Being the Church Marketing

While I was visiting family during the Christmas week, I saw a vinyl banner hanging from a chain link fence surrounding a church yard which read, "Coming Soon THE BARN Christian Fellowship." I couldn't help but try to think of what kind of person would go to a church called "THE BARN"? That is kind of the point to naming a church THE BARN. It is a marketing ploy. From what I know of the church, it is close to folding. I am assuming they think that re-branding their church with a name that is more seeker friendly will help it grow.

I think this is an unfortunate turn for the modern American church. Most are marketing heavy churches dependent upon American consumers. Churches come up with slick marketing themes for various church ministries, catchy logos, church mission statements, entertainment driven worship, and many various other marketing ploys to fill the seats. All of this is designed to reach Americans dedicated to making sure their needs are met when going to a business. This is understandable. If I spend my money somewhere, I want to get the best value for my dollar. Is this something that churches need to appeal to? Do churches want people to come in and feel comfortable, secure, cared for, and loved? Yes. Do churches need people who will join and begin serving as volunteers in their church to meet these stated ministry goals? Yes. My question then becomes, do churches, when appealing to the consumer side of individuals, make reaching their goals more difficult?

Think of it in this way; churches put great money, time, and effort in making their ministries look appealing and better than a competing church. Those drawn to these churches come in looking mainly to have their spiritual needs met. They are not looking for a place to serve. How then will churches get a group of people to serve to meet the needs of others by appealing to their consumer side to draw them in?

While driving down the road, I heard the speaker on the radio mention the angels in the Christmas story. I laughed out loud when he said the angels "weren't seeker friendly." He pointed to the fact that the angels weren't there to help the shepherds through a rough patch in life, they were there to share the good news. They came glorifying God and the Son that was just born. In my mind, I can't help but contrast the two approaches.

As the Church, Christians are called to care for and meet the needs of others. They are called to help each other walk through this life in such a way that those outside the church walls see it and desire it. The Church has failed at doing this. Maybe this is why church logos, marketing schemes, and promotions are needed to get people to come. For clarity sake, let me say that I believe that organization, leadership, and outreach communication is necessary for churches to touch the community and bring people in. I think, unfortunately, that those inside the walls of the church believe more in the marketing power of videos, slogans, modern technology, and slick promotional schemes than the power of Christ working in us to reach the lost, help the hurting, and grow the Church.

Clay

Just some prose on God's never changing intention to make a person (me) useful in His service. This was written before the Ashamed at Not Being Content post.


My life was broken and scattered.
Shattered into a myriad of pieces
Without rhyme or reason.
Fragments borne by the winds of time
Into an ever unsolvable puzzle.
An empty shell that could never be made whole
Then ever so slowly,
The Potter began to gather the broken scraps,
One by One
Doused with Water from the Jar of the Potter,
The hardened clay of Life became soft again.
Then ever so softly,
With Hands of Mercy,
The Potter began to knead away.
His never changing intention
Is to make THIS clay
Into a useful Invention.

Ashamed at Not Being Content

I have learned, or rather admitted to myself lately that my mood and perspective on life has to do with my bank account. I have lived much of my adult life around the poverty level of income. The most I have ever made (gross) in a single year is $24K. I moved to PA to try to make a living, become independent, and to help my father pay his bills when his health declines. I am not close to doing that. Although I have made ends meet, and even bought some wants, this job is not reaching the potential I was told it could. There have been some extenuating circumstances. My partner's wife divorcing him and him taking about 2 months off from doing any substantial work to get his personal life in order has hindered income severely. The income from this job is very sporadic regardless. Last week, I paid myself $40. I had food and my bills are mostly paid for the month because they all are near the first half of the month, but listening to what my partner say his financial needs are (and they change depending on his mood), and knowing what I need, I am not sure of this job's potential to sustain that. I have been stressed heavily since I have been in PA because of the uncertainty, and have had to incur debt to make ends meet at times. However, I have no assets to pay my debts if the business fails. Everything I own I can almost fit on my $65 couch. The stress has even affected my health. There are days of extreme fatigue all from stress. My job is by no means physically taxing.

