Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Baptism Sunday
Baptized 24 people last Sunday; children, young couples, families, and seniors (one was 67 years old and the other was in his 70s). There was hardly a dry eye in the place.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Onion Sets
These are the onion sets I will plant this month. I have about 300 plants here, two varieties: Yellow Granex and Texas Sweet. They take about four or five months to make bulbs.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
12 ft Cast Net
This is a 12' cast net I've been practicing with for the last five or six weeks. I can open it fully about 8-out-of-10 times, such as in the picture below. That's 24' across, with 452 sq ft within the circumference. It is massive. Now, if can only do this from the bow of my boat.
Lettuce
This is the lettuce growing in the hoop house I built a few weeks ago. It's crowded and thick deliberately, with the intention that it will be harvested on-going. We clip the leaves with scissors (for salads) while the leaves are small, leaving the stem which continues to put on new growth.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Show Me Your Faith
We tend to think of faith as something intangible, invisible, ethereal, like a foggy mist. But God can see your faith.
So can you, if it’s real. And so can others.
Faith is always on display… by our works… by what we do… by
how we live. It's visible.
“Show me your faith without works” James says, “and I will
show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18).
Any faith that does not bear spiritual fruit and obvious good works is not
the kind of faith you want to rely on.
It will not take you where you want to go in eternity.
“By their fruit, you shall know them” Jesus said, (Matthew
7:16).
And yet, all around us are people who insist they have faith
in Jesus Christ but manifest no fruit of salvation. People who have never confessed Him as Lord
of their life, who have never identified themselves with a local body of believers,
who never go out of their way to help a stranger in His Name, who boycott church,
who never demonstrate authentic life-change, are said in their obituaries to
have “gone to be with Jesus.”
By what right, one wonders.
I’ve actually had people say to me, “I know Daddy went to
heaven…. because he liked gospel music when it came on the radio.”
And by the way, that doesn’t
make the deceased a Christian any more than purchasing a gym membership makes him/her an
athlete!
GETTING RIGHT WITH GOD is the only thing that matters.
GETTING RIGHT WITH GOD is the only thing that matters.
This means repentance. Confessing sin, asking for forgiveness. It means having a change of mind, and a change of heart about how you are living your life. It means turning your life over to the will to God.
This kind of faith eventually proves itself as saving faith because it produces visible evidence, spiritual fruit, (for you and others to see) as you grow in maturity and sanctification.
Furthermore, this “authentication" or "verification" of your faith is also what gives you
the assurance of salvation. As the apostle Peter said…
“Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to CONFIRM
your calling and election, for if you PRACTICE THESE QUALITIES you will never
fall. For IN THIS WAY there will be
richly provided for you’re an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:10-11).
This is the kind of eternal security you can rely on.
Show me your faith.
This is the kind of eternal security you can rely on.
Show me your faith.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Cold Temps
These are four oranges I picked (from my orange tree) before the cold temperatures arrived. They were a little under-ripe but I knew they wouldn't survive, so I picked them a bit early. Very happy with them.
Last night the temperatures reached 19-20 degrees... and held for eight hours. Yikes! This is what my turnips, kale, and collards looked like this morning. They are wilted but appear to have survived. By noon today they should be standing back up (cool weather greens are very cold tolerant). An added benefit is that cold weather sweetens the green.
Turnip Greens
Kale
Collards
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Hoop House (Cold Frame)
I put this cold frame hoop house together this morning before coming into the office. It took about 20 minutes (after buying the parts yesterday). This is a bed of baby lettuce that probably wouldn't survive the cold temperatures predicted over the next few days.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Turnips
Yesterday I spent some time thinning my turnip plants because they are too crowded to form bulbing roots. Much to my surprise I discovered these two bulbs hiding beneath the greens.
They (along with a bunch of greens) went straight to the stove top. Had them as a side dish last night. Nothing better than fresh greens and roots straight out of the garden.... especially since I know how they were grown (organically).
