Closure

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Romans 13:12)

“Closure” is one of the buzz words of our time. It seems that anytime someone has a difficult experience of life that they need some sort of “conclusion” or event to mark the end of their particular adversity so they can get on with their life. That is a very important issue, and often helps a person deal with the difficulty. But in many cases, there really is no true closure. Yes, life must go on, but the loss of a loved one cannot be forgotten. Even if the adversity is not a death in the family, some troubles remain with us for the rest of our lives. We can get a good measure of relief from many sources, but sometimes we “limp” for the rest of our lives like Jacob did in Genesis chapter 32 when he wrestled with the angel of the Lord too long.

Well, here we are at the end of a calendar year (and for those of you who like to get technical, at the end of a decade). Now is when we start looking back at what has happened in the last year, and thinking about the new things we are going to try to accomplish in 2011. We are looking for “closure” on 2010, and in some cases, not a moment too soon. For many people, this has been a difficult year. Some have dealt with medical issues, others have had challenges in their family, and most of us have felt at least some of the effects of the bad economy. Even for those who have had a decent 2010, we are all looking forward to a new slate and a new year.

One of these days very soon, God will give “closure” to the course of this world. I know we have been talking about that for a long time, but it only means we are getting closer. Skeptics scoff at the imminent rapture of the church and return of the Lord Jesus Christ, but Peter already told us about them: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (II Peter 3:3-4) The fulfillment of prophecy in the Bible sets our book apart from every other book in print. The overwhelming legion of fulfilled prophecies guarantees the fulfillment of those which are yet future. God has never missed. His batting average is 1.000, his quarterback rating is a perfect 158.3, he shoots an 18 every time he plays a round of golf, and he has swished every three-pointer he has ever shot.

Jesus promised: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3) Closure to our pilgrimage on this earth is certain. If it were not so, he would have told us. Whether it happens in our lifetime or in a generation to come, if your faith is in the risen Son of God, you can be sure of a glorious end. All tears will be wiped away. All wrongs will be made right. All questions will be answered.

Paul tells us that since these things are certain, we should conduct our lives in the light and not in the darkness. Jesus said that lost men love darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil. So as believers, we need to, “…walk in the light, as he is in the light.” (I John 1:7) When we were young (around 10-12), our parents would leave us at home by ourselves at times. Just as any normal kids, we could get into things we shouldn’t have pretty easily. Then when we heard the wheels of the car across the gravel of the driveway, a perfect panic would ensue. We knew we had no more than 29.3 seconds to hide the evidence. Our Heavenly Father is coming soon to take us home. Let us not be scrambling to hide the evidence of a life lived in the darkness. We will have full closure on our service for him in this life. May he find us in full faith, without reproach and blameless before him as we walk in his light.

It’s the Most Wonderful #$%&* Time of the Year!!!

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (II Corinthians 9:7)

Got your Christmas shopping done yet?

For many of us, now is about the time that we start planning the list. I know we always say that next year we are going to shop earlier, but it just never happens. It seems like there is some sort of invisible force field governed by an unknown Federal law that requires 95% of humanity to cram the major bulk of our annual binge shopping into the shortest time possible. It is sort of like a game – a national pastime that has been woven into the fabric of our culture. I always marvel at the few who somehow manage to finish their list in October. Maybe you know someone like this. They make most of their presents by hand from only recycled materials and prepare their Holiday banquet from only organically grown items. They always look “GQ”. He was the quarterback and captain of the football team, she was the lead cheerleader. They have exactly 2.3 children who never have a hair out of place. Truth is, they really are not from this planet.

For those who work retail, the holidays are a royal pain in the backside. Dealing with a stressed out grumpy public is often a fate worse than death. Then there are the lines and the traffic for the shoppers. Everyone is on edge. You drive through the mall parking lot and all the spots are full. So you find someone coming out of the store and follow them to get their parking spot. Then someone comes in from the other direction and jumps the protocol and steals the spot. The guy in front of you in line always has some oddball issue that shuts down the register. You can find four million items in every size except the one you need. I could go on complaining until Jesus comes, but I think you get the idea.

This is supposed to be a happy time of the year, and it can be if we keep our hearts anchored to the right things. The joy of Christmas is giving, not getting. Sure, it takes a lot of effort to fight the crowds and find those special things for the ones we love, but it is worth it when we watch the eyes of our kids and grandkids light up with that special gift. Paul said we should, “…remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) This time of the year gives us an opportunity to live those words. When we get a special gift, we get the joy of receiving. There is nothing wrong with that. Jesus said it is more blessed to give, but he also said it was blessed to receive. But the Bible says God loves a cheerful giver. When we give out of a pure heart of love, we also receive the blessing of giving.

The greatest example of this principle is embodied in the one who we celebrate at this time of the year. The next time we complain about the long lines at the mall, think of the long trek he made up the hill to Calvary. When we encounter the grumpy customer or sales clerk, remember the beating he took from those whom he created. When we get frustrated by the shopping mob, think of the angry mob who cried, “Away with him! Crucify him!” When we see an item we want and then see the “sticker shock” of the price tag, think of the price he paid to redeem us from our sins. He did all of that cheerfully. He did it because he loved you more than anyone ever could. He gave his life – not just a gift card – when he did not have to do it, and when he could have easily gotten out of it. When you received him as your Saviour, he received the greatest joy anyone could ever imagine; a new soul for his kingdom. He gave first, knowing he would receive later. As someone said, God did not wrap his present and place it under a tree, he unwrapped it and nailed it on a tree. Keep your heart directed to that gift every day.

“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (II Corinthians 9:15)

Mission Accomplished

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (II Timothy 4:7-8)

Crest Bible Church is actively involved in the support of missionaries who take the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to other lands and cultures. We take an annual trip to Belize every year, and we have 21 missionaries who receive regular financial support from our church. This missions emphasis was established by our founding pastor Dwight Johnson, and has continued unbroken since he started the church in 1950. In fact, some of the missionaries sent out and supported by Crest Bible Church in the 1950’s are still “on the payroll” even today. It is testimony and legacy, and an aspect of our ministry that we feel is vital to the health of any local assembly.

One of our missionaries is returning from the field. Most of the time, this happens for the wrong reasons (doctrinal problems, character issues, cultural or ministry ineffectiveness, etc.), but there are times when a missionary has successfully done what God asked of them and it is time to move on. Such is the case with Greg and Sue Kedrovsky. Fifteen years ago, God moved in their hearts to take the gospel to the people of Latin America. After a couple of years in Columbia learning the language, culture, and Latino ministry, God moved them to Costa Rica. Greg and Sue planted a church “from scratch” on the East side of the capital city of San Jose. Implementing Biblical discipleship and leadership training, they were able to raise a generation of spiritual leaders to take charge of the church, and now they are “coming home”. I put that in quotes, because I am sure that Greg and Sue consider Costa Rica their home by now. Their three children were born on the mission field, and know nothing of the United States other than where Grandma lives. The next phase of their ministry and lives is before them, and they are trusting God for direction and blessings just as they did fifteen years ago when they left home on this adventure. Coming back to the US will be just as difficult as moving to Latin America was, and in some cases even more so. Teenage children will have to adjust to a life and culture they have never known. The cost of living is far greater. Snow shovels and winter coats will have to be welcomed as new members of the family. The list is longer than we would imagine. Pray for the Kedrovskys that this new phase of their lives would bear fruit as the last one has.

We will welcome Greg and Sue home with a celebration and party this Sunday from 11am-3pm at the Kansas City Baptist Temple, their sending and home church. While we congratulate them on a job well done, we also want to be reminded of certain lessons in this for all of us.

First, no one is indispensible in the mission of God. Sometimes we wonder why a founding senior pastor of a mission work like Eastside Baptist Church of San Jose Costa Rica would be directed by the Lord to leave that work. I am sure the emotions are difficult to deal with on both sides. We tend to think that this church and work would suffer hardship with the departure of its pastor. But we must remember that we need God. He doesn’t need us. We are laborers with him (I Cor 3:9), but it is his mission, and he is quite capable of carrying it on with or without us.

Secondly, all of us are “missionaries” in this life. As a believer, you are already on foreign soil because this world is not your home. Run your race looking unto Jesus (Heb 12:1-2). Some day he will call all of us home. The party and welcome for Greg and Sue Kedrovsky this Sunday will be awesome, but it will be nothing like the celebration around the throne of God on that day.

Throw It Away!!!

“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (I Corinthians 5:7-8)

Last week I mentioned the “pack rat” mentality I have concerning papers and notes, and how I am in the beginning of the process of trying to “weed out” the mountainous pile of things I have accumulated over the years. It is very painful for me, and a slow process. If you were to look in my office today as opposed to last week, you would see very little progress. But there is a little. Believe it or not, there are actually less papers in my office than there were a week ago. At the rate I am going, I will be down to a manageable level about 20 years into the Millennium. I need to pick up the pace!

