Trust

Mar

2023

Be Still

As we journey through life, we often find ourselves caught up in the hustle and bustle of the world around us. We are constantly bombarded with noise, distractions, and busyness, and it can be challenging to find a moment of peace. However, the psalmist reminds us to be still and know that God is God. (Psalm 46:10)

In our stillness, we can find a deep sense of peace and connection with our Creator. It is essential to take the time to quiet our minds and hearts and to focus on the presence of God in our lives. When we do this, we open ourselves up to receive the love, guidance, and wisdom that God wants to impart to us.

As we go about our daily lives, we should remember to take moments of stillness to reconnect with God. Whether it is through prayer, meditation, or simply being in nature, we should seek out these opportunities to be still and know that God is God. By doing so, we will find that we are better equipped to face the challenges of life with grace and strength.

Let us take the psalmist’s words to heart and embrace the stillness that allows us to connect with our Creator. As we do so, we can rest in the knowledge that God is, and will be, exalted among the nations and in the earth.

Mar

2023

Acknowledgement

As a follower of Jesus Christ, it is important to not be ashamed of our faith and to boldly proclaim it to others. In Matthew 10:32, Jesus says that if we acknowledge Him before others, He will acknowledge us before His Father in heaven. This means that if we confess Jesus as Lord and Savior in front of others, He will confess us before God.

We can acknowledge Jesus before others by sharing our testimony and the good news of the gospel. It can be scary to share our faith, especially if we fear rejection or ridicule. But Jesus promises to be with us and give us the words to speak when we are faced with opposition (Matthew 10:19-20).

When we acknowledge Jesus before others, we also demonstrate our love and loyalty to Him. It shows that we value our relationship with Him above all else, and that we are willing to endure any persecution or hardship for His sake. May we always have the courage and conviction to acknowledge Jesus before others, knowing that He is faithful to acknowledge us before His Father in heaven.

Nov

2021

My Strong Shield

The tumultuous world in which we live, is constantly pelting us with poison tipped arrows, dipped in hatred, envy, lust, greed, and a host of other evil potions!

But thanks be to God, He is our Shield and protector!

So long as we put our faith and trust in Him; these malicious attempts to lead us astray will fail!

Psalm 28:7

Dec

2019

2019 – What a Year!

We wanted to drop a note sharing a few highlights of our evangelistic endeavors for the calendar year 2019.

We had the privilege of preaching (35) Sunday services in various churches across Pennsylvania. Our target churches are primarily Free Methodist Churches, but we were also thrilled to share in several “Wesleyan” churches as well.

We also had the joy of leading the Pine Grove Family Camp in Saratoga Springs this year. We led the evening preaching, and the morning Bible studies, an amazing time for sure!

While in Saratoga Springs, we met Nick Caras, the area director of the Saratoga Springs Race Track Chaplaincy. He gave us the grand tour of the Racetrack in Saratoga Springs, introducing us to many of the workers there. Prior to the annual races, over 3500, mostly migrant workers arrive and work behind the scenes to make the race happen. Nick Caras and his team minister to those workers, providing counseling, worship services, and prayer. What a ministry!

Along with preaching, Sherri led several women’s retreats, performed a wedding, and led a memorial service requested by a family we had known for many years.

We traveled over 7000 miles sharing the Gospel, challenging churches to step up and step into, the calling God has graciously given to everyone who names Jesus as Lord!

We are looking forward to another exciting year serving the church; if you need us, give us a shout and we will do our best to help where we can!

Apr

2019

The Arrow Rests

I have noticed how crazy-busy most church folks are; always striving, doing, trying, all the while hoping and praying that God blesses what they do. In this frenetic process, people become weary, fatigued and worn, often to the point of despair!

I recall Jesus offered a solution to this problem . . .

“Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

A dear friend, Ivar Overgaard, once shared a message at the Lilburn Alliance Church in Atlanta; I will never forget it! Addressing the continuous motion, much of the church engages in; so much energy expended, producing so little, often resulting in exhaustion, he offered this amazing illustration:

“Consider the bow and arrow; the archer reaches for an arrow from his quiver, he knocks the arrow into the string, and pulls the bow, aiming for the target; and the arrow rests. The target acquired in his sights, the archer releases the energy of the bow, the arrow powerfully soaring toward the target . . . BULLSEYE!”

“God is the Bow, Jesus is the Archer, and the Holy Spirit delivers the arrow, YOU are the arrow, and the arrow rests!”

Be the arrow, and rest!

Mar

2019

Blessed are the Meek

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Matthew 5:5

We often read right over this familiar passage without fully understanding what this means. The work used for “meek” is:

Praus prah-ooce’ mild, gentle, humble: – meek.

The best way to understand what this word means is to use an illustration. Many of us love horses. There is something spectacular about a horse. We have all watched the movies of the wild horses, the “Mustangs” running free across the plains.

These incredible horses are powerful, and beautiful. We love to look at them. As beautiful as they are, these horses, in the wild, are quite dangerous, and cannot be tamed or “broken” easily. In their “wild” state, they may be beautiful, and majestic, but they are quite useless until they are broken.

