Faith

Pastor Tom Kyle used to talk about the "speck of belief" - think he nailed it.

* Jesus said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

* The father brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus. "If you can help us....", he began - Jesus challenged his "if" - "Lord I believe, help my unbelief!" And Jesus did.

What do you have facing you next? How much faith do you need for the first step?

Maybe just a little....

The "HER Principle" (Sunday Sermon)

God gave the Jewish people ten fundamental commands, the fifth (or bridge commandment between relationship with God and relationship with others) was “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)

Jesus reemphasized this command on at least two occasions, “For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.” (Matthew 15:4)

Paul applied it directly to the church in Ephesians 6:2, “Honor your father and mother” – “which is the first commandment with a promise….”

When God speaks, His followers need to listen. When He repeats Himself, we need to sit up, take notice, and obey. What was He saying to them, and is He saying to us? I see the ‘HER Principle” in scripture:

Honor Mom

Let’s talk about honor for a moment. The Hebrew root means “heavy”; the word is often used for giving God glory; it means to esteem, respect, reverence. When we honor our parents we are lifting them up to their rightful place, giving them the glory they deserve.

Note that the command does not say to “honor the honorable”. Honor is not a judgment call, does not require our evaluation of the worth of our parents. God gave a certain woman the role of mother in our lives, and we should honor her for it. It’s similar to the biblical command to respect our husbands, whether they’re respectable or not; and to honor and obey governmental authorities, whether we agree with them or not. Sometimes such honor and respect can actually begin to change the one being honored (repeat). Think about it, God does this with us; first declaring us righteous, then working out this declaration in our lives, molding and changing us.

Note that the command is much more important than we would think, being a key to successful living. Initially this may have meant that the Jews could stay in the Promised Land if they honored their parents; then it came to mean that children who honor parents will be blessed. The reverse was also true, it shocks us to realize that, under the OT law, gross disobedience to, cursing or attacking of one’s parents carried the death penalty. God holds the office of parent in very high esteem – perhaps because there we learn how to honor Him.

Encourage Mom

Proverbs 31 is a key passage for godly women to meditate upon. Verses 28 & 29 state, “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’”

It’s significant that encouragement here comes from the husband. We hold such a key to our wives’ hearts, and to their motherly ministry. Our discouragement can bring such chains, our encouragement can help set them free, becoming the women that God intended.

Encouragement is commanded or ‘encouraged’ 59 times in scripture – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit each have a ministry of encouragement to God’s people – preaching ministries are to include encouragement – Romans 1:12 states we are mutually encouraged by each others’ faith – Romans 15:4 reminds us that the encouragement of the scriptures brings hope – Hebrews 3:13 states, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” This is such a vital tool in our relationship toolbox; husbands and children, don’t let it sit in there and gather dust.

Reward Mom

Proverbs 31:31 concludes, “Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

We reward our children for being good. We reward athletes and teams for success. We reward excellence in the workplace with promotions. But, for some reason, we talk about not needing rewards in the church or in our relationships. Interestingly, God doesn’t see things this way.

28 times in the New Testament God talks about rewards. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) Mark reminds us, “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” Paul states, “because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” And one of the last verses in the Bible, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” If rewards are so critical to Christian service that God mentions it 28 times, doesn’t it make sense that we should reward each other, particularly mothers who tend to have so much on their plate yet labor in obscurity?

Let’s get very practical and personal here. This week I emailed a number of our mothers, asking for their input on how to honor, encourage and reward them. Here are some of their responses in conclusion:

“words of encouragement can do wonders – that’s a great supper – it’s so nice to have clean clothes to wear – wow, it smells great in here….” “Do something for me, carry in groceries, put the shoes away, clear the table….”

“Simply a thanks for all you do…”

“…appreciation expressed TO us, by actions and words!!’

“To have my husband tell my son (while I am standing there), ‘You have such a great mother.’” “…Daddy dates without the kids.”

“I’m delighted to hear anything nice, but I’d happily settle for no complaining.”

“I love what my husband helps with cooking supper, giving the kids baths, waking up with the little ones during the night (so I can get my sleep).”

“A handwritten note about what I mean to them or a special time we had together…could be on toilet paper.” “A picnic that I don’t have to plan or pack for.” “Time in a bathroom uninterrupted….” “Watch a movie of my own choosing…can be anything other than animated, scary, gory, wartime or involving a purple dinosaur, Spanish speaking girl or a big yellow bird.”

So use the HER principle with your moms and wives! It’s not copyrighted, won’t cost you anything, except your love and time.

Let’s pray.

Changing Others (from Peacemaker Ministries)

Is There Someone You're Trying To Change?

Whenever you are trying to show someone his fault, remember that there are limits to what you can accomplish. You can raise concerns, suggest solutions, and encourage reasonable thinking, but you cannot force change. God may use you as a spokesperson to bring certain issues to the attention of another person, but only God can penetrate the other person's heart and bring about repentance. Paul clearly describes this division of labor in 2 Timothy 2:24-26: "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will" (emphasis added).

Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflictby Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 182.

Food for Thought

Is there someone you're trying to change? Here's some biblical counsel: Stop! You may want to take a moment to write these words down on a note card and tape it to your mirror so that you see it every morning:

MY JOB: To speak the truth in love

GOD'S JOB: To change people

Our sense of what's "workable" or "practical" may be our biggest enemy in biblical peacemaking. God doesn't call us to be peacemakers in a given situation because it "works" (though often it does--even in ways we can never imagine); God calls us to be peacemakers so that people can see Christ in us. So next time you're in a conflict and in thinking about peacemaking you find yourself tempted to say, "Well, that'll never work in this case!", remember the difference between God's job description and your own.

PeaceMeal is a publication of Peacemaker® Ministries. Copyright 2009. Reprinted with permission. To sign up for this free weekly email publication, go to the Peacemaker Ministries website at www.Peacemaker.net.

When Good Becomes Evil

Grieving is a natural, God-given part of life. The release of emotion enables us to begin to move forward in life without a loved one.

99% of the time, avoiding grief is the wrong reaction. Once in a while, it's necessary.

2 Samuel 15-19 (which we will be discussing in class on Sunday morning) relates a tragic story: King David's son, Absalom, leads a coup to take over Israel while his father is still living. He is fully intent on killing his father and men to accomplish this.

Naturally, but reluctantly, David sends his army out to meet Absalom's army. His orders to "be gentle with the young man Absalom" are heard by the entire army.

David's army is successful, and the commander (Joab) kills Absalom. David's grief is so overwhelming that his army sneaks back into town, rather than arriving triumphantly - he could lose his kingdom by the next morning if he continues to grieve. Joab throws ice water on his soul (see 2 Samuel 19:5-7) to get David back where he belongs, leading his men.

This is probably an example of the law of the greater good - sometimes that which is normally good becomes evil if a greater good is lost. Life requires so much wisdom!

Parenting Myths (Sunday's Sermon)

The earth is flat. Mankind did not land on the moon. The Jews did not suffer and die in concentration camps during World War II. Aliens have visited our world on numerous occasions, and much of the evidence is concealed in Area 51. The Illuminati is a secret society that has been in existence for hundreds of years, and want to take over the world.

Although some may believe that one or more of these are true – and may even belong to an organization like the Flat Earth Society – most of us would recognize these statements as myths or urban legends. We might be tempted to laugh at people that do believe these. Yet – as we discovered last summer in our MythBuster series – we all tend to believe a few myths – and today I’d like to examine a few about parenting.

My Children are Basically Good

- The Bible calls children a blessing and reward from the Lord, wonderfully made, a source of joy, recipients of God’s kingdom. Newborn babies (perhaps after a bit of clean up) are cute and cuddly. Their first smiles melt our hearts, their first laughs reach deep into our souls. Each developmental step brings joy. Their sincerity, their wholeheartedness, their curiosity, much of our experience with them may cause us to view them as basically good. Scripture would disagree.

- Romans 3:23 reminds us. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Romans 3:10, “There is no one righteous, not even one”. Ecclesiastes 7:20 is very clear, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.”

