Ephesians 5:15-17 Part 4
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (ESV) Eph. 5:15-17
"Not as unwise but as wise,"
As we examine ourselves it is wisdom we must seek in our walk. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. Do we fear Him.
The fear of the Lord is often a tough concept for believers. Surrounded and sealed by the love of God they struggle with the idea of fearing Him. But fear cn be a healthy hing. We need to remember God's judgement and wrath and much as we remember His grace and lovingkindness. One is meaninless without he other. We must never lose the awe and fear of the Lord because if and when we do we weaken the effects of grace in our lives and blunt our gratitude.
We also lose the aility to have a real and tangible hope of heaven when we forget hell. Yes, we are saved from hell and for heaven but they both have to stay in our minds and hearts for us to be whole in our thinking.
The wisdom we must have is well described by James in James 3:17
"The wisdom from above is furst pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocracy."
This is the criteria for wise self-examination.
The Psalmist writes, "So teach us to number our days. That we may present to You a heart of wisdom." Psa. 90:12
Solomon admonishes us, "The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way. But the foolishness of fools is a dedeit." Prov. 14:8
We need desperately to be willing for God to shine His light into all the cracks and crannies of our lives and to show us the dust-bunny sins we so easily overlook.
This is not an examination for condemnation but rather an oepn hearted willingness to see our deep need for Christ's continued redemption of our lives.
We hear calls today for a revival in the church but the a revival in the whole is dependent upn a revival in the parts. It is personal revival, individual revival that must take place. We must reclaim and re commit to our fist love and to the Lordship of Christ (which of course means our servanthood as well0. It is my revival and your revival that must happen and not some quirky general enthusiasm in the body that we are in need of.
Wisely and pryerfully consider your walk. Is it straight? Does is seek to glorify and honor Him. Is it a grateful walk? Is it a dependent walk? A wise man knows it is not as straight, honoring, grateful of deppendent as it can be if we but give it due ans prayerful consideration.
Monday, August 3, 2015
Monday, July 27, 2015
Eph. 5 Part 3
Ephesians 5:15-17 Part 3
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (ESV) Eph. 5:15-17
"Look carefully then how you walk . . . ."
We have lost the art of self-examination. We have ignored, except when it is "in our face," the motivation and desire to look deeply and seriously at our lives in the light of the Gospel. We have neglected one of the most critical disciplines of the Christian walk.
Not much else needs to be said, does it? When was the last time you called out to God to examine your heart and show you if (if?) there is any wicked way in you? When was the last time you really sat and challenged your activities, priorities and pastimes in light of God's call to live holy lives? When was the last time you earnestly sought to mortify (kill) the sin that still abides in each of us?
It is so much easier to look at the "evil" around us and be consumed by it and its growing effect on our world. It is so much easier to examine outside than it is to examine inside. It is so much easier to just go with the flow than to fight the current for His sake. It is easier to just rely upon His cross and not bear our own.
It's plain why this is a problem for us. If we were to really examine our walk, we would clearly see how we are caught up in the world and the concerns of the world over and above the priorities of heaven. I know that when this self-examination happens, I feel a compulsion to radically alter my lifestyle and life habits. And yet, I find that I resist that urge because I don't want to be weird or radical or appear to be nutz.
We want to "fit in" and fitting in demands that we stay just on the fringes of the Biblical mandate to live holy lives. If we commit - really commit - then we are going to find that we are outside the flock as it exists today. We are going to find that we are anachronisms and oddities.
We walk, too often, in those sins that seem little. They are sins of preference. We would rather watch TV than read the Bible. We'd rather nap than pray. We'd rather smile and wink than boldly state and hold to any unpopular biblical position.
They are sins of preference - preference evidenced by our choices. We spend 40 hours (at least) at work and 2 to three hours at church. We pour our energy into causes instead of Christ. We worry more about acquiring and keeping than maturing in Christ. We are more of the world than we are willing to admit.
So self-examination is something we either avoid or only pursue as long as it's comfortable. Yet we cannot avoid the Biblical mandate of self-examination. But not just self-examination. Self-examination will bring conviction, and conviction must result in repentance, and repentance is by its very nature change. And change we must for the sake of His honor and glory and the sake of our souls and sanity.
What are your priorities and preferences? How many of them are God honoring and conducive to your being conformed more to His likeness? How many of them would you dare seek to justify before God (and not just other people)? How many of them are wise (God fearing)?
The monistic movement was certainly an attempt to get out of the world and away from its temptations. But, it was also a means to commit one’s self to Christ, move out of the herd and live among a community that was clear in its purpose and commitment. No, I am not advocating a return to a cloistered monastic lifestyle living behind high walls of stone avoiding the world.
But I am advocating that we examine ourselves and have the courage to change as the Spirit and the Word direct us to change. As far as the world goes, we will be odd anachronisms and irritants. But as far as the Kingdom goes, we will be brightly burning candles providing light, heat and guidance to a dark, cold and lost world.
We are to be "in" the world and not "of" the world. How much "of" the world is your walk, your lifestyle? I don't have to look very deeply to see that my walk is far, far too much "of." Are you willing to look - to examine - to see and to change?
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (ESV) Eph. 5:15-17
"Look carefully then how you walk . . . ."
We have lost the art of self-examination. We have ignored, except when it is "in our face," the motivation and desire to look deeply and seriously at our lives in the light of the Gospel. We have neglected one of the most critical disciplines of the Christian walk.
Not much else needs to be said, does it? When was the last time you called out to God to examine your heart and show you if (if?) there is any wicked way in you? When was the last time you really sat and challenged your activities, priorities and pastimes in light of God's call to live holy lives? When was the last time you earnestly sought to mortify (kill) the sin that still abides in each of us?
It is so much easier to look at the "evil" around us and be consumed by it and its growing effect on our world. It is so much easier to examine outside than it is to examine inside. It is so much easier to just go with the flow than to fight the current for His sake. It is easier to just rely upon His cross and not bear our own.
It's plain why this is a problem for us. If we were to really examine our walk, we would clearly see how we are caught up in the world and the concerns of the world over and above the priorities of heaven. I know that when this self-examination happens, I feel a compulsion to radically alter my lifestyle and life habits. And yet, I find that I resist that urge because I don't want to be weird or radical or appear to be nutz.
