“Give credit where credit is due.” You may have heard that little phrase at some point in your life. Perhaps, you are the person to whom “credit” was due. Did you receive it? Were you honored and did you feel respected? A quick research suggests that this dictum may have come from the Bible – in particular, the Book of Romans where in chapter 13 it says: Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. What we do know is that this saying has been part of our parlance for a long time. This is not about the lending of money or the ability to buy now and pay later. This is about the acknowledgement of someone for their achievement or effort when deserved.
Our humanity will surely come into play when we consider giving praise to someone for some good thing they may have done. Some people do not really like the proverbial “lime-light” while others relish it. Some folks need praise to feel accepted; others may feel as though their accomplishment is not worthy of praise. An important lesson for any young person to learn (and maybe a few older folks as well) is that humility does not mean we never say ‘thank you’ when told we did a good job. If you are told you did well with something, it is proper to say ‘thank you’ to the person offering the praise. Not doing so really means you either don’t believe them or their praise is worthless. Not a good vibe.
Does God ever give credit where credit is due? The Bible offers a clue into this question. Matthew 3:17 records what happened when Jesus was baptized by John. As Jesus came up out of the River Jordan a voice was heard to say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” The same thing happened on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17) Surely every believer would want to hear or know that God felt that way about us. Hebrews 13:16 seems to suggest that God is pleased with any believer who does not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. But, is this “credit” received from God meant to give us more security for our salvation?
The interesting thing is that at one point the disciples of Jesus returned from being sent out with authority to heal and cast out demons, Luke 10:17-20. When these 72 disciples returned they were joyful for all that they had accomplished. Did Jesus give credit where credit was due? In a sense, he may have; however, his praise was put quickly into context. Often we want to know that God will remember all the “good works” we have performed in his name. In reality of our hope of eternal life we are to have one thing over which we rejoice and for good reason. Jesus responded to his disciples saying, “do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
The credit for our salvation is found in the finished work of Jesus who is the Christ. His work was to reveal God’s plan of salvation to humanity. To that we say, mission accomplished! There is no good work one can do to gain salvation. Our responsibility is to believe and subsequently live by faith. All the “credit” for the hope of eternal life goes to Jesus. He is to receive all the praise for his sacrifice. When I know God is pleased with me, I simply say, Thank you Lord. And, I know it was possible because of what Jesus did for me.
Praise His Holy Name!
Pastor David
If one were to search the internet asking about the true value of the news media, here is what is likely to appear:
The true value of the news media lies in its ability to inform, educate, and engage the public.
Clearly, someone from the so-called news media has written this little treatise. It must be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. While it is true that the news is meant to “inform” the public, objection must be taken with the notion that the news actually “educates.” The “engagement” of the public depends on who is willing to be engaged. Simply reading or hearing information is not necessarily an “engagement.” The objection to “educate” comes from the philosophy that an education focuses on how to learn and not what to learn. If a student is learning the ins and outs of how to learn a subject that is of interest to said student, then that person will be able to actually learn and not simply be “informed.” Learning how to learn is true education. When students are taught what to know as opposed to how to find for themselves what they want to know, they are not being educated but indoctrinated.
The Bible gives clear direction that we, as believers, are first to “test the spirits” and know whether or not it is God directing our life. I John 4:1 gives us that idea when the Apostle wrote: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. The Apostle Paul wrote in similar fashion as recorded in 2 Corinthians 13:5. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. In other words, we are not to just take things as we read them or hear them, no matter how much one may love their pastor or their news media. We are to learn how to think for ourselves and to not take at face value anything. Test it. Examine it. Ask questions. Make comparisons. Search the Scriptures and learn how God has dealt with humanity down through the ages and then make a decision as to whether or not what you are reading or hearing makes sense or has truth in it.
It is for a reason that the Bible likens humans to sheep. A sheep may be characterized as a non-aggressive, docile, and sometimes seemingly stupid animal that requires careful attention or it will surely lose its way and be devoured by the proverbial wolf. We humans are uncomfortable with this and we surely do not like being characterized in said fashion. True, we are aggressive at times; true we are not necessarily docile all the time either; but when it comes to learning things as opposed to allowing ourselves to be indoctrinated, well, someone needs to sound the alarm. We do seem to have such tendencies. It is time for us as human beings to be as Paul stated and learn how to “stand firm” in our faith. I Corinthians 16:13 says, Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
The news media today seems to have only one goal and it is to divide us as a people. It is not educating us but indoctrinating us. The Bible is about learning how to learn and the most important thing God wants us to learn is how to express His love for this troubled world we live in as opposed to being told how to hate it and everyone in it. That is the outcome of our sad but vicious news media. The Bible calls us to learn how to love one another and how to be supportive of one another. Are you learning or are you being indoctrinated?
Pastor David
A common question these days is to ask if someone has received their “Covid shot.” For centuries, we humans have made attempts to inoculate ourselves against various diseases. The history of vaccines is interesting with some historians suggesting that the earliest attempt at inoculation started some 200 years before Jesus came. We cannot be certain other than to say humans have been aware of disease for a long time and have tried various ways to find prevention. Some of these attempts actually involved being exposed to a different disease process other than the one the person is trying to avoid. Sometimes there was success but often there was failure and even loss of life. Nevertheless, we have persisted; and now in so-called modern days we do have various ways of inoculating ourselves against some diseases. And, as has always been the case, there is both success and failure even resulting in loss of life.
When we consider this ongoing effort to inoculate ourselves against disease processes, comparison can be made with the attempt at learning. Inoculations today involve the introduction of an infectious agent (a pathogen) into a host (a person) with the idea that the body will develop antibodies that fight against the targeted disease keeping it from becoming toxic to the body. Learning is similar in that a little knowledge is like an inoculation causing the person from actually coming to a complete understanding of what they supposedly want to learn. A little knowledge of the Bible can sometimes ‘inoculate’ a person from continuing to learn what the truth is about God and about who Jesus Christ really is. The outcome of a little knowledge is a cult or a sect which purports to “know or have the truth” but in reality is actually ignorant of who God really is or who Jesus Christ really is.
Perhaps one of the most important verses in the Bible comes from Jesus when he said that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free. (John 8:32) Alexander Pope wrote in 1709 that “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” It isn’t that we are learning a lie but rather a distortion of what the truth may actually be. In addition, some find themselves being “puffed up” as the ancients stated. Cults can actually destroy people’s lives (Jonestown, Ghana for example) and sects that call themselves Christian but do not believe that Jesus was both fully man and fully God simply lead people astray and rob them of an eternal truth. With so much exposure to such things, what are we as believers in Jesus as Lord and Savior to do? The answer is quite simple – make a commitment to actually learn the truth by continually learning what the Bible teaches.
Bible Study is a life commitment and endeavor. The Apostle Paul noted that the Jewish people “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Romans 10:2) Their lack of knowledge led them to reject the Messiah Jesus who is actually God Incarnate. Many today reject this Biblical truth because they “lack knowledge” and are like the Sadducees who Jesus said simply did not know the scriptures. My prayer is that you will not only read the bible but study it. And, when you have opportunity look for a Bible Study to join. If this is something that interests you, then let’s have a conversation.
Pastor David
Have you ever planned for a vacation or any kind of long trip? If so, then you know that the “plans” often have to be modified or changed completely due to unexpected circumstances. Robert Burns (1759-1796) gave us the poem To a Mouse from which we have that phrase: ‘the best laid plans of mice and men.’ Spoken, this is meant to say that even though we may lay down careful plans for any event or trip or whatever, things may not always go as planned. The world is a place where both mice and men (humans) make plans – the mouse builds a nest in which to winter but the ploughman can easily uproot that tiny nest. The man (human) builds a house in which to live and raise a family and then the rains come and the flood waters sweep it away. Burns offers in his now famous poem the thought that both mouse and man are mortal. It is humbling to consider we share the same fact of life with the seemingly insignificant mouse. But alas, both creatures of creation continue to plan even though we know that in this life nothing is ‘forever’ – or does the mouse ‘know’ such things? More importantly, we humans do know because we can reason about life. The mouse is much more limited in such mental activities. So, now you are asking, why all this kerfuffle about a mouse?
