Where's Your Treasure?

Having money is great! About a month ago I bought a new pair of shoes. Twenty-dollar Starters from Wal-Mart. Running shoes. And to tell you the truth, they’re one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever worn. I’d bought a higher-priced pair of Skechers a couple of weeks before that, but after wearing them just a few times I couldn’t stand them. I loved the style, but for some reason (probably my flat feet, which I didn’t realize I had until recently) the left shoe was painfully uncomfortable. I had to take them back. Of course they felt great in the store when I was trying them on. Don’t they, though?

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.

Honoring the Sanctity of Marriage

Here’s to my youngest brother getting married last weekend. Congratulations, Tim! God has given you a beautiful bride, and I hope you rejoice in her and are ever captivated by her love.

Marriage is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately in our world many have done all they can do to try to undermine and redefine the sanctity of marriage. And sadly many couples who entered into marriage with honest intentions have bailed out when the going got tough, or ended up divorcing when one or both partners wanted to explore other options and broke the vows of love and faithfulness promised during the wedding ceremony.

For the record, marriage was established by God’s design from the very beginning. Jesus taught about God’s plan for marriage in Matthew 19, answering His critics by saying, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female…” (v. 4). It doesn’t matter what the courts or popular opinions of our day say, marriage has always been and always will be a sacred institution of one man and one woman designed to last a lifetime. God created it that way from the start.

Jesus noted this aspect of God’s design for marriage as the reason, He says, that “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife…” (v. 5a). It’s the leave and cleave code. It means that when a couple enters into a marriage relationship, their primary responsibility and first priority and main loyalty and love should now be for their spouse, and not toward their parents. Marriage involves a total commitment and consecration of a husband and wife toward one another.

Then, Jesus added, “and the two shall become one flesh” (v. 5b). This means they are now inseparable in union. Only by death should the marriage relationship end. It’s like taking Gorilla Glue and fastening two things together until they cannot be torn apart. It’s meant to be unbreakable. Physically, the one flesh factor in marriage is God’s gracious gift to men and women designed to be experienced only within the bounds of the marriage relationship.

Jesus went on from there to declare, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (v. 6b). He’s saying that God places His divine seal of approval upon the marriage relationship. When a man and a woman come together before God and the witnesses of their friends and family, it is a sacred joining by God meant to be inseparable.

Divorce is never desirable. God’s intention has always been and always will be that one man and one woman be joined together as one by God in an unbreakable bond of faithfulness and love. See, marriage also serves as a picture of the gospel, in the way that Christ loves His bride, the church, and remains forever faithful to her.

If you have been divorced or remarried outside of God’s will, I don’t mean to make you feel bad or leave you wondering if God will be angry with you forever. In fact I truly feel for those who have gone through the pain and hurt of a broken marriage. Perhaps you did everything in your power to hold things together, yet your spouse was unwilling. Maybe you loved and forgave beyond human abilities, and still your partner left.

I want you to know that for whatever reasons, or whatever’s happened, God is a gracious and compassionate God. He is full of mercy, rich in kindness and abounding in love. Unbiblical divorce or unbiblical remarriage are not unforgivable sins. He is able to take hurts and pains and wrongs, and remake them all into something good. He is able to restore those who come humbly before Him, seeking His face and devoting themselves to following in His ways.

So here’s to Tim and Tara, and to all married couples – may your God-joined marriage fill you with happiness and love all the days of your life and put the gospel of Christ Jesus on display for the world to see.

Saddlin' Up for VBS

Yes, it’s almost here. Vacation Bible School. And this year we’re saddled up for a great adventure through the wide-open spaces of Big Sky Country at Saddle Ridge Ranch.

Parents, we thank you for the trust you’ve placed in us to care for your children and teach them the ways of the Lord according to His Word. Our sincere desire is for each child to come to know Jesus – the greatest thing anyone of any age could do. For Christ is our all in all, our everything, our hope, our joy, our peace and our life. Without Him we’d be hopelessly and helplessly lost.

