Tuesday, December 27, 2016

New Year...A Time for Looking Back


“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever…”

(Psalm 136:1-3 ESV)



            We typically spend our time focusing on what we want God to do for us.  We look at the promises, given to us in Scripture, and long for them to be fulfilled.  We offer to him our prayers, again and again, laying our requests before his feet.  And we wait anxiously to have our requests satisfied.

            The longer we wait, the more discontent we become.  The longer we wait, the more we begin to question God.  The longer we wait, the more we doubt his love and goodness.

            However, have you ever taken the time to contemplate God’s faithfulness?  Have you taken the time to consider all that he’s done for you?  In Psalm 136, the Psalmist does just that.  He then responds to each remembrance of God’s faithfulness with the reminder that the love of God endures forever.

            He remembers, first of all, God’s work of creation.  He goes on to remember God’s work of deliverance, in bringing Israel out of Egypt.  He then remembers God’s work in leading his people through the wilderness.  And, finally, he remembers how God granted the people victory over the inhabitants of the Promised Land, giving it to Israel. 

Like the Psalmist, we can remember that it’s God who made us and who’s given us life.  We can remember his deliverance from sin and death, provided to us in Jesus.  We can remember his guidance and provision.  And we can remember how he’s brought us into the good place in which we find ourselves.

            As we do so, as we look back upon the work God has done for us, as we remember the blessings he’s bestowed upon us, it changes our perspective.  No longer do we question God.  No longer do we become frustrated as we await his answer to prayer or the fulfillment of his promises.  We, instead, live life in the knowledge of his unending love. 

            This is a great practice for us as we enter into the New Year.  As others spend their time looking ahead, as they spend their time focusing on changes they want to make in their life, we can focus on the blessings God has given us.  We can look at where we are and remember from where he’s brought us.  And this will only encourage us as we anticipate his continued provision and blessing, along with the fulfillment of the promises he’s given us.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Our Response to Christmas

“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.”
(Luke 2:15-17 ESV)

            Most of us are familiar with the Christmas story found in Luke 2.  We remember how, as they took care of their flocks, an angel appeared to some shepherds.  He announced to them the birth of the Savior, telling them that they would find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.  A whole host of angels then appeared singing praises to God.
            As we see in the above passage, upon receiving this news, they went to Bethlehem to find the newborn Savior.  They found Mary and Joseph, and baby Jesus lying in the manger.  They then went out and shared this news with others.
            This isn’t a terribly new insight.  However, whenever I read this account, it forces me to ask an important question of myself.  It forces me to ask: “What is my response to the message of the Savior?”
            For many of us, the story of Jesus’ birth is very familiar.  The message of the gospel is very familiar.  Perhaps it’s even too familiar.
            What I mean by this is that, because we’ve heard it so many times, it’s old hat.  It doesn’t fill us with awe, as it should.  Like the carols that we sing, it’s simply a part of the season that we enjoy, and that we go on to forget for another year.
            I’m reminded, as I read this passage, that my response should be like that of the shepherds.  Upon hearing the news of Jesus’ coming, my first response should be to go to him.  My response should be to receive him for myself as my Savior and Lord. As Jesus himself says to us in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
            This should be my immediate response because this is why Jesus was sent into the world, to save us from our sin.  And, in response to this news, I should gladly receive this gift God has given.  I should receive for myself the blessing of the Savior. 
            Then, like the shepherds, I should share this message.  I should share it because the Savior didn’t come for me alone.  As the angel announced, in verse 10 of Luke 2, this is good news of great joy for all the people.
            Knowing that the Christ has come to provide salvation for the world, I should take this message to all I encounter.  I should share with them the hope that they have in Christ.  I should share it with them in hope that they too might turn to him in faith.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Since we cancelled worship at Prince of Peace due to the extreme cold, here's an Advent devotion to start your day.
https://youtu.be/c3VAoBn8OzU

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

My latest publication, Reflections on Suffering, is now available in paperback.  It has not yet linked to amazon at this time, but it can be seen and ordered at https://www.createspace.com/6791873

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Announcing my most recent publication, Reflections on Suffering. It's now available on the kindle store, and will be released shortly in paperback.  You can check it out at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRWRC0A

Monday, November 28, 2016

The Fullness of Time


“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

(Galatians 4:4-5 ESV)



            It seems unreal to be writing about Christmas.  It seems unreal because this year has just flown by.  And, perhaps, it also seems unreal because of the exceptionally nice fall we’ve had here in North Dakota.