We want to "fit in" and fitting in demands that we stay just on the fringes of the Biblical mandate to live holy lives. If we commit - really commit - then we are going to find that we are outside the flock as it exists today. We are going to find that we are anachronisms and oddities.
We walk, too often, in those sins that seem little. They are sins of preference. We would rather watch TV than read the Bible. We'd rather nap than pray. We'd rather smile and wink than boldly state and hold to any unpopular biblical position.
They are sins of preference - preference evidenced by our choices. We spend 40 hours (at least) at work and 2 to three hours at church. We pour our energy into causes instead of Christ. We worry more about acquiring and keeping than maturing in Christ. We are more of the world than we are willing to admit.
So self-examination is something we either avoid or only pursue as long as it's comfortable. Yet we cannot avoid the Biblical mandate of self-examination. But not just self-examination. Self-examination will bring conviction, and conviction must result in repentance, and repentance is by its very nature change. And change we must for the sake of His honor and glory and the sake of our souls and sanity.
What are your priorities and preferences? How many of them are God honoring and conducive to your being conformed more to His likeness? How many of them would you dare seek to justify before God (and not just other people)? How many of them are wise (God fearing)?
The monistic movement was certainly an attempt to get out of the world and away from its temptations. But, it was also a means to commit one’s self to Christ, move out of the herd and live among a community that was clear in its purpose and commitment. No, I am not advocating a return to a cloistered monastic lifestyle living behind high walls of stone avoiding the world.
But I am advocating that we examine ourselves and have the courage to change as the Spirit and the Word direct us to change. As far as the world goes, we will be odd anachronisms and irritants. But as far as the Kingdom goes, we will be brightly burning candles providing light, heat and guidance to a dark, cold and lost world.
We are to be "in" the world and not "of" the world. How much "of" the world is your walk, your lifestyle? I don't have to look very deeply to see that my walk is far, far too much "of." Are you willing to look - to examine - to see and to change?
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Eph. 5 Part 2
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (ESV) Eph. 5:15-17
I have not been able to get this passage out of my head lately and I believe there is good reason. It seems to me that these verses set critical boundaries and expectations that the believer needs to take seriously in these troubled times.
What stands out to me is the admonition to make the best use of our time BECAUSE the days are evil.
Now the days have been evil ever since Paul penned those words (and before he penned them as well). We need to KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE this critical truth. The days have been, are and will be evil, THEREFORE, we must make the best use of our time. So, the questions are,
Are we making the best use of our time?
What wastes our time?
What distracts us from the "main things" of the faith?
What should be filling our time?
What should NOT be filling our time.
These are just a few of the questions that are raised in my mind and laid on my heart when I think on this passage. I don't mean they are laid on my heart for you as much as they are laid on my heart for me. It's just tooooooo easy to allow other things to crowd out or overwhelm what we should be about most of the time.
We have to remember that we are called to holiness - individual - depending on the Holy Spirit - holiness. It's not just a Sunday thing or a "part of the day" thing but a 24/7/365/12 thing. WE are to be being conformed to the likeness of Christ and we are to be being transformed by the renewing of our minds, in which we are passive. We are to be actively and diligently involved in those activities and practices that are conducive to the conforming and transforming we are called to see and allow and have in our lives.
If anything is to pre-occupy us, it should be Christ and His claim/call on the entirety of our lives. There is no weekend in the faith and there are no vacations - no time-outs! We are to be His all the time, everywhere.
If we are to be obsessed with anything, it should be the faith and our faithfulness. There is no place in our hearts and lives for anything else - at least there shouldn't be. Why do we not understand that when Paul talks about "suffering the loss of all things for Christ, he is setting an example for each of us? Why do we so conveniently fail to follow Paul as he follows Christ? Though none of us have been called to fulfill the same role that Paul and other apostles were to fulfill, we ARE all called to serve and demonstrate the same faithfulness and diligence that they did. We are all to consider "junk" anything that distracts us from the MAIN thing, which is a plain thing.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me." Really? Really? Are He and His Way the central issues in our lives? They're not in mine. I have to confess I struggle with all the distractions but I struggle most with this idea/attitude in the church that we are entitled to things other than being conformed to the likeness of His Son.
WE are all caught up in our culture and its permissions and priorities. We have to pray for a convicted heart and repentance. We have lost the primacy of being in and not of the world and I fear it will cost us much in the days to come. I fear it has led many to think they are of the faith who are mere pretenders. I fear it has led many believers far from the faithfulness they need to have in their lives. I fear it has caused the Church to be maligned among the Gentiles. I fear that we have marginalized Christ and His call on our lives - pushing Him into a little neat box where He causes us the least distress and discomfort.
What do you think?
I have not been able to get this passage out of my head lately and I believe there is good reason. It seems to me that these verses set critical boundaries and expectations that the believer needs to take seriously in these troubled times.
What stands out to me is the admonition to make the best use of our time BECAUSE the days are evil.
Now the days have been evil ever since Paul penned those words (and before he penned them as well). We need to KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE this critical truth. The days have been, are and will be evil, THEREFORE, we must make the best use of our time. So, the questions are,
Are we making the best use of our time?
What wastes our time?
What distracts us from the "main things" of the faith?
What should be filling our time?
What should NOT be filling our time.
These are just a few of the questions that are raised in my mind and laid on my heart when I think on this passage. I don't mean they are laid on my heart for you as much as they are laid on my heart for me. It's just tooooooo easy to allow other things to crowd out or overwhelm what we should be about most of the time.
We have to remember that we are called to holiness - individual - depending on the Holy Spirit - holiness. It's not just a Sunday thing or a "part of the day" thing but a 24/7/365/12 thing. WE are to be being conformed to the likeness of Christ and we are to be being transformed by the renewing of our minds, in which we are passive. We are to be actively and diligently involved in those activities and practices that are conducive to the conforming and transforming we are called to see and allow and have in our lives.
If anything is to pre-occupy us, it should be Christ and His claim/call on the entirety of our lives. There is no weekend in the faith and there are no vacations - no time-outs! We are to be His all the time, everywhere.
