Mary Had A Little Lamb

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  • Friday, December 23, 2011

  • "When man attempts to reach up to God, we call it religion.  When God reaches down to man, we call it CHRISTmas."

    They left the Garden fully clothed, but an innocent animal had died to give them covering.  Their sons came to God with gifts in hand, but one sought His pleasure with an impressive display of the works of his hands.  God, instead, smiled upon the one who offered the lamb. They found no security in shelters or rituals the night the angel of death passed by.  Life was the gift only for those to whom the perfect lamb's blood was applied.

    For all the impressive efforts of man to please their God, the regrettable reality is this--their feeble attempts prove completely impotent.  For when man attempts to reach up to God, they call it religion.

    When God reaches down to man, sends the Lamb, and we call it Christmas!

    Merry Christmas, Church!
    Pastor Tom

    Come See…Go Tell: Till the Whole World Knows!

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  • Friday, December 16, 2011

  • Wise advice, delivered with humble grace and unquenchable optimism to a Bible college classroom filled with "preacher wanna-be's." It burned into my memory bank to surface frequently these many seasons later.

    "Gentlemen," began Miss Elsie, "as shepherds to God's people, your responsibility will be to diligently study God's Word all week long. Then you are to prayerfully prepare your sermons. By the time you are ready to preach, you will have far too much material. Your job, then, is to select the best 10% to be delivered. Leave the rest in the can!"

    Matthew's gospel record of the life and ministry of Jesus opens on a clear tone, only to close on a completely different note. He begins with a "come see" strategy. "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him," (Matthew 2:2). Matthew's opening direction, "Come see." But then, in closing out the account, the author takes a radical redirection and ends by writing, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel," (Matthew 28:19). Matthew's closing direction, "Go tell!"

    Noel

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  • Friday, December 9, 2011

  • Suspended high above the street, attached to a tall light pole on both sides, was the familiar holiday word, N-O-E-L. As you turned off Hi-way 30 and drove north onto main street, you were welcomed by the old French version of Christmas greeting. It was one of those seasonal predictabilities which, after the first couple of trips through town, one simply forgot. Christmas had come to main street. Windows were decorated with tape-on window frames and spray-on snow. Christmas in a small town…the things of which Hallmark cards are made. "Noel! Noel! Born is the King of Israel."

    With only 26 letters with which to work…common words can soon become trite. Words and phrases so much a part of our tradition that they flow in and out of our conversation, jump off the ends of our texting fingers, fall loosely from our lips and liven the poetic structures of our carols…losing the richness of their meaning simply due to their commonness. Trite seasonal expressions, until…

    Until my bride pointed out a reality of which I have been totally unaware. She sent me a text asking, "Did you realize that SILENT and LISTEN both have the exact same letters?" Incredible! I have used those two words…typed those two words…sung those two words…never recognized that those two words are the same word simply arranged in different ways.

    S-I-L-E-N-T    L-I-S-T-E-N

    And that is exactly what the first hearers of the incredible Good News did. They sat silent in order to listen! The dark night sky burst into full noon-day brilliance as hundreds of angels took their place and each sang their own part in history's first Christmas Carol. "Glory (another word that has become trite by overuse) to God in the highest!"

    Wise Men Still Adore Him

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  • Friday, December 2, 2011

  • Matthew 2

    Horses or camels? Please tell me we didn't rent donkeys! Did we make reservations? We did book this trip on Priceline, didn't we? Is there a penalty if we cancel? You guys sure we should actually do this? I mean...we are throwing our whole lives into chaos over a strange-appearing flaming thing in the sky! We have job responsibilities to cover. We have schedules to rewrite. We have families to consider. Oh…did I mention the recent reports of assaults and robberies on that particular highway? It is not exactly safe to be traveling these days, you know! We should travel in a caravan; how many armed guards do you think it will take to guarantee security? Did it occur to any of you that the larger our traveling contingent, the more attention we attract and the greater the chance we WILL be bushwhacked! Wait till word gets out that we have gold onboard, now THAT ought to excite a few ne'er-do-wells!

    I guess protocol is protocol. "Never approach a king without a gift in your hand." The appropriate gift for a king is certainly shiny gold, so I guess we will be traveling with gold. Incense? Why are we wasting packing space with incense? Isn't the gold enough? What is the baby's mom going to think when she unwraps incense--that the diaper needs changed, the barn is a bit smelly, someone needs a shower? Who's idea was it to include myrrh anyway?!? Bad enough the mom will open a package of sweet smelling stuff to burn, but stuff for a funeral? What kind of sick joke is that?!?

    The Fraternity of One

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  • Friday, November 25, 2011

  • Luke 17

    "In everything give thanks (in EVERYTHING!); for this is God's will for you." 1 Thess 5:18

    If a small child is taught to say "thank you" for a small piece of candy received, should not grown up Christians give thanks for innumerable graces from the Father's hand?

    If we could have been reporters on the scene, we can imagine everyone confessed their gratitude.  Their lives had been transformed in a moment.  They had passed from death to life by the gracious healing of the Master.  None would be so callous as to declare they deserved healing graces.  It is quite unlikely that even one said, "It's about time!" No, being overwhelmed by God's goodness won't typically leave one unappreciative; it's just that feeling a sense of joy is a step or two short of declaring one's gratitude.

    They were members of the fraternity in which no one wanted membership.
    They were helpless, desperate and aware.
    They were respectful.
    They were believing.
    They were healed.
    They were ecstatic.
    But nine of the ten continued dying.