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
A Plateaued Church is NOT Always a Bad Thing
The typical church is plateaued. Some are declining. That’s not always a bad thing.
It’s true.
First of all, the typical
church will have a 10% attrition rate annually, regardless of its health. People move out of town, or find a new job
out of state. They get married and move
away. They go off to college. They change churches. They grow cold spiritually and drop out. They die and we do funerals.
So you have to have that many
newcomers coming through the front door and
sticking to your church over any given twelve month period just to stay even. And just in case you didn’t know it, growing
by ten percent annually is a lot of growth!
So simply staying where you are is actually a reflection of growth.
A second reason plateaued
growth is a good thing is because you made the strategic decision to not allow
your church’s mission to be hijacked.
Everyone has an agenda, or a hot-button issue they want the church to
address. Only problem is: you can’t accommodate everyone. When their opinion doesn’t carry the day, it
often results in departure.
This isn’t always bad. A church often grows as much by “subtraction”
as it does by addition. Allowing
people to leave and find another church that is more
suited to their tastes, frees up space in your church for people who are open
to your ministry style or church culture; thus making newcomers a better fit.
The church temporarily loses
some ground, (due to disgruntled
departures), but they have also been freed up to pursue strategies and styles
more suited to future growth.
That can be worth a short-term
hit in attendance.
Third, then there are some
churches (because of their location) that are
extremely limited in growth potential.
For instance, if you have a church that averages 50 people in attendance
in a town that has 5,000 in population, you are achieving the exact same
percentage ratio as a mega-church of 5,000 in a city of 500,000!
Take that, Andy Stanley! And all the pastors of churches in small
towns said, “Amen.”
In fact, some of the finest
preaching/teaching you’ll ever hear often comes from pastors of smaller
churches. Their names will never be
listed on the conference circuit, but they are this country’s best
preachers. They simply shepherd their flock,
giving them the best diet of God’s Word they can offer.
Finally, though there are many
other reasons for a plateaued growth, you just may be in a season of natural consolidation. Having been in the ministry for all my adult
life, I can tell you there is a natural ebb and flow to church life. The pattern is to have a season of growth followed by a season of consolidation.
This is actually very healthy
for a church. It allows you to
assimilate your recent growth, to focus on making disciples, and to rethink
structure. It lets you catch your breath
and map out the next season of faithful ministry.
In fact, plateaued churches are often the most solid churches you can find anywhere! They may not be setting the woods on fire, but they are virtually indestructible. They simply labor faithfully, quietly, and consistently, making steady kingdom impact year after year.
Btw, don’t worry about the next season. Just be faithful and let God do what He does.
So take heart. A plateaued church is often the sign of a strong, solid, healthy, disciple-making machine.
In fact, plateaued churches are often the most solid churches you can find anywhere! They may not be setting the woods on fire, but they are virtually indestructible. They simply labor faithfully, quietly, and consistently, making steady kingdom impact year after year.
Btw, don’t worry about the next season. Just be faithful and let God do what He does.
So take heart. A plateaued church is often the sign of a strong, solid, healthy, disciple-making machine.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Cotton Fields - Central Santa Rosa County
Renae and I went to our grandson's (Nolan) birthday party at Holland Farms yesterday. It was a beautiful day - cold and sunny - and a perfect day for a drive in the country. This time of year the cotton fields are in full bloom and a delight to see. We really decided to make this stop along the way and took a few photos. Lot's of fun.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
This Sunday - Finding Your Lifelong Companion
We have walked with Abraham for the last fourteen weeks (covering a span of six decades of his life). We have seen him at his best and also at his
worst. We’ve come to appreciate him more
and more as the years stack up.
This Sunday, in Genesis 23, we find him calmly accepting Sarah’s death, mourning his lifelong companion’s departure, then burying her with dignity. At this pivot, he realizes it’s time for his son Isaac to have a wife. So Abraham helps his son find his own lifelong companion.
There is an encounter at the well....