Many believers accumulate things in their personal lives that are not always sinful and bad, but often don’t fit into the grand scheme of things. Especially here in the good ol’ US of A, we have learned how to gather the most incredible amount of non-essential junk of any people in the history of the world. Jesus said, “…a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15). My, how we ignore that truth! But it is not only the physical stuff we hoard that is the subject of this blog post, but the accumulation of other interests that can entangle our lives and rob us of our spiritual vitality. The verses above tell us that Jesus was our passover sacrifice. He “uncluttered” his life to focus on giving it for our sins. He left the glories and provisions of the Father’s throne to dwell on this dirt ball because he knew we needed his sacrifice to gain a home in heaven. If you have trusted him as your Saviour, he now asks you to devote your life to his service and his kingdom. Some things can get in the way of that. I am not suggesting we live in a cardboard box and eat roots and berries. But too many entanglements will get in the way of our service. Paul said those who serve Christ should not be “entangled with the affairs of this life” (II Timothy 2:4). How many hundreds of times we hear, “I would like to get involved, but…” Activities, bills, relationships, and other interests get in the way. Sometimes we need to do a thorough “spring cleaning” of our lives to be the best we can be for our Lord.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:1-2) A fruit tree bears the biggest and sweetest fruit when it is regularly cleaned out and purged of its dead branches. God expects us to do a little purging at times so we can be more fruitful for him. If we don’t, sometimes he does the purging for us. A few years ago, we had a fall snowstorm that dumped about 8 inches of wet, heavy snow on trees that had not yet lost their leaves. The weight of the snow snapped most of the weaker branches and stripped many of the trees pretty bare. Clean up was a difficult and painstaking time. But a couple of years later, the trees that had solid roots and a sure foundation blossomed even more beautiful than before the storm. The next time a “storm” appears in your life, stop to consider the possibility that God may be trying to prosper your life and make it even sweeter with him. In the meantime, look at the commitments and involvements we have and see if there are some things that just don’t fill the same need and purpose they once did. Clearly, God wants us to purge sin from our lives. But often, there are other things that are not sinful in and of themselves, but that could be laid aside for the greater good of your service to Jesus Christ. “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” (II Timothy 2:21) Are you the best you can be for your Lord?

The Incurable Pack Rat

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:31)

Now that we are “firmly ensconced” in our new digs, one of the daunting tasks in front of me is unpacking. You know how it is when you move. You end up with box after box of stuff you didn’t know you had. You know all this stuff was vitally critical to the survival of the human race at the time you put it into the box, but now as you go through it, you wonder what in the world it really is, and why anyone in their right mind would not have thrown it away. The boxes now take on a life of their own and multiply in the middle of the night when you aren’t looking. My area of weakness is with papers. I tend to save every receipt, every note to myself, every article on topics of interest, and of course, every Bible study note I have ever taken since I was saved 32 years ago. In my office right now are 16 Banker’s Boxes filled with God only knows what. There are two four-drawer filing cabinets in one of the classrooms I have yet to tackle. I have stuff at home to go through, and my desk is piled nice and full of more “important” stuff. Yet the one thing I really need right now I can’t find. Typical.

I know I am really bad with this. I am sure many of you have seen the reality TV shows on the “hoarders”. These people are way more extreme than I am. There was even a news report recently about an elderly couple of hoarders. The lady was reported missing by the husband, and after several months, she was found in the home dead under a pile of stuff. Hopefully as I sort through the mountain of boxes in my office, I won’t find a dead body.

Many people are just as bad in the opposite direction. They can’t hang on to anything. They blow all their money from paycheck to paycheck, they get in all sorts of trouble because they can’t learn a lesson and build on anything in their lives, and they begin every day as if God just spoke the Universe into existence at 6:00 that morning. It is not the issue of stuff, but the idea of keeping the word of God that causes many people such problems. Proverbs 4:4 says, “Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.” Jesus said, “Let these sayings sink down into your ears…” (Luke 9:44) I believe that with some Christians, their pastor could preach the same message every week and they would never realize it. Most of them forget the entire message before they get to the end of the parking lot. The joke is told of a man who kept coming forward to the altar every Sunday with the same prayer: “Lord, fill me with your Spirit.” Week after week, he would come and cry out audibly, “Lord, fill me!” Finally the pastor knelt down next to him and prayed, “Lord, don’t worry about filling him, just fix the leak!”

Certainly, we understand that the filling of the Spirit is an ongoing venture in life that we will never totally master. Also, we cannot expect to have such a photographic memory as to recall every word of every message we hear. But the growth of the believer cannot take place if we do not retain as much as we legitimately can. A child does not begin each school year with his colors and ABC’s. A graduate student in economics must remember that 2+2=4. (Would to God our elected officials knew that!) You don’t have to be a pack rat like me. But learn how to make the truths of the Bible build upon each other in your life. I encourage you to set up some form of system that works for you so you can refer back to notes and lessons you have learned. But keeping notes is only a very small part of building a life in Christ. To keep the word of God means to observe it and do it. The more you put into practice the truths of the Bible, the easier it becomes to remember them. When it is all over (or all beginning, depending on your viewpoint), the entire physical creation will “go up in smoke” (II Pet 3:10-12). Yet God will still have his Bible! He will “pack rat” his words longer than the current Universe will exist. When you stand before him, how much of it will you recall?

Welcome Home!?

“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:15)

We just returned from another trip to our “home away from home” in Belize. There are a lot of things I could share with you in this blog, and maybe over the next few weeks I will, but one story seems to stand out as an object lesson of life in these United States. One of the lessons we all learn when we take a trip to another culture is just how different things are in many other parts of the world. We get de-sensitized to life here because we live in it all the time. Sometimes it takes a trip like this to get out of the country and see things from a different perspective. It is like being in a room with a foul odor. After a while, you don’t notice it any more.

Children in Belize are full of energy and life – and mischief – just like they are here. But there is a stark difference. There is a respect for authority and a courteous demeanor to the children we see in Belize that was once part of our society. Unfortunately, that respect now only resides in a small minority of children in the US. After living in Belizean culture for 10 days and getting used to it, our team arrived back last Monday. As we sat at the gate awaiting our connecting flight in the Houston airport, we observed the “family from hell”. There were two children about ages 3 and 5, who displayed some of the most rebellious and undisciplined behaviour I have seen in a long time. They were running around the gate area screaming and giggling, which in and of itself is not unusual for children of that age. They have boundless energy that if bottled, could solve the world’s energy problems. It was the parent’s attempt to corral the children that got my attention. It was, “Now, Johnny, stop that… come here, please… I’m not going to tell you again…”, and a bunch of other toothless threats that were not only ignored by the children, but responded to in a most disrespectful manner. They cried and pulled away whenever one parent finally was able to catch up with one of them. Requests to settle down were met with, “NO! You can’t make me!” The little girl actually slapped her mother once. I saw the father one time just sit in a chair and bury his face in his hands as if to say, “I give up!” I came real close to saying to him, “Sir, if you don’t know how to spank those children, I do.” I didn’t; but I wanted to. As the four of us on the team sat there and observed all that, I said to them, “Welcome home…”

God made a place on the backside of our anatomy that stings enough to get our attention, and you can’t break it. Proverbs says: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. (13:24) Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. (19:18) Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. (23:13) The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. (29:15). Some might object. Certainly there is such a thing as child abuse, and it is a heinous evil. But I submit (and the Bible agrees), that no discipline is child abuse also. The object lesson is this: Hebrews 12:5-11 tells us that God disciplines his children, and as our Heavenly Father, he will discharge his duties fully, completely, and in perfect truth and righteousness. God would never think of abusing his children by being too harsh on them. His grace knows no limits, and he knows we are just children, subject to the natural things that befall us. Some parents discipline their children out of their frustration and inconvenience, instead of for their rebellion. Let kids be kids. But God also does not abuse his children by letting them run wild as holy terrors like the brats in the Houston airport. When we step out of line in our hearts in rebellion and evil, God will deal with it according to the exact measure of the “crime”. I am glad he does. Our Father loves us enough to pull out the “board of education” when it is necessary. We should discipline our children in the same manner. As Hebrews says, when proper godly discipline is employed, it produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness and makes us partakers of his holiness. May we continue to strive for the goal of his holiness.

Keep Walking

Just about every Christian I know has a favorite verse in the Bible. Some site John 3:16 as their favorite, as it proclaims God’s love for all of us. Still others love the stories of the Lord’s ministry found in the four gospels of the New Testament. Many have found solace in the Book of Psalms, and wisdom from the Proverbs. Many history lovers enjoy the Old Testament, and others spend most of their time retracing Paul’s journeys through Asia. My pastor says that his favorite verse is whatever verse he happens to be reading at the time.