As far as can be determined, mice do not engage in worship and neither have they been deemed as the “crown of creation” as it with humans. (See both the creation story in Genesis 1 and Psalm 8) We are special in the eyes of our Creator God. We hold a special place in his heart. We all know the most famous of Bible Verses is John 3:16 – For God so loved the world…. Few can deny that God favors human beings, as sinful as we may be, above all things in creation – even the mouse. But, again we return to our initial query. What about our plans? Does God not care that we must plan to be successful in life?
Listen to what the Psalmist says Psalm 33:11-12: The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! God also told the Prophet Jeremiah For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil. (29:11) It appears that God does care about the plans of humans; but, according to Scripture, those plans are best served when they are in accord with God’s plans. Just as God desires peace for Jeremiah so he desires peace for all of humanity. The way to peace is for humans to truly know God as Creator and as the One who loves his creation.
So then, the only way for humans anywhere to hear of God’s love and of his plans for us humans is for the Church (all believers) to simply tell other humans. Such “telling” is also called evangelism. Does our church family plan for evangelism? We will be much deterred is we allow the “of mice and men” mentality to shape our planning; but we will be quite enthused when we consider the two elements of the Early Church in their evangelistic efforts: the Presence and the Power of God’s Holy Spirit to lead them from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8) Come and let us make our plans.
Pastor David
Today was the sentencing of a murderer in Idaho. This person killed four people connected with the University of Idaho in 2022. It was a senseless murder and because no accountability was exacted from this person it shall forever be unknown what prompted this heinous act. That said, we do know that the Scriptures are very clear about human nature. From the very beginning, humans have been killing humans. Listening to the victim’s families speak, it was heartening to hear testimonies of how faith was allowing forgiveness even in the face of such evil. Most of us cannot fathom what feelings and reactions such an event would bring should this happen in our own family.
It behooves us to lift up this reality of witness wherein even the most evil of acts can be forgiven. True, we cannot look into the hearts of those making that statement; but, God can. Only those who proclaimed their forgiveness of this human criminal know their ability to forgive. It is best to accept at face value their statement of forgiveness. Being far removed from this evil act and from those directly affected, it is not for any of us to judge their motives or ability for stating their forgiveness.
Perhaps the most noteworthy statement came from one of the mothers who stated that she forgave the person who murdered her daughter. In so doing she added that once she left the court room it would be her intention to forget about this person who will die in prison according to the sentencing he received. Indeed, he will become a forgotten individual with exceptions of how Hollywood or other medias may become involved – which lamentably raises its ugly head and perpetuates the pain upon families in such cases. That aside, the families will be served well should they truly forget that this evil person continues to breath air. Forgiveness is a difficult act. For many people it becomes a battle between revenge and revelation of God’s Will. God calls us to forgive. It is that simple. God has not called us to forgive in certain cases or after we have exacted our revenge. We are called upon to forgive – period.
The Bible tells us that God cannot forgive us unless we too have forgiven our fellow humans – in particular those who may have perpetrated acts of evil upon us personally. The Bible tells us that we are to actually “love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us.” (Matthew 5:44) Interestingly enough, the King James Version captured the best translation (my opinion) by using the word ‘despitefully’ as opposed to ‘persecute’ which seemingly all the other translations use. We understand when someone is spiteful toward us; but, we may not understand fully what it is to be persecuted. It may well be that someone would find it easier to forgive an evil person as opposed to someone who is continually causing trouble for us for one reason or another; or, someone who is perpetrating a hurtful gossip about us. Just as God is no respecter of persons so he makes no distinction for sin. Sin is sin and forgiveness is forgiveness.
Our personal relationship with God is directly affected by our willingness or unwillingness to forgive whoever for whatever. Let us examine our hearts and know that we harbor no unforgiveness to anyone no matter how small or how great the issue may have been. Jesus said clearly that we are to seek to be holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy. That word simply means to be set apart. We are in the world but not of the world. The world is full of revenge. May our hearts be full of forgiveness and love for all. Who do you need to forgive today?
Pastor David
Religion in general is on the decline according to a recent Gallup poll. Only about 20% of Americans attend religious services on a regular basis. And, that includes everything from Protestant Christianity to Hinduism. So, if we want, perhaps we should not be alarmed since it isn’t just Christianity that is feeling the effects of our secular society. Of course, that would be the equivalent to thinking that because one is poor there is no need to look for a paying job. Like begats like. If Christianity believes that it is just another “religious” practice like all the rest and that all religions lead to God, then, yes, we might as well give up now.
The question we must ask is whether or not being a follower of Christ and believing that he is God Incarnate makes Christianity different from all other religious practices. The Bible deals with this in many different ways and the most famous is when Joshua was trying to motivate the Hebrews to follow the living God as opposed to inanimate idols. He simply told the people, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” In other words, Joshua was not going to “go along with the program”, which was thinking that idol worship was okay. Society says one must never do anything or say anything that will offend another person from a different religious practice. When did Christians decide that we must never make comparisons to other religious practices? When did Christians decide that one must never do anything to “offend” someone from a different religious practice? It is only dead fish that float downstream. It takes a live fish to buck the stream and swim against the current.
Our effort to evangelize and reach out with the message of the Risen Christ will, at times, place us in opposition to what society believes is ‘normal’ – whatever that might be today. The sociological norm for religion in general is usually stated as ‘mostly positive.’ Depending on who you are reading, however, religion has either helped bring on the rise of capitalism or it has caused society to be more divided into the rich and poor, with the latter being the most prominent. As followers of the Risen Christ, we have to consider how to reach a wary society with the message of God’s love and forgiveness. Not everyone will be receptive. Nevertheless, with God’s leading we can easily discover those who are receptive and be able to share our faith.
The Early Church – the one described in the Book of Acts – had a profound effect on society at large. At one point, Paul and Silas had gone to Thessalonica and there was such opposition the scripture says they “set the city in an uproar.” But then these two witnesses are described in one of the most wonderful ways. It says “these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.” When Christ begins to change lives, the community where those new believers live may think that their world has been turned upside down. Isn’t it time to turn our world upside down? May God grant us the serenity and peace of heart to accept that we may not change every life in our community. But also, may God grant us the courage proclaim the Risen Christ and bring change to as many lives as possible. Through the presence and power of God’s Holy Spirit we will have the wisdom to know how to make a difference. Let’s believe together.
Pastor David
There is an old expression: fish or cut bait. As in all things, a time comes when one must make a decision and put action to words. Needless to say, the idea of acting upon one’s statement of belief is an important Biblical principle for faith. Recently, our church family held what was billed as a “Summer Retreat” where we discussed our future as a church. Many decisions were made. Now, in an effort to be responsible for and good stewards of our calling as a congregation, we must begin putting into action the stated decisions. Our hope rests in the guidance of God’s Spirit. And, hopefully, most, and desirably all, of our congregants will make a commitment to participate in reaching our goals and objectives.
First and foremost, there must be clarity as to our goals and objectives. What is it that we want to accomplish? In a word, most of the church family has indicated “growth” as our overall goal. This is to include not just more people attending worship but also more youth involved in the ministry experiences provided by our church. Objectives designed to accomplish this goal will involve a few changes. And, of course, they will involve commitment from our church family at large.