- We might contend that these verses are talking about adults. However, David shocks us in Psalm 51:5, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” Romans 7 & 8 remind us that each of us are born with a sinful nature, one that we cannot overcome without Jesus Christ.

- So what are the practical applications of this truth? Do I need to treat my children as filthy, rotten sinners, unworthy of anything except punishment and condemnation? Of course not. But we do need to follow God the Father’s example of parenting us, showing us love, blessing us, training us, but also disciplining us so that we follow Him more closely. And we need to be very careful of parenting or teaching programs that start with the “man is basically good” foundation, which are often long on kindness but short on practical discipline. Many of us were raised under such a philosophy, and struggle to accept God’s truth or work in our lives, living under the deception that we are good, that all we need is a break or some education, all evidence to the contrary.

My Children Don’t Require Much Discipline

- Some of our children are compliant. Some of us, due to our personalities or past experiences, hate the idea of disciplining our children. The world teaches us that spanking, stern words, allowing children to suffer the consequences of their actions and/or depriving children of something they like are all examples of child abuse, or at least poor parenting. We see images of child abuse or hear about children that are taken away from their parents. Put these factors together, and we tend to hold off.

- And our children suffer for it.

- The most perfect child in the universe was Jesus Christ. He did not have a sin nature, and did not sin. Yet Hebrews 2:10 tells us that God the Father worked with His Son while here on earth, bringing Him to perfection through suffering.

- Hebrews 12 teaches us that God disciplines all His children, just as we should ours. Proverbs 13:24 is very blunt: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” Proverbs 23:14 reminds us that discipline saves a child’s soul from death. Need I continue?

- So, discipline your children. Utilize a variety of methods that are in accordance with His word (I don’t recommend thumb screws or screaming at the top of your lungs!). Keep it private (as God often does with us, see Matthew 18), keep it loving, avoid selfish anger or motivations whenever possible. But discipline!

I Need to Be Totally Involved in My Children’s Lives

- I wish to publicly thank H. Norman Wright for sharing this in his book, “The Power of a Parent’s Words.” His point is that some parents over-involve themselves in their children’s lives, making them the center of attention every day, living their lives out through them, burning themselves out. He suggests that we may believe this myth if we:

** Insist that our child eat everything on his plate
** Restrict our child from some activities because we’re afraid they might get hurt
** Dress our child, tie his shoes, do other things from him/her that they are capable of doing themselves
** Continue to remind our child or teen to wear warm clothes on a cold day
** Regularly do homework for the child
** Give child no household responsibilities
** Walk an older child to school every day
** Have our lives dominated by external, child-centered activities
** Don’t allow others to care for or baby-sit the child
** Only allow our teens to spend time with friends we select from them
** Always pick up after the child, including his room

- I tell you, one or two of these got my attention – and I’m not sure they’re all true. The list certainly is not scripture, but it does make us think.

- Proper balance is found in a passage we studied a few weeks back, Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Love God passionately first (not make idols of our children), keep His word on our hearts. Teach our children about Him and His word as we’re on our way (not necessarily theirs) – as we sit together at home, as we walk on the road, as we get up and go to bed. This doesn’t mean we can’t have special activities for them, rather, that our lives cannot be dominated by 7x24 parenting, running ourselves (and them) into the ground.

I Need to Protect My Children from Bad Circumstances

- I want to be very careful here. This myth contains much truth. We do need to protect our children from people who would harm and exploit them, from circumstances that they are too young to understand or too weak to handle. We’re probably all agreed here.

- But we can become overprotective, particularly with older children and teens. One of the ways to learn is to suffer the consequences of a bad decision. As we noted earlier, God taught His Son through difficult circumstances & suffering. Sometimes we hold a child back from going to a funeral, but do they need to learn about death? Sometimes we keep children away from sickness and suffering, but will they then avoid suffering family and friends when they get older? Sometimes we’re scared to let them go on a missions trip, will they then learn to avoid adventures of faith later in life? Sometimes we bail a teenager or young adult child out of self-caused financial problems, will they then learn to depend on bailouts (corporate or otherwise) later in life? Such questions require wisdom, and don’t have 100% answers. James 1:5 reminds us that, if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and He will supply it. Sometimes God is teaching our children through difficult circumstances, and we’re standing in His way.

I Am Totally Responsible for My Child

- Here’s a myth that many parents believe, frankly, it’s almost instinctive. We tend to internally believe – although it sounds a bit strong or absurd when we state it aloud – that a child’s success or failure depends entirely on our parenting.

- The myth is reinforced by our viewpoint that Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” – is a divine guarantee – we do our job, and all our children will turn out.

- Let me ask a few questions. What happened to a child’s freedom of will? What happened to adult children’s choices as they move away from home? What happened to the sin nature that each of us has? What happened to the viewpoint that Proverbs 22:6 may be a general principle, rather than a universal promise? What happened to God the Father’s (the perfect parent, if there ever was one) parenting of Adam and Eve, and the whole human race in general?

- There is a part of this myth that is true: if we parent poorly, our children certainly can be impacted. If we have sinned against our children, particularly over a significant period of time, we need to deal with it by confession and repentance, to God and to them. If they are still home, we need to change directions in our parenting approaches, moving away from selfishness and pride.

- But then we need to move through the guilt, through the frustration, through the self-condemnation into the freedom and peace that God gives. We need to realize that our children also have responsibility, and need to be interacted with accordingly.


Don’t take my word for it, examine scripture, discover how God wants you to parent. Don’t just believe what you were taught, or what you picked up along the way. Allow myths to fall by the wayside. Proactively parent. Let’s pray.

Questions

As I was studying for Sunday's sermon & discipleship class, wandered off a bit. Read about a number of Christian singer's divorces, and Ray Boltz's coming out about his homosexuality.

This led me to wonder, should we listen to songs sung by those who have experienced significant moral failures? Does it matter whether they recorded them before or after the failure? Does it matter whether they've publicly repented or not? What do you think?

This is not necessarily a modern question, for example, "It is Well with My Soul" has a later negative story as well.

Thanks.

Disabled and Loved

There is an exquisite story in 2 Samuel 9.

David, probably thinking of his past strong friendship with King Saul’s son, Jonathan, wonders aloud whether any of Saul’s relatives remain that he could show kindness to. Through one of Saul’s former servants, he learns about Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, crippled in both feet. He calls Mephibosheth in, return’s Saul’s lands to him, and invites him to partake at the royal table like any of the king’s sons. Mephibosheth is overwhelmed.

This story succeeds at many levels:

David’s compassion towards a former enemy’s family (standard policy at this point was to eliminate all potential rivals to the throne, not bless them)

David’s compassion towards the disabled. No matter how many policies and regulations are set up, no matter how “enlightened” a culture becomes, disabled/disadvantaged people are often treated poorly or ignored.

Mephibosheth’s humility, but acceptance of the royal gifts. Please read the passage for more details.

Parallels to the Christian experience. We are all sinners, all disabled by our sin, all enemies of God before salvation; God not only saves us from our sin and situation but also blesses us abundantly and invites us to the table as one of His children, His royal princes. Totally undeserved grace needing to be totally accepted.

Have a great week reveling in His goodness!

Thanks

I simply want to give thanks to the Lord and to all who were involved in Easter Sunday preparations and service. It was an outstanding time of worship unto the Lord.

(And 451 in attendance - perhaps our largest number ever - didn't hurt either!)

Rights

I seriously wonder if we have "rights" - and if we do - whether we should stand up for them.

Jesus certainly didn't emphasize his rights on the way to the cross. The Sermon on the Mount consistently teaches us that we will be presumed upon (Matthew 5:30) and persecuted (5:10), without any mention of defending ourselves. I Corinthians 6 talks about lawsuits among brothers and sisters in Christ, verse seven is very plain: "The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated." And Romans 12 urges us not to take revenge, that such justice is God's business.

We certainly have God's promises, and He has given us an incredible standing/position in Christ Jesus. We are certainly to defend others, particularly the poor & oppressed. But stand for our own personal rights? I'm very doubtful (imho).

