I've been taking a few moments to look over the Wide Scope blog entries over the past year, taking the time to reflect and review the past year. What did I find has happened over the past year?
As usual, a lot.
Does this year in review blog have the potential to be as good as last year's year in review? Hardly. I don't have a song prepared off of Youtube. But keep reading- I did learn something.
I learned in January that even if I wanted to blog every week it is nearly impossible to do it. I also got acclimated with my new job after being laid off since April. I ended up with the same number of posts in 2011 as 2010. In February I learned that sacrifice is hard but sometimes necessary, and that if done in obedience God will reward it. March was a lesson in embracing my place, wherever it is, no matter what changes come.
April saw me turn 34 with the usual bit of reflection that I like to do and saw the first reports that apparently the world was going to end in May. Strangely, we are still here. May was admittedly a hard month, as the realization came that changes that would soon have to be made. It was also a month more than any this year I dealt with depression.
That's kind of sad- I think we do need a song break, after all:
June was a blur, and I only blogged a paragraph. July saw us move to the mountains. August saw us settle in to the new routine, my son start Kindergarten, and I started my new position at work.
September saw me revisiting several things; old topics, old sermon topics from church, and my old high school. My blog from that visit, "Can You Go Home Again? I Did," dated October 1, was the most popular post of the year. November saw my son turn 6, my daughter turn 2, and my family was truly thankful.
There was the sickness of my daughter in December, which I am proud to say she is herself again, thank God. I dealt with a toothache for most of the last of the year, which I can say God touched and healed. Some of the pain has returned with the bitter cold wind of this mountain life.
I learned to stand up for the word barbecue. I learned that church signs can be funny, and decided to share that with each of you. I learned there isn't a lot on TV on Wednesday night.
Mostly, I learned that the best is yet to come. 2012 brings still more uncertainty and the feeling that there is something more out there. What that is, and when I discover it, anyone that reads this blog will be the first to know. I promise to keep posting. Stay with me, will you?
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Hard Time
Here I sit, Wednesday night as I type this. It is four days before Christmas. I have really been at a loss of things to blog about these days, as work
and the strain of everyday life drag me down and inspiration does not flow as freely as I used to. So I will tell you about life.
This is the sixth day that my little girl has had a fever. She has been to the emergency room two times, had every test possible to determine the cause, and I have even made a special trip back to the hospital to deliver a stool sample. That's right, I have literally hand-delivered poop. My life has gone to crap. I would like to thank my wife from shoveling it from the diaper to the container. At least there wasn't a fan for it to hit. Take a second to come up with your own pun before going to the next paragraph.
The hardest thing I had to do was on Saturday night. We were desperate to get this temperature down. So my mother-in-law and I tag-teamed to take ice-cold washcloths and place them on different parts of her body to try to lower her temperature. To say she did not like this is mildly understating it. For the next eternity (or so it felt) she screamed, cried, and told us "NO! NO THANK YOU! I DON"T!" All this time I held her, trying to assure her it was for her good.
See the instant correlation?
In my own reading of the Bible I have come across the story of Joseph for the second time this year. Think of all he went through: being dumped into a pit by his brothers because of their jealousy (and Joseph's need to tell his dreams to them); Being sold into slavery; being falsely accused of rape and imprisoned; and being forgotten in prison.
On the other end, think of his father Jacob. He was named by God Israel and told he would be a great nation. Yet for years he carried around the grief of a favorite son he thought was lost and dealt with the agony.
In this situation God held both of them in His hand. I am confident that neither were happy about their situation, and that Joseph probably let out a few screams of terror when being thrown in the pit.
But just like the cold compresses had a purpose to lower my daughter's temperature and give her comfort in spite of the temporary discomfort, the struggle of Joseph was to save Jacob and the family that turned on him. Of course, after his imprisonment Joseph goes on to become governor of Egypt and devises the plan to save people from a coming famine and provide for his family in the process. Of course Jacob's pain subsides when he sees his son again and is sustained by him.
No, we don't understand the hard time that we deal with right now. But whenever we go through them I can rest assured that there is a greater purpose that is being intended for us in them.
Think of Mary last of all. It is December, of course. She had to deal with the ridicule and shame of being an unwed mother, the possibility of being shunned by her Joseph, and the impending pain of childbirth. Her Father found favor in her, and had a greater purpose for her pain: the redemption of the world through the coming of His Son.
and the strain of everyday life drag me down and inspiration does not flow as freely as I used to. So I will tell you about life.
This is the sixth day that my little girl has had a fever. She has been to the emergency room two times, had every test possible to determine the cause, and I have even made a special trip back to the hospital to deliver a stool sample. That's right, I have literally hand-delivered poop. My life has gone to crap. I would like to thank my wife from shoveling it from the diaper to the container. At least there wasn't a fan for it to hit. Take a second to come up with your own pun before going to the next paragraph.
The hardest thing I had to do was on Saturday night. We were desperate to get this temperature down. So my mother-in-law and I tag-teamed to take ice-cold washcloths and place them on different parts of her body to try to lower her temperature. To say she did not like this is mildly understating it. For the next eternity (or so it felt) she screamed, cried, and told us "NO! NO THANK YOU! I DON"T!" All this time I held her, trying to assure her it was for her good.
See the instant correlation?
In my own reading of the Bible I have come across the story of Joseph for the second time this year. Think of all he went through: being dumped into a pit by his brothers because of their jealousy (and Joseph's need to tell his dreams to them); Being sold into slavery; being falsely accused of rape and imprisoned; and being forgotten in prison.
On the other end, think of his father Jacob. He was named by God Israel and told he would be a great nation. Yet for years he carried around the grief of a favorite son he thought was lost and dealt with the agony.
In this situation God held both of them in His hand. I am confident that neither were happy about their situation, and that Joseph probably let out a few screams of terror when being thrown in the pit.
But just like the cold compresses had a purpose to lower my daughter's temperature and give her comfort in spite of the temporary discomfort, the struggle of Joseph was to save Jacob and the family that turned on him. Of course, after his imprisonment Joseph goes on to become governor of Egypt and devises the plan to save people from a coming famine and provide for his family in the process. Of course Jacob's pain subsides when he sees his son again and is sustained by him.
No, we don't understand the hard time that we deal with right now. But whenever we go through them I can rest assured that there is a greater purpose that is being intended for us in them.
Think of Mary last of all. It is December, of course. She had to deal with the ridicule and shame of being an unwed mother, the possibility of being shunned by her Joseph, and the impending pain of childbirth. Her Father found favor in her, and had a greater purpose for her pain: the redemption of the world through the coming of His Son.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Those Three Little Words
I have learned over the years, well, several lessons. Among them is to never ask the question "What else can happen?" when I am in a situation or when I am having a bad day. I know- so many of us have been there or are there right now.
You might be wondering why your job is so difficult these days and feel like you can't do anything right.
You may be wondering why you've been out of work for so long and wonder how you will pay the bills and if Christmas is a possibility.
You may be wondering if you're going to have a job tomorrow.
A family member might be facing the fight of their life.
Well, a couple of days ago, God reminded me of three little words. I know when you see that title on the blog, you might be thinking of "I love you." Those are good words, and yes, He does love us. But because of that, He has three other words for us:
HOW MUCH MORE.
True, you may be saying these words yourself. But if you look in the New Testament, eleven different times you will see these words.
"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7: 11)
"Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!" (Luke 12: 24)
"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried." (Luke 12: 27-29)
"For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9: 13-14)
(All references ESV)
Those are just some of the examples. God has this word for you. He knows you are struggling, and he understands that you may have questions. But He has tremendous plans for you, and you have not left His care. He is not ignoring you and has not left you. Seek Him in your situation with your whole heart, and you will find Him.
Just wait and see HOW MUCH MORE He has in store for you.
You might be wondering why your job is so difficult these days and feel like you can't do anything right.
You may be wondering why you've been out of work for so long and wonder how you will pay the bills and if Christmas is a possibility.
You may be wondering if you're going to have a job tomorrow.
A family member might be facing the fight of their life.
Well, a couple of days ago, God reminded me of three little words. I know when you see that title on the blog, you might be thinking of "I love you." Those are good words, and yes, He does love us. But because of that, He has three other words for us:
HOW MUCH MORE.
True, you may be saying these words yourself. But if you look in the New Testament, eleven different times you will see these words.
"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7: 11)
"Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!" (Luke 12: 24)
"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried." (Luke 12: 27-29)
"For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9: 13-14)
(All references ESV)
Those are just some of the examples. God has this word for you. He knows you are struggling, and he understands that you may have questions. But He has tremendous plans for you, and you have not left His care. He is not ignoring you and has not left you. Seek Him in your situation with your whole heart, and you will find Him.
Just wait and see HOW MUCH MORE He has in store for you.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Statements of belief
I would like to start this by first apologizing to the guys of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour: I am not trying to steal your bit. That said, I thought I would take a half-serious yet half-jovial attempt to allow you readers to know a little of who I am. You know, the chance to know what I truly believe.
- I believe the Bible is inerrant, infallible, and that the God of the Bible is the one true God.
- I believe that God sent His son into the world to save the world from sin.
- I believe that often Christians are the greatest obstacle that keeps people from Christ because they often speak in ignorance.
- I believe the PC crowd does not know any of the names of holidays that take place from November 1- December 26.
- I believe that just because you don't call a holiday by its actual name that it is diminished in any way.
- I believe the designated hitter has done very little to strengthen the American League.
- I believe the South was justified in seceding from the Union in 1860 & 1861. However, I believe their position on slavery was based in misinterpretation of scripture and ignorance.
- I believe that improper use of apostrophe's is becoming an epidemic, and grammar teacher's are doing little to curb it.
- I believe that if you cannot drive more than 10 m.p.h. under the speed limit (especially at night) YOU SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING!
- I believe that NASCAR will be watchable again now that someone other than Jimmie Johnson will win the championship.
- I believe that the things that I have agreed with President Obama on can be counted on one hand without using all the fingers. That said, he is our president, and deserves our prayers.
- I believe Southern Gospel Music has been forever marred in quality and style due to a raging infection of Crabbs.
- I believe the MAC has some of the best football in all of college football, partly due to the lack of great defense.
- I believe that, win totals aside, Dean Smith is the best coach ever in college basketball.
- I believe the NBA does not deserve another chance on my part.
- I believe that Psych is the most underrated show on TV, and that the Mentalist is a direct ripoff of it.
- I believe that as much as they try to get soccer to catch on in the US, it won't.
- I believe that if people stopped caring what other people thought about them and just did what they were supposed to, we would have a lot less trouble.
- I believe I do not get enough sleep.
- I believe that no matter what cable news network I watch, I get mad.
- I believe I can't think of any more of these right now.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Church Signs: God vs. Grammar
I have always said the Gospel is powerful. It is even more powerful when spelled correctly. Where I live there are an abundance of churches. Many of these were started down the road from another church where some of the members got angry and split. Some of these were started after someone that thought they were hearing from God decided they needed to start a church with only their family attending.
Whoa- did I get off on a tangent? So unlike me! Let's get back on track, because this blog is meant for fun and instruction. I want these churches to genuinely reach souls for God, but their error needs to be pointed out because it's just funny.
For example:
Now- you read this and you think There-no, not there, just over to the right, yeah. Right there. A Heaven to gain. But how do you shoun? I have no idea. I had a French teacher in 5th grade, Ms. Shoun. Maybe she knows how to do it. You see, if you were completely unfamiliar with the phrase (THERE'S a Heaven to gain and a Hell to SHUN), you would have no clue with what they were trying to say.
Next:
O. O. Oh, O-kay. I get it. The context with this current phrase is nothing is to big for my God. To being a helping verb to the obvious verb big. So what does it mean to big? I have no idea. Maybe it is a new slang term, and this church is really on top of things. For me, if it said "Nothing is TOO big for my God, I might understand.
Another one that, doggone it, they changed the sign before I got a picture of it- picture this now-
"JESUS" DONE HIS JOB- HAVE YOU DONE YOUR?
Have I done my what? Taxes? The errors are many. And yes, the letters were in red, just like that.