That’s why we put so much preparation and effort into this week of VBS, so that our love for the Lord and our heart for glorifying His name will be evidenced in our love for your children and in teaching them to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

We also know that kids have many questions, and sometimes they ask very profound questions that leave us as parents (and grandparents) struggling to come up with answers. Discussing things like God and creation, heaven and hell, and salvation and eternity can be daunting tasks!

Here’s a little sneak peek at some of the questions we’ll try to answer next week for your children. Who am I? Does God care about me? What is God’s plan for me? How can I be like Jesus? What do I do now?

And we’ll go to the one sure source of authority to find the answers: the Bible. The Bible is God’s revelation to man. There He reveals Himself, His purposes and His ways. There He reveals to us our sin and our need for a Savior. And there He reveals to us His Son Jesus Christ, to whom the whole of Scripture testifies as the very nature of Almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the true essence of love, the source of perfect peace, the hope of nations and the author of salvation.

We make no apologies for our firm commitment to the truth of Scripture and our complete reliance upon the Word of God. For we know that the Bible is “able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:15-17).

So that’s what you’ll get. And we’ll use some energetic and fun music to reinforce these truths. We’ll do some terrific craft projects to help your children learn hands-on. We’ll respond to the Lord in worship, prayer, giving and serving. And we’ll do our best to model a genuine walk of trust in the Lord and obedience to His ways in every thought and attitude and in every word and deed.

God has called His church to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt. 5:13-16). I am so thankful and thrilled to be a part of what God is doing in this community and throughout the world through His people.

Friend, if you’re not a part of the greatest enterprise this world has ever known – the advance of the kingdom of heaven led by our risen, conquering King Jesus Christ – then why not turn your life over to the Lord right now? Don’t miss out on the imperishable treasures of everlasting life for the fleeting and fading treasures of earth. Don’t spend eternity in hell regretting what you need to do now – and that’s repenting of your sins and believing wholeheartedly in Jesus for salvation.

Call upon His name this moment in a simple prayer, pleading for His mercy, receiving His forgiveness and grace and trusting Him to lead and guide you from this day forward. That’s a life-long choice you’ll never, ever regret.

This Sunday, July 11, I want to invite you to worship with us, and feel free to wear your Western wear. Also, let me give a special invitation to bring your children, grandchildren, neighborhood children or any other children you can round up on Sunday morning at 10:40 a.m. for a worship experience of blessing for our young ones. Then Saddle Ridge Ranch begins Sunday night with a light dinner at 5:30, and the VBS goes from 6-8. Ya’ll come!

Reflections on Our Nation's Foundation and Future Direction

Before I forget, let me wish you a happy 4th of July! Celebrating our national independence ought to remind us of the wonderful freedoms we enjoy in this country. We have been blessed beyond measure in these United States, and we owe a great debt of gratitude to our founding fathers for their vision and wisdom in shaping this nation.

Of course, we also owe our heartfelt thanks to every man and woman who has worn the uniform in serving and protecting this land. Hundreds of thousands have paid the ultimate price in gaining and preserving our freedoms. We salute them all, knowing that we would have nothing to celebrate if not for their sacrificial efforts on our behalf.

Most of all, we have the Lord God to thank for what He has done for us. Because our nation’s fathers sought the Lord’s help and relied upon His providential hand for victory, God has rewarded their faith and blessed us richly. Indeed, in a way similar to how God promised His blessings upon His people Israel, we’ve seen His grace shed upon us: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His heritage” (Psalm 33:12a)!

It is amazing to read in the Old Testament of how God promised such incredible blessings to Israel for their obedience to His ways, while also warning them of the grave dangers that would come from disobedience. If you read Deuteronomy chapter 8 you’ll see how God longs for His people to follow Him and receive His grace.

In that text God speaks through Moses, saying: “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you” (Deut. 8:7-10).