Once these horses are “broken” and learn to submit to their master, only then can all that power and energy be, put to good use. The horse is now under complete control of its master. Does this mean that the horse is weak? Of course not, it means that this powerful, majestic animal is now humbly under control of its master.

This is what Jesus had in mind when He shared this Scripture. Those who will humble themselves and come under the authority and control of God will experience great blessing.

Just like unbridled passion in a wild horse is dangerous, so is unbridled passion in the heart of a Christian dangerous, even more so.

A fire out of control becomes a wildfire, and wildfires are destructive, they burn hot and furious, and then die out quickly. What we need is a slow, steady burn, a fire ignited and fanned into flame under the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit of God.

If we look across the contemporary Christian landscape we will see many scorched areas where unbridled passions flamed, hundreds became disillusioned, and have become “burned out.”

We must learn to submit to our master, the sooner the better.

When Jesus spoke these words in Matthew, He no doubt was calling on a Scripture taken from the Old Testament Book of Psalms 37.

Psalm 37:1-11

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

If we take a closer look at this Psalm, we will see some interesting “control” words floating to the surface.

Trust, Delight, Commit, Be Still, Do not Fret, Refrain, just to name a few. Jesus is emphasizing the importance of trusting in God, and NOT reacting to our human nature, which is to take things into our own hands, being unsatisfied, lacking commitment, always moving and going, fretting and worrying.

The greatest lesson ANY Christian can learn, is humility, and true humility will produce a person who is meek; controlled power.

Jesus said this later on in the Book of Matthew. . .

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I have been reading a little on several techniques used to break a horse. Some of those techniques seem quite unreasonable, and even cruel. However, unless the horse can be broken, it is utterly useless, and still very dangerous to those around it.

One technique is to “hitch” or pair up a wild horse with a tame one. This procedure seems to work on some horses. The idea is that the older, more “meek” horse, will cause the younger, wilder horse, to settle down a little.

I suspect this procedure is at times as frustrating to the older horse as it is for the younger one, but in the end, favorable results often occur.

Perhaps it is wisdom to come along side of an older, more seasoned Christian, and learn humility this way. They have earned their stripes!

I was one of those “bunking broncos” and I wanted to run fast, hard and free! Brimming with fire and passion, I lit many fires in my wake. I could not understand why well-meaning, mature Christians were coming along behind me with a fire truck, putting out my fires! It exasperated me to no end!

I had to learn the lesson of humility, and I am still in class!

Remember, “meekness” is not “weakness” it is controlled strength.

Finally, for those who have given control to the Holy Spirit of God, the truly meek and humble, the Bible says; “They will inherit the earth.”

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

Psalm 2:8

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

The inheritance that Jesus is talking about is not a home on earth, nor is it the mineral rights to planet earth; while we certainly have access to both! What Jesus is talking about are people; the nations! Heaven and earth will pass away but the souls of man are eternal!

Only the truly humble, only the meek will be able to bring others into the kingdom of heaven, not the proud and self-righteous.

The humble man or woman will be gentle, never condescending, they have an acute awareness of their own spiritual poverty, and are patient, and long suffering with those they encounter in this world. They treat them with an uncanny kindness, are gentle and mild in their conversations.

The meek begin taking on a striking resemblance to the Master they serve, trusting, hoping, and always persevering.

Those who are such will inherit the earth, and many will come into the Kingdom of heaven because of them!

Where are you in the process?

Yield to the Master, and simply take His yoke upon you?

Pick it up, and put it on, and partner with Him, saddle up with Christ, and get moving!

Mar

2019

Foundations

I continue to marvel over the amazing portion of the Bible we often refer to as the “Sermon on the Mount.” We find it in Matthew 5-7 and it contains the “nuts and bolts” of life in Christ. If you have not read this recently, take a few moments to carefully read is again; you will be glad you did!

At the conclusion of this “sermon”, Jesus shares one last illustration to drive home a very important point; let’s listen in . . .

Matthew 7:24-29

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

We vividly recall seeing the devastation left behind after powerful hurricanes reach landfall; the images displayed on our TV screens reveal the power and ferocity of these storms.

While looking at the devastation, one wonders why there will be dozens of homes swept away, but invariably several withstood the howling storm, and survived. Could it be that those who had taken the time to build a super solid foundation were the ones to remain? I think it had a great deal to do with it!

Jesus is telling His listeners, you and I, that if we hear His words, and put them into practice, then we would be like a wise builder, who set His house on a solid foundation. When the screaming storms of life come, and they will, our house will stand, and not fall.

He then lets us know, that if we hear these words of His, and do nothing with them, then our foundation will be weak and vulnerable, and when storms come, the destruction of our house will be utterly complete!

I can imagine two home-builders on the Gulf of Mexico. One person is spending extra time and money to sink down concrete pylons an extra 6 feet deep; it is costly and time consuming.

Another person, wanting to move in before the summer gets in full swing, decides to cut corners to save time and money; he forgoes the deep foundations suggested, and installs just the bare minimum.

Sure enough, the person building his home scrimping and cutting corners, is sitting on the deck enjoying the warm breezes, sipping iced tea, and getting a good tan, while the other guy is still building. Finally, the builder who took the extra time completes his home, and starts to enjoy what is left of the summer.

