believe in Him when He was crucified and offers forgiveness to those who will receive it. He is the Savior and Redeemer for the world! When we trust in Christ’s work of forgiveness at the cross and empty tomb (Easter) we are able to see real change begin in our lives.

To continue this change God has given wonderful gifts in His Holy Spirit, His Word and the local church to come alongside us. This Christmas receive the gift of a changed life that God gives to show you grace and joy.

Preparing to Eat

2010-12-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

This Sunday - the second Sunday of Advent 2010 - we are preparing to take the Lord's Supper together. It is a special and sacred time when we remember what the church has been remembering for nearly 2,000 years.

We will remember and rejoice in the life, death and resurrection of our Savior. We will remember our hope. There is a stern warning, though, as we approach the Lord's table. Paul passes it along in 1 Corinthians 11,

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. [28] Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. [29] For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. [30] That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. [31] But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. [32] But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
(1 Corinthians 11:27-32 ESV)

As we prepare our hearts to take of the Lord's Supper may we pray as David did in Psalm 139,

[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
[24] And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)

As we search our hearts may we also have courage to take action. Such as David did in Psalm 51,

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
[2] Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

[3] For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
[4] Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
[5] Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
[6] Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

[7] Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
[8] Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
[9] Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
[10] Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
[11] Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
[12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

[13] Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
[14] Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
[15] O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
[16] For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
[17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

[18] Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
[19] then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
(Psalm 51 ESV)

May we do the work of preparing our hearts as we approach the Lord's table this Lord's Day.

Light Shining in Darkness

2010-11-29T08:05:00.001-08:00

Light Shining in Darkness
November 29, 2010

We grew up in the country. Kids that lived in the city would call it the boondocks when they came to visit. I miss living in the country. Especially at night. Far from the city lights the sky was so clear during the winter. There were so many stars and the moon seemed so close. The nights during a full moon were a special treat. The night seemed like day because the moonlight was so radiant and bright. The nights provide such a contrast in the country because of the deep darkness one night and just a few nights later there would the evening sky would be radiant with the moon’s brilliance.

Christmas is quite a contrast. Scripture says that the world is dark. The Bible says we live in darkness with a great need for the light. Even more, Jesus said He is the light the world desperately needs. Several questions quickly come to my mind. First, do you realize you live in darkness apart from the grace of God? Do I? Our reasoning, wisdom, decision-making and desires are not based on the light when we are far from God. When we live by own accord we do not make decisions that honor God. Most often our good deeds are only accomplished to benefit ourselves. We are a people in need of the light of Christ. We need the baby in the manger.

This truth leads to the second question, do you desire the light? Maybe you’re happy living in the darkness. Maybe you’ve given up on finding the light. Maybe you’ve never been pointed to the light. Here’s what the prophet Isaiah said about the darkness and the light. “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish…e people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” (Isaiah 9:1,2) What is this light they have seen? Isaiah answers, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Light can be found. When you turn away from a sinful and rebellious way of living through repentance and forgiveness you can grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ and you can walk in the light instead of darkness. Make no mistake, though, the lighted path is not an easy one. But it is a path worth walking.

Christmas is about the light shining in the darkness. The world is in great need of direction, perspective and understanding. The world needs light. Jesus is the light.

The Purposeful Love

2010-10-25T04:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about the purpose of someone’s love? When a couple is married they purpose to love one another through any circumstance of life until one of them dies. When a child is born, parents purpose to love that child’s so that their needs will be met and they will know care and encouragement. Whether you realize it or not, there is a purpose to every ounce of love you extend to someone else.

Jesus’ love was a purposeful love. He loved for a couple of reasons. He loved God and others to bring glory to God. That is, to declare how good God is. He tells us this in John 17:1. He also purposed His love to serve others. In Mark 10:45 Jesus says that He did not come to Earth to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

As we follow Jesus’ example let us think about these purposes of love. Again, they are to bring glory to God and to serve others. As you think about the love you share with others, are those your purposes? Are there other purposes to your love?

There are times when we love others to make ourselves feel good. There are times we love others to get what we want. There are times we love others so others will think highly of us. As you think about your relationships you will see that there have times like this in your life. These self-centered attitudes can easily creep into our hearts and destroy something that started with great intentions. When this happens, your love has not been centered on God or others. It has been centered on you. Even when it appeared you were serving someone else, your love was purposed on your self.

How do we overcome this selfishness? First, be aware of it. What are your motives for showing love to that other person? Second, don’t ask what you are going to get out of sharing your love. Look for the benefits of others and don’t worry about how you’ll be promoted, recognized, thanked or loved in return. Finally, seek God’s help. Our hearts are evil. They are centered upon self. We need the working of Christ in our lives to make us outwardly focused on God and others.

There is a purpose to your love. Be willing to explore the purpose of your love so that your love may be pure.

You Can't Earn God's Love

2010-10-18T09:40:00.001-07:00

Did you the know Old Testament of the Bible contains over 600 commands from God? In the first century AD, the Jewish religious leaders had studied these laws in such detail that they tell us there are 365 negative ones and 248 positive ones. The negative ones are things people should not do and the positive ones are things people should do. One day, Jesus was in a discussion with religious leaders and they asked Him to sum up all of these laws in one sentence. Sounds challenging, doesn’t it? Sounds important, doesn’t it? What is revolutionary, though, is how Jesus answered their question.

In Mark 12 Jesus says that the most important commandment is to love God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind and strength. He goes further to add that loving others is just behind this commandment. Jesus directly calls people to love God here, but you need to know that this is a recurring theme throughout the entire Bible. And, it is certainly a recurring theme in Jesus’ ministry.

So, how do you love God? That is question with many answers. We often define how we love by what others do for us. Isn’t that the way we define love when it comes to human relationships? We love family members and friends because of the way they care and provide for us. Their words or actions are their expressions of love toward us.

But often we do not define our love for God this way. We define our love for God by what we do for Him. Many of us are actually trying to earn God’s love through our obedience to Him. Instead of allowing our love for Him to drive us to obedience, we try to earn His love through obedience. Make sense? It can be a bit confusing so let me explain a little more.

Here in our Southern Kentucky culture we often think that as we attend our local church we show our love for God. There may be no joy in our going to hear the preaching of God’s word, sing praises to Him or encouraging other believers. Yet, we go because it is our duty to show God we love Him. While it is right to attend church on a regular basis (Hebrews 10:25), we are not called to go to church to show God we love Him. We are called to go to church because we love God.

Did you hear the difference?

Our action is not to earn God’s love. Our action is because of God’s love for us. We don’t act to earn God’s love. We act to express our love for God. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Love comes first. Obedience follows. Do you love God? Don’t obey to earn His love. Obey God because you enjoy His love and want to love Him back.

Why Does Church Membership Matter?

2010-10-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Church membership, though not directly mandated in the New Testament, does seem to be implied in the New Testament. Here's a helpful blog from a friend, Ben Simpson, who is the pastor of West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria, TN. Read carefully and it will be a great help to you.

God the Deliverer

2010-10-04T04:18:00.000-07:00

God's great desire is to deliver you for His glory. And He is really serious about this. He is at work to deliver you even if you don't know that you need to be delivered. Because the truth is you need to be delivered from something all the time.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

God is willing to bring you to a point of desperation so you will learn to trust Him. Are you there yet? I've been there recently. Only when we humble ourselves before Him, stand firm in the faith and trust Him will we find the relief He longs to give and we long to receive.

Where are you along the road of suffering? Are you on the highway of denial or hard-headedness? Have you found the exit that leads to peace? You'll spot it by its sign which reads "Faith in Christ". Will you follow His lead?

Satisfaction in Suffering

2010-10-01T07:27:00.001-07:00

Suffering is never easy, but the Bible says it is useful. Here's a sermon I preached at West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria, TN on Tuesday, September 28, 2010. Listen and let me know what you think.

http://westmainbaptist.com/pour/sermon-audio?sermon_id=126

Rebel Restored

2010-08-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

What is sin? What comes to your mind? Would you call yourself a sinner? If so, could you name three specific sins you committed today? Are there sinful actions or attitudes in your life recently? While many believe sin exists and would reluctantly acknowledge that we sin we are often slow to list the specific sins we are struggling with at the moment. Let’s ask another question and that is why do we struggle with sin?

In Psalm 32, David uses three words to describe his offense against God. He calls it transgression, sin and iniquity. Remember the psalms are poems and a poet is very intentional in word choice. David is not trying to avoid a redundant use of the word sin as he uses these three different words. He is trying to teach us a lesson.

The word transgression has a meaning of rebellion. It is open, undefiled rebellion against God. David simply did not want to obey God. He rejected God’s authority, command and leadership in his life and chose lust, adultery and murder instead.

The word sin has a meaning of disobeying the law of God. David was a student of God’s Word and he knew the commands of God. Yet, in his sinfulness he disregarded those commands and chose to do what he pleased. His desires became his law.

The final word, iniquity, has a sense of knowing deep down what is right and doing the opposite. We might understand this by thinking of times we went against our own common sense. God has stamped certain laws in the human heart and there is a universal understanding that certain actions are simply wrong. Ultimately, we disobey God when we reject these things we know to be right.

So what is sin? It is rebellion against God, rejecting what He commands and doing what we please. In essence, it is making us the god of our lives. We want to be king, lord and ruler. Sin is how we carry this out.

But there is hope. God promises forgiveness to those that seek it. Psalm 32 is not about sin only. It is also about forgiveness and the joy of obedience. David says the burdening weight of his disobedience was lifted off of him when he repented. He says God replaced it with comfort and rest. Not only those, but freedom from guilt and shame as well. Want to know this hope and peace? Surrender your rebellion, embrace Christ and find the rest He freely gives.

Real Hope for Real Life

2010-08-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hope for hope’s sake is no hope at all. Do you ever hope for hope’s sake? Do you ever find yourself offering reassurance hoping that everything will somehow work out in the end? Your intentions are good; you just don’t have any basis for your faith. Sometimes we say these things because we don’t have anything else to say and we don’t want there to be empty air in a moment that seems really important. Hope, though, must be anchored to something real and powerful if it is going to bring true comfort.

Peter says in his New Testament letter of 1 Peter that Jesus Christ has lived, died and been resurrected so that He may give His followers a living hope. What is living hope you may ask? Well, Peter uses this phrase to help us see that God is actively at work in the lives of everyone that loves Him. It is not hope that simply points back to a time when one’s relationship with Jesus Christ began. It is not hope that simply points forward to a time when Jesus will return or a Christian dies and goes to Heaven. Living hope certainly includes those moments, but it includes much more. Living hope is the promise that God is aware of every aspect of the Christian’s life and, even more, is actively at work in every one of those aspects. God cares for those that love Him and follow Him.

The basis of this living hope is not just a hope that God is in Heaven looking down. No, it is wrapped in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These are important facts. Jesus’ life stands as a substitute for His followers. Though we disobey and rebel, Jesus has lived perfectly and God allows His perfection to substitute for our disobedience when we follow Him. Jesus’ death stands as a substitute as well. The Bible says the punishment for our rebellion against God is death. But the Bible also says that Jesus died as a substitute for all those that will follow Him. Followers of Jesus can have the assurance of life now and forever with Christ because He died as our substitute. The resurrection of Jesus is significant because it shows the power of God to make these promises true. Through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead God proved that all things are indeed possible with Him.

While this is a short and basic explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is a basis for real hope. Hope must be rooted in something real and powerful if it is to offer hope at all. This hope is not a magic formula for your life. A life of real hope calls for commitment to Christ, seeking repentance of your sin, and a new life empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. But it is a life of hope. Powerful hope that is anchored to a real Savior.

Time Together

2010-07-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's interesting how you can spend a lot of time with a person and learn very little about what is going on in their life. Since our daughter was born back in April, Monica and I have not spent very much time alone. The time when it is just the two of us, which is usually when the other children are in the bed, has not been filled with much conversation.

As we say around here - I have been wore out. Sleep has been very irregular over these past few months. Our newborn has refused to go down before 11:30pm and the other kids have kept us moving early in the morning with lots of summertime activities.

My brother and I used to pick on our Dad when he would doze off in the evenings while reading the paper. Of course, we didn't really consider that he was up before the sun at 4:30am everyday to go to work. These past few months I have felt guilty about that because I haven't been able to keep my eyes open either.

I have resisted going to bed without Monica. She has told me to, but I wanted to keep her company by at least being in the same room with her. I thought it would be an encouragement to her. However, I have realized something. Even though we were in the same room together we weren't growing together. For people to grow together there must be communication...and by that I mean words.

Peter says in 1 Peter 3:7 that husbands are to live with their wives in an understanding way. His use of the word understanding has a sense of curiosity to it. He's telling husbands to talk to their wives...ask questions of their wives...learn about their wives...try to figure out what makes her tick...understand what is going on in her life right now.

And this is not for the sake of nosiness. This is for the sake of care. How can you care for someone if you don't know what is going on with them?

So, what is the lesson learned here? It's great to spend time together, but it's a greater time when it's spent in humble, honest conversation trying to learn about the other person. Being in the same room is good, but it doesn't promote deep growth. To truly learn you more and be able to be a better servant you must spend time talking. Husbands, I hope you will devote the time and energy required.

Are You Hospitable?

2010-07-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

I was reading in 1 Peter today and read this verse in 1 Peter 4:9, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Let’s see how our definition of hospitality compares with Peter’s intent.

In the ancient setting this hospitality could have meant to show kindness to strangers who were in need as they traveled. It seems that much of the ancient nomadic culture was based upon the hope that people would share food and offer a place of rest for traveling strangers.

As I looked at the word I can’t help but see the word hospital. We all know what that is. It is a place for the hurting to find care, relief and recovery. Peter says that Christians ought to be hospitable people.

Finally, as I think about this sentence I see the phrase “one another”. It seems that Peter may have strangers in mind, but he is also thinking more specifically. As he is writing this letter, Christians are headed toward intense persecution.

Because of the persecution some of them will lose possessions and homes. If this is the case then Peter is calling on the other Christians to be generous in sharing with those who have been persecuted.

Because of the persecution some of them will lose family members to imprisonment or even martyrdom. The call for hospitality in those cases will be even more serious.

I wonder if we would be willing to share even when we know it will bring us great inconvenience. Would we be willing to sacrifice on a long-term basis to meet the needs of others? Would we sacrifice our privacy in order to allow another follower of Jesus to live with us when they have lost a family member or home? I fear that in our modern church the term hospitality makes us think of a cookout or game night. While it is good to gather in this way, the New Testament has a much deeper and more sacrificial view of hospitality.

Christian, hear Peter’s call to sacrificially care for someone that is hurting without grumbling. It is service for the sake of the Gospel.

Will You Live by Faith?

2010-06-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Is there more to life than this? Have you ever asked, “Is this it?” All of us have probably asked that question at one time or another. Frustration and disappointment make for quick friends and can stay longer than they’re welcome. These feelings especially seem to appear when we count on our own abilities. Everyone’s intellect and strength are limited, but often we act like they are limitless. This is when frustration and disappointment usually come calling.

Many of us get stuck, though, thinking that this life is about what we can accomplish or acquire. When those things fail to bring lasting satisfaction we find ourselves stuck in a rut. Followers of Jesus fall in this trap as well. We have tried to limit what God can do to what we can do. Sure we pray for miracles and expect great things from Him, but the truth is that we don’t live very faith-dependent lives regularly. Rarely do we take great risks that only God can achieve. Rarely do we actually live on faith.

Friend, do not be mistaken. We cannot earn God’s forgiveness or impress Him to win His favor. Peace with God comes only through His gracious forgiveness made available to Christians through the life, substitutionary death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We only know His strength, favor and power through faith when we turn away from our self-sufficiency and live dependently upon Him.

