Fall feels refreshing. We’ve finally escaped from the strength-sapping heat of summer, and when the calendar turns over to October, it comes like a breath of crisp, cool, refreshing air. And I’m so ready to see God turn over a page in my own life, in the life of the church and in the life of this nation, and send a breath of refreshing air over us.
We desperately need revival in the church and a great spiritual awakening across this land. Tell me if I’m wrong, but I believe many once-passionate believers in Christ have lost their spiritual zeal. Many have lost their first love. Some have become lukewarm and some have grown cold. Whether it’s spiritual complacency, apathy, deadness or whatever you call it, we need the refreshing wind of God’s Spirit to blow upon us once more.
Can you imagine if a NASCAR driver like Jimmie Johnson (or pick your favorite) came roaring from the wave of the green flag, took the lead, was running a strong race, but then somewhere along the way began to slowly ease his foot off the pedal? Can you picture what would happen if he thought he’d already done well enough and was so satisfied that he’d led for 100 or so laps that he just thought he could coast toward the finish line? He’d get blown away!
Yet many Christians who know Jesus and have followed Him wholeheartedly, who have stood boldly for His truth and have prayed fervently for the salvation of their family, friends, neighbors and nations throughout the world have slowly let off the gas and seem to be coasting toward the finish line. Maybe they feel they’ve done well enough, or maybe they’re satisfied with the way things are. Maybe they’ve resigned to the world’s philosophies and values and have lost sight of God’s mission for His church.
Now is not the time to coast! Now, more than ever, we need to plead with the Lord to revive His people and awaken this land to their need for a Savior! Now, more than ever, we need to stand strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! Now, more than ever, we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus!
I’m talking to you, Christian. I believe that if God will send a great awakening in this land, and the Bible says He wants to save people everywhere from their sins, it will start with a cleansing in the church. We need repentance. We need to confess our lack of love for the Lord, our failure to love our neighbors as we should, our lack of dependence upon Christ and our failure to follow His ways. Are we really denying ourselves? Are we really dying daily to sin? Are we really following wholeheartedly after Jesus?
Jesus gave Himself up on the cross for us. He willingly laid down His life so that we could be forgiven for our sins. He bore the horrific weight of our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It’s only by His wounds that we have been healed. It’s only because of His sacrifice that we are saved by His grace through faith. What love! What abounding, enduring, unparalleled and unfailing love Almighty God has lavished upon us!
Therefore, we are called, in view of God’s great mercy and in view of His amazing grace, to live for righteousness, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. And by our good works the light of Christ ought to shine so brightly through us that the world will see and give glory to our Father in heaven.
I pray that the people of God will get on their knees and get thoroughly right with Him in every way. I pray that we’ll stand on our feet and stand strong in His grace. I pray that we’ll serve with His heart and His hands. I pray that we’ll give everything we have for the cause of His kingdom. I pray that we’ll pray passionately that the Lord will send forth laborers into the harvest fields. And I pray that we’ll go with His feet and proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Sin saps our strength as in the heat of summer, but when we confess our sins God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We’ll feel the refreshing wind of God’s Spirit as we do. He will revive us again that His people may rejoice in Him. And He will awaken the world to the glory of Christ.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Overcoming Depression through Hope in Christ
I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. But I think I can prescribe for you an antidote for depression. It’s not Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft or any other drug on the market. The cure for depression is a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ.
I’m not trying to minimize your struggle or oversimplify the solution, but I promise you that if you will put your unwavering trust in the Lord, follow wholeheartedly in His ways and keep His love always before you as you seek to love others as He has loved you, then you will experience the joy of the Lord unlike what any drug can give (and without all those nasty side effects).
Joy is a mark of the saving and transforming work of God within the hearts and lives of those who believe. It’s part of the package of “fruit” the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of believers (Galatians 5:22). Those who respond to the grace of God in truth have been rescued “from the domain of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son” (Colossians 1:13). They understand that Jesus is the “light of the world,” and that “whoever follows [Him] will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
In John 10:10 Jesus says this: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” If you’re wracked with depression and misery and hopelessness, then the thief, the devil, has stolen what could be yours in Christ – an abundant, sweet and satisfying life!
Listen, I know many, many people deal daily or occasionally with depression. Let’s face it – life is hard. There are so many pressures from so many sources to simply fit in. We’re living in a culture that basically says that if you don’t look like you just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine, then you’re ugly. If you don’t make enough money to drive a nice car and own all the latest tech gadgets, if you don’t wear the right name brands and if you don’t conform to the right world philosophy and ideology, then our society implies that you are worthless. It’s easy to see how so many could succumb to feelings of despair and despondency.
But God does not want you to live like that. And He’s made it possible so that you don’t have to. Sure, there are times when situations are difficult to endure. God never promised an easy road for anyone. Even to His own disciples Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Christians are not immune to hardship or grief or any other kinds of trouble. But we do have this promise from our Lord in His next breath: “But take heart; I have overcome the world!”
If you’re struggling with depression, dear friend, take this prescription from Psalm 42-43. There the writer faced with his own sense of discouragement cried out, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?” Then he answered with this declaration of confidence in the Lord: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
If you’ll put your hope in God, trusting in His Word, in His very great and precious promises, praising Him for His love, His mercy, His grace, His provision, His power, His protection, His presence, His faithfulness and all that’s He’s proven of His riches in Christ Jesus, then you can have victory over depression through Him!
Jesus has overcome the world and all its entrapments. The apostle Paul knew this as well as anyone. Though he faced greater hardships and sufferings and persecutions than most of us will ever know, Paul took heart and never lost hope in Christ. He had a vibrant relationship with Jesus, trusting and following His ways wholeheartedly, and never lost sight of His saving love and the mission God gave him.
Paul put it this way: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
That’s the kind of hope in Christ that can pull anyone out of the pit of depression and into the abundant life that Jesus alone can give.
I’m not trying to minimize your struggle or oversimplify the solution, but I promise you that if you will put your unwavering trust in the Lord, follow wholeheartedly in His ways and keep His love always before you as you seek to love others as He has loved you, then you will experience the joy of the Lord unlike what any drug can give (and without all those nasty side effects).
