Life goes on.

Pastoring a small church in a small town is not the most 'exciting' job in the world. Funerals are even few and far between, as are weddings, births of new babies (though one is in development) and major crisis that get the pastor out of bed during the middle of the night are mainly limited to his mother-in-law thinking that it is time to get up, a bit early.

There is a sense of predictable-ness, settled-ness, that to some, I am sure, would led them to find a church where more was going on, yet on the other hand, this could be a great attraction for others. Yes, I like it here. However, ministering in small churches in small towns may not lack excitement if one may see the hand of God at work.

I have been here a little over a year now. Time has allowed me to see who I am ministering to and with, but do we know each other well? We are working on it. This is a long term, God willing, assignment.

What is really exciting is to see God changing lives, mine and others and, corporeally, the whole body together, into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. How does one know that this is happening? The halos of the saints shine brighter as they become holier, haven't you noticed? Well, it is not that easy. Interest in and participation in the life of a church does not make one a saint, yet these may be encouraging signs. Comments made of understanding the Bible better may warm a pastor's heart. Testimonies of reading the Scriptures and applying them to one's life are encouraging. Seeing evidences of love for one another, or, hearing of a saint taking a stand for the Lord, are other bits of evidence.

Perhaps none of these things are, of themselves, a clear, convincing, sign of God working, but as they accumulate over the years they make a pastor's heart and soul glad. (Phi 4:1 ESV) "Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."

Blame?

May we, the Christian community, lay all of the blame regarding Maine's legalization of homosexual marriage on to the secular community, or is there also room for us to shoulder some of the responsibility for this change as well?

I suggest that in two areas the Church has failed. First, we have often abandoned the political arena as being too secular; while on our part we continue to expect these secular politicians to behave as believers. They will pursue a secular agenda just as a believer ought to pursue an agenda based upon a Christian worldview.

The second area is within marriage itself.

Here, I believe, we have fallen short in two areas. The first, often our own marriages are not examples of what God has commanded. Christians have affairs, suffer unfaithfulness and divorce; we do have hard hearts.

Secondly, a huge component of marriage is, by God's will, children. Sadly, the Christian community has followed the world's thinking by regarding children as an expense and burden, so we have only our 1.6 or so children. Some of these children do not believe, some are religious but live as practical atheists, while a portion, but not a large enough portion to sustain a Christian culture, believes and follows the Lord.

Therefore, we have conceded to the world the political arena through our deliberate failure to have children – contrary to God's command to be fruitful and multiply. Further, we have the audacity to be upset with the world.

Other factors are involved in the process which led to this, certainly, and ultimately, God is the one who sits upon the throne, controlling not only individual hearts but the political arena as well.

May marriage be once again defined as the union of a man and a woman? Maybe, but we will continue to lose the war by our own laxness in these two areas. The Church must dig its roots deeper into the Word while raising up political leaders. Our marriages must shine brightly, not just with love, but, with the man reflecting Christ's love for his bride and the woman portraying the Church's submission to her head. While with God's blessing lots of children ought to be welcomed into our families.

Today marks another demonstration of the changing theological mindset of Mainers. There is a public hearing in Augusta on a bill which would legalize homosexual marriage. Once proposing such a bill would have been unthinkable. Across all of New England there has been a memory lose of our Christian roots. Many rejoice over this. Psalm 2 accurately portrays our present day's culture as “raging” against God, this is accompanied with an endeavor to throw off the fetters (God's law) that binds us. God is said to laugh at our attempts to be rid of him. He may laugh because He has installed His own Son as King, giving to him all the nations of the earth.

One day the Son will smash, as an iron rod would smash a clay vessel, all who rebel against God. In the meanwhile, an invitation is issued to the kings of the earth, to kiss the Son, to humble themselves under his rule, before the time of mercy is over and it is too late.

Unless God is pleased to change the thinking of a lot of people I believe that one day our state will adopt such sinfulness. The Scriptures tell us plainly in Romans 1 that homosexuality is one of the signs that shows that God has given a people over to their own desires, that God has abandoned us. While this might sound like we are getting exactly what we want, there is a price to pay: eternal condemnation away from any and all of the blessings of God. There will be no joy.