This Scripture is obviously given to Israel as they were nearing their entry into the Promised Land, but to me it’s not too difficult to see the parallels in our nation’s history. What other nation besides Israel has been so blessed as America has been? We have had it so good here, and we have the Lord our God to bless for the good land He has given us.

With that said, in the very next breath Moses also issued a warning to Israel: “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and your gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt…Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth…And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God” (Deut. 8:11-14, 17, 19-20).

Is that not a warning that we need to heed in 21st century America?! By the way, God eventually did bring His judgment upon Israel when they forgot the Lord their God, when they rebelled against His ways, and served and worshiped other gods. After sending many prophets to call the nation back to Him, and after pouring out His kindness and steadfast love toward His people, God used the Babylonians to capture and destroy Jerusalem, as many were put death and some carried into exile out of the land of Judah.

How will history record America’s story? Will the people of this nation return in faithfulness and obedience to the ways of the Lord our God? Or will we forget His commands, boast in ourselves, and suffer the ruin of a once richly-blessed land?

Celebrating God's Faithfulness

Thought I might give you a little heads up on an event coming later this summer that we are getting excited about. Now I could be talking about Vacation Bible School, which I hope you’ll also mark on your calendar for July 11-16, but I’m not. I could be referring to any particular Sunday in which the followers of Christ assemble for worship (I get excited every week), but no.

Would you please write down the date of Sunday, August 15, and plan to come and join us for Ridgway First Baptist Church’s 120th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration? We are so grateful for what our God has done in us and through us and for us in the past, what He is doing now, and what we are confident He’ll do in the future. That’s what we want to celebrate, and what we invite you to celebrate with us on August 15.

The last time we recognized an anniversary was in 1990 when we observed our 100th year of serving Christ as the Ridgway First Baptist Church. This church has a storied history of faith, hope and love, serving our local community and sending out missionaries around the world.

One of my favorite pieces of that history is the leap of faith our membership took to build our current facility. Originally the church was established with just 13 charter members near the corner of Combs and Sycamore streets. The membership had grown to 98 by 1900. But in 1941 an additional numerical growth occurred when the New Zion Baptist Church closed and its members transferred to Ridgway FBC. At that time the congregation voted to relocate and build on the corner of Valter and South streets, which is our present location.

The records show that at that time there the church treasury held just $1.83. Yet the church believed that God would provide and supply their needs as they moved forward in faith. Of course, God did not disappoint. The plans were made, the work began, and the building completed as donations of time, money and materials were given generously, even by people from other denominations.

On September 5, 1943, the new church building was dedicated to the Lord. Then, on August 6, 1944, just three years after the church stepped out in faith with such a meager amount in the treasury, the mortgage was paid off and the note burned.

That’s just one example of the ways in which God has blessed this church abundantly, and how His people have trusted Him wholeheartedly. Today we’re walking in the shadows of some giants in the faith, men and women who have left a tremendous legacy of faithfulness and obedience. And we’re walking in the power of the Holy Spirit of Almighty God, who always leads His faithful ones in the way they should go. Personally, I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store for this church.

We want to extend a warm invitation for everyone in the community to join us on August 15. The invitation also goes out to former members and friends who may have moved out of the area, current members who may not have blessed us with your presence for some time, and anyone who wants to come and celebrate with us.

We have invited former pastor Duane Faulkenberry to bring the message that day. Bro. Duane served as pastor here from 1984-1991, and currently serves Bryan St. Baptist Church in Herrin as pastor. Our music leader for our morning service will be Don Moye. Don grew up in this church and went on to become a music minister at First Baptist Church in Vidalia, GA, where he currently serves as Executive Pastor.

After the morning services we’re planning lunch catered in by the Bar-B-Q Barn in Harrisburg. Following lunch we have a Southern Gospel group called the River City Quartet scheduled to encourage us through their music ministry.

August 15 promises to be a special day of rejoicing in the Lord, fellowship with God’s people and anticipation of His future blessings. How about making plans to join us?

Getting the Missions Message

I didn’t even get to preach last Sunday, but I think they got the message.

