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Friday, July 29, 2011

"I Stand Amazed in the Presence"

Here's a song that echoes my own wonder at the amazing love of God in Christ Jesus.

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene
And wonder how He could love me
A sinner, condemned, unclean

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior's love for me!

For me it was in the garden
He prayed, "Not my will, but Thine"
He had no tears for His own griefs
But sweat drops of blood for mine

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior's love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows
He made them His very own
He bore the burden to Calvary
And suffered and died alone

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior's love for me!

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see
'Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior's love for me!

Words:  Charles H. Gabriel

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Raising Children in Love and Faith

Last week the Lord blessed us with a great Vacation Bible School! I want to thank all of the parents who entrusted their children to us. Your children are precious, and I pray that you’ll continue to instill in them love and faith in the Lord.

We as a church want to do whatever we can to help you raise your children in a way that’s pleasing to God. Listen, I have two boys at home and know how challenging parenting can be. There are all kinds of pressures and temptations and dangers and snares out there. Parenting is hard work. Sometimes it seems overwhelming. I believe we’re battling spiritual forces of darkness that seek to tear families apart. Bringing up your children to become healthy and strong and wise young men and women is no easy task.

But we can help you. If you’re needing a warm, caring church home, then let me encourage you to come and check us out. We have Sunday School classes at 9:30 for all ages, and our worship service starts at 10:40. I know you want what’s best for your children, and if you’ll let us, we can help teach them the ways of the Lord. And God’s ways are always the best ways, even when they fly in the face of the current cultural tide.

And, parents, let me urge you to set the example your children need to see. As a church we can have something of a positive influence upon them, but seriously it’s you who overwhelmingly will set the course for their lives. If they see you treating people with respect, they’ll treat people with respect. If they see you dealing honestly and truthfully, they’ll learn to be honest and truthful. If they see you going out of your way to serve and show love, they’ll learn to serve and love.

Unfortunately, they also pick up on our mistakes in the same way. When we react angrily about situations, they’ll learn to react to things in anger. When we are lazy, they’ll be lazy. We we mismanage our money, they’ll do the same thing.

I don’t have to tell you that children learn more from what they see us do than what we tell them. For example, if you’re a smoker and try to tell your kids not to smoke, I hope that works out for you, but don’t bet on it. If you tell your children it’s good to go to church on Sundays, but you don’t go, then that shows them how unimportant it really is to you.

Parents, I not only want to see your children grow in knowledge and faith in Jesus, but I want the same for you! You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to come to church. We’re not going to put you on the spot, administer any tests or ask you to give an account of your life and confess all your sins publicly.

Rather, we want you to discover the unfailing mercies and riches of God’s grace. We want you to marvel at His sacrificial love for you, to stand in awe of His power and to humble yourself at His holiness. We want you to be assured in His faithfulness, to rest in His provision and to trust in His goodness.

That’s the best thing you can possibly do for your children. If you turn away from sin and start trusting in Jesus, following His ways according to His Word, then you’ll become a better parent. You’ll become a better person. Because here’s what He will do for you – He’ll fill you with His Holy Spirit, who will produce in you things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.

And if these characteristics are increasingly evident in your life, then your children will be blessed by them. I’m not saying everything will be perfect or easy. Remember, there’s an adversary we face in this world called Satan whose purpose is to kill, to steal and to destroy. And his aresenal against children, families and the church is vast.

But there is a greater power in Christ than anything this world can throw at us. In His strength you can stand firm. Trust in Jesus. Obey His Word. Yield your life to Him wholeheartedly. And walk this journey of faith together with fellow believers in the church. You need the church, and the church needs you. See you Sunday!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

"How Great Thou Art"

If you really pressed me on it, I would probably say this is my favorite hymn.