Jesus spoke of there being a great harvest at hand but a problem was also present. He said there were few “laborers” – that is, not enough people to actually bring in the harvest. On another occasion, Jesus told his disciples, some of whom were fishermen, that he would “make them fishers of men.” Presumably, they would have understood that saying about fishing and cutting bait. You want to catch fish? You need the right equipment, the best place to find fish, the right bait for the fish you want to catch and you need people who have learned to fish. The farmers understood also the need for having enough people to actually gather up the grains of wheat and corn that was being grown. Not harvesting at the right time would result in a ruined crop and nothing to show for all the work of planting and cultivating.
Interestingly enough something that is not being clarified about all this is the purpose of the harvest or fishing. The wheat and corn was for feeding the people and the animals, which in turn provided nourishment for the people. No harvest and no fish can result in no food. Eventually, people and animals will die. That is not a good outcome. Now, let’s put this into the perspective of the goals and objectives for our church family. It is silly to say but serious to surmise. No new people will result in no church family. That then presents the most serious of all questions. Who will be in our community proclaiming the Good News of Christ? Who will be in our community telling others and demonstrating God’s love and care? Some might say, ‘well, aren’t there lots of other churches around?’ How sad is such thinking! How unbiblical is such an attitude!
While we may have stated in words what we want to accomplish, nothing will happen without “laborers” and “fishermen.” Remember, not everyone is actually fishing. Someone is preparing the equipment. Someone is preparing the bait. Someone is making sure the fish are processed correctly. This happens when it is a corporate effort as is the case for our church family. Our church does not consist of just one person or family and neither does our effort to proclaim the Good News of Christ.
Please share with me what your commitment is as we put action to our words. I want to encourage you in every way possible.
Pastor David
As many may be aware, our church family is seeking a way to identify ourselves. After becoming independent there exists some confusion as to who we are as a body of believers. It was determined that a group of members would tackle this issue and make a report to the rest of our worshiping community. That is currently an ongoing effort and a report will be forthcoming in a few days. What this points to is the need for any group, or any individual for that matter, to have the ability to communicate who they are and how their self-description impacts their influence and standing in the world. Should Christians be concerned as to how we identify ourselves? As always, the Bible offers some insight into this issue.
We remember the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus, a member of the ruling Jewish class as that time. In their conversation Jesus said to this Jewish leader that “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” From this we have the teaching that all believers must experience a “new birth” when they except Jesus as Savior. In some circles, this is used in a derogatory fashion to describe some believers. People will say, “oh, they are ‘born-agains’ seeking to diminish the thought of a new birth in Christ. The Apostle Peter latched on to this designation as he spoke of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Peter’s effort was to place emphasis on how the resurrection of Christ impacts our ability to have hope of eternal life. He says in I Peter 1:3 “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.” For Peter, the possibility of new birth is a direct result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and it is eternal in nature.
As Christians, one may be thought of as simply a ‘believer’ which is a designation used in this writing. There is the term ‘Christian’ itself, which simply means a follower of Christ. The earliest designation of Christians was “People of the Way” which we find in the Book of Acts of the Apostles. This came from Jesus declaring that he was “The Way, The Truth and The Life.” Numerous other designations come out of the Bible as to how people who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior are designated. In other words, there exists a plethora of labels attempting to describe followers of Jesus. And, to that we must recognize that there is no perfect ‘label’ describing such people.
Coming back to what Jesus said to Nicodemus that one cannot “see” the kingdom of God unless “one is born again”, we need to understand what Jesus was trying to communicate to this Jewish leader. From scripture, there is an understanding that God’s kingdom is a spiritual realm; and, according to Jesus himself it is within each person who believes. This is why the Apostle Paul said that we are all a temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to Pilate before being crucified that he was a King but that his kingdom was not of this world. However, Jesus did preach that the kingdom of God has come into the world. Hear the difference here: not OF the world but IN the world. Due to not having a personal relationship with God through a radical change of life, hence, a “new birth”, it is as though that “unborn” person cannot see what is being talked about. Paul did say in Ephesians 2:1 that we are all “dead in our trespasses and sins.” What label you chose may not be perfect; but my prayer and hope is that it communicates that you belong to the kingdom of God because you are alive in Christ.
Pastor David
Several years ago an article appeared in Psychology Today asking the question, What Excites You? Naturally, it dealt with the subject from a purely biological and cultural perspective. What we find interesting is a quote from a previous article dating back to 1962 - Humans are wired to maximize their rewarding and positive emotions, and to minimize emotions that are negative. It is true that we humans seek out things that will bring a reward. Adam and Eve taught us that a very long time ago and it got us into a lot of trouble. Along with this, the article suggests that excitement can become addictive. Well, it doesn’t take a so-called Rocket Scientist to figure that out. The problem here is the ability for us humans to properly deal with what excites us in life.
Galatians 5:22-23 gives us the list of what we call the Fruits of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control. The last item on the list is meant to deal directly with what was previously mentioned: biology and culture. Our biology can become the dominant force in our behavior and culture can become the primary consideration in decision making. When that happens we simply become Adam and Eve all over again – starry eyed and totally curious by the shiny things in our life and easily tempted to take a bite. One could wonder if the fruit of Eden was a persimmon which initially tastes sweet when raw but becomes bitter when ripe. Clearly, sin does just that – offers sweetness initially and bitterness afterwards.
God’s Word offers ways of dealing with our seemingly uncontrollable biological appetites and our cultural pressures, which say ‘conform or else suffer the consequences.’ Hebrews 11: 6 says, “… without faith it is impossible to please [God], for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Our excitement for God begins with what we believe about God which in turn leads to a faith so as to trust God with our life. What we believe will certainly alter our behavior in one way or another. For example, recently in Ecuador there are news reports that the USA is at war with Iran and that our country is closed to people coming in or trying to leave. Travel is currently prohibited in the USA according to these news reports. As a result, many people have cancelled their planned legal trips to the States. And, many in Ecuador are trying to reach loved living here to urge them to be cautious where they go. One word sums up these news reports – absurd! Surely God must look at us humans at times and wonder, “why do they believe what they say they believe about me?”
Good news as well as bad news will bring on excitement in our life. The hope is that we will seek out the Good News which will excite us about everything relating to God. The Apostle Paul was put into prison and he wrote a letter to the believers in Philippi while incarcerated. It is hard to believe that one could find joyful excitement in such a situation. But that did not deter Paul. He wrote in his letter, “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace.” Without doubt he was excited when writing these words and we note that it was his thinking about other believers and about their faith that got him excited. His hope was for these believers to also experience this same excitement as they considered what God was doing in their lives. My prayer for you all is the same as Paul offered when he said, “it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” Let’s get all excited and go tell everyone that Jesus Christ is Lord of all! And, I hope you are excited about others who share the faith and the Grace of God. Let these things control your thinking, your behavior and your decision making. You will not be disappointed.
Pastor David
How often have you heard someone say, “it is the little things of life we take for granted. But it is the little things of life that sustain us.” Life can get busy at times. And that busyness can stand in the way of clearly seeing small moments that are of paramount importance for us. Sadly, it is not just a sense of being ‘busy’ that gets in the way. The events of life such as war and violence rob us of cherished moments. We are keenly aware of two such events happening: The war between Ukraine and Russia and now the war between Israel and Iran – not to mention the ongoing war Israel has with Hamas. Little is known about some 200 Christians losing their life in Nigeria a few days ago to the violence brought on by Islamic extremists. Granted, many people in our country today are not focused on any of these efforts to kill people. Perhaps they are focused on the continual stream of political vitriol and violence we see every time we listen to a news report. Or, perhaps there is such a rush in daily living just to ‘make a living’ from an employment that is either joy-less or drudgery.
