Being Considerate

04/29/2011

Good Morning!

Today is a special day for Miss N and myself. It is the day we celebrate welcoming our daughter into our lives. 2:09 a.m. Through the years we have had our ups and downs, laughter and tears, days of promise and days of trial. Who doesn’t have these things? She is very well spoken … and very outspoken. And she still is one of the joys of our life. Happy birthday, Heather!!!

Well, I truly missed out Bible study last night. Euell and Patsy are out of town at some Gospel music thingy, so we took a night off. I did get to see my buddy, TeeitupMichael. And I played nine holes with Harold Gunnin who is a grandpa again. But I missed getting into the Word. Here is where we are headed:

1 Corinthians 8 (New International Version, ©2011)
Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves God is known by God.[a]
4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 8:3 An early manuscript and another ancient witness think they have knowledge do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves truly knows.

The overriding theme of this chapter is love. Many of the Christians in Corinth understood that idols were nothing but stones, so eating food “sacrificed” to them really didn’t make any difference. But there were some young Christians who were still struggling with the transition from their former life to the new life in Christ … so meat sacrificed to an idol was defiled and eating the meat defiled them. So Paul instructs the “more mature” Christians to be considerate and not eat meat if it causes an issue.

Paul’s teaching is appropriate for us today. Our freedom in Christ allows us to do things we feared doing before … but at the same time, we must be considerate of those around us who haven’t yet reached a level that allows them to be so free. We do this because we love our new brother or sister in Christ. Loving each other is the telltale sign of a true relationship with Jesus Christ.

I hope each of you will have a blessed weekend. Continue to pray for the families who lost loved ones in the storms that passed through night before last.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Breaking Up the Clods

Good Morning!

I am writing this on the evening of the 27th. The weathermen / women are predicting some awful stuff heading our way tonight … right around midnight. I guess I should be scared but I’m not. I know our dogs, Lilliput and Ladybug, will be hanging close by all this evening and into the early morning hours. Usually, when the storm is brewing, Lilly will stick her nose into my face to get my attention. She needs a little comforting in the midst of the storm. And I will reach out and stroke her neck and give her a pat … and she will be okay for a moment. Lady will follow in short order, expecting the same from me.

I was talking with a coworker this afternoon. I asked how things were going – knowing that she is facing bankruptcy and a divorce at the same time. She shared that things were not going too well … and that she had thought about coming to me to get some encouragement. What does one say to a person whose life is in such turmoil? She told me that she awakens in the middle of the night and is gripped by anxiety. It is easy for us to say “trust in God” but when month after month has gone by … and trust in God has not yet come to fruition; a person’s faith can weaken. We agreed to talk on Friday … she was bogged down with work at the time. I don’t know how God will lead … but I know He will. Of course, I covet your prayers for both of us.

I know I talked about this yesterday … but sometimes I like to go back through and break up the clods. That is a Southern garden term. When we hand dig a garden, our first turning of soil leaves big old clods of dirt that need a second and third turning to become smooth. Sometimes, when I zip through a passage, I leave a lot of clods that I need to break up so I understand it better.

Joshua had to have been scared. Moses, the great leader and giver of the Law, was dead. God was telling Joshua that he was to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. You will recall that Israel had spent forty years in the wilderness, wandering around, waiting for an unfaithful generation to die out. Once before, Israel had stood at the borders of the Promised Land. Rather than trust God and move forward, they had sent in twelve spies to check out the land. Ten of the twelve came back with reports of how big the people who occupied the land were. Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand, came back with good reports because they did not see the inhabitants as obstacles – God had promised the land to them. A consensus was taken … and Israel ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty years.

Sometimes God leads us to the “Promised Land” … and all we can see are the obstacles. But I digress. Joshua had to have been scared. Let’s go over that passage again:

Joshua 1
Joshua Installed as Leader
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Now let’s list the promises of God to Joshua:
1. “I will give you every place where you set your foot.” The thought comes to me that Joshua wouldn’t have gotten anything if he hadn’t started walking. Likewise, we aren’t going to see the power of God in our lives if we don’t’ put a little faith in what He has promised us.
2. “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.” Joshua would be victorious. We will be too – if we trust Him.
3. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you.” Joshua had seen how God had been with Moses when Moses faced down the Pharaoh. Joshua had walked through the Red Sea on dry land – and then seen the army of the Pharaoh bog down in the mud at the very spot he had just left. He had walked every mile with Moses – and Joshua knew what God meant. We do too. We aren’t unaware of God’s capability. As God was with Joshua, so shall He be with you … and with me.

So, when God then tells Joshua to be strong and be courageous, Joshua has a point of reference and set of promises that he can rely upon. And so do we. In a sense, when we get into the middle of a storm, and we go to God – sticking our nose into His face – He never fails to give us reassurance in the middle of a storm.

God is so good to all of us every day. I praise His wonderful name.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

P.S.: I am writing this on 4/28 at 4:15 a.m. The storms were strong last night all over north Georgia. A number of people had damage from the tornadoes, the wind, and the hail. But we got through and are safe. Praise the Lord for His protection during the storm. Pray for those who suffered damage in the storm.

Be Strong and Courageous

Good Morning!

Many of you who read the Good Mornings aren’t old enough to remember when President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. But a few – like myself – were in school when the news first broke. My first inkling came when a fellow named David (I can’t remember his last name … getting old I guess) came running down the walkway, transistor radio at his ear, telling everyone he saw that Kennedy had been shot. The class I was headed to was World Geography. We sat stunned as the PA announced that the President was dead. I know in my mind was running the thought “who is going to govern”. I did understand the succession rules … but at that moment, I would have flunked even the most simplest of American government tests. Our leader was dead.