It is a strange concept. When children grow up we mark their maturity by their independence. When Christians grow in the faith the Bible marks their maturity by their dependence upon God. We are never supposed to aim at self-sufficiency. That is not a flaw in humanity; it is God’s design.

If you are weary because you’ve been trying to earn God’s favor or you’ve been trying to supply all your own needs please know there is good news. God desires to lift your burden. He desires to bring you gracious aid. You must turn to Him though. You must work by His plan. You must give Him control of your life and abide with Him through the changes He will make to your planning, decision-making and scorekeeping. There is more to life than meets the eyes. Bring your dissatisfaction to God and see what He will do with it.

Will You Be There?

2010-06-18T09:23:00.001-07:00

Where will you be on this day?

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 7:9-17

Earnest Love

2010-06-07T13:18:00.001-07:00

Earnest Love
June 7, 2010

Earnest is a word that we don’t use much. I hear it occasionally and even use it sometimes, but I don’t think about its definition very often. Honestly, I thought it meant to be really serious. However, I have recently discovered that the Bible uses this word in a different way.

In 1 Peter 1:22-25, Peter talks about the love that Christians should have for one another that eventually spills over to those that are not followers of Jesus. It is there that our word of the day appears. Peter says that Christians are to love one another earnestly. If the definition of earnest was serious it would make sense when Peter speaks of this love, but he intends more.

In this use of the word earnest Peter has the word sacrifice in mind. In this context he is using a word that was often used when people talked of skin stretching across a bone. He wants the reader to think about stretching or being caused to stretch. When was the last time you loved someone to the point that is caused you to sacrifice or be stretched?

We may love others, but it is rare that we are willing to be stretched in showing that love. It isn’t very often that we are willing really take a risk to show our love to others. When was the last time you risked your reputation, your money or your possessions to show love to someone else? When was the last time you stretched yourself to the limit to show love to God?

When we take risks it is often because we believe we are going to get something in return. That is not the way of love. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13, ESV)

God models this earnest love for us. Heaven stretched to earth to show the love of God. Jesus sacrificed His life on the cross to show His love. Will you receive that love? Will you reflect that love? May you do so earnestly.

Worthwhile Suffering

2010-05-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

I suppose when we value the outcome, we’ll endure many things. People will eat tasteless food for months to be able to fit in clothes they’ve outgrown. People will allow doctors to cut and wound them to the point of inflicting great pain because they believe it will bring relief and healing. People will make limitless sacrifices if they believe it would bring a desirable outcome.

When you think about suffering, do you think about the outcome that will be produced? We fuss, gripe, complain and are given to bad attitudes during times of suffering and it is generally because we do not believe there is any valuable result from our suffering. When we face suffering in this way or with this attitude we are wrong. Suffering brings an outcome. And it should not be just any outcome. God desires that suffering bring a helpful outcome.

Listen to what the Bible says about the suffering of Christians, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5, ESV)

For those who have been made right with God by the work of Jesus and have peace with God because of the grace He has shown them, they can rest assured that God is using their suffering for good. We see that suffering sets a process in motion that will ultimately lead to a stronger character and a better hope. What is the hope? Well, the hope is that our pain is leading us in a direction. Acts 14:22 says that through many trials believers will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Christians can know that God is using suffering to prepare them to be in His presence and to know the full joy of relationship with Him forever. Would you consider that a worthwhile outcome?

Suffering isn’t limited to benefits in eternity, though.

The previous passage says that God desires to use suffering to build greater character. Suffering build endurance. Suffering makes us better encouragers. Suffering makes us better sympathizers. Suffering makes us realize what really matters. Suffering makes us better.

How do you deal with suffering? We can endure just about anything if we know that it provides a worthwhile return. Is the Kingdom of Heaven a worthwhile return to you? Is an increased character a worthwhile return to you? If so, suffer well. If not, think through what gives you real hope to see if its returns are as valuable as the returns God offers suffering?

God at Work

2010-05-12T04:21:00.000-07:00

God is kind to us. He is at work in our lives when we do not realize it. Today I read about the angels God sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. In verse 16 we hear the angels took Lot and his family by the hand because they were hesitant to leave. The writer tells us it was an act of kindness by God.

In a very different scenario, a friend of mine had surgery to remove cancer in a kidney yesterday. The doctors only found the cancer because they were doing a scan to find out the reason for the man's lower back pain. There were bones spurs and other problems causing the back pain, but the tests revealed a much more serious problem in the cancer. This morning he is cancer free because his back pain led to the discovery.

Never think that God is not working in your life. Our job is not to doubt, but to try to trace the work of His loving hand.

The Lord Is A Stronghold

2010-05-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

Life is fragile. The rising waters of this weekend’s rains make us well aware how quickly we can lose the control we believe we have over life. In a short amount of time our homes, possessions and security can be washed away. Though we don’t face physical disaster like this often, we regularly face overwhelming situations. How do you handle those situations? Are you prepared with a plan of action? Or, do you simply wait and respond in the hour of great distress?

When it comes to facing adversity there are several things that are certain. First, difficulty will come. We can know this as truth. In a million different shapes and sizes, we will all struggle at times in life. The second thing we can know, though we don’t often take advantage of this truth, is that God offers help. In Psalm 9:9-10 we hear, “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

What is a stronghold? The psalmist mentions it twice so it must be important. A stronghold is a place of security that is unreachable by an attacker. It is a rare place of ultimate security. We long for these strongholds. We try to construct them for ourselves. And, they may endure much of our struggle. However, when the greatest troubles of life come even the most durable self-made strongholds crumble. But the psalmist has great confidence in the stronghold he refers to. It is because this stronghold is not one that is man-made. In fact, it is not made at all. It is the Everlasting God.

Do you realize that God desires and even offers to be your stronghold? In love and mercy He offers this invitation to you. Now, there are some requirements to gain access to this stronghold. There is the turning away from selfish rebellion and the desire to be the king of the fortress. This fortress has a King and needs no other. This means you will have to surrender things like pride and arrogance. You must realize your plan may not be the best plan, and the King of this fortress may choose a different process for dealing with your struggle.

In addition, to gain access to this fortress there is the requirement of trust. Many of us struggle with trust. Especially when we’re hurting and confused. It is difficult to turn loose of control, even if it’s only a false sense of control. God calls you trust Him.

What assurance do you have? David says God will not forsake those who trust Him. Reassuring, isn’t it. Perhaps people or organizations have walked away from you in times of trouble. God won’t. Will you turn today, ask His forgiveness for your rebellion and begin to trust Him?

Lessons from God and Benjamin

2010-04-22T12:13:00.001-07:00

It was four years ago today that our son, Benjamin, was stillborn. While there is still sorrow, God has been very gracious and faithful in using his life. On Wednesday, April 21, I shared our story and some lessons that God has taught us at Immanuel Baptist. I called the testimony Lessons from God and Benjamin. I hope you are encouraged to hear how God works even through our pain. He never wastes a hurt.

Where Do You Find Assurance?

2010-04-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

Perhaps someone has asked you, “If you died today, how do you know you would go to Heaven?” or “If you died tonight, where would you wake up?” I know I have had people from a few different religious groups ask this question. None of us delight in spending much time thinking about what will happen to us when we die, but the truth is that death is a reality that none escape. What if where you go when you die has an effect on the way you live? Notice, I didn’t ask what if the way you live has an effect on where you go when you die. I said it the other way around. I said it this way because the Bible makes this statement.

In 1 Peter 1, Peter says that those who place their faith in Jesus Christ have been born to a living hope with an inheritance that is stored in Heaven where it is imperishable and undefiled. He says this promise, then, should lead Christians to a life of obedience and holiness. So, a Christian’s belief that they will be in Heaven with Christ at the moment of death should have a great impact on their life.

Two questions come to mind. First, how do you know if you will be in Heaven with Christ when you die? Second, if you believe you will be in Heaven with Christ when you die, are you growing in obedience to His teaching and holy living?

To answer the first question, the Bible is clear that we cannot earn salvation. In Ephesians 2:8-10 we learn that God’s forgiveness and pardon is a gift of God’s grace and cannot be earned. You cannot be good enough or smart enough to earn God’s pardon. Forgiveness from Christ is given when we repent of our sins and turn to Christ for forgiveness and leadership in life. Jesus Christ is able to give this forgiveness because of His perfect life and substitutionary death on the cross. The Gospel is the promise that Christ has taken the punishment we deserve and it is a call for us to repent of our sins and make Him the Lord of our lives. It makes little difference that you grew up in the Bible belt or that you or your family has been in church for a long time. The only true peace with God comes from forgiveness from Jesus Christ.

This salvation should bring more than just the hope of Heaven though. The mercy of Jesus Christ causes Christians to live differently. Christians should turn away from selfishness and pride and be known for their love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. While Christians are not perfect in these areas, there should be real change. Perhaps you believe yourself to be a Christian, but do not see these changes. While the process is a slow one at times, if it is not present perhaps you should examine your basis of salvation. Why not talk today with someone you believe to be a true Christian? It is worth considering as life now and evermore rests upon it.

A Lesson from Suffering

2010-04-12T12:04:00.001-07:00

Suffering is something that no one can escape. I am often reminded when preaching a funeral that one day I’ll be mourning the loss of someone in my family. I will be the one seeking the comfort rather than simply trying to give it. I think we often overlook the great lesson of humility that should come with suffering. Suffering causes us to ask questions that we don’t like to face. These questions are usually very difficult for us to answer. Yet, rather than being angry when we are stumped, perhaps a better solution would be to learn humility.

Suffering is a great leveling force. When we are faced with a terminal illness or condition our money makes little difference. When people are suffering I haven’t heard them long for more accolades or prestige. No, the cry is the same for everyone – relief. Even the desire for relief is humbling. If we could deliver it to ourselves, we would. Wouldn’t you agree that it is humbling to long for relief and be unable to find it? We are devastated by the reality that we are not self-sufficient after all. We are left to realize that we are indeed finite. We are left to realize that the world keeps turning even when we are on the sick bed. Those are stark revelations for many of us. Our pride fuels us to think that everyone is need of our intellect, opinions or abilities. Suffering humbles us and teaches us this is not so.

Suffering also hurts our pride because we realize we need help from others. Often we will settle for something that is less than the best because we are protecting our pride. We are award-winning actors as we try to make others believe we can manage for ourselves. However, when real suffering comes we can’t help but call for help. When others have to bathe us or help us to the bathroom our pride can’t last. Suffering brings this humility.

I can’t help but think of how God uses this process. Suffering causes us to realize that we need others. And, how we need our Creator. We are reminded of how frail and needy we are. We believe our bodies to be strong, but they can be broken in a second. We believe our spirit to be persevering, but it can be brought low in an instant. We may go to extreme measures to hide it, but the truth is we are needy people.

Will you look for humility in suffering? Perhaps you’ve known it before, but have forgotten. Won’t you remember to serve others? One day you will need to be served by others. Won’t you comfort those who grieve? One day you will need to be comforted? Don’t waste the suffering God intends to use for good. Learn from it, help others and turn to Him for help.

It Was Love

2010-04-07T12:34:00.001-07:00

It was love that carried Him from the table to the cross.
It was love that caused Him to be betrayed by a kiss.
It was love that coped with the whip’s strong blow.
It was love.

It was love that relentlessly drove Him to the hill.
It was love that received the hammer’s blows.
It was love that restrained His cries for relief.
It was love.

It was love that offered up His life.
It was love that opened not His mouth.
It was love that overflowed as blood.
It was love.

It was love that sin was poured upon Him.
It was love that shame was worn as a robe.
It was love that sorrow was endured.
It was love.

It was love that salvation was accomplished.
It was love that sunset brought anguish.
It was love that sunrise brought resurrection.
It was love.

Find It Here

2010-03-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you’ve noticed many of the Find It Here signs in the yards of neighborhoods, shops and churches over the past few weeks. Maybe you’ve seen the television commercials that have aired or the billboards in the area. They have centered on important words like hope, life, purpose and peace. The Southern Baptist churches of this area are working to help people find hope in Jesus Christ during this Easter season.

At our church, we’ve personally invited people in over 1,200 households to join us on Easter Sunday and many other Southern Baptist churches have done likewise in other neighborhoods around here. We aren’t doing this to win any awards or try to impress you with who we are. No, we are going outside of the walls of the church building because we believe the salvation and forgiveness given by Jesus Christ are vital to you having hope and purpose in life. The Bible says that we are separated from God because of our sinful nature. You see, we aren’t sinners because we sin. No, we sin because we are sinners. Do you see the difference there? The truth is that no one has a chance at living a perfect life. Unfortunately, a part of what makes us human is the fact that we are all born with a sinful nature. How many people had to teach their children to be selfish or mean? How many of us went to classes to learn to be prideful? None of us. Those traits are ingrained in us. They are a part of our sin nature.

Wait, there’s more. Our sin nature does more than simply cause us to behave rudely. This corrupted nature causes us to fight and rebel against God. It causes us to try to ignore Him and create our own gods. It causes us to reject the love and care of our Creator. Because God is holy He cannot and will not tolerate this rebellion. He will punish sinners for their sin. Sinners who have not been forgiven will spend eternity apart from God in Hell. But, God is also good. Even through our rebellion He has loved us. God’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ came to this world about 2,000 years ago. Because He was fully God and fully man He was able to overcome the power of this sin nature. His deity allowed Him to be perfect and pleasing to God in every way. His humanity allowed Him to face temptation, suffer and sympathize with us.

Because of His perfection, God allowed Jesus to be the substitute for sinful humanity. On the cross, Jesus stood in your place and in mine. He took the punishment we all deserve because of our sin. When we ask for His forgiveness, repent and turn away from our sin, and turn toward God to live according to His desires we can know pardon and the peace we long for. This pardon and peace is what we hope you’ll find. It is what your soul longs for. Please join us at one of the Find It Here churches this Easter Sunday so we can have the opportunity to help you know this Great Redeemer.

Humility Before Honor

2010-03-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 15:33 says, “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”
In each proverb thoughts are intentionally linked together. Isn’t it interesting that the fear of the Lord, instruction and wisdom are linked together with humility? Many times instruction puffs us up. Not so with the wisdom that comes from knowing and loving God. When we learn of God’s justice, love, mercy, strength and His countless other attributes we should be humbled.

Humility is more than just an attitude though. It is an action. Humility displays itself in the way we treat others. It’s not that we think we ought to serve others, but we actually serve others. Meekness is thinking of others as better than you. This doesn’t mean you’re worthless. It means your find your greatest joy in looking for ways to serve others and then acting on your investigative work. Meekness is the attitude that brings about humility, but humility is more than an attitude – it is an action.

Many of us believe we are humble. Yet, is there evidence to prove this in your life? When was the last time you put your own interest aside and spent time serving your family, your friends, your co-workers, your neighbors, your church family? When was the last time you put down the remote and gave your family your undivided attention? When was the last time you gave a gift or sent a card without any desire to be thanked? When was the last time you heard of a need in someone’s life and you secretly met that need without anyone else knowing about it? We all like to think of ourselves as humble, but would there be enough evidence to support your claim?

This type of thinking flies in the face of our nature. Our nature tells us to eat or be eaten. Our nature moves us to be greedy, to hoard, and to think only of ourselves. There must be a change within us for our desire to move away from our self-centered interest and focus on serving others. According to this proverb, this shift only happens in light of the instruction of the Lord. It is there that we learn humility is better than honor. It is there that we learn it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is in this instruction that we learn that the last shall be first. Even if these truths aren’t recognized in this life, they will be in the one to come.

Humility is indeed greater than honor and can only be attained through the instruction of the Lord.