Creation?

Why did God create:

* Chocolate
* Ardvaarks
* Star-nosed moles
* Bombardier beetles
* The Grand Canyon
* Six million colors
* Diverse people with all our foibles?

Parenting, "Mission Possible"

Sunday's Parenting Message:

Remember the Mission Impossible movies and old TV shows? The world would be threatened by a major crisis, an IMF team would be assembled, and our hero would receive his mission briefing through some technological marvel, like talking sunglasses. Of course, it was always important to get rid of that technical marvel before it self-destructed.

Today’s passage was part of Israel’s mission briefing. Moses was preparing them to attack and occupy Canaan, building God’s kingdom in the Holy Land. Successful, long term occupation required training their children well, on of the focuses of this passage.

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9

There are few guarantees in our parenting. However – in this age with so much conflicting Christian and non-Christian parenting information & advice available – perhaps we need to hear this mission briefing again. Perhaps we need to hear and heed its simplicity. Perhaps we need to know that parenting is “Mission Possible”.

Hear

You are the bus driver. At the first stop four people are picked up, one with a Twins hat. At the second stop 15 people are picked up, three are wearing Vikings hats, and 12 are dropped off as it starts to rain. At the third stop two people are picked up, one wearing a Green Bay Packers hat – he gets booed – just as the snow starts. At the fourth stop the Packers fan is kicked off into a snowbank. At the final stop everyone else is let off to watch the game. Key question: how old is the bus driver?

Hearing, listening is like that. We do not retain everything we hear. We probably shouldn’t, our brains would fill up very quickly. We need to sort through information, only retaining what is important. Problem is, our listening filter has been impacted by sin, selfishness, and boredom, and we miss what we need to hear.

God’s word requires acute, intense listening. James 1:22-25 (on screen) is very poignant here. We must look intently into the mirror of His words, learn about ourselves, then act upon it to truly retain it. If you walked into your bathroom this morning, noted carefully that your hair, teeth and beard needed to be taken care of, then walked away and drove to church – you’d be embarrassed. Action is required.

If we expect our children to hear us, we must hear our Parent, our Father. Moses called his people to hear this entire presentation, but his first priority was for them to hear about God. He was their God, He’d entered into covenant relationship with them. He was one – which doesn’t hit us initially as significant – but was very significant to a fledgling, God-following culture that was surrounded, no buried in multiple gods and idolatrous cultures. Each country, in some cases each city they would travel to had a different god or whole pantheon of gods. Some of them were very appealing, such as gods who blessed crops or fertility. Frankly, our culture today is filled with a variety of idols, some “gods” and some not, and we need to hear, remember and swear allegiance to the one true God.

Love

Then, as followers of the one God, as parents, we are to love Him.

At one level this passage is very disturbing. We are commanded to love God; and not just superficially, but with our whole beings. We could easily become offended here. How can God command us to love Him? Where is the free will, the choice in that? Isn’t love an act of the will?

But let’s think a little deeper here. God commands us to love our spouses, and that seems reasonable. God commands us to love our children, and that seems reasonable. We command our children to love each other, and that’s reasonable. Historically, many cultures had parents pick out spouses for their children, then command them to love each other, and it often worked.

Commands do not limit choices, they clarify them. We either obey and love God, or we don’t. And He holds up the difficult standard of “complete self” love so that we realize that lukewarm, occasional love is really not love at all.

There was an interesting parenting study done. It revealed that most young adults who follow Jesus either come from non-Christian homes where they were converted to Christ in their teenage years, or they come from homes where mom and dad’s love for Jesus permeated their lives. Very few young adult believers came from homes where there was an indifferent, apathetic commitment to Christ. As Jesus said in Revelation, He wants us either hot or cold. He can work with either. He doesn’t work with lukewarm.

Want your children to follow God? Listen to Him intently, and love Him wholly. They’ll catch on.

Know

Parents often complain that they don’t know enough about God and His commands to teach their children well. Occasionally this may be true. You might not yet be a Christian – or you might be a new Christian – or perhaps you have a learning disability. To you I would say, start with what you hear here on Sundays. That’s all Moses was asking the Jews to do in Deuteronomy 6.

However - if you’ve been a Christian for a while and still don’t feel you know enough – I would ask you to check your heart. Are you listening intently? Are you lukewarm, apathetic, not really interested in God and His word (be honest)? Have you fallen into religious habits that hamper your relationship with God? If so, today would be a good day to repent, to confess your heart attitudes to the Lord, seek His forgiveness, and allow Him to start you fresh, give you a “do over”. It’s what He’s good at.

Do note that these commands are to be heart knowledge, not just head knowledge. God’s word takes time to filter from head down to the heart, taking thought, emotion, wrestling, and application.

Share

We’re near the end of the message and haven’t talked about parenting methods. This was very intentional. It reflects the passage. Parenting is less about methods and more about parents’ hearts. If our hearts hear, love and know God, then methods will follow.

The two methods discussed here are repeat, and illustrate.

Repeat – use every natural, relational opportunity that comes along. When you stop together, talk about God and His word. When you walk together, do the same. Hearts are often open at the beginning and end of the day. Use those opportunities.

Note that these opportunities are intentional, but not overly structured. If God and His word are on your heart, you will want to share during appropriate opportunities. Do so, intentionally. This doesn’t preclude devotional times – they can work as well – but if you’re struggling with establishing family devotions, start with what’s commanded – then see if more is required.

That’s the audio, there’s also the visual. In the Jewish culture phylacteries and mezuzahs worked well – tying them on the hands and putting them on the gates – in our culture there are multiple opportunities to illustrate God and His word through sight. Pictures, scripture verses, computer graphics, videos, figures, etc. – the opportunities are endless. In our home the visual that most grabs my attention is a stylized cup and dish that signifies the Lord’s Supper – which reminds me of His death for us – hardly ever fails to stir me.


Parenting. Mission Impossible, or Mission Possible? While remembering that there are few guarantees, and that our children will sometimes exercise their wills in the wrong direction, we can become better parents by following this simple approach. Hear God’s word deeply. Love Him wholly. Know Him and His word at the heart level. Then share – utilize the natural, relational, frequent opportunities that come along – both serendipitously and intentionally. Let’s pray.

Faith Christian School Article

Best Kept Secret

Take 169 north to Milaca, head west on 23. Don’t miss the 160th Avenue exit (they recently paved the road). Drive past the agricultural fields, you’ll be surprised to find a schoolhouse and gymnasium on your left.

Enter through the door with the “visitor register at the office” sign. The office is just to your left, say “hi” to Chris at the front desk. Meet Kay, the administrator.

You have entered Faith Christian School, perhaps the best kept academic secret in the area.

You’ll be surprised to learn that:

* The school serves K4 through 12th grade
* The student to teacher ratio is often under ten to one
* The students typically score higher than the state average on their ACT’s – even through every student takes the ACT (unlike public schools)
* On a recent sampling of 180 sub-tests, only three were under the 50% mark
* Despite the small size of the school (80-120 students), they regularly field successful basketball, volleyball and soccer teams
* Their students are active in community service, including recently sandbagging over in the Fargo flood area
* Parents manage the school through an elected board, administrator and volunteer service
* Students are , on the main, polite, courteous, respectful – but also curious and creative
* Students come from Milaca, Princeton, Zimmerman, Foley and surrounding areas – buses are available from Milaca and Princeton.

Interested? Contact the school at 320-294-5501 or administrator@FCSSaints.com

Rest

“By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing, so on the seventh day He rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.” Genesis 2:2-3

“Six days shall you labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, not you animals, nor the alien within your gates.” Exodus 20:8-10

“Be still, and know that I am God….” Psalm 46:10

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God, for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:9-10

We have been working our way through marriage and family principles on Sunday morning. Family relationships are complex activities – requiring application of a number of truths to remain healthy – but if I was only allowed to address one, it would be this: Rest.

Endless activity needs to be exposed for what it is: addictive sin. God built us to rest. Relationships require rest. Knowing God requires rest. Working well requires rest and renewal. Our bodies break down, our marriages break down, our kids break down, and we think adding one more activity might solve the situation….

