Tuesday, December 31, 2013

A Prayer for Preparation to Read Scripture

Its my hope that this year may find you making a new resolution or two concerning spiritual things.  I gave up making them for myself a few years ago.  This year I think shall be different.  This year I am resolving to be a better disciple maker and to proclaiming our call to disciple making at BCC.

A significant part of being a disciple and disciple maker has to be the Word of God.  For today’s blog, I want to consider a few rich details from Psalm 119: 33-37:

:33  Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.  34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.  35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.  36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.  37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. 

The psalmist makes 5 important requests of God in order for him to really be prepared to take in the word of God.

The first request is for teachability.  We all have hard hearts at some point or another.  We might be receptive about some things, but not about everything.  There is a discipline to learning, but sometimes we do come to the end of our willingness to learn.  When that happens, we need God to help us keep our hearts malleable and soft.  

Request number two is for understanding.  Its impossible to really understand in the spiritually dead condition we are born with.  And even after salvation we live with the fog produced by living and being taught all our lives by the world and its philosophy.  This prayer request is a recognition that we need God to grant us insight, first to take in the word, second to understand the principle, and third on how to apply it.

Direct me in the paths (35) does an adequate job of interpreting the verb form, which is a “causative” of the verb Darak.  “Cause me to walk” is the idea.  The psalmist is aware of our tendency to stray even when we know the right way to go.  The psalmist prays that God would check that tendency to wander: “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it...Take my heart and take and seal it…” as the song writer wrote.  May God always keep us and check us from getting off the path, and then from gettting TOO far off of it!

Request four is for turning our hearts.  The evidence of our own lives, and how much more even scripture, tells us that human beings are born with black hearts that are ever ready to deceive and turn us away from the truth.  Lord, keeps us aware of our tendency to self excuse, and help us to put to death those black hearts!  The psalmist prays for help to turn our bent hearts back toward God.

Last, “turn my eyes away from worthless things.”  All too often worldly things captivate us.  Its not bad to admire beauty in our world.  But there are things that are like candy for our souls.  They may taste sweet, but they are not things you want to live on.  Many things present themselves to us in this way.  They look/taste sweet, and our eyes and life turns toward them.  Maybe for a few moments...not too bad.  But to be captivated?  We end up making our souls feast on these things, but they only leave us empty.  They are worthless in the big scheme of things.  The word, by contrast, is a truly filling and healthy feast for our souls.  The psalmist prays that we would not dwell long on spiritual candy, but to turn back to the word which truly satisfies.  

In short, this could be a prayer you say when you are ready to take in scripture:

God, may my prayer here be heard
Make me a person that’s teachable,
May your word be understandable,
May my footsteps be directable, 
Make my heart bendable,

And let my eyes be statisfied by your Word

Sunday, December 29, 2013

When times are tough the tough get praising!

Ps 108

Understanding the situation in life in which something is written helps us to unlock more of the eternal principles that God has enshrined in His scriptures.  In the Psalm we are looking at today, David is writing to God after what seems to have been a short season of defeat before His enemies.

David did not always experience victory, even as a King. There were times of challenge, and times when he needed to look to God for help.  He knew that God had made him promises.  Some of the promises are actually mentioned in these verses (7-9).  

A series of defeats  has lead David to conclude that God is no longer going out with his armies.  He asks, “Haven’t you rejected us?  You do not go out o God, with our armies.”  He knows that there can be no victory without God.

When we experience trouble and defeat, what is our response?  All too often it goes beyond a mere question like David’s.  We can and should ask questions out of faith about God’s plan, and if we have strayed from it.  But so often we don’t just ask questions, but rather, we doubt God’s goodness.  Sometimes we may doubt if God cares, or suggest that He may even have rejected us.  Maybe He is even incapable of delivering us!  

David, however, exemplifies for us one who is struggling with his circumstances, but knows that God is still good and more than able to help.  He believe’s God’s promises.

He leads into the Psalm not with questions about God’s goodness.  Rather he begins with a confession that his own heart is steady and strong toward his God.  He knows that God is good and he is not going to turn away from God just because of some bad circumstances.  “My heart is steadfast, O God.”  He calls for praise, and proclaims that God’s own love is steadfast toward him and his people.  He knows that God has a covenant with his people.  He knows that God will not fail to keep his end of the covenant.

