tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76363612059734290412024-03-08T08:01:16.194-08:00Pastor's BlogPastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-50104213165906459232012-02-15T12:28:00.000-08:002012-05-15T15:45:35.700-07:00Woody Allen Theology<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I
can’t say that I’m a huge fan of Woody Allen because, quite honestly, I
haven’t seen many of his films. I did see “Annie Hall” which initiated
me into the appreciation of his humor. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I particularly enjoyed a scene in which Woody’s character is riding in a
car with Annie. As Annie approaches the street curb to park her car,
she leaves quite a distance to the curb. As Woody’s character gets out
the car, Annie asks him if everything is OK. He responds, “Yep, I’m
fine. I can walk to the curb from here!”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s this type of humor that led me to appreciate my favorite Woody
Allen quote. “Eighty percent of life is just showing up.” There is a
lot of proverbial truth to this. If you want to complete your college
degree, show up for the first class. If you want to learn to play the
guitar, show up for the first lesson. If you want to climb a 14,000
foot mountain, show up at the base and begin walking.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">An
equally compelling truth is evidenced by the converse logic that
“eighty percent of failure is due to not showing up.” If you want to be
assured that you will never complete your college degree, don’t show up
to another class. If you want to be assured you will never learn to
play the guitar, don’t show up for the first lesson. Obviously, you
will never climb the 14,000 foot mountain if you never travel to the
mountain.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">However,
since this blog ought to be of a spiritual bent, you’ve probably
presumed that my point is not whether one chooses to show up or not for
guitar lessons. I’m not going to encourage your ambitions by saying
“life is your stage, go have the performance of your life! Keep showing
up!” To say this would be to adopt the humanist view that life is
about me and my experiences. To say this would propagate the ideology
that life is the sum of our experiences, so get out there and amass
experiences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">What
if life isn’t about amassing experiences? What if life isn’t about
collecting hundreds of Facebook friends and posting pictures of leisure,
accomplishment and adventure that purvey a somewhat less than accurate
picture of my true life? Is it possible that if we evaluate life by the
sum total of our experiences, that most of us will feel short-changed
in the end? What if my Facebook page said something about my haunting
reflection that I showed up for life, but in the end, life wasn’t all
that amazing?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">What do I do then? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The
first question of the Westminster Confession’s Larger Confession asks a
penetrating question. “What is the primary and highest purpose of
human beings?” While you are pondering your answer, let me mention a
study done on the Facebook experience that showed that the more time
someone spent reading the status updates of others’ Facebook pages, the
more unhappy they became with their own lives. The study concluded that
the subjects of the study became depressed reading about the lives and
events of their friends because they concluded that their friends’ lives
were much more exciting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So
let’s get back to our question. “What is the primary and highest
purpose of human beings?” No, it isn’t simply to show up for life. No,
it isn’t numerous exciting achievements and excursions posted to
Facebook pages. The Westminster Confession proclaims “to glorify God
and to enjoy him completely forever.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The
men who assembled the contents of the Westminster Confession spent time
thinking about one of life’s biggest questions . . . why am I here and
what am I to do now that I am here? I’m sure they pondered the writings
of Solomon in Ecclesiastes where he concluded after gaining substantial
wealth, wisdom, power and fame that it is all vanity and meaningless.
The writer of Ecclesiastes came to this sobering conclusion, “The
conclusion, when all has been heard is: fear God and keep His
commandments, because this applies to every person.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I
don’t think many would read this final summary and feel warm and fuzzy
inside about the final purpose of humanity. Though the writer of
Ecclesiastes is entirely correct, the rest of Scripture paints the
fuller picture with much greater color and detail. This greater
ensemble of Scripture is, I’m sure, to what the Westminster Confession
alludes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So
how does this correspond back to Woody Allen’s quote? He got the first
half right . . . the secret to life is showing up. However, he missed
the point of where we are to show up. In a grandiose way, the
Westminster Confession tells us. We will find the meaning, purpose, and
overflowing joy of life by showing up with God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Beginning
with the Old Covenant in Genesis 17 through the New Covenant, God’s
heart and desire has been to be with His people. He longs for you to
simply come and abide with Him . . . no agendas, no fake religiosity.
Just as a mother and father crave the nestling of their child, so the
Father craves His children’s presence. He wants to hear His children
tell Him that there’s no place in the world that they would rather be
than in His arms.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I
thought of the Woody Allen quote because of something a friend of mine
has said. I’ve known Mike for about six years now. Every time we talk,
I hear Mike’s heart for the Lord. Mike loves evangelism and prayer.
When he speaks about prayer, he has a wonderful saying. “God just wants
you to show up.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Mike’s
quote is the fulfillment of Woody’s quote. Woody encourages us to show
up somewhere while Mike shows us with whom we are to meet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">My
prayer is that after reading this you will commit daily to meet with
your God. You will find meaning, purpose and joy beyond anything this
life can offer . . . because you are meeting with the Source of Life,
Himself. May God reward your quest as you seek Him.</span></span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-44583897711258534352009-06-16T12:30:00.000-07:002012-05-15T12:48:34.179-07:00Pet Peeve: "I Covet Your Prayers!"<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Every now and then there is a saying among Christian circles that, I must confess, drives me crazy.<span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">One
that I thought had died off but seems to be gaining new life is the
phrase, “I covet your prayers.” We all know what is meant by this, but
do we have to phrase it this way?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m
pretty sure I know how this phrase got into circulation. In the book,
“The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell, he writes about how social fads
begin. They start when someone of influence says or does something
that is perceived as innovative. This could be anything from a simple
catch phrase to wearing a pair of old-fashioned Hush Puppies shoes to a
swank gathering. When the innovation is introduced, it will pick up
steam if there are other influencers who get influenced by the
innovation. Then, those influencers go to their spheres of influence
and begin to replicate the innovation. If this pattern repeats itself,
it creates a new social fad.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">So
let’s get back to the phrase, “I covet your prayers.” Most likely,
someone of influence used this phrase in a gathering of other
influential people. Those influential people were impacted by this
innovative phrase that gave a new sense of urgency to prayer. Then,
they went to their own spheres of influence and began using the phrase.
From there, other people of influence picked up on the phrase and it
eventually became standard vernacular for Christian communities.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">But
here’s my problem . . . since coveting is obviously one of the big
no-no’s of the Ten Commandments, how did this ever become a “Christian”
phrase? This makes about as much sense as me saying, “I am lusting
after the young people in my community to come to Christ!” Or how about,
“I have a murderous desire to teach the Word of God.” Both of these
latter examples do a good job of describing a particular sentiment, but
we would all agree they are not appropriate. If these latter examples
are not appropriate, how can the former phrase be appropriate? It
isn’t.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My
next question is . . . when Christians use this phrase, do they think
about the biblical definition of “covet” and misuse it anyway or are
they simply repeating “Christian” verbiage without any thought process?
