Stormy Days

There are times when no one else knows the depth of pain, discomfort, and emptiness that we feel inside.  At times the path seems so lonely and it can be so long.  Having a firm grip on troubling circumstances sure feels comforting and yet contrary to what God wants us to experience.  I believe with all my heart that God wants to bring a calm assurance to us and that regardless of the storm in our lives He will provide the grace to see us through.  The longer I live and grow in Christ, the more I understand that my wanting to be in control robs God of being the One He wants to be to us.  He wants to be our strength, joy, confidence, rock, shield, and deliverer in the very time of need.  My limited grip of the circumstances can not compare to resting in the palm of His hand.  Why would I be so foolish to desire any other security in this life?

I was just reading Psalm 84:11, "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."  At times, all I can see is the storm and the crashing waves when I need to see God!  The more I understand Him and His ways through Scripture the more I wonder why I ever wanted a good grip on the circumstances myself.  The greatest blessings come to those who are walking with God and trusting Him in difficult times.  There is a peace that comes in the midst of the most troubling storms of life that we can not explain.  Jesus Christ wants you to have peace and confidence in Him today.  Might we consider transferring our grip to His full control?

Enjoy walking in the confidence that He brings!

Pastor Gary

Daily Planning

It has been almost seven weeks since I've started my sabbatical and I thank the church and its leadership for granting me this refreshing time.  I've been working on a great deal of school work since I've started and I have spent some precious time with my family.  I am bringing to completion my current doctoral seminar and hope to work on the completion of my ordination with the Free Church before returning.  This will mean writing another twenty pages to be added to my doctrinal statement.

In the midst of all my planning each day to juggle all the things I see as important, I regularly ask myself, "why am I here"?  The easy answer is to say "to glorify God" and that would be correct but how do I glorify Him.  Most Christians live a very inward focused life and spend almost all of their time time around only Christians, perhaps signing up for another Bible study group or discussing the value of theology.  The greatest theology Jesus Christ asks us to share is called the Gospel, found in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).  When was the last time we verbally shared the Gospel (that Jesus Christ died and rose again to forgive sinners) with another person.  The reason I ask is because this is living out our theology.  Jesus Christ clearly tells believers what their lives ought to be immersed with.  We often pray for the lost but do we share the Gospel with the lost--I mean ourselves and not a missionary or a pastor?  We can live moral lives and feel good about ourselves but I don't believe God feels as good about us as we do ourselves especially if we don't share His plan of redemption.  Plain and simple, when was the last time we told a lost person about the One who came to save their soul from Hell?  Is it part of our daily practice or planning?  Wouldn't it be great if we were obsessed with  sharing this Good News to the point that we awoke each day with our day built around this mission.  Imagine what our churches would look like if we not only believed the Gospel but SHARED the Gospel???  WOW!

Each day I strive to spend time with God first, reading His Word, and praying through my prayer journal which serves as a great start.  I am personally working harder each day to bring the Gospel to each person I connect with because they are not coming to me to hear the Gospel--besides, Christ told me to go and tell and not for others to come and listen.  I don't want to fulfill the Great Omission, NOT sharing my faith.  This is the largest job we have been commissioned to do.  One characteristic of inward focused churches is that the programming serves only us which leads to declining churches. The church has neglected its calling and we are the church.  Sometimes we allow ourselves to be busy just going to church but we need to be the church to a lost world--share the Gospel.

Genuine Christians who are obedient, according to Scripture, will verbally share the Gospel to a lost and dying world--if they really understand the Gospel!  Let's be careful not to pomp ourselves in how spiritual we are if we are not sharing the greatest, transforming news that Jesus Christ died for sinful man.  Please email me if you would like to share how God is opening doors for you to share the Gospel.  This would encourage me and others as well!

Together for the Gospel,

Pastor Gary

Learning to Pedal with Christ

My church has graciously granted me a sabbatical after ten years of ministry.  The time could not be better as I am working on completing 2500 pages of reading and much writing for a doctoral seminar in just a week.  It has been a refreshing time of prayer, reading the Word of God, and being challenged by many authors without the  daily pressures that ministry can bring. Please know that I am privileged to labor with you and I pray for you all daily--know that I miss you a great deal.

My prayer and hope as a pastor is that as fully devoted disciples of Christ we are exercising obedience, growing in our faith, and sharing the Gospel with the lost in order that God is glorified and pleased with us.  I'm learning more and more that this requires less of me and more of Him.  Jesus Christ wants me to learn the secret of doing ministry with Him and not just for Him.  He wants me to know Him personally and enjoy a sweet relationship in His presence.  I came across this poem recently and I pray that it will serve to strengthen you as it did me.