Stop!

Build in margin before it’s too late. Remember our marriage principle: you can change yourself, but only influence others. Start with yourself. Delete an activity (or three). Provide an example to your family. Talk to them about slowing down. Allow change to happen slowly.

God speaks in the stillness (I Kings 19:11-12), but can rarely reach the harried and hasty.

Blessings!

Pastor Al

Prayer

Would appreciate prayer as I head down to Madison & spend time with family the next few days (for traveling, good opportunities to relate, connect with those I should in a short time, etc.).

Interesting that God knows exactly what will happen - in the next few days and throughout history - yet still asks us to pray - and He responds. Bit of a mystery, there.

Birds and Ministry

(From a thread on a birding listserv, discussing "nemesis birds", ones birders have never seen)

Painted Bunting

Have honestly only had two shots at them (they are unusual in Minnesota, we might have one annually) - once in Corkscrew Swamp during a business trip - and the other is a bit of a story:

Had a business trip scheduled to Savannah, GA in mid-September. Discovered a local guide (through Birdchat), hired her for a full day birding in the area, including chasing Painted Buntings (despite loss of colorful plumage by then).

Two days before leaving, planes crashed into strategic buildings. The meeting was - eventually - cancelled. The horror, the loss of life, the long term implications made my small loss (initially, a trip and a bird; eventually, the loss of my business as the economy reeled) totally insignificant.
Yet, for me, 9/11 and Painted Buntings are inseparably, symbolically connected.

As are Painted Buntings and my move into full time ministry (transitioned from bivocational to ministry only).

And still, I have never seen one.

Easter

Resurrection

It had happened before

Son of an infertile marriage
Son of a poor widow
Daughter of a distressed ruler
Brother of despairing sisters

It would happen again

Hardworking widow
Snoozing window-dweller

But not like this
Not submerged in scorn and sin
Not guarded by the empire
Not so very alone

Author of life, dead
Creator of earth, buried
Lover of hope, hapless

Scene over

But …early one morning
Couple of guards
Couple of women
Couple of disciples
Couple of angels

And one very risen
Savior

Toxic Marriages

Sermon notes for Sunday:

Toxic Marriages & Relationships

PCB’s, or Polychlorinated Biphenyls, were used in the manufacturing of electrical utility equipment, coolants, lubricants, additives, coatings, fluids, sealants, adhesives, paints and other essentials for an industrial nation like the United States. Over time we discovered that they were serious water and soil pollutants that caused cancer and other health problems, and they’ve been banned in the United States since the 1970’s.

Although they still linger in the environment, there are a number of methods to deal with them – incineration, ultrasound, irradiation, release of microbes, chemical processes and others. The methods are often expensive; but then, so is cancer.

And nature can be reclaimed. One of my personal favorite wildlife areas – and a leading birding and hiking spot in Wisconsin – is Nine Springs, an urban wildlife refuge that was once a wastewater area filled with PCB’s. There are environmental success stories that overcome our ability to ignorantly or knowingly poison our environment – as there are success stories of toxic marriages & relationships recovering.

Toxic marriages are relationships that have been poisoned by one or both partners. Today I want to take a biblical and practical look at some of these toxins, then suggest some approaches to help cope with them and remediate – even save – our marriages. These thoughts should also be helpful in other important, close relationships.

Toxins

Toxic Communication

- Manipulating & Controlling

We have God-given needs. As sinners, we often take selfish approaches to fulfill those needs. And, seated across from us, is the perfect person to meet those needs. But they fail to realize the high importance of meeting our needs, because they also struggle with their needs and selfishness. Problems arise. So we learn to manipulate & control our spouse, or at least attempt to.

This manipulation and control may be very subtle, or very obvious. Genesis 3:1-5 shows the first manipulative conversation; Satan got Eve to do what he wanted done. Judges 16 highlights how Delilah used sensuality and controlling words to bring Samson down (read verses 4-22). Some of this may sound familiar. Don’t just blame Delilah here, Samson was using her for his own needs as well.

We become expert in using tone of voice, words, guilt and other approaches to manipulate our spouse. Shame on us! Christ has set them free – they have willing entered the marriage relationship to love, cherish, respect us – and we use them. We need to turn from this!

- Verbal Attacks
Life is frustrating. Frustration leads bitterness, anger, even rage. We feel we must unload on somebody. There they are, sitting near us at the breakfast table. Kaboom!

They may not even have been the source of frustration, but something they said, something they did, some way they looked at us touched the top of the seething caldron, and out it came. Then this one event becomes a pattern. Gradually we wear the spouse – and ourselves – down until our marriage is in the same need of remediation that the wastewater plant/natural area was that I described. Proverbs 27:15-16 describes this colorfully. Colossians 3:19 warns husbands to avoid the trap of harshness, of angry verbal attacks.

- Silent Treatment

This practice may start out honorably. We may choose to not respond hastily or angrily to our spouse. Over time, however, we discover that silence can be as powerful as words. Silence works. The spouse may break down and meet our needs – or he/she might leave us alone – or they may become frustrated as well, giving our anger a perverse pleasure.

Silence in scripture is often a positive – as a spiritual discipline to seek God – as a good response to another’s attack (like Jesus with those who wanted to crucify Him) – but in marriage, it should be used sparingly. Rather, as Ephesians 4:15 encourages, we must speak the truth in love to each other. Not just the truth. Not just love. But both.

Abuse

- Verbal Abuse

This is virtually the same as the verbal attacks we just discussed. I just want us to be aware that sustained, prolonged verbal attacks become abuse, and we injure our spouse in very similar ways, sometimes even more deeply, than physical abuse.

- Physical Abuse

God hates inappropriate violence. Read Genesis 6:11-13 and Malachi 2:14-16. He judged the world through the Genesis flood because they had become so violent in their sinfulness. And, in the classic passage about how much God hates divorce, we see that He hates marital violence as well. If you hit your spouse, either through loss of emotional control or to get them to bend to your wishes, you and your marriage have serious issues with strong legal, relational and religious overtones. A time of confession, repentance, and counseling is absolutely necessary – and perhaps a determined time of separation.

- Sexual Abuse

This area is a bit different. Sexual abuse often occurred in a person’s childhood or teenage years, and causes relational difficulties in the marriage. Sometimes there was premarital rape. If you or your spouse was sexually abused before marriage, please allow me to recommend the book, “Desperate Marriages” by Gary Chapman (same guy who wrote “The Five Love Languages”), and I would recommend Christian counseling as well.

Infidelity

- Physical Adultery

We are bombarded with sexual images in our culture, and there’s no sign of decrease. Television and Internet shows often depict the joys of extra-marital affairs, of discovering someone who meets your needs outside the marriage. Then you meet that someone – and, as depicted in the excellent movie “Fireproof” – you gradually give yourself away.

Stop! That’s a dead end. It’s a spiritual killer. God devotes whole chapters in Proverbs to the destruction that will come, and he warns us in I Corinthians 6 and elsewhere that it will have eternal ramifications. We sin against Him, against our spouse, and against ourselves. Don’t!

- Spiritual Adultery

We also can give ourselves away to relationships, causes, hobbies and addictions that drain the life out of our marriage. Let’s briefly consider them.

Addictions

We may bring work home too often. We may enjoy television too much. We may spend too much time with our hobbies. We might involve ourselves in too many community activities and causes. If we take a good thing and go after it too hard – to the detriment of our marriage – a course correction may be necessary.

But other addictions are killers, pure toxins. Alcohol, drugs, sexual addictions like pornography all fit this category. Galatians 5:19-21 address all three of these (“witchcraft” actually contains the root word for “pharmacy”, and implies drug usage). We must put each of these aside for the life of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-26.