            However, here we are at that time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus into the world.  And what a fitting event it is to celebrate.  It’s fitting because, in the birth of Jesus, salvation was provided for mankind.  The salvation, promised by God since the fall of Adam and Eve, was now at hand.

            This happened, we’re told, when the fullness of time had come.  This means that the time was right.  The time, determined by God for the birth of the Savior, had arrived.

            What made that moment the right one is known and understood only by God.  However, it was at this point that God sent his Son into the world.  It was at this point that he sent his Son to redeem us.

            We needed this redemption because we were under the law.  Man was not only living under the law, obligated to carry out God’s commands.  He was also under the condemnation of the law.  Because of his sin, because he’d violated the law of God, he deserved the punishment prescribed by the law.  Mankind, as a whole, was deserving of both death and hell.

            It’s from this that Jesus came to redeem us.  It’s from this that he came to buy us back.  He was born into the world that he might pay the necessary price that we might once again belong to him. 

            The price that he paid was his very life.  Jesus, after living a perfect life, was put to death on the cross.  He offered himself on our behalf.  And, in this way, he secured for us salvation from the penalty of the law.

            This is a familiar story.  It’s one that we’ve heard many times before.  Yet its meaning is often forgotten. 

Although we celebrate Jesus’ birth, we often forget the primary purpose of his coming.  We, along with the rest of the world, tend to think that Jesus came for some other purpose.  We think that he came primarily to teach. We think that he came only as an example for us to follow.  And, for this reason, his sacrifice becomes more of an afterthought.

Others, in the liberal or “progressive” churches, go to a much greater extreme.  They tell us that God would never have sent Jesus to die.  They tell us that, if this were true, it’s a case of divine child abuse.

However, Scripture is clear regarding Jesus’ purpose in coming.  As we see in the above passage, he came to redeem us.  And we see clearly throughout Scripture that he did so by giving his life on the cross.

We see this, for example, in 1 Peter 1:18-19 which says: “…you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

As we enter into this special time of year, let’s remember what truly makes it special.  Let’s remember this gospel hope that we’ve been given.  And let’s celebrate the coming of our Savior who was born that he might die, who was born that he might offer himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sin.


Friday, November 11, 2016

A Unique Opportunity

"I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."
(Philippians 1:12-14 ESV)


There's fear among believers in our nation today. They fear that our freedom of religion will be taken from us. They fear that our freedom of religion is being taken from us. And I believe that this is, in fact, happening.

There's concern about how this will affect our life here in the United States. There's concern about how this will affect our ministry as Christian believers and congregations. It's felt that the restrictions being placed upon us will hinder our ability to reach out with the gospel. It's felt that they will hinder our ability to carry out the call God has given us.

I certainly don't want my freedoms to be restricted or taken away. I thank God for the freedoms we've enjoyed up to this point. However, I've become convinced that, even if these fears are realized, it will present a unique opportunity to the church.

We see, in the above passage, that this was the case with Paul. As he wrote to the church at Philippi, he was in jail. And it seems to us that this loss of freedom would severely restrict his ministry.

No longer was Paul able to move among the people. No longer was he able to teach and to preach as he once had. And no longer was he able to move from town to town. In this way, it seems that he'd lost his ability to carry out his calling.

However, his imprisonment presented him with a unique opportunity. He says that it served to advance the gospel. He said that it was known to the whole imperial guard, along with all the rest, that he'd been imprisoned for Christ. And what a witness this was.

He also said that, because of his imprisonment, most of the brothers had grown more confident. He says that they'd been emboldened to speak the Word without fear. So, instead of one man fearlessly proclaiming God’s Word, there were now many.

