Loving When I Don't Want to Love

One of the most prominent preachers and missionaries of the 20^th Century was a man by the name of Stephen Olford.  In one of his books, The Grace of Giving, Olford tells of a Baptist pastor during the American Revolution by the name of Peter Miller who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.  Also in the same city was a man by the name of Michael Wittman who sought at every viable opportunity to belittle, oppose, and humiliate Pastor Miller.  Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die for his crimes but Pastor Miller could not stand by idle.  Since Miller had a special friendship with President George Washington, he decided to travel by foot the seventy miles to Philadelphia to plead for the life of the Wittman.  Upon hearing Miller’s plea for the life of Wittman, Pres. Washington replied, "I cannot grant you the life of your friend."  Immediately the minister proclaimed "My friend?  He's the bitterest enemy I have."  This response so shocked Washington that he granted the pardon based on Miller walking seventy miles to save the life of an enemy. Afterwards Peter Miller and Michael Wittman returned to Ephrata--no longer enemies but now a friends.

This is the epitome of what Jesus was describing in the Sermon on the Mount.  We read in Matthew 5:43-47,

"You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?   And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary?  Don't even the Gentiles do the same?”

Jesus is impressing on those listening as He teaches this introductory series that our outward actions must be preempted by an inward change.  He was not listing a set of regulations, but giving a rendering of how one’s heart should appear.  In talking about the passage Warren Wiersbe says that when we follow this model we exhibit three things in our lives.  First, we display spiritual maturity.  We show we have moved from the old nature, which would seek vengeance and restitution to forgiveness and love.  Secondly, we show that we are modeling our life after Jesus Christ, who displayed love toward His enemies, you and me, to win us back into a right relationship with Him.  (Ro. 5:10)  Then third, we will bear witness to a lost world that we are children of God.  In following this command of Jesus, He tells us to love them and pray for them.  This added element, to pray for them, is the avenue to loving them.  When we begin praying for our enemies then God will begin to transform our vengeful hearts to one of love.

In closing let me ask you to take a challenge for the next seven days.  Think of three people who you might consider an enemy or someone who has/is hurt/hurting you or someone close to you.  Instead of fuming over their actions why not take time to pray God’s richest blessings on them.  Don’t pray superficially or vaguely instead pray specifically.  Ask God to pour His greatest blessings on them as if you were asking Him to do it unto you.  While some may think this practice to be antiquated the truth is it is still needed greatly in our world.  The practice I am referring to is the Golden Rule which states, “…Whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them…” (Mt. 7:12)  John said in 1 John 4:8 “… let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Church Family, I do love you!

 

Pastor Ric

 

Doubts and Despair

Last week while I was reading during my devotional time a passage which I had read many times before came to life in a new way.  In fact, there was one phrase in this passage which leapt off of the page as I read it.  The story comes from Mark 9 and follows the time when Jesus and three of the disciples came down from the mountain where they had experienced the transfiguration of Jesus and the appearance of Elijah and Moses.  Several translations state that immediately Jesus and the three disciples were met with a crowd of people along with the remainder of the disciples.  Jesus realized there was an argument taking place between the religious leaders of the day and the disciples.  After inquiring about the reason for the argument Jesus is met by the father of a young boy who had been experiencing seizures.  The father pleads, actually begs with tears, for Jesus to heal his son.  At that point the father chooses an interesting phrase to ask Jesus for help.    He said, “If you can do anything have compassion on us and help us.”  What we see is a father’s desperation for help in a situation beyond his control.  Apparently, the father had exhausted all measures to find a cure for his son.  The father was willing to do anything for his son’s life to be preserved.

Something of great interest takes place in the next few sentences.  The father realizes this is not an ordinary man to whom he is speaking when Jesus replies to him, “If you (Jesus) can?  Everything is possible to the one who believes.”  At that moment we see a change begin to take place in the father.  There is a glimmer of hope being held out to him.  The father recognizes that Jesus not only has the desire but the ability to help his son.  The next phrase is the one which I find so astonishing, “I do believe! help my unbelief.”  I find that this simple statement sums up the life of so many of us.  We do believe!  But we need Jesus to cast out the unbelief in our hearts and minds.  We believe in Jesus but we doubt because of our weakness.  We doubt because of the enemies deception which is so ever-present around us.  We doubt because we don’t see how God would care about someone as insignificant as us. 