Eight of the nine people from our church who went on the Missions Spectacular trip to East St. Louis on Saturday told their stories to the church Sunday morning. And I didn’t mind in the least.

The project was initiated by the Illinois Baptist State Association as a One-Day missions event with opportunities to go to Rockford, Springfield or the Metro East area. In all, over 550 people participated from churches throughout Illinois at one of the three locations.

At the Metro East sites mission projects included church building repairs, food pantry repair work, landscaping, park clean-up, farming, clothes pantry sorting, campus prayer-walking, and taking 100 kids from the Christian Activity Center to the zoo. Our group was assigned, and joined by families from two other churches, to spend the day doing Kids Club activities and Sports Camps at the New Yu Youth Movement in East St. Louis.

The New Yu consists of a core group of several teenagers led by a husband-wife youth ministry team. Three years ago this couple was serving as youth pastors in a church when the adults decided to disband. Rather than abandon the students, however, the Thomas’ carried on their ministry to their students in what is now called the New Yu Youth Movement.

Their website describes their purpose: “We exist to inspire and motivate students to seek Christ, pursue a relationship with Him, accept His unconditional love, connect with other students, and tell someone about Him. We will impact this generation for Christ!”

They meet for worship and fellowship in a dilapidated building in a neighborhood surrounded by vacant lots and modest (at best) homes in need of major repair. The house across the street was occupied, but the grass was grown above waist high. Several unsavory business establishments operate nearby. The Southwestern Illinois Correctional Facility is only blocks away. Do I need to mention that the neighborhood is African-American?

It was into this foreign environment that we ministered the love of Christ for the 70 kids who came to see what was going on. The children ranged in age from just a few months old to late teens. Some of their parents also hung around for a while. We set up gazebo tents and brought games and activities, prepared crafts, grilled hot dogs and served chips, cookies and drinks, did face-painting and told Bible stories.

Our mission was to be witnesses for Christ to the world. Indeed, that is the mission of every follower of Jesus in every generation and in every location. Jesus commissions His disciples plainly with these words: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt. 28:18). And He tells them: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

It felt like we were going to the ends of the earth when we arrived in the heart of East St. Louis. But what a blessing to serve in the kingdom of Christ and obey His command! What a joy and inspiration to serve, if just for a day, alongside this couple who is indeed impacting a generation for Christ! What a delight to express the love of Jesus to these children and their parents and to share the gospel message of salvation with many of them!

I hope we were a blessing to them, but I know we were blessed in abundance.

The Bible says: “For ‘everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Rom. 10:13-15).

I hope the kids of East St. Louis soak in the good news we brought, and call upon the name of the Lord for salvation – just as is my hope and prayer for Ridgway. I’m so thankful for the ones who sacrificed time, money and apprehensions to go in the name of Christ, and for their willingness to tell others about it. That’s a message that’ll preach!

Views from the Upper Deck

My family and I sat through a one hour rain delay at a St. Louis Cardinal’s game on Memorial Day. The game started out with the temperature about 85, sunny skies and a light breeze. That’s about a perfect day for baseball. We’d brought along ponchos and jackets just in case, with the forecast showing a 60 percent chance of rain or thunderstorms. But when we arrived at the stadium it looked so nice out that we left them in the car.

About the second inning I noticed the sky to the west growing increasingly dark. The wind began blowing more briskly and the temperature began to drop. The reason I was able to keep such a keen eye out on the weather is that we were sitting in the Outfield Terrace Reserved seats – the upper deck. Not only were we in the upper deck, we were in the top row of the upper deck. Section 434, Row 11. The nose-bleed seats. And you may not believe this, but my son Tyler actually did get a nosebleed from being so far up in the atmosphere.

In the third inning the flags in the stadium started waving wildly, the sky kept getting darker, streaks of lightning flashed in the sky and peals of thunder rumbled overhead. Napkins and hot dog wrappers began swirling throughout the stands and on the field. Somewhere around 4:00 or so they turned on the stadium lights, and you pretty well knew what was coming.