What follows is a beautiful story
that describes how the Lord led the entire process, ultimately bringing Rebekah
to Isaac’s side, the bride God chose for him.
Hidden between the lines of this love story are some all-important
guidelines that are as helpful for us today as they were in their ancient,
original context.
Are you looking for a lifelong companion? Do you have children who are dating badly? On the verge of marriage?
In this message you will discover from God’s Word (not the latest best seller) the kind of qualities to look for in a lifelong companion. And btw, those qualities are not merely skin deep.
I have a feeling this message might be the best of the entire series.
In this message you will discover from God’s Word (not the latest best seller) the kind of qualities to look for in a lifelong companion. And btw, those qualities are not merely skin deep.
I have a feeling this message might be the best of the entire series.
PS – Time change is this Saturday
night. Set your clocks backward one hour.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
What Audience Feedback Means – Especially to Preachers
Billy Joel gets it.
This veteran entertainer does something I find fascinating.
According to The New Yorker (October 27, 2014), Joel “grew tired of having to look out at the fat cats in the two front rows, the guys who’d bought the best seats, and then sat there projecting a look of boredom that says…. ‘Entertain me, Piano Man.’”
According to The New Yorker (October 27, 2014), Joel “grew tired of having to look out at the fat cats in the two front rows, the guys who’d bought the best seats, and then sat there projecting a look of boredom that says…. ‘Entertain me, Piano Man.’”
It was dampening his own enthusiasm, and that of his band,
to have the non-responsive types on the front two rows. He wanted the fans nearest him to be
enthusiastic participants in the evening’s activities.
That’s why “Joel’s people stopped selling the two front rows
and instead send the crew into the cheap seats before the show to hand out
tickets to people of their choosing.”
“Joel believes it helps buck up the band.”
I believe that.
Every preacher knows.
Preachers pour their heart into the message over which they
have labored and prayed. We really want
our listeners to “get it.” As my eyes roam over the room, my gaze fixes upon the most responsive church members.
The stand out.
In one section, two or three people are delighting in God’s
message, their eyes are literally alive with joy and appreciation. In another, someone’s facial expression says
they are enthralled, as caught-up in this message from the Lord as I am. Over here, a woman is weeping and in this
section, a man fist-pumps. Some anonymous person calls out, “Amen!”
Last Sunday, for instance, was such an example. The favorable response was off the chart.
Last Sunday, for instance, was such an example. The favorable response was off the chart.
They have no idea of knowing the positive effect their
response has upon me, the preacher.
Later, I almost feel like seeking them out to thank
them. But I do not do this, because the sermon is not about me. I’m not trying to win them
over to myself, but to the Lord. I don’t
want to make them feel overly self-conscious about the effect they have on me
while I'm in the pulpit, lest it influences them in the future.
I want them to worship God, and draw near to
the Lord Jesus. That really is my (and any pastor's) highest motivation.
Yet, in another sense, the frowners and naysayers in the congregation
have almost as strong a negative effect upon me as the faithful have in a positive
way.
But not quite.
Why? This is not a concert
and I am not Billy Joel.
I am called by God to preach His Word regardless of the
response. I am to pour my heart into it
no matter what kind of visual or oral response I receive. However people respond – favorably or
otherwise – my job is to faithfully discharge my responsibility.
If I stick close to the Scripture and some naysayers object, their controversy is with God, not me.
It's very liberating to realize that.
If I stick close to the Scripture and some naysayers object, their controversy is with God, not me.
It's very liberating to realize that.
Before becoming a pastor I spent a few years preaching in
jails to inmates and in nursing homes to the residents. As I spoke to the hardest men in the place,
or those out of their minds, I labored to be heard over the foot-stamping and
the chorus of throat-clearing, and the smell of urine hanging in the air. I was young.
It was where I cut my teeth so to speak.
I wondered if I was “casting my pearls before the swine,” to use the
Lord’s unforgettable metaphor. Or, did I
do the right thing by continuing the message for the sake of the few who were
straining to hear. It’s hard to know for
certain.