    He was a fraternity of one
    He shared their suffering.
    He shared their desperation.
    He shared their respect.
    He shared their healing.
    He shared their joy.
    He did not share their self-preoccupation.

    Follow Me

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  • Friday, November 18, 2011


  •  "The Kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power." 1 Cor. 4:20

    "All hat and no cattle." This is a spot-on description of the big-talking troublemakers of First Church of Corinth.

    I love some of the synonym expressions as well:
    • All bark and no bite…
    • All crown and no filling…
    • All ham and no omelet…
    • All hammer and no nail…
    • All icing and no cake…
    • All shot and no powder…
    • All sizzle and no steak…
    • All wick and no candle…
    • All talk and no action…
    • All show and no go…
    Full of promise and short on execution--Paul's accurate appraisal of the troublemakers of Corinth.

     "We are still in the world, yet we are to be called out, distinct and not 'of the world.' We are to live according to the ethics of the kingdom of God, and those ethics are in almost every way a radical departure from the norms and values of the world. The 'Upside-Down Kingdom.' It is the kingdom where the first will be last, where the humble will exalted, and the mighty will be laid low. It is the kingdom where to be the greatest you must become the least, to lead you must serve, to gain your life you must lose it. It is the kingdom where to be filled up we must empty ourselves, where richness is found in poverty and where the meek will inherit the earth. It is a kingdom that calls us to turn the other cheek, to walk the extra mile, to give the cloak as well as the coat. In this kingdom we are called to love our enemies and hate our sin in the midst of a world that loves its sin and hates it enemies. It is a kingdom whose central symbol is a mark of humiliation and defeat, and whose ethics seem to be utter foolishness. It means placing His kingdom at the very center of our lives…" -Stewards in the Kingdom by R. Scott Rodin

    But it was not so in Corinth, so the burdened Apostle challenged them in this way, "The Kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power." 1 Cor. 4:20

    Just Wait Till Dad Gets Home…

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  • Friday, November 11, 2011

  • 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

    He always brought us gifts. Money was extremely limited and barely sufficient to cover bare necessities. But after times of travel, Dad always brought each of us a small gift to let us know he thought of us and missed us while he was gone.

    "Therefore do not go on passing judgment (assessing each other) before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts..." 1 Cor. 4:5

    "Just wait till Dad gets home…" Those were dreaded words! My father was an itinerate preacher and Bible conference speaker. In the days of my childhood, communication systems were nowhere near as sophisticated as they have become today. We lived 13 miles south of town on a residential high school campus. The 'compound' had a phone in the administrative office. If, during his travels, Dad desired to connect with Mom, he would call the school, someone would sprint to our house and retrieve Mom who would rush to the office to take the call. But because calls were billed by the minute, the conversations were, at best, very brief. The other form of communication was "snail mail." However, on more occasions than not, the letters would arrive after Dad had departed that area and moved on to another. Many times, Dad's letters would arrive home after he had already returned.

    Mom was, on many occasions for extended periods of time, both mom AND dad in our home. She had three boys and one girl. My Sis was kind of like the Holy Spirit in the family, omnipresent and "perfect." My brothers were mischievous troublemakers. Well, I confess, I contributed more than my share to the chaos. Anyway, it seemed that no matter what trouble we were creating, my Sis would know it before WE knew it and then Mom was informed. (See what I mean by "Holy Spirit?") In the early days Mom was quite well equipped to make necessary behavioral corrections even in Dad's absence. However, as we grew, Mom's sense of influence diminished and she would more regularly resort to these frightening words, "Just wait till Dad gets home!"

    Must be posted where visible from the street...

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  • Friday, November 4, 2011

  • 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

    The foundation we are building upon, if the work is to be approved, is Christ. And the materials we chose to build our lives upon must be prepared for the testing by fire.

    True story. I could not make this up! Doing a most unusual activity in my office this morning…I was sorting the growing pile and making liberal use of "File 13," when I opened a recently-received periodical to scan for any article of relevance or interest. This bold print that stared me in the face:

    U.K.-based Stramit
    StrawBoard is reportedly
    seeking to establish U.S.
    manufacturing for its wall
    systems made of straw,
    such as wheat and rice.

    I could NOT make that up! It comes from an article titled, Building Blocks of a Different Nature by Bailey Webb. In it Webb writes, "Whether you have a small or a large budget, the key is to have the priorities that were established in the master planning phase guide the decisions made regarding the selection of building materials. Church facilities and buildings need to be looked at in their totality, always keeping in mind the overall master plan developed at the beginning of the planning process. Just as the master plan should reflect the vision of the church and its ministries, the materials selected should align with the mission and priorities established." (Emphasis added)

    I love construction. I love watching a blueprint become a skeleton, then an enclosed shell and finally an inhabitable abode. I love the process. I find great pleasure in studying the use of materials. But when it comes to my OWN projects, I tend to be a "what is the least costly, most affordable, reusable piece of scrap available. That will do, lets use that" kind of handyman. In other words, I was well trained by my father to make use of whatever happens to be available!

    Best. Way. Ever.

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  • Friday, October 28, 2011

  • 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
    "...But we have the mind of Christ."

    The greatest wisdom ever received may come in the form of a simple question, "So, how's that working for you?"

    Wise Solomon penned it this way (so profound was this observation, that it is included TWICE in exact wording in the 31 chapters of collected proverbs), "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25.

    Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? But you are determined to "reform" your behavior one more time, still believing that if you work hard enough at it you can still get it right? "So how's that working for you?"