There must be a way of allowing ourself to be aware of world and local events and to be responsible in ‘making a living’ without losing out on the important things of life. At first blush, this seems like an unsolvable dilemma: enjoying life while involved in and aware of all that is happening in the world – good and bad. There are two vital elements that allow one to enjoy life: one is the ability to sustain life and the other is the ability to relate in life. Sustaining life requires sustenance. Relating in life requires understanding of human existence. Again, we utilize the sad emoji because both requirements for happiness and joy in life are very difficult to acquire when life is surrounded by violence and by the rush of daily living. The citizens of Ukraine are not baking a lot of bread these days. Israel is focused on keeping civilians safe from a barrage of missiles. And many family gatherings in the USA are spoiled by a relative who wants to spill all their hatred for some elected official. Nigeria is busy burying their dead because a religious group doesn’t like the way others worship. Baking bread and loving our neighbor are the two biblical activities that bring joy in life. These are sorely lacking in today’s world in general.
Bread is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 3 when God reminds Adam he will have to work to sustain his life. It is mentioned a second time when Melchizedek brings bread and wine to bless Abram after his victory in battle. Bread symbolizes the staff of life and the sustenance of human labor. We have to work for our bread; but it sustains and blesses us. When life gets in the way, there is a lack of bread and thus putting life in jeopardy. Loving our neighbor is in short supply because we are too busy killing and hating one another as human beings. That job you have or the one that gave you a decent retirement supplies a financial security ostensibly to allow you to enjoy life. The bible reminds us of our responsibility to how we make use of God’s gifts. Isaiah 55:6 asks a pointed question: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread?” Jesus responded to Satan when tempted to change the rocks into bread, Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
The biblical principle here is that bread is meant to be seen as both a blessing and a gift from God. There are two things to remember here:
First, remember the manna from heaven that sustained the Hebrew people for 40 years in the wilderness. Second, remember that Jesus said he was the Bread of Life. The physical bread we work for and eat will sustain our earthly life but it will not sustain our eternal life. Only our relationship with God through the risen Christ will do that. Imagine the world today where the people of Ukraine and of Russia and of Nigeria and of busy North America – or any other country you wish to mention – where the people were working for and feeding on the True Bread of Life – Jesus – while sustaining their earthly life sharing a loaf of bread with one another. There would be a lot less killing going on and a lot more joy in living today. Give thanks to God the next time you share bread with someone who needs the touch of your loving hands and heart.
Pastor David
Loyalty is a rare commodity these days. While our country has always prided its self in being made up of immigrants, we have lost the meaning of what the term ‘immigrant’ truly means. Our history has been to accept the ‘stranger’ vis-à-vis the ‘immigrant’ into our society and culture. But, we have made a big mistake in allowing many people to call themselves by the name of a country from whence they came – such as Cuban-American or African- American or Mexican-American and the list goes on. Now, some will point out that a lot of people were brought here against their will. It was called slavery. That said, the question of slavery was settled long ago regarding a particular race of people. And, all have become citizens. Unfortunately, the status of citizenship has also lost its meaning.
In recent days, we have witnessed riots in California and other places where an effort is being made to rid our country of criminal elements called ‘undocumented’ people. This too is a widely misunderstood term. So many terms and so many misuses, how can anyone grasp the severity of the problem? The true meaning of ‘immigrant’ is ‘a person who comes to a country where not a native, usually to establish permanent residence.’ This term has a root meaning of ‘migrate’, which means ‘to go from one country, region or place to another.’ One might suggest that these definitions fits all the millions of people who have come here within the last four to five years (actually much longer). The problem, however, is that we also pride ourselves (at least we used to) in being a nation of laws. Citizenship has been governed by the laws of the nation since 1790 when a pathway to citizenship was established. Birthright citizenship was established in 1868. While the laws have morphed over time, we still have laws that govern how one enters the country and how one becomes a citizen – all of which are being ignored.
Whether one has come here to establish a permanent residence under lawful means or unlawful means (the most popular these days), few have come with the idea of becoming loyal to the USA. In the above mentioned riots against the effort to rid the criminal element, many people are carrying flags from countries other than the USA. Clearly, there is no loyalty and certainly no oath of allegiance to the flag of the USA. A truly sad reality is that many people who are legal citizens by birth are protesting and carrying flags from different countries. Loyal citizens?
The Apostle Paul speaks of citizenship in his letter Philippians 3:20. He is speaking of those who have become “enemies of the cross of Christ”; after once having received the message of the Gospel, they turned away. Paul goes on, however, to say of true believers:
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Peter speaks of it this way: (I Peter 2:10)
Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Becoming a ‘citizen of heaven’ is based on God’s Law – also known as God’s Word. Receiving ‘mercy’, which allows one to become a citizen of heaven, is taught in God’s Law. It invites anyone who is lost and wanting to ‘migrate’ to a different status in life to pledge allegiance and become loyal to God’s Law. Perhaps the most striking example of loyalty is found in the Old Testament in the Book of Ruth. It is about a young woman, Ruth, who marries the son of a woman, Naomi, who is a worshiper of God. Naomi’s husband dies and then Ruth’s husband dies. Naomi is returning to her country of origin, Israel, and tells Ruth to return to her own country and home. Ruth makes the following declaration:
Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
She understood the meaning of loyalty. As believers, we use the New Testament term FAITH to speak of our loyalty to God. Are you a ‘loyal’ , that is, a faithful citizen of heaven? Are you obedient to God’s Law? If so, then you are a follower of Jesus Christ and he is Lord of your life.
Pastor David
Antisemitism in the USA and around the world is nothing new. Globally it has been around for – let’s see now – around 2000 years. It is hard to believe but the first accounts of this hatred for Jewish people actually started with the Church, vis-à-vis believers. How is that possible? The answer is quite easy. It is when believers forget who they really are and how they came to believe as they do – that a Jewish man long ago was found to be the Messiah – a long awaited prophesy from the Old Testament. Jesus was a Jew who claimed to be the Messiah and who also claimed to be the Son of God. He had disciples whom he taught for three years about how to know and relate to God and how to understand God’s love for the world.
After Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, he had promised to send the Holy Spirit to indwell believers. This same Spirit of Christ, that is the Holy Spirit, comes into our life to teach us and guide us into the truth about God. If all this is true, and it is the central message of the Bible, then how is it possible for believers anywhere and at any time to foment hatred for the Jewish people whom God identified long ago as His chosen people? True, as a people who truly understood God and came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah they have sorely missed the mark – with the exception of an untold number of Jewish people down through the ages who have indeed come to believe in Jesus as Messiah and as Lord and Savior. They are referred to as Messianic Jews.
The early Church fell into a deep hole of hatred because the Jewish people were identified as “those who killed Jesus.” That label stuck and even in come so-called Christian circles today persists. That reality is not just sad, it is sadistic and has no place in true Christian gatherings or in the heart of true believers. The current rise in Antisemitism should not be surprising to any. The Bible also teaches that a time will come when the Jewish people will be hated by most – if not all – of the world. This includes the USA.
Here is the Witness for today: True believers understand the role of Jerusalem and Israel in God’s plan for the world because the Bible teaches clearly that God will never give up on this chosen people. All non-Jewish people in the world are referred to as Gentiles in the Bible. That means that there are prophecies pertaining to non-Jewish believers as well as Jews who come to accept Jesus as Messiah and as Lord and Savior. And, there are prophecies pertaining to the Nation of Israel. In both situations – believers and Israel as a nation – the Bible teaches clearly that times of tribulation are coming when both believers and Jewish people will be persecuted and hated. If anyone is following current events in the world today, they know that both hatred of Christians as well as Jewish people is on the rise. As believers, we know that this is clearly a sign of the end times and that Christ is coming soon.