After I entered the pastorate, I experienced the same disrespect
in, of all places, church. I know first-hand
what it’s like to encounter church members who seem to be dedicated to
undermining the preacher. They are easy
to spot: arms folded and a scowl across
their face throughout the entire message.
Once, I even watched a man clip his fingernails in the pew while I was speaking. And yes, the clicking sound could be heard throughout the sanctuary as his nasty nails were being severed and fell to the floor.
It was the height of indecency.
I used to be an associate pastor on staff in a church in Pensacola. The head deacon would sit in a chair (high back throne) on the platform behind me when I was preaching. He also did this with the senior pastor. It was horrible. As I taught, people in the congregation would look at him – reading his facial expressions – to decide whether or not to ‘buy in’ to the message. If he was smiling and nodding up and down, great! If he was scowling or shaking his head back and forth in a negative manner, it was like throwing cold water on the entire service.
Once, I even watched a man clip his fingernails in the pew while I was speaking. And yes, the clicking sound could be heard throughout the sanctuary as his nasty nails were being severed and fell to the floor.
It was the height of indecency.
I used to be an associate pastor on staff in a church in Pensacola. The head deacon would sit in a chair (high back throne) on the platform behind me when I was preaching. He also did this with the senior pastor. It was horrible. As I taught, people in the congregation would look at him – reading his facial expressions – to decide whether or not to ‘buy in’ to the message. If he was smiling and nodding up and down, great! If he was scowling or shaking his head back and forth in a negative manner, it was like throwing cold water on the entire service.
Even the congregation picks up on front-row fat cats.
Billy Joel gets it.
And that, we might say, is why scowling members do not sit on
the platform at PCC when God’s Word is being preached. In fact, no one (except the speaker of the
day) (not always me) is on the platform when God’s Word is being declared. It minimizes distractions and the influence
of naysayers.
As much as possible, we try to create an environment where God's Word is unencumbered; so that it might accomplish its intended purposes.
And it works.
As much as possible, we try to create an environment where God's Word is unencumbered; so that it might accomplish its intended purposes.
And it works.
It’s also why we have some of our best bright-eyed,
Jesus-loving, Word-hungry men and women sitting on the front row!
The same hold true for our greeters and ushers.
Only the radiant need apply.
Fall Garden Update
My garden is finally taking off. The weather is supposed to get cooler this week which will sweeten these vegetables. I'll probably pick/cook some of them after the cold snap.
In this picture (beginning at the closest row) is mustard greens, next row is kale, the next two rows are turnips, and the final two rows are collards.
Collards in this picture. My grandson helped me plant them.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
This Sunday - When God Says "Let Go!" (Part 14)
Our lives revolve around the
people we love and the things we enjoy.
Among them are our spouses, children, special friends… our homes, work,
vocation, some treasured possession, even our hopes and dreams.
These things form the pillars of our life – the things that are most important to us.
Yet, there are times when – out of
the blue – God says, “Let that go!” When that happens, the framework of our lives
starts coming apart, fracturing our peace and calm.
There came a day in Abraham’s life when that occurred. He had known numerous tests before, but none like this one…
There came a day in Abraham’s life when that occurred. He had known numerous tests before, but none like this one…
“Place your son on the altar and sacrifice him to Me.”
It was the greatest test of his
life.
But it isn't simply Abraham’s
story. It’s our story too as we will
learn the value of letting go rather
than getting caught in the grip of the gift.
Our worship is to the Giver of gifts.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Some Sermons are Different
Some sermons are different than others. Sure, all good sermons are Biblically based,
doctrinally sound, and Christ exalting.
In that sense, all sermons are the same.
But every now and then a sermon comes along that connects (with a large
part of the congregation) differently than the others.
Today was such an example.
From the text, we talked about:
- The forgiveness of “all” sin
- The lingering consequences of “some” sins
- Domestic disturbances in the family
- Anger issues
- Tough teenagers in the home
- Sibling rivalry
- Blended families and step-siblings
- Children conceived (not in love) but by carnal acts
- Beersheba – the place of loneliness
- Single parenthood
- God’s intervention even when we make a mess of things
- And so much more….