None of us want to see our freedoms removed. None of us want to be jailed, or worse, for our proclamation of the gospel. But we can be assured that, even if it comes to this, God’s work will continue. It will bring to us unique opportunities that we wouldn't otherwise possess.

So don't lose heart, no matter what happens to our freedoms. Whether they remain intact or are stripped away from us, the Word of God will go forth. No matter our circumstances, God will provide us with opportunities to serve him and to bless others.

Monday, October 31, 2016

Thank Who?


“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

(Psalm 107:1 ESV)



            As we come to November, Thanksgiving is what instantly comes to my mind.  I think this is true for most of us.  We anticipate this day, when we’ll stop and offer thanks for all of the blessings we enjoy.

            As Thanksgiving gets closer, we’ll be reminded to give thanks by many.  We’ll see these reminders on TV.  We’ll hear them on the radio.  It will be shared by those who surround us on a daily basis.  However, as we begin our anticipation of this holiday, we must first ask ourselves this: To whom are we thankful? To whom do we offer our thanks for each of our blessings?

            The answer to this question should be obvious.  But, unfortunately, it’s not understood by most in our society.   Everybody in our nation, believer and unbeliever alike, celebrates this day.  Yet, even though so many take part in this celebration, and even though we’re reminded by so many to offer our thanks, it’s often directed to no one in particular.  We’re simply giving thanks for the sake of giving thanks. It’s as though we’re thankful to no one for the blessings we enjoy.

            However, when we rightly offer thanks, we’re expressing our gratitude for a kindness given to us by someone.  It’s our recognition of their generosity and their gracious spirit.  And, as we look to Scripture, we find that God is the source of every blessing we possess.

            God is the source of life.  He created us in the beginning, and he sustains that life from day to day.  He provides for us the resources we need in life, such as food, clothing, and shelter.  He provides for us our family, with whom we share life and the responsibilities that come with it.  And, of course, he provides for us eternal life.

            This is the point in the verse quoted above.  And this refrain is repeated throughout the entire psalm.  We’re reminded to give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.  And his love is seen in the blessings he bestows upon us.

            So, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s make sure that we’re properly giving thanks.  Let’s make sure that we’re directing that thanks to the one who has provided each and every one of our blessings.  And let us also share with others what God has done for us, that they too might come to know him, to recognize his blessings, and to trust in him for all that they need.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Evangelism: The Product of Faith


“Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.”

(2 Corinthians 4:13-14 ESV)



            We live in a society, today, where we’re encouraged to keep our faith to ourselves.  Evangelism is discouraged and is characterized as intolerance and hate speech.  It’s branded in this way because our intention is that people would turn from their current belief to a faith in Jesus. Our intent is that people might turn from their current practices that they might follow Christ.

            Many who profess the name of Christ have bowed to the pressure.  They seek to practice their faith on their own, and don’t speak of it outside of church or their home.  They’ve bought into the lie that we’re to be accepting of other people.  And, because of this, they allow others to continue along the path to destruction.

            Paul, in the above passage, paints a different picture.  He paints a picture that is very convicting and challenging.  He tells us that his proclamation of the gospel results from his faith.

            His hope in Christ, his hope of the resurrection, caused him to speak out.  It caused him to proclaim this hope to those around him.  It caused him to speak out regardless of the circumstances that he faced (he references this in verses 7-12).

            I find this convicting because it forces me to ask this question of myself: Does may faith do the same?  Does my hope in Christ cause me to share the gospel with those around me?  And if not, why is this true?

            Our faith will naturally lead us to share the gospel with those around us.  Realizing our sin, realizing the suffering that we deserve, and knowing the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf, how can we not speak out?  This hope implants within us the desire that others might receive the same blessing as us.  It implants within us the desire that others might receive the forgiveness and salvation that Christ has provided for them.

            This, after all, is God’s desire.  We’re told in Scripture that God does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11).  He desires for all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).

            This is also the calling that Christ has entrusted to us.  He's called us to make disciples of all nations.  He's called us to proclaim the gospel to all creation.