May all believers come to realize that antisemitism is an abomination to God. And, may all believers come to know that God has called us to bring the peace of Christ to anyone willing to receive it – Gentile or Jew. Let’s be willing to call it like it is: antisemitism comes from those who have not received Christ into their life and found Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Pastor David
This week we celebrated Memorial Day. For the USA, it usually means car racing and/or picnics and hamburgers along with family gatherings. Clearly, not everyone celebrates the same way; so there are lots of variations to what was just mentioned. All that aside, it was meant to be most originally a day to remember the fallen soldiers from the Civil War and then it became a day of remembrance for both WWI and WWII. Ironically, it was not declared to be a national holiday until 1971. Today, we are meant to pause and remember anyone who has given their life in service to our national freedoms. Without such sacrifice, we would either not be the country we are now – without the civil war it is difficult to imagine what would have resulted – or would there be two countries with states? For sure, the world in general would look a lot different the United States of America.
Without sacrifice there is no redemption. The sacrifices of all those who have died in battle and service to our country have left a legacy of love of country and a desire for freedom. Redemption simply means to pay a price for something that was either sold or lost. Our country has been on the brink of being lost more than once. We are accustomed to the reality of sacrifice being necessary for survival. One sad reality is that today living in this country, which prides itself for being a “free society,” there are those who actually hate the country and want clearly for it to fail and to be destroyed. Anyone who has studied history knows that many of the nations of the world in times past were lost not from battle but from internal decline and slow decay. The Roman Empire is perhaps one of the best examples. Failure on our part to realize we could see the same thing happening in the USA would be our biggest failure and result in our quick demise.
There is another example of internal decline and slow decay and that is the Church. This is not about organized religion or any one denomination or faith expression. This is about each believer becoming complacent and forgetting what Romans 12:1 says:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
There is a logic here that should cause one to stop and think for just a moment. In the USA we speak of how many people have been willing to sacrifice their life to maintain our freedoms. How is it possible to not connect that mentality with the reality of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross to give us our freedom from sin. The Civil War is now remembered as the war to give us freedom from slavery. Why can we not consider the battle between good and evil, which Christ fought on our behalf, was to give us freedom from slavery to sin – which is the terminology used in the Bible to describe our human condition without Christ and his sacrifice. Of all the people on earth now, it seems logical to believe that anyone in the USA speaking of sacrifice and freedom would be able to connect those two analogies of sacrifice and freedom. Is it possible that this was part of the thinking of our founding fathers? For many years the USA was considered to be a Christian nation; but we have lost that distinction. Now we are just a country where many Christians live. With strong witnesses for Christ, we might be able to turn that around and once again become a Christian nation. In the USA people who love the country understand what sacrifice is all about. As believers we must also learn to understand what the sacrifice of Christ means for our freedom as well.
Pastor David
What motivates someone to become Christian? Perhaps myriads of reasons exist for why someone might make that decision. More pointedly, one may ask ‘why did I make that decision?’ Without doubt the most common reason is hearing that someone told them that God loved them. Being motivated by God’s love is certainly difficult to criticize. We all know that this is the reason usually given for why someone makes a decision to get married. (Yes, there are other reasons for marriage but ‘falling in love’ seems to be the primary motivator. And, we are not talking about Hollywood either.) God’s love clearly tops the list for all the reasons given for choosing to become Christian.
Is ’becoming Christian’ different than ‘confessing our sins’ or being ‘born again?’ Also, we hear people speak of ‘converting to Christianity.’ Is that the same thing? Part of our problem may be in the semantical way of speaking. Our words may confuse us. Clarity in our faith is vital to our growth as a Christian. Just as it is for our youth to learn problem solving, so it is for anyone professing Christianity to learn good problem solving. The first step is to clarify what the problem truly is. Once we have done so it is then we begin to seek solutions but only after we spend time researching all the options.
Now, you are asking, what in the world does all this have to do with ‘becoming Christian?’ Everything! Becoming Christian is problematic for every person because we are presented with a problem at the very beginning of our intended journey of faith. That problem is sin. See what the Psalmist wrote (Psalm 513-5)
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you [O Lord], you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
The Apostle Paul never forgot this paramount problem even after being confronted by the Risen Lord on the road to Damascus. He spoke of it to Timothy, one of his students: (I Timothy 1:15)
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
Becoming Christian is the only way to deal with the problem of sin. Growing in grace and knowledge of Christ starts with the acknowledgment that sin is the primary problem in life – whether your own or someone else’s life. Perhaps the greatest example of dealing with the problem of sin is found in the Book of Job 42:2-6. Please read it. You see, it is in total contrast to how the Book of Job begins where Job is described as being “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” Job learned the lesson of problem solving. He had to clarify that he was a sinner before he could find his way to understanding God’s love.
Call me and let’s talk about this.
Pastor David
Religion and politics have long been two subjects of controversy. There is a so-called ‘rule’ that at family gatherings one should avoid discussing religion and politics. True, engaging such topics can result in some interesting conversations especially at family gatherings. There are websites that actually advise on what topics are open for exploration (supposedly with less chance for arguments to break out). We all know and have heard that for the last decade, if one family member identifies with one political opinion and another family member identifies with the opposite opinion (party) there will be trouble. That ‘trouble’ has actually resulted in divorces and/or family members being ostracized from future family gatherings. How sad. But, this is the society we live in now. (Note: I did not say ‘the world we live in now.’)
The reality for both topics – religion & politics – is that they are actually unavoidable most of the time. The main reason is that whether you are ‘religious’ or not you certainly are affected by the political scene and, if we are willing to admit it, we all have opinions about politics. In actuality, the same is true for ‘religion.’ Even if one identifies as being ‘non-religious’ that person is still affected by religion whether they are willing to admit it or not. That means they do hold some kind of opinion about religion.
Jesus was very clear about the effect his life and ministry would have on the world and especially ‘family gatherings.’ Luke 12:49-53 –
“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Was he simply referencing all the hoopla about religion and politics? Answer: not in the way we want to frame it. You see, ‘religion’ is not what believers are to be concerned about. James wrote about ‘religion’ saying this: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” The word ‘religion’ simply means something that is done on a regular basis. For example, we are ‘religious’ because we regularly attend a worship service. However, James is pointing out that our attempts to appear ‘religious’ are meant to be backed up by acts of actually demonstrating care for others.
Jesus on the other hand is pointing out that it is not our ‘religion’ or our ‘politics’ that will divide us but our relation with Jesus Christ himself. If we have accepted him as Lord and Savior, that will automatically put us at odds with someone who has not truly accepted him as such – whether family member or not. Having Christ as Lord over our life and knowing him as Savior results in a life style that is always in opposition to the ways of the world. If this concerns you, just remember that Jesus encouraged his disciples (and us) that he had ‘overcome’ the world; Paul reminds us that it is our faith (in Christ) that will overcome the world. With all that in mind, why avoid any of these subjects if we truly follow and know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Go and enjoy life and tell as many people as you can how much you love God because of Jesus.
Pastor David
We have gone past the celebrations of Easter and all that accompanies this time of year for believers. While it is “traditional” to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the hope of the world rests in the reality of Jesus rising from the dead. Modern science will dispute this and atheists will scoff at the belief that Jesus was raised from the dead. True, it is hard to believe for many; and, difficult for lots of so-called ‘Christians.’ Yet, without this faithful fact we are a “people most to be pitied” according to scripture. In simple terms, the resurrection of Jesus is the axle on which rides all our hopes for eternal life.
We must ask clearly however what comes next in our celebratory excitement? This too is difficult for many to comprehend. It is the reality that our time now as believers is to anticipate the celebration of God sending his Holy Spirit in a way that empowers believers never before seen. The Old Testament is full of stories about how God’s spirit caused transforming experiences for many of God’s people. The real importance of considering what the Old Testament tells us about God’s Spirit is that there was a promise of his spirit coming to indwell all believers; all who are seeking to know God and humbling themselves before this all powerful Creator God are to receive the promise.
The Day of Pentecost, a Jewish celebration, became the day of God’s fulfillment of this promise. It was evidenced by a complete transformation of the disciples of Jesus. They were perhaps a “people most to be pitied” because of their weakness of faith and lack of belief that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. It took them a period of time to come to terms with what had happened. Is anything different for individual believers today? The Gospel is being proclaimed all around the world. Yet, we find many seemly taking their time in committing their life totally to Christ. God is patient but we must be alert and ready at a moment’s notice to share the hope that lies within.