Just before the fourth inning was to start, the grounds crew rolled out the massive tarp and covered the infield, and it wasn’t long before the rain came pouring down all around. All those poor people in the front row were forced to try to find some shelter.

Turns out ours were the best seats in the house. We had lathered up with sunscreen prior to the game, but didn’t need it because we were sitting under the pavilion in the shade as the umpires said, “Play ball!” (At least I assume he did, but we couldn’t hear from that distance.) Then when the skies opened up we smiled as we stayed dry in our Bob Uecker’s. Not only that, but we also had a nice view of the Mississippi River, the Arch and the freight trains screeching on the tracks behind us, which helped keep our youngest a little more occupied during the long game.

So what if Albert Pujols looked like a miniature action figure on the field below? Who cares if you can’t judge a long fly ball from the upper deck? We were dry and shaded, and enjoyed the day together.

I wasn’t real sure I wanted to go in the first place. This is a very busy week, and there are plenty of other things I need to get done. I love baseball, but knew the day would be costly (even in the cheap seats), and so I waited until the last minute to order tickets. If I would have waited until June 1 to buy tickets for the game on May 31, I would have been too late. But in the end I’m glad we went.

Similarly, many people hesitate to make the commitment to come to Jesus for salvation. They’re not real sure they want to abandon their other plans for Him. They know something of the cost involved, and they’re not quite willing to pay the price. Maybe they’re not sure heaven’s worth it. So they wait and wait and keep waiting.

Unfortunately, there will be a day when it will be too late. No one knows when he will draw his last breath on earth. No one knows when Christ Himself will return as the Scripture declares. Friend, let me plead with you to stop waiting around. Stop putting off till tomorrow what you know you need to do today. You may not have tomorrow. But you have right now, and there’s no better time to turn away from sin and trust in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord than this very moment.

I promise you this: You will be glad you did. And you’ll wish you had done it sooner. I’ve never known a single soul who’s laid aside his own plans for life and been willing to pay the price to follow after Christ, who has ever been disappointed. You’ll have no regrets, only a supernatural peace and unbending hope and unspeakable joy that comes in the assurance of your reserved seat in the glories of heaven.

Eternity is a long time. With heaven or hell hanging in the balance, you can’t afford to wait until the last minute. Choose to believe in and follow Jesus today and for ever. And whether you’re sitting in heaven’s Diamond Box or in the top row of the upper deck, you’ll have the best seats in the house.

Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts to go with your morning cup of coffee, or cappuccino or espresso or latte, or whatever.


Let me stand in line to congratulate all of the graduates from the Class of 2010. For some it was more of a challenge and a struggle to earn your diploma, but your perseverance was rewarded. You didn’t give up or drop out, but stayed the course. And you received what you perspired to achieve. Congratulations.

To my fellow citizens as we remember our fallen soldiers on this Memorial Day, what a debt of gratitude we owe! Those who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom deserve our greatest respect. Let us live and use our blood-bought freedom responsibly, so that their deaths will not be in vain.

And, of course, we also remember with a special affection our loved ones who have gone before us. Whether it’s been decades or just days, the loss of someone close never fully heals. May the comfort and peace of the Lord Almighty strengthen you and help you as you allow Him to uphold you with His righteous right hand.

I’m going to put an early plug in for your fall reading material. A friend of mine, Shane Kastler, who preached our revival services back in March, has written a book due for release on October 1. I had the opportunity to read the manuscript last week and will tell you that if you like Civil War history, you’ll like this book. And if you love to see God’s providence and grace on display, you’ll love this book. It’s a biographical sketch of the spiritual journey of the notorious Confederate General, former slave trader and Ku Klux Klan member Nathan Bedford Forrest. You can even pre-order the book on Amazon.com. It’s entitled Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Redemption.