Whatever the answers may be, they are both bad.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So,
please . . . for goodness sake . . . l covet your attention to this
matter . . . Oops, I mean I desire your attention to this matter. (Did
you notice how acceptable “covet” was in this sentence because of the
numerous times you and I have heard it misused?)</span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-65974944894587456382009-06-01T12:31:00.000-07:002012-05-15T12:48:34.195-07:00Lessons my dogs have taught me about life...<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>As long as I can remember, I have loved dogs.<span> </span>I particularly like big dogs but I’ve only owned one big dog.<span> </span>His name was Tad and he was the most beautiful Boxer that has ever lived.<span> </span></span><br /><br /><span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>I
was quite young when my family got him. Early on we entered him in a
couple of dog shows and he won them both. His kennel owners wanted us
to show him on a regional and national scale because they were convinced
he could be a great champion, but we decided against it because we
wanted Tad to be a family dog.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Some of my most
treasured memories of Tad were playing football with him in our
backyard. I would line up with the football and Tad would position
himself in front of me. When I said “Hike!” Tad would jump up and put
his front legs on my shoulders and ride on me until he tackled me. He
was a wonderful football coach because when I started Little League
football at the age of seven, I was far ahead of the other kids and
could run by them all.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>One of the
curses of Boxers is that they generally don’t live long lives. Tad made
it to about six years old when he started having problems. He
developed a seizure problem that was horrifying to watch. His seizures
eventually got the better of him and he passed away.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Death was
something I hadn’t experienced yet in life as a seven-year-old. If I
think about it, I can still get the chills I experienced when I heard
that Tad would not be coming home from the vet. Those moments of seeing
his food dish, his leash, the bell on the door he would ring when he
wanted out . . . realizing he would never use them again was absolutely
heart-wrenching.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Our next dog was
a spunky Poodle-Schnauzer named Bo. Somehow I had heard that my mom
had talked with a lady up the street who knew of someone who had
Schnauzer puppies for sale. Somehow I found where my mom wrote down the
information because the next thing I knew I was on the phone calling.
This pleasant voice answered the phone and I asked about her puppies for
sale. She said she had puppies for sale but, perhaps, was my mother
available to talk on the phone. (I couldn’t understand why she didn’t
want to talk business with an eight-year-old). My mom got on the phone
and sometime later we were heading out to go look at the puppies.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>When we arrived
at the house, I recall there were two puppies- a boy and a girl. I was
drawn to the girl because she had the classic Schnauzer coloring.
However, my brother and mother were drawn to the boy . . . he was
black! I couldn’t understand why anyone would want a black Schnauzer,
but in order to guarantee our chance of taking a dog home, I quickly
changed my loyalty and said the little black dog would be just fine.
Somewhere along the way home we decided his name would be Bo.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Though we all
loved Bo, it was very clear that his priority was my mother. Anytime my
mom left the house, Bo would go to my second-story bedroom and watch
out the window until she came home. He obviously knew what kind of car
she drove because as soon as she drove by the house he would let out a
howl of pure glee and race to the garage door. He would continue to
howl until she came in. Once she came in, he jumped up and down in
absolute ecstasy for another few minutes.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Bo had an
amazing ability to make friends with other dogs that I have never seen
before or after. One day when he was probably two-years-old I was
walking him around the neighborhood and went by my friend Nick Siefert’s
house. As we passed by, Nick’s dog Hercules was barking in their
yard. Bo seemed to want to go say hello so I allowed Bo to go to the
fence. I could tell by the tales wagging that both dogs were very happy
to meet one another.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>It wasn’t too
long after this that my mom was awakened in the middle of the night by
the sound of a dog whimpering under her window . . . it was Hercules
wanting to play with Bo. So, my mom let Bo out the front door at about
3:00 AM and the two of them scampered into the night. Bo came home
about 6:00 AM.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>This soon became
a nightly ritual. However, little did we know that there was another
dog in the gang. One day Mrs. Dempsey was talking with my mom and asked
if my mom realized that Bo and Hercules came by every morning at about
3:00 AM and whined for her dog Blue. We had no idea. The gang had a
wonderful span of nightly excursions until Hercules died. I can’t
recall if Bo and Blue continued or not.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The most
beautiful thing about Bo was that he was always there for me during
years of constant change. Bo was my companion from second grade until
my early twenties. He was there after a tough day at elementary school
when I got in a fight with Peter Pavlakis. He was there after a
break-up with a girlfriend. He was there when I came home from prom.
He was there after my big victory against Sheridan High School. He was
there the day I left for college. He was there the day I came home from
graduating from college.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>He wasn’t there
the night of my twenty-third birthday. He hadn’t been feeling well and
had been staying at the vet. All day at work I was hoping and praying
that Bo would be home for my birthday. When I got home from work, my
parents and my brother and sister-in-law were in the family room. They
were waiting for me to take me to dinner. After I greeted them I said,
“Where’s Bo?” Nobody said anything.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I slowly stood
up and went downstairs to my room . . . and cried! My buddy, the one
who had always been there for me, was gone. Needless to say, I didn’t
go out that night for my birthday.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Many years
later, my wife and I decided to get a dog. We hadn’t firmly decided on
exactly when we would get one, but I woke up one Saturday morning and
knew that this was the day we’d bring a new family member into our home.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>We went to the
local shelter . . . I was so eager that I got there an hour before they
opened. Finally the door opened and we went back to look at the dogs.
My wife was interested in a smaller dog that didn’t shed. I was hoping
for a bigger dog.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>As we walked
down the corridors, each kennel contained about four dogs. There were a
lot of Pit Bulls that didn’t seem very happy to be there nor the fact
that strangers were looking at them. We got to a kennel that contained
four smaller dogs. One was a cute, white dog that sat up and placed his
nose through the chain fence. He seemed to be saying, “Look at me . . .
