Friday, June 23, 2006

The Pastor

The Pastor has a thankless job
In many different ways;
He gets a lot of helpful hints,
But gets so little praise!
The time he has is not his own---
He's not like other men;
Right when he thinks some time is his
There rings that phone again!
Someone is sick or needs advise,
And asks for him to call;
And as God's man they know he'll come,
And hardly mind at all.
The wisdom of King Solomon
Is all he needs each day
To lead his flock and keep them safe
From Satan's cunning ways!
Like Jesus he prays for his sheep---
Prays faith will never dim;
But when we lift our prayers to God
How many pray for him?
So let's be faithful to that one
Who helps us day by day
Let's not forget our man of God
When we kneel down to pray!

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Cut Out for Me!

I've got my job cut out for me.

Calling all young people! I'm not giving up so easy.
You refuse to worship, fellowship and learn and grow in the Word of God.
I have to compete against your desire to overeat!
I have to compete against your lust for pornography.
I have to compete against your facination for violent video games!
I have to fight against your love for the the shallow entertainment in movies and TV.
I have to compete against the NHL, World Cup, MLB.
I have heard the excuses and the shallow apologies and lies.
So you didn't come! You didn't rise up. You gave in to the flesh.
Guess what! It is not over! I'm in it for the long run! I'm tired for guilt, regret, discourgament and silly self pity! I'm putting it all aside now!

I've got my job cut out for me! I will stop at nothing to see it won!
Because this is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1John 5:4-5).

New Believers

Gosh, don't you just love those new Christians? I just love them! They are full of so much zeal and passion and life and hunger! Uhhh it is so inspiring! The want to know more and grow and everything is just fresh and new for them. I wish the whole body of Christ was like that! Full of salt and light and panting for more, More, MORE! They don't want to go back to the old way of things but want to get into the new! They infigurate the body! Oh, how I love you all! I wish the whole body had as much hunger and zeal as you but the cares of this life seem to get in the way. That can all change. It sure can!

The Love

Love
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

(1 Cor 13)

Where is the love? We can do great exploits for God. We can preach to large multitudes, co oridinate stellar conventions, help those in poverty, initiate new bible studies, but it will mean nothing to God if there is no love.

Or how about those zealous Christians who give such glowing testimonies of speaking in tongues but you hear nothing about love or being loved? Isn't love greater? That is the greatest manifestation of the Spirit filled life. Tongues is great but love is more superior.

Funny, I read so many mission statements and visions for churches and ministires and so far I have found none that say anything about love. Sometimes I wonder if we have experienced vision drift...? You'll hear about the great commission or other things but nothing about the most important commandments in the Bible which are, "30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these. (Mark 12)"

Hmmm interesting huh? Well do you know when we don't love our neighbor? When we use our neighbor as a means to an end. You've heard the old, 'do this and that for me stuff...' Or those people who only go to you when they need something and when you offer your help, there is no thank you and good job but sia nara. Or how about those people who only value how useful you can be to them. No getting to know the whole person and understanding where they come from. Just do what I want and leave. Ouch, how cold hearted.

Love should be our highest aim. I need more of it and so do you! That is the thing that drew me to Chirst. I experienced that love of God through a good friend. I heard sermons and testimonies and sang songs about God but what touched me the most was the love!


Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Pride of Life

I'm sure most of you have heard the old saying that pride comes before the fall. If you haven't, well you have now! It is one of the seven things that God despises (Proverbs 6:16-19). Have you ever asked yourself what is pride? Well here's some definitions from Dictionary.com:

1) A sense of one's own proper dignity or value; self-respect.

2) Pleasure or satisfaction taken in an achievement, possession, or association: parental pride.

I don't think there is any sin in the top two definitions. But take a look at the last two.

3) Arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness.

4) An excessively high opinion of oneself; conceit.

Interesting huh? Well not also does the dictionary tell us about pride but the book of Provebs tells something else:

Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 13:10
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23
A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

The Bible even talks about the consequences of Pride.

Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

We see this in action in the life of Lucifer or the Morning Star.

How you have fallen from heaven,
O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!

13 You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."

15 But you are brought down to the grave,
to the depths of the pit.

(Isaiah 14:1-15)

Why do you suppose God hates Pride? I've got some ideas but mind you I am thinking out loud so it may not sound to coherent.

Pride comes from a desire to be worshipped, or praised. Man was never meant to become and object of worship or praise. Why? Because man is fallible and imperfect.

Man isn’t all-powerful, all present and all knowing and therefore can’t meet all of our greatest needs. When we worship men, we will ultimately become disappointed when we find out that they can’t meet our deepest longings and lift our loneliness. Men will always fail us.

“It is better to trust in the LORD, Than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8)

Jeremiah 17:5
”This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

God’s ultimate desire is to have us love Him (Mark 12:20). If we worship him, we become like him and He is love. (1 John 4:8) He can meet our needs and promises to meet all our needs to the glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). He is all powerful and all present and all knowing. God never fail us.

Friday, June 09, 2006

C.S Stud

C.S Stud famed missionary to three continents wrote:

"Some want to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell;
I want to run a rescue ship within a yard of Hell."