Pastor's Blog

“Mission Directive”

As we go through our Vision Statement: “Building Families; Pursuing the Lord Jesus Christ; Living His Word, and as we develop our Mission Statement: “Reaching, Reconnecting, Revitalizing and Reinforcing Families,” my prayer is that you see your part in the fulfillment of this Mission Directive.

On the back table of the auditorium are several Spiritual Gifts inventories along with the Gift-Mapping Matrix handout. Please avail yourself of these tools. Even if you already know your spiritual gifts, it would be good to refresh your memory.

As we discover our gifts, we begin the 3-D gift journey: Discover, Develop and Deploy our gifts. Now, of course, it is not the gift we deploy, but we are deployed. Some need OJT (on the job) training. Others will need formal training. Still others may need to step out and serve and discover which gifts are really their primary, secondary and tertiary gifts.

I want us to picture a sporting event where the bench is cleared for a very good reason: Everyone is on the field participating. And with the exceptions of time outs and halftime breaks (call them sabbaticals, if you will), we should keep the bench cleared.

Are you ready to get in the game of Building Families Pursuing the Lord Jesus Christ and Living His Word in the spheres of influence He has given each one of us? I am. Join me in praying for each other that we would join this journey of the 3-D gifts: Discovering, Developing, and Deploying this grace that He has so lavishly poured out on us.

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Spring into Life”

Of course, April showers bring May flowers. They bring life. Of course, when there is a drought, the showers are less plenteous. There results a desert. And, of course, this is a parable for our spiritual lives. …

As you are fully aware, the Lord Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, but sadly many stop with Him as the Way and the Truth; then they try to live the Christian Life in their own strength: They gut it out becoming legalists.

Or they try to pretend they are living the life Jesus wants: They fake it out, becoming hypocrites. But if you have integrity, you will neither gut it out because deep down you know you cannot do it; and you will not fake it out because you know you need to be true to yourself as well as the Lord Jesus, Who is the Truth. So, there you dangle being caught between the “is” and the “ought”: Between what is and what ought to be, thus you become a Dangler!

But my prayer for you and for me is that instead of being a Hypocrite, Legalist or Dangler, we spring into Life, the Life the Lord Jesus Christ is in us. Again, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. As we spring into Life, we become Lifers, those who yield to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Power to live the Life.

Join me in living this Resurrected Life: “Lord Jesus Christ, be in me what You need me to be today. May I hear Your voice and obey Your promptings. In Your Name, Amen.”

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“The Empty Tomb Response”

When emotions run high and logic is empty, let the empty tomb respond. When a relationship slips & falls and leaves you empty, let the empty tomb respond. When the bills mount up and the bank account runs empty, let the empty tomb respond.

The empty tomb is after death. The empty tomb shouts of After-Life. The empty tomb is full of hope and reassurance: Jesus has conquered death—and sin, and has given us Full Life, Abundant Life.

The empty tomb response to empty logic may be silence, or a well-crafted answer prompted by the After-Life in this life. The empty tomb response to an empty relationship may be to terminate the relationship or to let the Resurrected Life revitalize and fill the emptiness. The empty tomb response to financial short falls may be to cut back on extras, and even if there is nothing left to cut, the After-Life response is full of hope and Abundant Life: “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1 NIV2011), and “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25 NIV84). The empty tomb response says, “He will provide; You will make it!”

As we celebrate the Resurrection this year, let us proclaim the emptiness of the tomb and the Fullness of the Resurrection. Let us rest in the confident Hope that the Resurrected One has secured for us Fullness in our emptiness. He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!!

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Which Love Changed Your Life?”

Many view February as the Love Month. Valentine’s Day seems to set this tone. I want us to look more closely at the word, “love.” It seems that in English it is used for so many different “loves.” From love of things to love of puppies, kittens, events, and a wide variety of foods….

Did any of these loves change your life? If it changed, how deep and profound was that changed?

I want to submit to you that the Love of Lord Jesus has changed your life far more profoundly than any of the loves I mentioned above.

How can I say this? Good question.

If you have experienced the unconditional Love of Jesus, perhaps you understand this a little better than most. You understand that He Loves you with no strings attack, no easing up in poor weather, and no expectations to earn this Love.

If you have experienced the sacrificial Love of Jesus, perhaps you realized how much He has given up for you. He gave up all His riches, all His Glory, and all His Life to Love you, and provide a place with Him in heaven.

If you have experienced the other-centered Love of Lord Jesus, perhaps you have experienced how focused He is on you. To think that the God of the universe is never too busy running the universe to hear you, hear your prayers and even collect your tears. This is mind boggling.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. — Eph. 2:8–9 NIV84

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. —2 Cor. 8:9 NIV84

[Love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. —1 Cor. 13:5

As we personally experience this Love of Jesus, may your heart be so overwhelmed that you cannot help but share it with others. Let’s make February truly a Love month!

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Seeing-eye Faith”

As you know, I have been talking a lot about walking by faith in the darkness. Sadly, many of us have a very “sight-seeing” faith. We look for our guide “dog,” or signs & wonders or some confirmation we are following the Lord; and this, in a deep, profound sense, is not walking by faith. Alas, we are still walking by some sort of “sight”.

