Wednesday, November 7, 2012

decisions, decisions...

Decisions, Decisions....

 Yesterday i had the esteemed privilege of speaking to a local high school/ jr. high student body.  It just so happens that it was also election day (President).  I had was up early went through my routine and then headed out to be at the polls at 7:00am to cast my vote.  As a U.S. citizen, there are many privileges given to us and one of them is the privilege to vote for the leader of our country.

As i placed my vote i went about my day and then met with this group of students where i shared with them that everyday is filled with moments where we have to make decisions.  While i recognized  that most of the students were not of age to vote in this presidential election, which is an important day and an important decision in the vote you cast, i did say that each of them everyday was faced with making important decisions; decisions that would affect not only themselves on a personal level, but others who were close to them that they cared about and even those whom they didn't know out on the periphery of their lives and influence.
From that i moved to the story of Joshua who was chosen to lead the Israelites after the larger than life figure of Moses.  It was Joshua who went out in the group of twelve to scout out the land of Canaan and it was Joshua along with Caleb who were the only ones out of the twelve who said the land was able to be taken and inhabited.  A decision was made to not go into the land and because of that decision the people wandered in the wilderness (desert) for forty years (one year for every day that the 12 "spies" spent scouting the land of Canaan).

Over time there were ups and downs--good and bad decisions and eventually Moses died at the age 0f one-hundred and twenty without ever setting foot into the "Promised Land".  After the death of Moses God chose Joshua to lead all of the Israelites (a new generation of people) into the land beyond the Jordan that God had promised to Moses.  Again, over time there were ups and downs--good and bad decisions and eventually Joshua found himself in the twilight of his life.  Knowing this he called all of the Isrelites to hear him speak and give what is known as his "farewell address".  It was in this address that Joshua shared with the people all the good things that God had done for them and how He had kept His promise to them and blessed them as a people beyond measure.  

With that Joshua called for the people to fear the Lord God and worship in sincerity and truth.  But regardless of what the people would do, Joshua had already made his decision.  His decision was that he and his whole household would serve God.  This was his decision and it was an important one to him; important enough that he gathered all the Israelites together to hear it.

The Bible states that after this meeting, Joshua sent the people away each to their own inheritance and after these things, a period of time passes and Joshua died at the age of one-hundred and ten.

I laid a few questions before this group of students as a closing thought:
  1. What decisions will you make today and for the rest of your life.
  2.  What contemplation will you give to the impact that those decisions might have in your life and the life of others? 
  3. When your life comes to an end, what will people say about you and the decisions you made in the time you had?" 
I closed by encouraging them not to make decisions based solely on popularity (the right decision in the eyes of others), but to make decisions based on prudence, (the right decision in the eyes of God).  And realize that decisions to be a good student, a faithful friend, a  person of trusted  integrity, character, and faith can begin today.  Choose you this day...decisions, decisions.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

How Great Is Our God




How Great Is Our God

This past Tuesday evening the men of the church came together for a fellowship.  We have had get-togethers in the past so it wasn’t something new, but it was different.  As the volunteer leadership team planned it out they were hoping for a group at best of around 40, but weren’t going to be disappointed if there were only a dozen.  6:00 pm rolled around and before you knew it there were over 40 men there; over 40 men!  Now I said that the team hoped at best for 40, but God moved and there were over 40!

 As a pastor, it did and does my heart well to see not only those numbers, but to know that each of them came without coercion (from man) and were as well giving up things such as Monday Night Football, The deciding NLCS game for the World Series, and a presidential debate; all to be there for this evening of fellowship with other Christian men within the church.  All I could do was praise God, thank these men, and know that this church was blessed on account of the evening.  My mind and heart were being drawn to the devotional that opened the Fellowship which was from the book of Proverbs, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17.

This was set against the backdrop of an article that I had read leading up to this evening which stated that that "every Sunday in America, more than 60 percent of the adults in our worship services are female. Almost a quarter of America’s married, churchgoing women worship without their husbands. Midweek gatherings often run 70 to 80 percent female… over 70 percent of the boys who are being raised in church today will abandon it by their 22nd birthday – many never to return".

