Posted by David on January 12, 2003 under Bulletin Articles
The times are evil. Nothing new! They were evil in the first century (Ephesians 5:15-17). Most of us older adults are accustomed to “evil days” characterizing people “over there.” That often meant countries who recognized no god or honored a strange god. “Evil days” occurred in places desperately needing missionaries. We needed to send them so their “evil days” could end.
No longer are “evil days” over there. They are here. A man or woman chooses a spouse on the basis of passion, or looks, or money. Little or no consideration is given to godliness. Husbands and wives war against each other as if God did not exist. Marriages are devastated by unimaginable expressions of faithlessness. Children are great as infants, tolerated prior to adolescence, and a major frustration as teens. “True friends” indulge with us in the pursuit of passions. We trust them to enjoy and keep quiet about it. Life’s goals are material–possess, buy, acquire! Security is monetary with a focus on this world and life. “What is it worth? Can I indulge myself with it? Can I retire on it?”
Our great theological issues center on worship forms, not lifestyles. Ironically, the epistles contain little information about worship forms, but heavily emphasize lifestyles. Too many have more confidence in church membership and attendance than in God’s incredible accomplishments in Jesus’ death. In the church, spiritual priorities are more likely to rest on our preferences than God’s will. For many, “restoration” is more concerned about American priorities in the 1900’s than Jesus and His first century priorities.
The result? People’s lives descend at a quickening rate into the chasm of despair. “What’s wrong? I don’t understand! Fix it! Make my life happy, my family sound, my spouse loving, or my child kind.” In the almost forty-one years that I have worked with the church full time, the anguish is constantly louder and louder.
So we quietly teach, guide, and increase awareness of godly (and ungodly) decisions and focuses. We try to “turn on the light” that will increase understanding of God’s light to the world — Jesus. But even with what I do, what Brad does, what the elders do, and what many of you do, we get further and further behind.
If ever there was a time to pray, it is now. We desperately need godly men and women. Pray! We desperately need Christians who love God more than themselves. Pray! We desperately need Christians who learn from God to love people. Pray! We desperately need to learn how to let God be God. Pray! Consequences must not destroy us. Pray!
Posted by David on January 5, 2003 under Bulletin Articles
The following prayer considerations are timely every month and day of the year, not just in early January. Hopefully these thoughts express the yearning of every heart sincerely committed to God through Jesus Christ.
“God, work within me so that I erect nothing as a barrier to a growing understanding of Your purposes.”
“God, help my knowledge be a stepping stone to wisdom, not the inner arrogance of prideful attitudes.”
“God, teach me to praise You. May all things lead me to glorify You, not them, not me.”
“God, help my faith and my love grow through understanding. May I never view ignorance as a virtue. May I never fear understanding.”
“God, help me extend hope to those Jesus died to save. May Jesus teach me to reflect You. Help me avoid the temptation of judging those who seek Your rescue.”
“God, help me nurture and encourage every person who belongs to You.”
“God, You teach me how to love and focus that love.”
“God, teach me how to be compassionate. Help me realize You cannot touch hearts and lives through me unless I am compassionate.”
“God, teach me to be merciful. Help me understand that I cannot decide and do not determine who should and should not receive Your mercy. May Your mercy teach me how to extend my mercy.”
“God, teach me how to forgive. My greatest joys in life flow from Your forgiveness. May the joys of Your forgiveness guide my forgiveness.”
“God, Your rule blesses our world. Your rule in people’s hearts through the Lordship of Jesus Christ would be this world’s greatest blessing. Whatever the cost, help me surrender to Your rule.”
“God, may Your kingdom be shaped by Your purposes and not my or our preferences.”
“God, help me understand that my knowledge, understanding, or imagination cannot limit You. May the temptation to confine You to human thought never victimize me.”
“God, may I always be clay in Your hands! May You never stop molding me! Come, Lord Jesus!”
Posted by David on December 22, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Rarely does a single day pass without reminders of ways many of you “quietly” touch the lives of others. My situation positions me to see many of your quiet acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. I personally appreciate every act of kindness! Thank you for thinking of others. Thank you for allowing God to increase your concern for others. Thank you for demonstrating love for God through thoughtfulness to people.