If we are to be obsessed with anything, it should be the faith and our faithfulness. There is no place in our hearts and lives for anything else - at least there shouldn't be. Why do we not understand that when Paul talks about "suffering the loss of all things for Christ, he is setting an example for each of us? Why do we so conveniently fail to follow Paul as he follows Christ? Though none of us have been called to fulfill the same role that Paul and other apostles were to fulfill, we ARE all called to serve and demonstrate the same faithfulness and diligence that they did. We are all to consider "junk" anything that distracts us from the MAIN thing, which is a plain thing.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me." Really? Really? Are He and His Way the central issues in our lives? They're not in mine. I have to confess I struggle with all the distractions but I struggle most with this idea/attitude in the church that we are entitled to things other than being conformed to the likeness of His Son.
WE are all caught up in our culture and its permissions and priorities. We have to pray for a convicted heart and repentance. We have lost the primacy of being in and not of the world and I fear it will cost us much in the days to come. I fear it has led many to think they are of the faith who are mere pretenders. I fear it has led many believers far from the faithfulness they need to have in their lives. I fear it has caused the Church to be maligned among the Gentiles. I fear that we have marginalized Christ and His call on our lives - pushing Him into a little neat box where He causes us the least distress and discomfort.
What do you think?
Monday, July 13, 2015
1 Peter 4:12&13
I Peter 4:12&13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep rejoicing so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
Most of us are far from "suffering" any but the most mundane and common ordeals. We have to admit that we have it pretty good when it comes to suffering for our faith. I even think we have to admit that a lot of the "suffering" we do experience is more the result of our pride and fears than it is from any sort of oppression.
But take heart, things are changing. I believe we are beginning to see a concerted effort on the part of the godless to oppress, harass and persecute those who hold to a sincere and biblical faith. I don't believe that we will experience the type of persecution our brothers and sisters in China experience but rather we will experience an attempt to shut our faith up within the doors of the church (meeting place) and make it all but impossible for us to make choices contrary to the culture without dire consequences.
It is our religious liberty that is being slowly reduced so that we seem more and more like a small fanatical hateful and ignorant group of people. "They" (meaning Satan and all his little human helpers) want to silence and bind the church in our country. They have no problem with us being believers as long as it's between four walls and not in the marketplace or general culture. They want to isolate and in that way silence us.
Preaching in public will soon subject the preacher to accusations of hate speech and general meanness. There will be little chance for public witnessing or teaching as we see believers being marginalized to a greater and greater extent. All "they" have to do is make the claim that they are offended or somehow distressed by an open exercise or expression of our faith and we can and will be subjected to as great a level of persecution as "they" can possibly achieve.
We have no one but ourselves to thank for this situation. We have been so busy opposing things in the culture that we have failed to preach the Gospel. We have tried to snuggle up to the culture and be its "friend" which has led us to compromise the message into a meaningless jumble of "feel good," and "don't worry, be happy," commercials.
We have allowed false teachers to thrive while we smugly winked at each other. We have failed to call the faithful to holiness. We have even failed to make plain that obedience is the main consequence of belief or that belief can be legitimately called into question.
In short we have tried to accommodate and placate unbelievers into believing. This is a sin from which we must repent and for which we are now paying the price. We have offered "cheap grace" to the world and the world has called us on it. We have tried to "make nice" for so long that we've all but lost the right to call men and women away from the fires of hell and to the Lord's feet. We have "specialized" in opposing certain select sins until we have lost the right to be heard on the one most critical sin, unbelief.
We can "oppose" all kinds of pet sins in our culture but if we are not nailing the one fundamental sin, unbelief, to the wall then we are doing little - very little for the KIngdom and the glory of God..
In "The Christian in Complete Armor," William Gurnall makes the critical point that men and women will not be sent to hell for the numerous individual sins they have committed. They will be sent to hell because they do not believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and Lord of all. It is unbelief that we have failed to address directly and powerfully. We have failed to present a holy God who has the right, the obligation, to sit in judgment of His creation. We have been so busy addressing sinful issues we have failed to address the core sin, unbelief.
And so now we are reaping what we have sown, the results of a cheap gospel with cheap grace that only applies to our pet issues. We have so diluted the message of the cross that men will not have the true message of the cross preached anywhere but the confines of the "church."
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep rejoicing so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
Most of us are far from "suffering" any but the most mundane and common ordeals. We have to admit that we have it pretty good when it comes to suffering for our faith. I even think we have to admit that a lot of the "suffering" we do experience is more the result of our pride and fears than it is from any sort of oppression.
But take heart, things are changing. I believe we are beginning to see a concerted effort on the part of the godless to oppress, harass and persecute those who hold to a sincere and biblical faith. I don't believe that we will experience the type of persecution our brothers and sisters in China experience but rather we will experience an attempt to shut our faith up within the doors of the church (meeting place) and make it all but impossible for us to make choices contrary to the culture without dire consequences.
It is our religious liberty that is being slowly reduced so that we seem more and more like a small fanatical hateful and ignorant group of people. "They" (meaning Satan and all his little human helpers) want to silence and bind the church in our country. They have no problem with us being believers as long as it's between four walls and not in the marketplace or general culture. They want to isolate and in that way silence us.
Preaching in public will soon subject the preacher to accusations of hate speech and general meanness. There will be little chance for public witnessing or teaching as we see believers being marginalized to a greater and greater extent. All "they" have to do is make the claim that they are offended or somehow distressed by an open exercise or expression of our faith and we can and will be subjected to as great a level of persecution as "they" can possibly achieve.
We have no one but ourselves to thank for this situation. We have been so busy opposing things in the culture that we have failed to preach the Gospel. We have tried to snuggle up to the culture and be its "friend" which has led us to compromise the message into a meaningless jumble of "feel good," and "don't worry, be happy," commercials.
We have allowed false teachers to thrive while we smugly winked at each other. We have failed to call the faithful to holiness. We have even failed to make plain that obedience is the main consequence of belief or that belief can be legitimately called into question.
In short we have tried to accommodate and placate unbelievers into believing. This is a sin from which we must repent and for which we are now paying the price. We have offered "cheap grace" to the world and the world has called us on it. We have tried to "make nice" for so long that we've all but lost the right to call men and women away from the fires of hell and to the Lord's feet. We have "specialized" in opposing certain select sins until we have lost the right to be heard on the one most critical sin, unbelief.
We can "oppose" all kinds of pet sins in our culture but if we are not nailing the one fundamental sin, unbelief, to the wall then we are doing little - very little for the KIngdom and the glory of God..