O Lord my God!
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
The worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art

When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
And hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art

And when I think
That God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die
I scarce can take it in
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing
He bled and died
To take away my sin

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art

When Christ shall come
With shouts of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim
My God, how great Thou art

Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art

Words: Stuart K. Hine

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Going Where the Lord Leads

If you haven’t yet heard, the word on the streets is that Bro. Rob and his family are moving soon. For some this may be unhappy news, but for the rest, please try to contain your excitement at least until we’re gone. LOL!

Let me say first of all that we have truly, truly enjoyed our time in Ridgway. The community has treated us with warm, neighborly kindness and has welcomed us as friends. Ridgway has been a safe and caring place for us to raise our boys, and we have made close connections with many of you. Thank you for making us feel at home in your town for these past seven years.

I also want to emphasize how grateful we are to the Lord for the opportunity to serve at the First Baptist Church. The church has been so gracious and loving toward us – spoiling us, really – that it makes our transition so difficult. If you don’t belong to Ridgway FBC, you need to know that this body of believers took us in with great faith and became family to us. I wholeheartedly encourage you, if you don’t have a loving church home, to come and experience the fellowship of God’s people here.

For the record, our move comes about not because of any problems in the church, but simply in our desire to be faithful in following the will of God. The Lord has opened a door for me to serve as pastor at First Baptist Church in Petersburg, IL, and though I’ve given Him plenty of opportunities to close it, He hasn’t. And so it is by faith, as best as we can discern the Lord’s will, to go where He’s leading.

We often sing the song, “Wherever He Leads I’ll Go.” The chorus ends with this line: “I’ll follow my Christ who loves me so // Wherever He leads I’ll go.” That’s a song, if you sing it sincerely, you’d better be willing to put into action. Otherwise, you’re just offering lip service to God, and He knows your heart. If He calls us to go – wherever that may be – we must be willing to go. And since we know that He loves us with an unfailing, steadfast love, He makes it easy for us to trust that He will never lead us astray.

With that said, I hope it’s clear that I’m not interested in trying to climb any corporate or church ladder, nor are we making this move to be closer to family. Again, it’s simply a matter of faithfulness and obedience. Yes, we will be closer to my wife’s parents, but further away from my side of the family. It’s a trade-off in terms of geography. But the Lord could have called us to North Dakota or New York City and we’d have gone. Our preference of location has nothing to do with it.

The truth is that every believer must be willing to go wherever the Lord leads. He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him. If we’re not willing to give up anything and everything for the sake of His name, if we’re not willing to leave comfortable homes, if we’re not willing to leave our families and our farms, if we’re not willing to sell off all of our possessions and give to the poor, if we’re not willing to die to our own ambitions, then we cannot be His disciples.

That’s a tough call to heed, but sometimes Jesus asks that we do hard things. And it shouldn’t be that difficult for us to give our lives to Him. After all, He endured the agony of the cross for us. He suffered and bled and died as an innocent man so that we could be reconciled to God. Our sin demanded such a sacrifice, and apart from the forgiveness Jesus offers to us by His blood, we would face God’s righteous wrath as the penalty for our sins, which is death and hell.

But God loved us so much that He has made the way possible for us to be saved – if only we’ll believe in His Son, Jesus, yielding our lives wholeheartedly to Him. Why not repent from your sins and trust in Christ as Savior and Lord today?

My last Sunday here will be August 7. I want to invite you to come to church that morning. I’d love to see you there.

Friday, July 15, 2011

"I Love to Tell the Story"

As Christians - those who have been born of God, brought from darkness into light, from death to life, from enslavement in sin to victory in Christ...those who have an unshakeable hope of everlasting life, a heavenly inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled and unfading, the unfailing promises of God's word - the theme of our lives ought to be telling the story of Jesus and His love.

We are ambassadors of Christ, sent by the Lord to represent Jesus to the world. We are witnesses of His salvation, empowered by His Holy Spirit.

It's a great story, and one that we're compelled to tell. If you know it, you love to tell it.