The Road of Life

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge
keeping track of the things I did wrong,
so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die.
He was out there sort of like a president.
I recognized his picutre when I saw it,
but I really didn't know Him.

But later on when I met Christ,
it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride,
but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ
was in the back helping me pedal.

I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places,
but life has not been the same since.

When I had control, I knew the way.
It was rather boring, but predictable...
It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when he took the lead,
He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains,
and through rocky places at breakneck speeds,
it was all I could do to hang on!
Even though it looked like madness,
He said, "Pedal!"

I worried and was anxious and asked,
"Where are you taking me?"
He laughed and didn't answer,
and I started to learn to trust.

I forgot my boring life
and entered into the adventure.
And when I'd say, "I'm scared,"
He'd lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed,
gifts of healing acceptance and joy.
They gave me gifts to take on my journey,
my Lord's and mine.

And we were off again.
He said, "Give the gifts away;
They're extra baggage, too much weight."
So I did, to the people we met,
and I found that in giving I received,
and still our burden was light.
I did not trust him at first,
in control of my life.
I thought He'd wreck it;
but he knows the best secrets,
knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,
knows how to jump to clear high rocks,
knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.

And I'm learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places,
and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face
with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.
And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore,
He just smiles and says. . . "Pedal"         (Author Unknown)

Prayer:  Dear God, give me the grace to pedal on and to trust you more with my future knowing that you always have my BEST interest at heart.  I'm thankful that you are my God and King!

Secret Strength

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ challenged His disciples, "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Mt. 6:6).  Are we to take this literally?  During seminary at Moody, the dormitory that I'd stay in had several prayer closets in the bottom of the dorm to go and pray.  It had a small bench, a ledge for a Bible, and a light inside.  I would see the light on late into the night hours at times.  I had never had a specific quiet place where I spent time with the Father but really loved the idea. 

Jesus Christ  would visit the garden of Gethsemane on multiple times during His life, which was just East of Jerusalem at the base of the Mount of Olives, to spend time with His Father.  It was a place of quietness with little or no disturbances.  It was a place where Christ was refreshed and He shared His heart's desires with God the Father.  It was a place where Christ returned with understanding and peace that only comes from spending time with the Father.  Christ's prayer ministry was essential for daily strength and He made it a priority to happen in the midst of His busy schedule.  Jesus Christ conveyed to His followers the importance of having one-on-one time with the Father.  I believe the intent of the passage is that prayer is not a production to be seen of man.  In the stillness and quietness of the soul, God's Holy Spirit who dwells within us allows us to commune with God the Father.  He petitions God for us when we have nothing to say and don't even know how to say it (Romans 8:26).  Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God as an advocate for us and he petitions the Father on our behalf when we pray (1 John 2:1).

I certainly believe in praying everywhere, all the time, and for all matters (1 Thess. 5:17).  However, God desires so much more than our windshield time behind the steering wheel of the car.  I believe, according to the New Testament, that God welcomes and desires corporate prayer.  The question remains, "what does my personal prayer time look like with God?".  Is it something that I prize, value, and look forward to?  Or, is it more of a chore and something I hope I can remember in order to sooth my conscience?  Could that prayer time be wrapped up in three prayers a day prior to the three meals that would be eaten?  Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still my soul and know that I am God,...".  The tendency is to maximize life, make the most of every hour, and not skip a beat.  We tend to squeeze in the most important things and people to us.  The tragedy is that my life can be void of true life because I fail to spend time in my secret garden (wherever that may be for you) with Him.  

God wants to answer us but we may not be spending time to share our hearts with Him in order for Him to bring the comfort and answer He wants us to hear.  Might we need to find a secret garden to spend more alone time with Him???

Inconvenient Service

Christ's perspective on serving may be a little different than what we would care to admit.  We often serve when it is convenient for us and when we can reap some benefit.  It usually has to fit our own schedule to even be considered.  However, Jesus Christ epitomized what it meant to to be a servant by surrendering His privileges to take upon Himself the form of a servant to the point of punishment on the cross.  He demonstrated the depth of His love by washing His disciples' feet as an example of true greatness.  He encouraged His followers with these words, "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10: 43-45).  True servants, according to Scripture, have others in mind before their own comfort.  Ouch!!!  In fact, the words servant and slave are used interchangeably in conveying the idea of the humility tied to service.