            Our hope in Christ will cause us to speak out even if it means suffering on our part.  It grants to us a willingness to suffer for the sake of others.  We know that, even if our very life is demanded of us, no one can take away the salvation that has been provided for us by the Lord.

            If our faith in Christ does not lead us to speak, if it does not lead us to share the gospel, what does this suggest?  What does it tell us about our faith?  If we fail to share God’s heart for the lost, if we are unwilling to carry out the calling he’s entrusted to us, and if we are not willing to suffer for the sake of those who are perishing, what does this suggest about our hope?

            We must pray, then, that the Lord will work in our heart.  We must pray that he will give to us a true understanding of what he’s done for us.  We must pray that he will give to us a desire for others to receive the same grace that’s been provided to us.  We must pray that he will give to us such a great hope that we might be willing to lay down our life that others might know his salvation. 

Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Why Should I Go to Church?


            Every so often, I hear someone say something to the effect of this: “Why should I go to church?  You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”

            Now, in one sense they’re right.  We aren’t saved because we go to church.  It isn’t a work by which we gain the mercy of God.  We’re saved only by the grace of God. And this grace is received only through faith in Jesus.  However, that being said, someone who truly believes in Jesus will want to go to church.  We see several reasons for this in Scripture.

            We see a couple of reasons in Hebrews 10:24-25, which says: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

            We see, first of all, that we’re called to gather together.  We’re told that we’re not to neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some.  And we’re told that we’re to do so all the more as we see the day, the day of Christ’s return, approaching.  If God desires that we should meet together, why would we refuse him?  As people of faith, we naturally desire to live life according to his will. 

            Yet there’s more to it than this.  We find that there are blessings God intends for us to receive through the church.  We see in this passage, for example, that we’re to go to church that we might encourage one another. 

The Christian life is not designed to be lived alone.  It’s designed to be lived in community.  And by gathering together, we’re able to stir up one another to love and good works, and to encourage one another in the faith.

            We see another reason for going to church in 1 Corinthians 12.  In verses 4-7, we read: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” And in verse 12, we’re told: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”

            We see in these verses that the Spirit of God gives gifts to his people.  And he gives them not for our own good, but for the common good. In other words, the gifts that he gives to us are given for the benefit of the church as a whole.  For this reason, when we gather with our fellow believers, we’re able to bless them with the gifts God has given us.  And, in the same way, we’re able to be blessed by the gifts he’s given to others.

            In this chapter, Paul uses the human body to illustrate his point.  The body is made up of many parts with many functions.  Yet each of these parts, along with their functions, serve the good of the body.  And the same is true of the church.  We each have a function, we each have a role to play, for the good of the church.

            We see another vital reason to attend church in Romans 10:17, where Paul says: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” We are drawn to faith through the hearing of the Word.  And, although we can read the Word at home, although we can listen to preachers on the internet, TV, and radio, we are exposed to the Word of God primarily in the church.  We primarily hear the Word of God in church.

            This is far from an exhaustive list of the reasons we should go to church.  But it’s a good starting point.  If you haven’t been attending church, or if you’ve been very irregular in your attendance, prayerfully consider the Scripture passages mentioned here.  And I hope and pray that you will joyfully attend church each week.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Before It's Too Late


“Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

(2 Corinthians 6:1-2 ESV)



            It’s so easy to take for granted the many blessings we enjoy every day.  It’s easy for us to take our freedom for granted.  It’s easy for us to take our family for granted.  It’s easy for us to take our job, our home, and our wealth for granted.

            We do this because these blessings have always been there for us.  We’ve never been without them.  And, because of this, we seem to think that they always will.

            We often do the same thing when it comes to God.  More specifically, we do the same thing when it comes to his salvation.  We understand the love he has for us.  We know the sacrifice he’s made for us.  We know his desire for our salvation.  And, for this reason, we take it for granted.  We just assume that his salvation will always be available to us.

            Many people approach life thinking that they can turn to God later on.  They want to enjoy themselves now.  They want to satisfy their sinful desires.  And they think that they have plenty of time to confess to God and receive his mercy.