May I express gratitude to a much appreciated group? We easily assume everything will be “just right” in our worship. When worship is “just right,” we easily assume it just happened. Those are false assumptions! It never “just happens!” Many unseen people conscientiously care for needs and responsibilities. Though they are not seen, we would miss them if they were not there! One such group is our projectionists.
Our announcements do not “just happen” to be on the screen. The communion picture does not “just happen” to appear. The words for our songs do not “just happen” to be there for us to see. The pictures or words in sermons do not “just happen.” Were it not for the work of our projectionists, those pictures and words could not be there.
Several years ago we started projecting pictures and words with some sermons in our desire to intensify the worship experience for many. Some of us learn visually. To combine visuals with spoken words increased the learning experience.
Next we projected our announcements prior to worship. This enabled us to inform people without devoting significant amounts of worship time to announcements.
In time we projected an appropriate picture with a few words at communion to aid Christians who are visually oriented. The objective: intensify worship as we commune.
For those who serve us as projectionists (David Pippin, Darrell Moses, Brad Walker, and Hank Watlington), intensifying worship involved a lot of work. On Fridays or Saturdays, they had three to five hours of preparation to make for Sunday!
For several months many requested that the words of our songs be projected on our screen. Doing this required a significant increase in preparation time. When we began projecting the words to our songs, we also moved much of the slide preparation to the office. Debbie Belote now prepares most of the slides for the projectionists.
During an assembly when pictures or words appear on the screen, be aware that many “quietly” make it happen! Personally, I deeply appreciate all they do! It requires concentration and skill to “make it happen.” To all who help “make it happen,” I personally thank you for your help as we honor God!
Posted by David on December 15, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
People’s lives were such a mess! Evil was everywhere! Typical moral standards were sickening! Those who considered themselves “experts” in scripture were certain they were “superior” to most other people. People who knew the attitudes and lives of these “experts” had no desire to be like them. If the “experts” represented God, people who knew nothing about scripture wanted nothing to do with the God of the “experts.”
The world was such a complicated place! Those who devoutly declared they belonged to the living God (1) lived in isolation and (2) looked at everyone else with contempt. They honored one God in a world that acknowledged many gods. Though they were a small minority, they considered themselves to be extremely important. “Outsiders” could be accepted if the “outsiders” agreed to live exactly as the community lived.
The majority of the world believed in, accepted, and worshipped many gods. This group of people built temples, maintained priesthoods, and conducted sacrificial worship. They were confident the gods controlled every aspect of life. Most of them also believed the objective of worship was to keep the gods happy. Many of them felt a deep sense of contempt for anyone who believed there was only one God. Believing only one God existed was dangerous to society, to political stability, and to economic opportunity!
There were also those people “who just had it” with religion. They did not believe in any god. Ineffective gods exploited ignorant people while changing nothing!
Moral conditions were horrible! Adultery was so common in Roman society that ineffective civil laws were passed to attempt to curb that problem. Divorce was common. Some brides were accused of wearing out their wedding veils! Homosexuality was common in Greek society. Drunkenness was a part of some religious fellowships. Greed, dishonesty, stealing, and injustice were merely a part of daily existence.
Slaves were helpless! They faced each day knowing they did not control their lives or activities. Owners often considered their slaves as opportunities for sexual gratification. For slaves, saying “no” to an owner was not an option.
Violence was terrible! One never knew when soldiers would fight on their farm! One never knew when his family would be caught in the middle of a violent conflict! Thieves were so bad that (1) you did not travel at night and (2) you secured your home as best you could at sunset. For many, the first century was a cruel, unjust world!
It was in this age and world that Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead. It was in this world that Jesus became Lord and Christ. It was to this age that Jesus brought forgiveness, redemption, hope, and peace. It was a wicked world, but what God accomplished in Jesus Christ was effective! IT STILL IS!
Posted by David on December 8, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Jesus made this statement in a sermon (Matthew 5-7). To most Christians, it is a very familiar statement. It is so familiar that rarely does it provoke basic thought. We have heard discussed many times what the kingdom is and when it came. We frequently have heard discussed how a man or woman goes about the process of putting the kingdom first. Truthfully, most of us could lead a discussion on those matters.