In "The Christian in Complete Armor," William Gurnall makes the critical point that men and women will not be sent to hell for the numerous individual sins they have committed. They will be sent to hell because they do not believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and Lord of all. It is unbelief that we have failed to address directly and powerfully. We have failed to present a holy God who has the right, the obligation, to sit in judgment of His creation. We have been so busy addressing sinful issues we have failed to address the core sin, unbelief.
And so now we are reaping what we have sown, the results of a cheap gospel with cheap grace that only applies to our pet issues. We have so diluted the message of the cross that men will not have the true message of the cross preached anywhere but the confines of the "church."
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Missing the Point?
July 7, 2015
Midland, Texas
It is obvious to all of us that our country, our culture has moved into a sin spiral the likes of which we have never seen before. Romans 1 stands out as do many other passages as warnings and harbingers of where we are and where we are going.
What concerns me is that there seems to be, among many believers and especially those who are of some note and reputation, a greater concern of the policy and politics than for the individual holiness God calls us to. It seems that the battle is misplaced, at least to me. Where many seek to "reclaim" America for Christ they ignore the primary mandate to be holy as God is holy. We, I fear, are missing the point!
Though people in our country make a claim to Christ, the country itself was never intended to be a "Christian" nation. Is that not the whole point of the First ammendment. Are we not prohibited from establishing any religion, even if it is Christan? But that's not my true concern nor my point.
My point is that admidst all the hoopla and fuss over the recent legal and cultrual changes we have experienced we have lost sight of our prime directive. We are to be holy as He is holy. You will find no "cultural mandate" beyond proclaiming the Gospel in all of the New Testment. We are to proclaim HIm and His death and resurrection until He comes again.
I am not, by any means, a theological giant. For me the simplicity of the Good News is critical. But man likes to take the simplicity of the Gospel and twist it into some geo-political, cultrual cause.
As C.S. Lewis notes in the Screwtape Letters we are little satified to simply be Christians. We have a tendency to attach some cause or secondary calling to our faith and we make it the litmus test for believers. Whether it's abortiion, education, gay marriage or gun control somehow we raise these issues to a level they little deserve or meriit. We make them a criteria by which we measure the health and viability of the faith. We do this both on an individual and collective level.
I am tired of srmons dealing with "issues" when I should be hearing sermons on the Gospel. I am tired of this misdirected war against a sinful culture when we should be fighting the sin that lies within us. I am tired of "causes" being hung on the Gospel like ornaments on a tree.
I am tired of a lack of an expectation of holiness in the individual life and the ife of the church. I am tired of the fear that is growing about persecution and a denial of our religious liberty - especially our iberty of conscience.
When will we e accept that the world hates us? When will we accept tht tribulation and persecution and trials are actually the "norm" of the Christian life? When will we place a greater emphassis on personal holiness than we do on whether or not we fly a Confederate flag?
I know many will take issue and claim that our battle is for the culture - for the country but that is not what we are called to in the Scriptures. I fear that these diversions and additions are draining the energy and resources that are better aimed at proclaiming the Gospel and facilitating the conforming of believers to Christ-likeness.
Am I wrong? I fear we have lost our "first love," and have ceased, as the Body of Christ and individuals, to do the first works, the prime works, the works to which we are called.
Midland, Texas
It is obvious to all of us that our country, our culture has moved into a sin spiral the likes of which we have never seen before. Romans 1 stands out as do many other passages as warnings and harbingers of where we are and where we are going.
What concerns me is that there seems to be, among many believers and especially those who are of some note and reputation, a greater concern of the policy and politics than for the individual holiness God calls us to. It seems that the battle is misplaced, at least to me. Where many seek to "reclaim" America for Christ they ignore the primary mandate to be holy as God is holy. We, I fear, are missing the point!
Though people in our country make a claim to Christ, the country itself was never intended to be a "Christian" nation. Is that not the whole point of the First ammendment. Are we not prohibited from establishing any religion, even if it is Christan? But that's not my true concern nor my point.
My point is that admidst all the hoopla and fuss over the recent legal and cultrual changes we have experienced we have lost sight of our prime directive. We are to be holy as He is holy. You will find no "cultural mandate" beyond proclaiming the Gospel in all of the New Testment. We are to proclaim HIm and His death and resurrection until He comes again.
I am not, by any means, a theological giant. For me the simplicity of the Good News is critical. But man likes to take the simplicity of the Gospel and twist it into some geo-political, cultrual cause.
As C.S. Lewis notes in the Screwtape Letters we are little satified to simply be Christians. We have a tendency to attach some cause or secondary calling to our faith and we make it the litmus test for believers. Whether it's abortiion, education, gay marriage or gun control somehow we raise these issues to a level they little deserve or meriit. We make them a criteria by which we measure the health and viability of the faith. We do this both on an individual and collective level.
I am tired of srmons dealing with "issues" when I should be hearing sermons on the Gospel. I am tired of this misdirected war against a sinful culture when we should be fighting the sin that lies within us. I am tired of "causes" being hung on the Gospel like ornaments on a tree.
I am tired of a lack of an expectation of holiness in the individual life and the ife of the church. I am tired of the fear that is growing about persecution and a denial of our religious liberty - especially our iberty of conscience.
When will we e accept that the world hates us? When will we accept tht tribulation and persecution and trials are actually the "norm" of the Christian life? When will we place a greater emphassis on personal holiness than we do on whether or not we fly a Confederate flag?
I know many will take issue and claim that our battle is for the culture - for the country but that is not what we are called to in the Scriptures. I fear that these diversions and additions are draining the energy and resources that are better aimed at proclaiming the Gospel and facilitating the conforming of believers to Christ-likeness.
Am I wrong? I fear we have lost our "first love," and have ceased, as the Body of Christ and individuals, to do the first works, the prime works, the works to which we are called.
Monday, July 6, 2015
Too long - too dry
Greetings -
I'm wrting, as many of you knw, in Midland, Texas. Patti was called to serve a ministry here last August and we we packed it up and mocved out here. Things are going very well for Pat. She is happy and flourishing in her position and is joyously serving Him in serving them. I am very proud of her and for her.
I, on the other hand, am working a minimum wage type job far below my abilities and skills. It seems that God has a diferent plan for me now and it's tough waiting to see how He willwork things out.
However - apart from missing our "family" back in Greensboro very very much we are doing well and being blessed.
