Filed under: Christ, blessings | Tags: bible, denominationalism, Evangelism, factions, God, Jesus, legalism, SBC
Thomas Grunfeld is my favorite taxidermist. He has taken the Jackalope to new heights. I really relate to these images. Quite often I have felt that I too am an assemblage of cast off parts.
In my search for a new career, OK, job, I get the weirdest comments about my resume from interviewers. ” So you were an Electrician for over twenty years, went from being Pa.’s youngest licensed Journeyman electrician, to an Electrical Inspector, then a teacher of robotics at a junior college , yet you have a Psychology degree , spent more time as a volunteer Fire Chief than in any kind of job, worked as a banker for 12 years managing branches, and you say you have been a Pastor since 2004, and now you want a career in with us?” I can’t imagine why they are confused. From this side of the desk it all seems so logical.
At least there is this degree of consistency, my ministry resume is just as odd. For years I did not go to any church planting meetings, as I did not think I was a church planter, as I was in a pulpit of a church that was built 25 years ago. Now I am in a church that is a new plant that started four years ago. It is the same Church building, but a new church was born there. I was just along for the ride. There were no meetings or trainings offered for people serving in a church that was being reinvented. Church Strengthening, yes, church Planting, yes, Church Reinventing or Church Rebirth, not so much.
I have been preaching the Gospel as pulpit supply on and off for 32 years. I never went to seminary, and that was by choice. There is a conservative Baptist dispensational seminary almost in my back yard, and even though we preach from the same book and share so many values, I find an attitude there that repulses me. I have looked back in the history of a few local churches and found that they were doing great, until a preacher from that Seminary was called to serve there. After that church growth would cease and families would be torn apart, all in the name of Jesus. As I looked into other sources of education I found two schools. One so loosey goosey that scripture was a suggestion, the other so sure of their doctrine that they would choose it over Jesus, and in fact I think some of them did. I then judged all seminaries by this one. I am also nonjudgmental.
In most areas of doctrine people say I am quite conservative, but I am comfortable with gays and addicts and criminals, and atheists, many of whom really are nicer than I by any standard. I do not like liberal theology, nor do I like the cocky conservative who is so sure of himself that he would advise the Apostles. I am comfortable with reading conservatives, but would rather associate with liberals. The conservatives think I am aberrant, the liberals think I am conservative.Neither side will buy me lunch.
I have never been ordained, as the only groups whose ordination I would accept would reject me for some of my beliefs. My head does not fit in the jar. I have sat on ordination councils, but it is not likely I will ever be ordained. There does not seem to be too much of a problem with this in practice, no one really seems to care. When I was an Atheist I was ordained in the Universal Church Of Life, as a professor of mine thought that if a bunch of ministers of this group met at his home , it would be tax exempt. Ordained as an atheist, but not as a believer.
What a misfit!
The people I baptize become Baptists, yet I was baptized Church of Christ. I was dedicated as a Methodist, but was never a dedicated Methodist. I play guitar in a praise band with drums and all, but I personally prefer the old hymns of the faith. I serve communion with Matzo and Welches, and yet think that if there is no Real Presence, something is awfully wrong. I do not believe in divorce, but the best elders I have worked with were divorced men. Divorce ends a marriage, not necessarily a ministry.
I preach out of the Holman, but only because I bought them for $3.00 a piece. I love the King James, but lean on the NASB, study out of the ESV and put up with the NIV. In the 70’s, after King James study and them discovering the NASB I really enjoyed the Good News bible. I taught with a guy who claimed he was saved with the Good News, and soon after his conversion the Holy Ghost told him the only translation was KJV. Go figure .
To me the Catholic church has let down thousands of people, so poorly taught them that the vast majority know very little of the Gospel, and fall into unbelief. A couple weeks ago I sat in Mass at a funeral and had a wonderful time of prayer and worship. I disagreed with a couple points of the homily, but the priest has such a loving attitude it did not bother me. It was all about Jesus and that suits me fine. I’m not turning, but I’m not all that turned off either.
I tell my wife who is of Italian heritage that my Welsh heritage of song is superior to all, yet I listen to this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2SZ-nCBmsU Nice as it is, it can’t compare to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_XJFp5JXpk
So none of the pieces fit together. Well I have been given a great gift of faith, I know that my loving, Father will not allow a sparrow to fall, but that He knows. Even if it is a funny looking sparrow.
