Friday, July 30, 2010
A Visionary's Prayer
Dear Lord, You are a God who knows all and sees all. And yet, You see things differently than we can. Help me to see things as you see them. Help me to see myself as you see me. Help me to recognize the value of my efforts in your service. Help me to see the grief that my sin causes you, and the consequences that it brings on my life and testimony. Give me new insight into my place in your family and the responsibilities that come with being a child of the King. Enlighten my understanding of my brothers and sisters in You. Help me to love them enough to overlook their quirks, trust them enough to bare my soul, and minister to them with the kind of spirit that will allow me to help them through their trials and out of their temptations. If I am injured or offended by any of them, help to speak of it only to them and You. And help me to seek reconciliation as soon as I can. In this way I will be able to see them as you see them, as your cherished treasures. Focus my eyes, as well as my heart, on the souls of the lost. Help me not to gaze at their sin, only at their need. Help me recognize as you do, that Your grace is their only hope and that I am your channel of grace to them. Give me enough courage to seek them out and win them regardless of the cost to myself, knowing that You paid a much greater price. Give me a vision of a world won to Christ and the strength to strive to see it come about. Help me to recognize that the mission field begins at my front door and extends to the ends of the earth. And most of all. Lord, help me to keep my eyes clearly focused on You so that I will not be caught unaware when you stand and call me to your side!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Till The Whole World Hears The Gospel
Till The Whole World Hears The Gospel
The Lord is calling us today
To preach His message come what may
To wand’ring souls who’ve gone astray
Till the whole world hears the Gospel.
To those whose heart by sin is bound
Who languish in the lost and found
We must proclaim the joyful sound
Till the whole world hears the Gospel
The poor and needy, tempest-tossed
The soul that’s paying sin’s dread cost
Need us to lead them to the cross
Till the whole world hears the Gospel.
To the brokenhearted, lonely soul
Who has felt betrayal’s painful toll
Let’s give them hope of being whole
Till the whole world hears the Gospel.
To the blind and lame and even dead,
To those whose lives are filled with dread
Hope and healing He brings instead
Till the whole world hears the Gospel
Our urgent mission for today
Is that we go and give and pray
And not relent until the day
When the whole world hears the Gospel.
And when this message of salvation
Has been proclaimed to every nation
With Him we’ll sing in celebration
That the whole world heard the Gospel
Pastor Marty Hughes
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Setting God on Silent
Every once in a while, I look at my cell phone and notice that I have missed two or three calls. That is an unusual thing, because I carry it with me like it is connected with an umbilical cord. Then I notice that the little switch on the side that silences the ringer is flipped. That little switch is an important feature, especially for a Pastor. If you think it is embarrassing for you when your phone rings in the middle of a service, imagine what it feels like if you are the one preaching. But when we forget to turn the ringer back on, it makes it difficult for people to get in touch with us.
I think that sometimes, we do this to God. We turn off the ringer, and although He tries to speak to our hearts, we never get the message. Whether it is by filling our lives with worldly distractions or throwing ourselves into our leisure activities or even getting so caught up in the work of God that we neglect the God of the work, we let other things silence His voice.
When my phone is on silent, it vibrates to let me know that someone is calling. That feeling is a gentle reminder that just because I can't hear it, doesn't mean that there is no one there. God uses little things to stir our souls, trying to get our attention again, but sometimes we are so wrapped up in activity that we aren't even aware of that stirring.
I would challenge you today, that maybe it's time to check your messages. Is God trying to speak to you? Is He trying to move you to a new place of intimacy with Him? Or is He just longing to hear your voice? Take a few minutes today to check your settings.
I think that sometimes, we do this to God. We turn off the ringer, and although He tries to speak to our hearts, we never get the message. Whether it is by filling our lives with worldly distractions or throwing ourselves into our leisure activities or even getting so caught up in the work of God that we neglect the God of the work, we let other things silence His voice.
When my phone is on silent, it vibrates to let me know that someone is calling. That feeling is a gentle reminder that just because I can't hear it, doesn't mean that there is no one there. God uses little things to stir our souls, trying to get our attention again, but sometimes we are so wrapped up in activity that we aren't even aware of that stirring.