One more that I saw several months ago, but I don't have a picture because I haven't had to be in that part of the county for some time:
"WITHOUT THE BREAD OF LIFE YOUR TOAST"
Knowing that your is a possessive word I contemplated this sign after passing it. "My toast is what? Burnt? Most likely. Stale? Possibly. Covered in apple butter? Yum! When you write it like that, I guess it does leave you to think more than if you spell "YOU'RE" correctly.
Well, that's enough offensive fun for now. If you have seen any such signs, leave them in the comments. Maybe I will do another edition of this.
Whoa- did I get off on a tangent? So unlike me! Let's get back on track, because this blog is meant for fun and instruction. I want these churches to genuinely reach souls for God, but their error needs to be pointed out because it's just funny.
For example:
Now- you read this and you think There-no, not there, just over to the right, yeah. Right there. A Heaven to gain. But how do you shoun? I have no idea. I had a French teacher in 5th grade, Ms. Shoun. Maybe she knows how to do it. You see, if you were completely unfamiliar with the phrase (THERE'S a Heaven to gain and a Hell to SHUN), you would have no clue with what they were trying to say.
Next:
O. O. Oh, O-kay. I get it. The context with this current phrase is nothing is to big for my God. To being a helping verb to the obvious verb big. So what does it mean to big? I have no idea. Maybe it is a new slang term, and this church is really on top of things. For me, if it said "Nothing is TOO big for my God, I might understand.
Another one that, doggone it, they changed the sign before I got a picture of it- picture this now-
"JESUS" DONE HIS JOB- HAVE YOU DONE YOUR?
Have I done my what? Taxes? The errors are many. And yes, the letters were in red, just like that.
One more that I saw several months ago, but I don't have a picture because I haven't had to be in that part of the county for some time:
"WITHOUT THE BREAD OF LIFE YOUR TOAST"
Knowing that your is a possessive word I contemplated this sign after passing it. "My toast is what? Burnt? Most likely. Stale? Possibly. Covered in apple butter? Yum! When you write it like that, I guess it does leave you to think more than if you spell "YOU'RE" correctly.
Well, that's enough offensive fun for now. If you have seen any such signs, leave them in the comments. Maybe I will do another edition of this.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Instant Jesus and Microwave Faith (aka Hocus Jesus)
With recent changes in my schedule I have found myself with a span of 2 hours with nothing to do in the morning. So, I have made a good decision: I have started doing some walking. When they get the showers installed at my workplace, I may (SHUDDER) even start jogging. I am doing this in North Wilkesboro on the Yadkin River Greenway. It's a nice trail, running almost 1.5 miles by the Yadkin and Reddies Rivers. I have a good time doing it every day I get out there- up until I make my way back and I see a marker telling me I have 1 mile to go. Walking 3 miles a day isn't always easy, and I truly learn to persevere. I want to stop, I want to quit. But the Greenway doesn't loop, and there are no golf carts parked along the way to take me back. The other people on the path don't know who I am. How do I get back to my car? I have to keep going.
What in the world does this have to do with my title? Keep following.
Another thing that I have been dealing with is a major toothache since July. I have struggled with it especially in the last 4 weeks, when stabbing pains have attacked me while I sleep. I would wake up in tremendous pain, and would instantly start praying for God to touch me. You know what? I would not always get instant relief.
What does that mean? Does that mean God can't heal me? Does it mean He doesn't care? Does that mean He isn't there? Nope, none of these are true. He is acquainted with our sufferings, familiar with our grief. He loves us, and doesn't want us to suffer. But he does want us to grow.
I have seen some people call out to Jesus and seen instant change. I've heard of the doctor's reports of fabulous healing that reason cannot explain. But things are not always instant. To some healings there are no shortcuts. God has given men great knowledge to set limbs, create casts, and make some incredible medicines. After recent issues, Tramadol is one that comes to mind. Augmentin is another. Sometimes the best course of healing is the natural course, and through this God teaches us patience and perseverance.
This is where faith healers have done us a disservice. Many think that just because they asked Jesus to touch them once and He didn't, it isn't true or He doesn't care. They think this in other areas, such as struggling at work, or looking for work, or elsewhere. They use the name of Jesus as a magic word, and when they don't get the instant results, they go away. In other ways, they wonder why God doesn't help them win the lottery (yes, it's true). They wonder why their relationship has not changed. They prayed one time, and have received no results. This isn't faith; this is Hocus Pocus, breathe a prayer and hope it works, and that doesn't cut it.
Like when I have a mile to go, the only way to get to the end is to keep going. Keep praying for the job to come, and continue your search. Keep praying for provision, and quit playing the lottery- the odds are against you. Take the medicine the doctor gave you. Keep going- He will sustain along the way.
What in the world does this have to do with my title? Keep following.
Another thing that I have been dealing with is a major toothache since July. I have struggled with it especially in the last 4 weeks, when stabbing pains have attacked me while I sleep. I would wake up in tremendous pain, and would instantly start praying for God to touch me. You know what? I would not always get instant relief.
What does that mean? Does that mean God can't heal me? Does it mean He doesn't care? Does that mean He isn't there? Nope, none of these are true. He is acquainted with our sufferings, familiar with our grief. He loves us, and doesn't want us to suffer. But he does want us to grow.
I have seen some people call out to Jesus and seen instant change. I've heard of the doctor's reports of fabulous healing that reason cannot explain. But things are not always instant. To some healings there are no shortcuts. God has given men great knowledge to set limbs, create casts, and make some incredible medicines. After recent issues, Tramadol is one that comes to mind. Augmentin is another. Sometimes the best course of healing is the natural course, and through this God teaches us patience and perseverance.
This is where faith healers have done us a disservice. Many think that just because they asked Jesus to touch them once and He didn't, it isn't true or He doesn't care. They think this in other areas, such as struggling at work, or looking for work, or elsewhere. They use the name of Jesus as a magic word, and when they don't get the instant results, they go away. In other ways, they wonder why God doesn't help them win the lottery (yes, it's true). They wonder why their relationship has not changed. They prayed one time, and have received no results. This isn't faith; this is Hocus Pocus, breathe a prayer and hope it works, and that doesn't cut it.
Like when I have a mile to go, the only way to get to the end is to keep going. Keep praying for the job to come, and continue your search. Keep praying for provision, and quit playing the lottery- the odds are against you. Take the medicine the doctor gave you. Keep going- He will sustain along the way.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Can you go home again? I did.
Some people say you can't go home again. Some say you can. In my life I have said both. Currently, I believe you can. Let me explain:
I am proud of many things. I am proud that I am a child of God. I am proud to be married to Sheyna, and to be the father of Levi and Sophie. I am proud to be the son of Clarence and Ruth Widener. I am proud of my nephews being saved, baptized, and that one is soon going into the Army.
I am also proud of the four years I spent in the Hibriten High School Band. For four years I played euphonium in that group, and was part of really a special tradition. It was one of the first things I truly learned to apply myself at, and learned to strive to be the best. During my time there I was all-district four years, first chair all-district two of those years, and first chair junior & senior year. I was privileged to get to play with the US Navy Band my junior year, and in three of our four years the HHS Band received Superior ratings at "contest," a judged festival of bands in the district.
Enter Facebook. An alumnus of HHS started a group on the site for Hibriten High School band alumni. being the proud member I am, I joined. Several memories have been shared from members on that site that graduated from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and in the past decade. We have kept up with the current band, discussed issues facing the band, and have garnered ways to support it.
I'm not sure how this came about, but this weekend a project came about called "Loving Lenoir 2011." I do know that much of it was due to the efforts of Dr. Neal Isaac. Tonight, alumni are gathering reunion-style at Sweet T's in uptown Lenoir. Some gathered to do some community work today. Tomorrow there will be a concert featuring many former Hibriten students, including an internationally-renowned soprano.
For me, the highlight was Friday night:
30 or so members of the past got to join the current band for the homecoming game, playing in the stands. It was quite a thrill to be a part of it. We marched in the stands with the band, played several songs, and cheered our old school. Sadly, we did not cheer them to victory, but it is a rebuilding year.
It was nice to know that I somewhat still had it. It was nice to see old and young alike come together for the old school. It was just a banner memory that I will never forget.
Thanks go out to Dr. Isaac for the time he has put in with the Facebook group and for what he did in setting this up. Thanks to Nickey Horner, director at HHS, for letting us do this and for all the accommodation she made for us. Thanks to Kevin Townsend, former director, for first agreeing to this. Thanks to Stephanie Lee, president of the HHS Band Boosters, for all the work she put into this. I don't know who else was involved, but if you read this, thank you as well.
One last thing: things are not the same as they were in our day at HHS. The band does not receive the funding that it used to, and instruments are not in the same condition that they were in. The band has needs for equipment and upgrades that require outside donors and support. If you are able to donate to the band, send anything to Hibriten High School Band Boosters, 1350 Panther Trail, Lenoir, NC 28645, or call (828) 758-7376 for more information.
I am proud of many things. I am proud that I am a child of God. I am proud to be married to Sheyna, and to be the father of Levi and Sophie. I am proud to be the son of Clarence and Ruth Widener. I am proud of my nephews being saved, baptized, and that one is soon going into the Army.
I am also proud of the four years I spent in the Hibriten High School Band. For four years I played euphonium in that group, and was part of really a special tradition. It was one of the first things I truly learned to apply myself at, and learned to strive to be the best. During my time there I was all-district four years, first chair all-district two of those years, and first chair junior & senior year. I was privileged to get to play with the US Navy Band my junior year, and in three of our four years the HHS Band received Superior ratings at "contest," a judged festival of bands in the district.
Enter Facebook. An alumnus of HHS started a group on the site for Hibriten High School band alumni. being the proud member I am, I joined. Several memories have been shared from members on that site that graduated from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and in the past decade. We have kept up with the current band, discussed issues facing the band, and have garnered ways to support it.
I'm not sure how this came about, but this weekend a project came about called "Loving Lenoir 2011." I do know that much of it was due to the efforts of Dr. Neal Isaac. Tonight, alumni are gathering reunion-style at Sweet T's in uptown Lenoir. Some gathered to do some community work today. Tomorrow there will be a concert featuring many former Hibriten students, including an internationally-renowned soprano.
For me, the highlight was Friday night:
It was nice to know that I somewhat still had it. It was nice to see old and young alike come together for the old school. It was just a banner memory that I will never forget.
Thanks go out to Dr. Isaac for the time he has put in with the Facebook group and for what he did in setting this up. Thanks to Nickey Horner, director at HHS, for letting us do this and for all the accommodation she made for us. Thanks to Kevin Townsend, former director, for first agreeing to this. Thanks to Stephanie Lee, president of the HHS Band Boosters, for all the work she put into this. I don't know who else was involved, but if you read this, thank you as well.
One last thing: things are not the same as they were in our day at HHS. The band does not receive the funding that it used to, and instruments are not in the same condition that they were in. The band has needs for equipment and upgrades that require outside donors and support. If you are able to donate to the band, send anything to Hibriten High School Band Boosters, 1350 Panther Trail, Lenoir, NC 28645, or call (828) 758-7376 for more information.
Monday, September 12, 2011
We are ALL Ministers (but some are better than others)
I grew up the son of a Pastor of a small church in Buffalo Cove, NC. He has actually been the Pastor, there with the exception of one year, since 1970. With that as my background I can say this: I have been exposed to a lot of preaching in my days. I have also been exposed to a lot of preaching styles. Some shout until they are hoarse; some spit and strut around; some band the pulpit while they preach the fire down. Some are very quiet; others teach while they preach.
This blog is not to declare that I prefer one style over the other. I do; however, I am not going to say which style. Last year my Pastor, Steven Furtick, brought something up that really changed my way of thinking about the role of the preacher, and it is absolutely true: we are ALL ministers of the gospel. Really, we are supposed to be the hands and feet of the Church. Think about it: do the people around us see our pastor when we are at work? No, they see us. If they do not open the Bible at home, what do they know about Christ other than what we represent? What do they know about the Word of the Living God other than what we present in our words and actions? How many more rhetorical questions can I ask?
Think back to what Francis of Assisi is attributed with saying: "Preach the Gospel at all times- if necessary, use words."
More importantly, think about what Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19-20: "'Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.' Amen."