Find It Here - Easter Radio Commercials

2010-03-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the three Easter commercials we have airing on local radio. Tell a friend about them and use them to invite folks to join us on Easter Sunday!

Immanuel Easter Commercial 2010 01
Immanuel Easter Commercial 2010 02
Immanuel Easter Commercial 2010 03

Knowing God

2010-03-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

What can be known about God by observing nature? In Barren County we live in a beautiful area that is filled with mysterious caves, beautiful lakes and rivers and intriguing wildlife. Perhaps there are many people that would consider nature to be their sanctuary as its beauty brings hope and encouragement when we admire it.

On the other hand, we’ve experienced the shock of nature’s destruction. We’ve watched in awe as thousands have lost their lives and homes due to terrible earthquakes and resulting floods. It has been overwhelming to see the hopelessness and powerlessness of humanity over this destructive force that leaves us fearing aftershocks and recalculating the rotational axis of the Earth.

Quickly we learn about the creativity and the power of the Designer. We learn that He has a brush with a multitude colors and an imagination more vivid than any of us. We also learn that we are in need of a Protector who can shield us when nature shakes out of control. But does any of this truly help us to know Him?

Indeed, we can know about Him, but He desires more. And, deep down we all desire more. Maybe you’ve found yourself wandering the forest or fishing the shore as you claimed you were connecting with God. While those things are relaxing, they don’t allow us to truly know God. In those places we learn about God, but we don’t come to know Him.

Passages such as Matthew 11:25-30 tell us that ultimately God wants us to know Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible does not say that God reveals Himself to us most clearly in nature, but in the life of Jesus Christ. Passages such as John 3:16 help us realize that if we want to see God’s love fully demonstrated to us we must look to Jesus. We can see God’s love in the world that He has provided for us and in the protection He offers to us in the face of destruction, but we only truly receive His love when we turn to Jesus Christ. Keep nature in its proper place this spring. Enjoy its beauty. Celebrate the new life it represents. But be reminded that nature is only a reflection of its Creator.

The Inheritance to Come

2010-03-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

The Apostle Peter delivered God's Words powerfully when he wrote,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)

This is what I read to my grandfather on Friday morning when we had some quiet moments together. I clued into the passage because of the phrase 'living hope', but was stunned when I began to read through the promises of the Christian's inheritance. By the power of the resurrection, the Christian's inheritance is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. And, it is being kept for them by the power of God.

Often we think of the inheritance as what we leave behind, not what is to come. But God sees things differently. What a revolutionary idea! The inheritance left behind perishes, is never perfect and always fades away. So, of these two inheritances, which do you want? Who is the true benefactor?

As I read this passage I couldn't help but be excited for him. I couldn't help but be excited for me. There is a mystery that surrounds death and this mystery causes fear and anxiety, but the hope of what occurs in the very next breath showing bring joy that overshadows this fear for the Christian. This wonderful inheritance, secured by God Himself, is one breath away for the follower of Jesus.

Oh the joy that will be known by the Christian when they fully receive the salvation bought by Christ's great love. May this coming joy fill us with hope even now. I hope it encouraged Pop as he now lives in the reality of cancer. I know this truth (and Pop's longing for it) encouraged me.

A Family Update

2010-03-11T13:56:00.000-08:00

It is cancer. The words no one wants to hear. So, Pop's tumor is malignant and now we wait to see what the treatment and options will be. For those of you who have emailed, called and talked to us in person - thank you. Your prayers and encouraging words are wonderful gifts.

Now, Pop has been moved to a rehabilitation center where he will have the opportunity to work on the mobility of his hip. After that we'll see what the Doctors want to do to treat the cancer.

Over the past couple of days I have been thinking about how I can think through this and be an encouragement to my family. An article comes to mind that was written some years ago. It is by John Piper and was written while he dealt with his own cancer. If you've never read it I would encourage you to read this and use it as a tool in dealing with your own cancer or that of someone you love.

Hope That Will Not Fail

2010-03-10T07:48:00.001-08:00

I have a prayer request for you all. My 83 year old grandfather in GA is not doing well. He fell about three weeks ago and broke his hip. That is now repaired, but there have been many complications to the point that they inserted a feeding tube yesterday. The valve/flap that helps food flow to his stomach and air to his lungs is not functioning. It is stuck and everything is flowing to his lungs. Therefore, any food, liquid or medication would cause very dangerous pneumonia immediately. Hence, the feeding tube. As they inserted the feeding tube yesterday, the Dr found a tumor. It is at the base of his esophagus and just above all of his major organs. They took a biopsy of it and we are now waiting to see if it is cancerous. The Dr seemed to think it will be. If so, they will not be able to operate on it and it will probably be a very fast spreading type that gets into his vital organs quickly. We are all very anxious to hear the test results and there is also much sadness mixed in.

God has been very gracious to me. All of my grandparents, parents and siblings, all of which are Christians, are still living. God has given them as a gift to me for a long time. They have all had a great impact on my life. Now, it looks as if that could begin to change. I suppose I have known this day was coming, but it is hard to prepare for it when it is not reality. Please pray that God would give my parents (who are in GA now) the wisdom to know what to do in caring for Pop and for my Grandmother as well. Pray that we will be focused on the hope of Christ despite the news that comes to us. Pray that God will be honored in the way our family acts and deals with the days ahead. Pray that God would give us joy through our sorrow.

Thank you for your prayers.

How God Speaks

2010-03-04T06:33:00.000-08:00

God has spoken to humanity. He still speaks to humanity. Do you know how? Are you listening?

God has spoken through Jesus Christ.
John 1:1 says that the Word became flesh and lived among us. John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

God has spoken through His decrees.
These are found in Genesis in the creation accounts in the early chapters of Genesis. We hear more about this in Psalm 33:6, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host."

God has spoken through direct address.
We hear in Exodus 20:1-3, "And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me."

God has spoken through human lips.
This comes through the prophets. Hear Deuteronomy 18:18-20, "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him." We also see this in the New Testament through the Gospel writers and the writers of the Apostles. Listen to 1 Corinthians 14:37, "If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord." Here Paul is calling all of those that believe they are called to speak on behalf of God should be certain they are speaking consistently with the Word of God.

This leads to the final way God speaks.

God has spoken through the written Word which is the Bible.
Hear God's command to Isaiah which helps us understand God's desire for His Word to be recorded. Isaiah 30:8, "And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever."

God loves us. He desires to communicate with us. Will you listen?

Are You Afraid?

2010-03-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

What intimidates you? I’m sure something quickly pops into your mind. It’s uncontrollable. You can’t stop the thoughts. That’s because we’re all afraid of something. Did you know that God does not desire for us to live this way. He desires that we live with peace and confidence in Christ. He does not want us to live a live of fear and insecurity.

Where does your strength originate? Carefully consider this question. Don’t give a knee jerk reaction here. Think about it. If you have any strength at all, there must be a source. One of the great differences between the Christian faith and many other modern philosophies is the originating source of inner strength. Many other religions teach that strength comes from within. We are in need of locating that strength inside our own minds or hearts and tapping into it. While the Bible does speak about the human spirit, Ephesians 4:23 being one example, it is not the human spirit that produces the ultimate, ongoing, life-sustaining strength we need in our lives.

Three times in the first nine verses of the book of Joshua God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous. If you read Joshua 1:1-9 and think it sounds like a pep talk you are right on track. God is leading Joshua to carry the nation of Israel forward into the Promised Land of Canaan. Yet, in this pep talk God is careful to point out to Joshua that He will be the source of His strength. Not the military or the leadership’s wise decision-making, but God Himself will deliver confidence and victory.

What is Joshua’s responsibility? It is to meditate daily upon the Word of God. To meditate on God’s Word is to read, think about and apply God’s word to one’s life and decisions. Again, we are talking about our source of strength and we see that it is to come from God. When Joshua is tempted to be afraid, he should remember the strong promises of God. He should look back at God’s proven track record. He should reflect on the character and nature of God revealed in Scripture. This will prove to be a faithful source of strength for Joshua and for you.

Fears – we all have them. Ever since Adam and Eve hid from God in the Garden of Eden, people have been hiding from all kinds of things. The good news is that you can come on out now and stop your hiding. You can be strong and courageous. But your strength and courage will only be true and lasting if your life is anchored by God and His Word.

The Hope of Suffering

2010-02-15T13:57:00.000-08:00

In more than one place the Bible calls suffering Christians to rejoice. Sounds strange to our ears, huh? It almost sounds illogical. It is not a call to go out and seek suffering because you are a glutton for punishment, but it is a call to properly face suffering realizing that there is good to be found in it.

The logic is found when we read passages such as this in Romans 5, “…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

The writer of this passage, the Apostle Paul, does not get very specific when he speaks of suffering in this passage and we are left to understand that he is referring to a wide range of suffering. Most likely if you are breathing, there is some area in your life that brings you suffering. Let’s think about these characteristics that Paul mentions and think about his words of encouragement. His list includes endurance, character, hope and God’s love.

How many problems are you enduring today that are bigger than the problems you endured a few years ago? Our life is progressive. As we grow and age our problems become more complex. God brings suffering into our lives to help us deal with problems on all sorts of scales. When we pass the finish line of smaller problems our strength is built so we can face larger problems with more strength and wisdom. Can you find encouragement in knowing that you are being prepared today to endure what is around the bend?

Not only does God build endurance, He also desires to build character. Once we have endured smaller problems we should be able to handle future problems with a steadier hand. It is the person that is always prone to drama or the belief that the world is about to come to an end that shows they are not learning endurance and are, therefore, lacking character.

From character, hope is built. Once we know God is faithful and that He has given us the ability to endure we will view the world and our problems differently. Our attitudes ought to be one of encouragement even when life is hard. This hope is not built on simple positive thinking though, it is built on the truth that God has shown us great love. After all, it was through great suffering that God’s love is best demonstrated through the work of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.

Problems will come your way. As you look upon them, what are you learning? Is your perspective one of finding true hope in God?

Protecting a Life

2010-02-08T09:20:00.001-08:00

There is a magazine I look at often that charts the progress of babies as they grow in their mother’s womb. It is a fascinating magazine that tells of the process of the infant during the time of fetal development. It speaks of their brain and body development and even talks about when the baby starts hearing and recognizing sounds and voices outside of the womb. Even more, there are pictures that match the progress of the baby’s development in every month of the nine-month pregnancy process. It is simply an amazing miracle to see the baby grow and develop. I’m not sure how anyone can look at these pictures and come to any other conclusion than to realize this is a real person growing and developing inside their mother.

Over the years we have had a number of ultrasounds while my wife has been pregnant. Every one of those experiences has made a tremendous impact of me. From the time we hear the baby’s heartbeat for the first time to the point we see the images of our baby just weeks before their delivery, the ultrasounds have brought tears to our eyes. Currently, the Kentucky General Assembly is considering a bill that would require mother’s seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound before they make their final decision on whether or not to abort their baby. The mother’s are not forced to view the ultrasound, but they would be required to have one. The bill is called SB 38. It has already passed the State Senate on January 25, and was sent to the House of Representative’s Health and Welfare Committee on February 1. This committee, made up of a 14 legislators, must approve the bill’s passage to the floor for a vote by the entire House. I am praying that it will come to a vote on the floor of the House and be passed. If you’re interested in knowing who is on the Health and Welfare Committee you can find out by going to www.lrc.ky.gov/committee/standing/H&W(H)/members.htm.

Most people I talk to want to know all of the facts before making a decision concerning a medical procedure. Shouldn’t pregnant women be given these facts before making the decision on whether or not to abort a baby? Perhaps you would say that the woman should not be forced to view an ultrasound if she doesn’t want to. Please remember, SB 38 calls for the ultrasound to take place, but not for the forcing of the woman to view it.

I must wonder, though, who speaks for the unborn? Obviously, a baby in utero cannot speak for itself. Perhaps this ultrasound would give this young life a voice while growing in its mother’s womb. House and Welfare Committee, thank you for your service to the Commonwealth. I’m praying that you will do all that is within your power to protect life.

Just Listen to Yourself

2010-01-27T06:42:00.000-08:00

How often do you listen to what you’re saying? When you speak to others in conversation or instruction, do you take note of your tone of voice or the way you are talking to the other person? Often we are so busy trying to convey our own message that we don’t think about what we are saying and how we are saying whatever it is. I wonder if you would want to be talked to in the way you talk to others? Perhaps that’s a good place to start in this self-examination.

Would You Talk to Yourself Like That?
In Ephesians 4:31-32, the Apostle Paul says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Think about each of those words for a moment. Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice. We would not want to be on the receiving end of comments or actions featuring those attributes. So, in the same way we ought to be careful to avoid speaking to others in that way. It will take intentionally listening to our words if change is going to come.

We are, though, supposed to fill our language with kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. Those are words we long to hear. Those are the tones we need to hear. When someone speaks to us in these ways, we are usually listening closely. Words spoken to us in kindness and tenderheartedness express love, concern and care. The earsplitting words previously mentioned express no love, only harshness. Who wants to be rubbed by words that are as coarse as sand paper? Not me. And probably not you either.

How Would Christ Speak?
There’s more to this story though. Paul says that we should treat one another this way because Christ treats us this way. To the disobedient and rebellious Christ offers forgiveness. To the wayward and down trodden He offers mercy and kindness. To the broken and hurting He offers tenderheartedness. We should express this love to one another because we have received it from Christ. I wonder if you have received it. Your words can only reflect His love when you have received it. If you have received the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, I wonder if you are extending it to others through your conversation. It will take paying attention. Are you listening to what you’re saying?

Want to be Free from Guilt?

2010-01-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Guilt is heavy. It is a great weight around our necks. Many of us carry guilt for things we have said, done or even wanted to do. We battle these accusations in our mind and wonder if we can ever be free from the shame and the embarrassment that seems to be ever near. Whether anyone else knows of these offenses or not, the guilt is heavy and wants to derail our lives.

Guilt Does Not Surprise God
God knows this. He is not surprised by the affect of our sinful living or thinking. Likewise, it should not be a great surprise to us either, but often it is and we don't know how to deal with it. What brings lasting joy in your life? What brings satisfaction? Isn't that what you want to replace this guilt and shame? Followers of Jesus know that joy comes when we walk with Him. When we are consistently obedient to what Jesus teaches us, and how He directs us to live we are able to be satisfied. Why would we be surprised, then, to find that there is great pain and separation when we try to make our own way. Yet, usually we are surprised. We don't think about the consequences of our actions. We either refuse to follow Jesus or we simply forget. Then, we are grieved and held in the bondage of our guilt and shame. We don't have to live this way.

God Desires for You to Live Blamelessly
In Ephesians 1 we hear that Jesus has come to create for Himself a people that are holy and blameless. They are a people set apart to love God, follow Him and have this liberty and confidence in Christ in their lives. They are a people who are freely forgiven by Jesus and are called to hold this truth dear and apply this freedom to their thinking and living. Jesus knows this freedom because of His obedience to the Father. He knew it when He walked the Earth and He knows it now. He desires to bring you this relief from shame and guilt. He wants to deliver healing and restoration to your heart.

Have you wondered how David carried on after his scandalous sins of adultery and conspiracy to murder? How was David able to move forward and live victoriously for God's glory? Many of us would consider our lives ruined. We would be convinced that God was going to put us on a shelf until we die. Yet, David didn't live this way. Why not? He understood the power and scope of God's forgiveness. He knew he would bear the scars of his sin, but he also knew God would free him from the weight of the shame of his sin. Listen to what he said in Psalm 32,

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly  offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.  7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.  9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.  11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

I can think of four "r's" that will help you overcome guilt like David did. Here they are: repentance, recovery, remembering and rejoicing.