He turns to praise to God rather than recrimination.  “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!”  He knows that God is good, everlasting and exalted.  His own praise is only a recognition of this fact.  He will sing praises of God among the nations even with a few defeats.   He knows that God is still God and that He still remains morally perfect and good.

He then reminds God of his promises.  He points out what God has already revealed to him concerning the nations.  He asks God to act on those promises.  Again, he is not full of fear of despair.  He simply points out what God has already said, and then is planning to wait for God to fulfill those statements.  He readies himself for action by having his armies ready.  But he will wait for God’s help to bring the victory.

We all will face hard times.  How will we react?  With a psalm of praise or denial born of despair?  We must remember these things:

God is still God. He is still in control.  He still is exalted.  

God is still good.  He still will keep His promises.   He still will always do the right thing.

Remind God of the promises He has made you.  Its not as if He’s forgotten them, but its not as if He NEEDS us to pray.  He can act on His own without our help. Yet He invites us to pray, and He gives us promises that we can claim as our own, especially in times of need.  I have to point out that this also means that you need to know his word well enough that you can know the promises that He has give you.


Thursday, December 26, 2013

Psalm 105: Of Dusty Old Men and Thankfulness

Lots of people have trouble reading the Bible because they firmly believe that it is irrelevant to them.  They look at the Bible as a book full of dusty old men, and their experiences dealing with a tribal, petulant God who is kind of growing up along side His people, until He has finally left His adolescence in Jesus Christ.  Many of us might deny such a notion, but let me ask: are you reading the Word of God, regularly, on your own?  Your answer to that question will say much about the truth or falsity of the above statements.

Because it is seen as a book of dusty old men with a cantankerous God, there are two reasons that flow from such assumptions that cause us not to want to read.  Firstly, the Bible has to be  irrelevant.  We want a book that tells us what to do, not another lesson book with facts to be memorized.  We want a book that spells things our clearly and carefully.  Quite frankly, we in our western culture don’t want to think. As much as we flatter ourselves that we are free thinkers, we have become a culture of people who are spoon fed ideas from the media, and we swallow their bait without processing it.  We have learned not to think independently, and find it hard when made to do so. Because it is hard to think, we elect not to, and so we don’t read our Bibles.

Reason number two flows from the idea that God is cranky.  So we have a fear of him, and we don’t want to be convicted by what we read.  Now there is a basis for a healthy fear of God.  And Bible reading should be convicting.  We are right to have a healthy fear of the holy, but we need to do so for right reasons.  Remember, as Psalm 103 says, He knows our frame and He remembers we are but dust.  Hardly sounds like a cranky God to me!

Consider Psalm 105.  Psalm 105 is about the faith of some what some would say are dusty old men.  They are nothing more than museum pieces to the casual reader.  Abraham and Moses, Aaron and Jacob are all dragged out of the mortuary of history, and paraded before us once again, mummified monuments to a bygone day.  “Here we go again,” some might whisper, as they fulfill their “duty” to read scripture.  “How are these guys relevant to me?” some will ask.

Let’s first remember that it was written hundreds of years after these men lived.  To this Psalm’s first readers, these men were long dead.  The flesh had long fallen from their bodies, and they were no more than collections of bones.  Yet the hearers of this song loved it!  They celebrated it!  They made it a part of the song book of the temple of Israel, and later generations felt the power of the Holy Spirit upon it...so they recognized it as Canonical.  Something in the Words spoke to their hearts, changed their heads, and made a difference in their lives!  It certainly seems that some people appreciated this Psalm as more than a museum piece, or teaching ditty.

Consider the story Psalm 105 tells. Don’t think of it as a collection of facts to be memorized and regurgitated in a Sunday School class.  Rather, look at what happens to the people named.  Look at how God deals with them.  Consider the outcome of their obedience in this psalm.  Why might that be relevant?  Ahh!  Yes, I am asking you to think!  

As God delivered them, even so, He still acts behind the scenes to deliver.  In a tough spot? So was Joseph!  And look at what God did for Him!  Feeling like you are in the wilderness?  The Psalm recounts the wilderness walk of His people.  Look at how good He was to them! This week I have been without power in my home.  Talk about a wilderness walk!  Yet here I sit, generators running, yet nice and toasty warm, well fed and washed.  God has blessed me by giving more than I needed.    God can be so good to you too...at least if you are looking for him to be.  But that brings us to the convicting part.