He didn't give that command to a select few that preach one to two days a week, visit people in hospitals, officiate funerals and weddings, and eat lots of fried chicken. He gave that to all that follow Him. In other words, we are the Church, and we are ministers. The role of the Pastor is to empower the people to do the ministry of the Church, and only then is it stronger and does it grow.
Caveat: That pastor needs to be rooted firmly in the Word of God, and lead the people to root their lives firmly in that Word. Think of 2 Timothy 2:15: "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
That's what Jeremiah dealt with in Jeremiah 23. False prophets were telling Israel everything was okay, God would deliver them, there will be peace and prosperity. They were led into idolatry, allowing the people to live in any method they deisred, and promising them God's blessings regardless. In that, God had enough with that, and He was telling the people the destruction and exile that awaited them. God was only speaking to one man, and no one wanted to hear it.
So yes, we are all ministers. However, for those that are called above that to be a Pastor, I salute you. I salute you and I warn you. God has given you the words you need to instruct and empower your Church to do the ministry. Don't tell us what we want to hear; tell us what we need. Tell us what "Thus says the LORD." The Church will be stronger, and men will be drawn to Christ.
This blog is not to declare that I prefer one style over the other. I do; however, I am not going to say which style. Last year my Pastor, Steven Furtick, brought something up that really changed my way of thinking about the role of the preacher, and it is absolutely true: we are ALL ministers of the gospel. Really, we are supposed to be the hands and feet of the Church. Think about it: do the people around us see our pastor when we are at work? No, they see us. If they do not open the Bible at home, what do they know about Christ other than what we represent? What do they know about the Word of the Living God other than what we present in our words and actions? How many more rhetorical questions can I ask?
Think back to what Francis of Assisi is attributed with saying: "Preach the Gospel at all times- if necessary, use words."
More importantly, think about what Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19-20: "'Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.' Amen."
He didn't give that command to a select few that preach one to two days a week, visit people in hospitals, officiate funerals and weddings, and eat lots of fried chicken. He gave that to all that follow Him. In other words, we are the Church, and we are ministers. The role of the Pastor is to empower the people to do the ministry of the Church, and only then is it stronger and does it grow.
Caveat: That pastor needs to be rooted firmly in the Word of God, and lead the people to root their lives firmly in that Word. Think of 2 Timothy 2:15: "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
That's what Jeremiah dealt with in Jeremiah 23. False prophets were telling Israel everything was okay, God would deliver them, there will be peace and prosperity. They were led into idolatry, allowing the people to live in any method they deisred, and promising them God's blessings regardless. In that, God had enough with that, and He was telling the people the destruction and exile that awaited them. God was only speaking to one man, and no one wanted to hear it.
So yes, we are all ministers. However, for those that are called above that to be a Pastor, I salute you. I salute you and I warn you. God has given you the words you need to instruct and empower your Church to do the ministry. Don't tell us what we want to hear; tell us what we need. Tell us what "Thus says the LORD." The Church will be stronger, and men will be drawn to Christ.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Wear what the pros wear
The phrase used in the title of this blog has been used by sporting goods stores over the years, as well as New Era cap company. Last week in church, our pastor talked about the strange need to wear jerseys of football players, basketball players, etc. I will admit that I have taken part in this as well, although I do not anymore (primarily because I can't afford them, although there are other reasons). Simply put: we like to emulate people we admire.
Take it another level: I work for the nation's #2 home improvement company. In our stores employees wear vests to indicate they work there and that they are in a position to assist customers with any questions they have. In the call center where I work, sometimes more experienced employees will wear these vests and roam the floor to assist with any questions that people on the phones may have. They are the authority, and have the answers to the questions that are faced.
So where am I going with this? Follow me as I get off the rabbit trail.
Most believers are familiar with the passage in Ephesians 6 in regards to the armor of God, and many could quote the different parts of the armor. You know- belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit. I'll bet you weren't aware of this passage from Isaiah 59:15-17:
"Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
Take it another level: I work for the nation's #2 home improvement company. In our stores employees wear vests to indicate they work there and that they are in a position to assist customers with any questions they have. In the call center where I work, sometimes more experienced employees will wear these vests and roam the floor to assist with any questions that people on the phones may have. They are the authority, and have the answers to the questions that are faced.
So where am I going with this? Follow me as I get off the rabbit trail.
Most believers are familiar with the passage in Ephesians 6 in regards to the armor of God, and many could quote the different parts of the armor. You know- belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit. I'll bet you weren't aware of this passage from Isaiah 59:15-17:
"Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.
He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak."
It is a passage talking about the judgment of God , and look at what He is wearing. Just exactly what Paul instructed Christians to wear. This is generally a verse believed to prophecy the coming of Christ to the earth, but it also displays that He is our example, a thought perpetuated in scripture several times. Of course Paul was a Pharisee, and has to know Isaiah forwards and backwards. He was familiar with this message, as was Jesus himself, who quoted Isaiah 61 when he started His ministry. After all, He was the inspiration for the scripture (2 Tim. 3:16, John 1:14).
Long story short: the Armor of God is not just a metaphor given by Paul to illustrate how Christians should live their life; it is the "jersey" worn by Christ himself. He is the authority, and I would love to be seen with one of His jerseys.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Hope and hurt: not mutually exclusive
I think we hear this concept all the time, and we say "Yes, that's true." We hear the sermons in our church every weekend and tend to agree with what the preacher says. But then we get into our workday midweek lives and wonder why life is so hard. We have a bad day at work, or we struggle at home, and we can tend to wonder when God will move on our behalf.
It is true: hope and hurt are not mutually exclusive. Hope often rises in the midst of hurt. Take a look at the book of Isaiah. I have been reading this in recent weeks, and there are two common themes:
1-There is judgment in store for those who have disobeyed God and His commandments.
2- Even with this judgment there is hope coming with which the world will never be the same.
Isaiah 36-37 features the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Sennacherib is extremely bold, mocking God left and right. He believes the God of Israel is nothing more than one of the wooden idols that had been torn down in one of his many conquests. For Hezekiah, the news is troubling, if I may understate. He had been following God like his ancestor David, trying to obey the laws of God and follow His word, and this comes? Imagine the stress! The great conqueror of the land, calling Egypt a bunch of nobodies, is basically telling you to prepare, no one can save you.
In the midst of this, hope comes. He takes Sennacherib's words to the temple, lays them out before God, and declares his hope. What happened? God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, and declared to him his hope was not unfounded. He told him He knows everything about that guy: when he sits, when he stands up, and he will take care of him. The next day, 185,000 men are dead, without a single blow. Sennacherib returns home and is murdered by his sons. The mighty conqueror is now just an afterthought of history.
Sometimes to get to the place you want to be you have to go through the rough part of town.
Sometimes to get a job you want, you might have to work a job you don't want.
Sometimes you are detoured to a different place you than where you thought you were going.
But God hasn't left you. The voices telling you that He doesn't care will soon be silenced as His glory will be revealed in you.
It is true: hope and hurt are not mutually exclusive. Hope often rises in the midst of hurt. Take a look at the book of Isaiah. I have been reading this in recent weeks, and there are two common themes:
1-There is judgment in store for those who have disobeyed God and His commandments.
2- Even with this judgment there is hope coming with which the world will never be the same.
Isaiah 36-37 features the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Sennacherib is extremely bold, mocking God left and right. He believes the God of Israel is nothing more than one of the wooden idols that had been torn down in one of his many conquests. For Hezekiah, the news is troubling, if I may understate. He had been following God like his ancestor David, trying to obey the laws of God and follow His word, and this comes? Imagine the stress! The great conqueror of the land, calling Egypt a bunch of nobodies, is basically telling you to prepare, no one can save you.
In the midst of this, hope comes. He takes Sennacherib's words to the temple, lays them out before God, and declares his hope. What happened? God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, and declared to him his hope was not unfounded. He told him He knows everything about that guy: when he sits, when he stands up, and he will take care of him. The next day, 185,000 men are dead, without a single blow. Sennacherib returns home and is murdered by his sons. The mighty conqueror is now just an afterthought of history.
Sometimes to get to the place you want to be you have to go through the rough part of town.
Sometimes to get a job you want, you might have to work a job you don't want.
Sometimes you are detoured to a different place you than where you thought you were going.
But God hasn't left you. The voices telling you that He doesn't care will soon be silenced as His glory will be revealed in you.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Addressing a common misconception
This may be considered a break from the normal postings you see on the Wide Scope, but there is a serious problem that I have to address. You see, there is a word that is common in the English language that receives constant abuse. It is quite common in its usage, and is a popular thing for people to talk about, especially in the summer. The saddest part of all is, most people that use the word in error have no idea they are doing it, in spite of television shows determined to help people understand the error of their ways.
What is this word that has me so riled up this hot Thursday evening?
Barbecue.
Barbecue is NOT A VERB! Barbecue is a NOUN!
More specifically, barbecue is a noun describing a type of food. Barbecue does NOT EVER refer to a piece of equipment used for preparing meat or vegetable products.
In its truest form, barbecue refers to pork shoulder, beef brisket, ribs, and occasionally chicken smoked for hours at a time. Since I am in western North Carolina, barbecue refers to pork with a lovely ketchup based sauce. Eastern NC, it's vinegar based, and that does have its place. In South Carolina, it's mustard-based, and that does have a special place in my heart - - er, stomach.
Barbecue is not something you do, nor is it a piece of equipment. The word you are looking for in that instance is the word GRILL. You GRILL hamburgers and hot dogs. You place the vegetable skewers on the GRILL. Another word you may be looking for is COOKOUT. In other words, you do not have A barbecue. You have BARBECUE.
Also, barbecue can be considered an adjective, when used to describe certain styles of sauce or meat that has been smoked when describing the animal that was smoked, but that is the only exception I will make to this rule.
The most common offenders to this are yankees, northerners, and people in the west coast. I pray God forgive them for the folly of speaking in this fashion.
I thank you for your indulgence in this blog. I hope you had fun. Now, join me in celebrating the truth by having some wonderful barbecue!
What is this word that has me so riled up this hot Thursday evening?
Barbecue.
Barbecue is NOT A VERB! Barbecue is a NOUN!
More specifically, barbecue is a noun describing a type of food. Barbecue does NOT EVER refer to a piece of equipment used for preparing meat or vegetable products.
In its truest form, barbecue refers to pork shoulder, beef brisket, ribs, and occasionally chicken smoked for hours at a time. Since I am in western North Carolina, barbecue refers to pork with a lovely ketchup based sauce. Eastern NC, it's vinegar based, and that does have its place. In South Carolina, it's mustard-based, and that does have a special place in my heart - - er, stomach.
Barbecue is not something you do, nor is it a piece of equipment. The word you are looking for in that instance is the word GRILL. You GRILL hamburgers and hot dogs. You place the vegetable skewers on the GRILL. Another word you may be looking for is COOKOUT. In other words, you do not have A barbecue. You have BARBECUE.
Also, barbecue can be considered an adjective, when used to describe certain styles of sauce or meat that has been smoked when describing the animal that was smoked, but that is the only exception I will make to this rule.
The most common offenders to this are yankees, northerners, and people in the west coast. I pray God forgive them for the folly of speaking in this fashion.
I thank you for your indulgence in this blog. I hope you had fun. Now, join me in celebrating the truth by having some wonderful barbecue!
Friday, July 8, 2011
A letter to my hometown
(I would have posted this in the local paper, but I believe more people read my blog. Also, you can't view their page online without subscribing.)
Dear Lenoir,
I did not want this day to come, but we need to separate. Please do not take this personally. I have a lot of love and affection for you. It's not like I won't ever see you again, but let's be honest: I have needs that you simply cannot provide for me. For example, I haven't received a paycheck from you since 1998. I've had to go to everyone around you- Blowing Rock, Morganton, Hickory, and now Wilkesboro- because you just haven't given me what I need in that area. The family and I have to get away.
It's going to be good for us. Levi will start going to school in Wilkesboro, where they have a great Christian school. Things are improving for me at work, but we need to step away from you to improve things a little bit more. It's caused a stressful period for us, but it will improve us for the better, and greatly help the rest of the family as well.