Repentance
David acknowledged and confessed his sin to God in verse 5. Relief came when he stopped trying to hide it. Repentance will lead us to make good the wrongs that we have done and to seek the forgiveness we need. It is a difficult step, but it is the first step that must be taken.

Recovery
We need God's forgiveness. God promises to give it. David knew that he had received. In verse 5 we hear him say directly that God had forgiven him. It was no question. It was a statement of fact. He would live in this truth from now on.

Remembering
David proclaimed that God was his strength and hiding place in verse 7. We must be quick to remember that God is our help. He is able to give us the courage and hope we need. If we stop dwelling on this truth...if we forget we will be led to begin looking solely on ourselves, others or something else for strength. We must remember! We must continually remind ourselves (out loud if necessary) that God is our strength and His way of living is best. Then, we must seek His ways in His Word and by joining with His people.

Rejoicing
The great psalmist knew of the pain of hiding his sin and feeling the accompanying guilt and shame. Now he knew forgiveness. Now he knew joy. His song returned. His heart was returned to gratefulness. God delivered him and he could sing again.

It is a process, but you can sing again. God will deliver you when you seek Him. Christ has come to set us free. He has carried our sin and shame, nailed it to the cross and defeated it by overcoming even death. Will you seek His help in throwing off this dead weight of shame and guilt in your life?

Generous Love

2010-01-19T04:08:00.000-08:00

Would you consider yourself a loving person? Do you think others view you as loving? The Apostle Paul says that if we are followers of Christ we will follow His pattern of becoming poor for the sake of others. This state of intentional poverty is to be a display of love. Let's think about what it means.

Expressing our Poverty
Sometimes our poverty is expressed in humility as we are right in a situation and are called to respond to others in gentleness and kindness rather than pride and self-righteousness. We can show this loving poverty by serving others. Most often it is messy when we serve someone. Whether they are an elderly person needing physical assistance, an addict going through the pain of walking away from a substance or a person suffering the agony of divorce. Caring for people drives us to our knees and should give us a real sense of our spiritual poverty. And by that I mean our poverty is our great need for Christ, His strength and His help. In reality, we have nothing without Him.

There are times, though, when this poverty is financial. These are the times that Christians are to sacrifice to give money to help the poor, other Christians or those affected by disaster. Read this verse from 2 Corinthians 8:8-15 to hear Paul’s thoughts,

I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

In Fairness to All
An interesting phrase in those verses is found in verse 14. Paul says that, “your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.” In the economy of the Kingdom of God, we are always looking to help one another. It is not a welfare state where the rich stay rich forever and the poor stay poor forever. As we live within the Kingdom of God here on Earth we know that there will be an ebb and flow of times of abundance and times of need. Paul says that we should give when we are in a season of abundance and trust that we will receive in our time of need. The fairness is not that we all make the same income at all times. The fairness is that we are willing to share with those who are in need. We know that Paul calls Christians to work hard, so there is no precedent for anyone to be a persistent mooch. Yet, there are genuine times when people are and will be in need. Christians show their love by sharing the resources God has given them whatever those resources may be.

Now, do you consider yourself a loving person? Do you have room to love others more? May your love be proven by your generosity…in whatever form it may flow.

Relief May Not Look Like What You Think

2010-01-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

I was listening to radio news recently as I drove home from one of our Worship Services. It was the most intense radio report I had ever heard. The reporter was deeply concerned about a group of babies that were in an orphanage. He believed they would die if aid didn’t come to them immediately. In anger he declared that there were several aid agencies and government forces that knew their specific location, but had not shown up to deliver any supplies that were desperately needed. As he talked his intensity increased and he finally said plainly, “If aid doesn’t arrive these children are going to die.” Needless to say there were numerous thoughts rushing through my mind.

What Can I Do?
In an instant I began wondering if there was anything I could do. The disaster area was thousands of miles away from me and I couldn’t get there any time soon in my car. I began to think of anyone that I might know that could do something. I couldn’t think of anyone except God that could direct aid to them. Then I had a thought that many of you might find strange. What if they die? Is that the worst thing that could happen to them? For a number of reasons I believe that infants go to Heaven when they die. I’m not going to write a theological treatise on that here, but I do believe the Bible supports the idea. What if they die? If what I believe the Bible teaches is correct, they would take their next breath in Heaven. They would have escaped the disaster and God would have provided relief to them. No, it’s not what we would think of as relief. It’s probably not what the reporter had in mind. He was begging for baby formula, clean water and diapers. Those are necessary supplies, but there is more than one type of relief that God can offer.

Raised in Power
Make sure you understand that I don’t believe that everyone instantly goes to Heaven when they die. The Bible is very clear. Jesus says in John 14:6 that no one comes to Father except he places his faith in Jesus. People of account who don’t repent of their sins, seek Jesus’ forgiveness and follow Him will have no access to God according to the Bible. But for those that will trust and love Jesus there is great hope. In fact, there is no greater hope. The Bible says, “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-43, ESV) That sounds like relief to me.

So Live Generously
In addition to the relief of resurrection, I believe a person’s love for Christ ought to drive them to be even more charitable. The cited passage plainly tells us of our weakness. Therefore, we ought to aid our fellow citizens of Earth with the greatest of effort. So, I hope you will give and serve generously when others are in need, but don’t forget relief comes in many ways.

Helping the Churches of Haiti

2010-01-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

This evening I have become aware of two pastors that I respect that are working to help the Christian church in Haiti. Mark Driscoll and James MacDonald are on the way to Haiti to gather information and establish ways churches around the world can help the churches of Haiti. I am excited about how God will use them. I hope you will join me in praying for these men and the team they are taking with them. In addition, I hope you will continue to pray for the people of Haiti. I've spent a bit of time looking at pictures of the devastation and the make-shift morgues. It's so overwhelming. I can't imagine what it must be like to be there. I hope you'll do all you can to help these people find hope in Christ.

Here's a link to the Churches Helping Churches website.

Mercy and Faithfulness

2010-01-15T04:09:00.000-08:00

This Psalm seems very fitting for the events of this week. We are people in desperate need of God’s mercy. I hope we realize it.

Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth
Psalm 57
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

What Influences You?

2010-01-11T19:48:00.000-08:00

Here's the video featuring some thoughts from Ephesians 2. Hope they are helpful to you!

Ephesians Two Overview, Part 1 from Brandon Porter on Vimeo.

Discerning What Influences You?

2010-01-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

Our 20-month-old son just stares at the television and says, “Elmo?” He is starting to push buttons on the front of the TV hoping it will make one of his best friends magically appear. He is our first child with an Elmo obsession as we surpassed this era with our other children. It’s interesting to watch our children as they interact with technology. Our seven-year-old boys and even our five-year-old daughter are fairly familiar with the computer already. They can navigate their favorite websites and play games with ease. I don’t really remember teaching them very much when it comes to using the computer. I don’t think their Mother did either. It’s almost as if it were just engrained in them. Amazing. I remember the first time I surfed on the web. It was following graduation from high school and the connection was so slow, but it was amazing to realize the entire world was at my fingertips.

A lot has changed since then when it comes to the Internet and technology. iPods, HDTV, hi-speed connections and on and on we could go. However, something hasn’t changed with the introduction of all of the technology. That is the need for discernment. What we watch, listen to and look at really does have an impact on us. The shows we watch on TV or the Internet will cause us to think about what we value and desire. They will certainly carry influence and they may even cause us to change our minds.

This isn’t new. Since Adam and Eve walked the Earth there has been a competition for influence. Who is right? Who is wrong? What is best? What do you desire? Those questions have been wrestled with over and over. It’s a shame that we don’t think them through when it comes to media. Whether that is from television, video games, movies or magazines we often just check-out when it comes to these influencers. We seem to have the notion that they are neutral. Do you think this column is neutral? It’s in a form of media. I am certainly not neutral and am working to make an influence on you. Movie directors, music producers, screenwriters, bloggers and all other types of artists are trying to influence you as well. Do you realize that? Are you practicing discernment?

So what do you do? If your desire is to please God then you must think of how these influencers are affecting you. Paul helps us in this thinking as he writes, “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. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)

Brit Hume, Tiger Woods and Jesus

2010-01-10T05:01:00.001-08:00

Brit Hume's comments concerning Tiger Woods are a week old now, but I wonder if you have seen it. If not, take a look...

Learning to Grieve

2010-01-07T05:19:00.000-08:00

Grieving is hard work. If you are not prepared for this work most likely it will be even worse than you can imagine. I don’t think I’ve ever served a grieving family and heard them say, “This is much easier than we thought it was going to be.” I am convinced that if you are going to grieve well, and you should grieve, you must be as prepared as you can be.

When grief comes you will not be able to function in it with exact and meticulous detail because every situation will be different in severity, depth and intensity. However, I believe the Bible clearly lays out a foundation for us to stand on in our times of grief. One place we can learn this pattern is Psalm 102.

A Pattern for Suffering
In Psalm 102 we see David grieve deeply. We’re not exactly sure why, but whatever he is going through is intense. Along with several normal characteristics of grief it would appear that we seem him lose his appetite, suffer from sleeplessness, and even face depression. Yet, in this passage we see him deal with his grief well and God helps us learn how to deal with our own grief as we observe David.

A pattern seems to emerge that helps David move through the grief process in verses 13-22. We’re not sure how long it takes for him to move through this pattern, but it does seem to be consistent both times. The pattern seems to go something like this:
1. David cries out to God declaring His sovereignty and eternal control of life.
2. God hears David and has pity on him.
3. David remembers God’s promises to him and His people.
4. David looks forward to how God will use the current grief to bring good in the future.
Though we don’t actually see these elements lived out in this psalm, in other places we have the opportunity to see God working these things out. Know that God was faithful in keeping the promises He made to David and God did use David’s times of grief to bring about good.

Learning to Grieve Well
How can you apply this pattern? Well, every time I go to the funeral home I am reminded of how feeble I am. My life, just like every life on this planet, will end in death. God is the only one that has the power to conquer death. The redeemed of Christ only receive eternal life with God when it is given to them by Christ. Death should humble us. It should make us realize that God is everlasting and sovereign, and we are not. Not only should we realize it, but it should drive us to worship God as the Supreme Creator of all things. Facing grief should drive us to remember God’s control and to worship Him for it. In addition, focusing on God’s strength should help align true perspective. Often our problems and hurts fall out of perspective. They become bigger than us and even bigger than God. That is a distorted perspective and one that is never true. Death should remind us that we are small and God is big. When viewed correctly, this truth should bring comfort and rest.

The other steps of this pattern strengthen this perspective. By remembering God’s promises we remember His goodness and His holiness. We remember that He has promised His people that He will love them, be near at the time of death and deliver them through death. We find such promises from Jesus in John 14, from God Himself in Psalm 116:15 and in other places such as 1 Thessalonians 4. At the same time we hear of the separation from God that comes when the unrepentant person dies. Jesus’ teaching of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 reinforces this idea and passages like Hebrews 9:27 remind us that just as death is appointed, judgment is as well. In grief we should focus on the promises of God.

Find Joy In a Time of Grief
The believer should find comfort and joy in these promises as they have witnessed God’s faithful work not only in Scripture, but in their own lives as well. It is from God’s faithful work in the past that we also have hope that He will repeat that work in the future. Though the believer cannot be sure how God will use their pain for good, they believe He will. This brings hope. It fuels perseverance and endurance during grief. Psalm 102 teaches us that this hope should even lead to joy as the believer knows God will not waste their pain, but will use it for good in their life and the lives of others.

Grieving is hard work. But hope can be found in it. Grieving will be different for everyone and it can be unpredictable in its effects on a person. However, we can use the basic pattern here and by applying to it our broken hearts find hope in God. What will your perspective be when it is your time to grieve?

Facing a Storm of Sorrow

2010-01-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

When was a time you faced deep grief? Perhaps it was when you lost someone you loved. That isn’t the only time we grieve, though. Divorce brings grief. Even severe arguments that bring a deep divide cause grief. Certainly we could list many other causes of grief, but more than focusing on the grief itself or the cause of the grief let’s see how the Bible deals with grief. We’ll use Psalm 31 as a focus.

In Psalm 31, David deeply admits the sorrow of his heart. Here we learn that grief is real and is acceptable. The Bible acknowledges that there is real pain in our lives. Our hearts are broken from time to time. Sometimes the hurt is deeper than others, but it is real. Do not be surprised, then, when you face the sorrow of grief. Everyone that loves faces it at some time in life.

In this passage we see some interesting focal points. The first looks at the hurt. David not only acknowledges the hurt, but he looks to the one that caused it in his life. For him it was people that wanted to do him harm. Perhaps that is true for you, but it may not be a specific person that has brought this pain to you. It could be a circumstance or some other event that has brought pain to your life. We see another focus though. David also looks at others around him. He realizes that this hurt affects the way they look at him. He feels their gaze as they know he is in real distress. I remember the first time I went out in public after suffering the loss of a child. It felt as if everyone was looking at me and whispering, “There’s the guy who just lost a baby. We better avoid him.” Of course that probably wasn’t true of everyone around me, but I certainly felt that way.

However, even through the reality of grief we see David’s most consistent and most important focus is on God. Psalm 31 is made up of 24 verses. In these 24 verses we hear David remind himself at least 30 times of God’s strength. He remains grounded in the reality that his grief is real and strong, but God is greater and is able to deliver him and comfort him. David sees his grief and its affects, but his focus is on God. He works to direct his mind to remember the love, help and faithfulness of God. He cries to God and knows that God hears him. His deepest focus is not on the reality of grief, but on the reality of God.

Know that grief is real. And it is coming to your house. Where will you turn in your storm of sorrow?

A Look into Ephesians

2010-01-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

In January and February 2010 we hope to work through the book of Ephesians on Sunday mornings. Below is a video that offers from brief thoughts about the first chapter of Ephesians. Join us each week at ImmanuelGlasgow.org as we offer the Sunday morning sermon for download, a Scripture memory verse for the week and a video with some thoughts about the specific chapter of Ephesians we've just covered.

Ephesians One Overview from Brandon Porter on Vimeo.

After watching the video or listening to the other resources, come back here and let's dialogue about what God is saying to us in His Word. We hope these resources will be very helpful to you as we live intentionally for the glory of God in 2010!

What Kind of Planner Are You?

2009-12-31T04:57:00.000-08:00

James 4:13-17 (ESV)
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

From this short passage, John MacArthur pulls out three points in his commentary on the book of James. He says we see people that ignore God’s will, deny God’s will and disobey God’s will. Those are interesting thoughts because we can all find ourselves in there somewhere. This passage is about business plans, but rest assured you're in there. Across the full span of our lives, we're all in there somewhere.

Are You Ignoring God’s Will?
How often are we guilty of making our plans without consulting God’s Word or even thinking them through this with Godly people we know? It seems that many times people don’t look for God’s help until they are in such deep trouble they are sinking fast. Sometimes we are in so deep that it is too late to escape the consequences of these poor choices. Put simply, it is our arrogance that causes us to live this way.

Are You Denying God’s Will?
Everything we do in life is done intentionally. Whether it is the building of a family business or being lazy and doing nothing, all of our actions require thought and decision. When we deny God’s will it is the act of not only ignoring God’s will, but of us believing there is a better way. And that better way, at least in theory, usually ends up being our way. Parents get upset when children transform a simple project into a hazardous disaster because they didn’t seek guidance. How many disasters have we created in our lives because we thought we knew best and were too arrogant to seek God’s help?