Thomas Grunfeld, artist for today's images.
Filed under: Jesus, blessings, faith | Tags: blessing, God, Grace, love, mercy
By the Grace of God, still with us!
Patti sends us an update on our miracle girl! This is Jessica, who was so ignored by her birth parents, that she needed to be Life flighted to Hershey Medical Neonatal Center, on the brink of death. They neglected to give her food or water. She is a survivor! Thank you Jesus
From Patti:
First of all I would like to thank all for your prayers to our awesome God for our sweet Jessica and Bob{[Patti's husband, Jessica's uncle]and myself. Don’t ever doubt that your prayers aren’t heard and answered, and so gratefully and humbly appreciated by Bob and I.
Jessica will be 18 months old on October 21st. She is now almost 20 lbs and a healthy, bright, energetic little girl. She is running, and talking. She loves reading and can recognize all of the alphabet and some numbers. She knows pretty much every animal and the sound they make.
We took Jessica to an animal park/zoo. She loved it so much. She just laughed and pointed at all the animals and called them to come to her. She fell in love with Twigga, the giraffe, who she got to feed carrots to. She had no fear as this huge animal bending down to her and wrapping his tongue around her little hand to take the carrot. She laughed and wanted to keep feeding him, which she did many times. Many people there took great joy at watching Jessica enjoying the animals. They followed us around, some took pictures of her, one man took a video. All had such smiles on their faces watching this little angel enjoying God’s creatures.
She is the biggest little helper. She loves to help me cook and bake. She is very stubborn and determined and just understands so much. She truly is a miracle and a wonderful blessing and an amazing little girl.
October proves to be an eventful month. Her birth father is awaiting a bench trial. He has pleaded not guilty although the DA thinks he may end up pleading guilty at the trial. This trial is to be within the next two weeks. Her birth mother has her plea hearing on October 27th and is expected to plead guilty. They both have been testing positive for drug and alcohol throughout the entire judicial process. They had a meeting with Children and Youth and the mother showed up drunk. Children and Youth have tried to get them to give up their parental rights, but the birth father said “it’s my kid” and they think the birth mother would have given up her rights, but she was drunk, and the birth father wouldn’t let her alone with them.
God has been proving to me over and over again who is in charge. In my most anxious moments He wraps His arms around me and says,” be calm, I am here”. We had the nightmare case worker, and then she went on maternity leave and we were assigned a new case worker who was a dream. In September the old case worker was back. She called me on the phone to set up a visit and not two minutes into the conversation she was already telling me not to get my hopes up about keeping Jessica. Well, needless to say, my asthma kicked in because of my anxiousness. I dropped to my knees and prayed God to let me just not listen to her. I prepared myself for this meeting by having people pray, and I spent all morning going from room to room just praying the blood of Christ and glorifying God for all He has done and will do. By the time the knock on the door came the Lord had me in a peaceful state, knowing he was in control. When Miss Nightmare came in and sat down, I took a deep breath and smiled. I asked her how she was, and told her how Jessica was doing. She then told me (brace yourself) Children and Youth were going to give total custody of Jessica to us and they would be out of the picture. What an awesome God!!! So on October 21st (Jessica’s 18 month birthday) we have a hearing to appoint Bob and I as Jessica’s sole legal guardians. Thank you Jesus again and again!
We will now pursue adopting her. We have no idea what it will involve. Our prayer is that both parents will give up their parental rights. Maybe once they are convicted and jailed they will realize what they have done and if they care anything at all about Jessica they will realize that she is happy and thriving and in the best place she could be.
Please keep us in continued prayer. We look forward to adopting our little Jessica. Pray that we have wisdom in what to do and who to go to.
I thank Pastor Will and Dawn for their constant prayers and help. I thank my family at Dayspring Bible and also all of you who I wish I could meet and just give you a big hug.
Thank you so much! God bless you all!
Patty
But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
I feel myself being put back on the potter’s wheel. My career, my health, my ministry. It is scary, exciting, and rejuvenating. I do not know where I will end up, I do not know what I will end up, but I know whose Hands will shape me. I pray I do not jump or slide from the wheel before He finishes me. Then there will be the fire to harden the new construction. Always the fire, to skim off the dross and to cure the vessel to a usable hardness. Seems to be the finishing stage to a new beginning.
