Acts 2:42 "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."
This is a slight diversion from my normal weekly devotional, in fact, other than the opening verse, this one is light on biblical study and high on application or example. In our Elder meetings we have been discussing our local church body, how to reach, how to invest, and how to nurture those that God has entrusted to us. Yes, we provide a place of worship and teaching from God's word... so we meet the first part of the subject verse.... Devoted to teaching, But how are we doing on fellowship and the breaking of bread together??
Last night on the way home from an Elder meeting, part of our discussion made me remember something that I had heard recently. While at a conference, I was speaking to a retired VP of a major company. In our conversation regarding "how things work at the church where he serves as an Elder at an Elder led church", our conversation edged towards the life of the church body and what "they" do during the week when not at church, and how they are accountable in such a huge church family. One of the things he pointed out that he had read was that increasingly one's place of employment is taking on a place of influence surpassing that of the family and church. Although he certainly was not seeing this as a positive trend, we all are only fooling ourselves if we think that this is not realistically the world we live in. People are less and less connected with the traditional, God-ordained institutions that nourish and support, namely the family and church. Sunday meals in the home are replaced by the ease of a restaurant... after all it limits the time you have to spend with people. I would venture to say that if your kids are in sports, you have more of the "sports family" in your home or spend more time with them, than the people in who you sit by in church. By not having people in your home, they will never know who you are, and conversely, without you being open to them knowing you, you will never know them. Broken marriages and homes are taking their predictable toll. And now, after almost 40 years of moving from the personal, to the "practical" so many are only casually connected to a church. I challenge each of you, reach out side of your self. Find the uncomfortable, invite them home. Serve them a home cooked meal... invest in them... nurture a relationship that they don't have with you or others in your church. While I don't necessarily always subscribe to Barna research in all areas, I have recently read that George Barna notes that in America some 10 million who claim to be Christian are unchurched. 10 MILLION.
That means that they don't know what being a Christian is all about, they don't understand the command to forsake not the gathering of believers, or quite possibly, they are not even really Christians in the true sense of the word. I think that this primary root level lack of connectedness that so many experience is both a tremendous obstacle and a great opportunity in sharing our faith with our fellow believers and slaves for Christ. We have been strategically planted to bear witness to God's plan and love for them. So what does this have to do with our witness and ministry in our homes or in the workplace?
It is imperative that we strengthen our own home and church life. These God-ordained institutions are not going to be replaced, although so many are disconnected from them in the complete crumbling of society as we know it. I guarantee that we will be weak and ineffective in our local church ministry if we are not receiving the support at home and at church. We must in both active and passive in ways we demonstrate our love for God, our family and our involvement in our local church. Without pride we must recognize the emptiness that they are experiencing (perhaps unknowingly) as they seek to find the fulfillment that only God offers in other ways. You my friends are truly instruments of God's work in our local church.
Open your heart, open your door, and seat someone you don't really know at your table. If we want to grow the ministry of our church, those "legacy" members need to have the same attention that we give to the new folks walking through the door for the first time. They need our love and concern expressed in a genuine friendship.
The legacy of a broken home is devastating, and in some ways a person never recovers fully, it changes them forever. This is the same for our church family. We all come from different places, times, experiences of "church". This spiritual home life is often "broken" just like a divorce or wrecked home life. There are trust issues, pesky sin issues, relationship issues in our church, just like in a home. Now I am certainly aware that some reading this are from a broken home themselves, either in your personal home life or spiritually. Be assured that God can use you in a very amazing way as you express your experience in the reconciliation process that only God can manage. Make yourself vulnerable, let people see the real you. Don't hide from the relationships, embrace the accountability.
As you read this, I know that some of you excel at having people over. Don't just eat and run, don't just fulfill this obligation I am pointing out to each of us (yes the finger points back at me as well!). Invest in the Kingdom of God by investing in his people. The rewards will be huge, I guarantee it!
Lunch is over, so have a great week,
Paul
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Going with the flow and pleasing the crowd
Following this intro, is the weekly devotional I prepare for the men's biblestudy on Thursdays. I thought this was applicable, so here it is for general consumption.
- Paul
"You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice " (Exodus 23:2).
"But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!'" (Luke 3:18).
"So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified." (Mark 15:15).
Those are just 3 versus of many that deal with the pressures of pleasing people and placating the crowd. Proverbs packs several hard uppercut punches as well as you dig through all thirty one chapters. In fact if you start in Genesis and work your way through God's word you can't escape the lessons concerning not following the ways of the world. Unfortunately, mankind has always struggled with a need to please the crowd. As it relates to teens we refer to it as "peer pressure." Yet peer pressure can affect more than just teens. In the Law, God spoke through Moses and warned the people against following the crowd in doing wrong. There's a powerful incitement to side with the crowd and God calls this a perversion of justice.