So, what's the point? I am ashamed that my faith in Christ cannot overcome my stress about my income. Paul said in Philippians 4:11-12, "Not that I speak according to need, for I have learned to be content in whatever state I am. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound. In everything and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need" (emphasis added). I am not there. You also have to understand that my income before I moved to PA was about $6k/year while working part time at the Y while in school. This is not a new phenomenon. Now I am on my own and want to stay that way, whereas before I was living with my dad. This has been a stress for years. I have been fighting to get back to a "normal" life ever since my wife left me in disarray. In my mind, only then will I be past that whole episode with my mother dying, wife leaving, and needing to move in with dad. It's a quest for wholeness, independence, and the ability to affect the lives of others for Christ. Can I do that while being so stressed about money that I can't do anything? And by 'anything' I mean being able to give to others or attend (gotta be able to afford the gas to get there) social events at church or elsewhere so as to interact with others and reach out to people. Can I be useful in THIS society while being impoverished? I don't know. All I know right now is that I am not content with only Christ and for that I feel a certain amount of shame.

Where I Am Today

Lately my reading and focus has been on the cross. More specifically, Christ's sayings on the cross. It's a humbling thing to read about what He went through and then read what He said about those who were punishing Him. His concern was not for Himself, but for those nearby, whether it was His mother, the Roman guards, or John the beloved disciple. In the near future I will be writing about a few of those sayings and what they mean to me but today I just wish to share that the cross is where I am at. You may think it odd that, at Christmas time, I am focused on the cross. But didn't the babe in the manger grow up to be the man on the cross? Was this not the ultimate purpose of His birth? The irony that, in His death, He birthed a new family made of Jews and Gentiles into one new body. It is His body designed to fulfill His will on this Earth. We talk of being His hands and feet, but how often do we fulfill that? How often do we let His words reign in our hearts and minds so that our hearts are filled with them and they pour out due to an overflow of abundance? May today find us speaking His truth in love to those who need it most.

An Abundance of Experience

You should know better than to say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to the city. We will do business there for a year and make a lot of money!" What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears. You should say, "If the Lord lets us live, we will do these things." Yet you are stupid enough to brag, and it is wrong to be so proud. (James 4:13-16 CEV)

 Things we take for granted in this life are shown very clearly in these verses. We pretend we are in control of our lives. The people in these verses just assumed that they could go do whatever they wanted and make money and get rich. There are people in this world who can do that. They get a plan and put it into action and reap the rewards of it. It allows them to think that they are golden and that nothing touches them. As in these verses, it leads to pride. They do not acknowledge the goodness of God, nor give Him thanks for making their path so easy.

My life has not been like this. Throughout my life, good times, as most people think of them, have been scarce. Whether it has been in the area of relationships, finances, health, friends, or family, things seem to fall apart in my life. Because of this, it has made me very grateful when opportunities to succeed in these areas come my way.

When I meet people who have had success in life, it seems very difficult to explain to them what it means to be stripped of good things in life. They suggest that I try various things for entertainment that are free,  but then I have to explain that I cannot even do what they suggest. For example, when I used to speak of not being to do things because of lack of money they suggest things such as go to a park. I then explain to them that going to a park that is any distance away takes gas and I can't afford to use gas for that reason. Those things are not even taken into consideration for them, it is just an assumption that gas magically appears in their tank. What I see as reciting the facts of my life is seen as self-pity or being negative.

So, what is the point of this post? Am I saying that those who have good things in life are proud and arrogant and do not deserve them? Absolutely not. I am trying to express the difficulty I have in describing truly difficult times to many; especially in America. We have become so used to having an abundance that basic necessities such as gas for the car to go to work are never a concern. It is an assumption and taken for granted. I am blessed to live in a country where, in my darkest times, I have had it much better than the vast majority of those in other countries. Many times I do not feel this way, but when my emotions are stripped away and I can see my life in the reality of the cross, I can say I am grateful for my many difficult times because it has allowed me to see God's hand at work in rescuing me from difficulties. I may not have an abundance of things, but I have an abundance of experience with God's hand at work in my life to fall back on.

Guard Your Heart... Or Not?

Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

As you can read, scripture tells us to guard our heart because it is very precious and vital to all of the "issues of life." But what does this mean? I think one of the obvious answers is to protect it from evil influences. The things we see and hear affect what we do, think, and feel. We need to be diligent to protect our heart from external things which may harm us spiritually. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). So, obviously, we need to protect what goes into our heart.