You see, the psalm is a meditation on thankfulness.  And for us who are used to having all we want, that can be pretty convicting.  Even more so if you think of “thankfulness” as an exercise to placate a cranky God.  He’s not cranky.  He is good to us!  And if we will but recognize that goodness, then thankfulness will begin to flow freely.  

Has He done miracles for you (5)?  Then remember those works and thank Him!
Has He made covenant with you (8)?  Thank Him for it!
Has He protected you when you needed it (14)?  Be thankful!
Has He delivered you from a time of hardship to a place of purpose (17-21)? Then praise Him for it!


Consider making your own psalm of God’s work in your life, so that those who follow after you will see your faith and seek to imitate it.  Unless your faith has grown dusty too!

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

A Christmas Challenge

Here is a blog with a powerful Christmas challenge.  Read on only if you dare!

Ps 101:6 is an important verse about the value of good fellowship.  I bump into people all the time who don’t appreciate the importance of what is stated in this verse.  

Sometimes people will tell me, “Hey, look!  I can worship God in the cathedral of the stars.  When I am walking through the forest, that’s when I worship God!!”  That’s great.  Scripture tells us that we ought to find ways to worship and be thankful everywhere we go and anywhere we are.  That’s really wonderful.  But scripture also enjoins us to be a part of worship in a fellowship of believers.  

I can and do feel motivated under the stars or in a forest as well.  I, too, can feel the echo of the divine in the created order.  I too can look at the stars and be moved to wonder about the great creator.  But my worship to God is not complete without the fellowship of the saints.

Some will say, “I don’t need a church.  I feel God when I help people out.  I see God on every face.”  That’s good.  So happy for you.  You are doing something I would like to see more Christians doing.  There are many believers who think that service to God is showing up at a meeting and giving an up or down vote.  They think that is serving God.  I myself know the discipline of serving people in need.  I need that discipline.  I have been blessed by seeing hope spark in a pair of eyes.  I have seen the tears running down the faces of someone who felt touched by the love of God shown them through the work of my hands working in concert with the  hands of others in my church. I know I am most effective when I work alongside my church family.  I know I still need fellowship with other believers to properly serve God.  

I have known those who say, “I don’t need church. I can learn about God on my own.  I have my Bible. I have my Christian TV and and Christian radio.  I don’t need a church.”  I myself have enjoyed listening to these things.  I have been encouraged and inspired through these modes of broadcast.  And of course I love to read my Bible.  I have learned much through them, and will always be grateful for the teachings of Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll, when I was a young Christian without guidance.  But I still need the fellowship of the saints.

There is something that happens when you are with the saints regularly that you don’t get when you attempt to serve, worship and learn about God on your own.  Something that David, Paul and Jesus affirmed when they commanded and taught that we need to be a part of the Saints.  There is a honing, and challenging, a mentoring that takes place that cannot happen in us without fellowship.  A blacksmith can form a beautiful sword, but it must be tempered or it will break in combat.  Fellowship is your tempering.  You can have a knife, but with will not cut if it is not sharpened.  Fellowship is your sharpening (Proverbs 27:17).  You can play a song on a piano.  But it will not play well if the keys are not tuned.  Fellowship tunes you for the worship that God wants.  If you avoid fellowship with other Christians you are an unfinished, weak, dull and untuned Christian; if you are a Christian at all!

Hard words.  But its the truth.  I suspect that the real reason people avoid fellowship has more to do with control issues.  Fearing to lose control of the secrets that you keep.  Fearing to lose control of your personal sovereignty because of the discipline of submission you will be required to practice.  Fear to lose control of that which you hold dear when you are asked to give of your time, talents or tithe.  


I am so honest and blunt only for your good.  Of course, if you, the reader were really skipping on church, I doubt that you would have read this far!  But this Christmas, give Jesus the gift that he really wants.  Your fellowship with His saints.  They need you and you need them.  Let them minister to you as you minister to them.  He gave His all for you.  Give your all for Him and His people.  Do so in a congregation this weekend.