how can you walk past me and not want ME?”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>We stopped and
looked at him for a moment and then kept walking and looking. We got to
the end of the kennels and I looked at my wife. “Well, I guess I
didn’t see anything today.” My wife hesitated and replied, “Can we go
back and look at the one again?” I knew exactly which one- the small,
white dog.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So we walked
back to his kennel and asked the worker if we could take him out of the
kennel for a closer look. The shelter had a little play area to get
better acquainted with the dogs. The worker took the dog out and
brought him to the play area. This little dog was so glad to be out of
the kennel that he ran and ran around the play area. I remarked to my
wife, “He doesn’t seem too interested in bonding with us!” Just after I
said that, as if on cue, he straddled up next to me and gave me a big
kiss. “OK, this one is ours!”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>We named him
Bojo which stands for Bo Junior. To the best of our knowledge, he’s a
Poodle-Cocker Spaniel mix . . . and my wife and I love him down to the
last inch of his tail. He gets two walks every day. I walk him before I
go to work and my wife walks him in the evening. I also jog about
three times a week and Bojo demands to be with me for those runs as
well.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So what lessons
have my dogs taught me about life? So far, all I’ve done is share a few
stories about my three dogs. My dogs have taught me how indescribably
great the gift of life is and how amazing unconditional love is. My
dogs have allowed me to experience some of the deepest joys my heart has
ever known. The simple act of knowing Bojo has ripped away dead layers
on my heart. My heart is softer now.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>OK . . . you may
be still wondering what is the major theological point? After all,
this is a pastor’s blog so there must be something “spiritual” about
this. Here it is . . . I know that Bojo is going to die someday. I
can’t tell you how much that is going to rip my heart apart. I’ve asked
God to grant Bojo a long life. Maybe God will, maybe He won’t. But
before Bojo dies, I will praise God every day for this little dog’s
precious life. And eventually . . . hopefully a long, long time from
now when Bojo dies, I will praise His Creator for giving me the
unbelievable privilege of being with one of His precious creatures.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>This is what my
dogs teach me about life . . . life is about the gift of life given to
us by God and the relationships we form through these gifts. They are
truly more precious than silver and more valuable than gold. </span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, if you are
not a dog-lover, you are probably convinced that I am officially off my
rocker. However, if you are a dog-lover, I’ll bet that you are saying,
“Amen, amen!”</span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-66596707081226015432009-05-06T12:47:00.000-07:002012-05-15T12:48:34.206-07:00The Dying Grandpa<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>T</span><span>here
was a grandpa who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness some time
ago who learned that his illness was now in the final stages.<span> </span>He was going to die within weeks.<span> </span></span><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><span>Death
did not scare him because he knew of the treasures that lie ahead.
However, he was heartbroken about how to tell his six-year-old
granddaughter about death. He struggled and prayed to God, “Please,
give me the words to explain death to my granddaughter.” Then, all of a
sudden, he knew the Lord had given him the perfect way to explain
death.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
next day, he asked that his granddaughter be brought to his house.
When his granddaughter arrived, the grandpa said, “Honey, you know how
much I love you. Grandpa has something very important he needs to talk
to you about.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“OK, Grandpa,” the little girl responded.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
grandpa continued, “I need to talk to you about death . . . you see,
your grandpa has just learned that I’m going to die soon, but before it
happens, I need to explain it to you.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“I don’t understand, Grandpa,” the girl said.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“I
know you don’t understand . . . but hopefully I can show you what it is
like” said the grandpa. “In just a moment, I’m going to get up and go
into my study.” His study was the room right next to the living room
where the two of them were talking. “Once I go into my study, I’m going
to close the door. I want you to wait out here for a couple of
minutes. Then, I want you to come into the study to be with me” said
the grandpa.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“OK, grandpa,” the girl responded with a quizzical look on her face.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So
the grandpa took one long look at his granddaughter, gave her a big
kiss on the cheek, and went toward his study. As he opened the door and
began to enter the other room, he looked back one last time at his
granddaughter and said, “Now remember, grandpa loves you!”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>When
the grandpa went into his study and closed the door, he could hear his
granddaughter fidgeting in the other room. Finally, he heard the small
steps approaching the door. The door handle turned slowly and the girl
gradually opened the door. When she got the door opened, the grandpa
was standing there saying, “Come here!” And with that, he wrapped her
in his arms and gave her another big kiss.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“That’s what death is like, honey,” said the grandpa.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“I still don’t understand,” she said.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“Honey, when I got up from the living room and went into my study and closed the door, could you see me?”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“No, grandpa.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“Could you hear me?”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“No, grandpa.”<br />
<br />
“Did you know that I was still alive?”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“Of course, Grandpa, because I knew you were in the other room.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
grandpa said, “That’s exactly what death is like. There will be a time
soon when you will no longer be able to see me, nor hear me, but you’ll
need to know that I’m still very much alive!”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>This
is the hope we have for anyone who dies as a believer in Jesus our
Savior. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who
believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and
believes in Me will never die.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>So
when a believer dies, he is still very much alive. He is simply living
in the other room. Of course Jesus has also told us about that other
room. “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so
I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to
Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”</span></span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-4809961159610308162009-05-04T15:06:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.568-07:00The Boy & the Steam Paddle Boat<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>During the early 1900’s along the shores
of the mighty Mississippi River there was a young boy sitting on the
river bank fishing.<span> </span>An older man came along and struck up a conversation with the boy.<span> </span></span><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span><span>The
old man asked the boy how often he fished at this spot and whether the
fishing was any good there. The boy said sometimes the fishing was good
and sometimes it wasn’t, but the best part of fishing there was being
by the river.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Soon
into their conversation, a steam paddle-boat began making its way up
the river. When the boy saw the boat, he stood up, pulled a big white
handkerchief out of his pocket and started waving it at the boat.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The old man said, “What are you doing?”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The boy replied, “I’m waving down that boat to come over here and pick me up!”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
old man then said, “Son, that boat has important places to go and it
has important people aboard and valuable cargo that must be transported
to the next port. That boat won’t come over here and pick <b><i>you</i></b> up!”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The boy didn’t say a word. He kept waving his handkerchief.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>All
of a sudden the boat, which was on the other side of the river, started
to maneuver across the river. It kept getting closer and closer . . .
and the old man was amazed. It eventually came right up to the river
bank and let down its walkway. When the walkway was fully lowered and
reached the bank, the boy raced onto the walkway.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The old man quickly shouted out, “Hey, young boy, how did you know that boat would come over here and pick you up?”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“My dad is the captain!” the boy replied.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So
what is the point of this little story? In this story, the old man
represents the “intelligence” of this age. Scientists think they know
all there is to know and they, by and large, have concluded there is no
God. They love to ridicule “elementary minds” that believe in such
non-sense.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>However,
those “elementary minds” have an ability that a scientific mind will
never possess . . . the ability to have faith. The Bible tells us that
faith is the “confident assurance that what we hope for is going to
happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see” (Heb. 11:1
NLT). The scientific mind will never have faith because it cannot
accept anything it cannot see.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
Bible also tells us that it is only by faith that we can “see” and
perceive God. God does not reveal Himself through science, but through
faith in Him.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
science community, therefore, tells us that death is the end of human
existence. They are like the old man in this story who condescendingly
told the little boy that the boat would surely not come over to the
river bank to pick the boy up.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
boy represents the humble Christian who has faith . . . who knows that
His Heavenly Father and His Lord will come get him when his time on this
earth is done.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>So
let the mockers mock and the scoffers scoff at us silly Christians who
believe our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus will pick us up someday as
well. But here’s the funny thing about us Christians . . . we hope all
the mockers and scoffers will someday get onboard. I’m truly not
looking forward to seeing any of their faces when they realize they
missed the boat! </span></span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-62409295657265488252009-04-30T15:10:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.591-07:00When Death Teaches Us About Life<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I had the blessed privilege to be awakened in the middle of the night a few days ago.<span> </span>One of the members of my congregation had just passed away and the new widow was calling to inform me.</span><br />
<span></span><span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I
quickly responded by asking her if I could come be with her at her
house. She said, “No, but I’m going to the care facility right now to
see him and you can meet me there if you’d like.” I told her I’d be
right there.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>By
God’s design, we arrived at the care facility at the same time (12:20
AM) and made our way to a dimly lit side-door. I had never been to that
facility before and I didn’t know where the front door was. I knocked
at the side-door a few times until finally someone opened it. The
worker greeted us saying, “People usually come through the front door.”