As I have been thinking about Easter and the story or Christ's "trial" and crucifixion, it becomes very apparent that this was the ultimate expression of peer pressure or being a crowd pleaser. This is plainly visible down through the ages. A few weeks ago, while I was in L.A., I was looking at some small books in the Christian bookstore. I picked up and browsed one concerning the Apostolic Creed. I read on the back cover that this text was used by many of the reformed churches, and kids memorize it in Sunday school. This morning on the way to work I remembered one of the lines that I read and it states Jesus "suffered under Pontius Pilate." What a way to be known and be remembered by millions each week all around the world!
The public officials of Jesus' day were no different than many we have in front of us today during this election year. Pilate was a crowd pleaser and the quintessential politician. He had neither courage nor conviction. On this particular day the crowd had made their wishes well known. Notice the phrase in Mark 15:15, and see Pilate's motive in his decision making: "wishing to satisfy the crowd." The author Warren Wiersbe wrote this comment: "Pilate knew what was right, but refused to do anything about it. Judas yielded to the devil in his great sin; Peter yielded to the flesh when he denied his Lord; but Pilate yielded to the world and listened to the
crowd. Pilate looked for the easy way, not the right way." Pilate had the opportunity to do the right thing and a careful reading of the Gospel indicates he certainly knew what the right thing was. He was deeply troubled within and though his wife expressed a spiritual sensitivity and sensibility he refused to listen to her. When he faced the pressure of the crowd who
cried out "Crucify Him" Pilate's cowardly lack of convictions became his defining moment in history.
All of us have and will continue to face this pressure in so many situations in our daily lives. It doesn't matter if it is our family, our friends, our school, our work, or the church body you are leading, doing the right thing in spite of public opinion or pressure is never easy. We all deal with "the crowd" and have a natural compulsion to please with the intent of getting along with others. Standing up against the crowd can have severe consequences, of course pleasing the crowd can have severe consequences as well. Are there not some characteristics of Pilate in each of us? I pray that God would help us all to be courageous and to stand by our convictions today whether it pleases the crowd or not, regardless of the consequences.
Guess what... You just may be called to do that today!
- Paul
"You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice " (Exodus 23:2).
"But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!'" (Luke 3:18).
"So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified." (Mark 15:15).
Those are just 3 versus of many that deal with the pressures of pleasing people and placating the crowd. Proverbs packs several hard uppercut punches as well as you dig through all thirty one chapters. In fact if you start in Genesis and work your way through God's word you can't escape the lessons concerning not following the ways of the world. Unfortunately, mankind has always struggled with a need to please the crowd. As it relates to teens we refer to it as "peer pressure." Yet peer pressure can affect more than just teens. In the Law, God spoke through Moses and warned the people against following the crowd in doing wrong. There's a powerful incitement to side with the crowd and God calls this a perversion of justice.
As I have been thinking about Easter and the story or Christ's "trial" and crucifixion, it becomes very apparent that this was the ultimate expression of peer pressure or being a crowd pleaser. This is plainly visible down through the ages. A few weeks ago, while I was in L.A., I was looking at some small books in the Christian bookstore. I picked up and browsed one concerning the Apostolic Creed. I read on the back cover that this text was used by many of the reformed churches, and kids memorize it in Sunday school. This morning on the way to work I remembered one of the lines that I read and it states Jesus "suffered under Pontius Pilate." What a way to be known and be remembered by millions each week all around the world!
The public officials of Jesus' day were no different than many we have in front of us today during this election year. Pilate was a crowd pleaser and the quintessential politician. He had neither courage nor conviction. On this particular day the crowd had made their wishes well known. Notice the phrase in Mark 15:15, and see Pilate's motive in his decision making: "wishing to satisfy the crowd." The author Warren Wiersbe wrote this comment: "Pilate knew what was right, but refused to do anything about it. Judas yielded to the devil in his great sin; Peter yielded to the flesh when he denied his Lord; but Pilate yielded to the world and listened to the
crowd. Pilate looked for the easy way, not the right way." Pilate had the opportunity to do the right thing and a careful reading of the Gospel indicates he certainly knew what the right thing was. He was deeply troubled within and though his wife expressed a spiritual sensitivity and sensibility he refused to listen to her. When he faced the pressure of the crowd who
cried out "Crucify Him" Pilate's cowardly lack of convictions became his defining moment in history.
All of us have and will continue to face this pressure in so many situations in our daily lives. It doesn't matter if it is our family, our friends, our school, our work, or the church body you are leading, doing the right thing in spite of public opinion or pressure is never easy. We all deal with "the crowd" and have a natural compulsion to please with the intent of getting along with others. Standing up against the crowd can have severe consequences, of course pleasing the crowd can have severe consequences as well. Are there not some characteristics of Pilate in each of us? I pray that God would help us all to be courageous and to stand by our convictions today whether it pleases the crowd or not, regardless of the consequences.