Monday, December 23, 2013

A Wilderness Walk to the Christmas Spirit

Praise God for hot coffee from Windmill point, and for still hot water in the water heater.  Coffee and a hot shower cure many ills.

You are probably aware that we are out of power- have been since early Sunday/Saturday night.  We are projected to be without power until Friday or Saturday this week.  

We have been able to make do.  We have two generators, and were able to procure a couple of space heaters.  We able to keep the main living area at 62, and are not uncomfortable temperature wise if we keep the layers on.  We are without coffee makers though, since they produce a LOT of draw on the generators.  The sleeping areas are quite cold, and the shortage of light has been a real challenge for us.  We also are forced to cook outside since we have propane gas cylinders on a coleman stove we can use.  But we don’t want the carbon monoxide inside.  

Yet the hardest part for some of us has been the fact this has all taken place at Christmas time.  We were musing on the fact that there are no sweet smells of cookies and confections baking.  There is no Christmas music to lighten the air...only the constant drone of generators!  The gifts are in the very dark attic, where it is very hard to maneuver without light.  

We took some time to reflect on our disappointments concerning these things.  There were some hard words and even some tears shed.  There were some statements about “not feeling the Christmas spirit.”  We talked and thought, and began to realize together that we are closer to the Soul of Christmas right now than we realized.  

Think about it.  Mary had to leave the comforts of her home to go with her husband, Joseph to a strange home.  All the best traditions point to the fact that it was not an inn (they really did not exist at that time in history) but rather a guest room for the ancestral family residence that was full.  So they were directed to a cave….cold, dark...even musty and isolated from the rest of their family.  There, to make do, with animals and a manger, the Christ was born.  

They had to make do too.  The Savior made do with his bed in the hay after leaving the riches of heaven.  It was not warm.  It was out of the way.  There was no easy access to food and water as the baking equipment was all with the house.  It was not sterile, and there was no wash basin.  And OI!  no coffee!

We realized that we were closer to Christ at this moment, while we depend on him for more basic things...like keeping warm, for hot water and food.  We realized that we are on a short wilderness walk, where Mana from heaven, and not steak, will be a main staple.


We have added a lot of things in our culture to make what we believe is the Christmas spirit.  Cookies baking, surrounded with family, the radio playing sentimental Christmas tunes and lights and trees, wreaths and mistletoe.  These things are, in fact the intruders and usurpers that crowd out what Christmas is all about: The king of heaven giving up all He had to come and give himself up for you and me.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Surprising Mercy

I often bump into people, even those who are Christians, who think that the Bible is a book about two different gods.  One, in the New Testament, is Jesus, the God of love, friendship, compassion, kindness, mercy and grace.  He's warm and fuzzy!

In the Old Testament, you have a different God.  He's cranky.  He's mean and ornery.  He hates people, and loves judgment.  According to these folks, they think that Jesus is always staring down the Old Testament God and telling him to back off!

Closer study reveals that nothing could be further from the truth.  Firstly, often times when you see God revealed in the Old Testament, you have to remember that you are often seeing the second person of the Trinity. Consider Isaiah 6.  John tells us that Isaiah saw Jesus there in the temple that day.  Consider also the many passages of scripture depicting God in the Old Testament, begging His people to come back to Him. One such is in Psalm 81.

8  “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me!  9  “Let there be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god.  10  “I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. "

God is anxious to bless his people.  But if they will have none of them, he can't.  Consider the next words: 

11    “But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me.  12  “So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices.

God sometimes gives us over to what we want if we want it more than Him.  All this so that we can see that what we want cannot satisfy us the way that he can!

13  “Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!  14  “I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries.  15  “Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him, And their time [of punishment] would be forever.  16  “But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

As you read through the Old Testament, pay special attention to just how merciful God was in the Old Testament, and you will see how long suffering he really was. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

S/O to our friend Shana who is a huge help to us in making sure some young ladies got their Christmas gifts this year!  Yes, we shall call you Shana Claus.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

He was made "perfect"

Every once in a while I bump into people who have questions about certain verses of scripture.  Sometimes they are simple and humble questions from people who are genuinely confused.  Other times the questions come from people who are cultists who think they have found a verse that provides a road block to orthodoxy.  One such verse is Hebrews 5:9.