Imagine being Joshua when Moses died. You know, Moses habitually went off for periods of time into the mountains. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Moses wandered off for a last time. (I am speaking from the perspective of Joshua here.) He never came back. So, when we begin reading the book of Joshua, it begins with this passage:

Joshua 1:1-9 (New International Version, ©2011)
Joshua Installed as Leader
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Imagine the immediate concern Joshua felt when the Lord told him that Moses was dead. I wonder how Joshua got to the next words that God was speaking. Moses – dead? The one who faced down the Pharaoh is dead? The person who led us through the Red Sea is now gone and not coming back? What are we going to do? How are we going to go forward without him?

God then gave Joshua marching orders. It was time to get out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land. But to do that would take strength and courage. Three times in this passage, God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous. I think the emphasis was apparent.

Serving God requires us to be strong in our faith in Him and to have the courage to take a stand with Him. Take a look at verse 5: 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Did that mean Joshua would never taste defeat? No – when God’s people disobeyed, they were defeated. But God never forsook them … and when they were obedient, they were victorious.

I wonder – does God promise us the same thing? I believe He does. When we are obedient, we can count on God to see us through the most difficult of times. So, let us be strong and courageous. Let’s not be afraid or be discouraged. God will be with us wherever we go.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Proclaim Christ!

Good Morning!

I was thinking of my buddy Scrap yesterday. I was remembering the time he swallowed a goldfish at First Baptist – Red Oak. His challenge to the children on his bus was to get 100 people on the bus. He ended up with 109 on the bus … and had to follow through with his promise. The children loved it! And they learned that they could take Mr. Scrap at his word … if he said he was going to swallow a goldfish, he would do it.

I have a lot of fond memories of the bus ministry at Red Oak. This was a time when one could enter into an apartment complex and go door to door. Most parents were very open to allowing their children ride on the bus. They trusted people who came from the church and who promised to keep their children safe. And, to my knowledge, we never let them down. For seven years the bus ministry did its work at Red Oak – until the cost of maintaining and gassing up the bus became too much for the church.

Every once in a while I go back to those days to think about the accomplishments and the areas of improvement we could have made. I believe we did a great job of bringing children in. I also believe we lost our impetus when we didn’t follow up by bringing the parents in as well. Hindsight is 20/20 … and, should the Lord once again present the same opportunities, I think a lesson has been learned. At least I hope so.

Paul says it best:

Colossians 1:28-29 (New International Version, ©2011)
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

Well, today is a good day to begin proclaiming!!!

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Three Main Points

Good Morning!

Well, it’s the day after Easter. Now we can move on to summer. Or can we?

Paul, in his letter to the church at Corinth, has three great passages that we must look at … note I don’t mention “chapters” but rather passages. The first is the love passage. The plain fact of the matter is that if we love as God loves, all else will fall into place. Sounds easy … but it is a sacrificial love that few of us can muster. Such love comes from complete trust in God.

The second and third passages are found in the following:

1 Corinthians 15:1-32 (New International Version, ©2011)
The Resurrection of Christ
1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”[d]
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
b. 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter
c. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6
d. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Isaiah 22:13

The second passage refers to the sacrifice of Christ. Paul, being a Jew, would be thinking “Messiah” when writing “Christ” because they have the same meaning. Jesus was anointed by God to be the sacrifice for the sin of mankind. It is through His sacrificial death that you and I have the joy of a relationship with God. Without His willingness to offer Himself, we would all be on a deadly treadmill of trying to be “good enough” to garner God’s grace. And we could never achieve the grace we need.

The third passage is about the resurrection. The resurrection is God’s promise to you and me that everlasting life is truly that … everlasting. As Paul states, if Christ isn’t raised, then we are a bunch of fools running around trying to convince people that God loves them enough to die for them. But Paul gives credible evidence that Jesus is risen from the dead. So your faith is not in vain … it is real and true.

Each of these are important points for the Christian. Love, sacrifice, life. God’s great plan for us all.


Agape’


Mr. Jim

Good Friday

Good Morning!

Good Friday! The day of death – yet we call it “good”. Interesting, isn’t it? It is the day when most believe Jesus was illegally tried; wrongly convicted; beaten; flogged; humiliated; crucified; and died. Still, we call it “good”. Why?

A blind man sat beside the road. He had been blind all of his life. And then Jesus came walking by. He stopped. He stooped. He spit on the ground – made a mud paste and placed it on the man’s eyes. He told the man to go wash in the pool at Siloam. The man did so – and he could see!!!

Because it was the Sabbath (Saturday), the religious leaders of the day – the Pharisees – questioned the healed man. Who dared to heal him on the Sabbath? Certainly the Healer was not from God … He didn’t keep the Sabbath. Later, they would confront Jesus – and would ask: “What – are we blind, too?”

Jesus shared this:

John 10:1-18 (New International Version, ©2011)
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” Footnotes:
a. John 10:9 Or kept safe

We most often think of shepherds in the fields with their sheep scattered about. Well, this isn’t always the picture. Often, shepherds from different herds will gather their sheep together in a protected area with just one way in or one way out. They will then guard the entrance – keeping whatever might attack the sheep away. The people understood this concept as Jesus spoke.

Now you can imagine the chaos with all the different sheep from the different herds together. How do the shepherds get their sheep back together? Jesus says they know the shepherd’s voice – and will only come to him. Do we know our Shepherd’s voice today? Are we listening for His call?

The Pharisees should have understood – but they truly were blinded by their own reasoning. For them to understand, they might have to break the chains that bound them to the Law. While the Law was and is good, it was never intended to bind the people – no, it is given to guide the people – to help them see their sinfulness and to call upon God for relief. The Pharisees had made the Law a chain to bind the people.