As I get out of town, I wanted to pass a little advice for you. Support your businesses. By businesses, I mean more than Walmart. Magic Mart will do you well if you realize it's not Walmart, it has good stuff, and can save you a trip to Hickory. For goodness sakes, enjoy the new Krispy Kreme. Keep that Mayflower seafood restaurant open, if you can. Also- if the rumors of a Chick-fil-a coming are true, by God, make the most of it. You know I will come visit.
Encourage some entrepreneurs that may be lurking in your limits. I realize you have needs, and I would love to be able to help you out, but I just don't have the ability. I do know what I would love to see: That sight that I saw this Monday- the mall parking lot completely full of cars? I remember that sight when I was a boy. It was nice to see it again, but now it only has two stores! I would love to see either those stores get some neighbors or them in another location. I'd also like to see you get another theater. Two cinemas are not enough for a city of your size.
I want you to preserve the great things of the past. I know there are plans for the Harper School to restore the Lenoir High School Band building, and I can't wait to see that restored to its former glory. (But at the same time could you get rid of some of those eyesores? The factories that are run down, the buildings that should be condemned, etc.)
We've had good times, and bad times. I've had some embarrassing times there. We've lost friends within your borders, and said hello and goodbye to a great many people. You are forever a part of my life.
You see, I want good things for you. And it's not like I won't be back- we still have family and friends in town. You know I will have to come to some Hibriten football games, especially for homecoming and band alumni night. But we need to get away from each other. I still love you, and I hope you know that. When I hear Montgomery Gentry's "Our Town," I think of you. Consider it our song. But things can never be like they were, and it's time to say goodbye.
Yours,
Jonathan
Dear Lenoir,
I did not want this day to come, but we need to separate. Please do not take this personally. I have a lot of love and affection for you. It's not like I won't ever see you again, but let's be honest: I have needs that you simply cannot provide for me. For example, I haven't received a paycheck from you since 1998. I've had to go to everyone around you- Blowing Rock, Morganton, Hickory, and now Wilkesboro- because you just haven't given me what I need in that area. The family and I have to get away.
It's going to be good for us. Levi will start going to school in Wilkesboro, where they have a great Christian school. Things are improving for me at work, but we need to step away from you to improve things a little bit more. It's caused a stressful period for us, but it will improve us for the better, and greatly help the rest of the family as well.
As I get out of town, I wanted to pass a little advice for you. Support your businesses. By businesses, I mean more than Walmart. Magic Mart will do you well if you realize it's not Walmart, it has good stuff, and can save you a trip to Hickory. For goodness sakes, enjoy the new Krispy Kreme. Keep that Mayflower seafood restaurant open, if you can. Also- if the rumors of a Chick-fil-a coming are true, by God, make the most of it. You know I will come visit.
Encourage some entrepreneurs that may be lurking in your limits. I realize you have needs, and I would love to be able to help you out, but I just don't have the ability. I do know what I would love to see: That sight that I saw this Monday- the mall parking lot completely full of cars? I remember that sight when I was a boy. It was nice to see it again, but now it only has two stores! I would love to see either those stores get some neighbors or them in another location. I'd also like to see you get another theater. Two cinemas are not enough for a city of your size.
I want you to preserve the great things of the past. I know there are plans for the Harper School to restore the Lenoir High School Band building, and I can't wait to see that restored to its former glory. (But at the same time could you get rid of some of those eyesores? The factories that are run down, the buildings that should be condemned, etc.)
We've had good times, and bad times. I've had some embarrassing times there. We've lost friends within your borders, and said hello and goodbye to a great many people. You are forever a part of my life.
You see, I want good things for you. And it's not like I won't be back- we still have family and friends in town. You know I will have to come to some Hibriten football games, especially for homecoming and band alumni night. But we need to get away from each other. I still love you, and I hope you know that. When I hear Montgomery Gentry's "Our Town," I think of you. Consider it our song. But things can never be like they were, and it's time to say goodbye.
Yours,
Jonathan
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Keeping up appearances: June, 2011
If you are wondering: no, I haven't been on vacation.
I haven't taken a sabbatical.
I haven't abandoned the Wide Scope.
What I am doing is searching for inspiration, energy, and a brief moment of time in my day. I have had some ideas, and there will be some new posts coming soon. I promise.
I haven't taken a sabbatical.
I haven't abandoned the Wide Scope.
What I am doing is searching for inspiration, energy, and a brief moment of time in my day. I have had some ideas, and there will be some new posts coming soon. I promise.
Monday, May 30, 2011
You CAN'T always get what you want...
...but you can get what you need.
In reading Psalm 37 this weekend, this is what swept over me. We really have been taking this verse, and most of scripture for that matter, out of context. It came about in the first few verses:
"Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." (verses 3-5, ESV)
Too many people look at the Bible and look at verses like these like God's blank check. They look at verses such as this as well as Deuteronomy 8:18, which in the NASB reads "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." The KJV says the "power to GET wealth." They misinterpret these so easily: God's gonna make me rich. God's gonna give me my heart's desire. Then they get disappointed when they don't get rich.
Deuteronomy 8:18 says God gives you the ability to do work and produce income for your family. God's not promising you a life of wealth with this verse, it says that through Him is the ability to do work to put food on your table. Through him, you earn a living, and produce wealth.
Back to Psalm 37: Trust in the Lord, be faithful to Him. Delight in Him, and He will give you your heart's desire. In other words, align yourself with His ways of thinking. Seek what God wants for you and through you. If you seek selfish desires, that is not what God wants, that is what you want. If you seek His kingdom and advancing it, His desires become your desires. He will then give you your heart's desire, because at that point your heart is right, and He will give you the means to make that desire become a reality (See Matthew 6).
As it says later on in Psalm 37: "I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing" (v. 25-26, NASB). If you are seeking what God wants, and looking to serve Him by being generous and helping others, He will satisfy you and will not leave you begging. And as I've mentioned recently, He doesn't operate on our timetable. It may seem lean, but He knows what you need, just when you need it. Trust Him, praise Him, and serve Him. You will be pleased with the results.
In reading Psalm 37 this weekend, this is what swept over me. We really have been taking this verse, and most of scripture for that matter, out of context. It came about in the first few verses:
"Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." (verses 3-5, ESV)
Too many people look at the Bible and look at verses like these like God's blank check. They look at verses such as this as well as Deuteronomy 8:18, which in the NASB reads "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." The KJV says the "power to GET wealth." They misinterpret these so easily: God's gonna make me rich. God's gonna give me my heart's desire. Then they get disappointed when they don't get rich.
Deuteronomy 8:18 says God gives you the ability to do work and produce income for your family. God's not promising you a life of wealth with this verse, it says that through Him is the ability to do work to put food on your table. Through him, you earn a living, and produce wealth.
Back to Psalm 37: Trust in the Lord, be faithful to Him. Delight in Him, and He will give you your heart's desire. In other words, align yourself with His ways of thinking. Seek what God wants for you and through you. If you seek selfish desires, that is not what God wants, that is what you want. If you seek His kingdom and advancing it, His desires become your desires. He will then give you your heart's desire, because at that point your heart is right, and He will give you the means to make that desire become a reality (See Matthew 6).
As it says later on in Psalm 37: "I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing" (v. 25-26, NASB). If you are seeking what God wants, and looking to serve Him by being generous and helping others, He will satisfy you and will not leave you begging. And as I've mentioned recently, He doesn't operate on our timetable. It may seem lean, but He knows what you need, just when you need it. Trust Him, praise Him, and serve Him. You will be pleased with the results.
Monday, May 23, 2011
It's true: the waiting IS the hardest part
"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage;wait for the LORD!" Psalm 27:14 (ESV)
If there's anything I have been trying to tell people during the whole "the rapture is coming on May 21" issues of the last few weeks, it is this: God operates out of time. That verse from 2 Peter that says a day to the Lord is a thousand years and vice versa? It's not meant to be taken literally. It simply means to God time is irrelevant.
To us, the human race that works 40 hours a week, need our pizza delivered in 30 minutes, popcorn in 2 minutes, and the preacher to be done by noon so we can hit the buffet and tip poorly? We operate in the world of time. The sun goes up in the east, and down in the west. The moon reflects the sun's light to shine at night. We have 3 shifts to work around the clock. Doctors give a prognosis that a sickness may take a loved one in weeks, months, or hours. We have deadlines that demand our attention.
Days lead to weeks, months, and years. Time leads babies to adulthood, away from their parents, and repeating the cycle.
In other words, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT.
But that it was God wants. He wants us to wait. Later in Psalm 130:5, it says "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope." It is hard to wait, and this is true. It is hard to wait when you see the prognosis given to one of your family members. It is hard to wait when you are not sure how the finances will turn out. It is hard to wait when the children that you took from the hospital in a tiny bundle are asking for your car keys. It is hard to wait when the world will not.
Think of John 11. This has been used way too many times to see the perfect example of waiting on God, but it is the best one. Mary and Martha waited on God, and waited until they could not wait no more.
Then He came, and showed His glory.
What am I saying? simply to hold on. It may be very hard. You may never know when you're going to escape the hum-drum existence of your life into what God promised, or when you will see your loved one healed. But he asks for you to wait. Wait and be amazed when He shows up.
If there's anything I have been trying to tell people during the whole "the rapture is coming on May 21" issues of the last few weeks, it is this: God operates out of time. That verse from 2 Peter that says a day to the Lord is a thousand years and vice versa? It's not meant to be taken literally. It simply means to God time is irrelevant.
To us, the human race that works 40 hours a week, need our pizza delivered in 30 minutes, popcorn in 2 minutes, and the preacher to be done by noon so we can hit the buffet and tip poorly? We operate in the world of time. The sun goes up in the east, and down in the west. The moon reflects the sun's light to shine at night. We have 3 shifts to work around the clock. Doctors give a prognosis that a sickness may take a loved one in weeks, months, or hours. We have deadlines that demand our attention.
Days lead to weeks, months, and years. Time leads babies to adulthood, away from their parents, and repeating the cycle.
In other words, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT.
But that it was God wants. He wants us to wait. Later in Psalm 130:5, it says "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope." It is hard to wait, and this is true. It is hard to wait when you see the prognosis given to one of your family members. It is hard to wait when you are not sure how the finances will turn out. It is hard to wait when the children that you took from the hospital in a tiny bundle are asking for your car keys. It is hard to wait when the world will not.
Think of John 11. This has been used way too many times to see the perfect example of waiting on God, but it is the best one. Mary and Martha waited on God, and waited until they could not wait no more.
Then He came, and showed His glory.
What am I saying? simply to hold on. It may be very hard. You may never know when you're going to escape the hum-drum existence of your life into what God promised, or when you will see your loved one healed. But he asks for you to wait. Wait and be amazed when He shows up.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
I am not a trusting source.
In the midst of the battle I have had recently with the depression that has had me down, I confessed something to God. What it was was truly scary, and what I honestly felt:
I did not trust God to have my best interests in store for me.
Something happened after I confessed that to God on my way to work last Thursday. The heavens did not open and angels sing a chorus to me. Nor did I get struck by lightning or swallowed up by the earth because of my unbelief.
What happened was I asked Him for help, and he provided it to me. He lifted me out of the depression and showed my that He is God, and he is worthy to be trusted. Saturday at church, He reiterated that point. Through the sermon in Genesis 24, God used Pastor Steven Furtick's message and a verse that isn't in the Bible. Abraham (a lesson on trusting God, going into a land he never had been to or knew because God asked him to) asks his servant to go into his homeland and find a wife for his son Isaac. So the servant loads 40 camels and makes the trip. The next verse shows him at the destination. What isn't listed? The long journey from one land to another. The 500 mile trip. No doubt it was hard, but in the end the trip wasn't even worth mentioning.
God showed me that I am in the middle of the trip, but I will make it to the other side, and He will lead me there. He is worth trusting.
I am mentally out of the pit I had been in the last two weeks, and it feels great. Yeah, the struggles are still there. The job is pretty hard. There are questions that still have to be answered on a daily basis, and we currently don't have those answers, but God is showing Himself faithful to be trusted. He has shown me again in my daily Bible reading.
Take a look at people that learned that God is faithful:
Abraham.
Isaac.
Joseph.
Gideon.
David.
Peter.
My parents.
My mother-in-law.
Me.
Countless millions of others.