Yet, rarely do we note what a strange statement this was. Certainly, Israel’s religious leaders discussed for years what the kingdom was and when it would come. To declare that “kingdom understandings” were important to first century Israel is an under-statement. They, like us, had much to teach about the kingdom because their “kingdom understandings” were “excellent.” Their understandings were deep and meaningful! They knew all about the kingdom!
Jesus made this strange statement to disciples as crowds listened. He said godliness was not about religious deeds that attracted attention or praise to self (Matthew 6:1-24). He said kingdom concerns were not centered in clothing, food, or the basic necessities for sustaining physical life (Matthew 6:25-31).
Dedication to God’s kingdom was not contained in things godless people declared to be priorities (Matthew 6:32). Nor was it found in anxieties produced by life’s troubles (Matthew 6:34).
We fail to realize how strange this statement was until we consider to whom it was given. Jesus declared this in a religious nation to people in its religious society. They were so religious that their “civil laws” were based on religious perspectives! They had priests who maintained the temple, elders who made religious decisions, scribes who preserved scripture, lawyers who were experts in scripture, and religious leaders who controlled society. Surely if anyone understood God’s rule, they did! Yet, they did not.
How do we seek God’s kingdom and righteousness above all things, as life’s first priority? Through having right rules and regulations? Through having right forms and methods? Through worrying about things godless people worry about? Through making material needs our top priority in life? No. Then how do we do that?
Jesus said we allow God to rule our lives. We place God in control of who we are and what we do. We let God teach us what righteousness is. Then … we allow God to provide us the strength to be a godly person who, in compassion, is fair to everyone.
Because we are Christians, who we are as persons is essential to life. That is more essential than what we eat, wear, or drink. Why? God rules us. We are His people. We exist to represent Him well. Who and what we are leads people to God, not way from Him.
Posted by David on November 24, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
In a letter to the church of God at Corinth, Paul wrote: To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
What a strange thing to write to those Christians! Were “to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus” and “saints by calling” appropriate to the situation? After all, they had divisions (1:10); had sexual immorality in the congregation (5:1); had lawsuits among them (6:1, 2); had marriage issues (7); had fellowship issues (8); had serious worship problems (11-14); and questioned their resurrection (15).
How could Paul possibly refer to them as people “who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus” and “saints”? How could that be appropriate?
Early in the same letter, Paul wrote: But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31)
They were in Christ Jesus by “God’s doing.” They were not in Christ because God could not do without them. They were there because they could not do without God. God was not indebted to them. They were indebted to God.
What God did for them in Christ was wisdom (God’s, not theirs), righteousness (making them just before God), sanctification (making them holy), and redemption (the act of ransoming from slavery). The wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption did not result from their achievements, but from God’s accomplishments for them in Christ.
Any honest look at those Christians blatantly screams that they had major spiritual struggles. In their confidence in their accomplishments, they were spiritual failures. They argued about meaningless things. They treated each other horribly. They engaged in ungodly competitions. They reflected God’s influence in their lives terribly.
Their Christian confidence could not be in what they did for God. Their confidence must be in what God did for them. Even though they were far less than God wished them to be, what [in His wisdom] He did for them allowed them to be the sanctified and redeemed. Did they need to grow and mature? Absolutely! However, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption would never be their rewards for perfection. Those always were the result for what God did for them in Christ.
Every Christian struggles. Struggles do not make it impossible to belong to God. A Christian grows toward what God made him or her in Christ. God’s mercy and grace in Christ are never earned, only appreciated by those who accept them.
Posted by David on November 17, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Jesus said: “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
Jesus gave this directive after speaking about the uselessness of anxiety. He said it was pointless to worry about tomorrow. Anxiety is counter-productive. He said life’s objective was to learn to trust God for life’s necessities as we yield personal life to our sovereign God’s rule. “Reality” in our physical world changes in the “blink of an eye.” Realities in God’s kingdom are eternal. Jesus’ directive: neither trust nor depend on “realities” that are certain to change; trust and depend on the changeless.