I too share his love for the entire word of God, yet there is a verse that has stood out from the rest, many times in my life. Most of us have had our ups and downs in life. In fact I would say that our journey through life has a “topography” similar to that of the surface of the earth. Just as God has made His creation with contrast and has given us plenty of mountains and valleys to travel, likewise life also deals us a contrast with the same highs and lows.

The verse that has guided me through many lows in my life is Psalm 23:4:

Psalm 23:4
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The author of this verse acknowledges that he will have problems in life when he says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley…” It is a given that life will not always be care free. Some folks are shocked at the prospect of life not always being “smooth sailing.” If you realize that for every mountain top experience, there also has to be an accompanying valley, then you will not be taken by surprise when you find yourself in a valley. Since the size of the mountain top is smaller than most valleys, it stands to reason that if you are to continue in your journey, then your valley experience may last longer than the mountain top.

My favorite parts of this verse are, “…I walk through…” and, “for thou art with me;” I am able to walk through the problems of life, because God is with me every step of the way. Of course this is true for every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, some believers fail to take hold of God’s hand while they are in the valley. It kind of reminds me of when I was a child. My parents would always insist on holding my hand while they escorted me across the street. There were times when I would try to pull my hand away from them so I could do it on my own. Sometimes our pride causes us to want to do everything for ourselves, which can become a deadly enterprise.

One of the parts of this verse that stands out for me is the phrase, “I walk through…” What I find interesting about this part of the verse is as David writes these words, “Yea, though I walk through the valley…,” there seems to be a temporal sense to his words. David appears to think that he is walking through this particular valley, and not camping out in it. He has a “walk through” mentality about this valley. Perhaps David is focusing on what lies ahead, just over the horizon, instead of where he presently finds himself. David looks to his future state to quell the fears of his current state.

Likewise the apostle Peter found himself in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. When he seen the Lord, he stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water. As long as he kept his eyes on the Lord he was able to walk above “his” storm. Remember the first step in Peter’s journey across the water, was stepping out of the boat. He didn’t stay in the boat, instead he started walking.

When you find yourself in a valley, remember not to camp out there. David concludes this psalm with, “…I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” All Christians share this same promise. Grab hold of His hand, keep your eyes on your destination, and “keep walking.” - Ross Weibling

Life Changing Prayer

Almost everyone that I know has had an occasion to pray to God for a particular need or want. Even theungodly or lost have rendered a prayer occasionally. Many people pray when bad things or problemsoccur in their lives. Lots of people pray for things they want. Countless people pray when they believethings in the world or the politics of the land need changing. People pray when they are worried aboutthings in life that they have no control of. I have a fellow pastor who sometimes jokes about the subjectof prayer. He says, “why pray when you can always worry.” Funny but true for some. This simplyillustrates that we tend to worry more than pray.

I also find that many of us have an ineffectual prayer life. We often pray for things that we don’t need.Some pray for things that they are envious of, that others possess.

James 4:33 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss , that ye may consumeit upon your lusts.

God has given us an avenue of communication with Him. We can use this circuit to share our concernsand desires with Him. We can use this “open line” to pray for others like family members, our nation’sleaders, church members (including church leaders), the state of our country, the impoverished and thehungry of our world, which are all good causes.

However, I find that most of us miss the mark when it comes to our prayer life with a Heavenly Father.A Father that only has our best interests at heart. God invented prayer so that we could share ourdeepest desires and concerns with Him.

Philippians 4:66 Be careful for nothing ; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgivinglet your requests be made known unto God.

Still there are those that pray in an attempt to change God’s mind on a particular matter. Rarely dopeople pray to have God change their mind on an issue.

There is another purpose God had for opening a channel of communication between Him and His creation. INTIMACY!

Romans 8:2626 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should prayfor as we ought : but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings whichcannot be uttered.

As a boy, it took me a while to know how my Dad was going to respond to a particular request. Myrequests became more effectual as I learned more and more about my Dad. As I spent more intimatetime with my Dad, I learned that he always had my best interests at heart. Our conversations becamemore and more effectual. I have totally forgotten the times he said “No,” but vividly remember thetimes we spent simply as father and son.

If we would approach our time with our Heavenly Father as a time of intimacy, as a time of just “hangingout” with each other, I wonder how much more our desires would become the same as His desires.Perhaps our prayers would be less centered on us and more focused on our relationship with Him.Perhaps our prayers would be “Life Changing.”

Ross Weibling

The Master of Sarcasm

“And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” (Luke 16:9)

Jesus told a story in Luke chapter 16 of a man who had wasted his master’s goods and was being called in to account for it. A “steward” in the Bible is like an agent or a manager today who would be in charge of administrating all or part of the business of another person, while that person tended to other matters. Quite often professional athletes or entertainers will turn over the management of their assets to someone while they focus on their skill and profession that earns them the money. In the story in Luke 16, the administrator had mismanaged the owner’s goods, and the “jig was up”. So he concocted a plan to try to get out of the problem by giving all of the man’s customers a “deal they could not refuse”. He settled their debts for pennies on the dollar, hoping that when he got fired, one of them would hire him as a favor for cutting them a sweet deal. That looks like a pretty good strategy on the surface. In fact, Jesus even commended the man for such a shrewd decision. Then he drew the lesson at the end of the story in the verse I quoted above. The stories in the Bible are not just for grins, there is always a point. It appears that Jesus is telling us to “go ahead and make friends of money” and get all we can by whatever shrewd and cunning means we can come up with, even if it is “unrighteous”. The ends justify the means, we all have to make a living, and ethics can be sacrificed if the bottom line stays black. But if you cannot see the sarcasm dripping from this verse, you need to look closer. Jesus has his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, as he does in many places in the Bible.

Jesus is saying, “So you want to make money your god? Go right ahead. When you fail at that venture (not if), you will be received into an everlasting habitation.” I am not sure you want to be in that type of “habitation”. It is described in Isaiah 34:13 and Revelation 18:2 as a habitation of dragons and devils. Any guess what place Jesus might be referring to?

Right now we are in political season again, with the main issue as always “the economy, stupid”. It seems everyone has their own ideas on how to get things rolling again, and the rancor of the ads just continues to grow. But while we are all consumed (pun intended) with the drive for wealth, we miss the point. I am not suggesting that we all sell everything and live in a tent and eat roots and berries. There is nothing wrong with an honest living, and a good one at that. But there is a much deeper issue involved that is illustrated by this story.

You have been given the goods of your master Jesus to manage. First of all, he gave you life in the first place. Just that by itself is enough to thank God for. But then he gave his life for your sins, when he didn’t have to do it. By trusting Jesus as your Saviour, you have been given eternal life, which is even more to be thankful for. Then God gave you his Spirit to live inside you and be your guide and comforter through this life. Add to that all the blessings of a relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is a massive “estate” to accomplish his will for your life. In the story, the “goods” of the master were oil and wheat. Oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, and wheat is used to make bread, a picture of the word of God. The two greatest resources you have are God’s word and God’s Spirit in your life. They are not yours – they belong to your master. He has entrusted them to you to manage in a wise and prudent manner, while he continues to work his main “profession” of drawing the world to the saving knowledge of his Son. Your management of those assets works toward that same objective. God is not just off dunking basketballs while he leaves you to crunch numbers. He gives you the privilege of participating in his mission with his goods. He will call you into account some day on your management of those goods. Are you ready today to give an account?

Why?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I would give everything I have if I could answer that question.

As I was leaving for the office this morning, I got a call from a lady that Vicki and I are friends with. Vicki has worked with Linda for the last couple of years. She was in perfect panic. They had rushed her husband to the hospital. He was unable to breathe and unresponsive, and as the paramedics worked on him, it was abundantly obvious that something was very seriously wrong. By the time they were able to get him to the hospital, he was gone. Rod Gregg, age 60, passed away this morning of a heart attack in Independence, MO.

I performed the wedding of Rod and his new wife Linda just 2 weeks ago.

Can you answer the question “Why?” Don’t try, because I know no one can.

Can you just join me as we grieve with the family today? I know that no one at Crest besides Vicki and I know these people. But this hurts. Our Bible tells us to weep with those who weep, and to remember those that are in adversity since we are all made of the same lump of clay. I did not know Rod very well. I had only met him in preparation for their wedding a couple of weeks ahead of the event. But the few times we did spend together were very good. He was a prince of a gentleman and a joy to be around. I know Linda from a distance, and Vicki knows her simply from a professional level from work. From what we know, they don’t have much if any of a relationship with God, and they surely have no church home. We know that God is not willing that any should perish, and we know that in 60 years, there is a very good chance that Rod had been exposed to the gospel more than once. We just hope that at some time he had given his heart to the Lord.