The alternative to being clay on the wheel is to either mud on the ground, or a broken useless vessel. Lord, I would rather be a vase than an ashtray, but you are the Artist, the Divine Potter, I am just the clay. To be molded for Your use by Your hands is more than I could hope for or deserve.
Whee! I feel the spin starting!
Filed under: Fire Fighters, faith | Tags: Alchoholics Anonymous, ATHEISM, Chief, depression, Fire Service, God, love, Nature
Tunnel through the rail road fill at 7 tubs.
I have been going through some tunnel times. I seem to be much better at getting a second interview than I am at getting a job. I am sick of being broke, church giving is down, it rains a lot, my aches have aches, and I am generally miserable. Worst of all i spent a lot of time this week with Johnny. Johnny was my assistant Fire Chief for about 5 years back when i was Chief. he saved my rear in a figurative way a couple times, and I think God used him to save my life once.
The reason spending time with Johnny put the icing on my depression cake is that he has become a practicing alcoholic. johnny is 7 years younger than I, but now he looks 10 years older. his hands shake, his face is lined deeply, his legs can hardly hold him up. His dad died of alcohol in 73, his pretty younger sister dies about six years ago, same thing. I love this man, and just know he is on the way out. I have tried praying, preaching, and invites to AA. Without a Damascus road experience he will go the way of his family. I don’t see John often, but every once in a while, in the dead of night he will stop by, drunk as a skunk and smelling worse, to reminisce and wake me up. It only happens two or three times a year.
I was with Johnny because he called me Wednesday, his mom had passed away. He needed his Chief. I was with him as much as I could be. We went to the funeral Mass at The Holy Redeemer. His mom was a strong Catholic, but it didn’t take for John. They have a new priest, and I enjoyed[90%] of his homily. Their beautiful building with its vaulted ceilings is a lot different from, Dayspring’s drop ceiling plainness. I hear they are going to sell it, and as much as I would love to preach there, i just don’t see that happening. Very Christ centered. I stayed with him for the burial and the little dinner after. We sent over a ham and some buns, it is about all I can do. I can’t reassure him, or promise reunion, he is not a believer. he told me that this existence is Hell. His theology is really wrong, but he is strong in his disbelief.
Anyway, the Godlessness of the situation brought me to a dark spot. I have to watch my self. I have been really depressed in the past, and if I let my Gospel armor loosen, and if I do not take care of me and walk closer to God i can get so down i can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. I took a hike with son in law Mark, [Eutychus to us] , and took some pictures and walked the blues away. It lifted me, may you enjoy. These are from the Seven tubs Recreational area in my home County of Lucerne.
The tree tops of north East Pa. The colors are coming in.
Looking out to the Blue Ridge Mountains , across the Susquehanna valley
One of the Seven tubs
Markus Eutychus, excellent hiking partner!
So how can you stay depressed with such natural glory around? How can i be down when God has taken me through the tunnels of cancer, and pain, and paralysis? Do I think God retired? Am I silly or simple enough to think that He who started a good work in me will nor complete it? Being around people who have shut out God really runs me down, being around God and His works is my prescription. Hope you like the photos!
Filed under: Bible study, Christ, Jesus, apostacy, faith | Tags: cults, denominationalism, factions, God, Pastors, revelation
It is human nature to explore, to search and to delve into depth and hight never visited before. This personality trait of mankind has motivated us to cover the globe with civilization, exploiting as many of the God given resources as we can find and put to use. Were we not made this way there would be no advancement, no exploration, no progress.In academic and philosophic circles there is a great desire to plow the virgin field, and to stake claim to new grounds as the inventor or discoverer or progenitor of a new theory or school of thought.
It may be this portion of our nature that cause so many people to search for a “deeper” or “hidden meaning” in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am personally convinced that the Holy Bible holds all the information needed to know and please God, though the Good News of Jesus, the Risen Messiah. The Bible has proven itself to me to be authoritative, complete, and truly Holy. There are many translations available to compare and contrast what is said to come to a personal understanding of the meaning presented. It is enjoyable and educational when people bring different translations to a small group study. comments like, “My Bible says,” or “It is said a little differently here” bring open discussion allow varying perspectives to be examined, giving participants the opportunity to voice the sentence in their own words, so as to bring the meaning home.
