July, 2019

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#Blessing#Challenge

Sunday, July 28th, 2019

As a grandfather, I have a desire to see my grandson more often than I have the opportunity to. He lives 4 hours away and is actively involved in baseball and football (oh, and school) so his schedule is pretty full. Him coming to visit his grandparents is not high on his list of things to do. And it is not high on his mother’s list either. She is a busy, working mom and wife. Neither Jo nor I begrudge that.  We just know our situation is unique and unless God says, “Time to move” we will be here ministering in Spencer hopefully for years to come.

My girls are adults now, each with their own life. Tami, our oldest, teaches Kindergarten in Bloomington, IN. Janna, our youngest, works in Delaware, OH for a car dealership (not selling but as a jack-of-all-trades doing rentals, office work, receptionist, etc). When they were babies I would often go into their room at night and pray for them and pray over them. I prayed a prayer of surrender, i.e. “Father, these girls are yours. Help me never to hold on to them so tightly I won’t give them to you.” Sort of like Abraham and Isaac. I also prayed for their salvation.

The first time I held Braden when he came home from the hospital and I surprised Janna by being there, I went off by myself with the little guy in my arms and prayed for him. I prayed a blessing over him. I prayed for his salvation and that he will grow up knowing Jesus.

All this flooded back to me as I read I Chronicles 22 Saturday night. David is making preparations for building the temple and then calls his son, Solomon, to him. He tells Solomon about why he is not building the temple (he was a man of war), but he also speaks a blessing over Solomon and challenges him as well.  The blessing is found in verses 11-12: “The Lord be with you.” But he also issues a challenge to Solomon to stand strong and be faithful to God. [Verses 12-13].

What a great opportunity we have as parents and grandparents to speak into our son’s and daughter’s and grandchildren’s lives with a blessing to cover them. I’m not into so-called “positive confession” that the name-it-claim-it people talk about. But I am into praying over and for our children and grandchildren.  In our case, being 4 hours away, that seems to be the next best thing to being there.  Who knows how and when God will answer our prayers for them.

#Betrayed#Hurt

Saturday, July 27th, 2019

Few things hurt so deeply as being betrayed. The hurt is compounded when it is family.  Joseph knows that first hand. His road to becoming the second most powerful man in Egypt did not start out smoothly at all. But God had his plan, so even when it looks like there is no good to come out of a situation, God has other plans.

When I took a closer look at the life of Joseph through my study, I realized there is so much more than what meets the eye. Before he even got to Egypt he had some mountains to overcome! Consider these:

  • Family history of dysfunction
  • Rape of Dinah (Jacob did nothing but her brothers, Simeon and Levi, did)
  • Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph
  • Joseph’s mouth (telling dreams)

All of this created a perfect storm.  Add in his brother’s hatred fueled by jealousy and you not only have a perfect storm but also a very volatile situation.

My sermon this week is about their betrayal of their own flesh and blood as they take his coat, sell him to a traveling “slave” market, and then lie about his death to their father. To me the ultimate betrayal.

I have not preached on the family much this year so this series on Icebergs (which can sink our faith) is also giving me an opportunity to do that.  Prayers are appreciated.

#Light#Tunnel#StillAlive

Wednesday, July 24th, 2019

Have you ever heard the saying, “I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is an oncoming train”?

Well…it isn’t quite that bad but we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We are on the last day of our time here and made some great progress. We still have things to do and it will probably be a late night packing things like dishes, etc, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We leave tomorrow to return home.

BUT FIRST! We stop in Columbus, Ohio and have breakfast (IHOP) with Braden, our grandson. I miss the little guy. Although I suspect he would beat me up since he will be 13 in October. 🙂  I’m sure he would have sympathy toward an old man.

We return Sunday to load a Penske truck to take things home to store for a yard sale and to give away. It has been a long, dirty, tedious process but I am not pulling your leg when I say it would not have been possible without your prayers. This is just a short thank you for those prayers. I am humbled you would do that.  It is obviously not over yet, but we can see the finish line in this leg of the race. Jo will have to make every other month treks back to see her sister but that will seem like nothing compared to the past month and a half.

Speaking of Jo…she has been a trooper in this journey with her sister. From dealing with Family Services, Medicaid, funeral planning, etc she has been out of her comfort zone. She has shed plenty of tears but wipes off her cheeks then gets back to it. She has struggled with all the government red tape (and I can understand that); pulling scattered papers together; becoming POA then finding and paying bills as POA; cried a bucket of tears which range from frustration to “I can’t do this”; and is still standing. Your continued prayers for her as she continues down the paper road and loving, caring and visiting her sister who is 7 hours away, would be much appreciated.