            Many people simply believe that, because God is loving, and because he desires their salvation, it doesn’t matter what they do.  No matter the life that they live, they believe that God will forgive them.  No matter how great their rebellion, they believe that God will save them.

            However, as we see in the above text, salvation is not something we can take for granted.  In this passage, Paul urged that the Corinthians would not receive God’s grace in vain.  He didn’t want them to receive it in an empty or meaningless way.  He didn’t want them to take it lightly. 

            He also makes it clear that God’s salvation will not be available forever.  He tells us that now is the favorable time.  He tells us that now is the day of salvation.

            We all realize that, as far as our life in this world is concerned, tomorrow isn’t promised to us. A sudden accident could take our life.  We could suffer a heart attack or go into cardiac arrest.  We could be unexpectedly diagnosed with a serious illness that brings our life in this world to an end.

            We also know from Scripture that Jesus will soon return.  We don’t know when that day will come.  But it could come at any moment.  And, for this reason, we must be prepared.

            We must make sure that we are not treating God’s grace lightly.  We must make sure that we receive his mercy while we still can.  We must make sure that we receive God’s mercy through faith in Christ before the day of grace comes to an end.

            This passage also speaks to us in another way.  As we share in God’s call to make disciples of all nations, like Paul, we are ambassadors for Christ.  And this passage reminds us of the urgency of that mission.

            We often allow the demands of our day to day life to interfere with this call.  We allow our job, our chores at home, or even our recreational activities to get in the way of our ministry.  We allow these things to overshadow every opportunity we have to reach out to others.

We must not allow this to happen.  We must remember that, because the day of grace will one day come to an end, we must reach out to others before it’s too late.  We must reach out to them with the life changing message of the gospel, providing them with the opportunity to look to Jesus in faith, while it’s still the day of salvation.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Hell No?


“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

(Luke 12:5 ESV)



            Lately, I’ve run across several blog posts from “progressive” Christians.  And, in these posts, they’ve challenged the traditional Christian doctrine of hell.  They don’t believe in hell.  They don’t believe that God would send anyone to hell.

            The only way they can make this challenge is by dismissing certain passages of the Bible.  After all, hell is a theme that runs all throughout Scripture.  They have to, essentially, cherry pick the Bible that they might hold to this view.

            They use their reason and emotion to justify their belief.  They tell us that a righteous God, that a loving God, could not condemn people to an eternity of suffering in hell.  And they defend this by pointing to passages of the Bible, like 1 John 4:8, which tells us that God is love.

            We must remember, first of all, that we can’t use our reason or emotion to make a determination of truth.  Both our mind and our heart have been corrupted by sin.  As we read in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…”
            In the same way, we read in Romans 1 that God has given man over to a debased mind.  We see, in Colossians 1, that we were alienated and hostile in mind before coming to faith in Christ.  And we see in 1 Corinthians 1 that the wisdom of God is foolishness to those who are perishing.

            The simple fact of the matter is that we cannot trust our human mind or emotions to guide us into a true understanding of God.  They will lead us only away from him.  They will lead us only to sin and judgment.

            For this reason, we must look to the Word of God to discover what is true.  We must not make ourselves to be the judge of God and his Word.  We must, instead, submit ourselves to God and his Word.

            We see, from the very beginning of the Bible, that suffering and death are the consequence of sin.  And the only way we’re able to escape this fate is through Jesus.  Through faith in him, through faith in his promise, we’re able to receive the blessings of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.

            If we fail to look to Jesus in faith, we remain under the consequence of our sin.  And this is essentially what hell is.  It’s the place where we suffer the consequence of our sin in eternity.

            Does the reality of hell reflect a lack of righteousness on God’s part?  Does it reflect a lack of love on his part?  Absolutely not.

            After all, because of our sin, we deserve God’s wrath.  We in no way deserve God’s forgiveness or salvation.  Those who do stand condemned are receiving only what they are due.

And not only is this true.  We find also that God has done everything necessary to provide salvation to all mankind.   He sent Jesus, who gave his life on the cross, providing atonement for the sin of all people (1 John 2:2). They need only to receive it by faith.