The fall hurricane season is coming, and the waters are churning, evacuations are given, and both homeowners have to leave. The storm rages, and finally the floodwaters recede. As the two owners head back to assess the damage, there is only one home remaining; the other is nowhere to be seen. In the end, it was definitely worth the extra time and effort, to build well!

In the passage from Matthew, Jesus was essentially telling us how to build our “spiritual house.” He shows us how to lay a firm foundation; a foundation that will remain when the storms of life beat against it! There will be storms, and some of those storms will be fierce!

When building a spiritual foundation, we need to start somewhere; Jesus started the whole “Sermon on the Mount” with this statement:

Matthew 5:3

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

The beginning point in our foundation building process, is to recognize our spiritual need; our own spiritual poverty. Unless we come to terms with this, we will never be able to build any lasting spiritual structure. The acknowledgment of our spiritual need is vital.

The proud-hearted man or woman, who relies on their own intelligence, and abilities, will never have a lasting spiritual foundation. Many individuals see faith in God as a weakness, coming up with all kinds of reasons to avoid God.

The Bible is very clear regarding these kinds of folks:

Romans 1:18-22

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. . .”

At one point in my own life, I was one of those people mentioned in this Scripture. I thought science held the key, that faith in an unseen god was weakness, and people of faith were simply ignorant. I was a subscriber to secular magazines like “Cosmos” and was a firm believer in Carl Sagan’s “billions and billions of years.”

After years of immersion in secular scientific thought, I could not reconcile how the intricacies of space and biology could have “just happened.” It was stunning to think that all of this incredible creation could have just fallen into place by random chance.

I became disillusioned with the scientific community because they seemed like they were grasping at straws. They had no real answers, just theories, and tall tales that were even more incredible to grasp and believe than the story that God put forward in His Word!

Like many others, I needed to come to the end of myself, the end of my intellect, and to the realization that I am at a loss, a big loss, to understand the principles of this incredible world in which I live. There MUST BE A GOD, and I MUST KNOW HIM!

Therefore, the starting point for every spiritual journey is the recognition that you are spiritually poor; and Jesus said, this was a good thing!

The recognition of this spiritual poverty causes you to hit “rock bottom” which is a very good place to begin to build!

How deep is your foundation?

I hear there is a storm brewing; be sure your anchor points are going to hold!

Feb

2019

Come Now, Let Us Reason Together

There seems to be, two different types of people emerging after an encounter with Jesus; one kind recognizes that the journey may get tough, sacrifices will need made, but the joy of following the Savior is greater, the rewards of a life spent following the master are worth any amount of sacrifice!

These folks find joy and peace in the midst of great pain and suffering. They always seem to be moving forward, gaining strength day by day, being built up in God’s holy Word! They begin to produce fruit for their labors, and people around them begin to come into the Kingdom of God too!

For the other group, they exhibit a “dragging” of the feet, so to speak, an unwillingness to obey the clear teachings of God. Jesus begins to take them on a journey, and they quickly realize that the way is steep, and they are carrying too much baggage, and He tells them to drop some of the “things” they carry, but they refuse!

Jesus decides to take a turn, and they realize that the way is unfamiliar, and out of fear, refuse to go!

For this group, service to God becomes a burden, rather than a joy. Obedience to God’s Word becomes frightfully difficult. It becomes a duty, and no longer done from a position of love.

It is unfortunate, but many people fall into the second category. For those who will resist the call of God on their lives, for those who refuse to obey the clear teachings of the Bible, the words from Isaiah seem quite appropriate!

Isaiah 1:5-6

“Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness– only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”

According to this verse, there are consequences for rebelling against God. You will wear yourself out! Your whole being will suffer!

It is not uncommon for those resisting God, who walk in rebellion to Him, to face increasing depression, fits of rage, anger, and could even become physically ill.

Yet God is patient, He waits for those who are in this “sea of rebellion” to come to their senses. When they do, God gives this incredible offer:

Isaiah 1:18-20

“Come now, let us reason together,”

says the LORD.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.

If you are willing and obedient,

you will eat the best from the land;

but if you resist and rebel,

you will be devoured by the sword.”

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

I just love this Scripture; God says; “Come now, let us reason together.” It’s like God has just poured a cup of coffee for you, and invites you to the table, One on one, to see if there can be a solution. God is awesome!

So . . . which type of Christian are you?

Whatever the case may be, a sold faithful walk with Him, or a dragging of the feet; take time today to respond to His words; “Come now, let us reason together.”

Feb

2019

“One Thing You Lack”

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:17-21

There are several other locations where this encounter is recorded as well. In Matthew 19:20 the man is identified as being young, and Luke 18:18 describes him as being a ruler.

So, from these three passages we can easily deduce that this was a young, wealthy, man of influence, perhaps he was training to become a Pharisee, or was the member of the Roman government; we really don’t know for sure.

Typically when we read this passage of Scripture we talk about money and the power that it can have over individuals; this passage reveals much, much more than we may have anticipated!

This passage reveals to us the characteristics of a person that did not qualify that person to be a Christian.

So let’s look at the characteristics of this young man that were not enough to constitute salvation.