Romans 1 ends with this statement: (Rom 1:32 ESV) "Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” So today as well, we have a number people who, while they do not practice homosexual behavior, seem to be very eager to give approval to what God has declared to be an abomination.

If our region is running rapidly away from any memory of its Christian roots what will take the place of Christianity in defining who we are individually and collectively. Will the Maine legislature state definitively that we no longer stand upon a Christian foundation? Will they state what we do now stand upon? Will one theology/worldview fill the vacuum or will we all do what is right in our own eyes?

The question is not limited to: “What will we wisely adopt as our defining statement?” It is also: “To what will God give us over?” Further, will we be able to live with consistency within this new and better world?

(Heb 10:31 ESV) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Does the size of a bowl determine its worth?

Along with being a pastor I also do some wood turning. A wonderful variety of items may be formed on a lathe; however, let's consider bowls for a few minutes. Hypothetically, let's place two bowls before us, which I, of course, turned. One is about 6 ½ inches across while the other is 16 inches. Now for the really hard part. Today I am not going to give you one of these bowls, rather you are interested in purchasing one from me, thus I have to decide what I will charge you. Many factors play a role in arriving at a price, including, what type of wood they are made of, is there anything special about the figure of the wood, does the shape add to the value or not, is it finished well, how does it feels when you pick it up, etc., and of course, its size. Do you expect to pay the same price for the smaller bowl as you would for the larger one? Many bowls are priced by the inch, with credit being given, plus or minus, for other features. Others however, argue the value of the bowl as an item turned by a particular turner ought to be the same regardless of the size. Thus when you inquire as to why both bowls cost $300, I respond with the following: “Each of my bowls are a labor of love and skill. That skill has been developed over years. The knowledge of what is a good and pleasing bowl shape has been refined over years. Now each bowl that I turn reflects not just the time that it took to turn and finish it, but years of learning about bowls, and above all they reflect something about me. With each piece of wood I form the best bowl that I can. Though some bowls have darker color than others, some bowls are taller while others are flatter, and yes, others are larger, but each one is a bowl made my ME.”

Does God place value according to size? Weight? Color? Or shape? Is a tree of more value than a spider or a fish or a man?

Mediate on the following: ESV Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

ESV Matthew 12:12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

And again Christ's words in the following passage: (Mar 8:35-38 ESV) "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.""

Yes, it is clear, Man is special. His soul is of great value. Yet is the soul of each human of equal value? When does it start to have this value? Is its value in anyway connected with the size, color and configuration of the physical vessel in which it dwells?

We humans tend to look at the outward shape/appearance of the vessel. Assessments of value are made according to our perceptions. God, on the other hand, sees the full value of the soul, something that no man can fully grasp, at least during this life.

I believe God looks at each of us, valuing the soul – saying to each, “I have made you, formed you, in my likeness. I don't value you by the inch or pound, but by what I put into you.”

Therefore, how should we think of ourselves? Of others? And will I sell my bowls by the inch or by their value as a reflection of the work of one made in the likeness of his Creator?

My bowls? I hope to continue to sell my bowls to the average person, not just to collectors!

Should believers feel terror or awe or fearful in the presence of Christ?

I am reading RC Sproul's “The Holiness of God” as part of on going self educational advancement program. He suggests that if we understand the holiness of God, and in particular as we get to know the three persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that there is a line, with comfort, peace and joy on the one side and terror on the other side. He is correct?

Let us consider, very briefly, several passages.

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." (Rev 1:17-18 ESV)

The verse follows a description John, the beloved disciple, seeing Christ in glory. He was not able to, nor did he want to, lean back upon him to engage in a comfortable conversation. John was terrified at the sight of his Lord

Mark record a time when Christ was sleeping in a boat in which his disciples were attempting to cross the sea. A storm arose, so severely that these seasoned fishermen, were afraid of drowning. They awoke Christ, though the account does not give us their reason for waking him. We do not know what they expected of him.

"And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"
41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?""
(Mar 4:39-1 ESV)

The disciples were perhaps more afraid of Christ after he calmed the wind and sea than they had been in the face of the storm. "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" They were wondering what kind of man, of being, this man was. He was not ordinary man, that was for sure.