Once in a while, especially when I have some frustrations or feel like I’m needing some explanations, I turn to the book of Job in the Bible and read chapters 38-42. Talk about a reality check! I never cease to be amazed at the sovereignty and strength of God. Read these chapters for yourself sometime, preferably aloud, and see if God’s revelation of Himself in wisdom, majesty, power and glory does not drop you to your knees in humility, repentance and worship. As the writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (Ecc. 5:2).

Sometimes when I get a cup of coffee at the QuikMart, I also pick up some Little Debbie Frosted Donuts for 75 cents. But don’t tell my wife.

Last year I complained about the time involvement in helping coach my son’s Bantams 1 baseball team. We had several practices and games rained out, so I felt I was always on the phone with other coaches and parents rescheduling and rearranging. It just seemed like it was more work than I had expected. Beyond that, our team did not win a single game all season, so I wonder whether or not the boys were learning anything or if I was a decent coach or not. But truth be told, I love the kids and I love baseball, and am enjoying coaching Toby’s T-ball team and helping Quinton Drone – who’s doing a great job, by the way – with this year’s Bantam 2 team. It also helps when you win the first two games of the season.

Somewhere in the back of my head I still have this crazy thing going on that I’d like to learn how to play the guitar. I mean, I’m not talking about becoming a rock star or anything, but if I could just play some worship songs or learn to lead on some children’s music, that’d be enough. I’m trying to decide whether or not to take a friend up on an offer to buy an acoustic-electric guitar for about $200. It would either give me the motivation to move forward, or be a waste of the equivalent of about 267 packages of Little Debbie Frosted Donuts. I’m not sure which.

Hope your day’s a little less random than mine. Hey, why not come to church on Sunday? Lord willing, I’m planning to focus in on a message about what to do when somebody does you wrong. I’ll even put on a pot of coffee for you if you’d like, but I don’t do the frilly drinks.

Finding Noah's Ark

Did you see the news story recently that some archaeologists claim to have found the remnants of Noah’s Ark? In April a group of Chinese and Turkish explorers announced they had discovered the remains of a wooden structure on Mt. Ararat in eastern Turkey they say is the legendary boat. “It’s not 100 percent that it is Noah’s Ark, but we think it is 99.9 percent that this is it,” said Yeung Wing-Cheung of the Noah’s Ark Ministries International, the research team that made the find.

Not that it’s been unusual throughout the years for such claims. CBS even aired a two-hour prime time special in 1993 called, “The Incredible Discovery of Noah’s Ark.” Turns out that the thrilling testimony of the explorer who saw the ark and recovered a piece of it was all a hoax. The “explorer” was a paid actor, and the authentic piece of ark timber was a piece of pine soaked in soy sauce.

So what to make of this new discovery? While I would be glad to know that the biblical record of the ark was validated by real archaeological evidence, it would not strengthen my faith in Christ and His Word. And if the ark is never found my faith will not be weakened in any measure. God’s Word is enough. I don’t need scientific confirmation for my trust in Him to be complete. If He’s said it in His Word, it’s true and I believe it.

Furthermore, such a discovery of biblical proportions as the ark will most likely not lead anyone to put their faith in Christ.

There’s a story Jesus told in Luke 16 about a rich man and a beggar. The rich man had lived life in luxury every day while the beggar sat at the rich man’s gate, covered with sores, longing to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. The beggar named Lazarus was carried upon his death to Abraham’s bosom, meaning the fellowship of believers in heaven. But the rich man went to hell, the place of the wicked.

The rich man in this parable looked up from his place of torment, and from far away saw Abraham with the beggar at his side. He pleaded for Abraham to have pity on him and to “send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.” The one who lived for his selfish indulges on earth, failing to show mercy to the poor, was now the one seeking mercy. But Abraham refused because of the “great chasm” that has been fixed between them, making it impossible for any to cross over from one to the other.

The rich man then begged Abraham to at least send Lazarus to his five brothers who were still alive and warn them, lest they, too, should come to this place of torment. Abraham said, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.” The rich man said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.”

Now notice carefully Abraham’s reply: “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (see Luke 16:19-31).