I kid you not, as I was teaching I could see
God doing things. By reading the body
language of people in the congregation I could tell this story deeply resonated
(and related) with a lot of folk.
Some where deeply moved.
Some where deeply moved.
And why not?
Families today are dealing with the same kind of issues that occurred
four thousand years ago.
After service each Sunday I linger at the front
(after dismissal) to speak with anyone who chooses to come forward to speak with
me. For a solid hour today (after service was dismissed) I was
still talking with people about the message, their own situation, the timing of
God’s Word, and His marvelous grace.
Things were different today. A lot different.
It was totally a God-thing.
===================
On to other things………………
Due to the perfect fall weather a number of
families (about 15) were out. i.e.,
Travel, camping, car races, vacation, etc.
Yet our attendance was WAY UP for such a Sunday.
Did you see ALL THE NEW people in service
today? God just keeps SENDING THEM
in. Mostly young adults and young families.
It’s another God-thing.
…. and we do no advertising, no marketing, or any
YMCA type programs.
What we do is worship and the Bible.
Such a format is good enough for God.
And it seems to be good enough for people who
want the “better things” – worship and God’s Word. Right now I’m thinking of Mary who chose the
better part over her sister Martha.
And don’t forget what Jesus said…..
“IT IS ENOUGH for a disciple to be like his
teacher, and a servant like his master” (Matthew 10:25a)
An AUTHENTIC follower of Jesus Christ simply WANTS to BE LIKE his LORD – and for him/her IT IS ENOUGH. There’s no need for him/her to have their church to become an recreational center or entertainment venue.
Jesus is enough.
God’s Word is enough.
To be like your teacher is enough.
To be like your master is enough.
I take great comfort in that verse, because it
reaffirms for me that my main job as a pastor is POINT PEOPLE TOWARD JESUS CHRIST and TEACH
them His Word; NOT turn myself in an activity director or emcee.
Church should not be so complicated.
In God’s eyes it’s not.
It’s important that we keep the main thing, the
main thing.
The mission of the church is to make disciples. There is no Plan B.
===========
Personal stuff….
My fall garden is really coming along. I get a lot of enjoyment from this
hobby. It’s very fulfilling for me.
We will be in full harvest for greens by
Thanksgiving. Can’t wait.
I especially enjoying having my grandson
(Nolan) hang with me at the garden. He
helps me plant and enjoys the tractor rides.
He’s at the age that he really enjoys being
around his grandparents right now, so I’m taking full advantage while it
lasts.
I can’t wait to take him fishing. He’s too young right now (meaning it’s too
dangerous to take him out in my boat).
I’d like to teach him how to throw a cast net
too.
Since the weather is SO PERFECT right now, I
hope to go fishing one day this week.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Fall Garden
My fall garden is coming along. Nothing is ready to harvest yet, but is well established. This photo shows only a part of the garden (the sun was very bright so I had to shoot in this direction). I have collards, turnips, kale, and mustard planted. Will start picking collards in a week or two, and we'll have more than enough (of everything) by Thanksgiving and the Holidays.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
This Sunday's Message: Forgiven – But with Lingering Consequences
Thankfully, God forgives us when
we sin. Because of His grace, He gives
us hope, relief, and encouragement to press on.
As far as “the east is from the west” He “removes our transgressions
from us” (Psalms 103:3a, 12).
However, there is another side to
this battle with sin. Some sins,
although forgiven, have lingering consequences that can follow us for a
lifetime. The effects and the backwash continue
to stalk some people long after the sin has been forgiven.
This is a sobering truth. Yet, it's one we need to hear. You almost never hear this taught in
churches and it leaves people unprepared for the harsh realities of cause-and-effect.