Sincerity

It is easy to see that this man was sincere. Here was a wealthy young man of an elite background, and in full view of everyone, he ran to Jesus and knelt before Him. He did not care if anyone was looking. He must have thought that Jesus Himself held the answer to the question he was seeking.

It is quite possible that this young man believed that Jesus was the Messiah; why else would he risk his reputation by kneeling to Him.

Over the course of ministry I have seen hundreds of people kneel and pray to God for salvation; most are as sincere as this young man. They come risking everything, kneeling and asking God for the way of eternal life; but like this young man, sincerity is not enough; Jesus Himself asked for more!

Righteousness

This young man was a righteous man. Jesus reminded him of the commandments; You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.” yet this young man had kept them all!

He never committed murder by killing anyone; he honored his father and mother; was not a thief, nor did he give false testimony or defraud anyone! He was a young man who kept the commandments of God faithfully; what more could he do?

People today are no different; far too often we think if we just live a good life, then we somehow will gain access to heaven and eternal life; that is simply not true! It was not enough for this young man and it will not be enough for you either!

While living a righteous and good life is to be commended; and doing a lifetime of good works may get you a plaque on a wall; it will by no means cause you to have eternal life.

God’s Love

The Bible declares in this passage that “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” As Jesus was looking over this young man, kneeling in the dirt, hopeful eyes locked with His, He had compassion.

God also has compassion for us too. The Bible declares that God Himself is love; and the most quoted verse in the Bible; John 3:16 says it best:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

However, God’s love for us; His amazing love for us, does not, in and of itself, bring about the salvation of our souls. God looks in love at this young man, and still there is something more required.

So, if being sincere; recognizing Jesus to be the One with the answer; and being a righteous, good and moral person, and sensing God’s own love for me is not enough for salvation to be complete; what am I missing?

Becoming a Christian, as evidenced in this story, is to believe Jesus to be trustworthy enough to surrender control of our life to. Not partial, or selective control, but ALL control.

To put it bluntly, a Christian is a person who believes in Jesus strong enough to follow Him!

This particular young man had considerable wealth, and it turned out to be his “one thing.”

Jesus said to him; “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus knew that in order for this young man to find salvation, he would have to relinquish control of his wealth. Apparently it had quite a grip on his heart; and for this fellow, it was the “one thing” that prevented this young man from eternal life.

The conclusion of this story with the wealthy young ruler ended sadly, as the Bible says:

“One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

This story is not really about money, but about that which keeps us from following Jesus.

Jesus could easily say . . .

“How hard it is for the bitter to enter the kingdom of God!”

“How hard it is for the jealous to enter the kingdom of God!”

“How hard it is for the self-reliant to enter the kingdom of God!”

“How hard it is for the unforgiving to enter the kingdom of God!”

What “one thing” stands in the way of your salvation?

Perhaps it is time to get rid of it and start following Jesus!

Feb

2019

Ask, Seek and Knock – Do It!

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11

This is a very familiar Scripture that many of us have read dozens, if not hundreds of times. We often refer to this Scripture when talking about prayer, as we should!

This section begins with the admonition to ask, seek and knock. As we read this, we get the feeling that these are not simply suggestions; perhaps the words carry just a little more weight than that!

Jesus does not frame these words with any kind of condition associated with the request; He simply says to; ask, seek and knock! Therefore, these three words come with an expectation that you will do it.

Jesus further indicates that those who ask, seek and knock, will receive, find, and gain entrance. Again, there is no hesitation in Jesus very straightforward statement here.

He says that if you ask, you will receive, if you seek, you will find, and if you knock, the door opens for you. I find this to be very exciting indeed!

In the following verses, we get a partial idea of where the answers to the asking, seeking, and knocking are coming from. Jesus begins verse 9 by asking the crowd a rhetorical question:

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

I can see the crowd laughing as he makes this statement; some parents are no doubt planning a practical joke on their kids later in the day!

Jesus then contrasts the crowd; sinful humanity, against a holy and righteous Father; by saying:

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

We see that “good gifts” come from our Father in heaven. James echoes this truth in the Book he wrote:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

So, we see clearly that Jesus is saying if you ask, seek and knock, then God Himself will respond with good gifts.

I have heard it said by well meaning Christians that we need to be careful what we ask God for, we might just get it! I think that is an ugly statement, one in which we think that God our Father, who is incredibly good and holy, who has our best interest at heart, would somehow give us a bad gift!

I think that if I am knocking on a door that is going to lead me astray, God will not open it.

When God opens a door, gives a gift, or reveals Himself to His children, according to Jesus, it is going to be good!

Now to be sure, we can go beyond knocking, and go get a crowbar and force open a door that God is unwilling to open for us.

Remember, He knows what is best, and if the door will not open by knocking on it, it is best to leave it shut.

So go ahead; ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK . . . this is going to be good!

Feb

2019

For the Love of God

The deepest need that we as humans have is to be loved. Love is something we search for and often spend our lives trying to find; thousands of love songs, written over the centuries, try to express this deep need.

For many, the search for love comes up empty; like a familiar song from the 1980’s by Johnny Lee; “Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places” they cannot find the deep satisfaction they long for. Many, searching for love in this broken world, come up hurt, mistreated and abused.