Daily He is showing himself faithful. He is not a fan of doubt, but He wants you to confess your fears and faults to him, and He will lift you out and show himself mighty. It is not always easy. But it is worth it.
I did not trust God to have my best interests in store for me.
Something happened after I confessed that to God on my way to work last Thursday. The heavens did not open and angels sing a chorus to me. Nor did I get struck by lightning or swallowed up by the earth because of my unbelief.
What happened was I asked Him for help, and he provided it to me. He lifted me out of the depression and showed my that He is God, and he is worthy to be trusted. Saturday at church, He reiterated that point. Through the sermon in Genesis 24, God used Pastor Steven Furtick's message and a verse that isn't in the Bible. Abraham (a lesson on trusting God, going into a land he never had been to or knew because God asked him to) asks his servant to go into his homeland and find a wife for his son Isaac. So the servant loads 40 camels and makes the trip. The next verse shows him at the destination. What isn't listed? The long journey from one land to another. The 500 mile trip. No doubt it was hard, but in the end the trip wasn't even worth mentioning.
God showed me that I am in the middle of the trip, but I will make it to the other side, and He will lead me there. He is worth trusting.
I am mentally out of the pit I had been in the last two weeks, and it feels great. Yeah, the struggles are still there. The job is pretty hard. There are questions that still have to be answered on a daily basis, and we currently don't have those answers, but God is showing Himself faithful to be trusted. He has shown me again in my daily Bible reading.
Take a look at people that learned that God is faithful:
Abraham.
Isaac.
Joseph.
Gideon.
David.
Peter.
My parents.
My mother-in-law.
Me.
Countless millions of others.
Daily He is showing himself faithful. He is not a fan of doubt, but He wants you to confess your fears and faults to him, and He will lift you out and show himself mighty. It is not always easy. But it is worth it.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Mind is a Steel Trap. To Be Honest, a Bear Trap.
You have to have a fertile mind to have a blog, I do believe. My mind is somewhat fertile, but it only allows for inspiration once a week. But you may be wondering, what do I struggle with most of all? I have chronicled the hardships of the past year, and I have offered bits and pieces of inspiration in the middle of that. But I would say the greatest struggle I have is this:
Depression is not my friend, but it is a constant companion of mine.
That is the danger of this fertile mind. It can trap me with my thoughts. It forces me to dwell on things I cannot change. It reminds me I am not in control, what I have not done correctly, and encourages me to worry about them. That fear also causes me to think I am a failure, not worthy of the love of my family, friends, or even the God that sent His son to redeem me.
That fear leads to the fear that I will fail, which attacks my pride, which encourages me to believe that I cannot do anything. I fear that anything that changes will cause me to lose my current identity, that I will be less of a man, a husband and a father that I am supposed to be. This leads me to basically want to assume the fetal position on the couch. I can't even sleep well, because my dreams are not pleasant.
I honestly doubt I could be any more honest than that. In this situation I am hard to encourage. I basically want to be left alone, and that is the most dangerous place for me.
That is the truth regarding my struggle. If you should find me in this position, put something in my hand. Encourage me. Reach out to me. Remind me of the God I serve, and His promises that are yes and amen. Remind me that I can do all things through His strength, and that He is for me. Point out His blessings in my life.
I may not seem receptive, but trust me: each reminder will loosen the trap of my mind, little by little. I cannot promise that I will not step back into the trap, but it will be good to be free for a while.
Depression is not my friend, but it is a constant companion of mine.
That is the danger of this fertile mind. It can trap me with my thoughts. It forces me to dwell on things I cannot change. It reminds me I am not in control, what I have not done correctly, and encourages me to worry about them. That fear also causes me to think I am a failure, not worthy of the love of my family, friends, or even the God that sent His son to redeem me.
That fear leads to the fear that I will fail, which attacks my pride, which encourages me to believe that I cannot do anything. I fear that anything that changes will cause me to lose my current identity, that I will be less of a man, a husband and a father that I am supposed to be. This leads me to basically want to assume the fetal position on the couch. I can't even sleep well, because my dreams are not pleasant.
I honestly doubt I could be any more honest than that. In this situation I am hard to encourage. I basically want to be left alone, and that is the most dangerous place for me.
That is the truth regarding my struggle. If you should find me in this position, put something in my hand. Encourage me. Reach out to me. Remind me of the God I serve, and His promises that are yes and amen. Remind me that I can do all things through His strength, and that He is for me. Point out His blessings in my life.
I may not seem receptive, but trust me: each reminder will loosen the trap of my mind, little by little. I cannot promise that I will not step back into the trap, but it will be good to be free for a while.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Christian Killjoys
May 1, 2011 was a day in which the United States and the world received great news:
Osama bin Laden had met his maker. He also learned that 70 virgins were not waiting for him, neither were 70 trashy prostitutes, only hellfire and gnashing of teeth. This was a great announcement. I for one congratulate the Navy SEALs as well as the CIA team for getting the job done in Pakistan. I also congratulate President Obama for signing the order to strike. What happened was not the end of the war, but a major step in the right direction.
What then should have been a night of great celebration for me turned into a night of groaning when some Christians on Twitter started issuing the following verse, Ezekiel 33:11: "As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people." (also, it should be noted that Michael Moore was one of the many people tweeting this, so take that for what it's worth.)
66 years ago on this very day, the death of Adolf Hitler was announced. did our parents and grandparents start a steady stream of grieving for the death of this lunatic? I dare say they did not.
Do not get me wrong. It is indeed sad when any person dies without Jesus in their heart. But to heap proverbial ashes upon our heads because he is dead is really, REALLY being a Christian Killjoy.
What many of the people with this mindset miss is this: bin Laden did not receive mercy. He received JUSTICE. Many of these same people decry the poverty of the world, act like anyone with some affluence is evil. And if we dare celebrate the death of a madman, how dare we?
Read Romans 9. It goes into some detail of how God used Pharoah to reveal His plan for His people Israel. Do we mourn Pharoah? I think not. Read First and Second Kings. God used people to wipe out entire families because one king led the nation to sin. Were the brothers and sons of the kings of Israel responsible for this? No, but the law of God demanded justice and payment for sin.
Now, everyone has the payment for sin: it is Jesus, through His death and resurrection. The news is not only for the people of Israel like in the days of old, but for everyone. Yes, bin Laden had the opportunity to accept this as well, but he had rejected it. He will burn in a hell prepared for the devil and his angels, along with Hitler, and he deserves it.
Someone found this quote from Mark Twain:
"I do not wish anyone dead but there are some obituaries I do not mind reading..."
That said, don't trample on the joy of others when the event is worth celebrating. We who celebrate this are leading in generosity, helping the poor and needy, those facing disaster, and those in need of a Savior. Quit preaching your sermons to the church and try to reach some of these people you say you are concerned about. Quit complaining about the church and be the church.
Goodness, I had to get that off my chest. Some people...
Osama bin Laden had met his maker. He also learned that 70 virgins were not waiting for him, neither were 70 trashy prostitutes, only hellfire and gnashing of teeth. This was a great announcement. I for one congratulate the Navy SEALs as well as the CIA team for getting the job done in Pakistan. I also congratulate President Obama for signing the order to strike. What happened was not the end of the war, but a major step in the right direction.
What then should have been a night of great celebration for me turned into a night of groaning when some Christians on Twitter started issuing the following verse, Ezekiel 33:11: "As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people." (also, it should be noted that Michael Moore was one of the many people tweeting this, so take that for what it's worth.)
66 years ago on this very day, the death of Adolf Hitler was announced. did our parents and grandparents start a steady stream of grieving for the death of this lunatic? I dare say they did not.
Do not get me wrong. It is indeed sad when any person dies without Jesus in their heart. But to heap proverbial ashes upon our heads because he is dead is really, REALLY being a Christian Killjoy.
What many of the people with this mindset miss is this: bin Laden did not receive mercy. He received JUSTICE. Many of these same people decry the poverty of the world, act like anyone with some affluence is evil. And if we dare celebrate the death of a madman, how dare we?
Read Romans 9. It goes into some detail of how God used Pharoah to reveal His plan for His people Israel. Do we mourn Pharoah? I think not. Read First and Second Kings. God used people to wipe out entire families because one king led the nation to sin. Were the brothers and sons of the kings of Israel responsible for this? No, but the law of God demanded justice and payment for sin.
Now, everyone has the payment for sin: it is Jesus, through His death and resurrection. The news is not only for the people of Israel like in the days of old, but for everyone. Yes, bin Laden had the opportunity to accept this as well, but he had rejected it. He will burn in a hell prepared for the devil and his angels, along with Hitler, and he deserves it.
Someone found this quote from Mark Twain:
"I do not wish anyone dead but there are some obituaries I do not mind reading..."
That said, don't trample on the joy of others when the event is worth celebrating. We who celebrate this are leading in generosity, helping the poor and needy, those facing disaster, and those in need of a Savior. Quit preaching your sermons to the church and try to reach some of these people you say you are concerned about. Quit complaining about the church and be the church.
Goodness, I had to get that off my chest. Some people...
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The End IS Near, but you don't know about it.
It is time, once again, to stick my neck out there. A very good friend posted something on Facebook today, and apparently the world will end on May 21. The good news about that is, I won't have to go to work on May 22. Seriously- this pastor has taken a scripture from the book of Genesis along with a scripture from 2 Peter in which he talks about Noah, and makes the conclusion that includes doing some math to reason 5/21/11 as Judgment day. Intelligent, to a point. However, there is one thing wrong with that.
Some parts of the Bible are intended to illustrate a point without being literal.
This was the verse in 2 Peter: "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (6-8)."
To take that literally, you would have to say that God has a calendar, and that after 1,000 years passes, He says "OK- Wednesday." That is not how God works. What it is supposed to mean is this: time does not matter to God. He exists outside of time.God is Spirit (see John 4). His world has no time.
Another thing this preacher said is this: The Church Age ended on May 21, 1988. To quote the site:
"On May 21st, 1988, God finished using the churches and congregations of the world. The Spirit of God left all churches and Satan, the man of sin, entered into the churches to rule at that point in time."
(Quoted from http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/may21/)
Problem: if the Spirit of God left the churches, how are/were people still getting saved? Why are people still coming to Christ if the Spirit of God is not still convicting of sin? Why would Satan allow people to come to Christ if he is in charge of the churches now? Lastly, what is your church? If there is not Spirit of God in the church, what are you teaching? Why are you warning people?
Oy. Here is Matthew 24:36 (NKJV): “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."
Think about how many times people have declared the end of the world. Someone in Garland, TX tried it in 1988. Jehovah's Witnesses have made a religion out of it. REM even tried it once.
So when is the end of the world? I don't know. Only God knows. All I can tell you is that it is coming, and each one of us needs to be prepared. You may have only a month, you may have several years. It may not be in your lifetime. But it is coming.
I let this blog get away from me, but I needed to rant.
Some parts of the Bible are intended to illustrate a point without being literal.
This was the verse in 2 Peter: "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (6-8)."
To take that literally, you would have to say that God has a calendar, and that after 1,000 years passes, He says "OK- Wednesday." That is not how God works. What it is supposed to mean is this: time does not matter to God. He exists outside of time.God is Spirit (see John 4). His world has no time.
Another thing this preacher said is this: The Church Age ended on May 21, 1988. To quote the site:
"On May 21st, 1988, God finished using the churches and congregations of the world. The Spirit of God left all churches and Satan, the man of sin, entered into the churches to rule at that point in time."
(Quoted from http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/may21/)
Problem: if the Spirit of God left the churches, how are/were people still getting saved? Why are people still coming to Christ if the Spirit of God is not still convicting of sin? Why would Satan allow people to come to Christ if he is in charge of the churches now? Lastly, what is your church? If there is not Spirit of God in the church, what are you teaching? Why are you warning people?
Oy. Here is Matthew 24:36 (NKJV): “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."
Think about how many times people have declared the end of the world. Someone in Garland, TX tried it in 1988. Jehovah's Witnesses have made a religion out of it. REM even tried it once.
So when is the end of the world? I don't know. Only God knows. All I can tell you is that it is coming, and each one of us needs to be prepared. You may have only a month, you may have several years. It may not be in your lifetime. But it is coming.