Jesus speaks more plainly so that even a Pharisee can actually see. He is the gate of protection for the sheep. Those who came before were not the True Shepherd – He is the Good Shepherd, ready to lay down His life for the sheep.

The most intriguing verse for me today is verse 16 – “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” I believe Jesus was indicating to His listeners that the Gentile nations would be included in the flock. Had the Pharisees grasped what He was saying, they would have been enraged.

The last two verses of the selection are appropriate for this Good Friday. Jesus put His earthly life on the line for you and for me. He trusted God. He stated plainly that He could lay His life down and pick it back up. Who but God could make that claim? Who but God would follow through?

On the day we call Good Friday, Jesus still had the authority to stop the action. He had escaped the clutches of the Jews before – and He could have easily done it again. He could have stopped Pilate and Herod in their tracks – but He chose to remain silent. He could stayed the flogger’s hand as He had stopped the wind – but He choose to endure the stripes, the humiliation, the pain, the death. He lay down His life – as the Good Shepherd would. He did this for His sheep. I am one. My sin nailed my Savior to that cross. My sin caused His pain. My life was what He redeemed … on that Good Friday.

We call that day “good” because that is what came from that day.

Happy Easter.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Maundy Thursday

Good Morning!

You may be surprised to learn that Paul … not Matthew, not Mark, not Luke or John … was the first person to write about Jesus being crucified. Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth predates what we refer to as the Gospels. Here is what Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (New International Version, ©2011)
The Resurrection of Christ
1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried…

Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first

We are in the middle of Holy Week. Some denominations refer to today as “Maundy Thursday” as it is the traditionally the day preceding Christ’s death on the cross. There are some scholars that claim that the crucifixion actually took place on a Wednesday. I don’t know. I just know this simple fact – the crucifixion took place when God wanted it to take place. And the resurrection took place when God wanted to take place. And … here’s the good part … the return of Christ will take place when God wants it to take place. Whether I am still in my earthly sojourn or I have gone to be with Him is not important … what is important is that God will fulfill His promise to us.

And that excites me on this Maundy Thursday in 2011.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

WOW 3

The last WOW statement comes from this section of Bob Deffinbaugh’s sermon entitled “Why Bad Things Happen to God’s People”.

(4) Suffering is God’s means of equipping us to minister to others (verses 4, 6). Suffering as a Christian, experiencing the “sufferings of Christ,” is a source of personal blessing and benefit. But it would be wrong for us to view our sufferings in a selfish way. As our Lord’s sufferings were for our benefit and blessing, our sufferings are intended to be a blessing to others. The comfort which we should experience, the comfort which the “Father of mercies” bestows upon us, is not something we are to hoard but something we are to share. Paul assumes that Christians will all share in the sufferings of Christ (see 2 Timothy 3:12). When we experience Christ’s sufferings and share in God’s comfort, we are being equipped to minister to others who will experience similar afflictions:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer (2 Corinthians 1:3-6).

Paul says it as clearly as it can be said. His sufferings are intended for the Corinthians’ comfort. Paul’s comfort (in suffering) is for their comfort. The price Paul and his colleagues (Silvanus and Timothy—1:19) pay, as well as the comfort they receive, are for the benefit and blessing of the Corinthians. Suffering for Christ’s sake is sure to bring us comfort from the heavenly Father. This comfort is given from our heavenly Father so that we might share it with others who will endure similar suffering.

If we fail in our suffering, doubting God’s goodness and questioning His infinite wisdom and mercy, then we shall also fail to experience the comfort God has for us. And if we fail to experience God’s comfort, we deprive others of the comfort they should receive through us. This, I believe, is what Asaph is saying when he writes these words: “If I had said, ‘I will speak thus,’ Behold, I should have betrayed the generation of Thy children” (Psalm 73:15).

For Asaph to turn away from God would betray those who might follow his example. Just as we may bless others by sharing our comfort with them, so we may harm our brothers by failing to accept God’s hand in our lives and thus fail to gain the comfort He has for us.

A further word must be said concerning the blessing we may be to others by suffering well. I do not understand Paul to say we must suffer exactly the way others suffer in order to share our comfort with them. Joni Eareckson Tada suffered spinal damage from a diving accident a number of years ago. She experienced then, and continues to experience, the mercies and comfort of God and shares her joy with many. Her response to the affliction God brought into her life comforts me even though I have never spent one day in a wheelchair. In fact, I am ashamed whenever I feel sorry for myself and my petty sufferings when I consider the trials Joni, and others, face daily.

Beyond this, I believe those who suffer well bless us even more broadly. In preaching through the Psalms years ago, I noted that some of the most insightful commentators on the Psalms were men who had suffered in German concentration camps during the Second World War. I mentioned this to a friend who responded, “Those guys [the men who suffered in concentration camps] have a lot more to say.” They do. These men and women (like Corrie Ten Boom and others not so well known) have depth and maturity that surpass those who have not suffered. I notice this also in the music we sing. The young contemporary Christian music writer who has never suffered to any degree writes with shallowness compared to someone like Fanny Crosby, who wrote as one who knew suffering through her blindness. Those who suffer well have a depth and maturity beyond their years, which God desires for them to share with others.

As I shared with my class, there are some points of suffering that I cannot understand because I haven’t been through it … yet. And, hopefully, will not go through the suffering. But there are points from which God has given me insight to what it means to suffer.

Sometimes it is a hard Scripture to recite but it remains true:

Romans 8:28 (New International Version, ©2011)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 8:28 Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who

So, while I don’t always understand why bad things happen to God’s people, I know that God can use those bad things to enhance the life that He owns … mine.