It is reports like this that cause concern for me not simply because I read an article, but that I see it fleshed out in too many churches today.  And because of this, I thank God for our night of Men’s Fellowship as God drew us together and as He builds hope in my heart for the future and strength of men in His church.  In light of this, I pray that God will continue to grow this group of Christian men not only in number, but in spirit and favor with God and fellow brothers as they seek to Honor God with their lives and serve Christ hand in hand within the Church.  What a great night provided by our great God; how great is our God!

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”

Monday, October 22, 2012

God Moves

"God Moves"

This past weekend was the annual "Great Mississippi River Balloon Race".  While there is a lot of fun and excitement that goes on during this time there is a great deal of work and planning that makes it the success it has become.  From the city of Natchez to the teams of balloon racers and everyone else in-between, they each have a role to play in this great event.  But there are two things that are crucial to the success of the weekend that we at times may loose sight of with all the other things going on such as bands, vendors, rides, and who can forget the fireworks display on the river on Friday night!   These things are:  1.  the hot air that fills the canopy of the balloons, which gives them lift.  2.  The wind to move the balloons as they race across the countryside.

As I met with our children during our midweek activities I shared with them the lesson about the things that we cannot see, but still have a huge impact on our lives.  I took a rubber balloon and blew it up and told them about two words.  The first was the Hebrew word (ru-ah) and the Greek word (pnue-ma); both are words that are interchangeable with wind and the Spirit of God.  What I wanted to share with them was a lesson that related, through the model of a simple balloon, the evidence of God's Spirit moving in our lives and around our lives.  For example, in Genesis 1:1-2 the bible says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."  From the very beginning, the Spirit (ru-ah) of God was moving over creation.  It's in Genesis chapter 2 that we see God moving not only over the surface of the deep, but in the very life of man as God breathed life into the first man, Adam.  "Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."  The Spirit of God worked in the creation of the world, but also in the being of man to breath life!  For every balloon that competed in the races this weekend they needed air to fill their canopies in order to give them life (in a sense), to produce lift, and to sustain them all along the way of their race.  This is the analogy of how God's Spirit works in our lives as we run the race set before us.

It is this same Spirit, in the New Testament that continues to breath life into men, both physically as well as spiritually.  In turning to the Gospel of John we come upon a man by the name of Nicodemus who was a leader of the Jews and was curious to know more about this being "born-again" that Jesus was teaching.  Jesus in response to Nicodemus spoke these words in John 3:8, "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."  It is the Spirit of God who works in our lives and brings us to a new birth in Christ as He (the Spirit) fills us.  Not only does the Spirit of God fill us, He as well moves us.  In 2 Peter 1:20-21 Peter writes, "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."  Regardless of who you are, everyone who is in Christ is not only filled (indwelt) with the Holy Spirit, but is to be moved by Him as well.  Just as a balloon is moved by the stirring of the wind so are Christians moved by the stirring of the Spirit of God.  With that, a great deal of the movement caused by the Spirit is from the truth of God's word, the Bible.  Paul in his second letter to Timothy writes that "All Scripture is inspired by God (God breathed)" and the author of Hebrews writes that "the word of God is living and active."

Paul in Philippians 3 tells the church if they have been filled with and are moving according to the Spirit then they will be made and moved as those "who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus..."