I write today's blog with a somewhat heavy heart.  It was not long ago that I had conversations with an individual who was very concerned about the authority they ought to have in a position compared to how they could be more effective in their serving.  In the Sermon on the Mount, the heart attitude was key to the act of service and how we relate to others (Mt. 5).  Too often (along with Christ's disciples) we can forget why we are called to serve and how we are to serve.  It is not to exercise authority, to be recognized, to be praised, or fill a void in our own lives.  Too often, because our own motives and desires get in the way we can become obstacles to service ever happening.  Believers can even sow seeds of discord in order to get their way when it comes to service.  I suppose it could be viewed as, "service on my terms only and if it makes sense to me".   However, Christ's idea was that His followers understand that Kingdom living  places others first in our thoughts and actions.   A good litmus test to test our hearts when it comes to service is can we serve if we are never acknowledged or if things don't go our way.  The disciples lost sight of the love and unity amongst themselves that should have existed while doing Christ's work.  Christ demonstrated through His own example that His kind of service forgets about what is due us as a result of our service.

It is through the lens of Christ's sacrifice on the cross that we can understand where we belong when ministering to others.  His sacrifice helps us to understand that everything begins with a selfless heart attitude for the sake of the advancement of His greater work.  John said it well in John 3:30, "He must increase but I must decrease."

Too often I've heard it said, "You don't have to go to church to be a Christian".  Indeed, I would agree.  However, if we understand Scripture we would also understand that Christians go to church (Hebrews 10:25).  The institution that God has chosen to work through today is the local church.  Christ gave of Himself to die on the cross for His bride, the church.  Jesus Christ prizes the church, works through the church, and is coming again for His church.  He has challenged the church to permeate the world with the saving Gospel message in order that God would be glorified.  Praise the Lord that when Christ left this earth to be with the Father that He sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and to empower us each and every day to live out our Christian life and to be able to share this redeeming message. I'm aware that the church is filled with imperfect  people (sinners, fallen short of the glory of God) who are on a journey towards taking on the image of Christ.  I also understand that some are a poor testimony to Christ and His church.  However, I'm resolute to prize the very thing that Christ died for, to esteem it, and to give myself freely to advance Christ's church.

What an amazing thought that we as Christians are a representation of the holiness of God to those we come into contact with.  It poses the question, "Do others really see Jesus Christ in us"?  The church needs to be Gospel centric in everything we do.  The Gospel is our mission each and every day.  Yet, how well do others see the church in a positive light through us?  

In the book of James, he challenges believers not to be "foolish"--or literally a hollow person, believing that by claiming to be a Christian is sufficient (James 2:20, "You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?").  Depth of Christian character and authenticity in our daily living will revolutionize the world.  I want to be the church in my community and not only attend the church in my community.  My claims of Christianity do so little apart from genuine, loving action.  My days are certainly numbered--as are yours.  I'm learning to pray as the psalmist, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).  One day we will no longer be able to labor for Christ but will have to answer for our lack of work on earth for Him.  I pray that I would live "to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:12).

LET'S BE THE CHURCH TOGETHER AND MAKE THE GOSPEL KNOWN!

Stepping into the Deep with Christ

I believe God's idea of completely trusting Him may look different than what we have in mind at times.  My desire is to be used by God in great ways that point other people to Him.   I want the great things in my life that God speaks about in His Word but I know it demands a faith that completely trusts Him for who He is. Sadly enough, I drop the ball at times.

I must admit that I often calculate the risks and try to avoid disaster, after all, the entire book of Proverbs speaks about the truly wise man pursues (chases) wisdom.  However, true wisdom understands that God is sovereign and that He is in control of the smallest of details (Psalm 139:1-6; Proverbs 1:7).  What about when we are called to follow Christ in ways that may make no sense to us yet it is God's plan for us.  Are we willing to trust enough in Him during those times to take Him at His word and cling to His promises?  The joy of seeing God at work in our lives may never take place if we refuse to step out into the deep and into the places we can't control. This could be areas such as service, vocation, daily obedience, tithing, honoring our spouses, or witnessing.  I suppose that is why Scripture tells us that Christians are to "walk by faith not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  Faith in Him is essential in order to please Him.  Just because we cannot quantify something on a chart does not mean that God is not in the equation.  The greatest blessings in life often occur when we fully open our sails and hold the rudder loosely in order for God to direct our steps according to His desires.  I'm convinced that when we work to manipulate circumstances to rest in our favor that it is often to our own demise.  Simple faith in God alone allows us to go further with confidence and offers a peace that is unknown to those who do not know God.  I've come to believe that it is often our comfy lifestyles that we all desire that serves more to distract us from trusting in God's provision and direction.  One of my favorite verses is found in Psalm 20:7, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

Do I really need a Plan B if I truly know that Plan A (God's Plan) is best and adequate?

SONG:  Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus  

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,  Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,  Just to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!  O for grace to trust Him more!