Joy is a mark of the saving and transforming work of God within the hearts and lives of those who believe. It’s part of the package of “fruit” the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of believers (Galatians 5:22). Those who respond to the grace of God in truth have been rescued “from the domain of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son” (Colossians 1:13). They understand that Jesus is the “light of the world,” and that “whoever follows [Him] will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
In John 10:10 Jesus says this: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” If you’re wracked with depression and misery and hopelessness, then the thief, the devil, has stolen what could be yours in Christ – an abundant, sweet and satisfying life!
Listen, I know many, many people deal daily or occasionally with depression. Let’s face it – life is hard. There are so many pressures from so many sources to simply fit in. We’re living in a culture that basically says that if you don’t look like you just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine, then you’re ugly. If you don’t make enough money to drive a nice car and own all the latest tech gadgets, if you don’t wear the right name brands and if you don’t conform to the right world philosophy and ideology, then our society implies that you are worthless. It’s easy to see how so many could succumb to feelings of despair and despondency.
But God does not want you to live like that. And He’s made it possible so that you don’t have to. Sure, there are times when situations are difficult to endure. God never promised an easy road for anyone. Even to His own disciples Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Christians are not immune to hardship or grief or any other kinds of trouble. But we do have this promise from our Lord in His next breath: “But take heart; I have overcome the world!”
If you’re struggling with depression, dear friend, take this prescription from Psalm 42-43. There the writer faced with his own sense of discouragement cried out, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?” Then he answered with this declaration of confidence in the Lord: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
If you’ll put your hope in God, trusting in His Word, in His very great and precious promises, praising Him for His love, His mercy, His grace, His provision, His power, His protection, His presence, His faithfulness and all that’s He’s proven of His riches in Christ Jesus, then you can have victory over depression through Him!
Jesus has overcome the world and all its entrapments. The apostle Paul knew this as well as anyone. Though he faced greater hardships and sufferings and persecutions than most of us will ever know, Paul took heart and never lost hope in Christ. He had a vibrant relationship with Jesus, trusting and following His ways wholeheartedly, and never lost sight of His saving love and the mission God gave him.
Paul put it this way: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
That’s the kind of hope in Christ that can pull anyone out of the pit of depression and into the abundant life that Jesus alone can give.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Kickball Kamikaze
I’m not as young as I used to be. I’m starting to feel more aches and pains than I used to. My body doesn’t heal quite as quickly as it used to. Been there, done that?
On the Sunday night before Labor Day our family got together to celebrate my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. My sister and her husband in Robinson invited the siblings and our families over for dinner. Mom and Dad were there, too. For some unknown reason after dinner we decided to play a game of kickball. Kickball! I don’t think I’d played kickball since 5th grade.
I need to mention at this point that some people in my family are rather competitive when it comes to sports. Namely that would be my two brothers and my brother-in-law. And me. Being the oldest of the siblings I guess have this thing that I feel like I have to show somehow that I still have a little athletic ability left in me. As if it matters.
I should also mention that just about everyone played. That includes my two boys, ages 10 and 5, my niece who’s 8, my other niece who’s 2, my Dad and Mom who are old enough to have celebrated a 40th wedding anniversary, my youngest brother’s wife who recently had surgery on her toe, and, of course, my two competitive brothers and brother-in-law. And me.
My wife, who is not really into kickball, per se, sat out. So did my other sister-in-law, who’s not really into kickball, either. That’s okay; at least she made the cake. And so did my sister, who’s 8 months with child. Excuses, excuses. They sat under the shade tree and cheered.
So we picked teams just like we did in grade school. Popular kids were picked first. We set up bases in the back yard and rolled out the ball. I’ll save you the play-by-play, but I ought to mention that in about the third inning the sideline cheerleaders began to grumble that we weren’t letting the little kids get on base much. Hey, when you’re playing to win you take the easy outs.
Well, my 2-year-old niece, Mallory, was on my team, and our opponents decided mercifully to let her get on base next time. So she kicked it about four feet and ran to first safely. That seemed to please the peanut gallery.
Next batter up was Mom. She legged a drive out into right field played nicely by my Dad, as I recall, who threw to first for the out. Then with keen field awareness, the first baseman fired a perfect strike to second base, to which Mallory was in stride from first. The tag was applied and you had a 4-3-6 double play. Inning over. The crowd groaned.
Anyway, during the course of the game – I’m not bragging, just telling it like it happened – a ball was kicked high in the air down the third base line. I was playing somewhere behind second. I got a great jump on the ball and arrived in time to make a sensational diving catch. The crowd went wild. We watched ESPN later that evening to see if it made the “Plays of the Day.” My 10-year-old was impressed. Anytime you can impress your 10-year-old with your athletic ability, you go for it.
I wasn’t finished yet. An inning or two later another ball was kicked in the air which again I dove for and made another spectacular catch. This time, however, my right knee hit the ground hard. It left a divot larger than most of my fairway swings. I got up like a champion and finished the game. My teammates awarded me the “Defensive Player of the Game” award.
But my knee was sore. No, sore doesn’t really capture it. It hurt. And it still does. Don’t think I did any major damage, but my knee wasn’t the only thing bruised. My ego has taken a bit of a pounding, as well. I’m not as young as I used to be.
I remember my PE teacher from high school, Jack Reeder, telling us in his crusty PE voice then when we started taking things too seriously, “Hey! Nobody’s gonna put your name in the paper tomorrow if you win! Don’t try to be a hero out there!” I knew I should have listened.
Truly God designed our bodies to function here on earth, though it’s clear they’re not made to last forever. Especially when you play competitive kickball like a kamikaze. Makes me long all the more for the day when the Lord Jesus Christ, “who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body” (Phil. 3:21).
On the Sunday night before Labor Day our family got together to celebrate my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. My sister and her husband in Robinson invited the siblings and our families over for dinner. Mom and Dad were there, too. For some unknown reason after dinner we decided to play a game of kickball. Kickball! I don’t think I’d played kickball since 5th grade.
I need to mention at this point that some people in my family are rather competitive when it comes to sports. Namely that would be my two brothers and my brother-in-law. And me. Being the oldest of the siblings I guess have this thing that I feel like I have to show somehow that I still have a little athletic ability left in me. As if it matters.
I should also mention that just about everyone played. That includes my two boys, ages 10 and 5, my niece who’s 8, my other niece who’s 2, my Dad and Mom who are old enough to have celebrated a 40th wedding anniversary, my youngest brother’s wife who recently had surgery on her toe, and, of course, my two competitive brothers and brother-in-law. And me.