I’m glad I’m not quick-witted because this would have been a prime
opportunity to display my finest work!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span>I’ve
been to many care facilities . . . but not at 12:20 AM. The place was
dark. The halls were dimly lit. There were interesting aromas. There
were interesting noises. We eventually made our way to the room where
the drapes were drawn around the middle bed of three beds and a small
bed light was glowing through the curtains.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span>As
we ventured toward the break in the drapes, she drew back the drape and
saw her husband. He looked quite peaceful. She slowly moved to his
side. She reached out her hand and began gently to rub her finger
against his face which had a little bit of stubble. She lovingly and
thoughtfully moved her finger back and forth. She then reached down and
touched his hand.</span></div>
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<span>I</span><span>t
was one of the most loving scenes I’ve ever witnessed- a wife of
fifty-some years gently stroking the face of her departed beloved.
There weren’t any tears or sobs . . . just loving glances and touches.</span></div>
</span></span>
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<span>I
watched with deep admiration . . . I admired her courage and I was
captivated. My mind kept pondering what must be going through her
mind. I’ll never know. All I do know is what I learned that amazing
night . . . four life-changing lessons.</span></div>
</span></span>
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<span>First,
I perceived a sense of fulfillment permeating the drape-enclosed
space. The fulfillment came from staying true to the vows “till death
do us part.” I sensed God’s pleasure that the marriage covenant was
honored and I believe He extended a special grace to the surviving
spouse. It was truly special to behold.</span></div>
</span></span>
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<span>Second,
I’ve noticed a special grace that author Max Lucado calls “living grace
and dying grace.” In John 14, Jesus promises His peace to His
followers and I’ve witnesses this peace time after time with the
surviving spouse. Yes, there is grief, but there is also an underlying
peace and grace that can only come from the Lord.</span></div>
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<span>I’ve
also witnessed dying grace. This is the grace where God gives His
dying saint a sense that the end is near and everything is going to be
fine. I don’t see any fear or panic. It is an undergirding by the hand
of the Lord that carries the dying saint during his/her last days until
He carries him/her Home.</span></div>
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<span>Third,
I’ve witnesses the power of Jesus’ words, “I am the resurrection and
the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone
who lives and believes in Me will never die.” I usually quote this
verse as I’m sitting with the spouse next to his/her departed. These
words are powerful and real. They have the eternal power to turn the
most helpless moment into the most powerful realization that this loved
one is alive!</span></div>
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<span>Fourth
and finally, I’ve witnessed how death teaches me about life. Sitting
next to the body of a departed church member brings clarity. The
clarity is this . . . as Christians we are not to fear death or run from
it. We are to embrace it. As the Apostle Paul says, “To live is
Christ and to die is gain!” It’s only when I embrace my death and the
victory it will bring that I truly begin to live!</span></div>
</span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-17597650575910343252009-04-28T15:08:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.539-07:00Debunking the Myth: Once Saved, Always Saved<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>There seems to be a great misunderstanding in the Christian community about the phrase, “once saved, always saved.”</span><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
phrase refers to the belief that once a person “receives” salvation, he
cannot lose it. This belief is based upon one of two assumptions. The
first is echoed in Jesus’ words in John 10:27-29. “My sheep hear My
voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to
them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My
hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no
one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
second assumption people use to support “once saved, always saved” is a
distortion of Calvinism. Calvinism, of course, holds the view that
true Christians are unconditionally elected unto salvation by God.
Therefore, they conclude that since salvation is entirely based upon
God’s choice, if one is chosen, one cannot become “un-chosen.” Thus,
once he was saved, he will always be saved.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
idea of “once saved, always saved” seems to be particularly attractive
to those with family or loved ones who have strayed from the Lord. I
often hear people saying, “We’re so thankful that Billy prayed to
receive the Lord when he was twelve, so we know he’s saved!” What they
really mean is, “We know Billy is living like the devil, but we’re
counting on that prayer to get him into heaven.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Jesus
makes some clear descriptions about the sheep that won’t be snatched
out of His hand. First, they “hear” His voice. I don’t have time to
quote all the Scriptures that relate “hearing” with obedience, but it’s
unquestionably what Jesus means. So, the sheep that don’t have any fear
of being snatched from the Shepherd’s hand are <b>obedient</b>
sheep. The second description is that they “follow” Him. “Follow” is a
present tense verb in the Greek which denotes a continuous process of
following Jesus. He isn’t referring to sheep who constantly wonder
away.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Yet,
most of the time I hear “once saved, always saved,” it is in reference
to a person who has wondered away from the Lord. Thus, I don’t think we
can quote a passage like this for comfort. In fact, it teaches the
opposite . . . it teaches that if anyone is not “hearing” and
“following,” he better watch out! The safety is only for those who are
“hearing” and “following.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Now,
in regard to Calvinism, I believe “once saved, always saved” is a
distortion of the doctrine. Yes, Calvinism clearly teaches that
individuals are unconditionally elected unto salvation. Yes, it is
appropriate to then extract the truth that if one is unconditionally
elected, then one cannot un-elect oneself. However, the final point of
Calvinism’s five points is the “perseverance of the saints.” This means
that those whom have been chosen for salvation by God will continue in
their faith and fruitful work until called Home. Nowhere does Calvinism
teach that once one is saved, one can coast the rest of life and live
in any manner. In fact, Peter exhorts us in 2 Peter 2:10 to “be all the
more eager to make your calling and election sure.”</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Yet,
here’s the sticky point . . . since Calvinism teaches that true saints
will persevere in the faith until the end, the true test as to whether
one is truly saved is if he/she perseveres <b>until the end</b>.
This side of the finish line, there is no way for me to know for sure
whether I’ve been truly elected by God. I can’t live 80 years as a
saint and then live my final five years living like the devil. It is
only when I’ve completed my course of faith that I know I have been
chosen.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So
be careful with the phrase “once saved, always saved.” The phrase is
true if it is understood correctly. However, it can be fatal if it
offers false hope to one who has drifted from the Lord and remains
unrepentant! </span></span></span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-79597732337772237682009-04-21T15:11:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.601-07:00I Make Plans...God Laughs<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>I saw a license plate holder with the message, “I make plans . . . God laughs.” </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
first thing that struck me about this license plate holder was that it
was on a BMW 5 Series (which I truly admire. If you have the means, I
highly recommend one- I certainly don’t have the means). The second
thing that struck me is the apparent contradiction of images. On the
one hand, this beautiful new BMW 5 Series carried an aura of “I’ve made
it . . . and the evidence that I’ve made it is the fact that I’m driving
this beautiful new BMW.” Yet, on the other hand, this person had not
only the humility but also the desire to let the world know about a
paramount truth in his/her life . . . “It doesn’t matter what I plan,
God has the final say.”</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
If I had a life theme, I think this truly sums it up: I make plans . . .