Finding “hidden” meaning in Scripture is quite another matter. There is a thriving industry, and has been as long as there has been scripture, in having some “enlightened soul” teach the secret meanings, and “unlock” they mysteries of Holy Writ. The new rash of Cabalists tell people that they are skilled at finding the meaning in the white spaces on the page, not in the inked portion. This obvious nonsense satisfies Madonna. Books and websites and cults that brag on finding treasures hidden for centuries in the most read of all books abound. There have been claims for everything from higher levels of awareness, to the location of Atlantis, all placed in the bible, usually KJ 1611, or the original Hebrew, or even in a painting of The Last Supper.
Re-reading some Gnostic literature has fanned the flames of my irritation. I take the words of Paul seriously, ”This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” , and I honestly do not believe that one can be a steward of the mysteries of god, without being a servant of Christ. The conjunctive is binding. Those who claim to have “mysteries” but are not serving Jesus, are quite possibly serving someone else all together. Those who use the very words of the Savior to weave a web of confusion deserve a special place on my list of irritants. Let me share this portion of poison.
Jesus’ Five Stage Model of Consciousness And How His Theory of Nature Provides the Key To Stage IV
Jesus’ parable of the sower (Mark 4:13-20) conveys how his teachings are received according to the stage of consciousness of the receiver. What the sower is sowing is the Word, meaning the logos/mind of God. As soon as those on the edge of the path (those in Stage I) hear about the word/logos, they let Satan [the personification of evil] come and carry it away. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock [those in Stage II] hear the Word [Jesus' logos/logic teachings] and at first, welcome it with joy. But because they have no root in them, they do not last;.. When the first test or persecution on account of the word comes, they fall away at once. “For they have no moral conscience to persist. Then there are others, [those in Stage III], who receive the seed in thorns, [meaning in a judgmental environment]. They have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches, and all other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And then, there are those who have received the seed in rich soil [those in Stage IV]. They hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, 30 and 60 and a 100 fold.” [Mark 4:13-20]
The key concept, upon which Jesus anchored his knowledge teachings, is that each of us is meant to grow through five forms/states of consciousness and each form is initiated by a consciousness-raising idea.
This discussion of “levels of knowledge or awareness” is quite common among those who seek to find the secret in the open. Perhaps a better ”unwrapping” of this parable was given by the author,” 10. And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, [began] asking Him [about] the parables. 11. And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12. in order that while seeing, they may see and not perceive; and while hearing, they may hear and not understand lest they return and be forgiven.” 13. And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? 14. “The sower sows the word. 15. “And these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16. “And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky [places], who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17. and they have no [firm] root in themselves, but are [only] temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18. “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19. and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20. “And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”
Nothing of levels, but of different reactions differing people have to the gospel, a reaction we have all seen take place. The 8th chapter of Romans is also given a treatment of being divided into levels. It seems anything is used to promote the idea that some people know some facts that others have missed.
Could it be the truth is plainly laid out for us? Hebrews 1
1. God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2. in these last days has spoken to us in [His] Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high;
. Joh 1:14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Deuteronomy 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, IT IS NOT HIDDEN FROM THEE, neither is it far off.
Col. 2: 2. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk ye in him: 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Before delving in to supposed mysteries and hidden revelation, we should encourage seekers to contemplate the ultimate Mystery. 1Jo 4:19
We love Him, because He first loved us.
Filed under: Crazed Thought, Reaction | Tags: church, culture war, God, Heroes, Jesus, Pastors, SBC
The Cross and the Flag , not Mutually Exclusive
I have been told by preachers , politicians, and many Christian Bloggers, that the culture wars are over and WE LOST. In every war I have read about there are a few hold outs who refuse to drop their arms and submit. I join the ranks of those who become resistance fighters in hope, however slim of a turn around in fortune and an eventual victory. Even if victory is impossible I will still continue to fight until my commander and chief calls me home.