I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above
Of Jesus and His glory
Of Jesus and His love
I love to tell the story
Because I know 'tis true
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do

I love to tell the story
'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love

Words: Katherine Hankey

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Big Apple Adventure, and Praying for America

I’m excited to remind you that our Vacation Bible School starts this coming Sunday! This year’s theme is “Big Apple Adventure.” I’m not real sure what that means, other than the fact that we’re busy transforming the church building into something that looks like New York City.

That would explain all of the large cardboard boxes decorated as skyscrapers and the yellow taxi cab parked out by the door. I understand that if you step onto our main platform area in the sanctuary you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of Times Square. And our missions offering will be received by feeding the parking meter. It should be a fun week.

If you have children from ages 4 through those who have just completed 6th grade, we invite you to come and join us for this Big Apple Adventure. Again, it starts this Sunday, July 17, and goes through Thursday, July 21. We’ll serve a light meal for the children and workers at 5:30 each evening, and VBS goes from 6:00-8:00. Friday, July 22, at 6:00 p.m. will be our Family Night. Hope to see you there!

As I pray about what to write this week, I feel compelled to urge you to pray for our nation. We are facing some challenging times, unprecedented times, and our leaders and our people need prayer more than ever. Our economic crisis could easily and suddenly become a nightmare. Our global peace-keeping mission keeps meaning the loss of more and more of our young men and women in uniform. Our moral descent is picking up speed.

We need to pray for America. And I’m not talking about a “God, bless America” kind of prayer. I’m talking about praying that His name will be honored by this nation. I’m talking about praying that His kingdom’s purposes will become our desire. I’m talking about praying that God will turn the hearts of this stubborn people back to following His ways.

Now, where have we seen this pattern of prayer before? Oh, yes! “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Are we really praying like this? Or are we just mouthing words in vain repetition?

If we really pray that God’s name will be “hallowed,” that is, to be made holy or revered among men, then we need to honor Him as Almighty God and Lord. We’re not doing that as a nation. How can sing “God Bless America” on the Capitol steps or during the seventh inning stretch while not possessing the slightest desire to truly honor Him in the way we think and live?

If we really pray for His kingdom to come, then we need to submit to His reign. The band MercyMe had a song out recently with this line: “How can I further Your kingdom / When I’m so wrapped up in mine?” In order to allow our Father’s kingdom to come, we need to stop building our own. We must be willing to lay down our personal agendas, our self-centered ambitions and our inflated arrogance and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

And if we really pray for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, then we need to make some radical changes in our lives. How is God’s will done in heaven? It’s obeyed perfectly, completely, gladly, joyfully, without hesitation, without question, without doubt. How is His will done on earth? Not so much. We must repent of insisting on doing our will, following the stubborn, sinful desires of our hearts and living like obeying our Father’s will is optional.

These are perilous times in our nation’s history. I believe we’re on the brink of receiving a swift measure of God’s judgment for our failure to honor Him and follow His ways such as we’ve never seen before. It’s high time to pray, and pray hard and pray in truth. I’m not asking you to pray to try to convince God to do things your way, but to humble yourself and allow Him to conform you to His ways.

Even wicked Ninevah was spared when they believed God, called upon Him for mercy and turned from their evil ways. Perhaps He will relent and turn from His anger against us if we get down on our knees and pray.

Friday, July 8, 2011

"Without Him"

From time to time the Lord reminds me of the truth in this song. The truth is that I need constant, moment-by-moment reminders of this truth. Maybe a string on my finger, a sticky note on my forehead, or just the freshness of having His Word written on the tablet of my heart.

Jesus said in John 15:5 - "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Without Him, I could do nothing
Without Him, I'd surely fail
Without Him, I would be drifting
Like a ship without a sail


Jesus, O Jesus
Do you know Him today?
Do not turn Him away
O Jesus, O Jesus
Without Him, how lost I would be


Without Him, I could by dying
Without Him, I'd be enslaved
Without Him, life would be hopeless
But with Jesus, thank God, I'm saved


Jesus, O Jesus
Do you know Him today?
Do not turn Him away
O Jesus, O Jesus
Without Him, how lost I would be

Words: Mylon R. LeFevre

Thursday, July 7, 2011

What Makes VBS Special

So maybe what makes Vacation Bible School special are the teachers.