Are You Disobeying God’s Will?
The passage ends with a third option. It speaks to those that have studied and researched what God would have them do in a situation and they simply choose not to do it. Unfortunately, we all have been guilty of this. In a given day there are probably several things that we know are the right things to do and we don’t do it. There a thousand reasons and excuses for this behavior ranging from the task being too hard to me being too tired. Regardless, the Bible says that when we know God’s will and how we should act, when we fail to do so we sin.

Instead, You Ought To…
So, what do you do? How do you right these wrongs? James says, “Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” We should submit our plans to the Lord. We should ask for His help and guidance and we should study His Word to see if our plans will help us live lives that please Him. Are the choices we are considering consistent with God’s Word? What is the ultimate focus of our decisions? Do we desire to honor God, to help others or to exalt ourselves? Through studying God’s Word and spending time in prayer we will come to know our motives. But knowing isn’t enough. We must act faithfully and consistently with what God shows us is right.

Are Your Goals SMART?

2009-12-29T05:32:00.000-08:00

One of the things that has caught my attention in Scripture lately is the phrase "according to His will" or "according to His purpose". God didn't create this world without a plan or purpose in place. There isn't one thing that He has done or has not done that has not served a well thought out purpose. So, as we think about living intentionally we should view it as a form of Godliness as we try to reflect His purposes in our plans.

SMARTer Goals
A few years ago a friend introduced me to the SMART goal system. It has been helpful as I've made various goals and maybe it will be helpful to you also. Here it is as found at http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/smart-goals.html

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

Specific

Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do.

Specific is the What, Why, and How of the SMART model.

WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as direct, organize, coordinate, lead, develop, plan, build etc.

WHY is this important to do at this time? What do you want to ultimately accomplish?

HOW are you going to do it? (By...)

Ensure the goals you set is very specific, clear and easy. Instead of setting a goal to lose weight or be healthier, set a specific goal to lose 2cm off your waistline or to walk 5 miles at an aerobically challenging pace.

Measurable

If you can't measure it, you can't manage it. In the broadest sense, the whole goal statement is a measure for the project; if the goal is accomplished, the is a success. However, there are usually several short-term or small measurements that can be built into the goal.

Choose a goal with measurable progress, so you can see the change occur. How will you see when you reach your goal? Be specific! "I want to read 3 chapter books of 100 pages on my own before my birthday" shows the specific target to be measure. "I want to be a good reader" is not as measurable.

Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goals.

Attainable

When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop that attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. Your begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.

Goals you set which are too far out of your reach, you probably won't commit to doing. Although you may start with the best of intentions, the knowledge that it's too much for you means your subconscious will keep reminding you of this fact and will stop you from even giving it your best.

A goal needs to stretch you slightly so you feel you can do it and it will need a real commitment from you. For instance, if you aim to lose 20lbs in one week, we all know that isn't achievable. But setting a goal to loose 1lb and when you've achieved that, aiming to lose a further 1lb, will keep it achievable for you.

The feeling of success which this brings helps you to remain motivated.

Realistic

This is not a synonym for "easy." Realistic, in this case, means "do-able." It means that the learning curve is not a vertical slope; that the skills needed to do the work are available; that the project fits with the overall strategy and goals of the organization. A realistic project may push the skills and knowledge of the people working on it but it shouldn't break them.

Devise a plan or a way of getting there which makes the goal realistic. The goal needs to be realistic for you and where you are at the moment. A goal of never again eating sweets, cakes, crisps and chocolate may not be realistic for someone who really enjoys these foods.

For instance, it may be more realistic to set a goal of eating a piece of fruit each day instead of one sweet item. You can then choose to work towards reducing the amount of sweet products gradually as and when this feels realistic for you.

Be sure to set goals that you can attain with some effort! Too difficult and you set the stage for failure, but too low sends the message that you aren't very capable. Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement!

Timely

Set a timeframe for the goal: for next week, in three months, by fifth grade. Putting an end point on your goal gives you a clear target to work towards.

If you don't set a time, the commitment is too vague. It tends not to happen because you feel you can start at any time. Without a time limit, there's no urgency to start taking action now.

Time must be measurable, attainable and realistic.
Everyone will benefit from goals and objectives if they are SMART. SMART, is the instrument to apply in setting your goals and objectives.
--

One thing to remember in setting goals is that we are to wisely consider what God would have us do and how we can best honor Him through our goals. The people in James 4:13 are rebuked because they were making their goals apart from submitting them to God's will. They were not chastised because they were making goals, but because they were only relying upon themselves in making the goals. As you think through your goals make sure to submit your plans to God's will for His glory and your joy.

Living Intentionally

2009-12-25T19:41:00.000-08:00

We’ve begun the discussion about taking down the Christmas decorations at our house. Now, our attention begins to turn from the anticipation of celebrating Christ’s birth to enjoying the remainder of the break and looking forward to a new year. Sound familiar? Maybe it’s a similar theme at your house. Perhaps you’ve already been mulling around your resolutions for 2010. I know I have.

An Intentional Steward
My thinking keeps returning to one theme though. That theme is to work harder at living intentionally in 2010. None of us are promised another year, month, week or day. Whether we receive 50 more years or only 50 more minutes God has given us much freedom in making the most of what we have. Even more, He expects us to make the best of what we’ve been given as He calls us to be good stewards of our time, talent and money.

What Should You Do?
What do you need to take on intentionally? Are there people in your life that you need to intentionally forgive? Are there people you need to intentionally encourage? Is there something you should intentionally share with someone else? I’m sure something comes to your mind. Hardly anything happens accidentally in life. There are times we seem to be in the right place at the right time, but most often we are there because of preparation and hard work. We must be intentional if we are going to live a meaningful life.

Tonight as we prepared for bed one of my seven year old sons asked me to mark in his Bible where we were reading. He said he wanted to remember it after I died. Sounds a bit grim I know, but it reminded me that if I am going to choose the mark I make on his life I must be intentional about it. Oh, you can be sure that I will leave some sort of mark on his life no matter what, but if there is something I want to teach him or pass along to him I must be intentional about it. I took advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

How about you? What is an intentional change you should make today? How can you take your thought, make a plan and put it in action?

What Do You Expect?

2009-12-21T04:20:00.000-08:00

Do you realize that we all approach life with some intentional perspective? Even if you try to make it through life with no perspective at all, you must be intentional about that perspective if you are going to consistently live this way. From the way you dress to the way you talk to the way you think of other people, there is intent behind it all. We frame our lives to fit our perspectives. That’s why you might be annoyed with family members at holiday gatherings this year. Not necessarily because they are annoying, but because they are behaving outside of the perspective you have perceived as acceptable. Whether or not you receive what you wanted or not will determine whether you’ll be happy or sad when you see the gifts you receive. Our perspective shapes our expectation and we live accordingly.

Are All Perspectives Equal?
From my standpoint, though, not all perspectives are equal. Jesus says in Revelation 22:14-15 that those who “wash their robes” in His truth will receive forgiveness and welcome entry into the Kingdom of God. What does it mean to wash your robes in His truth? Well, it means to seek the restoration that Christ offers to us by forgiving our sins and then leading us to live in a way that is pleasing to God as we grow in our love and dependence in Jesus. It is an ongoing process of becoming purer and purer as we follow Him and grow in our love for Him. On the other hand, Jesus says that all those living by their own falsehoods will be left to live outside the city gate. The city He refers to is the New Heaven and the New Earth and the falsehoods are all of those perspectives that have been created by us. You know, that we are smarter than others, that we are wiser than God, that we know best, that we can control and direct things ourselves. Ever lived by any of those? One day we will all see how false these perspectives are. And if we have allowed them to govern our lives it will be costly.

An Important Examination
Perhaps that seems harsh to you. Indeed, it is direct. But, as we said before, it is important to realize that our perspectives shape our lives and we live accordingly. Why not take a moment to examine which perspectives on your life and the world around you are shaping your expectations? It will be worth your time.

Learning to Trust God

2009-12-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks I have been teaching and encouraging people to focus on the sovereignty of God. This has come in the form of lectures on Wednesday nights at Immanuel Baptist and it has come in the context of many private conversations as people have had to deal with various personal struggles. One of the aids God has provided to me (and countless others) is the book Trusting God by Jerry Bridges. It is a great summation of what God's Word has to say about learning to trust God when times are at their most difficult. In addition, it answers questions that help us understand how God is still good to us even when our lives seem to be at their worst. You can find lectures delivered by Bridges here that help lay a foundation for his book.

Trusting God is a difficult task for us, especially when we are struggling to make sense of life's events. I hope you'll take time to read or watch these videos and find the great comfort I did as we learn to rest in God's sovereignty.

Where Are You Looking?

2009-12-14T14:30:00.001-08:00

For many people the holiday season is especially difficult. Perhaps this is the first Christmas without your spouse, children or parents. Perhaps this Christmas is a difficult one because the economic downturn has had a deep impact on your family. To add to the hardship, I think people feel bad when they worry others will see them as “the person we have to contain our joy around because we know they’ve had it rough this year”. Most people don’t want their tragedy or difficulty to define them, but they feel more now than ever that people are watching them because of this circumstance. So, there is no way to get around the fact that the holidays are a difficult time for many.

Where Does Your Mind Gravitate?
God’s perfect word gives us real pictures of people facing difficult circumstances. Psalm 63 wasn’t written for Christmas, but David wrote it during a time when he knew the reality of hardship. I believe you’ll be able to identify with him in this psalm if you will listen for a moment. He says, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”

We long for satisfaction. We look in a thousand different places for it. We desire joy. We lie in our bed or sit on the couch and long for strength and help. David did the same. Where did he look? He looked to God. He saw God as the One who would ultimately bring deliverance and healing. He knew that when he stayed close to God’s “wing” he would find the support he needed so desperately.

A Simply Cry for Help
What does this longing sound like? Perhaps like a simple prayer saying, “God, please help me get through this family gathering without totally breaking down.” Or maybe it sounds like, “God, please help me appreciate the past, but not be stuck there. Help me be thankful for what you have provided for me today.” Friend, as David has said, I will recommend and pray that you will desire to cling to God and seek His strength if you find that the holidays are not so merry and bright. God knows where you are. He doesn’t waste our hurts, but desires to draw closer to Him through them. In the wake of your pain, where are you looking?

A Required Listen -- Behold, The Lamb of God

2009-12-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to Andrew Peterson's Behold, The Lamb of God a few years ago by some good friends. Little did I know at the time how this was going to impact my life. The project is an amazing God-centered Christmas project unlike anything else I've ever experienced. Not only did it make Christmas come alive, but it helped to make me appreciate God's promises and faithfulness is a much greater way. So, to sum it up, yes, I would highly recommend you buy or download it right now. This Christmas will be merrier if you!

Great Christmas Reading

2009-12-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the Christmas season will allow you some extra time for reading. Here's a book that has been a great help to me in 2009. It is The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. It is based on the story of the prodigal son found in the Gospels. Keller does a wonderful job of describing how God is the true hero of the story as He is the true Redeemer. This book will change the way you view the story of the prodigal and it might just give you a great view of God.

Considering God's Wrath

2009-12-09T07:36:00.001-08:00

Over the past four Wednesday nights we have been thinking about the greatness of God. Tonight, we will finish our study by looking at the wrath of God and the love of God. We are quick to seek out and study the love of God, but we cannot fully appreciate it until we see the wrath of God. Seeing His justice and wrath should cause us to quake with fear, and long for deliverance. This is what I will present tonight on God's wrath. Later I will post on God's love. Friends, prayerfully hear and consider the truths of God we learn from His holy and perfect Word.

God’s wrath is not a Divine blemish on His character.
Yes, many there are who turn away from a vision of God’s wrath as though they were called to look upon some blotch in the Divine character or some blot upon the Divine government. But what saith the Scriptures? As we turn to them we find that God has made no attempt to conceal the facts concerning His wrath. He is not ashamed to make it known that vengeance and fury belong unto Him. His own challenge is, “See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand. For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, I live forever. If I whet my glittering sword, and Mine hand takes hold on judgement; I will render vengeance to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me.” (Deut. 32:39-41) A study of a concordance will show that there are more references in Scripture to the anger, fury and wrath of God than there are to His love and tenderness. Because God is holy, He hates all sin; and because He hates all sin, His anger burns against the sinner. (Psalm 7:11) -- A.W. Pink

God’s wrath is a display of His holiness and justice.
The wrath of God is His eternal detestation of all unrighteousness. It is the displeasure and indignation of Divine equity against all evil. It is the holiness of God stirred into activity against sin. It is the moving cause of that just sentence which He passes upon evildoers. God is angry against sin because it is a rebelling against His authority, a wrong done to His inviolable sovereignty. Insurrectionists against God’s government shall be made to feel how great that Majesty is which they despise, and how dreadful is that threatened wrath which they so little regard. Not that God’s anger is a malignant and malicious retaliation, inflicting injury for the sake of it, or in return for injury received. No, though God will vindicate His dominion as the Governor of the universe, He will not be vindictive. -- A.W. Pink

The wrath of God received by evildoers is not revenge, it is justice.

God’s wrath should call all people to careful meditation and personal reflection.
The wrath of God is a perfection of the Divine character upon which we need to frequently meditate. First, that our hearts may be duly impressed by God’s detestation of sin. We are ever prone to regard sin lightly, to gloss over its hideousness, to make excuses for it. But the more we study and ponder God’s abhorrence of sin and His frightful vengeance upon it, the more we are to realize its heinousness. Secondly, to beget a true fear in our souls for God: “Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:28) We cannot serve Him acceptably unless there is a due reverence for His awful Majesty and godly fear of His righteous anger; and these are best promoted by frequently calling to mind that “our God is a consuming fire”. Thirdly, to draw out our souls in fervent praise for our having been delivered from “the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

God’s wrath will be a source of rejoicing at the judgment.
“After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’3 Once more they cried out, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” (Rev. 19:1-3) Great will be the rejoicing of the saints in that day when the Lord will vindicate His majesty, exercise His awful dominion, magnify His justice, and overthrow the proud rebels who have dared defy Him. - A.W. Pink

God's wrath is reality for all those that have not turned to Christ for forgiveness. At the cross He absorbed the wrath of God for all those that will love Him. Today, you are offered the free gift of the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Will you receive it?

The Value of Patience

2009-12-08T04:07:00.000-08:00

Waiting is hard to do. We always want the answer now. We always want the problem fixed now. We always want the promised gift now. And the answer we often receive is wait.

When we ignore this call to wait we pay a price. We miss the lessons and experiences that happen during the time of patience. We miss the important lessons of obedience and are left with the sour fruit of disobedience.

Today, wait upon the Lord. He knows the struggle. He knows the answer. He knows what He desires to teach you.

Psalm 25 (ESV)
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.

6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.

Heaven's Sacrifice

2009-12-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

Elvis wonders as he sings, “Why can’t everyday be like Christmas?” Certainly Christmas is filled with the hustle and bustle of busy calendars. And, yes, we often view the busyness as a burden. But, when we look closely, more times than not our calendars are filled with things we enjoy doing. If we didn’t think the dates were important we would just stay home.

Though we may feel rushed and a bit pushed, most of us secretly enjoy every minute of it. Christmas brings a time of special activities, special food and seeing people that we either don’t see very often throughout the year or that we get to see in a different light during the holidays. It isn’t often that people open their homes or have lunch gatherings like they do during Christmas.

People don’t typically open their bank accounts during the year like they do during Christmas. For the most part we cheerfully part with our money as we buy gifts for family and friends. We are on the lookout for kettles in front of stores where we can deposit change in our pockets and we hear people specifically ask about helping the less unfortunate. They look to share money, gifts, food and even time with those who find themselves in a difficult place during the Christmas season.