The musical group Selah sings the following song that I find quite uplifting:

Unredeemed (Track #8)
The cruelest words, the coldest heart
The deepest wounds, the endless dark
The lonely ache, the burning tears
The bitter nights, the wasted years

Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are

[Chorus]
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
They may be unfulfilled, they may be unrestored
But when anything that’s shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see it will not be
Unredeemed

For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every life that gave up hope

We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all …

[Chorus]

Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
They may be unfulfilled, they may be unrestored
But you never know the miracles the Father has in store
Just watch and see it will not be
Just watch and see it will not be
Unredeemed

Have a good day in the Lord.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

WOW Statement 2

Good Morning!

The second WOW statement that comes from Bob Deffinbaugh’s sermon entitled “Why Bad Things Happen to God’s People” is in the same section as the first WOW and reads:

Suffering is the occasion where mercy and comfort are most evidently needed, and so it is in suffering that we come to know God as the “Father of mercies.” I think of Asaph, the psalmist and author of Psalm 73. This worship leader was greatly distressed because he perceived (wrongly, in part) that the wicked were prospering while the righteous (as Asaph) were suffering. Then he realized the “prosperity” of the wicked is temporary and tentative at best. In times of suffering, the righteous are comforted by their fellowship with God, and this intimacy lasts for all eternity:

16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. 18 Surely Thou dost set them in slippery places; Thou dost cast them down to destruction. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, Lord, when aroused, Thou wilt despise their form. 21 When my heart was embittered, And I was pierced within, 22 Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before Thee. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. 24 With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For, behold, those who are far from Thee will perish; Thou hast destroyed all those who are unfaithful to Thee. 28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works (Psalm 73:16-28).

Those who experience the sufficiency of God in times of suffering do not resent their affliction but treasure it as God’s appointed means of drawing men close to Him, the “Father of mercies.” Asaph learned this lesson, as did Job. Peter, who bristled at the mere mention of suffering by our Lord, wrote his first epistle on the subject, telling his readers that those who suffered for Christ’s sake were blessed (1 Peter 4). Paul finds his former status and success as an unbelieving Jewish leader are “dung,” but his sufferings in Christ are a precious treasure (Philippians 3:1-16). James instructs us to “Consider it all joy, … when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2). Suffering is intended to draw us near to the heart of God. And so it is with Paul, who in the midst of unbelievable suffering, writes these introductory words to his epistle praising God for His mercies and comfort in the midst of his trials and tribulations.

To grasp the importance here, one needs to look at the first 15 verses of Psalm 73. Boy, can I run a parallel with Asaph and me. Gee, how many times have I looked at people who are so wicked and yet so prosperous and wondered why God hasn’t blessed me as well. And then I discovered I was looking at the wrong blessings and ignoring the blessings I had already received. Perhaps I am unique … but I think not. I think many – if not all – have had their moments of envy of those who seem to have much.

Look closely at Asaph’s Psalm:

“The wicked reside on slippery places. They are cast down into destruction. They are destroyed in a moment. They are utterly swept away.” Yes, they have “success” and “riches” for this temporal existence … but a day is coming where all they have has no value whatsoever.

On the other hand, Asaph talks about those who are God’s:

“…I am continually with Thee. Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide em, and afterward receive me to glory. “ What a position to be in!!!

Asaph reveals his inner emotions to us – at first, angry because God did not seem to be blessing him, then coming to the realization of what he really has in God’s great grace. His emotions swing from this anger / disappointment to joy and proclamation of God’s holiness and provision.

I think it useful for us to look back on our lives every once in a while to revel in the blessings God has given us throughout our lives. While our path may be littered with many, many mistakes we have made, there are also those “Ebenezers” that mark the blessings of God. My path is filled with both – but looking back I see that God has continually blessed me and my family with much more than I ever deserve.

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy good works. Psalm 73:28

Agape’


Mr. Jim

WOW Statement

Good Morning!

Every once in a while I read something that makes me go “Wow”. And, not being too creative, I call these Wow moments or Wow statements. In my study for this past Sunday’s Bible lesson, I read a sermon by Bob Deffinbaugh entitled “Why Bad Things Happen to God’s People” – and it had three Wow statements. Over the course of the next few days I want to share them with you. (I have already shared one with my buddy Tom Futch and my daughter, Heather – but they are just going to have to bear with me again.)

Our study was on 2 Corinthians 1:1-11:

2 Corinthians 1:1-11 (New International Version, ©2011)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Footnotes:
a. 2 Corinthians 1:8 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 8:1; 13:11.

Christians suffer. Suffering is part of living. And sometimes – actually most times – suffering is unbearable. It makes one wonder why a loving God would permit us to go through such suffering. Right now my daughter is fighting chronic back pain caused by several ailments associated with her back. I have a good friend whose wife is homebound by her heart. He suffers – not physically but emotionally because there’s nothing he can do for her other than to be faithful in care. Some of my readers are suffering from job loss; financial difficulties; conflicts with children; loneliness – I could go on but you already know what suffering is. So here’s the first Wow statement:

(

3) Suffering as a saint is God’s means of drawing us into closer communion with Him. Suffering as saints enables us to know God as we would not otherwise know Him. If it were not for sin, we could not know the grace of God manifested in the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ. If it were not for Satan, and for all those who oppose our God, we should not know His omniscience (all-knowing) and omnipotence (all-powerful). If it were not for suffering, we would not know God’s mercy, compassion, and comfort. Suffering is a divinely appointed means of knowing God intimately.

Think about it:

Without sin, God’s grace would be completely unknown and unnecessary. We would not have known Jesus Christ. But because of our sin, Jesus Christ left glory to offer Himself for us that we might know God. It is His free gift of Himself, offered as a sacrifice for my sin, that allows me to be called a son of God. I am not praising sin – just stating a fact.