For some, the pain of being unloved causes them to turn to artificial treatments of the condition, drugs, alcohol and relationships without true commitment, anything to ease the pain of not experiencing true love.

In this broken world, love comes with strings attached, and our love is conditional.

God’s love is very different, and it is His love that we must understand and experience, if we are to, truly be able to love and be loved by others.

What is God’s love is like?

God is Love – “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:15-16

The Bible declares in this verse that God is love; His very nature exudes love. His love is strong, never ending.

God loves His enemies – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

God’s love is so strong that even when we were in our sin, even when we despised Him, He still loved us; so much so, that He sacrificed his Son in order to provide a way to have fellowship with us, which leads us to the next . . .

God’s love is sacrificial – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Think of the most precious person in your life, think of someone who you are well pleased with, someone who is the apple of your eye. Now think of the most pure and loving individual in your life, your own child or even a grandson or granddaughter. What would it take for you, to initiate the loss of that child in order to rescue a group of people who really don’t care?

God’s Love is lavish – “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1

The word we translate into “lavish” here indicates an over-abundance, or super abundant love. It is love we certainly do not deserve and we did nothing to warrant such love; simply that God pours it on and loves us so much!

God’s Love is Eternal – “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

To sum it all up, the Bible gives a great description of what God’s love is like . . .

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

How different from the kind of love we are accustomed to in this world.

The greatest hindrance regarding God’s Love seems to be our inability to receive it! Since we have such a corrupted view of what love is, it becomes an obstacle to receiving God’s love!

For so many, the idea of someone loving you to this degree is simply not possible. Some feel so unworthy of this kind of love, and cringe at the idea of a Holy God desiring them this much!

We need to ask God to supernaturally, change our minds about Him, and about our relationship to Him.

We must learn to trust Him, with everything; holding nothing back. It is time to let go of your heart and give it entirely to Him . . . He loves you and has demonstrated it a thousand ways!

Will you receive His love today?

Sep

2018

Let it Shine

I have been watching with great interest, the ongoing vilification of proposed Supreme Court appointee, Brett Kavanaugh. It is breathtaking to watch, as these allegations of sexual misconduct seem to appear out of nowhere, just days before his confirmation; should his nomination derail; woe to the next one to be chosen!

I have also watched how many people; consumed with utter hatred toward the current president, Donald Trump and the party he represents, seem to have lost their minds. I have never seen such hatred and vile comments ever made toward anyone . . . ever, let alone a sitting president.

As I have pondered these things, I realize too, there is a growing hatred toward those of the Christian faith. We are mocked, ridiculed, vilified, silenced if possible, and are becoming nearly as despised as Mr. Trump!

I have concluded that all these things must come to pass, and what we witness playing out before our eyes, is simply confirmation of what Jesus said to expect.

None of this is new; it has happened before in every generation since Jesus was crucified, buried and rose again.

What we are seeing displayed is the very reason that Jesus went to the Cross in the first place, which was to make it possible for the very people who wanted to kill Him, to have life!

So I watch with curiosity, the brutal and vile hatred demonstrated daily, and I pray!

I pray for those unjustly considered guilty of crimes they never committed.

I pray for those with utter hatred and contempt for those who believe differently than they do.

I pray for opportunities to share the love of Jesus with those who will listen, and I pray for those who despise me because of that!

Finally, I believe this is the greatest time to be a Christian; as darkness settles across the land, those with the Light of the Gospel, which by the way, is the Glory of Christ, will find the light brilliantly showing the way to thousands who simply want to stop stumbling in the darkness!

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. Isaiah 9:2

So I think I will sing the little kid’s song which is familiar to many from Sunday School . . . sing it with me!

This Little Light of Mine

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine,

Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!

I’m gonna let it shine

Hide it under a bushel? No!

I’m gonna let it shine

Hide it under a bushel? No!

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine,

Let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine,

Let it shine.

Don’t let Satan blow it out,

I’m gonna let it shine

Don’t let Satan blow it out,

I’m gonna let it shine

Don’t let Satan blow it out,

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine,

Let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine,

Let it shine.

Jul

2018

Lights Out

It was early in my pastoral career; I was serving two small community churches about 16 miles apart. I received a call from a woman at one of the churches. The woman told me that a friend of a friend, heard of a family in the community, whose mother was in critical condition at a local hospital; and would I go see her.

New to ministry, and wanting to be a good pastor, I said that I would go. I put on my pastor suit, grabbed my Bible and headed to the hospital. I was ill prepared for what I was about to encounter.

When I arrived to the hospital, I asked for the room number of the ailing mother. I approached the room with a great deal of anxiety; not knowing what to expect.

The door was open, so I gently entered the room, standing in the doorway. I saw about 8 people in the room, and an elderly woman in the hospital bed. She was on life support; a respirator was helping her breathe; I could tell she was not long for this world.

When the family in the room turned to see who I was, they recognized I was a preacher; two of the teenage granddaughters, burst into tears and ran out of the room past me. The rest of the family just looked at me, not saying a word.

I began to stammer a bit, as I struggled for something to say. I told them that a friend of a friend of theirs had mentioned to a friend of mine, the situation regarding their mother and I thought I should come . . . awkward silence ensued!