God laughs. I’m starting to get the idea that God is laughing a lot
about my plans because He seems to change every one.</span></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
This past year I was sure God was leading me to become a chaplain in the
Navy. The process is long and arduous but I persevered through all the
hoops. The final step was being flown out to Washington D.C. to the
Naval Headquarters for a final interview with a panel of high-ranking
Navy officers. I must have done alright in the interview because I was
selected to the Chaplain Corps.</span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here’s
where God started to laugh. As soon as I was selected, I began to feel
a sense of uneasiness about going ahead with my plans. I then received
my first assignment: Okinawa! I should have been thrilled with these
orders, but I began to feel the opposite emotion. At one point, when I
was in my Navy recruiter’s office signing the paperwork to join, I had
to stop the process because I was beginning to feel severe
apprehension. The Navy set a final date for me to make a decision. My
wife and I prayed up to the last minute of the deadline and I eventually
declined my commission because I didn’t feel God’s peace. I made plans
. . . God laughed!”</span></span></div>
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If you are reading this blog, you’ll notice I pastor a church in
Southern California. This leads to another example of my life theme.
Before I came to California, my wife and I were sure God was calling me
to a church in the small Kansas town of Leoti. Leoti is a town of about
2000 people in Southwest Kansas. The people there are either farmers
or ranchers and have a real zest for life. I had been interviewing with
this church for awhile and we were making plans for me to come out to
the church to preach a sermon in order for the congregation to vote on
whether they wanted to call me as their pastor.</span></span></div>
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As the time got closer to deciding a date, I started to feel
apprehensive about this decision. There were some external factors that
were a problem (i.e. our house in Denver had been on the market eight
months without a nibble), but I couldn’t pinpoint any single issue for
being the cause of my apprehension. The more I prayed, the more
apprehensive I got. The apprehension eventually grew to the point that I
knew I had to stop the process. It was an extremely difficult phone
call to make because I had grown to enjoy the people and looked forward
to being their pastor. Once again, I made plans and God laughed.</span></span></div>
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Over the course of the next couple of months, no other ministry
positions opened up. Then, at a friend’s wedding, I was sitting next to
a gentleman from my denomination who asked what I was up to. He then
asked if I would consider pastoring a church in a smaller town in
Southern California that consisted of all senior citizens. “And, oh ya,
part of the church was a converted chicken coup” he said. Let me say
that I didn’t exactly spring out of my chair with excitement. However,
since I was seeking to get back into ministry, I decided to pray about
the position.</span></span></div>
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The wheels started turning quickly with this position and the church was
excited to talk to me and I was excited to talk with them. The first
phone call from the church came from one of their elders who started the
conversation with, “So you want to come to Southern California . . .” I
felt like responding, “No, I’m not looking to come to Southern
California but it’s the only option I have at the moment.” I decided
against saying that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The wheels kept turning quickly right up to the point they were ready to
talk about the terms of my call to the church if I was selected by the
congregation. This is where the wheels fell off . . . all they could
afford is $24,000 a year! Boy, was I in a pickle . . . do I take the
job for $24,000 or do I hope that another ministry job comes along? My
wife and I went to the Lord. The more we prayed, the more we began to
feel a strong call to this little church even if the money was barely
above the poverty mark. Once again, I made plans and God laughed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Thinking back to my college days, I was sure that I would meet my wife
in college. My plan was to meet her during college, graduate, work a
couple of years and then get married. God laughed! I didn’t meet her
during college and it was a good thing I didn’t meet her during college
because I would never have considered her . . . because she was twelve
years old when I graduated! Once again, I made plans and God laughed.</span></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
However, as I look at the situation with the Navy, the church, and my
wife, I can now see that every time I made plans and God laughed, it
wasn’t a cynical laugh from God. No, it was a wonderful chuckle from a
loving Father saying, “Son, I know you think you know where you are
going, but I have something else in mind for you . . . and what I have
in mind is far better than anything you planned.”</span></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
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So, thank you Father, for laughing at my plans. Thank you for closing
the door to the Navy. I’m far better suited here where you’ve placed
me. Thank you for leading me to this church that once had part of it as
a chicken coup. These are the most wonderful people and have been an
absolute joy. Thank you for laughing at my plan to meet my wife in
college and get married shortly thereafter. Your plan brought the most
wonderful woman I could ever have imagined.</span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</span></span> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">So when you make plans and God laughs, praise Him! For His plan is far better than yours would ever have been.</span></span></span></span>
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<span><br /></span></div>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-26682436645000868312009-04-20T15:11:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.548-07:00Yes, I'm a Calvinist<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Calvinism is a theological system that seems to be growing more and more out of favor with the Christian populace.<span> </span></span><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>“Calvinism” is
the theological view that stresses God’s sovereignty above human will.
This is the foundation of Reformed theology. The term “Calvinism” came
to us as a way to express the theology held by the Reformed theologians,
most notably John Calvin. The basis of Calvinism has been summed up in
the acronym of T-U-L-I-P. Each letter of the word “tulip” stands for a
major point in Calvinism. Other terms associated with Calvinism are
“election” (God chose you, you didn’t choose Him) and “predestination”
(your destiny was pre-ordained), in most cases, are synonymous with
Calvinism.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>In the “tulip”
acronym, “T” stands for total depravity (the belief that every part of
humanity has been tainted by sin). “U” stands for unconditional
election (the belief that God makes the first move in the salvation
process thereby showing that His choice is not based upon any condition
by the one whom He chooses for salvation). “L” stands for limited
atonement (the belief that since God has chosen only some for salvation,
the efficacy of Christ’s work on the Cross was not for all, but only
for the chosen). “I” stands for irresistible grace (the belief that
God’s pursuit with His grace toward one whom is chosen wins every
time). “P” stands for the perseverance of the saints (the belief that
those chosen for salvation do not rest on their election but continue in
works of faith and righteousness until they are called to their
heavenly rest).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Since my desire
is not to write a dissertation but merely discuss Calvinism’s most
controversial point- election- let me begin by quoting a verse (I chose
this verse at random among dozens of verses that speak about
election). 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says “But we should always give
thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God <b>has chosen you</b>
from the beginning for salvation through the sanctification by the
Spirit and faith in the truth.” In this chapter, Paul is contrasting
those who will be deceived by the works of the anti-Christ with those
who will remain faithful to the Lord. Notice the key wording “God <b>has chosen you from the beginning</b>
for salvation.” The Calvinist says this verse (and dozens like it)
makes it perfectly clear . . . God makes the choice. Calvinism boils
down to this basic truth . . . it is God who chooses.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Those against
Calvinism say verses such as this are easily explained by Romans 8:29
that says “For those whom (God) foreknew, He also predestined to be
conformed to the image of His Son.” So, they say, “Sure, they were
predestined for salvation because God foreknew they would accept Him.