Without Satan, we would not know God’s power and His knowledge. If you will recall, Lucifer was one of God’s favorite angels … until he wanted to be god. Being “just” an angel, Lucifer did not realize that God was all knowing. Lucifer did not realize that God already knew what was going on. Lucifer also did not acknowledge that God could and would punish his rebellion. It kind of makes you wonder what is going to happen to these folks who wander around this earth today stating that God is a myth and people who believe in God are idiots. I guess we will see.

Without suffering, we would not know God’s mercy, compassion, and comfort. If we went through this life without encountering pain, difficulty, and heartache, we would not “need” God. But when suffering brings us to our knees – both figuratively and literally – we develop an intimate relationship with the One who knows our pain, knows our struggle; knows our heartache … and who can do something about it. And, while the cause of our suffering may not be removed in our earthly sojourn, He can give us the strength to endure and to rejoice.

In our suffering we learn of God’s sufficiency. And that was the first WOW I saw in the article. I hope it blesses your day.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Last Monday I wrote about my dear friend and mentor, Scrap Wheeler. Friday he went home to be with our Lord. I am reminded of a song written by Janet Paschal:

His back is bent and weary, his voice is tired and old.
His sword is worn from battle and his steps have gotten slow.
But he used to walk on water, or it seemed that way to me.
I know he moved some mountains and never left his knees.

Chorus:
Strike up the band, assemble the choir, another soldier's coming home.
Another warrior hears the call; he's waited for so long.
He'll battle no more, cause he's won his wars.
Make sure Heaven's table has room for at least one more.
Sing a welcome song another soldier's coming home.

He faced the winds of sorrow but his heart knew no retreat.
He walked in narrow places knowing Christ knew no defeat.
But now his steps turn homeward so much closer to the prize.
He's sounding kind of homesick, there's a longing in his eyes.

Repeat Chorus

Rest well, my friend – my brother.

Tax Day?

Good Morning!

In most years this would be “tax day”. For some reason, our Congress decided to delay the day of reckoning to Monday, April 18th. And, in most years, I would be waiting until today to file … and pay. But fortunately I didn’t owe additional taxes this year. I say that because there is a popular misconception that a person doesn’t pay taxes until he or she sends a check. Not so! The government gets the bulk of your tax dollars through payroll deduction and holds onto it until you file. If you have overpaid, the government has an interest free loan. If you have underpaid, and you fail to pay timely, the government applies an onerous interest rate. Somehow that just doesn’t seem fair.

Oh, well – you didn’t tune in here to get disturbed. Besides being tax day, this is another day that God has given us to rejoice in. As the Psalmist says:

Psalm 118:24 (King James Version)
24This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Actually there is a good bit more to that Psalm – but we will leave that for another day and study. I think it is just good to reflect on the positive things God has provided for us on this day. God provided me with a restful night – what a blessing to have good sleep. So many of my friends relate how poorly they sleep. God has given me a good rest.

I am excited about today. Just imagine what God can do with this day – and with me in this day. The same applies to you. To be certain there are some tasks that we are appointed to do: work, school, etc. But at the same time, there will be opportunities for us to share the blessings of the life God has given us. How blessed we are to see life not as drudgery but as a precious gift that will open itself to us day by day.

My prayer for you this morning is that your Friday will be the best Friday you have had all year. I pray that God will reveal Himself to you so that you can see the precious handiwork you are for Him. I pray that you will be provided an opportunity to be a blessing to someone around you. And I pray your heart will be filled with joy on this another good day given us by the Lord.

Have a great weekend.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

MY Rights

Good Morning!

I love my children … I really do! All five of them bring pleasant memories to my mind. I remember the concerts, the ball games, the performances, the awards dinners – all those things that accompany children who are self-motivated and achievers. I also remember the classic battles around the time they began to mature … you know, when they were just learning to spread their wings but thought they could take full flight. Usually the argument would end with “I can’t wait until I’m eighteen and you can’t tell me what to do!” Ahhh – the age of majority – when a person is considered by the law to be an adult. Time, I think, has taught that reaching eighteen wasn’t as liberating as one might think for the responsibilities that accompany adulthood sometimes are more onerous than freeing.

For the Christian, receiving grace from God is fantastic. We are free from the curse of the law … but along with that freedom comes a great responsibility. We now are representatives of God … people look to us for what it means to be a believer. Paul understood that and also saw the church at Corinth wasn’t exactly setting the right example. So he wrote:

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (New International Version, ©2011)
Sexual Immorality
12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[a] 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[b]
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Gen. 2:24
b. 1 Corinthians 6:17 Or in the Spirit

Now I know none of you are caught up in sexual immorality. But the lesson is still appropriate for any sin that might cloud the message you bring. It can be little things. It being tax time, a “little” thing might be inflating your giving numbers. Only you and your tax accountant know – right? But what if that tax accountant is a fledgling Christian … or a non-believer? What does he or she see?

When we receive Christ Jesus as Lord, we bind ourselves to Him. Our body becomes His body. We represent Him in everything we say and do. We may have turned eighteen and can do anything we want … but we still name the Name of Jesus wherever we go. So we need to remember to honor God with our human bodies by being aware of our impact on those around us. I know you will.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Who Is Jesus

Good Morning!

Luke 9:18-27 (New International Version, ©2011)
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”
Jesus Predicts His Death
21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”


Sometimes the answers seem to be so simple … and still we don’t get it. Earlier in this Chapter, Luke tells us that Jesus had given His disciples power and authority to heal diseases and drive out demons. They had experienced His authority … and at least Peter knew that Jesus was the Messiah … but -

We understand that Jesus is God made flesh. But do we really believe in His power and authority? Do we really believe Him when He tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us? Can we really count on Him to be with us always … even to the end of time? The answer is a resounding “yes” … but –

Believers have a choice. We can either live a victorious life filled with hope … or we can live a questioning life that knows that Jesus is the Christ but –

Christ tells us outright that following Him is not going to be necessarily an easy road. No … there will be many times where we endure persecution. There will be those who hate us just because we name the Name of Jesus Christ. There will be hardships. There will be discouragement. But there will always be Christ right with us each step of the way.