Each year the week before Missions’ Sunday, Joyce and I visit our parents in Crossville, TN. Joyce’s Dad is 88 and her Mom is 85. My Mom is 86. All three live in their own homes. Those two homes are separated by only four miles. (Joyce and I called those houses “home” when we were kids). Usually we also have opportunity to see my only brother and sister-in-law, their children, and some of Joyce’s cousins and aunts. We visited Crossville last week.
This morning we learned several tornadoes touched down in that area. Then we learned these storms touched down in the vicinity of our families. After confirming our immediate families and their homes were okay, we learned all of them lost electrical service, most of them lost telephone service, and so many trees were down that some of them could not get out of their driveways.
While their homes had no damage, some of their neighbors’ homes were severely damaged. My sister-in-law’s comment was, “We will never live long enough for Pigeon Ridge Road to look the same.” [That is right: Pigeon Ridge Road. I grew up on Grassy Cove Road with Turkey Oak Road behind me. My brother lives on Coon Hollow Road. Joyce is prestigious — she grew up on Wells Road, and she is a Wells!]
How strange to realize places so familiar to us, places robed in fall beauty just last week, are now scenes of a disaster that produced fatalities and destruction. What seemed so secure only a week ago is now damaged or destroyed because uninvited circular winds blew. The security produced by electrical power, telephones, and road access was imprisoned by circular winds and uprooted trees.
Electrical power will flow again. Telephones will ring again. Driveways will be cleared. Damaged houses will be repaired. Many destroyed houses will be rebuilt. And the uprooted trees? For years uprooted trees grimly will testify to the insecurity of trusting in the unreliable.
What happens to you when powerful winds blow within? What happens when the rains descend, the floods come, the winds blow, and burst against your life? Does it stand or collapse? (Matthew 7:24-27) Does trusting the wrong things imprison you? Does trusting God transform your insecurity to security?
Posted by David on October 27, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
It seems to me that “the” question each person must ask and answer is this: “What is life’s purpose?” At least three understandings serve as foundations for life in every American. Each understanding is produced by our answers to this question. “My” answers determine how I look at all people on earth. “My” answers determine how I look at “my” life in this world. “My” answers determine how I look at God. Consider two answers.
In the first approach, the basis of my answer is a conviction that my existence is the result of an accident. Random forces happened to be in the right environment at the right moment and accidentally produced life. When a person bases his or her answer on the concept that all life [including his or hers] is the result of an accident, his or her use of life tends to migrate in certain directions. That migration may be in the direction of forms of violence. It may be in the direction of personal indulgence. It may be in a direction that elevates human concerns to the status of a “god” agenda.
When I conclude the only purpose my existence has is right here right now, I become capable of deciding no morality issues are involved in harming other people. “The ultimate issue is what I consider best for me, not what is best for people.” I become capable of concluding no morality issues are involved when I indulge myself in ways that please me. “If it produces personal pleasure, do it” becomes the focus of life. I become capable of deciding that the most significant moral issues are the issues of preservation of the world. “This planet is the only human reality that must be of immediate or lasting concern.” Physical human continuation becomes the ultimate moral concern.
Contrast the first answer with this answer: life’s purpose is infinitely bigger than any person’s physical existence. While my physical existence has purpose, that purpose finds its meaning and significance in a purpose vastly bigger than me and “now.” God has been and continues to be the source of life and the source of good. My purpose is found in and defined by God’s goodness. Thus when I see people, I do not see beings to be exploited and hurt, but beings to be served and given hope. Hurting others is a moral issue — whether it be family, neighbors, or strangers. Indulgence is a moral issue because selfishness attacks life’s purpose. Abusing the earth and its people is a moral issue, but it is not to be confused with the highest moral issue — God’s eternal purposes. [There is an inseparable link between the physical now and the eternal.]
One answer allows [perhaps even encourages] deliberate hurt to others, indulgence, and the elevation of the “physical now” to the status of a god. The other answer declares hurting others, indulgence, and focusing on the “physical now” are moral issues that either cheapen or ignore life’s purpose.
How do you answer, “What is life’s purpose?” What impact does your answer have on your behavior and treatment of others? What impact does your answer have on your understanding of how to serve God?