I thought of writing about the "trails" involved in our move but time has numbed many of the aches we went through. What seemed so major at the time has shrunk to a more realistic perspective as time has passed. But none-the-less, our move has not been without its moments.
We have learned a great deal about ourselves and about others as we have worked to settle into Midland. WE have learned many of our strengths and a lot of our weaknesses, /we have earned where we are in need of extra grace and where we have a super-abundance of grace.
WE have also learned how dear our famiy back in Greensboro IS to us and how we never really realized that until now. We have learned, threough the move, that God's people are incredible sources of means and strength and courage in our lives. We have also learned how ti "miss" people in a healthy was, celebrating the connection without getting all morose about the distance between us.
This is my second "start" on the blog from Midland and I hope it is a true start. Last time I startedI found I didn't have anything to say. Hopefully God has taught me things I can share with you as I begin again.
Greetings of all our frinds and famiy out there and we hope to be a blessing to you and be blessed by you in the coming days.
Michael and Patti
I'm wrting, as many of you knw, in Midland, Texas. Patti was called to serve a ministry here last August and we we packed it up and mocved out here. Things are going very well for Pat. She is happy and flourishing in her position and is joyously serving Him in serving them. I am very proud of her and for her.
I, on the other hand, am working a minimum wage type job far below my abilities and skills. It seems that God has a diferent plan for me now and it's tough waiting to see how He willwork things out.
However - apart from missing our "family" back in Greensboro very very much we are doing well and being blessed.
I thought of writing about the "trails" involved in our move but time has numbed many of the aches we went through. What seemed so major at the time has shrunk to a more realistic perspective as time has passed. But none-the-less, our move has not been without its moments.
We have learned a great deal about ourselves and about others as we have worked to settle into Midland. WE have learned many of our strengths and a lot of our weaknesses, /we have earned where we are in need of extra grace and where we have a super-abundance of grace.
WE have also learned how dear our famiy back in Greensboro IS to us and how we never really realized that until now. We have learned, threough the move, that God's people are incredible sources of means and strength and courage in our lives. We have also learned how ti "miss" people in a healthy was, celebrating the connection without getting all morose about the distance between us.
This is my second "start" on the blog from Midland and I hope it is a true start. Last time I startedI found I didn't have anything to say. Hopefully God has taught me things I can share with you as I begin again.
Greetings of all our frinds and famiy out there and we hope to be a blessing to you and be blessed by you in the coming days.
Michael and Patti
Friday, January 2, 2015
A new beginning
Greetings! It's been far too long since I have sat down and banged out a blog and since it is a new year I am making a new start.
First I want to communicate how you can be a bessing to us in this new year. as most of you know the Lord led us to relocate to Midland, TX. Patti was offered a wonderful opportunity with a ministry called China Aid and we both believe that the Lord was and is this. So we pulled up stakes and moved to Midland.
As you can imagine it's tough being in a place that's new and where you have aquaintances but no real friends. Our social circle is really each other right now. It's lonely and at times the home-sickness is overwhelming but we persevere!
You can ray for Patti in her job. It is wonderfu to see her bloom and all the years of those "tough" jobs has really prepared her for working for and with some wonderful people. serving our persecuted brothers and sisters in China. It's an wonderful and worthy work that she is doing and I could not be prouder of her and more grateful to Him.
On my side I am looking for a new job. I have been working with a not-for-profit here in Midland but am growing more disappointed with the job and organization. Of ocurse I know that my past consulting experience influences me a lot but I would not recommend anyone take the position I have. So, trusting Him, I am looking for a new job - a better job that will not be as frustrating and oppresive as the one I have now. Yes, I am trusting Him to keep me here if that is His will but we both suspect that it is not although it did seem like a good opportunity in the beginning.
We are living in a nice little appartment on the back of a house belonging to some wonderful folks and are getting used to life in Midland. Midland by the way is flat and brown and, well, boring and there are at least 5 traffic fatalities a week - fun pace to drive!! Patti was hit on Oct. 1 and her car was totalled so we are praying about how to get another car. Right now, one car is more than enough but not knowing what kind of job I may find we may need a second vehicle - just pray about that for us.
I hope to share with you our journey to Midland. it was a 2 year odessy in which, ooking back, we see the Lord's providence and the love of the Body working to aim us at Midland and then get us here. We are beyond grateful to Him, duhhh< but we are also greatly grateful to all of you who let Him use you to get us here. It is plain that many of you either saw His hand in this and wanted to supprt it of you just wanted to get us out of Greensboro (hahaha). But really we are overwhelmed with gratitiude to all the friends and family who supported, encouraged and admonished us along the way. Thank you all.
Gonna run apply for some jobs - Oh - one kind of selfish thing. I am usiing an android tablet to write and apply for jobs which is kind of awkward. So please pray that I can find a used computer that has windows (not windows 8 ) to faciitate and speed up the process. Keeping my eye on some local pawn shops - all i use the computer for is blogging, email and job application - just simple word processing so it does not have to be very complex computer - just pray - thanks
May God richly belss you in this new year. Thank you all for your prayers, suport and love!
Michael
First I want to communicate how you can be a bessing to us in this new year. as most of you know the Lord led us to relocate to Midland, TX. Patti was offered a wonderful opportunity with a ministry called China Aid and we both believe that the Lord was and is this. So we pulled up stakes and moved to Midland.
As you can imagine it's tough being in a place that's new and where you have aquaintances but no real friends. Our social circle is really each other right now. It's lonely and at times the home-sickness is overwhelming but we persevere!
You can ray for Patti in her job. It is wonderfu to see her bloom and all the years of those "tough" jobs has really prepared her for working for and with some wonderful people. serving our persecuted brothers and sisters in China. It's an wonderful and worthy work that she is doing and I could not be prouder of her and more grateful to Him.
On my side I am looking for a new job. I have been working with a not-for-profit here in Midland but am growing more disappointed with the job and organization. Of ocurse I know that my past consulting experience influences me a lot but I would not recommend anyone take the position I have. So, trusting Him, I am looking for a new job - a better job that will not be as frustrating and oppresive as the one I have now. Yes, I am trusting Him to keep me here if that is His will but we both suspect that it is not although it did seem like a good opportunity in the beginning.