    Isolated in your own small world, refusing the risk of connection with brothers and sisters in the Body, appearing alone at your own 'pity party?'" So how's that working for you?"

    Pursuing riches and market success at the expense of your brother or sister, thinking only of personal profit margins with complete disregard for those injured in the process? "So how's that working for you?"

    Burning through one relationship after another, still convinced that true and lasting love can be discovered thru the no-cost, no-commitment philosophy? "So how's that working for you?"

    Convinced that true joy and contentment is simply one purchase away, you find yourself frantically pursuing another house, another car, another boat, another shirt, another video game, or another….  "So how's that working for you?"

    Grace Point…Scandalous Cross

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  • Friday, October 21, 2011
  • 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

    Before you will effectively communicate the life-giving message of scandalous grace, you must be actively bearing your cross.

    "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23

    "Of all the systematic killing factories, it was a dilapidated former army barracks near a town in southwest Poland which became the scene of the greatest mass murder in history. The camp complex built at Auschwitz witnessed the deaths of an estimated 1.1 million men, women and children. One million of the dead were Jews."

    If Jesus had said, "…he must take up his Auschwitz chamber daily and follow Me…"

    "During the final stages of World War II, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in a war to date. By executive order, the U.S. dropped the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" on the city of Hiroshima on Monday, August 6, 1945, followed by the detonation of "Fat Man" over Nagasaki on August 9. Within the first two to four months of the bombings, the acute effects killed 90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000–80,000 in Nagasaki, with roughly half of the deaths in each city occurring on the first day. The Hiroshima health department estimates that, of the people who died on the day of the explosion, 60% died from flash or flame burns, 30% from falling debris and 10% from other causes. During the following months, large numbers died from the effect of burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries, compounded by illness. In a U.S. estimate of the total immediate and short-term cause of death, 15–20% died from radiation sickness, 20–30% from flash burns, and 50–60% from other injuries, compounded by illness. In both cities, most of the dead were civilians."

    Intentional Strategic Inversion

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  • Friday, October 14, 2011
  • 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:5

    Seems rather upside down, don't you think?

    Want to impress people, get your name out there in the arena of recognition and seize your fair share of the market? Celebrities! Super-stars! Personalities of recognition and reputation! People love big names. People flock to big names. People are drawn to big names. Celebrity endorsement … now THAT's the way to build and sustain a movement!

    But it was not; it is not the Jesus way. He establishes an earth-moving, history-altering movement by carefully focusing not on the "some-bodies" of the world, but by--according to cultural standards--calling to Himself the "no-bodies."

    · "Galilee of the Gentiles" blue collar workers

    · A treasonous tax guy

    · A militant zealot

    · Widows

    · Orphans

    · Certifiable sinners of stained reputation

    · More slaves than slave masters

    · Drunks and swindlers

    · And declaring that the greatest leaders must first prove their character thru the humble tasks of service

    Foolish Talk to Smart Folks

  • Friday, October 7, 2011

  • 1 Cor. 1:18-31

    Note paper is so 20th century!  We felt like we were really with it. Cutting edge. Progressive. Very contemporary.  In an auditorium of over 3,000 people, we sat with our iPads.  We decided to take the risk, amp up the learning curve and go paper-free for a weekend.  We downloaded the ESV's and opened up "Notes," placed our styluses in hand and prepared to soak up some great preaching.  After a quick text message to Pastor MAK, we figured out how to quickly jump from ESV to "Notes" with a simple double click.  We discovered that a tap on the screen opened up note pages in the text and found out we could quickly toggle from text to text. 

    Then it happened, the preacher used the H-E-double hockey sticks word, "Hell!"  I was frantically tapping the screen, taking detailed notes on the message but my spell-corrector would not accept the word H-E-L-L.  It repeatedly changed it to "he'll." Suddenly I am distracted from the message; I muse, instead on why my iPad doesn't want to recognize the word "hell."  Wouldn't you know it?  It also refused to print the word "sinless."  Every time I tapped in the word, the corrector changed it to "winless."  Now both theologically and pragmatically we all know that being "sinless" and being "winless" is not the same thing!

    Saved By The "M"

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  • Friday, September 30, 2011
  • 1 Corinthians 1:26


    Jesus really unnerved the young leader. He arrived with his enviable moral record and his comfortable savings. He walked away still financially loaded but spiritually bankrupt.

    And behold, a man came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."--Matthew 19:16-26

    Of Spats and Splits: New Life In Corinth

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  • Friday, September 16, 2011
  • 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

    They had to hear it together…

    Once in a while your attention is arrested by something totally out of place or out of its time. It happened a couple of Sundays back as we walked into lunch. We both seemed to notice it at the same time…on both sides of the hallway there were pay phones! Little secluded privacy places with massive telephones hanging on the wall, phone books resting beneath the shelf (Remember phone books? Lots of pages with names, addresses and numbers all across the page and typically the page YOU needed had been torn out by someone!) with slots for coins to be dropped in order to make these antiques operational. Pay phones! Yup, right here in downtown Lincoln in 2011. We smiled, noticed them as being so out of place and walked on to our table carrying our Blackberry, iPhone and iPads. Amazing! Communication has certainly changed in a few short years!

    Texting?
    · Its own vocabulary, choppy thoughts, incomplete sentences, bullet concepts at best…without it, you can forget about connecting with the grandkids!

    Twitter?
    · 140 characters including spaces. Boil that idea down to simple thoughts and summarize while sustaining the intrigue. Friends you don’t even know will follow your every thought!