Posted by David on October 20, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Abraham lived in the city of Ur. In his day for his region, he lived in the most advantaged, opportune place that existed in his “known world” (Genesis 11:27, 28). A God [Who was new to him and was unlike the other gods he had known (Joshua 24:14)] asked him to leave, and eventually asked him to go to an unexplained, undisclosed destination (Genesis 12:1-5). He did, but Ur and Canaan were in major contrast!
When the Israelite slaves left Egypt, God did not direct them to the “short route” by the sea. He directed them to the “long route” through a desert (Exodus 13:17, 18). God knew those people would encounter war on the “short route.” He feared war might change those Israelites’ minds, and they might return to Egypt and slavery. The harsh way was actually the better way.
In 597 B.C. the first of three Israelite groups became Jewish captives in Babylon. Two of the Old Testament prophets were in that group — Daniel and Ezekiel. Existing in strange conditions far, far from home in a forced exile from which they would not return was not a “wonderful experience.” Two men whom God would choose and trust to be His spokesmen were among the first to go into Babylonian exile.
God gave us a perfect Savior. In this Savior, God redeemed us. Through that redemption, God gave us hope. That hope was based on God’s mercy and grace. From God’s mercy and grace flows incredible forgiveness. God did all that — through death.
We struggle, agonize, suffer pain, and face disappointments. We are easily deceived. In our gullibility, we are often eager to believe any lie evil tells us. “Life is about feeling good — indulge your feelings!” “Life is about security — pursue money with passion!” “Life is about pleasure — allow nothing to get in the way of having fun!” “Life is about success — make any necessary sacrifice required to achieve your goals!”
How betrayed we are when our “feelings” change, our “security” crumbles, our “pleasures” enslave us, our “success” is cold and empty. How meaningless our lives become when what we “knew” as the all important measurements of life are not even an asterisk (*) in the footnotes!
Hard lessons for us to learn: (1) Today’s greatest city may not hold tomorrow’s promise. (2) The harsh way may be the best way. (3) Physical tragedy may be eternal opportunity. (4) Our most significant doorway to life may be death.
We cannot see ahead. Life often changes quickly as we stare in disbelief. We can trust God. His love for us does not change. Our future is secure in His hands.
What did Abraham, Daniel, and Ezekiel learn to do? Trust God. What did those Israelite slaves never learn to do? Trust God. Our major issue: regardless of what is happening or where we are, will we learn to trust God?
Posted by David on October 13, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Some individuals know who they are. Some do not. Some individuals comfortably ask themselves, “Who am I?” and comfortably, honestly answer the question. Others avoid that question and go to extreme measures to flee its answer.
At any moment, “who I am” is determined by a curious mix of influences combined with “my choice.” First, consider the “curious mix of influences.”
What is my language or languages? What value system directs me? On what do I base my understanding of good or bad? What everyday factors determine importance? What should a husband be? A wife be? A parent be? What is my work ethic? What is the role of money in a person’s life? Or entertainment? Or pleasure? Or people? What is my definition of success?
When a person answers those questions, what is the “curious mix of influences”?
One’s culture
One’s family of origin
One’s present immediate family
One’s peer group
One’s significant commitments
One’s significant involvements
We each combine influences from these sources with personal choice. These influences do not overpower personal choice unless a person allows them to exchange roles with choice.
For personal choice to exercise full significance as I learn who I am, I must realize that my choice is greater than any of those influences in my life. Choice is greater than any combination of those influences, greater than the sum of all those influences.
What is the basic difference between a “victim outlook” and “survivor outlook”? This is the basic difference: the realization that choice has the primary role in deciding who I am.
The victim’s mind says, “I have no choice. I am only the collection of influences on my life. Whoever I am, I had no choice. Whatever I do, I have no choice. I must be what I am because the influences in my life make me who and what I am.”
The survivor’s mind says, “I have a choice, and I will exercise it. I am more than the influences around me. In spite of those influences, I use choice to determine who I am and what I do.”
What is the greatest power to support and sustain the power of the individual’s choice? God. God transforms victims into survivors. God says, “Choose, and I will help.”