Guess what... You just may be called to do that today!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Resting on the promises of God
Assurance in Christ, in spite of ourselves.... Over the past several days here at work, I have been using my break time to think through some leftover nagging thoughts from my travels last week. That is the danger of listening to great teaching.... It hurts! Take a couple of minutes and read through this, I think it will make sense and possibly even help you as it did to me as I thought it through and prepared this. I kept thinking of what Tom Pennington stated last week..... "When you study the word of God, apply yourself to the text, then apply the text to yourself" OUCH!
So here is my band aid and mental salve for what ails my mind over the past couple of days... "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything" (1 John 3:19-20).
What are you aspiring for today? This question is haunting my mind since my attendance at the Shepherds Conference last week. It was obvious from the speakers that addressed both the main sessions and the seminars that their aspiration was for furthering the truth of God's word and remaining faithful to their calling. These were high caliber teachers, reducing themselves to a first name basis with a mere elder from a tiny church in Klamath Falls Oregon. There was no pretense of greatness, nor were they lording their theological prowess over the masses... (3500+ men in attendance). Observing the world, there are many pursuits people crave for such as wealth, fame, possessions and a flood of material appealing to our base instincts. Just one look at the "mass appeal" methods of the emerging church in its search for relevance to people, and you will find a disappointing effort to bring God to people instead of people to God, all because we don't want to be comfortable, entertained, or coddled by our worldly comforts. John describes such thinking with the following summary: "the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does." But none of these meet our deepest and greatest need. This touched my heart and has plagued my conscience since my return. What are my motives with my family at home, or at work or in the ministry to our local church?
King David sums up what our life's highest aspiration should be in Psalm 27:4: "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple." To gaze or meditate upon the beauty of the Lord brings peace and assurance as one who has been forgiven and placed in right relationship with God.
Prior to anyone of us coming to faith in Christ we are all under God's condemnation, we are slaves to sin (thanks to John Mac for pointing out the slavery issue!). His condemnation of us is absolutely just and completely consistent with the nature of a sinless, holy God. At the cross, the repentant thief speaks not just for himself, but for the entire human race in the final minutes before his death: "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23:41).
This condemnation is the result of the universal human condition of sin; "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). But when we believe in Christ and come into the truth a marvelous transaction takes place. One of the most liberating truths of Scripture I constantly have to remind myself of is in Romans 8:1: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
John makes a statement in this portion of Scripture that describes the human condition of self-condemnation. He describes it in a way that I can identify with when he uses the phrase "our hearts condemn us." I've experienced this occasionally and I'm certain that many of you have as well. I don't believe John is speaking of the healthy Holy Spirit-prompted conviction of sin that leads us to repentance. Rather, I think he speaks of self-condemnation that can afflict all us, God's children, robbing them of the peace and assurance that God has provided through the sacrificial death of His Son.
During my break time this morning, when looking at the online study Bible, I found the following comments on this portion of Scripture "our hearts condemn us." "An oversensitive conscience can be quieted by the knowledge that God Himself has declared active love to be an evidence of salvation. He knows the hearts of all - whether, in spite of shortcomings, they have been born of Him." What this is saying is that it is more than words that we utter at the "alter" or a prayer we repeat. It is the condition of your heart, and the actions you take as a physical evidence of the saving grace of God in your life. Ask yourself these questions; What is my motive in service to God...What do people see when they look at you... What will people remember when they weigh your actions and words against your profession of faith in Christ? Are your actions consistent with your words?
Two truths need to be deeply acknowledged from text in 1 John 3:19-20, these are: 1) "God is greater than our hearts", and 2) "He knows all things"
Today I really want to encourage you all to rest in a deep assurance of God's love and acceptance. Sometimes we all struggle with self-condemnation, which Satan, the enemy of our soul delights in. He will use that to create self-doubt, worthlessness, and tempt you to admit defeat and walk away from God; God who has not left us in our condemned state but who has provided His mercy and grace. Accept the truth of God, who is greater than our hearts, and humbly realize that indeed He knows all things, even those things which we cannot fully understand.
- Paul
So here is my band aid and mental salve for what ails my mind over the past couple of days... "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything" (1 John 3:19-20).
What are you aspiring for today? This question is haunting my mind since my attendance at the Shepherds Conference last week. It was obvious from the speakers that addressed both the main sessions and the seminars that their aspiration was for furthering the truth of God's word and remaining faithful to their calling. These were high caliber teachers, reducing themselves to a first name basis with a mere elder from a tiny church in Klamath Falls Oregon. There was no pretense of greatness, nor were they lording their theological prowess over the masses... (3500+ men in attendance). Observing the world, there are many pursuits people crave for such as wealth, fame, possessions and a flood of material appealing to our base instincts. Just one look at the "mass appeal" methods of the emerging church in its search for relevance to people, and you will find a disappointing effort to bring God to people instead of people to God, all because we don't want to be comfortable, entertained, or coddled by our worldly comforts. John describes such thinking with the following summary: "the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does." But none of these meet our deepest and greatest need. This touched my heart and has plagued my conscience since my return. What are my motives with my family at home, or at work or in the ministry to our local church?