    E-mail?
    · Saves walking down the hallway to actually have a conversation. Can be long or short. But it lacks body language, facial expression and human connection. Best advice? Let that cursor flash! Write it…walk away…come back and read it…then, if you must, hit send!

    Bringing Focus Back

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  • Tuesday, September 13, 2011

  • 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

    At some point in our lives we have all been the recipient of a letter. Whether it’s a birthday card or a multi-page document, we all know what it looks like. It starts with an informal greeting, a “how are things going?” or perhaps “the weather here has been nice”, but then as the letter continues, it starts to get more personal. The real emotions and intent begin to shine through.

    As we begin studying the book of 1 Corinthians, think of it as a letter because it is precisely that. Paul is addressing a serious issue that is rising up in the church at Corinth. As we take a look at the text, read it like a letter. Put yourself in a pew at the Corinthian church. As the letter is opened, you sit there in anticipation, anxious to hear what has been penned. This is a letter from Paul, the man responsible for perhaps your own conversion in Corinth. The letter is opened now, the speaker’s eyes begin to pan the writing. First a pause, then the voice begins to read, “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sothenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth...”

    Braggin' Rites

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  • Thursday, September 8, 2011
  • Half right... and half wrong.

    Sweet words flow as the reader of the letter stands before a nervous but attentive gathering. Word has made its way around the community and there was almost 100% attendance at the hastily called meeting. A messenger from their spiritual father in the faith, Paul, had arrived and with him was a personal letter. Nerves were a bit on edge because it had become known that a few of their number (Chloe’s people, actually) had reported some less than flattering attitudes and behaviors among them. So those assembling were, for good cause, a bit anxious as they awaited the reading. But the letter was personal and it was the man who had loved them enough to bring them the good news that broke the bondage of their sin addictions. So, though they may have feared what he might have written, they also could not wait to hear what Paul had to say.

    The reader, having cleared his throat and waited for the noise to die, read, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge…” Sweet words flowed. Yes, Paul HAD heard and he complimented them. Eloquence of communication and exceptional insight into Scriptural matters was their claim to fame, their reputation. And the reader continued, “…You are not lacking any gift…” So true, they thought smugly. We are knocking it into the upper decks in our Christian activity. Fully loaded and lacking nothing!

    Lessons From Paul's Time In Corinth

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  • Tuesday, September 6, 2011

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    What would you do if your travels took you to Las Vegas, a city reported to be full of sin and sinful people? What would you say to the people living there? How would you support yourself? Where would you go to interact with the people there? How long would you linger?

    The city of Corinth in Greece was, according to reports, much like today’s Las Vegas in our country. Because Corinth was a city that saw lots of people just passing through in those days, as does Las Vegas today, it was full of opportunities to participate in many of the things which Scripture tells us to avoid. However, as we learned in Acts, the record of Paul’s travels, he didn’t run from the sinful people. We’re told Paul was in Corinth for over a year. And, because people on the move were often in need of the goods and services related to travel, Paul apparently had a good tent making business. We do know that there was a synagogue in Corinth and Paul often spent time there discussing Christ.

    The parable of the sower and the seed comes to mind when thinking of Corinth. It was a path well traveled and undoubtedly, the seed of the Gospel that Paul sowed was trampled under foot. There was seemingly little chance for the seed to sprout, let alone take root. Yet, we know that God used Paul’s efforts to establish a church in Corinth. It was a church that later would receive letters from Paul with guidance and reassurance.

    So, what lessons are there in Corinth that apply to us today? 

    Sacred Stirrings in Sin City

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  • Friday, September 2, 2011
  • “Progress is simply taking a little ground, holding it, and taking a little more.” Sage counsel from my respected friend, Dennis. “Progress is…” 

    There was definitely gospel progress in Sin City. Just look around the auditorium during Sunday morning gathering.

    · That guy over there? Known all over the city as a “player”. Reputation as a “skirt-chaser” and was proud of it. But captured by the gospel!

    · These people right here? Always making sure they had all their bases covered. Genuflecting at every shine or altar, leaving gifts for all the gods, just in case… Today? Found peace through the gospel.

    · Those three couples over there had a “swinger’s club” going. No marriage was safe with those folks around! Today they have found love in the fidelity of Christ’s faithfulness through the gospel.

    · That guy always kept you guessing. Today you might see him dressed in fine masculine attire and then tomorrow, bump into him at the market and find he was carefully adorned in woman’s clothing. Now he is clothed in the robes of Christ’s righteousness…took off the old garments of sin and put on the wardrobe of the gospel.

    "Wake Up Call" - A Letter to Corinth

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  • Wednesday, August 31, 2011

  • As we start the fall, we also begin a new study of the book of 1st Corinthians. The apostle Paul, in this letter to the church in Corinth, writes with love and grace and thankfulness for this local church… “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus…” [1Cor 1:4-5a]. But he also is most straightforward, candid, and direct, not shying away from exhorting the church when need be. The church in Corinth was made up of sinners (like every church is!) and thus had problems, difficulties, and hardships that stem from sin… We will read of divisions, of false alliances, of quarrels, of selfishness. Paul will be honest and ‘in their face’. He however has their best interest at heart… “I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.” [1Cor 4:14].