Things like this make it abundantly clear to us how urgent the gospel message is. We can never be so busy or distracted to give out the good news, because we never know when things like this will happen. We also cannot run through the crowd with our hair on fire screaming “repent!” because that will work against us. How to navigate those incredibly perilous waters is the next big question we cannot answer. But we have to give out the message. I am sure we will have the chance to spend some time with Linda and the rest of the family in the coming weeks. Pray for them that God would open their hearts, and that he would give Vicki and I the words to say. I have no clue right now what those words would be, and neither do you. Just ask God to allow us the chance to share his love and truth as opportunity presents itself.

I hurt. Deeply.

Habla Español?

Our annual trip to Belize is in a couple of weeks, and I am down to “crunch time”. We host a Bible Conference in Belize every year and part of the process is to prepare a booklet for everyone to follow the study. It usually runs about 20-25 pages, and we provide it for them in both English and Spanish. English is the “official” language of Belize, so most people speak it at least a little. But many people have migrated from Mexico and other Latin American countries and only speak their native Spanish. Even those who can speak some English still have Spanish as their heart language and prefer their notes in Spanish. So after I get my notes put together, I send them out to the on-line translation system. Then I have to take their work and make a lot of adjustments with it. Whoever designed that system does not know much about the Bible. The Holy Spirit is “Holy Alcohol” in their mind. I am not sure we are drinking from the same spirit!

I have gotten to the point where I can read Spanish fairly well. I still need a lot of help, and I have the fine work of Juan and Esther Rios whose first language is Spanish, and after I do all of my work on the outline, I send it to them for their final editing. Then we can print and bind and provide for our friends in Belize a study booklet that can speak to each heart from God’s word.

It will be so nice when we get to heaven and can all speak the same language. It is very difficult to communicate with someone when all you know is a few words in their tongue. I know a lot of Spanish words, but I know nothing of the grammar and structure of communication. Things are not the same. Idioms and figures of speech do not translate. I made reference to “crunch time” a minute ago. We all understand that, but they would probably be looking for one of those great chocolate bars with the crispy rice. Getting this outline prepared in both English and Spanish is incredibly tedious and time consuming. Communicating to others who do not hear things the same way you do is one of life’s most difficult challenges.

Consider that in the light of God trying to communicate to man. Not only is there a “language” barrier, but the gap in “culture” between a holy and all-knowing God and sinful ignorant men is infinitely wider than any gap between human beings. Yet God is the master communicator. He does so in so many ways that no one is exempt from the knowledge of his truth. Psalm 19 shows us how he communicates through creation. God cuts through every speech and language on earth to proclaim his truth to his creatures. John 1:9 says Jesus is, “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Romans 1:20 tells us, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Many skeptics of the word of God try to hide behind the excuse of “those who have not heard” or “those who don’t speak English” when the testimony of the truth of God is abundantly available on every square inch of the planet. Those who don’t see it or don’t hear it don’t want to.

The challenge for the believer in Christ is how to take the things of God and communicate them to a lost world that lives in that darkness. It is hard enough from English to Spanish. Now we have to find a way to bridge the “God – Man” gap as well. The only way to do that is to walk in the Spirit. If I could live in Belize for a couple of years and immerse myself in the culture and language, I would be able to communicate much easier to our brethren there. If you will immerse yourself in the culture of God and his word and learn his “language”, you efforts to share his truth with a lost world will improve.

The "Discovery" Channel

“But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.” (Romans 10:20)

Tuesday of this week was “Columbus Day”, although we now observe it on the Monday nearest to October 12th instead of the exact day. I guess it is nice to give certain people an extra day to make a nice long weekend rather than random days off in the middle of weeks. We all know that Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred and ninety two, and landed on the North American Continent on October 12th of that year. When he did, he “discovered” America, right?

No he did not. The Viking Leif Erickson landed on this continent centuries earlier – and he still plays quarterback for them today. There were already people here when Columbus landed. If Christopher Columbus “discovered” this continent, why aren’t we called Columbia? Mankind is so incredibly conceited and arrogant. He continues to claim “discoveries” of things that God put in place long before he was even on this planet. God asked Job, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” (Job 38:4) That is a rather penetrating question. Man cannot discover anything. Every time we unlock another “secret” of the Universe or find another species or chart another land mass or tap into a new technology, we only find something that was already there from Genesis chapter one. Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity, right? Did it not exist before the apple bonked him on the head?

Paul quoted a prophecy of Isaiah related to New Testament salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said that Jesus is “found” (discovered) by those who did not seek him. How can that be? How can you find something you are not looking for? Columbus did not “discover” America by sitting in his Lazy-Boy watching Brett “Leif Erickson” Favre throw touchdown passes. Thomas Edison did not invent the phonograph and the light bulb by shopping for them at WalMart. They diligently searched for those things and invested their lives in pursuit of their discoveries. But Jesus is found by those who are not looking for him.

Romans 3:10-11 says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” We have the “seeker” movement now in our churches, when the Bible says there are none that seek after God. Man in his natural state wants nothing to do with God. That is why God has to seek us out first.

Jesus said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) No man has ever discovered anything on this earth or in this Universe that God did not have there already waiting for him to find it. No man ever “found God” until Jesus had already searched him out before. Jesus also said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” (John 6:44) Now don’t go all Hyper-Calvinist on me. If you don’t know what I am talking about, good. God draws ALL men to his Son and the cross. Anyone who is not “found of God” has rejected the draw of the Spirit of the Father. But we have to understand that everything begins and ends with God. He is the “author and finisher” (Hebrews 12:2). He created the world and placed the continents where it pleased him. He set the laws of physics and science in place, and left them there for us to find them and use them for his purposes. He chose his Son “from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8) to be the only sacrifice for sin and the only way to the Father (John 14:6). He sent him to the cross for your sins, and he is on a “seek and save” rescue mission for the souls of lost men and women. He has every one of those souls in his “crosshairs” including yours if you are not saved. Those who respond to his call can say they have “found God” just like Columbus could say he discovered a land mass that was already there. But you will not find him until you trust the Son of God to save you. Have you? If not, will you?

Your Fifteen Minutes Of Fame

“Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.” (II Corinthians 3:2)

King David was one of the most famous men in history, and certainly in the “top ten” of all Bible characters. We are preparing for our annual missions trip to Belize, and the theme of this year’s Bible Conference is the life of David. As I have been working on the notes on the life of this great man of God, some things have intrigued me about him.

The life of David takes up a major section of the Old Testament. David is the main character of the Bible from I Samuel chapter 16 through the end of the book of II Samuel, and up to I Kings chapter 1, as well as I Chronicles chapters 11-29. That is a total of 60 chapters, and when you add all the other times in the Bible he is mentioned, David takes up close to 10% of the ink in the Bible. That is a lot of emphasis placed on one man out of billions over 6,000 years. Everyone is familiar with David, but for most, that familiarity extends to only a couple of stories. David’s life is well chronicled in the Bible, but beyond Goliath and Bathsheba, the rest of it could easily be the subject of a Jay Leno “Jaywalking” episode and make for some rather humorous responses.

Why is it that these are the only stories of David’s life that we all know? We know about his battle with Goliath because of the Sunday School lessons we heard many times as a child. It is such a famous story that it has become a slogan or catch phrase for every person on earth who faces a challenge too big to handle. We know that story because it is an encouragement to be persistent and faithful no matter what the circumstances. We admire the courage of a young man who could look defeat in the face and laugh at it as David did. David motivates us to take on the world and accomplish something genuinely remarkable, and many such things have been done by men – saved and lost – with that determination and courage.

Then we all know about his fling with Bathsheba. This story is famous because of sex, power, and corruption. This is the one Hellywood would make a movie about. (Yes, I know I spelled it wrong – I did so on purpose.) Sadly, it is these types of stories about Christians that makes the world pay attention to us. Anytime one of the servants of the Lord has a moral failure, it makes front page headlines. The media might be able to allude to some of the good accomplishments of such a man, but most of his 15 minutes of fame will be spent dragging his name and his family through the sewage of his sin. Granted, he deserves it. I understand temptation and the power of the flesh. But I have never understood how a man of God who holds in his hands the precious words of life called the Bible, and has in the power of his hands the issues of eternal destinies of the souls of human beings cannot keep those hands off of another woman besides his wife. Where is the fear of God, pastor? I tire of hearing about it, and this world will make absolutely 100% double-dog certain that every indiscretion will make national news. By the grace of God and by the power of his word and Spirit, I pray earnestly that we never hear of another.