As I stood there, in that tongue-tied, odd moment of indecision, the Lord took action; the power went out to the entire hospital! The room went dark for about 30 seconds; which seemed like an eternity.

The magnetic doors to all the rooms slammed shut; the poor woman on the ventilator began to choke and gasp for air, alarms were going off and the family in the room began to panic!

The whole power outage was short lived, but it created quite a stir; the nurses came bursting into the room, caring for the elderly woman; resetting the alarms and making sure she stabilized.

When the pandemonium calmed down; I whispered, “Lord, You don’t ever have to do that again . . . I know what I need to do and why I am here.”

I went to the bedside of the woman and I took her hand. I could not tell if she could hear me or not; she never once opened her eyes. I told her that I was a pastor who came to pray for her. I began to tell her how much Jesus loved her, and that she needed to trust in Him right now.

I shared a little more about Jesus, and then I asked if she was trusting in Jesus right now; at that instant, she gripped my hand hard, an indication to me that she heard everything I was saying, and that she was indeed trusting in Him.

I told her that if Jesus comes to her soon, that it is all right to go to Him. I said a prayer for her, and then quietly left the room.

The next afternoon, Jesus came to receive her and she went quietly with Him.

The family, none of whom attended any church, called me to see if I would do the funeral for their mom, since I knew her. I graciously accepted the request with honor. I began the funeral service by telling the very same story, I just told you!

God helps us in our walk with Him, going to extraordinary steps, to getting our attention. He got mine that day, and reminded me that I am on a mission to let people know, sick or not, that He is near, He loves them, and wants them to follow Him . . . It is that simple!

Isaiah 61:1-3

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,

Because the Lord has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Jun

2018

Coffee with God

In an ever increasingly distracting world, it is easy to get off course. The constant chatter on TV, social media, radio, and a host of other venues, beckons us into the world of chaos.

Once distracted, we ramble on down a pathway we should never have embarked on and we get in trouble. Too often, once there, we begin to justify our stay, and our trouble only worsens.

Now confused and struggling, we wonder what to do; then God suggests an amazing solution . . .

One of my favorite passages in the Bible . . .

Isaiah 1:18-20

“Come now, let us reason together,”

says the LORD.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.

If you are willing and obedient,

you will eat the best from the land;

but if you resist and rebel,

you will be devoured by the sword.”

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

I just love this Scripture; God says; “Come now, let us reason together.” It is as if God has just poured a cup of coffee for you, and invites you to the table, One on one, to see if there can be a solution. God is awesome!

Even though you have rebelled, God wants to forgive you, but there is a condition, you must be willing and obedient. You have to be both.

It’s not enough to be willing, and it’s not enough to be obedient, you must be willingly obedient.

Settle this one before you start the day!

Apr

2018

Set Sail

Following Jesus and serving Him, is not for the faint-hearted. You will find it a costly endeavor; but one full of great rewards, both in this life, and certainly in the one to come.

God is not safe . . . but He is Good!

To know the depths of His riches and grace, one must surrender to His Lordship.

Remember, a ship in the harbor is safe there . . . but that is not what ships are built for!

Be un-tethered and set sail into the deep waters; the Lord will fill your sail and the adventure of a lifetime gets underway! Hang on; this is going to be Good!

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Apr

2018

Take His Hand

I have learned that when it comes right down to it, most people when pressed, will admit they believe in God. I think that is a good thing, but simply believing is not enough, there needs to be a bit more.

One needs to believe enough to follow; in fact, that was the very challenge Jesus gave to those He encountered along the way; He said, “Come, follow Me . . .” and many did!

Do you believe enough to follow? Following Jesus may require leaving some things behind, and that may be just what you need! His invitation still stands . . . “Come, Follow Me . . .”

Put your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee!

Apr

2018

Is It Monday Already?

The weekend is over and it is time for Monday! I can hear the groans already! For many folks, Monday is a dreaded day. It kicks off another 5 days of drudgery, one more countdown to the weekend.

But . . . wait just a minute. Look at this from a different perspective. For many of my friends, we went to a church yesterday, we sang songs to God, we worshiped Him, celebrated His goodness, renewing our trust in His provision.

Yesterday was a celebration of what took place the week before, a renewing of confidence that God will lead us forward in this new week.

Therefore, having just celebrated God’s goodness yesterday, Monday is the Day for the Church to Shine!

So, it is time to buckle up and buckle in, time to set our sights on this brand new, never before seen MONDAY!

It is the beginning of another extravagant week of God’s blessings full of challenges to overcome, opportunities to seize and wonders to behold. Be sure to capture every moment . . . this is gonna be Good!

Let’s do this!

Mar

2018

Crying in a Bucket – A Lesson in Humility

The year was 2000 and our church had just undertaken an amazing act of faith; we purchased an old school building. Built in 1924, it served as the High School in our community for many years. Later, it became a middle school; in the year 2000, the school placed it for sale, and by God’s provision; we bought it!

We began to renovate the building, a little at a time, but the task was daunting. As we went about the work of renovating the building, we also went about the work of renovating the hearts of people as well.