When one does a word study of the word help in verse 24 he would find that the verb is an active one that implies a continual action.  In other words the father is asking Jesus to not just help him this one time but keep on helping me so he will not lose his belief/faith.  How many times have I needed this same type of help?  Each day I continue to need Jesus to boost my faith.  Each day I am attacked by the enemy’s arrows of doubt and defeat.  However, I do not have to stay in that position.  Oh Satan would love for me to remain mired in my self-doubt and pity, but God has called us to experience much more than a self-defeated life cast down in despair.  God has called us to a life of victory in Him.  What we must do is respond as this father.  We must come to Jesus with an honest approach saying, “I do believe!  But please help me, and continue helping me, in my times of weakness, my times of unbelief.” 

Maybe you are facing a mountainous obstacle at this time in your life which causes your faith to waiver.  Remember the cry of the father “Help my unbelief.”  Maybe you have exhausted all of your resources trying to deal with a difficult or trying situation.  Remember the words of the father “Help my unbelief.”  Maybe you are mired in the muck of self-doubt, self-defeat, and self-destruction thinking no one, not even Jesus, cares.  Remember the words of the father “Help my unbelief.”  While the enemy has many weapons to assault the children of God, his power is limited and he will not succeed in defeating a child of God who summons the assistance of the victorious Jesus Christ.  Cry out today “Help me in the times of my unbelief.” 

Claiming the Promises of God,

 

Pastor Ric

“Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief." Mark 9:24

My Heart's Desire

Several years ago I had the opportunity for the trip of a lifetime.  Lisa graciously allowed me to do something I have never done—go on a football trip with some of my best friends.  We flew to Green Bay, WI to watch the Packers play the Dolphins on Monday Night Football at Lambeau Field.  There are several things about this trip that were exciting; first, I had never been to a Monday Night Football game.  Second, I had never been to Green Bay.  Third, to get tickets to a Packers’ Game at Lambeau Field are next to impossible.  The reason for this is there are people who have grown up in Green Bay and never gotten a ticket.  The stadium seats around 65,000 in a town of 95,000 with another 105,000 in the surrounding communities.  People keep their season ticket options in their family and will them to the next generation.  The woman seated in front of us was the daughter of a former player for the Packers.  Her father played in the old stadium back in the 1920’s and their tickets had been in their family ever since then.  Green Bay treats their team more like a college setting.  Everywhere you look, you see green and gold.  They live, eat, and breathe Packer football.  They have an insatiable appetite for football, but even greater appetite for this team. 

Another thing I noticed after the game was the amount of empty beer bottles throughout the stadium.  In all my times at sporting events, professional and college, I have never seen so many empty beer bottles in my life.  It literally was a sea of empties.  One would have thought they were at a beer festival.  It was quite evident; they had an insatiable appetite for beer.  In fact, I determined after attending that game that many of the fans had an insatiable appetite for their Packers, their Bratwurst, and their beer. 

This experience made me start thinking about that for which I had an appetite.  What is there that I truly love and long for?  What is the thing which I, as many people put it, “live for?”  Moses addressed this issue in the book of Deuteronomy when he said, “Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart…” (Deut. 8:2)  This is another way of saying God wanted to test the children of Israel to see what the most important thing in their lives was, in who did they put their confidence, trust, and devotion, and what they lived for.  He wanted to know if they would be faithful to obey His every command.

In the next verse of chapter eight Moses continues by saying, “He (God) humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deut. 8:3)  God wanted the children of Israel to know that the very thing which they must live for is God’s Word, His commands, His directives, and His instructions. 

Often this is a question which people ask me; how do I know God’s will for my life?  How do I know what God is telling me to do?  In order to answer these questions we must consider a tremendous message which I heard Chuck Swindoll offer several years ago.  Swindoll said that as followers of Jesus Christ, in order to know God’s directives, we must do five things in regards to His Words.  We must HEAR it (sermons, Bible lessons, etc…), READ it (taking the Word in for ourselves), STUDY it (analyzing the meaning and application), MEMORIZE it (retaining it in our minds for quick recall), and MEDITATE on it (think it over in our minds on a continual basis). 

When we come to the point where we are practicing these five things effectively in our lives then we are more prone to allow God to be that for which we have an insatiable appetite.  The Word of God is not like a favorite food item which we may tire of if we eat it too much.  In fact, the Word of God is more likely to become something we desire more of the more we consume.  If we desire to have God and His commands as that for which we live then we must continually ingest His Word into our lives.  Why not try to go against the trend in America of the 81% who do not read their Bibles on a daily basis?  This next week set a goal to read His Word every day. 