One last consideration. Jesus has power to forgive sin. In the incident of the man being let down through the roof in order for Christ to heal him. When Christ saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." (Luk 5:20 ESV) The religious leaders questioned in their hearts: "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (5:21) Christ went on to heal the man “that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”. (5:24)

Does Christ have to forgive any particular person of sin? Is the prerogative to forgive in his hands? Therefore, he ought to be feared. He may not forgive! There is something about him that is bigger, more wonderful, more . . . awesome . . . than we are. If one has come to the real Christ, there is real reason to feel an uneasiness in our hearts. We are in the presence of God who does according to His will at all times.

10 days without a wife.

I am fair sized, maybe past my prime, but hopefully not too far over the hill. My mind can still remember most things. She is small, and growing smaller, frail and can not remember things. The two of us have been together for a number of years now. She is my mother-in-law.

Her daughter, the one I married, is off visiting one of our daughters, playing the role of grandmother to their two young daughters.

First, I am very pleased that my wife can make this visit. A friend of hers who was driving to Virginia wanted a passenger.

Secondly, while the above is true, this visit has give me an opportunity to care for my mother-in-law. While physically healthy she is frail, her mind can not retain current events or even much of the past. While she might remember past accommodation she can not hang onto the information that she now lives in our house with us. She remembers being helpful while not remembering that she can not do even the simplest tasks now without constant supervision.

Therefore, while my wife has been away I have moved from the church office to our living room. I am here to care for her. While not physically demanding, this task does call for patience, love, thoughtfulness and gentleness. These virtues are not all naturally occurring in me. I do testify that if these have been in my life this week, as at any time, they are there because of the God who is working His work in me. (Eph. 2:10)

There have been time when I just wanted to . . . However, at the same time, my companion has been relatively easy to care for. There has been but one major mishap to clean up, there could have been many more. I must give praise and credit to the Lord for providing, in his grace and providence, a pleasant time.

As I have aged, i.e. gotten wiser, I have come to realize that doing all to the glory of God does not necessarily mean that I will be assigned big heroic jobs to do for God one after another. More likely, I might be assigned to care for an elderly lady who will provide me with numerous opportunities to do things, conscientiously, for God's glory. These opportunities might easily be missed if I am just waiting for that big moment to serve God, while growing impatience with the constant repetition of questions or statements, uncertainty of purpose for the moment, and the slowness of movement through even the simplest of tasks.

I would like to report that I have done all things perfectly for God's glory. However, that would be a lie. What I can do is testify that God's grace has been sufficient for the moment. Yes, I have struggled, but thanks be to God, I have overcome, by the blood of the Lamb.

The State vs God's Word.

Our state, local and Federal governments, while never perfect, were at one time built upon an understanding of God's law. As time has progressed we are defining right and wrong more from our own understanding than from God's Word, and thus we are departing severely from where we first stood, in many cases.

Believers are faced with the issue of which to follow: the State or the Lord? For some of us, as long as we are good citizens of our state, read our Bibles some and are in church fairly often then we believe all is well between ourselves and God. Likely this is not so!

Here is one example: the issue of divorce and remarriage. Our state a divorce is easy to obtain. Once the divorce is finalized a new marriage is permitted. We, believers, are happy when we or our children are doing things legally. Yet, if one settles for the standard that is given by our State, we would do well to realize that we often are falling short of God's standard. Does this possibility disturb us? Christ's teaching on remarriage was so sever that it brought about this response from his disciples: "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." (Mat 19:10 ESV) The situation that led to this response by the disciples began with the Pharisees asking Jesus: “"Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" (Mat 19:3 ESV) Christ points out that in the beginning God had made male and female. Then Christ makes this statement: “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." (Mat 19:6 ESV) This is followed by the revelation that it is because of the hardness of our hearts that divorce was permitted, not commanded. Therefore, Christ continues, (to paraphrase) remarriage except in the case of our spouse committing adultery is a sin because upon remarriage we ourselves are committing adultery, for in God's sight, our first marriage was not broken.

Are there other issues out there in which the Christian community is patting itself on its back because they are following legal guidelines, yet completely missing the clear Word of our God? I fear that this might be so.