I let this blog get away from me, but I needed to rant.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Epic (Temporary) Fail
I cannot believe I let a somewhat important anniversary date in my life go without much hoopla or reflection. I mean, after all, that's what I do. I internalize, I contemplate, and I reflect. Yeah, April 12 was my birthday. April 13, one year ago, I lost my job of 10 years, and it was quite hard on me. I spent the next nine months playing Mr. Mom, taking care of being a full-time college student at the same time, and dealing with a general feeling of inadequacy.
There were times in that period that I felt like a complete failure.
It was a time that I realized God was doing some major stripping away of things in my life. I had done Christian retail for 13 years, the last ten at the same location. I knew that line of work and could do it better than anyone else. It is a dream of mine to own my own store one day. Yet I became an outsider to that industry. And I have to be completely honest, visiting some Christian retail stores now still leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
I had started back to college in 2008. I had been taking classes at night and online, and was then able to devote myself full-time after losing my job. Yet as I was about to begin my final semester, something happened to my funding that forbade me from returning to school. In the meantime I was applying to jobs left and right and from April through November I interviewed, maybe three times.
It was after that stripping away that I received my next interview and my current job. I talked about it in December on this blog. I can look back on the loss of my job now and see that God was leading me to a better situation, a job in a company that supports its employees and wants to see them succeed. It does have its hardships and its struggles, but I am grateful for the chance to succeed.
It may not seem like much of a success story, but it is a step in the right direction. Need more inspiration? Consider this:
William Hershey failed in business before his last endeavor into the candy business.
Hiram U. Grant didn't even get his name registered right upon his registration to West Point. Of course, if my name was Hiram, I'd be OK with that. They registered him as Ulysses S. Grant, and it stuck. He left the Army in the 1850's, struggled with alcohol, and ended up as a clerk in his father's store before war broke out in 1861.
Kurt Warner struggled as a backup quarterback and got a job in a supermarket before he became a successful quarterback.
It truly seemed like Jesus' earthly mission had failed to the crowds that had Him crucified. Ultimately that turned out to be the greatest success story ever.
Your circumstance may be hard. But I tell you, hold on. It is leading to something greater down the road.
There were times in that period that I felt like a complete failure.
It was a time that I realized God was doing some major stripping away of things in my life. I had done Christian retail for 13 years, the last ten at the same location. I knew that line of work and could do it better than anyone else. It is a dream of mine to own my own store one day. Yet I became an outsider to that industry. And I have to be completely honest, visiting some Christian retail stores now still leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
I had started back to college in 2008. I had been taking classes at night and online, and was then able to devote myself full-time after losing my job. Yet as I was about to begin my final semester, something happened to my funding that forbade me from returning to school. In the meantime I was applying to jobs left and right and from April through November I interviewed, maybe three times.
It was after that stripping away that I received my next interview and my current job. I talked about it in December on this blog. I can look back on the loss of my job now and see that God was leading me to a better situation, a job in a company that supports its employees and wants to see them succeed. It does have its hardships and its struggles, but I am grateful for the chance to succeed.
It may not seem like much of a success story, but it is a step in the right direction. Need more inspiration? Consider this:
William Hershey failed in business before his last endeavor into the candy business.
Hiram U. Grant didn't even get his name registered right upon his registration to West Point. Of course, if my name was Hiram, I'd be OK with that. They registered him as Ulysses S. Grant, and it stuck. He left the Army in the 1850's, struggled with alcohol, and ended up as a clerk in his father's store before war broke out in 1861.
Kurt Warner struggled as a backup quarterback and got a job in a supermarket before he became a successful quarterback.
It truly seemed like Jesus' earthly mission had failed to the crowds that had Him crucified. Ultimately that turned out to be the greatest success story ever.
Your circumstance may be hard. But I tell you, hold on. It is leading to something greater down the road.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
What I Don't Want My Life to Be
I posted earlier this year that I have been making a concentrated effort to read through the Bible this year. I have started in different places, and since purchasing a Bible with a daily reading plan, I have been reading a certain regimen per day as well as the reading I had previously started. What I have learned about reading the Bible is this:
There are certain verses that absolutely shake me to the core.
On this day, my 34th birthday, I have decided to take the latest verse with such an effect and make a short post about it.
"In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings." (2 Chronicles 21:19-20, ESV)
This is the legacy of King Jehoram of Judah, son of Jehoshaphat, grandson of Asa. He killed his brothers, forgot God, and took Judah down a path that would begin its downfall. Most notably are those words in Verse 20: "And he departed with no one's regret."
What will be said about you when it is your time? I'm not saying expect a royal funeral, because you are not royalty. My aim in this blog is to ask you to check yourself. Would anyone miss you if you were not there? Or is your life having no impact on those around you? Even a silent life can have a positive impact; your actions and your life speak infinitely more than what your words can say.
Take a look at the life your living, and what you are allowing others to see you live out. A life without regret is a lot better than a life no one regrets losing.
There are certain verses that absolutely shake me to the core.
On this day, my 34th birthday, I have decided to take the latest verse with such an effect and make a short post about it.
"In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings." (2 Chronicles 21:19-20, ESV)
This is the legacy of King Jehoram of Judah, son of Jehoshaphat, grandson of Asa. He killed his brothers, forgot God, and took Judah down a path that would begin its downfall. Most notably are those words in Verse 20: "And he departed with no one's regret."
What will be said about you when it is your time? I'm not saying expect a royal funeral, because you are not royalty. My aim in this blog is to ask you to check yourself. Would anyone miss you if you were not there? Or is your life having no impact on those around you? Even a silent life can have a positive impact; your actions and your life speak infinitely more than what your words can say.
Take a look at the life your living, and what you are allowing others to see you live out. A life without regret is a lot better than a life no one regrets losing.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
We are NOT all leaders
When you graduated high school, your valedictorian and the guest speaker prepared you to be the future leaders of the world. The same thing happened in college, if you made it to your graduation.
Your bosses expect leadership and initiative from you, looking for people with initiative and drive that have that leadership "gene" to promote into positions of authority.
There are reasons that John Maxwell and Ken Blanchard have jobs. The world needs leaders. People need to succeed, and should strive to be the best they can be.
But I have news that should stun you:
WE ARE NOT ALL MEANT TO BE LEADERS.
Think first about it in the logical sense: If everyone leads, who will follow? If a leader has no one to lead, he or she is an island unto themselves.
Some are meant to follow. Some are meant to serve or to be a servant. Someone has to clean up for the leaders. For every CEO, there are 10 maintenance men. For every supervisor, there has to be the supervised. The foreman needs a construction crew.
I am not saying don't shoot for the stars. By all means, shoot. The thing I am saying is this, in old-school Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) fashion: Know Your Role.
You may have to be in a position for a few months. embrace your position and work as hard as you can. You may be offered a position as a sanitation worker, and not anything else. Take it, because someone has to do it. You may not like what the preacher has to say in your church. That does not mean God is calling you to start a church just down the street less than a mile from the old church and half a mile from the other church. Maybe you should just examine the Word, yourself, and what the pastor is saying.
Take a moment and examine your position. You may have been in the same position for 7, 8, maybe 10 years. You may feel like you were made for something more. However, you haven't gone anywhere. The thing is, God has put you there. He asks you to be content (Phil. 4:11). If you are in a position of leadership, He asks you to serve as He did (John 13).
Yes, expect the best from yourself, and try to make the best of where you are. But remember, you are there because someone needs to be.
Your bosses expect leadership and initiative from you, looking for people with initiative and drive that have that leadership "gene" to promote into positions of authority.
There are reasons that John Maxwell and Ken Blanchard have jobs. The world needs leaders. People need to succeed, and should strive to be the best they can be.
But I have news that should stun you:
WE ARE NOT ALL MEANT TO BE LEADERS.
Think first about it in the logical sense: If everyone leads, who will follow? If a leader has no one to lead, he or she is an island unto themselves.
Some are meant to follow. Some are meant to serve or to be a servant. Someone has to clean up for the leaders. For every CEO, there are 10 maintenance men. For every supervisor, there has to be the supervised. The foreman needs a construction crew.
I am not saying don't shoot for the stars. By all means, shoot. The thing I am saying is this, in old-school Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) fashion: Know Your Role.
You may have to be in a position for a few months. embrace your position and work as hard as you can. You may be offered a position as a sanitation worker, and not anything else. Take it, because someone has to do it. You may not like what the preacher has to say in your church. That does not mean God is calling you to start a church just down the street less than a mile from the old church and half a mile from the other church. Maybe you should just examine the Word, yourself, and what the pastor is saying.
Take a moment and examine your position. You may have been in the same position for 7, 8, maybe 10 years. You may feel like you were made for something more. However, you haven't gone anywhere. The thing is, God has put you there. He asks you to be content (Phil. 4:11). If you are in a position of leadership, He asks you to serve as He did (John 13).
Yes, expect the best from yourself, and try to make the best of where you are. But remember, you are there because someone needs to be.
Monday, March 21, 2011
What I realized tonight was...
...I'm getting older.
It hasn't been just tonight. It has been over the past few weeks. I was driving home from work and was thinking to myself about how many time I have driven down that road in my life. I then thought about the old road that went from Wilkesboro to Lenoir. It was less wide, had more curves, but it was a lot more fun to drive.
Then I thought- this car will go over 40,000 miles this week, That is ridiculous. Wait a minute- shouldn't I be driving a Chevrolet Cavalier? What about my Ford Ranger? There was the other thought- that place I was working. Isn't that the mall? Didn't I visit that arcade so many times, that Belk, so many times? How in the world did this become a large office building? What about when I got home- how in the world do I have kids? My baby boy is an unbelievably talkative 5-year-old that only talks about car brands and car makes. That can't be possible, can it? My wife put pigtails in my baby girl's hair. I looked at her and realized- - she's not a baby! She's a girl!
I pass by Hibriten High, and I'm thinking about classmates, band, the football team, realizing am I not supposed to be going there? No- my nephews go there, and one just turned 18! Wait- why am I turning down Hibriten drive? I live this way? I'm not going home to my parents? No, I live this way now. Wait - there's Willard! He always used to walk by my house on the way to town! At least that's familiar! What is he wearing? Oh, goodness, no!
(DISCLOSURE: Willard is a man that walks around Lenoir wherever he needs to go, in an array of disguises and costumes. tonight he was wearing a 2-piece ladies' swimsuit, a bra, and some boots.)
At least some things never change.
The fact of the matter is, life just passes by so quickly. The Bible describes it as a "vapour." James 4:14 says "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone (NLT)."
This is where I am now. I am an adult. I'll be 34 in a few weeks. Next year I can run for president. No, I am not interested. I am an adult. Now I am living my life in the morning fog, If I have any advice, it would be this- get yourself a good breakfast, and enjoy. Take in the pictures, and hold on to them.
It hasn't been just tonight. It has been over the past few weeks. I was driving home from work and was thinking to myself about how many time I have driven down that road in my life. I then thought about the old road that went from Wilkesboro to Lenoir. It was less wide, had more curves, but it was a lot more fun to drive.
Then I thought- this car will go over 40,000 miles this week, That is ridiculous. Wait a minute- shouldn't I be driving a Chevrolet Cavalier? What about my Ford Ranger? There was the other thought- that place I was working. Isn't that the mall? Didn't I visit that arcade so many times, that Belk, so many times? How in the world did this become a large office building? What about when I got home- how in the world do I have kids? My baby boy is an unbelievably talkative 5-year-old that only talks about car brands and car makes. That can't be possible, can it? My wife put pigtails in my baby girl's hair. I looked at her and realized- - she's not a baby! She's a girl!
I pass by Hibriten High, and I'm thinking about classmates, band, the football team, realizing am I not supposed to be going there? No- my nephews go there, and one just turned 18! Wait- why am I turning down Hibriten drive? I live this way? I'm not going home to my parents? No, I live this way now. Wait - there's Willard! He always used to walk by my house on the way to town! At least that's familiar! What is he wearing? Oh, goodness, no!
(DISCLOSURE: Willard is a man that walks around Lenoir wherever he needs to go, in an array of disguises and costumes. tonight he was wearing a 2-piece ladies' swimsuit, a bra, and some boots.)
At least some things never change.