When the prophet Nathan confronted David about his sin with Bathsheba, he said, “…by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.” (II Samuel 12:14) It takes years to establish a credible testimony, and a simple momentary lapse to destroy it. An incident like this negates everything the man of God has built. When a leader falls, his entire ministry is questioned. All the “60 chapters” of good he has accomplished gets shoved to the ash heap of history. Satan knows that. It is the reason he launches such vicious assaults against the men who minister the word to the flock of the Lord. We are all subject to such temptations, and the consequences for you are no different than for the nationally known pastors. Do not let your fifteen minutes be of this sort. Do not let Bathsheba negate your Goliath. God’s Spirit and God’s word are sufficient and powerful enough to preserve you if you access them daily.

Fear Motivation

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (I John 4:18)

President Roosevelt made famous the saying, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself…” during a time in our history when there was plenty to be afraid of. FDR’s statement was a good motivational rallying cry to get people to rise to the challenges they faced instead of cowering in the corner and doing nothing. That would have led to defeat and disaster. But in reality, there are a lot of things we can (and sometimes even should) be afraid of in this world. You know I am afraid of heights. It is because I am not a fan of the results of “whump…” or “splat…” You should fear standing in the middle of an Interstate Highway with an 18-wheeler bearing down on you. Only fools never fear. The issue is how to use those fears to protect yourself and your family and to accomplish something for the Lord Jesus Christ and his glory.

Most people think that the opposite of fear is courage. But the most courageous people on earth do not eliminate their fears; they use fear to spur them to action. They have the same fears as anyone else; they just react to them differently. Instead of running and hiding, their courage is driven by their fear. But in many people, fear has a paralyzing and devastating effect.

The opposite of fear is love. If I really understood how much God loved me, I would not fear heights as I do. But I have had enough fearful experiences on ladders and roofs and mountain roads with no guard rails that the natural reaction takes over and clouds my spiritual vision. I don’t want to fear heights, but at this point, my humanity won’t allow otherwise. I guess God knows us pretty well. That is why the number one command in the Bible is “Fear not…” or some variation of that. It appears well over 60 times in the word of God.

David was the “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). When he was being hunted by Saul, his fears took over and made him do some pretty odd things. Read I Samuel chapter 21 for an example. His fear made him irrational. He took on Goliath, and ran from Saul. He passed his fear to the priest Ahimelech and others, and his fear caused him to lie about why he was there. His fears caused him to place his trust in the weapons of the world (Goliath’s sword) rather than in the word of God, the “sword of the Spirit”. David’s fear drove him to flee to Achish the king of Gath for refuge. Remember that it was Gath where Goliath was from! Didn’t he think that they would remember that and want their revenge? Fear made David act like a mad man and “scrabble on the gate” of Gath so that they would think he had lost his mind. It kept them from carrying out their vengeance because they felt sorry for this once courageous warrior who had been reduced to a spineless blob of Jell-O because of his fears.

But in all these things, God’s testimony of the life of David is given in I Kings 15:5: “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” In spite of David’s human frailty in this story, God never criticized him once for it. It was the right thing to do to run from Saul. He could not be expected to casually stroll into the royal palace where Saul lived any more than you would be expected to “fear not” to stand in the middle of I-70. David was not criticized for his fears because of his love for God and God’s word. Psalm 119 is one of the greatest chapters in the Bible. It is 176 verses describing the love David had for his Lord and the precious words of God. He wrote, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” (Psalm 56:3) When the times of fear descend on us, as they surely will, remember how much God loves you as his child. Despite the dangers, “he will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5). Trust in his love, not in your courage. His love trumps your fears.

Leaving A Mark

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21)

Evelyn Johnson, wife of Tom Johnson, missionaries to Bolivia for 44 years, passed away Sunday night September 20, 2010. Funeral services will be held at Walnut Grove Bible Church in Bonner Springs, KS on Thursday September 23, 2010 at 5:00pm.

This week’s blog is devoted to the life of this incredible servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I first had the honor of meeting Tom and Evelyn on a missions trip to Bolivia in 1996. I got to stay in their home and experience a level of hospitality that many talk about, but few get to see. I saw a couple completely devoted to God and each other. Both of them left the comforts of home at an early age to minister the word of God in the third world nation of Bolivia. Their children were born and raised on the mission field, and all came back to the US when they were grown. Tom and Evelyn had to say goodbye to them while they continued their ministry to the children of Bolivia with a national outreach ministry called “OANSA”. Those of you in the US would recognize that as “AWANA” – the English acronym for OANSA in Spanish. Tom and Evelyn travelled tirelessly throughout Bolivia establishing this ministry and overseeing it in over 800 churches in the country. Keep in mind that travelling in Bolivia is quite a bit different than in the US with our interstate highways. “Quite a bit different” is the understatement of the ages. Only those who have experienced third world roads could appreciate the rigors and hardships of this type of ministry. Yet they ministered with “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (I Pet 1:8). After 44 years of faithful and dedicated service to the Lord and the people of Bolivia, Tom and Evelyn “retired” (ha ha) and moved to southern Arizona. For the last 10 years or so, they have continued ministering the word of God to the Spanish speaking community near Tucson.

Tom and Evelyn were never the type to receive recognition for their service. They are some of the most humble people I have ever met. But when they retired, we hosted a “Tom and Evelyn Johnson Day” at Crest Bible Church. Tom is the son of our founding pastor, and was sent out as a missionary from here when I was 6 months old. On that special day, we commemorated a life of service to Jesus Christ in Bolivia. Tom and Evelyn sang and gave testimony of their lives in Bolivia, and it was one of the most moving experiences I have had. All they talked about were the people they had impacted for the gospel. They said nothing of themselves or their trials. The entire testimony was simply a litany of person after person who had come to know Christ and been established in the faith who was continuing to carry on the vision of reaching others for Christ. Someone once coined a cute little acronym that joy is living life in the following priority: Jesus, Others, Yourself. That is a perfect description of the life of this dear lady and her first class gentleman of a husband in their service to their Lord.

The Bible says there is “rejoicing in heaven” when someone gets saved. Tom and Evelyn have set of quite a few parties in their days. Now Evelyn has had the honor of being the life of the party herself. Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” That seems odd, but God’s ways are not ours. While we grieve the loss, heaven welcomes a true saint of the faith. Her works have followed her, and she is at rest from a life of labor for her Lord and Saviour (Rev 14:13). She ran the race of life in a full sprint to the end, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of her faith.” (Heb 12:2). She will need several boxcars to haul away her rewards. May all who read this strive to be half the servant Evelyn Johnson was for her Lord.

Be A Fanatic

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)

I am watching the Chiefs game on Monday Night Football. Arrowhead Stadium is absolutely electric. It is really good to see our beloved home of the Chiefs be the screaming raving nut house it was in the days of Martyball when Kansas City was universally recognized as the loudest outdoor stadium and the hardest place for visiting teams to win as a result. There is no doubt that the “12th man” contributed much to the success of the Chiefs on this night. Chiefs win 21-14 and for at least the next week, can lay claim to sole possession of first place in their division!

It’s good to have passion in life, even when it is for something like football. Many people who are not sports fans think it is just nonsense with a bunch of overpaid brutes playing a boy’s game without actually producing anything. There’s some truth to that. No one will get to heaven just by winning a major sports championship. But sports is a great teacher of character and principles of life. Also, major sports provides a lot of great things for a community. There are a lot of jobs through sports, and a city with a major sports team has a better quality of life as a result. It brings together a community around a common purpose. Just consider what the last Super Bowl has done for the city of New Orleans.

It always strikes me odd when I see 80,000 raving lunatics screaming for 3 hours for a football team, and then see how they react when they are invited to church. These people will pay good money, brave severe elements, and spend over 3 hours standing on their feet yelling until they can’t speak. But ask them to sit in padded chairs for 45 minutes to hear the word of God and you would think they were being tortured. They can’t say amen to the message because they blew their voice out over a touchdown. You can get 80,000 people to a ball game, but try getting 80 of them to show up to church for a work day or to canvass the neighborhood to pass out tracts.

Having a passion in life for your favorite sports team or for your hobby or your work is fine. But why not have it for the Lord Jesus Christ as well? I would not expect people to paint their faces and wear goofy outfits to church. I would hope they could contain themselves enough during the message so as not to distract everyone around them. I am not asking for cheerleaders at the front of the auditorium waving their pom-poms to energize the crowd. The venues of a football game and church are different, and the behavior should be as well. But the passion for the things of God should be just as real as the “thrill of victory” at Arrowhead.