My wife, who is not really into kickball, per se, sat out. So did my other sister-in-law, who’s not really into kickball, either. That’s okay; at least she made the cake. And so did my sister, who’s 8 months with child. Excuses, excuses. They sat under the shade tree and cheered.
So we picked teams just like we did in grade school. Popular kids were picked first. We set up bases in the back yard and rolled out the ball. I’ll save you the play-by-play, but I ought to mention that in about the third inning the sideline cheerleaders began to grumble that we weren’t letting the little kids get on base much. Hey, when you’re playing to win you take the easy outs.
Well, my 2-year-old niece, Mallory, was on my team, and our opponents decided mercifully to let her get on base next time. So she kicked it about four feet and ran to first safely. That seemed to please the peanut gallery.
Next batter up was Mom. She legged a drive out into right field played nicely by my Dad, as I recall, who threw to first for the out. Then with keen field awareness, the first baseman fired a perfect strike to second base, to which Mallory was in stride from first. The tag was applied and you had a 4-3-6 double play. Inning over. The crowd groaned.
Anyway, during the course of the game – I’m not bragging, just telling it like it happened – a ball was kicked high in the air down the third base line. I was playing somewhere behind second. I got a great jump on the ball and arrived in time to make a sensational diving catch. The crowd went wild. We watched ESPN later that evening to see if it made the “Plays of the Day.” My 10-year-old was impressed. Anytime you can impress your 10-year-old with your athletic ability, you go for it.
I wasn’t finished yet. An inning or two later another ball was kicked in the air which again I dove for and made another spectacular catch. This time, however, my right knee hit the ground hard. It left a divot larger than most of my fairway swings. I got up like a champion and finished the game. My teammates awarded me the “Defensive Player of the Game” award.
But my knee was sore. No, sore doesn’t really capture it. It hurt. And it still does. Don’t think I did any major damage, but my knee wasn’t the only thing bruised. My ego has taken a bit of a pounding, as well. I’m not as young as I used to be.
I remember my PE teacher from high school, Jack Reeder, telling us in his crusty PE voice then when we started taking things too seriously, “Hey! Nobody’s gonna put your name in the paper tomorrow if you win! Don’t try to be a hero out there!” I knew I should have listened.
Truly God designed our bodies to function here on earth, though it’s clear they’re not made to last forever. Especially when you play competitive kickball like a kamikaze. Makes me long all the more for the day when the Lord Jesus Christ, “who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body” (Phil. 3:21).
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tool or Fool?
Are you a tool or a fool?
The fool rejects God’s creative design. Despite His incredible handiwork on display day after day and night after night, the fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). Even though God has made clear to everyone that His eternal power and divine nature are evident in creation, the fool suppresses the truth by his wickedness and refuses to glorify Him as God or give thanks to Him (see Romans 1:18ff.).
The fool rejects God’s saving desire. Despite God’s astonishing act of love – the fact that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind – the fool denies his need for a Savior. Despite God’s unending mercy and unimaginable grace, the fool fails to receive Christ and follows the cravings of his own stubborn heart.
The Bible tells us that God does not want anyone to perish, even though that’s what we all deserve because of our sin. But rather, God wants everyone to come to repentance (see 2 Peter 3:9). That’s why He’s so patient with us. That’s why He hasn’t already executed His righteous judgment against us even though we’ve all but abandoned Him in our pursuit of our own measly, little plans.
One day, however, the Day of the Lord will come and just wrath of God will be poured out in full upon the foolish, disbelieving world. Those who foolishly have rejected God’s amazing offer of abundant life and everlasting salvation through Jesus Christ will face a judgment of described as a “fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:42, 50).
But those who have repented of their sin and turned in faith to follow after Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior will be saved from death and hell and “will receive an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:4-5).
Those who follow Jesus are not fools, but tools in the hands of God. They are vessels of honor, instruments of righteousness, having been cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ, and are “set apart as holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). God uses them to accomplish His purposes and carry out His work in the world.
What about you, friend? Is your life a tool God is using to build His kingdom? Or are you a fool who lives as if there is no God?
I want to say a special word of thanks to the Ridgway Fire Dept. for allowing us to move our Gospel Night concert indoors last Thursday night. The rain kept us from using the Popcorn Day stage, but the firehouse became a platform for The Whisnants to share the gospel in song, and we’re very grateful. I appreciate everyone who braved the rain to come, and I hope you were encouraged in the Lord.
I’ll also add a public word of thanks to Jill Rhine and the crew who helped with our Popcorn Day float. Great job! Truly we need to remember that we are “one nation under God.”
Also, my wife Amy wants to let all the ladies in the community know that starting on Tuesday, September 21, our church will begin a Bible study for women at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday mornings. They will be working through a course called “Believing God” by Beth Moore. If you would like more information, feel free to call the church office at 272-5921. Any woman, any age is invited to participate.
Finally, children’s church is back at Ridgway First Baptist Church. Children ages 4 to Grade 4 are invited to come and be a part of it every Sunday at 10:40 a.m. Parents, grandparents, guardians – we’d love to see you in our worship services, too!
The fool rejects God’s creative design. Despite His incredible handiwork on display day after day and night after night, the fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). Even though God has made clear to everyone that His eternal power and divine nature are evident in creation, the fool suppresses the truth by his wickedness and refuses to glorify Him as God or give thanks to Him (see Romans 1:18ff.).
The fool rejects God’s saving desire. Despite God’s astonishing act of love – the fact that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind – the fool denies his need for a Savior. Despite God’s unending mercy and unimaginable grace, the fool fails to receive Christ and follows the cravings of his own stubborn heart.
The Bible tells us that God does not want anyone to perish, even though that’s what we all deserve because of our sin. But rather, God wants everyone to come to repentance (see 2 Peter 3:9). That’s why He’s so patient with us. That’s why He hasn’t already executed His righteous judgment against us even though we’ve all but abandoned Him in our pursuit of our own measly, little plans.
One day, however, the Day of the Lord will come and just wrath of God will be poured out in full upon the foolish, disbelieving world. Those who foolishly have rejected God’s amazing offer of abundant life and everlasting salvation through Jesus Christ will face a judgment of described as a “fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:42, 50).
But those who have repented of their sin and turned in faith to follow after Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior will be saved from death and hell and “will receive an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:4-5).
Those who follow Jesus are not fools, but tools in the hands of God. They are vessels of honor, instruments of righteousness, having been cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ, and are “set apart as holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). God uses them to accomplish His purposes and carry out His work in the world.