The fact of the matter is, life just passes by so quickly. The Bible describes it as a "vapour." James 4:14 says "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone (NLT)."
This is where I am now. I am an adult. I'll be 34 in a few weeks. Next year I can run for president. No, I am not interested. I am an adult. Now I am living my life in the morning fog, If I have any advice, it would be this- get yourself a good breakfast, and enjoy. Take in the pictures, and hold on to them.
Friday, March 11, 2011
The definition of entitlement
Merriam-Webster defines entitlement as "belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges." That describes the mindset, sadly of most of us. This also holds the misery of most all of us.
What do I mean?
Take a look at Wisconsin. Unions and Democrats are rioting because they think the state is attempting to take away any privileges they have. "Public" entities are protesting the moves of Congress and state legislatures all over simply because they think any cuts will put an end to their current conditions or situation. Many have decried out of control government spending, yet when someone tries to get it under control, they decry any cut that will affect them, their family, or anything they hold an interest in.
People call customer service lines because they feel the slightest inconvenience. People complain if they were ignored by a person working in a store. People complain because the people in a store were too nice to them. No, I am not making that up. People complain because they have to write a check instead of having it ran through a machine for them.
We have a consumption-driven economy in this nation, and an entitlement society. We have been made to believe that we are entitled to things simply because they exist. It reminds me of a poem by Stephen Crane:
A man said to the universe:
"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."
"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."
So many of us now ignore this and believe that we are entitled to have whatever we want when we want it, and if something goes wrong, it is our right to have somebody's head on a platter until we are satisfied.
What am I getting at? Simply this. Take a look at the first part of Lamentations 3:22 : "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed." THIS is what we are entitled to.
Consumption. Death. Hell fire. Separation from God.
When I look at this, I realize that the fact that I am alive is a blessing. When I look at the rest of the verse and the next, I rejoice:
"because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
I am entitled to death, but I have received mercy from a faithful God. What I receive on top of that is a gift from God that I am thankful for every day. Looking at my life from this scope makes for a perspective I wish more people shared.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Shining the Wide Scope spotlight: Love Week 2011
Consider this a special edition of the Wide Scope. Love Week 2011 is the 2nd annual week of simply love poured out on the city of Charlotte. Last year, Elevation Church committed to volunteer 10,000 hours of service to the city of Charlotte. Well, they blew that number out of the water. This year, the church teamed with 25 others in the city of Charlotte to volunteer 25,000 hours from Feb. 26-March 6. It looks like that will be blown away as well. Part of what Love Week is about is shining the light on some of the outreach partners that the church has, and encouraging those that may not know about it of realize that they can help in the work to stand and take notice. Here are some of the partners and the ways you can help:
Samaritan's Purse: Water problems affect half of humanity. 1.1 billion people in developing countries don't have access to water, and 2.5 billion lack basic sanitation. Visit samaritanspurse.org to find out how you can make an impact. Not only that, but they spread the Gospel to over 8 million children in over 130 countries each year.
A21: The second largest organized crime in the world today is trafficking. 1.39 million victims of commercial sexual servitude worldwide are part of a $12 billion industry. A21 is working to get this practice abolished. To see how you can help, visit thea21campaign.org .
Compassion International: 130 million children in developing countries have lost one or both parents. More than 75% of the deaths of children under the age of 5 are preventable. To see how you can help sponsor one of more than 1 million children in 26 countries, visit compassion.com .
A Child's Place: As of June 2010, 4,453 children in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were identified as homeless. It's estimated 1,600 more have not been identified. They face a graduation rate of 25%. These children go hungry twice as much as others, and are sick 4 times more often. Visit achildsplace.org to see how you can help.
Crisis Assistance Ministries: Over 220,000 families with children under 18 live under the poverty level. Over 46,000 single mothers in Charlotte live under that level. Last year over 70,000 people received financial assistance thanks to donors and volunteers at Crisis Assistance. Visit the group in Charlotte, or look for one in your area to see how you can help them.
WISH Program: Wish is a program designed to rapidly re-house homeless families in safe and decent apartments. They empower people with resources they need to become self-sufficient. Visit wishprogram.org to see how you can get involved.
BlessBack Worldwide: BlessBack stepped into action in Haiti to assist some of the millions of families that were affected by the earthquake and recent cholera outbreak in Haiti. They exist to provide medical and spiritual blessings to hurting people around the world. To see how to join them, visit blessbackworldwide.org .
The good thing about this is that you don't have to live in Charlotte or even go to church in Charlotte to help these groups out. You can help them right there at your computer screen. If you want to know more about Love Week, visit loveweekcharlotte.com . If Charlotte is not where God has you, maybe this will inspire you to start spreading the love of Christ where you are. Whatever the case, take the time, and help take care of "the least of these."
Samaritan's Purse: Water problems affect half of humanity. 1.1 billion people in developing countries don't have access to water, and 2.5 billion lack basic sanitation. Visit samaritanspurse.org to find out how you can make an impact. Not only that, but they spread the Gospel to over 8 million children in over 130 countries each year.
A21: The second largest organized crime in the world today is trafficking. 1.39 million victims of commercial sexual servitude worldwide are part of a $12 billion industry. A21 is working to get this practice abolished. To see how you can help, visit thea21campaign.org .
Compassion International: 130 million children in developing countries have lost one or both parents. More than 75% of the deaths of children under the age of 5 are preventable. To see how you can help sponsor one of more than 1 million children in 26 countries, visit compassion.com .
A Child's Place: As of June 2010, 4,453 children in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were identified as homeless. It's estimated 1,600 more have not been identified. They face a graduation rate of 25%. These children go hungry twice as much as others, and are sick 4 times more often. Visit achildsplace.org to see how you can help.
Crisis Assistance Ministries: Over 220,000 families with children under 18 live under the poverty level. Over 46,000 single mothers in Charlotte live under that level. Last year over 70,000 people received financial assistance thanks to donors and volunteers at Crisis Assistance. Visit the group in Charlotte, or look for one in your area to see how you can help them.
WISH Program: Wish is a program designed to rapidly re-house homeless families in safe and decent apartments. They empower people with resources they need to become self-sufficient. Visit wishprogram.org to see how you can get involved.
BlessBack Worldwide: BlessBack stepped into action in Haiti to assist some of the millions of families that were affected by the earthquake and recent cholera outbreak in Haiti. They exist to provide medical and spiritual blessings to hurting people around the world. To see how to join them, visit blessbackworldwide.org .
The good thing about this is that you don't have to live in Charlotte or even go to church in Charlotte to help these groups out. You can help them right there at your computer screen. If you want to know more about Love Week, visit loveweekcharlotte.com . If Charlotte is not where God has you, maybe this will inspire you to start spreading the love of Christ where you are. Whatever the case, take the time, and help take care of "the least of these."
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
My Book Report on Honor
Our church is doing a series on honor. We have not been given any true homework assignments, per se, but it is important if a person is going to grow in their walk with God to actually get something out of the lesson that is taught. It is vital as a follower of God to show honor where it is commanded. In the scriptures we are asked to show honor to our wives, wives are asked to honor their husbands, children are asked to honor parents, subjects are asked to honor leaders. This includes presidents, congressmen, senators, pastors, bosses, and others that you may have difficulty honoring in your daily life. This does not just mean former presidents or pastors, either.
Don't get me wrong- I'm not saying you have to agree with them. You are free to disagree with any of the people I have mentioned. I am simply saying that according to scripture, you are to give honor to them. God has put them in authority over you. But here's a question- how do I do it? Do you have any examples?
Of course I do. Why else blog about it? Turn to I Samuel and read about David and Saul.
Saul was the first king of Israel. He had difficulty doing what God said, and as a result, God renounced him. His anointed replacement was David. As a result of God's sense of humor, David ended up playing the lyre for Saul to calm him when he was tormented. As it became evidently clear to Saul that David was chosen to be king, and it became equally evident that Saul was trying to kill David- he did that more than once. He chased him all over the country. He even tried to kill his son when he defended David.
So when David had two opportunities to get the drop on Saul, what did he do?
He honored the person that God had anointed.
I Samuel 24:6 : "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed." I Samuel 26:11 : The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
He was faithful to God, and followed His heart. He honored the authority over him, and he was honored by God because he did. I can assure you that your boss probably has not tried to kill you, and neither has your pastor, at least I hope not. What you can learn from this is that when you give the honor due, you honor God, because He put them in that position of authority.
That's a lot to chew on. Get a glass of water, and ponder it for a while.
Don't get me wrong- I'm not saying you have to agree with them. You are free to disagree with any of the people I have mentioned. I am simply saying that according to scripture, you are to give honor to them. God has put them in authority over you. But here's a question- how do I do it? Do you have any examples?
Of course I do. Why else blog about it? Turn to I Samuel and read about David and Saul.
Saul was the first king of Israel. He had difficulty doing what God said, and as a result, God renounced him. His anointed replacement was David. As a result of God's sense of humor, David ended up playing the lyre for Saul to calm him when he was tormented. As it became evidently clear to Saul that David was chosen to be king, and it became equally evident that Saul was trying to kill David- he did that more than once. He chased him all over the country. He even tried to kill his son when he defended David.
So when David had two opportunities to get the drop on Saul, what did he do?
He honored the person that God had anointed.
I Samuel 24:6 : "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed." I Samuel 26:11 : The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
He was faithful to God, and followed His heart. He honored the authority over him, and he was honored by God because he did. I can assure you that your boss probably has not tried to kill you, and neither has your pastor, at least I hope not. What you can learn from this is that when you give the honor due, you honor God, because He put them in that position of authority.
That's a lot to chew on. Get a glass of water, and ponder it for a while.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Give THOUGH it Hurts.
Too many people have used the phrase in the years "give until it hurts." Most of time these people are preachers that are a little nervous because the offering into the church is not what they hope it would be. (Oh. I wasn't supposed to say that out loud.)
I am thankful for the place I currently go to church. Elevation declares openly that they do not need your money, yet at the same time leads the way in generosity. They celebrate giving every week, and the people give. Not only that, but story after story pour in about how God has blessed them after they committed to give to what He is doing.
What has me on this tangent? It is simple. I started reading this morning in I Samuel. I read the story of Hannah. If you haven't read it, DO. Synopsis: She is one of two wives to Elkanah. In fact, she is the barren wife. She prays every year at the temple at the time of sacrifice, begging for a child. She asks God for a child, and promises that she will return the child to God's service. Finally, her request is granted, and she has Samuel. After she weans him, she presents him to the temple for God's service.
What she has wanted her entire life, she willingly gives up. Her reaction? Highest praise to God. Read her prayer in I Samuel 2. What had to be the hardest possible thing to do was the easiest to do in the sight of a great God that had provided the impossible. God rewarded her faithfulness and her sacrifice, and gave her more children.
What we lose here in the New Testament is the notion of sacrifice. Sacrifice is hard. Ask Jesus. We do not have to give up one of our animals every year. We give a little money in a plate every week (or two, or month, or whenever we visit the church), and think we've sacrificed. Hebrews 13 asks us to offer the "sacrifice of praise" and to share what we have as sacrifices.
Thanks to Jesus, our sacrifices need not be as drastic as in Hannah's day. We no longer have to sacrifice for our sins. It is easy to praise, or to give a couple of dollars. When you do what is hard- give what God is actually telling you to give, or going and doing something that you would not normally do to help someone you would never say hello to on the street, even though it might not be easy- that is when you honor the God that is worthy of the praise. When you find you have survived the pain, it becomes easier to do it again. Feel free to give it a try...
I am thankful for the place I currently go to church. Elevation declares openly that they do not need your money, yet at the same time leads the way in generosity. They celebrate giving every week, and the people give. Not only that, but story after story pour in about how God has blessed them after they committed to give to what He is doing.
What has me on this tangent? It is simple. I started reading this morning in I Samuel. I read the story of Hannah. If you haven't read it, DO. Synopsis: She is one of two wives to Elkanah. In fact, she is the barren wife. She prays every year at the temple at the time of sacrifice, begging for a child. She asks God for a child, and promises that she will return the child to God's service. Finally, her request is granted, and she has Samuel. After she weans him, she presents him to the temple for God's service.