I would challenge you today, that maybe it's time to check your messages. Is God trying to speak to you? Is He trying to move you to a new place of intimacy with Him? Or is He just longing to hear your voice? Take a few minutes today to check your settings.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Political Responsibility
Those of you who know me, know that I don't make a lot of public statements about politics. I believe that the real hope for America is found in God's people being God's people and obeying the Great Commission. This is not to say that political action is not necessary, it is. It is just not the ultimate solution that many seem to think that it is. That being said, I feel that, as your Pastor, I need to encourage you to take seriously your role in our political process. Tomorrow, the Oklahoma primary elections will be held. This is the first opportunity that we, as Christians and as Americans, have to respond to the direction that the present administration is leading our nation. Often, such elections have very little impact on the moral fabric of our society. With the gridlock of modern American politics and the present tone of political discourse, it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between one party and another. But this election, and I would venture to say, the next several elections, will have a great impact on our nation, because of the obvious and publicly stated intention of liberal politicians to take our country as far from it's Judeo-Christian, capitalistic, conservative roots as possible. This is really not an issue of political party. Both parties have been a party to the moral and philosophical slide of the past several decades. However, it is an issue of political philosophies and so today, I would ask you to fully consider the difference between the two.
In general, political conservatives stand for personal responsibility, personal initiative, and personal freedom, generally in conjunction with a strong sense of right and wrong that works toward rewards for achievement and consequences for wrong-doing. Their weaknesses are that sometimes their emphasis on personal responsibility leads them to a lack of compassion, although, more often than not, they are much more generous and giving than their liberal counterparts. They hold strong morality based positions on issues like abortion, drugs, crime prevention, gay marriage, etc.
Generally, political liberals take a stance based upon the assumption that there is no universally applicable standard of morals and ethics and therefore, to hold someone responsible for the negative impact of their lifestyle is arrogant and judgmental. They believe that it is government's responsibility to cure the ills of society and that the best way to do this is through government control and the redistribution of resources. They believe that the moral and ethical boundaries presented by religion in general, but Christianity in particular, are outdated and unnecessary in a pluralistic society. As a result, they seek to legitimize a broad spectrum of behaviors that to conservatives are morally reprehensible.
The point to all of this is that Christians need to take these things into consideration when casting their votes. We need to consider the philosophy held by each candidate that we vote for, regardless of political party.
If we truly believe that the freedoms, social and religious, that we have enjoyed for the last two hundred years are bestowed upon us by God, then we must naturally assume that they come with matching responsibilities. And should we shirk those responsibilities, God would not be pleased. So let me encourage you to do your homework. Find out who the candidates are who hold to morally and philosophically conservative principles and then get out and vote for them. You can begin by voting in tomorrow's Primary election.
P.S. If you think that it is inappropriate for me, as your Pastor to advise you on political matters, then it is likely that you have fallen victim to the liberal philosophy that would separate God from having a place in the public square. Let me assure you, you won't be hearing me tell you who you should vote for. But I will not be silent about the biblical principles that you should be considering when making your choices. Those choices should always be made based on principles not party.
Don't forget, the Bible says, He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin. It seems to me that God has called us to have an impact on this increasingly godless society, and one way to do that is to be conscientious citizens and fulfill our civic responsibilities. So be sure to go to the polls tomorrow and vote based upon your principles, not your pocketbook or your party.
In general, political conservatives stand for personal responsibility, personal initiative, and personal freedom, generally in conjunction with a strong sense of right and wrong that works toward rewards for achievement and consequences for wrong-doing. Their weaknesses are that sometimes their emphasis on personal responsibility leads them to a lack of compassion, although, more often than not, they are much more generous and giving than their liberal counterparts. They hold strong morality based positions on issues like abortion, drugs, crime prevention, gay marriage, etc.
Generally, political liberals take a stance based upon the assumption that there is no universally applicable standard of morals and ethics and therefore, to hold someone responsible for the negative impact of their lifestyle is arrogant and judgmental. They believe that it is government's responsibility to cure the ills of society and that the best way to do this is through government control and the redistribution of resources. They believe that the moral and ethical boundaries presented by religion in general, but Christianity in particular, are outdated and unnecessary in a pluralistic society. As a result, they seek to legitimize a broad spectrum of behaviors that to conservatives are morally reprehensible.
The point to all of this is that Christians need to take these things into consideration when casting their votes. We need to consider the philosophy held by each candidate that we vote for, regardless of political party.
If we truly believe that the freedoms, social and religious, that we have enjoyed for the last two hundred years are bestowed upon us by God, then we must naturally assume that they come with matching responsibilities. And should we shirk those responsibilities, God would not be pleased. So let me encourage you to do your homework. Find out who the candidates are who hold to morally and philosophically conservative principles and then get out and vote for them. You can begin by voting in tomorrow's Primary election.
P.S. If you think that it is inappropriate for me, as your Pastor to advise you on political matters, then it is likely that you have fallen victim to the liberal philosophy that would separate God from having a place in the public square. Let me assure you, you won't be hearing me tell you who you should vote for. But I will not be silent about the biblical principles that you should be considering when making your choices. Those choices should always be made based on principles not party.