            Telling people that there is no hell, telling them that God would never send anyone to hell, is the same tactic used by the snake in the Garden.  “You will not surely die…” he said to Eve.  He sought to convince her that, by disobedience, she would not bring upon herself the consequence threatened by God.  In the same way, these modern day serpents are telling us: “You won’t go to hell.” They are denying the reality of eternal punishment to those who do not look to Jesus in faith.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Thank you, Prince of Peace!


“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

(John 13:34 ESV)



As a pastor, I’m expected to be there for people during difficult seasons of their life.  This is part of my calling.  And I love the fact that I can be a support and an encouragement for them.  However, I want to publicly thank my congregation, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Beulah, North Dakota, for the support they’ve recently shown to me.



            So often, pastors are not given the level of support I’ve received.  Unrealistic expectations are frequently placed upon them as they labor among their flock.  It seems that congregation members don’t realize that, although we’re called to serve God and his people full-time, we too are human.  We too experience hardships.  We too get tired.  We too are burdened.  And this often ends in pastors becoming burned out.



            As my mom was suffering from terminal cancer, and as she passed away, the people of Prince of Peace were incredibly gracious.  I was told at the outset of her illness that I should take as much time as I needed to be with her, and that this would in no way be counted as vacation.  And these were no idle words.



            Having a big family, summer is really our only opportunity to travel.  And, on top of personal vacation, I also had two ministry related trips scheduled.  This made it seem that my time at the church was extremely limited. 



            Yet, in addition to a week with my parents in late May, I was able to schedule two trips to see my mom as her condition worsened.  And the church had no hesitation when, on the Friday before her death, I made a last minute decision to jump on a plane to be with her and the rest of my family.



            Her funeral required that I be gone yet another Sunday.  And, once again, the people of Prince of Peace were so supportive.  Our youth pastor jumped in to cover for me, as he always does.  And I was told repeatedly that I was not to worry about anything at the church.



            I so greatly appreciate the time that was given me to both be with mom and also to mourn.  It’s been an extremely stressful time, and the flexibility given to me made it so much easier.  I did have some feelings of guilt, being away so much.  But these were the result of my own sense of responsibility, and were in no way placed upon me by the church.



            I also appreciate the cards that were sent, the prayers that were raised on behalf of my mom and my family, and the condolences that were expressed.  I appreciate the congregational leadership who stopped by to simply check up on me and to reassure me that all would be taken care of.   And I appreciate the beautiful flowers that were sent to her funeral.  



            I am truly blessed to labor among you.  I am blessed by a congregational leadership that recognizes my needs.  And I’m blessed by a supportive staff, who gladly adjust and take on additional responsibility at a moment’s notice.



            Now that I am home and once again engaged in ministry, I continue to grieve.  I’m still a bit drained emotionally and physically.  But I am eager to be a blessing to the people who have been such a blessing to me.

           

Monday, September 12, 2016

Better By Far

Mom was a great lady, and she’ll be missed by all of us.  She was a great mother to Kristy and I.  As kids, she was so patient with us.  And, when she did lose it, it was short lived.  In fact, even when she gave us some much needed discipline, she would end up feeling bad about it.

She was also a tremendous grandmother.  All of the kids love her.  And she always enjoyed being around her grandbabies.

Most importantly, she was a woman of faith.  She wasn’t a theologian.  But she enjoyed going to church and attending Bible studies.  She also enjoyed reading her Bible at home.

As most of you know, mom’s diagnosis was very unexpected.  She wasn’t very old. And, outwardly, she seemed pretty healthy.

Like most of us, she worked to keep her weight down.  She made a habit of walking most days.  She liked to get in her 10,000 steps every day. In fact, she was wearing her fitbit all the way until the end.

It all started when she woke up with back pain.  And after visiting the chiropractor, who advised her to seek medical help, her real problem was soon discovered.

Mom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. She was told from the outset that there would be no cure, from a medical standpoint anyway. Her treatments would serve only to minimize her pain and to provide her with a better quality of life.

She could be cured by God, of course. He has the power to do anything. And, if he so desired, he could have simply spoken the word, as he often did in the gospels.