For the disciples, their slowness to believe was eventually overshadowed by their absolute commitment to the risen Christ. They became known as a people who were turning the world upside down. (Acts 17:6)
Violence and anarchy are the things that seem to be turning the world upside down today. God’s intention for believers is that we never lose our “spirit” of proclamation. It is our faith in the risen Christ that will overcome the violence and anarchy. The world can be transformed by the message of the Gospel but it depends on our willingness to be persistent in proclaiming the resurrection of Christ. This will happen because we are allowing God’s Holy Spirit to empower us and guide us.
Pastor David
Recently, an article about heaven and the question as to whether or not it would be boring was published. At it’s very core, that question is not just silly, it is offensive. In addition, such a question is reflective of where our society is today. Long ago the so-called Baby Boomer generation was referred to as the “Me” generation. This was reflective of people becoming self-absorbed bordering on narcissism. Placing such a tag on a certain generation of people may be a bit narrow. Humanity itself is perhaps best described as ‘self-absorbed.’
In Second Peter the Apostle speaks of False Prophets who have always been a problem for God’s people. They continue to be a problem to this very day. Peter writes this about them:
And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Asking if heaven will be boring comes from a mentality of ‘what’s in it for me?’ Many false prophets today present the idea that being a believer is all about me and how much God will do for me and give me. The Bible is very clear – this has been the problem all along – from the very beginning. Disobedience is the human desire to ‘have it my way’ regardless of what anyone in authority says and that goes for God as well. Some will say, but didn’t God create us that way having a free will? Yes, that is true according to the scriptures. (Genesis 1:26) This is why God has demonstrated his love for us and gives us every reason to return his love.
Our love for God is meant to come from our free will. It is a choice. Moses presented this same choice to the people just before going into the Promised Land. He presented Life and Death and encouraged them to choose life. (Deuteronomy 30:19)
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
Here is the clear and simply answer to the question as to whether heaven will be boring. Heaven is not about you or me. It is about God. Eternity is about the worship of God coming from the love we have for this God who has demonstrated his love so clearly by sending Jesus to be our sacrifice and opening the way for our salvation. That salvation is from a world bent on sin and disobedience to God. We are set free from our slavery to sin and to our self-absorption. True believers learn obedience to God’s Word and it leads us to a deeper love for our heavenly Father.
Pastor David
Life and death are a normal part of our existence. This tension between the living and the dying started at the very beginning of creation. The first recorded death is that of Abel, which was a murder perpetrated by a brother who was angry. The first idea of life eternal is when God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden and said (Genesis 3:22),
“Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
As a result, they were thrust from the Garden never to return. Humanity since then has continually struggled with the problem of life and death residing in the same reality. We would like to put death apart from life; but we cannot and it is our own fault. Death is painful – not in the act but in the fact that the living experience pain at the loss of a loved one. We have to believe that Adam and Eve grieved the death of Abel even though the Bible does not tell us they did so in a direct way. We can perhaps construe grief from Eve’s statement when she gave birth to Seth: “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” (Genesis 4:25)
The Bible deals with the tension of life and death from beginning to end. It is in the New Testament that we begin to learn how to understand and respond to this tension. The most important statement is found in Romans 5:
because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Adam represents death and Jesus represents life. But, here is the big difference and where we can reconcile the tension – death through Adam is now and need only affect this earthly existence. Life through Jesus is eternal and begins now in this earthly life but lasts for all eternity. The world would have us believe that we live and die and that is all there is. The Bible tells us that yes, we live and we die but we need not loose hope because there is the promise of life beyond this earthly existence in which we suffer many things.
We are in what is traditionally known in Christendom as Holy Week. It is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. It is our time to remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem when it seemed he would be accepted as Messiah but wasn’t and when he suffered and died on the cross. The week culminates with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This is the foundation of all our faith and belief.
Adam and the presence of sin brought earthly death. Jesus and the gift of righteousness brought life eternal for all who believe and trust in this saving grace.
May our message this week and every week be the same: through the resurrection of Jesus we have this blessed hope of eternal life and we can rejoice knowing that death has no power over us any longer.
Yes, there will still be grief in death but this is only because of our ability to love, which is also a gift from our Creator. Isn’t God wonderful?
Pastor David
Recently, the parable of the Lost Sheep found in Luke 15 was read in worship. It highlights the belief that God is always looking for us because we are lost. And, when we are found there is rejoicing in heaven. Indeed, it is occasion to rejoice when we know someone has accepted forgiveness from God and become a part of the family of God. But, this parable presents us with a predicament. How can there be rejoicing with still so many who are lost?
Ironically, the rejoicing over just one person finding salvation is magnified by the reality of many being lost. We can put this into perspective by a reality facing us right here in the USA. The latest report from immigration services is that there are approximately 448 thousand unaccompanied minors who crossed the border over the last four years and they remain “lost” in our system. In other words, no one knows where they are. The sad reality is that no one is talking about this. There is little rejoicing because these “little ones” are not being searched out on a wide enough scale. Where is the outcry for these “lost” children?
Our church family recently made a commitment to organize for reaching out to children and young families with the Gospel message. While we want desperately to see new families coming to worship and bringing their children, we also must remember what we are talking about when we speak of being “lost.” There is both a spiritual side as well as an earthly side.
This should not surprise us in that our Lord Jesus was fully human and fully Divine simultaneously. (Philippians 2) Can this be explained to the satisfaction of all? No. It is a matter of faith and belief. That said, it points us to the reality for all believers that we are fully engaged in our world while simultaneously focused on the spiritual worship of God. Jesus reminds us that “God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) The “truth” here is that we are earth-bound where we find the “lost.” We are to have the “mind of Christ” as Paul speaks about; but, I would suggest we have the hands, feet and eyes of the human side of Jesus. This means we are to be engaged in the issues of this world for the sake of finding the “lost” because we are God’s ambassadors to a lost world.
I leave you with this question: Does God value these children who are “lost” in our system enough for us as a worshiping family to ask ourselves how we might engage in the search? I believe the answer is yes. And, remember, ‘we do the things we talk about.’ Let’s talk about this. It just might result in some rejoicing.
Pastor David
This week we will no doubt hear some of the same things we recently have been hearing in various news reports: there is a lot of hatred happening all around the world. Most of it can be explained as to why. Some may remain a mystery but very little, and, then only because not enough time was spent looking into the situation. Jesus told his disciples the night before he was arrested and subsequently crucified that the world is full of hatred. Gospel of John 15:18 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Jesus also told his disciples many times that the Jewish leaders would orchestrate a plan to kill him. The disciples could not truly understand why; nor, did they believe it fully. That plan was carried out and Jesus was indeed crucified because of hatred. Ironically, it was part of God’s plan for our salvation. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice to pay the price for the sin of the world. All Jesus had done was bring healing and forgiveness into the world. He went about changing people’s lives by a simple touch. How can such activities be hated? Well, today we should be able to understand a part of that due to the hatred being espoused over positive things that are happening all around us.
As Jesus hung on the cross, he prayed to God the Father and simply said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) That statement is in stark contrast to what we may identify as hatred today – especially in our own country. The people who are raising flags of terrorist organizations; the people who are calling for the annihilation of Israel and all Jews; the people who are burning Tesla agencies and setting Tesla cars on fire; the politicians who make fun of handicapped people – and the list goes on and on and on; all these examples are of people WHO KNOW exactly what they are doing. These are like the woman in Nairobi, Africa who knew what she was doing when poisoning her neighbors and her own daughter. The neighbors had taken the 18 year old daughter to a worship service. The mother, who is Muslim, obviously hated her neighbors for their desire to share their faith with this woman’s daughter.
