Monday, November 29, 2010

Great Message Amanda

It was great having Amanda Phillips come and share from her 2yr. jouneymen stint in Africa. Wow! It was incredible to hear how God saved her, called her to this mission and worked everything out. We were reminded to stay flexible to God's plan. We were reminded that God can do all this stuff without us. He had been working in dreams and speaking to people well before she got there. We were reminded of God's great power as He used these young ladies to get His Word on cassette to a people that didn't even have a written language. We were reminded that it takes more than living the Christian life; we have to open our mouth and tell the Good News! ---To those that ask the question "What about the people that have never heard?" we had confirmation from Amanda's story that even in a remote area God has ways and means to get the Good News out, whether it be through dreams or other messengers.---Oh yeah, this wasn't mentioned...In the midst of her obedience to the calling, Amanda met the guy of her dreams...she was recently engaged to her man. All this and more as she was faithful. Congrats Amanda and Andrew!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Secret Ambition

Growing up, I played a lot of baseball, so there is no wonder that I would have an ambition of playing MLB. In my high school years I polevaulted on our track team. There was no wonder I fantasized about going to the Olympics in that sport. Then we go to college, we get married and we can often fall into the trap of just trying to make it...leaving any kind of dreams behind...just getting by without any ambition. Life happens. Ambition can be a good thing or a bad thing. It can serve to motivate, or we can serve it. Reading an article made me pause and consider my ambition. Life changed when God called me to preach. My ambitions have become His ambition, the two are forged together as one. Is the ambition for the biggest, greatest church? This is where ambition can get dangerous. If it is about something that says "look at me", then ambition has run afoul. After thinking about this one, I would have to say that God has called me out of my comfort zone, and my secret ambition is to help call other people out of their comfort zone into the place God designed them for in the first place. What is your ambition? Did you give up on it? Did you get side-tracked? Think about it.

Monday, November 15, 2010

11.15 Devo

(KJV) Mark 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
* The call is to forsake this life and it's trappings and become fisher's of men. JB pointed to JC from the beginning of his ministry. JC preached to the Jews, knowing they would reject Him. He was faithful, even to death on the cross.---A call to ministry is not a call to the "easy" life. 
How can we relate?

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Devo 11.13.10

(KJV) Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered
*JC learned obedience thru suffering.
V.12 by now some of you ought to be teachers, but you are still drinking milk.
V.14 Strong meat belongs to the mature...those that are using what they have learned. 
* Life applicators are the mature, not the book worm! Take what you have learned, received, heard and seen and put it into practice.Ph.4:9
* Have you grown since your spiritual birth? Maybe you think so. Are you an arguer or complainer?
Phil.2:14-15 says shine,don't whine. Obedience is part of growing up.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Reflections at a Wedding

Sitting in a large sanctuary. Carpet outdated. Wondering how many people left the church when they picked that color. Haha, but then again some may have. I sat and took note of the size of the sanctuary and the dollars invested in audio/video technology; I couldn't help to think that a bunch of people had gotten together enough to spend some serious money. Cool. Ten years into church, I've seen the tough decisions that have to be made. Even though we might not do things like this church, I respect what they've done. I respect what the small church I passed on the way is trying to reach out to their community with a fish fry. It's hard to do church. Churches come in many sizes and shapes, but ultimately they will have some of the flavor of the pastor and staff that lead. Go church! Do what you do the way God made you.---Again, I said I was at a wedding. I looked and listened as the young couple blissfully stated their vows with all the teary eyed witnesses glued in. As a pastor that has performed, officiated, whatever you want to call it weddings; I couldn't help to think how true these promises will ring ten, twenty years later after doing life together. We can only pray it will be so. Yet, I sat very aware of what work couples have to put into marriage. Respect to those that have been married ten, twenty, thirty, plus years---Go couples! I'm happy for the couple getting married. It was great to be a part of two weddings (unofficiating) back to back weeks...good kids...doing it the right way. ---Did I say may kids were part of these weddings? I'm proud of them too. I guess I'm getting sentimental since I'm only a few years away from getting cheap coffee at Hardees. I'm thankful for my wife, who has not only endured me, but the life of being a pastor's wife. Go Teresa! ---Well, better get to seeing why that dryer isn't working...Take time to reflect....and cut people some slack...know they are just trying to make it.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Quittin' on God