King David sums up what our life's highest aspiration should be in Psalm 27:4: "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple." To gaze or meditate upon the beauty of the Lord brings peace and assurance as one who has been forgiven and placed in right relationship with God.
Prior to anyone of us coming to faith in Christ we are all under God's condemnation, we are slaves to sin (thanks to John Mac for pointing out the slavery issue!). His condemnation of us is absolutely just and completely consistent with the nature of a sinless, holy God. At the cross, the repentant thief speaks not just for himself, but for the entire human race in the final minutes before his death: "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23:41).
This condemnation is the result of the universal human condition of sin; "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). But when we believe in Christ and come into the truth a marvelous transaction takes place. One of the most liberating truths of Scripture I constantly have to remind myself of is in Romans 8:1: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
John makes a statement in this portion of Scripture that describes the human condition of self-condemnation. He describes it in a way that I can identify with when he uses the phrase "our hearts condemn us." I've experienced this occasionally and I'm certain that many of you have as well. I don't believe John is speaking of the healthy Holy Spirit-prompted conviction of sin that leads us to repentance. Rather, I think he speaks of self-condemnation that can afflict all us, God's children, robbing them of the peace and assurance that God has provided through the sacrificial death of His Son.
During my break time this morning, when looking at the online study Bible, I found the following comments on this portion of Scripture "our hearts condemn us." "An oversensitive conscience can be quieted by the knowledge that God Himself has declared active love to be an evidence of salvation. He knows the hearts of all - whether, in spite of shortcomings, they have been born of Him." What this is saying is that it is more than words that we utter at the "alter" or a prayer we repeat. It is the condition of your heart, and the actions you take as a physical evidence of the saving grace of God in your life. Ask yourself these questions; What is my motive in service to God...What do people see when they look at you... What will people remember when they weigh your actions and words against your profession of faith in Christ? Are your actions consistent with your words?
Two truths need to be deeply acknowledged from text in 1 John 3:19-20, these are: 1) "God is greater than our hearts", and 2) "He knows all things"
Today I really want to encourage you all to rest in a deep assurance of God's love and acceptance. Sometimes we all struggle with self-condemnation, which Satan, the enemy of our soul delights in. He will use that to create self-doubt, worthlessness, and tempt you to admit defeat and walk away from God; God who has not left us in our condemned state but who has provided His mercy and grace. Accept the truth of God, who is greater than our hearts, and humbly realize that indeed He knows all things, even those things which we cannot fully understand.
- Paul
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
As a matter of introduction
The purpose of this blog is to provide another way to communicate between the Elders of Immanual Baptist Church, (simply known as IBC for the purpose of this blog), and the church family @ IBC.
As this blog matures and we figure out what works and what doesn't we will make additional features available. For now, if you have questions about something one of the Elders posts, something that is going on at church or if you just have a question you would like answered, feel free to ask and we will get you an answer from who ever is the subject matter expert.
The next few posts will be an effort by us here at Elderworld to introduce who each Elder is and a little about what makes each of us tick and our areas of responsibility here at IBC. The current crop of Elders... Shelley Gale- Pastor/Teacher, Bob Morgan-Elder Chairman/Teacher, Craig Klems-Teacher/EAL (Elder at Large!), Damon Pollard -EAL, Paul Lyman-Treasurer/Teacher/blogger
So ask, comment or just enjoy. May God Richly bless you each day as you strive to serve him in every way.
- Paul Lyman, Elder blogger
Verse of the day: Proverbs 18:6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,and his mouth invites a beating.
As this blog matures and we figure out what works and what doesn't we will make additional features available. For now, if you have questions about something one of the Elders posts, something that is going on at church or if you just have a question you would like answered, feel free to ask and we will get you an answer from who ever is the subject matter expert.
The next few posts will be an effort by us here at Elderworld to introduce who each Elder is and a little about what makes each of us tick and our areas of responsibility here at IBC. The current crop of Elders... Shelley Gale- Pastor/Teacher, Bob Morgan-Elder Chairman/Teacher, Craig Klems-Teacher/EAL (Elder at Large!), Damon Pollard -EAL, Paul Lyman-Treasurer/Teacher/blogger
So ask, comment or just enjoy. May God Richly bless you each day as you strive to serve him in every way.
- Paul Lyman, Elder blogger
Verse of the day: Proverbs 18:6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,and his mouth invites a beating.
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