Do we know what we are doing when we espouse hatred for another person? Let me be very clear of how I think about all this. Truly committed Christians will not respond with violence and murder to things with which they disagree. We may express our opinion; we may even raise our voice at times – but violence? – not in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus. He died and rose again so we may learn from him as recorded in Matthew 11:29 when Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
If you are feeling restless and heavy burdened with life, only Jesus Christ can bring peace and rest into your troubled soul.
Pastor David
During this Lenten Season we have been hearing messages related to Jesus and his journey toward Jerusalem ending in his crucifixion. In his journey toward Jerusalem Jesus taught his disciples many things about his mission in this life. He tried to warn them about the crucifixion but they were not able to process all that he taught them. It was not until later after his resurrection that they came to truly believe all that Jesus had taught. They needed the resurrection to see more clearly that Jesus was/is the Christ, the Chosen One sent by God the Father.
Today, we are far removed in time from Jesus’ earthly life and his crucifixion and resurrection. And, today there are many, just like the disciples who actually walked with Jesus, who are not able to process all that is taught in the Christian faith. For one thing, the teachings vary from one church to another and from one church denomination to another. No wonder there is confusion among believers today.
Can we simply the situation? Can we make it easier to help someone believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Chosen One? I believe there can be.
What united the early believers and in particular the disciples, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, was the resurrection and their belief and acceptance of that event. They had no doubt that Jesus actually rose from the grave. They witnessed his presence among them. Thomas was absent the first time Jesus appeared to his disciples; but he was there the second time; and, Thomas immediately believed what he saw.
Today, believers can get hung up on things like the proper way to be baptized, if it truly was a virgin birth, what is the proper day to set aside for worship, what is the ‘true’ Bible translation or whether or not the Bible is the Word of God and the list goes on.
Perhaps the only thing that truly matters is whether Jesus truly was raised from the dead or not. Do you believe he rose from the grave after being crucified, declared dead and buried?
The Apostle Paul made it clear in I Corinthians 15 that what he preached revolved around the belief in the resurrection of Jesus.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
What Paul was dealing with has persisted to this day. He wrote:
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
Everything we say we believe and desire to witness to starts and ends with the resurrection of Jesus. Some want to say ‘once saved, always saved’ others want to say ‘only the King James Bible is the true Bible’ and still others may say ‘you have to be baptized in a certain way.’ Given what Paul has written perhaps the best way to be united as believers is to realize that our journey of faith starts with the resurrection of Jesus and ends with the resurrection of Jesus. Without that, our faith is of no value no matter what we say our faith rests upon. Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus?
My prayer is for that to be our primary focus in our journey of faith.
Pastor David
This week one of our church family members is celebrating a 100 year birthday. Helen Wright has become a centenarian. In today’s parlance that is always considered a remarkable achievement. Upon a quick internet search, it is found that the current population of the USA is approximately 342 million and approximately 0.027% of that make it to 100 years of life. That translates to approximately 92,000 people annually. That may sound like a lot but it is only a fraction of our total population. Because of the advances in medical science that figure is projected to be around 0.1% of the population in 2054. For comparison, in 1950 the USA population was approximately 151 million and only some 3,000 people made it to 100. And, worldwide out of 8.2 billion there is estimated to be only 573,000 centenarians. However you look at it, Helen is a rare bird in a manner of speaking.
So, what is all the kerfuffle about reaching 100 birthdays? First, not many do. Second, in ancient Biblical times we understand that people lived much longer prior to Noah’s flood and then it dropped but people still lived a long time. Moses lived to 120 years of age. However, King David only lived to 70 years of age. There are those who want to say that the reported long years of life in the bible that exceed 100 years and even reach to over 800 years of life prior to Noah is not using the same way of counting years. That is to be disputed. There is no evidence to suggest the counting of years is different from today.
It all comes down to trust. Can we trust what the Bible is telling us? Some have many doubts for different reasons. In our weekly Bible Study we often speak of seeming discrepancies found in Scripture. If we are willing to look, most of the time we find the reason. However, if one is expecting the Scriptures to provide exact chronology and exact historical records, then one will be disappointed. Even today when history is being written there are many discrepancies to be found. There is not enough room here to explain how this is dealt with by researchers. But, let us focus on that one word – ‘researcher’. If people who look into historical records are called researchers because they are looking for evidence to support ideas or to explain why something happened, then why would we as students of the Bible not see ourselves as ‘researchers’?
We are researching the historical record of how God has dealt with humanity down through the ages. We call that the Bible. That is exactly what it is – the record of God’s dealings with humanity. Can we trust it? If we believe how it came about then it is to be trusted.
Peter gives us two reasons to trust Scripture. First, he tells us that the record of Jesus’ life was from the disciples being “eyewitnesses to his majesty.” Second, he writes this about prophecy: no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Do you believe the Bible is God’s Word? Or, is it a book that either ‘contains’ God’s Word or a book of myths and stories produced to propagate religious belief? Your choice.
Pastor David
Today at the church building the alarm system was being re-calibrated and brought up to date. Needless to say, in the process the alarm was sounding several times and for long periods of time. It was annoying to say the least! But, after a while, the alarm sound became just part of the scene and it was less apparent than at first.
There is something ominous about saying that. Alarms are intended to get our attention and cause us to respond appropriately. The fire alarm goes off and we start looking for a fire or smoke at the least so as to avert a full blown fire. Unfortunately, when car alarms go off, hardly anyone pays attention because it almost always means nothing. Why are alarms even being installed on cars anymore? New mothers treat the cry of their newborn as an alarm system. They jump into action to discover what is going on. By the time that same mother has had her third or fourth child, the cry may not occasion such an ‘alarming’ response.
We are all familiar with the story of the shepherd boy who cried wolf! He was lonely and wanted company. His cry brought out many people. By the time he had called out ‘wolf’ for the fourth time, no one came. The problem, unfortunately, was that there really was a wolf and he needed help. Poor sheep!
Today, we have heard the same stories so many times and are aware that these same stories have been told down through the centuries about Jesus coming back to earth. Some people have just given up; some are annoyed by the retelling of the story; and, others just scoff saying, “you keep talking about this but it has been some 2000 years and we are still waiting.” The Apostle Peter spoke of this problem in 2 Peter chapter 3:
knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
This opened the dialogue for Peter to remind us that the day of judgment would accompany the Second Coming of Jesus. Peter’s way of dealing with these “scoffers” is to remind them of God’s patience with us humans. God indeed is patient and slow to anger; full of grace and mercy. May it be that during this time of Lent and our preparations for celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus, we too develop patience and then remember that God has actually given us more time to witness and to invite others to accept God’s forgiveness through Jesus, who is the Christ.
Please do not allow God’s patience to become an occasion for being complacent about the alarming messages that Jesus is coming again. The world still needs to hear that a day of judgment is coming. Spread the Word; tell everyone you know that Jesus is coming again and that we must be prepared.
Pastor David
Have you ever been lost? Some people have experienced this feeling whether in a forest or in a car traveling. When that happens decisions must be made. One who is lost will need to make a change in direction and/or seek help to find out where they are and get re-oriented as to where they are going. I realize that today many have access to a Global Positioning System (GPS); but even there we must take caution to insure it is working properly.
As I consider this common human situation I realize that this is exactly what the Bible speaks of when talking about repentance. That word simply means to ‘turn around’ and go in a different direction. When we are lost we must turn around or we will continue to be lost. We have all read stories of people who became lost while hiking in a wilderness and eventually died from exposure.
This is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent when Christians remember that God brought salvation to the world through Jesus. Lent has traditionally been a time for believers to consider their relationship with God and to work at improving that relationship. We are told clearly in Scripture that without God in our life we are “lost” and will surely die in our sin. For believers, there are times when we make decisions that can damage or direct us away from God. That is a time for repentance – a time to turn around and go in a different direction back to God who will renew us and restore us to a healthy and holy relationship through Jesus.