There are two great truths that can be learned from this illustration of a hot air balloon on a spiritual level.  It is that God, through His Spirit, is willing and able to:
  1. Fill you with life from Himself--saving your life
  2. Move you to life for Himself--sustaining your life 
There is also a third truth, and I'll close with this.  If God is able to  save your life with His Spirit and sustain your life by moving you with His Spirit, then God is as well able to:

      3.  Keep you for life with Himself--securing your life

Praise God; He moves!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

mind the gap


     
     Just before this Summer’s Olympic Games in London , I was fortunate to have been a part of a team from Parkway that went to partner with a sister church in the city of Hounslow, which is about twenty miles outside of Central London.  It was a wonderful experience that grew me, stretched me, blessed me, and humbled me.  I think that would be an accurate summation for the rest of the team as well on our trip across “the big pond”.  While in London, we traveled by way of the “Underground” transit and as the trains would approach there would be a message as the doors were about to open which was, “Mind the Gap”.  A simple notice to be careful of the gaps in-between the platform and the train car.  "Mind the Gap" is such a common saying rooted into the London lingo that you can find the phrase displayed on t-shirts, bumper stickers, coffee mugs, etc.
      Several times as I boarded a passenger car, I would look down at this gap where I noticed a fairly deep chasm and if I didn’t “mind” and pay attention to my steps I would have surely done damage to my leg, at minimum, if not more.  As the team wrapped up our time in England and came back to the states, I have since then though of that phrase “mind the gap”.  It’s not that I take the underground to work or even ride a train through the period of the week, but I am reminded of the gap that is before me every time I take a step; it is the gap of temptation and the damage of sin that has the opportunity to bring hurt and pain into my life with every decision I make.
       In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul encouraged the saints there to “mind the gap” and be careful where they stepped and how they walked; “...be imitators of God, as dearly loved children.  And walk in love” (5:1-2).  Moving ahead in chapter 5:15-21 Paul called again for these same saints in Ephesus to “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people, but as wise…”  not long ago I was eating dinner with an aunt and uncle of mine and as my aunt cleared the table my uncle and I were just “chit-chatting” about different things, the future, the present, and the past.  In that I made the statement that life is about living, learning, and gaining some wisdom along the way.  Life is about living and learning, but it is useless in the long run if you gain no wisdom to direct your future actions, to learn from the past and mind the gaps of life for the present and for the future.
       Paul also states in v15 that these saints were to be about, “making the most of their time, because the days are evil”.  And in v17 he called for them to “not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is”.  In this verse, I believe Paul gives good and solid advice for Christians to “mind the gap”.
1. making the most of your time—What do we as Christians spend the majority of our efforts and energy doing and are we good managers of our time?  Do you spend more time doing things that have no eternal value, that are not intently directed at growing God’s kingdom?  We live in difficult times and dark days, but in them we are called to be salt and light in the communities in which we live (Matt.5:13-16).  And beyond that every Christians has been given the ministry of reconciliation as we tell people about the love of God through Jesus Christ(2 Cor.5:18-20).  It concerns and disappoints  me when I see Christians who will not get up and drive 5 miles to church on a Sunday, but will have a vehicle loaded for bare and ready to drive over 100 miles for a football game.  There is something wrong when men place more praise and interest in man than in God.  (As a side note, what would church services look like if Christians approached Sunday bible study and worship with the same enthusiasm as they have for the big game on Saturday?)
2. Understand what the Lord’s will is—This is a subject that takes wisdom not foolishness.  So how do we come to understand what the Lord’s will is?  The Lord has revealed His will to man through His word (the Bible) and with that it is crucial and necessary that considerable time is spent in that word to receive a word from God.  It is as we see to better understand His will that we pray to Him that His Spirit would give clarity and direction in our understanding of it.  Along with reading God’s word and prayer there is another way that compliments our understanding of God’s will for our lives; it is the church.  The church is the very body that has been birthed by Christ and stands firmly on His righteous work on our behalf to the glory of the Father.  It is the church, as a people, who are able to encourage and edify one another to seek after and remain in the Lord’s will.  It is the church, as a facility, which allows believers to come together corporately to praise, worship, and glorify God as we seek His will for our lives both individually and corporately.  If we, like the disciples, desire that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt.6:10), may we seek to understand His will as much as we desire it to be.
As we “mind the gaps” of life and this world may we make the most of our time and seek to understand what the Lord’s will is as we put Him and His ways first (Prov. 3:5-6)