Approaches

Whew, this has been intense; and perhaps a bit long. But we haven’t yet discussed potential solutions. Here are three recommendations:

Avoid the Exit Ramp

Divorce is rarely a good option. We read that God hates it in Malachi 2 earlier. Jesus tells us in Matthew 19 that we are not to separate the marriage God has brought together. I Corinthians 7 tells us not to separate. Toxic marriages are meant to be remediated, worked on, not deserted. Health and beauty can come. An interesting study was done a few years back, showing that 2/3 of unhappy married adults who stayed in their marriages were happy five years later; while just 24% of those who divorced or separated were happy five years later. We could say much more here; something to think about.

ROCK the Marriage

This is a reminder from last week’s message. Take responsibility for your part in the marriage (which may include confession/repentance, and seeking counseling). Overlook the small things that may mess up your marriage renewal efforts. Confront when necessary, but gently, in love. Kiss, make up, normalize the relationship whenever possible.

Pray, for this is God’s Work

And, finally but most importantly, pray. Marriage change may seem to predominately your work, but ultimately, it’s God’s. Personal development, influencing our spouse, changing our marriages depends upon the moving of His Spirit in our lives.

Let’s pray.

Weather

Does anyone know the degree of weather forecasting accuracy?

Many years ago the Director of Statistics at Oscar Mayer told me it was in the low 50's percentage wise, just about the same as a coin flip.

We have had so many different forecasts about this (now beginning) storm, that I am at a bit of a loss on how to use the information from a planning perspective. Cancel meetings? Go ahead and cause driving problems? Ignore it?

Tomorrow, with Youth and Awana, should be even more of a joy.

Gotta love March.

I'm glad God is in control, for we certainly aren't.

Marriage & Relationship Reminder

Just a reminder from Sunday: ROCK your marriage!

R - (take) Responsibility

O - Overlook

C - Confront

K - Kiss (forgive, return to normalcy)

Tough Logical Argument

Is anything too hard for the Lord? No.

Does He know your or my current difficult circumstance? Yes.

Could He change the circumstance if He wished to? Yes.

Does God love us & others? Yes.

Therefore our current circumstances - no matter how difficult - are being used by God for our and/or others' good.

Think Job. Think Hebrews 12. Think Jesus.

Now I need to go back and apply this to myself!:)

Marriage Foundations

Sunday's Message:

A business man's wife was depressed. She began to mope around, sad, lifeless--no light in her eyes--no spring in her step. It became so bad that this "man of the world" did what any sophisticated person would do, he made an appointment with the psychiatrist. On the appointed day, they went to the psychiatrist's office, sat down with him and began to talk. It wasn't long before the wise doctor realized what the problem was. So, without saying a word, he simply stood, walked over in front of the woman's chair, signaled her to stand, took her by the hands, looked at her in the eyes for a long time, then gathered her into his arms and gave her a big, warm hug. You could see the change come over the woman. Her face softened, her eyes lit up, she immediately relaxed. Her whole face glowed. Stepping back, the doctor said to the husband, "See, that's all she needs." With that, the man said, "Okay, I'll bring her in Tuesdays and Thursdays each week, but I have to play golf on the other afternoons."

Marriage is like that! There are times that marriages seem like a union of two people who just don’t “get it”. We start with high hopes, full of expectations from a variety of sources, some good, some not so good, some just silly. We hope the other person will fulfill us, make us happy, make life easier. Then, some time between six and eighteen months in, we realize that life is not easier, but harder, as two selves bump into each other, each wanting their own way, each challenged by the others’ attitudes and actions.

Over the next two months I want to examine a variety of scriptures on marriage – as well as family – to help us move away from our often self centered expectations and very mixed cultural influences – allowing God to speak into our marriages and families. Today we’ll look at foundational truths, and over the next eight weeks consider problem-solving, toxic marriages, creative singleness, contemporary gender issues, parenting future adults and family in community. Let’s start!

Foundational Truth #1, God Created Marriage (Genesis 2:18-25)

- God declared all of creation either “good” or “very good”. Here we have the first “not good” – before mankind sinned – man was not designed to be alone. This is a bit startling, all of perfect creation surrounds him, he experiences perfect fellowship with God, yet he was alone. He needed someone of his own kind to come alongside.

- God declared that man needed a “suitable helper”. Two truths arise from this: 1) God custom developed woman and man for each other, before their sin they were a perfect match. Think of a dog sled team, the importance of matching just the right dog in the just the right position. 2) Man needed help, woman provided it. Please remove all the negative connotations here, help comes from equal peers all the time. Just think how excellent our culture would be if selfless help was foundational!

- Animals could not provide the fullness of companionship that humans needed. There is certainly a joy that comes from relationships with animals, but they’re not peers – they cannot communicate to the depth needed – they cannot be total soulmates.

- Note how much man contributed to the process, he, well, slept. God did all the planning, all the work, all the giving (sounds like salvation and much else of life). Married men, look over at your wife as Adam did, realize God prepared her for you. Realize that she is made out of the same stuff you are. Realize you are one flesh. As John Piper states, “God gave away the first bride.”

- Don’t miss what used to be called the “leave and cleave principle”. Leaving one’s family for your spouse is foundational. Family is important, but so is the right mix of independence to get your own fledgling family off the ground. And remember who has become your primary earthly consideration – not your parents, not your brothers and sisters, not your friends – but your spouse. Period.

- “The man and his wife were both naked, and felt no shame.” Nakedness worked because both were trustworthy, there was no shame, guilt or negative commentary. Something to think about there!

- Perhaps the most important point here is that God created marriage. Society did not create marriage, marriage did not evolve, we don’t come up with best ideas about marriage (or getting rid of it) – it’s God’s idea, God’s work – and we need to live accordingly.

Foundational Truth #2, God Calls to Marriage (I Corinthians 7:17)

This passage is about marriage, sexuality, singleness, the mix of believers and unbelievers, separation & divorce – God lays out this foundational truth – stay where you’re called.

The “staying” is important – and we’ll discuss it in depth during a later message - but I’d like you to reflect on the calling piece today. God calls people to marriage. He actively works in people’s lives to bring them together. In a sense, he carries Genesis two forward into the present day. Once again, look at your spouse. Chances are great that God brought you together, He called you to marriage (as He calls to salvation, and ministry, and other important life stages).

We can resist the calling, as in the movie, “Serendipity”. Sara and Jonathan meet in New York City during the Christmas season while shopping for their lovers. Both want the same pair of gloves, Jonathan gallantly allows her to buy them, she takes him out for ice cream. They spend the evening talking, develop an incredible connection, but they’re already dating others. He asks for her number, she writes it on a gum wrapper, it blows away. She tells him that she’ll write it in a book and sell it to a used bookstore. He writes his number on a five dollar bill, she spends it. If they find the items again, it’ll mean they should get together. Years later, both are engaged, Jonathan is on the verge of marriage, even though they have never forgotten each other. Ironically, his fiancé buys and gives him the copy of the used book, while Sara locates the five dollar bill – and, of course, they end up together. A bit schmaltzy, perhaps, but how many strings did God pull to bring the two of you together? Deb was raised in St. Petersburg, FL, I in Madison, WI, what are the chances we would both go to Moody Bible Institute? In God’s economy, 100%, after all, He’s called us together.

But don’t hear me wrongly. God does not call everyone to marriage. Some are called to singleness, as other parts of the passage clearly state. Be very careful about pressuring others to marry – or giving into such pressure.

Foundational Truth #3, God Empowers Marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33)

- This is, perhaps, the key passage on marriage. We’ll be back here again. But I want you to think about the four empowering keys God gives us here: submission, headship, love and respect.

- Submission has become a dirty word in our culture. Don’t let it be such in your marriage or thinking. It’s a foundational to scriptural relationships - we’re commanded to submit to our religious leaders, to our governmental leaders, children are to submit to their parents, everyone in the body of Christ is to submit to each other (verse before) – submission enables Christian relationships to happen. God has elevated submission, obedience, mutual servant attitudes beyond the world’s comprehension. Done well, in an atmosphere of servant headship, love and respect, submission is beautiful, God-honoring, relationship-preserving.

- And husbands are to be the head, lead their homes. But note the kind of headship, note Christ’s example: it’s headship that saves, that loves, that develops and purifies those being led. This is not domination or degradation, as some have taught and many more have lived. This is servant headship. So, guys, get out and lead – lead with a servant’s attitude - nothing is worse than a leader who won’t lead.