Don't forget, the Bible says, He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin. It seems to me that God has called us to have an impact on this increasingly godless society, and one way to do that is to be conscientious citizens and fulfill our civic responsibilities. So be sure to go to the polls tomorrow and vote based upon your principles, not your pocketbook or your party.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sovereign God
One of the most difficult things to fully understand about the God that we serve is His sovereignty. How can a God Who is sovereign grant to His children a free will? How can a sovereign God Who is good, allow evil to happen? If He is in control, why do tragedies occur and why does His work get thwarted? It isn't an easy concept to understand.
I think that sometimes we want God to put Himself into a box that we can understand and even control. We want this infinitely complex Creator of the unfathomably vast universe, Who has the power to control and the wisdom to maintain all that He has spoken into existence, to make Himself fit into our incredibly finite rational mind. Hmmmm, that doesn't make a lot of sense does it?
I used to teach Geometry at a Christian High School in Oklahoma City. Geometry is a fairly complex subject, demanding the student to use his reasoning to take him from the starting point, the given, to a proven destination while justifying every move along the way. To do this, he applies a long list of postulates and theorems to gradually work his way through the process of proving the given statement. Geometry demands that the student employ a new kind of thinking that has not been required of him before this point in his education, and for some, it is a difficult transition.
As I muddled through the dark cloud of confusion that it cast upon many of my students, I developed a statement to help them see their way, "Go from what you know to what you don't know." There were always elements of the problem that were given to them and these elements implied other facts not in evidence. They had to hold onto the things that they knew and then systematically progress one by one to the things that they didn't know. As each new element was proven, it allowed them to show the validity of the next.
The same is true when we try to understand God with our finite, fallen minds. If we try to master the subject all at once, we are certain to fail. Many give up seeking after God because they come upon some aspect of His character that they can't rationalize. The only way to begin to understand our Sovereign Maker is to start with what we know and move to what we don't know.
I know that God is and that He has revealed Himself in His Word.
I know that God is good and that He loves me.
I know that He sees in eternal perspective and understands things that I have no way of comprehending.
I know that He loved me enough to pay a precious price to redeem me.
And I know that He is powerful enough that the puny efforts of wicked men or the stumbling steps of His unfaithful children cannot thwart what He is doing in this world.
I know that He desires to have an intimate relationship with me and that in order to accomplish that, He has taken up residence in my heart.
I know that Satan is a defeated foe and that I have already won the victory through the authority of the name of Christ and the power of His blood.
I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow.
And along with Paul, I know that He will work all things together for my ultimate good.
Whenever I face trials and tribulations, whenever the circumstances of life are hard to understand, whenever people that I have depended on let me down, I simply go back to the things that I know about God and ask Him to take me to a place of understanding about the things that I don't yet know.
Like Geometry, it demands a new way of thinking. It also demands a humility that acknowledges two important facts of life: 1. There is a God, and 2. I'm not Him.
I think that sometimes we want God to put Himself into a box that we can understand and even control. We want this infinitely complex Creator of the unfathomably vast universe, Who has the power to control and the wisdom to maintain all that He has spoken into existence, to make Himself fit into our incredibly finite rational mind. Hmmmm, that doesn't make a lot of sense does it?
I used to teach Geometry at a Christian High School in Oklahoma City. Geometry is a fairly complex subject, demanding the student to use his reasoning to take him from the starting point, the given, to a proven destination while justifying every move along the way. To do this, he applies a long list of postulates and theorems to gradually work his way through the process of proving the given statement. Geometry demands that the student employ a new kind of thinking that has not been required of him before this point in his education, and for some, it is a difficult transition.
As I muddled through the dark cloud of confusion that it cast upon many of my students, I developed a statement to help them see their way, "Go from what you know to what you don't know." There were always elements of the problem that were given to them and these elements implied other facts not in evidence. They had to hold onto the things that they knew and then systematically progress one by one to the things that they didn't know. As each new element was proven, it allowed them to show the validity of the next.
The same is true when we try to understand God with our finite, fallen minds. If we try to master the subject all at once, we are certain to fail. Many give up seeking after God because they come upon some aspect of His character that they can't rationalize. The only way to begin to understand our Sovereign Maker is to start with what we know and move to what we don't know.
I know that God is and that He has revealed Himself in His Word.
I know that God is good and that He loves me.
I know that He sees in eternal perspective and understands things that I have no way of comprehending.
I know that He loved me enough to pay a precious price to redeem me.
And I know that He is powerful enough that the puny efforts of wicked men or the stumbling steps of His unfaithful children cannot thwart what He is doing in this world.
I know that He desires to have an intimate relationship with me and that in order to accomplish that, He has taken up residence in my heart.
I know that Satan is a defeated foe and that I have already won the victory through the authority of the name of Christ and the power of His blood.