One of these days very soon, Jesus will descend from heaven and call us home to be with him. Notice the verse I quoted above says he will do it with a shout! I don’t imagine he will whisper. I can’t see him saying, “Psst… Hey guys… If it’s not too much of an inconvenience, do you suppose it would be OK if you would come up hither?” After all, this day is called in the Bible “The Day of Christ”. It is his special day. The Bible likens it to a bridegroom getting his bride. That is a pretty special day! Some of his people who have been too dignified to let a little passion be shown will get turned loose on that day. I am old enough to remember the city wide ticker tape parades for the Chiefs in 1970 and the Royals in 1985. Imagine the celebration when the King of kings and Lord of lords walks down the streets of the city of Jerusalem to usher in the glory of his millennial kingdom. I really enjoyed the game last night. If you can get more out of something like that than you can the return of the Lord, check your spiritual temperature. Let us continually be about his business until that day comes.

Why Is Labor Day So Much Work?

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Man, I am really worn out! I can’t believe how sore and tired I am. Have you ever been so tired that you can’t sleep? That is tired! I went to bed last night about 10:30, but I just laid there until about 4:00 in the morning with aches and pains in body parts I didn’t even know I had. We had our annual Labor Day Picnic yesterday, the 17th annual blowout we put on every year on the first Monday of September. Standing in front of a couple of hot BBQ grills for 2 hours is bad enough, then I played baseball for another couple of hours after stuffing myself full of the best pork ribs on earth. It was our best picnic ever (we say that every year), with well over 200 people in attendance, many of them experiencing one of Crest Bible Church’s premier events for the very first time. We do this every year to celebrate a number of things like kids back in school, the end of summer, and just because we want to have a party (who needs a reason?). But the Labor Day Picnic is really my celebration. It was 32 years ago on Labor Day weekend that I received Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour (September 4, 1978). So I celebrate my spiritual birthday with a BBQ feast for a couple hundred of my closest friends. Someone said we should do a picnic for everyone’s spiritual birthday. Fine. You cook the ribs.

We all know what it means to be tired. Everyone on earth has experienced those times when it seems that you just can’t go another step without a couple of “trainers” – one under each arm to carry you to the bench so you can collapse. For those who know Jesus as their Saviour and are actively involved in his work, those times can hit even more severe. Not only do we get worn out physically, we also get spiritually tired. We face an enemy in an unseen realm who is so sly that he knows our every weakness and how to exploit them for his purposes. Despite what the atheist and naturalist would say, man is a spiritual being also, and everything we face in the physical world has its counterpart in the spiritual as well. That is why a Christian can experience some very serious setbacks in his life, many times even more severe than those without Christ. We think as believers that life is always about the wonderful and the positive, at least that is what the pop psychologist TV preachers tell us. The when the reality of “tired” hits us, we think there is something wrong with us and we have somehow sinned against God.

Isaiah tells us that we have a spiritual power source unknown to the physical world. We treat our “tired” with Red Bull and Five Hour Energy. I ran around the bases a few times yesterday. I was five for five and scored a couple of runs, thank you. I got really weary doing that. It is a good thing they put bases out there so I can stop every once in a while to keep from falling over. But the Bible tells us we can run and not be weary. In fact, the more we run, the more strength we get. It comes when we “wait upon the Lord”. That means to serve him as a “waiter” does in a restaurant. When we stand at his table with the towel draped on our arm attending to his needs, he gives us more strength for the task. Sometimes his “orders” include taking a break and resting for a while. But his power source never runs down, because his “electric bill” was paid in full on the cross of Calvary. We can certainly get tired in the Lord’s work, but a believer should never be tired of the Lord’s work. I sometimes read my Bible and my eyes get so heavy I cannot go on, even in the middle of the day. But I never get tired of reading the Bible. Serving Jesus is hard work and takes its toll on us in many ways. Sunday afternoons are usually “crash time” for me. At the same time, we get energized in his work in ways unexplained by natural means.

Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” It is natural to be tired. But with our eyes on the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, let us continue to run the race until we cross the finish line in his strength.

Redeem the Time

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Did you miss me last week? For the first time since I started posting a weekly devotional on our website, I missed a week. That’s OK, because I missed me also. Right at the end of camp a few weeks back, I caught a bug and it kind of put me down just a little bit. I was able to hit it with some Zicam and other stuff and hold it back for a while, but eventually it caught up with me. Last Monday the freight train ran over me, and I lost a full day. I was “amongst the living” just long enough to get a quick bite to eat, but I spent at least 20 of the 24 hours curled up in the sack praying for the rapture. Monday is usually the day I work on this blog, and with a lost day, some things in my schedule had to be sacrificed.

When we lose a day like that, it throws us behind for a while, but eventually we can catch up with life through the normal flow. There are a few things we can double up on, and some others that just sort of take care of themselves and fade off the never ending “to-do list”, and life gets back to a normal dull roar. But in reality, a lost day like last Monday will never be recovered. We are bound to the constraints of time and space, and try as we might, no one has the ability to grant us more than 24 hours per day. As much as we would love to be able to stop the world so we can catch up, it is not possible. Everyone gets the same amount of time.

When a person trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, the Bible says they are “born again”. It is the only true “restart” in life. We now have a spiritual nature and a relationship with God that we did not have before, and God gives us the opportunity to go back and fix some things we messed up before. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” That verse uses another Bible term for salvation: “regeneration”. To generate means to bring forth anew, and when we add a “re-“ to a word, it means to do it over again. I cannot go back and recapture last Monday. But I have a new nature in Christ Jesus that is not subject to the physical laws of the Universe. Ephesians 2:6 tells me that I am seated in heavenly places in Christ. My new nature is already there; not bound by the same “space-time continuum” that the physical world is subject to. How’s that for a little science fiction? (More like a science fact.)

I lost last Monday. But I did not trust Jesus Christ as my Saviour until I was 25 years old. Even though I was alive and did some good things, I lost the first 25 years of my life because I was “dead in trespasses and sins, and alone in the world without hope and without God” according to Ephesians chapter 2. Once I got saved, I could actually go back and redeem that time. We think of redeeming the time as just simply not wasting it anymore. But the concept is much deeper. To redeem means “to buy back”. Last Monday is lost and despite our greatest desires, I can never go back and get any of those 24 hours back. My first 25 years are in the history books, and nothing I can do can change one second of it. But since they are “dead” years, I do have the ability to redeem them. By investing in the word of God and the souls of men, the past can be bought back. So many of God’s people live their lives in utter frustration and despair because of the things they did in the past. They live a life of defeat instead of victory because they are under so much conviction for things they can never change. Instead of living in the natural world, why not enter a “time warp” and begin focusing on the new man in Christ? You actually have the ability to build a huge spiritual portfolio of transformed lives by sharing the gospel and investing the word in other people. No one knows the name of the altar worker who led Billy Graham to Christ in a revival meeting years ago. But his investment of the word of God in another life still bears fruit today. Tap into the new man. You will be amazed at what God can do.

Much Fruit

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24)

We are back from another very wonderful and successful camp. Many lives were touched by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the power and grace of his word during the 5 days last week. This was our 14th annual camp, and as we say every year, “It was the best camp ever.” (We will say it again next year.) Every time we do something like this, I come back moved and blessed, and at the same time a little closer to the grave! These events wear me out. Trying to keep up with 50 teenagers and their boundless energy and enthusiasm is tough on an old man like myself. But I would not miss camp for the world. I will do it in a walker someday, but I will still be there.

Jesus told us that life and ministry would be like this. Anything worthwhile in life carries a level of sacrifice, dedication, and commitment with it. I am not complaining, just stating a fact of life that when something is fraught with adversity during the development of it, God is often at work. In the verse above, Jesus was referring to himself and alluding to his coming death on the cross. He could have just stayed in heaven and condemned us all to an eternity apart from him in hell. But instead, he willingly gave his life as a sacrifice for our sins when he did not have to do it. When we trust him as Saviour and give our lives to him, we should expect some of the same type of hardship and adversity. Obviously we will never experience what he did, and I am not in any way suggesting that we can even “touch the hem of his garment” in this or any other area. But a “Christian” is a “little Christ”. We are called to “follow his steps” (I Peter 2:21), and that context deals with suffering and adversity. Paul told us to, “…endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (II Timothy 2:3) A soldier does not curl up with his “Snuggie” warmly wrapped around him with a good book and cup of hot cocoa (with marshmallows). He is in training constantly, and always in action, ready to discharge his duties with the utmost bravery and dedication. His work is vital, and the fruit of that labor pays dividends for himself and for those he defends.

Romans 6:5 says, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Jesus was the “corn (kernel) of wheat” that fell into the ground and died to bring forth the church. A saved person is supposed to be like him. We bring forth fruit only when we willingly give of ourselves and lay down our lives and wishes for the work of the Lord and the benefit of others. Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5) Our purpose in life is to bear fruit for the Lord. But you cannot bear fruit until you are planted in his likeness, and die to your own wishes and desires.