I didn't see the program,nevertheless it bugged me. A friend told me one of the networks had two pastors ( They hid their identity, so I don't know if they were still pastors), on the nightly news saying they didn't believe in God anymore. One would think, how could such happen? How is one de-converted? It is really not that uncommon among young people. So what's up with that? I was moved as I read Hebrews 3. Under Moses Israel failed to believe. These people saw God do crazy, unbelievable miracles ...they were a long for the ride, but many still did not believe. (read the Exodus) Many saw the miracles of Jesus and still did not believe. (KJV) Hebrews 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.* true believers are the only ones that will be saved...the only ones that will enter heaven.
How do we know if someone is saved? Only God truly knows. Fruit and perseverance would be signs to us, but only God knows.
How did these pastors now come to renounce their faith? A renounceable faith is no faith at all! They never had true faith. Life can eat at you, and will eat at you unless you truly give it all over to God. We are not on a planet of perfect people. Thus, our faith will be tested: is it real or not? Are you truly saved? Go from hope so to know so today---look up 1 John 5:13.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Commitment to a Regular Experience of Prayer

It is good to reexamine our thinking at times. I'm pretty big on urging people to pray regular, and have often pushed that a starting point is first thing in the morning. This comes much to the dismay to those "night owls." Well, I've been challenged to rethink in some of my reading. Sure, King David wrote about praying first thing in the morning in the Psalms (maybe it was when he was a shepherd). However, some people have jobs where they get up at an ungodly hour, and some people are distracted by early commutes and crazy traffic.Parents with new babies will also have a challenge for a season (they will eventually sleep like normal human beings!). For those that have an easier morning, or a lengthy lunch break perhaps regular experiences of prayer come in a daily fashion. But some people may find that they have to wait until nighttime or perhaps a lengthy experience of prayer on the weekend. No matter how you do it, just be sure you enjoy the regular experience of prayer with the God who loves you. Don't answer the phone, texts or knocks on the door at these times.

God is a jealous God

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me--Exodus 20:5
This is a key verse to Oprah's theology. She is upset by this commandment, and so her view of God is tainited. The problem is her misunderstanding of Scripture and her high value of herself and mankind versus the higher value of God. She is bothered by the parts "jealous God...and...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon thier children..." But she does err not understanding Scriptures. What a shame, because she has to be a somewhat intelligent woman to get where she is. First of all, God is jealous "for us", not "of us". He loves us and does not want us to go chasing after false gods, because He knows that is not good for us. We can make a bag of rocks, pot of gold, keg of beer, whatever our god. God knows that none of those things will satisfy us. God is not a tyrant. He lets us chase those foolish things (freewill). But this Father knows best, hence He does not want his children bowing down and serving false-no-good-gods. God cares. Secondly, God knows as the parents go, so the children generally will go; and thus too will a nation go. History bears that out. Look how nations are known as Christian, Muslim, Catholic, etc. God does not make them that way; it is the way of their choosing and passing down. To be against God is a dangerous thing; so He warns. Is their chance for the children to turn to Him? Of course, all through the Scriptures that invitation exists. Oprah doesn't concentrate on the words "those who hate me." God's judgment does not fall on those who love him, but rather those who hate him. What does one expect when he/she disobeys authority? If you hate the Creator of the entire Universe then God says bad things are going to happen. It's not a warning, it is a promise. Only those who think too highly of themselves have the arrogance to tell God how to run his world. ---In contrast, the next verse says that God offers mercy to the thousands that love him and keep his commandments. ---Do we get mad at the stove when we touch a hot element? I dont' think so. ---This is a non-issue. The message is clear: be on the right side of God. God is jealous for you. He loves you. Be comforted in those words today.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Joy

Joy. It gives me great joy, when I hear about the positive things happening in the church, because people are engaged in serving Jesus. People are picking up the mantle and serving. People that have been through our Parenting class are now leading a parenting class. Awesome! Our Soul Sisters have answered the call of the Band of Brothers. Our college groups are busting at the seam. Thanks to all of you that have made an "all in" commitment. I can't keep up with all of it. :)

Friday, November 5, 2010

The Dark Night of the Soul

The Dark Night of the Soul...that is what it has been called by theologians. ??? Have you ever had that time when you were spiritually dry even when you were doing all the "right" things? If you have grown to any stage of spiritual maturity you have had this experience, and could not explain it. You may have played the blame game. Truth is ...it happens to all of us at one time or another. The only cure is to persevere in spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible study, assembling with saints and so on. Endure until you have a breakthrough and come out on the other side. So stay tuned into God, plugged into your church until that next Fresh Wind and Fresh Fire arrive!