    But at the highest level, Paul has HIS best interest at heart! It is not the church of Corinth… it is God’s church, of which a small group of believers live in Corinth. Faith Bible Church is not really our church, it is HIS church. We are His bride…

    “And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…” [Rev. 21:9-10]

    This study of 1st Corinthians is a wake up call to be sure our church is preparing herself to be that bride… As a preparation, Pastor Tom shared his seven “passion priorities” of Christ’s church…

    The Wake Up Call

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  • Friday, August 26, 2011

  • “We had ignored, or just plain failed to notice, shortcomings.”

    Luckily we were able to snag a tall table and two stools in the rear of the busiest Starbucks we have ever seen. Its 80-plus seating options, plus every table on their sidewalk patio (Linda refers to that area as “camping out”) was full. Just as quickly as someone would vacate their seat, multiple individuals began maneuvering to take their place.

    iPads in front of us and our favorite iced coffee drinks in hand (not a good combination…liquids and electronics), Linda and I settled in for some relaxation and observation. My summer-time diversion had included the reading of Howard Schultz’s Onward, the painfully transparent CEO’s narrative of the remarkable turnaround of the Starbuck’s corporation. The once incredibly healthy and rapidly growing international corporation suddenly became aware that their one time success story had reversed into--what appeared to be--a disastrous and unstoppable slide.
    ·      “Obsessed with growth, we took our eye off operations and became distracted from the core of our business.”
    ·      “We had to correct those behaviors and return to higher standards.”
    ·      “We are in the business of exceeding expectations. That means we have to admit it when we are not as good as we think we should be.”
    ·      “We had ignored, or just plain failed to notice, shortcomings.”

    As I read through Schultz’s account of the journey through a most successful turnaround, I was also reading and meditating upon Paul’s turnaround exhortation to the church in Corinth. And at the same time the words of Christ echoed hauntingly in my mind: “But I have this against you--that you have left your first love. REMEMBER therefore from where you have fallen, and REPENT and DO the deeds you did at first…” Revelation 2:4-5

    It was late July and we were vacationing in one of our favorite cities. Seated at our tall table, we were enjoying observing our granddaughter Anna-Marie (the only Starbucks barista that really mattered to us) as she participated in the fruit of one of the great turnaround stories of corporate America. Schultz’s strategies had obviously worked. Not a seat was vacant…and from early morning until late night closing, the line entering the door of this Gold Coast Rush Street coffee shop never ceased!

    “We had ignored, or just plain failed to notice, shortcomings.”

    First Corinthians, the wakeup call to our church. We begin hearing it together this Sunday.

    See you Sunday, Church!

    Pastor Tom

    PS: Don’t forget Faith Chapel, serving those who serve, begins this week at 9:00 a.m. Check us out!

    WOTG: A 'byoc' Kind of Service...

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  • Friday, August 19, 2011

  • Wor-ship / noun: The feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity… / verb: Show reverence and adoration for (a deity); honor with religious rites.

    ·      We typically describe it as the “Worship Service.”
    ·      At the beginning of a service, we often hear a “call to worship.”
    ·      When conversing with a friend we often say, “See you at worship on Sunday.”
    ·      To children in their age/stage ministry context it is frequently said, “Now children, it’s time for worship.”

    Our frequent use of the word “worship” tends to result in a loss of meaning and comprehension.  It is a two syllable, single word that is just tagged on or slotted into a sentence, generally absent of any object or point of focus.

    As we continue in our “…because Bible is our middle name” journey, we have been reading together from the letter Paul wrote to Rome’s saints.  At the very beginning he describes, in graphic relief, the foundational core issue of man’s lostness and unrestrained pagan passions.  Regrettably, it was not an absence of “worship” but rather a distortion in the object worshipped.  In quick summary, they turned their focus from the worship of the Creator to fixate their adoration upon those things He had created.

    Worship is a word, an attitude and an action which demands an object. Only God is worthy of such reverence!

    The Psalm writer put it best, “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
    “Worship THE LORD…”

    “Encountering Jesus – Snapshots of the Savior”

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  • Tuesday, August 16, 2011

  • Dustin Rogers
    Luke 5:17-26 – A Hopeless Man’s Encounter

    And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. [John 1:14]

    This well known account of an amazing miracle by Jesus is usually remembered as that, one miracle in which Jesus heals a paralyzed man. But in this account, there are three miracles that confront three groups of people, with each encounter providing us wonder and amazement in this Man who was and is God only Son!

    Pastor Dustin Rogers taught from the fifth chapter of Luke and describes “3 Groups – 3 Miracles”… But first, the passage…

    One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

    When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

    The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

    Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . .” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”  [Luke 5:17-26]

    Theophany: The Angel of the Lord...So What?!?

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  • Tuesday, August 9, 2011

  • -Sunday Recap-

    We have arrived at the end of our summer study together on the various appearances of the “Angel of the Lord” throughout scripture. Each appearance, each ‘theophany’, has been given to us for a reason. (All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; [2Tim. 3:16]). What are we to do with these appearances of the pre-incarnate Christ? What is the ‘take-away’? In short, “so what?”

    As we remember the people and places at which each theophany occurred, we are reminded of aspects of the very nature of God…

    For Hagar, He is… The God who sees

    …God saw Hagar [Gen 16], fleeing from Sarah after being thrown out of the house. The angel of God calls to her, comforts her, and promises that she will give birth to a son whom she will name “Ishamel” which means “God hears”… Grace for the ordinary

    For Sarah, He is… The God who delivers

    …God heard Sarah laugh [Gen 18] as the angel of the Lord promised Abraham that the two of them would, in their old age, bear a son. This son would be the son of an incredible promise… Sustaining Faith in the Promise

    For Ishmael, He is… The God who hears

    …God hears the baby crying [Gen 21] and rescues the infant Ishamel keeping the promise that he would father a great nation…

    Theophany: So What?!?