God merely looked into the future and saw all who would accept Him and
thereby chose them.” A Calvinist would then reply, “But the meaning of
the word “foreknew” really means that God knew beforehand those whom He
would choose. It doesn’t refer to God looking into the future and
seeing those who would choose Him.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Let me take the
side of believing the word “foreknew” to mean that God looked into the
future and saw all that would come to Him and, thereby, He predestined
those individuals. The benefit of this belief is that I don’t have to
wrestle with why God didn’t choose someone because, according to this
belief, each person is to blame if he doesn’t choose the Savior.
However, isn’t there something still a little upsetting about this
belief that says Jimmy and Joe were predestined before time because God
knew they would accept His Son but Sammy and Sue were not predestined
because God knew their actions as well? By the time Jimmy, Joe, Sammy
or Sue is born, his/her eternal fate is already sealed. How is this
belief much more attractive than traditional Calvinism? The only way
this belief gives any hope about an individual being able to choose
Christ while actually living is to say that God missed some folks in His
“foreknowledge.” Otherwise, they would have already been predestined!
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So let’s go
back to the biggest critique of Calvinism . . . “You mean that God chose
some to go to heaven but didn’t choose others and those who aren’t
chosen go to hell? How could a loving God do such a thing?” Let me be
the first to say that this thought should never be easy for us to
understand. Even the Apostle Paul told his audience in Rome that he
wished he could be accursed and cut off from Christ if it would mean the
salvation of his fellow Jews who didn’t believe (Rom. 9:3). But even
though it is tough to understand, it doesn’t make it less true.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I’ve noticed
that most people who disagree with Calvinisn don’t have any trouble
believing that the Jews were the chosen people of God throughout the Old
Testament. The person whose face gets beat red debating against
Calvinism has no trouble accepting the chosen lot of the Jews.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So here’s my
question . . . why is accepting New Testament election so much harder
than accepting Old Testament election? What’s the difference? The Old
Testament is filled with examples of election. Every prophet was chosen
by God. The LORD told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I
knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed
you a prophet to the nations.” Or how about Moses or Abraham or David .
. . all elected by God. Yet, the greatest evidence of
election/predestination in the Old Testament is the Jewish people
themselves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The Jewish
people began through the blood line of one man, Abraham, and became a
people among hundreds if not thousands of other people groups. Yet, to
whom did God give His covenants? It was to Abraham and his
descendants. But was it to all of Abraham’s descendents? No, God’s
covenants did not apply to Abraham’s descendents through Ishmael, but
only those through Isaac. So, of all the millions of people, it was
only the Jews who were given the covenants. Is this not election? Can’t
a person use the same objection that is leveled against Calvinism . . .
“You mean God chose the Jews but didn’t choose the Egyptians, Hittites,
Jebusites, or any other people groups on the face of the earth? What
about the poor Edomite, Moabite, Philistine or Ammonite, didn’t they
have a chance?” The answer is . . . No! (Of course, there were some
God-fearers from other nationalities, but the number is so small that
there was no realistic chance of any of these other people groups ever
having access to God’s covenants).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So whether we
are looking at God’s choice of the Jewish people or God’s choice of
individuals for His Church, it’s all by God’s choice. And this is the
foundation of Calvinism.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So what’s the
benefit of Calvinism? It’s certainly not to provide fodder for heated
debates among saints. If you don’t agree with Calvinism, that is OK
with me. There are plenty of Scriptures that speak to the
responsibility of the individual in the salvation process. And if I’m
being completely transparent, I’m probably 51% Calvinist and 49% other.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Perhaps the
greatest amazement of Calvinism is the thought that not only does the
God of the universe know me, He also chose me to be in His family before
the beginning of time through the work of His Son. Meditate on that
for a bit and it should begin to blow your mind. It is my belief that
prior to Christ’s departure from heaven to earth to become the incarnate
Perfect Sacrifice, Jesus had you in mind as motivation for going ahead
with it. (There’s no question in my mind that those whom “God foreknew”
means that the Father knew your name personally). As David said, “Such
knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”</span></span></div>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-39082884919671227282009-04-13T15:13:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.559-07:00The Meaning of Good Friday in Two Words: Propitiation & Redemption<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Speaking parenthetically, let me begin by saying that I am growing more uncomfortable with the word “Easter.”</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I used to think that people who objected to the name “Easter” were merely being alarmists.<span> </span>I don’t feel that way anymore.<span> </span>I
don’t have the desire to give a full history of the term Easter, but it
seems more and more clear that its origins come from the pagan goddess
Ishtar (which is usually translated “Easter”) who gave birth to a
promised child Tammuz.<span> </span>It appears that early
Christians borrowed the term from this pagan festival that occurred at
the same time of year as the Passover and Resurrection Day.<span> </span>So from now on, I am challenging myself to speak only of Resurrection Day rather than “Easter.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The key to understanding Good Friday is to understand the concepts of <b>propitiation</b> and <b>redemption</b>.<span> </span>These two spiritual concepts are essentials to understanding the complexity of the Father’s wondrous salvation process.<span> </span>Until we appreciate both concepts, Good Friday and its significance in the salvation process are nothing but a veiled shadow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Propitiation is a word that many modern bibles have wiped out.<span> </span>The apparent reason is that modern thinkers don’t like the concept of an angry God who exacts wrath upon sinners.<span> </span><b>The word propitiation means the removal of wrath by the offering of a sacrifice.</b><span> </span>In a world of political correctness, the concept of a wrathful God is not palatable to many.<span> </span>The masses today want a grandfather-like God who winks at sin and says, “That’s just boys and girls being boys and girls.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Hebrew word kipper (atonement) underscores the understanding of God’s wrath toward sin.<span> </span>Yom
Kippur (Day of Atonement) was the most holy day of the year when,
according to Leviticus 16, the Priest would take two goats and then cast
lots to see which would become the scapegoat and which would become the
sacrifice.<span> </span>One of the goats was then chosen as the sacrifice and it was slaughtered.<span> </span>Leviticus 16:15 makes clear that the slaughter was for the peoples’ sins.<span> </span>After
the first goat was slaughtered, the Priest would then place both hands
on the head of the other goat, confess over it all the sins of the
people of Israel and all their transgressions, and then send the goat
into the wilderness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Both goats became a propitiation for the wrath of God against the sins of Israel.<span> </span>I’m sure most animal lovers would say the first goat was the greater propitiation!<span> </span>The
first goat symbolized that the ultimate consequence of sin before God