Hebrews 5:9 says this about Jesus: "And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation…"

The confusion regarding this verse hinges on the nature of the word "perfect."  Understandably, modern people read this with a modern, and english, understanding of this word. We use the term today to refer to that which is flawless; that which his has all the desirable elements; that which is absolute.  So, a person with a flawed understanding of who Jesus is would point to this verse as a proof text to say that Jesus could not be God because he was imperfect, and had to be made perfect.  And even Christians stumble on this verse.  "Wait a second here…does this mean Jesus was not perfect?  That he was not complete?  That he had flaws?

The greek term we translate "Perfect" however does not carry the same connotation for perfect that we have…unless we inflect the word "perfect" by emphasizing the second syllable: perFECT.  And even then it bears explanation.  The greek term, teleio, refers to that which is complete; that which has gone through a process in which it can be declared mature or fully finished; that which is accomplished.  So in context, this word is referring to the fact that Jesus' life and obedience completed a process which resulted in him being fully qualified, prepared and complete to be a High Priest for us who need eternal salvation.  

God could have sent him to be Messiah right from birth.  He could have been raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, raised on the knee of a great queen, surrounded by the best teachers and advisers. Instead, he came and lived life like a common Joe.  He suffered, was mistreated, experienced cold and hunger, was misunderstood, beaten, experienced injustice, tortured and murdered.  His experiences mean that he could be an ideal priest because he did all that following the will of the Father wherever it lead… And now he can minister to anybody.  He is well qualified. He aced the certification test.  

In fact, you could insert "having been certified one hundred percent qualified by his experiences…." and that would do a pretty good job of conveying the idea intended in that verse.   This verse does not teach anything remotely like what some cultists would make it out to be.  Its telling us Jesus is the man for the job to be our High Priest.



Monday, December 16, 2013

Psalm 77: A meditation for times of trouble


Some folks wonder how to do a devotional time with God.  One way that works for some people is this: 7 for heaven, 8 to meditate, and 10 to pen.  Take seven minutes to read, and 8 minutes to prayerfully reflect on what you have read, Bible still open.  Then follow that with 10 minutes, Bible still open, making notes (prayerfully) in your Bible and your journal about what you have read.  Here is an example of how the end product might look.  Grab your Bible and look at Psalm 77.

The Psalmist is dealing with troubling times.  How does he deal with it?  One of the things you will see right away is that he penned a psalm!  Yes, in troubling times, he turned to prayer and worship.  That alone is instructive for us isn't it?  Read on.

1-3 In Trouble, God may seem distant or inaccessible.  It may produce in his feelings of groaning, sorrow and even despair.

4 Sleeplessness may be another by product of trouble.
5-6 Longing for days when God seemed so active. You may struggle with trying to worship and the old songs you used to joyfully sing seem hard to produce.

7-9 You may start to question God, and whether he has forgotten/given up on you.

10 Here is the response to trouble.  Our best response is to worship God and be thankful for the things that He has already done.  And these acts of deliverance are a downpayment on the things He will continue to do in the future.

11-15  Remember what God has done; Remember that He is Holy; Remember that He is powerful.
The second item is vitally important when we are in trouble.  God does nothing out of an evil heart.  He uses life to cleanse, prepare and sanctify us for his very own.

16-20 As God has delivered in the past, we can take that as proof that He will deliver in the future.  He has already done mighty acts to save us.  This is evidence that He has not and will not give up on us.  And the things He has already done were Great miracles, demonstrating that He has more than enough power to save us.

So the key idea here is in v 10.  When we have trouble, its time to worship God thankfully, remembering his past deliverances, and that He will continue to deliver again and again.

For the Israelis, they could look forward to deliverance at any time from the one who parted the red sea, and supported the family of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years.  For us, the same one who used resurrection power to raise Jesus from the grave and saved us from sin can trust God will continue to use the same power to deliver us safely to His side in heaven.

A meditation like that, for 25 minutes is not so hard is it?  We all have the same 24 hours in a day as everyone else.  If you can't find time daily for something like that, it's a question of priority, not resources.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Who are you…?

"Who" is a vitally important question to ask.

It is one of the most important questions we should ask when reading scripture.  When we approach scripture with a desire to mine deeper than the mere surface, we must ask, "Who?"  Such as, "To whom is this material written?" or "Who wrote this particular book of the Bible?"  Its very important for unlocking the eternal principles enshrined in scripture.