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  • Friday, August 5, 2011

  • The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.” Psalm 34:7

    “We could use a heavenly host in here!”

    The ‘talent show’ is a family staple. Our Christmas Eve tradition involves family participation in the worship service at church, and then a full evening of food and fun at Nana’s house. On this particular year, the older grandchildren had prepared a surprise dramatic interpretation of the Christmas story as written in Luke 2. Elise was the reader/narrator and each of the others was assigned a role to play. In Meredith’s case, she inherited SEVERAL character parts, which required some rather rapid costume changes. So the drama began. As the story was read, each ‘actor’ came from the other room to stand in the arched doorway.

    The story moved rapidly till it came to that great line, “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying….” But there was no one on the stage. So our narrator repeated the line with a bit of a raised voice, “…and suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying….” A long and hilarious pause…no angel appeared.

    Lessons from a Tree

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  • Tuesday, August 2, 2011
  • So, you think you could learn a lesson or two from a tree? Just imagine the Lord Himself walking by this tree with a group of followers. They’re not looking into the tree – nobody does that. They’re talking with each other, pointing to things in a distance, watching where they walk. And then, just as He walks under the tree, He looks up and there sits one of the most despicable men in Jericho. He’s a tax collector for the Romans which means that he’s collected taxes (and most likely stolen) from just about everyone in the city and surrounding areas. Not exactly someone you’d want to stop and talk to, let alone invite yourself to his house for a meal.

    Like many people in the city, he’d heard about this man called Jesus and he wanted to get a good look at him. So, being resourceful, he spied a tree ahead along the path Jesus was taking, and Zaccheus scrambled up the tree for a better look. Little did he suspect that Jesus Himself would stop under the tree and talk with him, or end up at his house for dinner. All he wanted to do was to get a better look at this Jesus.

    Nothing on Earth

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  • Tuesday, July 26, 2011
  • “It’s a beautiful morning… God is good.”

    “We had a great vacation… God is so good.”

    “I just learned I have cancer…. God is good…”


    We use the phrase “God is good” often, and we should for God IS good. But what do we really mean when we say it? Have you ever heard someone share a tragedy, disappointment, or crisis and then follow it up with “God is so good” ??

    One of the great worship leaders of Israel, Asaph, penned several Psalms. Psalm 73 is his “confession and crisis of faith” that laments, “God is good, BUT the wicked prospers, and sin abounds!”

    Asaph lived where many of us live… our nation and world is plagued with sin. In fact, immorality is lifted up and celebrated by our society. Those who live as if they have no fear of God seem to do quite well, thank you very much!

    “For I was envious of the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” [Psalm 73:3]

    Asaph surveyed the sin and success of the wicked and asked, “Where is God’s goodness in that?”

    Eleven and Counting

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  • Tuesday, July 19, 2011
  • As we conclude our study of Theophany, we’ve studied nine of them in the Old Testament (there’s one in Judges we passed) and one in the New Testament. That makes eleven theophanies, but there’s one more yet to come. First, let’s look at the nine:

    To Hagar, the God who sees.
    To Sarah, the God who delivers.
    To Ishmael, the God who hears.
    To Isaac, the God who provides.
    To Jacob, the God who wrestles.
    To Moses, the God who waits.
    To Israel, the God who abides.
    To Joshua, the God who fights.
    To Gideon, the God who enables.

    The theophany, which had the greatest impact so far in history, is recorded in the New Testament.

    And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

    Ultimate Theophany

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  • Friday, July 15, 2011
  • “The Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

    Theophany: God in grace revealing Himself to humankind in human form.

    The path of return to Eden was barred by angelic security forces armed with flaming swords. The nightly routine of walking together with their Creator in the cool breezes of the day was gone forever. The rest of the story is a narrative of restoration, as God makes a way for man to walk with Him.

    Those who had once lived by seeing His face long to once again see His face…and live!

    She was unmarried, pregnant and homeless, a fugitive servant on the run. No longer able to endure the affliction of her mistress’ house and lost on the road home, she is arrested by the realization that she had seen…. ”Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?!?” Genesis 16:13

    Watching for the Walk Light

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  • Tuesday, July 12, 2011
  • To date, in our study of Theophany, “The Angel of the Lord”, we’ve learned of some very specific and seemingly very recognizable signs from the Lord. After all, what could be more recognizable than an Angel with a sword, or a visitor who wrestles with you, or someone who clearly speaks with you? As Pastor Tom has noted in our study of appearances to such Biblical characters as Hagar, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, and now Gideon when God appeared to the Old Testament saints, it was Jesus Himself who interacted with these folks.

    So, has our study made you stop and reflect on how God speaks to you today? Are you sitting on your front porch waiting for Him to stop by? Are you checking your e-mail or tweets to see if there’s a message from Him? Are you watching for a cross walk light to tell you it’s time to move?

    Sunday we went to Judges chapters six through eight, the story of Gideon and how he was called to lead an “army” to defeat the Midianites. He was sitting under a tree, no doubt bothered by the problems his people were having with the people of Midian. What was he to do? For Gideon, the walk light did turn on, (in Judges 6:11-16). Not only did he receive instructions to win the battle, but he double checked the source of the instructions with not one, but two fleeces.

    Under-Manned, Under-Armed OVER-Whelmed!