Thanks is not said lightly.

#Celebrities#Pastors

Monday, July 22nd, 2019

I’m thinking it is not a coincidence that I would be reading Costi Hinn’s new book God, Greed, and the Prosperity Gospel the same time I would read a chapter in Skye Jethani’s book Immeasurable that goes by the title of Celebrity.  He begins his chapter with these words:

Celebrity pastors are not a new phenomenon, nor is our human tendency to exalt our leaders to unsustainable heights. What is new is the number of celebrity pastors and the speed with which they are being created and corrupted.

Skye places some of the blame on what he called the EIC (Evangelical Industrial Complex). He compares it too what outgoing President Eisenhower said about the military industrial complex (MIC).  His belief was those industries that were created to end the war would now push the country to start many more. His words were strangely prophetic.  The connection between the EIC and MIC is one of comparison. No, the EIC is not a military complex, BUT it is a force to be reckoned with.

So…what is the EIC?  It is (for lack of a better term) a conglomeration of companies that forego the ministry aspect, very often the “truth” aspect, for what I will call the “money aspect.” Much like an athlete at the top of his game receives offers galore for endorsements, etc, so the EIC does the same to authors, pastors, and churches.  Conferences do the same thing. Rather than ask someone who is conscientious about his lifestyle and his presentation of the gospel, the new young guy who is hip, vocal, a social media genius, and most of all charismatic, is invited. Who cares if his doctrine is skewed? Who cares if he is in the Prosperity (Un)gospel/name-it-claim-it garbage world? He’s popular. He’s funny. His church is growing (for dubious reasons).  He’s a draw.  It doesn’t matter. “Get him!” (or in these days even a “her”).  So we have a pastor who wants to shock his church by playing a very anti-God song for Easter. We have a woman “pastrix” (or whatever you would call her) who is vulgar and supportive of the LBGTQ+ agenda being given a book contract and notoriety. We have pastors who ask their people to sacrifice living in million dollar mansions. Say what? The danger of elevating immature leaders and not having any accountability is real.  There is a reason Paul tells Timothy a leader should not be a new convert.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, there are faithful pastors laboring daily to love their people; to shepherd their flock; to prepare good, solid, gospel sermons week in and week out (not hiring a team of writers or plagiarizing); and to labor without gaining press.  They are unconcerned with being known or running their church like a CEO.  He loves. He laughs.  He cries. He visits. He counsels. He marries and buries those whom loves and labors among. IMHO they are the ones who deserve the applause. But then again, they are not really interested in that sort of recognition. The church they serve and the Father they love and serve is gratitude enough. I should know. I used to once crave the recognition. Now? My church family and my Father’s “Well done” is all I need.

I wrote this last Thursday and scheduled it for today because I will be in Sandusky, Ohio about all week with Jo making all the final preparations for vacating her sister’s apartment and bringing some things home in a U-Haul on the 29th.  I’d like to know what you think about today’s post, so even though I won’t have internet, my phone does have access my blogs.

#FamilyDysfunction

Friday, July 19th, 2019

I’ve been absent from this blog this week for a reason. While I have some things churning in my mind, I decided to let them soak a bit more.  For example, the crybaby athletes who think they aren’t getting paid enough. The belligerence of Megan Rapinoe, who does nothing more than play a game, but refuses to put her hand over her heart when the national anthem is being played. “Punishing” a soccer player because her faith would not allow her to wear the Pride colors as a uniform. Reading Costi Hinn’s new book on the Prosperity Gospel and the disgust that boils and wants to come to the surface. Yeah…don’t get me started.  I need time.  🙂

So, let’s go to something else. Sunday’s sermon. I am starting a new series within my theme-of-the-year: “Unsinkable.” My original intention was to put this under Heroes (my last series) but I’m going to be spending several weeks, almost two months on this, so I decided to rename it and pursue another angle.  My subject will be Joseph. My series will be called Icebergs.  It was an iceberg that sank Titanic and it is icebergs that will sink our faith as well.  Joseph’s life is one iceberg after another and I want to use them as a catalyst to teach us how we too can overcome those things that will trip us up if we allow them to.

This Sunday, as you can see by the title, is on his dysfunctional family. I plan to trace his family from the beginning to his present state and show how he overcame a lousy beginning to become the patriarch and the man he did.  Your prayers would be appreciated.

