Who is Influencing Whom?

Last week God impressed on me a statement that has not only haunted me but also broken my heart.  As I awakened one morning last week that statement came to my mind.  The statement is the world influences the church at a greater rate than the church influences the world.  As I lay there in bed my mind tossed this thought over and again.  Not only did I keep thinking about it, but I wondered why it is and what could be done about it, more importantly what did I need to do to assure the world was not influencing me unduly. 

When statistics show little difference between the behavior of those who attend church and those who do not then there is a great problem in the church.  Peter expressed the words of our God when he said in 1 Peter 15-16 “but as the One who called you is holy you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.”  While the origins of the word holy are from a secular stand point meaning to be set apart for a particular purpose, the Christian version means to be set apart for God’s purpose while being without blemish in that you are striving for purity. 

As I taught youth many years ago they would ask a question which many adults think but do not voice.  Their question was, “How far is too far?”  In other words, how much can I do without calling it sin?  Jesus answered this question very plainly when addressing the issues of adultery and murder.  He said to look on a woman with lust is to commit adultery.  To harbor hatred in your heart against another person is to commit murder.  While the physical act may not have been born out, the reality of the matter is evident from the person’s heart, the wellspring of life.

Too many in the church have fallen into the mentality of wanting to be a child of God but live as close to the world as possible.  God has called us to a life of purity, to be set apart from the world.  If we are going to follow Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength as we are called to do then we must be willing to abandon the desires of the flesh to follow close to the world.  Romans 12:2 commands us to “not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  This is only possible when we decide to forsake the lures of the world or not to allow the world to unduly influence us. 

Instead we must choose to influence the world.  J.O. Sanders writes in Spiritual Leadership that Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed:  When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.  Oh that my life may be such an influence on others that they see Jesus and seek Jesus.

Whatever it Takes,

Pastor Ric

Total Obedience in the Little Things

In our devotional reading for this past week we read where the children of Israel were continuing to complain, seems like this was a habitual thing with them, as they were traveling through the wilderness.  These chronic complainers were griping about everything from the type of food, the lack of provisions from the land, to no water for them to drink.  Even though their complaints were addressed to Moses, they were directed, for all practical purposes toward God.  In Numbers 20:4 they said, “Why have you brought the Lord’s assembly into the wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?”  This statement shows how easily we forget the difficulties of the past when we encounter the difficulties of the present.  The children of Israel quickly forgot the abuse and harsh treatment which the Egyptians offered unto them. 

Because of the complaints Moses and Aaron sought God’s wisdom and direction.  As God spoke to His leaders He offered a simple solution with concrete directions for how Moses could rectify the lack of water problem.  In Numbers 20:7 God said, “Take the staff and assemble the community.  You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will yield water.”  What a simple command from God, with you staff assemble the people and speak to the rock!  However, we see that Moses and Aaron chose a different path, a more familiar path which they had used before when the children of Israel complained for lack of water. (Ex. 17:5-6) How many times do we revert back to the familiar?  How many times do we take God’s commands and adhere to them partially?  How many times do we add our own twist on what God tells us to do? 

In this account of the water from the rock we see God’s servants attempting to do things in their own power.  Numbers 20:10 Moses addresses the children of Israel by saying, “Must WE bring water out of this rock for you?”  Later we see where God corrected Moses and punished him for his lack of obedience and trust.  His chastisement came in the form verse 12 where God said, “You did not trust me…”  How many times have we failed to obey God completely where we just did not trust God?  Oh we may have never said that but our actions spoke loudly!  In the same verse God also punished Moses and Aaron by telling them they would not have the privilege of leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land. 

Too often we allow the small little items to derail us.  We think because we are obeying God partially that we are good.  God expects complete surrender and total obedience out of His children.  If I promised my wife that I would be faithful to her 360 days out of a year but that 5 days were mine to do as I wish, she would correct me in a heartbeat.  Yet we offer God a similar proposal.  We offer God to be faithful on Sundays but want to have the rest of the week to live as we please.  We offer God to carry out His commands in theory but not as He detailed.  God expects more from His children.  This week let’s offer complete surrender and total obedience to God.

May God Bless His Children Who are Fully Committed to His Cause,

Pastor Ric

Blessings Continued

In one of the halls at the Hardin Center of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is a statue which I have admired for many years.  While it is not a large statue or overly impressive in nature, its simplistic art work and yet depth in meaning captivates me.  The statue is a visual image of Abraham making the trek to the land of Moriah for the purpose of offering a sacrifice.  The stature beautifully portrays Abraham with his son Isaac, the donkey, and all of the necessary supplies for the sacrifice.  As many will remember the sacrifice Abraham is to make is his only son by Sarah, Isaac. 

Over the years many people have raised questions regarding this story.  Many have wondered why God would have asked Abraham to sacrifice his son.  Others have wondered why Abraham would have been willing to do such a horrific task.  Still, others have asked would Abraham have followed through with this deed had God’s angel not stopped him.  While these highly debatable thoughts are great to ponder, there is a fact we can rely on, God is sovereign and only asks us to do that which would bring honor to His name and draw us closer to Him. 