Is there a common theme on your calendar and in your checkbook during Christmas? Yes, it is sacrifice. During Christmas we are willing to be busier than other times of the year. During Christmas we are willing to share our homes and lives with others. During Christmas we are willing to offer a word of thanks or encouragement. During Christmas we are willing to look for those in need and act on that need. All of this requires sacrifice. During this brief season we are willing to inconvenience ourselves for the betterment of others.

Perhaps you’re wondering where we learned this. It doesn’t come naturally and I say it goes beyond the human spirit and a desire for goodwill. No, sacrifice is at the heart of Christmas. We see it best personified as God takes on flesh and comes in great humility to be born to a teenage virgin among the livestock on a night that causes angels to sing with joy. Sacrifice is best seen as God draws near to make a way for us to be with Him. Sacrifice is Christmas. Sacrificial love, service and generosity. It is the joy of Christmas.

Caution: Memories May Be Dangerous

2009-12-04T06:40:00.000-08:00

I’ll admit that I struggle while watching the scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation when Clark Griswold is trapped in the attic and ends up watching old home movies from Christmases past. As the tears roll down his cheeks I can’t help but be carried back to memories from my own childhood where traditions were established and memories were made. Reminiscing is good, but it can also be dangerous.

Listen to what Ecclesiastes 7:10 says, “Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” The passage is found in the context of someone who is struggling. The writer is cautioning them in this verse to keep from looking to the past for escape, and in the next verse he cautions them to avoid to looking to the future for their inheritance which would be another form of escape. It is quite remiscient of what Jesus says in Matthew 6:34, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” However, our point here is thinking about looking back, not ahead.

Why is it dangerous to look to the past or to the “good ole days” for our rescue? I can think of a few reasons.

Our Rose-Colored Glasses
First, the past is usually not as rosy as we remember it. Sure we have memories of hard things that have happened in life, but when we look back upon our good memories they tend to get better with age. We forget about the stress or inconvenience that was really going on at that time. As we think we think about those holiday gatherings or momentous occasions we tend to forget that there was great tension in some part of it. Often our memories of the past are not quite accurate because they have been swayed by our sincere desires to make them better.

God Is At Work Today
Second, looking back may cause us to lack appreciation for what God is doing in our lives today. By nature we are contrastors. I like this brand of peanut butter better than another. I like this song better than another. You get the idea. If we don’t guard ourselves in this type of thinking we’ll convince ourselves that God was better to us then or life was just better back then. Again, that is probably not the case. Remember, there was sin and struggle back then as well. Perhaps we have chosen to forget about that element of the memory. God is faithful. The Bible says that He does not change. He desires to actively work in the lives of His people today. Don’t miss how He wants to work in you and through you today because you can’t get your eyes off of the past.

Please hear me here, I am not calling you to forget the past. But, I am calling you to make the most of the moment God has given you to glorify Him and love others.

So, this is a blog and not book and I am only going to give you two of my reasons. What are some reasons you can think of that make the truth of Ecclesiastes 7:10 true and relevant for you?

When Life Is Not Fair

2009-12-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

That’s not fair,” has become a war cry at our home lately. Someone says it at least daily and there seems to be many things considered foul on a regular basis. Last night we were reading Philippians 4 together as a family and came across this verse, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.”

Are You Lenient?
Later on I began looking at this word reasonableness and found that it actually points to fairness, but also mixes in the ideas of patience and leniency as well. Paul continually points the readers of Philippians to be kind to one another and long suffering with one another because of the kindness and leniency Christ has shown them as believers. That is consistent, then, when we think of being reasonable because the Lord is at hand. He is aware of the situation and knows your real needs (and motives). Paul then instructs us to deal with anxiety and being treated unfairly through prayer, supplication (telling God our requests) and thanksgiving.

Are You Dependent?
The Bible is teaching us that we don’t have to be consumed with whether something is fair or not when we are depending upon God’s strength and deliverance. Is our trust in what we can accomplish, what others can do for us or how Christ will deliver us? When I am trusting in Christ to care for me and meet my needs I am able to show patience, mercy and forgiveness to others. In fact, when I am fully depending on Him I am not overwhelmed when someone takes advantage of me. Lord, please move me to this way of living. Will you ask for this same help from Christ today?

A Greater Miracle

2009-12-01T07:23:00.001-08:00

What is the greater miracle? The fact that from Heaven above God could have started and extinguished the fire of the burning bush or the fact that He sustained the bush without the fire devouring it? (You can read the account in Exodus 3 if you would like to hear the whole story.) I would say the second choice is my pick. How overwhelming to think that God would sustain the integrity of the bush as it burned without being consumed.

What is the greater miracle? For God to heal someone or to give them the strength to endure great difficulty while maintaning a loving heart, a quiet spirit and a mind of perseverance. Certainly it is a wonderful miracle to see someone healed and returned to their typical routine; but isn’t it more inspiring for us to see someone persevere with their faith not only in tact, but stronger at the end of the difficulty? Which of the two has the greatest long-term impact on family members and the church? Yet, which one do we prayer toward most often? I think I might be guilty of praying more for healing rather than this great perseverance.

What is your struggle? How are you suffering at this moment? How are you praying for those that are struggling? As you suffer, as you pray and as you seek and give encouragement remember God’s words to Paul as he struggled with a “thorn in his flesh”. God said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12) Pray for greater dependence on God’s power and that He may be magnified even through your struggle. Then, don’t just pray, seek to glorify Him with your attitude, words and actions.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:8-14

The Impact of Reading God's Word Aloud

2009-11-30T03:47:00.000-08:00

When you hear Scripture read aloud, how does it affect you? When was the last time you heard the Bible actually read aloud? If you're a church-goer you probably hear it read at some point in the service. Do you hear it read any where other than there? If you do hear it read in the service, how is it read? Is it the entire congregation reading it together? Is the Pastor or someone else reading the passage to you? If so, how do they read it? Does it sound exciting and engaging? Or, does the reading sound fairly plain...like it's being read to simply set up a sermon?

Over the last few weeks I've been reading Max McLean's book Unleashing the Word and it has had a strong impact on me. McLean who is best known for his recorded readings of the Bible makes the case that too many churches do not value the public reading of Scripture. He makes a strong Biblical and historical case to show the great power of the public reading of God's Word. For centuries much of humanity was illiterate and they were dependent upon God's Word being passed down orally. With this in mind, much of the Old Testament was written to be read aloud in story form. Many of the New Testament letters were written to be read aloud when the church gathered corporately. Yet, when I hear Scripture read in services it is usually read only in short segmented verses and it often lacks very much passion or zeal. Certainly we don't want to go too far and make our corporate Bible reading a performance every Sunday morning, but shouldn't there be something that grabs our attention as we hear God's Word read? I know there are times when I view Scripture very differently after I've heard it read aloud rather than when I've read it silently. To a greater degree the Bible comes to life when I hear it read aloud.

Think about those questions listed above. Let me hear from you. I wonder if you think much about the impact of hearing God's Word read aloud.

Are Your Tears in God's Bottle?

2009-11-24T06:11:00.001-08:00

Don’t we all spend time thinking that no one knows the trouble we’ve seen? We’re quick to say that we know other people have it so much worse, but in our hearts we are twice as quick to begin sending invitations to our own pity party. Yet, trouble is a very real part of life. For a Christian or anyone else to say that life can be trouble-free is simply not true. Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

When we look closer at the verse though, we see more than just an acknowledgement of the presence of trouble; we see Jesus directing our attention away from the trouble and calling us to place of focusing on Him. He means for you to find great comfort in those simple words, “But take comfort”. He offers you a place of rest in your struggle.

Psalm 56 is another place where we see this redirection. The great king David was no stranger to turmoil. He had many enemies through his life. Some of them were even created by his own hand. In Psalm 56 we see a pattern that is common in many psalms. David names his enemy, speaks directly to God concerning his struggle, but continually turn his focus to God’s strength and help. In Psalm 56 he is so aware of God’s care that he says, “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” David believes with all of his heart that God is very aware of the delicate condition of his heart. And he finds great comfort in this truth.

Perhaps as you read this you disagree. “If God knows my trouble He certainly doesn’t seem to offer help,” you might be saying. In both of these passages there is a great window of human responsibility that has been opened. Jesus calls people to place their trust in Him. David shows us that he makes a real choice in turning his gaze away from the trouble and putting his focus on God. If you are to know the peace and resolve offered by God, you must intentionally turn to him. Not only that, but you must humbly turn to him. This humility leads us to surrender our agenda and time table.

In your prayers and crying out to God, are you bring trust in God or simply a list of demands? It’s most natural for us to come to God with the rescue plan already figured out and expect Him to put it into action. That isn’t what God desires though. Nor is it how He typically works. He is looking for faith and trust. He is at work to change your perspective. Especially when you struggle.

A Spiritual Examination

2009-11-19T03:40:00.000-08:00

Many times we wonder how we are doing as followers of Jesus. We want to know how we can measure our maturity or spiritual growth. Dr. Donald S. Whitney, a professor at Southern Seminary, has written numerous books on the spiritual disciplines and how followers of Jesus can grow in their spiritual health. He's just published a video on YouTube that introduces his book Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. I would encourage you to spend the four minutes watching the video and then consider reading the book.

The Pursuit of Peace

2009-11-16T14:05:00.000-08:00

We hear much about world peace, don’t we? Every night the cable news shows are littered with those who would offer recommendations on how to bring peace to the conflicts on the Earth. We have lucrative prizes awarded to those who put forth effort toward and ideas on peace. And don’t forget, world peace is what most beauty queens want to bring to the universe.

But what is the best definition we can come to in regard to peace? For many, it is the absence of war. But how is that to be achieved? “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace,” said our first President, George Washington. While that may be true from a military standpoint, is it really true peace?

Real peace is not simply the lack of aggression toward another, but the ongoing act of showing kindness to others. It is making sacrifices of one’s self for the betterment of others. Whether we are speaking on the scale of nations, human relationships or humanity’s relationship with God we know a life of peace is not the typical experience of humans. It just seems out of our reach.

The question to ask here is why. The most honest answer is a fairly obvious one though it may be difficult for us to admit. We lack peace because we are usually more concerned with self than we are about others. Whether on an interpersonal level, a national level, or in your relationship with your Creator we are all centered upon self unless outside action is done to redirect our hearts. Therefore, a life of peace must be aided by the power of God.

Jesus Christ is called the Prince of Peace in the Bible. He is the One who is able to bring real change to our hearts so that we will both desire and pursue a relationship with God and peace with others. According to the Bible, there is no other path and there are no substitutes.

Waste No Words

2009-11-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

It makes for an interesting read when every word matters. Authors of well-known and best-selling stories and novels spend untold hours toiling over every word that appears in print. Can you imaging spending that much time reviewing every single word and its placement in a 500 page novel? Simply amazing. Too often I am guilty of wasting words. Maybe you are too.

When it comes to this sharp accuracy, though, many times we don’t think of the Bible in this way. We lose sight that it is actually the written and recorded words of God. Yes, it was delivered to this world through the quills of many different authors, but it is God’s ultimate revelation of Himself and how we can know Him and live at peace with Him. With God as its supreme author the dictations given to Moses, David, Peter, Paul and the other writers were thought through like no other publication.

One such area that we encounter the thoughtfulness of the Bible is in the comparisons found in the Psalms, Proverbs and New Testament. More and more I am impressed with the thoroughness of the New Testament writers when they help the reader understand the real and practical application of God’s truth. For instance, if you notice in 1 Corinthians 13 there are phrases used as Paul talks about the qualities love contains and the ones it does not. Every phrase includes simple words that are grouped together containing such power.

Take what Paul says in verses four and five when Paul says that love is not arrogant or rude. When someone is arrogant they believe they are better than others. When someone is rude they treat others as if they are better than them. In a matter of a few simple words we are instructed to look at our internal attitude and how it manifests itself externally. Two seemingly small words deliver a tremendous blow to the way we think of ourselves and treat others. They leave us with the need for hours of self-examination.

So here’s the challenge. First, read the Bible. Second, go back and read it very slowly. Sure there are parts that are not are not meant to be dissected word by word because they are narrative or historic genealogy, but the Bible has much more power than we have ever imagined. If you just take those words we mentioned above -- arrogant and rude -- you will see how God will use His word to bring correction and guidance in your life. It’s a lot to think about, but isn’t that the point?

Love Defined

2009-11-04T07:07:00.001-08:00

Our society has love all wrong. In modern times love is often expressed in terms of praise for physical beauty or some personal attribute. In other circles it is defined as a “force” that keeps the universe in balance. I’m sure you could look around and define love in many different ways. Some of those definitions are wonderful and some of them are not so great.

Yet, love is important. The Bible says that it is even more important than faith and hope. Perhaps because faith in God and hope toward God must be rooted in love from God. In fact, it is God’s display of love toward humanity that is to shape our love toward one another. That love is best displayed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, coming on a rescue mission to Earth. He came to rescue us from walking away from a the ultimate relationship we were created to enjoy, a relationship with God where we could know Him and share in His love.

How would I define love, then? I believe it is a commitment to serve. Maybe that sounds kind of dull and boring to you, but there is more there than meets the eye. The Bible uses words like covenant or promise to describe commitment. Love’s commitment is sacred and long-term. It is not wavering and it is constantly consistent. The other important word there is serve and I use it to remind us that we are are to regularly put others above ourselves. We are to look toward the good of others before we look for the benefit to ourselves. That’s hard to do. It’s especially difficult if we aren’t committed to the other person or persons.

Hopefully, this definition moves us in an entirely different direction. This definition of love calls us to focus on the other person, and their good, with abandon to our own good. The definitions I used in the beginning are ruled by what is pleasing to our eye or what will bring us the greatest benefit. See the difference? Many times real love costs us dearly because it demands that we make personal sacrifices for the good of others. Real love is indeed a commitment to serve.

Whether you agree or not I hope you will at least consider your own definition of love. Is its primary motive is to see what you might receive from others or what you can share with others as you genuinely serve them?

A Prayer Request

2009-10-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

I do voiceover work for WKCT radio in Bowling Green, KY. I do this for the opportunity it gives me to share a God-centered message on a news/talk radio station. As a trade for my work they give me airtime to contribute my own commercials.

This is one that I have just sent them and it should be aired soon. Please pray that God would be honored and would use it in a mighty way. It is a bit more direct than other commercials I have offered in the past. Thanks!

Would You Lie to A Friend?

2009-10-28T04:48:00.001-07:00

Would you lie to someone? I mean would you look them square in the face and tell another person a big, fat lie? Hopefully not. Now the truth is that we have all lied to another person at some point in our lives, but most of us try to avoid making lying a regular practice in our lives.

Now, may I ask you another question? Have you ever told someone one thing and then told another person the direct opposite? Have you ever told someone a particular situation was fine and when asked about it by another person responded by belittling the other person, the request they made or griping about the situation in general?

Let's connect these two questions. Would you agree that when you tell one person that you agree and are in favor of a specific situation or decision and then complain about it to another you are lying? Think about it for a moment. If you tell two people two different things one must true and the other must not. Ouch, we are all guilty of this aren't we and maybe we didn't even think of it as lying.

Why would we do something like this? There are a number of reasons. Perhaps we don't like conflict so we just go with the flow rather than voicing our true opinions. Only to be left to “vent” to someone else and believe our venting is an excusable relief of frustration. Maybe we enjoy the drama and look for the opportunity to create conflict at any given opportunity. I suppose there is also the chance that we have adopted griping into our daily routines and vocabulary. So, being truthful is something we don't regard highly because we are accustomed to complaining on a regular basis.