What about you, friend? Is your life a tool God is using to build His kingdom? Or are you a fool who lives as if there is no God?
I want to say a special word of thanks to the Ridgway Fire Dept. for allowing us to move our Gospel Night concert indoors last Thursday night. The rain kept us from using the Popcorn Day stage, but the firehouse became a platform for The Whisnants to share the gospel in song, and we’re very grateful. I appreciate everyone who braved the rain to come, and I hope you were encouraged in the Lord.
I’ll also add a public word of thanks to Jill Rhine and the crew who helped with our Popcorn Day float. Great job! Truly we need to remember that we are “one nation under God.”
Also, my wife Amy wants to let all the ladies in the community know that starting on Tuesday, September 21, our church will begin a Bible study for women at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday mornings. They will be working through a course called “Believing God” by Beth Moore. If you would like more information, feel free to call the church office at 272-5921. Any woman, any age is invited to participate.
Finally, children’s church is back at Ridgway First Baptist Church. Children ages 4 to Grade 4 are invited to come and be a part of it every Sunday at 10:40 a.m. Parents, grandparents, guardians – we’d love to see you in our worship services, too!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Testifying to the Gospel of God's Grace
The message I didn’t preach on Sunday would have been from Psalm 31. The Lord led me instead to Acts 20:22-24 where the apostle Paul basically says that his life means nothing to him, if only he may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus had given him. That task is testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
That’s the kind of single-minded focus every believer ought to have concerning the mission God has given to us. When it comes to proclaiming what God has done for us through Jesus, we should strive to say sincerely with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). When we truly yield our lives to Jesus as Lord, then the truth is that we will have denied ourselves, taken up our cross and follow Him wherever He leads.
I’m often convicted for my own lack of zeal. Maybe it’s a lack of completely dying to self and living fully in Christ. Perhaps I’m too concerned for my own life rather than offering it to God as a living sacrifice.
Yet in light of the gospel of God’s grace, what could I possibly withhold from Him? He is the One who poured out His mercy through Jesus on the cross. What I deserve because of my sin (and what everyone deserves because of their own sin) is death and hell. Yes, even one single act of rebellion toward God, even one failure to do the good I know I ought to do, is sin. And it’s enough to eternally separate me from His presence.
But, hallelujah, God doesn’t give us what we deserve! Instead, as we come humbly before Him in repentance and faith, acknowledging our absolute inability to save ourselves, receiving His forgiveness for our sins through Christ, then our God mercifully cleanses us from every stain of sin and washes us white as snow!
Friend, do you know how much God loves you? Even though you’ve messed up hundreds of times, even though you’ve said some awful things, even though you’ve done some hurtful things, and even though you’ve lived a self-pleasing, self-centered and self-sufficient life, God in His great love for you still sent His Son to take away your sins!
It’s like the judge before whom a young girl was brought having been fined for speeding. She was clearly guilty of breaking the law, and she had no means to pay the fine. The judge could have dismissed the case, but then he wouldn’t have been a just judge. He could have sentenced her to jail until the fine was paid, but that would have seemed unkind. Instead, he stood up out of his seat, removed his robe, walked away from the bench, took the money owed from his own pocket and paid the debt. You see, the girl was his daughter, and he loved her enough to cover the guilt and set her free.
That’s what our Lord did for us. It’s what He offers today to whosoever will believe in the name of Jesus. He came from heaven to earth, making Himself in human likeness, and paid the penalty we could not pay ourselves by pouring out His righteous wrath against His sinless Son when they crucified Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Because Jesus took our sins upon Himself, anyone who looks to Him for salvation will receive the mercy of God.
And not only will you not get what you do deserve, you will also get what you do not deserve – and that’s the unmerited favor of God, the gospel of His grace. When you turn away from sin and turn in faith to Jesus, you get abundant and everlasting life! You get the joy and the peace and the comfort and the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in you day by day as you walk this earth. And you get the assurance that when your time on earth is through you’ll have an eternal home in heaven in the presence of the living God!
That’s the gospel of God’s grace, of which Paul said he lived to testify. Paul knew that he himself had been the “worst of sinners,” but through the mercy and grace of God he had been saved. And he could not help but testify to what the Lord had done, urging others to believe on Jesus and receive eternal life. One whose life has been saved from eternal death can hardly hold back anything from the One who held back nothing to save us.
Maybe we’ll get to Psalm 31 this Sunday. I want to invite you to come and find out! Feel free to wear your favorite church T-shirt, or Christian T-shirt, or come dressed however you choose. Our worship of our Savior hinges not on what we wear on the outside, but on what we give Him from the inside. Hope to see you then, or better yet, on Thursday night (Sept. 9) also at the Popcorn Stage downtown for a great concert with The Whisnants!
That’s the kind of single-minded focus every believer ought to have concerning the mission God has given to us. When it comes to proclaiming what God has done for us through Jesus, we should strive to say sincerely with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). When we truly yield our lives to Jesus as Lord, then the truth is that we will have denied ourselves, taken up our cross and follow Him wherever He leads.
I’m often convicted for my own lack of zeal. Maybe it’s a lack of completely dying to self and living fully in Christ. Perhaps I’m too concerned for my own life rather than offering it to God as a living sacrifice.
Yet in light of the gospel of God’s grace, what could I possibly withhold from Him? He is the One who poured out His mercy through Jesus on the cross. What I deserve because of my sin (and what everyone deserves because of their own sin) is death and hell. Yes, even one single act of rebellion toward God, even one failure to do the good I know I ought to do, is sin. And it’s enough to eternally separate me from His presence.
But, hallelujah, God doesn’t give us what we deserve! Instead, as we come humbly before Him in repentance and faith, acknowledging our absolute inability to save ourselves, receiving His forgiveness for our sins through Christ, then our God mercifully cleanses us from every stain of sin and washes us white as snow!
Friend, do you know how much God loves you? Even though you’ve messed up hundreds of times, even though you’ve said some awful things, even though you’ve done some hurtful things, and even though you’ve lived a self-pleasing, self-centered and self-sufficient life, God in His great love for you still sent His Son to take away your sins!