Just as God blessed Abraham with this gift of a son in the form of Isaac, He often blesses us with people and things which He desires us to have for various reasons.  However, the primary reasons are to glorify God and draw us closer to Him.  I wonder if God were testing Abraham in this time to see if he truly trusted God in ALL things.  I wonder if God wanted to see if Abraham desired the blessing more than the One offering the blessing. 

Too often we are prone to act as little children and desire something from God only to have selfish motives mixed with our desires.  Then just as a child who receives his request, we forget to be thankful and forget the source of our gift, God.  In the scriptural account of the sacrifice God wanted to remind Abraham that all blessings are a gift from God and to be used for His glory.  In addition, we should never put more value and love in the gifts than we do into God.  God has commanded us to have no other gods before Him.  When we take a blessing from God and put more devotion into it than we do into the Giver then we have misplaced devotion and priorities.  We must be careful that we do not put our blessings before our God. 

This week take time for be thankful for the Giver of all blessings for He is God!        

Whatever it takes,

Pastor Ric

What is It? Part Two

Taylor Fields tells the story of a homeless man in New York City’s Lower East Side by the name of George.  This man had been living on the streets since he was 13 years old when he ran away from home.  Although he was a man of the street he also had a passion for people.  Fields relates that George had ordered an ordination certificate from the back of a magazine, though he never received it.  However, this didn’t stop George from attempting to carry out ministerial duties.  In fact, Fields would often find George counseling individuals and discovered that George wanted more than anything to have a place of his own in order to help those less fortunate than he.  He wanted an apartment with running hot and cold water, a heater for the winter months, a shower, and a stove for him to cook on.  George wanted out of the street life in order to serve the street life. 

The day came for George when he received word from the Housing Department that he had been approved for housing assistance.  George moved into that dream apartment of his.  When he received the blessing of his own place he did not forget what his dream had been.  He made his place available to friends in need.  The irony of the situation is George called his apartment the Sanctuary of Hope.  In fact, George had business cards printed bearing his name, address, and The Sanctuary of Hope offering the cards to his friends old and new as a way of introducing them to a place of hope.  George recognized his blessing and offered that same blessing to minister to those in need.

Last week I shared a thought on the blessing of Israel when they received the manna from heaven.  Their question was “What is it?”   I asked how many times we receive a blessing from God only to ask the same question as the Israelites.  In the same line of thinking I wonder how many times we receive a blessing from God only to forget the reason God blessed us.  His blessings are for a purpose.  However, we often forget that the purpose is to bring glory to God rather than to prompt us with comfort and pleasure.  Those are a by-product of God’s blessings.  When God blesses us materially we should use it for God’s glory.  When He blesses us emotionally or spiritually we should in turn use that blessing for God’s glory and to give praise to him.  There is a song often sung in churches titled Blessed Be the Name of the Lord which part of it says, “Every blessing You pour out, I'll turn back to praise.”  This is the intent of our Lord Jesus Christ when He offers blessings unto us; we must turn them back to Him in praise.

As I think about the blessings God has offered unto this great church and unto each of us individually I wonder how we are doing in the praise department.  Have we given back to God an offering of praise?  Have we offered up a Sacrifice of Praise unto our great and giving God?  Today why not stop where you are and take an evaluation of the ways in which God has offered blessings unto you.  When you have your inventory list ask two questions.  First, have I offered these blessings back to God in praise?  Secondly, how have I used the blessings which God has given unto me?

Whatever it takes,

Pastor Ric

What is It?

The children of Israel had recently left Egypt and the bondage which they had faced for an extensive period of time.  At God’s gracious hand they had successfully crossed the Red Sea leaving a trail of dead Egyptian soldiers in the vast expanse of water.  Going farther into the wilderness they complained that they had no water to drink when the Lord led them to Marah.  However, now they complained that the water was bitter so God instructed Moses to have trees thrown into the water making it drinkable.  Now they had moved from Marah and Elim (an Oasis) to a point of complaining that they had no food to eat.  God instructs Moses to tell the people of the offering of food at night via quail and in the morning via manna.  When they saw the manna in the morning they looked at one another and asked one question, “What is it?”  (Ex. 16:15)

Here the children of Israel are blessed by God with not one offering of food for their hunger but two.  However, the scripture does not say they worshipped God, is does not say that they thanked God, or even offered a sacrifice to God for this blessing.  Instead the scripture simply says they asked what is it.  How could the children of Israel, God’s anointed group of people miss recognizing God’s blessing?  How could they miss the opportunity to thank God for this bountiful blessing?  Could they have already become accustomed to God giving to them in their time of need and have become complacent?  Did they miss the blessing of God by overlooking and being calloused to what God had to offer unto them?