Now listen, I'm not giving you license to blast away every time you disagree with a decision. No, I'm calling you to speak the truth. There's more to truth-telling, though. The Bible says that we are to speak the truth in love. In fact, the Bible says that we are to speak words that builds others up and to avoid words that tear others down. This takes a careful, methodical approach. When we are critiquing a comment or decision, we must remember to be intentional in kindly sharing our thoughts. But we must share them those true thoughts. If we don't, we aren't being honest and that is lying. Yes, it is more difficult. But, honestly, aren't the most meaningful things in life usually the most difficult?

Cheer Carefully

2009-10-19T11:55:00.001-07:00

When did the fan base of a sports team become a nation? I was given a game schedule recently for a university that you would know well and it proudly called this team’s nation to action. I first heard of a fan base being referred to as a nation a few years ago by a group of fanatical sports types in professional football. I thought it was something that only happened out on the West Coast. Now, it seems that every team has a nation that is following them.

Last year I had the chance to travel to New York to attend a professional football game. The game featured a huge rivalry and the debut of Brett Favre in his first, of many, revolving uniforms. I was overwhelmed at the spectacle of the thousands of fans and their gigantic emotional response to every single play. These fans spent their entire Sunday outside of the stadium, inside the stadium and on their way home from the stadium. Their investment was not Sunday alone, mind you, as I listened to them talk I realized they had spent countless hours learning statistics and other facts about both teams playing in the game. Their investment was not time alone, either. They had greatly invested in clothing, hats, blankets, jewelry, and, don’t forget, face paint.

Listen, I like sports. I’ve played sports nearly all of my life. All year long I look forward to coaching my kids in various sports. But there seems to be something dangerous about our fascination with a recreational event when it takes on the status of being called a nation. As you prepare for the bowl season and the madness that comes in the spring, take an inventory of your commitment level to your team and then measure it against your commitment to your family or your faith. I know we would never believe that our hobbies carry more weight in our lives than our families or our faith, but it’s worth your consideration. Do you spend more time preparing to watch the big game or encouraging your wife? As you think of all of those stats you have stored in your head I wonder how they measure up to your knowledge of the Words of our Creator. When you hold the accomplishments of a magical October Classic or the joy of March Madness in light of eternity, how much weight should they carry in your life? Go ahead and cheer, but don’t lose sight of the most important things in life.

Building the Future

2009-10-12T15:29:00.001-07:00

I had lunch with my kindergartner for the first time today at Highland Elementary School. I've been to several programs at school and dropped her and her brothers off every day, but I have never encountered a moment like today. Since I was considered a special guest we had the opportunity to sit at a private table in the back of the cafeteria. We talked about how the day was going and what she was learning. We discussed the kids that came in the cafeteria and which of the “big kids” she knew. We just chatted up a storm. It was simply delightful.

And somewhere in the conversation between bites I caught a glimpse of a little girl who was not so little any more. Where was the toddler and preschooler? How has almost six years passed so quickly? Through her facial expressions and in her eyes I could see flashes of the future. It was quite sobering. It was a wake up call. This cute little girl will soon be a lovely young lady who will become a beautiful woman. The challenge is that her beauty is something her Mom and I can influence. Yes, from a physical standpoint she will be beautiful like her mom, but we're looking for more. We're looking for beauty that comes from within. The beauty that Proverbs 31 calls excellent and worth more than rubies.

In that flash of a moment I realized that I must be intentional. Quiet conversations need to be filled with chit chat, but there must be more. There must be pointed character building questions and answers. I must help her understand where her beauty originates and how it is defined. These conversations will not happen magically or by chance. I need to prepared for every opportunity I get to help her in becoming the woman God has created her to be.

The truth is, God has given all of us opportunities like this with people in our lives. We make an impact on everyone we talk to. Sometimes we miss the opportunity and the person walks away thinking that we don't have much to say. Sometimes they walk away thinking we are foolish in what we share. But sometimes they walk away from our conversation and their lives are shaped forever by the words we just exchanged. If you want to be this person who makes an impact you must be intentional. How will you make your words count? How will you intentionally build someone up today?

Questions that Matter

2009-10-08T11:56:00.001-07:00

Are there questions that you wonder if the Bible has an answer for? Take a moment and email your question to me at brandonp@ibcglasgow.org. We'll try to think through the answer and post it in an audio format. I'll try to answer a few per week.

Hope to hear from you!

I Wander As I Wonder

2009-10-04T04:47:00.001-07:00

I Wander As I Wonder

No purpose of the Lord can be thwarted. That’s what Job said as the great calamities of his life came to an end, human reasoning was put aside and he turned to God for help and comfort.

Except, his turning to God wasn’t gentle. No, initially it looked more like demanding than turning. Job said that many men would listen to him and receive his wisdom. He said that there were many who would simple walk away heeding his advice after he spoke. He thought God was going to do this as well. He believed God should clearly display His reasoning for the sorrow that had come and grant Job full understanding.

God did not.

No, God took Job on a long journey through the creation pointing out the beauty and majesty of the land, sea and skies. Could Job truly feed the goats on the highest and most remote span of mountains? Could Job swim to the depths and tame the mightiest fish in the sea? Could he bring the rain or snow in their proper time?

It is true that Job suffered much. It is true that initially he remained steadfast in his faith. But even Job wandered from his security in God’s goodness as his friends cast doubt on his belief. Yet, there is kindness after the storm. After his friends finished their homilies, Job was left to wonder. And, yes, there was time when his wondering caused him to wander.

But God came to his aid.

God did not provide answers though. He did not give reasons as to why such great tragedy had occurred. Instead, He provided evidence of His sovereignty. He provided proof of His greatness. It was enough for Job.

Daily Focus

2009-09-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Meditation is something that is intimidating for many Christians. I think it's because it has become associated with Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, in our modern culture and that makes Christians believe that it is not for them. Yet, the Bible is clear when it calls us to meditate on God's Word throughout our day. It is the call of passages such as Deuteronomy 6 and Psalm 19:14. God's call to meditate is not empty your mind of every thought, but to fill it with the truth of God's Word and to consider these truths throughout the day.

So, how do you meditate on the Word of God? Simply put, you think about what you've read all during the day. I'm sure there are a dozen things on your "to do" list in a given day and you certainly cannot give all of your time to reading or even thinking about Scripture. However, there are times when you're mind goes to neutral. We all reflect on something throughout the day. Whether it's the great play on SportsCenter, or the upcoming shopping trip or vacation...there is something that comes back to your mind when you go to neutral. Reading and thinking about a Scripture passage early in the day will give you the opportunity to continue thinking (meditating) on it throughout the remainder of the day.

Here's an article from Dr. Donald Whitney at the Center for Biblical Spirituality that will help you think more about meditating on God's Word throughout your day.

You Will Leave a Mark

2009-09-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder what your family or friends might write on your tombstone? You may have some things you hope they will write on it, but the greater mystery is to know what they would actually say about you. It will certainly be an indicator as to the kind of a mark you have left on them and this world. Clichés abound for the good we intend to do but never accomplish. So I’ll ask in a simple question. Will you be remembered as a person with many good intentions, or as a person of noble accomplishment?

Most likely, the latter is where you want to end up, and that begs the question, how do you get there? Before you can accomplish all of these deeds that will leave society better than you found it, you need to open your eyes and look around. As you drive around town do you think about what you could do to make this a better place to live? Too often we’re in such a rush to get from point A to point B that we never think of how we can make an impact on our families, our neighborhoods or our community. What could you do in your home that it would be a better place for all who live there? Unfortunately, we’re so self-absorbed that it is often major work to think of anyone other than ourselves. If you ‘re going to make a mark on the world you must start looking around, asking questions, and seeking out the needs of family, friends and fellow citizens. This work begins with a desire to care more for others than you care about yourself.

Yes, it will take sacrifice and effort, but all worthwhile projects include those characteristics. We have been created in the image of God. Jesus said that He did not come to Earth to be served, but to serve. We reflect His glory greatest when we think much of God and others and little of ourselves. Thinking and living this way does not make you worthless. In fact, you’ll find just the opposite to be true. Giving and serving lead to finding our greatest worth and accomplishment in life.

Can't I Just Stay Home?

2009-09-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

In recent days I have encountered a few people personally and heard a few more stories about people who do not believe that international missions is something that local churches should be pursuing. Most often the case is made that there is plenty of need here in our community or in our state, and we should let people take care of themselves in other parts of the world.

So, I’ve set out to think about this a bit. I’ve come up with five quick reasons of why we should pursue missions internationally. By no means do I consider this an exhaustive list, but it’s what comes to my mind quickly. Here we go…

1. Jesus tells us to go.
In Luke 24:46-49 Christians are told to proclaim the Gospel to every nation. In Acts 1:6-11 Jesus commands Christians to make disciples from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. The concentric circles of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth show us that missions is not to be exclusively about our own backyard. Followers of Jesus are given a picture of a circle that grows until it encompasses the entire globe.

I believe people lose sight of the fact that missions is first and foremost a Gospel ministry. The primary mission is not meeting physical needs. Meeting those needs is important, but they are secondary to sharing the Gospel. When people tend to think of missions as only a meeting of the physical need then it might make sense that we should spend all of our time helping poor people in our town. But missions is more than that. It is primarily about sharing the Gospel.

2. There are people that have not heard the Gospel.
According to the Joshua Project there are over 6,000 people groups on the planet today that have not yet heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is hard for people to believe that own numerous Bibles and can purchase a Bible in the check-out aisle of your local supermarket, but is true. There are millions of people that need to hear the Gospel not for the sixth or seventh time, but for the first.

3. People’s needs are the same all over the world.
Just this week I stood on the Mexican banks of the Rio Grande and talked with a missionary who was working with people in deep poverty. We discussed what was going on in their lives, their physical needs, and, most importantly, their spiritual needs. I was very moved by the fact that the core needs of the people there were the same as the people who live in my nice, clean neighborhood in Kentucky. Sin takes us on different paths, but it leads to the same longing in our hearts. The longing for redemption, healing and direction. Don’t be fooled by those who tell you that you can’t relate to someone who speaks a different language and lives in a different culture. You have much more in common with them than you think.

4. Followers of Jesus are encouraged by the work of other followers of Jesus.
As a pastor I am often lifted up by others working alongside me in ministry. Whether they come to lend a hand in the work God has given me to do or simply report on what God is doing through their work, their encouragement is always invaluable. It has been such a blessing to talk with pastors in Honduras and, now, Mexico to hear how the Holy Spirit faithfully works among God’s people and calls the lost to repentance. I believe that if I am encouraged by others I can be an encouragement to others. It is well worth the time and energy to offer this encouragement.

5. American Christians are some of the most financially blessed people in the world.
Many Christians around the world do not have the resources to leave their home countries to travel on short-term mission trips around the world. God has blessed many, if not most, American Christians with the financial ability to go to the uttermost parts of the earth and share the Good News. How are we stewarding our money? Is it being used for the sake of the Great Commission or the American Dream?

That’s my quick list. What do you think? Disagree? Can you add anything to it? I would love to hear from you.

Avoiding Easy Street

2009-09-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

Sacrifice is not something we seek on a regular basis. At least I don’t. “How can I deny myself for the good of someone else?” That isn’t a question that automatically pops into my head. No, too often I am headed for that path of least resistance. You know, it is sometimes called Easy Street. Looking for that road today?

Yet, sacrifice often produces immeasurable results. Think about the results produced by your mother in giving birth. Her sacrifice was great and you have her to thank for your life. What about the sacrifice of teachers (whether in a classroom or not)? They pass on the wisdom and knowledge they have gained even when it is hard to show continual patience to the learner.

What about the sacrifice of the soldier? Remember the blood that has been shed and the life that been forfeited for the past three centuries by those wearing an American flag on their shoulder to provide the freedoms you enjoy. Soldiers, and their families, have given much for you to pursue this path of least resistance.

Which makes me wonder if I should be pursuing this path at all?

Think of the sacrifice of the man who is also God, Jesus Christ. He freely gave His innocent life so that we may find restoration and hope in Him. If even the Creator made a sacrifice, shouldn’t the creation? Are we above Him? If Jesus provided the example of the life that is pleasing to God, and it included sacrifice, shouldn’t I be considering how I might sacrifice for others?

It isn’t for me to tell you how to make a sacrifice for others in your life. It might be easier to figure out than you may think, though. Open your eyes. Take a look around your home. What might you do to help those that live there with you? What about in our community? Are there needs that you could meet? Yes, it might cost you money or time, but isn’t the difference worth the investment? What about in our state, this country or our world? It’s far easier to gripe than it is to make the sacrificial to bring change. But no one ever remembers gripers, do they? At least, not in a positive way.

In fact, I would encourage you to avoid Easy Street altogether. It only seems to be a dead end. Why not take a ride down Difficult Lane? It is more strenuous to navigate, but those who travel this road make a difference in life.

A Proper Emotional Response

2009-09-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a question I received via email concerning the message on True Worship from Sunday morning, September 20. I thought it was a good one and thought you might benefit from the dialogue...

Question:
You speak of a soulful heart, yet I truly believe that my heart could be soulful in any setting because the intent and the feelings arise from me despite the setting. I could be in a catholic church and choose to find and feel the soulful intents of that setting as I could do the same in an all black church downtown New Orleans. The settings are indicative of the culture of the people, the soul finding comes from me! Yes? Therefore variety and spunk and praise and a solid AMEN are simply the culture of IBC goers, or has the culture calmed down on purpose and I just need to change?

Response:
I'm not sure what you mean exactly, but if you're talking about the word "soulical" that was used in the quote yesterday from A.W. Pink I can explain that. Pink was talking about emotionalism. There is no doubt there is emotion when it comes to God working in our lives, but we must be careful to not be swept into emotionalism. Emotionalism, what Pink called being soulical, is when a leader works to get the congregation stirred into a frenzy based on emotion alone. There have been many times I have experienced a pastor, especially at the end of the service during the invitation, try to get everyone in the room to respond emotionally so he uses everything from sentimentality to guilt. This skates very closely to the line of manipulation. Worship in spirit and in truth comes from a heart felt response to God for the work He has done through Christ for us and in us. There is a difference between this emotion and emotionalism.

It could be hard to distinguish this difference by looking on the outside of a person. We don't know if someone is in tears for show or as an authentic sign of gratitude toward Christ. So, it is not mine to judge the motive of others' hearts. However, as a leader, I do bear the responsibility of trying to protect our corporate times of worship so that they point to Christ and aren't used to simply produce an emotional response alone. And, as a pastor I am called to remind the member to examine their heart to make sure their emotion is gratitude and worship toward Christ and not emotionalism alone.

So, yes, I do think you could worship in spirit and truth wherever the truth is being sung and preached. And, no, I'm not looking to remove anyone's emotion from the service at Immanuel Baptist when it is aimed in the proper direction. It has been amazing to me how there have been times of emotion filled worship on the mission field where I don't know all of the words of the song, but I know enough to know the truth we are singing about.
--

What do you think?

Joy Realized

2009-09-18T07:01:00.001-07:00

Being a baseball coach over the past few years has been a great learning experience. I have found many of the phrases and baseball terms that I take for granted were unknown to five, six and seven year old children. I would say something like, “Take a knee,” and they would just look at me. Then I would explain and they would gather around on one knee. We had to learn where each base was located, and to make sure we ran to them in the proper order. Sure many of the mistakes made in the learning process made for cute home videos, but not great baseball play.

From this experience I learned quite a bit about assuming. I discovered that there were many things that I had known for years that I took for granted. I forgot that I only knew them because someone taught me along the way. I also learned how joy changes at different stages in life. Now, that I cannot play Little League anymore, I find my joy in teaching kids the rules and flow of the game. When a player does well or the team plays to their potential I find satisfaction in knowing that I have played some part in the learning process for them. There is great joy in the transferring of knowledge that has been passed down to me.