It’s like the judge before whom a young girl was brought having been fined for speeding. She was clearly guilty of breaking the law, and she had no means to pay the fine. The judge could have dismissed the case, but then he wouldn’t have been a just judge. He could have sentenced her to jail until the fine was paid, but that would have seemed unkind. Instead, he stood up out of his seat, removed his robe, walked away from the bench, took the money owed from his own pocket and paid the debt. You see, the girl was his daughter, and he loved her enough to cover the guilt and set her free.
That’s what our Lord did for us. It’s what He offers today to whosoever will believe in the name of Jesus. He came from heaven to earth, making Himself in human likeness, and paid the penalty we could not pay ourselves by pouring out His righteous wrath against His sinless Son when they crucified Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Because Jesus took our sins upon Himself, anyone who looks to Him for salvation will receive the mercy of God.
And not only will you not get what you do deserve, you will also get what you do not deserve – and that’s the unmerited favor of God, the gospel of His grace. When you turn away from sin and turn in faith to Jesus, you get abundant and everlasting life! You get the joy and the peace and the comfort and the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in you day by day as you walk this earth. And you get the assurance that when your time on earth is through you’ll have an eternal home in heaven in the presence of the living God!
That’s the gospel of God’s grace, of which Paul said he lived to testify. Paul knew that he himself had been the “worst of sinners,” but through the mercy and grace of God he had been saved. And he could not help but testify to what the Lord had done, urging others to believe on Jesus and receive eternal life. One whose life has been saved from eternal death can hardly hold back anything from the One who held back nothing to save us.
Maybe we’ll get to Psalm 31 this Sunday. I want to invite you to come and find out! Feel free to wear your favorite church T-shirt, or Christian T-shirt, or come dressed however you choose. Our worship of our Savior hinges not on what we wear on the outside, but on what we give Him from the inside. Hope to see you then, or better yet, on Thursday night (Sept. 9) also at the Popcorn Stage downtown for a great concert with The Whisnants!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Southern Gospel Concerts and Sunday School Teachers
First up, let me say I appreciate everyone who came out to hear The Lesters last Friday night. Didn’t it feel like you’d been in the presence of God? I believe our Lord was glorified through the message of the music, and I hope each person received a special blessing of encouragement.
I’ll say this about The Lesters – whether they’re singing for thousands or tens, their heart is in it. I can imagine that singing the same songs night after night might become routine, but you’d never know it with this group. It was a real joy to experience worship with them.
That said, I also want to invite you to come hear The Whisnants on Thursday, Sept. 9. The Whisnants are one of the most highly-acclaimed groups in Southern Gospel music, and one I believe is genuinely in it to minister to people as they exalt the name of Christ. You’ll hear it in their songs and testimonies.
That concert will be held on the Popcorn Stage downtown Ridgway beginning at 7:00. And, yes, it’s free! Join us in praying for good weather, and invite someone to come with you. Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair, and if you’d like to listen to The Whisnants while munching on some ribbon fries and sipping a lemon shake-up, well that’d be all right.
Parents, can I have your attention for a moment? Our new Sunday School year starts this coming Sunday, and we would love to invite your children to be a part of it. Some of the best Sunday School teachers in the world are getting ready for their arrival already.
Let me share with you in brief what I shared with the church this past Sunday morning. Here are some principles that define our teachers, and standards we continually want to strive toward as we seek to become even more effective as teachers. And by the way, parents, these principles just as easily apply at home as you seek to become more effective in your role. You can take the first letter of each statement to form the acrostic TEACHER.
Ridgway First Baptist Church teachers:
Train others to follow God’s Word. It’s not our goal simply to fill heads with Bible knowledge. That might work great for answering questions on Jeopardy!, but our aim is to teach students to obey everything that Christ has commanded. His Word is our guide, and we unapologetically want to train people to follow the teachings of Jesus.
Encourage others to grow strong in the faith. We want to help motivate and inspire each other to hold on to the truths of the Christian faith. We seek to build an environment where we’re spurring one another on toward love and good deeds and to stay true to the message of the gospel.
Appeal to God on behalf of their students. If you want to know that someone is praying to the Almighty Maker and Sustainer of heaven and earth on behalf of your children, then bring them to Sunday School. We believe God acts in response to prayer, and as we lift up your children before Him, we trust He will guide, protect and save them.
Care for others with Christ-like love. We are all called to be imitators of God as His beloved children and to walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. We truly desire to let the love of Christ flow through us as we teach and minister to your children. They may not remember everything they’re taught about the books of the Bible, but they’ll remember they were loved.
Handle the Word of God correctly. A great teacher must first be a great learner. We want our teachers to be saturated in the Scriptures so that the Bible first permeates their own lives, and then they’ll be able to teach others how to feed on God’s unchanging Word.
Evangelize the message of Jesus Christ. The proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior is central to everything else we teach. Apart from the truth of His death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and His resurrection victory over the grave, we have nothing to offer but empty moral platitudes. The whole of the Bible focuses on the message of Jesus, and we teach this unashamedly.
Rely upon the Holy Spirit for guidance. If we attempt anything in our own strength, our own wisdom or our own abilities, we’ll fail. But when we rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide us, then how can we go wrong? God is able to take ordinary men and women and transform them into vessels of His grace, and so He does.
Hope to see you in Sunday School this Sunday at 9:30!
I’ll say this about The Lesters – whether they’re singing for thousands or tens, their heart is in it. I can imagine that singing the same songs night after night might become routine, but you’d never know it with this group. It was a real joy to experience worship with them.
That said, I also want to invite you to come hear The Whisnants on Thursday, Sept. 9. The Whisnants are one of the most highly-acclaimed groups in Southern Gospel music, and one I believe is genuinely in it to minister to people as they exalt the name of Christ. You’ll hear it in their songs and testimonies.
That concert will be held on the Popcorn Stage downtown Ridgway beginning at 7:00. And, yes, it’s free! Join us in praying for good weather, and invite someone to come with you. Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair, and if you’d like to listen to The Whisnants while munching on some ribbon fries and sipping a lemon shake-up, well that’d be all right.
Parents, can I have your attention for a moment? Our new Sunday School year starts this coming Sunday, and we would love to invite your children to be a part of it. Some of the best Sunday School teachers in the world are getting ready for their arrival already.
Let me share with you in brief what I shared with the church this past Sunday morning. Here are some principles that define our teachers, and standards we continually want to strive toward as we seek to become even more effective as teachers. And by the way, parents, these principles just as easily apply at home as you seek to become more effective in your role. You can take the first letter of each statement to form the acrostic TEACHER.