So, ignoring those who do not desire to pursue the Lord (who have no passion to walk in His Steps), and disregarding the others who want no part of faith walking, but would rather make all their own decisions—ignoring the Lord Jesus in any part of their life, let me simply say this to the faithful Faith-walkers:

The Lord Jesus will never leave you; nor will He forsake you! No matter what you decide, He will be right there—even if it is a mistake. He Loves you so much, He is working all your mistakes, all your flub ups, and all your dark moments into a beautiful Laser show that will not blink out with the moment, but, instead, will leave an enduring, positive impact on all who watched the show.

So, get rid of your “seeing-eye” faith; kennel up the “faith-guide dog” and look to the Lord Jesus. A simple childlike faith in Him; trusting Him to say what He means and mean what He says. He is for you! He is for you! He is with you! He with you! Amen and Amen!

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
—Eph 3:20–21

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Hope For the Future”

There is a promise in Jeremiah that a lot of us quote without realizing the context. It is a great promise no matter what, but the context gives us a deeper understanding of the promise. Here’s the promise:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV84).

Ah, but the context? The prophet Jeremiah is “promising” in a letter that the people of Jerusalem are about to go into exile into Babylon for 70 years! Sadly, dark days are ahead, and yet the spotlight of hope in v. 11 shines in this darkness: The LORD has great plans for us, too, to “give you a hope and a future.” Yes, even in this exile, even in this very darkest of times. …

So whether COVID or lockdowns or elections or weather or life appear to not be going “your way,” or whether it is but an encroaching darkness, know this: the LORD has plans for you, for us, to give us a hope and a future…, but do not stop at verse 11; we need to keep reading as we secure this hope and future:

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile” (Jeremiah 29:12–14 NIV84).

Is it as clear to you as it is to me? In this encroaching darkness, we are to “call upon” the Lord, pray to Him, seek Him—with all our heart, and then He will be found by us! This is my hope in any darkness: I need to keep seeking the Lord Jesus with all my heart as He uses this “Dark night of the soul” to cleanse my heart from what is not seeking Him. Is He your hope for the future?

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Pray without Seeing?”

Okay, so maybe I’m slurring a pun here, but let’s pause and think about it. How often is the exhortation from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing” (NKJV), glibly said? Oh, we may pray without ceasing, but alas, often it is more praying without seeing, isn’t it?

I’m reminded of Elijah, especially because we have been praying for rain now for some time. And as of this writing there has been no rain in the valley…yet. Elijah prayed without seeing, didn’t?

Let’s look again at 1 Kings 18:41-46. In this passage we are reminded that it had not rained for over 3 years and apparently the time for drought was ending. So, Elijah “bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees,” and prayed (1 Kings 18:42 NIV84). Then he told his servant, not once, not twice, but seven times to check for rain. Surely some time passed between each investigation, wouldn’t you agree? And all the while Elijah continued praying without seeing. (His face was against his knees, right?)

The obvious question arises concerning our praying for rain. In anticipation of the answer I put the gutters down, even washed my windows, but I haven’t washed my car yet. And still no rain. I have had to ask myself, “how’s my praying without seeing coming?” Have I grown weary in praying… and not just for rain? The inventory was telling ….

Would you join me in continuing to “pray without seeing”? Maybe we can be an encouragement to each other? Beginning Wednesday, September 16, I am starting a once a month prayer-walk. We will meet at the church and begin there in our praying without seeing. See you there 7:00 pm?

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Let Us Love One Another”

Our Lord’s most intimate teaching and, in essence, His last “Command,” is found in what is commonly called the Upper Room Discourse. He is about to be savagely treated, but He made time to wash His disciples’ feet, eat with them, and encourage them:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-45 NIV84)

The Son of Thunder, who has become the Beloved Disciple, echoes this in 1 John 4:7-8:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7–8 NIV84).

And this Love is not syrupy, but substantial: Unconditional, Sacrificial and Other Centered:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Cor. 13:4-7 NIV84).

So why is Loving one another so important? One simple answer is because the world is going to hate us. It hated Jesus, so why are we so surprised (see John 15:18)? Our Lord is telling us, “You are all you have so try to get along.” How are we doing?

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Pray without Seeing?”

Okay, so maybe I’m slurring a pun here, but let’s pause and think about it. How often is the exhortation from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 glibly said? Oh, we may pray without ceasing, but alas, often it is more praying without seeing, isn’t it?

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Silence is what?”

Growing up I was often told “silence is golden.” I was told this often because, well, I couldn’t stop talking. Now I’m told that silence is something else….

First, let me say that, a fool is thought wise until he speaks. Secondly, Pro. 18:13 says, “He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame;” so it seems to me that silence is good, especially if I am listening. Thirdly, James 1:19–20 proclaims: “My dear brothers & sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” By saying this, he reinforces that we should best listen first before engaging in any shouting match. Lastly, Edmond Burke warns: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” And perhaps we can restate this, “…that good people say nothing.”

So, do we remain silent or do we speak? If we speak, what do we say? Jesus remained silent before His accusers and yet said at His Last Passover: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.” This leads me to say what Ecclesiastes 3:7b says: There is “a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

If we are to speak, perhaps we can take a cue from what our Lord Jesus spoke as He inaugurated His earthly ministry quoting the Prophet Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1–2 NIV84).

Will you join me in seeking the Lord Jesus’ face, listening to His voice, and remaining silent if He so leads, ah, but speaking if He so leads; and most definitely speaking in Love?

Peace,

Pastor Mike