- And husbands are to love. They are to have their wives’ best interests in mind. They are at least to love them as well as they love themselves (which is very powerful love indeed). Men, be aware that this does not come easily, our selves, our careers, our outside interests, sometimes it seems like everything gets in the way of loving our wives. It’s work, but it’s work with a purpose, work with a goal, work that makes relationship happen, that makes her happy (no, joyous).

- And wives are to respect. Wives, you’ll look in vain through this and other passages, hoping that you don’t have to respect this man that is so different from you, so error-prone, so “unrespectable”. This is a command, not an earned status. Just as, frankly, you are to be loved, men are not to wait for you to become loveable.

Reading

Reading

As believers, we know that spending time in God’s word produces life change. But other books can also impact our lives:

Before I became a Christian, I read “The Arm of the Starfish” by Madeleine L’Engle, It awoke in me a desire for the supernatural, a desire to encounter God, that I don’t remember having before that time. I recommend her books, particularly “A Wrinkle in Time” (Newberry Award Winner) for children and teenagers, and the “Crosswicks Journals” for adults (four books).

I worked a year between high school and college, and was wondering what to do with my life. “Knowing God” by J. I. Packer convinced me that knowing God intimately should be a life goal, and that heading to Moody Bible Institute was an important step in that journey. “Knowledge of the Holy” by A. W. Tozer also pointed me in the same direction.

As I was contemplating the move up here to Princeton Free Church, “The Mitford Series”, books by Jan Karon, ignited a desire to pastor in a more rural area.

Other impactful books that I would recommend:

“Windows of the Soul” by Ken Gire. He captures a number of the ways God interacts with and surprises us. You’ll recognize some of his illustrations from my sermons.

“What’s So Amazing About Grace” by Philip Yancey. This book fleshes out God’s grace to the unlovely in vivid ways; his chapters on a prostitute and a homosexual are worth the price of the book.

“Systematic Theology” by Wayne Grudem. This book has been tremendously helpful as I’ve thought through my beliefs for the upcoming ordination (transfer) council. It’s huge, not necessarily easy reading; if that puts you off, try the summary book, “Christian Beliefs” by Wayne and his son.

“Color Outside the Lines” by Howard Hendricks, and, “A Whack on the Side of the Head” by Roger Von Oech, both excellent books on creativity.

The staff is currently reading “Blue Like Jazz” by Donald Miller, an interesting (sometimes bone-jarring) story of a contemporary person’s journey towards faith.

May the Lord change your lives through a variety of avenues, including reading!

Economic Recovery Article

An apparently solid, sane economic recovery article can be found at

www.finance.yahoo.com/news/How-To-Tell-The-Economy-usnews-14351762.html

It's suggesting that our unemployment rate will go up another 1.5 points - and that the stimulus package will not have noticeable impact until 2010-2011 - but that economic confidence might begin to recover by the second half of this year.

Worshipping & Pleasing God Through Sharing With Others

Hebrews 13:15-16 states, Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

There are at least three types of worship present here - verbal, hands-on action, and sharing/giving.

I'd like to consider the last one, sharing/giving, for just a minute. Our financial/resource sacrifices - whether given during a structured offering time on a Sunday morning or spontaneously to someone in need on a Wednesday afteroon - is worship, and is pleasing to God.

Earlier in the chapter the author instructs us to keep our lives free from the love of money, because God will never leave nor forsake us. This truth frees us up to share with and give to others. God will take care of us, so we can freely share with others. However, if we worry, love or hoard our resources, than we are bound by them, reluctant to share, displeasing God.

Something for me personally to chew on.

Time for Intercessory Prayer

Members, attendees and friends of our church are currently experiencing:

* Unemployment, loss of business, lack of financial support, loss of homes

* Grief (five funerals in the last six weeks)

* Psychological & emotional struggles

* Spiritual warfare

* Marital struggles

* Illnesses & injuries (whole families down with flu & other sicknesses, needs for surgery, chronic issues)

* Faith issues, from doubts to considering salvation.

Time to pray! (Perhaps also time to join a small group, we need to experience God working through each other.)

Sorry for the lack of posts, life has been intense the last two weeks.

Keep Going

An email from Peacemaker Ministries this morning caught my attention. Matthew 18:15 tells us to go to our brothers when they offend us. The Greek tense of "go" implies continual action.

In other words, keep going.

Our initial temptation is not to go at all, just try to work through it ourselves. We may then work up the courage to go once, but if the discussion doesn't proceed well, console ourselves with the fact that we tried.

This seems to take reconciliation to a whole new level. Ouch!

Poverty in Spirit

A lady from our church recommended this message from John Piper - it is exceptional! I have downloaded it in full (with permission).

Blessed Are The Poor in Spirit Who Mourn

Matthew 5:3-4
Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are those who mourn,for they shall be comforted.

Back in 1978 I spoke in Aspen, Colorado, to a gathering of Inter-Varsity students and people off the street. At the end of my talk one of the students asked a very common question. He said, "Isn't Christianity a crutch for people who can't make it on their own?"
My answer was very simple. I said, "Yes." Period.

What's Bad About a Crutch?
I can't remember how the conversation went from there. So let me just pick it up here. My return question would be, "Why is the thought that Christianity is a crutch considered to be a valid criticism of Christianity?" People don't usually look at a crutch and say, "That's bad. It's just a crutch." People don't in general think that crutches are bad things. Why does a crutch become a bad thing when it's Christianity?

I think the answer that most critics would give is this: if Christianity is a crutch, then it's only good for cripples. But we don't like to see ourselves as cripples. And so it is offensive to our self-sufficiency to label Christianity as a crutch.

But Jesus said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17). In other words, the only people who will ever come to get what Jesus has to give are sick people, people who know that they are spiritually and morally and very often physically crippled.

Everybody Has a Creed
Everybody has a creed. All people believe in something and shape their lives around it. Even agnostics believe very strongly that you ought not believe anything very strongly (which is why it is so hard to be a consistent agnostic). We all have a creed that we live by, whether we can articulate it or not.

What is the creed behind the conviction that if Christianity is a crutch, it is undesirable and unworthy of acceptance? I think the answer is this: the creed behind this criticism of Christianity is the confidence that we are not cripples, and that real joy and fulfillment in life are to be found in the pursuit of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-determination, and self-esteem.
Any Messiah who comes along and proposes to replace self-reliance with childlike God-reliance, and self-confidence with submissive God-confidence, and self-determination with sovereign grace, and self-esteem with magnificent mercy for the unworthy—that Messiah is going to be a threat to the religion of self-admiration. That religion has dominated the world ever since Adam and Eve fell in love with the image of their own independent potential when they it saw reflected back to them in the eye of the serpent: "You will not die; you will be like God."

The Creed of Self-Reliance
Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American poet and philosopher who died about 100 years ago, wrote a famous essay called "Self-Reliance." It captured the spirit of the age, and the spirit of our age.
Trust thyself, every heart vibrates to that iron string. Discontent is the want of self-reliance. It is infirmity of will.

Ah-ha! Now we see the creed behind the criticism of Christianity as a crutch. The real infirmity of the world, according to Emerson, is lack of self-reliance. And so, to his dismay, along comes Christ, not with a cure for the disease, but a crutch! Christ is a stumbling block and an offense to Emerson and to all the Terry Cole-Whittaker's of our day—yes, and even to us—because it takes the disease that we hate most, namely, helplessness, and instead of curing it, makes it the doorway to heaven.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Saints in Scripture Who Were Poor in Spirit
What does this mean? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? To find out let's look at some great men of God in Scripture.

Abraham
In dealing with the Lord about Sodom and Gomorrah, he said, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27).

Jacob
When Jacob returned to the promised land after spending 20 years in exile, he wrestled with God in prayer and said, "I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness which thou hast shown to thy servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies" (Genesis 32:10).