Jesus asks us “who do you say I am?”

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Impact of Disputes

Good Morning!

I was reminded by my grandson, Cody, that today marks the 150th anniversary of the firing of the first shot in the War Between the States. Now I don’t want to get into a discussion about the War and the underlying reasons behind it. I just want to point out that it was one of the most costly of conflicts, killing and injuring hundreds of thousands of Americans. And it often pitted brother against brother – family against family. My Mom has done a lot of genealogical research and I find that it was quite possible that this was a fact in the Ward family line. I know it was a fact in Ward / Gant line as the Gants are from New Jersey and had several relatives who served for the Union forces while some of the Ward line fought for the Confederates.

I read an article yesterday on CNN that purports that the issues that divided Americans 150 years ago still exist today. Well, maybe some do – I am not totally convinced by the article. But I do know that conflict is an ever present force in society today. And, unfortunately, it is often found within the body of believing Christians.

Our Thursday night Bible study is going to begin with the following passage:

1 Corinthians 6:1-11 (New International Version, ©2011)
Lawsuits Among Believers
1 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
7 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? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.

What is Paul trying to tell me? Well, I think Paul wants me to put a whole lot more effort into trying to resolve issues amongst the family of God within the family … and to be aware of the effect that a dispute not resolved peacefully has on the testimony of Christ. Look – we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Yes – we are going to have differences. Sometimes our differences will be very strong … but the underlying fact is that we are to LOVE one another. We aren’t in a contest to prove one person is right and the other person is wrong. Our enemy doesn’t sit across the aisle from us on Sunday. We are on a mission to bring people the good news that Christ loves them enough to offer Himself for them. Don’t let our arguments get in the way of the message.

There were many reasons for the War Between the States. And it was probably inevitable that the conflict would take place. But there is no reason you and I and all brothers and sisters in Christ cannot exhibit the love of Christ for each other and for the benefit of those who do not know Christ.

Have a great Tuesday!

Agape’


Mr. Jim

A Man Named "Scrap"

Good Morning!

I received a facebook notice early Saturday morning from my good friend, Pastor James Cook. He was passing along a message from James Stewart concerning my friend, Richard L. “Scrap” Wheeler. I may have mentioned Scrap to you before … and if I did, you are just going to have to suffer through it again.

I met Scrap when I worked in the Bus Ministry at 1st Baptist Church – Red Oak Georgia. Scrap was a teacher at College Park High School in College Park Georgia. I can’t say that I know what he taught … but I do know that because of his dedication to children many more than 150 people came to a redeeming relationship with Jesus Christ. Scrap demonstrated the fulfillment of the Great Commission in that he carried Christ wherever he went.

One of the lives that Scrap touched was James Cook. James played quarterback for the College Park Rams in the early seventies. And James also rode a red and white Red Oak Baptist bus to church. For a time, James served as a “jumper’ on the bus I “captained”. It was James’ job to jump off the bus and knock on the doors to retrieve the children who were going to Sunday school and church on ol’ bus number 5. Later James would come to know the Lord and would hear and respond to the call to preach God’s Word. But, to my knowledge, James’ first encounter was with a fellow who went by the name of “Scrap” because he used to get in so many fights.

James “Jamie” Stewart shared with us late Saturday that Scrap’s Alzheimer’s has progressed toward the end stage. James asked for prayer for Doris and Lee and Patrick, Scrap’s wife and two sons, as they go through this valley. James shared that it was Scrap that led him to the Lord in Children’s Church many years ago at Red Oak.

Sometimes I don’t know how to pray. I do pray that God will comfort Doris and Lee and Patrick. But I also know that when Scrap’s earthly sojourn is complete, he will be with our Lord … with a fresh mind. The struggles he has encountered in the last few years will be over and he will have reached the mountain top. The thought comes to me that the deepest valleys are right next to the highest mountains – and once Scrap has finished walking through this valley, he will be on the greatest of all mountain tops.

Thank you for praying for my good buddy Scrap.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Give Up ... Give In ... or Give Over

Good Morning!

I want to start this morning with an acknowledgement of a person I believe to be a great man. Today would have been the 103rd birthday of Mr. Clarence Burl Pennington. He didn’t like either of his given names so he went by CB. Of course, being the rebellious type, I always called him Mr. P. CB and his wife, Virginia, had seven children – one of whom is named Norma. And, of course, the Norma is my Miss Norma. A good man who I still miss even today some thirty-three years after he went home to be with the Lord. I look forward to seeing him when I arrive home … we might even do a little fishing.

Well, last night’s study was what I expected … really, really good and deep. It is hard to talk about church discipline in the 21st century because we just don’t know how it would work. In the 1st century, when a person was put out of the fellowship, he was pretty much alone. Today, the person just goes down the street to another congregation that might be “open” to whatever he or she wants to be overlooked. But I am convinced by our study that church discipline is critical to the survival of the church universal.

While I was thinking about this, I came up with three phrases that kind of stuck in my brain: give up, give in or give over.

One of the challenges facing churches is the fact that the church is no longer the center of the social network in America. As a matter of fact, in many circles of today’s society, the church has become a target of abuse. And it becomes very discouraging to those who are laboring in the vineyard to not see any successes. It makes one almost want to give up. But giving up only accomplishes what Satan wants. God didn’t ask us to be successful – He asks us to be faithful. So let’s not give up.