I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow.
And along with Paul, I know that He will work all things together for my ultimate good.
Whenever I face trials and tribulations, whenever the circumstances of life are hard to understand, whenever people that I have depended on let me down, I simply go back to the things that I know about God and ask Him to take me to a place of understanding about the things that I don't yet know.
Like Geometry, it demands a new way of thinking. It also demands a humility that acknowledges two important facts of life: 1. There is a God, and 2. I'm not Him.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Daily Reminders of His Love
Isn't it amazing how quickly we forget how much God has done for us? It seems like sometimes, as soon as the clouds gather, we forget what the sun looks like. As I crossed the bridge this morning, I saw the sun coming up over the lake and once again it reminded me of how glorious God really is. When the psalmist tells us that "His mercies are new every morning...," it should assure us that His love is everlasting, never-failing, and beyond our comprehension. I know that I live a charmed life. God has blessed me in innumerable ways, yet I tend to get grumpy if I don't sleep well, or if the weather doesn't suit me, or if the price of gas gets too high. I am well-fed (no comments are necessary here), live in a safe and comfortable home, have more possessions than I deserve, and have a wonderful family around me. Compared to 95% of the world's population, I am rich, and oh, by the way, so are you. So why is it that we spend so much of our time and energy worrying or complaining about our lives rather than rejoicing in what God has done for us and sharing it with others? This is not a new problem. The children of Israel are a prime example of it. They continually asked God, "What have you done for me lately?" Instead of being thankful for His provision of manna and quail for them to eat in the wilderness, they acted like spoiled children and longed for the days of bondage.
I don't want to be like that, so I will just remind myself that life is hard, but God is good. The road is rough, but Heaven awaits. Many are the trials, but they pale in comparison to the price He paid and the glory that is to come. So today, I will rejoice in Him.
I don't want to be like that, so I will just remind myself that life is hard, but God is good. The road is rough, but Heaven awaits. Many are the trials, but they pale in comparison to the price He paid and the glory that is to come. So today, I will rejoice in Him.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Dog Days
We are certainly in the 'dog days' of summer right now. It is so hot here in Grove that I saw a dog chasing a cat and both of them were walking. People don't like to get out in this heat unless it involves going to the lake or some other refreshing water-related activity. I guess that is one reason (excuse) for what is traditionally known as the 'Summer Slump' in churches. Many people decide to take a vacation from God during the summer. But I am thankful that God is blessing our church in an unusual way this summer. We are seeing souls saved, visitors in our services, and a refreshing spirit of cooperation and excitement as we prepare for our Vacation Bible School. This morning, I would like to encourage you to think about ways that you can be more faithful to church during the summer. Little things like waiting to go to the lake until after the services or leaving earlier on Friday so that you can be back by Sunday. Everyone needs a vacation and God wants us to be a witness for Him wherever we go. But when we are in town, we ought to be in church. Hebrews says that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. It doesn't say, "Except during June, July, and August..."
I hope I am not sounding grumpy here, because in reality, I'm only thinking of you. We have had great attendances and wonderful services for the last several weeks. We are really experiencing a 'Summer Surge' rather than a Summer Slump. But there are many of our faithful regulars who are missing out on what God is doing, and I hate that. My heart says, " Wow, that was such a blessing! I wish so-and-so could have been here for that. They would have loved it."
So let me encourage you to be here this Sunday and every chance you get for the rest of the summer. We have three installments left in our Summer Sermon Series, "Running Toward Goliath" as well as a special guest on August 1st and our Church's 45th Anniversary on August 8th. We have seen the altars full and lots of decisions being made over the last few weeks and I believe that God is getting ready to pour out his blessings on our church as we surrender to Him in new and exciting ways.
So if it's too hot on Sunday morning and you are tempted to stay home, just remember the church has Air Conditioning.
I hope I am not sounding grumpy here, because in reality, I'm only thinking of you. We have had great attendances and wonderful services for the last several weeks. We are really experiencing a 'Summer Surge' rather than a Summer Slump. But there are many of our faithful regulars who are missing out on what God is doing, and I hate that. My heart says, " Wow, that was such a blessing! I wish so-and-so could have been here for that. They would have loved it."
So let me encourage you to be here this Sunday and every chance you get for the rest of the summer. We have three installments left in our Summer Sermon Series, "Running Toward Goliath" as well as a special guest on August 1st and our Church's 45th Anniversary on August 8th. We have seen the altars full and lots of decisions being made over the last few weeks and I believe that God is getting ready to pour out his blessings on our church as we surrender to Him in new and exciting ways.
So if it's too hot on Sunday morning and you are tempted to stay home, just remember the church has Air Conditioning.
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