What she has wanted her entire life, she willingly gives up. Her reaction? Highest praise to God. Read her prayer in I Samuel 2. What had to be the hardest possible thing to do was the easiest to do in the sight of a great God that had provided the impossible. God rewarded her faithfulness and her sacrifice, and gave her more children.
What we lose here in the New Testament is the notion of sacrifice. Sacrifice is hard. Ask Jesus. We do not have to give up one of our animals every year. We give a little money in a plate every week (or two, or month, or whenever we visit the church), and think we've sacrificed. Hebrews 13 asks us to offer the "sacrifice of praise" and to share what we have as sacrifices.
Thanks to Jesus, our sacrifices need not be as drastic as in Hannah's day. We no longer have to sacrifice for our sins. It is easy to praise, or to give a couple of dollars. When you do what is hard- give what God is actually telling you to give, or going and doing something that you would not normally do to help someone you would never say hello to on the street, even though it might not be easy- that is when you honor the God that is worthy of the praise. When you find you have survived the pain, it becomes easier to do it again. Feel free to give it a try...
Monday, February 21, 2011
I Surrender none?
Picture this scene in your mind:
It is April 1865. General Robert E. Lee has left the house in Appomattox, VA, where he has surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. He says his farewell to his tired and hungry soldiers, turned his horse Traveler, and headed home.
The next day, he changes his mind. He decides to race Traveler back to Appomattox and fight again. His soldiers have already been given rations from the US Army, their primary weapons have been taken, but they have weapons for hunting. Some have already headed home. Yet the General wishes to fight.
Wouldn't that be a stupid decision?
Of course it would.
Follower of Christ, how many times have you sang that you surrender all of your life to Him? How often do you say that "I have given Him everything?" Then how often do you immediately take the issue that you have committed to Christ and obsess over it?
If you think it would have been foolish for General Lee to fight without his army, how much more foolish is it to fight against the Creator of the universe who wants to help you achieve a victory that He already won?
Check out 1 Peter 5:6-8-
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (ESV)
He wants you to surrender your cares to Him. His desire is not that you struggle, but that you overcome. Lean on Him. He is greater than the true enemy that is in the world (I John 4:4). Pastor Steven Furtick said a couple of weeks ago: "God always refers to the battles that we are about to face in the past tense."
When you surrender something to God, let go of it. Do not go back after it. If you have given it to Him, trust Him in the circumstance. It is not easy. In that time, lean on Him even more. He will complete the work.
I needed that today. Anyone else?
It is April 1865. General Robert E. Lee has left the house in Appomattox, VA, where he has surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. He says his farewell to his tired and hungry soldiers, turned his horse Traveler, and headed home.
The next day, he changes his mind. He decides to race Traveler back to Appomattox and fight again. His soldiers have already been given rations from the US Army, their primary weapons have been taken, but they have weapons for hunting. Some have already headed home. Yet the General wishes to fight.
Wouldn't that be a stupid decision?
Of course it would.
Follower of Christ, how many times have you sang that you surrender all of your life to Him? How often do you say that "I have given Him everything?" Then how often do you immediately take the issue that you have committed to Christ and obsess over it?
If you think it would have been foolish for General Lee to fight without his army, how much more foolish is it to fight against the Creator of the universe who wants to help you achieve a victory that He already won?
Check out 1 Peter 5:6-8-
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (ESV)
He wants you to surrender your cares to Him. His desire is not that you struggle, but that you overcome. Lean on Him. He is greater than the true enemy that is in the world (I John 4:4). Pastor Steven Furtick said a couple of weeks ago: "God always refers to the battles that we are about to face in the past tense."
When you surrender something to God, let go of it. Do not go back after it. If you have given it to Him, trust Him in the circumstance. It is not easy. In that time, lean on Him even more. He will complete the work.
I needed that today. Anyone else?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Give me faith
I really had promised myself that I would blog every week this year.
Yeah- that didn't go so well.
I will say that one of my best-laid plans has gone better than expected. I promised myself that I would read more, and so far, I'm keeping that up. What's most impressive is what I'm reading.
Yeah- I'm reading my Bible more!
Now don't get that thought in your head- I'm not bragging by sharing this. All I am saying with this is that I have made a commitment, and I am sticking to it. The weird thing about it is the the way I decided to approach this.
I had told myself that I would be reading more. Period. This included a variety of items. So I started with Pastor Steven Furtick's Sun Stand Still. I got to a chapter, and I read the words "Saturate your faith with the Word of God." I was convicted. I appreciate all I had learned up to that point in the book. But when I got to that point, I felt I needed to stop reading about faith, I needed to start reading and increase my faith.
Since then, I read the New Testament from Hebrews to Revelation. My new job started on January 17th, and at the end of week three, I was discouraged and ready to give up. In the two days of that weekend, two separate people talked to me about Joseph. So I studied Joseph in Genesis. What I saw was faithfulness and the favor of God shining down on someone in an unfavorable situation.Now I have moved on to Moses.
I have learned so much about faith. Most importantly, I have begun a new habit that I intend to continue. I am growing closer to my Best Friend. All this because of an unintended lesson learned from another book. Pastor Steven, I hope you don't mind.
Until next time, which I hope is in less than a month...
Yeah- that didn't go so well.
I will say that one of my best-laid plans has gone better than expected. I promised myself that I would read more, and so far, I'm keeping that up. What's most impressive is what I'm reading.
Yeah- I'm reading my Bible more!
Now don't get that thought in your head- I'm not bragging by sharing this. All I am saying with this is that I have made a commitment, and I am sticking to it. The weird thing about it is the the way I decided to approach this.
I had told myself that I would be reading more. Period. This included a variety of items. So I started with Pastor Steven Furtick's Sun Stand Still. I got to a chapter, and I read the words "Saturate your faith with the Word of God." I was convicted. I appreciate all I had learned up to that point in the book. But when I got to that point, I felt I needed to stop reading about faith, I needed to start reading and increase my faith.
Since then, I read the New Testament from Hebrews to Revelation. My new job started on January 17th, and at the end of week three, I was discouraged and ready to give up. In the two days of that weekend, two separate people talked to me about Joseph. So I studied Joseph in Genesis. What I saw was faithfulness and the favor of God shining down on someone in an unfavorable situation.Now I have moved on to Moses.
I have learned so much about faith. Most importantly, I have begun a new habit that I intend to continue. I am growing closer to my Best Friend. All this because of an unintended lesson learned from another book. Pastor Steven, I hope you don't mind.
Until next time, which I hope is in less than a month...
Sunday, January 16, 2011
So What Do You Do?
I was reminded this week of a sermon series that Elevation Church did in 2010 called "e." The "e" stood for "empowerment," and was basically a call to action to members of the church that they are to do the work of the ministry. The job of the pastor is to encourage and inspire. In other words, we all have a ministry.
I was reminded of that this week thanks to one phone call. Here's the backstory.
I consider January 14, 1995 my "spiritual birthday." It is a day that I distinctly remember. I do hold August 20, 1998 in higher regard, because on that day I rededicated my life to Christ after hearing some incredible preaching from a young preacher named Bobby Petree. But anyway...
There is a man in Lenoir named Bill Suddreth. For years he was a barber at Central Barber Shop downtown. He is probably one of the happiest people you will meet. He was always singing, smiling, just a happy individual.Over the years, he developed a ministry. He would call people on their spiritual birthdays, wish them a happy birthday, and offer them an encouraging word.
I forgot that he did that until this past Friday, when he called me.
From the hospital.
With a collapsed lung.
It was hard for him to talk, yet he did his best. It was probably the most encouraging phone call I have ever received. His word to me was great to hear, but his strength in calling me, when most people would otherwise not, was even more encouraging. That was the best thing about it. He reminded me that God can use anybody, at anytime. He only asks that they be willing to be used. Don't depend on the preachers to do the ministry- the Great Commission was for everyone.
So what do you do? Do you lead others by example? Or are you like a football game- on one day a week? Do you share others with what you say or by how you live? Or do people see that fish on the back of your car and denounce your God by your actions?
If you are a Christian, you are the minister of the gospel. It is up to you to live a life that shows you are not ashamed. Find a way to help others around you see Jesus. Live your life as an example to others to see. Chances are, others will want to experience some of what you have. You just need to find that way.
Bill Suddreth has, even with a collapsed lung.
I was reminded of that this week thanks to one phone call. Here's the backstory.
I consider January 14, 1995 my "spiritual birthday." It is a day that I distinctly remember. I do hold August 20, 1998 in higher regard, because on that day I rededicated my life to Christ after hearing some incredible preaching from a young preacher named Bobby Petree. But anyway...
There is a man in Lenoir named Bill Suddreth. For years he was a barber at Central Barber Shop downtown. He is probably one of the happiest people you will meet. He was always singing, smiling, just a happy individual.Over the years, he developed a ministry. He would call people on their spiritual birthdays, wish them a happy birthday, and offer them an encouraging word.
I forgot that he did that until this past Friday, when he called me.
From the hospital.
With a collapsed lung.
It was hard for him to talk, yet he did his best. It was probably the most encouraging phone call I have ever received. His word to me was great to hear, but his strength in calling me, when most people would otherwise not, was even more encouraging. That was the best thing about it. He reminded me that God can use anybody, at anytime. He only asks that they be willing to be used. Don't depend on the preachers to do the ministry- the Great Commission was for everyone.
So what do you do? Do you lead others by example? Or are you like a football game- on one day a week? Do you share others with what you say or by how you live? Or do people see that fish on the back of your car and denounce your God by your actions?
If you are a Christian, you are the minister of the gospel. It is up to you to live a life that shows you are not ashamed. Find a way to help others around you see Jesus. Live your life as an example to others to see. Chances are, others will want to experience some of what you have. You just need to find that way.
Bill Suddreth has, even with a collapsed lung.
Monday, January 3, 2011
First Things First
First off, I want to tell each one of you that read the last post: thank you. I have never had that many people read one of my posts, and I have never had that much response from it. It is great to have people that I believe I can call friends, and I thank each of you for the support you have given my family. I hope that what has happened to us in the past year will be used as a testimony to a God that is faithful, whose timing is impeccable, and rescues and saves.
OK- enough gushing. I hope you were able to get to church this weekend. Don't worry- I won't judge you if you didn't. That's not my job. We did, and we are so glad. Check out the lesson we learned yesterday:
"Don't put Jesus FIRST this year."
I am reading your mind. It is saying "WHAT? HERESY!! OF COURSE YOU PUT JESUS FIRST! THE BIBLE SAYS SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD! WHAT KIND OF FRUIT LOOP CHURCH ARE YOU ATTENDING?!?"
Please quit shouting mentally.
The teaching goes like this: If you try to make God your first priority this year, above your family, your job, and whatever else, you shove everyone and everything else to the backburner. This can mar relationships. Taken from Colossians 1: 15-18:
"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything."
Christ is ALREADY first. You cannot put Him first, because He is already there. The real idea is to put Him at the CENTER of all your other priorities.
OK- enough gushing. I hope you were able to get to church this weekend. Don't worry- I won't judge you if you didn't. That's not my job. We did, and we are so glad. Check out the lesson we learned yesterday:
"Don't put Jesus FIRST this year."
I am reading your mind. It is saying "WHAT? HERESY!! OF COURSE YOU PUT JESUS FIRST! THE BIBLE SAYS SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD! WHAT KIND OF FRUIT LOOP CHURCH ARE YOU ATTENDING?!?"
Please quit shouting mentally.
The teaching goes like this: If you try to make God your first priority this year, above your family, your job, and whatever else, you shove everyone and everything else to the backburner. This can mar relationships. Taken from Colossians 1: 15-18:
"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything."
Christ is ALREADY first. You cannot put Him first, because He is already there. The real idea is to put Him at the CENTER of all your other priorities.
- With your family, honor God by serving others, and by speaking life to your family or other relationships.
- With your career, honor God in your career, according to Col. 3:23. This is done by altering your perspective and your performance. Act like you're working for God, because really you are.
- Honor God in your circumstances. In Col. 1:17, it mentions that He came before anyone else, and holds everything together. The KJV says that "And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." As it was put so well yesterday, "Our faith is not in our circumstances, but in our God...It is important to act out of what you know, not what you feel."
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