Ridgway First Baptist Church teachers:
Train others to follow God’s Word. It’s not our goal simply to fill heads with Bible knowledge. That might work great for answering questions on Jeopardy!, but our aim is to teach students to obey everything that Christ has commanded. His Word is our guide, and we unapologetically want to train people to follow the teachings of Jesus.
Encourage others to grow strong in the faith. We want to help motivate and inspire each other to hold on to the truths of the Christian faith. We seek to build an environment where we’re spurring one another on toward love and good deeds and to stay true to the message of the gospel.
Appeal to God on behalf of their students. If you want to know that someone is praying to the Almighty Maker and Sustainer of heaven and earth on behalf of your children, then bring them to Sunday School. We believe God acts in response to prayer, and as we lift up your children before Him, we trust He will guide, protect and save them.
Care for others with Christ-like love. We are all called to be imitators of God as His beloved children and to walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. We truly desire to let the love of Christ flow through us as we teach and minister to your children. They may not remember everything they’re taught about the books of the Bible, but they’ll remember they were loved.
Handle the Word of God correctly. A great teacher must first be a great learner. We want our teachers to be saturated in the Scriptures so that the Bible first permeates their own lives, and then they’ll be able to teach others how to feed on God’s unchanging Word.
Evangelize the message of Jesus Christ. The proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior is central to everything else we teach. Apart from the truth of His death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and His resurrection victory over the grave, we have nothing to offer but empty moral platitudes. The whole of the Bible focuses on the message of Jesus, and we teach this unashamedly.
Rely upon the Holy Spirit for guidance. If we attempt anything in our own strength, our own wisdom or our own abilities, we’ll fail. But when we rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide us, then how can we go wrong? God is able to take ordinary men and women and transform them into vessels of His grace, and so He does.
Hope to see you in Sunday School this Sunday at 9:30!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Life's Humbling Experiences
Coming back from lunch on the Eldorado blacktop, nice day outside, windows rolled down because my air’s not working, left elbow resting on the driver’s side door and my hand’s hanging out, when the next thing I know a bug has splattered his guts all over my finger. Yuck.
That’s never happened to me before. The windshield always seemed to catch them pretty well, but not this time. I have no idea what kind of flying bug it was, but it left a nasty yellow stain.
So I reach for some Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes which we have in our car. When you have young kids you learn to carry Wet Ones because, well, you never know. I didn’t really want to wait until I returned to Ridgway to wipe what used to be a bug off of my hand.
This happened to be a new container. I’m talking about the plastic cylinder containers with the red flip-tops, where the wipes are wrapped around each other and they’re meant to feed through the double-slit opening, then you can tear them off one at a time. Well, new containers do not come with the wipes already fed through the opening. So I had to take the lid all the way off and try to find the origin of that first wipe somewhere in the middle of the wrap.
I’m driving down the blacktop at highway speed, mind you, and let’s just say it’s handy to drive a small car where you can steer with your knees. I remember learning that trick from my dad a long time ago when he used to try to scare us kids by taking his hands off the wheel while driving. It definitely takes two hands to get that first wipe out of the container.
All right, so far so good. Hand is wiped, finger is bug-guts free, and I’m motoring on down the road. Thought then that I should go ahead and try to feed the next wipe through the double-slit opening so that it would be easier to access next time I need it. There really ought to be some instructions on the proper way to do that. Usually, of course, it’s my wife who handles those kinds of things, and I’ll know next time to let her keep that job.
I took the next hand wipe and with my left thumb tried to push it through the opening. By the way, that opening is really tight. Well, I couldn’t get enough of the wipe through to grasp it with my right hand and pull it on through. So I pushed it harder with my thumb, but instead of just the wipe getting fed through, the tip of my left thumb came through as well, and got stuck!
I mean, stuck! The four corners of the plastic gripped my thumb and I could not pull it back out. Did I mention how sharp those corners are? I felt that if I tried to pull it out I would inflict serious damage to my thumb. Kind of like trying to extract a prey fish from a piranha’s mouth.
I really didn’t know what to do. I guess I could have pulled over and tried to work it loose, but I thought I could handle the pain for a few more minutes until I got home. So I drove halfway back to Ridgway with a Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes container clamped to my thumb. If you met me on the road that day and I didn’t wave, you now know why.
When I got home it took a couple of minutes, but I was able to free my thumb from the pinchers without major injury. Just a sore thumb with three fresh indentions (the fourth corner was on my nail), and a bit of a bruised ego. Some experiences in life are quite humbling.
Like when we recognize that we’re truly undeserving people when it comes to God’s grace. In light of how good and holy and righteous and just God is, who am I to think that somehow I have earned or deserve anything. Not a single blessing, not a single promise from His Word, not a single act of His mercy. Nothing. That’s what I deserve. No, not nothing, but in fact something much worse – death and hell.
My prayer rises with the penitent tax collector, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).
That’s never happened to me before. The windshield always seemed to catch them pretty well, but not this time. I have no idea what kind of flying bug it was, but it left a nasty yellow stain.
So I reach for some Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes which we have in our car. When you have young kids you learn to carry Wet Ones because, well, you never know. I didn’t really want to wait until I returned to Ridgway to wipe what used to be a bug off of my hand.
This happened to be a new container. I’m talking about the plastic cylinder containers with the red flip-tops, where the wipes are wrapped around each other and they’re meant to feed through the double-slit opening, then you can tear them off one at a time. Well, new containers do not come with the wipes already fed through the opening. So I had to take the lid all the way off and try to find the origin of that first wipe somewhere in the middle of the wrap.
I’m driving down the blacktop at highway speed, mind you, and let’s just say it’s handy to drive a small car where you can steer with your knees. I remember learning that trick from my dad a long time ago when he used to try to scare us kids by taking his hands off the wheel while driving. It definitely takes two hands to get that first wipe out of the container.
All right, so far so good. Hand is wiped, finger is bug-guts free, and I’m motoring on down the road. Thought then that I should go ahead and try to feed the next wipe through the double-slit opening so that it would be easier to access next time I need it. There really ought to be some instructions on the proper way to do that. Usually, of course, it’s my wife who handles those kinds of things, and I’ll know next time to let her keep that job.
I took the next hand wipe and with my left thumb tried to push it through the opening. By the way, that opening is really tight. Well, I couldn’t get enough of the wipe through to grasp it with my right hand and pull it on through. So I pushed it harder with my thumb, but instead of just the wipe getting fed through, the tip of my left thumb came through as well, and got stuck!