There’s the point. Even if someone finds Noah’s Ark and confirms the record of the flood in Genesis, hard-hearted sinners will not repent and turn to Christ. Even if someone rises from the dead and warns unbelievers of their need to repent and receive salvation through Christ Jesus – they will refuse. Jesus was mercilessly beaten and crucified on a cross, yet He rose from the dead and showed himself to His disciples and “gave many convincing proofs that He was alive” (Acts 1:3), and yet the world still refuses to repent and believe in Him.

Moses and the Prophets and the New Testament writings – the holy Scriptures – are God’s infallible, unfailing, unchanging words of hope and salvation. The Bible in all its truthfulness, sufficiency and authority is already enough to “make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15).

Finding the ark or not – what does it matter? Are you listening to God’s Word?

Staying Focused and Thankful

OK, I admit that I’m ready for summer. You remember when you were in school, and how hard it was to stay focused on your assignments when the weather started warming up? You started dreaming about your summer plans – playing baseball, going fishing, swimming, riding bikes, taking vacations, camping trips, just playing outside, or whatever. You started mentally checking out of school long before the bell rung on the last day of class. Teachers, you know I’m talking about your students, right? Not you, your students.

Well, I’m not in school anymore, but I’m there. We have some exciting things coming up this summer, and I’m ready for them.

One is Vacation Bible School. We’ve moved the dates back this year to July 11-16. Parents, you might want to put the newspaper down right now and take your red marker and circle those dates on your calendar. We’re hoping to see a great display of children from throughout the community learning about Jesus and coming to know Him personally through faith.

This year’s theme is “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” so round up yer cowboy hats and get ready to mosey on down to the ranch for VBS. We’re planning a special promotion event on July 8, and we’ll send out more details as the time draws near. Parents and grandparents, we would cherish the opportunity to show your children the love of God at this year’s VBS.

Then on Sunday, August 15, we’re excited to be celebrating Ridgway First Baptist Church’s 120 year anniversary. Some of you might remember when our first worship services were held back in 1890. If not, come anyway and help us rejoice in what God has done in us and through us and for us the past 120 years. And join us in the joy of anticipating His faithfulness for the next 120 and longer – or until Jesus comes again, whichever comes first.

I think it’s going to be a fun summer. Of course, on a more personal level there’s baseball and T-ball for our boys, which takes up pretty much all of May and June. T-ball games start this Saturday, May 15. If you’re looking for some cheap entertainment, come out to the ballpark Saturday mornings and watch the little ones chase the ball all over the field. It can be quite the show.

In July my youngest brother is getting married, so we’re looking forward to the wedding. And my mom and dad are looking forward to their 27-year-old son moving out of the house! That’s not entirely true, I don’t think. The nest is soon to be empty after nearly 39 years of teaching their four young to fly. No doubt there will be tears of joy mixed with a hint of sadness.

On his bride-to-be’s side the emotions will also be running high. Her brother had a motorcycle wreck over a year ago that nearly killed him. Instead he was left with severe brain damage and has been in and out of hospitals and rehab facilities ever since, needing constant care. He has made some significant improvements and shown some encouraging signs of recovery, and he’ll be in the wedding party.

July also brings some vacation time, and my boys are already eager to go, as are their parents. We’re hoping to visit with friends and family, as well as having a little time away by ourselves. There’s always something healthy and refreshing about getting away for a while, then coming back with renewed energy.

So I’ll try to keep focused on my current assignments before summer comes, and stay locked in when it does. I am so thankful for the many, many, countless blessings of my heavenly Father. His grace and mercy is simply overwhelming. I know I don’t deserve such kindness from His hand, but He’s been so good to me. When I think about my family and my church, all I can do is love God and pray that I’ll be faithful with all He’s entrusted to me.

And when I think about the immeasurable love of my Father who sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross in my place, to forgive all my sin and give the gift of everlasting life to all whose faith is in Him – I sometimes feel that my heart might burst with gratitude and joy. To God be the glory, great things He hath done!