I think the reason so many feel the war is lost is that our leadership has been so horrible. We did not choose our battles well. Large formations of well meaning Christian soldiers fought in vain over issues that were a diversion from the real battle. The issue was never Democrat or Republican, it was family values versus blatant filth. Instead of marshalling the troops and training them to attack only the worse most obvious examples of darkness and sin, we boxed at shadows and made great mountains out of ant hills, while the problems of our culture worsened. Did we really think ‘ Harry Potter’ was the worst thing that could happen to our children? Western civilization has had witch stories since before The Brother’s Grimm collected them. We can show kids movies about a talking cucumber, but stay away from magic! Friends, talking cucumbers are not of God!
Why were we so upset that Disney had Gay Day? If we were not going to attend that day what do we care? And what is the difference between Disney movies and Harry Potter? Big Blue Genies may look cute, but the dijin are fallen angels. The movie ‘Pocohantas’ shows my ancestors digging for gold teaching children that the Pilgrim fathers came here to despoil the land, the truth is they wanted a Puritan State. Is that what we were going for in the culture war? If I boycotted everything that did not think and act in a way that met my approval I would be a Robinson Crusoe on an island of my own isolation. How does that move the war ahead?
Our generals missed the main camps of the enemy. Drugs have been and still are ripping our culture apart. How many can name the great Christian battle against them? Did we offer prevention programs in schools? Pizza parties for youth groups were designed more to boost our numbers, however well that worked, than to broadcast the dangers of drug use and provide coping behavior for an entire generation. Alcohol destroys families, kills youth and wastes life, yet few churches joined the battle even as far as hosting an AA group. Marriage success runs fifty- fifty even among the church, so while we have talked about the problem we do not seem to have had much impact, even in our own ranks. We seem to be better at uniting against an issue than forming a coalition for anything.
One great problem we have suffered in the war is fratricide. The other day I was on a site that just loves to pick on Mark Driscol. You may not like him or want him for your Pastor, that is your choice, but if your biggest enemy is Mark Driscol, you need to look around a bit more. People who love Jesus pick on Billy Graham, John MacArthur, the Internet Monk, and you and I when they get a chance. After the name of Jesus, all those mentioned are fallible. Are you surprised? only the Savior is without fault, and if we dig enough we will find something to complain about in all our brothers and sisters. Hold your fire! Our ranks are thin enough.
So as a surviving warrior I make my stand in the jungle of America. I love the values with which I was raised. My elementary school dismissed for Wednesday morning church school in good weather. We would go to the closest Protestant or Catholic Church for Bible study or CCD according to our denomination. Some students stayed behind and played ball, nobody judged. We began the day with The Pledge of Allegiance. Why not pledge allegiance to the Government in a government school? We had a moment of silent prayer. I have visited schools over the last thirty years. There is no silence, ever. I am not a barbarian for valuing this.
I still think taxes higher than a tithe are wrong, that abortion is awful and all too much turned to in our country. Using abortion as birth control is abhorrent to me, but signs in churches, ”Unwed Pregnant Women Welcomed and Supported” are not to be found. Legislation is not an answer, propagation of a culture of life is. I find most songs on some radio channels offensive, and no Britney, I could care less where Amy is. I do not like Gay Pride Parades, but what adults do in private is of no concern or interest to me. Forbidding someones closest friend and partner full access in medical emergencies seems barbaric. Anyone who pays rent and maintains a property has a right to live in it. Christians do not need to accept sinners behavior, but we do need to be understanding, as we know we too have fallen short of the Glory of God .
I do not wish to turn the clock back to the fifties or the sixties, I seek only to have my point of view accepted, as I accept the point of view of others. So quit if you want but for me the struggle goes on. My role model will be Hiroo Onada. He was sent to war in 1944 and continued his struggle until 1974, until his commanding officer told him to stand down.
Can I do less? Do I have less faith and desire to obey my maker than this good soldier had to obey his superiors? I was told to ‘Fight the Good Fight’ and I will do so till ordered differently.
If Hiroo can hold out in the jungles of Guam for 30 years I can fight a bit longer here in Pennsylvania .
It would be easy to call Hiroo a fool, to ridicule him for being overly zealous, but he earned my respect, and although I think he was on the wrong side supporting a racist Imperialistic government that am thankful was defeated, he did his job, and then some.
Hiroo’s commanding officer assists his surrender after 30 years.