We are living in a nice little appartment on the back of a house belonging to some wonderful folks and are getting used to life in Midland. Midland by the way is flat and brown and, well, boring and there are at least 5 traffic fatalities a week - fun pace to drive!! Patti was hit on Oct. 1 and her car was totalled so we are praying about how to get another car. Right now, one car is more than enough but not knowing what kind of job I may find we may need a second vehicle - just pray about that for us.
I hope to share with you our journey to Midland. it was a 2 year odessy in which, ooking back, we see the Lord's providence and the love of the Body working to aim us at Midland and then get us here. We are beyond grateful to Him, duhhh< but we are also greatly grateful to all of you who let Him use you to get us here. It is plain that many of you either saw His hand in this and wanted to supprt it of you just wanted to get us out of Greensboro (hahaha). But really we are overwhelmed with gratitiude to all the friends and family who supported, encouraged and admonished us along the way. Thank you all.
Gonna run apply for some jobs - Oh - one kind of selfish thing. I am usiing an android tablet to write and apply for jobs which is kind of awkward. So please pray that I can find a used computer that has windows (not windows 8 ) to faciitate and speed up the process. Keeping my eye on some local pawn shops - all i use the computer for is blogging, email and job application - just simple word processing so it does not have to be very complex computer - just pray - thanks
May God richly belss you in this new year. Thank you all for your prayers, suport and love!
Michael
Friday, October 10, 2014
Counting the Costs 101014
Acts of mercy and kindness do not come cheap. This is even more true with acts of grace. You and I, as believers are to exrecise mercy, kindness and grace. But we have to coount the cost.
All too often in a moment (or even longer) of enthusiastic exuberance we commit acts of mercy, kindness and grace just knowling that they will please the Lord. But equally often, when the bill comes due for those acts we begin and regret having done them.
It's not that we shouldn't ever act on a gracious, merciful of kind impulse but that we have to be ready to pay the bill when it comes due.
Now gency is and eemergency and there is not a lot of time to consider and pray when God drops a bomb of need in your proximity. At those times you just trust Him and go for it.
But, when an act of mercy, kindness or grace will entail a long (and two weeks can be a long long time) commitment or a large outlay of resources we are wise if we really prayerfully count the cost. Many good deeds are done badly becasue they wwere ill considered, poorly planned of just not thought out.
There is always more to an act of mercy, kindness or grace than we usually consider. A gift of resources affects all the other resources and needs. If I give you $20 have I really considered the consequences and how I will react to them when I need that $20 and I don't have it? Oh don't kid yurself, it will matter. And that's when resentment and regret can turn a sweet deed into a sour action.
Our acts of mercy, kindness and grace certainly affect those upon whom we bestow them. But they affect us as well. Do we consider that? Do we consider the consequences of our mercy, kindness and grace on our struggling hearts?
All too often I have had to try to help people reconsile over ill considered acts of mercy, kindness or grace. They extend a helping hand and when they realize that their hand is now empty the flesh really goes to town and regret grows into resentment and relationships are spoiled.
Impuses are rarely inspired - trust me on this one! You are vetter off to wait and pray over an act of mercy, kindness or grace than you are just doing it. It will be better done if you consider the consequences and ramifications of those act not just upon the recipient but upon you as well.
Has God given you the means (material, spirituak and emotional) to do the deed and accept the consequences - that is pay the cost? Or have you just responded to some vague spiritual warm fuzzy feeling. Or reacted out of guiilt. Or worse yet have you responded out of pity. AND is the response a considereed one.
When Patti and I worked with John and Theresa Nance at Friend's House we often talked about the cost to us materially, spirituall and emotionally. The demands of the ministry were arduous to say the least. It was draining and costly. But we talked about those consequences often and sure we complained at times but we knew what the csts were and we committed to paying them. Of course we were not on some altruiiststic save the poor homeless guy trip - we were in a war and we knew we were in a war and woundings and loss are the consequences of war - we were willing to be wounded and suffer loss. So when we complained it was not with regret or resentment but with an awarebess that we were getting just what we asked for - we were paying the costs we had counted.
Please - please - please...before you give, offer or provide count the cost you will be asked to pay and count it to the greatest degree you can. Speculate, imagine, dream of what the cost may be BEFORE the bill comes due.
God honors deeds of mercy, kindness and grace - but I believe He rarely honors stupid. And it is just stupid to act rashly and to take ill considered action regardless of the need and the "sense" you have in your heart.
WE need to do good things well and to do so we must plan and pray and cnsider the costs. If we don;t we do things badly in the long run and that honors no one.
I'm just saying . . . . . .
Michael
All too often in a moment (or even longer) of enthusiastic exuberance we commit acts of mercy, kindness and grace just knowling that they will please the Lord. But equally often, when the bill comes due for those acts we begin and regret having done them.
It's not that we shouldn't ever act on a gracious, merciful of kind impulse but that we have to be ready to pay the bill when it comes due.
Now gency is and eemergency and there is not a lot of time to consider and pray when God drops a bomb of need in your proximity. At those times you just trust Him and go for it.
But, when an act of mercy, kindness or grace will entail a long (and two weeks can be a long long time) commitment or a large outlay of resources we are wise if we really prayerfully count the cost. Many good deeds are done badly becasue they wwere ill considered, poorly planned of just not thought out.
There is always more to an act of mercy, kindness or grace than we usually consider. A gift of resources affects all the other resources and needs. If I give you $20 have I really considered the consequences and how I will react to them when I need that $20 and I don't have it? Oh don't kid yurself, it will matter. And that's when resentment and regret can turn a sweet deed into a sour action.
Our acts of mercy, kindness and grace certainly affect those upon whom we bestow them. But they affect us as well. Do we consider that? Do we consider the consequences of our mercy, kindness and grace on our struggling hearts?
All too often I have had to try to help people reconsile over ill considered acts of mercy, kindness or grace. They extend a helping hand and when they realize that their hand is now empty the flesh really goes to town and regret grows into resentment and relationships are spoiled.
Impuses are rarely inspired - trust me on this one! You are vetter off to wait and pray over an act of mercy, kindness or grace than you are just doing it. It will be better done if you consider the consequences and ramifications of those act not just upon the recipient but upon you as well.
Has God given you the means (material, spirituak and emotional) to do the deed and accept the consequences - that is pay the cost? Or have you just responded to some vague spiritual warm fuzzy feeling. Or reacted out of guiilt. Or worse yet have you responded out of pity. AND is the response a considereed one.