#Chosen#ForSuchaTime

Friday, July 12th, 2019

At different times in history, people have risen to the occasion. Jesus ascended and 12 men rose to become leaders in the fledgling new church. The church is ruled by the papacy and several men, the most prominent being Martin Luther, rose up to challenge works-oriented salvation and the corruption which was so rampant. In the 1880’s a man by the name of Abraham Lincoln steered our nation during the ugly Civil War and birthing of the Emancipation Proclamation.  Martin Luther King, Jr rose up to challenge the lack of equality of races. The history of our country is filled with heroes who were there for “such a time as this” and I’m sure you could come up with your own favorite person and story.

The phrase “for such a time as this” comes from the book of Esther when Mordecai challenged Esther to go before the king and intervene on behalf of the Jewish people that Haman wanted to eradicate. I think that phrase fits the bill when talking about a woman named Deborah mentioned in Judges 4-5. She became the reluctant leader when Barak refused to take command without Deborah’s backing. It was time to cast off the mantle of Jabin and Sisera that had been choking the Israelite nation.

My sermon Sunday will be looking at this whole scenario and how Deborah, like Esther, became the answer to “for such a time as this. ” Your prayers would be appreciated.

A side note: “Leadership is the ability to get men to do what they don’t want to do and to like it.” Harry Truman.

#Don’tQuit#StayingtheCourse

Wednesday, July 10th, 2019

I’ve been reading J.D.Greear’s new book Above All over the past couple of weeks. Yeah…it is taking me awhile due to being out of town and also just trying to digest the meat in the book. I read something today that I liked so well I thought I would pass it along.  {My comment: Ministry is hard work-paid, full-time or otherwise. If you are like me, sometimes you wonder if you are making a difference or even making a dent}.  After using the example of Noah who preached for 100 years and saw no one accept his preaching and “convert” to God’s way of thinking (the world is going to be destroyed), J.D. gave some examples of others who hung in there, didn’t quit, stayed the course. I was fascinated by the examples. Hope you are as well, but I also hope you are helped and encouraged to not quit or give up.

William Carey, the father of modern missions. He was largely opposed even by the Christians in England, who told him that his missionary zeal was misplaced. Despite opposition he left for India in 1793. For seven years he worked before he ever saw his first convert. Do you think he wondered about what the folks back home said and questioned his call?

Robert Moffat was a 19th century Scottish missionary to South Africa. He spent three years (1818-1821) just traveling to his assigned mission post. He and his wife labored faithfully for 10 years with no tangible results. Then God moved and in a period of three years, the number of converts in Moffat’s city went from zero to 120. Imagine if he had quit at year #9.

Adoniram Judson was one of the first American missionaries to Burma. He spent 6 years there before he saw his first convert and he fretted over his confession of faith…largely because of the years of unfruitfulness.

William Wilberforce, a British politician who spent 48 years fighting against slavery. The Slavery Abolition Act was passed 3 days before he died, and he heard about it on his deathbed.

Hudson Taylor in China. Jonathan Edwards with the Mohican Indians.

I had to stop and chastise myself for my lack of faith to stay the course at times. The desire to quit and give up in the ministry because of a lack of fruit. The tears I shed because of no “ministry success.” (Perhaps we ought to ban those two words put together?).  J.D. helped me put things in perspective as we go through a slow time here at OVCF.

#Faithfulness#Don’tQuit#StaytheCourse#NeverGiveUp. Those are to be my monikers. Why not join me make them yours as well?

#LittlePeople#YouMatter

Friday, July 5th, 2019

It is not unusual to hear people say they feel insignificant. They feel unseen. Or they feel small. I’m not insinuating at all by the hashtag above that “little people” are insignificant. A little person plays a very significant part in one of my favorite shows on TV: MacGyver.  And one of the funniest lines said to me recently by a young boy maybe 4-5 years old is when I said Hi to him, he looked at me and said, “What you looking at flopdoodle?” His mother about died on the spot. She was mortified since she had only been coming to the church for a couple weeks. I howled. It is from the “Little Napoleon” in The Greatest Showman.  It’s a running joke with us now.

People serving God often feel insignificant. They keep thinking they ought to do something bigger. But I am not interested in people looking for the next great thing to do. I love seeing people take care of the littlest thing and taking great pride and joy in it.

My sermon this Sunday is the first of two from Judges. I could have spent weeks in that book but I wanted to stick with my theme of Heroes and keep it short because of the series coming next. So this week my sermon will be from Judges 3:7-31. Three household names: Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar.  🙂

I will have spent the week in Ohio helping to clean Jo’s sister’s apartment so the normal interaction with people and personal connection I like will not be there. But I’m trusting God to bless the meager effort I make to present His Word. I’d appreciate your prayers.  Thanks.