Will my commander be as proud of me? Put me down as an armed belligerent, a guerrilla fighter. I will use my voice and my vote to the best of my ability in the hopes of someday hearing” Well done, my good and Faithful servant.” I will continue to shine the Light of the Cross that I love on the Flag of the country that I love, and pray that the pendulum will swing back to a more moderate, less secular state of affairs in the United States. Call me an optimist or a fool, but surrender is not an option.
Filed under: History, roots of Willohroots, Uncategorized | Tags: fool, God, humility
Does humility come easy to any of you? If so you have my respect and God forgive me, envy. Don’t worry , I will get rid of the envy by leaving it at the foot of the cross, and repent, but I could not deny it without false testimony. Humility has NOT come easy to me. I always wanted to be the “….est” at something. Smartest, coolest, toughest, quickest, some measure of outstanding achievement or performance. It may have been a result of being the youngest [there it is again], smallest[oh boy], fattest [no brag there], kid in my class. Reasons and rationalizations aside, I sought niches in which to excel. I wish I could tell you that this was channeled into socially acceptable, God honoring categories that led me to be a leader of industry and achievement, but that would be going back to the whole false testimony thing. A lot of the niches I wanted to be captain of were down right sinful. God takes His servants from some odd backgrounds. I rejoice that Moses was a stuttering murderer. I am given much hope in the Saul part of Paul’s life. Abraham’s failures allow me to more readily call myself a servant of the Most High, this is a group whose qualifications are not based on the individual, but on the Holy God who used them. When Noah went on a bender after doing all the right things he showed a humanity I can relate to, perhaps all too well, a lack of perfection that only goes to illuminate God by the contrast of His light to our dark.
God does not often use the prideful servant. The Holy Spirit fills the empty vessel, not the one filled with pride of self. Jesus called us not to lead, but to follow. Since from birth we are self minded, God must send people and instances and the Holy Spirit to act on us as Nathan acted on David. ”You are that man”, experiences are horrible to go through, but iron is heated, beaten and quenched to be made into a tool. If we offer God the ore of our basic existence, should we not expect to be refined? We can trust that His expert hand will not strike harder than we can bear, nor will He withhold the fire until the dross is skimmed away. God has caused or allowed many humbling experiences to come into my life; He has placed me in situations where I have been helpless, looked foolish, and/or had no hope except His mercy. Looking back these were times to praise Him, even though at the time of occurrence they seemed cruel, or at best humorous. I would like to share a few of these moments, for I am sure they will make you feel better about your humbling experiences. We all know that pathos is when you trip over a rake in the yard, comedy is when your neighbor does it. Allow me to be your neighbor and have a good natured laugh at some of these situations, I assure you that neither the neighbor nor I were permanently injured by these events.
On a scorching August day we were called to a ” assist the civilian” while Hanging around at the Fire House. The temp was bumping 100 degrees, and most of us were in shorts and tshirts. The Hermit had found a dead animal in his well and wanted us to pump out and chlorinate the cistern. A marvelous opportunity to train the new guys , girls, and juniors in the operation of a portable pump. I took the squad truck and about seven “newbies” and off we went to serve the community. We set up next to the well with a 300 gpm portable pump and two lengths of suction , with no hose needed as we would just blow the water out of the pump and out of the way. Everyone listened attentively as I, the experienced Fire Chief shared a chunk of my knowledge. They watched as I primed the pump and started the operation. Now it was their turn. I watched from ten feet away as the suction was re-lowered into the well, the pump restarted, but they had forgotten to prime, so no flow was to be had. I took a step closer as a rookie figured the problem out on his own, applied back pressure and re-angled the outlet. At me. 300 gallons per minute of rancid dead animal stew hit me right below the belly button. Do you think that is humbling? No, humbling is when this well water, freezing cold well water blows your shorts down to your ankles in an instant. Did I mention it was freezing cold water? The great Chief stood before the crowd with all the primary sexual characteristics of a Ken doll. That is Humbling.
I lay in a fetal position on a hospital bed unable to move. I had been this way for weeks with herniated discs. The local hospital was afraid to operate due to my cancer history and had shipped me out for expert surgery. As I lay there I asked God, “Can there be anything worse?” I advise you to avoid that comment . A 6′3″ man with bright red hair in a Ronald McDonald permanent showed up with a disposable razor. If you wanted to cast a flamboyant gay guy for a movie, you would cast this fellow. ”Time to shave your bummy for Doctor Martin!” , he announced with glee. Humbling. By the way, he was an excellent care-giver who understood a man’s pride, and did his best to preserve the gram of dignity I had left.