And that's the rub, you see. It's the place where we often get hung up when it comes to our faith. If God has the power to heal, why didn't he do it? If he's as loving as Scripture proclaims him to be, why would he do nothing?

This is explained to us in Philippians 1, which is our epistle lesson for this morning.  When he wrote this passage, Paul was facing the prospect of death. Not in the same sense as mom. But he was facing the possibility of death in a very real way.

He had been arrested because of his faith and his ministry activities. He was now awaiting his trial, the verdict of which could be life. But it also could be death.

And look at the words Paul penned when faced with this prospect. Starting in verse 18, he says: “Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”

He says, first of all, that to live is Christ and to die is gain. If God spared him from the power of his earthly rulers, he would be able to live for the Lord. He would be able to continue in his ministry of directing the lost to the salvation found in Christ. To die, however, was to gain a blessing not possible this side of eternity.

Paul goes on to say that, if the choice were his, it would be a difficult one. He desired to continue in his service and ministry. But to be with Christ, he says, is better by far.

This is what we must bear in mind in a loss like this. Yes, had God healed mom, that would've been a great blessing. She would have loved to live among us for a while longer.  I know that she desired to watch all of her grandkids graduate, grow up, get married, and have families of their own. And, had she remained, it would've enabled her to be a blessing to all of us, as she’d always been. But, the simple fact of the matter is that to be with Christ is better by far.

No, I didn't want to lose mom. If I had been able to impose my will, she’d still be with us. But would I want to deny her the great blessing she's now received?

When it comes to our loved ones falling ill and passing away, we often make the mistake of thinking that this life is the greater blessing. We think that the greatest thing God could do for our loved ones is to restore them to us. But that's not why Christ was born into this world.

He came, he suffered and died, and he rose from the grave that we might be delivered from this world of sin and death. He endured the cross that we might dwell forever with him in his presence, in a place free of the sufferings of this life.

So, in calling her home, the Lord didn't fail her. And, in calling her home, he did not fail us. He answered our prayers by giving her the greater blessing. He answered our prayers by giving her the blessing that's better by far.

Isn’t this what we also look forward to?  Most of us enjoy our life in this world in many ways, and none of us are eager to die.  Yet, our life is filled with problems and hardships.  And our hope is that, one day, this will be a thing of the past.  Our hope is that, one day, we too will live in the presence of Christ.  And, through faith in Jesus, this is exactly what God has promised us.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

The Church as Family


"My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

(Luke 8:21 ESV)



            All of us, I think, would say that our family is of the utmost importance to us.  We would say that we value our family over everything else this world has to offer.  And most of us have a fierce loyalty when it comes to our family.  Who hasn’t heard the expression: “Blood is thicker than water.”

            This is why we’re shocked when we read the words of Jesus, seen above.  We see in Luke 8 that, as Jesus was teaching, his mother and brothers came to him.  However, they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. Word was then brought to him that they were outside, desiring to see him.

            It’s in this context that Jesus utters these words.  And, for this reason, they almost come off as disrespectful.  It sounds to us like he’s devaluing his earthly family.  We wonder why he wouldn’t prioritize his family over the crowd who was listening to him.  We wonder why he didn’t stop and immediately go to his family.

            Jesus, however, would never disrespect or devalue his family.  He is God, after all.  And he perfectly kept all of God’s commands, one of which is to honor your mother.

            Yet, he does make an important point.  He makes the point that the people of faith are his family.  He makes the point that it’s faith which binds us together.

            This is something that we, as Christians, tend to overlook.  We continue to place a heavy emphasis on our earthly relatives, as we should.  But, at the same time, we disregard our place in the church.  We fail to understand our relation to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

            We view our fellow believers as friends and acquaintances.  And we’re happy to visit with them on Sunday morning.  We may even enjoy seeing them.  But rarely do we view them as family. 

            We don’t prioritize our fellow believers as family.  We don’t truly love them like family.  They are, honestly, more of an afterthought as we tend to more pressing responsibilities.