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  • Friday, July 8, 2011
  • True God-encounters are never boring!

    Insightful! It was a respectful and, honestly, insightful question. During the fireside Q&A at Kidz Kamp, one of our young people (probably a bit emboldened by the cover of the darkness of the night) made a profound inquiry. “Pastor Tom, are you ever bored when you are preaching?” We all laughed. But we also probably need to acknowledge that he simply asked what everyone else was thinking. HE is bored by the boring preaching. So if it is so boring to hear, isn’t it also boring to be doing the preaching? Insightful!

    Theophany Lesson Number One

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  • Tuesday, July 5, 2011
  • Phew. Just imagine what must have gone through Joshua’s mind. He followed Moses out of Egypt and meandering around in the wilderness for 40 years. Phew. There were lots of them to lead, the chosen people, some reports suggest more than two million. Phew. After they arrived at the promised land, they didn’t take your advice and God denied them entry until all of the doubters were gone. Phew. Eventually you’re given charge of this motley crew of complainers. Phew. You make it across the flooded river and create a memorial with a dozen stones from the river bed. Phew. Now you’re stuck between the fortress of a city called Jericho and the flooded Jordan.

    But, you’re the leader so on a sleepless night you sneak up to the walled city... after all, you’ve been here before years ago...and shazam, He shows up, sword in hand, and commandments laid out to help you move ahead.

    Ultimate Game-Changer

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  • Friday, July 1, 2011
  • Behind them was the land of Egypt, the Mount of Divine meeting, the wilderness of thousands of funerals and the overflowing Jordan River. They obviously could not go back. Before them rose the fortified walls of the great city, 90 feet in height and 30 feet in thickness; they could neither hope to climb over nor bore their way through it. The residents within were armed, prepared and dangerous. What Israel desperately needed at that moment was a true “Game-Changer!”

    They celebrated their victory. Wade’s three-pointer ripped the net and the scoreboard displayed a fifteen-point lead. Three major contracts, capped by the signing of the superstar from Cleveland, appeared to be the work of an artist—the product of a negotiating genius. Momentum was on their side; the thrill of victory could scarcely be restrained. Game two of the 2010/2011 finals was apparently in the bag.

    As Joshua quietly slips away for a late night survey of the next great challenge on the pathway to occupying the land of promise, he is startled by the appearance of a heavily armed man. But rather than run, he approaches the man with the drawn sword to pose a key question, “Are you for US or for our adversaries?” The inquiry was appropriate to the situation. The response turned the tide of the momentum; it laid the foundation for historic and legendary conquests. In paraphrase form, the answer Joshua received was simply, “Neither.”

    The God Who Blesses

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  • Tuesday, June 21, 2011
  • The children of Israel have escaped the slavery of Egypt because of the miracles of God that have manifested themselves through Moses. However, from the time of the parting to the Red Sea, to where we find our next “appearance” of the angel of the LORD, more than 40 years have elapsed. “Appearance” in quotes, since during this time, God has been present with His people as a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.
    And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. Exodus 13:21-22
    The next theophany (appearance of the angel of the LORD) is chronicled in the Book of Numbers in the well-known story of the “talking donkey” and the “prophet for hire” Balaam. Balaam is “hired” by the ruler Balak (of Moab) to curse the people of Israel. Against God’s desire, Balaam travels to Moab, riding on his donkey, in order to be the “prophet for profit.” The angel of the LORD makes His appearance in placing Himself between Balaam and his destination.

    Prophet for Profit

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  • Friday, June 17, 2011

  • THEOPHANY…the Angel of the Lord turns curses into blessings!

    If a donkey could speak, what would she say?
    If a “seer” could see, what would he perceive?

    A memorable intersection of urgencies brings these unexpected scenarios together. The people, whose incredible numbers became a source of anxiety for the king of Egypt, have wandered methodically through the wilderness, increasing in size and strength along the way. Their track record of victories over those who have resisted their progress has produced bone-jarring dread in the heart of the king of Moab. As Israel has flexed her muscles, the results have proven her opponents to be impotent to defeat or divert her. With all traditional methods of resistance and combat marked as abject failures, King Balak resorts to “spiritual” means. A prophet-for-hire negotiates a dicey contract and ventures into spiritual warfare, only to experience a memorable THEOPHANY.

    • Three strategic appearances of the Angel of the Lord, armed with a lethal sword.
    • Three futile efforts at avoidance by the “seeing” donkey.
    • Three undeserved beatings of an innocent beast at the hand of the “unseeing” seer.
    • Three inquiries into the true will of the Lord.

    The God Who Abides

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  • Wednesday, June 15, 2011
  • “Now it came about when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt.” Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt… And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” (Exodus 13:17-18, 21-22)
    The story of Moses is an account of numerous appearances with God. The angel of the LORD appears to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3) in a most personal, “one-on-one” encounter. Fast forward to Moses leading the people of Israel away from Pharaoh and the slavery of Egypt (Exodus 13) and we have a much more public and spectacular appearance by God via fire- the “pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night”.

    Life Beneath the Cloud

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  • Friday, June 10, 2011
  • “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord….” Exodus 14:13

    Called out of a second career at a most unlikely season of life, this fugitive murderer, now 80-year-old God-appointed deliverer has timidly, but faithfully confronted the most powerful ruler the day. God has visited his leadership with jaw-dropping miracles of power. Now the long-awaited departure has arrived. With the final validation of Divine blessing being witnessed in the gracious passing of the Death Angel and the preservation of their firstborns, the people are up and ready, eager to begin the journey. So, for seven long days they travel in the desert heat and long nights under the supernatural illumination of the ever-present “cloud.”