The Lord's Church must not settle for conformity to the state. Rather we must proclaim: “We are the Lord's body.” ""Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." 18 "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." 19 "Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19 ESV)

The art of giving a good speech
or
Teaching the Word

As a pastor/teacher (Eph. 4:1,12) I am sent by our Lord to teach His word to His people, and to others as well. Paul instructions to Timothy and Titus contain the words: teacher, teach and teaching(s). While I believe those of us called to teach ought to strive by God's grace and gifts to do the best job that we are able to do, we are not called to give good speeches. I would distinguish between a speech and a teaching along these lines. A teacher is first interested in teaching something. While a speaker might be interested in teaching, the impact or impress of his speaking, his style, his use of illustrations and many other factors move to the fore front of his task. Paul tells the Corinthians that he did not come to them with persuasive words of wisdom, (1 Co. 1:17,24,30; 2:1,4ff,13) in other words, Paul thought there was something of higher importance than being known as a top notch speaker.

A teacher of God's Word would lay the foundation of Christ and build upon this, while trusting in His gracious God to build His house. In this light a teacher of God's Word is not much different from a teacher of math or language. This teaching would be done by patiently going over the material, re-enforcing it and building upon the basics. This very process of teaching has a higher priority than anything else, other than being true to the Word.

Maybe if I were a conference speaker or someone showing up to 'preach' once at a church I might think about making a 'speech'. Hum, but if I did what would be my goal? However, I'm building a church, which is to grow in the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, if God would so blesses.

There has been a gap between this blog and the last one. My wife and I went away for 3 days, all by ourselves. We had an enjoyable time together.

Pastors are people just like everyone else. Time with my wife is important for both of us. Our mornings were spent reading and studying, while in the afternoons we window shopped and visited the exercise room. (We actually did spend a little money here and there.) We also visited art galleries, a woodworking school and other points of interest. Bobbi sat at my feet some of the time, actually, she was a yard or two away, braiding a rug. I just happened to be sitting near her. I did, however, give her feet some kind of treatment. She had this tube of stuff to be followed by several other tubes of who knows what! Now she has the softest feet around!

We watched a few movies, and listened to a story on tape. I enjoyed listening to her laugh.

Mom went to a respite home for the time while some friends stayed with Lydia, interrupting her schedule.

Now we are all back together.

This was a nice 'break', for which we praise the Lord!

On Being a Happily Married Man.

The other day someone commented, “You are a happily married man”.

I've been thinking about this some. Yes, I believe this statement is true, and I would offer the following regarding how this may have come about.

First of all, without any negative reflection upon any one else, I find my happiness, or contentment in the Lord. This comes about because God in His grace has owned me as His Own and turned my heart towards Him through Christ, to own Him as My God. The last commandment, “You shall not covet . . .”, rephrased as, “find contentment in God and what He give us”, is key to my happiness. Along with this is a line which Christ quotes from the OT, ESV Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "' Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

As I do not practice the above to perfection, the happiness of my heart is often in fluctuation. In other words, I am not perfectly, absolutely happy. This is a confession of my sinfulness and of my lack of finding fulfillment in my God and Savior.

A second point, contributing to my happiness, is my wife. For her I am greatly thankful. Now she too is subject to the same weaknesses that I expressed in point number one. My reason for saying this is simply to express that she is not absolutely happy all the time either. With the blessing of the Lord she makes a major contribution to my happiness as she too seeks to walk with the Lord. She is, however, not my happiness.

Third, in general my children and grandchildren add to my happiness. Some of our children walk with the Lord, while others do not. This does effect my happiness, yet the more I find God, as the all-that-I-need-one, the less I find other people influencing the state of my heart. Again, moment by moment I do have my ups and downs. Without going into any details, both my wife and I agree that what struggles and hurts we have been handed have been for our good.

Fourth, God's Word say (Philippians 2:12,13) “to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you . . .” In my heart, I have had to work and work, lest sin and the flesh overwhelm me. Being a happily married man has not been a natural occurrence or an accident, but is the fruit of a deliberate walk with the Lord and of His blessing.

Almost lastly, I am finding, praise be to the Lord, that I am maturing spiritually over time. There has been more unhappiness in the past, and the struggle is not over. While, to some minor degree others may have played some part regarding my lack of happiness, as I reflect upon these situations, I must confess that my heart was not upon the Lord. I would even think to blame him from time to time. There is not happiness there.