 

Read It, Live It, Love It---God’s Word,

 

Pastor Ric

Ps. 119:11

Recently I went out early one morning to walk our puppy.  While this is a morning ritual which our family does something unusual happened on this particular day which is a great lesson for each of us.  Let me set the scene.  If you are not familiar with our yard, our house sits on a lot which in places is quite hilly.  Our lawn is quite plush in most places and is very attractive to me but that morning the beauty of the rolling hills coupled with the plush carpet of grass and heavy morning dew created a slippery slope.  As I exited the house in a hurry I grab an old pair of flip flops which had virtually no tread on the bottom.  Since our little Bella likes to cover the entire yard sniffing where the deer have roamed before taking care of her morning necessity we traversed flatland and hills.  As we started down a particular hill in my front yard, I suddenly found myself lying on the ground.  This was never my intent, my desire, or my aspirations that morning.  Yet the wet grass and the lack of tread on my flip flops created a dangerous combination.  The very thing I did not want to do, I did.  In fact, I am certain that if my humiliation were seen by any of my neighbors that morning, they enjoyed seeing a grown man take a tumble down the hill sliding along the wet grass.  (By the way, I jumped up quickly and acted like I planned it the whole time!)

Paul shares some very personal information in Romans 7 about some things in his life that he did not want to do but in the end did.  Within the latter part of this chapter Paul talks about the conflict/battle that takes place in his heart.  The crutch of the chapter falls in verse 15 where Paul states, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”  Can you relate with Paul?  I can.  How many times have I said why did I do that?  Why did I say that?  Why did I act that way?  Those words, actions, and deeds were not what I wanted to do!   

These actions are a slippery slope on which we tread created by a conflict within each us.  I recently read some statistical data which I found quite interesting.  It said, “A group of academics and historians has compiled this startling information: Since 3600 B.C., the world has known only 292 years of peace!”  Now from this bit of trivia we might assess that whenever there are at least two people there is the possibility of conflict.  However, the scripture gives us a different view.  In fact, according to the Word of God all that has to take place for conflict to exist is “one” person.  That is what Paul is describing in the previously mentioned passage.  We are at conflict with a force within us.  For the believer in Christ, we find that the new creation is in conflict with the old nature.  Why is this?  Paul aptly phrases the answer in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am!”  The implication is that we are all deprived by our flesh and human nature but we do not have to stay that way.  He goes on to ask in the next sentence, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?”  He is asking the very question to which we all want to know the answer.  He is asking, “How can I win this battle?” The great part is that he does not leave us hanging very long for in the next verse Paul gives the answer, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

Our answer is Jesus Christ.  Unfortunately we are too closely akin to what happened to an elderly lady who became a victim to a scam artist taking nearly all her life savings.  When she called the Better Business Bureau afterwards to complain the organization asked why she did not call before giving her life savings to the individual.  Her response was, “I did not call you first because I was afraid you would tell me not to do it.”  Therein are too many Christians who fall victim to the allurement of the old nature.  We do not seek God’s advice or aid because we are afraid he will tell us not to follow the old nature. 

Jesus admonished us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”  Before we give in to the old nature seek God.  Before we lose the battle of wills seek God.  Before we do that thing we really do not want to do seek God. 

 Have a blessed day,

 

Pastor Ric

Gal 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

 

 

My God Is Bigger

One of the movies which ranks as a classic with me is Hoosiers which features a high school basketball team from Hickory, Indiana.  The story follows a coach who takes a group of boys from this small town in Indiana to the state finals in basketball.  After a stellar, but tumultuous season the boys arrive at the state finals hosted at a university arena in Indianapolis.  The setting and scene were something the boys of Hickory had never experienced before but through the encouragement of their coach were able to overcome their inhibitions and rise to victory on a last second shot to win the state title.  What makes this story so incredible is that, true to real life until 1997 in Indiana, there was only one state basketball playoff regardless of a schools size.  In other words, regardless of a school’s size or number of students all competed for the same title. 