is death and the scapegoat symbolized that sin causes an eternal
separation from God.<span> </span>Why would God demand such an annual ritual?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
believe the answer lies in the fact that if I ever witnessed this in
person, being an animal lover, I don’t think I’d ever look upon my sin
or its consequences in the same way.<span> </span>I’d be confronted with two realities.<span> </span>The first is the sheer horror that my sin demands such a wrathful response from God.<span> </span>We live in a world of denial that negates the vileness of sin in the eyes of a Holy God.<span> </span>The second reality would be the utter amazement that an innocent animal took God’s wrath for me. <span> </span>So
by annually practicing this ceremony during Yom Kippur, the people were
given a graphic reminder of God’s zero tolerance policy toward sin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now to the New Testament mind, hopefully it is obvious that Jesus is our sacrifice for atonement- our propitiation.<span> </span></span>Romans<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>3:25 says, <em>“God presented him as a propitiation, through faith in his <span>blood</span>. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.”<span> </span>Notice the reason for our Lord being a propitiation . . . “He did this to demonstrate his justice.”<span> </span>A just God must render His justice against sin.</em><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I believe Jesus is also the New Testament fulfillment of the scapegoat.<span> </span>Just
as the scapegoat was banished into the wilderness by the Priest, so too
Jesus was banished from the presence of His Father while hanging on the
Cross.<span> </span>When Jesus uttered those heart-wrenching
words, “My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken me,” He was experiencing
the brunt of the Father’s banishment.<span> </span>One
question that I’m curious to ask our Lord is, “What caused you the most
agony: the hanging on the Cross or being banished from your Father’s
presence?”<span> </span>I’m quite certain He will say it was the latter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While
propitiation exposes us to God’s wrath against sin, redemption exposes
the lengths to which God reaches out to us who have gone astray.<span> </span><b>Redemption is defined by Easton’s Bible Dictionary as </b></span><em><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">the purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></em><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://valleyepc.org/page19.php?post=3#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><em><sup><span></span></sup></em><sup><span><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></sup></span></sup></a> There is a key difference between redemption and any normal purchase.<span> </span>When one purchases something, one is normally buying something that one does not already own.<span> </span>Here’s a silly analogy.<span> </span>Suppose you bought a pair of shoes at Macy’s and then some time later visited the store again.<span> </span>At some point a clerk from the store looked at you and said you need to pay for those shoes again if you want to keep them.<span> </span>You would reply, “I paid for these two weeks ago.”<span> </span>The
clerk would then respond, “Maybe so, but if you want to walk out of
this store with those shoes, you must pay for them again!”<span> </span>If you decided to pay for those shoes again, you have just ransomed your shoes.<span> </span>Thus, we must understand the concept of ransom before we fully comprehend redemption</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When
we look at redemption through theological terms it becomes astounding
what God the Father has done for us through Jesus His Son. The first
reality: we first belonged to God.<span> </span>As created beings, we belong to our Creator.<span> </span>However, our sin drove us away from God and we were delivered to the domain of darkness as Colossians calls it.<span> </span>When we were transferred into the domain of darkness, we still weren’t autonomous beings.<span> </span>We were under the authority of the evil one.<span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The second reality: God purchased us back.<span> </span>Colossians
1:13-14 says, “For He (the Father) rescued us from the domain of
darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom
we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”<span> </span>Imagine
this . . . even though I once belonged to God and walked away from Him
through my sin, God reached out to me again to purchase me back.<span> </span>This
truth is vividly displayed in the Old Testament by the prophet Hosea
being instructed by God to go buy back his wife Gomer who had left him
and gone into prostitution.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The third reality: what was the price that was ransomed for us?<span> </span>Of course the answer is Jesus’ blood was the ransom price.<span> </span>But let’s make this hit home . . . what is the price you would take in exchange of your son or daughter being sacrificed?<span> </span>It’s
pretty clear that most parents would not have any amount that they
would say, “OK, if you pay me x, then you can sacrifice my child.”<span> </span>Thus, the child’s blood is priceless.<span> </span>Therefore, how much more priceless does this make the blood of the Son of God?<span> </span>It’s countless!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So
as we come to Good Friday, let us reflect on two concepts of God’s
overwhelming love toward us and the Son’s inconceivable obedience.<span> </span>Jesus is our propitiation.<span> </span>He is the One upon whom God spent His wrath for my sin- the innocent Son of God brutalized and killed for my transgressions.<span> </span>The
image of Jesus being brutalized by the soldiers and ultimately
crucified should cause me to “tremble, tremble, tremble” as the beloved
hymn says.<span> </span>It’s only when we tremble that we can be sure we understand propitiation.<span> </span>If we don’t tremble, I’m not sure we understand propitiation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus is also our redemption.<span> </span>Even
though we had deserted God, He courted us back to Him through the
Gospel and paid the amazing price to ransom us- the blood of His Son.<span> </span>Today in the news there is a story of an American ship captain who was taken hostage by Somalian pirates.<span> </span>These Somalian pirates are demanding a ransom for the life of the captain.<span> </span>In our case, God bought us back again with the highest price in the universe- the blood of Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As
I began, I said that it’s only in understanding propitiation and
redemption that we have a clearer picture of Good Friday and its role in
salvation.<span> </span>It’s one thing to know that Jesus
died on the cross for my sin . . . but it’s a deeper understanding when
we grasp the depth of propitiation and redemption.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://valleyepc.org/page19.php?post=3#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><sup><span><sup><span style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></sup></span></sup></a>Easton, M.G.: <i>Easton's Bible Dictionary</i>. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996, c1897</span></div>
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</div>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-86132881773118108092009-04-07T15:14:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.611-07:00"You mean I'm not the next Billy Graham?"<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>As I look back at my seminary days and my
conversations with my fellow classmates, I’m sure that each one of us
had the quiet expectation that God had a big ministry in store for us
after graduation.<span> </span>After all, why would God have called <i>me</i> to seminary if there wasn’t a grand-scale ministry down the road?<span> </span>If
I’m being completely honest (don’t think worse of me for this), I
believe there were actually a few moments that I dreamed about being the
next Billy Graham.<span> </span></span><br />
<span> </span><span><br />
<span>Before I tell you whether or not I
actually became the next Billy Graham, there were pivotal moments in my
church experiences that groomed my expectations for future ministry.