On Ash Wednesday we traditionally practice the imposition of ashes to remind us that we are mortal and that life is fleeting. This is clearly spoken of in Scripture, not to make us afraid or to portray a negative feeling about our faith. In contrast, it is meant to help us realize that God has made it possible for all believers to have hope. We need never feel lost knowing that God through Christ has made reconciliation with us and has re-oriented us toward salvation – also known as eternal life.
If you are feeling lost and not sure where you are in relation to God, I call you to repentance. I call you to make a decision to go in a different direction. Accepting Jesus and all he brings into our life will help you find your way out of a wilderness of sin and hopelessness.
Please know that I am always ready to talk with anyone who needs help in finding Jesus or who needs help to improve their relationship with God.
Pastor David
This week the witness is a bit late from its usual appearance. That is because there was a mission trip to Ecuador with four women who truly fit the biblical description of a “good and faithful servant” as found in Matthew 25 and the parable of the talents. These “good and faithful” women accompanied their pastor to Ecuador to see how God is working in that beautiful part of the world. We made our way to Cuenca and then to Saraguro. In Cuenca, a high mountain city in the Andes, we observed how God is working to provide for those who suffer from chronic and terminal illnesses. We participated in three days of training for professional healthcare workers. In addition, we spent time with some of the patients and got to know something about their life stories.
Later in the first week we visited a Christian Radio Station in a smaller town called Saraguro and heard about how God is using a very special family to spread the Word of God to over 10,000 listeners in the southern regions of the Andes Mountains. Missionary Tom Stiles guided us to this wonderful ministry that was started several years ago and has at times struggled to continue. But, God is faithful.
The healthcare program in Cuenca, which we would identify as a hospice and palliative care program, was started in 2011. Our church has heard several experiences about how this came to be when a former program of caring only for cancer patients was redirected to see the need for practicing the philosophy of medical care for the terminally ill. The primary objective is to alleviate suffering and pain and to elevate the quality of life for the remaining time the person has. It provides support for the family as well. This is now a solid program in Cuenca but needs our prayerful consideration to help support what God is doing there.
These “good and faithful” women from our church family made this journey with the purpose of learning and then returning and reporting. This will take time and we hope to have many opportunities to share our experiences. God is at work in the world and we have the privilege of sharing in what God is accomplishing through his people. As your pastor I was excited to see how God was opening the eyes of these faithful women who represented our church in Ecuador. I saw how they allowed God’s Spirit to speak to them in so many ways. It was my joy and privilege to share their excitement in experiencing God’s handy work in Ecuador. While it is true Ecuador is a beautiful country, it is even more important to point out the beautiful and loving spirit of Ecuadorians who are seeking to serve others. We found that in Cuenca in the hospice & palliative care program and in Saraguro in the Christian Radio Station.
Jesus reminds us in that same chapter of Matthew about the good and faithful servant that serving others is one of our highest callings as believers; for, when one has helped to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, visited the sick and the prisoner, Jesus says “as you did [these things] to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
My prayer is that our church family will listen with open hearts when they hear these “good and faithful” servant women speak of their experiences and then ask God how we, as a church family, may be able to participate in God’s work in Ecuador.
Pastor David
Every day we wake up and focus on what we have for that day. I realize that some will say, ‘but I’m retired and don’t have to focus on anything.’ I would beg to differ. You will focus on some kind of activity – whether eating, cleaning house, making it to a doctor’s appointment, etc. We do focus on something.
When the Hebrew people came out of Egypt and were in the wilderness they woke up and focused on survival – where to find water and food. They grumbled when they couldn’t find it immediately and Moses prayed to God and it was supplied. Even though this happened continually it seems the people couldn’t get past their grumbling. And, when Moses went up on Mount Sinai for 40 days the people got focused on themselves completely. They didn’t have Moses to redirect them. As a result many were lost; and ultimately, because of their inability to focus on God and his awesome power and promise of presence, all who physically left Egypt died in the desert and only their children actually entered what they called the Promised Land. The only exceptions were Caleb and Joshua who remained faithful to God.
What did you focus on this morning when you woke up? Life can get in the way of our daily living with the presence of God in our life. For a small group from our church family, we woke up today focused on traveling to Ecuador. Needless to say, there can be a lot of details to distract us from what we are really meant to focus on each day. Our purpose is to see what wonderful things God is doing in that beautiful part of the world. My prayer is that we, as representatives of our church family, will maintain a focus on God’s holy presence and on what he is doing through many people there who are focused on serving others. Our ultimate goal, just like it was for the Hebrews, is to keep our focus on that Promised Land, which in our case is the life of Jesus who is the Christ. It is in him that we find the completion of all the promises of God. May it be that the “details” of life will not distract you from keeping focus on our Lord and Savior.
Pastor David
A few weeks back in our Wednesday evening Bible Study we looked at the subject of slavery in the Bible. The primary question was how does the Bible treat slavery and the general outcome is that the Bible does not outright condemn slavery. Needless to say, this does present a dilemma for some in the church when asked why. The other item of interest is that slavery in the Bible can be confusing because the word in both Hebrew and in Greek can be understood to mean both forced labor and volunteer labor. The primary definition for the word is that there is a master and there is a slave or servant, depending on the context in which it is used. In either, the idea is that one commands, i.e., master; and one obeys, i.e., slave/servant.
The Bible helps us to understand the reason for why slavery or servanthood is even discussed in the scriptures. It started with the story of the Exodus from Egypt by God’s chosen people. They had been there for over 400 years suffering as slaves (forced labor). Moses comes along with God’s direction and they are freed. The New Testament takes this event to remind us that we can think of our relationship with evil or good. Evil concerns sin in our life. Good concerns God in our life. The reality is that the Book of Romans speaks of either being a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness – that is God in our life. It is our choice. We are going to obey one or the other.
To better help us in this important subject of slavery, I want to direct our thoughts just to the servanthood aspect of the word that gets translated as either slave or servant. Jesus used that same word to tell his disciples that he did not come to be served but to serve. He further tells his disciples that they must seek to be servant to one another.
Matthew 20:25-28 speaks of this:
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
My prayer is that our church family will cultivate a culture of servanthood among ourselves knowing that we are to serve one another. And then carry that same attitude out to where we live, work and play May we become servants to one another – believer and non-believer alike.
If we are looking for a way to attract more people to our worship and to be part of our church family, I would suggest we try to “out-serve” one another and see what happens.
Pastor David
From the 1800s there is an old, moderately well-known poem about a baseball team in Mudville – a fictional town. The poem ends with a famous line – “There is no joy in Mudville – mighty Casey as struck out.” The lament chronicles an over confident player who apparently did not take his situation serious enough.
I think of Pharaoh at the time of Moses. He did not take his situation serious enough. And, I think of Samson who also did not take his situation serious enough, saying, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” He didn’t realize that the Lord had left him; and, the Philistines defeated and blinded him.
Poor Casey didn’t care what the score was at the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs. He just assumed he would hit a home run as always. Pharaoh simply did not believe in God’s power. And, poor Samson not only allowed himself to be deceived but also carelessly managed his spiritual relationship with God. Not knowing whether any of this resonates with you, I can say it does with many who have shared their testimonies of lament. We are to walk as children of light so says the scripture. The writer of Hebrews put it this way, Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (Heb 2:1-3)
We don’t live in Mudville; but we do live somewhere and where ever that is we want there to be joy. Psalm 30 is a great Psalm that grapples with over confidence and with the reality that God can turn away from us when we are disobedient. Yet, it offers us the greatest of hope by saying, Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
May you find joy every morning by continually trusting in God alone and not on your own understanding of how the world is supposed to work.
Pastor David