I mean, stuck! The four corners of the plastic gripped my thumb and I could not pull it back out. Did I mention how sharp those corners are? I felt that if I tried to pull it out I would inflict serious damage to my thumb. Kind of like trying to extract a prey fish from a piranha’s mouth.
I really didn’t know what to do. I guess I could have pulled over and tried to work it loose, but I thought I could handle the pain for a few more minutes until I got home. So I drove halfway back to Ridgway with a Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes container clamped to my thumb. If you met me on the road that day and I didn’t wave, you now know why.
When I got home it took a couple of minutes, but I was able to free my thumb from the pinchers without major injury. Just a sore thumb with three fresh indentions (the fourth corner was on my nail), and a bit of a bruised ego. Some experiences in life are quite humbling.
Like when we recognize that we’re truly undeserving people when it comes to God’s grace. In light of how good and holy and righteous and just God is, who am I to think that somehow I have earned or deserve anything. Not a single blessing, not a single promise from His Word, not a single act of His mercy. Nothing. That’s what I deserve. No, not nothing, but in fact something much worse – death and hell.
My prayer rises with the penitent tax collector, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Ready for the Next 120 Years
Our 120th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration on Sunday proved to be a wonderful day of rejoicing in the Lord. Through worship, fellowship, testimonies and the preaching of God’s Word, our time together served to encourage the church and exalt our Savior.
I want to say that I am so thankful for our Homecoming Committee members and many others who have worked so hard in planning and preparing for our celebration. I want to thank those who have given financially to help cover the expenses. And I want to thank those who participated in the service, and everyone who attended.
God has been so faithful to us! For 120 years, the Ridgway First Baptist Church has experienced abundant blessings from His hand. He has given us godly teachers, zealous missions workers, wise leaders, faithful pastors, servant-minded deacons, inspiring musicians, sacrificial givers, fervent prayer warriors and bold evangelists. He’s given us caring nursery workers, effective children’s ministers, patient youth directors and faithful adult leaders.
God has given His church caring and compassionate minds, generous and gracious spirits, loving and helpful hands, merciful and kind hearts, and willing and beautiful feet.
Some serve behind the scenes while others minister in the spotlight. Whether helping with crafts at VBS or going on Disaster Relief missions, whether delivering meals to the homebound or giving money to feed the poor in foreign lands, God’s love and grace have reached through us into our community and throughout the world. God has raised up countless servants of the Lord Jesus from the pews of Ridgway FBC who have been encouraged and equipped to take the gospel to our neighbors and to the nations.
Though the gifts are diverse and the members are many, all are equally needed and useful in the Body of Christ. Indeed, God has equipped the church with everything we’ve needed to carry out the work He’s given us to do. And it’s all for His glory.
That’s not to say we’re perfect or that we perfectly follow His lead as we should. In the course of our 120 year history there have been some highlights and there have been some lowlights. But God has brought us through, and we continue to praise Him for who He is, what He’s done and what He’s promised He will yet do.
Why not come and join us for worship this coming Sunday? If you do not have a church family where you belong, where you’re loved and valued, where you’re hearing from the Word of God, where you’re encountering Christ as Lord, and where you’re expected to use your gifts and abilities to serve and help build up the Body for the glory of God, then I want to ask you to come and experience God’s faithfulness to His church as we move forward into the rest of His story.
Let me also give you a heads up on what’s next on the calendar for us. On Friday, Aug. 27, at 7:00 p.m., we are privileged to welcome The Lesters in concert! You may remember The Lesters performing last year for Gospel Night during Popcorn Days. They are an incredibly talented and warm-hearted family, and I know you’ll be blessed by their music and ministry. This will be a free concert event, though we’ll receive a love offering to help with their expenses. Everyone is welcome, and we’d love to see you at the Ridgway First Baptist Church on Aug. 27.
Then for this year’s Gospel Night, on Thursday, Sept. 9, a group called The Whisnants will be featured on the Popcorn Day stage. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear one of Southern Gospel’s top performers. Bring your lawn chair, bring a friend, grab some funnel cakes or cheese fries when you get there, and be prepared to be encouraged through the music ministry of The Whisnants.
I want to say that I am so thankful for our Homecoming Committee members and many others who have worked so hard in planning and preparing for our celebration. I want to thank those who have given financially to help cover the expenses. And I want to thank those who participated in the service, and everyone who attended.
God has been so faithful to us! For 120 years, the Ridgway First Baptist Church has experienced abundant blessings from His hand. He has given us godly teachers, zealous missions workers, wise leaders, faithful pastors, servant-minded deacons, inspiring musicians, sacrificial givers, fervent prayer warriors and bold evangelists. He’s given us caring nursery workers, effective children’s ministers, patient youth directors and faithful adult leaders.
God has given His church caring and compassionate minds, generous and gracious spirits, loving and helpful hands, merciful and kind hearts, and willing and beautiful feet.
Some serve behind the scenes while others minister in the spotlight. Whether helping with crafts at VBS or going on Disaster Relief missions, whether delivering meals to the homebound or giving money to feed the poor in foreign lands, God’s love and grace have reached through us into our community and throughout the world. God has raised up countless servants of the Lord Jesus from the pews of Ridgway FBC who have been encouraged and equipped to take the gospel to our neighbors and to the nations.
Though the gifts are diverse and the members are many, all are equally needed and useful in the Body of Christ. Indeed, God has equipped the church with everything we’ve needed to carry out the work He’s given us to do. And it’s all for His glory.
That’s not to say we’re perfect or that we perfectly follow His lead as we should. In the course of our 120 year history there have been some highlights and there have been some lowlights. But God has brought us through, and we continue to praise Him for who He is, what He’s done and what He’s promised He will yet do.
Why not come and join us for worship this coming Sunday? If you do not have a church family where you belong, where you’re loved and valued, where you’re hearing from the Word of God, where you’re encountering Christ as Lord, and where you’re expected to use your gifts and abilities to serve and help build up the Body for the glory of God, then I want to ask you to come and experience God’s faithfulness to His church as we move forward into the rest of His story.