Well, maybe, instead of giving up, we can give in. You know, we need to be more accepting of those who don’t fit our criteria. Right? Wrong. Paul’s argument to the church at Corinth was to stand on its principles. If we do not apply discipline, then anything goes … and we are no better off than the world. Do we love the sinner – yes we do. But we also require the sinner turn from his wicked ways. Otherwise there is not redemption. Giving in to the demands of the world only makes the church worldly – it does not make it a light to the world and it does not glorify God.

So if we don’t give up and we don’t give in, what do we do? We give over. The bottom line is that you and I cannot grow a church … we are tools in the garden, God is the master gardener. Some of us are useful for digging up the people who need Christ. Others of us can plant the seed that produces the fruit of salvation. And some of us water the ground and the seed. But really, the growth comes when we give over the process to God.

I had a great time last night. And I expect a great time Sunday. You have a good weekend.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Church Discipline

Good Morning!

I am excited about our Bible study tonight. We are moving forward in 1st Corinthians. Tonight’s lesson is about discipline in the church. Paul scolds the church at Corinth for not applying discipline.

Church discipline in the 21st century is quite a bit more difficult than in the 1st century. There are a couple of problems that face a church when it comes to exercising discipline on its members. The first is the availability of so many churches and denominations from which a person can choose. In the first century, there usually was only one body of believers in the town so if you set outside the fellowship it really meant something. In today’s world, a miscreant can just move his or her membership to another body of believers – usually with no questions asked.

I have been considering joining a local body of believers … but I would like the preacher to at least visit with me before I make the decision. Here’s why: there are some skeletons in my closet – some old hurts that he needs to know about as I seek to minister within the local body – and as the local body seeks to minister to me. I don’t think any of the skeletons would hamper my ministry … but I want to be above board in everything that I do.

The second reason church discipline is difficult in the world in the 21st century is many churches seek to rely on their own resources rather than God’s resources. In short, they follow the money. Paul’s real complaint with the church at Corinth wasn’t that there was an immoral man in their midst but rather that there was an immoral man in their midst … and they weren’t doing anything about it … and were even boasting about it. Now I don’t know if the miscreant was wealthy or not, but I do know that there are churches today that will wink at the sins of their larger benefactors just so the money keeps flowing. What a disservice to the person caught up in sin. And what a disservice to the church in general!

How many of you remember mercurochrome? You know, the stuff your Mom used to put on your scratches and scrapes that burned like the dickens. You know why it burned? It burned because it was getting the dirt out. I remember it being a most unpleasant feeling … but it was necessary to prevent infection. More often than not, the cure for a person caught in sin is quite painful … but it is a necessary pain for the person to get well. That’s what Paul is saying. His whole purpose is NOT to throw the person away but to help the person confront the sin and defeat it.

God loves us too much to give up on even one of us. But He knows that if we persist in a sin, the sin will consume us. I am really looking forward to our discussion tonight. I think it is going to be great.


Agape’


Mr. Jim

Storm Passes By and Bible Burning

Good Morning!

Monday night / Tuesday morning was exciting around the old Gant household. My first indication that we had some trouble came when I couldn’t breathe. You see, I sleep with a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine for my sleep apnea. When the power went off around 11:30, the machine stopped. The loss of electricity is a very rare occasion for us. I don’t know why but usually we don’t have interruption in service. So I was surprised when we didn’t get power back on until a quarter to 5 a.m. And, while we got power back, we didn’t get computer service, cable service or phone service back until the wee small hours of Wednesday morning.

I observed we had some damage Tuesday morning when I saw all the limbs down in my yard, Miss N’s yard and the Douglas’ yard across the street. It wasn’t until last night that I saw where the top part of a tree had been blown out of one of the Douglas’ trees and also out of a pine tree in the back of my yard. Miss N’s roof had some shingles blown off as well. So I don’t know if we had a down burst or something else … but it was interesting.

I got home yesterday afternoon. The front yard was littered with little sticks that had blown off of the oaks. There were some big branches as well … but those were easy to pick up. Four of the neighborhood boys pitched in to help with raking the yard. Jimmy, who is the oldest, was first to voluntarily pick up a rake. David, the youngest of the bunch, was fascinated with the loppers … and worked consistently. Damon and Jerry helped with picking up the cuttings and piling them up. In a short time, we had the storm damage in both yards in piles waiting for pickup today.

I am reminded of the Gospel song “Til The Storm Passes By” written by Mosie Lister. Our good friend, Frank Thaxton used to sing this when we were at Valley Hill Baptist. It’s a great song:

Words and Music by Mosie Lister
copyright 1958

Mark 4:39
"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,
Peace be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place.
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Chorus
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Many times Satan whispered, "There is no need to try,
For there's no end of sorrow, there's no hope by and by"
But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies.

Chorus
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

When the long night has ended and the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence on the bright peaceful shore;
In that land where the tempest, never comes, Lord, may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.

Chorus
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Thank you, Father God, for keeping us safe through both the physical storm that we faced Monday / Tuesday and the storms of life that we face daily. In Jesus’ precious Name. Amen.


Agape’


Mr. Jim


04/05/2011

Good Morning!

The burning of the Koran still is a burr for me. I so disagree with Terry Jones and his “flock” … and anyone who would condone the disrespect of another person’s religion. Maybe I am all wrong … but I thought Jesus gave us a commission to share the gospel … Pastor Cook, correct me if I am wrong. To be certain there are many fanatical followers of Islam … but do two wrongs make a right? Listen to a portion of Jesus’ sermon to the people recorded in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:43-47 (English Standard Version)
Love Your Enemies
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers,[a] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 5:47 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters

It is not easy to love someone who is bent on destroying you. As a matter of fact, I believe it takes a supernatural power that only a person trusting in Jesus Christ can have. But Jesus hit the nail right on the head when He said it doesn’t mean a lot if the only people you love are your friends. You aren’t any different than those “heathens” if you only show love for your friend … they do the very same thing.