Many times we base our future assumptions off of past realities. My
church experiences only fueled the fires of expecting God to do
something BIG.</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>When
I was a toddler living in Denver, my family drove way out west to Bear
Creek Presbyterian Church every Sunday. I didn’t care for the 45 minute
drive each way but my parents never asked my opinion. The attraction
at Bear Creek was John Coad. Here was a man who was an ex-Marine and
was the nearest thing to the Apostle Peter since Peter himself. John
was a passionate preacher of God’s Word, much like Peter must have been,
but also had the interpersonal skills of Peter as well. My favorite
story was when he strongly disagreed with an elder at a Session meeting
and challenged the elder to step out to the parking lot! Sure, he had a
few flaws but that man could PREACH!! The result of his preaching was
that Bear Creek grew from a church of a few hundred to a church of a few
thousand.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Some
years later during my sophomore year of high school, my dad took our
family to the first service of a start-up church. The name of the
church was Cherry Hills Community Church. When Dr. Jim Dixon took the
pulpit that first Sunday, I thought, “Here’s a tall, skinny guy who
actually holds my attention during the sermon.” As the months passed, a
phenomenon started to occur: my high school friends were actually
attending church and loving it. Then another phenomenon occurred: a dad
of one of my friends started attending church who hadn’t darkened the
doors of a church in years . . . nor would he have ever desired it.
Within a few months, this dad was an usher. I’m not sure he missed a
single Sunday for years. By the way, the church grew from hundreds of
attendees to thousands of attendees because they were all seeing what I
saw that first Sunday: this tall man can PREACH!</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Some
years later, my brother began attending a church-plant from Faith
Presbyterian Church called Faith-Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church. The
name was eventually shortened to Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church. The
church was pastored by a short guy named Mark Brewer. My brother told
my family about the church so we visited a few times. The first time I
heard Mark preach I thought, “Here’s a guy who has an amazing ability to
make me feel the Bible story in a way I hadn’t experienced before.
Yet, right when I was completely enthralled with the story, he broke my
line of concentration with the funniest one-liner I had ever heard.” By
the way, this church grew from a church of hundreds to a church of
thousands because this man could PREACH!</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Some
years later, after I had graduated from seminary, I received a call to
be the Senior Pastor of Valley Community Church in San Jacinto,
California. (The title is somewhat of a misnomer because I’m a solo
pastor). As I anticipated my first year of ministry, I called upon my
experience to be my guide. I would simply do what I had been mentored
to do by John Coad, Jim Dixon and Mark Brewer. All I had to do is
PREACH and the crowds would start rolling in.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
first few years the attendance rose impressively from a statistical
standpoint- attendance was up 48%. But the real numbers told the real
story . . . we had gone from an average Sunday attendance of 64 to an
average of 95. The truth was brutally apparent to me: I was no John
Coad, Jim Dixon, or Mark Brewer. The harder I tried to be like them the
more desperate and miserable I became.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I
realized that I was lying to myself back in seminary. God didn’t have a
grand ministry in store for me. The fact that I was one of the
finalists for the Seminary Preaching Award was no indicator that I would
possess the abilities of a Coad, Dixon or Brewer. I was crushed.</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span><span></span><span>In
the midst of my brokenness and misery, the Lord began ministering to
me. He took me through a Peter-like moment when He impressed upon my
heart, “Guy, if I want their ministry to minister to thousands and yours
to a hundred, what is that to you? You must follow Me!” When I
allowed the fullness of these words to resonate in my heart, the great
spiritual truth sprang forth . . . If I am following the Lord and doing
what He has called me to do, then it is every bit as important to Him
as any other ministry!</span><span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>The
truth is . . . I was not lying to myself in seminary when I assumed the
Lord had a grand ministry in store for me. The only difference is that
now I see things more clearly from the Lord’s perspective. The
greatest ministry is being in the place God has called us and doing the
things He has called us to do.</span><span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I guess I’m not the next Billy Graham . . . thank God! </span></span></span>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636361205973429041.post-57275510058973197342009-03-12T15:15:00.000-07:002012-05-15T15:16:19.581-07:00Madoff Mess<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I can't imagine the horror and emotions
of the thousands of people around the world who had invested their life
savings with Bernie Madoff. What investors thought was one of the
elite investments in the world turned out to be a $50 billion fraud.
What should happen to Mr. Madoff?<br />
<br />
Let me begin with a quote yesterday from Mr. Madoff. <br />
<br />
<em>"I am actually grateful for this opportunity to publicly comment
about my crimes, for which I am deeply sorry and ashamed," he said. "As
the years went by, I realized my risk, and this day would inevitably
come. I cannot adequately express how sorry I am for my crimes."<br />
<br />
</em>I am absolutely shocked and amazed that Mr. Madoff actually
confessed his guilt before a judge. Why am I amazed? Because a
confession is so rare these days even when a person is caught
red-handed! So for that, Mr. Madoff, thank you for doing what so few
choose to do these days.<br />
<br />
What should happen to Mr. Madoff? Since Mr. Madoff is Jewish and many of
those he defrauded are Jewish, let me quote the Jewish Torah . . .<br />
<br />
<em>Numbers 5:6-7 "Say to the Israelites: 'When a man or woman wrongs
another in any way and so is unfaithful to the LORD, that person is
guilty and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full
restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it all to the
persons he has wronged.<br />
<br />
</em>Mr. Madoff has done the first step . . . he made his confession.
The second part of the Law is the most difficult: restitution. I don't
know how a man who has defrauded $50 billion from investors worldwide
can make restitution plus one fifth (that's an extra $10 billion). This
will be impossible for someone who will be spending the rest of his
life in jail.<br />
</span>
<span style="font-size: small;">But, if Mr. Madoff is truly sorry
for his crimes and if (I don't know that he does) believes in the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the God of the Torah, then is it possible
that this God is powerful enough to rectify Mr. Madoff's mess? In other
words, are there messes too messy for even God to clean up?<br />
<br />
Mr. Madoff, for some eternal reason, God has allowed you and your crimes
to come to the forefront of the entire world. The world expects you to
go to prison for the rest of your life; your assets to be sold;
investors to receive maybe one penny of every dollar they invested. But
is it possible that if you truly humbled yourself before God and called
upon His name, that God would reveal Himself in your situation by
providing the means to fulfill the Law: make full restitution plus one
fifth.<br />
<br />
Now to the rest of us . . . if Mr. Madoff humbled himself before God and
called upon God's name and all his investors received full restitution
plus one fifth, what would we say? We'd have to say that we've
witnessed something truly miraculous. We might even be compelled to
say that we've seen God's hand at work.<br />
<br />
So, Mr. Madoff, I urge you to toil your remaining years in this most
noble pursuit to obey the Law. The way I see it you have nothing to
lose- you've already lost everything. But, maybe, by endeavoring in
this most noble quest of seeking God and seeking to obey His Law, you
might provide a blessing to the world that no amount of money could ever
afford . . . you might provide an opportunity for the world to
witness God!<br />
<br />
So the ball is in your court, Mr. Madoff, and it's your serve. You can
either call out to the LORD and possibly witness a miraculous act for
all the world to see or you can do what the rest of the world expects
from you- nothing.</span></div>Pastor Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268197508051473749noreply@blogger.com0