And now, lastly, as a human being I do not know what the rest of this day will hold. I am supposed to pick up some milk on the way home, a certain brand and a certain percent milk. Will I? Will I be able to? Will I have a wife and family to go home to? There are many other what-if's. Therefore, I will say, “The Lord willing”. That is my joy and happiness. The Lord.

Pastoring

Pastoring is shepherding. Shepherding implies at least two things.

First, the sheep can not make it on their own. They need help and a portion of help comes in the form of a shepherd. One must remember that it is the Lord who both declares that there is a need and also supplies the fix. While it might be humbling to acknowledge not just that the church is needy but that I have a need, we ought to be comforted in understanding that we all share Adam's nature.

The need is met in and through the Lord providing a shepherd. The Scriptures define this shepherd as an under-shepherd of the Chief Shepherd who is none other than Christ the Lord. An humbling point for the shepherd to remember is that he too is a sheep, and as a sheep he too share in human weakness and must also follow the Shepherd as well. Doesn't our Lord do things in an interesting manner? Yet, he also supplies the shepherd with the gifts that he needs to shepherd other sheep. If there is good shepherding going on, we must first, and above all, give thanks to the Lord.

A problem arises when the sheep see the weakness of the shepherd and despise him. A solution that is offered in Scripture is to pray for one another, to admonish and encourage one another. This includes praying for our under-shepherd. Obedience, not blind obedience to the shepherd, but cheerful, trusting obedience to The Shepherd, on the part of the sheep is something of great encouragement to the under-shepherd.

ESV Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

ESV 3Jo 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

ESV Luk 22:26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.

ESV Col 1:9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Merry Christmas!

Distractions!

It is the Monday before Christmas and all is . . . busy! Some family arrived home Saturday evening. However part of Saturday was spend putting up a Christmas tree, doing some decorating and in making gifts. Wonderful! Oh, I also did some sermon preparation.

Now it is Monday. We have had a snow storm. My driveway collected its share of snow and thus needed to be cleaned out. It has been cold as well. Wood needs to be brought in for the fire. Family is still here – they won't be living until after Christmas. That is a good thing.

Tomorrow another daughter and her boy friend are coming by. We haven't met him yet. They want to run across the border (Canada) to a chocolate shop. My wife, and others might go with them. My mother-in-law will probably opt out, or be opted out. So perhaps I will stay with her as she can not be left alone. So tomorrow, I will have to say hello to more people arriving and perhaps help out at home. A good thing.

Wednesday is Christmas Eve. Our family has some traditions we do together. This will take up some afternoon and evening time.

Thursday, Christmas. Yes, we have most of the family arriving, if they have not already. No distraction, Lord willing, as this will be a day of worshiping the Lord and family time.

Friday, not sure, some family will be leaving. We 'have to' say “good bye”. Anything else?

Sunday: an adult Sunday school lesson, Worship services. Will I be prepared? Well prepared to service God's Word?

I am at the church office. Not as many distractions here!

Pastors have a relatively free schedule. May the Lord grant that I stay focused on being His servant, whether at home or at work.

Lessons from Christ prayer
John 17 and Christmas issues.

God willing we will finish our study of John 17 this Sunday. Also, this Sunday we are having our Christmas dinner after our service. YUMMY! During the worship service we will have some special Christmas music. However, the message will be from John 17.

While John 17 is not about the birth of Christ, it is clearly about Christ. Arguably we might say John 17 is more about Christ than some 'Christmas' messages might be, for in this prayer we get to see deeply into Christ heart.

Here are a couple of points which we will be developing.

In this prayer, less than 1/3 of the words are directly petitions and requests. Our own prayers are sometimes more like wish lists that kids might present to Santa. Christ prayer is not just a list. He inserts other words which show an understanding of who the Father is, in what and in whom the Father has an interested and of Christ's role in furthering God's interest amongst the people of God.

These words are connected to the people given to Christ by the Father. The given ones, their knowledge of God, their sanctification, their unity and their ultimate abode with the son are items of great interest to Christ, and of great interest to the Father.

Christ prayer is not worldly in the sense of offering petition for every man and woman and child that will ever live on the earth. He clearly prayers for the give-to-Christ-ones. He does so pray because his interest is in what and whom God has an interest. His confidence that the Father will answering him is in his ability to bring his own desires, words and actions into conformity with that of the Father, so he prays for those who belong to the Father. He seen no need, therefore, to pray that the ones-not-given-to-him might be with him in glory for the Father has no interest in these people, at least not in regards to Christ's work of salvation.