We developed a food ministry, and outreach center, along with a variety of ministries aimed at helping g the poor and disenfranchised.

Over the course of the next few years, we met dozens of wonderful people; many of whom came to a saving knowledge of Jesus. The folks we encountered were interesting, to say the least!

One of the folks I was privileged to know, was a gentleman named Brad. He was a tall, lanky man, about 65 years old at the time. He would frequent our center, stopping in several times each week.

Brad was a pleasant man; witty with a wry sense of humor. He was a chain smoker, and chose to live outside, under a bridge during the summer months. He would stop in my office and chat endlessly about everything!

I had a large comfortable, cloth chair, in my office that Brad’s thin, gangly frame would disappear into as he chatted. The chair would retain the “essence” of Brad, long after he left. It was during this time that I learned of the blessing of Febreeze air freshener spray!

As time progressed, I found myself cutting short some of my visits with Brad; not wanting my office overly saturated with the scent of stale cigarettes and campfire smoke.

Sometimes I would see him sauntering down the hall toward my office and I would quickly meet him in the hall; feigning some work project, I needed to get to!

One day, the phone rang in my office and it was one of the wealthiest people in our community. He previously owned a large manufacturing center in our area and was a multi-millionaire! The conversation went something like this . . .

“Hi Rock, this is **** and I would love to come and talk to you about your building, I have some great ideas that may interest you and your church, can I stop down next Tuesday morning and see you?” I was stunned and said, “I would love to meet.”

Over the weekend, my head was spinning. One of the wealthiest men in our community was coming to see me; I wondered what he wanted. I wondered if he would want to help us renovate; with one stroke of the pen, he could cover the entire cost of the project, with room to spare!

Monday came, and I looked at my office and realized how dirty it was. I figured I had better give it a good cleaning, since I was going have a very important meeting the next morning; a meeting that could alter the direction of our church renovation project immensely!

I got a bucket of warm soapy water, a scrub brush and a couple of rags. I got on my knees to wipe the dust off the baseboard. As I was scrubbing, I got the sensation the Lord was nearby.

I continued to scrub and I felt the Lord ask me a simple question; “Rock, what are you doing?” With a little excitement, I began to share that a very important man was stopping by the next day; perhaps he would help finance our project!

There was a moment of silence; I was waiting for some indication that God was listening; perhaps He would help persuade this wealthy man. As I waited for His response, I felt Him ask another question; it was a simple one, and it changed my life.

He asked; “So Rock, how is it that you would clean your office for this very wealthy man, but you never even swept it for Brad?” I was undone, busted if you will! Still on my knees, scrub brush in my hand, tears began to splash in the bucket.

I stopped cleaning, emptied my bucket, and spent most of the day repenting of my foolishness, reminded of the passage of scripture in Matthew . . .

Matthew 25:34-40

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

God helped me to see that my motives were askew; revealing that I was more interested in financial support, than I was for the soul of kind old man.

A couple of years later, Brad moved from our area; he stopped to see me before he left. He brought me two antique oil lamps; a gift thanking me for spending time with him. Those lamps meant more to me than anything the other man could have ever done.

Oh, by the way, I did meet with the wealthy man; we had a pleasant, albeit short meeting. He wanted to turn our center into a museum . . . go figure!

God is great; I love Him so much! The lessons He teaches last a lifetime!

Mar

2018

Open Door

It is often said that when one door closes, another opens. Be careful not to look so long and so ruefully at the closed door, that you do not see the new one that is opening for you.

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” ~Jesus

Feb

2018

A Distant Rumbling – Do You Hear It!

Hallelujah! Spring is in the air!

A smile came to my face the other day as I rounded a corner on the road and saw several hundred buckets collecting sugar maple sap from a grove of trees.

It seems like we have had a “real” winter this year, and I for one, am looking forward to the smells of flowers, and fresh cut lawns!

Living in the mountains of Northwest Pennsylvania, we sometimes get to witness an awesome event. If the winter is cold enough, the mountain streams ice over, and depending on how cold it is; the ice can get thick.

When the weather warms up enough, the rivers begin to melt and at just the right time; the ice begins to break up and go down the river. If you have never experienced the ice going out, you need to see it once in your lifetime; the power is incredible!

I remember growing up in the Village of Cameron, and one night, I believe it was during March, the ice went out. It had been raining off and on all day and the water was coming up over the top of the ice.

It was about 9:30 at night, and we heard the windows shake in the house, we could even feel the vibrations rumbling in the ground. Dad and I, along with a neighbor, grabbed flashlights and headed down to the river behind our house, which was only about 300 yards away.

When we reached the river, the sight was unbelievable! Behind our house, there is a long sweeping corner in the river, and the ice was jamming up. There are two big rocks back there, that are about 15 to 20 feet tall, and ice was going up over-top and crashing down on them.

We could feel the earth shake under the incredible crushing power, of about 6 miles of ice, pressing down around the corner. I will never forget the power and awe of that night!

Once that ice begins to move, nothing can stop it!

How crazy it would be if a person were to get in the way of such a powerful force. A person would be very crazy to go and stand on the ice in front of that flow. They would be ground to pieces!

