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Thursday, March 28, 2024

God Will Provide

March 29, 2024

Friday

I wish that I could tell you that I didn't worry or take things at their face value when God has said that He will take care of me, but I can't. There have been too many times that I doubted that He would provide when I have never seen Him fail to provide when He called me to act in faith. Here is just one story of God's goodness.

My family moved to Brentwood, TN in June of 1989 as poor as anyone could be. I knew this is where God wanted me and agreed to be Brentwood Baptist's singles minister before I knew the salary. However, the salary seemed huge when I found out. But then, Brentwood is not a cheap place to live either.

We bought a house with an escalating interest rate because Brentwood had given their staff raises every year since the church was founded. The rate would go up for two years and then become a fixed rate. It was a challenge for us to pay the mortgage but I knew we would get a raise the next year that should cover the increase.

I had been there about ten months when the founding pastor of twenty plus years was called to work for the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The church, like most churches, froze all spending including raises for the next year. I was incensed. How could they have so little faith! Of course, I should have looked in the mirror for I was the one with little faith. I didn't know how I would pay my mortgage when it went up. The new year came and the mortgage went up.

One day near the beginning of the year, I went to the mailbox to get the mail and found an unmarked envelope with $300 in it. There was no note. There was nothing to indicate where it came from. That wasn't the only time it happened either.

I'll admit, going to the mailbox wasn't a chore anymore for me. I went, found money, and continued to see God more than provide for my family's needs. How can I be so faithless to think that the God who called me wouldn't provide for me. As I added up all of my "mailbox" money, I found it to be more than what I could have expected as a raise.

The church budget was prepared for the next, the staff was assembled to tell us that they were excited to tell us that we were getting a raise the next year. I thought, "I'm not sure that's such a good idea!" I liked going to the mailbox. It was better than a raise!

This is not the only story that I could tell you of God's provision. God has provided so many times that I am embarrassed to say that I still worried when I didn't see the money in the bank. I know that He provides but I have more faith He will provide for others than He will provide for me. Yet, I am the one who has seen Him provide again and again.

This morning I read the story of Abraham taking Isaac up to Mt. Moriah to supposedly sacrifice his son, Isaac. He knows that Isaac is the son of the covenant. He knows that God can restore his life. He knows that God will provide. What a statement of faith!

I know that God provides beyond what I have read in the scripture. I have experienced it so many times. I know that He will provide for anyone who reads this post and is in a situation. God will provide is something we need to embrace. He will provide to enable you to follow Him in whatever He calls you to do. Believe me, this is better than money in the bank.

Genesis 22:7–8 (NASB 2020) 7 Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.


Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Be Filled with the Spirit

March 28, 2024

Thursday

I had a conversation with someone I consider a strong Christian about contemporary worship. He said that you can't find lamenting anywhere. He is right. I can't think of a contemporary song that I could claim has a regretful, grieving tone. I wondered why.

Surely, there are times that a Christian should grieve. He should grieve and regret his sin. He might grieve over the loss of a job, a bad decision, loss of a loved one or even the loss of a pet. These are all legitimate reasons for grieving or in some cases regretting what has happened. But it seems to me that a long lament is better explained with depression than lamenting.

Depression is a real issue for many people. Depressed people need medical attention. Simply saying they need to get over it is not a solution. Christians are no different in this. Thinking that you can just get over it because you are a Christian doesn't take into account Paul's "thorn in the flesh." I suppose some believers would have told Paul to "just get over it." I am sure he would have loved to.

Let's be clear: there are times when Christians should lament, but that should not be the predominant attitude that they have. I can't find lamenting or anything close to it in the fruit of the Spirit.

If you have read my blog for some time or have heard me preach, you know that I believe that there is one fruit of the Spirit. The fruit has nine characteristics. I compare that to a peach. It is one peach but it is fuzzy, sweet, juicy, orange, red, yellow, seeded and so on. We don't say we have fruits of the Spirit any more than we say we have fruits of the peach. The Greek word for fruit in that scripture is singular.

Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB 2020)22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

There may be times when a characteristic stands out more than others, but those times will not come when the person is full of the Spirit. Those times may come because the Christian is depressed. That is why the Christian will still need medical help for depression. No one can truly be himself when he is very sick or injured. 

