Ok I'll admit it, my message Sunday morning may have been a little over the top. My intent was not to necessarily divulge personal information for sympathy but rather to let you know that even pastors are human and subject to problems that everyone else experiences. Not necessarily to the extreme that I did, but people do suffer from all kinds of maladies. Mine just happened to be emotional.
Ok, with that said I wanted to review with you the importance of putting those
"tools" into practice. There was one that I actually left out. Not on purpose of course, but never the less it is important to talk about the thing I that I wished I'd said. And that is, drum roll pleaseeeeee. The one that I left out was the important roll that Scripture plays when we feel stretched to limit and beyond our limit of stress. I'm wondering if you ever have sensed the calm that comes over our heart in times of grief or bewilderment? Or when you don't feel like you can go another step or make another move and Phil. 4:13 pops into your head, "I Can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." How about when you loose you way? What you've never lost your way? It's then that you remember that passage you memorized as a child in what 3rd or 4th grade? "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."(Prov. 3:5) Now that will help us get back on track! You see
when we feel like we're on our own, we're really not on our own. Scripture is what helps keep us on track and is probably the biggest tool in the toolbox. Maybe we could say that God's Word IS the toolbox and everything inside are the tools He intends for us to use. He won't mind, He doesn't even care that much if we don't always give credit where credit is due, afterall, "His word never returns to Him void".
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Last Sunday/10-18-2009
I've mentioned before that as I am speaking I am trying to think ahead to what I want to say next and sometimes my brain gets twisted 'round. That's right twisted 'round. It gets twisted 'round everything that I've already said and is sorting out the things it wants to say. For instance, last sunday I made reference to Isaiah and that he was a prophet of the Lord at the time of his experience in the temple. He was actually dreaming, at least that's what the general agreement is, and the Lord came to him in his dream. Someone following the service mentioned to me that, that moment in Isaiah 6:8 was God's calling upon him to forsake all and announce to His people the message that was to follow. I said that Isaiah was already a prophet of the Lord. I wish I'd said that this was actually prior to his calling instead of the other. This reminds me of the importance of getting my scholarship right before I open my mouth.
People often wonder I'm sure, what difference does it make. Perhaps in the long run, not a whole lot. But on the short end it does matter. It matters because as a pastor and as fellow Christians when we make statements about characters in the Bible we need to be as accurate as possible. Now we all make our far share of mistakes and misquotes. At least I do and so I strive to create the best picture I can of who God is and what He has done. Otherwise it opens too many doors and gives too much room for incorrect scholarship and storytelling.
However, when someone reads the Bible they are reading more than just a story! The Bible is a collection of accounts, which is different than a story. Often times stories are simply a fictional recollection of what someone heard or wrote. The accounts in scripture are more than that. They are accounts of what really took place. In some cases they may seem unbelieveable, but never the less are still true and contain truths for our everyday lives. And that's the place that our faith goes to work. The writer of Hebrews told us this, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1 NIV This is faith at work. Believing and confident that what God said is not only true but will come to pass.
Have you exercised your gift of faith yet this week? No matter how large or small it may be. As we exercise our faith it grows right along with us. Trust God to help you as you exercise your faith to get to know Him and the plans that He has made for you.
People often wonder I'm sure, what difference does it make. Perhaps in the long run, not a whole lot. But on the short end it does matter. It matters because as a pastor and as fellow Christians when we make statements about characters in the Bible we need to be as accurate as possible. Now we all make our far share of mistakes and misquotes. At least I do and so I strive to create the best picture I can of who God is and what He has done. Otherwise it opens too many doors and gives too much room for incorrect scholarship and storytelling.
However, when someone reads the Bible they are reading more than just a story! The Bible is a collection of accounts, which is different than a story. Often times stories are simply a fictional recollection of what someone heard or wrote. The accounts in scripture are more than that. They are accounts of what really took place. In some cases they may seem unbelieveable, but never the less are still true and contain truths for our everyday lives. And that's the place that our faith goes to work. The writer of Hebrews told us this, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1 NIV This is faith at work. Believing and confident that what God said is not only true but will come to pass.
Have you exercised your gift of faith yet this week? No matter how large or small it may be. As we exercise our faith it grows right along with us. Trust God to help you as you exercise your faith to get to know Him and the plans that He has made for you.
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