This was the classic story of David versus Goliath where the underdog came forth as the victor defeating the heavy favorite.  Many might even look at this and say it is a great Hollywood story but is unlikely to happen in real life.  The truth is that this movie’s storyline is loosely based on the real to life story of Milan High School from the rural portion of southern Indiana.  While many of the characters and incidents were embellished and/or even fabricated, Milan High School won the state championship in 1954 against a formidable foe.  They overcame the odds by working together in great teamwork for a common purpose.  They were successful because they did not let the size of their school nor the way they saw their abilities handicap them.  They played with great determinism and passion.

As I think of this real life story of a team who did not allow their resources to limit their success, I ask myself whether we follow this example in what God wants to do through us.  I have often contended that the size of one’s vision is not limited to one’s estimation of their resources or themselves but rather their understanding of how big their God is.  Often there is a saying on Sirius/XM radio station The Message which says, “Don’t tell God how big your mountain is; tell the mountain how big your God is.”  Rick Warren is quoted as saying, “How big do you think God is?  The issue is not who do you think you are, but who do you think God is?  In your dreams for your ministry, don’t limit yourself by saying, “What can I do?”  Instead ask, “What can God do in this place?” 

When I think of First Baptist Florence I see so many things which God desires to accomplish through us.  I see a mission field next door in the University of North Alabama.  I see a potential ministry at UNA with the international students which God has brought to us.  I see a building waiting for us to develop it for use with the Initiative 305 ministry.  I see a community with only 50% who admit to attending church.  I see a great need for personal evangelism through relationship development.  I see an opportunity to reach a growing population of Senior Adults.  I see young families who need the stability of Jesus Christ in their homes. 

What can we do as one church in downtown Florence?  We can begin working one of these ministries at a time.  We can each step forward to work in an area of which we are passionate.  We can each take time to build relationships with people who are not involved in church or have a personal relationship with Jesus.  We can realize that God has gifted each of us with abilities and talents to function in the body of Christ.  We can step up and volunteer to be a part of these ministries.  We can say, “I will be willing to head up this ministry or that initiative.”  When we begin coming together for the common purpose to achieve these tasks then we will begin to see God work in our hearts and through our abilities to bring home the championship trophy for His glory and honor.  Let’s win this battle for our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Keep Bragging on Our Jesus,

 

Pastor Ric

Matthew 19:26 "…With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

A Little Help from My Friends

Whenever I leave for a trip Lisa and our children have always found a way to sneak notes of encouragement into my luggage.  Now I am not referring to a one note from each of them lying on the top of my clothes just inside the luggage but varied and many notes of scripture and words of encouragement all through the suitcase.  For instance, I might find one lying on the top that says, “I will miss you” and another buried deep inside that says, “I am proud of you.”  Then later in the week I might pull out a shirt and inside the shirt one says, “I believe in you” only to find one next to a pair of socks that says “God is going to use you this week.”  This tradition has been something Lisa started when we first got married and I would leave for trips in which she could not go.  Then when Raegan and Noah came on the scene she would add notes from them to accompany her notes before they could even speak only to teach them this time honored tradition as they go older. 

 

Why would she do this?  Because she loves me, cares about me, and wants to express that sentiment to encourage me.  We each need this type of encouragement and affirmation.  William Arthur Ward is quoted as saying, “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”  There are certain people God places in our lives who are encouragers and we need those people.  If you don’t believe that people need encouragement then listen to this old story about an elderly widow who was restricted in her activities, but was still eager to serve Christ by encouraging others. It seems the elderly lady, after praying about this, realized that she could bring blessing to others by using her God given talent in playing the piano. The next day she placed this small ad in the Oakland Tribune: "Pianist will play hymns by phone daily for those who are sick and despondent--the service is free." She placed her phone number in the advertisement and waited to see what, if any, response she might receive.  Soon people began to call.  As she spoke with them and listened to their troubles she would ask, "What hymn would you like to hear?" Within a few months her playing had brought cheer to several hundred people. Many of them freely poured out their hearts to her, and through this ministry of music she was able to help and encourage them.  This story goes to prove people are looking for encouragement and we have the opportunity to offer it in many creative ways, if we will take the time.

 

Unfortunately there are also many people who possess the opposite of encouragement.  They have the “anti-spiritual gift” of discouragement.  These are people Satan leads to discourage us through criticism, hateful words and tones.  The reality is that too many people are way too good at performing this task.  In addition, we are way too prone to let the negatives of what people say and do influence us too greatly.  For some reason we are geared to let the one negative carry much more weight than ten positives.  While we are appreciative of the positives we tend to linger on the lone negative.  As Bob Newhart told a patient who came to him in a sketch where he played a psychiatrist, “Stop It!”  We must stop allowing the negatives to drive our emotions and feelings of adequacy.