What do we see in Christ's heart? The Father! The more the Father, as revealed through Scripture, becomes our delight the greater will be our hope and confidence before him in prayer. One day when God fills all of the given-to-Christ-ones with himself we will find our joy is filled for we shall want nothing other than the Father and what he desires as well.

The Lord's Supper

Once a month, at least in our church, we take extra time, unless the pastor shortens other parts of the service, which he doesn't usually do, to observe the tradition of the Communion Service.

Oh yes, we have to do this because Paul and Jesus and maybe some other people, told us to. But other than that, why do we do this? Is it a burning desire in our hearts, or just another thing that is done at church.

I must confess that I have not often thought about this aspect of the church services. It was after all a tradition, and a Biblical one at that, so we do it.

We have moved the Lord's Supper! Now before some of your go scrambling around looking for it, just relax. Instead of tacking it on at the end of the service we are attempting to make it a part of the service. Like in the middle, with the pastor giving a short message highlighting some aspect of the meaning of the Lord's Supper.

Recently my friend Owen Strachan blogged at http://owenstrachan.com/ regarding: Are Roommates the new family? He commends that these roommates are looking for something that is good: a sense of community. Yet they are looking in the wrong place. We shall never find fellowship, belonging, love, unity and place in this fallen world that completely satisfies while at the same time emphasizes the Biblical responsibility of love.

Certainly from time to time we catch glimpses of the fellowship promised by the Savior to his people. His promise is big, much bigger and deeper than we can now grasp. The Lord's Supper gives us such a glimpses into the other world fellowship. Until we are there we can not fully know it, but we may know it, in part, today. Oh the depths of the love of God. He not only is taking people of every race, nation, tribe and tongue and saving us, he is also making us one.

The text for our services for the next couple of weeks will be John 17:20-26. Who am I to teach such truths as one finds here?! Yet, this is where our Chief Shepherd as brought us. May our Savior lift us up, not just to an escape from hell, but into the glories of Christ and the fellowship of the eternal Godhead. May we take the bread and cup as a member of something wonderful, something awesome and of something far bigger and deeper that just tradition.

Believers are called upon to run the race.

There are several factors that go into this racing business which must be combined in order for us to have success.

Here, at the starting line, though most of us are well along the course, or at least we hope so. Which direction are we facing? Do we know the directions or signs along the course so that we will not get lost? So one of the ingredients to a successful race must be either knowledge of the course itself or knowledge pertaining to reading signs along the way.

A second item would be that of persistence. Staying power! One might have knowledge of the route, but gets tired, burnt out or distracted. The race is put on the back burner, thus is never finished.

Conversely, one may have a great deal of persistence, zeal, energy and a lot of other good things, yet if one mis-reads the signs along the way or is on a course set from misinformation he will not run the race either. He will have run his own race, rather than the official one.

While it is possible to run this race alone, from a certain perspective that is the only way possible, one may be encouraged if other are also running the race, not as competitors but as fellows pilgrims, all heading for the same goal. Here there are two parts to racing with another: being able to be encouraged by another and being able to encourage another.

May the Lord give us love for him, so that we will desire to run towards him all of our life. May the Lord give us a love for his word, that we run the course approved of our God. May the Lord grant that we receive the prize.

Amen.

The election is over, or will be soon, as there are still a few races here and there that are too close to call.

Our town voted for McCain, and I believe a fair number of our church membership did not vote for Obama. So where does this leave us? Are we angry? Complaining? Do we wonder where our God is? Or, do we just shrug this off?

Matthew records a very interesting prayer offered by Jesus to His father: (ESV) Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

In respects to salvation Christ declares this issue to be in the hands of the “Lord of heaven and earth”, yet we men often likes to lay claim to being sovereign as to if and when we 'decide' for Jesus. However, if it is true that the Son could “thank” the Father that some would not ever come to know the Son, we may also ask “Would Jesus be thankful for Obama being elected as President”? The answer is “Yes, he would.” And as Christ is the one who has been “handed” all things by the Father, believers must acknowledge that Obama is the president elect because Christ is in control.