When Patti and I worked with John and Theresa Nance at Friend's House we often talked about the cost to us materially, spirituall and emotionally. The demands of the ministry were arduous to say the least. It was draining and costly. But we talked about those consequences often and sure we complained at times but we knew what the csts were and we committed to paying them. Of course we were not on some altruiiststic save the poor homeless guy trip - we were in a war and we knew we were in a war and woundings and loss are the consequences of war - we were willing to be wounded and suffer loss. So when we complained it was not with regret or resentment but with an awarebess that we were getting just what we asked for - we were paying the costs we had counted.
Please - please - please...before you give, offer or provide count the cost you will be asked to pay and count it to the greatest degree you can. Speculate, imagine, dream of what the cost may be BEFORE the bill comes due.
God honors deeds of mercy, kindness and grace - but I believe He rarely honors stupid. And it is just stupid to act rashly and to take ill considered action regardless of the need and the "sense" you have in your heart.
WE need to do good things well and to do so we must plan and pray and cnsider the costs. If we don;t we do things badly in the long run and that honors no one.
I'm just saying . . . . . .
Michael
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Four things to learn Part 2
Four things to learn Part 2 090214
Dependence upon God.
Come on guys, we, as believers KNOW that everything depends upon God. There is very little doubt in our hearts and minds that everything lies in His hands. Right?
So, why do we think and feel and even live as though it didn’t? OK, I’m not proposing we sit around on our hands waiting for Him to get ‘er done. Certainly He graciously has a role for us to play in His providence but we seem to wobble between dependency and independence all too often.
Perhaps it’s an echo of all the expectations we were raised with, the conditional praise and affection we are so used to working for. Perhaps it’s that old monster “significance,” or “value” that we spend so much time chasing.
Regardless of what specific name we give it the root cause is, of course, sin. It’s that dark streak we inherited from Adam and which the world, the flesh and the Devil consistently and constantly affirm as a good thing. So- duhhhh - we need to identify the roots of this in our individual lives and we need to be busy about repenting.
But, how do we build that sense of dependence so that we are less prone to “do our own thing,” and thing we can handle it all?
After a lot of thought I can only come up with one way I believe will help us (help because the Holy Spirit is the real force behind any growth and change we experience).
The key - I think - is prayer. Not the routine kind of payer we’re all encouraged to engage in but constant intentional determined prayer. I have found the it is in prayer that i can connect with my dependence upon God. Bible reading is good, worship is good, works of kindness are good - but it is in real down and dirty prayer that I think we will be strengthened and encouraged and more aware of our dependence upon Him.
The good old Bible question, “what do you have that you have not received,” plays in my mind as I consider my dependence upon God. Of course, the answer is NOTHING and as that is true we need to be working (depending upon the Spirit) to keep that question always in the front of our minds.
We all know the other Bible challenge, “pray without ceasing.” Well there is good reason to put these two statements together and pray.
Consider just one day of your life. What has God blessed you with? How have you seen His hand? If your brakes worked every time you used them; if that chicken sandwich didn’t have some bacteria in it to make you sick or if you passed through a simple trial - He made it possible. So what can we be but grateful and prayerful?
Remember that old song , Count Your Blessings? Ever tried that? No, I don;t mean just enumerating the “biggies” but all of them - even the common and mundane blessings!
I look back over the past two months and sure, I can see some really, really, really big blessings - incredible blessings. But I can also see the common and mundane (mundane to us) blessing. There are so many simple and common blessings that we have enjoyed.
The yard sale is one. Oh how i hated the thought of doing that. I was willing to just to take it all to Goodwill and give it away instead of doing all the stuff a yard sale demands. But you know, I didn;t have to do any of that stuff. All I had to do was get it to the home a our friends who were hosting it and they just took over (thanks Mel).
Instead of an anxious day of yard-selling I was able to relax and enjoy the process as God blessed me with folks who were willing to step into my place and get ‘er done. That to me is a common and mundane blessing that can be easily overlooked. I can be thought of as the efforts of others or myself instead of the blessing it was.
Do you get my point? We need to really work at learning to see the hand of God in everything - both the mundane and the magnificent. As we labor to identify and acknowledge that God is at work in the tremendous and the trivial I think our propensity to independence will diminish.
God is not just God when we are facing something bigger than us. He is God even when we’re faced with something we figure we can handle. Not only is He still God but He is intimately involved as well. I mean really, you think He’s numbered the hairs on your head for fun?
I believe that the remedy we can apply to our propensity towards independence is to pay attention to and enumerate (and give thanks for) all the blessing we experience. Prayer, for me is the place and time to really do this. AND I don’t mean “prayer time,” I mean prayer in the moment - prayer without ceasing. Prayer of thanks when you get that parking place, prayer of thanks when your brakes work, prayer of thanks when you experience a gentle kindness from another.
I’ve committed myself to work on this “prayer without ceasing,” process. I want to be constantly and consistently thinking, “God is in this,” no matter how small or trivial I would otherwise have thought.
In all things give thanks-pray without ceasing - because what do you have that you have not received?
Monday, August 25, 2014
Four Things Part 1 082514
As we cast our eye over it, we observe that what Elijah needed to be taught was (1) dependence on God; (2) fellowship with man in his sufferings; (3) confidence in God’s plans ; and (4) a sense of their essential and broad mercifulness. Warfield, B. B. (2013-11-13). Faith & Life (Kindle Locations 66-67). GLH Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Warfield beautifully explains the curriculum of God’s school as it can be applied to Elijah and to ourselves. Though I encourage to get and read the book Faith and Life by Warfield I’d like to sent some time reflecting of the four things God was teaching Elijah as they might be applied to our lives.
Keep in mind that Warfield has explained the as far as we can tell from the record, Elijah was in a grueling course of “on the job training,” He was learning as he went and the key thing to remember is the he “went.” That is fundamental if not essential for all of us to understand. “Following,” is the key to discipleship. Not observing the Master, not evaluating the Master but following the Master is the key. We will be taught when we need to be and as we need to be. That is the promise we find again and again in the lives of God’s people in the Word.
The fist lesson, and the lesson that if not learned nullifies all the others is, I think, two fold. First we must learn that God is dependable and second we much learn to depend upon Him. Neither lesson is easy to truly learn.