But I see nowhere in scripture that it tells us NOT to give it away. You may argue that you are protecting it by not letting your feelings get hurt by being rejected or mocked by being open about what is in your heart. But I believe that our greatest opportunities and successes come when we open our heart to people. When we say sincere words that are kind and encouraging, we may get rejected, but what an impact they can have. Proverbs 25:11 says, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." A kind deed that meets another persons need without being asked (or even after being asked) to help is bearing one another's burdens (Gal 6:2).

I could go on, but the truth is that we need to give our hearts away. If Christ, who is in our heart, is given away to others in words and deeds, how many people would come to know Christ?

I urge you to guard your heart from evil influences, but don't guard it from the pain that comes from giving it away, Christ didn't.

In a Short Moment

I am thankful for God's grace. He has watched over me today in such a great way. He has brought healing to my heart and mind. He has also brought hope to a beleaguered soul. After a long weekend of searching for His guidance, in a moment, He speaks and changes everything. In just a few simple words, He can bring clarity, relief, hope, joy, wisdom, and guidance and change everything. He is Wonderful, unsearchable, and His ways are beyond knowing.

"I hear a voice, and He calls me Redeemed, when others say I'll never be enough!" What great words from MercyMe's song Greater.

Praise

Nothing earth shaking to write about other than praising God for His faithfulness. I have been through many "bad" things over these last 10 years, but one thing I know for sure is that Christ has been with me through it all. He has walked through these fires with me and continuously hammered on me to remove so many things that have plagued my life. He has made into a different man than I was 10 years ago. I have more patience, kindness, love, and wisdom than I had what seems like a lifetime ago. His grace and mercy has been tangibly real in several situations in my life. While hammering me into this new man, He has protected me from those things that would completely break me. I do not know what things my future holds, but let me say with Job, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." Let me agree with David that "my times are in His hands." Let me say with Paul, "Thanks be to God, for His unspeakable gift."

Risking It All

In our Wednesday night men's group at church, we have been going through the Wild at Heart series. In this week's study, the topic of taking risk came up. It made me think of men in the Bible who took great risks to follow God. In the video, he mentioned Abraham, but I also thought of Moses, David, and Peter.

In Genesis, God calls Abraham to leave his hometown and family and go.... nowhere in particular just yet, just go. Leave all that you know or have ever known and go. So Abraham sat down and made a list of the pros and cons of his decision. He looked for employment near and wide with his high speed internet connection. He posted his resume on LinkedIn and put out feelers on Facebook. Any responsible adult with a family would never move without making sure they had a secure job and a place to stay before moving. Obviously, this isn't what Abraham did since he only had dial-up internet. All joking aside, Abraham left as God instructed and today we count him a father of the faith because Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23).

Moses had been on the other side of the desert from Egypt, his home, for 40 years. God appeared to him in a burning bush that was not consumed and told Moses to go back to Egypt and confront the world's most powerful man, the Pharaoh. Even though Moses objected, he followed God. He confronted Pharaoh and God used him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery to freedom.

David, being just a boy, confronted a man more than twice his size with just a sling and 5 stones. He had rejected the king's armor which was the best armor available. Rather then lean on man's best available options, David said, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied" (1Sa 17:45). He stood before Goliath, who was armed to the teeth, with just a sling and a stone and the hand of God.

When the disciples left the shore, the weather was calm. During their trip across the sea, it became rough and, being in fear, they saw Jesus walking on the water. Peter, the Bible's resident redneck (voted most likely to die saying, "Hey y'all watch this"), cried out and said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water" (Matthew 14:28). Little did Peter know it was hard water, and could be walked on easily.

Each of these men took a chance. Doing great things, making memorable moments, and changing the course of history isn't done by doing the doable. God doesn't call us to do great things either. He calls us to follow Him. Henry Blackaby called these times a crisis of belief. Those times when God reveals what He is about to do through you that requires faith AND action. Following God requires both. In each of these cases, these men took great risks of personal harm or family and financial disaster. Following God will require risk in what we call a normal life, yet the Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God. I am unsure how to end this post. It seems the logical conclusion is to say that following God is the greatest risk, but is it? All these men took what we would say was a great risk, but all of these men also received what God promised. Maybe the real lesson is that what we see as risking it all, is no risk at all if we follow the leadership of God.