 

In closing let me encourage you to be an encourager.  We must be about the business of building one another up instead of tearing each other down.  Scripture charges us to “encourage one another and build each other up as you (we) are already doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11)  Paul challenged the church at Thessalonica to take their deeds of encouragement to a deeper level.  Why, because he knew the hearts of people.  He knew that it takes much more encouragement in a world of discouragement.  Times may have changed in many ways since Paul wrote this letter but one thing has stayed constant, people need lots of encouragement.  Take time today to send someone a note of encouragement.  Offer someone a random act of kindness, even do this to someone you do not know!  Take time to be an encourager but also rid yourself of any hints of discouragement which might linger in your old nature. 

 

Hey Church Family, God loves you and I do too,

 

Pastor Ric

 

Hurricane Preparation 101

Last week the occurrence of Hurricane Isaac brought back many memories of when my family lived on the Gulf Coast and faced the preparations and endurances of Hurricanes Ivan, Cindy, Dennis, and Katrina.  While the clean up for these storms was often intense and demanding preparing for them was also quite a chore. 

Whenever a storm begins to churn in the Atlantic Ocean with a potential destination of the United States the meteorologists spring into action with forecasts of where the storm appears to be heading.  This immediately prompts the local news stations to begin broadcasting reports of impending possibilities.  Regardless of the word possibility or probability widespread preparation launches.  People begin purchasing plywood, batteries, gas cans, staple food items, bread, bottled water, etc…  In addition, there is always a mad rush to fill all of one’s gas cans, generators, and vehicles with fuel.  These efforts to prepare have a near panic effect on people.  While some who sit back and think nothing is going to happen eventually will succumb to the mass purchasing and hoarding to be prepared “just in case.” 

Once the storm moves closer to the said destination many will begin to pull out old plywood, replace damaged pieces with new wood, and place over glass doors and windows.  Outdoor patio furniture, grills, planters, and all potential projectile objects are secured in garages and sheds.  And many times this is done in conjunction with neighbors to make the job more manageable and enjoyable.  Every last minute preparation is done to prepare property and family from the impending danger.   The last step of the preparation is to make a decision of whether to ride out the storm or evacuate.  If the storm looks as though it will be catastrophic in nature many choose to leave for a safer area.

Now here is the irony of the preparation, often the sun is shining and the temperatures are scorching.  As I boarded up my home in Mobile I would often think to myself, “It doesn’t look like any storm is coming!”  In fact, the weather often looked as though it was some of the prettiest days of the summer.  However, I knew according to the forecasters, that a storm of great magnitude was coming my way!  I must prepare for what is coming!

What would have happened if I had not heeding the warnings?  What would have been the potential danger if I had not done all the hard work, even though it looked as though nothing was wrong?  What could have happened to my family if I did not take the necessary precautions to protect them?  There could be a chance of survival!  I have heard of harrowing stories from those who weathered the brunt of Katrina.  However, there were also those who did not live to tell of their experiences. 

There is a vast correlation between the preparation for a hurricane and the preparation for the storms of life. First, we don’t always sense or see a storm coming.  However, we must prepare anyway.  Matthew 7 gives us great wisdom regarding the man who built his house on the rock.  Matthew’s account does not tell us when he prepared for the storms but we know that when they came he was ready.  Most likely he prepared before the storms arrived, when the sun was shining and all was good.  The time to prepare for the storms is not as they are upon us but before they come.  We must prepare when all is good, bright, and shiny regardless if we do not see the storms coming. 

Secondly, trust in the one who has the power to calm the storms of your life.  In Matthew 8 Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Tiberius in a small boat when a great storm came up on them suddenly.  The disciples cried out to Jesus fearing for their life.  “But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, you of little faith?’ Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm.” (Mt. 8:26)  Jesus has the power to calm every storm we are in or going to be entering.  Trust Him! 

Wherever you are today trust that God has the power and desire to protect and save you from whatever you face.  He also has the wisdom to guide you to prepare for the storms you will face so why not ask Him for wisdom for He gives to all liberally. (James 1:5)

Facing the Storms with the Master,

Pastor Ric