The reality of this
sin/consequence syndrome comes to the surface in Abraham’s life. His previous compromise with his maid, Hagar,
seventeen years earlier, not only caused immediate disharmony in his home
between him and his wife, Sarah, it lingered beyond the birth of Isaac. Unquestionably, Abraham’s sin was forgiven –
but the haunting tentacles of that carnal act wrapped themselves around him,
bringing anguish to him, as well as his entire family.
Fortunately, God’s grace helps us
even in the midst of these lingering consequences, as it did with Abraham. And that is the beauty of this story from God’s
Word. Yes, we will learn that sin has consequences, but then we will hear the good new of Jesus Christ: those consequences don’t have to
conquer us or cripple us!
The message this Sunday will be
one of the most redemptive and encouraging sermons from the entire series.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Don’t Mistake “Liking Church” for Being a Believer
When I preach/teach at PCC, I do
so in a manner to make it understandable (to anyone regardless of age or spiritual
background). I'm not responsible to make God's Word relevant. My job as an expositor is to show people how relevant it already is. I am not permitted to dull its edge because some might find its message as sharp as a razor. And because the Bible is literally God-breathed, I can count on
it to speak for itself. There is no
guarantee that people will like or agree with the sermon since I strive to
teach whatever the text is saying regardless of its potential receptivity. But, we do call it a “win” if people
understand and receive what is being proclaimed. And I'm glad to say that hundreds of people each week find this to be a positive experience at PCC.
Having stated that, our goal is not to find people
who – don’t like church – and get them
to like church. Our goal is to preach
Word and make disciples. Besides, most disciples will like church
automatically because church is where they worship God, fellowship with saints,
and learn the Word.
If, on they other hand, our goal
is to find people who don’t like church and get them to like church, we have to
do something different. We have to
remove the things the don’t like and replace it with things they do like.
For now, it appears there are a
handful of themes that will do the job. Many people who
are cold to church are nonetheless warm to self-improvement regarding marriage,
family, communication skills, relationship conflict, sex, money, and
occupation. As a result, such themes can
be marketed year after year because they are inoffensively therapeutic.
My concern is the attitude which is assumed by all parties: If people come to church it means they love Jesus.
My concern is the attitude which is assumed by all parties: If people come to church it means they love Jesus.
That’s simply not true.
For example, many of the themes churches are using to get people to “like church” are NOT anchored directly in the core message of God’s Word.
The Top 7 Themes to attract
people who don’t like church are:
- Marriage
- Parenting
- Communication
- Conflict Resolution
- Sex
- Money
- Occupation
It’s just enough of the Good Book
to make it feel like church, but not so much that people are confronted by the Bad News
that gives them a need for the Good News.
From this sort of nonsense, one
could, in all sincerity, “like church” because it’s not really church, leading
people to believe that they love Jesus, when in fact, they don’t!
But when confronted with the core
of Jesus’ gospel, such people would gag worse than a thirsty man in a desert trying to
swallow a horse pill with a case of Arizona dry-mouth:
“23 If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a
man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever
is ashamed of Me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he
comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke
9:23-26
This is Jesus’ unequivocal message
in less than 100 words. And I might add, this is the only
message that saves.
It’s easy to love church when it’s
merely a religious version of the Jay Leno show. But it’s a different thing to
love Jesus (as He truly is) and the Church He died for.
To be a follower of Jesus means you love the
things He loves, hate the things He hates, and delight in the full council of His Word.
Monday, October 13, 2014
The Best Way to Have a Family Friendly Church is to Stop Having a Biblically Comitted One
The Bible is not G-rated. Think about it. Even the “kids stories” of Adam & Eve,
Noah & The Flood, David & Goliath, or Jesus & the apostles get into
some R-rated material if they are accurately and fully told; including things like nakedness, jealously, killing, drowning, and beheading. If you want your children to learn the 10 Commandments, then you’re
going to have to talk about swearing, murder, and sex.
Then there's Sodom & Gomorrah, Lot and his two daughters in the cave, King Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines, and that guy in the New Testament who was committing incest while actively attending church.