Make no mistake, I am saying that when a person is not incapacitated in some way he should long to be filled with the Spirit and experience the fruit of the Spirit. He does not produce the characteristics on his own apart from the Spirit. The characteristic that stands out when considering lamenting is joy. Lamenting should have a short shelf life. The Christian knows that this world is not his home. He knows that it will all pass away. He knows that all sin has been forgiven at the death of Jesus. He knows that victory is his through Christ's resurrection. Lamenting should not be the dominant characteristic of the Christian.

On the other hand, I can see a lot of damage done by simply trying to pump ourselves up. The fruit of the Spirit comes from being filled with the Spirit. He comes to us when we no longer resist or quench His prompting. He longs to fill us and we should obey Him promptly. Then, we have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

The Bible tells us that we should be filled with the Spirit. The word for "be filled" is an imperative passive. We are commanded to allow the Spirit to fill us. So, let us all be filled with the Spirit today holding back nothing from Him. Then, we shall see the fruit of the Spirit.


Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The Lord Directs Your Steps

March 27, 2024

Wednesday

There are two truly perplexing things that we can do. We can fail to plan. Thus, we let life go as life will go and simply react to what happens. We can plan. Thus, we are constantly adjusting our plans because things don't always go according to plans. Which of these is better?

Plans don't go according to plans because we can't see all that will happen. There will be opportunities and setbacks that we never accounted for but require that we make adjustments to our plans. There are life changes that can do so as well.

Let's say that a person made plans that he or she would be an engineer. He set out to study engineering but along the way he has an encounter with God that moves him in a different direction. He is led into a teaching career. Of course, he may not make as much money teaching and that may change subsequent plans after college. I had a young man in a church who believed God wanted him to go into the ministry. He entered college with that in mind but realized that he had made a mistake. His plans radically changed.

So, is it better to make no plans. While you maybe less disappointed when no plans are made, there is no virtue in failing to make plans. No plans represent no goals. No goals will result in doing the minimum because there are no plans for the future.

There must be a solution that has plans but knows that plans can be changed. That plan is one that puts all plans in God's hands. In other words,  You plan according to what and where the Lord is leading you. You are aware that there may be roadblocks and pauses in these plans. God may want you as a missionary for ten years and a teacher after that. God may require that you go back to school. God may require that you take less money in a new job. This is different between having no plans and having all plans. Your plan is to walk with God wherever He takes you. He tells you where to go with an overall understanding of the plan. 

Take Moses, for example. Moses knew he would lead the people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. He didn't know all the steps it would take to get there. He let God lead him all the way. The Apostle Paul knew that he was the apostle for the Gentiles. He didn't know all that he would encounter when he set off. He just knew that he wanted to know Jesus more. He knew that this meant he would walk with Jesus through whatever the Lord gave him.

So, get before the Lord and make plans with Him. Know that He might have some changes along the way. Ultimately, God wants you to walk with Him. No one loves you like God. Walking with Him draws us close to Him. When you look back at your life you will understand the pauses and road blocks. Then, you will realize that He was with you all the way.

Proverbs 16:9 (NASB 2020) 9 The mind of a person plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Why Go to Church?

March 26, 2024

Tuesday

Church attendance isn't what it used to be. Though I don't have evidence for my belief, I don't believe the reasons given for people stopping their attendance  is the popular excuses for why people don't go to church.

I don't believe that most people have stopped going to church because the church abused them. Make no mistake. Churches have abused people. I just don't think that people were so shallow that they stopped coming because they were abused. (I am not talking about sexual abuse here.) Most people are resilient. They understand that mean people go to church with the nice people. They understand that mean people do not represent the church even though they may be the leaders in a particular church. Sure, hurt people may change churches but they didn't abandon church because they were hurt in one church.

I don't think people stopped going to church because they church didn't call them when they were absent. Yes, they were absent. No, they weren't called. But most people take responsibility for their own actions. The members of the church didn't tell them to stay home. Absent people made that decision on their own. They know they shouldn't need someone calling them week after week to get them to come back. People don't want to be the reason so many members can't reach people who really need to be in church. They know that the efforts to get them back in church will keep people from being able to reach the unchurched.