            Although we desire that each of our earthly family will be saved, there are no guarantees of this.  We can share the gospel with them and pray for them.  But it’s only by faith that they’ll be saved.

            However, because of their faith in Jesus, our fellow believers will be with us in eternity.  Our relationship to them will endure forever.  So it only makes sense that this is something we should greatly cherish and value.

            In this spirit, my prayer is that each of us would consider our fellow believers at Prince of Peace to be family.  My prayer is that we would all love each other as family.  My prayer is that we will gladly build these relationships and seek to minister to one another out of this love.

           

Monday, August 29, 2016

Faith = Opinion?

“For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 1:11-12

   In today’s culture, faith is often equated with opinion. People often tell us, when we express our faith, that it's merely what we believe. They assert that your faith may be true for you, but that this doesn't make it true for everyone else.
    For this reason, missions is discouraged. In fact, it's often viewed as racist, intolerant, and bigoted. It's believed to imply that our opinion and practices are superior to those of everyone else.
    As those who are called to proclaim the Good News of Christ, we must understand that this isn't the case. Our faith is not merely an opinion.  It isn't merely man’s gospel, nor did it come from man. It's the revelation of God that's come through Jesus.
    This is the very point Paul was communicating to the Galatians. Although other teachers had come among them, and although a different “gospel” was being promoted, there was something fundamentally different between the two. Paul’s gospel had come from God himself.
    We remember, of course, how Paul was brought to faith. Jesus himself appeared to Paul as he was traveling on the road to Damascus. He went on to explain that, after being called by Christ to proclaim the gospel, he didn't consult anyone. He went into the desert of Arabia, and returned to Damascus. It was only after three years that he went to Jerusalem to meet Peter.
    His point is that his message came from none other than God himself. And, in the same way, he was not commissioned by man, but by God. It's this mindset that we also must maintain as we go to the nations.
    If our message were simply the teaching of man, we'd have reason for reservation. If our commissioning had come only from man, we'd have reason to question its authenticity. But, like Paul, we have a message that has come from the mouth of God and that was revealed in Jesus. And, in the same way, we have been commissioned by Christ himself, who has called us to proclaim the gospel to all nations.
    We must, therefore, faithfully go. We must faithfully proclaim this message. We must do so knowing that it's by this faith, and by this faith alone, that man can escape the power of sin and death.

Friday, August 19, 2016

My Pastor

“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work”
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

         Among those who are in ministry, we typically refer to each other by our first names.  We do so because we all share the same title.  And we do so because we are all colleagues.
However, there is one man that I’ve always called “pastor.” I could never bring myself to address him by his first name.  The man I’m referring to is the pastor under whom I grew up, Pastor William Richard Graves.
          I had a unique experience while I was visiting my parents this past week.  I was able to attend the funeral of this man who was so influential in my life.  I was also asked to read Scripture during the service, which I counted a great honor.
     As a pastor, I’ve conducted many, many funerals over the years.  And I’ve attended and taken part in many more, outside of ministry responsibilities.  However, this one was different.
          It was different because this was the man who baptized me, when I was nine years old.  This was the man who confirmed me.  This was the man to whom I went when I was being called by God into ministry.  This is the man who encouraged me in this calling, giving me opportunity after opportunity to learn and grow.  This is also one of the men who laid hands on me during my ordination, right after I graduated from seminary.
           God definitely used this man in my life, to both influence me and to prepare me for the calling I received.  And since I’ve been in ministry, he was always a source of encouragement.  Every time I saw him he would remind me that he was praying for me.
In a conversation, during the visitation, someone who knew me long ago said, “I don’t know where you are, as a pastor...” I could only reply to him, saying: “If you knew Pastor Graves, then you know where I’m at.”  
I can only hope and pray that God will use me in this way.  I can only hope and pray that God will use me to lead people to faith, to strengthen them in faith, and to prepare them for service.  I can only hope and pray that others might be able to say the same of me, when my time in this world comes to an end.
So thank you, Lord, for Pastor Graves.  Thank you for the great blessing he was in my life, and in the lives of so many others.  Thank you for his willingness to be used by you.  And thank you, also, for your continued work in my own life.