Change and Hope

In 2008, Barack Obama promised he would fundamentally change America and used the campaign slogan of Hope and Change. I will leave the political commentary for another time, but I wanted to use his slogan as a jumping off point to talk about what scripture says about hope and change.

Romans 12:2 begins by telling us that we should not conform to this world, but "be transformed by the renewing of our mind." One telltale sign of being a Christian is that of a changed life. Christ didn't die so that we can continue to live empty lives, He came to give us life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10). So, that means we will change. He will change our minds, our attitudes, our behaviors, and most importantly our purposes in life. His ultimate goal is to change us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). The word Christian was first used as a slur to mean "little Christ." It denoted someone who acted like Jesus, today in America it could just be labeled an "alternative lifestyle." In other words, if Christ is in your life there should be some sort of outward visible change in how you live.

Often, change brings conflict within and without. As a Christian, we often struggle with old sinful desires until God replaces them. Our new life may mean severing ties with old friends. All of this may lead us to difficult times and decisions in life, but God has a purpose for these trials and tribulations. Romans 5:1-5 begins with us having peace with God through Christ, but in there are also some difficulties:

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we glory in afflictions also, knowing that afflictions work out patience, and patience works out experience, and experience works out hope. And hope does not make us ashamed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us. (Rom 5:1-5)

The purpose of these difficulties is so that God can bring us through them, and in doing so, we learn to trust in Him. This gives us hope that when new difficulties arise, God is at work changing us into the image of Christ and that He will lead and guide us through.

I say all of that as a lead in to the point of this post. Over the last few months, I can see and am consciously aware of God changing me inside and out. For the first time in a long while, I am an independent adult male (sounds wrong doesn't it?). Through this independence, I am able for the first time in my life to really find out who I am and see the man God is making me into. All of this change is giving me hope that God isn't done with me in this life. That He plans to bless me "with a future filled with hope--a future of success, not of suffering" (Jer 29:11, CEV). So, I wish to thank President Obama for the intro to this post. Now about the economy.....

My Prayer

My friend Mack loves the prayer of Jabez. But in reading one of my favorite sections of scripture, I found a prayer that is the cry of my heart that I had never noticed before. It is found in Exodus 33:12-13, "Moses said to the Lord, 'See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.'" 

Nestled among these words I found the very simple yet profound cry of my heart, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight." In these words we see the true beauty of knowing God. When we find favor in His sight, we find a desire to continue in His favor. We find a desire to know Him and to please Him. We do not find the desire to be blessed with any other blessing other than His presence. It is a consuming fire within us and proves Hebrews 12:29, "for our God is a consuming fire." It is the same fire Jeremiah felt in 20:9, "f I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot." This same fire burns within me, and my prayer is that of Moses, "Show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight." It is the one consuming thing in my life that burns away all the dross of other fears or desires that might consume me. Praise be to God for His unspeakable gift.

Religious Freedom vs Reproductive Rights

Today, the Supreme Court handed down a verdict in favor of Hobby Lobby stating that they did not have to provide certain contraceptives to their employees. There have been many various reactions to the verdict. Anything from outrage and accusations of a war on women and their reproductive rights to joy at the courts decision to preserve a business owner's religious liberty.

If people are intellectually honest, I believe that we can all agree on this one thing. We are a country governed by our Constitution. This Constitution grants to all people the RIGHT to freely worship as they see fit and to exercise their religious freedom. This same Constitution does not grant a RIGHT to free contraceptives.

Any person who argues with the above statement is a dishonest political hack seeking only to push their agenda regardless of what our governing document says.

Persuasion

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others... 2 Corinthians 5:11. Do we? Do we try to persuade others or do we try to just get along? When was the last time you have presented the gospel to someone? When was the last time you tried to persuade anyone to follow Christ?

In a world filled with words, ours and the Lord's gets lost in the pixelated world in which many of us live. We communicate through texting or chatting on social media websites. The world in 140 characters or less. I live in that world far too often. Rather than our lives being flowing and organic, we try to sum things up in cliches or witty snippets posted online for others to read and respond. In this world, our Lord's words are just another opinion in a sea of people trying to be something other than themselves or rather letting the nasty human being out that they can't be in person.