Moses
When God came to him with a mission to lead his people out of Israel, he said, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? . . . Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either heretofore or since thou hast spoken to thy servant; but I am slow of speech and of tongue" (Exodus 3:11; 4:10).

The reason God got angry at Moses is not because of his humble assessment of his own abilities, but of his lack of faith in God's ability. God responded and said to Moses, "Who made man's mouth? Who makes him dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak" (Exodus 4:11-12).

The Answer to the Paralysis of Low Self-Esteem
What is the biblical solution when a person is paralyzed by a sense of guilt or unworthiness or uselessness? I believe with all my heart that the solution is not self-esteem. God did not say to Moses, "Stop putting yourself down. You are somebody. You are eloquent." That is not the biblical way. What God said was, "Stop looking at your own unworthiness and uselessness and look at me. I made the mouth. I will be with you. I will help you. I will teach you what to say. Look to me and live!"

The biblical answer to the paralysis of low self-esteem is not high self-esteem; it is sovereign grace. You can test whether you agree with this by whether you can gladly repeat the words of Isaiah 41:13, "Fear not, you worm Jacob . . . I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel." In other words, God's way of freeing and mobilizing people who see themselves as worms is not to tell them that they are beautiful butterflies but rather to say, "I will help you. I am your redeemer . . . Go to Egypt now, and I will be with you."

William Carey's Secret
William Carey did not have high self esteem. He castigated himself again and again for his sin. When the fire of 1812 destroyed dozens of his precious manuscripts, he didn't blame the devil. He said, "How unsearchable are the ways of God!" And then he accused himself of too much self-congratulation in his labors, and said, "The Lord has smitten us, he had a right to do so, and we deserve his corrections."

When he had outlived four of his comrades in mission, he wrote back to Andrew Fuller, "I know not why so fruitless a tree is preserved; but the Lord is too wise to err." When he died in 1834 in Serampore, a simple tablet was put on his grave with the words he requested. And when you hear these I want you to ask, What was William Carey's secret? How could he persevere for 40 years over all obstacles—as a homely man, suffering from recurrent fever, limping for years from an injury in 1817, and yet putting the entire Bible into six languages and parts of it into 29 other languages—what was the secret of this man's usefulness and productivity for the kingdom? The tablet on his grave reads,

WILLIAM CAREY
Born August 17the, 1761Died June 9the, 1834A wretched, poor, and helpless worm,On Thy kind arms I fall.

The secret for William Carey was not self esteem. He was poor in spirit to the very end. "A wretched, poor, and helpless worm," he calls himself, knowing very well his sin and failures.
His secret was in the last line of his epitaph: "On Thy kind arms I fall." This was his secret in dying and this was his secret in living. He cast himself, poor, helpless, despicable on the kind arms of God. For he knew the promise of Jesus: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for to them belong the merciful and mighty arms of the King of kings.

More Saints from Scripture Who Were Poor in Spirit
My prayer is that all of us at Bethlehem will find the secret of productivity and usefulness and happiness NOT in the pleasures of self esteem, but in the power of sovereign grace. "Fear not you worm Jacob . . . I will help you, says the Lord."

David
"The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17). Everyone agrees that this is the spirit that pleases God after you are taken in adultery and murder. But what about the times when you are doing good?
When the collection for the temple was being taken, David prayed, "Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from thee, and of thy own have we given thee" (1 Chronicles 29:14).

In other words, even when David and his people were performing an act of virtue, David did not yield to the impulses of self-esteem. Instead he was carried away by the impulses of sovereign grace: "Who are we that we should be able thus to offer willingly! To God be the esteem, to God! and not to us, even in our virtue.

Solomon
"O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in" (1 Kings 3:7).

Job
"I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6).

Isaiah
"Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:5).
So we learn from Job and Isaiah that one source of lowliness is to see God in his power and holiness.

John the Baptist
"I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie . . . He must increase, I must decrease" (John 1:27; 3:30). Could this be why Jesus said, "Among those born of women, none is greater than John" (Luke 7:28)? "If anyone would be first he must be last of all and servant of all" (Mark 9:35).

The Tax Collector
Jesus told a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector who went up the Temple to pray. Concerning the tax collector he said, "But the tax collector, standing far off, he would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you this man went down to his house justified" (Luke 18:13-14). Which is just another way of saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."

The Centurion
"When [Jesus] was not far off from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, 'Lord do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.' . . . When Jesus heard this, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude, 'I tell you, not ever in Israel have I found such faith'" (Luke 7:6-9).

The Canaanite Woman
When Jesus at first refused her request for help, since she was not a Jew, she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." To which Jesus responds, "O woman, great is your faith!"

So we learn from the centurion and the Canaanite woman that poverty of spirit is right at the very heart of what true faith is.

Peter
When he saw the power of Jesus on the Lake of Gennesaret, "Simon Peter fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord'" (Luke 5:8).

Paul
"I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh" (Roman 7:18).
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7).

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

"I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life" (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

What Then Is Poverty of Spirit?
It is a sense of powerlessness in ourselves.
It is a sense of spiritual bankruptcy and helplessness before God.
It is a sense of moral uncleanness before God.
It is a sense of personal unworthiness before God.
It is a sense that if there is to be any life or joy or usefulness, it will have to be all of God and all of grace.
The reason I say it is a SENSE of powerlessness and a SENSE of bankruptcy and a SENSE of uncleanness and a SENSE of unworthiness, is that, objectively speaking, everybody is poor in spirit. Everybody, whether they sense it or not, is powerless without God and bankrupt and helpless and unclean and unworthy before God. But not everybody is "blessed."

Who Is Blessed?
When Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," he does not mean everybody. He means those who feel it. That is why it is so appropriate to take the first and second beatitudes together. "Blessed are those who mourn," clarifies the subjective side of being poor in spirit.

Blessed are the poor in spirit who mourn. Blessed are the people who feel keenly their inadequacies and their guilt and their failures and their helplessness and their unworthiness and their emptiness—who don't try to hide these things under a cloak of self-sufficiency, but who are honest about them and grieved and driven to the grace of God.

Blessed are you! because you are going to be comforted. Fear not, you worm, Jacob! Fear not, Moses, Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:6-8), Isaiah, Peter! For I will be with you, I will help you, I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Yours is the very kingdom of God. Amen.


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Wrong Worship Question?

During our recent service time survey, some respondents used the opportunity to tell the elders and staff what kind of worship music they preferred (traditional or contemporary, to utilize stereotypical terms).

I wonder if such sharing reflects that we may be asking the wrong question.

We ask (consciously or subconsciously), "What kind of music touches me?" I would submit that we are not the receivers, not the customers, rather, God is. So perhaps the question should be, "What kind of music touches God?"

Can such a question be answered? I would submit that it can, biblically. Consider that God gave His followers a "hymn book" (the psalms) that has lasted 3,000 years - then combine that with nine different passages (including twice in heaven) where He encourages us to sing & write new songs - note the softer & louder instruments used in His word - and it seems that there is room for both.

The music, of course, must be biblical and truthful (traditional and contemporary both can struggle there). The songs should reflect our emotional and physical experience with Him in this world (again, see the Psalms). The songs should connect man and God.

And, with the generational differences and preferences that can occur in a church (I count at least five in ours), I believe that the worship music should reflect a stylistic broadness, while impacting the majority a significant portion of the time.

My thoughts on a cold day.

The Blame Game

(Princeton Union Eagle Article)

While reading about the fall of man in Genesis chapter three, I was struck by the “Blame Game”, Adam & Eve’s attempt to deflect culpability and deny responsibility.

God confronted Adam, his response was to blame his wife and God: “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

God confronted Eve, her response was to blame Satan: “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

God doesn’t play the “Blame Game”, so He punished Satan, the woman and the man. However, he also began His work of grace in their lives as well (read the passage for further details).

Nothing’s changed.

Our deep-seated and nearly automatic reaction when confronted is to deflect and deny. We are not responsible, rather, it’s our parents’ fault – our spouse’s – our children’s – our school’s – our employer’s – our government’s – or even God’s.