Knowing the who, "Moses," and the "to whom, "The Joshua Generation" makes a huge difference to understanding the book of Genesis.  Think about it.  What happens in the first half of Genesis?  Consider the judgments that take place?  Why might those events be important as we understand that the Joshua generation is about to enter the land for the first time?  And don't expect me to spoon feed you!  Look for yourself.

Who is also important when it comes to application.  Read John 17 and ask, "Who?"  "Who is praying this prayer?"  "Who is he praying for?"  When you realize that the "who" is praying for is also you (v. 20) it makes all the difference in the world that you were on the mind of Christ during those last few precious minutes with his disciples.

Socrates once said that the unexamined life is not worth living.  So we have to examine ourselves Using that little word, "Who" is so important.  Who are you?  Who you are and what you understand about you and your nature make all the difference in how you see your life and in the choices you make. As you answer this question, it is important to understand what God says about "who" you are in scripture.

Your world and culture teach you one thing about "who" you are.  Scripture teaches something very different.  When you apply scripture to life, make sure you also apply the truth of what scripture says "who" you are.  When you come to have "buy in" about "who" God says you are, you will find that your mind begins to change, your choices begin to change, and your life will begin to change in unexpected and wonderful ways.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

When it's easy and when it's hard

It seems to be an interesting characteristic of the human mind.  Its related to the fact that we are depraved.  But it is interesting, puzzling, and frustrating all the same.   Its something I see when I read a passage like this one:

2Kings 9:4   …the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.  5 When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.

 “For which of us?” asked Jehu.

 “For you, commander,” he replied. 

2Kings 9:6   Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and declared, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the LORD’s people Israel.  …  :11   When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?”

 “You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied. 

2Kings 9:12   “That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”

 Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’” 


2Kings 9:13   They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!” 

The reaction of the army officers to the presence of the Young Prophet is bemused indifference.  They really don't have much use for him.  He is described as a mad man (i.e. insane) by the officers.  He is dismissed by Jehu when he says, "You know the man and the sort of things he says…"  This was a man they had heard many times.  He had discoursed on other subjects.  These things registered nothing in the minds of his hearers. In fact, it bred only contempt.  They had no use for the words of the prophets or a man who had been placed in spiritual authority in Israel. 

How different when they found something that was a benefit to them! They seized upon it instantly and validated his words with their actions.  "Now he's a true prophet.  Let's go act on what he says!"  You can hear how excited they are as they think about the new money and roles they will have with the new king.  And Jehu is happy to go along.  He benefits the most of all.

How like us.  We seek the word when its convenient.  We ignore it when its inconvenient.  We love it when it helps us.  We eschew it when it challenges us.  

These men knew nothing of their God, nor were they his followers.  Let's be different.  Let's seek out his word when it's easy and when its hard.  Let obey it when its difficult as well as when it's easy.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Funeral Today

Today, I have a funeral.  It can be a real challenge to minister to people at this trying time of life.  Emotions are in an uproar.  Sometimes civil war erupts amongst family members.  Sometimes there may be feelings of hostility or bitterness toward the deceased.  The minister's response to these things can be critical to helping the family be able to start dealing with the challenges they are dealing with in a health way.

People often ask me if its hard to minister to families that are not part of your flock.  Sometimes its advantageous to have a connection with the family when death happens, and the family begins to grieve.  Other times, if the Pastor has not been a part of the family circle, it can be better for him to be a calming outside influence.  He can be an unbiased and unconflicted force for sanity and peace as he has nothing to gain by being a part of the family drama.  Here, the Pastor can well represent God as the one who in no respecter of persons.   It really depends on the situation.

Always, however, my role is to remind people of the inevitability of death, and of the savior who stands ready, on the other side,  to receive those who do business with him on THIS side of glory.

How do you help others walk the path of grief?  What role do you see yourself having when others have lost a loved one?  Do your friends and neighbors see you as a safe person to go to for prayer and counsel when its needed?

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Okay!  So here is my first attempt at a blog.  I am playing around with some video so that I can start uploading my sermons.  


  What you see here is actually video that was taken of our church during our construction project.  Its all finished now, by the way, and 100% debt free!