VBS at Ridgway First Baptist Church is right around the corner. We’ll start on Sunday, July 17, and go through Thursday night, July 21. Friday will be our family night. Let me take this space and invite you to bring your children (ages 4 through grade 6) each evening. Or bring your grandchildren, or your neighbor’s kids or whomever you can find. Go out among the highways and the hedges and compel them all to come. We’re planning a light meal at 5:30 every night and VBS will go from 6:00-8:00.

Oh, and don’t miss our Kick-off Party event / registration night! It will be Thursday, July 14, from 5:00 – 7:00. This will be a great opportunity to come and meet some of our VBS workers, enjoy some popcorn and Sno-Cones, hotdogs on the grill, and fun activities. We’re borrowing our association’s Party Trailer, which also includes a large jump house for the kids. Last year we nearly got everything set up for our event when the rain began to fall and we had to close up shop. We trust the Lord will give us a fantastic evening this year.

In an earlier column I mentioned some of our workers in areas such as music, snacks, recreation and crafts. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for all who assist in any way. And even for those who can’t come, many give faithfully to the mission of the church to help promote ministries like VBS. I say thank you to all.

Now I want to recognize those who have volunteered to teach. I think there’s a special bond that develops very quickly between teachers and their students during VBS. It’s amazing how love works like that.

Parents, I want you to know that our teachers have already been praying for your children. By the time VBS rolls around, they will have spent many hours reading and studying the Bible stories, preparing lesson plans and activities, and decorating their rooms to create a warm, friendly environment for your children. Our teachers, and all of our workers, truly care about your children, and we trust that the love shows clearly in everything we do.

That love is the reason we do this in the first place. And it’s not even so much that in love we want to do something nice for the children, but it’s more like a compulsion. Seriously, putting together a week of Vacation Bible School takes a ton of work from a lot of people. It’s a huge time investment. It’s a significant financial investment. If we weren’t compelled by love to do it, we probably wouldn’t. Or if we did without love, then our efforts would be worth nothing.

But love is a tremendous motivator! And the love I’m talking about is the love of God that reached down from heaven and somehow touched our hearts. God in His great mercy put His love on display in sending Jesus to this earth. We want to pour that love into others.

And it’s not like any of us were worthy of it. No, we were sinners in rebellion against God, hostile to Him. We were His enemies. And not only that, but we as sinful people were incapable of doing anything good to merit God’s love.

That’s what makes His love so captivating. God loved this world so much (and that’s you!) that He willingly, mercifully, graciously gave His one and only Son, that whosoever (that’s you again!) believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. Think about it – life and death are on the line, but in Christ we can have ultimate and eternal victory! That’s a message worth telling over and over and over again. It’s a message we’re compelled to tell. We love to tell the story of Jesus and His love.

And so, we invite you to come and be part of our Vacation Bible School this year, where your children will hear the good news of salvation in Christ Jesus.

Here are our teachers, and I hope I haven’t left anyone out! 4’s-K: Becky Mitchell, Aimee Sparrow, Carrie Abell, Tara Funk. Grades 1-2: Becky Seely, Kristi Seely. Grades 3-4: Amy Gallion, June Siler. Grades 5-6: Helen Abell, Marsha Moye, Derek Catiller. And roaming the field and filling in any gaps will be VBS Hall of Famer Theda Miller. Maybe they’re why Vacation Bible School is so special.

Friday, July 1, 2011

"To God Be the Glory"

Here's one of my favorite hymns. The message of the gospel is clear, the glory goes to God, and the call to praise in the chorus sounds like something straight out of the Psalms.

So, sing it out and sing it loud. Let the whole earth hear the song of our praise and come to the Father by His grace through faith in Jesus.


To God be the glory, great things He hath done
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin
And opened the life-gate that all may go in

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done


Words: Fanny Crosby