Certainly we can see in the evidence of the Word that God has demonstrated His dependability. But for many of us it is a dependability that is abstract. We see that He is dependable in the lives of others but that’s no guarantee we will really see Him as dependable in our own lives. It a tough thing to go from seeing God’s faithfulness to Israel to seeing His faithfulness to us - to ME.
One reason I think we struggle so much with that old, “I know He is faithful, but...” is that we are so very used to considering faithfulness in terms f big things that we miss the commonness of His faithfulness. He is “commonly” faithful is so may mundane way that are so easy for us to ignore. It is in the really tough times when we discover both His faithfulness and our tottering dependence upon Him.
“God is dependable and I depend upon Him,’ is a great statement but really, ask yourself, how TRUE is that statement in your mind and heart? Do you really believe that He is dependable? Are you willing to surrender your plans, ideas, schemes, etc., and yield to His providence in all things?
I know I thought I was but I learned real quick how flighty my faith - my dependence - my trust in Him was. The past year and a half have taught me just how unreasonable, prideful and self-absorbed my dependence upon Him was (and still is to some extent). Nothing in the past year and a half has gone according to our plan and yet as we look back we can see that it certainly has gone according to someone’s plan - we of course assume it was His plan.
We have learned to calmly suffer chaos and confusion because we have see Him provide and direct in the midst of the chaos. He didn’t make the chaos go away He simply acted within it to bring about blessings and peace.
So how do we grow in our dependence upon Him - upon the conviction that he is dependable?
Ahhh, well that’s for the future - we’ll get to it next.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
On the job training....... 082114
On the job training………it’s part of how he grows us!
God in His use of Elijah for the teaching of Israel also
found time to train the heart of the prophet himself. Warfield, B. B. (2013-11-13).
Faith & Life (Kindle Locations 47-48). GLH Publishing. Kindle Edition.
We all too often think in terms of process. We look at a goal and the steps we believe we
must take to meet it and proceed accordingly.
Such is especially the case in Christian service (or ministry if you
prefer).
Now there is a real need to be trained and prepared for
service and I would never endorse some, “God called me, I’m going, Yeeeehawww!”
approach to ministry/service. But
neither do I believe it is good for young believers to sit and wait until they
are “ready,” to serve before serving.
All too often I encounter believers who although they have a good
fundamental grasp of “the Way,” (the Gospel life) sit quietly waiting until
they are “ready,” lamenting their sense of uselessness in the Kingdom.
I am a firm believer in the old saying, “run what you brung.” By that I mean that we all have to use what
we have. We can and should be serving
within the boundaries of our knowledge and understanding. That is how the gospel is spread and that is
how we grow.
You can take a course, attend a seminar of even charge off
to seminary but if you are “waiting” for some magic moment when some strange
light of voice will inform you that you are ready you’ll spend a lot of time
waiting. This is such a waste of time,
talent, knowledge and love. It also
contributed to the stagnation that often overtakes us because we just sit and
do not to whatever little or much we can.
I have been blessed with people in my life who have
challenged me to use what I have to serve however insignificant that might seem
to me. They have encouraged me to
stretch myself within the limitations of my knowledge and experience to share
what little or much I have to share.
We don’t have to wait until we have all the answers we just
have to be careful and confident that the answers we have are correct and fall
within the bounds of biblical orthodoxy.
Your lack of knowledge and experience will not be alleviated
by sitting and waiting until you know it all ( or even most of it). It will be alleviated as you use what you
have and are challenged by what you don’t have.
I just want to encourage each of you, and challenge you as
well, to use what you have to serve Him and to communicate the great and
glorious good news of the gospel. There
are no “perts” when it comes to spiritual maturity so there are no “ex-perts.” Though I encourage you to seek out tested and
proven guides in both the flesh and in print DO NOT wait for some magic moment
when somehow you feel you are ready. “I
don’t know, but I’ll find out,” is as good a response to a gnarly question as some
deep theological answer.
By using you what you do have you will discover what you don’t
have and need to gain or acquire. It is
through the revelation of my ignorance that I have come to seek the knowledge I
need for this day. It is in confronting
what I don’t know or understand that I am inspired to gain the knowledge and
seek the understanding.
I short folks – don’t think that your lack of some deep
theological/spiritual knowledge and insight is a reason to not serve – in Word
of deed. It does impose limitations but
as you serve you will find those limitations ever shrinking.
You have the Words of Life – you may only have a few but God
can do great things with those few both
in the lives you touch and your life as well.
Tetelesthai
Michael
Friday, August 15, 2014
Finger Thinking 081514
Well, we are in Midland, Texas which we suppose God intends
to be our new home. It was a tough road
getting here but through the prayers, encouragement and support of “family” we
made it safe and sound if not a little bedraggled.
What have we learned from this journey God has taken us
on? At least, what have we learned so
far?
Certainly we have learned that God is faithful. When we follow His lead, and we suppose we
are doing so, He provides and protects.
There were so many times along the way when means and methods were
unknown. And there were times when we
committed to “tough it out” in the flesh and He intervened with a
solution. He also provided the peace to
pass through any glitches and upset we met along the way.
He provides and protects when we are yielded to His will and
His way. His way may be simple but never
confuse that with easy. Of course we’re
the ones who really make it hard. We make our plans and projections and we make
our assumptions and we charge ahead without really taking the time to pray and
read the Word and reflect. We certainly
find it hard to seek godly counsel (Oh, my – you means share my trials and
doubts?)
So far I’ve learned that, at least for me, it is important
to be responsible and to make plans BUT I’ve got to leave the final outcome –
even the process to Him. Many things
didn’t work out the way we thought they would.
BUT they did work out and are working out still. So far all the “endings” have been blessed.
I’ve also learned that the Christian family that one builds –
that may or may not be members of your particular “church” – are to be
cherished and loved and cared for. It
is, at least in our case, through this “family” that God has so richly blessed
this move, this great change in our lives.
We ARE very blessed to have such a wonderful “family” back
in G’bo. Through you God sustained us
and through you God got us where we are.
We are humbled by your love and faithfulness and grateful for each of
you and the part you played in getting us here.
We miss you and pray that from here we may continue to be a
part of your lives and growth - just as we hope you will be part of ours. We refuse to close the page on G’bo. There is just too much of us still there for
us to be able to turn the page much less start a new book.
I hope in the coming days to write for you like I used to
and that you and I will be blessed by the interchange. You are missed, you are loved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)