But God has promised us that the rewards will be worth it. We are made “conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10) – so that we can also be conformed to his resurrection. When we give our lives to his service, the work is often hard, but the fruit is incredibly rich. Nine young people came to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour last week. Fifty more committed their lives to honor him in their dating relationships and trust him to bring them the right person at the right time. The work was hard. We experienced all sorts of adversity the few weeks before camp, and wore ourselves out during it. But in heaven, it will be worth it all. One soul is worth the world (Matthew 16:26); nine of them are worth a lot more. Whatever the adversity, stay with it. Let God “plant” you so you can bring forth fruit. There is no greater thrill in life.

Youth Camp

“And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.” (Mark 6:30-32)

Well, here we are at youth camp again. This is an annual event for kids ages 12-18 that we host along with our friends in churches of like faith. I actually wrote this blog entry last week because I knew I would not have time to do it while at camp. This year we have over 50 youth at camp along with over 20 adults to try to keep track of them. It is a daunting task, but youth camp is always one of the highlights of our year. Lives are changed at events like this in ways that are not possible during the “normal” flow of life. Statistics tell us that about 80% of all people who get saved do so before their 18th birthday. I got saved when I was 25, so I am abnormal (but you already knew that). Many of the “under 18 crowd” whose lives are permanently impacted by the Lord Jesus Christ point to a youth camp as the source of that transformation. There is something very special about having a concentrated time away from the “hustle and bustle” to focus on God and his word. These are “landmark events” in our lives that must be encouraged and maintained.

God designed man to require times of recreation. He set the pattern himself in Genesis chapter 1 when he rested on the seventh day. Vacations are very important times, not just so the family can see USA in their Chevrolet while the kids argue in the back seat. (“Mom…! Johnny is thinking about touching me…!”) In fact, recreation means “re-creation”. It is a time to restore the basic foundations of our lives. Getting away and doing something different and special recharges the batteries and energizes us to accomplish our daily tasks in a more effective way. Jesus knew that and called his disciples more than once to “come apart” and rest. Lester Roloff was an old time preacher from a generation ago who picked up on that verse and said, “If you don’t make time to come apart, you are going to come apart.” (Think about it for a minute…)

A closer look at the verses above shows a deeper aspect of the need to “come apart” than just a time of rest and relaxation. The disciples had “no leisure to eat”. Life and ministry had become so busy that they were skipping meals. But the Bible tells us, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) The bread of life is even more vital to our well being than physical bread. Job said, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) Man needs to feed spiritually from the word of God as much as he needs to eat to keep the body healthy. Some of us could stand to skip a meal at times (Amen!), but none of us are strong enough to quit feeding from the precious manna of the Bible that sustains our soul. Times like camp refocus our lives around the word of God. Not only will the 75 of us have a great time of fun and games, but there will be about 15-20 hours of concentrated time in the word of God without distractions – no cell phones, video games, facebook, or newspapers to worry about. I won’t be able to track my retirement portfolio or follow the latest news in Washington D.C. (thank God). I won’t know how the Royals are doing (they will drop at least 3 of 5). And unless there is some sort of earth-moving international event, when I return after 5 days of camp, nothing will really be any different. But 75 campers will be.

In a country where obesity is a serious issue, we are starving to death spiritually. The “cares of this life” have kept our Bibles on the shelf. We need to fight to make time for the word of God during the normal flow of life. But you can also fight to carve out a time to “come apart”. It will keep your spiritual life glued together, and you will not “come apart.”

Crest Bible Church and Moving Company, Inc.

“Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.” (II Samuel 7:10-11)

The title of this blog post is a joke we have thrown around a lot over the years. It seems we spent so much time moving members of the church that we coined that cute little “title”. Now it’s our turn. As the saga continues for Crest Bible Church, the process of moving in to our new location is now front and center. Most everyone has experienced at least one move in their lives, with all the accompanying issues that take place. It is impossible to move without breaking something. (Federal law requires it). You find all sorts of strange and interesting things you never knew you had, but the one thing you really need cannot be found even with a search team and bloodhounds. You stick boxes on shelves intending to get to them some day. But we all know that “some day” is the next time you move 15 years later. Moving is so frustrating because of the level of work required. Virtually every endeavor of life can be considered successful if you get most of it done. If you succeed only 30% in baseball, you make the Hall of Fame. If I can guess right in the stock market just 51% of the time I can be rich. “Two out of three ain’t bad” is good enough for most everything else. If you only get 95% in a move, you are a miserable failure.

The part of the move we are in now is setting up the new place. We had a leadership meeting a couple of days ago and began to identify the list of items we have on the radar right now. Just in a couple of hours, we have listed 67 items so far, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. As we tackle that list, it will only grow. The more we do, the longer the list will get.

As we seek to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in our daily Christian walk, the work is daunting just like it is in a move. There is always something else to do. As long as there are people who do not know the Saviour, we cannot rest. We constantly see another ministry or another activity that can be used to draw the lost to Christ or strengthen the bond of fellowship among the saved.

David was driven in II Samuel chapter 7 to tackle a very ambitious project of building a Temple for the Lord. He saw that the tabernacle was portable while he had his own house to live in, and it made him want to build a house for God’s presence. His project was much more ambitious than the remodel of an elementary school (although I don’t think he had to put a fire sprinkler system in the Temple!). As his heart was stirred to build for his Lord, God sent him a message through Nathan the prophet. The gist of the message was simple: the work is God’s first. We bought the school because we were “moved” to find a place to grow and reach more people for Christ. But the second verse of the Bible begins, “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters…” While we are “moved” to his service, God moved first. God expects us to work and build. I Corinthians 3:8-10 says we are to be “wise masterbuilders”, and that God will give to every man according to his own labour. But the work begins with the work of God in our hearts.

God told David that before he could build a house for him, that God would build David a house first. That is a direct reference to the “house of David”, namely the Lord Jesus Christ, the true “Son of David”. Any work we do must be based in God’s Son. Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Our work begins with God moving in our hearts to accomplish his will. As we labour for him, we follow his lead and draw from his strength and his plans. If God truly builds the house for us first, we can be sure that our building for him will be blessed.

My, How You Have Grown!

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (II Peter 3:18)

Last week, the two greatest grandchildren in the history of the human race were in Kansas City to visit with Grandma and Grandpa (that’s us if you haven’t figured it out yet). A couple of years ago, our daughter and son-in-law moved to Chicago, and now we only get to see the kids a few times a year. Lots of people have this same situation, so no need to feel sorry for us. But when we see the kids now, we get to use the line above that so many before us have made famous. Our granddaughter Alexit is 12, and our grandson Kelson just turned 10. They are at that age where you have to buy new clothes for them every other week. Alexit is now exactly 3/8 of an inch shorter than her grandma, and Kelson is just over a full inch shorter. Yes, we measured.

Alexit and Kelson are getting tall, and at the same time, they have developed some qualities that are reflective of their current ages. They can feed and dress themselves, and carry on nearly adult conversation. They can also find every reason under the sun to pick at each other and fight, proving that they are normal kids with more room to grow. Their physical growth is taking place in concert with the natural maturity that one day soon will turn them into full fledged adults.

The Bible says when we get saved, we are “born again”. The same growth process in young children is reflected also in the spiritual growth of the believer. Peter tells us to grow in grace and in knowledge. Both are necessary in harmony and balance to produce a mature Christian. But unfortunately, often a believer will grow in one area but not the other. If a 12 year old still needs diapers changed and has not mastered basic language skills, something is wrong. Likewise, if she is well adjusted emotionally and mentally but hasn’t cracked the 3 foot barrier, you would be at the doctor’s office finding out why. Some Christians grow in grace, but not knowledge. They never really get into the meat of the word and find out what the Bible really says. Their entire spiritual life is made up of “cutsie” homespun platitudes that may or may not be Biblical, and they really don’t care to find out. They have grace because they understand that Jesus died for them, but it stops there. They develop an imbalance between God’s love and his justice and righteousness. These people view God as the great big warm and fuzzy marshmallow in the sky who just tolerates everyone and everything regardless of the truth.

Then there are those who grow in knowledge, but not in grace. They can “rightly divide the word of truth” with the best theologians in the body. They can tell you all about the Antichrist and all ten of his toes, and even tell you which one of his little piggies goes to market or stays home. They know all the laws, rules and regulations of the Bible and of their particular religion, and will be the first to see that others submit to them. But there is a harsh outer shell and arrogance that does not allow for the grace of God toward us frail humans. Psalm 103:14 says, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” God does not tolerate sin, but he knows us. I John 2:1 says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” His standard is sinless perfection. At the same time, he gave us an advocate to allow his grace to cover our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Both sides of that “equation” are necessary. The Christian who just tip-toes through the tulips of la-la land needs to open his Bible and actually read it. The one who thinks everyone ought to conform to his particular theology and live by his standards of morality needs to look in a mirror sometime and see who he really is. One who grows both in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is “of full age” (Hebrews 5:14) – mature and complete in Christ – as tall as grandma, and fashioned in the image of our Father in heaven.