I love technology. I like movies, music, and smartphones. But sometimes I need more than a text. I need more than an emoticon. I need more than a /hug. Sometimes, I actually need a hug. Sometimes I actually need a set of eyes staring back at me, listening to me, responding to me. Sometimes, I actually need to sit down with a friend and talk. Sometimes I need to talk to strangers. Sometimes I need to let my actions speak louder than my words.

But all of the time, I need to let the Lord speak through me. Then and only then can I be persuasive. Only then can He work through me to try and persuade others that my God is a mighty God who is to be feared. That He is a God of judgment and Hell fire. He is also a God who can quench the Hell fire. The condemnation that all people fall under, this fearful, mighty God has taken the punishment upon Himself.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Therefore, we try to persuade others......

FREEDOM!!

Ever had spiritual aches? When those spiritual muscles are tired of fighting that sin which so easily overwhelms you, and they are just sore? I get them a lot. I get frustrated when my eyes roam where they shouldn't. Or when my mind goes to that place that isn't fit for human thought. Or when my frustration with another person turns them into an object rather than a person with doubts, fears, and worries also. Then I read in the Bible that I should put away anger, wrath, and malice. You mean I am supposed to fight how I feel too? COME ON!

I have been reading through II Corinthians lately and I came to chapter 5. I have been stuck there for a couple of weeks now. I knew some verses from there, good verses too, but for some reason the entire thing just lit up my soul and has been burning within me lately.

Verses 1-4 read like this in the RSV:
     For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling - if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden , because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Oh my. The security of a house made by God's own hand that will never be destroyed, decay, or be taken away. The joy of a dwelling not plagued by sin. The freedom from that sin which so easily besets us. The freedom to worship God wholly and without reservation, but further still to worship Him while being face to face. That thing which Moses desired to see, God's glory, will be before us unhindered in its fullness. This sinful mortality which separates us from God, will be gone. Swallowed up by the life Christ has given us. Glory, honor, and praise be to Christ forever more.

Technicalities, Specifics, and Interpretation

I have learned something over the last couple of weeks. I have been asking others for their opinion on whether it is biblical for me to remarry. What I have received is a technical analysis of scripture. Which is fine, but I have noticed how little "interpretation" we do of these scriptures. Simply put, my situation in my divorce does not neatly fit into one of the passages about divorce or remarriage. So, since I do not fit technically into one of those categories, there seems to be no way of deciding whether I can remarry biblically. So, shouldn't we as Christians be able to read scripture, look at the principles in the text, and glean what truth can be mined from them regardless of the subject at hand?

For example, the Bible says, "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." (Matthew 5:29 KJV). I must say my eyes have offended me often daily. I still have them both. I dare say that anyone who reads this blog has been offended by what their eyes see (and by this the scriptural context is to look upon the opposite sex [or if we want to be technical, a woman] with lust) and yet probably also have both of their eyes. This is a scripture we "interpret" because we don't want to rip out our eyes.

In my situation, my wife left me and did not want to reconcile. I had not been unfaithful and caused her to leave. She had not been unfaithful either. The scripture says divorce is permissible due to infidelity. After she left, I had a brief relationship with a woman which included physical relations. However, she did not divorce me for infidelity. Another passage states, "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace" (1Co 7:10-15 KJV). My wife was a believer. So, this scripture does not apply to me. This is where my interpretation comes into play. She was a believer, but she departed. So, should I as a believer whose spouse has departed remain unmarried for life because my wife, who was a believer, left me and has now remarried leaving me no option for reconciliation? I believe that I can remarry because the principle of abandonment in this passage applies to me even if my wife is a believer.


I may lose friends over my decision. It is hard to say how people will react to things like this where we want to be very technical and specific. Ultimately, it is for me to decide based on scripture and my relationship with God and what He is doing in my life. I have often forced God into a box. Yet over the last few years, God has burst open the box and shown me that He can work through any and all circumstances to mold me into the man I should be. If not, then I should just quit going to church because with my past I can never be used of God. Look at those great men of faith such as Abraham (a liar), Moses (a murderer), David (a murderer and adulterer), Peter (a betrayer), Paul (killed Christians), and John (arrogantly asked to be seated at Christ's side). They never did anything wrong, right?

Amazing

I am continually amazed at what God can do. I often limit God because I believe that my circumstances are greater than His power to overcome them. In some cases, however, He has caused my bad circumstances to get my mind right.