     “Where are we going next? How soon will we be there? What are we going to do when we get there? When are we going to eat? What are we going to eat? Do they know we are coming, when we are coming, and that we are going to eat? Are we there yet!?” Inquiring minds want to know!

    Can you imagine the frustration and the text-messaging/Facebook postings/Skype conversations that must have gone on among the 2.5 million trusting followers of Moses when, after a week of travel, the initial enthusiasm has waned and the reality of the journey before them has begun to settle in? Seeming to not to have a “MapQuest” print out or a functioning GPS, they realize they have been zigzagging back and forth within the borders of the nation they have set out to leave. The cherry on top is this—they have been led by Moses to set up camp between two unscalable sheer rock walls on each side and a full sea of water before them. Cozy accommodations for a vacationing family perhaps, but definitely not a strategic move for a nation committed to relocation! Then the terrifying report that an angry Pharaoh is hot on their obvious trail, armed to the gills with 600 select chariots and their officers, with the full strength of his military resources. Now, that is what you call being “stuck between a road and a hard place”!

    The God Who Waits, Part 2

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  • Wednesday, June 8, 2011

  • Moses’ initial encounter with the angel of the LORD is perhaps better remembered as the story of the "burning bush". But here in the wilderness, the LORD Himself comes to earth to personally engage and confront Moses with the work that HE sets out for this man to accomplish. Moses was in his forties and had already lived an usual life. From his rescue as an infant from the Nile River by Pharaoh’s daughter to being brought up in the best education Egypt had to offer, Moses seemed to have been prepared to accomplish great things. Yet, he began his adult life living in the wilderness having to flee from Pharaoh following Moses’ murdering of an Egyptian task-master. (Exodus 2:11-15)
    Moses married and was living the life of a shepherd while the people of Israel came under greater bondage and began to cry out for help to God. So is the context for the appearance of the angel of the LORD, the "theophany" of the burning bush.
    Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said,  “I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said,  “Here I am.” Then He said,  “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:1-5)
    God sought out Moses and calls him by name, twice! The presence of the LORD made the very ground upon which Moses stood holy; God thus converses with Moses, telling him that God has selected Moses to free His people! During this appearance by God, our man Moses does not jump at the opportunity but rather gives God five excuses, and each time, God answers directly.  

    The God Who Waits

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  • Friday, June 3, 2011

  • When we think we can, we can’t. When we know we can’t, He can. Until we figure it out, He waits.

    From a failed attempt at deliverance to the commissioning as deliverer, he waited. For Moses, God waited forty years.

    The stories are legendary. They arrest our attention and stir our sympathies. And regrettably, they also mirror our own behaviors!

    Stunning defeat. They took the walled fortress city in just seven days and did not even lift a finger! With daily faithfulness and bold obedience, at their corporate shout the finger of God pushed in the mighty walls. Jericho, is exhibit A of the power and presence of God. Emboldened by the sweet taste of success, Joshua scales back his forces and boldly launches an assault on an easy target. Three-thousand men seemed more than adequate for such light work. They confidently storm the village, and by sundown they find themselves burying thirty-six brothers as they lick the wounds of their own defeat. Venturing into battle and failing to inquire as to the presence and power of the Lord.

    When we think we can, we can’t. When we know we can’t, He can. Until we figure it out, He waits.

    Then there was King Rehoboam of Judah with his 180,000 select warriors strategizing an assault on their cousins up north, Israel, under the leadership of King Jeroboam. A horrible conflict wisely averted when the leadership listened to counsel. “So they listened to the words of the Lord and returned from going against Jeroboam.” 2 Chronicles 11:4 Years of prosperity and success followed obedience. But, “It took place when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong that he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the Lord.” And, “They will become slaves so that they may learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” 2 Chronicles 12:1,8

    Their Sabbath day sermons laced with the narratives of Israel were often seeking security and strength through partnership with the pagan powers in place of dependency upon their own powerful God. They anticipated that human strategies and appeased allies would certainly guarantee victory, only to discover instead the pains of great loss and the agony of defeat. Shouldn’t one expect that such greats as Peter and his buddies would have learned the lesson well? Such was not to be. They fished in the power of “professional” experience, and got stiffed. They navigated storm tossed seas in the genius of their training, and panicked. And, they sought to cast out demons by the simple authority of their own commands, and miserably failed. Slow to learn from repeated personal failures, Jesus confronts them with this one inescapable truth, “For apart from Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5 

    You can do nothing. You can do NO-thing. Ok, got it! Nothing. Not one thing that succeeds. Not one thing that lasts. Not one thing that smells of success or victory. NO-thing! 

    When we think we can, we can’t. When we know we can’t, He can. Until we figure it out, He waits.

    They fall asleep as He prays alone. One attempts a mercenary defense with a pocket knife and gets only a bloody ear and an earful of reproof from the Lord. And they ALL run off into the night as the Master is tried, mocked and abused. “You can do nothing…”

    Our problem is not that we have failed; our problem is that we have not failed enough!

    For, when we think we can, we can’t. When we know we can’t, He can. And until we figure it out, He waits!

    A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.
    Psalm 90:1 “Lord, you have been our dwelling place
    in all generations.
    2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
    or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
    from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
    12 So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
    15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    and for as many years as we have seen evil.
    16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
    17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands!”

    See you Sunday, Church!
    Pastor Tom