I was in a bible study/prayer group. I looked around the table at my fellow travelers, and realized I was superior. I was the only one with a college education, actually a GED would have been trump with this crowd. I was not on welfare, I was wearing clothes bought just for me when they were new, not from the Salvation Army store. I did however, have a problem. I could not pray. Since my mom died the previous year, I just could not pray. I called it prayer-locked. In front of a group I could sound like I was praying, but I was not talking to God, I was speaking so others would know what a good prayer I was. Then it was Tami’s turn to pray. She told God how happy she was for the miracle last night, that when she rechecked the cupboard with faint hope, there was a box of macaroni and cheese and her family had supper. ”Thank you Jesus for feeding us.” She meant every word, nothing fancy, just humble and honest, from the bottom of her heart. I did not get my turn, I was crying. My heart was broken, I was humbled, and once again I could pray. Thank you Jesus, thank you Tami.
I wish I had no more stories like this, but to keep the testimony true, I must admit there is a bunch. Some have no humor involved. I once thought I was pretty tough, but I found out my own skin cells could turn against me and take me out. I thought I was smart, but I have done the most idiotic things. My dependence on my God grows every day.
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
He hath shown me, and I rejoice.
photo from http://www.mvmc.org.uk/testimonies.html[ I love it!]
Most of you know I never volunteered for this job. I came by the way of Jonah . I fought the call for 30 years, but ended up right where God wanted me, when He wanted me, and where he used me. As we changed from a failed 25 year old mess to a vibrant new church start, I changed from a 47 year old supposed escapee of God’s plan, to a living, new, church Pastor. The church is new, I am too. The church went through two floods, death of the head deacon, an exodus of the old school and a name change. I have experienced change on the same order. There is a joy in watching God do a complete make-over, almost as much joy as being the object His remodeling.
My ideas of what a pastor is, what he does, how he interacts with the people God has given him to love, have always been nebulous. I had no model, no education, no human mentor, no clue. I wish I could point to a pastor who made a difference in my life, but although I searched for such an experience, it was not to be. My years as a lay preacher certainly helped to prepare me, to a degree, with bible study and sermon presentation, but were of no help , and perhaps were a distraction or at best a false start for the role I have today.
I am convicted that “Feed My Sheep” is my main task. Jesus’s commandments to ”Love God and Love thy neighbor” are my objectives. I have learned that without the Holy Spirit I can do none of it. There is a lot less of me in me, and praise God a lot more of Him.
What do you think the job entails? What does it exclude? I have learned a lot from the comments of the readers here, but I have much more to learn. Perhaps it is an oversimplification, but so far being a friend to the people in the pews seems to take priority and also be amazingly rewarding.
Tell me, I might not follow your advice, but I will listen.
Did you hear the one about the guy who tried to start a church? Some times I feel like a punchline. I am setting up this blog to find kindred spirits or at least kind read spirits with whom to share the joys and woes of working for God. It would be nice to get advice and encouragement from afar. Or aclose. I’ll take it any way I can get it. Here’s the sit rep.
God called me into the ministry in 1977. Being the fool sinner I am, I told Him No way. This was not my brightest moment. The Creator of all communicated with me in a real way and I got in a fight with Him. I told Him I did not like churches, could not stand preachers, thought church members were hypocrites and lame brains. There I was at Wilkes College down by the river bank, watching the Susquehanna go by, yelling at God. I am not even Pentecostal. Yep I won that fight, Showed Him who the captain of this ship is. I’ll sing for you, I’ll preach here and there, but shepherd that flock of yours? No way. Did I say I am a pastor? I still find fault with churches, in fact they rally tick me off [mine included]. I get along with a couple of preachers, but the line up on TBN mostly bring out the worst of my thoughts. I still think churches are full of hypocrites and lame brains but now that they have made me head lame brain I feel better. We are working on the whole hypocrisy thing. We are full of them, but have room for a few more.
The bigest difference between then and now is that i love these people. So varied, so diverse in age, race, back ground, education, at various levels with their walk with God, I love these people.
So here I am. That’s me, next post is the church.