After my wife left me and mother died, to say I was extremely distraught would be an understatement. I was numb physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I began a relationship with a woman that any other time I would have rejected. Recently Christ has shown me that she was brought into my life to break the numbness and get my mind right again. It was after this that I began attempting to reconcile with my wife again (to no avail obviously), and to attend church regularly where He began the mending process of my life. It was a revelation to me that He had brought her into my life. I always assumed it was my sin and failure (and it was), but He used that to reach me.

I remember not too long ago He told me to go to college and finish my degree and I didn't believe it was possible. But as I raise my eyes I see both of my degrees hanging on the wall.

When will I learn that His faithfulness and initiative in my life has no bounds? When will I learn that He will accomplish His plans in me because He made me for a purpose, and as long as I want to honor Him, He will continue to mold and make me into His image? Six years ago He started with heavy blasting, now He is chiseling away. May He ever be praised.

Moving On

Sunday was interesting. As someone who tries to always have my eyes and ears open to God's leading, I believe Sunday had some significance.

As I came into church, one of the elders I met last week stopped me and told me about the men's prayer meeting before the service. They would gather to pray for the service and the pastor. I went in and took my seat in the sanctuary and spoke with the pastor briefly as he was greeting people. A few minutes later he grabbed me as he came by to go to the back and pray. We prayed for the service and then the pastor asked me to pray for him as we gathered around and laid our hands on him.

It seems that the pastor of Gettysburg Baptist likes and trusts me. We seem to have an easy rapport with each other like we have known each other for a while. He knows the circumstances of my move up here and maybe he sees God's hand in leading me to their church. Maybe there is a need that he has been praying for that I meet. Only God knows, but maybe He showed me a little this past Sunday where He wants me to be.

Simplicity

The gospel at its heart is a very simple thing. We Christians can and do tend to over complicate some matters. If you look at Genesis, you see the true foundation for the gospel.

In Genesis 3, we see Adam and Eve disobey God. God had told them previously that if they disobeyed the penalty would be death. Did Adam and Eve die? Eventually, but on that day the Bible says God made them coats of skin. I have never seen an animal live after being skinned! An innocent creature paid their price for sinning. And so God cursed mankind to suffer for their sin and cast them out of the perfect Garden.

In Christ we see this story played out on an eternal scale. Christ was God manifested (made known) in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). The life He led was sinless, therefore He was innocent before God and man. On the cross, His death paid my penalty for being a sinner: death. His resurrection is evidence that God accepted His payment eternally for the sins of those who will repent and believe in Christ.

Let me shorten it even further. God said if you sin, the penalty is death. Man is sinful and death has overcome every man (or woman) who has ever lived. Christ paid that penalty for me and offered me salvation from my penalty. I accepted and am now considered free in God's eyes from that penalty.

That offers lies at your doorstep if you haven't accepted it.

Peace

Not sure why, but God has given me a great peace lately. I have been working hard this week. Reading, praying, and talking to the Lord about my life, and I just can't explain it.

"Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel." (Php 4:6-7)



Could this be the reason? Possibly, but I honestly think others have been praying for me and God is honoring them. Even so, it still applies.

Is it because of the church I am now attending after the move? God has really been speaking to me and challenging me.

I think I will stop analyzing the why and just say thank you to the who, my Savior and God, Jesus Christ. May He be blessed forever, Amen.

My Jericho

After my move, God has really been challenging me at Gettysburg Baptist Church. Two weeks ago, the pastor talked about Jericho and how the Israelites conquered it. His challenge to the church was to look into our lives and see what the Jerichos are in our own lives. What are those things you don't believe God can do.

The date was May 25th. It was the sixth year anniversary of my mother's passing and my wife's departure. For me, that is a significant event. The one thing I don't believe God can do is give me a family. I have wanted to be a father for a very long time. So, I have started asking God for the one thing I don't believe He can give me. Will He do it? I hope so. I have to examine my motives though. Am I doing this because it is simply something I want? Possibly. But the desire comes from something I believe is good and natural and even biblical. My greatest fear is living a life that leaves nothing behind. If I were to marry and have children, in my mind, that is one of the most important things I could ever do.

My prayer continues though. I believe it is right. I believe God will answer. What will His answer be??