But God will not play. He knows that this game leads to our eventual ruin. If we don’t accept responsibility, if we will not seek forgiveness, we will become less than we should be, defined by our problems, missing God’s abundant life. We will seek escape rather than resolution. We will become mired in shallow relationships, rather than moving through conflict to truly deep fellowship. If we avoid truth, we will end up self-deceived (while others will not be deceived).

Don’t run, stand, and listen! Allow God to show you who you really are, including all the weaknesses and sins, then allow Him to change you into the best you can become – through Jesus’ death, through faith, through God’s forgiveness and renewal.

May you have a great weekend!

Renewal

Renewal (Message to Nursing Home Residents later this afternoon)

Sometimes we are forced to agree with Samuel Butler, “Life is one long process of getting tired.” The apostle Paul has a bit of a different perspective in the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter four, verses 16-18: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

We Need to Focus on God’s Internal Work

- Our culture focuses so much on the external. Watch an hour of TV, see how many commercials emphasize beautiful bodies, cosmetics, fashions, hair restoration, anti-aging techniques, etc. We’re obsessed with the physical!

- God doesn’t want us to go there; and, as we get older, the techniques work less and less anyway. He wants us to be internally changed, inwardly renewed, focused on the development of our spirit, heart, mind. When we become Christians, we are recreated, made new. Romans 12:2 reminds us that we need to avoid conforming to the world’s values, but be renewed in our minds. God’s word renews us, prayer renews us, thinking through those things that are “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy” renews us.

We Need to Focus on God’s Eternal Work

- By nature, we are such worriers. We worry about our health – about how we look or what people will think of us – about where our money will come from - about success – we worry about family relationships – if it has any importance at all, we will worry about it. And that worry brings us down, affects our mindset, affects our health.

- Now we’re older. We can look back at things that we once worried about, and wonder why we worried. Our worry didn’t change the situation. God got us through. Time changes our perspective.

- Paul suffered through years of persecution and poor health, yet he called these “light and momentary”. He wasn’t diminishing the severity of the problems, rather, he was taking the long view, God’s view, knowing that his “now” problems would diminish in the light of eternity. If you are a believer, your “now” problems (as well as past) will diminish as you take God’s viewpoint – realizing that these problems will pass, and that they will be used by Him in the accomplishment of His will anyway.

We Need to Focus on God’s Invisible Work

- Our eyes have been called “the windows of our soul”. What we see greatly affects us. Think about the beauty of a flower, of Sherburne Refuge, of the Grand Canyon. Think about how you react to this room, your room, your environment. Think about how your inner person relates to a tragedy on TV – say, the recent airplane crash, or wartime pictures. We react to what we see.

- Our soul also has spiritual, invisible eyes. Our faith, our imaginations can visualize God at work. We can believe His promises to us, and sometimes catch Him in action. So often He works behind the scenes, so quietly, yet if we watch carefully, a pattern emerges, a pattern that shows His hand in our and others’ lives. In addition, there is a whole heavenly component that He shares in scripture – we need to apply our faith/imagination eyes to that as well. The invisible is at least as important – and often more important – than the visible.

- So, we need renewal. If we take the appropriate steps with our internal lives – if we focus on the eternal and invisible – we will experience that renewal, even as we are outwardly wasting away. We need not lose heart!

Christian Environmental Ethics

I posted this recently on a birding forum. The specific issue was baiting an unusual owl for photography purposes - using a mouse to draw it close to the road, where it could be hit by passing vehicles.

Allow me to share a bit of a different perspective on this issue.

Those of you who know me (or those who read email addresses) know my vocation: I am an evangelical pastor (please do not translate that into "raging fundamentalist", the stereotype doesn't fit well) & former businessman. I came late to birding (mid-30's) and even later to environmental/nature care contemplation (late 40's), so be aware that this is all still "under development". I am currently teaching environmental ethics & concerns as part of an overall course, while learning on the fly.

Personally I find a solid foundation for such discussions and action in the Judaeo-Christian, biblical concept of stewardship. The concept includes ruling/management and service/care - for those of you who are interested, I can provide some references & sources. Unfortunately, the concept has also taken serious hits through historical Western cultural abuses on one side and significant treatises on the other (such as White's in 1967).

Enough background for the moment. Should we bait birds for photography (or pish during certain seasons, or play tapes to attract rare species, or harvest natural products when impact is inevitable, or a hundred other significant issues) is impacted by our underlying beliefs, our knowledge and experience, and by our motivations/desires. These are often in conflict with each other. For me - and for many thoughtful Christians who have been reexamining the issue for the last 20 years (see www.creationcare.org) - the concept of stewardship, of managing/serving/caring - when combined with knowledge & experience - while checking our motivations (eg, Sparky's selfishness thoughts, well expressed) - helps me to make decisions in the field.

Those decisions have not always been correct. Sometimes I have stepped over a boundary I should not have, through selfishness or ignorance or peer pressure. Forgiveness (on a variety of levels) and personal growth are essential.

So, would I have baited the Northern Hawk Owl for photography purposes? Probably not. As I internalize the event, I perceive that the possibilities for personal hastiness, selfishness and ignorance - ignorance of the true impact of my behavior on the bird (which I'd seen on Saturday as well) and its kind - cause enough questions for me to hold off. However, I would also be willing to listen to the North Dakota photographer's rationale (which we haven't heard), to see if my understanding is incorrect.

My perspective, which is perhaps a bit different in our increasingly secular culture.

Christian Abortion

How many believers get abortions? According to one study, one in five abortions in the United States is gotten by an evangelical or born again Christian.

That's 260,000 "Christian abortions" each year.

Astounding.

A few of these might believe that scriptures support abortion. But the rest? Have we as American believers become so ignorant - or so hard - or cave in so easily to the world's pressure - or so driven by our emotions - that we make choices like this?

Please believe this is not an attack on women (men are 1/2 or more of this equation as well), nor on those who are suffering from the guilt of past abortions.

Rather, it's a cry for strong discipleship, a cry to follow the Lord no matter what our circumstances are or emotions say, a cry to live truth before Him and the watching world.

Would Love Your Feedback

Would love to hear from a number of you on this general, but intriguing question:

Does what we do determine who we are?

Small Groups

From the notes for our small group organizational meeting this evening:

Small Groups

Community “means being Christ to one another, sharing the fullness of His life with everyone we meet. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it this way, ‘It means, first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ. It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ. It means, third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity.” (Building a Church of Small Groups, Donahue and Robinson)

While Christianity started with significant numbers in the temple, it quickly realized the need for smaller groups: “They broke bread together in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46 & 47) Historical sources show that the home/smaller gathering model was primary in the early church.

American churches historically have been smaller organizations, and often met for times of fellowship, both within their buildings and in homes. However, two dynamics have impacted this:

Christian families have grown increasingly busy and isolated
Christian churches have grown beyond the size where people know each other well.

Princeton Free Church is no exception. We average 230-250 on Sunday mornings, and serve 400+ total with Wednesday’s youth/children’s ministries and the Sunday “irregular regulars” (those who would identify PEFC as their church, but come less than twice per month). We are too big to know each other well. Our Sunday Schools are designed for training & discipleship, not fellowship. Our ministries and councils meet to serve. Our events are either irregular or attract too many to fellowship deeply.

We have attempted to launch small groups movements over the last five years with limited success. In 2004 we trained 15 leaders, but only produced two groups, both of which have disbanded. During 2005-2006 we launched a Sunday evening ministry (message & groups), it started with 45-50 in attendance, declined to 15 by the end of the (school) year. During 2008 we attempted to launch an elder-based small groups ministry, which died as elders (and their spouses) realized how busy they already were.

We also face the additional challenge of living in a “commuter community”, people tend to have less time in the evenings for meetings or activities.

But we need the fellowship! We need the accountability! Newer people need to connect with our members and regular attendees! We need the dynamics that only tend to occur in groups.

The picture is not entirely dismal. There are active women’s and men’s small groups. The youth group is committed to small groups. There are a few “mixed” groups that have existed for years. But we simply do not have enough groups to meet the church’s needs.