Similarly, Paul gave us the following: (ESV) Eph 1:22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The context expands on this to some extent so please read that as well. Christ has all authority. He exercises this authority not just to do the will of God, but particularly to do good for his people; to bring them salvation and to develop Christ's likeness in them. Therefore, we must look at each leader, on every level, that we have over us, and also at people who might be under us, and declare that this is so because Christ has willed it to be thus.

In light of these Scriptures, and many others like them, we must conclude that grumbling and complaining is a statement directly against our Lord and God, whom we believers do declare to be a 'good God'. Thus, to adopt the words and attitude of Christ is imperative, especial as we acknowledge that the grace of God is working in his people to conform us to the likeness of Christ, the Lord.

Having said all of the above, does this mean then that we ought to expect godly things from an Obama administration? At this point, we will have to wait and see, though the evidence seems to stacked against such a hope. Look at the rulers, both local and global, at the time of Paul, Peter and John. Yet the admonishment from their writings is to submit to the authorities over us for the Lord's sake.

May we do so, as people who know the Only True God and his sent Son, Jesus Christ. Obama is president elect because our good Lord has so willed.

Counseling, if mentioned in the church, is often understood to imply that someone has real problems or perhaps someone is getting married. (As in pre-marital counseling.) Yet verses that we have memorized speak of 'stirring one another up unto love and good works' (Heb. 10:24,25). This certainly is a form of counseling, is it not?

Below is a link to 9marks.org, their latest ejournal is featuring counseling on a very practical level for churches. On the left of this page is 'latest from 9marks'. Under this title is information on the Nov/Dec ejournal.

http://www.9marks.org/partner/0,,314526,00.html

I may print up a few copies to have available.

I am offering this information as a helpful tool for us, that we might function together in a healthy manner, building each other up in the love and truth of the Lord.

Voting, as a Christian.

Elections are just around the corner.

Here for your pleasure and edification (Lord willing) is my ideal candidate, and why I question whether many of our present slate of nominees will be a blessing for our country.

The first and foremost command is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. The God of this command is not just any ole god. He is our Creator and Judge. The God who provided His Son as the Way, Truth and Life – the God of the Bible.

The candidate must have a life that shows consistence in living this belief, as this is the foundation for a sound world-view.

Secondly, the candidate must love his neighbor as himself. This point may be fleshed out by looking at the last 6 of the Ten Commandments (according the traditional Protestant numbering of these).

I would like to highlight just three.

God commands us not to covet our neighbor's . . . (filling the blank). The ideal candidate will not encourage us to look at our neighbor's wealth, success and prosperity with envy. He will teach us by example, by veto power, and other means, that our trust is to be in the God who made us. This candidate will encourage work. He would take steps to take the rewards way from laziness and a lifestyle of deliberate dependence upon others.

This leads to the second point. He will not pass legislation that amounts to stealing from one's neighbor. There are legitimate roles of the government, both arising from the Bible and from our Constitution, which he would seek to fund. He would not be known as a man who has enlarged government.

The role of our government in his administration would be to punish evil, rather than in legislating programs. Government would not be 'god' to him or his people.

Third, the murder of our infants and infirmed would have to be addressed. This would include not just these acts but the world-view that cultivates the environment for these deaths.

Lastly, one general comment regarding international diplomacy. Democracy, while being greatly blessed by God in our country, is not necessarily the only good form of government. Democracy requires a philosophical/religious foundation that some cultures just do not have. Early America had it. It is doubtful that the America of today would have gotten off to such a good start if we had to do it over again. We are theologically/philosophically a different culture today.

He would realize that, both at home and abroad, the ugliness of sin (the breaking of these commandments) is going to corrupt all of the best laid plans of mice and men. His hope of being a good ruler would be that the Lord of Heaven and Earth would bless him, and thus, faithfulness to his God would be his light rather than his standing in the polls.

(This candidate would not seek to set up a Christian state, but would life his faith in the political arena.)

Pay for by . . . .

What is the Church? Or, the local Church? Here is a short article touching upon campus ministries and the Church. The overall article is good, but I would encourage you to look carefully at the paragraphs on the Church. This is very well stated and is an important point.

http://www.henryinstitute.org/commentary_read.php?cid=484