Our faith is similar. There are many people who have been Christians for a long period of time. The Christian life, with its supposed routines and terminology, has become old hat for them. They take for granted that everyone else should know what to do within the life of a local church. Once this stage is reached there is a tendency for the faith to become stale because the individual has what they believe is a sufficient working knowledge.

We need to be nudged, though, to carefully avoid reaching this place in life. Christians must remember that there are many who do not have an accurate understanding of Jesus Christ and will not gain this understanding unless it is explained to them. Our joy should not be in the security of our own salvation alone, but in the sharing and explanation of our faith with others. In addition, our personal love and worship for Jesus Christ must not become stale with complacency. How could we ever know all there is to know about an infinite Creator? We must be active in maintaining that childlike curiosity and pursuit of learning about God. An increase in understanding is not enough, though, we must do the work of enriching our love for Christ.

Yet, be humbled to know that Christians do none of these things alone. It is God who has directed our understanding. He is the one that has shown patience to us. He is the one that has supplied teachers to us along the way to provide the explanations we need. He is the one that has loved us first. As we grow in an understanding and love of Jesus Christ we are called to share our joy with others because it has been shared with us.

Where are you in this process? Are you bored? Do you need to fan the flame of love and curiosity again in your faith? Have you experienced the joy of sharing your knowledge of Christ with someone lately? Please be careful to avoid making assumptions or drifting to the point of becoming stale.

Satisfaction Sought

2009-09-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Why can’t I seem to find satisfaction? I’ve looked and looked, but every road seems to be a dead end,” she said, “I’ve been married more times than I care to remember and none of those guys delivered the love or joy they promised. How could they? They didn’t even stick around long enough to see if we could find it.”

Outwardly she looked fine. She was a model employee at work. She had even been recognized for her hard work ethic and high levels of achievement. But inwardly, she was a mess and she knew it. She lived with the fear of how their opinion would change if they knew that her hard work on the outside was only a cover for the pain on the inside. She couldn’t let them see. It must remain veiled. At times she didn’t know what was worse – the lack of satisfaction or the fear that her masquerade would be uncovered.

One day she struck up a conversation with a man at the water cooler. She was surprised that he was just talking to her as a friend. She was used to men always trying to lead the conversation in a way she was tired of going. He was different though. Over the months they would bump into one another at the water cooler and he would ask about her life, her family, her frustrations and he remembered them. From time to time she would be surprised by the way he remembered the details of her life. He seemed to care about her rather than what he might be able to get from her.

“Why is he different?”, she often wondered, “Why does he care?” He said it was because he had someone that cared deeply for him and he knew how important it was to be loved. He seemed to have joy and satisfaction she was always missing. He said it didn’t come easy. It wasn’t because his life was problem free. No, it was because he had a friend. Who was this friend? Was this friend looking for any other friends?

Being a pastor, you probably know where I am going with this story. Yes, I am headed toward Jesus Christ being this mysterious friend. The story above is an adaptation from the New Testament passage found in John 4:1-30. I would encourage you to read it and think about the satisfaction Christ offers. The satisfaction He offers is something we all long for. Do you have it?

Navigating the Political Climate

2009-09-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

In the United States we are being bombarded with discussion and debate concerning a issues such as health care and economics. These are important discussions indeed, but what is the source of your opinion? Listen to this and see if it leads to a helpful source.

Words that Build

2009-09-07T08:59:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been around someone that found something positive and encouraging to say about every situation? Do you know a person that could find something refreshing about even the most draining experience? I have a friend that is able to do just that. When I’m with him I try to just listen. I try to learn to think the way he does, to see life as he does and speak like he does.

Listen on and don’t make a quick dismissal of what I say. He is laden with responsibility, deals with difficult people and faces challenges all day long. But somehow he finds the hidden sunshine on the most overcast days and, even more, he shares its beams with others.

He embodies what Scripture says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29) Corrupting talk is made of words that tears down. We’re good at that sort of thinking and speaking. It comes naturally for most of us as it seems to roll out of our mouths before we’ve given it a second thought. But a second thought and second look is worthy of our attention. The second thought in the verse above says our talk should be good for building up. There is always something encouraging to be said even in the most difficult situation. Encouragement can always be found when it is sought. Building up takes work, but it is a noble task.

So, to my friend (you know who you are), thank you for your encouraging words. I am not only thankful for when they have been aimed at me, but I am thankful for all of the times that I have heard them aimed at others. And even more than being thankful for them, I have learned from them. They have caused me to do the work of thinking before I speak and looking for the beam of light behind the darkest cloud. They have indeed given me grace and called me to show grace. And now for you, reader, will you take the time to give thought to your words? We’re listening.

Mistaking Pride for Wisdom

2009-09-02T09:33:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wanted to shield someone from information you thought would be harmful to them? Sometimes family members won’t let one another know about illnesses until they have passed because they don’t want the other person to worry. This doesn’t make sense to me. Deep down we long for relationships because we were created for relationships. So why do we hide from relationships?

Some times we hide because of our pride. We don’t want other people to see us when we are weak or failing. We want to hide behind the fig leaf of invincibility. True is, everyone knows you are not invincible because they are not invincible.

Some times we hide because of faulty wisdom and reasoning. We believe that if we just handle the problem we will shelter others from heartache and frustration. Truth is, we (and others) often grow best through adversity. Usually, relationships are strengthened and wisdom is developed through difficulty. When we deny the appropriate people the chance to help us we both lose.

In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul calls followers of Jesus to rejoice with those that rejoice, weep with those that weep and to avoid being wise in your own eyes. It would seem obvious that you cannot rejoice or weep in the right way, then, without others. But what about the wisdom part? To avoid being wise in our eyes we must have someone else thinking through the problem with us. If we simply act on our own hunches, theories or solutions we might fall into the trap of believing we are so wise that we don’t need any one else to help us. Is that real wisdom? If I hear someone proclaim himself as wise I usually steer clear of him because I fear that person is mistaking wisdom for prideful arrogance.

So, the next time you have a significant struggle in your life, don’t go it alone. Turn to those you see as caring and wise. Let them be a part of the solution. Most likely you will figure out a better solution, and you will give the other person an opportunity to grow as a follower of Christ.

Redeeming the Days

2009-08-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

I put a bottle of water in the freezer. I want a bottle of cold water. Not a bottle of ice. And I sure don’t want an icy mess in the freezer either. Cold water is what I want. Better watch the clock to make sure time doesn’t slip by. I better be intentional.

What are you trying to accomplish with your time? Do you have some goals? Are there some things you want to accomplish in life before time runs out? It will slip by, you know. The clock is ticking even now.

We aren’t looking for mere busyness though. We’re looking for effectiveness. We should be looking to redeem the time. Have you really considered how you will use your time to bring results? Good marriages don’t just happen. Neither do raising children of character. Growing in your faith doesn’t just happen either. It takes time and even a plan.

The Bible calls us to redeem our time because the days are evil. Now saying the days are evil doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going to do something immoral or illegal if you don’t plan to avoid that activity. Evil days are wasted days. We’ve all had those days. You come to the end of the evening and you really don’t know where the day went. You’re left frustrated because nothing of value has been accomplished.

Redeemed days are those where righteousness has been accomplished. You had some solid conversations. You’ve spent some time thinking about your life and how it compares to God’s way of living. You served someone. A major project is out of the way or maybe at least begun. Rest even holds redemptive value. Are you planning for these things to happen?

My water bottle is going to freeze in the freezer. It is a scientific fact that my time is limited. If I forget about it and fail to plan accordingly I’ll just have a regretful mess. Life is the same way. You may not know how many hours and days you have, but it is set. When it ends will look at it and see some of those achievements that were intentional or will you be dealing with a regretful mess? Redeem the days.

Would You Listen?

2009-08-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

If I were to create a 2-3 minute devotional thought a couple of times per week, would you listen? It would be something you could stream or download so it would be easily accessible.

Let me hear from you to know if you would listen on a regular basis? After all, I'm not interested in just talking to myself. I do that enough any way!

True Religion is...

2009-08-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning we read from Isaiah 1:12-20. In the middle of this passage God calls His people to, "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause." There are many meaningful calls to action in this passage, but I was (and still am) thinking about bringing justice to the fatherless.

As many of you know, our oldest boys, Maddox and Isaac, are adopted. They were born in Kazakhstan. Monica and I had the opportunity to bring them into our family when they were only six months old. Now they are seven years old and it seems that adoption process happened a lifetime ago. At times I forget that they are adopted. While that is good on one hand, I don't want to forget they were adopted.

The adoption of children is such a beautiful picture of what God has done for Christians through Christ. Paul makes the direct comparison in Ephesians 1. The love I have for my boys reminds me of the love God has for me.

Adoption is important and should be remembered by more than those who face infertility issues. It is something that all Christians should hold as a priority. I am thankful that there are many churches across our country that are bringing adoption to the forefront. There is now a conference called Together for Adoption that seeks to bring attention to adoption. I pray that God will lead many to care for the fatherless through adoption.

Of course, orphans are only one category of children that are fatherless. There are others that are fatherless. Some of them may even live on your street. How will you care for the fatherless this week?

See Through Their Eyes

2009-08-24T05:54:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I follow senior adults. That’s right; sometimes I try to follow them at a very close range. Before you think bad thoughts though, let me explain. Years ago I was talking with a senior adult lady who was sharing her frustration with younger people who are impatient with her because she moved a little slower than they did. She told me she wanted to move faster, but with knees, hips, ankles and feet that were feeling the wear of many years she just couldn’t move any faster. She said that if they could feel the pain in every step that she feels maybe they would understand and be a little more patient. I had never thought of that being the reason some people move slower than others. To remember that conversation occasionally I will intentionally walk up stairs or down a sidewalk behind a senior adult so that I will be reminded that life won’t always move at my pace. Seeing this senior adult’s reality I am reminded I need to be patient.

How often do we consider other people’s perspective on life? Too often I find myself expecting everyone to move at my pace and, honestly, wanting them to move at my command. Until we slow down long enough to consider where someone else is coming from, we won’t know how to serve them.

For instance, if I don’t slow down and try to understand where my children are coming from I won’t be able to help them. If I don’t understand why they are frustrated or what they do not understand I won’t know how to truly help them remedy the issue at hand. Sure I could just fix the problem, but I won’t be able to help them learn how to solve problems on their own.

As a pastor, if I don’t know the struggles of the people I am supposed to serve I won’t be able to serve them well at all. I have to be able to see the world through their eyes. That is the point of God coming to earth and becoming flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ is able to understand the human experience and care for us not only from the Creator’s viewpoint, but from the vantage point of someone who has shared in the human experience as well.

When was the last time you looked through someone else’s eyes? Why not have a conversation today and really listen to make sure you understand the other person’s perspective. Then, you might be able to serve them in a way that will make a lasting difference in their life.

A Hypocrite's Confession

2009-08-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

I lost it. I really did. Fortunately, it isn’t my mind I’m talking about, but my temper. I was faced with some choices in dealing with a difficult situation and I chose poorly. I was guilty of letting my pride get the best of me and a great display of anger was unleashed. To add to it, the storm had rumbled early in the day and I was left to watch the replay in my mind over and over all day long. After watching for a few hours, my anger turned to hurt and frustration that I had blown it once again.

It's not the end of the story, though. There is hope. God did not turn away. In fact, He used the remainder of the day to teach me about this early morning conniption.

First, I was set to talk with a man about a struggle he has having. What might this struggle be? That’s right, anger. I’m having lunch to talk about this man's anger and all I could think of was mine. Ever been there? Needless to say as I listened to the biblical wisdom I was giving him, I wondered if I would heed my own words.

After I survived the lunch of conviction salad, I returned to the computer to finish some work. The phone rings and it’s another friend seeking some advice in a different counseling situation. As our conversation rolls on he says, “Isn’t it funny how God uses the things we tell other people in counseling to deal with our own problems?” No, it’s not. At least that’s what I wanted say. By this time I was really starting to get the point. God had seen my little display earlier in the day and was now at work correcting me. There were no lightning bolts or voices from Heaven, just nudges throughout the day to get my attention. He got it.

You’ll be happy to know that I did return to the scene of the crime. I did seek and receive forgiveness. And, I did leave with a desire to learn and grow from the experience.

But I also left wondering how often God weaves people and conversations through our day so that we will ultimately think of Him. Do we truly realize that God is at work all around us? Have you taken notice of how active He is in your world?

What's In Your Schedule?

2009-08-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

What’s on your schedule today? Why is it there? As you made your plans, have you considered how they impact the Kingdom of God? Would you be able to recognize the Kingdom of God? Do you have a desire to live within the Kingdom of God?

These questions do matter because Jesus has told us that we are able to live within the Kingdom of God even now.

In John 3 Jesus says that the only way you can see or enter the Kingdom of God is to be born again. Questions may arise through that phrase “born again”, but let’s first consider what the Kingdom of God is.

In Romans 14:17, Paul says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” So, the Kingdom of God is not as much a physical place as it is a state of being. It is a place of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. It could be said, then, living in the Kingdom of God is to finding our joy as we live in an understanding and application of God’s ways of living.

How do we do this? It comes down to the lenses by which we view our world. To one person something is weird. To another it is normal. Where do you find your definition of normal or different; right or wrong? What is our goal of success? What is our goal for joy? Where do we seek our joy and satisfaction? I know you’re looking because I am too. Are we looking for God’s wisdom in our decision-making? Or, are we looking to our own wisdom or to what everyone else seems to be doing around us? The competition is fierce. There are many that are vying for your attention. At the end of the day, though, not everyone’s wisdom is equal.

As Paul says, finding righteousness, peace and joy in God comes only from God.

Are you seeking it?

In our next blog we’ll talk about how you can find it.

Peace and Quiet

2009-08-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

Will you help me? I've been asked to write an article for the Barren County Progress and I want your feedback on my first submission. Here it is. Read it and let me hear from you...

--

The peaceful and quiet life. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Yet, we know it is elusive. It’s probably something people do in some other town. Our lives are active and busy. There are always errands to run, chores to be finished and deadlines to meet. And, even if we aren’t on the go that much our minds are always racing. There is little doubt that we can become overwhelmed quite easily. We don’t like this fact, but many find it true more often than not. Does it have to be this way? What causes us to be this way?

There must be something that motivates our busyness. The calendar doesn’t dictate our lives to us. We hold the pencil in our hand. We allow ourselves to be overwhelmed and driven until we are run ragged. But why? Could it could be that our fear of what others think of us drive us to this maddening pace? We don’t want to be thought of as the bad son or daughter, the parents that are always lagging behind or the neighbor everyone talks about at the end of their driveways. We don’t want to be the employee that seems to underachieve. Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t work hard and take care of our responsibilities. Indeed, we should. What I’m saying is that I often take on too much because I’m worried about what others are thinking of me. And I think you might as well. In my pursuit to be perceived as living the peaceful and quiet life I create waves of chaos to keep the illusion flickering on the screen of life.

Is there a solution? Paul, an author of the New Testament of the Bible, offers a suggestion. Prayer and humility before God are what he recommends. Prayer forces us to acknowledge that God is working all around us. Whether we are asking God for wisdom or provision, or thanking Him for what He has given we are forced to realize that He is the Giver and we are the receiver. He is the Need-meeter and we are the needy. The humility we discover in 2 Timothy 2:1-7 tells us that we are, ultimately and supremely, to be concerned with pleasing God. And there is that notion of pleasing again. It’s interesting that when we please God many of the people mentioned above are pleased also. Not all, but many. Then, maybe we’ll find that peace and quiet we desire.