And let's not forget, the Bible contains
some of the most graphic stories of violence of any book in the wold. Did you know there’s a story of a young
woman being murdered, cut into pieces, and her body parts sent to different
regions throughout the nation resulting in a bloody civil war?
If truth be told, the entire
narrative of the Bible is dealing with sin, rebellion, wickedness, and how God
solves those issues through Jesus Christ, the Cross, and His Word.
From all of this, the only
way to be family friendly in a Sunday service is to EDIT and SANITIZE much of
what the Bible actually says in order to make more acceptable for a G-Rated
expectation. Or skip it altogether.
And to do that would do
violence to what God has revealed.
Not to mention creating flannel graph church members of genteel refinement who are more versed in bumper sticker Christian slogans than actual Biblical knowledge.
Not to mention creating flannel graph church members of genteel refinement who are more versed in bumper sticker Christian slogans than actual Biblical knowledge.
Our job is to proclaim the
full council of God. We are not free to
be editors, but proclaimers. We don’t possess the authority to write or erase the
Word; we merely proclaim it as it is.
Major portions of the Bible
make us squirm because the content is offensive. But sin is what makes the
Truth, (even the ugly truth), necessary.
And the Truth is what makes us free.
And the Truth is what makes us free.
Friday, October 10, 2014
This Sunday - Old Habits Die Hard
Who hasn’t felt the sting of
repeating the same sin over again… and then, again? Who has struggled with a lingering habit that
just won’t let go? Let’s face it, bad
habits and sinful actions are bad enough the first time around, but a “repeat
performance” is downright humiliating! In fact, many of the issues we wrestle with in our younger years often resurface in midlife causing relapses.
Abraham fell into this cycle,
repeating the same sins over again, and failing again. The record of his repeated failure is permanently
etched in Holy Scripture and preserved for our learning.
In this message we will learn why
we should never flirt around with our weaknesses, depend on our crutches, or
lean to our own understanding. And, as always, we we be reminded of God's amazing grace.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Relationships & Churches - the Product of Labor
One of the greatest death-blows to relationships is that "happiness" is something to be “found.” In this
fairy tale idea, fulfillment is
simply out there – somewhere – waiting to be discovered like Prince Charming
finding Cinderella. All you have to do
is find the right person, join the right group, get the right job, or join the
right church. It’s kind of an “Over the
Rainbow” thing; it’s not here, so it must be “over” there.
Which is why so many people – and
you’ve seen them, and probably flirted with it yourself – go from relationship
to relationship, city to city, job to job, or church to church looking for the
happiness they believe is just around the corner. “Oh, if
I could only find the right people and the right place.” The idea is that relational authenticity simply
exists, somewhere, and all we have to do is tap into it. It’s not something you have to work at; in
fact, if you have to work at it, then it should be abandoned.
This mindset runs rampant. If you have to work at your marriage, you
must not be right for each other. If you
have to work at getting along with people at work, you’ve got a bad boss, or
bad co-workers, or a bad structure. If
you have to work on things with other people at church, well, there are
obviously some serious problems with the church, or its leadership, or… yep, it’s
“community.”
I cannot stress strongly enough
how unrealistic, much less unbiblical, this is.
Community is not something you find, it’s something you “build.” What you are longing for isn’t about finding
the right mate, the right job, the right group, or the right church – it’s
about MAKING your marriage, MAKING your job, MAKING your group, and
MAKING your church to be what God wants it do be.
Good marriages, good
relationships, and good churches are not something discovered. They are forged. I don’t mean to suggest all relationships are
designed for depth, or that there aren’t dysfunctional communities you should
flee from. My point is that all
relationships of any worth are the product
of labor.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
New Smoker
Bought this smoker last Friday. Seasoned it over the weekend (rubbed it down with peanut oil and heated it up). Then I smoked a Boston butt roast Monday night. Worked beautifully. My smoking skills even impressed my wife. Looking forward to much use in the future.
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