Most people understand that they don't need to be made special to attend church. They may not have been welcomed when they first arrived. The church may have an unfriendly vibe but that doesn't mean that it is the only church in town. They could easily go somewhere else.

That's also the story of hearing a boring preacher. So, this one is boring. There must be one down the street who isn't. It is only a matter of time and visiting new churches that will lead them to the right one.

No, I don't think it is any of these "reasons" even though some of the non-attenders may claim these are the reasons. I believe the most common reasons are:

They haven't made a connection in a church yet. People need friends who will encourage them. They won't find them in every church. Sometimes they give up before they find people they can make connections with.

Many people are afraid to attend a church because they don't know what to do. It seems that everyone else knows when to stand and sit but they don't. Everyone else knows how and when to respond. They just don't want to be embarrassed.

Some people have no reason to attend church. They may say that they are Christians but that goes along with being patriotic. They can spout off their political views, their patriotic views and even touch on some faith just as well in their local bar. Why go to church when the bar is a whole lot more fun?

There are some people who are busy on Sundays. They genuinely have to work or have worked right up to Sunday morning. Sundays are not protected days from work like they used to be. They don't even think of coming when they have the opportunity because that is their day off.

My last reason is: It never occurred to them that they needed to be in church. Sure, church is a nice thing to do but it is never necessary. Laying around on Sunday is much easier.

The real reason people need church is to know the Lord. They can come to know Him without the church but they need others to stimulate them to grow in the Lord. They may know Him casually but they will never know Him intimately without others who will help them.

They need to know that others are just like them. All believers fail. I had a ten year old tell me this morning that he was not doing everything he was supposed to do as a Christian. He thought that he would be perfect after his initial coming to Christ. I encouraged by telling him that none of us has reached perfection. We are all on this journey together.

People need a reason for practicing their faith. Their relationship with the Lord grows more solid as they encourage others. Church is a wonderful place to help others along in their faith.

People need church because the church offers something the world can never offer them: Peace. It is offered because it comes from a living Lord who gives it to them.

Church also offers people rescue. Who will take your troubles to the throne room of God if not for the church. God is always where your help comes from. The prayers of others will help bring you there.

There are lots of reasons people aren't in church. There is probably someone you know that isn't attending church right now. Maybe you need to get beyond their excuses and listen to them. Maybe you should invite them. Caring people make a difference.

Hebrews 3:12–14 (NASB 2020) 12 Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we keep the beginning of our commitment firm until the end,

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Let Us Be One

March 25, 2024

Monday

We are an extremely divided nation that continues to separate itself from others. Maybe that comes from the redistricting of voting areas that allow politicians to ignore what the other side says. Maybe that comes from people believing anyone different from them is evil. Maybe that comes from a disconnected people who can't have conversations face-to-face anymore. Maybe that comes from isolating oneself from hearing both sides of every story. Surely, social media, news stations and clustering in homogenous groups haven't helped.

Even the church is divided. The United Methodist recently had a split. The Southern Baptist are always having splits. Even individual churches have splits because people can't seem to get along with each other. The last time we were on the same page was right after 9/11 and that didn't last that long.

At least the church should know who our common enemy is. We should, but somehow we act as if our common enemy is each other. Truthfully, the stakes are too high for us to fight with one another when Satan is enjoying his victories. Sure, churches can grow by rallying all those of a certain political view but that does not bring one person into the kingdom. Satan doesn't care how big our churches are as long as we are only baptizing our own children and those who agree with us politically. As long as we aren't making disciples, he is as pleased as punch.

The only unifying factor must be Jesus. We must turn our eyes away from each other and focus our eyes on Jesus. We need to love Him in complete obedience. We need to realize that each political party needs Jesus. We need to realize that many of the things we are fighting about in our churches are not essential to accomplish our mandate of making disciples. We need to repent of losing the vision God has given us. We need to be sensitive to those who do not know Jesus rather than being critical of them. We must break down the barriers of race and music and whether or not we wear robes or worship in Levis that we claim makes us special before God. We should see every person as one whom Jesus died for.

Then, with our eyes on Jesus, I think we could be one. Frankly, I don't see another solution.