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28)

I am sure you are familiar with the expression: “Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades”. Well, we almost got our occupancy permit this week. The saga of the relocation of Crest Bible Church has been a year and a half in the making. We first decided to pursue the acquisition of the South Park Elementary School at our annual meeting in January of 2009. On March 9, 2009, we submitted our bid to the School Board, and after several months of “due diligence” investigation, we took full and formal ownership on August 28, 2009. For the last 11 months, we have been in the remodel phase, updating the building to current codes and adapting it to church use. Last Thursday, we called for our final inspection. The city codes inspector found about 20 items that needed to be finished. They always find something – it is their mission in life. By the end of the day, we had knocked out 15 of them, and the other 5 were well on the way to being completed. So we called him back on Friday afternoon. Three items on the list were almost done. Even though we were at 98% compliance, almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, and we now know for sure it does not count in building inspections.

Paul witnessed of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to one of the nobles of his day, king Agrippa. Read the entire account sometime in Acts chapter 26, it is one of the most persuasive arguments ever for becoming a Christian. Agrippa gave the classic “excuse” to Paul that has been repeated hundreds of millions of times since then: “Almost…” I don’t know how many times I have heard it, “I’m just not quite ready yet.” “Maybe next week.” “What would my friends say?” Those who are waiting for some “engraved invitation” are going to wait a long time. Jesus gave you the invitation when he stretched out his arms on the cross. What more do you need?

On the other hand are those who think they are Christians because they attend a church that can in some way be identified with the name of Jesus Christ. Just the simple act of dragging your sorry carcass into a particular building does not make one a Christian. I heard it put this way recently: “Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.” Many people think they are saved simply because they believe in God – as if God is impressed with a man acknowledging his existence. Still others are “trying to be good” and striving to be accepted, hoping that when they get to the “pearly gates” that they have done enough good to outweigh their bad and gain entrance. They are “almost Christians”. I’m sorry, but no one is “almost” a Christian any more than a lady can be almost pregnant. You either are or you are not. There is no indication in the Bible that Agrippa ever got saved. If he never received Jesus as his Saviour, he is in hell still today. For the last 2,000 years, he has been crying out, “Almost!!!” Likewise, the overwhelming vast majority of those who are “almost Christians” will never actually get there by trusting Jesus Christ to save them from their sins.

Becoming a Christian means you have to recognize that you are a sinner who has fallen short of God’s standard for your life (Romans 3:23). “Close enough for government work” does not count. You must acknowledge that you cannot save yourself, and that only Jesus can. Then you must “call upon the name of the Lord” to save you (Romans 10:13). Just the best you know how, ask Jesus to save you from your sins. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins. He rose from the dead to guarantee the victory. Those of us who have placed our trust in the risen Saviour are given the privilege of sharing that news with everyone we can. It is not a message of hate, division, or exclusion. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) God loved you enough to “send the very best” – his Son. Anyone can come by faith. Will you?

Great Expectations

“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:17-18)

Every year on July 4th, we have an annual family tradition just like most people. Our set location is Vicki’s parents’ house in Lee’s Summit. We do the typical July 4th stuff like grilling outdoors, making home-made ice cream, and blowing stuff up just like every good American would do. One of the main reasons we always meet at my in-laws’ place is the show their neighbors put on with their fireworks. One of their close neighbors apparently has waaayyy too much money, and has always felt the need to spend a bunch of it on our great American holiday. For many years, we have bee treated to one of the best fireworks displays in the city. They shoot off the great big “commercial” stuff; a solid 30 minutes worth with an awesome “finale”. It is loud and bright and huge and right on top of us. It is so close that we almost get showered with the debris. The best part of the show is that it is FREE. We just set up our lawn chairs in the back yard and enjoy!

This year for the first time in 12 years there was no show. Either the economy finally caught up with them, or there was some other reason, but we got nothing. We were really disappointed. I mean, how dare they deprive us of our July 4th tradition? Don’t they know that I travel from “out of state” every year for this? (I live in Kansas, and the show is across the state line in Missouri). Maybe I should bill them for my travel expenses. Since they saved a lot of money on the show, they could afford to compensate me for my trouble and unmet expectations.

It’s funny how we get attached to things like this, and feel an “entitlement” to reap the rewards and benefits of other people’s bounty. It is just not fair that some have more than others. But before you think I am going to take off on some political rant, look at this from a broader and more important aspect. God gave each of us an eternal soul. The “value” of that soul is the same for all. Jesus said in Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Each single human soul is worth more than the combined assets of the world – in other words, priceless. Each person is given the choice by a loving God to direct that soul to heaven or hell by his faith in the risen Saviour. Our salvation is NOT based on whether we have enough money to shoot off commercial fireworks every year. It is also not dependent upon how “good” we are. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Jesus died on the cross to pay for those sins, and when I trust him, I gain more than the whole world.

Then once we trust the Lord as our Saviour, we get the privilege of living the rest of our lives for his glory and in his service. As the verse above says, we often get distracted by the “injustice” of the way the world operates. Serving Jesus Christ requires a sacrifice. It is not always easy, and quite often, our expectations do not get met. We expect that people will see the need to trust the Saviour, but despite our best and most sincere witness of his grace, they reject him. We expect that our commitment and dedication to God will be recognized and rewarded, but instead we are often hit with the exact opposite. But while our expectations from the world will always fall short, God will never let us down. Hebrews 6:10 says, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Some day, those who have trusted him and served him faithfully will “have praise of God” (I Corinthians 4:5). Our expectations will not be cut off. We can and will be disappointed often in this life. But serving Jesus Christ will be rewarded. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrows will erase. So bravely run the race, till we see Christ!

Worry or Trust

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came. (Job 3:25-26)

Most everyone is familiar with the story of the book of Job. The expression, “He has the patience of Job” is used still today, even by many who do not profess to be Christians or ever open the Bible. The story of Job is historically accurate; a real-life drama that took place exactly as stated. He was one of the richest and most famous men of his time. Everyone respected him. He had a wonderful family and a solid relationship with God. He was one of those guys who “had it all”. He was the quarterback and captain of his school’s football team, and starting point guard on the basketball team. He graduated valedictorian of his class and dated the head cheerleader, and they had a storybook wedding a couple of years after graduation. He was the type of guy who looked like he just stepped out of the GQ magazine cover; never a hair out of place, never had a zit, and did not know what a cavity was. OK, maybe all of that is not really in the Bible directly, I added it to give you the mental picture of the type of person Job was.

But the story continues. Unbeknownst to him, Job became a “pawn” in a spiritual battle between God and Satan. Satan complained and argued that the only reason Job honored God was because he got the cheerleader and had all the money. God allowed Satan to launch an offensive against Job, and in one fell swoop, Job lost it all – his family, his fortune, and his health. Then his three best friends showed up (Larry, Curly, and Moe), and spent the rest of the book unjustly riding his case about some deep dark sin in his life that had caused all his misery (Not!). While “all have sinned” including Job, he suffered mightily at the hand of our adversary due to no direct fault of his own. That can happen to all of us at times in this crazy sin-filled world of ours.

But there was an element of Job’s suffering that is found in “seed form” in the verses I quoted above. One of the “minor” reasons God allowed Job’s suffering is to teach him faith. Job was overly worried about what might happen. He said he was NOT in safety, rest, or quiet, yet still his trouble came. Remember, Job had it all. How could he say he was NOT in safety, when God had “…made an hedge about him” (Job 1:10)? Even though his business ventures were making nice profits, he could not be at rest because he dreaded the coming recession that all the experts were warning of. He came home from work every night to a nice home cooked meal, his family at his side, and his favorite Golden Retriever curled up at his feet in front of the fireplace, yet he was not “in quiet” because the cares of the future kept his heart in turmoil. God had to test Job in this area by allowing his rest and quiet to be truly taken from him.

The vast majority of what we worry about will never actually come to pass. In that regard, we spend so much of our emotional and spiritual capital on nothing. Our hearts are often “…driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6). We can worry, or we can trust God. But we cannot do both! One excludes the other. No one can say they trust God if they cannot rest their hearts on his care and provision even when the future looks bleak. In this absolutely upside down crazy world, the future does indeed look pretty frightening in a natural sense. But God has not let go of the reins or fallen asleep at the wheel. The believer must always apply I Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” He said ALL your care, not just the parts that are easy to let him have. Jesus said, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34). It does not mean we stick our head in the sand and ignore reality. It means we trust the future to the one who has guaranteed us a home in heaven. Don’t let your fear become a “self-fulfilling prophecy”. If you know Jesus as your Saviour, you will one day be with him when the calendar rolls far enough ahead. Commit your heart to his care between now and that day.