Can you imagine Jesus ever throwing a person away? I was thinking as I drove home from the course last night – okay another scary thought. Which do you think had more impact: the cry of the crowd to have His blood on their head or Jesus statement: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”? I can tell you what I think … I think our Heavenly Father immediately forgave … but then that’s my opinion.

Listen, there are approximately one billion people who follow Islam. Did Terry Jones action of burning the Koran turn one single to Christ? How about the millions upon millions of people who profess no faith … were they swayed to Christ by this despicable action? Jesus does not want an exclusive club of followers … His message is for ALL mankind. And I just don’t think you can take the message to ALL mankind if you are not willing to show love and respect to those who would be our enemies.

As least that’s what I think…

Agape’


Mr. Jim



Daily Memory Verse

Matthew 5:44 (English Standard Version)
44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Prayer Need:
From Tamiko
Mr Jim, please add my stepdad to the prayer list. The doctors have found a rare tumor on his 5th vertebrae which has caused some nerve damage. Not sure if it's cancerous. Awaiting the results. His name is Unasius Luke. Thank you.

Shared Praises:
Dawn Douglas successful surgery
Miss N’s successful procedure
Good reports from Ulysses on his nephew and his brother.

Grief

Good Morning!

Our lesson Sunday was about grief. As we were talking about the hurt, my mind went to the lyric of this song, written by Gordon Jensen.
Tears Are A Language God Understands:

Often you wonder why tears come into your eyes
And burdens seem to be much more than you can bear
But God is standing near, He sees your falling tears
And tears are a language God understands.

God sees the tears of a brokenhearted soul
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall
God weeps along with man and He takes him by the hand
Tears are a language God understands.

When grief has left you low it causes tears to flow
When things have not turned out the way that you had planned
But God won't forget you His promises are true
And tears are a language God understands.

God sees the tears of a brokenhearted soul
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall
God weeps along with man and He takes him by the hand
Tears are a language that my God He understands.

God weeps along with man and He takes him by the hand
Tears are a language God understands.

We talked about the heartaches of losing a brother. We talked about the hurt of losing a son – the questions that can never be answered. But in the end we knew that God knows our grief … Jesus is moved to compassion by the very things that cause us to hurt.

Perhaps the sadness of the death of a loved one has touched your life. Or perhaps you are experiencing sadness and hurt over the loss of a job or a friend or some other important thing in your life. And perhaps you are still grieving … grief is a constant companion with whom you have learned to cope. Please understand that God knows your heart … God knows your hurt … God sees your tears.

April 1961 was the first time I encountered grief. You have heard me talk about Cud’n Kate. Cud’n Kate was born in 1874. She was fixture in Grandma Ward’s house. I can still picture her sitting on the right hand side of the couch in Grandma’s living room, feet crossed at the ankles, crocheting baby booties. In early April, Cud’n Kate began to have “spells” as she called them. Unbeknownst to my eleven year old understanding, Cud’n Kate was suffering from congestive heart failure. The spells were where her heart wasn’t pumping the blood. In early April, Cud’n Kate suffered a heart attack and died. I remember that we found out while we were playing ball across the street from where we lived. Mom came out on the front stoop to call us in so we could go to Grandma’s. I cried – in front of my friends and everybody. I still miss Cud’n Kate. And I miss Aunt Mae … and Grandma … and the list goes on. Grief is something we live with … and cope with … but never “get over”. And that’s okay. God gives us grief so we can cope.

A verse worth remembering makes one very simple statement: Jesus wept. We do not have a God that has never experienced the human emotions we have. Our Savior wept at the tomb of a friend. We can speculate why He wept … it doesn’t really matter … what does matter is that He was moved to compassion and He wept.

“God weeps along with man … and takes him by the hand. Tears are a language God understands.”

A good thought for this Monday morning.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

One other note: I don’t normally make comments on news events but I must say to Terry Jones and his followers: Shame on you! In my opinion, the only thing you accomplished by burning the Koran was to inflame the hatred of people against Jesus Christ our Savior. Your actions did not lift Christ Jesus up … you brought His message down to the level of common man. Shame on you!

Sorry, folks. I just cannot allow such actions to pass without comment.

Do You Believe this?

Good Morning!

We are celebrating Easter a little later this year than most. Our celebration is about Jesus rising from the dead. But let’s take a look at another resurrection this morning:

John 11:1-43 (New International Version, ©2011)
The Death of Lazarus
1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles[b] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus
Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Footnotes:
a. John 11:16 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
b. John 11:18 Or about 3 kilometers

How often do we say we believe when we really don’t? I mean, look at Martha … she fully expected that had Jesus come BEFORE Lazarus died, Jesus could have saved him. But now that Lazarus was dead … well that was a different story. Even when Jesus told her that her brother would rise again, she didn’t really believe it. Some things are just impossible … aren’t they?

How about His disciples … did they believe? Imagine having your leader tell you that Lazarus wouldn’t die and then hearing Him say that Lazarus was dead … and then saying he was going to him. Doesn’t make sense … does it? No … as a matter of fact, they believed that when Jesus returned, He would be killed. Had they not learned anything? Have we?

Jesus is in the “impossible” business. We see all the limitations of man and ascribe those same limitations to God. Why? Don’t we get it yet? With a thought, God created the world and all that is in it … and we deem our “mountains” too tall for Him to climb. Don’t’ we?

It has been said that had Jesus not identified Lazarus when He called him to come forth … had Jesus just said “come forth”, all those who were dead would have emerged. Jesus raised the dead. And He can handle anything we deem too big for us.

Agape’


Mr. Jim