Let me also give you a heads up on what’s next on the calendar for us. On Friday, Aug. 27, at 7:00 p.m., we are privileged to welcome The Lesters in concert! You may remember The Lesters performing last year for Gospel Night during Popcorn Days. They are an incredibly talented and warm-hearted family, and I know you’ll be blessed by their music and ministry. This will be a free concert event, though we’ll receive a love offering to help with their expenses. Everyone is welcome, and we’d love to see you at the Ridgway First Baptist Church on Aug. 27.
Then for this year’s Gospel Night, on Thursday, Sept. 9, a group called The Whisnants will be featured on the Popcorn Day stage. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear one of Southern Gospel’s top performers. Bring your lawn chair, bring a friend, grab some funnel cakes or cheese fries when you get there, and be prepared to be encouraged through the music ministry of The Whisnants.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Ready for the Big 120
If you didn’t get your invitation in the mail or haven’t been personally asked to come, then consider this a special invite from me to you. We would love to have you be here on Sunday to help us celebrate. Our service will begin at 10:00 a.m. We’ll hear testimonies of God’s work through this church, we’ll sing songs of His victory and His faithfulness, and we’ll engage in His Word as we pray He’ll speak clearly to us.
Our guest preacher will be Duane Faulkenberry. Bro. Duane served as the pastor of Ridgway FBC from 1984-1991, and we’re looking forward to welcoming him back. Duane is currently pastoring Bryan St. Baptist Church in Herrin, IL.
Don Moye will be leading the music on Sunday. Many of you know that Donnie grew up here, and his family has long been a vital part of the church. He now serves as Executive Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Vidalia, GA.
After lunch on the grounds we’re looking forward to The River City Quartet ministering to us through music. This will be a free concert, starting at 2:00 p.m., and we’d love to have you come even if you can’t make it for the morning service.
I love what God has done and is doing through the church! Not just locally, but globally. His church in Ridgway has a rich history of experiencing His mercy, His grace and His faithfulness throughout the years. I’m praying that our greatest days are yet to come. I believe God is raising up prayer warriors who are calling on Him to bring salvation not only to our neighbors but also to the nations. I believe God is calling out more and more workers into His harvest fields. I believe God is instilling in us a greater love for Him and for one another that will result in magnifying His glory in our world.
Globally, the Lord is doing amazing, mind-blowing things in building up His church and His kingdom. People are coming to Christ in Muslim countries where their faith in Jesus literally means risking it all. In the Pacific Rim God is opening doors for the Word and people are responding in faith. In Southeast Asia missionaries are taking the gospel to places where it’s never gone, and many are believing as if they’ve waited their whole lives to hear this message.
God’s “Plan A” for bringing life to a dying world is the church. His plan is for His people to take His message to the ends of the earth. That means that the church lives out the gospel so that others will see the light of Christ shining in us and through us. It means that the church boldly proclaims the truth that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
And guess what. There is no “Plan B.” God has equipped and empowered His church by His Holy Spirit, giving us everything we need to carry out His mission. Worldly wisdom and strategies, worldly wealth and resources will never get the job done. It is the “foolishness” of the message of the cross we preach that saves sinners from death and hell to everlasting life. It is the message of the gospel that showcases the power of God to transform sinners into saints.
And it is the church to whom the message of reconciliation is entrusted, and as His ambassadors God’s appeal through us is this: “Be reconciled to God. God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:20-21).
Friend, if you’re not living a life that is reconciled to God by turning away from sin and trusting in Him, then I want to urge you today to receive His offer of salvation. You may not have another day to think it over.
And if you’re a Christian but are not an active part of a local church, then I want to invite you to join us and see for yourself what God is doing in the church. You need the church, and the church needs you.
Finally, to those who are faithfully serving as the Body of Christ, I so want to thank you for your labor in the Lord, for you know it will not be in vain.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Where's Your Treasure?
Anyway, having money is great! Having stuff makes us feel good. We take pride in owning the latest gadgets and gizmos. Though I’ll admit I look at a Best Buy ad in the newspaper and don’t even know what most of the stuff is. Some people need that new big screen TV. Some have to have a new outfit to wear each week. For some it’s a new car or a bigger house or better furniture or another whatever to add to their collection.
But having money isn’t always so great. There’s a real danger in wealth and having lots of stuff. Riches are very deceptive. And lest you think I’m only talking about the Bill Gates’ and Donald Trumps of the world, I’m talking about you and me! The vast majority of the world would look at us and say we’re rich. They’d be right.
The problem is that our wealth tends to make us think that we are self-sufficient. We tend to think that if we’ve got lots of stuff then we’ve got it made. We tend to think that living the American Dream lifestyle is what it’s all about. And in our wealth, as we accumulate possessions and provide for all our wants and needs, we also tend to dismiss our need for God.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:23, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” See, there was this young man who had many possessions and he came to Jesus wanting to know what he had to do to have eternal life. Maybe he thought Jesus would say to him, “Son, you have nothing to worry about. Look at your life! God has blessed you with many things. Surely you are highly favored in His eyes! And you’re a good man, Charlie Brown. You’ve kept the commandments. Congratulations! What more could God want from you?”
But that’s not what he heard. Instead Jesus told him: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matt. 19:21). Sadly, the man went away grieving, because he had many possessions. He loved his stuff more than he loved Christ. He clung to his possessions rather than clinging to the only One who could give him the eternal life for which he sought. For him the treasures of earth were more important than the treasures of heaven.
This man came to Jesus because he knew that something was missing in his life. Most wealthy people who recognize such a void try to fill it with more and more material things. But he missed out on the infinitely greater blessings that could have been his if only he would have been willing to abandon them for the sake of Christ. If only he would have recognized that he really needed a Savior rather than relying upon himself.
Wealth and morality are a dangerous combination. Those who think they’re good and those who think they’ve got it all often think they don’t need God. That’s why it’s so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever wants anything more than they want Christ, forfeit Christ and the eternal life that only He can give. Whoever fails to recognize his sin and come humbly to Jesus for His mercy and forgiveness will never find eternal life in his own morality.
What about you? Are you willing to leave all your earthly treasures and follow Jesus as your supreme Treasure? Can I tell you this: No one who follows Christ will ever be sorry. You might be giving up things that seem precious to you now, but what you gain will be so much greater than anything you’ve ever known – both in this present life and in the life to come. Nothing can compare with the blessings of God’s grace poured out upon those who forsake the world and follow Jesus. They will never lack for anything good, for He will open up His hand and satisfy every longing of their heart. He’s done it for me. He can do it for you.
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