“Andrew Carnegie, the multimillionaire, left $1 million for one of his relatives, who in return cursed Carnegie thoroughly because he had left $365 million to public charities and had cut him off with just one measly million.” (Homemade, Dec. 1984)  How often do we complain to God because we compare what He has done for others with what He has done for us?  How often to do think God has forgotten us because we tend to overlook the bountiful blessings of each day?  As a devotional I read recently stated,        

Ingratitude denotes spiritual immaturity. Infants do not always appreciate what parents do for them. They have short memories. Their concern is not what you did for me yesterday, but what are you doing for me today. The past is meaningless and so is the future. They live for the present. Those who are mature are deeply appreciative of those who labored in the past. They recognize those who labor during the present and provide for those who will be laboring in the future. Homemade December 1984

What constitutes a blessing?  One dictionary stated that a blessing is help which one believes has come from God.  A blessing is anything which God offers unto us in a form which He sees best fitted for us!  How often have we received a blessing from God and yet we failed to offer up thanks for that which God has given unto us?  How often have we failed to even recognize what God has done for us as a blessing from above?  James stated that “every good and perfect gift comes from above.”  (James 1:17)  Why not stop today and ponder the blessings which God has given unto you, blessings you might have overlooked but God has given on a continual basis?  Why not stop and offer thanks unto God for every good and perfect gift He has poured out on you! I challenge you to try this approach and see what God does when His children come to Him with a grateful heart.

Pastor Ric

Giving to Get or Getting to Give

Recently I was watching an old episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.  In this particular one Raymond and Robert are plotting for an opportunity to go away for a weekend of golf.  However, Ray does not feel as though he can just ask Deborah to let him go so he begins to plot a scheme to butter up Deborah.  Since it is Christmas time Ray decides to use his gift to Deborah as a perfect opportunity to guilt her into letting him go play golf.  His plan is to give Deborah a gift so nice that she will feel obligated to let Ray go on the outing.  As the time approaches to exchange gifts, Ray has discovered, with the help of Robert that Deborah is “supposed” to be giving him a tie.  Therefore, Ray plans to give Deborah the Crockpot she wants but also add in a side gift of nice cookware.   When the exchange of gifts takes place Deborah is ecstatic over her gifts but Ray has a surprise waiting for him.  When Deborah hands him his gift it was not the perceived tie but rather an expensive DVD player and movies.  (The tie was actually for Robert.)  Needless to say much turmoil and chaos erupted when the truth was revealed on the presents and the purpose behind them.

This sitcom episode makes me ask the question, “Why do we give gifts to one another?”  Do we give out of obligation or do we give out of love?  By obligation I am referring to the thought of they gave me a gift last year or I have a feeling they plan to give me a gift this year.  The word obligation does not lend itself to the feeling of generosity.  Instead, it gives a sense of necessity or requirement, neither of which conveys the feeling of love and generosity.  Obligation is defined as something that must be done because of a legal or moral duty.  This should have no part in gift giving.  We must be compelled to give out of love not an obligation.  When I give gifts to my family I do not think in terms of “having to give.”  Instead I look at the opportunity to give in order to express my love to those I cherish.

In the same sense when Jesus came to earth in the form of a baby, God’s gift to each of us was not obligatory but instead it was compelled by His great love for each of us.  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His Son…”  God has set the great example of giving.  Just as Jesus is recorded as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” we too should follow this example.  (Acts 20:35)

This Christmas as you make out your Christmas list examine your heart and ask, “Am I giving out of obligation or love?”  You will find your joy is enhanced when you learn to give out of love more than obligation.

May God bless you this Christmas in ways you never expected!

Pastor Ric

Faithfully Giving Back to God for the Blessings He Gives

One of the hardest subjects for me to preach is stewardship.  This is not because I don't give of my tithes and offereings but because this is one area which people get very sensitive.  I love what a pastor friend calls this issue, "Cirrohsis of the Giver."  Whether this is original with him or not does not matter.  The weight of the issue is that we have a giving problem in the church today.  When only 3-5% of church attenders give a tithe of their income, then we have a problem.  Who is to blame for this problem?  The leadership of the church for not teaching the proper way to give?  Dave Ramsey says, "Don't tell your church to give; teach them how to give!"  Is the problem the economy?  I have a tough time believing that because we find ways to continue to eat out, go to movies, buy new things, and the list could go on and on.  I tweeted a quote which I recently read that said, "If it is important to you then you will find a way; if not you will find an excuse."  We like to make excuses for not tithing more than actually tithing.  Is it the person's fault?  Well in my house, if I don't set my alarm the night before to awaken me the next morning, I can blame my wife and kids, but the truth is I am an adult with responsibilities; therefore, I must "man-up" to my shortcomings. 

In Ps. 24:1 David writes, "The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord."  How much are we taking from God's treasury by not giving back to God of His tithe and His wealth?  Malachai tells us to "Bring the full ten percent into the storehouse...Test me in this way says the Lord of Hosts.  See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour our a blessing for you without measure."

Why not give it a shot?  God has never been unfaithful!  Give Him your tithe and see how He blesses you.

Pastor Ric