Yet, today so many are resisting another incredible force; a power that is even stronger and mightier than any ice flow. I am amazed at the flagrant violations of God’s Holy Way that are taking place in our world, and I fear for those who do not know what is coming down the valley.

Some mock God openly, taunting Him to action, while others are just oblivious to the pending danger. We know that God is a God of love, but time is running out for many, and the time of God’s favor is ebbing.

For those of us who know God, we must remember that God is also a God of wrath! His wrath is not for us, but for those who will not inherit the Kingdom of heaven.

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

There is a mighty power coming, and those who do not heed the rumblings, will be ground to pieces, I think it is time that we get serious about gathering in the lost, while we still have time.

To experience the wrath of God will be more terrifying than any ice flow. Let’s gently warn those around us of the pending danger, if they choose to get on board, praise God, if not, well then at least they were warned.

Luke 20:17-18

Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’? “Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

See you down by the river

Jan

2018

The Sandbox

I was sitting outside recently looking at the landscape of our small yard and I noticed a slight depression near the edge bordering the alleyway. My mind drifted back 4 years ago, when in that very spot, there used to be a sandbox, and I recalled how the story of the sandbox unfolded.

I had built our youngest son a sandbox, so he could enjoy the fun of building and dozing in the dirt; something every little boy loves to do. During the summer months, he and neighborhood friends, day after day would occupy the sandbox.

As the years went by and our son grew older, the sandbox received less and less attention and began to fill up with weeds, and the fancy digging toys, now rusted tight, had lost their luster.

That year our youngest son Luke, spent most of his time riding bikes with friends, playing basketball down the street, and really did not spend too much time in the sandbox. I considered pulling out the sandbox, filling it in with topsoil, and planting grass.

As I contemplated the fate of the forgotten sandbox, memories of my own childhood flashed across my mind. I could remember hours playing in the dirt, the fun I had with the neighborhood children.

I remember walking into our house, gathering scornful looks from my mother, as I left a trail of dirt on my way to the kitchen sink to clean up.

What was to become of the old sandbox.

I asked my son one day what he thought about the idea of filling in the sandbox, and he seemed a little indifferent about it; as if it was not terribly important to him either.

Over the next few weeks, I gathered up some of the older toys, sending them off to the trash heap, never to be used again. I must admit I had twinges of guilt as I did it.

School let out for summer vacation, and one day I noticed my son, and a couple of his friends, ages 10 to 14, digging in the sandbox … and I mean digging! Over the course of the next 3 weeks, we had as many as 10 neighborhood boys, coming to dig in the sandbox; they were coming with shovels!

The sandbox measured about 12’ x 10’ and they had dug a hole in the sandbox that was about 5’ in diameter and about 4’ deep.

Soon, the neighborhood moms and dads were coming to our yard to gaze at the sight; at least a half-dozen boys or more, with shovels digging away, no set purpose, just digging.

Well, I was astonished and amazed. I asked the kids what they planned to do with this incredible “hole.” It did not seem right to fill it in, but what could they do with it. They thought of all kinds of things from a swimming pool to a well.

After several weeks of intense cogitating about what to do with the hole; to my amazement when I came home from the office one day, I saw that the kids had filled in the hole, and was starting another project in the sandbox.

This time they created incredible miniature cities, with lakes, roads, parks, stores; their imaginations were running wild. Kids were coming to the sandbox with dozens and dozens of matchbox cars, boats, and all kinds of “things.”

Night after night, the kids were filling our yard, and as daylight turned to darkness, they began planning the newest addition to continue the next morning. Amazing!

Important lessons about life were being learned in the sandbox.

The kids were learning incredible lessons at the sandbox, lessons like; cooperation, sharing, vision casting, honing leadership skills, teamwork, and so much more!

After watching this incredible display of innovation and leadership coming from kids, 10 to 14 years old, I wondered; what would happen if the church could catch this determination.

You see, the kids had one objective; “dig dirt.” What it looks like, how it happens, is not important; what is important, is dirt digging!

As long as “digging dirt” is the main objective, then everyone is happy. The minute one of the boys sees his corner of the sandbox becoming more important than someone else’s corner, the whole project gets bogged down; dirt digging comes to a sudden stop.

Only when there is a resolution to the favoritism, or if the pet project is relinquished, can the real work of “digging dirt” begin again.

I wonder if the church could learn these lessons too.

How many times do we forget that our primary focus in the church is to reach lost people with the Good News of Jesus Christ? As long as we stay focused on “Knowing God, and Making Him Known” then we can get much done.

We tend to bog down when we think that our particular ministry, or service project, is the best, or the most important. Our feelings get hurt when someone else’s idea eclipses our own; we take offense and go sit down in the corner, and the work slows down, joy ceases, and very little “dirt digging” takes place!

Sometimes we simply need to come to our senses and fill in the hole and start over! Then digging dirt becomes the primary focus again.

Works for the kids; maybe it will work for the church too. I for one want to spend more time digging dirt than slinging it.

Jesus said that we should be about the Father’s business, and what is that? It is reaching God’s cherished missing with the Good News that Jesus is Lord!

Grab a shovel and let’s get digging!

What was to become of the old sandbox.

Important lessons about life were being learned in the sandbox.

I wonder if the church could learn these lessons too.

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