John 17:11 (NASB 2020)11 I am no longer going to be in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are.


Saturday, March 23, 2024

My Prayer for the Church

 March 24, 2024

Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday. It begins Holy Week before Easter. The most detail we have of Jesus' life is found in His last week before the resurrection. At one time, people would prepare to attend church on Easter Sunday. We were shut down in 2020 for Easter due to COVID mandates. I came to the church and found a policeman sitting in his vehicle. I wondered if he was making sure we didn't meet. Maybe people understood that Easter wasn't that important after all. They sat at home, believing that safety was more important than worship. They found that they had neither.

Complete safety is an elusive dream on this earth. Companies will tell us that "your safety is most important to us." Really? If that was true of the airlines they wouldn't fly. If that were true of car manufacturers, they wouldn't make and sell cars. Why not tell the truth? "Making a profit is most important to us. Your safety can help us do that." 

Can I say that someone in the will of God is safe? No, absolutely not when you consider safety to be no injury, pain or death. Many people in God's will gave their lives for their Lord. They were hanged, burned, beheaded, stoned imprisoned, tortured and a host of other things I'm sure I have never heard of. They walked with God regardless of the consequences.

Many Christians will say that worship is not so important that we should die for it. Believers in other parts of the world thought that it was. People have been executed for worship in the Soviet Union, China and in other parts of the world where Christianity is considered an abomination. These people met in secret until they were caught. They continued to proclaim Christ no matter the consequences. Their testimonies cost them their lives.

Maybe we don't appreciate worship because it costs us too little. It only takes a bit of time and all we do is tip the church out of our pocket cash. This gives us the right to complain. Our favorite songs weren't sung, the preacher wasn't entertaining and it was too cold in the sanctuary. Unfortunately people are looking at church attendance as a sacrifice rather than a privilege.

I hope that this is not what it is for you. I hope that you are or will be in church today. I hope that you will hear God speak to you. I hope that you will know the depth of His love for you. I hope that your attention is on Him and not on yourself. I hope that you will continue to pray for those who "don't get it." Pray that they will have an awakening with God. Pray that they will realize that He is greater than all they could possess.

Also, would you pray that the church will be the witness the church needs to be. Those in the church will live lives pleasing to the Lord. They will not decide on Sunday morning whether they are going to church. Pray that they realize that there is something immense missing in their lives. I pray the church can become one with Christ.

And pray for yourself. I pray for myself. I pray that I will let nothing stand between me and God. I pray that even my safety will take a back seat to His will.

John 17:20–21 (NASB 2020) 20 “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, 21 that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.


Friday, March 22, 2024

One Thing to Get Right Today

 March 23, 2024

Saturday

Physicists have been searching for one theory that ties all the other theories together. This is called "String" or the "Unified" theory. They haven't found it yet, but they are still hopeful. What if you could find one thing that you could do that would put everything else in its proper perspective? Would you want to know what that is?

Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. It is the first and the foremost commandment. The amazing thing is that when you get this one right all the other things are also right. If you love God first, then your dealings with other people will be right too. You will love your family like you should. You will work at your job like you should. You will treat everyone like you should. It won't keep you from having tough times but it will put those tough times in their proper perspective.

So, the one thing that I want to do today is to love God like no one else. I will know I have that right when I treat others like I should. I will know when I am not so full of worry when things don't go so well. I will know when I am not so full of myself when I actually get something right.

Now, if this was easy, everyone would do it. The world has a way of crowding out God. When we don't make sure that we love God above all else, other things take His place. This is the source of our disappointments. Making money may provide a temporary thrill but it will eventually mean nothing. Physical pleasures and our names in lights will do the same thing. Most of the very famous people I have met didn't care about being famous. They had been famous for so long that they were tired of it.

Those that love God with all their hearts and souls and minds never reach a level of saying there is nothing more. They walk closer to God each day and want to walk closer to Him even more. They obey Him so that they express their love with each passing day. They confess quickly when they sin because they love God so much that they want to continue in fellowship with Him.

Yes, this is the one thing you must get right today. If you do, it will be a great day!

And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heartand with all your souland with all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:37, NASB 2020)